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The Exercise of Not Thinking
The trouble and pain of daily life can be corrected by exercises. As long as we find the tips, the exercises can be very easy. In this book, Ryunosuke Koike, a graduate of University of Tokyo and the most popular Japanese monk will share his practice with us without reservation. The root of our pain is caused by a little monster. When you decide to prepare for the exam, the little monster will tell you to give up, because you will lose face if you fail the exam. When you decide to lie down to rest for 10 minutes, the little monster will tell you to sleep for an hour instead. And if someone doesnt listen to your words carefully, the little monster will tell you he does not want to see you. Who is the so-called little monster? Actually, it is your own heart. Your heart is thinking all the time and without stop, so you cannot live the life you want. In another word, as long as you can stop thinking, you can be set free. But the brain is continually seeking stronger stimulation, and the negative thoughts always have stronger current, so they hit your brain all the time. As a result, for the painful things, the brain continually makes the illusion of happiness, which leads you to do many things unconsciously against your will. This book starts from little things of modern people like watching TV, writing blog and sending texts, and it shows our desires, anger, confusion and pride. And it leads people to learn step by step how to stop using our brain, and use our five senses to replace brain to start our real road of happiness.
200 pages, Paperback
First published April 16, 2013
867 people are currently reading
14960 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 277 reviews
August 2, 2025
To learn how to maintain a clear and relaxed mind, start by practising not thinking.
This book may be a bit difficult to understand if you're unfamiliar with meditation or Buddhist philosophy.
It teaches us how to live mindfully and embrace minimalism.
For example, don’t drink without awareness. Be conscious of drinking—notice the act of lifting the cup, swallowing, and tasting. Slow down every action and allow your mind to fully process the experience.
To live simply, don’t own more than you need. The fewer possessions you have, the fewer worries you carry.
Another example: if your computer becomes slow after years of use, you need to clear out unnecessary files and reformat it. This helps it run faster and more efficiently. The same goes for the mind—declutter it regularly.
Do one thing at a time! 1️⃣
This book may be a bit difficult to understand if you're unfamiliar with meditation or Buddhist philosophy.
It teaches us how to live mindfully and embrace minimalism.
For example, don’t drink without awareness. Be conscious of drinking—notice the act of lifting the cup, swallowing, and tasting. Slow down every action and allow your mind to fully process the experience.
To live simply, don’t own more than you need. The fewer possessions you have, the fewer worries you carry.
Another example: if your computer becomes slow after years of use, you need to clear out unnecessary files and reformat it. This helps it run faster and more efficiently. The same goes for the mind—declutter it regularly.
Do one thing at a time! 1️⃣
September 28, 2023
This book presents the principles of Zen Buddhism as they can be applied to daily life. There is a strong emphasis on reducing the clutter of the mind. By being more mindful and aware of the thoughts that are rampaging through our heads, we can control the stress and anxiety that they exert. This could be of interest to someone who knows little about Zen Buddhism that would like an introduction that focuses on practice rather than doctrine.
There is also an interesting section at the end of the book that presents an interview between the author of this book and a neuroscientist. In this section, they comment on some possible intersections between religion and science without making any strong claims.
There is also an interesting section at the end of the book that presents an interview between the author of this book and a neuroscientist. In this section, they comment on some possible intersections between religion and science without making any strong claims.
August 13, 2021
Loved this. The section on discarding made me face my fears and release some furniture I don't have room for, never use, but felt I couldn't pass on, because the thought of not having it (just in case my life completely changed and at some undefined point in the future I had a use for it) made me anxious.
I also loved the small sections on journaling and planning. Not many mindfulness books cover planning, which is why I picked this one up, but I got so much more than I was expecting.
The book is short, and a quick read, but one I am already diving into repeatedly. Highly recommended.
I also loved the small sections on journaling and planning. Not many mindfulness books cover planning, which is why I picked this one up, but I got so much more than I was expecting.
The book is short, and a quick read, but one I am already diving into repeatedly. Highly recommended.
December 17, 2022
I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I thought I would when I picked it up in the bookstore. The advice offered is in many cases very simple and naive, and it feels like the author is jumping to conclusions very quickly. These conclusions are simplified and do not appeal and apply to me in most cases.
November 19, 2022
Some good bits but ironically, this book felt more like a guide to overthinking. All in all, quite amusing to read if you don't take it too seriously: "when things smell bad, just remember it is your nose sending a signal to your brain," or "if someone is aggravating you, just remember your ears are detecting the sound and sending a signal to your brain," etc. This kind of "guidance" is offered across all things ranging from sleeping, eating, talking, listening, relationships, and practically everything else you can imagine. Some bits felt right, some bits felt biased to his own preferences of how things should be done.
January 10, 2025
Met tussenpozen blijf ik (graag) werkjes als dit lezen; over hoe je via (zen)meditatie en toegewijde aandacht jezelf, je leven en je omgeving positief in balans kan leren houden. Tom Hannes, Peter De Graef en Jan Warndorff gingen daarin deze Japanse zenboeddhist Ryūnosuke Koike al voor. Dat zorgt altijd voor enige herhaling. Toch is het met het lezen van zo'n boekjes precies hetzelfde als met mediteren of mindful door je dagen gaan: je moet het blijven onderhouden en leren volhouden, grotendeels omdat het geen tastbare en al zeker geen instant effecten biedt. Het zijn voor mij, net als lezen tout court, duurzame bezigheden die doorwerken op lange termijn ... als je ze volhoudt.
'The Practice of Not Thinking' onderscheidt zich van bovengenoemde, gelijkaardige leeservaringen door de enerzijds heel concrete, praktische voorbeelden voor je alledaagse leven die Ryūnosuke Koike hier aanreikt (al deed Jan Warndorff dat ook wel in zijn Ik ben de wereld) en anderzijds door de neurologische humuslaag over de werking van ons brein waarop hij zijn ervaringen en overtuigingen laat groeien. Dat laatste komt in het verrassend interessante slothoofdstuk uitgebreid aan bod; een gesprek tussen de zenboeddhist en de neurowetenschapper Yuki Ikegaya waarin zenmeditatie en breinwetenschap elkaar moeiteloos vinden en (h)erkennen. Het bracht herinneringen boven aan Het No-Nonsense Meditatieboek het boek van Steven Laureys.
