Product Description
This handbook is a collection of some of my best articles from ZenHabits.net. It provides you with hundreds of tips for improving your life through simplicity, productivity, and happiness. At the request of my readers, I've hand-picked the articles and put them together for you in an easy to read format.When I first started out in my adult life, 17 years ago, it would have been nice if someone I respected had given me a handbook, with all the essential topics covered in a how-to format. It would have taught me to simplify my life, which I've learned to do in the last few years. It would have talked about the essentials of happiness, and how to be productive and achieve my dreams.Of course, life doesn't come with such a handbook, but that didn't stop me from trying to create one. I hope this handbook will be of some use to you and help you achieve your dreams too. Choose the articles that apply best to your life, and give them a try. I bet you'll be pleasantly surprised. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Thanks, Leo
This is to express my appreciation to Mr Barbauta.
He has the knack of saying exactly what I need to hear, exactly when I need to hear it.
I own this book, which is a little gem, as well as another of his.
I find his thoughtful, sincere, real comments and suggestions to be priceless.
He seems to cut to the bottom line of most things - much like the boy in The Emperor's New Clothes, he sweeps aside all the crap we've been taught to buy into and shines a light just where we need it.
To learn more about his outlook, you may wish to subscribe to his blog, zenhabits.

Advice for Life, Thoughtfully Presented
This little book is a collection of posts from the author's blog/website, Zen Habits. It is full of small bits of advice regarding getting things done, to do lists, interactions with others, and a whole range of other stuff. While the advice is not revolutionary or wildly original, it is nonetheless presented in a way that is both fresh and thought-provoking. I liked the rhythm of the text - it felt like a conversation with a thoughtful friend.

You could get all these posts by reviewing the blog's archive, but like a college professor said to me last week, there's something to be said for having information in a book that you can hold in your hand, keep on a desk for random reading, and give to others. I liked this book, and plan on picking it up often.

Everything Zen: I Don't Think So
I'm growing a little tired of "Zen" being used as a marketing buzzword especially in books such as this which have nothing whatsoever to do with Zen much less the habits of its practitioners.And though I'm quite fond of Leo's message, I'm also growing weary of him re-packaging what is essentially the same information in book after book.Thus the four stars.But his core message, which you can find in any of his books, or even his web site, is definitely a five-star message.

What separates Leo from many of the others in the simplicity movement is the very practical nature of the information he provides.His is not just another paen to the complexity of modern society together with a tired refrain for the need to simplify, but an instruction manual, a recipe for simplicity.Though much of it is intuitive and the core message can be reduced to a couple of sentences, he does have the value-add of what I believe to be a coach who not only inspires, but also practices what he preaches.

If you believe simplicity to be the antidote to your modern funk, and you are ready to act, not just whine, then I recommend this book (or any of his others -- they are all pretty much the same book) as a recipe for your battle with the soul-sucking energy draining monster that is clutter (virtual, emotional, and physical).Additionally I would recommend "Less" by Marc Lesser as a spiritual guide for your journey.

Ironically, Lesser is a practicing Zen priest and his book fits the title of "Zen Habits" much better than this book does.In a world of fair labeling this book would be called "Less" and Lesser's book would be called "Zen Habits".My advice would be to swap the dust-jackets so you actually know what you're getting into when you pull these books off your shelves.

I Own This Book
I do own this book and find it very helpful in organizing my life. I tend to take on more than I can handle, so this was just the book for me! I have gotten so many wonderful life suggestions from it. Some of the many topics that are addressed are: Simplicity; Productivity; Happiness. The author talks about decluttering our lives and how to accomplish it. There are so many good habits here that can be practiced over a lifetime. 139 pages full of wisdom for living. Great handbook!

... Read more

Product Description
"Every morning I jump out of bed and step on  a land mine. The land mine is me. After the  explosion, I spend the rest of the day putting the  pieces back together. Now, it's your turn. Jump!"  Zest. Gusto. Curiosity. These are the qualities  every writer must have, as well as a spirit of  adventure. In this exuberant book, the incomparable  Ray Bradbury shares the wisdom, experience, and  excitement of a lifetime of writing. Here are  practical tips on the art of writing from a master of  the craft-everything from finding original ideas to  developing your own voice and style-as well as the  inside story of Bradbury's own remarkable career  as a prolific author of novels, stories, poems,  films, and plays. Zen In The Art Of  Writing is more than just a how-to manual for the  would-be writer: it is a celebration of the act of  writing itself that will delight, impassion, and  inspire the writer in you. In it, Bradbury  encourages us to follow the unique path of our instincts  and enthusiasms to the place where our inner genius  dwells, and he shows that success as a writer  depends on how well you know one subject: your own  life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (50)

Not for the casual Bradbury fan
A modest collection of essays and book introductions from one of the legends of genre fiction.The topic is something Bradbury knows very well - the art of writing fiction.Essentially, he recommends creating lists, practicing copiously, and approaching one's art with gusto.

Bradbury advises would-be writers to start with a simple noun that catches their interest and write prose poems on the subject until they find their characters.That accomplished, simply allow the characters to tell their own story.It works for Bradbury, but will it work for you?Not necessarily, since this reader can't recall any other writer whose work so much resembles prose poems as Bradbury's.And keeping that in mind, one might have hoped for a variety of strategies that took into account differences in writers, in genres, in the state of the publishing industry... perhaps one hoped for too much.

Bradbury's descriptions of the origins of some of his more famous stories were fairly interesting, but to readers only marginally familiar with his work, these would probably fall pretty flat.The chapter of poetry was not impressive at all.Best part of this book - the additional paragraphs written for Fahrenheit 451.Would-be writers who are seriously trying to write like Bradbury might find it worthwhile to learn about his methodology and garner some inspiration, but fans of his fiction will find little of interest here.

Paradox
Let it be noted that this justly famous author, who has written a book on Zen, also received the nation's highest civilian honor from George W. Bush! Hardly a Zen-likepresident by any stretch!

Positive Review
Ray Bradbury is one of a kind, and I've loved all his books. This is different and far more personal, but it is also an excellent read. It contains plenty of good tips for science fiction writers or fiction writers in general of any genre. I believe Mr. Bradbury was anxious to share his inspiration with younger writers, as well as to all writers. I know that there are many of us who could benefit from this very kind book, from one of the greatest of the great true sci-fi writers. Thank you, Mr. Bradbury! John

Ray Bradbury, the Writer's Cheerleader
Ray Bradbury's enthusiasm about writing is like fireworks on the Fourth of July. His encouragement to other writers is electric. For the price of admission, readers get 10 solid essays on the craft, showing us how to "tip ourselves over and let the beautiful stuff out." What a deal.

A Classic!
This book has been a powerful influence in both my writing and my teaching about writing. And I'm certain several of his concepts and ideas crept into my own book about writing, The Voice of the Muse: Answering the Call to Write. Bradbury is a master storyteller and a master teacher of storytelling. Long may he write! ... Read more

Product Description
When Zen Flesh, Zen Bones was published in 1957 it became an instant sensation with an entire generation of readers who were just beginning to experiment with Zen. Over the years it has inspired leading American Zen teachers, students, and practitioners. Its popularity is as strong today as ever.
Zen Flesh, Zen Bones is a book that offers a collection of accessible, primary Zen sources so that readers can struggle over the meaning of Zen for themselves. It includes 101 Zen Stories, a collection of tales that recount actual experiences of Chinese and Japanese Zen teachers over a period of more than five centuries; The Gateless Gate, the famous thirteenth century collection of Zen koans; Ten Bulls, a twelfth century commentary on the stages of awareness leading to enlightenment; and Centering, a 4,000 year-old teaching from India that some consider to be the roots of Zen. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (50)

newcomer to Zen writes...
Apparently this book is a classic.It is like 4 books in one.I enjoy reading a little every day at bedtime.A lot is puzzling to me but interesting.

Delightful LIttle Book
I grew up with this little book.The Zen stories are delightful. I love the Pre-Zen section--old carvings of a monk and a bull. Different stages of consciousness.
They ARE fun.It clears the mind.The only thing Zen and all the others seem to miss, is that being in a body we are Self-realized.

The essentials
Very good, would buy again. As a matter of fact I have bought this book twice already. I lost the first one during a move. If you are interested at all about ZEN this is an essential book not to be overlooked.

A Fun, Light Intro to Zen
This was the first book on Zen that I ever read, over 20 years ago during those formative college years.As such, it holds a special place in my heart.I just re-read it for nostalgia's sake, and to see what I thought after reading many (too many) other books on Zen.

This book was still a fresh, enjoyable read, and I gobbled it down in less than a week.I would say it's a compelling intro for people to latch onto and enjoy.Perhaps it's a bit sugary sweet; a light confection that draws you in with exotic tales of the great Asian masters, and intriguing, accessible koans.

Shunryu Suzuki Roshi apparently said this when his American students built him a beautiful Japanese-style house:"...but why did you make it look Japanese???"

Enjoy!

Zen Flesh, Zen Bones audiobook
Thoroughly satisfied with this Zen audio book.Narration is at a comfortable pace and enhances continuity.Content is exactly what I was looking for to complement my beginning experience with Zen. ... Read more

Product Description
An updated and revised guide to enlightening up!

Presenting innovative ideas on incorporating Zen thinking and action into even the most Western lifestyle, this book focuses on living Zen in a post-9/11 world. It also offers updated information on meditation and its many benefits and new exercises for families to promote Zen living at home, as well as new exercises to help readers combat their dissatisfaction with life and unfulfilled desires.

• Revised to focus on living Zen in an increasingly complex and panicked world
• New anecdotes that translate Zen philosophy into the "here and now" ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

A shot of clarity
I started on the quest of "self help" years ago. I needed it; I was always reacting needlessly to petty situations, relationship issues, and many other things.I was loosing the respect of a lot of people because of it.I have read multiple books on different mindsets and ways you should act and live in order to be "fulfilled".I have found all of those tactics so transparent and superficial, often feeling good one day then feeling like crap there after.My ambient level of security was never improved.

Then I started getting interested in meditation, which then led me to the zen lifestyle.I picked up this book right after I picked up "The Power of Now" by Eckart Tolle.I read his book but never understood what he meant by "watching the thinker", "feel your thoughts and watch them disappear", "stillness speaks".

