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Endorsements
"If you are
looking for a way to have happiness and still live in this world, you
have come to the right book. Rarely do eloquent prose, gems of quotes,
simple wisdom, and practical exercises come in one book: Zen Miracles
offers all of these and more. Whatever your spiritual orientation, this
is a book you will refer to for years to come."
--Lee Jampolsky, Ph.D.
author of Healing Together, Healing the Addictive Mind, and The
Art of Trust
"This wonderful book
brings East and West – and ancient and modern worlds – together and
provides profound wisdom and guidance for anyone struggling with stress,
anxiety, anger, fear or loneliness. Beautifully written, funny, warm and
filled with unusual, wonderful exercises. A real miracle."
--Rabbi Gary Moskowitz
Director of the Institute for Violence Prevention
"A healing journey into
the inner conflicts and contradictions that separate spirit from
self."
--Armand DiMele
the DiMele Center for Psychotherapy
"Dr. Brenda Shoshanna is a
versatile, creative, warm and truly excellent teacher."
--Rabbi Joseph Gelberman
founder of the Interfaith Seminary and Director of the All Faith
Seminary
"Zen Miracles is a
book that is invaluable for anyone seeking to bring a profound, yet
genuinely joyous experience to life. Brenda Shoshanna explores the
spiritual and therapeutic aspects of Zen practice in a way that is
acceptable to anyone no matter what their faith, philosophy or religious
beliefs. With her warm and compassionate style she exhibits the unique
ability to explain even the most difficult ideas in understandable
terms. Her approach is readily accessible and applicable to even the
most mundane of activities. This book is a must for anyone seeking the
secrets for attaining a balanced life and true peace of mind."
--Lewis Harrison
Director of the Academy of Natural Healing
"Zen Miracles is an
inviting and inspiring message for those looking for a more simple and
powerful way to enhance their lives and for those who want to integrate
a practical way of peace in today's distorted and increasingly violent
world."
--Bob Goff
NY Naturally
(for Journey
Through Illness)
"Dr. Shoshanna's words are wonderful!"
--Marianne Williamson
Reviews
Publishers Weekly
It's
virtually axiomatic now that America has its own brand of Zen Buddhism,
and the author of this skilled volume proves the point. Shoshanna is a
Hasidic Jew who has been both practicing zazen and maintaining a
psychotherapy practice for more than 25 years. Here she weaves a fine
tapestry out of these splendid, assorted threads. Five sections
("Getting Started," "Cravings and Compulsions,"
"Letting Go," Dissolving the False Self" and "Zen,
God and Enlightenment") use traditional Buddhist and contemporary
American stories and quotes and lucid prose to invite anyone and
everyone down Zen's calming, clarifying garden path. These forms are
supplemented by both provocative koans and "Zen in Action"
exercises at the conclusion of each of the 18 short chapters. The last
chapter, "Zen and God," might well have been placed first,
since it elucidates the neutrality of Zen that can make it completely
compatible with other institutionalized or personalized beliefs. This
book has less to do with the mechanics of sitting and more to do with
the realities of integrating Zen practice into real life. Shoshanna
extends an empty and richly filled hand, offering both the sublime and
the practical, which are one and the same in the Zen world. This
is a highly recommended volume for beginners and new practitioners who
are coming to the truth that "to find the answers to your life
questions, you must look within. Nothing less will do. Nothing
more is needed."'(Apr.) Forecast: Shoshanna is the
"relationships expert" on ivillage.com, which should help with
the strategic marketing of this title.
Spiritual Parenting
Dr. Shoshanna challenges us
to let go of fantasies, expectations, fears and anticipation so we can
be fully present to life. Her wisdom is genuine and deeply considered.
Her book is well worth reading.
Full Description
ZEN MIRACLES serves as a practical
introduction to Zen practice, an accessible guide to its ancient
traditions, koans, stories and rituals. It
tells stories of many patients and students who have undertaken Zen
practice and as a result, have been able to get off anti-depressants,
calm frantic minds and find true joy and purpose in life.
It
is a book that can be embraced by the Zen world, since it is coming from
the long-time student of several great Japanese Zen masters, including
Soen Roshi, Eido Roshi and Kyudo Roshi; it is a book that can also be
embraced by the establishment, since it is coming from a respected Ph.D.
and from a long-time student of best-selling author Charlotte Joko Beck
(Everyday Zen).
About the Author
Dr. Brenda Shoshanna, Ph.D., is a long term Zen practitioner and teacher
(over 28 years). She has taught Zen and
Psychology at the Zen Studies Society in New York, at Marymount College,
and at The Learning Annex. She is
author of many books, including ZEN AND THE
ART OF FALLING IN LOVE (Simon & Schuster, 2003), WHY
MEN LEAVE (Putnam/Perigee, 1998) (profiled in Cosmopolitan
and Mademoiselle and on ABC-TV and NBC-TV), and WHAT
HE CAN'T TELL YOU (AND NEEDS TO SAY)
(Putnam/Perigee, 2001). Her books have been translated into French,
Polish, German, Spanish, Japanese, Korean and Bulgarian. She appears
frequently on national television (ABC-TV, NBC-TV, CBS-TV), in national
print (Cosmopolitan, Mademoiselle), and in major venues online
(iVillage.com, Barnes & Noble University).
World
Rights: Contact Lukeman
Dramatic Rights:
Contact Lukeman
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