Status
Available
Collection
Publication
H J Kramer (2000), Edition: First Edition, 269 pages
Description
While living in London, Ray Brooks became troubled by feelings of emptiness and despair. Faced with a growing sense of the shallowness of his life, he left the city, met his second wife, and embarked on a path of self-discovery that led to Tokyo and the study the ancient art of shakuhachi Zen flute. With intuition leading the way, Brooks goes straight to the heart of Zen through imitation and incredibly focused practice. The path he follows leads to a wondrous spontaneity that fuses art and self, mind, body, and spirit. Blowing Zen is at once an insightful odyssey through Japan, India, and the Britain, a memoir, and a journey of transformation.
Language
ISBN
0915811855 / 9780915811854
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Library's review
As a young, up and coming electrical engineer living in England, Ray Brooks had everything he could want--a high paying job, late nights, and fast cars. All he was missing in his life was the meaning. A series of events brought him to Japan, where he met a man who played the shakuhachi, an ancient
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Japanese flute. That fortuitous interaction motivated Brooks to embark on a journey to learn this very difficult instrument. Through playing the shakuhachi, he began to understand the Zen discipline that is a crucial aspect of Japanese culture. This understanding greatly changed his outlook on life, putting him in touch with his authentic self. Blowing Zen's humor and its irresistible story of cultures converging lets the underlying message come through without preachiness: life is about finding your true calling, not just what brings you superficial joy. Brooks' spontaneous approach to the collaboration of art, mind, body, and spirit is inspiring and instructive. Show Less
Pages
269