How to Be Zen in a Crisis

How to Be Zen in a Crisis
Author: Samantha Gordon
Publisher:
Total Pages: 171
Release: 2020-06-11
Genre:
ISBN:

How to Be Zen in a Crisis is the quintessential guide for making it through life's most challenging times. This is accessible zen for all walks of life, in every type of crisis. This is life coaching for when your life is on fire. This is self-help when your world is upside down - and it's not because you're doing a handstand in yoga class. Whether your crisis is a global pandemic (*ahem*), sexual harassment, a bad boss, rape, a court case, breakup, divorce, kidnap, death, injury, sickness, sociopath reeking havoc in your life, a combination of many or any sort of other impending doom... real crisis comes in many forms. It doesn't matter which particular flavor of crisis you are experiencing, they all have a similar vein of terror and panic that runs through them and this is the crisis to zen guide to come out of them. You are in a crisis. Everything is wack to the exponent of 1000. You didn't know the crisis was coming. How should you know shit was hitting the fan until it was swirling around the room, putridly pungent in the air and hitting you in the face? It really doesn't matter, the point is - you need to get zen, fast. We aren't getting zen because it's in vogue - we need to get zen because it's essential to our livelihood. Being zen, has a fundamental role in shaping our brain, whereby it can better assist us through a crisis. Numerous studies have shown that relaxation techniques, being mindful and being zen can allow us to not only be more relaxed, but to have better awareness of what is happening around us and improve our decision-making capabilities. How do we get zen, in this context? Well firstly, let's address the myths. To be zen, you don't have to take an oath of silence. To be zen, you don't have to renounce your possessions and move to Nepal. To be zen, you don't have to join a monastery and shave your head. To be zen, you don't have to be serene as a nun and walk on a cloud. To be zen, you don't have to chant, say om or wear wooden jewelry. To be zen, you don't have to pray to Buddha, Vishnu or sacrifice a goat. You can be lively, enthusiastic, playful and profoundly powerful... all while embodying a core sense of peace. From that point of calmness, you can then make the best decisions and those decisions can save you in your time of need. You can not only survive, but thrive from the crisis - and you can laugh your way there. This is not how to be zen on a clear day sitting under a tree, with a gentle breeze coming from the east, blowing through your freshly shaved head. No, this is how you assess the reality of the crisis and clear the way to reach a point of resilience. You can be calm and analytical. You can be relaxed and strategic. You can feel all of your emotions and be mentally stable. You can survive the crisis and be a better person for it. With clear and insightful tools, we'll map out each step forward in the zen pathway. We'll address what needs to be addressed, step-by-step. We'll shine light on the blind spots you've been missing. There is no sitting in a lotus position while ignoring the disaster around you - no, these tools will improve your life in a practical and easy-to-follow way. This is mindfulness for resilience. This is for everyone who needs to get pragmatic during a crisis, no matter their background. With introspection, analysis, inner work and a lot of self-care, we take the necessary tools and connect to what is really needed during this unprecedented time. We do what needs to be done and we learn to breathe through the process. There are meditative exercises throughout to practice each level in the zen process. You will embody a new sense of self by centering yourself. Insightful, entertaining and modernly zen, How to be Zen in a Crisis is the book you need right now.

How to Be Zen in a Crisis Journal

How to Be Zen in a Crisis Journal
Author: Samantha Gordon
Publisher:
Total Pages: 100
Release: 2020-08-14
Genre:
ISBN:

