excellent new book on buddhism

[squeeeb]

if you are buddhist, or interested in buddhism, or just interested in making your life a bit better, i reccommend reading "sit down and shut up" by brad warner.

brad warner wrote the book "hardcore zen" a few years ago, it gave the basics of sitting zazen, what it meant, how to, etc. when i lived in japan, i met him and the guy is real, down to earth, knows his shit. the book changed my life.

he has a new book, "sit down and shut up" which goes a bit more in depth into what buddhism means, how we are "all connected" and how sitting zazen can change your life and make the world a better place. the book reads like he is talking to you, not dry at all. it's interesting, well written, and even if you aren't buddhist, you can learn something that will apply to you.

great book, totally worth it.

[Willravel]

I'll be sure to check it out. Thanks for the recommendation!

[Sultana]

I am just interested in making my life a bit better; which of the two books would you recommend first? I have to admit at this point I don't think I can process "Deep Thoughts of Existentialism" (tm). I'd need a bit of a primer, I think.

[Redlemon]

In our massage therapy coursework, we read "Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness" by Jon Kabat-Zinn (Amazon link). It presents meditation on its own, without much of the Buddist trappings, and discusses the medical aspects and benefits of meditation. It's the only thing I've read on this subject, so I can't compare it to anything else, but it's another approach you might consider.

[squeeeb]

Originally Posted by Sultana

I am just interested in making my life a bit better; which of the two books would you recommend first? I have to admit at this point I don't think I can process "Deep Thoughts of Existentialism" (tm). I'd need a bit of a primer, I think.

try out hardcore zen, it's the watered down basic bare bones version...