davidreitz 's review for:

Buddhism Is Not What You Think: Finding Freedom Beyond Beliefs by Steve Hagen

4.25

inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing slow-paced

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This book was very reflective and thought provoking. I knew very little about Buddhism, I felt like this book did a great job explaining the practice of Zen and demystifying enlightenment, bringing it into an everyday worldview.

I highly reccomend anyone to read this book if you like to really take your time reflecting on the nature of reality and the bigger questions. The author does a good job at simplifying these questions, however I do think at times things are oversimplified. There is no mention of mental illness, which I would have liked to see.

For example at one point he says "all humans want to live"

but this is simply not true. There is a general mention about how Zen practice can help alleviate suffering of the mind, but not how mental illness can interfere with the practice of Zen.

I still highly recommend this book if nothing else but the experience of reflecting and living in the present moment.