Ryūnosuke Koike schrijft met een helderheid die alle zintuigen prikkelt en het zijn ook precies de zintuigen waar hij zijn not-thinking-tips op richt. Voor de meest uiteenlopende handelingen uit ons dagelijks leven - praten, ontmoeten, poetsen, slapen, eten, koken, schrijven, glimlachen(!), kinderen opvoeden ... - voorziet hij zijn praktische tips met informatie over hoe ons denken ons - vaker dan we 'denken' - belemmert, stuurt, de verkeerde keuzes doet maken. Dat inzicht versterkt het nut van de tips. Het moedigt aan en die helderheid van zijn taal en zijn stijl - die zowel iets stoïcijns als iets intuïtief heeft - is daarmee op zich al een mooi bewijs van wat je zou kunnen bereiken. Kortom: met een glimlach op de lippen geef ik 'The Practice of Not Thinking' ruimhartig 4,5*.
'The Practice of Not Thinking' onderscheidt zich van bovengenoemde, gelijkaardige leeservaringen door de enerzijds heel concrete, praktische voorbeelden voor je alledaagse leven die Ryūnosuke Koike hier aanreikt (al deed Jan Warndorff dat ook wel in zijn Ik ben de wereld) en anderzijds door de neurologische humuslaag over de werking van ons brein waarop hij zijn ervaringen en overtuigingen laat groeien. Dat laatste komt in het verrassend interessante slothoofdstuk uitgebreid aan bod; een gesprek tussen de zenboeddhist en de neurowetenschapper Yuki Ikegaya waarin zenmeditatie en breinwetenschap elkaar moeiteloos vinden en (h)erkennen. Het bracht herinneringen boven aan Het No-Nonsense Meditatieboek het boek van Steven Laureys.
Ryūnosuke Koike schrijft met een helderheid die alle zintuigen prikkelt en het zijn ook precies de zintuigen waar hij zijn not-thinking-tips op richt. Voor de meest uiteenlopende handelingen uit ons dagelijks leven - praten, ontmoeten, poetsen, slapen, eten, koken, schrijven, glimlachen(!), kinderen opvoeden ... - voorziet hij zijn praktische tips met informatie over hoe ons denken ons - vaker dan we 'denken' - belemmert, stuurt, de verkeerde keuzes doet maken. Dat inzicht versterkt het nut van de tips. Het moedigt aan en die helderheid van zijn taal en zijn stijl - die zowel iets stoïcijns als iets intuïtief heeft - is daarmee op zich al een mooi bewijs van wat je zou kunnen bereiken. Kortom: met een glimlach op de lippen geef ik 'The Practice of Not Thinking' ruimhartig 4,5*.
June 30, 2021
A former Zen Buddhist monk is probably just the right person to point out to you the most obvious and useful truth you could hear right now. That is, your mind creates negative thoughts that get between you and the life you’d rather lead. And you can do something about it - right now. The trick it seems is not to try to defeat, or even avoid, these thoughts but see them as the wisps they are. The author’s pragmatic strategies and insights make this short volume a life-changing delight. Detailing ways to control and calm ourselves through present attention, this is a clear and straightforward marvel of a book. There's a lot of junk books on mindfulness from all sorts of people, but this is the pure stuff. If you are interested in a mindful living practice then I thoroughly recommend this authentic source.
January 24, 2024
An interesting book to help you improve your mindfulness. Parts of it made sense other parts not so much, such as the use or perception of money. I did like the sections on improving and being mindful of your senses. An example was listening and doing actions like opening or closing a door quietly.
The sections of the book are clearly laid out with advice on improving, observing and quieting the mind.
The sections of the book are clearly laid out with advice on improving, observing and quieting the mind.
January 2, 2025
Book no work. Brain still think.
March 22, 2022
Jeg finner meditativ praksis - på tvers av alle religioner og livssyn - svært interessant. Hvilke innsikter/betraktninger gjør man gjennom år med målrettet introspeksjon? Vi må derimot alltid ha i bakhodet et meditasjon er en ferdighet, en aktivitet, som igjen er preget av språket og det teoretiske rammeverket man velger som kontekst for introspeksjonen. Det er ikke en kongevei til sannhet. Dette er tydligere i for eksempel kristen meditasjonspaksis hvor målet ofte er å komme nærmere Gud, eller komme nærmere Guds sanne natur; de bruker ofte veldig like teknikker som i østlige religioner og livssyn.
I buddhisme er det noe vanskeligere å gjøre denne sorteringen da buddhismens språk - hvertfall i sine moderniseringer - er veldig psykologisk. Når man mediterer lærer man om meditasjon, man finner ikke ut hvordan hjernen egentlig fungerer. bevisstheten vår går ikke inn i sin grunntilstand under meditasjon, den går inn i èn tilstand, en tilstand som er forskjellig fra de andre måter å være bevisst på, men at den er bedre på noe vis.. Det er vanskelig å konkludere. I psykologien snakker man om psykologisk velvære, i kristendommen om et nært og intimt fothold til Gud, i "The practice of not thinking" snakker Koike om glede (engelske happiness, som bare grovt kan oversettes til glede). Hva denne gleden innebærer og horfor vi skal søke den er drimot usikkert, og jeg er slettes ikke overbevist om at dette er kilden til et godt liv.
Men om vi legger dette til side så presenterer Koike hvertfall metoden for å komme dit, dessverre blir han forrådt av språket. "Not thinking" handler ikke om å ikke tenke, det handler om å tenke på en hvis måte. "silence" handler ikke om stillhet, men hvordan man forholder seg til støy, og slik fortsetter det. Buzzwords blir erstattet av forbehold og forklaringer. Koike har blant annet et intervju med en hjerneforsker på slutten av boken og da blir han rett og slett fortalt at hans utsagn er tvilsomme, om man tar dem bokstavlig, er tvilsomme, men hjerneforskeren er ikke nødvendigvis uenig etter Koike kommer med en omstendelig forklaring på hva han egentlig mener.
Dette unøyaktige språket, et språk som krydrer og gjør boken mer interessant får meg til å føle at Koike legger en felle for seg selv. Han blir offer for Kesha'en (syndens ekvivalent i buddhismen ifølge Koike) som omhandler grådighet. Han ønsker å selge en bok.
