The Complete Idiot's Guide to Zen Living

Rating:
Summary: Great book on applying zen to your everyday life
Review: This book clearly explains many Zen principles and shows applications to everyday life. It is an excellent first book for people getting interested in Zen. For me (I've been practicing for about a year), it was also a good book to show more examples of applying Zen. It demystifies Zen, and discusses how things (like planning) that can seem contradictory to Zen really aren't a problem.

Finally, the title of the book is great: It shows that the authors really get Zen. It's NOT the guide to understanding zen, or to learning zen; it's the guide to Zen LIVING.

Rating:
Summary: A great place to start.
Review: This book is a great place to start for beginers of a Zen way of living. Its to the point. Zen living is covered for every aspect of your life. The authors put much time into making the basic understanding of Zen very easy to comprehend. Numerous ideas and excercises really put you into an understanding of what is wrong,why it's wrong and how to fix it through a Zen way of living. From work to creativity to just walking down the street this book will help.
Now I feel I can expand my Zen life style having learned the basic's. In the now.

Rating:
Summary: A great place to start.
Review: This book is a great place to start for beginers of a Zen way of living. Its to the point. Zen living is covered for every aspect of your life. The authors put much time into making the basic understanding of Zen very easy to comprehend. Numerous ideas and excercises really put you into an understanding of what is wrong,why it's wrong and how to fix it through a Zen way of living. From work to creativity to just walking down the street this book will help.
Now I feel I can expand my Zen life style having learned the basic's. In the now.

Rating:
Summary: Practical nuts and bolts of Zen
Review: This book is just great. I have purchased numerous books on Zen and researched Buddhism on the internet. This book more than allot of others, really gets down to the practical nuts and bolts of how to apply Zen concepts to everyday life.

The section on your personal dukkha (anxiety & fear) and the worry myths are excellent! I have incorporated many of the ideas into my life with success. I also liked the history of how Zen came to America and evolved from the 60's and the "flower children". You are not going to get allot of technical jargon and heavy philosophical concepts. There is a good glossary and appendix at the end for further reading about that stuff, if you want to seek it out.

I am doing just that. This book has really given me a great understanding of what Zen is and how to apply it, while whetting my appetite for more. I want to study more about the Zen sutra's and traditonal teachings, but at least I am on my way to actually living Zen, while learning more about it. This is "the book" to begin your journey of finding out what Zen is all about and applying some of the concepts.

The only thing that is a turn off is the title. I have never understood the purpose of the titles in the "idiot's" and the "dummie's" guides. Most intelligent people are also seekers. Why can't they title the books as "For those who don't know about --- ".

Rating:
Summary: Zen and Westerners
Review: Wonderful introductory book to Zen Living in the Western world, how we can be mindful (therefore more effective) parents, spouses, parents, friends, individuals. I didn't realize how much we value multi-tasking until I read this book and laughed at the image of the person doing day-trading on the computer while on the cell phone talking to the babysitter while thinking about what to wear at tonight's party. What a hoot! We are in a waking coma of busy-ness, and Zen helps us declutter our minds. My only wish was that more emphasis was put on meditating.

Rating:
Summary: Zen and Westerners
Review: Wonderful introductory book to Zen Living in the Western world, how we can be mindful (therefore more effective) parents, spouses, parents, friends, individuals. I didn't realize how much we value multi-tasking until I read this book and laughed at the image of the person doing day-trading on the computer while on the cell phone talking to the babysitter while thinking about what to wear at tonight's party. What a hoot! We are in a waking coma of busy-ness, and Zen helps us declutter our minds. My only wish was that more emphasis was put on meditating.

Rating:
Summary: Much Better Than Anticipated
Review: Yes, I'm aware of the irony here of preconceived notions and Zen, although I've been pleasantly surprised with a good result.

The Complete Idiot's Guide To Zen Living is a great introduction to Zen. It's easy to read, entertaining and engaging. It also presents itself as a great follow through or next step as to living Zen.

Depending on what you're looking for regarding Zen. This book gives you an overview of Buddhism with a quick 5 cent tour and with wit, humor and a sense of familiarity introduces you to Zen, Zen terms, Zen thought and a Zen perspective regarding life, home, work and family.

Another reviewer had mentioned that so many other books on Zen don't really "explain" Zen in the Western sense of the word. I've notice that too - it's like you're not in on the inside joke - or something like that. This book explains Zen and explains it well without the sense of you not being in on the joke. It's not just a collection of koans or an illustration of Zen through stories. Don't misunderstand me; I'm not saying that those stories or illustrations through tales are bad. For me I find them difficult as an introduction and after reading this book I actually want to continue my Zen path through those very tales and stories.

I got a lot out of this book and enjoyed reading it. It's a great introduction to Zen and more.