“Watermelons and Zen students
grow pretty muchthe same way.
Long periods of sitting ‘till they ripen and grow
all juicy inside, but
when you knock them on the head
to see if they’re ready –
sounds like nothing&

Amazon.com Review
The story of the 80-year-old Catholic priest who sheds tears his first time meditating; the parable of potatoes that are best cleaned by being rubbed against each other; the koan about the sound of one hand--in 365 Zen, Jean Smith mines the now vast body of English language Zen literature, plucking out gems for appreciative handling. Laid out for daily contemplation, each passage is less than a page in length, and although short enough to be read in just a few moments, they have enough gleaming facets to keep you turning them over all day. Seasoned students and avid readers of Zen will find much of the material familiar--Thich Nhat Hanh, Shunryu Suzuki, Charlotte Joko Beck--but having it sorted and refined into daily doses makes for convenient practice. And whether you are a novice or an expert, you will be sure to find enough treasures to keep your mind unbusy every day of the year. --Brian Bruya