In college, I absolutely loved reading and discussing philosophy in my classes. But I realised that very little effort had gone into applying what I had learnt in my day-to-day living. So, in my final semester at YNC, I set off on an Independent Reading and Research course with Prof Sherice where I didn’t just read but also practiced teachings from Moon in a Dewdrop, a compilation of Zen Buddhist writings by the Japanese monk, Dōgen. I would read snippets from chapters, identify an idea that I wanted to embody in my life, and put it in practice. 

During this sharing, I will reflect on some Zen ideas that I attempted to practice – such as seeing reality for what it is and thinking nonthinking – before we try them out for ourselves!