Bøger udgivet af Hohm Press

Zen Fragments is a concise, lively presentation of the teachings of Reiryu Philippe Coupey, a Western Zen monk firmly rooted in the modern world. The book is based on 8 years of oral teachings given during zazen at the Paris dojo, Seine Zen, or in various retreats organized in France and Germany from 2003-2010. These teachings are supplemented by a series of essays written directly by the author and touching upon more personal and often poetic subjects, all of which enhance the core of the teaching he so brilliantly represents. Philippe Coupey is American born, but first encountered the practice of Zen Buddhism in France through the Japanese monk Taisen Deshimaru. Since 1972, the practice and transmission of Zen Buddhism has been his priority. Thanks to his dedication, we now have access to a demanding teaching derived from a thousand-year-old tradition, and yet totally adapted to our contemporary lives without the need to refer to psychology, vegetarianism and other newly adapted Zen subjects. This teaching is relevant to humanity today becausebeyond frontiers, social, ethnic and religious differences, and the gaps we imagine between our inner life and our social dutiesit urges us to rediscover the essential within ourselves, so that we can approach the world with a continually fresh mind, embracing opposites. And so, beyond the words that make up this book, Philippe Coupey constantly suggests that, as is true within the most ancient traditions, we experience this new spirit for ourselves. The underlying message here is not to cling to the extremesleft/right, good/bad, love/hate, etc.which only leads to the separation of one thing from another, and is the origin of many of society's biggest problems today. Frankness of style distinguishes Philippe Coupey's (and Deshimaru's) writing from that of many American Zen writers: for example, those in the Suzuki and Maezumi lineages. Like Deshimaru before him, Coupey has never tried to soften the impact of his words, finding the raw, unreserved approach more in keeping with the ancient masters. Having practiced with his master Taisen Deshimaru until his death in 1982, Philippe has continued to transmit his teaching since that time, in France, Germany and elsewhere in Europe. He is a member and officer of the International Zen Association (AZI), founded by Master Taisen Deshimaru, and is Master in the Sangha sans Demeure, Seine Zen, which together number 400-500 persons.

Blindspot exposes the unseen distinctions that exist among the ways that people seek the Big Answers to the questions posed by life, the universe, and everything. When most people speak about God or Truth or the Divine, Campion asserts, they aren't actually talking about anything divine or godly at all -- whether they are believers, unbelievers or undecided. Whatever their posture toward these matters, they betray an almost universal "unseeingness" about what the entire spiritual enterprise is actually about -- its rules, codes, even its final aim. They are blind to what the great sages of the world's religious and philosophical traditions have pointed to forever -- which also happen to converge with the discoveries of contemporary science as it grapples with the nature of consciousness. At its core, this book is about the blind spot that prevents us from knowing who we are. In revealing this obliviousness, the author dives into the perspective that is commonly known as "nonduality," the principle that lies at the core of all world wisdom traditions, including the scientific ones. The reasons for what Campion has dubbed "Blindspot" may be understandable, yet as he shows in brilliant, and often humorous detail, its costs to the individual, to humanity in general, to the planet as a whole, are high, indeed. In a word, confusion. In another word, suffering. Although there are numerous books available today about nonduality, only Blindspot addresses the critical distinctions that exist between the conventional approaches to spirituality -- indeed, to life itself -- and the nondual approaches. Plus, how these same distinctions also play out in the sciences. Moss Campion is a qualified commentator, having immersed himself in the mystery of consciousness all his life, both in the context of his personal circumstances and also in his work with patients in the hospital setting. Along the way he studied with many esteemed teachers and guides, in both the animal and plant kingdoms.

