Jewish Dharma: A Guide to the Practice of Judaism and Zen

by Brenda Shoshanna

Books like the Jew in the Lotus have helped to define the intersection of Jewish and Zen experience and custom. Now, in the first guide to the practice of both Judaism and Zen, Dr. Brenda Shoshanna, a long-time practitioner and student of both, shares her insights with over one million people who identify as “JuBus,” as well as Jews, Zen students, non-Jews, and everyone in the interfaith community who seeks understanding, meaning, and a life grounded in these authentic faiths. Each chapter of Jewish Dharma focuses on common issues that introduce disorder to our lives, using personal narrative, parables, quotations from both Jewish and Zen scriptures, anecdotes, and exercises. Specific guidelines and exercises help readers integrate both practices into their everyday lives-and thereby gain deeper understanding and happiness.

Genres: Judaism, Jewish, Religion, Self Help, Judaica, Buddhism, Spirituality

304 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

I am a psychologist, speaker, author and long term Zen practitoner who is dedicated to integrating the teachings and practices of East and West, and showing how to make them real in our everyday lives.

My weekly podcast is Zen Wisdom For Your Everyday Life.

Zen Wisdom For Your Everyday Life
(www.zenwisdomtoday.com)

Reviews

[Janet · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read a bit of it this morning before work and see some interesting things, but I really thinks it's truly targeted to those who practice both Judaism and Zen "religiously"-- pardon the pun! I am neither, but I will give it further perusal later.

[Brenda Shoshanna]

This is the first authentic guide to the practice of Judaism and Zen and the ways in which they can heal your life. Book shows how practices enrich and illuminate one another, address the primal questions that drive your life and provide keys to your personal struggles. Issues dealt with include loneliness, restlessness, family, marriage, relationships, conflict and ways of healing suffering.

[Lindsay InAustin · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting look at the ways in which Judaism and Zen can work together to improve the depth of both. But unfortunately for me, the author is very unwilling to address the impact culture and patriarchy have had on Judaism and insists on the need to fully embrace all rules and laws.. even some fences around mitzvot…as a given. That got quite old as the book went on. For me, not recognizing the impact human men, locations and culture have had on the codification of laws attributed to the Creator is a kind of wilful ignorance which detracts from Judaism and makes the non-attachment and experiential verification at the heart of Zen impossible. DNF about 3/4 of the way through after really trying.

[Sellyndavies · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Orthodox Jewish woman describes the development of her interest in Zen practice. Explains the ethics & values common to Buddhism and Judaism, and how the dynamic between the two faiths has deepened her spirituality.

[Chris Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect mix of personal experience and solid research and analysis. Dr. Shoshanna very persuasively argues that Zen Buddhism and Judaism are not only compatible but a combination of the two provide an extremely well-rounded spiritual practice.

[Brenda Shoshanna]

I love it

[Ted Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part memoir, part field guide for the practicing "JewBu", Brenda Shoshanna's Jewish Dharma: A Guide to the Practice of Judaism and Zen recounts snippets of her journey from Orthodox Judaism to Buddhism and back again, ending with an uneasy truce between these two radically different traditions that still share some very deep, common roots.

Shoshanna doesn't shy away from the seemingly impossible-to-cross gulfs that threaten to halt any wandering religious pilgrims; she gives her own journey on the path, but rarely ever solves these problematic breaches of loyalty. For Shoshanna, that's not the purpose of her book, and each story she tells can feel like a disturbing koan, an incomplete story that nags at our consciousness and challenges our modern sensibilities that religion is supposed to only comfort and teach love and kindness, not cause a lost Orthodox Jew to come into zazen (the Zen Buddhist sitting meditation practice) and leave in tears every time, all while her Zen Master chastised her crying. "No matter how much he shouted at me and demanded silence, it took years of sitting for the crying to end," Shoshanna writes. She then ends the story thusly, "Once the crying ended, so did his shouting."

Each chapter is divided into themes ranging from "Jewish Prayer and the Practice of Zazen" to "Calming the Restless Mind: Sabbath and Nondoing." Each chapter recalls influential moments in Shoshanna's life that sculpted her into her current spiritual state, making connections when possible and pointing out the disconnects (and then leaving them ambiguously wide open). For the reader secure and confident in his or her religion, this may seem frustrating, each chapter always feeling incomplete and unharmonious. For the non-religious reader, Shoshanna's memoir full of difficult moments of struggle and constant feeling of loss can seem self-inflicted and somewhat self-pitying. But for the soul who has wandered through many different spiritual planes, who seeks a home to rest within but constantly feels alien no matter where she finds herself, Jewish Dharma will resonate with the soul and perhaps bring comfort that this wandering sojourn need not be taken alone.

[zaynab]

I definitely enjoyed walking through Shoshannah's journey of integrating her roots in the orthodox Jewish community with Zen buddhism. At the same time this is very much a book for people attempting to walk a similar path there is a story which acts as a current throughout the book that makes it enjoyable. Its far from the "spiritual self help for dummies" sort of book. This book was also well written it terms of her ability to lay out the connectivities and parallels she sees between Judaism and Zen buddhism as it relates to the formation of an integrated embodied practice. She touches on multiple aspects of spiritual life, above and beyond individualized practice. Overall it was an interesting addition to the growing genre of Jewish-Buddhist studies.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very refreshing; inspiring. I will come back to this book and find new insights- as time moves forward my perspective will mature with this text.