Everyday Zen: Love and Work (Plus)

Very well written, thorough, profound and practical.

First book I purchased from Joko Beck, and it was wonderful! I just purchased her other book "Nothing Special" as well. There is a multitude of insightful chapters, passages and lessons about life captured within these pages. I found the book to be quite approachable for the common reader. On the other hand, this book, even though it was straightforward, is a little more comprehensive than other books I've read thus far (you may have to review some of the material a few times, but that's okay). Nevertheless, I think everyone can learn a little something about themselves and how to better conduct their lives moving forward.Usually on my reviews, I like to list a few key points that inspired me while reading the material. However, on this occasion there are just too many good points to list. With that said, I found myself writing little notes all over my copy. So, I've decided to ONLY include MY closing thoughts which the book left me with after the last few pages:`We all start out looking for the next best thing in our life. No matter what it is - we keep searching for something better. However, what we don't realize is -- life is not only staring us right in the face, BUT it's also fleeing with each passing second. All we truly have in this world is the HERE/NOW. We need to stop planning and searching for `who knows what'. Rather, we need to look at whatever our life IS, and simply do what needs to be done. We shouldn't have time for useless gossip (he said/she said) OR the labeling/judging of others - because we already have the most precious gift of all looking at us right now - LIFE. Do not waste another moment for this is all we have, and nothing else; not money, not possessions, nor attachments. All we really have is THIS MOMENT, this wonderful, beautiful, fleeing moment. EMBRACE IT !!!'.

I'm not even done reading this yet and it may be the most useful book on Zen I've read so far. It is designed to be read while doing practice. I've only been practicing for about six weeks. I have been so much in my head about whether I've got it "right" - what is the perfect posture and why do I not feel calm and peaceful all the time? Does this soreness, this anxiety, this struggle mean I'm doing it wrong?Joko Beck explains it all in a very blunt and candid style. Maybe it's not for everyone but it was refreshing to me to see it reiterated over and over that dismantling the ego is hard, actually. That struggle to let go of the little self is part of the process. I have embraced her lectures on anger and learning to be a bigger container for not just anger but any emotion. I have heard "just be anger" before but I didn't get what it meant and now I see anger is just anger, it doesn't have to be attached to anyone or any train of thought, you can just be a container for all the anger in the universe and nobody has to get hurt.I realized how much I was identifying with my thoughts about practice itself and have been using her suggestion to label thoughts and become a dispassionate observer of the self. Most importantly she teaches that enlightenment is not some far away state we wish to reach some day, it is here now, simply by being present and accepting what this moment brings.Reading all of this helped me to finally relax into practice and accept what it is now. It's difficult to explain the nature of this relief, but it is real.

I have been studying Zen for many so I had a head start with this book. I am now over 80 years old. Joko stresses Sitting which is actually a synonym for Meditation. She also notes the importance of Practice which is necessary but often overlooked. Some are into a magic instant enlightenment that does not require practice but could go away as quickly as it appeared. The only criticism I have is that Joko seems to make the assumption that everyone has a group and others to participate with and “teachers” and centers around too. In my my location there are no teachers or many others who I can communicate with who are interested in Zen so I experience it alone. To have other enthusiasts around is nice but they are just not available for some people. It is possible to believe and to practices if you don’t have the luxury of teachers and groups. I am an American but have lived in the backwoods of Thailand for many years. Another point is that many American writers seem to make a great distinction between Eastern and Western thought. People are people everywhere and there is not that much difference. That view is ethnocentric.

Resulta util leer Zen de un maestro(a) que es del continente Americano. las enseñanzas y humor de Joko Beck me han parecido muy utiles.

It's extremely boring. I haven't read any book as boring as this. I don't have much knowledge on Zen, all that I know is from reading bits here and there, and this is my first book on Zen. Though I tell you, she touches a lot of topics and fails to give justice to them. She has made many profound statements throughout, but there is no logical continuity. Maybe that I don't have much understanding about zen so I find it boring but this book is certainly not for beginners. Neither are there any advanced concepts.

Iv read many books to do with spirtual growth. This has to be one of the best.There is no place to be, no person to be, nothing to grasp but to learn self discipline to sit.Not to accomplish anything, not to be anything but to just be.This book taught me that. That I was well on my way dissolving my ego but I thought I had to do this, do that. But this book showed me I was doing everything that was good for me in every moment. I thought I had to be at peace all the time so i did this and that to remove certain aspects of myself but the realization was I was already doing what was needed. All I had to do was just be.Thank you Charlotte.

The best zen book I have ever read. Joko puts the concept of Zen into very understandable and relatable terms. I bought a copy for myself and I don't think there is a page that doesn't have notes or points she has made underlined. The type of book you would read again and again. I bought a second copy as a gift to my mom and it probably won't be the last.I would give this more than 5 stars if available!