The many individuals who anonymously contributed to this book had one thing in common. Each one met (in person or in dreams) and spent time with (sometimes hours, sometimes decades) the American-born spiritual teacher, Lee Lozowick (1943-2010). This is not a chronological collection, nor a compilation of dharmic teachings. It is rather a testimony to a human being who devoted his life to the benefit of others. Not necessarily to their worldly accomplishments although he was a passionate advocate for our success in various arts, and our business ventures but primarily to the realization of our true nature, the possibility of surrender to and love for God, and the liberation from the prison of our limitations. Many words and phrases have been used to describe this man Lee including "Indian saint," as applied by his own spiritual master, Yogi Ramsuratkumar, the beggar-saint of Tiruvannamalai, South India; "Anjenaya," a name for the deity Hanuman who was ever faithful to his beloved Lord Rama; and "Khépa," which means "mad for the Divine." Some descriptors indicated Lee's fierceness with ego. Others captured his crazy-wisdom approach or demeanor in everything from his mode of dress (in wearing used items picked out of a recycled clothing bin) to his rock n' roll persona, so lavishly displayed as a singer in his rock bands (LGB or liars, gods and beggars and his European group, the Lee Lozowick Project), along with his blues band (SHRI). They referred to his uncompromising and often loudly enunciated stand for the purity of the teaching, especially within the coterie of new-age wannabe-yogis and yoginis, whose empty promises filled the spiritual magazines of his day and attracted thousands of gullible seekers to their programs. The reader here will find less of the fierce and more of the simply kind. Less of the crazy and more of the shockingly generous. Less of the uncompromising and more of the quietly surrendered Lee. This book is a tapestry of sorts, a patchwork jacket, full of the many different colors that this wisdom teacher, Lee, wore and shared. Taken together, they create an intimate display of an extraordinary ordinary man. A man who, in his own words, wanted to be remembered as one who "made us laugh."

While countless memoirs exist written by Zen students and teachers, few are as engaging and as tantalizing as Taisen Deshimaru's. Looking back at his early life, growing up in Japan, from the viewpoint of his status as a Zen teacher in Paris, the author reflects on his earliest misadventures¯from defacing a valuable painting of Bodhidharma as a child, to turning the “Zen stick” on a young monk during a retreat. Adventures abound with stories about alcohol and women, during his student years, and his activities during World War II in working for the arms industry in Malaysia, where he was sympathetic to the underground freedom movement. This first English-language translation of Taisen Deshimaru's autobiography will be prized for its clear and honest documentation of this great master's life. Many people all over the world have been influenced by Deshimaru's Zen teachings, especially his book on Zen and the martial arts. This memoir fills an important gap in our knowledge of his teacher, Kodo Sawaki's influence on the world of Zen. The story of how Deshimaru met Sawaki as a boy, even slept in the same room with him, and later received monastic ordination is the story of a lifelong friendship of two extraordinary characters in the history of modern Zen. Deshimaru's influence extends beyond Zen practitioners, though, especially in those interested in the martial arts, as he touches on his martial arts experience as a young man and offers a look into the master's early training. Additional interest extends to historians who recount the supposed “scandals” of Zen masters' participation in the war effort. Although Deshimaru's viewpoint is decidedly subjective, he was intimately acquainted with priests and generals alike, and approaches the difficult subject with a refreshing lack of judgmental disdain which counterbalances many other more lopsided works.

HOLY MADNESS explores the religious phenomenon referred to as crazy wisdom -- the purposefully outrageous, convention-destroying behaviour of spiritual adepts in every great tradition, from Christian Fools for Christ through the Sufi Path of Blame, to the charismatic leaders of new religions. The author explores the core of the spiritual process through eight critical in-depth cameos of holy madness in action in the lives of eight contemporaries, including Chgyam Trungpa, Bhagwan Rajneesh and Aleister Crowley. This revised and expanded edition includes a new assessment of the American guru Adi Da (formerly Da Free John) and the psychopathology of blind faith, using the example of Shoko Asahara (founder of Japan's infamous terrorist sect AUM). The author offers guidelines for choosing a wise, enlightened guide or guru, and tips for avoiding the exploitative.

Lee Lozowick a choisi un chemin difficile, non parce qu'il enseigne selon les voies de la folle sagesse, mais parce qu'il enseigne le genre de choses que si peu d'oreilles sont disposées à entendre.Ce livre, l'auteur n'a de cesse de nous le rappeler, ne traite pas de techniques à même d'améliorer notre vie sexuelle. Il étudie plutôt la possibilité de se servir de l'énergie sexuelle et de l'union sexuelle comme d'une voie de passage conduisant à une vie transformée.En ce sens, Lee Lozowick vise à faire plus qu'informer ses lecteurs. Il veut créer en eux un espace d'émerveillement, afin qu'ils puissent s'ouvrir à une sagesse supérieure et à la possibilité d'effectuer une transformation authentique dans le cadre le leur vie. Il a aussi la réputation de ne pas mâcher ses mots, mais la raison d'une telle honnêteté est facile à definer : la vie est précieuse et nous devons aller à l'essentiel.