How to Be Zen in a Crisis Journal is the quintessential journal for making it through life's most challenging times. Samantha Gordon offers the timely gift of mindfulness with this beautifully designed, uplifting journal for those who want to survive and thrive during and after a crisis. It is the perfect complement to the book How to be Zen in a Crisis or a fantastic standalone guided journal with space for you to reflect. The journal provides just the right amount of prompts to guide you on your journey to peace. This is an accessible zen journal for all walks of life, in every type of crisis. This is meditative reflection for when your life is on fire. This is a self-help journal for when your world is upside down - and it's not because you're doing a handstand in yoga class. Whether your crisis is a global pandemic (*ahem*), sexual harassment, a bad boss, rape, a court case, breakup, divorce, kidnap, death, injury, sickness, sociopath reeking havoc in your life, a combination of many or any sort of other impending doom... real crisis comes in many forms. It doesn't matter which particular flavor of crisis you are experiencing, they all have a similar vein of terror and panic that runs through them that requires deep self-care. You are in a crisis and it's time to pick up the pen and get zen. Throughout the journal, you are supported and encouraged to dive deep and uncover the truth of the predicament you are facing. You are guided to find the light at the end of the tunnel - or light that biotch up yourself, through the power of meditation and journaling. Journal your way to zen and liberation from the crisis. From that point of calmness, you can then make the best decisions and those decisions can save you in your time of need. Being zen, has a fundamental role in shaping your brain, whereby it can better assist you through a crisis. Numerous studies have shown that relaxation techniques and mindful journaling can allow you to not only be more relaxed, but to have better awareness of what is happening around you and improve your decision making capabilities. There is no sitting in a lotus position while ignoring the disaster around you - no, this space for self reflection will improve your life in a practical and introspective way. This is mindfulness for resilience. This is for everyone who needs to get pragmatic during a crisis, no matter your background. This is a space to articulate your thoughts and feelings. How do we get zen, in this context? Well firstly, let's address the myths. To be zen, you don't have to renounce your possessions and move to Nepal. To be zen, you don't have to chant, say om or wear wooden jewelry. To be zen, you don't have to pray to Buddha, Vishnu or sacrifice a goat. To be zen, you just need to journal and do the inner work that goes along with it. You can not only survive, but thrive from the crisis - and you can journal your way there. You can be calm and analytically assess the situation. You can be relaxed and strategically write out your plans for the next moment. You can address all of your emotions and be mentally stable. You can survive the crisis and be a better person for it. Go as deep as you want to. With introspective quotes throughout and plenty of space to act as the backdrop for your analysis and inner work, this journal gives just enough direction for you to connect to what is really needed during this unprecedented time. Together, we breathe through the process to being zen with meditative prompts. You will embody a new sense of self by centering yourself. It's cleansing. It's rewarding. It's powerful. It's fun. Beautiful, complete in its simplicity and modernly zen, How to be Zen in a Crisis Journal is the journal you need right now.

Minding the Earth, Mending the World

Minding the Earth, Mending the World
Author: Susan Murphy
Publisher: Macmillan
Total Pages: 361
Release: 2012-08-01
Genre: Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN: 1466832797

We all know our earth is in trouble. But is it beyond repair? Are we stuck with a planetary disaster we cannot hope to address?Despite the reality we find ourselves in, Zen practitioner and author Susan Murphy reminds us of the astounding intelligence and magnificence of nature and argues that not only is it not too late, but that we all have the capacity to embrace this challenge with a sense of hope and reason.By shining a sober light on the current state of emergency, Murphy delivers a brilliant rethink of the crisis we face, radically reimagining the stories we tell ourselves about the world, and illuminating the ways humanity might become the solution, rather than the problem.What if we were to choose courage and resolve, rather than fear? What if we discovered the difference each of us could make and started to listen closely to what the earth is saying, and to our own connections with it?In the tradition of the great eco-theologian Thomas Berry, Minding the Earth, Mending the World offers a profoundly hopeful second chance to engage with what it means to deeply mind the earth once more.

