Updated, revised, with a new cover, new trim size, and illustrations throughout, the national bestseller The Little Zen Companion, with 516,000 copies in print, is repackaged for a new generation of seekers as The Little Book of Zen. A perfect gift and book of discovery, its maverick spirit celebrates ideas drawn from Zen Buddhism that have tremendous currency today: mindfulness, meditation, compassion, paying attention to the here and now, and finding a deeper meaning in life.
While it seeks neither to define Zen nor answer its most famous koan (tdquo;What is the sound of one hand clapping?edquo;), The Little Book of Zen points to a calming way of looking at the world. Each page features a quote, phrase, story, koan, haiku, or poem, interspersed with essays on the Buddha, Zen arts, significant masters, and more. The feeling is that of a meditation book with 2,500 years of wisdom ndash; from Lao-tzu to Lily Tomlin. Itasquo;s a celebration of intuition: tdquo;If a man wishes to be sure of the road he treads on, he must close his eyes and walk in the dark.tdquo;edash;St. John the Cross. Individuality: sdquo;Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the men of old; seek what they sought.idquo;adash;Basho. And self-discovery: ndquo;We already have everything we need.odquo;ldash;Pema Chodron.
New material is taken from contemporary spiritual leaders, writers, meditation teachers, and others with an emphasis on the practice of mindfulness ndash; on the heart, rather than the head. Pen and ink illustrations from the author bring an additional layer of feeling and beauty.
