Zen and the Kingdom of Heaven

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“Engaging, illuminating, and thought-provoking.”—Reverend Priscilla Inkpen, Naropa University

ZEN AND THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

Reflections on the Tradition of Meditation in Christianity and Zen Buddhism

Tom Chetwynd

“Let us guard the mind with all diligence from thoughts that obscure the soul’s mirror; for in that mirror Jesus Christ, the wisdom and power of God the Father, is luminously reflected. And let us unceasingly seek the Kingdom of Heaven inside our mind. Indeed if we cleanse the eye of the mind, we will find all things hidden within us. This is why our Lord Jesus Christ said that the Kingdom of Heaven is within us, indicating that Divinity dwells in our minds.”—Saint Philotheos of Sinai, circa ninth century.

In this provocative and very human work, Tom Chetwynd tells the story of how his skeptical first encounters with Zen Buddhism led him to discover the rich-but largely forgotten Christian tradition of pure contemplative prayer. Chetwynd explores the surprisingly Zen-like teachings of the Desert Fathers and other Christian meditation masters whose practice stems from the very first Christian communities—and perhaps Jesus Christ himself.

book information
  • Paperback
  • 168 pages, 6.00 x 9.00 inches
  • $16.95
  • ISBN 9780861711871
about the author
Zen and the Kingdom of Heaven

Tom Chetwynd is the author of many books on dreams, myths, and symbols, including The Dictionary for Dreamers and The Age of Myth: The Bronze Age As the Cradle of the Unconscious. He lives in London, England.

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