Burk - Idiots Guides: Zen Living

No one likes a know-it-all. Most of us realize theres no such thinghow could there be? The world is far too complicated for someone to understand everything there is to know. So when you come across a know-it-all, you smile to yourself as they ramble on because you know better.

You understand that the quest for knowledge is a never-ending one, and youre okay with that. You have no desire to know everything, just the next thing. You know what you dont know, youre confident enough to admit it, and youre motivated to do something about it.

At Idiots Guides, we, too, know what we dont know, and we make it our business to find out. We find really smart people who are experts in their fields and then we roll up our sleeves and get to work, asking lots of questions and thinking long and hard about how best to pass along their knowledge to you in the easiest, most-accessible way possible.

After all, thats our promiseto make whatever you want to learn As Easy as It Gets. That means giving you a well-organized design that seamlessly and effortlessly guides you from page to page, topic to topic. It means controlling the pace youre asked to absorb new informationnot too much at once but just what you need to know right now. It means giving you a clear progression from easy to more difficult. It means giving you more instructional steps wherever necessary to really explain the details. And it means giving you fewer words and more illustrations wherever its better to show rather than tell.

So here you are, at the start of something new. The next chapter in your quest. It can be an intimidating place to be, but youve been here before and so have we. Clear your mind and turn the page. By the end of this book, you wont be a know-it-all, but your world will be a little less complicated than it was before. And well be sure your journey is as easy as it gets.

Mike Sanders
Publisher, Idiots Guides

To Bob Orman, without whose encouragement I would probably never have written this book, and to John Burk, my companion in this life.

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IDIOTS GUIDES and Design are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

International Standard Book Number: 978-1-61564-432-2
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2013945254

16151487654321

Interpretation of the printing code: The rightmost number of the first series of numbers is the year of the books printing; the rightmost number of the second series of numbers is the number of the books printing. For example, a printing code of 14-1 shows that the first printing occurred in 2014.

Printed in the United States of America

Note: This publication contains the opinions and ideas of its author. It is intended to provide helpful and informative material on the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the author and publisher are not engaged in rendering professional services in the book. If the reader requires personal assistance or advice, a competent professional should be consulted. The author and publisher specifically disclaim any responsibility for any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents of this book.

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Publisher:Mike Sanders

Executive Managing Editor:Billy Fields

Executive Acquisitions Editor:Lori Cates Hand

Development Editor:John Etchison

Senior Production Editor:Janette Lynn

Cover/Book Designer:William Thomas

Indexer:Johnna VanHoose Dinse

Layout:Ayanna Lacey

Proofreader:Jeanne Clark

Introduction

If youve picked up this book, youre at least a little curious about Zen. Over the last 20 years, its become more and more likely that your curiosity was piqued because you know someone who practices Zen, or because you encountered references to Zen in popular culture. This book contains just about everything I could think of to tell you about Zen, but I hope it wont satisfy your curiosity. As the title of this book suggests, Zen is about living, so ideally you will always maintain your sense of curiosity about it.

Many books about Zen are wary of telling you about all the wonderful ways Zen practice can change your life, because they dont want to hook you in with promises and then have you find out Zen takes a lot of work. Zen doesnt actually offer you any solutions or answers; it just teaches you how to find them for yourself. In the end, its up to you, and no guru, book, or seminar can unlock the potential of your life unless you actively participate in a long, sometimes arduous, process.

Still, many of us who practice Zen can remember the first time we picked up a book about Zen that really made sense to us: it was like a ray of sunshine had broken through all the clouds and illuminated our life. Alternatively, your first real encounter with Zen may feel like a breath of fresh air, or finding a life boat when youre stranded in the middle of the ocean.