In a nutshell, Zen is a poetization of life and a vivid expression of the human soul, albeit without the formality, rigidity, and superficiality associated with organized religions.

Life is overcome, not by finding a strong ally (God), but through the soul's ability to develop a fresh perspective that enables the transformation of harsh realities into songs.

More than anything else, Zen represents a soulful approach to life in which one remains completely vulnerable and open to life, without God as a security blanket. There is no attempt to eliminate the basic insecurity or unpredictability of life or to solve the mysteries of existence.

A scientist may be able to measure coolness in terms of the temperature on registered on a thermometer; but no matter how accurate that measurement is, it still cannot capture the delight of a summer breeze.

Just as a biologist cannot find life by dissecting it, an artist cannot find beauty by analyzing it.

Why are we so unhappy despite our material affluence? [...] [T]he modern world has lost the art of "ordinary magic" - the art of transforming our ordinary, mundane, and perhaps humdrum existence into a life of beauty and joy.

We have been conditioned to treat rationality as sacred. But life itself is, in a very deep sense, absurd. It will not render itself to the tyranny of reason. Even the most wise cannot help but be flabbergasted by a three-year-old who keeps asking why. If you are not convinced, try asking yourself what is the reason for living. Life is basically a mystery that is not meant to be solved by our intellect. It cannot be "known" through the brain but through the heart.

The point of Zen is not to defy reason but to recognize the limitations of rationality.

What most people refer to as "Seriousness" is actually a sign of the ego. Most of us are "serious" because we are too self-obsessed - obsessed by our self-importance and our own notions of what is good, what is right, what is true, etc.

True spirituality begins with relaxation.