Marc Davies: ‘To write beautifully is to solve a fundamental problem of art’
Nationally acclaimed calligrapher Marc Davies has been practicing shodō since 1996, achieving the rank of Master Instructor in 2019. Here, he shares his take on the art form.
Online funerals and Zen apps keep Japan’s Buddhist temples afloat
As the pandemic forces institutions around the world to change the way they do things, new endeavors are some of the ways that Buddhist groups in Japan are trying to survive.
Making way for a new kind of Christmas
Writer William Lang’s previous Christmases were all about excess — the more presents and food, the better. But this year, he’s celebrating the holidays with a minimalist approach.
Unclutter your mind with ‘Zen Wisdom for the Anxious’
Ryuunji temple’s head priest, Shinsuke Hosokawa, offers encouragement and friendly advice with 52 Zen sayings and simple English explanations.
'Introduction to Zen Training': Sogen Omori's road map to enlightenment
An introduction to Zen practice, by one of Japan's leading practitioners.
'Zen in Japanese Culture': An astute explainer of Japan's spiritual aesthetics
With "Zen in Japanese Culture," Gavin Blair deftly sidesteps superficial how-tos and Orientalism to deliver a in-depth explainer that leaves readers wanting to dig even deeper.
'Zen: The Art of Simple Living': Habits, ideas and hints for living a happy life
"Zen: The Art of Simple Living" is a profoundly beautiful work, easy to read, encouraging deep thought and reflection, but most importantly, acting as a practical guide to Zen action.
Zen Buddhist priest touched by kindness in Nepal offers shelter to those seeking refuge in Japan
One day in January, in a quiet Zen temple on a hill in Nagoya's Tenpaku Ward, a priest offered a Nigerian visitor okaki (rice crackers). "Can you eat (this)?" the chief priest of Tokurinji temple asked him in English. The man, who came to Japan to ...
Can the success of Alex Ferguson's 'kids' and Arsene Wenger's 'Invincibles' be linked to Buddhist philosophy? It's worth a try.
This no garden variety book on Zen practice
The over-application of the term Zen to describe everything from interior design to restaurant menus pored over by celebrities and fashionistas to the expression a "Zen moment" can be tiresome. Zen Gardens and Temples of Kyoto, by John Dougill, Photography by John Einarsen. 144 pages TUTTLE PUBLISHING, ...
Good books on Zen urge you to put them down and start meditating, but the best ones make you actually want to. Opening the Hand of Thought: Foundations of Zen Buddhist Practice, by Kosho Uchiyama, Translated and edited by Tom Wright, Jisho Warner ...
Zen monk Seigaku: A life with less can be so much more
Japanese monk Seigaku lives a Zen life with as little money as possible in Berlin.
