Zen Ecology - by Christopher Ives (Paperback)

About the Book

"It may seem as though living ecologically and engaging in activism sacrifices our own enjoyment and happiness on the altar of doing the right thing. In this book, professor, naturalist, and Buddhist author Christopher Ives offers an alternative: a way of living that can actually be more fulfilling than the modern consumerist lifestyle. Rather than deprivation, it can bring us richness. In Zen Ecology, Chris outlines his environmental ethic as a series of concentric circles, beginning with ourselves and then moving outward into our communities, all the while focusing on spaciousness, mindfulness, generosity, and contentment.At the individual level, we deal with distraction, clutter, and ecological harm. Here, Chris offers ways to help us pay attention, simplify our lives, and lower our impact. Then, we explore how to envision our home as a "place of the Way," with Zen monastic life as a model for this (without having to be a monk!). Next, we realize our embeddedness in nature and emplace ourselves in community with others, including other forms of life. Finally, we build on this basis to engage in activism to create a world that is more supportive of ecological health and spiritual fulfillment. In this way, we avoid the two extremes of apathy and burnout, and uncover a way of living that is simple, joyful, embedded in nature, connected to others in community, and supportive of collective action"--

Book Synopsis

Discover a way of living that can help you slow down and stay grounded--and at the same time reduce your ecological impact and engage more fully with the climate crisis.

It may seem as though living ecologically and engaging in activism sacrifices our own enjoyment and happiness on the altar of doing the right thing. In this book, professor, naturalist, and Buddhist author Christopher Ives offers an alternative: a way of living that can actually be more fulfilling than the modern consumerist lifestyle. Rather than deprivation, it can bring us richness.

In Zen Ecology, Chris outlines his environmental ethic as a series of concentric circles, beginning with ourselves and then moving outward into our communities, all the while focusing on spaciousness, mindfulness, generosity, and contentment. At the individual level, we deal with distraction, clutter, and ecological harm. Here, Chris offers ways to help us pay attention, simplify our lives, and lower our impact. Then, we explore how to envision our home as a "place of the Way," with Zen monastic life as a model for this--without having to be a monk! Next, we realize our embeddedness in nature and emplace ourselves in community with others, including other forms of life. Finally, we build on this basis to engage in activism to create a world that is more supportive of ecological health and spiritual fulfillment.

In this way, we avoid the two extremes of apathy and burnout, and uncover a way of living that is simple, joyful, embedded in nature, connected to others in community, and supportive of collective action.

Review Quotes

"Chan master Yunmen said that the fruit of our practice is 'responding appropriately.' But how do we respond appropriately to something as intimidating as the ecological crisis? How can enhanced awareness and lifestyle changes lead to creative engagement with systemic issues? For Chris Ives, the Buddhist path is fundamentally ecological, and Zen Ecology offers the ideas, values, and practices that we need to address the greatest challenge that humanity has ever faced."--David Loy, author of Ecodharma: Buddhist Teachings for the Ecological Crisis

"Drinking from the wells of the Zen Buddhist tradition, Chris Ives brings forth its rich treasures and offers practical guidelines to the reader for a more satisfying and meaningful way of life, while also suggesting ways we can take action together in addressing the deteriorating situation of our contemporary global society facing climate crisis."--Ruben L. F. Habito, guiding teacher, Maria Kannon Zen Center, and author of Healing Breath: Zen for Christians and Buddhists in a Wounded World

"In this fresh Zen take on green values, Christopher Ives offers a way of living that is spacious, embedded in nature, embodied in presence, and rich in community. He draws on Buddhist approaches to support climate activism by cultivating what he calls 'the green mental states' of patience, generosity, non-harming, and compassion. Ives's writing is clear, accessible, and personal, enriched by his many years of study and travel in Japan. Here you will find a treasure trove of resources to support a liberating practice of the Way through climate action."--Stephanie Kaza, author of Green Buddhism: Practice and Compassionate Action in Uncertain Times

About the Author

Christopher Ives is a professor of religious studies at Stonehill College in Easton, Massachusetts. In his teaching and writing, he focuses on ethics in Zen Buddhism and Buddhist approaches to nature and environmental issues. His publications include Zen on the Trail: Hiking as Pilgrimage; Meditations on the Trail: A Guidebook for Self-Discovery; Imperial-Way Zen: Ichikawa Hakugen's Critique and Lingering Questions for Buddhist Ethics; Zen Awakening and Society; a translation (with Masao Abe) of Nishida Kitaro's An Inquiry into the Good; a translation (with Gishin Tokiwa) of Shin'ichi Hisamatsu's Critical Sermons of the Zen Tradition. He is on the editorial board of the Journal of Buddhist Ethics.