The author writes, "Zen culture's primary lesson is that we should start trying to experience art and the world around us rather than analyzing them. When we do this, we find that everything suddenly comes alive. If we can take this power of direct perception, sharpened by the devices of Zen art, back to everyday activities, we will find a beauty in common objects that we previously ignored. Flowers-indeed individual petals-become objects of the most intense loveliness. When we see the world with a Zen-honed awareness, our sense of the beauty in objects supplants our desire to possess them. If we allow the ancient creators of Zen culture to touch our lives, we open wider the doors of perception."Includes chronology, glossary, and bibliography for in-depth study.Lavishly illustrated with artwork and photographs. Printed on acid-free, archival-quality paper. Newly designed and typeset by Waking Lion Press.