{"product_id":"blowing-zen-finding-an-authentic-life-paperback","title":"Blowing Zen: Finding an Authentic Life - Paperback","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eRay Brooks\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAs a young, up and coming electrical engineer living in England, Ray Brooks had everything he could want--a high paying job, late nights, and fast cars. All he was missing in his life was the meaning.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAs a young, up and coming electrical engineer living in England, Ray Brooks had everything he could want--a high paying job, late nights, and fast cars. All he was missing in his life was the meaning. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eA series of events brought him to Japan, where he met a man who played the shakuhachi, an ancient Japanese flute. That fortuitous interaction motivated Brooks to embark on a journey to learn this very difficult instrument. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThrough playing the shakuhachi, he began to understand the Zen discipline that is a crucial aspect of Japanese culture. This understanding greatly changed his outlook on life, putting him in touch with his authentic self. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eBlowing Zen's humor and its irresistible story of cultures converging lets the underlying message come through without preachiness: life is about finding your true calling, not just what brings you superficial joy. Brooks' spontaneous approach to the collaboration of art, mind, body, and spirit is inspiring and instructive. \u003cbr\u003eThis uplifting memoir has been entrancing readers since its release in 2000, and it is now being re-released with a new chapter and lots of photographs. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThis is the expanded and revised edition with photos.\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eRay Brooks, a British musician, composer, writer and teacher, is internationally known in the world of shakuhachi music. He has studied with Japanese shakuhachi masters, learned to play a variety of wind instruments (such as the Balinese Suling flute), mastered circular breathing under the tutelage of Tibetan monks, and studied tabla with an Indian master. He has held small solo shakuhachi concerts in Zen temples throughout Japan and has performed with Akikazu Nakamura, Japan's premier flute player. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eRay has been interviewed by NHK television in Japan and various radio stations in Canada and Europe. He gives workshops in breath work, speaks about the effect of Zen on his life, and performs concerts at Zen centers, Buddhist gatherings, universities, music academies, and spiritual centers throughout the United States, Europe, Japan, and Canada. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eHis most recent CD, entitled Hollow Bell, on the New Albion label, includes all the pieces of music mentioned in Blowing Zen. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAn avid traveler, Ray has journeyed throughout the Far East, walked the world's highest valley in the Himalayas, and trekked through the mountains of Northern India and Nepal. He now lives in Victoria, B.C. with his wife, Dianne.\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 287\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.62 x 7.08 x 5.09 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e May 16, 2011\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53425640603955,"sku":"9781591811701","price":31.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0300\/5595\/6612\/files\/l4dGgnmIi19781591811701.webp?v=1780520057","url":"https:\/\/www.vysn.com\/products\/blowing-zen-finding-an-authentic-life-paperback","provider":"VYSN","version":"1.0","type":"link"}