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Firefighter Zen Lib/E: A Field Guide to Thriving in Tough Times
"Be brave. Be kind. Fight Fires."
That's the motto of firefighters, like Hersch Wilson, who spend their lives walking toward, rather than away from, danger and suffering. As in Zen practice, firefighters are trained to be fully in the moment and present at each heartbeat, each life at hand. In this unique collection of true stories and practical wisdom, Wilson shares the Zen-like techniques that allow people like him to stay grounded while navigating danger, comforting others, and coping with their personal response to each crisis. Every life contains the unexpected and the unwelcome. How you cope with those inevitable events, more than the events themselves, define the quality of your life. Firefighter Zen is an invaluable guide to meeting every day with your best calm, resilient, and optimistic self.
*From book cover
That's the motto of firefighters, like Hersch Wilson, who spend their lives walking toward, rather than away from, danger and suffering. As in Zen practice, firefighters are trained to be fully in the moment and present at each heartbeat, each life at hand. In this unique collection of true stories and practical wisdom, Wilson shares the Zen-like techniques that allow people like him to stay grounded while navigating danger, comforting others, and coping with their personal response to each crisis. Every life contains the unexpected and the unwelcome. How you cope with those inevitable events, more than the events themselves, define the quality of your life. Firefighter Zen is an invaluable guide to meeting every day with your best calm, resilient, and optimistic self.
*From book cover
- GenresBuddhismNonfiction
Audio CD
Published July 21, 2020
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102 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 14, 2022
This book is one of the many reasons I love libraries. I had never heard of this book, likely would never have heard of it, until I happened to see it on the shelf in the Buddhism/Taoism section of the library. Turns out, Firefighter Zen is a great synthesis of philosophies, not just Zen Buddhism. And it's written in a down to earth conversational manner by a writer who clearly has absorbed these life lessons.
"It is not possible to survive mentally intact as a firefighter without a deep and dark sense of humor...after thousands of calls both tragic and comic, we need to continually find humor in the absurd if we are to survive mentally intact."
On a personal note, my father is a lifelong volunteer firefighter. He has volunteered his time helping other people for more than 40 years. Reading this book helped me feel closer to my dad. It provides insights into the psyche of the firefighter and the brother- and sisterhood of the fire department that isn't possible to us outsiders. It made me appreciate so much more all the work my dad has put into his fire department. This connection alone ranks the book high in my esteem.
"Thus we are taught as firefighters that you can't care too much. You need to keep your distance, you can't get emotional. At the same time, you don't want to be become so callous, so detached, that you lose touch with why you became firefighter. It can be a hard needle to thread, a balancing act."
The main philosophical points are mostly old hat to me, given how much material on Buddhism and Taoism I've read over the years. This one felt the most like Thich Nhat Hanh's Fear: Essential Wisdom for Getting Through the Storm. There is an emphasis on death, internalizing your mortality, and using that as the impetus to thrive in the short amount of time allotted to you.
Firefighter Zen is full of practical advice to apply to your own life. And pretty much none of it is the usual mindfulness or meditation that you tend to get from books on this subject (all love to Thay Nhat Hanh). There's "Stay Inside the Hula Hoop" to maintain calm during chaos. There's "Get Under The Smoke" to seek clarity during an emergency. There's the final set of chapters on being brave, being kind, being useful, belonging, being tough, and finding meaning. Each chapter ends with a "Field Notes" section that nicely summarizes the chapter and provides actionable items to implement. These are by no means the "bullet point lists" I deride in some non-fiction books, as the content of each chapter is always insightful and delightful.
This book will very likely find its way into my personal collection. I hope other people discover it on their library shelves, pick it up, and absorb its enthralling take on living life.
"It is not possible to survive mentally intact as a firefighter without a deep and dark sense of humor...after thousands of calls both tragic and comic, we need to continually find humor in the absurd if we are to survive mentally intact."
On a personal note, my father is a lifelong volunteer firefighter. He has volunteered his time helping other people for more than 40 years. Reading this book helped me feel closer to my dad. It provides insights into the psyche of the firefighter and the brother- and sisterhood of the fire department that isn't possible to us outsiders. It made me appreciate so much more all the work my dad has put into his fire department. This connection alone ranks the book high in my esteem.
"Thus we are taught as firefighters that you can't care too much. You need to keep your distance, you can't get emotional. At the same time, you don't want to be become so callous, so detached, that you lose touch with why you became firefighter. It can be a hard needle to thread, a balancing act."
The main philosophical points are mostly old hat to me, given how much material on Buddhism and Taoism I've read over the years. This one felt the most like Thich Nhat Hanh's Fear: Essential Wisdom for Getting Through the Storm. There is an emphasis on death, internalizing your mortality, and using that as the impetus to thrive in the short amount of time allotted to you.
