Reading List - Part 2
Being Peace, Thich Nhat Hanh
This book of quiet beauty and simplicity addresses the question of acting in the world on the basis of insights one arrives at through meditation, as well as acting in such a way as to support developing a clear mind. Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Zen priest and long time peaceworker, now exiled to France and working in the west, has much of value to say regarding suffering; the buddha, the dharma, and the sangha; and working for peace and justice. His meditation manual The Miracle of Mindfulness gives more than a dozen practical methods for extending formal mindfulness practice into activities other than sitting, so that one can fashion whole days of mindfulness.
Everyday Zen, Charlotte Joko Beck
Completely down-to-earth, non-idealized talks on the nitty-gritty of living honestly and fully with the help of the insights provided by zen meditation. Her focus is not the ineffable sound of the temple bell, but the texture of love and work, suffering and relationships, service and making choices. Nothing Special is Beck’s most recent book, and in it she continues her penetrating insights into the ways meditation and awareness can clarify ordinary life.
Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind, Shunryu Suzuki
In the long run, almost everybody’s favorite zen book. Suzuki Roshi gives guidance in Right Practice, Right Attitude, and Right Understanding, bringing the Soto Zen sense of paradox to the fore, not as an intellectual toy, but as a vision that can transform practice and life.
Wherever You Go, There You Are, Jon Kabat-Zinn
A good daily companion exploring and practicing meditation and mindfulness, by a long-time buddhist and psychologist who heads the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. Most of the brief chapters end with a “Try This” section, proposing an exercise or experiment which can deepen one’s experience of the dharma in practice.
The Wisdom of No Escape (and the Path of Loving-Kindness), Pema Chödrön
These reflections of an American woman, ordained a nun in the Tibetan tradition, are grounded in the understanding that even the most neurotic aspects of our lives are workable and have something of great value to teach us, if we can be patient enough to learn the lessons. Her second book, Start Where You Are: A Guide to Compassionate Living, is based on a traditional collection of aphorisms or “slogans” to guide spiritual development, and has a lucid initial explanation of lojong practice, transforming the negative into the positive. And her third, When Things Fall Apart, is an excellent companion in stressful times.
Tomato Blessings and Radish Teachings, Edward Espe Brown
A Zen priest and a master chef, Ed Brown has found that cooking is healing, meditative, artful and joyous; preparing each meal as an act of generosity and love. This book brings together his practice of both Zen meditation and cooking to tell stories that delight the spirits–and teach how to create many of his most beloved recipes. Brown is also the author of three other cookbooks, including the classic The Tassajara Bread Book.