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A Year of Zen: A 52-Week Guided Journal

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Reflect, meditate, and explore through a year of Zen journaling

Each day is a new empty space to bring to life—it can be loaded with stress or decorated with moments of calm and clarity. Embark on a wondrous journey through the self with this 52-week guided journal from Zen priest and teacher Bonnie Myotai Treace, sensei. Her wise, thought-provoking prompts will lead beginners and experienced practitioners alike through the seasons, filling the blank spaces with peaceful self-exploration and reflection every day.

Explore topics from the mundane to the holy with creative prompts

Walk the path of growth and build a mindful daily practice with this Zen Buddhism journal.

176 pages, Hardcover

Published September 14, 2021

26 people are currently reading
241 people want to read

About the author

Bonnie Myotai Treace

13 books12 followers

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5 stars
50 (58%)
4 stars
15 (17%)
3 stars
16 (18%)
2 stars
3 (3%)
1 star
1 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
Profile Image for Deb DA Gerrald.
104 reviews
January 11, 2023
By turns 5 and 1 stars, as purportedly Zen is.

Some weeks I wrote daily. This last month, the month after my mother’s death, I barely wrote at all, only now, almost halfway through January, finishing most of December. And it irritated and vexed, as it does. Mixing as the author says “with periods of earnestness, love, and enthusiasm.” Right.

I would have been better served by my year of effort, I think, had I been better versed in what Zen is and can be. But good for me — I tackled the effort in spite of my incomplete awareness.

And so there is life. And Zen.

The journal ended with an admonishment to “write a 5-10 word epitaph for the world as I’d known it.”

*Unexpected death and unforeseen life
Double helixed
In chaos and consideration.
So it goes.*
Profile Image for Christy.
501 reviews
January 7, 2021
After the chaos that 2020 was came to a close, I wanted to find a journal for 2021 that would promote peace and healing. This was my choice, and I think it fits perfectly. :)

This is a 52-week [1 prompt per day] journal filled with writing prompts that inspire peace and tranquility while encouraging writers to find their creativity. I'm only 1 week in to 2021 at this point but I've skimmed a few of the prompts and they're all so lovely~ Not to mention that this journal is so beautiful on the inside - it has colored illustrations of plantlife as well as little butterflies and birds :) This would be a delightful gift or investment for any avid journaler - starting my days off right this year! <3
Profile Image for Ashley.
547 reviews6 followers
November 20, 2022
Good guided journal for a daily prompts to connect you with yourself. Broken down into Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. I enjoyed it a lot at first but I got bored and it felt repetitive towards the end. So I finished it up quicker than a prompt a day.
Profile Image for Crista Lash.
86 reviews4 followers
December 24, 2025
This journal was fine, very OK. Given the copious amount of journaling options available today, it’s not one I’d recommend. Some of the prompts felt off: confusing, nonsensical, and in a few cases downright absurd. I skipped a small number of them for that reason.

I read the author’s book Wake Up: How to Practice Zen Buddhism ahead of working with this journal, expecting correlation, but the two don’t necessarily align. I rated the book one star—insufferable and it’s honestly surprising that after disliking the book so much, I still managed to stick with the journal for an entire year.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews

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