Zen Ways To Build Routines, Concentrate Your Mind, and Simplify Your Life

10% Happier with Dan Harris

10% Media, LLC

Dan Harris, Health & Fitness, Mindfulness, Dharma, Mental Health, Meditation

4.6 • 12.2K Ratings

🗓️ 28 September 2025

⏱️ 99 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

From The Way Out Is In, the official podcast of Thich Nhat Hanh's Plum Village tradition, co-hosted by frequent 10% guest Brother Chan Phap Huu and leadership coach Jo Confino.

In this installment, Brother Phap Huu and Jo discuss the true meaning of Zen, finding beauty and meaning in simplicity, and how to practice so in everyday life. Also, what does it mean to be part of a Zen tradition? And how do we practice Zen? How do we see the world ‘through the eyes of Zen’?

The conversation also touches upon the cultivation of mindfulness, concentration, and insight; the importance of humility; finding beauty in the mundane; the sacredness of objects and spaces; the role of rituals and routines; the balance between sophistication and simplicity in one’s spiritual practice; and much more.

The episode concludes with a short meditation, guided by Brother Phap Huu, on being present and grateful for the wonders of life.

Get ready for another Meditation Party at Omega Institute! This in-person workshop brings together Dan with his friends and meditation teachers, Sebene Selassie, Jeff Warren, and for the first time, Ofosu Jones-Quartey. The event runs October 24th-26th. Sign up and learn more here!

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Transcript

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0:00.0	This is the 10% Happier Podcast. I'm Dan Harris.
0:19.1	Happy Sunday, everybody. As you may know, the word Zen gets thrown around a lot. We use it for
0:24.9	everything from spa treatments to interior design. But Zen has a much deeper meaning, one that is
0:31.8	both fascinating and very practical, if you're interested in doing life better, that is. So today you're going to hear a discussion about the meaning of the word Zen. What we're doing here is called a feed drop, where we play you an episode of another podcast that we like, one that you may want to check out. It's kind of like a teaser. The podcast in question is called The Way Out Is In, and it's co-hosted by Brother Foplu, who's a Buddhist monk,
0:56.3	who's been a guest on this show many, many times. Brother Fapu was the personal attendant for Ticknaud Han,
1:02.1	the great Zen master for 17 years. He's now the abbot of Plum Village's Upper Hamlet. His co-host
1:08.8	on his show, which again is called The Way Out Is In, is Joe Confino, who's a writer.
1:13.6	Together, Joe and Brother Phapu also wrote a book called Being with Business, Zen Ways to Transform, Overwhelm, and Burnout.
1:21.7	So the show is called The Way Out Is In, and this episode is about the word Zen.
1:26.6	And I should say that the episode we're about to play you concludes with a short meditation guided by brother Fapu, so that's worth checking out.
1:33.7	Before I hit play on that, though, I just want to remind you to come check out what we're doing over at Dan Harris.com.
1:39.4	Paid subscribers now get guided meditations that come with all of our Monday, Wednesday episodes, plus weekly
1:45.6	live meditation and Q&A sessions on video. We do these every Tuesday at 4 Eastern. I'm doing
1:50.5	the next one this Tuesday solo, but sometimes I do it with our Teacher of the Month. In September,
1:55.9	our Teacher of the Month has been Vinnie Ferraro. In October, it will be Seb and A. Salasi.
2:00.9	Speaking of Seb, if you want to meditate with me and Seb in person, we will be back at the Omega Institute for another installment of meditation party, our annual, sometimes bi-annual weekend long retreat.
2:12.8	It's October 24th through 26 this year.
2:15.8	Jeff Warren will be there.
2:16.8	Ofosu Jones-Corté will be there.
2:19.0	There is a link in the show notes if you want to sign up.
2:22.1	Okay, enough out of me.
2:23.0	Coming up an episode on the concept of Zen from the podcast, The Way Out is In.
	...

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