A 1957 book by Paul Reps titled “Zen Flesh, Zen Bones” cited the teachings of Soyen Shaku, the first Zen Buddhist master to teach in the United States, who implored people to meditate each morning, eat and rest at regular hours, and “watch what you say and whatever you say, practice it.”
A Western audience found these thoughts so appealing that the book had facilitated the rise of Zen among teachers, students, and practitioners in the United States even to this day.
And there’s no reason to think that the appeal of Zen living had waned, given the increasingly frenetic pace of today’s lifestyle. In fact, Zen teachings continue to be seen as an antidote to the stresses and anxieties …
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