Reviews (16)

Philosophy, Courage a Brain and a Heart!
I got this book as a gift from someone with a serious jones for the Wizard of Oz.At first, I just liked it because it reminded me of my friend and tossed it in a corner.Then one day I got around to reading it.Now, it stays where I can pick it up and open to read a simple passage in the moment.It is a fun and brilliant way to explore a different philosophy, or at least question how you choose to do things.I can't imagine many people in this culture being unaware of the examples and characters.Now when the Wizard of Oz comes on, I tend to filter it through this!

To the Young at Heart.
On one of my recent journeys through the Land of Oz, the Ozarks, I visited with my friend Roger S. Baum, the great-grandson of L. Frank Baum-the author of the "Wizard of Oz". I asked him what he thought about the theory of his great-grandfather being a Zen Master. He admitted he really didn't know. That he hadn't read "The Zen of Oz". That it has been his experience that such things were only done by people that saw an opportunity to make money off Great Grandfather's work. After I explained the gist of Joey Green's premise I did notice a slow smile take over Roger's face. He was intrigued. Though he would not corroborate Joey's claims he did state that Great Grandfather would probably not turn over in his grave if he knew about "The Zen of Oz". The one caveat Roger then mentioned was that first and foremost the Oz Series is a collection of fantasies for the young at heart. Meant to be taken with sincerity but not too seriously. The rest of our conversation was private.
are you kidding me?
An interesting idea behind the book... finding the spiritual connections and philosophy behind the story of the wizard of oz. The writing style of the book is poor, redundant, and not terribly smooth (inconsistent pronoun usage, repetitive sentence structure, etc.) The book has its glimmers of insight, but in general, I think it looks way too much into the Wizard of Oz- and that means a lot coming from someone who usually gives new-age, self-help, and spiritual books more credit than they probably deserve sometimes. The very basic connections between the Yellow Brick Road and intuition or following the true self, and the basic metaphors of each the scarecrow, lion, and tin man are backed by literary evidence and are argued logically... and I think these basic connections are compelling. Prevelant is the idea that each of the characters, whether his/her search is for brains, courage, a heart, or home, actually possesses these qualities already... it's just a matter of discovering this truth. Green also goes into the philosophy of love, intelligence, courage, and one's personal "home" or the self, and that too is interesting (but at times can be a stretch when relating it back to the story). The book sometimes takes great dives into detail, jumping to conclusions that are based 100% on speculation ... of the author, and not at all on a logical connection. An example you ask? Well, the Lion, while being primped at the Wash & Brush Up Co. in Emerald City, the author observes, gestures "with a decidedly limp wrist, possibly insinuating that his sexual orientation is a `fate I don't deserve.'" The author continues to discuss the lion's inability to come out of the closet to come to terms with his true self, assuming that his limp wrist gesture and interest in fine fabrics means the he is gay. Frankly, I think the lion was just acting like a wealthy king. He also suggests Ms. Gulch is a "victim of her own repressed sexuality." To come to this conclusion would require pure speculation based upon [standards], and though the idea has good intentions, it actually weakens his overarching statement. The idea of the book was obviously very interesting to me, but ... the book has left me disappointed and unsatisfied. The kernels of truth in the book are cluttered by details that are not fully developed. But the pictures are cool, I guess. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. (Lyman Frank),    2. 1856-1919    3. 20th century    4. Baum, L. Frank    5. Books and reading    6. Buddhism - Zen    7. Children    8. Children's stories, American    9. Eastern - Zen    10. Fantasy fiction, American    11. General    12. History    13. History and criticism    14. Philosophy    15. Religion    16. United States    17. Wizard of Oz    18. English    19. Mind, body, spirit: disciplines & techniques    20. USA    21. Zen Buddhism   

Reviews (2)

