'To practice Zen means to realize one’s existence moment after moment, rather than letting life unravel in regret of the past and daydreaming of the future.  To ‘rest in the present’ is a state of magical simplicity, although attainment of this state is not as simple as it sounds.  At the very least, sitting Zen practice, called ‘zazen,’ will bring about a strong sense of well-being, as the clutter of ideas and emotions falls away and body and mind return to natural harmony with all creation.  Out of this emptiness can come a true insight into the nature of existence, which is no different from one’s Buddha nature.  To travel this path, one need not be a ‘Zen Buddhist,’ which is only another idea to be discarded, like ‘enlightenment’ and like ‘the Buddha’ and like ‘God.’'

​- Peter Matthiessen, in 'Nine-Headed Dragon River: Zen Journals.'

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