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Zen and the Art of Anything
"If shelf and cerebral space allowed for only one book on personal spirituality, self-knowledge, or improvement, it could easily be Dr. Hal French's Zen and the Art of Anything. "
¯ The Star Reporter , Columbia, S.C.
THIS IS NOT JUST A BOOK ABOUT ZEN. THIS IS ZEN!
Simply put, Zen is mindfulness ¯ extracting the most from a given moment.
You are invited, through this book, to understand Zen
As something that is not exotic or difficult to attain.
Rather, Zen is basic and available to anyone wishing to have a more fulfilling life.
Think of everyday breathing and speaking, waking and sleeping,
Moving and staying, eating and drinking, working and playing, caring and loving.
If we are truly mindful in our daily living, thereby practicing Zen,
We can elevate the most fundamental activity to an art form.
Through Dr. Hal French's charming, mindful writing,
You can actually find the key to a more authentic and meaningful life.
The simple act of reading his thoughts and works,
Filled with so many elegant and artful insights, enables Zen.
AN ENABLING BOOK MUST ALSO ENOBLE. AND SO THIS DOES.
"[ Zen and the Art of Anything ] teaches ¯ in just the way [Hal French] speaks, kindly, lovingly, humorously ¯ chapter by chapter, how to breathe and speak, wake and sleep, move and stay, eat and drink, play and work, care and love, thrive and survive... There is a charmingly homey and homely feel to the way Dr. French does this."
¯ The State , Columbia, SC
¯ The Star Reporter , Columbia, S.C.
THIS IS NOT JUST A BOOK ABOUT ZEN. THIS IS ZEN!
Simply put, Zen is mindfulness ¯ extracting the most from a given moment.
You are invited, through this book, to understand Zen
As something that is not exotic or difficult to attain.
Rather, Zen is basic and available to anyone wishing to have a more fulfilling life.
Think of everyday breathing and speaking, waking and sleeping,
Moving and staying, eating and drinking, working and playing, caring and loving.
If we are truly mindful in our daily living, thereby practicing Zen,
We can elevate the most fundamental activity to an art form.
Through Dr. Hal French's charming, mindful writing,
You can actually find the key to a more authentic and meaningful life.
The simple act of reading his thoughts and works,
Filled with so many elegant and artful insights, enables Zen.
AN ENABLING BOOK MUST ALSO ENOBLE. AND SO THIS DOES.
"[ Zen and the Art of Anything ] teaches ¯ in just the way [Hal French] speaks, kindly, lovingly, humorously ¯ chapter by chapter, how to breathe and speak, wake and sleep, move and stay, eat and drink, play and work, care and love, thrive and survive... There is a charmingly homey and homely feel to the way Dr. French does this."
¯ The State , Columbia, SC
- GenresSpirituality
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
March 26, 2013
Well hell. This book is so fucking relaxing that I'm having a hard time swearing about it because I feel like Mr. French would not be too psyched with the jarring language.
If you're looking for something that will relax the hell out of you, then this is probably a book you should try out. It takes some of the normal things that you do in everyday life (working, eating, breathing!) and breaks down just how chill you can be if you would SLOW THE FUCK DOWN and notice it all.
I think everyone can benefit from a read like this. It's beautifully written. I read this book late at night, right before bed, and, I found, that it had a peculiar quality. It cleared out my mind; it washed away the worries of the day and put me right to sleep. That is something not every book can claim!
Anyway, if you're like most of us, you could use a good dose of chill the hell out, and this book delivers that. Check it out and breathe a little deeper. It'll do you some good.
If you're looking for something that will relax the hell out of you, then this is probably a book you should try out. It takes some of the normal things that you do in everyday life (working, eating, breathing!) and breaks down just how chill you can be if you would SLOW THE FUCK DOWN and notice it all.
I think everyone can benefit from a read like this. It's beautifully written. I read this book late at night, right before bed, and, I found, that it had a peculiar quality. It cleared out my mind; it washed away the worries of the day and put me right to sleep. That is something not every book can claim!
Anyway, if you're like most of us, you could use a good dose of chill the hell out, and this book delivers that. Check it out and breathe a little deeper. It'll do you some good.
August 5, 2011
What attracted me to this specific Zen book was its attention to finding joy in the "little" things we do everyday~ waking up, eating, drinking, playing, etc. The pages flow nicely because of script placement~ easing the eyes as you read~ thoughtful of him.
He's got a lot of insight, being a professor of these themes, and quotes from many sources of Zen knowledge, but I felt he was being a salesman most of the time. He tries to convince us that we do things and feel things a certain way already, trying to relate? He pushes other books on the reader as well~ it was more like a friendly conversation than an immersion into the mindset. I do fell that I learned more about Zen from the illustrations rather than his words, but still came away with a calming sensation.
He's got a lot of insight, being a professor of these themes, and quotes from many sources of Zen knowledge, but I felt he was being a salesman most of the time. He tries to convince us that we do things and feel things a certain way already, trying to relate? He pushes other books on the reader as well~ it was more like a friendly conversation than an immersion into the mindset. I do fell that I learned more about Zen from the illustrations rather than his words, but still came away with a calming sensation.
July 21, 2007
Loved the ideas on sleeping and waking, on eating, on breathing...makes me want to learn more about Zen.
June 11, 2014
Such a poetic way of enriching my understanding of zen! Much wisdom
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews