Zen beyond Mindfulness: Using Buddhist and Modern Psychology for Transformational Practice

(Paperback)

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An effective new approach to Buddhist practice that combines the rigor of traditional meditation and study with the psychological support necessary for practice in lay life. An effective new approach to Buddhist practice that combines the rigor of traditional meditation and study with the psychological support necessary for practice in modern life. Zen teacher Jules Shuzen Harris argues that contemporary American Buddhists face two primary challenges- (1) "spiritual bypassing," which means avoiding or repressing psychological problems in favor of "pretend Enlightenment," and (2) settling for secularized forms of Buddhism or mindfulness that have lost touch with the deeper philosophical and ethical underpinnings of the religion. Drawing on his decades of experience as a Zen practitioner, teacher, and psychotherapist, Harris writes that both of these challenges can be met through the combination of a committed meditation practice, a deep study of Buddhist psychological models, and tools from a psychotherapeutic method known as "Mind-Body Bridging." Using this unique approach, students can do the real work of awakening without either denying their embodied emotional life or missing out on the rich array of insights offered by Buddhist psychology and the Zen practice tradition.

Reviews

I cant think of a more qualified and appropriate person to take on the task of developing a contemporary technique for using mindfulness as a path of self-discovery and peace.from the foreword by Roshi Pat Enkyo OHara

An in-depth read for a new way of thinkingthis book is a great contribution to American Buddhism.Norman Oberstein, CEO, Frederick P. Lenz Foundation for American Buddhism

A practical workbook blending modern psychology with ancient wisdom, Zen Beyond Mindfulness leaves a breadcrumb trail to awakening. Dr. Harris clearly has a love affair with truth and the potentiality of human individual evolution. Enlightenment can bang on his door at 3 a.m. and he will always get up and make time.Dr. Conrad Fischer, MD, Program Director, Brookdale Hospital Medical Center

Buddhism has a history of adapting to the culture of a country where it is introduced. In the West, that adaptation includes the merging of modern psychology with traditional Buddhism. In Zen beyond Mindfulness, Shuzen Harris makes a significant contribution to this dialogue. Shuzen tackles difficult Buddhist subjects with a clarity and writing style that renders them accessible to the reader. He then fuses those subjects with the psychology of I-systems to help students of Zen to dissolve emotional and psychological barriers to deepening their meditation practice. Due to his many years of direct experience, Shuzen brings a profound understanding to both Zen and psychology that makes this book particularly relevant and beneficial.Gerry Shishin Wick, author of The Book of Equanimity: Illuminating Classic Zen Koans

Zen beyond Mindfulness will enable both new and seasoned practitioners to gain a better understanding of how the mind works. A compelling teaching guide imbued with boundless wisdom and clarity, this book is a twenty-first-century teaching that will stand the test of time!Heila and Rodney Downey, Guiding Teacher and Abbot of the Dharma Center, Cape Town, South Africa

A refreshing alternative to the profusion of mindfulness literature.Publishers Weekly

Author Bio

Jules Shuzen Harris is a psychotherapist and Zen teacher, founder, and abbot of Soji Zen Center in Lansdowne, Pennsylvania. Based on his decades of experience working with Zen students and psychotherapy clients, he has created a powerful method that combines the rigor of Zen practice, psychological insights of early Buddhism, and tools from a contemporary psychotherapeutic method known as "Mind-Body Bridging." He is a dharma heir of Pat Enkyo O'Hara and has practiced with many other Zen teachers, including John Daido Loori and Dennis Genpo Merzel. Born in a working-class town outside of Philadelphia, Harris is the first African-American to have received transmission in the Soto Zen tradition. He has a black belt in the Japanese martial arts of Iaido and Kendo and has published a number of articles inTricycle,Buddhadharma, andLion's Roarmagazines.