An engaging study
Kim's work has won the praise of many, not least Robert Aitken Roshi, an American with a lifetime's experience of Zen training. In his foreword to the third edition, Aitken Roshi stated:
To illumine a hill...
I can't check the date of the original publication of this text, but if it's the same as the one I'm thinking of it was originally published in the 70's and looked like someones Master's or PhD thesis.I had just begun the practice of Soto Zen at the time I picked it up...a converted hippy...and it was pretty dry.However, I came across a paragraph that really appealed to me.It said something like, "Find a hill and illumine or enlighten it (by your practice)."This thought motivated my life for decades.It really felt right and seemed to express the real spirit of Dogen as I had come to understand him from listening to lectures by Shunryu Suzuki at the San Francisco Zen Center.Suzuki roshi seemed to often speak of appreciation of the moment as a totality of many things and beings.And he connected this appreciation with the practice of zazen as did Dogen.
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Subjects:  1. 1200-1253    2. Buddhism - Zen    3. Doctrines    4. Dogen,    5. Dåogen,    6. Eastern - General    7. Eastern - Zen    8. General    9. Religion    10. Religion - World Religions    11. Sotoshu    12. Såotåoshåu    13. Zen Buddhism    14. Buddhism    15. Philosophy / Zen    16. Religion / Eastern   

Reviews (1)

An excellent book
This well researched and controversial book makes a deep impression. It raises crucially important questions about the relationship between religion and state as well as casting new light upon twentieth century Japanese history. That even Buddhism, in theory the most peaceful of creeds, could have been so extensively corrupted by a military agenda, gives one manyRead more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Asia - Japan    3. Buddhism - Zen    4. Buddhism and state    5. Eastern - Zen    6. History    7. History - General History    8. Japan    9. Military - General    10. Military - World War II    11. Religion    12. Religious aspects    13. World War, 1939-1945    14. Zen Buddhism    15. Asian / Middle Eastern history: Second World War    16. Religion / Zen Buddhism    17. Second World War, 1939-1945    18. Warfare & Defence   

Reviews (14)

Don't Judge This Book By Its Cover
This book exists to make Zen more accessible to the general public.For those people that practice Zen, the essence of Zen can only be felt or only be understood but not through words or pictures.As one teaching of Zen would have it, you would appreciate how beautiful the moon is rather than the finger that points you to that moon.I have to admit that this book manages to clarify certain teachings that are also mentioned in other Zen books.I'm not saying that this comic book provides me with the absolute truth about certain Zen sayings but it does provide me with an insight.Everyone has their own ways of getting to the original thinking & if this book cuts the cake, so be it.If we think that this is merely a comic book, then, it is a delusion!Remember, don't judge a book by its cover.This book is profoundly serious.Highly recommended, light-hearted & enjoyable to read.

Delightful!
Hard to imagine that a cartoon could unfold the depths of Zen.Perhaps it is the fact the cartoons are brief yet encapsulate so much.Personally, I find it to be in the expressions of the characters in the drawings that tell the story.I really feel the smiles throughout the book and can almost see them winking along with that smile. Forget Those Heavy Books About Zen
Yes.Read more

Subjects:  1. Buddhism - General    2. Caricatures and cartoons    3. Eastern - Zen    4. Graphic Satire And Humor    5. Philosophy    6. Zen Buddhism    7. Philosophy / Eastern    8. Chinese Philosophy    9. Comic Books, Strips, etc.    10. Illustrations   

Reviews (2)

Antacid for the Soul
The approach for this book reminds me of the old "compare and contrast" essay assignments from college.But Brazier accomplishes more than highlighting the differences between these two views of ourexterior and interior landscapes.You don't have to know the zen concepts,all is well explained, and ample references provide the basis for Brazier'sframework.There is a blending going on that is synergistic, that createsa way of thinking and feeling that is more than western and more thaneastern.It is indeed transcending the limits of both approaches.It'sbeen a long time since a book compelled me to write in the margins andunderline key points as this book does.There is a zen balance here; wheretraditional psychotherapy falls short, Buddha psychology fills in, andwhere the Buddha doesn't fit, western thought provides what is needed.Wedo live in a western culture and must strive for wholeness consistent withthat. It's a how-to and patiently lays the groundwork for why this processwill create a centered psychotherapist. The book manages to stand alone. For anyone with psychic ulcers, caused by a poor diet of ideas or bystraining too hard, this book is the antacid. I am already giving it tofriends.

