Zen beyond Mindfulness
By Jules Shuzen Harris
Foreword by Pat Enkyo O'Hara
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.
"An in-depth read for a new way of thinking—this 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