Zen [zen] noun

Chinese Ch’anBuddhism. a Mahayana movement, introduced intoChina in the 6th century a.d. and into Japan in the 12th century, thatemphasizes enlightenment for the student by the most direct possiblemeans, accepting formal studies and observances only when theyform part of such means.

But by the river, when do we really have the Zen attitude? It is a very specific moment when everything is in harmony, when our moves are perfect and our mind is empty, only focusing on what we are supposed to do, when our brain gives to our arms the order to cast perfectly, that the pressure of our legs to the bottom of the river is the exact one, that we are precisely looking at the spot where our fly is going to land, that we are ready to set the hook if we have to. We have done our part, we are ready, we did more than our best and it felt easy. The other part is not in our hands, will the fish eat our fly? We don’t know and maybe it doesn’t really matter, because what we did was perfect whatever the outcome. Everything was smooth and easy. Whatever happens afterwards, we don’t care because we are Zen!

The zen of fly fishing from Marshal Chupa on Vimeo.