Julian Daizan SkinnerPractical Zen: Meditation and Beyond

This is a truly brilliant book. Daizan is an articulate, measured and humorous author who provides a description of Zen practise in a logical progression of ideas that gently leads the reader through a subject that has become , unfortunately, muddied by intellectual jousting and misinterpretation/mistranslation of the Japanese language in which Zen is often written. This is a direct and lucid guide that isn’t overly serious but is respectful and a great read. This is a practical guide so it includes practical meditative exercises interspersed amongst the text which are great to join in with (although they do assume you’re sitting in a chair whilst reading it rather than lying on ones front in bed in ones pyjamas, but they’re totally adaptable! Very usefully it includes tips on taking things further beyond the scope of a book and includes access to many online resources than are excellent to support ones practise. I’ve had to protect my copy in a plastic cover because I’m always digging into it, carry it during walking meditation trips and fear it would literally fall to bits if I didn’t. This book couldn’t have come at a better time where some seem to be frazzling themselves out and need a calming, compassionate route which will allow them to find some semblance of peace, rest and good vibes. I can’t recommend this book enough.

This is a wonderful book on Zen meditation. It is an engaging read and the guided meditations thoroughly support you in deepening your practice. Highly recommend it whether you are just starting out on your meditation journey or have years of experience.

Good practical guidance for those aspiring to bring zen practice into their day to do lives. A good additional to any zen library.

I’ve just finished reading this wonderful book for the fourth time, and it seems that each time I read it, I find new insights and perspectives within its pages. Of course, it is much more than a volume for reading linearly from the first to last page. It is a manual to accompany you through a lifetime of Zen practice. What I like most about it is that, in contrast to so many other books on Buddhism that are primarily descriptive, this book is very much focussed on Zen as activity. There are eight meditations, each enjoying a chapter to themselves, and the recommendation is to practice each one for a week to begin to get a feel for how they work individually and together. The sequence starts with counting breaths (apparently the practice used by Buddha Shakyamuni himself), and continues with meditative practices which are designed to help you break down the sense that we take for granted, of being an isolated ego trapped in a physical body that is somehow separate from (and often threatened by) the rest of the universe. But there are also important practices to build strength, health and well-being. In addition, there are case studies (i.e. written accounts) from westerners who have come to Zen for all sorts of different reasons, and then found their lives transformed by the practice. The author, Daizan Skinner writes with great clarity and authority. He is a Zen master who was trained among others, by Shinzan Roshi in Japan who himself was responsible for creating a unique form of Zen that combines together the dynamic koan focus of Hakuin (1686-1768) with that of Bankei (1622-1693) who emphasized the simple practice of just resting in the Unborn Mind. The complimentary nature of these two approaches to Zen is a unique feature of the teachings in this book.

Looking for a book on Zen? Get this book! Easy to read, engaging, and practical, I'm sure it's due to become a modern Zen classic.Many books on Zen are baffling or poorly translated or too dry and have probably done me more harm than good, thankfully this isn't one of them..I first met Daizan around 20 years ago when he was a visiting monk and it was clear then the guy was a bit special.. Years later & as a student of Daizan's, it's been a pleasure to train with him again & be introduced to many practices that have helped me directly experience & express my true nature so I might be a bit biased.. I'm not alone either, there are more awakening people round these parts than you can shake a radish (or an iphone) at!Living realization of Zen practice doesn't necessarily make for a good read, but somehow Daizan's been able to get masses of lived experience, zen stories & practical knowledge in here whilst keeping it fresh & humourous as well as pretty bone simple. No mean feat.Now that embodiment is currently a buzz word in spiritual and non-duality circles, I reckon Practical Zen can help us show what that truly means, making Zen practice totally relevant to our busy modern lives.It's a go to book on Zen practice & suitable for beginners or more advanced practitioners, a must read - buy it!

Although I have had Buddhist beliefs for most of my life and tried to live by them, I have never gone to the next step of serious study and practice. My knowledge was patchy at best, and my meditation inconsistent, never feeling right. I needed guidance but where to find it.Having gone through a selection of books in the hope of discovering something that would make it all clear to me at last and putting me on the right path, one I could believe in as there are so many branching paths to get lost along, this one gelled with me immediately. I understood and believed what I was seeing.As a result I am following the course here with a real sense of purpose at last. This is the book and guidance that I have needed for so long. Thank you!

I recommend this one. It's easy to understand and there is not much "jargon" in it. Written by someone that understands meditation.

“Practical Zen” is just that practical. Daizan brings Shinzan Miyamae’s Zen practices to life by combining Bankei and Hakuin’s practices.Bankei’s relaxed “Unborn Zen” and Hakuin’s break through to kensho into post satori practices.Although Hakuin never mentioned Bankei, he criticized Unborn Zen as useless and “do nothing Zen”.It is a great service that Shinzan and Daizan have found a way to combine the two great 17th century Zen Masters’ teaching into a very practical book.I highly recommend this book.

Scritto in modo semplice e coinvolgente, ti aiuta passo per passo ad entrare nel mondo della meditazione Zen.

A really well written book with content and practices going well past standard meditation practices. This is a book if you want to take your practice much further.

Das Buch reduziert spirituelle Praxis auf das Wesentliche - die Praxis.Ich hab schon sehr viel zu Spiritualität und zu Meditation gelesen, mit diesem Buch hätte ich es vielleicht gelassen und lieber meditiert ;)Die beschriebenen Meditationsarten decken das wesentliche ab und bieten viel Spielraum für Weiterentwicklung. Zusätzlich zu dem Beschreibungen im Buch gibt es geführte Meditationen im Netz, was ich als super Ergänzung empfand.Seit mehr als einem halben Jahr bin ich durch das Buch hoch motiviert - kann es echt voll und ganz empfehlen.