Firefighter Zen is full of practical advice to apply to your own life. And pretty much none of it is the usual mindfulness or meditation that you tend to get from books on this subject (all love to Thay Nhat Hanh). There's "Stay Inside the Hula Hoop" to maintain calm during chaos. There's "Get Under The Smoke" to seek clarity during an emergency. There's the final set of chapters on being brave, being kind, being useful, belonging, being tough, and finding meaning. Each chapter ends with a "Field Notes" section that nicely summarizes the chapter and provides actionable items to implement. These are by no means the "bullet point lists" I deride in some non-fiction books, as the content of each chapter is always insightful and delightful.
This book will very likely find its way into my personal collection. I hope other people discover it on their library shelves, pick it up, and absorb its enthralling take on living life.
August 17, 2020
I just finished reading this book and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was hard to put down because of the captivating stories, though I'm sure I'll be picking it up time and again as I seek reminders of the wisdom that Wilson weaves into his stories.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants to work on themselves and specifically anyone trying to be a more present, calm, and engaged citizen in our world. Everyone will go through challenges and having a "field guide" like this can be very helpful for us all. Wilson manages to give us bits of wisdom and practical advice that we can easily incorporate into our lives and does so in an engaging way. It's not what I'd call a "self-help" book, but rather a collection of stories that challenge you to be the best you can be.
I don't think anyone could read this book with an open mind and not find helpful practices in becoming who they want to be, whether or not that involves volunteering at a fire department. Well done!
I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants to work on themselves and specifically anyone trying to be a more present, calm, and engaged citizen in our world. Everyone will go through challenges and having a "field guide" like this can be very helpful for us all. Wilson manages to give us bits of wisdom and practical advice that we can easily incorporate into our lives and does so in an engaging way. It's not what I'd call a "self-help" book, but rather a collection of stories that challenge you to be the best you can be.
I don't think anyone could read this book with an open mind and not find helpful practices in becoming who they want to be, whether or not that involves volunteering at a fire department. Well done!
January 5, 2021
It’s a fascinating thing, really, to speak deeply with a guest and adopt, or understand, their worldview for the duration of these talks. I take the things we discuss seriously, and I’m always looking for something applicable and relevant that I can put to work in my very ordinary life. When I visited with Hersch Wilson, author of the new book “Firefighter Zen: A Field Guide To Thriving In Tough Times,” I had no idea that only a week after our conversation it would come into play.
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Listen to my interview with Hersch Wilson >> https://www.findthegood.news/2020/10/...
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Listen to my interview with Hersch Wilson >> https://www.findthegood.news/2020/10/...
December 8, 2024
Hersch and I share similar but distinct fire service experiences. My career was in the suburban career fire service, but the tough calls that leave a mark on your soul—those are universal. It's been ten years since I left the fire service proper, and I'm slow to get to this book, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was refreshing to have a fellow firefighter explore the emotional and spiritual landscape of firefighting, rather than focusing solely on the physical and tactical aspects we often hear about. I found myself nodding in agreement throughout. Reading about Hersch's tough calls brought my own back to me. I deeply appreciate the simplicity of his core message: be brave, be kind, fight fire. A solid book and well worth the read.
March 26, 2021
It was an inspiring read for young firefighters like myself, he weaves in the stories of life-saving alongside with bitesize wise quotes. He explains the challenges we will face as a commander during fire rescue operations. It's amazing how he can describe our work in a such a delicate way, where people with no prior life-saving training or experience can feel that sense of familiarity. Definitely a book that is palatable to readers who has an appetite for inspiring stories and new perspectives in life.
November 23, 2021
Just finished this as an audiobook, and I highly recommend it, no matter what your career is. Hersch Wilson's way of explaining how he and others manage their high level of stress can be an example to everyone. It's not a matter of avoiding stressful situations or being callous, but acknowledging it, labeling it, and coping. His "Field Notes" at the end of each chapter are useful for recapping the content, or quickly referencing for an overview.
July 31, 2021
The '3 star' rating should not be taken as a negative. It's a perfectly cromulent book. It just didn't knock my socks off, because it covers a lot of material I've already read elsewhere. If you haven't read much psychology or philosophy, this book would be a very good introduction to it.
January 29, 2021
Full of practical life advice. And personal stories about the stages and struggles of life in general, yet a very uplifting read overall.
May 22, 2021
My work has "Book Club" and most of the time we have to read business related books. This was the first time that we read something that was detached literally from work and approached more from a psychological point
Wilson gives the reader tips of how to handle tough situations while describing his time as a volunteer firefighter and EMT. His presentation made it easy to read and would appeal to more people as it's not a typical self help book.
Wilson gives the reader tips of how to handle tough situations while describing his time as a volunteer firefighter and EMT. His presentation made it easy to read and would appeal to more people as it's not a typical self help book.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews