Category Archives: mindfulness

coffee at sunset zen photo

Sitting on the Roof of a Car Watching the Sunset w/ Coffee

Coffee at sunset on the roof of a car – I love this Instagram photo for a number of reasons. My goal in life recently has been to be more “present,” which is the most important concept of Zen Buddhism.

I feel like this photo captures “the present moment” perfectly. Even the fact that she is sitting on the roof of a car adds to the idea of deliberately choosing to being “still,” even on a machine designed for movement.

Plus, check out that retro glass coffee maker that looks like an old Bunsen burner; yet another deliberate choice to honor the “process” or journey instead of rushing to the destination.

coffee, sunset, cutie who happens to be my fiancée

A post shared by hunter hebenstreit (@coffeehunterr) on


bosphorus coast istanbul turkey

Zen Moment: Watching the Sunset Over the Bosphorus Strait In Istanbul

Beautiful sunset in Istanbul Turkey – What an amazing photo of a guy watching a pretty Zen sunset in Istanbul. The sun, boat, and figure all combine to make a great composition, and it’s easy to put yourself where the figure is.

Looking out on the boat moving through the natural majesty of the river, it makes you contemplate where your own place is in the world.

From what I can tell, this must be the coast of the winding Bosphorus strait in Istanbul, which is supposed to be one of the best, and overlooked, tourist attractions in the city. Spectacular photo!

Inspirational Instagram photo by Devrim Ates: @revolutionship

camping south dakota with book

Camping Spot w/ a Good Book (and Banana) in South Dakota

A Great Camping Spot to Read a Book – Wow, what an inspiring scene, located outside of Pierre, South Dakota. Looks like all the essentials are covered here, and reason number 101 to feel bad about your daily commute.

Actually, that book is “Desert Solitaire” by Edward Abbey which has some great quotes for a scene like this:

“Wilderness and motors are incompatible and the former can best be experienced, understood and enjoyed when the machines are left behind where they belong — on the superhighways and in the parking lots, on the reservoirs and in the marinas.”

“A man on foot, on horseback or on a bicycle will see more, feel more, enjoy more in one mile than the motorized tourists can in a hundred miles.”

And, for those of you like myself who watch with concern as the Federal Reserve & Wall Street struggle in their endless quest for economic growth, here’s another relevant quote:

“An economic system which can only expand or expire must be false to all that is human.” – Edward Abbey

Quotes from Edward Abbey, Desert Solitaire.
Inspiring Instagram Photo @paul_johnstone