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Summary: Radical Refreshment, One Jewel at a Time
Review: "LOOKING AT EVERYTHING AS IF FOR THE FIRST TIME REVEALS THE COMMONPLACE TO BE UTTERLY INCREDIBLE, IF ONLY WE CAN BE ALIVE TO THE NEWNESS OF IT." RUTH BERNARD (venerable San Francisco photographer)This book, by former Zen priest Josh Baran took 10 years to be selected, and consists of 365 koans, reminders, and poetic utterances from utterly disparate sources ranging from the Western poetics of Walt Whitman and Rainier Maria Rilke to traditional Buddhist teaching to Alanis Morrisette's pop lyrics to the more anecdotal remembrances of the assuredly non-famous. It's worth the wait. Some of the daily selections benefit from Baran's closing commentary, either asking a question limned by the above reading or making a small statement that deepens the accompanying text. 365 Nirvana has the aspect of the I-Ching, a prayer book, a small book of wisdom. A shallow dip rewards deeply. Many are crystal clear nondual utterances from Buddhist or Advaitic sources. Others are pragmatic, poetic, and personal; for instance: "For years, as a Zen meditator, I praved for a mystical ray gun that could zap away every negative thought. Then I discovered that thoughts weren't the enemy, and I learned to welcome them with open arms." Josh Baran (accompanying text to Francis Lucille's "Real Meditation." p. 102) ". . . "What is this miracle?' he cries. 'What are these mysteries called: trees, sea, stones, birds?'" Nikos Kazantzakis Another exercise: When you wake up tomorrow morning, see everything as miracle, as mystery. (p. 255)
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Summary: Mainstream nonduality
Review: If you are seeking the spiritual understanding that would finally end your search, the open secret is that there is no movement to make that would capture a kept secret. As Wei Wu Wei has said, "What is not kept secret is a secret, and what is kept secret is not a secret at all." Or as the author quotes Yuanwu: "It is right in your face. This moment, the whole thing is handed to you."
That is the thesis of 365 Nirvana Here and Now. The purpose of the book is to reveal the secret through celebration of it in the form of a wide variety of quotations, and through guiding the reader toward its understanding. The result is that this may be read as two books: (1) a very short book consisting of 16 pages of introductory material along with an 11 page dialogue section at the end of the book, entitled "Afterthoughts," and (2) a long book consisting of 365 pages of quotes from a wide variety of sources.
The "very short book" establishes the presence of a spiritual teacher in this reading journey. The book is not merely 365 pages of quotes. The power of the book lies in the presence of a teacher who is asserting his presence thoughout. Because it is not enough to point out the variety of ways the open secret is expressed; the seeker has to be guided toward understanding these writings.
We learn from the "very short book" that the author Josh Baran is a strategic communications consultant in New York City. He has handled public relations for Bill Gates, the Dalai Lama, Byron Katie, Amnesty International and other institutions, individuals and corporations. He began his spiritual search at the age of 14 when he became suddenly preoccupied with the experience of "non-stop mental turmoil." By age 19 he became a full-time seeker, exploring various traditions and teachers, finally choosing to devote himself to Zen Buddhism. Baran became a Zen monk and priest, leaving his community after 8 years, displeased with its extremely authoritarian culture.
Fifteen years of independent exploration followed and culminated in a meeting with Tulku Urgyen, a revered master of Dzogchen. About that meeting, Baran writes, "I saw how much of my life's energies had been focused on looking forward to some imagined future, rather than simply celebrating the all-pervasive present. ... All I needed was to take to heart Tulku Urgyen's words, 'Simply let be in naturalness without technique, without artifice.'" After the meeting, Baran "hungered for the words that were alive with realization and that reflected the timeless view that Tulku Urgyen had pointed out. Slowly, I began gathering writings."
About the collection of writings making-up the bulk of this book, the author/editor says, "See where these words point and then drop them -- completely. What the Buddha, Jesus, or Zen Masters realized has nothing to do with your own understanding. In the end, it is all just story and hearsay."
Toward deepening the reader's understanding, the "very short book" makes two gestures: First, the author guides the reader's attention to an experience of the present moment, which leads to the inquiry, Who am I? This brings an awareness of "presence-aliveness" which Baran says is known as Nirvana, the Now, Enlightenment. This guided movement of attention takes only two pages of text and is effective. However, some might say that while the experience of pure awareness isn't that difficult to have, living from it is another story. Hence the second gesture.
Baran addresses "living from it" in a section of the "very short book" entitled "Afterthoughts," which includes excerpts of conversations he had with friends regarding the book. The dialogue begins with a questioner asking, "So now what? What can I do to live in the now? Josh: Notice how right away we want to move, shift gears, set goals. But I suggest that instead of developing any kind of spiritual plan, you pay careful attention to the thoughts themselves. What is our mind doing when you ask the question, 'What can I do to live in the now?'" In "Afterthoughts," what Tulku Urgyen imparted to Josh Baran, Josh attempts to convey to the reader, plainly and directly.
The "very short book" of 27 pages could be read first and portions of it re-visited now and then while reading the 365 pages of quotations. In that way the reader is always referring back to the guidance of a teacher who could help the reader correctly understand the quotations.
