6 Books on Taoist Philosophy and Practice Indigenous to China, Taoism emphasizes inner and outer forms of philosophy and practice including meditation, internal alchemy, feng shui, and qigong. While there are a range of philosophical schools and practices, the common goal of Taoist practice is cultivating a deep and harmonious connection with the Tao, often

Chan & Zen in 2023 Read More We published many books of interest from the Chan and Zen traditions in 2023 See our other Year in Review Guides: Zen and Chan | Tibetan Buddhism | More in Buddhism Yoga | Kids Books Buy 2 books for 20% off, 3 books for 30% off, 4 or

Zen and Chan in 2022 Read More We published several books and audiobooks on Zen and Chan Buddhism in 2022 See our other Year in Review Guides: Theravada/Pali/Insight | Zen and Chan | Tibetan Buddhism Yoga | Personal Development | Kids Books We are very happy to share with you a look back at our

The Works of the Chan & Zen Patriarchs     This is part of a series of articles on the arc of Zen thought, practice, and history, as presented in The Circle of the Way: A Concise History of Zen from the Buddha to the Modern World.  You can start at the beginning of this

The Great Koan Collections     This is part of a series of articles on the arc of Zen thought, practice, and history, as presented in The Circle of the Way: A Concise History of Zen from the Buddha to the Modern World.  You can start at the beginning of this series or simply explore

Taoist Influences on Ch’an Meditation An Excerpt from China Root Ch’an practice was not simply about cultivating an abstract understanding of Taoist ontology/cosmology and the nature of consciousness; it was about actually living that understanding as a matter of immediate experience. And at the center of Ch’an practice was meditation. Indeed, Ch’an (禪), a transliteration

Parched Stories define us, it’s true. And they matter, though they always leave so much out. I like it that way, keep telling them to desert, and desert keeps filling in whatever it is we’re missing. For months now death has felt frail and far away. Breath surprises me. The usual morning ridgeline surprises me,

A Dog Too Has Buddha-Nature A monk asked Master Visitation-Land: “A dog too has Buddha-nature, no?” “Absence,” Land replied. No-Gate’s Comment To penetrate the depths of Ch’an, you must pass through the gateway of our ancestral patriarchs. And to fathom the mysteries of enlightenment, you must cut off the mind-road completely. If you don’t pass