Ukiyoe cup of Ginger Tea

Brew a Cup of Soothing Ginger Tea:

Step 1:

Remove the skin from an inch of fresh ginger using a paring knife, vegetable peeler, or spoon.  Chop the ginger and measure a table spoon per cup of tea.

Step 2:

Add ginger to a saucepan with water, 8 oz. per cup.  Bring it to a boil and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes with chime clock in ‘Countdown mode’.  Pour into a teapot.

Step 3:

Remove the strainer from the teapot and discard the ginger.  Add honey if desired.  Teas can be refrigerated for up to a day; warm to serve.

Chime clock timer for brewing Ginger Tea

Recipe from Body + Soul Magazine, April 2010

Now & Zen’s Chime Timer Store

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, Colorado  80302

(800) 779-6383

Ryoanji Zen Garden, Kyoto, Japan

Steve McIntosh, Inventor of the Zen Clocks and Tehya (his wife) were most fortunate to visit the Ryoanji Zen Temple in Kyoto, Japan before their son, Peter McIntosh was born.  It was a most peaceful and memorable trip.  Below is a description of the ancient site:

Ryōan-ji is a Zen Temple located in northwest Kyoto, Japan.  The garden consists of raked gravel and fifteen moss-covered boulders, which are placed so that, when looking at the garden from any angle (other than from above) only fourteen of the boulders are visible at one time. It is traditionally said that only through attaining enlightenment would one be able to view the fifteenth boulder.

Ryōan-ji

Japanese gardens are a living work of art in which the plants and trees are ever changing with the seasons.  As they grow and mature, they are constantly sculpted to maintain and enhance the overall experience; hence, a Japanese garden is never the same and never really finished. The underlying structure of a Japanese garden is determined by the architecture; that is, the framework of enduring elements such as buildings, verandas and terraces, paths, tsukiyama (artificial hills), and stone compositions. Over time, it is only as good as the careful maintenance that it receives by those skilled in the art of training and pruning. Part of the art is to keep the garden almost static, like a painting.

Ryōan-ji Temple Bell

Zen Timepiece Inspired by Ryōan-ji Temple Bell

The Zen Timepiece – a Gong Meditation Timer is the result of ten years of product evolution at Now & Zen, and we trust that you will find it a delight and a pleasure.  The Zen Timepiece’s greatest beauty is in its sound.

Once you take a moment to adjust the strike force and position of the bowl/gong to your liking, your ears will be treated to the lovely tones of the bowl’s long-resonating ring. We recommend you set the clock so that the bowl is sounded in the lower end of its range, because this is where it sounds the sweetest.

Gong & Chimes

Zen Clocks & Timers

Aaron Hoopes talks of meditation as being an avenue to touching the spiritual nature that exists within each of us.

“At its core, meditation is about touching the spiritual essence that exists within us all. Experiencing the joy of this essence has been called enlightenment, nirvana, or even rebirth, and reflects a deep understanding within us.

The spiritual essence is not something that we create through meditation. It is already there, deep within, behind all the barriers, patiently waiting for us to recognize it. One does not have to be religious or even interested in religion to find value in it.

Becoming more aware of your self and realizing your spiritual nature is something that transcends religion. Anyone who has explored meditation knows that it is simply a path that leads to a new, more expansive way of seeing the world around us.”

adapted from wikipedi.org

Although meditation can be done in almost any context, practitioners usually employ a quiet, tranquil space, a meditation cushion or bench, and some kind of timing device to time the meditation session.  Ideally, the more these accoutrements can be integrated the better.  Thus, it is conducive to a satisfying meditation practice to have a timer or clock that is tranquil and beautiful.  Using a kitchen timer or beeper watch is less than ideal.  And it was with these considerations in mind that we designed our digital Zen Alarm Clock and practice timer.

Chime Meditation Timers

This unique “Zen Clock” features a long-resonating acoustic chime that brings the meditation session to a gradual close, preserving the environment of stillness while also acting as an effective time signal.  The Digital Zen Clock can be programmed to chime at the end of the meditation session or periodically throughout the session as a kind of sonic yantra. The beauty and functionality of the Zen Clock/Timer makes it a meditation tool that can actually help you “make time” for meditation in your life.

Meditation Chime Timer by Now & Zen, Inc.

Zen Alarm Clock, Ukiyo-e Hokusai Wave Dial Face

Now & Zen’s Chime Meditation Store

1638 Pearl St.

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Silent Prayer- a zen prayer bell

The predominant form of worship among Quakers, or the Religious Society of Friends, has historically been communal silent prayer or meditation which consists of focusing on the Inner Light of Christ, listening for and awaiting the movement of the “still, small voice within”.

wikipedia.org

Our Zen Timepiece’s acoustic 6-inch brass bowl-gong clock is the world’s ultimate alarm clock, practice timer, and “mindfulness bell.”

Signing Bowl Meditation Timer by Now & Zen, Inc.

Signing Bowl Meditation Store

Now & Zen’s Singing Bowl

Meditation Store

1638 Pearl St.

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Basket of Organic Fruit Ukiyo-e

The luxurious awakening provided by the Zen Alarm Clock is part of the growing preference for things natural—natural foods, natural fibers, and now, natural acoustic sounds.  Like organic tomatoes in your salad, the organic sounds of the Zen Alarm Clock’s sweet acoustic chimes are truly a gourmet experience.