When I started reading this book here it all started to make sense.It was one of those light bulb moments for me.Everything started to hit me so vividly that it was strange.I could then read Eckart's book and totally understand it, cause I experienced it.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Zen Living 2nd edition helped me tremendously, it gave me so much perspective on life and my relationships.My biggest challenge was my insecurities in relationships and this book showed me how to "let go"... and I mean really let go.The zen way isn't about affirmations or deluding yourself, it's about just being and accepting and not allowing yourself to get attached.I am now so much more happier; a lot less reactive over stupid things in my relationships and life, I have a calmer mind, and feel overall better about life.

I highly recommend this book as a starting point to living a more peaceful life.I couldn't imagine going back to the way I was.

The Zen book of Zen books
The authors seek consistently and thoroughly to improve our lives with this book. There is no mysterious-talking, it's all in-your-face style of writing. This is really valuable for a Zen treatise. The thing I like the most in this work is its abundance of cites from other works, due to standard "Complete Idiot's Guide To..." format, and the clear determination to be useful.

Highly recommended.

Excellent....
I think this is one of the better book I have readed about Zen...Wonderful Book!

The Essence of Zen: You. Here. Now.
There you have it, the essence of Zen. You, right here, right now. Reading this review with your full attention. Mindfully.
How simple and great is this? No complicated formulas or history to learn. No need to buy anything (besides this book). No mistakes to be made. You just start living Zen.

Right here. Right now.

The authors of this deceptively simple guide make it easy to grasp this concept, and answer all your questions about how to quickly and easily focus on the present moment (which seems easier said than done for many).

If you've ever longed for peace, calm, and a positive way to live your life, you may find it in the practice of Zen. And what a relief to learn in this guide that you can start right away.

Right here. Right now.

Zen for everybody
I must be an idiot, because this book really spoke to me. I understood it better than all the other books about Zen that I have read, and it helped me understand those other books, too. It answered just about all of my questions about Zen. I don't know if its definitions of Nirvana, Satori, and Kensho are orthodox or not, but they make me happy, and they confirm some of my own previous ideas. Buddha is right here, right now, and we are only waves in an infinite, eternal Ocean. Meanwhile, back to everyday reality. This book shows how Zen can help even a layperson find enlightenment in everyday life, in work, in play, in relationships, in hardship. It is a finger pointing straight at the moon.
... Read more

Product Description
A student of Eastern philosophy and an avid guitar player, Philip Sudo realized that each of us carries a song inside that makes us unique. In "Zen Guitar", he shows readers how to find--and awaken--the song within. For professional musicians, amateur guitar enthusiasts, or music lovers who have never played a chord, this unique book sounds a theme of harmony that will resonate in all aspects of life. Illustrations. National print publicity. Online promos . ... Read more

Customer Reviews (69)

good deal!
I got this book as a present...He loved it and finish reading it in no time,but he's gonna read it again and again...is that kind of book.
Besides a got it from the marketplace,it was used...but it look like brand new!
so, it was a good deal,and of course a great book!

Great read to inspire you to keep practicing and living!
I recommend this book even if you don't play guitar as each chapter offers great advice on how to live! It is basically Zen teachings applied to learning to play guitar , but the principles will apply to anything you want to accomplish n your life.
Much like the "Zen of Motorcycle Maintenance" did not require you to own a Harley. It is a 'easy ' read n the sense that the chapters are short and the author speaks in a easy to digest friendly manner which makes the reading very enjoyable. It is the type of book you will want to highlight and return to again and again, so throw it n your gig bag for inspiration on the road!

Amazing Book (read the bad reviews once you read the book, they're hilarious)
(I believe this review must appear with this product as many of the negative reviews heer are from people who just simply do not get the point of the book, thus unfairly affecting the opinions of those who may come to the book with no preconceptions. If for no other reason, please publish this review to set the records straight)

The first thing I need to point out is that this book does not include any actual music theory, no chords, TABs or the like.

Secondly I must point out that each of the currently 6 reviewers on here who gave this a one-star review have shown through their review that they have missed the point entirely.

Although the book can indeed be summed up pretty easily, some of these reviews over-simplify the book by doing so. The depth that the author goes into in each of the sections is amazing and whereas I can see how it might be more value to performers rather than hobbyists, any open-minded, honest and unconceited guitarist can take something of value from this book regardless of why or where they play.

The main objections I have seen to this book are from people who have become lost down the path the book warns about - playing needlessly flashy stuff with no spirit or emotional content, likely just going through the motions, over-focussing on their technique rather than giving a moment's thought to what notes they are playing or why they are playing them.

One reviewer says he plays for a living and that this is the worst book he ever read. If he puts 100% of his spirit into every performance and plays for purer motivations (i.e. not money or to feed his ego) then he is already practicing Zen Guitar and just doesn't know it!

This book changed my life and summed up what I believe to be the perfect approach to music-making so well, that I am currently planning to run seminars and workshops on the subject.

Quite honetly, if this book doesn't mean something to you, you need to check why you bother playing guitar in the first place. If you can honestly say that it is for the joy and love of the instrument, you cannot possibly dislike this book.

I wish I had read this book when I first started playing
I just read Zen Guitar last year, though I've been playing for decades.I wish I had read it when I first started.Even though I'm a fair player, I still beat myself up at times for "not getting it." This book is all about playing for the enjoyment of music and not getting tied in knots because things aren't going as fast as you might like.I now know that some things just take a lot of repetition, no matter if you are beginner or an experienced musician.Have fun and enjoy the music!

Good stuff herein
I've been playing guitar since I was 14 (I'm a lot older than that now -- a LOT), and was put onto this book by my friend Rosie Flores at a show we did with Wanda Jackson in Cleveland not too long ago (Wanda was being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame that weekend). I read it in a day -- couldn't put the thing down. The author put into words so many things I'd been trying to tell students of mine over the years, but couldn't quite get across somehow. If it doesn't help you, you're either not paying attention or aren't ready to hear what Sudo is saying. Excellent, perceptive, and right on the money, in all sorts of ways. ... Read more

Product Description
Hardcore Zen is not your typical "Zen" book. Brad Warner, the young punk who grew up to be a Zen master, spares no one — just like Reality itself. This bold new approach to the Why of Zen Buddhism is as strongly grounded in the tradition of Zen as it is utterly revolutionary: Warner's voice is hilarious, and he calls on the wisdom of everyone from punk and pop culture icons to the Buddha himself to make sure his points come through loud and clear. The subtitle (and the cover!) say it all: there has never been a book like this one. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (106)

Any book that quotes Eric Estrada is worth buying!
What ruins most books on philosophy, metaphysics and religion is that the people who write them A)Don't know what the hell they are talking about, and try to hide it with a lot of turgid, opaque, long-winded blather, designed to stupefy the reader into intellectual submission, or; B)Know what they are talking about, but can't communicate it to the reader, either because they have no writing talent or because they are attempting to describe things for which words are an inadequate substitute.

Brad Warner's HARDCORE ZEN very nearly escapes the trap presented by B); he has a distinct idea of what he wants to say, and some talent with which to say it. His approach to the subject of Zen Bhuddism comes from the approach of a young, plain-language skeptic whose desire to rebel against the spiritual-intellectual-physical conformity of modern society led him initially to punk music, through a maze of quasi-religions and cults, and finally to Zen.Warner writes simply, wittily, and with enough musical and pop-culture references to keep him more or less firmly grounded. By that I mean that he avoids the long-winded, Lotus-covered, fake-profound blathering that typifies most books on this subject, where no word has less than 200 syllables. This is a regular guy talking about the basic questions of existence: Who are we? What is the nature of self? Why are we here? What IS here? What do we desire? What is the nature of happiness? Et cetera and so on.

Warner's journey begins with his embrasure of punk music in the early-mid 80s, when it was still molten lava and hadn't hardened into corporate rock. The nihilism and rejection of authority appealed to him as a societal outcast, but he quickly realized that punk was rapidly becoming conformist itself, with its own standards of dress and deportment, and in its own way no different than mainstream culture. If you didn't wear the right clothes and know the right slang, you weren't "in", and "in" was not where or what Warner wanted to be. This got him questioning the nature of conformity and authority, and led him (eventually) into a study of Zen Bhuddism, which emphasizes a lot of meditation and mind-analysis. I can't go into too many more specifics without ruining the book for you, but I can speak generally and say that if HARDCORE ZEN has an agenda, it's to answer the age-old question/s of "What is the meaning of life, and what is true happiness?" It sounds like a bold agenda, but once you begin to understand the "living in the moment" concept he's explaining, it actually becomes pretty realistic.

Unfortunately while Warner occasionally bumps into the a-ha moment we as readers are waiting for, he never quite grasps it; perhaps it isn't graspable through language alone. I kept feeling, as the book wore on, as if he were trying to draw a picture of something using dots instead of lines, or using that weird technique of drawing around the subject instead of just drawing it. Instead of a clear, sharp image, we get a fuzzy, indistinct picture that lacks definition. This probably isn't his fault. Language is a weak medium for communicating experience, and the whole book is based on "ah-ha!" moments which Warner experienced via his long journey towards Zen. What's worse, while he's continuiously questioning authority, including the authority represented by Zen, he has an annoying tendency to fall back on the declarations of his master, Nishijima, whenever he's confronted with doubts or confusion. This would be okay if Nishijima was Mr. Miyagi or Yoda, but he comes off as an intolerably smug know-it-all who out-argues doubters by repeating his opinion as a self-evident truth and by sheer stubborn persistence - a common trait among egomaniacs. By the end of the book I was beginning to wish that it had been a tell-all confessional about the 80s punk movement with some philosophical flavor, because on that ground Warner is at his most lucid and readable. But then again, if it was just about punk, I probably wouldn't have bought it.

Lest you think I'm being too critical I have to close by saying HARDCORE ZEN is not a bad book. It is entertaining and funny and challenges the reader to ask questions he or she may not want to ask. It's worth your money and more importantly, it's also worth your time. If it is not satisfying in terms of the way it presents all of its answers, I think it's fair to chalk that up to the fact that existence is just too big for words.

Reality, and how to get there
Great book!!

