Daily Zen

I began sharing quotes on Daily Zen in 2008 to accompany my own growing meditation practice. Twitter had just started and it seemed like a clever outlet for the one-line wisdom I found in ancient Eastern texts. I didn't expect the audience to grow to such a profound degree, however. Today, Daily Zen reaches nearly 300,000 people each month. I regularly get emails from people who say that my writings have helped them in some way. I do not claim to be a Zen master or 'enlightened' by any means. I have plenty of difficulties with my own practice, though the community that developed through Daily Zen has helped me grow and recognize the universality of meditation practice. Since I started the site I have written thousands of pages of reflections, read countless spiritual texts, and maintained a daily meditation practice.This is a collection of my Daily Zen writings from 2015 and 2016. Some of them are more conversational in tone, some of them somewhat academic. The goal of these writings is to simply share my ever-changing spiritual purview with others. Some pieces you will connect with; others you might not enjoy so much. I just hope that these short essays stimulate your true self and help you commit further to your meditation practice. If you don't meditate yet, I hope they encourage you to start. Remember-- the good life is as simple as paying attention.

Charlotte Joko Beck offers a warm, engaging, uniquely American approach to using Zen to deal with the problems of daily living—love, relationships, work, fear, ambition, and suffering. Everyday Zen shows us how to live each moment to the fullest. This Plus edition includes an interview with the author.

A YEAR'S WORTH OF “TANGLED DRAWINGS” DESIGNED TO INSPIRE CREATIVITY AND SERENITY With hand illustrated prompts and thoughtful quotes, Daily Zen Doodles will inspire you to lose yourself in the contemplative act of drawing. Each page is an invitation to sketch, relax, focus and reach toward inner peace.

A playfully illustrated journal for engaging your beginner's mind, by the twentysomething creator of Daily Zen Ask any happy person you know--curiosity and playfulness keep us engaged and connected to what matters most. This Zen Buddhist-influenced journal helps anyone cultivate beginner's mind--open to observing, laughing, and growing into our best selves. Written by Charlie Ambler, the twentysomething creator of Daily Zen (the popular blog and Twitter feed that reaches more than 300,000 engaged fans), this thought-provoking journal with elegant illustrations by Brooklyn artist Iris Gottlieb will open your mind, ease your stress, and help you prioritize your life, one enlightening page at a time.

“Watermelons and Zen students grow pretty muchthe same way. Long periods of sitting ‘till they ripen and grow all juicy inside, but when you knock them on the head to see if they’re ready – sounds like nothing&

For twenty-five hundred years Buddhism has taught that everyone is Buddha—already enlightened, lacking nothing. But still there is the question of how we can experience that truth in our lives. In this book, Dainin Katagiri points to the manifestation of enlightenment right here, right now, in our everyday routine. Genuineness of practice lies in "just living" our lives wholeheartedly. The Zen practice of sitting meditation (zazen) is this not a means to an end but is the activity of enlightenment itself. That is why Katagiri Roshi says, "Don't expect enlightenment—just sit down!" Based on the author's talks to his American students, Returning to Silence contains the basic teachings of the Buddha, with special emphasis on the meaning of faith and on meditation. It also offers a commentary on "The Bodhisattva's Four Methods of Guidance" from Dogen Zenji's Shobogenzo, which speaks in depth about the appropriate actions of those who guide others in the practice of the Buddha Way. Throughout these pages, Katagiri Roshi energetically brings to life the message that "Buddha is your daily life."

In this one-of-a-kind mindfulness workbook for teens, New York Times-bestselling artist and author of Start Where You Are, Meera Lee Patel, presents an entire year of calming, stress-relieving zentangle-style drawings for young, first-time zen drawers to help relax and enjoy a truly mindful moment of creativity. Few activities are as spiritually satisfying as the art of the meditative “tangle” drawing. With this book, teens can find a quiet moment to craft an intaglio of intricate, mandala-like drawings that will calm and bring on a peaceful state that clears the mind and facilitates creativity and relaxation. Offering a different hand-illustrated prompt for each day of the year, Daily Zen Doodles inspires kids to lose themselves in the contemplative act of sketching beautifully repeating patterns and abstract designs. Whether it’s the outline of a nautilus shell, the petals of a lotus blossom, or the spokes of the Buddhist wheel, the mindfulness-inspiring ideas in this book foster focus and help unlock that budding inner artist. Accompanied by apt quotes from spiritual leaders and famed philosophers to provide you with an added spark of inspiration, each drawing prompt is an invitation to an improved mindset and elevated state of inner peace.

"Does for mental clutter what Marie Kondo has done for household clutter." --Publishers Weekly Relax and find happiness amid the swirl of the modern world with this internationally bestselling guide to simplifying your life by the renowned Zen Buddhist author of Don’t Worry. In clear, practical, easily adopted lessons--one a day for 100 days--renowned Buddhist monk Shunmyo Masuno draws on centuries of wisdom to teach you to Zen your life. Discover how . . . Lesson #4: lining up your shoes after you take them off can bring order to your mind; Lesson #11: putting down your fork after every bite can help you feel more grateful for what you have; Lesson #18: immersing yourself in zazen can sweep the clutter from your mind; Lesson #23: joining your hands together in gassho can soothe irritation and conflict; Lesson #27: going outside to watch the sunset can make every day feel celebratory; Lesson #42: planting a flower and watching it grow can teach you to embrace change; Lesson #67: understanding the concept of ichi-go ichi-e can make everyday interactions more meaningful; Lesson #85: practicing chisoku can help you feel more fulfilled. A minimalist line drawing appears opposite each lesson on an otherwise blank page, giving you an opportunity to relax with a deep breath between lessons. With each daily practice, you will learn to find happiness not by seeking out extraordinary experiences but by making small changes to your life, opening yourself up to a renewed sense of peace and inner calm. A PENGUIN LIFE TITLE