Naked in the Zendo : stories of uptight Zen, wild-ass Zen, and enlightenment wherever you are / Grace Schireson ; foreword by Joan Halifax.

Includes bibliographical references.

Part one. Mind as sky: spiritual energy and the light of awareness --1. Beginning with what is it? -- 2. My father, my brother, and the wolf dog: the three dimensions of time -- 3. The body of truth -- 4. Will Zen will get you high? -- 5. Who cares about the Buddha anyway? -- 6. Torn panties on the electric meter -- 7. What's love got to do with it? -- Part two. Returning to the source: the value of tradition -- 8. Too much mu -- 9. WITBOW and the giant beetle -- 10. Losing and finding my Ki: an international incident -- 11. Don't bow! -- 12. The monk who hit me -- 13. Death by seiza -- Part three. Making it on your own: circulating awareness in the body -- 14. Darlene's foot in the air -- 15. Naked in the Zendo: Master, I have been enlightened -- 16. Tight-ass Zen and wild-ass Zen -- 17. The sky starts here -- 18. Shmutz on the windshield -- 19. Does a Buddha have dog nature? where East and West meet -- Part four. Zen goes live at home: a little zenderness -- 20. The honorable Roshi bully cat --21. Sand and rice -- 22. You exist; therefore, I am embarrassed -- 23. Dial M-O-M for justice -- 24. My granddaughter: Zen master Olivia teaches Zen master Myogen about death -- 25. Yearning for my urn: bury my ashes in Hagi-Yaki -- References -- About the author.

"We need to remove our ego's clothing to truly see ourselves and the world as they are. Grace Schireson's stories about her Zen journey--from child to grandmother--share deep insight about how we can find awareness, feel it in our bodies, and experience it wherever we are. Grace's path is at once ordinary--with stories of youthful naiveite ("Will Zen Get You High?"), parenting ("You Exist; Therefore, I Am Embarrassed"), and pets ("The Honorable Roshi Bully Cat")--and groundbreaking--with stories of her studies with Suzuki Roshi ("What's Love Got to Do with It?"), Keido Fukushima Roshi ("Don't Bow"), and more. Each story, whether humorous or poignant, highlights the power of awareness to transform our lives"-- Provided by publisher.