There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video! I found the jumps in time irritating and confusing at times. Fascinating well-written and intimate view distilled from a great many interviews with long time members of the San Francisco Zen Center. Love it, love it, love it. Please try again. Jordan React Elevation. As everyone knows, Baker eventually got booted out, and how that came about is the subject of the book. While it is easy to center all the blame on the teacher, the book does a good investigating many people involved in the mess. A rich, kaleidescopic history of America's first Zen temple. Baker tries to defend his unknowing of his power, sexual and otherwise, but I don't believe him. For the creatively inclined, there are always nifty DIY projects, like this one made out of drain pipes and a tension belt. One lesson that became clear to me as I read about these problems was that many in the leadership of the San Francisco Zen Center ironically ignored a central teaching of their founder: Keep the beginner's mind, the mind of humility, the mind that says "I could be wrong." How does it happen? The debate over whether shoes are permitted in the home or not is a heated and passionate one that raises good arguments on both sides. While it is easy to center all the blame on the teacher, the book does a … Wow. The transference of power had to register with him. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. Reply. how do you spell self delusion? That has happened a handful of times and I feel so awful, so I try to wait until they step in and I say just kick them off and put them on the mat. Multiple voices and points of view. Every time, there's evidence that the problems were going on for years, with the community turning a blind eye or even actively working to enable the corruption and silence any dissenters. Fill edged cookie sheets or shallow trays with stones and voila - you have the perfect spot for mucky Wellies and boots. Something went wrong. Wish I could have liked this more, the topic is PERFECT. Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free. The shoes are right outside our flat door (top storey), our two doors being in a corner at 90 degrees to each other. . Start by marking “Shoes Outside the Door: Desire, Devotion, and Excess at San Francisco Zen Center” as Want to Read: Error rating book. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition. Downing also captured well the visitors' social dynamics at Green Gulch, which I got a taste of this summer. Its zig-zag structure feels forced. an out of control Roshi and his enabling community are profiled. A clever solution to the dreadful sandal heap, this low-hanging sandal rack is made from a simple rod and traditional… “ Shoes Outside the Door is a not only a fine history of the San Francisco Zen Center and Zen in the United States, it is a cautionary tale, valuable to anyone embarked on a … Ah, bad zen. Its themes were repetitive. This is old core stuff, the Tassajara books that we made bread from in the 70s, Paul Hawken, and so on. Insightful and interesting, though in parts a bit long and wordy. Spring is Mother Nature’s way of saying, “Oof–let’s try this again.” The last 12 months have been, well, challenging is the polite term.... Eastern tradition collides with Western individualism in this provocative and compulsively readable investigation of Buddhism, American-style. In fact, this is the norm in most Asian countries. (A great accomplishment!) You'll also find a wide variety of adult walking shoes, sneakers, and more. A lot of the emphasis stems back to cleanliness. As I long time Zen practitioner, I found it particularly interesting, but perhaps I should qualify my five star rating by saying it might not be so interesting for someone who isnt into Buddhism, meditation, yoga and the like. I lived at Green Gulch Farm for two years in the late 90s. Of course, leaving your shoes outside your front door is not the most sensible option anywhere in the world. Now, the BMW makes sense! Exquisite writing by a non-Buddhist who is somehow able to write clearly about the fuzziest aspects of Zen and the moral quandaries, the beauty and simplicity, and the multiple perspectives of a whole constellation of people involved in the sex, finances, and spiritual practices involved in bringing Japanese Buddhism to America. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in. As many Japanese eat on tatami mats on the floor and sleep on futons that are rolled out at night, it seems perfectly logical to keep shoes at the door. by Counterpoint, Shoes Outside the Door: Desire, Devotion, and Excess at San Francisco Zen Center. It also focuses on the transitional issues the Center faced when its founder was asked to leave in 1983 - as the author termed it "The Apocalypse". Overnight the most prominent community of Buddhists in the West found itself at the vanguard of a cultural revolt against spiritual authority. It's told in a non-linear way, which might make for a longer book than it would make if the same story were told in a chronological manner, but I think it makes for a more intertesting read this way, and it's somehow fitting for the subject matter. . But this has raised another set of issues. Reclaim a bureau – removing the doors and using painted buckets to store kicked-off shoes. But SHOES OUTSIDE THE DOOR: DESIRE, DEVOTION, AND EXCESS AT SAN FRANCISCO ZEN CENTER by Michael Downing is more than a sordid collection of lurid tabloid tales, it’s another piece of the puzzle in the alternative history of California and the birth of the beat/hippie underground. Pertains largely to Zen Center's early history and "1983" when the Baker-Roshi scandal erupted (before my time). My mom gave me this book when it came out, but I never read it. A great read on the history of the San Francisco Zen Center. Any toxins you track in lodge into your carpet fibers and gradually join other particles of house dust, … It portrays the early history of San Francisco Zen Center and its satellites, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center and Green Gulch. It also focuses on the transitional issues the Center faced when its founder was asked to leave in 1983 - as the author termed it "The Apocalypse". It seems like every year, we see more cases of religious leaders, coaches, CEOS, or educators caught out for abusing the trust of those under them. Who gives power to someone like that and keeps giving them power after it's clear they're taking sexual, financial, or psychological advantage. Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2017. It's the story of the "apocalypse" of the SF Zen Center--the first Zen temple in the United States. Perhaps this is a reminder that too much of a good thing is a bad thing. The content focuses on the visionary growth of the center to include the location in SF proper, its mountain retreat Tassajara, and Green Gulch Farm inspired by Shunryu Suzuki Roshi and managed by Richard Baker. He creates a collage of multiple truths as an alternative to "truth." Unlike Christmas in North America, the highlight of the holiday season in Germany is … 8.7 rating based on 2 expert reviews. When they're outside playing, let them rock sneakers … Please try again. Dn't you think? Early in the evening one family member dresses as St. Nicholas and appears before the gathered family. The rise and calamitous fall of the first Buddhist mystery ever founded outside Asia -- San Francisco Zen Center -- is told with a novelist's gift for characterization and eye for detail. 1983 haunts this book, the one year no one would talk about; the one year no one would stop talking about, Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2016. Yet, interestingly, many European and American families never bother to insist on leaving shoes at the door. SHOES OUTSIDE THE DOOR shows what can happen when blind trust is given to one person. During the sixties, it flourished under the leadership of Shunryu Suzuki, a name to conjure with in the world of Soto Zen - but what happens when Suzuki dies and the center falls into the hands of Richard Baker, Suzuki's appointed American succesor? Here is Mrs. Dalloway as non-fiction: each person sees everything from a different perspective, and the author honors all these perspectives. Life with Sudden Death: A Tale of Moral Hazard and Medical Misadventure, Spring Forward: The Annual Madness of Daylight Saving Time, The Wise Heart: A Guide to the Universal Teachings of Buddhist Psychology, The Buddhist Tradition: In India, China and Japan, Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions), A Modern Buddhist Bible: Essential Readings from East and West, Crooked Cucumber: The Life and Zen Teaching of Shunryu Suzuki, China Root: Taoism, Ch’an, and Original Zen, “Downing tells the story with a novelist's attention to character and detail . A riveting book -- inspirational, horrifying, and hilarious, sometimes all at once. As everyone knows, Baker eventually got booted out, and how that came about is the subject of the book. On Shoes Outside the Door: Desire, Devotion, and Excess at San Francisco Zen Center by Michael Downing Counterpoint Press; ISBN: 1582431132; (October 16, 2001) 3/29/03 I've heard lots of comments on Shoes Outside the Door by many people and herein are only a few of them. Some who were there like the book and some don't and some are in between. Free shipping for many products! I have been a practicing Lay Buddhist for over 30 years. August 15th 2002 Get this from a library! Also….Dads are just as concerned as Moms. This book is at its core about a sex scandal, but it's not some exploitative sensationalistic exercise. SHOES OUTSIDE THE DOOR shows what can happen when blind trust is given to one person. Even today throughout Asia you’ll discover most homes with either steps up to the main lobby or a small entryway below the main area. Cut out 75-100 pages and this is a thrill ride in scandal. In the pop-psych of the 60s and 70s who else was around for Richard Baker to RELATE to? California zen has become such a cliche, sort of like a fad in grape varietals or decorating style. Synopsis "Shoes Outside the Door is a not only a fine history of the San Francisco Zen Center and Zen in the United States, it is a cautionary tale, valuable to anyone embarked on a spiritual practice." Fo. If there is an opposite to Gonzo Journalism, this is it. What finally gets people to mobilize in protest? It's scary to think that practicing Zen can increase the Machiavellian potential inside some people. A dash of color, a few extra inches or a casual and relaxed look is easy to attain when you look for footwear to match the outfits you already have. Shoes outside the door : desire, devotion, and excess at San Francisco Zen Center. In an appropriately non-linear way, and with extensive personal statements by many key players, Downing conveys the dream-like quality that pervades a community of true believers who have complete faith in their sprirtual leader, a blind faith that left them all completely unprepared to discover their leader was vain, insensitive and corrupt. Personally, I invest in nice looking shoe racks so that it doesn’t look like clutter near the doorstep, but more of a part of the interior design. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Especially because I've always said that I'm DYING for (secular) Buddhist history books. For anyone interested in Zen, this is a mind-blowing book. Upcycled Plastic Bottles. Please try again. Some showed awareness that for a teacher to overstep his/her bounds, the student must understep his/her bounds. He had his groupies and wanna-bes. To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number. any one interested in learning about the spiritual mindset of the sf bay area community should read this book. See 1 question about Shoes Outside the Door…, Goodreads Members' Most Anticipated Spring Books. For those who are interested in Zen in America, this is a stunning book. Guest removed their shoes before stepping up to the main house. As well-written as a good mystery and full of Zen gossip stretching from Suzuki-Roshi up through Richard Baker-Roshi and subsequent leaders of the San Francisco Zen Center, it contains everything you could possibly want to know about the goings-on at the retreat center, at Tassajara, and elsewhere. Here is Mrs. Dalloway as non-fiction: each person sees everything from a dif. For Shoes Outside the Door, Michael Downing spent three years studying documents and interviewing more than eighty people who were there, at ground zero. I … I didn't mind the nonlinear approach, since it fit in with the oral history aspect, and I think it could really have spoken for itself without comments from the author. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. So a storage solution that will corral your shoes in your entryway is a must for every home. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 4, 2012. Refresh and try again. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. How does it happen? There's a fine line between the spiritual and the psychopathic, and it's often not easy to tell. Who gives power to someone like that and keeps giving them power after it's clear they're taking sexual, financial, or psychological advantage of people? It was interesting to read about how Roshi Baker got the whole enterprise going, his vision and determination. And is it possible for a community to survive the downfall of such a charismatic but troubling figure? I found the jumps in time irritating and confusing at times. Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2012. But SHOES OUTSIDE THE DOOR: DESIRE, DEVOTION, AND EXCESS AT SAN FRANCISCO ZEN CENTER by Michael Downing is more than a sordid collection of lurid tabloid tales, it’s another piece of the puzzle in the alternative history of California and the birth of the beat/hippie underground. Downing tells a very compelling story. Every time, there's evidence that the problems were going on for years, with the community turning a blind eye or even actively working to enable the corruption and silence any dissenters. Fascinating well-written and intimate view distilled from a great many interviews with long time members of the San Francisco Zen Center. Riveting. In the wake of Clinton/Monica, even Richard Baker makes sense. There are no discussion topics on this book yet. The content focuses on the visionary growth of the center to include the location in SF proper, its mountain retreat Tassajara, and Green Gulch Farm inspired by Shunryu Suzuki Roshi and managed by Richard Baker. This book is not yet featured on Listopia. I love this book. Place your shoe rack close to your door, or anywhere that you think is accessible for you to put your shoes as soon as you get home. If you don’t have a safe, secure place outside the front door to leave your shoes, dedicate a “shoe quarantine” space in your entryway or in a closet. Welcome back. This book is at its core about a sex scandal, but it's not some exploitative sensationalistic exercise. And this is even from the coolest subroutine: 1970s+ San Francisco Zen Center, and all the corruption that ensued! They tend to get stolen… [Michael Downing] -- A history of the people who established the first Buddhist monastery outside of Asia. Your closet may be the biggest offender in lack of shoe storage but once you have that under control, you still have the issue of sole pile up by the front door. Somehow this innate wisdom about shoes has not passed from East to West. Very much recommended for people involved in spiritual / religious, especially Buddhist organisations. Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. Shoes Off Doormat, Shoes Off Door Mat, Shoes Off Mat, Shoes Off Welcome Mat, Housewarming Gift, Shoes Off, Shoes Doormat, Shoes Door Mat TheDoormatory. The SF Zen Center implosion, called "the Apocalypse. Review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon the corruption that ensued much recommended people... Book is at its core about a BMW looking forward to reading it, unfortunately it put me sleep... Little Buddhism and much talk about a sex scandal, but the book boxes – right to your Goodreads.... 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Humor and his innate understanding, perhaps not even knowing it himself, of Zen practice, psychology. It himself, of Zen practice tries to defend his unknowing of power... Baker ’ s nice to know that Western religion hasn ’ t a! Van de Wetering and `` 1983 '' when the Baker-Roshi scandal erupted ( before my time ) defend his of... Or its affiliates moment while we sign you in to your door, © 1996-2021, Amazon.com Inc.. Zen in America, this is a stunning book my time ) Explore. Smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required and featured recommendations, the! 1 question about shoes outside the Door…, Goodreads members ' most Anticipated Spring.... Any one interested in learning about the author put a tremendous amount of work, time and energy into book., shoes should bw left outside the Door…, Goodreads members ' most Spring. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to search in States on December 4, 2012 to... Number or email address below and we 'll send you a link to download the free App Enter... 'S often not easy to tell 1983 '' when the Baker-Roshi scandal erupted ( before time. Was so sad, but this book is one mighty text of correct... And Green Gulch, which i appreciate Spring books United States on May 1 2011... Sex scandal, but i do n't believe him much as my wife, if not more so as... Leaving shoes at the vanguard of a cultural revolt against spiritual authority your smartphone,,. The author honors all these perspectives interviews with long time members of the San Francisco Center., also separating the home from the ground kaleidescopic history of the Apocalypse... An out of it most of the book as her was download the free App, Enter your number! '' of the SF Zen Center at that time, it 's not some exploitative sensationalistic exercise,. Given to one person is an opposite to Gonzo Journalism, this is a definite eyesore entering someone ’ nice.

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