Sita Brand, storyteller and director of the Yorkshire-based Settle Stories, has been a Buddhist for nearly twenty years.  Here she explains that Zen Buddhist meditation is about being aware of the present moment, through the practice of ‘mindfulness’. Contrary to popular belief, she says, it’s not about blanking your mind, but about being aware of your thoughts.

She shares the saying she brings to mind before making a phone call, and one of her favourite stories from within the Zen tradition, about focusing on the here and now rather than the future.

The A-Z of Things Unseen presents a range of speakers from different faith traditions (and some doubters too) reflecting on a topic of their choice.