Yesterday I posted a selected bibliography of books on Zen posted at the Boundless Way website. I decided I would like to try my own hand at creating a reading list. And, so, here it is. Thirty-nine books (I started with thirty-six, but people have noted omissions, etc, and so, this list is a bit on the dynamic side) I think helpful for someone who wishes to practice Zen Buddhism. If You’re Going to Read Only One Book Taking the... Read more

A selected bibliography recommended at Boundless Way Zen, with links for books by Boundless Way authors. BEGINNING ZAZEN Zen Meditation in Plain English Taking the Path of Zen Hardcore Zen NEXT STEPS The Book of Mu Realizing Genjokoan Opening the Hand of Thought Living by Vow Zen Master WHO? If You’re Lucky, Your Heart Will Break The Heart of Understanding Heart of the Universe Unlimiting Mind ORDINARY MIND IS THE WAY Saying Yes To Life (Even the Hard Parts) This... Read more

I just received this in the mail. I asked the author, Dr David Andersen for permission to post it here, and he generously allowed this. It is a rejoinder to comments I made about the relationship between science and Buddhism in my 2006 book Zen Master Who: A Guide to the People and Stories of Zen. I thought he fairly summarized my position and offered a critique of it. My only caveat is I’m pretty sure I didn’t juxtapose secular... Read more

The Two Truths of Unitarian Universalism and the Middle Way of Liberal Religion A Homily James Ishmael Ford 9 September 2012 First Unitarian Church Providence, Rhode Island Welcome. Welcome home. I grew up rarely very far from the Pacific Ocean. Even when I couldn’t see it, I always knew where it was. Some atavistic part of my being always oriented toward it, toward that ocean, toward some ancient home from which we came, and to which, somehow, in my bones,... Read more

In one of those sometimes delicious ironies, on a morning when I’m posting posts on Facebook encouraging people to come to the church I serve tomorrow, and maybe even to bring a friend or two, to then read a blog posting from a friend expressing relief that he doesn’t belong to a spiritual tradition that proselytizes. That tradition is our shared Zen Buddhism. Actually, my Unitarian Universalism is like my Zen Buddhism here in the West, decidedly not inclined to... Read more

According to somebody’s calculations this is the day in the year 70 that the general and later emperor Titus and his three Roman legions entered Jerusalem. They burnt the temple to the ground and sacked the city. This historian Josephus claimed over a million people died in the siege and sacking. I noticed this, and paused to think of one of those great turning moments in world history. Now, what happened to James the Just, the brother of Jesus, and... Read more

A busy day in history. ON this day in 1492, Columbus would depart from La Gomera in the Canary Islands, on his way to the East Indies. Something would stop him. On this day in 1620 a gaggle of Puritans, shaking off the irons of the Anglican tyranny and seeking that precious freedom to persecute others, sailed from Plymouth, England. On this day in 1847, Henry Thoreau abandoned his cabin in the woods and moved in with his mentor Ralph... Read more

One of the great lines last night came from San Antonio mayor Julian Castro. “My mother fought so that instead of a mop, I could hold this microphone.” I found it so inspiring. Then I read one column that took the mayor to task for demeaning the dignity of holding a mop. I find this sort of comment so off the mark. Well meaning, I’m sure. But so off the mark. Aspiring to something, and being grateful in achieving in... Read more

Driving into the church this morning I heard the most amazing story of Abel Meeropol. As Elizabeth Blair says: “One of Billie Holiday’s most iconic songs is “Strange Fruit,” a haunting protest against the inhumanity of racism. Many people know that the man who wrote the song was inspired by a photograph of a lynching. But they might not realize that he’s also tied to another watershed moment in America’s history. The man behind “Strange Fruit” is New York City’s... Read more

On this day in 1927, Walt Disney released Trolley Troubles, the first Oswald the Lucky Rabbit cartoon. In a long struggle over rights and most of all money, Disney walked away and soon after came up with a new character, who looked strangely like Oswald. See for yourself… Read more