Utover dette er mye av det Koike snakker om rett og slett tåpelig og, eller feil. Her er noen eksempler:
Many people start to talk about how quickly time seems to be going by as they get older. This is because the noise created by the thoughts that they have carefully preserved in their mind over time accumulates and blocks any new information that tries to enter. And I feel that it’s often when that noise achieves a complete victory over the sense of reality that people might start to become senile in old age. Because they become solely controlled by information from the past and unable to accept new realities, they may even see a grandchild, recognize him as their son, and be unable to correct that misconception. (s.7)
Problemet med dette utsagnet er at det legger ansvaret på offeret av en alvorlig sykdom. De tenkte ikke riktig mens de var yngre. Hvordan vil slike holdninger kunne legge føringer for hvordan vi behandler gamle?
et annet eksempel:
As a vegetarian, I’ve noticed that the smells of my own body – my breath, body odour and the pungency of my stools – are becoming less and less strong, which is one reason why I suggest considering a vegetarian diet. You can still eat meat but dilute the smells of your body by reducing your intake and balancing it with more vegetables. (s.44)
Problemet med dette er at det er mange andre gode grunner til å spise mer grønnsaker. En flust av andre helseeffekter, bærekraft og dyrevelferd er noen. Jeg personlig plages ikke med en for sterk kroppslukt, hvorfor da endre dietten?
og eksemplene fortsetter å komme:
From a Buddhist standpoint, I suggest making a strong effort to look at things that have a neutral impact rather than those that arouse desire or anger (s.46). Dette er ikke en resept for et godt liv etter min mening. Koike er også delvis imot humor:
I loved to watch comedy shows back when I was living with a lot of stress. But if you think about it, laughter usually seems to be triggered by one of three poisons:
1. A sense of superiority from making fun of the mistakes made by others, or greed (wanting more for ourselves).
2. Emotional identification with the aggressive stance of a comedian on television.
3. Confusion caused by absurd words or actions, or ignorance or doubt.(s53)
Dette blir en altfor enkel analyse av et komplekst fenomen. Han utelater også latter sin egenskap til å skape intimitet, dets evne til å ta opp tabu tema, eller hvordan latter kan tranformere noe uheldig, noe vondt eller trasig, til noe komisk. Jeg liker blant annet dette sitatet til Gordon Allport godt: The neurotic who learns to laugh at himself may be on the way to selfmanagement, perhaps to cure.
og det fortsetter. Han har ulike teorier om hvordan hjernen og sinnet fungerer, han sier at sløve kniver ødelegger næringsstoffene i grønnsaker. Han kommer med råd for hvordan man skal oppdra barn og hvordan snakke til partneren sin om overvekt:
Let’s say there’s a woman who would like her obese boyfriend to lose weight. Telling him that she won’t love him any more if he doesn’t lose weight will have a negative impact on his self-esteem, which is not good. First, she needs to convey to him that her love for him won’t change, whether he’s thin or obese, and to get him to understand this. [...] As she continues to analyse her thoughts, she may begin to rethink her values and reconsider her desire to be with her obese boyfriend. Maybe it won’t matter any more that he’s overweight. If not, she should explain her self-analysis in full. It might go like this: "I like you a lot, but when I think about how other people judge me, I worry that dating someone who is overweight will affect how others perceive my worth. I don’t want to be sad because I’m with you. Do you think you could try to lose a little weight for me?"(s.97)
OUCH! Jeg er ingen ekspert, men dette høres ikke ut som zen buddhisme.
En annen ting er Koike sitt medisinske språk - thought disease - som undersrteker den normative oppfordningen til å følge doktrinen han legger frem ved å implisitt fremstille en måte å tenke på som vitenskaplig/medisinsk farlig. Dette er uheldig, men sammenlignet med alt det andre vrøvlet blir dette en liten kamel å svelge. For interessante diskusjoner av dette og potensielle fallgruver i å legge ansvaret for mennekslig lidelse på individet vil jeg anbefale Why I Am Not a Buddhist og McMindfulness: How Mindfulness Became the New Capitalist Spirituality for betrakninger rundt moderne bastardiseringer av gammel meditativ praksis og buddhisme. Disse fallgruvene gjelder ikke bare religion eller spiritualitet og Ole jacob Madsen kritiserer hvordan psykologien som fag beveger seg I en retning som også potensielt kan få store negative konsekvenser Den terapautiske kultur.
I buddhisme er det noe vanskeligere å gjøre denne sorteringen da buddhismens språk - hvertfall i sine moderniseringer - er veldig psykologisk. Når man mediterer lærer man om meditasjon, man finner ikke ut hvordan hjernen egentlig fungerer. bevisstheten vår går ikke inn i sin grunntilstand under meditasjon, den går inn i èn tilstand, en tilstand som er forskjellig fra de andre måter å være bevisst på, men at den er bedre på noe vis.. Det er vanskelig å konkludere. I psykologien snakker man om psykologisk velvære, i kristendommen om et nært og intimt fothold til Gud, i "The practice of not thinking" snakker Koike om glede (engelske happiness, som bare grovt kan oversettes til glede). Hva denne gleden innebærer og horfor vi skal søke den er drimot usikkert, og jeg er slettes ikke overbevist om at dette er kilden til et godt liv.
Men om vi legger dette til side så presenterer Koike hvertfall metoden for å komme dit, dessverre blir han forrådt av språket. "Not thinking" handler ikke om å ikke tenke, det handler om å tenke på en hvis måte. "silence" handler ikke om stillhet, men hvordan man forholder seg til støy, og slik fortsetter det. Buzzwords blir erstattet av forbehold og forklaringer. Koike har blant annet et intervju med en hjerneforsker på slutten av boken og da blir han rett og slett fortalt at hans utsagn er tvilsomme, om man tar dem bokstavlig, er tvilsomme, men hjerneforskeren er ikke nødvendigvis uenig etter Koike kommer med en omstendelig forklaring på hva han egentlig mener.
Dette unøyaktige språket, et språk som krydrer og gjør boken mer interessant får meg til å føle at Koike legger en felle for seg selv. Han blir offer for Kesha'en (syndens ekvivalent i buddhismen ifølge Koike) som omhandler grådighet. Han ønsker å selge en bok.
