{"product_id":"blowing-zen-finding-an-authentic-life-9781591811701","title":"Blowing Zen: Finding an Authentic Life","description":"\u003cb\u003eAs a young, up and coming electrical engineer living in England, Ray Brooks had everything he could want--a high paying job, late nights, and fast cars. All he was missing in his life was the meaning.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAs a young, up and coming electrical engineer living in England, Ray Brooks had everything he could want--a high paying job, late nights, and fast cars. All he was missing in his life was the meaning. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eA series of events brought him to Japan, where he met a man who played the shakuhachi, an ancient Japanese flute. That fortuitous interaction motivated Brooks to embark on a journey to learn this very difficult instrument. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThrough playing the shakuhachi, he began to understand the Zen discipline that is a crucial aspect of Japanese culture. This understanding greatly changed his outlook on life, putting him in touch with his authentic self. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eBlowing Zen's humor and its irresistible story of cultures converging lets the underlying message come through without preachiness: life is about finding your true calling, not just what brings you superficial joy. Brooks' spontaneous approach to the collaboration of art, mind, body, and spirit is inspiring and instructive. \u003cbr\u003eThis uplifting memoir has been entrancing readers since its release in 2000, and it is now being re-released with a new chapter and lots of photographs. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThis is the expanded and revised edition with photos.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Sentient Publications\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 05\/16\/2011\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781591811701\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 287\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.58lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 7.08h x 5.09w x 0.62d","brand":"Ray Brooks","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52604407808181,"sku":"9781591811701","price":21.21,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/pastforward.org\/products\/blowing-zen-finding-an-authentic-life-9781591811701","provider":"Past Forward","version":"1.0","type":"link"}