The quotations themselves are from diverse sources. The famous spiritual giants are represented. So are current living nondual teachers. So are people from outside core spirituality. Ordinary people are also represented. At least one quotation was from an "ordinary person" writing to an email list on nonduality. Going through an alphabetical listing of names, here are some examples selected to show the variety: Pearl Bailey, Alan Ball, Jacob Boehme, Truman Capote, Cezanne, Dostoyevsky, Natalie Goldberg, Woody Guthrie, Jack Kerouac, David Loy, Henry Miller, Deena Metzger, Mary Oliver, Anne Sexton, Jason Shulman, Alice Walker. There are approximately 300 authors featured, including scriptural texts and almost all the nondual teachers and Masters with whom readers of this publication are familiar, from Adyashanti to Ken Wilber. Each author is showing, in his or her way, their "love for reality," as Byron Katie might say.
To summarize, 365 Nirvana Here and Now consists of 365 pages of quotations and 27 pages of teaching material through which the author guides the reader toward understanding the quotations. The quotations crisply support the theme. The result is a focused yet mainstream teaching of nonduality.
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Summary: Enlightenment is just a click away.
Review: If you really want to experience the power of NOW, this book is a must.
Baran has assembled the ultimate hit parade of timeless wisdom and presence. It's an entire spiritual bookstore, presented in a beautiful blue package. the perfect gift to your friends--and of course yourself.
Besides 365 incredible contributors, Josh is amazing himself. His discussion of presence, while only 10 pages, is one of the most lucid ever written.
If they send me to some desert island, there are only 2 things I will ever need---bittersweet Belgian chocolate and 365 Nirvana Now.
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Summary: Josh Baran has created a wondrous book
Review: Josh Baran has created a wondrous book. If you are on a spiritual search or have found the path to your personal enlightenment, this is a perfect read. It's not a book you read just once, it is something you will treasure; it's there when you are in the mood to pick yourself up or just want to hear what some of the world's most beloved sages have to say about life and living in the here and now. This collection includes a plethora of voices from all over the world and from all walks of life. Ranging from Rumi and Alanis (Morissette) to Krishnamurti and Thoreau. And I know you are "not supposed to" judge a book by it's cover, but I must say the physical design of this book is just amazingly beautiful, in it's texture and colorful simplicity. I highly recommend 365 Nirvana Here and Now, for these reasons and the joy it conveys, without ascribing to any one religion or system of belief.
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Summary: A Wellspring of Wisdom is a Tool for Joy
Review: This book contains words of homecoming to the present moment that will resonate in the heart center of every human. It is truly a gift to have such a collection, whereby any one of the 365 can serve as a signpost directing our attention to joyful presence NOW. The collection for 365 NIRVANA has been gathered with great love and discernment. . . . Highly recommend this book!!!
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Summary: A Joy To Read....
Review: This book is a joy to read. You can take it out on the bus or train, open to any page, and receive a nugget of wisdom from various traditions that will give you food for thought for the rest of the day. I know what my friends are getting for Christmas...
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Summary: A TREASURE!
Review: This book is a treasure! In combining a plethora of views into one simple context, Josh Baran takes a form of pointed concentration (joriki, in Japanese Zen meditation) to an entirely new level and then brings it into everyday consciousness. Like the prescription from an old sage to his frustrated student, "Why climb the mountain when I can bring the mountaintop to you?" 365 Nirvana Here and Now places the seemingly unsurmountable at our feet. Having said that, however, 365 Nirvana will rest at my bedside, or maybe in my purse, briefcase, or . . . well, wherever it wants to be in the "here and now!"
Donna Lee Gorrell, author of Perfect Madness
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Summary: Great teachings no matter what your faith tradition...
Review: This book polishes all the many facets of the jewel that is the Now by including great teachings from every faith and tradition -- and showing how all find truth in simple pure presence in this very moment. Better yet, the editor's own commentary and afterword give guidance on how to experience this joyful nowness for yourself. It makes every moment a gift, and so I've made this book the my holiday, birthday, whatever occasion to celebrate gift for everyone this year!
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Summary: Everyday Enlightenment
Review: This is a book to read everyday. I just open it at random and read a page or two. So many incredible, simple and clear reminders that IT is all right here - peace, truth, heaven on earth. No beliefs, no dogmas, no demands. Just pointers to be present to reality as it is - right here and now. I love reading these pieces after sitting quietly or just when i wake up. Also, this is a great gift book for almost anyone because of the wide and unique passages that Josh Baran has put together. As someone who has been meditating for a very long time and has read hundreds of spiritual books, I find that 365 Nirvana Here and Now is a refreshing simple stop sign. Also, there is a terrific afterword in the book - a long dialogue with the author that clarifies the essence of this collection. for Power of Now fans, for seekers of any kind, for meditators -- this book is for you.
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Summary: An elegant compendium
Review: This is a wonderful collection of mind-opening, truth-reminding, practice-inspiring quotations, both literary and scriptural. The selections are shrewd, juxtaposing the usual suspects (Buddha, Jesus, Rumi, Krishnamurti, Ramana Maharshi, St. Francis) with the likes of Anne Sexton, Henry Miller, Jack Kerouac, Pearl Bailey, and Nikos Kazantzakis. ("'What are you doing at this moment, Zorba?' 'I'm kissing a woman.' 'Well, kiss her well, Zorba! And forget all the rest while you're doing it; there's nothing else on earth, only you and her! Get on with it!'") Baran contributes some ingenious reworkings of his own; my favorite is the self-deconstructing "Six Line Prayer" on page 363. The book's elegant packaging, with a size and shape that fit nicely in the hand and a thoughtful little ribbon to mark your daily readings, make it a fine gift book for your spiritually aspiring friends.
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