Apposite psychological insights into esoteric tradition
If you belong to a westernised culture, steeped in theistic religion and didactic reasoning, AND know somthing of Zen already,this may be the book that finally reassures your reasonable self that your purely spiritual one is on the right track. Brazier provides a revealing and insightful interpretation of Zen practice through the mind of a psychologist who obviously cares a lot about the people he treats.If you are new to Zen or Bhuddist thought, here you will find the essence of those somtimes arcane ideas presented with new clarity, within the framework of commonsense psychologese we in the west are at ease with. "Yes, of course!" I kept hearing myself say, as another pearl fell into place. Still, as we who meditate know, these are all merely words. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Buddhism - General    2. Eastern - Zen    3. General    4. Philosophy    5. Psychology    6. Psychotherapy    7. Religious aspects    8. Spiritual life    9. Zen Buddhism    10. Philosophy / Zen   

Subjects:  1. Buddhism - General    2. Eastern - Zen    3. Philosophy    4. Buddhism   

Reviews (15)

Fantastic Book
I work in the mental health field and therefore see depression all too frequently.This book is a fabulous resource that I lend to my patients, but have also enjoyed it on a more personal level.Everyone goes through ups and downs in life, and Huber does a good job of normalizing depression, while communicating that sometimes it's *okay* to be in a rut.Rather than looking for a fast and temporary solution (i.e., medication), she directs people toward developing insight into why they feel the way that they do and allowing themselves to feel it.A fantastic book that I highly recommend!

A "New" Way to Deal With Depression
This is one of those books that, after you read it, you're glad you ordered it - and glad you read it (instead of putting in that "I'll get to it later" pile)...
This book changed my life
I see various reviews that don't like that it is hand written with doodles and other pictures, I found it especially appealing as I am an artist.I believe that if you are looking for a 'fix' the book won't 'fix' you any more than any other type of mental cognitive approach. If you find yourself in that boat, I strongly recommend seeing a psychiatrist and seeing if an anti-depressant will help.Read in conjunction with medical supervision and an anti-depressant might create enough space to really get in touch with yourself and allow the healing to begin.
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Subjects:  1. Buddhism - Zen    2. Depression    3. Eastern - Zen    4. Religion    5. Self-Help    6. Self-Help / Spiritual   

Reviews (11)

Outstanding primer on Zen from an outstanding author
I had previously read several books on Zen prior to coming across this particular book from Brenda Shoshanna. Unlike many of the other books I read, which tended to be bland and sometimes diffficult to follow and apply to one's own life, Dr. Shoshanna takes an entirely different approach in helping us to understand the common concepts of Zen.Her book is very well written.It is clear and concise, even for someone not entirely familiar with Zen, enjoyable to read, and most importantly, she conveys her own experiences with Zen, some of which are quite humorous, to assist the reader in understanding and applying Zen principles to his or her own life.I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the subject of Zen.

Great Primer
If you've read a lot of Zen before this book would be an easy read for you. If you haven't it could be a seminal work. Brenda does an exceptional job of explaining (clearly for a Western mind) the basic points and benefits to approaching the external world from a Zen philosophy. There are exercises as well for the unguided.

Excellent service, speedy delivery, no problems!
Excellent service, speedy delivery.Very easy transation.
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Subjects:  1. Buddhism - Zen    2. Eastern - Zen    3. Meditation    4. Peace of mind    5. Philosophy    6. Psychology    7. Religious aspects    8. Spiritual    9. Zen Buddhism    10. Philosophy / Zen   

Subjects:  1. Buddhism - Zen    2. China    3. Correspondence    4. Doctrines    5. Early works to 1800    6. Eastern - Zen    7. Priests, Zen    8. Religion    9. Religion - World Religions    10. Zen Buddhism    11. Religion / Zen Buddhism   

Subjects:  1. Buddhism - General    2. Eastern - General    3. Eastern - Zen    4. Ethics & Moral Philosophy    5. Martial Arts    6. Martial Arts & Self-Defense    7. Moral and ethical aspects    8. Philosophy    9. Psychological aspects    10. Religious aspects    11. Sports & Recreation    12. Zen Buddhism    13. Zen Buddhism and martial arts    14. Combat sports & self-defence   

Reviews (1)

The inspiring life of a great Buddhist leader
This book documents the life of one of the most influential Buddhist teachers of the 20th and 21st Centuries. Venerable Master Hsing Yun of the Fo Guang Shan (Buddha's Light Mountain) Buddhist Order, Taiwan, has been a Buddhist scholar and writer for more than 55 years. This biography documents his early struggles to survive in China during the Japanese invasion of the late 1930s, through his equally difficult times after coming to Taiwan in 1949, to the development of one of the largest and most influential Chinese Buddhist Orders in today's world.Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography/Autobiography    3. Eastern - Buddhism    4. Eastern - Zen    5. Religion - World Religions    6. Religious   

