Bringing the Sacred to Life: The Daily Practice of Zen Ritual (Dharma Communications) [Paperback]

John Daido Loori (Author)

Book Description

Series: Dharma Communications | Publication Date: March 11, 2008

Zen rituals—such as chanting, bowing, lighting incense before the Buddha statue—are ways of recognizing the sacredness in all of life. A ritual is simply a deliberate and focused moment that symbolizes the care with which we should be approaching all of life, and practicing the Zen liturgy is a way of cultivating this quality of attention in order to bring it to everything we do. Here, John Daido Loori demystifies the details of the Zen rituals and highlights their deeper meaning and purpose. We humans are all creatures of ritual, he teaches, whether we recognize it or not. Even if we don’t make ritual part of some religious observance, we still fall into ritual behavior, whether it be our daily grooming sequence or the way we have our morning coffee and paper. We run through our personal rituals unconsciously most of the time, but there is great value to introducing meaningful symbolic rituals into our lives and to performing them deliberately and mindfully—because the way we do ritual affects the way we live the rest of our lives. The book includes instructions for a simple Zen home liturgy, as it is practiced by students of the Mountains and Rivers Order of Zen.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

John Daido Loori (1931–2009) was one of the West's leading Zen masters. He was the founder and spiritual leader of the Mountains and Rivers Order and abbot of Zen Mountain Monastery. His work has been most noted for its unique adaptation of traditional Asian Buddhism into an American context, particularly with regard to the arts, the environment, social action, and the use of modern media as a vehicle of spiritual training and social change. Loori was an award-winning photographer and videographer. His art and wildlife photography formed the core of a unique teaching program that integrated art and wilderness training by cultivating a deep appreciation of the relationship of Zen to our natural environment. He was a dharma heir of the influential Japanese Zen master Taizan Maezumi Roshi and he authored many books.

Product Details

• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: Shambhala; 1st Printing edition (March 11, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590305337
• ISBN-13: 978-1590305331
• Product Dimensions: 5 x 0.4 x 7.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #640,208 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Short but valuable!, February 22, 2011

By 

shards - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bringing the Sacred to Life: The Daily Practice of Zen Ritual (Dharma Communications) (Paperback)

Small little book with a great deal of value. Beyond being a good read, as all of Daido Roshi's books, this book sits in my altar as a reference for the wonderful liturgies contains.

3 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Removing the veil between sacred and ordinary life, June 1, 2008

By 

Valerie Herres - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Bringing the Sacred to Life: The Daily Practice of Zen Ritual (Dharma Communications) (Paperback)

Bringing the Sacred to Life opens the imaginary door between ordinary life and the sacred. John Daido Loori speaks to the heart of the matter. This book inpired and challenged me. Not just for Zen students, Bringing the Sacred to Life breaks through duality for all readers, those who practice Buddhism and those who don't.

3 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely, April 18, 2008

By 

Elaine DiRico "zennita" (Austin, Tx USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Bringing the Sacred to Life: The Daily Practice of Zen Ritual (Dharma Communications) (Paperback)

As a professional Celebrant, the idea of sanctifying daily life is very appealing. This is a lovely and serene book, very useful for reminding myself of my 'other life' in times of stress.