Utover dette er mye av det Koike snakker om rett og slett tåpelig og, eller feil. Her er noen eksempler:
Many people start to talk about how quickly time seems to be going by as they get older. This is because the noise created by the thoughts that they have carefully preserved in their mind over time accumulates and blocks any new information that tries to enter. And I feel that it’s often when that noise achieves a complete victory over the sense of reality that people might start to become senile in old age. Because they become solely controlled by information from the past and unable to accept new realities, they may even see a grandchild, recognize him as their son, and be unable to correct that misconception. (s.7)
Problemet med dette utsagnet er at det legger ansvaret på offeret av en alvorlig sykdom. De tenkte ikke riktig mens de var yngre. Hvordan vil slike holdninger kunne legge føringer for hvordan vi behandler gamle?
et annet eksempel:
As a vegetarian, I’ve noticed that the smells of my own body – my breath, body odour and the pungency of my stools – are becoming less and less strong, which is one reason why I suggest considering a vegetarian diet. You can still eat meat but dilute the smells of your body by reducing your intake and balancing it with more vegetables. (s.44)
Problemet med dette er at det er mange andre gode grunner til å spise mer grønnsaker. En flust av andre helseeffekter, bærekraft og dyrevelferd er noen. Jeg personlig plages ikke med en for sterk kroppslukt, hvorfor da endre dietten?
og eksemplene fortsetter å komme:
From a Buddhist standpoint, I suggest making a strong effort to look at things that have a neutral impact rather than those that arouse desire or anger (s.46). Dette er ikke en resept for et godt liv etter min mening. Koike er også delvis imot humor:
I loved to watch comedy shows back when I was living with a lot of stress. But if you think about it, laughter usually seems to be triggered by one of three poisons:
1. A sense of superiority from making fun of the mistakes made by others, or greed (wanting more for ourselves).
2. Emotional identification with the aggressive stance of a comedian on television.
3. Confusion caused by absurd words or actions, or ignorance or doubt.(s53)
Dette blir en altfor enkel analyse av et komplekst fenomen. Han utelater også latter sin egenskap til å skape intimitet, dets evne til å ta opp tabu tema, eller hvordan latter kan tranformere noe uheldig, noe vondt eller trasig, til noe komisk. Jeg liker blant annet dette sitatet til Gordon Allport godt: The neurotic who learns to laugh at himself may be on the way to selfmanagement, perhaps to cure.
og det fortsetter. Han har ulike teorier om hvordan hjernen og sinnet fungerer, han sier at sløve kniver ødelegger næringsstoffene i grønnsaker. Han kommer med råd for hvordan man skal oppdra barn og hvordan snakke til partneren sin om overvekt:
Let’s say there’s a woman who would like her obese boyfriend to lose weight. Telling him that she won’t love him any more if he doesn’t lose weight will have a negative impact on his self-esteem, which is not good. First, she needs to convey to him that her love for him won’t change, whether he’s thin or obese, and to get him to understand this. [...] As she continues to analyse her thoughts, she may begin to rethink her values and reconsider her desire to be with her obese boyfriend. Maybe it won’t matter any more that he’s overweight. If not, she should explain her self-analysis in full. It might go like this: "I like you a lot, but when I think about how other people judge me, I worry that dating someone who is overweight will affect how others perceive my worth. I don’t want to be sad because I’m with you. Do you think you could try to lose a little weight for me?"(s.97)
OUCH! Jeg er ingen ekspert, men dette høres ikke ut som zen buddhisme.
En annen ting er Koike sitt medisinske språk - thought disease - som undersrteker den normative oppfordningen til å følge doktrinen han legger frem ved å implisitt fremstille en måte å tenke på som vitenskaplig/medisinsk farlig. Dette er uheldig, men sammenlignet med alt det andre vrøvlet blir dette en liten kamel å svelge. For interessante diskusjoner av dette og potensielle fallgruver i å legge ansvaret for mennekslig lidelse på individet vil jeg anbefale Why I Am Not a Buddhist og McMindfulness: How Mindfulness Became the New Capitalist Spirituality for betrakninger rundt moderne bastardiseringer av gammel meditativ praksis og buddhisme. Disse fallgruvene gjelder ikke bare religion eller spiritualitet og Ole jacob Madsen kritiserer hvordan psykologien som fag beveger seg I en retning som også potensielt kan få store negative konsekvenser Den terapautiske kultur.
May 28, 2022
May be this is a good opportunity to not overthink the experience of reading the book, but instead simply vocalise the thoughts that find their way to my mind and allow this review to take its natural course, without resistance, selective thought processing or harsh judgement of my own opinions, thus silencing my klesha of anger that thinks I should have chosen a better book as my 100th registered book in goodreads, an honour one might think, or my klesha of arrogance that thinks it knows what its talking about.
Some Buddhism Essentials
- The Noble Eightfold Path: Set rules for yourself —> Develop Your Concentration —> Become Aware. 1-4: Set rules regarding your livelihood, speech, thoughts and conduct/ 5-6: Learn how to concentrate and how to clear your mind/ 7-8: Sensory mindfulness and perspective.
- Differentiate between the passive state and the active state of: seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and touching
- The ten Japanese precepts of Buddhism: ABSTINENCE from: killing, greed, theft, sexual misconduct, anger, false speech, negative language, vulgar language, idle chatter and following wrong views.
- The four emotions that nurture happiness in Buddhism: Joy, Kindness, Compassion and Equanimity [the state of eliminating anger and confusion]
- The concept of impermanence: surrendering to the fact that everything changes at a rapid pace and that nothing is permanent
- Meditation is a tool to observe the movements of one’s mind
- ‘Dependant Arising’: every event occurs due to connections that exist beyond the flow of time, making every individual event interdependent
- The basis of everything is pain and pleasure is merely the sensation experienced as a result of pain reduction
- Everything you do, do it quietly, that is how you acquire a sense of active awareness of the task
- Klesha in Buddhist philosophy means poison, the most damaging of all are: anger, desire, arrogance and uncertainty
- The idea that time is passing too quickly may stem from the inability to depart from one’s mind as one starts to accumulate more information, engage further in an internal monologue and develop an incapacity to engage with the outside world, so basically overthinking
The Interview That Made It Worth Reading
At the end of the book, there was an interview with the neuroscientist Yuji Ikegaya that was just splendid. Discussions about the intersection of the brain and the mind, the relationship between the philosophy of Buddhism and science, what neuroscience thinks of free will [Hint: doesn’t exist as even our movements are predetermined by our brain but the self gets to veto], how meditation can be quantified [Hint: GAMMA WAVES] and why neuroscientists are no longer allowed to examine Tibetan monks [Hint: Master monk’s gammas weren’t showing, THUS home boy wasn’t meditating at all, he was faking it unlike his pupils], a scientific experiment to prove that the conscious mind controls stress and that the pre-existing knowledge and awareness of a PROVEN stress relief outlet can enormously reduce the induction of physical stress, Empathy is real in more subtle ways than we can imagine and that we are a walking set of reflexes, no more, no less, to the frightening point that we will act based on the MOST RECENT information we have received, regardless of our best interest, the self is essentially PLASTIC, SO YIKES, the search for WHO YOU REALLY ARE IS most likely: TRIVIAL, POINTLESS, AN EMPTY FEAT, essentially.