Reviews (1)

Great Biographical and Literary Study
Zen master Eihei Dogen (1200-1253)has been widely acclaimed as Japan's finest religious writer.This is a major biographical study, cutting through the traditional hagiography that has clouded standard accounts of Dogen's life and writings.Heine does much to illuminate the rich and sometimes subtle contours of Dogen's intellectual and social context and the evolution of his mind.He also brings English-speaking readers up to date on the complexities of recent Japanese historical-critical scholarship on this pivotal figure in the Zen tradition.Dogen was a brilliant bridge builder who adapted the Chinese Ch'an Buddhist traditions to Japan to create what we now know as Zen.Heine highlights Dogen's many-sided literary genius, as well as the many-sided ways Dogen appealed to China as a way to craft his unique vision of Buddhist life.Lucid and insightful at a variety of levels. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1163-1228    2. 1200-1253    3. Buddhism - History    4. Buddhism - Zen    5. DÃ¥ogen,    6. Eastern - Zen    7. Philosophy    8. Religion    9. Religion - World Religions    10. Rujingchanshi,    11. Zoroastrianism    12. Religion & Theology | Buddhism    13. Religion / Zoroastrianism   

Editorial Review

It's not every day that you come across a book by one of Japan's top Zen masters. Soko Morinaga was head of the most famous monastery in Japan and of the Rinzai Zen university, but in his book Read more

Reviews (13)

Humorously tied together by anecdotes of his thickheadedness
What a great read.The roshi gives his history as an aimless student in Japan who ends up at the monastery, where, despite his obstinacy and mistaken notions, the master there sees something in him.Morinaga details the stringent daily life of the monks, and also the joy of awakening, in simple, generous prose that can touch the beingness that is beyond the exhaustible and the inexhaustible. It made me happy to read it.

Excellent Primer on the Way Life Should Be Lived
This book is an excellent intro to the way one should approach life. It is of particular interest to me because I'm in a business where things can rapidly seem to overwhelm me. If you are very busy and need something to snap you back into the present, read this.

The Title Says It All
3.75 StarsRead more

Subjects:  1. Buddhism - General    2. Doctrines    3. Eastern - Buddhism    4. Eastern - Zen    5. Philosophy    6. Religion - World Religions    7. Spiritual life    8. Zen Buddhism    9. Biography & Autobiography / General    10. Biography & Autobiography / Religious    11. Biography: general    12. Buddhism   

Reviews (4)

A life changer
This book changed my life. I can now "see". As a begining art student, I was having difficulty "seeing". I read this book 3 times in a row when I first got it. It changed the way I look at everything. People, places, life. Such a passion for life, drawing and humanity comes through Frederick Franck's drawings and words. Frederick Franck is an amazing conduit. I'm grateful he wrote this book. Highly, highly recommended.

Be aware of what you see
No, it's not a book about Zen or drawing, but it is an ispiration for both.This book inspires the reader to see the world for the first time, not just look at things for the sake of avoiding them while driving. Franck's style is not bombastic, but his entusiasm for drawing, for life,and for awareness shows through every word he writes.

Delightful book about SEEING as opposed to "looking at"
This book is one of the few that has had a profound impact on my life,and one of the very, very few which will always have a place on my bookshelf.I go back to this delightful book again and again when I needto be inspired and refreshed.Read more

Subjects:  1. 1909-    2. Buddhism - General    3. Eastern - Zen    4. Franck, Frederick,    5. Painting    6. Painting, Zen    7. Philosophy    8. Techniques - Drawing    9. Zen Buddhism    10. Franck, Frederick    11. Mind, body, spirit: disciplines & techniques    12. Philosophy / Zen   

Reviews (5)