Relates Zen to "day-to-day" American cultural attitudes. Not just some esoteric text (not that there is anything wrong with that!).

Enlightenment Dudes Video Review of Hardcore Zen
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R234XM1AAZ8P0W This is just a short review of this book we created for our blog

if you liked it, please click "yes" under this amazon video review next to "Was this review helpful to you?"

enjoy

Jim Ravenscroft

"Tear your teddy-bear beliefs out of your arms"
"You eat God and excrete truth four hours later." (3) There's a toilet on the cover, a first for a Buddhist book, I reckon. Punk, monster movie making, and a decidedly raw version of dharma enliven this bracing introduction.

Warner's only a few years younger than me, so I could relate to his story of growing up in the time when music mattered enough to rouse idealistic, pessimistic, and frustrated youth to lash out. His fury muted, however, as the "weirdness" of his existence hit him one Ohio winter in the bathroom of a dingy bar. He tells- in energetic prose that reminded me of an update on the Jesus freak, denim bible retellings of a counterculture a decade earlier-- of his life's progress from nihilism to meaning, not via creepy Ken Wilber New Age nostrums, but by hard-won wisdom. His Soto Zen practice emphasizes the tedium, the boredom, the pain of "zazen," "just sitting," and the tough truth that any enlightenment is elusive, illusory, and if it does happen, it's in the everyday confrontation with our limits.

The best way to get a feel for this memoir-primer is to sample its flavor. He starts by warning us off of elevating any concept as more sacred or profane than any other. Until we learn this, "kids will keep getting new dates to memorize for history class."(2) The holy is not apart from the rest of the universe. Truth evades belief; it transcends religion; it denies negotiation.

He dismisses those who think that an attitude or a cause will change the world. He urges us to look within, and first to heal ourselves, to find balance. This comes in Zen, for example, by staring down one's self, and facing the Big Questions and finding our own answers. An aside from the punk scene illustrates this: spray-painting the letter "A" on a wall teaches nobody about true anarchy, and only makes more work for the poor schlub stuck cleaning the building up. While taking on the evils of the world may help, what needs to be done before that is to clean up one's own act.

He tells his own difficult journey; he lands after an early-80s stint in a hardcore band, Zero DFX, and then a neo-psychedelic project, Dimentia 13, a dream job in Japan helping to make monster movies, his childhood love. Still, he's unhappy. He shows this as the Buddha's "first noble truth," that of dissatisfaction as our mundane human condition. "The pain of having your dreams come true appears vividly when you realize that even if your dreams really come true, they never really come true." (58)

He explains the lofty concepts of Buddhist philosophy in his struggle to understand the evanescence of our experiences. This is challenging, but Warner's discussions reward attention. (You may want to read a brief overview such as David Fontana's "Discover Zen" -- see my review-- for some practical pointers; Warner has a 2010 follow-up memoir documenting the apparent difficulties of his life after this book appeared [Zen Karma Chocolate as its keywords] which I found out about only yesterday.)

Summing up the "Heart Sutra" teaching, he renders the "form is emptiness, emptiness is form" core as the way "here and now all of creation blossoms into being," and how we cannot perceive this easily as the present moment's "obscured by the present itself and by the act of perceiving it and conceiving of it." (80) Yet, that's about as clear as it gets, from my past study of this idea. "The entire universe is created by us and we rule over it unopposed-- but for the oppositions of our own minds." (108) Goodness occurs when we fit our own longings into the moral order, the precepts suggested for us and those around us. He tells us how: "morals are rules you have willingly imposed upon 'yourself'," so "it's easy and natural to act in a moral way." Existence bursts each second into being, the universe appears and disappears while we are in the midst of it all.

He can rise from sarcasm (I can sympathize but sometimes this taints the tone of his exhortations) to poetry. "The universe desires to perceive itself and to think about itself and you are born out of this desire. The universe wants to experience itself from the point of view of a tree, and so there are trees." (124) I know this may sound as ethereal as in the pop-guru claptrap Warner avoids, but it's an honest attempt to convey Zen mindfulness, where the divisions between subject and object, perceived and perceiver, even mind and body, disappear into the flow of oneness. Beyond past and future and self, Warner adds, sense recedes into illusion.

Our self, our "me" merges rather than separates itself from creation. That present moment that we experience is eternal. "It's always there. It is unborn and cannot die. And it does not reincarnate." (131) The challenges in this book may unsettle readers expecting a slight or sensationalistic account, but within the (sometimes too-subtly arranged or occasionally too-casually told) chapters that unfold Warner's tutelage under his master, Nishijima, we find-- even if you resist Authority Figures, cultic chants, and name changes-- there is a movement towards insight and equilibrium. Warner knows we have to return to the workaday routine, the chores and frustrations that fill our lives, and he aims to offer us some shared guidance in how to reconcile our reveries with reality.

Whatever freedom to act we have therefore does not lie in the vanished past or the unattainable future, but only now. This allows us to gain control over our mindset. That's the summation of Zen's message. The arduous journey to our own awareness of truth will not happen with drugs or ecstasy, for when the bliss ends, we're stuck right back here all over again. Warner warns that Buddhism gives us no answers, but it may help us ask ourselves the right questions. Nobody else's responses will satisfy us. The Buddha told us to test what he told us by our own experience and intellect, and Warner shows how he over the decades-- and by integrating pop culture analogies-- has learned to apply this direction.

Where he wound up is not in an otherworldly trance, but in the tedium of "zazen." More than most books on Zen for Westerners, Warner stresses the dullness of this. It's not a shortcut to "enlightenment," but a confrontation with one's self-image. "You'll eventually see that the 'you' that's a mess isn't really 'you' at all." (92) This may sound as illogical as the disappearing universe, but such concepts lie at the heart of Soto Zen, and Warner presents them fairly and briskly.

He admits that in his Zen practice, the "social organization known as Buddhism" has become a facade. The "real Buddhism" as a flower (a lotus?) blooms out of the muck, but it's beneath the trappings of religious institutions and cultural traditions. He cites Johnny Rotten: "It isn't a rip-off if you tell everybody it's a rip-off." (160) That is, the sham if declared as a sham reveals its own construction-- the con-artist lets us in on the trickery of his legerdemain.

Not that Warner denies the efficacy of Buddhism, but he emphasizes how unlike religions, it denies "the self" as "a substantial entity" and shows how the foundation for our self-image is imaginary, impermanent, and "a convenient reference point and nothing more." (93) This "useful fiction" stands in for the fact that our truer identity lies in our self's passing away. No afterlife that we can perceive awaits us; these sorts of imaginings are non-starters for the Buddha. Rather than worry about reincarnation, which Warner dismisses (for an advanced follow-up, see "Confession of a Buddhist Atheist" and "Buddhism without Beliefs" by Stephen Batchelor, both reviewed by me), he encourages us to find our meaning in the mundane, to reject illusion or salvation.

"The best thing you can hope for in life is to meet a teacher who will smash all of your dreams, dash all of your hopes, tear your teddy-bear beliefs out of your arms and fling them over a cliff." (184) Surprisingly to many who may open this book, he closes it insisting that in this transformation, one can find balance, duty, and transformation by accepting our own nature. After all, "our ordinary, boring, pointless lives are incredibly, amazingly, astoundingly, relentlessly, mercilessly joyful." (197)

Briliant!
Brad Warner speaks with a voice seldom heard in this generation. I loved this book and the irreverent way that Mr. Warner cuts straight through to enlightenment. It was a pleasure to read this book and I have shared it with many of my friends. I laughed and laughed until my tears curled the pages. Great stuff! ... Read more

Product Description
Shunryu Suzuki’s extraordinary gift for conveying traditional Zen teachings using ordinary language is well known to the countless readers of Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind. In Zen Is Right Here, his teachings are brought to life powerfully and directly through stories told about him by his students. These living encounters with Zen are poignant, direct, humorous, paradoxical, and enlightening; and their setting in real-life contexts makes them wonderfully accessible.

Like the Buddha himself, Suzuki Roshi gave profound teachings that were skilfully expressed for each moment, person, and situation he encountered. He emphasized that while the ungraspable essence of Buddhism is constant, the expression of that essence is always changing. Each of the stories presented here is an example of this versatile and timeless quality, showing that the potential for attaining enlightenment exists right here, right now, in this very moment. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Short Stories of Zen Moments
These are short paragraphs of Shunryu Suzuki's encounterswith people seeking his knowledge. A fast read that puts a smile on your face.

Suz;uki Roshi live and in color
ZEN IS RIGHT HERE IS FUNNY AND PROFOUND AND JUST THE RIGHT LENGTH.IT BEARS READING OVER AND OVER AND THE QUOTES AND ENCOUNTERS GIVE THE REAL TEACHING OF ZEN BUDDHISM.THEY STICK EASILY IN THE MIND AND ARE AVAILABLE FOR USE WHENEVER YOU NEED THEM.

Like Being In Dokusan
Dokusan usually refers to a private meeting between a student and the Zen master. "Zen Is Right Here" gave me the feeling that I was in dokusan with Shunryu Suzuki Roshi. This is a wonderful collection of teaching stories and anecdotes that need no embellishment. They are short and sweet and to the point. Much like good haiku. A brief example:

A student asked in dokusan, "If a tree falls
in the forest and no one hears it, does it
make a sound?"
Suzuki Roshi answered, "It doesn't matter."

This is a delightful book that I will read again and again. I keep it on my night table. Indeed, Zen is right here!

Same book different name
If you already own To Shine One Corner of the World, this is the same book.This wonderful glimpse of the wisdom of Shunryu Suzuki is a collection of short stories and responses to questions, as retold by his students.Reading this book made me think I would have liked Suzuki as a teacher.He had the ability to get right to the point in a humorous way.You can feel his compassion and empathy for his student's questions in his responses. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (26)

This is not a book review.
For those from a western cultural background, Zen falls somewhere between extremely difficult to impossibly inaccessible. We have such a hard time about it, It's not uncommon to dismiss the whole thing as a bunch of nonsense. One hand clapping? Trees in the forest? What the hell are these guys talking about? And why are they talking this way? Why are they being so difficult about the whole thing? Why don't they just tell us what it's all about?