When Crisis Strikes

When Crisis Strikes
Author: Jennifer Love
Publisher: Citadel Press
Total Pages: 304
Release: 2020-12-29
Genre: Self-Help
ISBN: 0806540826

“An essential roadmap for our stressful world.” —David Perlmutter, MD, #1 New York Times bestselling author YOUR BRAIN’S GREATEST ENEMY? CHRONIC STRESS. LEARN HOW TO REGAIN CONTROL, LIFE BALANCE, AND WELL-BEING. FROM THE RENOWNED AMEN CLINICS Stress is an unfortunate fact of modern life, and when those stressors are catastrophic—divorce, illness, caregiving, loss—a brain under stress becomes a brain in crisis. In this invaluable guide, award-winning psychiatrist Dr. Jennifer Love and neuropsychologist Dr. Kjell Hovik explore how to heal the damage that prolonged stress can do to your brain and your health. In When Crisis Strikes you’ll learn how to prevent these side effects from hijacking your daily life. • Discover how your brain works with your body’s natural stress response system. • Learn how mental and emotional cues cause physical reactions like muscle tension, pain, lowered sex drive, and more. • Practice the five steps to relieve a stressor’s toll on your mind and your body. • Utilize the tools to deal with any life crisis. When Crisis Strikes provides hope and healing for everyone who has experienced the often-crushing weight of chronic stress. “An essential roadmap for our stressful world.” —David Perlmutter, MD, #1 New York Times bestselling author “Drs. Love and Hovik will show you the science of your stress response, the impact on your mind and body, and practical steps to feel better and come through it stronger." —Mark Hyman, MD, #1New York Times bestselling author “Charming, poignant, and profound. In the midst of an unprecedented global crisis that the COVID pandemic is, readers will find the book full of deep insights and practical advice.” —Elkhonon Goldberg, PhD, Director, Luria Neuroscience Institute and Clinical Professor of Neurology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine

Presentation Zen

Presentation Zen
Author: Garr Reynolds
Publisher: Pearson Education
Total Pages: 316
Release: 2009-04-15
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0321601890

FOREWORD BY GUY KAWASAKI Presentation designer and internationally acclaimed communications expert Garr Reynolds, creator of the most popular Web site on presentation design and delivery on the Net — presentationzen.com — shares his experience in a provocative mix of illumination, inspiration, education, and guidance that will change the way you think about making presentations with PowerPoint or Keynote. Presentation Zen challenges the conventional wisdom of making "slide presentations" in today’s world and encourages you to think differently and more creatively about the preparation, design, and delivery of your presentations. Garr shares lessons and perspectives that draw upon practical advice from the fields of communication and business. Combining solid principles of design with the tenets of Zen simplicity, this book will help you along the path to simpler, more effective presentations.

Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet

Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet
Author: Thich Nhat Hanh
Publisher: HarperCollins
Total Pages: 259
Release: 2021-10-05
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0062954830

NATIONAL BESTSELLER “When you wake up and you see that the Earth is not just the environment, the Earth is us, you touch the nature of interbeing. And at that moment you can have real communication with the Earth… We have to wake up together. And if we wake up together, then we have a chance. Our way of living our life and planning our future has led us into this situation. And now we need to look deeply to find a way out, not only as individuals, but as a collective, a species.” -- Thich Nhat Hanh We face a potent intersection of crises: ecological destruction, rising inequality, racial injustice, and the lasting impacts of a devastating pandemic. The situation is beyond urgent. To face these challenges, we need to find ways to strengthen our clarity, compassion, and courage to act. Beloved Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh is blazingly clear: there’s one thing we all have the power to change, which can make all the difference, and that is our mind. Our way of looking, seeing, and thinking determines every choice we make, the everyday actions we take or avoid, how we relate to those we love or oppose, and how we react in a crisis. Mindfulness and the radical insights of Zen meditation can give us the strength and clarity we need to help create a regenerative world in which all life is respected. Filled with Thich Nhat Hanh’s inspiring meditations, Zen stories and experiences from his own activism, as well as commentary from Sister True Dedication, one of his students Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet shows us a new way of seeing and living that can bring healing and harmony to ourselves, our relationships, and the Earth.

