A fresh translation of the classical Buddhist poetry of Saigyō, whose aesthetics of nature, love, and sorrow came to epitomize the Japanese poetic tradition.Saigyō, the Buddhist name of Fujiwara no Norikiyo (1118–1190), is one of Japan’s most famous and beloved poets. He was a recluse monk who spent much of his life wandering and seeking after the Buddhist way. Combining his love of poetry with his spiritual evolution, he produced beautiful, lyrical lines infused w...

Awesome Nightfall: The Life, Times, and Poetry of Saigyo captures the power of Saigyo's poetry and this previously overlooked poet's keen insight into the social and political world of medieval Japan. It also offers a fascinating look into the world of Japanese Buddhism prior to the wholesale influence of Zen.

'I have relinquished all that ties me to the world, but the one thing that still haunts me is the beauty of the sky'These simple, inspiring writings by three medieval Buddhist monks offer peace and wisdom amid the world's uncertainties, and are an invitation to relinquish earthly desires and instead taste life in the moment.One of twenty new books in the bestselling Penguin Great Ideas series. This new selection showcases a diverse list of thinkers...

Pause, breathe, and savor the quiet beauty of Saigyō, one of Japan's most quintessential poets, in this celebration of nature and Buddhist insight.Born in the twelfth century during a time of great political upheaval and warfare, Saigyō made the unusual decision in his youth to resign from his respectable post as a guard to the emperor’s family and pursue a life of Buddhist renunciation, wilderness wandering, and poetry. Over the course of his lifetime, he became o...

Thich Nhat Hanh shares timeless wisdom and mindfulness meditation practices in this illustrated pocket-sized guide about cherishing the many ways love manifests in our lives.How to Love is the third title in Thich Nhat Hanh’s series of mindfulness books for beginners and seasoned practitioners. This time, he brings his signature clarity, compassion, and humor to the thorny question of how to love. He distills one of our strongest emotions down to 4 essenti...

Meditations for profoundly reshaping our focus, mindset, and healing journey—discover the freedom and lightness that comes with leading with gratitude over fear and trauma“The Art of Living offers an exit ramp from the madness of modern-day overdrive, and just might let us grasp the heaven on Earth.” —The Chicago TribuneA revered spiritual leader’s legacy lives on in this wise and rich spiritual guide that shows us how finding true nirvana—existing deeply and peacefully eve...

A masterful translation of one of the most-loved classics of Japanese literature—part travelogue, part haiku collection, part account of spiritual awakeningBashō (1644–1694)—a great luminary of Asian literature who elevated the haiku to an art form of utter simplicity and intense spiritual beauty—is renowned in the West as the author of Narrow Road to the Interior, a travel diary of linked prose and haiku recounting his journey through the far northern pro...

The delightful and often funny poetry of Zen’s quintessential free spirit, Master Ryokan—in a fresh translation by a beloved American Zen figureRyokan Taigu (1758-1831) was a monk in the Soto lineage of Japanese Zen who spent a good part of his life as a hermit, writing poetry, playing with children, and creating simple and exquisitely beautiful calligraphies—sometimes using twigs as his instrument when he couldn't afford a brush. He was never head of a monastery o...

Shamanic practice seeks healing and wisdom from realms that overlap the everyday world. The use of plant and animal medicines vision quests trance work and ceremonies to heal one's self and others are the foundations of shamanism. So too Wicca and witchcraft use the magic and medicine of plants animals and other realms. By learning to incorporate the practices of shamanism the witch can enhance his or her natural abilities as healer and creator of positive change. The Shamanic Witch outlin...

While Buddhism has no central text such as the Bible or the Koran, there is a powerful body of scripture from across Asia that encompasses the dharma, or the teachings of Buddha. This rich anthology brings together works from a broad historical and geographical range, and from languages such as Pali, Sanskrit, Tibetan, Chinese and Japanese. There are tales of the Buddha's past lives, a discussion of the qualities and qualifications of a monk, and an exploration of the many meanings of Enli...

Thich Nhat Hanh reveals how mindful walking can help you relieve depression, recapture wonder, express gratitude—and bring you into the beauty of the present moment.Part of the bestselling series of pocket-sized mindfulness books for beginners and seasoned practitioners!Slow, concentrated walking while focusing on in- and out-breaths allows for a unique opportunity to be in the present. There is no need to arrive somewhere—each step is the ...

A wonderfully diverse collection of Zen poetry from China and Japan—including works by Lao Tzu and Han Shan—presented by two of America’s premier poet-translatorsA Zen poem is nothing other than an expression of the enlightened mind, a handful of simple words that disappear beneath the moment of insight to which it bears witness. Poetry has been an essential aid to Zen Buddhist practice from the dawn of Zen—and Zen has also had a profound influence on the secular p...