Description
By (author) Yen Ooi
Short /annotation:
In her fascinating new book, East Asian scholar Yen Ooi looks at how we can tap into the wisdom of ancient Zen philosophy to better connect with our children.
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Zen philosophy has largely been associated with finding peace within ourselves, but in this brilliant new book, East Asian scholar Dr Yen Ooi shows how ancient Zen wisdom can be used to explore how we can practice Zen while being a parent by improving our relationships with our children and finding harmony within parenting.
In Zen texts, the concept of Sottaku Douji (啐啄同時) is exemplified by the moment when a chick is hatching out of its egg. At the moment the chick is ready to emerge, it will begin pecking at the shell around it, and the mother hen will then begin pecking from the outside too. In order for the chick to hatch, the two must delicately work together.
Using Sottaku Douji and other insights from ancient philosophy, Ooi shows how we can apply these ideas to our own lives, from working collaboratively with our children more and priming them for the future to building patience and letting go of anxiety.
And through these concepts, she shows us the steps towards practising Zen as a parent.
Biographical note:
Yen Ooi is a writer-researcher who explores East and Southeast Asian culture, identity and values. Her projects aim to cultivate cultural engagement in our modern, technology-driven lives. She is a PhD candidate at Royal Holloway, University of London. She writes fiction, non-fiction, poetry and computer games.
Primary cover copy:
As parents, the thought of practising Zen to find peace within ourselves may often feel out of reach. Whether we are new to Zen or returning to it, the ancient East Asian philosophy can provide inspiration and act as our guide, even supporting us through our parenting journey.
The Zen Parent invites us to connect more intimately with the world around us, to explore the nature of life. And through contemplation practice and engagement, using the Zen koan Sottaku Douji and other insights from the ancient knowledge, we can learn to bring Zen into our everyday lives, not only for ourselves, but also for our children.
Secondary cover copy:
When we have children in our care, it”s easy to get distracted by everything around us and forget to embrace our lives in the moment, or to bring in calmness and serenity.
In the Zen koan Sottaku Douji, it reminds us that when a chick is ready to hatch, it will begin to peck from inside of its shell, and at the same time the mother hen will calmly peck in response from the outside. This reflects our life, in nature, which may seem dramatic at moments, but when experienced holistically, is beautiful and peaceful. This intuitive collaboration between chick and mother hen invites us to consider how we can be more naturally instinctive as parents, and confident in the decisions we make.
The Zen Parent invites you to focus on practising Zen while being a parent. Through being more present in the everyday, it invites unexpected moments of spontaneity, joy and enlightenment. It is about trying to build Zen habits which will enable you to experience the blissful and beautiful moments of parenthood.
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