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Everyday Zen: Love and Work (Plus) Paperback – September 4, 2007
Purchase options and add-ons
Charlotte Joko Beck offers a warm, engaging, uniquely American approach to using Zen to deal with the problems of daily living—love, relationships, work, fear, ambition, and suffering. Everyday Zen shows us how to live each moment to the fullest. This Plus edition includes an interview with the author.
- Print length240 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherHarperOne
- Publication dateSeptember 4, 2007
- Dimensions5.31 x 0.54 x 8 inches
- ISBN-100061285897
- ISBN-13978-0061285899
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“An extraordinary book for ordinary people. It speaks about ultimate matters with ultimate simplicity.” — Robert Aiktken, Roshi, author of Taking the Path of Zen
“Deals with the most important spiritual practice of all--how we can live awakened in our daily life.” — Jack Kornfield, author of A Path with Heart and After the Ecstasy, the Laundry
“An extraordinary book for ordinary people. It speaks about ultimate matters with ultimate simplicity.” — David Steindl-Rast, O.S.B, author of A Listening Heart
From the Back Cover
Charlotte Joko Beck offers a warm, engaging, uniquely American approach to using Zen to deal with the problems of daily living—love, relationships, work, fear, ambition, and suffering. Everyday Zen shows us how to live each moment to the fullest. This Plus edition includes an interview with the author.
About the Author
Charlotte Joko Beck, who passed away in 2011, was the founder and former head teacher at the Zen Center in San Diego.
Product details
- Publisher : HarperOne; 1st edition (September 4, 2007)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 240 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0061285897
- ISBN-13 : 978-0061285899
- Item Weight : 7.2 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.31 x 0.54 x 8 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #48,226 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #46 in Zen Philosophy (Books)
- #61 in Zen Spirituality
- #1,415 in Personal Transformation Self-Help
- Customer Reviews:
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Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book useful and insightful, making Zen practice approachable. They appreciate the simple language and straightforward explanations of concepts. The book inspires them to live a conscious and compassionate life. Readers describe the style as candid and colorful. However, opinions differ on the content - some find it worthwhile and inspiring, while others consider it heavy and repetitive.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book helpful for zen practice. They appreciate the insights and examples that make mindfulness approachable. The book helps them absorb important points and practice mindfulness.
"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...." Read more
"Very well written, thorough, profound and practical." Read more
"I found parts of this book to be extremely helpful. (I have been meditating for one year.)..." Read more
"...While this book is a good one for newcomers to Zen--and for old-timers too--it does not include nitty-gritty beginning instruction in Zen meditation..." Read more
Customers find the book's language straightforward and easy to understand. They appreciate that the concepts are explained in a simple way that Westerners can follow. The author's clear communication makes the teachings accessible.
"Very well written, thorough, profound and practical." Read more
"...On the other hand, this book, even though it was straightforward, is a little more comprehensive than other books I've read thus far..." Read more
"...Joko speaks about Zen in an ordinary, conversational, down-to-earth way--as opposed to the paradoxical, poetic, non-logical style often found in Zen..." Read more
"...In Everyday Zen, the author makes it a point to communicate in plain English...." Read more
Customers find the book inspiring and challenging. They appreciate the author's practical approach to living a conscious and compassionate life. The book offers life practices that make you wiser and more whole. Readers describe the message as thoughtful and profound.
"...a multitude of insightful chapters, passages and lessons about life captured within these pages...." Read more
"...That doesn't mean not doing anything, but just solving problems with less emotional drama...." Read more
"...She seems to have been a wise and compassionate teacher...." Read more
"...This time, it all made sense. Living life in the present moment, right here, now. Working at being less judgemental...." Read more
Customers appreciate the book's style. They find it candid and engaging, with colorful yet simple examples that help ground complex issues. The book is described as a nice, clean copy.
"...Joko Beck explains it all in a very blunt and candid style...." Read more
"...All we really have is THIS MOMENT, this wonderful, beautiful, fleeing moment. EMBRACE IT !!!'." Read more
"...It is pleasant, beautiful and inspiring, so i give it 5 stars and i could i'd give it more!" Read more
"This book is like oxygen for me. Simply and elegantly put, Ms. Beck makes Zen philosophy and practice accessible and real...." Read more
Customers have mixed views on the book's content. Some find it insightful and inspiring, with clearly expressed ideas. Others feel it's heavy and heady, a collection of nuggets of wisdom that are too deep to understand, and a bunch of hipster nonsense.
"...There is a multitude of insightful chapters, passages and lessons about life captured within these pages...." Read more
"...It's all a bit heady, all a bit much for me...." Read more
"...Finally, Charlotte Beck tells a very good story. She doesn't preach or criticize, but inspires and challenges...." Read more
"...Short chapters and very readable style. Hits home with every example the writer uses to support her stories...." Read more
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2024I'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.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 29, 2024Very well written, thorough, profound and practical.
- Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2011First 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 !!!'.
- Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2014I found parts of this book to be extremely helpful. (I have been meditating for one year.) Joko teaches people to practice with the life that they have, with a certain amount of equanimity. That doesn't mean not doing anything, but just solving problems with less emotional drama. I am getting this on my second reading of the book.
During my first reading of the book, at times I felt as if Joko was recommending a masochistic kind of Buddhism that involves annihilating all aspects of the self. She tells one story about a mother that was fine with having her head cut off it helped her son get a girlfriend! I don't think that person would be a good role model. To be fair, I must say that Joko is not alone among American Buddhists in talking about "no self" in a way that makes it sound pretty unhealthy. My understanding of it is that it means that the self is not permanent. I think we are all pretty aware of that: that we're going to die some day.
Sometimes I feel as if she is not clear enough about how she thinks we should respond to situations that really need to change in our society. The overall message seems to be: it is what it is; get used to it. Or do something? But don't get too upset about it or surprised that life isn't the way you think it should be.
I am still thinking about the implications of her approach. Meanwhile, I found the Buddhist Peace Fellowship, which is more about taking action rather than "accepting" injustice.
Top reviews from other countries
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GUILLERMO SAN ROMAN GARCIAReviewed in Mexico on August 18, 2020
5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente libro
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.
- M123Reviewed in France on August 10, 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book
M123
Reviewed in France on August 10, 2021
Images in this review - Zorba the GreekReviewed in India on October 15, 2017
2.0 out of 5 stars Super Boring
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.
- Amazon CustomerReviewed in Australia on October 1, 2020
5.0 out of 5 stars Really good at realisation
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.
- fancyjksReviewed in Canada on March 30, 2016
5.0 out of 5 stars Best Zen Book I've come across
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!