The Platform Sermons of the Sixth Patriarch
Whenever we are treated to a book written by Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki, the late Japanese academic scholar and Zen practitioner, we can count ourselves as being in the capable hands of a master expositor of the original Zen tradition of Buddhism. With this book, _The Zen Doctrine of No-Mind, The Significance of the Sutra of Hui-neng (Wei-lang)_, we are taken into the inner sanctuary of the Zen teachings as they were expressed by one of its greatest early propounders, Hui-neng, the Sixth -- and last -- Patriarch of Zen. As Suzuki tells us, Hui-neng was somewhat of an unlikely hero of early Chinese Chan/Zen as he was an illiterate day-worker in the rice mill at the monastery of his master Hung-jen, the Fifth Patriarch of Chan/Zen. Hui-neng had overheard someone reciting the Diamond Sutra one day and had an awakening. He immediately decided to seek the way of Buddhahood, and eventually spent a month travelling on foot to reach the Patriarch's monastery in the mountains.
Best Book on Zen that I ever Read
I have read about fifteen books on Zen. This one book helped me more than any other book on Zen. The big advantage of this book is the author's own realization of Satori, combined with his excellent understanding of English. Whatever may have been lost in the translation of the original Buddhist scriptures has been restored by this author. This is the only author that has both a deep realization, and an excellent command of the English language.

Zen and Analysis of Zen
This book, edited and published after the death of D. T. Suzuki, may be said to be as much a book of analysis of Zen as of Zen itself.It combines quotations from the Zen tradition with much comment on them and the subject in general.These comments include references to western psychology and Christianity.It is a good source of material for thinking about Zen. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 638-713    2. Buddhism - General    3. Doctrines    4. Eastern - Zen    5. General    6. Huineng,    7. Liuzudashi fa bao tan jing    8. New Age / Body, Mind & Spirit    9. No-mind (Buddhism)    10. Religion    11. Zen Buddhism    12. Huineng    13. Liuzu dashi fa bao tan jing    14. Mind, body, spirit: mysticism & self-awareness   

Editorial Review

In the introduction to Read more

Reviews (5)

Circular reasoning (of a different sort...)
In this text on Zen, Kazuaki Tanahashi and Tensho David Schneider explore many of the classic writings considered 'essential' to Zen as an East Asian tradition, as well as an incorporation of modern American writings that are representative of the fascination with and growth of Zen in the West. These writings reflect both serious and humourous sides; some are elegantly simple (without being simplistic) and others are enigmatic and complicated. I beg to differ......
As sad as it makes me to say it, I can't agree that this book is good for anyone who is JUST starting to learn about Zen. Call me an ignorant illiterate (I will admit that!) but I read lots of books on various religions and here is how I would rate this book. IF YOU KNOW SOMETHING ALREADY ABOU ZEN OR ARE WELL INTO IT: Four and a half to five stars. Lots of great excerpts from various authors, many of them Westerners. They're diverse in content and vary in length. So it's a great for collection anyone who already has some knowledge of Zen. IF YOU DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT ZEN: You'll have to skip a lot of the sections as you start reading them, and not because that is the subject's inherent nature. Someone who picked up this book to learn about Zen would definitely have to go and buy a few more books to figure out the meaning of a lot of the sections. BOTTOM LINE: If there had been a bit more explanation about each section before the excerpts this book would be the "essential" Zen. But anyone just learning will have to get other books first to truly grasp the essentials in this book.

A Wonderful Introduction to Zen
Tanahashi & Schneider's anthology creates a sense of the threadrunning through Zen because ancient stories from the T'ang Dynasty(619-906) are juxtaposed with stories about Zen aspirants in modernAmerica.They do a wonderful job of illuminating several traits unique toZen, not by explaining them discursively, but rather by providing oneilluminating story after another.For example, type of guidance a novicereceives in Zen is virtually unparalleled in the world's spiritual systems. An explanation of everything unique to it would most likely be arcane anddry, hardly helpful to the outsider.Instead, this book tells stories,profound touchstones from the tradition.My favorite entry from thechapter "Skillful Guidance is a story about the interaction of the ZenMaster Nanquan (Japanese: Nansen, 748-835) and a hopeful pupil looking forhim.---Nanquan was working on the mountain. A monk came by and askedhim, "What is the way that leads to Nanquan?"The master raised his sickleand said, "I bought this sickle for thirty cents."The monk said, "I'm notasking about the sickle you bought for thirty cents.What is the way thatleads to Nanquan?"The master said, "It feels good when I use it." (p. 10)--- One of the many virtues of that story is that, until our intuitionopens to it, we are very much like the monk in the story, and Nanquan isteaching us as well.As I read the book, I felt that I was being taught byboth ancient and modern Masters, and the miracle is, across thirteencenturies, they speak with one voice.Admittedly, not every selection willmake sense to the beginner on a first reading, but that is one of thebook's strengths - many passages become deeper with repeated readings. This is not a once-through quick read; this is a text from which newinsights might emerge for years and years.It is a book that challengesyou to grow, and it will remain relevant as you grow.For this reason, Irecommend it not only to beginners, but to seasoned Zen practitioners aswell. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Buddhism - General    2. Eastern - Zen    3. Religion    4. Religion - World Religions    5. Spiritual life    6. Zen Buddhism   