They did, but we couldn't tell. Due to conditioning, everything is placed in terms of logical dualism. Thanks to ego, it's hard to accept that our comprehension has limits.

Overcome.

Transcend.

The questions are rhetorical.


This first step has been a major hurdle, Intro to Zen has been incredibly helpful in getting started. It does exactly what it says it does. But is it Zen?

just what it says
I almost hesitated to give this 5 stars because the book itself is really an intellectual work - written largely to appeal to the intellect.This is somewhat contrary to Zen and to the very principles advocated in the book.But it is an excellent introduction and was among my first books on Buddhism and my first on Zen.As such, it served to inspire me to further investigation and to enter a spotty program (I wish I had the discipline to do better!) of meditation .

While reading this book, I suppressed the urge to "speed read" and took my time, reading as my last activity before bed.I would read until I got tired, or until something stopped me... something that demanded processing.Here's the best example:"Zen always seeks the ultimate truth that cannot be taken to the dissecting table of the intellect".

It took me three days to get past that one.This book puts forth the idea (this book is certainly not the only one) that not everything can be "figured out" by turning the gears of the brain.As a lifelong slave to my brain, I was challenged and fascinated by this idea.

In fact, I often had that sensation while reading this book.I recommend this wholeheartedly to intellectuals who suffer from their own minds.It cannot serve as an end, but very well as a beginning of the journey towards a more peaceful mind.

a great guide for modern living
Intro to Zen by Suzuki offers some common sense guides to living in our rushed, hectic world.It takes time to grasp the concepts but stay with it and you'll be glad you did.

Big Suzuki* * * ( * * )
D.T. Suzuki was NOT a Zen Master, though he was a Zen practitioner. So this book is a little dangerous for people interested in Zen. This is a great INTELLECTUAL discussion of Zen "philosophy," the "psychology" of Zen, the Zen "mentality," the "principles" of Zen, and the "point" (if there is one) of Zen. For all of that, it earns FIVE STARS.

This book was and is written for linear-minded Westerners who want to know "about" Zen, but for the person interested in Zen practice, reading this book is analogous to sitting down at the dinner table and eating the plates, not the food. You will not "experience" Zen by reading this book (unless you already understand that reading the book is Zen). People first coming to Zen through this book need to be warned that this book will not make them into Zen students. D.T. Suzuki makes a big deal about "Kensho" and "Satori," but trying to describe enlightenment is like trying to describe your own dying. Thus, we give back TWO STARS. But if you want to understand Zen as a "school of thought," this book is definitely for you.

D.T. Suzuki was considered the "dean" of Zen in the West when Zen was first breaking into the public consciousness. Along with Lafcadio Hearn, Reginald Blyth, Christmas Humphreys and Alan Watts, he was one of the midwives of that process.

Shogaku Shunryu Suzuki (not related), who WAS a Zen Master often referred to himself as "Little Suzuki" to distnguish himself from "Big Suzuki." For active Zen practitioners, however, the appellations need to be reversed. For the essence of "Little Suzuki"'s teisho (teachings) visit with Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind (Shambhala Library).

Zen is NOT an intellectual process, and it cannot be described. It is tasting the food. It is the reading of the book. It is sitting in meditation. It is counting the breath. It is all that, and it is none of that. It is---BANG---and that is all.

Good intro to the Zen View of everything
The book is divided into several chapters which were originaly published as a single articles on several publications, but have a reworking that makes them easier to read. First a rather long foreword by Dr. Jung let us oversee the entire oriental vision of the world. Afte a short prelimiray done by the author, chapter two discusses on what is zen and what is not zen. On the third chapter the question of the supposed nihilism of zen is brought to the board. Then on chaper four an introduction the the logic (or ilogic) of the zen is done. Still, on chapter five the author reaches the partial conclusion that zen rather than a nihilistic and ilogical doctrine is a higher affirmation of the whole of the universe. On chapter six, a general realization of the practicity of zen (in contrast with other branches of buddism and christianity) is done. On chapter seven, the author try to describe the reaching of illumination or "satori". On chapter eight, author make an explanation of the aim and functioning of the so called "koans", which are excescies composed of brief cases that exposes the zen mind and logic further hard to explain and understand. Finally on chaper nine a short description of a monk's life in a zen monastery is done, to show up the central role of the "zendo" or meditation hall within the monastery.
A brief reading that can be taken as an exelent introduction to the zen, highgly recomended. ... Read more

Product Description
A 2 part book where the first part provides the history and background of Zen and the second deals with its principles and practices. Intended both for the general reader and for the more serious student. Bibliography.Amazon.com Review
After D.T. Suzuki, AlanWatts stands as the godfather of Zen in America. Often taken to taskfor inspiring the flimsy spontaneity of Beat Zen, Watts had anundeniably keen understanding of his subject. Nowhere is this moreevident than in his 1957 classic The Way of Zen, which has beenreissued. Watts takes the reader back to the philosophical foundationsof Zen in the conceptual world of Hinduism, follows Buddhism's coursethrough the development of the early Mahayana school, the birth of Zenfrom Buddhism's marriage with Chinese Taoism, and on to Zen's uniqueexpression in Japanese art and life. As a Westerner, Watts anticipatesthe stumbling blocks encountered with such concepts as emptiness andno-mind, then illustrates with flawlessly apt examples. Many popularbooks have been written on Zen since Watts' time, but few have beenable to muster the rare combination of erudition and clarity that havekept The Way of Zen in readers' hands decade afterdecade. --Brian Bruya ... Read more

Customer Reviews (53)

Great book!
This book clearly outlines the history of taoism, buddhism and hinduism. It uses the culmination to explain the foundations of Zen and its 'meaning.' great informative book.

Engaging
Not only is this a great introduction into Zen (and larger philosophical problems), but also a competent critique of contemporary Zen Buddhism in Japan (of course by contemporary, I mean circa 1957).This work presents Zen as a specific historical hybrid of two similar cultural trajectories (Buddhism and Taoism).It is scholarly (including Chinese notes of the specific technical words/ideas and important passages and quotes) which allows Watts to be both an advocate for and a critic of this system of thought - at once shows the usefulness and also the contradictions inherent in Zen as a system or practice.It is never about finding a "new" system but about learning how to see one's own system as a construct that smooths over the randomness with the semblance of coherent consistency.

A Brilliant Introduction
This book was my introduction to Zen Buddhism, and it is an excellent starting point for beginners seeking to understand Zen from a "Western perspective."

I love this book
This Book is very nice. The shipping was fast and well packed. I would highly recomend this book as well as the seller to everyone.

The way of Zen
I was really interested in hearing more from Alan Watts and his view on life. But once i got the CD's I found out that Alan Watts was only in for brief segments, and that the CD was actually narrated by another gentlemen. I've been searching for a long time for pieces of Alan Watts segments that he has in his life and I thought that "the way of zen" was an audio collection of his work, however, it only offers very small recordings here and there. I really do wish that there are CD's with his teachings and views on life where i can hear him speak, not someone narrating his voice and words. ... Read more

Product Description
Zen mind connects to the heart of recovery in this compelling blend of East and West. Courageously drawing from his lifetime of experience as an abused child, alcoholic, Zen student, and dharma teacher, author Mel Ash gives readers a solid grounding in the Twelve Steps and the Eightfold Path and shows their useful similarities for those in recovery. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

A New Way of Enlightenment
This book is one man's journey through his recovery but takes a totally different approach.This book is Zen meets the 12 steps without a cookie cutter approach towards recovery. Thisbook gives addicts and alcoholics a whole new way of enlightenment through their path of recovery.The Law of Sobriety: Attracting Positive Energy for a Powerful Recovery

Zen of Recovery
The Zen of Recovery is the current book that my Buddhist-12 Step gathering is studying.It arrived in excellent condition, although it was used.

Very well written.

Cutting Through Craving
I have given away several copies of this book, and own one of my own, which I enjoy re-reading. Many people struggling with addictions also have difficulty with Alcoholics Anonymous' emphasis on a "higher power" (generally conceived as "God"). This book serves the important function of introducing a non-theistic (non-"God"-based) approach to AA, and to a personal meditative practice.

This book serves as a sort of "bridge" between Zen Buddhism (admittedly only one school, but Zen is the form which is practiced by author Mel Ash) and the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.The book is organized in a way which mirrors the 12 Steps, and, as a result, it is easily accessible for people who are involved with that program.In other words, you don't need to know anything about Zen to get value from this book, but you do need to have at least a healthy respect for the 12 Steps as a path of recovery from addiction.

"The Zen of Recovery" begins as a standard AA speaker meeting would - the author gives us his "drunkalogue" - a story of what he was like before he got sober- his trials and his humiliations.At the same time as he decide to stop drinking, the author also begins to practice zazen under a meditation instructor (zazen being the style of silent seated meditation practiced by Zen Buddhists). As a result, the author's perspective onthe 12 Steps is colored by his growth as a Zen Buddhist.

Author Mel Ash applies the teachings of Zen Buddhism not just to alcoholism, but to all addictions and cravings - the attachments which Buddhism says are at the root of all suffering.The book is therefore useful not only for alcoholics, but for anyone in the throes of a compulsive craving.

I also really enjoyed the spare and elegant Japanese ink-brush drawings with which Ash illustrated the book.That's just me - I always like a book with pictures.

True zen!
As a "recovering alcoholic", I have had MUCH trouble within and without the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous when people find out that I am a Buddhist skeptic who does not believe in the idea of a deity called "god".As a practicioner of Zen, I am pleased to see that Mr. Ash has a solid grip of the "Zen of recovery".

Those who criticize the book for being "too Zen" as opposed to other Buddhist traditions should have read the title, "The Zen of Recovery", before they bought it!How much so like the average A.A. member, complaining about things that are relatively silly.

This book spells out Buddhist detachment and the idea of a "power" that can "restore us to sanity", applying it skillfully to the 12 Step Tradition in the process.Most of what is IN the book has already been reviewed here, so let me end by saying that first of all, I don't go to a bunch of A.A. meetings anymore because of the culture of whining, glorification of the alcoholic history, and closed-mindedness towards any idea of "a power greater than ourselves" that isn't an anthropomorphic "god".However, I DO go to three meetings a meet where the envirenment is condusive to a true "spirituality", and I am definately going to be ordering many copies of this book to distribute to my many A.A. "peers" who actively criticize my "agnostic beliefs" and consider Zen to be a path towards relapse.

