Hiking Zen - by Phap Xa & Phap Luu (Paperback)

About the Book

"Discover the joy of mindful walking and hiking, cultivate deep connection with the world around you, and ultimately embrace the path of happiness as a way of life A mobile monastery to stick in your pack whenever you go out on the trail, this book by veteran hikers and Buddhist monks Phap Luu and Phap Xa offers mindfulness practices to explore as you walk to generate inner and outer peace. Grounded in the rich traditions of Zen practice, this book invites you to experience the fundamental connection between humans and the natural world"--

Book Synopsis

#1 New Release in Hiking and Camping Excursion Guides

Discover the joy of mindful walking and hiking, cultivate deep connection with the world around you, and ultimately embrace the path of happiness as a way of life

A mobile monastery to stick in your pack whenever you go out on the trail, this book by veteran hikers and Buddhist monks Phap Luu and Phap Xa offers mindfulness practices to explore as you walk to generate inner and outer peace.

Grounded in the rich traditions of Zen practice, this book invites you to experience the fundamental connection between humans and the natural world.

Hiking Zen offers:

• concrete mindfulness practices to explore outside for peace, joy, and belonging

• actionable steps to weave mindful walking into the fabric of daily life
• nuggets of wisdom gleaned from leading multi-week mindful hiking retreats

• personal narratives of the monastic path
• insight into how connection with nature supports resiliency and collective and personal health and well-being

Review Quotes

"A book the world needs right now--a tangible alternative to divisiveness, distractions, and despair. This is not theory but real practices to generate peace through breathing, walking, connecting with community, emotional healing, and everything in between. If you are a fan of Thich Nhat Hanh and Martin Luther King's non violent compassion in action -- or if you are just tired of endless daily stress -- let these inspiring stories and simple practices bring more peace and meaning to your soul."
--Dan Rather, award-winning journalist and author of What Unites Us

"Mindfulness as shared by these two monks is wilder than any episode of Stranger Things. Right from the first pages we glimpse the power, majesty, and excitement of living deeply in the present moment. Breathing in, I set the phone down and lace up my boots, and breathing out, I take a journey with the lineage of Thich Nhat Hanh, headed nowhere in particular except this present, wonderful moment--the sum of our life."
--David Harbour, Tony Award-nominated actor and star of Stranger Things

"Refreshingly simple, these monks inspire a sense of presence and possibility, whether hiking in nature or moving graciously through life."
--Jack Kornfield, author of A Path With Heart

"This beautiful book brings us home to the natural world of the wilds of the heart and mind. Clear like the sky, beautiful like this earth, the stories and practices offered are a living treasure in our time."
--Joan Halifax, abbot of Upaya Zen Center and author of Standing at the Edge

"More than a guide to mindful hiking--this book is a path to healing, liberation, and rediscovering our essential interconnection with the Earth."
--Kaira Jewel Lingo, author of We Were Made for These Times and coauthor of Healing Our Way Home

About the Author

Phap Xa (Brother Equanimity) is a Dutch monk ordained in Plum Village by Thich Nhat Hanh in February 2003. He lives and teaches in the European Institute of Applied Buddhism (EIAB) in Germany, hiking in the many surrounding forests. A couple of times a year, he shares the most beautiful trails with many people attending hiking retreats, and he leads Zen hiking retreats across the US and abroad.

Ordained in 2003 by Thich Nhat Hanh, Phap Luu (Brother Stream) leads mindful backpacking retreats in nature around Deer Park Monastery in Escondido, California, US; Joshua Tree National Park; the Sierra Nevada; and on the Appalachian Trail. An advisory board member for Harvard University's Thich Nhat Hanh Center for Mindfulness in Public Health, Brother Stream has been active in many fields, including helping start Wake Up, the Plum Village movement for young people; Happy Farm, Plum Village's organic farming community; and Wake Up Schools since its inception in 2012 to bring mindfulness to schools.