Reviews (1)

Cushion comfortable
Satuday "Public" sessions at the San Francisco Zen Center could include: a tour of the Beginner's Mind Temple, basic instruction for sitting meditation, a talk given by a staff member or by a guest at the Center, a question and answer session for the talk, informal socializing on the patio and , of course, lunch.Announcements of special lectures, workshops and ceremonies were followed with an open invitation to the Public: "Just knock on the door, someone will let you in!".Read more

Subjects:  1. Buddhism - Zen    2. Doctrines    3. Eastern - Zen    4. Philosophy    5. Religion    6. Religious life    7. San Francisco Zen Center    8. Sotoshu    9. Spirituality - General    10. Såotåoshåu    11. Zen Buddhism    12. Philosophy & Spirituality   

Reviews (5)

to support the effort to stay calm, collected and composed
There are quotations of wise words of the Dalai Lama and Buddha, of american authors like H.L. Mencken or Henry David Thoreau, but also of european writers like Montaigne, Voltaire, Sartre (France) or Goethe, Wittgenstein (Germany), of Italo Calvino, Leonardo da Vinci, Cesare Pavese (Italy). You can see in this tiny book CATS: resting in paper-bags, or others, making stripes on their fur coat, standing behind window shades. In the introduction the publishing author Judith Adler (a New York "communicator, marketing muse, business intuitive, and soul coach, she helps individuals and companies realize their dreams by creating success from the only place that lasts: the INSIDE OUT") - Judith Adler for example describes, how her cat followed "the graceful dance of light upon the walls" of her bedroom. This was a help to the author, finding her "own inner feline", that field of emotional ressources, which is able to make a correspondance to the typical feline, ZEN-alike capability being "focused, present, sitting stiller than a statue, meditating". If "we act with cats, these qualities are reflected back in us". It is not needful, to search poetical-pious metaphorical words, like a friend of the author did, saying: "Cats are bridges between heaven and earth, ... furry little ambassadors from beyond." Those people, who don't believe in such things, may prefer to formulate with a certain sense of humour, talking about "CAT-ALYSTS": A cat is a cat-alyzer making transpositions of far-east wisdom. On one of these pages you can find a prayer-like T.S. Eliot-quotation: "Teach us to care and not to care. Teach us to sit still." It has been no problem to the trustworthy-stylish black-and-white-photographer Paul Coughlin (who also published - among other books - "Timeless New York: A Literary and Photographic Tribute") - no problem to combine these aphorisms with congenial pictures: One cat, sitting near Washington Square (the publishers are making thankful acknowledgments to the Washington Square Animal Hospital doctors Ann Lucas and Dr. Kristin Kuscher and so on) - one cat is sitting on the entrance-stair of a caf�. Next to it Judith Adler wrote: "Cats don't belong to people. They belong to places." Well, the place of this book is immutable on my writing-desk - in order to support my daily effort to stay calm, collected and composed

