Japanese Philosophy for Mind Body Spirit
Explore the best Japanese philosophy books for mind, body, and spirit. Discover ancient wisdom and modern insights to harmonize your life and elevate your well-being.
Book
Zen in the Art of Archery
by Eugen Herrigel
A classic work on Eastern philosophy, and a charming, deeply illuminating story of one man’s experience with Zen. Eugen Herrigel, a German professor of Philosophy in Tokyo, took up the study of archery as a step toward an understanding of Zen Buddhism. This book is the account of the six years he spent as a student of one of Japan’s great kyudo (archery) masters, and of how he gradually overcame his initial inhibitions and began to feel his way toward new truths and ways of seeing.
Book
Moving Zen
by C. W. Nikoru
A classic story of one man's confrontation with the self through Karate. In 1962 at age twenty-two, C. W. Nicol left Wales to study Karate in Japan. He quickly found that the study of the martial art engaged his whole being and transformed his outlook on life. Moving Zen is the multifaceted story of a young man who arrived in Japan to study the technique of, and spirit behind, Karate. Joining the Japan Karate Association, or Shotokan, Nicol discovered that Karate, while extremely violent, also called for politeness and a sense of mutual trust and responsibility. He learned that the stronger the Karateka, the more inclined he was to be gentle with others. Those who have gained a measure of skill but have not yet achieved spiritual maturity are the dangerous practitioners. Studying kata, Nicol came to realize that these forms are, in essence, moving Zen and that the ultimate goal of all the martial arts is tranquility. Through the help of many gifted teachers, C. W. Nicol gained his black belt, and moved progressively closer to his goal of tranquility. His story, Moving Zen, was first published in 1975 and has achieved the status of a modern classic.
Book
Three Golden Pearls on a String
by Thomas White
"Budo is the way to cut oneself from one’s first step to the point one can reach. To cut oneself means to face our own mind directly, honestly, strictly; to polish the mind by cutting away cowardliness, selfishness, ugliness, and weakness. To have the mind’s eye, me must have a strong mind. At the same time, it is absolutely necessary to be very humble." -From the Foreword