Get this book if you can relate to anything I have just written, adn especially if you are interested in Asian spirituality as an alternative to the Judeao/Christian approach most often endorsed by the loving members of Alcoholics Anonymous!

Good work, Mr. Ash.

This is a fantastic book
As a person with an addictive nature I cannot speak highly enough about this book - it is lovely! I want to buy copies for everyone I know - whether they are in recovery or not. As for the review saying, "any zen book can give you principles to quit drinking..."I don't think the purpose of this book was to stop ppl from drinking, but rather: to accompany ppl who may already struggle w/ a higher power w/in the twelve steps. I suspect that most ppl reconnect with themselves AFTER moving into the program and encounter obstacles along the way. For me, this book acts as a liason between the twelve steps and my internal obstacles.

Mel Ash's interpretation of the twelve steps is insightful and in no way contradictory to the program. His writing voice is simple and easy to follow; we are a culture who live in fear and this book delicately encourages those of us in recovery to find our bliss. When you see a flower, SMILE.The teachings are so simple - Enjoy! ... Read more

Product Description
Zen To Done (ZTD) is a system that is at once simple, and powerful, and will help you develop the habits that keep all of your tasks and projects organized, that keep your workday simple and structured, that keep your desk and email inbox clean and clear, and that keep you doing what you need to do, without distractions. This book was written for those who want to get their lives organized and actually execute the things on their to-do list by changing existing habits.And let me say that changing your habits is possible. Using the habit-changing techniques I describe in this book, I have made many habit changes: I quit smoking, started running, started eating healthier, completed a marathon, doubled my income and got my finances in order,have almost eliminated my debt now, completed a triathlon, lost more than 20 pounds, and started a successful blog, and more. Read this book. You'll be amazed at what you can accomplish with this productivity system. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Well worth it.
Excellent book to get you organised and done. IMO its better than GTD because it puts more emphasise on the DOING and also on the art of LESS.

Making Simple Tasks Simpler
I'm a productivity junky and I've struggled with books like Getting Things Done because it's too system oriented. You need time to digest it before you can actually Get Things Done. Zen to Done broke it down into simple habits to adopt and progressive, realistic tips to actually incorporate them into your everyday life.

The main reason I didn't give it five stars is because there are typos throughout the book (which makes my OCD twitch a bit). Other than that, this is a good, solid and basic book on getting your tasks and life organized.

I feel cheated by the Kindle e-Book version, unfortunately
I wish I had purchased the eBook directly from the author's website. Instead, I paid full price to get a Kindle ebook (which I read on my computer) that has NO links to the promised extensive references, and NO way to find the blank forms he promised. For the same price, elsewhere, I could have had the whole deal. Worse, the Author says at his Zen Habits blog, about why to buy the ebook: "7. Author support. If you have questions about the book or any of the concepts in it, I am available to answer questions. Just email me: zenhabits at the gmail. This in itself would probably be worth twice the price of the book if I charged for my services. :)" I figured he could simply send me a form email, with the links to the forms that are missing from the Kindle version. However, the author no longer uses or responds to email. I wish a disclaimer was put on this Kindle site, explaining that you are getting a seriously truncated version of this book. If you are thinking of purchasing this version, think twice. I suggest that you opt for the paper book OR the full-service ebook the author sells elsewhere.

Easy to Follow
This book has practical suggestions on setting new habits and easy to follow time management suggestions.

I LOVE IT!!
I LOVE IT because it is simple and you keep your eye on the PRIZE---getting it done, not the system you use.I think it could have been 50 pages rather than over 100 but that's just my opinion.I LOVE IT.IT WORKS!!! ... Read more

Product Description
A Dutch artist offers his concept of seeing and drawing as a discipline by which the world may be rediscovered, a way of experiencing Zen. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

great book
this is a fine book.
makes a great gift for somebody who likes to draw but is not familiar with dichotomy of looking vs. seeing.
good for beginners or old fogies.

Loved this book
I have recently revisited my passion for drawing and this book was very inspirational to read. It focuses on seeing and feeling what you are drawing instead of technical mumbo jumbo "how to" and techniques. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in drawing and slowing down to take it all in.

zen of knowing
my girlfriend told me that this art bookwould be an important addition to my alreadyfull library. She was right, this is not a how to book but rather a why to.If you are a thinker this book is for you.

Inspiration and Beauty
This is not a book of technical how-to - this book covers the essence of drawing.It is inspirational and gives the reader the courage to reach into that part of the soul that wants to create.I go back to this book every time I get overwhelmed by the technical part of drawing and find the reason why I draw.I would recommend any artist, serious or otherwise, to have this book in their library.Keep it, read it to tatters, tape it up, read it again.

The Zen of the Pencil
Although the whole `Zen and the Art of [fill in the blank]' shtick seems rather tired nowadays, this book was written back in the day before it had been done to death. And even though many of the insights in *Zen of Seeing* may now seem as trite as they are timeless, its hard to give this classic anything less than four stars, for it still manages to inspire, enlivened as it is by Franck's irascible spirit and sheer zest for life and the practice of drawing. What's more, this oversized trade paperback is filled with Franck's own uniquely beautiful pen and wash drawings--delicate, suggestive, almost calligraphic, they depict people, landscapes, animals, leaves, anything and everything that caught Franck's enlightened eye. And that's pretty much the point of *Zen of Seeing,* that all the Ten Thousand Things are worth seeing--and drawing--and by drawing even the lowliest insect or common weed, we see it and marvel at its inexpressible wonder for the very first time.

This is really not a book about creating "Art." It's a book about the reverence of life for those who would use a sketchpad instead of a prayer book. Franck doesn't teach you about perspective or negative space, anatomy or shading--he's not teaching you *how to draw.* He's doing something far more important. He's showing you the *why of drawing.*

You can draw on anything with anything and in the end it doesn't matter what your drawing looks like--or doesn't look like! What's important is the act of drawing itself, the quiet contemplation of the thing drawn that engages you fully in the moment and opens your eyes and your heart to the world around you. Have you ever seen--really seen--a sparrow, a turnip, your child's face? Chances are you haven't until you've sat with them, a pad on your lap and a pencil in your hand, and traced their outline as if you were touching them with your heart's own flesh. Chances are you'll see things in each that you've never seen before, that you'll never forget, that will become a part of you forever. For those moments when you draw an object, a person, or a landscape you become a part of what you see--and it becomes a part of you. In this way, drawing becomes a form of meditation, the Zen of Seeing.

For those who already love to draw, this book will serve as inspiration; for those who think they'd like to draw, it will encourage you to do so. For both, it's the sort of book one should have on one's shelf even if it sits there untouched and forgotten for many years. On a rainy day of the heart, on some idle restless afternoon of the spirit, it's the sort of book one stumbles upon again and maybe that's exactly the time you need it most, when what Franck has to say sets off that lightning flash of understanding and you pick up your pencil and begin to see for the very first time the heretofore invisible world all around you.
... Read more

Product Description

Proving once and for all that standards-compliant design does not equal dull design, this inspiring tome uses examples from the landmark CSS Zen Garden site as the foundation for discussions on how to create beautiful, progressive CSS-based Web sites. By using the Zen Garden sites as examples of how CSS design techniques and approaches can be applied to specific Web challenges, authors Dave Shea and Molly Holzschlag provide an eye-opening look at the range of design methods made possible by CSS (Cascading Style Sheets). By the time you've finished perusing the volume, you'll have a new understanding of thegraphically rich, fully accessible sites that CSS design facilitates. In sections on design, layout, imagery, typography, effects, and themes, Dave and Molly take you through every phase of the design process--from striking a sensible balance between text and graphics to creating eye-popping special effects (no scripting required).

Customer Reviews (94)

Great CSS insight for novices, ameatures, and intermediates.
Hi, I'm a sophomore who bought this book to help me with my MYP/IB Personal Project (which was to create a website), and it was a GREAT resource! Reading it isn't like reading boring, detailed and dull instructions but more like clear, great, well written and easily comprehensible insight. Shea and Holzschlag has also included snippets of clean CSS that really helps you understand what the ideas are.

I borrowed this book from the library three times before I finally said "screw it", this book has been the most valuable and well-written CSS book I've read to me. I actually learn things and go "OHHHHHHHH" reading this book. I know I will never regret buying this book.

Zen of CSS desdign
Well written and illustrated concepts and ideas for using CSS in a 'clean' coding environment. Loaded with ways to avoid overly cumbersome and ineffective coding.

The same information is available on the web
The basis behind this book is excellent. It takes CSS to another level.

However, you can find all of the information that is here in print on the Internet or specifically on the Zen Garden website itself.

Nothing new here.

Outstanding Book!
As a dabbler in HTML for the last ten years, I have heard about CSS and it's many benefits, but had no hands-on experience with it.When I discovered the Zen of CSS site, I knew I had to get the book.It is a beautiful book, both physically and content-wise. There is a lot of effort put into this book and it shows.It melds the technical with the artistic in simple prose.I have learned much already, and would recommend this book to anyone who wishes to ride the wave of CSS in this exciting time of web design!Two thumbs up!- Mark Howell, Round Rock, Texas.

great book
Excellent assortment of examples on just how CSS can manipulate HTML.Not only does it teach Css basics and advanced markup, it explores just how versatile CSS really is.A good book for the elements of web design as well as how to. ... Read more

Product Description
For many of us, the return of Zen conjures up images of rock gardens and gently flowing waterfalls. We think of mindfulness and meditation, immersion in a state of being where meaning is found through simplicity. Zen lore has been absorbed by Western practitioners and pop culture alike, yet there is a specific area of this ancient tradition that hasn’t been fully explored in the West. Now, in The Zen of Creativity, American Zen master John Daido Loori presents a book that taps the principles of the Zen arts and aesthetic as a means to unlock creativity and find freedom in the various dimensions of our existence. Loori dissolves the barriers between art and spirituality, opening up the possibility of meeting life with spontaneity, grace, and peace.