Upside-Down Zen

Upside-Down Zen
Author: Susan Murphy
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 298
Release: 2006-11-13
Genre: Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN: 086171279X

"Upside-Down Zen" invites readers to explore the vivid spirit of Zen Buddhism in fresh ways. Recalling, in another vein, the warm, lyrical style of Lin Jensen's "Bad Dog!, " author Susan Murphy offers a multifaceted take on the spiritual, grounded in the everyday. She uses her skills as storyteller, filmmaker, and poet to uncover the connections between Zen and Western cinema, as well as between Zen and traditions as diverse as Australian aboriginal beliefs and Jewish folktales. In the process, she finds spirituality where it has always belonged -- wherever life is happening. Murphy helps readers make sense of Zen koans, the often oversimplified and misunderstood teaching stories of the tradition, and highlights their wisdom for any reader on the spiritual path. A strong new voice in Western Buddhism, Murphy speaks for the many "unrecorded" women of Zen while bringing a lively, literate approach to a sometimes daunting genre.

Zen & the Art of the Midlife Crisis

Zen & the Art of the Midlife Crisis
Author: Kip De Moll
Publisher: CreateSpace
Total Pages: 264
Release: 2011-12-02
Genre: Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN: 9781468004656

Wrestling a sub-prime mortgage in the panic of 2008, a job to fix a toilet provides the opportunity to renovate a life. The loss of parents and two homes, a marriage ending and a business closure create a perfect storm of crisis for the author, forcing a review of his past to find solutions to live a more authentic future. A men's retreat begins a writing process, leading to a blog exposing the pain caused when, distracted by the business of life, passions go dormant. Within a year, old skis dance through moguls, instructing with his son a group of young children who teach him more about love and happiness than they learn. A dusty guitar is restrung after years of silence and new songs pour out as if guiding the author to sing a message of living passionately and following dreams. To showcase his original music, he forms a band and begins to play out, eventually making small tours and culminating on the stage of New York's famous Bitter End. On the pages in between, the book examines a childhood where the only real baggage seemed to be about a fanny pack's worth of being loved too much and suffering a father too abundant in talent to easily imitate his success. Captain of the football team who became a president of the world and a cheerleader for life, his parents modeled that anything is possible, but in retrospect, the author realizes that insidious expectations can lead to a lifetime of self-sabotage. In response, he redefines his relationship with his own son and begins to teach that communicating love is more important than setting a standard of excellence. The book opens on a moment when frustration overwhelms the author, broken down and stranded on the side of the road, forcing a decision that changes much larger in his life need to be made than just fixing his truck. In making renovations to his new apartment, he is able to recognize that his struggles in marriage and business have been the results of a deeper misalignment in his own heart. Fresh out of college in 1977 and onto Kerouac's road, in a story as dramatic as a novel, the adventure is described to build a sister's home over-looking the Pacific Ocean that ultimately changed the course of his life. Even with whales, fire and death, at the critical moment, the cliff-side idyll turned out to have actually suspended his commitment to a life as a writer instead of being the experience of inspiration he had wanted. Having adopted one family and tried again with another "from scratch", working to create a business that would make his father proud, the author finally relinquishes his desperate hold on these definitions of success and looks inward to find more satisfaction and a better relationship to the outer world.

Ecodharma

Ecodharma
Author: David Loy
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 239
Release: 2019-01-29
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1614293988

How can we respond urgently and effectively to the ecological crisis—and stay sane doing it? This landmark work is simultaneously a manifesto, a blueprint, a call to action, and a deep comfort for troubling times. David R. Loy masterfully lays out the principles and perspectives of Ecodharma—a Buddhist response to our ecological predicament, introducing a new term for a new development of the Buddhist tradition. This book emphasizes the three aspects of Ecodharma: practicing in the natural world, exploring the ecological implications of Buddhist teachings, and embodying that understanding in the eco-activism that is needed today. Within these pages, you’ll discover the powerful ways Buddhism can inspire us to heal the world we share. Offering a compelling framework and practical spiritual resources, Loy outlines the Ecosattva Path, a path of liberation and salvation for all beings and the world itself.