El-Branden Brazil

Photographer, Writer & Mystic Traveller

Posts tagged ‘Japanese culture’

A Passion For Zen

I have had a life-long love for Zen Buddhism, ever since I was a young teenager, when I read a dog-eared 1935 book, called The Spirit Of Zen by Alan Watts. I still have that book, now residing here in Japan.

Zen was my reason for ending up on these distant shores in Asia. However, the first nine years in Japan, had very little to do with Buddhism. It was only through accident or synchronicity that I met my wonderful Zen teacher, Jinen Roshi, at a bar in Shinjuku. He opened up a world that I had dreamt for so long to see.

Having said all of this, I must confess to being the worst Zen Buddhist in the world! There is so much that needs to be worked on and improved. 😂