Tim Langdell

THIS "HIGHLY RECOMMENDED" BOOK has the goal of being both the most comprehensive introduction to date to all forms of Zen Buddhism, yet also a concise summary suitable for both beginners and seasoned followers of the Zen path. It covers the history of Zen since its beginnings as Chan Buddhism in China, through its spread to Korea, Japan and Vietnam, and then more recently to the West. Details are given of the practice of Zen in the West, what to expect when one attends a Zen center, what the options are for practicing Zen, and a brief summary of the principles of Zen. This book has many first-hand reports and stories of experiences at Zen centers, as well as a section on why one might wish to follow the Zen path and what the benefits of doing so can be."So many books on Zen today merely regurgitate dead words from the realm of intellectual thinking, and/or perpetuate misunderstandings of what the practice of Zen is all about. Tim Langdell presents a broad and lucid overview of the history and modern practice of Zen from his decades of practice and insight. He clears up, as best one can in words, the practical aspects of Zen, while conveying the mysterious yet simple truth of how to walk the path to being present in this moment. I highly recommend it " -DR. RICHARD GEUNGSAN SEARS author of Mindfulness: Living through Challenges and Enriching Your Life in This Moment, and Guiding Teacher, Five Mountain Zen Order"This book would be an excellent choice for someone who is very new to Zen or has perhaps found Zen to be either too confusing or too challenging. It would also be a good choice for readers who may have a romanticized idea of Zen, since it gives a realistic view of what practicing Zen is actually like in contemporary Western sanghas (groups)." -SENSEI GYOKEI YOKOYAMA Abbot, Sozenji Buddhist Temple and Long Beach Buddhist ChurchA straight-forward and welcoming introduction to Zen practices, Tim Langdell's approach will appeal to anyone who is newly curious about this form of Buddhism. -SUSAN SUNTREE author of Wisdom of East: Stories of Compassion, Inspiration, and Love and Sacred Sites: The Secret History of Southern California

"In this brave and beautifully written book, Tim Langdell reveals the profound connections between the vision and practice of the Buddha and Jesus. Buddhists and Christians will be immeasurably helped by this work and so will seekers on all paths who value teachings that stress non-dual union with the real. This is both an impressive contribution and a moving personal testimony to a rigorous spiritualpath and I salute and recommend it unhesitatingly." -ANDREW HARVEY, author of "Son of Man: The Mystical Path to Christ" and "Journey in Ladakh""Written in the spirit of Thomas Merton's Mystics and Zen Masters and Zen and the Birds of Appetite, this book brings out into the open the rich affinities between Buddhism and Contemplative Christianity." -JAMES FINLEY, author of "Merton's Palace of Nowhere" and "Jesus and Buddha: paths to awakening" (Audio recording with Richard Rohr)"Christ Way, Buddha Way gives us a Buddhist reading of Christianity and a Christian reading of Zen Buddhism. He shares his journey of encounter and synthesis and outlines a path between that we can all walk. I recommend it."-JAMES ISHMAEL FORD, author of "Introduction to Zen Koans: Learning the Language of Dragons"RE-VIEWING Christ's teachings and the gospels again as if for the first time, Jesus emerges as a profoundwisdom teacher, whose teachings had a lot in common with those of Buddha. This book explores Christ'steachings on non-duality and his guidance on how to reach unity, oneness with God, through what he called metanoia--going beyond (meta) thought (noia)--through kenosis (self-emptying). What emerges is a strong connection between Christ's teachings and Buddhism that reveals Jesus was clearly familiar withBuddhist teachings. By viewing Christ's teachings through the lens of Zen, common themes emerge thatenable the author to recreate what Christ called "The Way." What emerges is a whole new view of Christianity for the 21st Century: Christ as wisdom teacher, Christ as a teacher of non-dual awareness, and as a guide to living fully in the present moment.

This book explains in detail what it is like to be losing sight, legally blind, or fully blind, and also documents why today's exciting technological advances and medical solutions are lifting limitations for the visually impaired. Dr. Cheri Langdell, a professor of English, and Dr. Tim Langdell, a clinical psychologist and digital media expert, take us through personal, psychological, sociological, and cultural perspectives on blindness, and—perhaps surprisingly—show us some of the benefits nearly blind and blind people have found after vision loss. These benefits include what some describe as heightening of the other senses, deepening spiritual sight, and stronger insights into the human condition. Through literature, media, and cinema across the ages, the authors focus attention on how the masses worldwide who are sighted view, and treat, the blind and legally blind. Coping with Vision Loss: Understanding the Psychological, Social, and Spiritual Effects also includes non-fiction written about and by the blind that gives great insight into their condition. The text explains what the visually impaired and blind can do to stay strong and live their lives to the fullest, as well as what family members and friends can do to help when needed, or to back off when one wants to be as independent as possible. Technological advances to assist the blind and legally blind are reviewed, as are websites for a host of organizations created to assist people with vision loss.