Tag Archives: zen

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

surfing at sunset beach in indonesia

Surfing at Sunset In Indonesia: You Can’t Stop the Waves…

Surfing at Sunset Zen Instagram photo – “You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf” – Jon Kabat-Zinn

As an archipelago of over 17,000 islands, Indonesia has more than its share of great surfing spots, and this looks like one of the better ones. That beach just keeps going as far as you can see, and it looks like the waves do too.

The lack of detail or identity of the surfer himself makes it easy for us to put ourselves in his place. (which I’d love to do right now) The absence of any architecture on shore helps to make this photo really timeless. From the height of the sun, he’s probably calling it a day, and I can only imagine that it was a good one.

Inspirational Instagram photo with X-Pro II effect by @aditzt

sunrise over bagan myanmar

Dreamy Sunrise Over Bagan w/ Hot Air Balloons

Sunrise Over Bagan – Hard to believe that this dream-like, Zen photo was taken on Earth, but in fact it was taken of the city of Bagan (formerly “Pagan”) in Burma. (Myanmar) Looking like a foggy scene from another world, hot air balloons float over the city’s landscape of Buddhist temples.

Did you know that during the height of Bagan’s prosperity, (1044-1287) over 10,000 religious monuments and temples were built in an area of only 100 square kilometers?

While most of these early temples didn’t survive, you can see some of the remaining 2229 temples & pagodas in this gorgeous & inspiring Instagram photo with incredible depth and balance.

Inspiring Instagram Photo © David Haberlah
Taken using a Canon EOS 20D camera