What happens when 21 university students encounter the teachings and practices of Zen for the first time? Most writings on Zen have come from Zen masters, scholars, and experienced practitioners. Here, a cross-section of American students with no prior experience of Zen read contemporary Zen texts, engage in meditation practice, and participate in in-class inquiry, documenting their emerging understandings, challenges, doubts, and questions over the course of a fifteen-week semester in a college course titled Non-argumentative rhetoric in Zen. Despite the common framework of texts, meditation practice, and class discussion, each chapter is a unique and fresh account of this work.

"In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few." So begins this most beloved of all American Zen books. Seldom has such a small handful of words provided a teaching as rich as has this famous opening line. In a single stroke, the simple sentence cuts through the pervasive tendency students have of getting so close to Zen as to completely miss what it’s all about. An instant teaching on the first page. And that’s just the beginning. In the forty years since its original publication, Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind has become one of the great modern Zen classics, much beloved, much reread, and much recommended as the best first book to read on Zen. Suzuki Roshi presents the basics—from the details of posture and breathing in zazen to the perception of nonduality—in a way that is not only remarkably clear, but that also resonates with the joy of insight from the first to the last page. It’s a book to come back to time and time again as an inspiration to practice, and it is now available to a new generation of seekers in this fortieth anniversary edition, with a new afterword by Shunryu Suzuki’s biographer, David Chadwick.

This nuanced commentary on the famous Zen oxherding pictures explores the paradox of welcoming our true nature anew at each stage of spiritual unfolding. Renowned for centuries, the classic Zen oxherding pictures vividly illustrate the stages of the spiritual journey—from seeking and finding to ultimately forgetting the illusory self and awakening to our true nature. In his commentary on these images, Gaylon Ferguson guides us on an experiential path into these seeming contradictions through welcoming—the simple, challenging, and always new possibility of opening to exactly what’s occurring in our experience. Distinct from meditation and mindfulness, this contemplative exercise leads us beyond spiritual bypassing (using spiritual practices to repress or avoid parts of ourselves) and spiritual materialism (practicing with a heavy sense of ego). Rich with teachings from the great Zen teacher and author of Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, as well as extensive commentary from Tibetan meditation master Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche and others who have illuminated the oxherding pictures, this book invites you into a process of spiritual maturation that never occurs elsewhere than here or other than now. Featuring a foreword by David Chadwick, author of Crooked Cucumber: The Life and Zen Teaching of Shunryu Suzuki.

Millions of people worldwide have already benefited from the healing practice of Reiki. With the help of this introductory Reiki book, you can learn the basic principles of this simple, yet profound system for healing and spiritual growth that works on an energetic level. Make the most of Reiki from a practical point of view as you explore its spiritual essence: Heal yourself and others physically, mentally, and emotionally Develop compassion and wisdom Heal plants and animals Resolve relationship issues at work or home Complement and strengthen other therapies Send healing energy to local or world situations such as war, natural disasters, crime, or poverty Be blessed, guided, and protected Winner of the Coalition of Visionary Resources (COVR) Award for Best Alternative Health Book

Mind and Brain Hacking for Beginners will change your view of your entire life. It will give you a better view of your own flaws and insecurities as well as instructions on how to overcome them and improve in any aspect of your life. As you will see, mind and/or brain hacking does not necessarily mean that you change everything that defines you as a human being. You will begin to see the flaws that you have, and in this way, you will know how to change them. You may have even identified the negative behavior you have, but you have probably tried and failed to change them for the better. Using this book and the examples that are contained within it, you will be able to permanently erase the negative sides of your personality, routines, habits, etc.

Drawing from modern Buddhist perspectives on mindfulness, this important book skillfully integrates the key practice of self-awareness with seven essential roles played by any professional charged with supporting learning, growth and change.With exercises, sample dialogues, and application models, The Mindful Coach offers a systematic approach for developing yourself as a coach.

A modern classic unparalleled in scope, this sweeping history unfolds the story of Buddhism’s spread to the West. How the Swans Came to the Lake opens with the story of Asian Buddhism, including the life of the Buddha and the spread of his teachings from India to Southeast Asia, China, Korea, Japan, Tibet, and elsewhere. Coming to the modern era, the book tracks how Western colonialism in Asia served as the catalyst for the first large-scale interactions between Buddhists and Westerners. Author Rick Fields discusses the development of Buddhism in the West through key moments such as Transcendentalist fascination with Eastern religions; immigration of Chinese and Japanese people to the United States; the writings of D. T. Suzuki, Alan Watts, and members of the Beat movement; the publication of Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind by Shunryu Suzuki; the arrival of Tibetan lamas in America and Europe; and the influence of Western feminist and social justice movements on Buddhist practice. This fortieth anniversary edition features both new and enhanced photographs as well as a new introduction by Fields’s nephew, Buddhist Studies scholar Benjamin Bogin, who reflects on the impact of this book since its initial publication and addresses the significant changes in Western Buddhist practice in recent decades.

