Bøker av John Tarrant

For readers of mythology, an original and introspective journey through the life of the Buddha accompanied by 26 beautiful color illustrations and 8 meditations. From longtime Zen teacher and poet John Tarrant, this is an original retelling of the foundational myth of Buddhism--the life of the Buddha. Told and retold for centuries, this story holds a special place in the human legacy because it is, ultimately, an investigation of the nature of mind and consciousness. Literary-minded readers and fans of myths and folklore will be especially drawn to the Buddha's encounters with kings, gods, heroes, monsters, and wise teachers in his spiritual quest. In this captivating narrative, the author leans into his memories of the Egyptian and Greek myths he encountered as a child. "If we pour ourselves into the story of the Buddha," he writes, "we enter the journey from an unusual place as far as myths go; we begin where the Odyssey ends." The Buddha already had everything--a palace, family, food, wealth--yet he was suffocating with discontent. He needed to embark on a journey involving pain, searching, magic, and personal discovery. This led to his awakening and the teachings that form the basis of Buddhism. John Tarrant frames the story with an intimate, inquisitive introduction and postscript that reflect his decades of studying koans and will resonate with a broad readership. The story of the Buddha is personal--it becomes your own story, opening an unexpected path to awakening. If you listen to the images that arise in its telling, you can find where you are in life and where you are headed. The Buddha's story becomes more personal with the concluding section of reflections and eight meditations about his life drawn from the Zen tradition. The book's gorgeous full-color historical illustrations of characters and events in the Buddha's life enrich the narrative journey. This lovely little book is a meaningful gift or addition to your own bedside or coffee table.

In this landmark guide to the spiritual journey, respected Zen teacher and psychotherapist John Tarrant brings together ancient Eastern traditions and the Western passion for the soul. Using real-life stories, Zen tales, and Greek myths, The Light Inside the Dark shows how our darkest experiences can be the gates to wisdom and joy. Tarrant leads us through the inevitable descents of our journey--from the everyday world of work and family into the treasure cave of the interior life--from which we return with greater love of life's vivid, common gifts. Written with empathy and a poet's skill, The Light Inside the Dark is the freshest and most challenging work on the soul to he published in years.

Bring Me the Rhinoceros is an unusual guide to happiness and a can opener for your thinking. For fifteen hundred years, Zen koans have been passed down through generations of masters, usually in private encounters between teacher and student. This book deftly retells more than a dozen traditional koans, which are partly paradoxical questions dangerous to your beliefs and partly treasure boxes of ancient wisdom. Koans show that you don't have to impress people or change into an improved, more polished version of yourself. Instead you can find happiness by unbuilding, unmaking, throwing overboard, and generally subverting unhappiness. John Tarrant brings the heart of the koan tradition out into the open, reminding us that the old wisdom remains as vital as ever, a deep resource available to anyone in any place or time.