Zen Play (Instructions on Becoming Fully Alive‪)‬

"Brenda Eshin Shoshanna's book - Zen Play, is a brilliant gem, the graceand precision of turning problems into koans keeps us spellbound. Koans like,"Find Your Precious Jewel," remind us to stop looking outside for what can onlybe found within. And, "Drink A Cup of Green Tea", restores us to beautifulsimplicity and clarity, which ignites our spirit of aliveness. I've read itfrom the first page to the last, love it and highly recommend it."

--Michio J. Rolek, Author, LifeCoach, Great granddaughter of Sokei-an Shigestsu Sassaki, First Zen Patriarchin the West. 


"Brenda Shoshanna is one of the most innovative and provocative Buddhistthinkers in the United States today. In Zen Play, she provides a compelling newapproach to traditional koan study--one that offers the reader the opportunityto turn his or her whole life into a koan. Written in a simple yet evocativestyle and filled with timeless wisdom, Zen Play is a work that will appeal to bothnewcomers to Zen thought as well as those seeking to deepen their understandingof koan practice. 

--Michael S. Russo, Ph.D. Professorof Philosophy, Molloy College 


"The need to help others transform their suffering doesn't come to everyone.Brenda Shoshanna has proven it time and again, with compassion and clarity, walkingwith so many. Zen Play, Instructions on Becoming Fully Alive, offers the readera way to wake up and to love." 

--Danny Eglowitz, CASAC, DynamicYouth Community

 

 “Brenda's Zen work is a good place to begin, to begin again and to never finish. Those searching for the "Way" will find there is no such thing. But much more, Brenda's book is delightful. Those suffering from "frozen attention" will laugh at ourselves."

--Fr. Robert Kennedy, Roshi. Founder, Morningstar Zen. 


 Life presents inscrutable challenges daily that are impossible to figure out. In the world of Zen, these ancient dilemmas and questions were called koans. They cannot be answered in the usual way. And yet a response must be made! Your very life depends on it.


ZEN PLAY  connects these ancient koans with your everyday life.  It shows how daily dilemmas are none other than koans that life is presenting to you now.  In the book you will discover the Zen way of working with koans, and how to approach your challenges that way as well.  As you stop trying to figure things out and jump into Zen Play you will gain access to the enormous riches, wisdom and joy within. Then what you have previously viewed as a problem will become an adventure, bringing aliveness and strength. Along with anecdotes and discussion, there are specific guidelines and enjoyable exercises which allows you to apply the material directly to your everyday life. 


Written by a psychologist, and long term Zen practitioner Zen Play presents a new path, offering the power of simple moments.