Twenty years ago a series of life changing events led Matt to write "Enlightenment for Beginners". At the age of 21 Matt began making notes which would later be typed up into the manuscript you are reading today. Scanned from the original documents "Enlightenment for Beginners ~ The Early Days" is the original unedited urtext version of his book complete with typos, grammatical errors, hand drawn sketches and unabashed quotations!"I hope you have at least as much fun reading Enlightenment for Beginners as I did writing it. If I can help one person walk into the future with open hands, a willing mind and a grateful heart then it will all have been worthwhile." Matt Blythe

Praise for The Mindful Coach “Success in business is predicated on eliciting the best from people. The Mindful Coach clearly articulates the essentials of how to do this. As someone who believes deeply in the potential of all people, I found Silsbee’s approach both practical and profound. This is a must-read for everyone concerned with people and learning.” —ARTHUR M. BLANK, philanthropist; cofounder, The Home Depot; and owner and CEO, Atlanta Falcons “The Mindful Coach is not just another coaching model. It is a frame of reference for anyone involved in developing people. This highly readable book should serve as a reference for anyone genuinely concerned about helping others. It has had a significant impact on the way I approach coaching and developing others.” —JAMES N. BASSETT, M.Ed., employee development, Institute of Nuclear Power Operations “The Mindful Coach digs deeply, offering a lens and structure for understanding the intimate and necessary connection between relationships and human development. No other skill set, knowledge, or awareness is more important to educators, leaders, and managers than what is presented in this precious volume.” —ROBERT C. PIANTA, Ph.D., dean, Curry School of Education, University of Virginia “This revised edition provides the structure for presence, through which new solutions become available. This book itself is a practice in the art of ‘becoming,’ while providing a clear action framework for powerfully engaging others with their own development. Silsbee has provided a gift to leaders, teachers, and coaches!” —CONNIE MALTBIE-SHULAS, manager, V-22 Training Systems, Boeing “This book has broad appeal not only for coaches, but also for managers, executives, and consultants. Leaders of all kinds can benefit from Silsbee’s clear and caring process for bringing out the best in people. This is a must-read book for anyone who wants to jump-start themselves and others on their journey to their potential.” —DIANA WHITNEY, Ph.D., author, The Power of Appreciative Inquiry “This is the guide for leaders committed to helping others learn. The seven roles will help any leader facilitate more meaningful development conversations. This new edition engaged me instantly, with immediate applications in key relationships.” —DARELYN “DJ” MITSCH, MCC, president, The Pyramid Resource Group; former president, The International Coach Federation

Integrates the perspectives of contemporary nurse leaders to foster an innovative, collaborative future Encompassing the wisdom of both established and emerging nurse leaders, this expansive book demonstrates proof of theory in action and the influence of our great nursing legacy on today’s luminaries as they carve out new terrain to benefit current and future health care needs. With a far-reaching, ambitious perspective, it is the first text to link the ideas of nurse leaders from very diverse specialty areas including holism, advanced practice, education, policy, global health, journalism, and spiritual communities. The book examines the professional and scholarly accomplishments of these nurse leaders within an historical context, and facilitates succession planning for the next generation through of combination of outcomes-based writing, storytelling and personal reflection. Dozens of expert contributors from practice and theory arenas describe how to develop leadership skills and tactics through the implementation of local, national, and international initiatives. With an eye to creative evolution in education, research and clinical settings, they discuss how emerging nurse leaders can be agents of change—beyond the confines of traditional practice and curricula--through innovation and collaboration. Contributors also relate the circumstances and experiences that sparked their nursing passions, the moral/ethical foundation from which they practice, and inspired messages toward communal, societal, and global impact within nursing of the future. Each chapter author follows a template to ensure continuity and includes end-of-chapter reflection questions. Key Features: Distills the perspectives of current and emerging nurse leaders from a diverse array of specialty areas to unify the collective of nursing. Redefines praxis possibilities in education, research, and practice Outlines contributing nurse leaders’ practical and scholarly accomplishments Describes how to facilitate change through innovation and collaboration Teaches the development of leadership skills and tactics