Miscellaneous + col western

At its core, Zen Buddhism is the attempt to understand the meaning of life directly without being misled by logical thought, or language. It tries to free the mind from the slavery of words and intervention of intellect by learning how to see into one's true nature through meditation. Those who practice it are concerned with the direct experience, the 'here and now' rather than the 'what if'.Zen Buddhism's emphasis on simplicity and the importance of the natural world has also generated a distinctive aesthetic. In Japan, and increasingly in the Western world, millions of people have been influenced by Zen through arts such as calligraphy, painting, poetry, music, garden landscaping, tea ceremony and flower arranging. Endless Path: Zen is a guide to help you understand and begin practising the basics of Zen Buddhism, to be used in the everyday routine of daily living through meditation, koan study, gardening, cooking - even making the tea!About the AuthorJames Harrison was Editor of Natural Choice, a weekly col