Pratique du Shadowing: Zen Life - B2 Listening for High-Intermediate ESL Students - Apprendre l'anglais à l'oral avec la vidéo

Création de la leçon...
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I know you love Zen, the concept of Zen.
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When did you start learning it?
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I started learning about Zen philosophy when I was in college. In college?
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Yeah.
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Zen's not really a religion, but I've studied it in a religion class.
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It comes from Buddhism originally.
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Was it a Japanese teacher?
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No, but it was an Asian studies teacher, so he was an expert in Asian religions.
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And what was the concept of Zen by that teacher?
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Well, it's difficult to explain,
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but Zen is basically about appreciating the little moments in life and being in the present moment.
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You know, a lot of times we think about the future or we spend a lot of time thinking about the past.
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Zen is mostly about trying to be in the right now.
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Sounds like mindfulness.
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It's very close to that.
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Mindfulness is discussed a lot in Zen philosophy.
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so is there a way to be good at zen or what's the what i can do to
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i think i understand your question um you know there is no good
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or bad about it it's really like uh do you like
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taking a walk in nature sometime i love it yeah me too
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and i think that in essence is zen is just appreciating the beauty in nature
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or the wind on your face or you know the sound of the birds
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and the trees it sounds a little corny but appreciating
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that moment in time that's basically zen so
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if i'm enjoying this conversation right now
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that means i am in zen sure uh in essence
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if you're in this moment uh as we speak uh that's a form of uh zen appreciation is it possible
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that i would be in zen all the time
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if i'm able to enjoy every moment of my life that's
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a great question i uh i think it's sort of impossible to constantly be present uh You know,
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it's a good goal to aim for, but it's sort of like an unattainable goal, like a goal that you can't ever get to
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because your mind is at some point going to think about tomorrow or remember something from the past.
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How much of a day do you think you are in the same moment?
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I've never calculated it like that.
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But I don't know, because I catch myself all the time thinking too much about the future
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or reliving a memory for too long.
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And then when I catch myself, I bring my focus back to what I'm doing at the present moment.
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Sometimes I focus so much and I feel like I'm in the zone, but it's different from Zen?
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well i you know i don't really want to define it
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because the that's the the paradox
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or the uh the kind of confusing thing about zen the the more
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and more you try to define it really the further away you get from it it's not something
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that there are like rules that are written down
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and you follow these rules it's really more about just being just being alive
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and acknowledging that appreciating that maybe we can both go to the Zen garden and see how it works
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that's good I would love to talk to like a Zen monk or something

About This Lesson

Practice your high-intermediate English listening and speaking with this engaging conversation about Zen philosophy. You’ll follow a natural dialogue that explores what Zen means, how to practice it, and the beauty of living in the present. This lesson is perfect for english speaking practice—you’ll hear real, conversational tone and pacing, which makes it ideal for learn english with videos techniques like shadowing. By the end, you’ll feel more confident understanding and discussing abstract ideas in English.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Zen philosophy: A tradition from Buddhism focused on presence and simple appreciation.
  • In the present moment: Focused on what’s happening now, not the past or future.
  • Mindfulness: The practice of being aware of one’s thoughts and surroundings, closely linked to Zen.
  • Bring my focus back: To redirect attention to the current task or moment.
  • Paradox: A statement that seems contradictory but holds truth (e.g., defining Zen makes it harder to understand).

Practice Tips for Shadowing

This video’s dialogue is conversational—slow enough to follow but natural, making it great for shadowspeak (or shadow speak) practice. Here’s how to make the most of it: Pause after each short exchange and repeat the speaker’s words aloud, matching their tone and rhythm. Notice how the speakers use pauses when explaining complex ideas (like “It’s difficult to explain, but…”). This will help you sound more natural in your own English. If you miss a word, rewind and try again—shadow speech is about progress, not perfection! Focus on phrases like “appreciating the little moments” to build fluency in discussing daily experiences. Keep practicing, and soon you’ll find yourself thinking and speaking in the present—just like the Zen philosophy you’re learning about!

Qu'est-ce que la technique du Shadowing ?

Le Shadowing est une technique d'apprentissage des langues fondée sur la science, développée à l'origine pour la formation des interprètes professionnels. Le principe est simple mais puissant : vous écoutez de l'anglais natif et le répétez immédiatement à voix haute — comme une ombre suivant le locuteur avec un décalage de 1 à 2 secondes. Les recherches montrent une amélioration significative de la précision de la prononciation, de l'intonation, du rythme, des liaisons, de la compréhension orale et de la fluidité.