And those who like organic food may also appreciate how the Zen Clock can be used as an aesthetically sophisticated timer for practices such as yoga or meditation.

Organic Sound of the Zen Alarm Clock's Chime is Acoustic

Come by for a visit:

Now & Zen’s Natural Sounds Alarm Clock Store

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Utamaro Kitagawa Ukiyo-e Print - Now & Zen, Inc., 1638 Pearl Street, Boulder, CO 80302 (800) 779-6383

Incessant mechanical bleating breaks your sweet sleep, and the morning is spoiled before it has even begun.  Anyone who has relied on an alarm clock to get them out of bed can relate.  Thank Buddha, for this jangling sunrise ritual can be transcended.  Now &  Zen offers a soothing alternative with the gentle Zen Alarm Clock.

This line of solid maple and walnut clocks uses chimes that emulate Tibetan bells to gently and gradually awaken users over a period of ten minutes.  The chimes can also be used for meditation and yoga.   To practice zen and the art of waking up, visit Now & Zen’s Headquarter Store in Boulder, Colorado.

Excerpt from Attache Magazine (October 2002) – US Airways by Kelly Cunningham

Now & Zen’s Chime Alarm Clock Store

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

Solid maple and walnut clocks use chimes to emulate Tibetan bells to wake you

Ukiyo-e Print Woman in Kimono, unknown

Portable Digital Zen Alarm Clock

This one-of-a-kind precision timepiece serves many functions:

The clock wakes you gradually with Tibetan bell-like chimes-it makes waking up a beautiful experience.

As a travel clock it creates an oasis of tranquillity in your hotel room.

The clock is the perfect yoga or meditation timer, the chime enhances the aesthetic aspects of any practice.

Its natural hardwood case and long-resonating acoustic chime makes it the perfect gift for the over 50 million “cultural creative” consumers.

Digital Zen Alarm Clock

Now & Zen’s Clock Store

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Koi Pond Ukiyo-e print

Now & Zen introduced its original Zen Alarm Clock in 1996, but according to company founder and president, Steve McIntosh, the new bamboo Zen Alarm Clocks are the most beautiful of all their designs.  “I’m really proud of the form, function, and sustainability profile of our new bamboo Zen Alarm Clock, it’s our greenest product yet,” said McIntosh.

The bamboo Zen Clock is available in four different dial face choices, with each dial silkscreened directly on bamboo veneer for an integrated, natural look.   The new bamboo dial faces include one with contemporary numbers, one with simple modern lines, one with the Japanese character for “dream,” and a “bamboo leaf and stalk motif” inspired by Chinese ink painting.

The wood used in all Now & Zen products is sustainably grown on tree farms, and the company operates according to a strict policy of environmental sustainability for all its operations.  However, the introduction of the company’s bamboo line sets a new standard for sustainability.  Bamboo, which is a species of grass, is a very “green” material for making clock bodies. Compared to a hardwood forest the same size, bamboo produces 30% more oxygen and 20 times the biomass yield. Bamboo can be harvested annually after the first 5 to 7 years without replanting, compared to 25 to 50 years for trees, which then need to be replanted in bare soil.  Moreover, Bamboo is the fastest growing woody plant on the planet, and it’s qualities of oxygen production, carbon sequestering, and water and soil retention make it one of the world’s most sustainable commodities as well.

Bamboo canes growing in the wild

Now & Zen’s Bamboo Clock Store

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Bamboo Zen Clocks

Feng Shui accessories for any room by Now & Zen, Boulder, CO

Feng Shui – The Art of Placement

Now & Zen makes a unique line of sophisticated products that support the lifestyle of Feng Shui practitioners and their clients.

Our beautiful Zen Alarm Clocks, designed with spirit in mind in every detail, are excellent accessories for any room.  And in addition to their decorative potential, they also provide a wonderful way to wakeup in the morning — with gradually-increasing Tibetan bell-like chimes.

Bamboo Digital Zen Clock

Our Digital Zen Alarm Clocks take the concept of a Tibetan bell clock further by adding a countdown timer and interval timer feature that allows the clock to be used as a tool for practices such as yoga, bodywork, and meditation.

Zen Timepiece with brass bowl

The Zen Timepiece® is a clock and timer that has a brass bowl integrated into the design.  The Zen Timepiece includes a “mindfulness chime” feature that can be set to strike on the hour.  Our complete line of products has been used by Feng Shui practitioners to help improve environments. Once you wake up to the beautiful sounds of a Zen Alarm Clock®, nothing else will do!

Now & Zen’s Clock Store

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Japanese Influences- Zen Alarm Clocks

Boulder Colorado based Now & Zen makes beautiful and useful Japanese influenced products for your home.  Now & Zen’s most popular product is the Zen Alarm Clock, which wakes you gracefully with a gradually increasing series of acoustic chimes or gongs.

Zen Clocks Inspired by Japanese Influences

Now & Zen’s line of over 50 different Zen Clocks were all conceived and designed by philosopher Steve McIntosh.

Steve’s love of beauty and passion for spiritual practice led him to invent products that would make a real difference in people’s lives. He created Now & Zen’s brand aesthetic by combining the harmonic proportions of sacred geometry with motifs from traditional Japanese influences.  This has resulted in product designs that have a timeless, universal appeal.

Now & Zen’s Clock Store

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Japanese Calligraphy Dial Face - Chime Alarm Clock By Now & Zen