calm, collected and composed ...
There are quotations of wise words of the Dalai Lama and Buddha, of american authors like H.L. Mencken or Henry David Thoreau, but also of european writers like Montaigne, Voltaire, Sartre (France) or Goethe, Wittgenstein (Germany), of Italo Calvino, Leonardo da Vinci, Cesare Pavese (Italy). You can see in this tiny book CATS: resting in paper-bags, or others, making stripes on their fur coat, standing behind window shades. In the introduction the publishing author Judith Adler (a New York "communicator, marketing muse, business intuitive, and soul coach, she helps individuals and companies realize their dreams by creating success from the only place that lasts: the INSIDE OUT") - Judith Adler for example describes, how her cat followed "the graceful dance of light upon the walls" of her bedroom. This was a help to the author, finding her "own inner feline", that field of emotional ressources, which is able to make a correspondance to the typical feline, ZEN-alike capability being "focused, present, sitting stiller than a statue, meditating". If "we act with cats, these qualities are reflected back in us". It is not needful, to search poetical-pious metaphorical words, like a friend of the author did, saying: "Cats are bridges between heaven and earth, ... furry little ambassadors from beyond." Those people, who don't believe in such things, may prefer to formulate with a certain sense of humour, talking about "CAT-ALYSTS": A cat is a cat-alyzer making transpositions of far-east wisdom. On one of these pages you can find a prayer-like T.S. Eliot-quotation: "Teach us to care and not to care. Teach us to sit still." It has been no problem to the trustworthy-stylish black-and-white-photographer Paul Coughlin (who also published - among other books - "Timeless New York: A Literary and Photographic Tribute") - no problem to combine these aphorisms with congenial pictures: One cat, sitting near Washington Square (the publishers are making thankful acknowledgments to the Washington Square Animal Hospital doctors Ann Lucas and Dr. Kristin Kuscher and so on) - one cat is sitting on the entrance-stair of a caf�. Next to it Judith Adler wrote: "Cats don't belong to people. They belong to places." Well, the place of this book is immutable on my writing-desk - in order to support my daily effort to stay calm, collected and composed

Meow in the Now
Not a cat book per se. It is Zen through example. Deceptively simple (of course).Read more

Subjects:  1. Cats    2. Cats - General    3. Eastern - Zen    4. General    5. Pets    6. Photography of cats    7. Pictorial works    8. Quotations, English    9. Zen Buddhism    10. Photographs: collections    11. Religion / Zen Buddhism   

Reviews (4)

This is a great resource for counselors!
I have been a high school counselor, and am now a college counselor, and I have found this book to be a great resource to draw from when trying to help students with self-acceptance/discovery.The exercises are very thought-provoking and revealing.For anyone willing to take the time to work through them, the reward is a much greater understanding of self, and an improved self-concept.

Get to know yourself
I picked up this book by chance years ago and really appreciate all its taught me about myself. not a professional, but....
I am not a psychology or counseling professional, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book.I am an artist who earns a living as a technical support rep so I value both the creative and the analytical processes.I found that this book appealed to both.Read more

Subjects:  1. Buddhism - General    2. Buddhism - Zen    3. Eastern - Zen    4. Personal Growth - Self-Esteem    5. Religion - World Religions    6. Self-Help    7. Self-Help / Personal Growth / General   

Reviews (4)

We are all Zen students. We are all businesspeople.
"We are all Zen students. We are all businesspeople." This is how the first section of this book opens. As for me, I am a Manager. Also I am a person in search for answers in my spiritual life, and I am seeking into Buddhism for those answers. This combination led me to read by pure accident an ad on Shambhala Sun magazine (highly recommendable, if you are into Buddhism, by the way) that featured Marc Lesser's Z.B.A. I ordered it and it didn't take long for me to get hooked on it.
At Last!
In this book author Marc Lesser has - at last - bridged two worlds that need to meet! Lesser is an ordained zen priest and a CEO of the innovative greeting card company Brushdance. His book demonstrates how to go about weaving the equanimity of zen practice into the stressed out world of work. With great clarity Lesser cites real world examples connected to his dual practices to illustrate key principles in destressing work. It is a refreshing point of view. --L, San Francisco

Inspiring, Simple Wisdom with tremendous Depth and Heart
ZBA was a pleasure to read! I felt moved to laughter, to tears, and to deep introspection. Marc Lesser has accomplished the tremendous feat of bringing heart and soul to the business world. I learned so much practical wisdom for my work life, as well as, precious lessons about life.He is a guiding light and inspiration for us all. We need more role models like him in our culture. I appreciate him sharing his wisdom with all of us, and allowing us to learn from him. I highly recommend this book for anyone searching to find more meaning in work and in life. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business Life - Inspirational    4. Business/Economics    5. Eastern - Zen    6. Motivational    7. Operations Management    8. Personal Growth - Success    9. Philosophy Of Christianity    10. Production & Operations Management    11. Business & Management