Some Reflections
Please note that thus far, I haven’t collected any substantial value from the insufferable body of the book; which explores the act of seeing, listening, speaking, reading and writing, touching, discarding, eating and nurturing in an excruciating way that just didn’t work for me personally. Apologies for not abstaining from my arrogance Klesha that apparently drives our need to spread negativity because positivity is just not stimulating enough. HOWEVER, the book, like many self development guides, reinforces certain pathways of thought that we already know and believe but sometimes need to hear from someone else. For me, these thoughts hovered around the concept of the emergence of the self, selective data, the preselected narrative and script of the brain and what ultimate awareness and a life of active stimuli selection and the discipline of choice look like.
Emergence: the self is not there to be discovered and explored, the self emerges from the system and routine we put in place. The avenues of exploration we allow to subject our bodies through using any form that stimulates our senses actually starts shaping our preferences, beliefs, decisions and modes of thinking. I have been struggling with the question of whether there is a master algorithm that controls our brain or whether that algorithm is an illusion, whether it can be replaced rather than refined and updated, the data doesn’t conform to it, it BUILDS it and the amount of data we process is immeasurable so we become in a CONSTANT STATE OF FLUX with no fundamental engine to control us. HOW UNSETTLING ?!
It’s all about the stimuli: controlling the stimuli we are exposed to, having an active choice, as much as we possibly can, in the information we let in is the most critical skill of the twenty first century, I think. Even though the book argues that concentration isn’t necessarily natural, it’s actually detrimental to our survival to enter a sacred state of flow - THIS IS WHY EVERYTHING THAT REQUIRES FOCUS TODAY IS DIFFICULT - it goes against our best instincts to actually stay focused but we live in the modern world and that’s the new survival mechanism, so we must adapt accordingly. Extreme measures from time to time such as a silence vow for example to shut down all the extroverts may come in handy in this department, believe me, IT WORKS.
Selective Data: we constantly rewrite our own history, our brain makes up stories and believes them. We need to remember that we cannot trust the fractions of information that have been curated to construct a memory from our past, as it will never be an accurate account. This can destabilise us or empower us to fine tune our ability to let go, be unbounded by our ever regenerating selves.
Awareness: That’s the big one, the main main take away of the book told in the simplest form and described in one significant term is AWARENESS. The author is a strong advocate of meditation, as he should be and the main gist is to be aware of every item, sound, visual, flavour and odour that we engage with fully and presently with as much focus that we can possibly cultivate. Do that and your entire mode of existence is altered, heightened and elevated. The book was suppose to tell me how to do that but its useless in that regard so may be, I might give meditation a go, or just try the do it quietly thing, i feel like i have a better chance at actively altering my pace, tone and mode of interaction with stimuli rather than meditate, but who knows.
So, you may be confused by whether I actually liked this book or not. The answer is, no, I did not enjoy reading this book but I genuinely appreciated some of the concepts and the main message that it conveyed.
Some Buddhism Essentials
- The Noble Eightfold Path: Set rules for yourself —> Develop Your Concentration —> Become Aware. 1-4: Set rules regarding your livelihood, speech, thoughts and conduct/ 5-6: Learn how to concentrate and how to clear your mind/ 7-8: Sensory mindfulness and perspective.
- Differentiate between the passive state and the active state of: seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and touching
- The ten Japanese precepts of Buddhism: ABSTINENCE from: killing, greed, theft, sexual misconduct, anger, false speech, negative language, vulgar language, idle chatter and following wrong views.
- The four emotions that nurture happiness in Buddhism: Joy, Kindness, Compassion and Equanimity [the state of eliminating anger and confusion]
- The concept of impermanence: surrendering to the fact that everything changes at a rapid pace and that nothing is permanent
- Meditation is a tool to observe the movements of one’s mind
- ‘Dependant Arising’: every event occurs due to connections that exist beyond the flow of time, making every individual event interdependent
- The basis of everything is pain and pleasure is merely the sensation experienced as a result of pain reduction
- Everything you do, do it quietly, that is how you acquire a sense of active awareness of the task
- Klesha in Buddhist philosophy means poison, the most damaging of all are: anger, desire, arrogance and uncertainty
- The idea that time is passing too quickly may stem from the inability to depart from one’s mind as one starts to accumulate more information, engage further in an internal monologue and develop an incapacity to engage with the outside world, so basically overthinking
The Interview That Made It Worth Reading
At the end of the book, there was an interview with the neuroscientist Yuji Ikegaya that was just splendid. Discussions about the intersection of the brain and the mind, the relationship between the philosophy of Buddhism and science, what neuroscience thinks of free will [Hint: doesn’t exist as even our movements are predetermined by our brain but the self gets to veto], how meditation can be quantified [Hint: GAMMA WAVES] and why neuroscientists are no longer allowed to examine Tibetan monks [Hint: Master monk’s gammas weren’t showing, THUS home boy wasn’t meditating at all, he was faking it unlike his pupils], a scientific experiment to prove that the conscious mind controls stress and that the pre-existing knowledge and awareness of a PROVEN stress relief outlet can enormously reduce the induction of physical stress, Empathy is real in more subtle ways than we can imagine and that we are a walking set of reflexes, no more, no less, to the frightening point that we will act based on the MOST RECENT information we have received, regardless of our best interest, the self is essentially PLASTIC, SO YIKES, the search for WHO YOU REALLY ARE IS most likely: TRIVIAL, POINTLESS, AN EMPTY FEAT, essentially.
Some Reflections
Please note that thus far, I haven’t collected any substantial value from the insufferable body of the book; which explores the act of seeing, listening, speaking, reading and writing, touching, discarding, eating and nurturing in an excruciating way that just didn’t work for me personally. Apologies for not abstaining from my arrogance Klesha that apparently drives our need to spread negativity because positivity is just not stimulating enough. HOWEVER, the book, like many self development guides, reinforces certain pathways of thought that we already know and believe but sometimes need to hear from someone else. For me, these thoughts hovered around the concept of the emergence of the self, selective data, the preselected narrative and script of the brain and what ultimate awareness and a life of active stimuli selection and the discipline of choice look like.