Zen Buddhism is steeped in the arts. In spiritual ways, calligraphy, poetry, painting, the tea ceremony, and flower arranging can point us toward our essential, boundless nature. Brilliantly interpreting the teachings of the artless arts, Loori illuminates various elements that awaken our creativity, among them still point, the center of each moment that focuses on the tranquility within; simplicity, in which the creative process is uncluttered and unlimited, like a cloudless sky; spontaneity, a way to navigate through life without preconceptions, with a freshness in which everything becomes new; mystery, a sense of trust in the unknown; creative feedback, the systematic use of an audience to receive noncritical input about our art; art koans, exercises based on paradoxical questions that can be resolved only through artistic expression. Loori shows how these elements interpenetrate and function not only in art, but in all our endeavors.

Beautifully illustrated and punctuated with poems and reflections from Loori’s own spiritual journey, The Zen of Creativity presents a multilayered, bottomless source of insight into our creativity. Appealing equally to spiritual seekers, artists, and veteran Buddhist practitioners, this book is perfect for those wishing to discover new means of self-awareness and expression—and to restore equanimity and freedom amid the vicissitudes of our lives.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Touch Your Creative Soul
This book touched me! The poetry and art is exquisite. Follow the author's journey as his art leads him to his spiritual quest, and back into his art. For the Artist this book is a wonderful read from a fellow artist. For the Searcher this book has many insights and life lessons. For anyone looking for a good read that will touch you and leave you wanting more- this book has it!

Creating art with heart
It is virtually impossible to write the definitive review of "The Zen of Creativity" because, like the koans it contains, this book will elicit no single, uniform response from those who read it.I hesitate even to use the word "read" because the book asks for a response well beyond simply reading it.The quotes and koans alone require unhurried contemplation.One way to treat this book is to take a contemplative walk through it over a number of months, experimenting here and there with the practices John Daido Loori describes.You may be surprised at the new depth you achieve in your chosen art medium as a result, whether it is photography, painting, writing or music making.

I once owned two copies of Mozart's concerto for flute and orchestra No 1 (K313).One version had perfect technique and the passages were as smooth as cream, but it left me unmoved.I gave it away.The recording I kept has a rough texture in places, but it dances with joy. It demonstrates the essence of what Loori is talking about.

"The Zen of Creativity" is not just a play on the word "zen."It IS zen. Neither does it mimic the popular format of "Zen and the art of Motorcycle Maintenance" as so many other authors have done.Loori draws the reader into the very nature of the creative process itself, giving far less importance to technical skills.In fact, if you are looking for ways to improve your artistic competence, you will need to look further afield. Loori's focus is on making a work of art real rather than on making it commercial. His quote from Leonardo Da Vinci is apt; "Where the spirit does not work with the hand, there is no art."

There are many useful books on art techniques out now that teach how to apply your art medium in a skilful way. But none of these provide what "The Zen of Creativity" does in helping the artist recreate the essence of what he or she sees.

If "The Zen of Creativity" seems too great a leap into the philosophy of art, a simple introduction to these concepts can be found in a book produced by the Society of Layerists in Multi-Media (SLMM.) It is "The Art of Layering: Making Connection."Short excerpts from the book are available on their website.For photographers, "The Tao of Photography" by Tom Ang has much the same philosophy of putting heart into one's art.

Not just a read through, but a journey.
I must say that this book spoke to me on a very deep level. I read a couple of lines from it while browsing and was stopped cold. In those few words Mr Loori had summed up much of what my life was about. This touched me so profoundly that I knew the book was for me, tears actually began to well in my eyes. One does not merely read this book, one enters it, as a practice, as a journey, one of great personal discovery. In a section titled "Jeweled Mirror" the author covers feedback groups and how to view art, not from the standpoint of criticism, but from the feelings evoked. He has a photograph and instruction for quieting the mind and viewing the image in a specific way. It is an amazing exercise! This book opens ones eyes to more than creative possibilities, but to deep personal insights as well. You cannot enter it and leave unchanged, unless you are already a Buddha.

The Zen of Creativity
This book takes you on a gentle and insightful journey. Whether you're a practicing Zen Buddhist or not, John Daido Loori expands your mind and opens new ways of tapping into our creative spirit. The Zen of Creativity is the first of many books I've read that explains Buddhist concepts in everyday, American language and thought. It also provides a very clear explanation of how creativity and human nature mysteriously blend together to create our natural being.

Spirituality and creativity
The Zen of Creativity is not only an artist's guide to enhance your creativity. It is also a journey into the Zen philosophy with the guidance of a great master. In reading the book you will be encouraged to find the reason why you take a camera and choose to shoot a certain subject. After reading the book you will probably start looking inside yourself before releasing the shutter. ... Read more

Product Description
Zen Training is a comprehensive handbook forzazen, seated meditation practice, and an authoritative presentation of the Zen path. The book marked a turning point in Zen literature in its critical reevaluation of the enlightenment experience, which the author believes has often been emphasized at the expense of other important aspects of Zen training. In addition,Zen Training goes beyond the first flashes of enlightenment to explore how one lives as well as trains in Zen. The author also draws many significant parallels between Zen and Western philosophy and psychology, comparing traditional Zen concepts with the theories of being and cognition of such thinkers as Heidegger and Husserl. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

Modern but authentic
I avoid modern texts on Zen because too many of them are meaningless ramblings written by frauds to whom Zen is a business. I especially dislike the new age pretentiousness which seems to pass for Zen among many modern 'masters'. I believe that Zen is practiced by doing zazen, pure and simple. Reading books, going to retreats, being a vegetarian, etc. is all just 'window dressing' and has nothing to do with real Zen.

As a result, I've kept my Zen reading to minimum. I have some koan collections ('The Gateless Gate', 'The Blue Cliff Records'), a slender volume of works attributed to Bodhidharma, and a few translations of ancient texts. That's about it! Not saying my way is the best way or anything, but I'm setting the stage for how hard it would be for a modern book to cut through my defenses. Despite all that, I found this book to be amazing!

Many things I've learned through zazen are woven into the text, so this is clearly an authentic person writing a legitimate treatise on Zen. Some key terms mentioned in Zen texts are described in a very straightforward manner. While I haven't yet appreciated the hardcore physiological passages on breathing, the focus on the tanden is dead on. Interestingly, this focus mirrors what I have always been instructed to do in my martial arts training.

I would not recommend this book to someone starting out with Zen. Rather, I think it's best to read it after spending some time on your own (or with a master) in zazen and figuring things out for yourself. After you have some experience, I think this book would then have more positive impact. A person new to Zen might end up using the text as a 'how to' manual or adopt its content with a dogmatic attitude, neither of which was the author's intent (or would move your work in Zen in the right direction).

For me, 'Zen Training' has provided some valuable guidance and compiled many key concepts I have found to be important into a single volume. While this doesn't make me interested in checking out more modern works, I'm certainly thrilled to be proven wrong about my blanket dismissal of modern Zen texts. This is a very thoughtfully written book by someone who clearly has spent a great deal of time practicing Zen.

PS: I was led to the book because I own the author's translation of the koan texts mentioned above. His commentary in that book resonated with me enough to make me curious what else he might have done.

Good book on meditation
Great book which goes into great detail on the science of zazen-style meditation. If you are looking for an indepth guide to postures, mu, using koans, and such, this is for you.

If you want to practice Zen don't go near this book!!!
This is one of the most dangerous books for Zen practitioners.

Don't be fooled by other reviews or even by the book itself which is very well written.

This book is misleading. If you read it you may end up with a screwed-up notion of what Zen is and what practice is. You will be far away from Satori or anything else by following this book. You will be just lost in delusion about Zen, enlightenment, Practice and everything else.

I recommend not wasting your time or money with it. If however you do decide to read this book - read it carefully. If you are just starting your path of Zen don't be to rush to believe what it says.

You should remember that there actually is no such thing as Satori, Kensho and the tanden is not more important than any other part of the body. You will not gain enlightenment by counting your breath or bellowing MUUUUUU under your mustache. If you must read a book about Zen I recommend the following:
The Wholehearted Way
Opening the Hand of Thought, Revised and Expanded Edition: Foundations of Zen Buddhist Practice

One of the Best
This book provides one of the best, most detailed explanations of the practical, technical realities of zen practice. As others have stated, he is is extremely precise and analytical in his analysis of every aspect of the experience of zazen. This can sometimes seem overwhelming, but if you are serious about zazen, then this book is serious about how to support you. It is defiantly worth the time that I spent poring over it, though it was nice to have a someone around with some anatomy knowledge to help me through his explanations of optimal breathing in meditation.

I recommend this book to everyone that I know who is actually serious about deepening their zazen practice. This book is not for the person who is casually interested in meditation or for the armchair Buddhist philosopher, however.

buy it!
The first book you must read if interested in zen and zazen practice. Very easy to follow and pretty intellectualy seductive.
Illustrative in the "right way" of sitting and breathing, but better yet in explaining what is zen all about. Great for beginners. ... Read more

Product Description
When it comes to weight loss, the emphasis today is shifting away from fad diets and compulsive workouts toward sane, sensible techniques that incorporate both the mind and the body. This is the first book to apply the 2,500-year-old principles of Zen Buddhism to the modern struggle with the vicious cycle of dieting, losing, and regaining weight.From a Buddhist perspective, overeating is a disorder of desire.This book will teach readers how to find freedom from eating problems and the tyranny of desire that triggers them.Filled with concrete, practical exercises and the wisdom of the ages, The Zen of Eating provides, at last, an alternative to ineffective diet programs, products, and pills. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

The Zen of Eating
This book is a must have for those who are serious about losing and keeping off extra body weight.You will gain an understanding why you feel out of control and eat when you are not hungry.

This is a book that will help you live a healthier life.It gives you the tools to understand and deal with emotional eating. The Zen of Eating

First half of the book better than the 2d
This book was recommended to me by my psychologist as insight into my eating patterns. The basic premise of the book is that all eating disorders, or any disorder for that matter, originates from unfulfilled desire. The "answer" that the book delivers, in alignment with the Buddhist school of thought, is to make peace with where you are and release all desire to be elsewhere. The first half of the book also addresses the difference between optional suffering and inevitable suffering.

