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by Ciska Shizuka Matthes (Author), Ciska Shizuka Matthes (Photographer), Harada Tangen (Other)
In 1999, Ciska Shizuka Matthes moves from Amsterdam to Japan to receive traditional Zen training in a real monastery. As an impulsive, headstrong young woman, she is in for quite a challenge. She has to find her way among the monks, in a world where women always come second. While she learns to adapt to the many rituals, the discomfort of the intense cold and the long hours of sitting zazen, she also has to cope with the many scoldings she receives from her loving Zen master, Harada Tangen. This old master makes a profound impression on everyone who comes to meet him. As a young man, he trained to be a kamikaze pilot in World War II but was miraculously spared by fate and brought to the Zen Way, which he embraced wholeheartedly. Harada Tangen roshi's Zen leaves no room for any kind of egotism, and at the same time is full of compassion and joy. Now, so many years later, Matthes describes her experience at the time with mildness, insight and a sense of humor. She tells of humility, gratitude, connectedness and perseverance. Sometimes comical situations arise, like when wild animals come down from the mountain to plunder the monastery's vegetable garden, or when one of the neighbors comes up in his pajamas to complain about the noise when everyone in the zendo is shouting 'Mu!' at the top of their lungs. There are also deeply touching moments: the desperate mother who lost her baby in a random shooting and seeks out the Zen master to pour out her heart. Or the shabby young father whose presence is tolerated, out of compassion, despite him stealing money from the temple shrine. Throughout the stories, readers become intimately acquainted with the wise old master and are uplifted by his warm and generous spirit. At the same time, they will feel for the wild young woman struggling to adapt to life at the Zen temple. All in all, the book offers a thorough introduction to the world of Zen. Matthes' account of her time in Japan combines amusing anecdotes and a healthy dose of self-deprecating humor with profound, insightful and deeply moving moments. It is a heart-warming book that will inspire and touch every reader, from experienced Zen practitioners to the uninitiated. "A most precious book, deeply moving in its unrelenting honesty as well as its display of love for Zen practice and for the old Zen master, Harada Tangen roshi." - Roshi Irène Kaigetsu Bakker, Dharma heir to Roshi Joan Halifax and Spirit Holder of the Zen Peacemakers