Emergence: the self is not there to be discovered and explored, the self emerges from the system and routine we put in place. The avenues of exploration we allow to subject our bodies through using any form that stimulates our senses actually starts shaping our preferences, beliefs, decisions and modes of thinking. I have been struggling with the question of whether there is a master algorithm that controls our brain or whether that algorithm is an illusion, whether it can be replaced rather than refined and updated, the data doesn’t conform to it, it BUILDS it and the amount of data we process is immeasurable so we become in a CONSTANT STATE OF FLUX with no fundamental engine to control us. HOW UNSETTLING ?!
It’s all about the stimuli: controlling the stimuli we are exposed to, having an active choice, as much as we possibly can, in the information we let in is the most critical skill of the twenty first century, I think. Even though the book argues that concentration isn’t necessarily natural, it’s actually detrimental to our survival to enter a sacred state of flow - THIS IS WHY EVERYTHING THAT REQUIRES FOCUS TODAY IS DIFFICULT - it goes against our best instincts to actually stay focused but we live in the modern world and that’s the new survival mechanism, so we must adapt accordingly. Extreme measures from time to time such as a silence vow for example to shut down all the extroverts may come in handy in this department, believe me, IT WORKS.
Selective Data: we constantly rewrite our own history, our brain makes up stories and believes them. We need to remember that we cannot trust the fractions of information that have been curated to construct a memory from our past, as it will never be an accurate account. This can destabilise us or empower us to fine tune our ability to let go, be unbounded by our ever regenerating selves.
Awareness: That’s the big one, the main main take away of the book told in the simplest form and described in one significant term is AWARENESS. The author is a strong advocate of meditation, as he should be and the main gist is to be aware of every item, sound, visual, flavour and odour that we engage with fully and presently with as much focus that we can possibly cultivate. Do that and your entire mode of existence is altered, heightened and elevated. The book was suppose to tell me how to do that but its useless in that regard so may be, I might give meditation a go, or just try the do it quietly thing, i feel like i have a better chance at actively altering my pace, tone and mode of interaction with stimuli rather than meditate, but who knows.
So, you may be confused by whether I actually liked this book or not. The answer is, no, I did not enjoy reading this book but I genuinely appreciated some of the concepts and the main message that it conveyed.
May 8, 2024
Tedious overstatements of the obvious.
Does the most but achieves nothing in particular.
Does the most but achieves nothing in particular.
April 2, 2024
3.5 star
I had to pick it up as the title was enticing and the cover looked aesthetic. The content though did not live up to my expectations. The author gives the reader a variety of methods to stop thinking, not all thinking but the useless thoughts that we all like to have in our head, the conversations and situations that may not occur or have already occurred. yes! that kind.
It does help a lot but the content seemed repetitive and bland for my liking. I have read a few books on similar topics, by Thich Nhat Hanh which I liked very much. May be that is the reason this book did not hit the mark. If you are a beginner on the topic and a over thinker, this book is definitely helpful.
Happy reading!!
I had to pick it up as the title was enticing and the cover looked aesthetic. The content though did not live up to my expectations. The author gives the reader a variety of methods to stop thinking, not all thinking but the useless thoughts that we all like to have in our head, the conversations and situations that may not occur or have already occurred. yes! that kind.
It does help a lot but the content seemed repetitive and bland for my liking. I have read a few books on similar topics, by Thich Nhat Hanh which I liked very much. May be that is the reason this book did not hit the mark. If you are a beginner on the topic and a over thinker, this book is definitely helpful.
Happy reading!!
January 7, 2024
DNF on page 50. This book is extremely patronising and smug, written by a person who clearly believes they are better than their fellow men. This is not a book about not thinking, it’s a book about one man’s specific interpretation of the buddhist way of life and how everybody should do exactly like him to be happy.
Just an example of what you will find in this book:
“It’s best to avoid paying attention to things that inflate your ego. Examples of this are the emails on your mobile phone or computer, payslips that tell you how much you make each year or bank statements that show how much you have in your savings. Looking at things like this will negatively stimulate you”.
What does this even mean? Does Mr. Koike realise that people look at their payslips or bank statements because they need to know what they can afford? Or is he expecting us to reach peace of mind an not care if we won’t be eating this week because we haven’t looked at our payslips in five months and don’t know that we’ve zero savings?
It doesn’t help that this book is profoundly steeped in Japanese culture. Maybe for its original audience it’s an useful book. For sure it should have never been translated for a western audience.
Just an example of what you will find in this book:
“It’s best to avoid paying attention to things that inflate your ego. Examples of this are the emails on your mobile phone or computer, payslips that tell you how much you make each year or bank statements that show how much you have in your savings. Looking at things like this will negatively stimulate you”.
What does this even mean? Does Mr. Koike realise that people look at their payslips or bank statements because they need to know what they can afford? Or is he expecting us to reach peace of mind an not care if we won’t be eating this week because we haven’t looked at our payslips in five months and don’t know that we’ve zero savings?
It doesn’t help that this book is profoundly steeped in Japanese culture. Maybe for its original audience it’s an useful book. For sure it should have never been translated for a western audience.
July 16, 2021
Although I have read many books on Mindfulness in all its various forms, this book, which combines it in a very clear way with Zen Buddhism, remains one of my favourites, although one of the least applicable, at least as far as I am concerned. Definitely one of the texts in which theory is much easier than practice....
Per quanto abbia letto molti libri sulla Mindfulness in tutte le sue varie declinazioni, questo libro che la unisce in modo molto chiaro al buddismo zen, resta uno dei miei preferiti per quanto uno dei meno applicabili, almeno per quanto mi riguarda. Decisamente uno dei testi nei quali la teoria é molto piú facile della pratica....
I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.
Per quanto abbia letto molti libri sulla Mindfulness in tutte le sue varie declinazioni, questo libro che la unisce in modo molto chiaro al buddismo zen, resta uno dei miei preferiti per quanto uno dei meno applicabili, almeno per quanto mi riguarda. Decisamente uno dei testi nei quali la teoria é molto piú facile della pratica....
I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.