The 2d half of the book went further into the morals of helping others eat, such as volunteering at a food kitchen, etc. The book's main underlying theme seems to be: appreciation for food will set you free from a relationship of struggle with eating. I agree that a shift in perspective will assist in remedying eating disorders, but I am not so sure there is one right path to achieveing that shift, such as volunteering at a food kitchen, or relinquisihing critical speaking. I think each individual person, through trial and error, will have to carve out their own path to achieve a change in perspective. But, all around worth a read.

An Insightful Melding of Two Worlds
This book was written by someone with a deep understanding of Zen Buddhism, and long experience in helping people with weight problems. Ms. Kabatznick served as a consultant to Weight Watchers for many years, wrote a monthly advice column in Weight Watchers Magazine, and founded a wonderful organization called "Dieters Feed the Hungry". And she doesn't just talk the talk with Zen Buddhism. For example, read this riveting article:

[...]

If you'd like to understand how to apply Buddhist principles to emotional eating, you can't do better than this book. Even those without eating problems will appreciate its practical elucidation of Buddhist principles, using the example of emotional eating.

Sheryl Canter
Author of "Normal Eating for Normal Weight"

An approach I can live with and render great benefit
The Zen of Eating is a practical and sensible approach.It is well written and can be taken in all at once or in parts.Digesting in pieces make sense given that I've nibbled my way to a larger size which has become unhealthy.The gentle, matter-of-fact delivery offers a non-judgmental recipe for changing my life in effective ways.This will go beyond ineffective ways of thinking about food; it will allow me to approach other attachments that have damaging impacts.

Pleasant Read, But Too Obtuse for Me
I dig mindfulness -- have been meditating for years -- but I must say that applying Buddhism to my eating habits seems a bit of a stretch.I appreciate the effort the author put into this book and her explanation of Buddhism was practical and enlightening.But I would have liked more examples -- more detailed examples -- of how to apply these principles to my daily eating.Oh well, I'll go back and re-read parts of the book.A good effort -- just perhaps a little too vague for me. ... Read more

Product Description
The most innovative, unconventional, and profoundly practical career guide available-newly revised and updated

With today's economic uncertainties, millions of Americans realize they must seize control over their own career paths. They want work that not only pays the bills but also allows them to pursue their real passions. In this revised edition, Laurence Boldt updates and revises his revolutionary guide to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century workplace. The first part of this book helps readers to identify the work that they really want to do, while the second provides practical, active steps to finding or creating that work. Zen and the Art of Making a Living goes beyond inspiration, providing a proven formula for bringing creativity, dignity, and meaning to every aspect of the work experience. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Just what is needed at this time
We purchased this item at a time when I am considering a new career direction. This is not just the same old stuff!
The author applies spiritual insights from Zen and Christianity to ask fundamental questions of the reader--who are you, why are you here? This is not just a book to read, it is a companion for a life journey that results in work that fulfills the individual and also blesses the community. I can't recommend it highly enough. There should be 10 stars!

Bring integrity, service, enjoyment and excellence to your work
There are shelves and shelves of career and vocational resources available on how to write a resume, use a job search board, network or ace an interview.If you're looking for a 1-2-3 checklist on how to do these things, this may not be the best book for you (though it could help).If on the other hand you believe you have more to offer than you are at present, this is a great place to start.

This is book to help clarify your vision, inspire you, and help you discover what you need to do next to bring that vision into reality.

Some reviewers on the earlier edition commented that the book was too long, too verbose or meandering.I'm personally glad that the author took his time and shared his breadth and depth.Working through the journey of this book with sincerity will deliver.

Thought-provoking guide to choosing a path
I have four sons, so I have purchased many career guides over the years. Zen and the Art of Making a Living is one of my favorites because it doesn't assume that the reader necessarily wants to enter the corporate world. It offers a good overview of many possible career tracks, and doesn't seem to imply that one is superior to another.

I'm very pleased that the guide treats freelancing and entrepreneurship as two separate areas, and addresses important issues for each. It's true that freelancers are in business for themselves, so in a general sense they are also entrepreneurs, but since their goals and methods of working are different in many ways, it's important to distinguish between the two. One size advice doesn't fit all, here! As director of the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors, I was delighted to see Boldt's advice on page 370: "Whatever your specific field, if there is a 'National Association for...", join it!" as one of the necessary steps for starting a business;-).

Boldt has provided helpful forms and an enormous amount of information, including guidance to help you determine which career path best fits your talents, skills, and desires. This guide contains all the information promised, and does a visually-pleasing job of presenting it. I recommend it for anyone considering a career change, or anyone mentoring a teenager through this stage in life. It's a valuable guide!

expected much more
I was so excited when I found this book.I have an old version (1993)and thought this 2010 version would hit on the age of the internet... you know...
Self promoting yourself/work vis website, blog, social networking.

What I found? 2 pages on creating your website.

That is it.Nothing about blogging, or networking via the internet.
NADA.

So warning, if you are expecting some Zen vision about developing yourself/work using the internet, it isn't happening in this book.
Boldt's idea of life changing apparently means he's not looking to the internet that much.
Look else where my friends. ... Read more

Product Description
From Dr. Joe Parent, noted PGA Tour Instructorand bestselling author of Zen Golf: Mastering the Mental Game comes a new book of simple yet powerful techniques for success in golf's game within the game: PUTTING

Confidence, as every golfer knows, is the key to peak performance on the greens. ZEN PUTTING builds your confidence through a thinking-outside-the-box approach that helps golfers of all levels get out of their own way and roll the ball better than ever. In chapters such as "Already in the Hole," "Stop the Bleeding," and "Turn Knee-knockers into Tap-ins," you'll find the insights and methods that will help you take your putting to the next level, with more consistency, less frustration, and lower scores. Using his distinctive blend of sports psychology, Zen wisdom, and practical golf instruction, Dr. Joe Parent shares the lessons and practice exercises that have dramatically improved the putting of PGA professionals and amateurs alike.

In clear, concise chapters, ZEN PUTTING covers everything from warm-up and practice programs to the ideal routine for setting up to and executing a putt.You'll discover how to synchronize body and mind to make your smoothest stroke time after time and build your confidence round after round.

ZEN PUTTING brings a fresh perspective to the art of putting, leading golfers to the effortless focus and confidence of being in the zone, the feeling that they can make every putt they look at. It is a book all golfers will want to return to again and again. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Very good thoughts about putting...
Author presents some very good mental pictures on putting. I can't wait to try them on the course.

helped me win
I read Zen Golf and then Zen putting and then I won my club championship.Enough said.Read this book and you will make every putt you see.

Real Disappointment !
This book was the closest to "nothing" I've read in a long time!I was three chapters into this book before I realized all this guy had to say was, "Get over it -- it's just a game !"Don't waste your time or money.

Frank

Helpful book
Great little book. Doesn't try to be more than it sets out to be. Practical, accessible and helpful.

Great reading, and better putting!
Recommend highly; It's the thinking person's book, towards lower scores and more enjoyment out of the game. ... Read more

Product Description
Although he has a laptop or electronic device with him at virtually all times, it is pen and paper that Garr Reynolds uses to privately brainstorm, explore ideas, make lists, and generally sketch out ideas for presentations. As many agree, the act of holding a pen in hand and putting it to paper seems to have a greater, more natural connection to the right brain and allows for a more spontaneous flow and rhythm for visualizing and recording ideas. This analog approach to creating presentations really helps solidify and simplify messages, and it then becomes far easier to lay out those ideas in PowerPoint or Keynote.

This storyboarding sketchbook is like a journal for presenters of all types—it’s an analog place to go and sketch out presentation ideas. Presenters will find blank pages for jotting down notes, creating mind maps, or using whatever brainstorming techniques they find helpful. A storyboarding technique presenters often use involves writing down notes onto sticky notes and then arranging them as they build the structure of their presentations. Some of the pages in this sketchbook contain blank boxes that are sized for small sticky notes so you can use this technique to storyboard your own presentations. Throughout the sketchbook, users will find quotes from Garr's book Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery to help inspire while preparing and clarifying a presentation's content, purpose, and goals. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A Must Have Addition to Any Presentation Designers Tools
If you truly appreciate Presentation design, you will understand the principle that you need to take time away from the computer, be it at your Mac or PC in order to sketch out your ideas and thoughts clearly. Great presentation design comes from within and sitting in front of the computer with a blank slide starring at you can limit your imagination.

Nancy Duarte another great presentation expert said 'The Applications are simply containers for ideas and assets, not the means to generate them." she is right you need something else pen and paper? sticky notes? No forget them, Garr Reynolds the creator of this Sketchbook and one of the world's leading experts in presentation design and delivery has made your life easier for sketching and noting down all your good ideas.

I believe that an analog approach to creating presentations helps oneself to simplify the message you are trying to convey by adding powerful meaning as you can visualise the ideas and the needs of your audience. I feel strongly that this can not be done by solely using a computer throughout the design process.

I use to have walls of sticky notes scattered all over my office, it was effective but it looks messy and it's not ideal when clients come to visit. You have to take them all down. In this beautifully produced sketchbook Garr has provided neat little square boxes, there are 8 per page for designing your slide ideas or the points you want to capture. No more messy office.

A small written quote on the bottom a plain sketching page in this book says 'As you prepare a presentation, exercise restraint and keep these three words in mind always: simplicity, clarity, brevity." This sketch book helps you accomplish these principles and serves to provide you with help as you move through the pages learning and gaining inspiration from similar beautiful put quotes. There are also some beautiful little illustrations attached to some of the quotes.

This book is a presenters DREAM! I bought 3 because there is nothing like this anywhere in the world. I can't thank Garr enough for spending the time to produce this and share it with the world. Not only can this help presenters but it could also be very useful to web designers, graphic designers, illustrators & anybody who is involved in being creative during their working processes.

Buy it today, you won't be disappointed.

