Better known as the Monkess from Dailyzen.com – Elana is a warm spirit and founder of the website. The site focuses on the embodiment of Zen while also selling art and cards with a positive message. I was very fortunate to discover this site a few years back when I was browsing the web for more information on Zen. After clicking around, I subscribed to her monthly journals.

The journals were passages from various Zen masters of the past. The messages that would show through these journals every month seemed to arrive right on schedule with the ongoing events of my life. The words left me searching for answers to these written riddles. The answers weren’t always so clear, but after meditating on some of the hidden meanings and sayings, things made sense. I learned a great deal from Dailyzen. The site helped me understand the true nature of "being" and set me on a path to learn more from other sites, teachers, and books.

Now after more personal journeys in the Tao of life and Zen, I am pleased to return the kindness that Dailyzen has shown to me over the years with a small introduction to Elana and her positive personality. I felt that a few questions directed towards Elana would help me and all of us passing through edesigned.net know Elana and her message a little better.

I felt it would be best if I asked Elana some "on topic" and "off topic" questions for edesigned.net visitors to read.

Here are the 10 questions I asked her.

1. What is your personal definition of Zen?
   Honestly, I don’t have one. Classically we know Zen was a teaching that went beyond words and letters; that leaves a lot of room for “not knowing.” To try to define it seems to limit our explorations. As soon as I hear someone else’s enlightenment story, it can limit my own sense of the great unknown if I’m not careful.
   
2. Why a website focused on Zen?
   The wonderful thing about the poetic expression of the Zen masters as we find in the Daily Quote is that we are given a visual and almost kinesthetic sense of “something more” without telling us too much. Zen is in a sense an expression of direct experience of something beyond what we can intellectually convey
   
3. How long has your website been around?
   We are entering our 7th year now online. We started in the fall of1998 and are still going strong
   
4. How long have you been affiliated with Zen?
   Oh, this is getting personal! ;-) I was an Eastern Religion and Philosophy major in college 1969-1972, and it all developed from there. Studied with many teachers, some you would recognize, some who had a much greater impact, that no one would know. Most of my formal training was in martial arts and Zen. When did it start? Probably with the statue of Hotei and the Oriental art I saw in my home everyday as a child….early childhood “education.”
   
5. Where should one go to learn more about meditation?
   There are many good resources for meditation. I hesitate to limit anyone in their search. Many different schools can help one get started, however the finer points of meditation are not easily learned.
   
6. How do you hope your site will affect new visitors?
   By conveying a sense of equanimity and tranquility; a place to pause. With the artwork we hope that the inexpressible can be experienced without needing too many words.
   
7. What current celebrity best represents Zen in your mind?
   Hummmm, that would be one of those questions “not tending to edification!”
   
8. What song makes you sing and dance?
   Almost anything by Annie Lenox
   
9. What makes you laugh uncontrollably?
   Mostly myself, really.
   
10. If you were sitting in a room with a 3 versions of yourself. One at 8, one at 18 and one at 88, what would you talk about?
    At 8 we would be talking about what trail to take and how to best build tree fort. At 18 we would still be talking about where we were going to hike, what stream to put our feet in, what mountain to gaze upon next; as we hiked we would be talking about why we are here, what we are looking for, how to stay true to our quest in life. Should we try a yoga class next or a T’ai Chi? At 88 we would discuss how to best continue being a true explorer here? How best we can still inspire and share light with others? And, we’d still be talking about which trail next to explore and return to being No One Special…
    

Thank you Elana for answering these questions. The 10 questions do a great deal in expressing your 'Wu" way which is flexible and fun. It has been a pleasure getting to know you better and I wish you continued success on the DailyZen website.