November 20, 2021
I enjoyed this look into the practice of "not thinking", even though it's not strictly a guideline on how to do so. It does offer advice on how to set about the practice, but it has a more philosophical outlook on it more often than not.
In a world where things are moving too fast and we are inundated with non-stop information through various channels of information, this was a good reminder to take a step back and reexamine our perspective on the ways we live and interact with the world and its inhabitants (that includes the non-sentient beings, i.e. how we interact with the environment and our relationship with materialistic things).
In a world where things are moving too fast and we are inundated with non-stop information through various channels of information, this was a good reminder to take a step back and reexamine our perspective on the ways we live and interact with the world and its inhabitants (that includes the non-sentient beings, i.e. how we interact with the environment and our relationship with materialistic things).
August 26, 2024
The author makes things he talks of so easily but I think it is easier said than done. Most of what he said seemed superficial and some were quite not so agreeable to me. He brings in a lot of Buddhist perspectives and having explored mindfulness, initially he made sense. However as I proceeded what he wrote seemed too naive. Well, I'm not entirely dismissing what he wrote but I believe not everyone can benefit, this seems more like a life style one adapts which has to be cultivated at a very young age.
Wish I could enjoy this but I couldn't.
Wish I could enjoy this but I couldn't.
February 3, 2022
Made me think which is good & whilst I didn’t care for every last part there are definitely things I’ll take forward
Read
January 4, 2023"Open your ears to the sounds of the world, and your world will change."
A good book to start the year with. Some practical advice and reminders of staying in the moment and using your senses to more clearly understand our world.
I found that some of the examples did not resonate with me - perhaps because it was written for Japanese readers, but it was still interesting to hear that perspective.
A good book to start the year with. Some practical advice and reminders of staying in the moment and using your senses to more clearly understand our world.
I found that some of the examples did not resonate with me - perhaps because it was written for Japanese readers, but it was still interesting to hear that perspective.
January 3, 2025
Interesting but a bit too simplistic, I wished I would have enjoyed more than I did. The last part with the interview with the neuroscientist was actually pretty interesting and made have a plus star.
August 6, 2022
Such a lovely book teaching you about the inner workings of the brain and teaching you how to calm your mind from all the information we get nowadays. It definitely taught me a lot.
I did however find it hard to keep concentration throughout the book as there’s so much information to take in it took me longer to absorb it all.
I did however find it hard to keep concentration throughout the book as there’s so much information to take in it took me longer to absorb it all.
Read
March 10, 2025Parts one and two were a hit or miss for me, but part three, where the author interviews a neuroscientist, resonated the most as it looks at the same ideas from two different perspectives–scientific and spiritual.
August 15, 2025
This book made me think a lot, so I am glad that it also taught me to practice thinking less. (3.5 stars!)
February 16, 2024
Was a great short read after reading New Earth by Eckhart Tolle. It’s quite literally what it says; a guide to mindful living. Only by thinking less can we appreciate more. The book gives you practical steps on how to breathe, listen, speak, laugh, love and even sleep in a new way, so that we can make every day calmer, and be present. Only by thinking less, can we appreciate more. Each chapter raised interesting questions I around Buddhism, and the practice of not thinking. There was a lot of talk towards the end about the brain and the scientific side but all in all, was a helpful and enlightening read. If you want to be a better human, aka a happier, stress-free human, read this.
August 9, 2024
i’m very glad that i made a second attempt to read this book, as i found the more i persisted with reading it the more i enjoyed it.
when i first tried to read this book i wasn't in the right frame of mind at all. i was serving as a juror on a pretty distressing court case and trying to read this book on mindfulness in between all of that stress, i suppose the author would say with many negative thoughts or kleshas activated.
safe to say as soon as i encountered an opinion i diagreed with, i kept disengaging from the content, letting my mind wander, and ultimately i put it aside for a few months.
however on reflection this was a very arrogant take, fed by my own stress and ego. i have quite a scientific mind and there is a lot i have to learn from the kind of buddhist teachings drawn upon in a book like this.
there would be no point in reading a book like this if i already understood and agreed with all of the opinions in it from the outset.
putting my ego aside, i still don't agree with every single thing in this book. for example, koike’s opinions on horror films and the importance of making a child finish their plate of food are still different to mine. but it challenged me to reflect on many things i hadn't given much thought to before, and to consider and change my approach to many other things. i thought the section about internet usage was particularly insightful, amongst others.
it could perhaps be argued that this is not a particularly ground breaking work as a lot of the philosophy summarised in it is ancient. but the way it is applied to modern life is valuable and for anyone in the early stages of a mindfulness journey (those who have not done much journalling, mediation, yoga, therapy, philosophy and so on) i think this a really useful companion and has some excellent starting points for self reflection.
some of this work cites itself back to scientific concepts, but sometimes quite loosely or inaccurately, i think it is at its strongest when it is trying to be philosophical and an assistant to self-reflection rather than leaning towards science, but i could also see why those points might have been added in to “win over” those who are more used to that kind of format.
something that is only briefly touched on is the importance of recognising that nobody can ever be perfect at the mindfulness techniques recommended in this book, and that expecting ourselves to be so can be damaging. it takes a lot of practice to improve and that process takes a whole lifetime. i think other books, and things like therapy and yoga with an experienced and nuturing guide, can help with this is anybody finds themselves frustrated or unable to act upon the recommendations in this book.
either way i would definitely recommend to many people that i know.
(i hope this was self-aware enough to allow an exception from the recommendation to not post too many personal opinions online 😅)
4 stars
when i first tried to read this book i wasn't in the right frame of mind at all. i was serving as a juror on a pretty distressing court case and trying to read this book on mindfulness in between all of that stress, i suppose the author would say with many negative thoughts or kleshas activated.
safe to say as soon as i encountered an opinion i diagreed with, i kept disengaging from the content, letting my mind wander, and ultimately i put it aside for a few months.
however on reflection this was a very arrogant take, fed by my own stress and ego. i have quite a scientific mind and there is a lot i have to learn from the kind of buddhist teachings drawn upon in a book like this.
there would be no point in reading a book like this if i already understood and agreed with all of the opinions in it from the outset.
putting my ego aside, i still don't agree with every single thing in this book. for example, koike’s opinions on horror films and the importance of making a child finish their plate of food are still different to mine. but it challenged me to reflect on many things i hadn't given much thought to before, and to consider and change my approach to many other things. i thought the section about internet usage was particularly insightful, amongst others.
