The Crow Flies Backwards and Other New Zen Koans
Buddhism
Synthetic audio, Automated braille
Summary
Discover how the mysterious powerful form of the koan known for bringing about sudden enlightenment can disrupt and illuminate your everyday understanding of life Traditionally Zen koans the teaching stories of Zen… are drawn from the words and teachings of ancient masters and primarily address the concerns of male monastic practitioners In The Crow Flies Backward Ross Bolleter changes all at The 108 modern koans offered within address sexuality and childbirth family parenthood work money and even the nature time itself These koans are drawn from a variety of modern sources Western philosophy the Bible contemporary and classic literature from Proust to Lewis Carroll and Mary Oliver and Anne Carson as well as stories provided by author s encounters with his Zen students Bolleter s commentaries provide guidance to the reader on how to engage with each koan and koans in general and direct guidance to meditate with koans An appendix offers rarely-seen intimate and in-depth accounts of the process of koan introspection from four of the author s senior students