Out of nowhere, the mind comes forth

– The Diamond Sutra

The Koan is used to understand the openness of the Zen philosophy. It is a paradox to be meditated upon and is used to train Zen Buddhist monks to gain enlightenment.

Living in the flow or in an awakened state requires that the analytical or egoic mind be exhausted. This allows the more intuitive form of “no-mind,” or Mushin, to reveal itself. The daily practice of meditation and mindfulness is of paramount importance to achieving enlightenment or flow. Koans are ambiguous puzzles that push us to open even more to allow space for deep intuition to emerge—beyond knowing and into creative mindfulness. Koans reach across time and space to say something that opens the heart and touches the miracle of our lives.