it could perhaps be argued that this is not a particularly ground breaking work as a lot of the philosophy summarised in it is ancient. but the way it is applied to modern life is valuable and for anyone in the early stages of a mindfulness journey (those who have not done much journalling, mediation, yoga, therapy, philosophy and so on) i think this a really useful companion and has some excellent starting points for self reflection.
some of this work cites itself back to scientific concepts, but sometimes quite loosely or inaccurately, i think it is at its strongest when it is trying to be philosophical and an assistant to self-reflection rather than leaning towards science, but i could also see why those points might have been added in to “win over” those who are more used to that kind of format.
something that is only briefly touched on is the importance of recognising that nobody can ever be perfect at the mindfulness techniques recommended in this book, and that expecting ourselves to be so can be damaging. it takes a lot of practice to improve and that process takes a whole lifetime. i think other books, and things like therapy and yoga with an experienced and nuturing guide, can help with this is anybody finds themselves frustrated or unable to act upon the recommendations in this book.
either way i would definitely recommend to many people that i know.
(i hope this was self-aware enough to allow an exception from the recommendation to not post too many personal opinions online 😅)
4 stars
February 6, 2025
The book was good especially the first part. But lost me at: we should let mosquitoes bite us and resist itching. That’s a bit much.
March 10, 2024
I think there's some real power in the approach presented in this book, which is not so much about not thinking, but more to cultivate an approach to being present to chatter in the mind and not getting involved with it as much. Increased awareness = less noise = concentration = peaceful mind. Aloha, Mindfulness! :)
The section on "The Thinking Disease" was really enlightening and I found myself working over the concepts in my mind in everyday life. The Buddhist Noble Eightfold Path is then introduced and provides the structure for a walkthrough of each of the senses and ways to be more aware of them in common everyday situations. Or at least, that is the intention. Having been keen to read more about the practical side, I felt it often fell short in the explanations, instead relying on introducing kleshas and their effects, which confused things, alongside references to karma.
The third section - the interview - I didn't understand or enjoy. It just seemed out of place and didn't add much additional content. In fact, in places, it just confused things more. That said, the afterword by the author following it actually did a good job of summarising the book.
Overall, the book's theme is not a difficult concept to explain (although it takes time and discipline to apply and master). I felt that it did do that, but added more detail and confusion than it needed to, which is crazy when you consider the title. For a 124 page book, I struggled at times, whereas I usually love getting lost in this subject. Perhaps if you're more well-versed in Buddhist theory and mindfulness, you'll find more here.
I'll give it another go in a few months' time maybe. Might be a grow-er rather than a show-er.
Peace out!
The section on "The Thinking Disease" was really enlightening and I found myself working over the concepts in my mind in everyday life. The Buddhist Noble Eightfold Path is then introduced and provides the structure for a walkthrough of each of the senses and ways to be more aware of them in common everyday situations. Or at least, that is the intention. Having been keen to read more about the practical side, I felt it often fell short in the explanations, instead relying on introducing kleshas and their effects, which confused things, alongside references to karma.
The third section - the interview - I didn't understand or enjoy. It just seemed out of place and didn't add much additional content. In fact, in places, it just confused things more. That said, the afterword by the author following it actually did a good job of summarising the book.
Overall, the book's theme is not a difficult concept to explain (although it takes time and discipline to apply and master). I felt that it did do that, but added more detail and confusion than it needed to, which is crazy when you consider the title. For a 124 page book, I struggled at times, whereas I usually love getting lost in this subject. Perhaps if you're more well-versed in Buddhist theory and mindfulness, you'll find more here.
I'll give it another go in a few months' time maybe. Might be a grow-er rather than a show-er.
Peace out!
March 11, 2024
Klesha this klesha that… sorry I really don’t gaf.
I wish I had read a sample before I bought this book because it wasn’t at all what I had expected. I was expecting a heart warming and inspiring book about how to remain at peace and focus on the moment… or something… Meanwhile instead I got this preachy Buddhist nonsense book just full of bizarre and mostly completely useless advice. That’s FINE but I just wish the book was advertised as Buddhist self help because that was not what I wanted to read at all.
I am not against self help (Marie Kondo’s book was actually life changing for me) but when I think self help it conjures this image of a very cleanly and tidy reading experience atmospherically - this didn’t feel like that at all and was just super preachy. I don’t know if that’s a fault with the translation as in Japanese you wouldn’t get ‘you will do this’ ‘you will do that’ in the same way, but a lot of absolute rubbish was just presented as 100% straight FACTS like… Idk. Just toss tbh and there was almost nothing at all about living in the moment and taking in the world around you idk.
I wish I had read a sample before I bought this book because it wasn’t at all what I had expected. I was expecting a heart warming and inspiring book about how to remain at peace and focus on the moment… or something… Meanwhile instead I got this preachy Buddhist nonsense book just full of bizarre and mostly completely useless advice. That’s FINE but I just wish the book was advertised as Buddhist self help because that was not what I wanted to read at all.
I am not against self help (Marie Kondo’s book was actually life changing for me) but when I think self help it conjures this image of a very cleanly and tidy reading experience atmospherically - this didn’t feel like that at all and was just super preachy. I don’t know if that’s a fault with the translation as in Japanese you wouldn’t get ‘you will do this’ ‘you will do that’ in the same way, but a lot of absolute rubbish was just presented as 100% straight FACTS like… Idk. Just toss tbh and there was almost nothing at all about living in the moment and taking in the world around you idk.
May 29, 2024
Besides the fact that the book doesn’t answer the question “How not to think” it also doesn’t give any helpful Tipps how to achieve this. The chapters are super short, so there isn’t even enough text to go deeper into the topic. The “tipps” that are given are also like “don’t mourn when someone is dead” or “don’t be sad when someone is sick”. The rest is also not applicable on a normal live. When you want to become a monk – this is the perfect starter book for you! But for all the normal people out there who work and have a mobile phone… this is not for you
November 4, 2021
This book is wonderful and I love its ideology. Didn’t agree with a small handful of things eg principles on money. It’s one of the only books I’ve read that offers an explanation beyond telling you to be more mindful/positive/healthy and actually explains how to manage your thinking to achieve that. I love mindfulness, meditation and this book is a solid read. I will keep my (very highlighted) hard copy forever. (Zen Buddhism)
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