Very nice design with an elegant beauty to it...
I'm not sure that "book review" is the right term to use for reviewing Garr Reynolds' Presentation Zen Sketchbook, as book reviews usually involve thoughts about the *content* of a book.But this book *has* no content, as it's designed to allow you to write and sketch your own thoughts, ideas, and images for your next project or presentation.In terms of blank page books, this is one of the nicest and most interesting ones that I have.While it demands to be used, I almost don't want to write in it as it feels like I'd be marring its beauty.Yes, I *do* have issues to deal with... :)

The Presentation Zen Sketchbook is a spiral-bound moleskine-style notebook that alternates between blank pages and storyboard-formatted pages.If you know anything about Reynolds and his Presentation Zen concepts, you'll immediately understand the reason for this.Rather than create a presentation by immediately going to the computer, he prefers to jot down ideas and images in an analog format to eliminate the forced constraints of a presentation tool like PowerPoint or KeyNote.By putting pencil to paper, he can play around on the page and formulate his message better than trying to make it appear on screen first. This sketchbook gives you the same opportunity to create in that fashion, using basic tools you can take with you anywhere.

I mentioned the "beauty" of this sketchbook, and you might be wondering why I get excited over plain blank pages.In this case, they're not completely blank.Every couple of pages, you'll find some sort of surprise waiting for you.It may be a quote from Presentation Zen or some simple yet graceful image of a plant or flower.They are scattered in their location on the page, yet they don't intrude on the blank canvas you have for your creation.After anywhere from eight to ten blank pages, you'll find from eight to ten storyboard-formatted pages, eight squares to a page.You can think of them as your analog PowerPoint tool, or sticky notes that don't move around on the page.Either way, the combination of the two types of page formats is perfect for preparing your next presentation or talk.

This may be the first blank book that I've actually gone through page by page, looking for the quotes and images.:)

If you're a writer or presenter who easily falls in love with paper, books, writing utensils, and all the other "tools of the trade", I think you'll love the Presentation Zen Sketchbook.I only wish I had a case of them here in my office so I wouldn't feel like it was such a big decision about what project I'll allocate this particular one to...


Disclosure:
Obtained From: Publisher
Payment: Free ... Read more

Product Description
Merton, one of the rare Western thinkers able to feel at home in the philosophies of the East, made the wisdom of Asia available to Westerners.Amazon.com Review
"Zen enriches no one," Thomas Merton provocatively writes in his opening statement to Zen and the Birds of Appetite--one of the last books to be published before his death in 1968. "There is no body to be found. The birds may come and circle for a while... but they soon go elsewhere. When they are gone, the 'nothing,' the 'no-body' that was there, suddenly appears. That is Zen. It was there all the time but the scavengers missed it, because it was not their kind of prey." This gets at the humor, paradox, and joy that one feels in Merton's discoveries of Zen during the last years of his life, a joy very much present in this collection of essays. Exploring the relationship between Christianity and Zen, especially through his dialogue with the great Zen teacher D.T. Suzuki (included as part 2 of this volume), the book makes an excellent introduction to a comparative study of these two traditions, as well as giving the reader a strong taste of the mature Merton. Never does one feel him losing his own faith in these pages; rather one feels that faith getting deeply clarified and affirmed. Just as the body of "Zen" cannot be found by the scavengers, so too, Merton suggests, with the eternal truth of Christ. "It was there all the time but the scavengers missed it...." --Doug Thorpe ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

difficult read
I like thomas merton, but I found this book difficult not conceptually but difficult in writing style. I am not trying to be critical merton was a great teacher, however, this review is given to help you decide if this is a book you would like to read. With that in mind I humbly add my two cents. Merton often brought up concepts and points, followed the trail for awhile and then droped the reader off by saying, "but I do not have time to go into that now." Merton almost felt uncomfortable with his subject at times. I often wished he would just accept that for him christianity and zen could work beside each other, it would be the zen concept to accept that others do not accept this. Be thomas, just be and write what you see and hear, others will read it in their contempt or acceptance. No matter what is written or is wrote this will be accept it. As close as Merton often gets to that concept he never crosses the bridge to writing from that perspective. Zen and the Birds of Appetite was interesting but not Merton's best work.

Ride your horse along the edge of the sword
This little set of essays on Zen Buddhism by one of the great Catholic thinkers of this century, a Trappist monk often associated with peace theology, is challenging and unique.It is clear the Merton is well-informed about Zen and approaches it from an open mind, seeking affinities between his faith and that of the Zen masters.I half expected a syncretic approach but, for all of his acceptance of ideas and concepts of Zen, Merton never compromises his essentially Christian view of the world.Rather, he embraces Zen mysticism; its apophatic approach to the universe and divinity; its rejection of the world and self; and he finds parallels in Christian life and thought down through the ages.He also describes his discussions with D.T. Suzuki in a way which clearly shows his delight with the man and his ideas.The dialogue between the two men shows the similarities as well as some of the differences in their thinking.

While most of the book elucidates Zen philosophy and relates it to western Christian thinking, a chapter on Zen and art rounds things out nicely.For anyone interested in Zen or Christianity this book will definitely be of interest.It has, in my opinion, the added benefit of pointing out the many parallels between Christian mystical and ascetic practices and Zen without confounding or conflating them.

Some Careful and Dispassionate Ado About Nothing
This is one of Merton's best but most difficult books, one of his most misunderstood by both his devotees and his critics.It is usually either too enthusiastically embraced for the wrong reasons, or glibly dismissed for superficial and ignorant ones.

First of all, Zen is not a religion, it is a way of thinking and seeing, in key ways much like an aesthetic, except that it is an aesthetic toward all of life and not just individual tastes in the plastic arts.The whole concept of a faith in a Western sense is alien to its spokesman here, Suzuki, and Merton is not out to convince he or you otherwise.But Zen can have consequences for faith and belief.

Merton and Suzuki are both old pros and well seasoned in their respective traditions before they get here.Similarities and affinities between Christian monasticism and Zen monasticism are explored, yes, and they are mainly outward.But it is the inner and intrinsic differences which one will remember afterwards.There is no attempt on either side of trying to "bridge" them or paste them over with verbal formulas.True, Merton sometimes picks a poetic statement to explain something basically untranslateable.These statements are pleasing to a Western poetic sense, sound a little mysterious, and apparently constitute "wow" moments for certain Western readers which they assume are appropriately "Zenlike."The title metaphor is a key case in point.But the fact is Zen is absolutely unsentimental and not even "sympathetic" in the Western sense.And to the extent certain Zen sayings or "koans" sound like poetry, this is not their intent but, at best, a secondary effect.Zen is really "nothing" in an absolute sense -- a way so uniquely Oriental that it is really grasped by few Western seekers.It is arguably not even graspable by someone raised, say, to about age 6 in totally Western surroundings.Indeed it is arguably ungraspable even by its most ardent devotees and practicioners.One might call it a sort of cosmic joke except that it is deadly serious.Here is where the consequences for the muddle headed Westerner come in.Whatever Zen "is" or "isn't", it can be overwhelming and, yes, potentially destructive (not just to faith but also to basic sanity) for one not properly mature, seasoned, sane, grounded in a full and deep Christianity.It is worth knowing about and this book is a big aid, but it is not a plaything.As indeed Christianity is not, although unfortunately as now practiced in the West it has been heavily sentimentalized.Zen, if properly pursued, will indeed expose and probably shatter such a weakness -- without really having that aim.Its serious accounting of the void it posits will have such an effect on anything in its path.

Merton and Suzuki approach their dialogue fairly dispassionately, and what proceeds is something of a dissection of the DMZ between these "two paths."Both men are honest enough not to mince or blur distinctions.The potential "equality" of the "two ways" is not explored or promoted; it is irrelevant to both men, not even an issue. While Merton was engaging in this partly in response to a contemporary call to ecumenical "dialogue," in no way does the discussion follow by now classical ecumenical approaches, ie. theological agreements, doctrinal differences, etcetera.Again, Zen is not a theology.Nor is it the difference, here, between apples and oranges -- more between apples and a perfect vacuum.The fact that the vacuum may elude perfect linquistic expression, as any "god" or specifically the Christian God is ultimately a mystery, is not set up as a similarity in other than the most superficial sense.And of course many modern philosophies, even in the West, explore the limits of language as to any subject or even any concrete thing conceivable.

If this all sounds somewhat dry, it is because it is.Frankly, I question how many supposed "readers" or "reviewers" have actually read this dialogue completely, or in any event not by "speed reading."I suspect about as many people have actually read it as claim to have read Finnegan's Wake.No, its no thriller.Its charm is its candid air and the human respect between the two men speaking, across a gulf mutually acknowledged as about as wide as the Grand Canyon.But it remains, after many years, about the most cogent and honest thing on its subject.It might even prove to be the last-- eventually it might be seen that the beginning was the end.And if that's not Zenlike enough, of course, it was really all for nothing anyway . . . .

Just don't capitalize it:ie. "Nothing."Then, no you didn't get it . . . To the extent of course it matters . . . .

Zen
Slow, dry, and dull. If you are really into Zen it might be for you, but if you are you will want more. If the reader is Catholic they will be dissapointed. This is a typical book of its period, post Vatican II and during the greatest phase of experimentation.

A little book with lots of meaning.
There is something refreshing about this little book. The title will seem a bit misleading - if expecting to find an account of Zen per se - minus the Christian based reflections of the author. However, Merton is known well enough - and these essays show him at his best. The dialogue between D.T. Suzuki and Thomas Merton is fruitful. Christianity and Buddhism have often been presented as antithetical, working from bases too different - to afford dialogue. These essays challenge that perception, without falling into vague generalisations.

If anything, recent years have seen a 'hardening of the orthodoxies' - a retreat into numbingly conservative attitudes. Happily, the essays in this book evoke a more open-ended perspective. There is something arrogant and unspiritual about the wish to deny the value of dialogue between spiritual traditions. Where the 'birds of appetite' wheel and prey, the truth has fallen from sight - be it Christian 'innocence' or the 'fundamental face' of Zen.

We can't deny the merits of a Christian who endeavoured, with a whole heart, to take stock of what goes on in the other World religions. Similarly, we can't look badly upon a Buddhist, who was large-hearted enough to share the workings of the Christian mind and spirit. Merton's encounter with Buddhism exerted a seminal influence upon his whole life-thought. Suzuki's encounter with Christianity - chiefly, through Eckhart, exerted a similar influence (the Eckhartian equation 0=infinity -found its way into Suzuki's hand-written notes appended to the Mastsugaoka Zen Bunka ed of the Rinzai Roku). Let's hope that this new century of ours witnesses more dialogues in this vein.
... Read more