The Art of Simple Living

100 Daily Practices from a Japanese Zen Monk for a Lifetime of Calm and Joy

by Shunmyo Masuno

hardcover, 224 pages

Published April 2, 2019 by Penguin Books.

ISBN:: 978-0-14-313404-6

(4 reviews)

Relax and find happiness amid the swirl of the modern world with this internationally bestselling guide to simplifying your life by a Japanese monk who embodies the wisdom of Zen.

Drawing on centuries of wisdom, renowned Zen Buddhist priest Shunmyo Masuno applies the essence of Zen to modern life in clear, practical, easily adopted lessons--one a day for 100 days. Discover how:

lining up your shoes after you take them off can bring order to your life
putting down your fork after every bite can help you feel more grateful for what you have
spending time barefoot can strengthen your body
planting a flower and watching it grow can teach you to embrace change
going outside to watch the sunset can make every day feel celebratory.

In Zen: The Art of Simple Living, you will learn to find happiness not by seeking out extraordinary experiences but by making small changes--to …

Relax and find happiness amid the swirl of the modern world with this internationally bestselling guide to simplifying your life by a Japanese monk who embodies the wisdom of Zen.

lining up your shoes after you take them off can bring order to your life
putting down your fork after every bite can help you feel more grateful for what you have
spending time barefoot can strengthen your body
planting a flower and watching it grow can teach you to embrace change
going outside to watch the sunset can make every day feel celebratory.

In Zen: The Art of Simple Living, you will learn to find happiness not by seeking out extraordinary experiences but by making small changes--to what you do, how you think, how you interact with others, and how you appreciate the present moment. With each task, you will open yourself up to a renewed sense of peace and inner calm.

1 edition

KvasiroftheWoods reviewed The Art of Simple Living by Shunmyo Masuno

Excellent Daily Zen Reflections Book!

5 stars

I rarely ever reread books, let alone back to back to back. I checked this out from my library and had to read it twice more after finishing it the first time. The wisdom presented here is so beautifully written and elegantly put. The essence of Zen resonated within each and every page. I would read a page as a nice morning meditation every day. I loved this book so much I'll be buying a nice hardcover copy of my own when I can.

Sergeant Cat reviewed The Art of Simple Living by Shunmyo Masuno

Something I could read repeatedly

4 stars

This book contains practices and ideas that you can use to improve your life. It's the kind of book that I could read and listen to repeatedly as a way to get my brain started in positive way in the morning.

I think I'll actually buy a copy of this. My copy was from the NYPL.

kfrench

rated it

March 8, 2020

robphippen

rated it

Dec 7