zen even in traffic

this was from today's daily om....

Zen Commute
Discovering Ourselves in Traffic

No one wants to be angry with a fellow human being who is lost or
confused, but if we get stuck driving behind one, we may find
ourselves feeling wildly, uncharacteristically impatient. It is our
earnest goal to have compassion and love for other people, but when
one of them cuts us off, we feel personally offended, angry, and hurt.
The good news is that by experiencing these difficult emotions, we
have the opportunity to see ourselves and change our approach. In that
light, being stuck in traffic can become a vital part of our spiritual
practice.

Sages of all faiths agree that the current moment is the only thing
that really exists. The past and future are equally irrelevant in the
presence of the now. Therefore, at the deepest level, there is nowhere
to go, because the only place we need to be is here, now. Just
reminding ourselves of this in the midst of traffic can be
extraordinarily helpful. The Zen mantra "Nowhere to go / No one to be
/ Nothing to do" can work wonders on our panicky misperception that we
need to get somewhere fast. By remaining in the moment, we inevitably
get to our destination. We don't need to push or rush or panic.

Another tool used throughout the ages to maintain enlightened
awareness is breath meditation. The simple act of consciously inhaling
and exhaling grounds us in our bodies, reminding us where we are, who
we are, and how precious our life is. When we connect deeply to our
own existence in this way, many of the petty thoughts and feelings
that can dominate our minds dissolve without any effort. We have
breathed our way back to sanity.

From this place of awareness, you can feel compassion for the drivers
who are banging their steering wheels and blaring their horns, even if
they are honking at you. You know it is not personal; they have simply
lost perspective. On your exhale, send out a wish that they, too, find
the cool ease of the present moment.