Dear All, I have just started reading this book by Roshi Pat Enkyo O'Hara and am really loving it.

Rather than being a theoretical book of Zen philosophy, Most Intimate is a call to practice and to become close to those parts of life we tend to push away. For me, being intimate with pain is an ongoing struggle and source of practice.

There are chapters on most of the sticky issues that will confront us in life such as relationships, sex, suffering, anger, work, death and loss. Each chapter ends with suggestions for practical exercises and a reported question and answer session from Roshi's students.

The way the book is written feels very spacious and there is a nice balance between accounts of pesonal experience and traditional Zen stories to illustrate the points.

Anyway, just a recommendation in case anyone out there is looking for some gentle summer reading (or winter reading for those of you in the southern hemispheres!).

Gassho
Andy