GOLD PRIZE WINNER, "SPIRITUALITY/MEMOIR" CATEGORY, 2023 NAUTILUS BOOK AWARDS
"BEST SPIRITUAL MEMOIR" OF 2022 NOMINEE, OMTIMES MEDIA AWARDS
This luminous memoir combines the hardscrabble setting of Appalachia with the spiritual wisdom of Shunryu Suzuki’s classic Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind. Steve Kanji Ruhl's Appalachian Zen: Journeys in Search of True Home, from the American Heartland to the Buddha Dharma describes a journey we all take, one that Buddhism calls “seeking our true home." Edgy, lyrical, and lovingly rendered, Appalachian Zen tells how a kid from Pennsylvania mill towns, trailer parks, and backwoods farms grows up, amid grief and violence and passionate yearning, to become something improbable: a Buddhist minister who teaches Zen. It invites readers to an adventure of discovery, roving from the Appalachian Mountains of central Pennsylvania to a footloose Zen pilgrimage in Japan and beyond. Featuring vivid firsthand accounts of spiritual seeking and teaching in Japanese temples, as well as forays to Tokyo and Hiroshima, the alleys of Kyoto, Amish cornfields near the Susquehanna, and a monastery in the Catskills, Appalachian Zen includes robust historical sketches, rapt nature passages, and cultural references from Proust to punk rock. Throughout the book, Ruhl engages Buddhist themes of awakening and the death of the self by confronting the lives and deaths, including two by suicide, of his loved ones. This provocative memoir tells how it feels to practice Zen, and to move toward a life of hard-won forgiveness, healing, and freedom.
"Amazing and intense. A unique, entertaining, and valuable contribution to the dharma literature, Appalachian Zen addresses a part of the Western dharma world that hasn't received much attention: class."
-- Sumi Loundon Kim, Buddhist Chaplain, Yale University, author of Blue Jean Buddha and Sitting Together
"Destined to become a classic among spiritual memoirs, Steve Kanji Ruhl’s Appalachian Zen, a riveting account of the seeker’s journey, is a long winding road of loss, love, forgiveness and liberation. It shows us that Zen is not so much about ritual or practice as it is about a life lived with courage and curiosity." – Willa Blythe Baker, founder and spiritual director, Natural Dharma Fellowship, author of The Wakeful Body and Everyday Dharma
"Brilliant and lyrical...his unflinching story is an important commentary on American Zen." -- Lion's Roar: Buddhism, Meditation, Life
"This beautifully written memoir traces the author’s pilgrim’s progress from the conservative American heartland to the depths of the Buddhist dharma, mirroring Martin Buber’s claim that every journey has a 'secret destination of which the traveler is unaware.' Insightful, accessible, and emotionally transparent, this epic spiritual journey from West to East and back again will open your mind and widen your heart. I recommend it highly."
-- Mark Matousek, author of Sex Death Enlightenment and When You’re Falling, Dive
"Zen is becoming native to America and the West, and there's no better place to see what this looks like than with Steve Kanji Ruhl’s Appalachian Zen. It's an intimate memoir; you can taste and smell and feel his journey into the depths. At the same time it's a very good invitation into the details of a contemporary Zen life. I strongly recommend it."
-- James Ishmael Ford. author of Introduction to Zen Koans: Learning the Language of Dragons
"Appalachian Zen is the record of the journey of a restless soul in search of home, who finds it, finally, in the dynamic silence of Zen. Steve Kanji Ruhl’s poetic descriptions of his birthplace in hardscrabble Appalachian Pennsylvania, his wanderings through Japan, his education in elite universities, and of the often harrowing incidents of his life, make this book an engrossing read. What is life, what is death, why are we here? No one avoids such questions, here explored with honesty and depth."
-- Norman Fischer, Zen priest and poet, author of When You Greet Me I Bow: Reflections from a Life in Zen and Selected Poems 1980-2013.
"A wonderful, wise, fierce book."
-- Andrew Harvey, founding director, Institute for Sacred Activism; bestselling author of numerous books, including A Journey in Ladakh
"In this incisive memoir, Zen Buddhist minister Ruhl (Enlightened Contemporaries) reflects on his tumultuous relationship with his Appalachian Pennsylvania roots... Readers will find this a powerful synthesis of American Zen philosophy and cultural analysis." – Publishers Weekly
“Ruhl charts his extraordinary life, from growing up in Appalachia to becoming a Zen Buddhist minister....[His] Ruhl’s remembrance is exceedingly intelligent and full of lucid insights into the character of Zen Buddhism as well as the failings of ‘contemporary pop-Buddhism’ in the Western world.” – Kirkus Reviews
"This stands out among American Buddhist memoirs due to Ruhl's exploration of the effect of class on his spiritual journey. His poetic and visceral descriptions of his hardscrabble youth and Zen training are captivating." -- Library Journal
“It’s a long strange trip from Appalachia to the Zen world of Japan, but poet/Zen minister Steve Kanji Ruhl made the journey and now brings back the pictures. Appalachian Zen soars on Ruhl’s eloquent and profound word-pictures from his life and life studies. This book will sweep you through a troubled life turned transcendent through escape, searching, and finally, commitment. Take the trip!”
-- Bruce Watson, author of Light: A Radiant History from Creation to the Quantum Age and editor of "The Attic"
"Moving from a backdrop of loss toward a mature, grounded adulthood of freedom, wholeness, and connection, this peaceful, honest, and earthy narrative is interwoven with reflections on nature, history, poetry, and culture. Travel is a
powerful feature of Ruhl’s story, too. Each place that he visits, from the Appalachian Mountains to Japan, is rendered with heartfelt beauty, though Ruhl is also careful to observe the pains that are evident in each place where he stops.
Ruhl’s prose is open-minded and heartfelt, transitioning between approaches and time periods in a smooth, clear, and orienting manner. Deep healing and diligent practice are continually evident in its movements. Ruhl’s story also leans into an introductory sense of Zen Buddhism itself, delving into how its practices have transformative power. Quotes from teachers and practitioners of Zen Buddhism increase its insights.
Appalachian Zen is a stirring religious memoir about finding a home and a spiritual resting place." – Foreword Reviews
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Enlightened Contemporaries: Francis, Dogen & Rumi: Three Great Mystics of the Thirteenth Century and Why They Matter Today is the first book to compare the lives and teachings of three of the world's most admired spiritual masters: Francis of Assisi, the Christian saint; Dogen, the great Zen Buddhist teacher; and Rumi, the Islamic Sufi master. They lived during the same turbulent century. They integrated mystical experiences of the sacred into their lives, and they can inspire us to do the same.
Enlightened Contemporaries combines robust scholarship with brisk, engaging, lyrical prose. Offering a thorough introduction for the general reader as well as specialists, it will appeal to those who enjoy an interfaith approach to spiritual exploration, one that links Christian, Buddhist, and Islamic mystical teachings within a vibrant historical context and shows how they not only complement each other but remain profoundly relevant in the twenty-first century.
Bringing Saint Francis, Dogen, and Rumi vividly to life as complex and compelling human beings, Enlightened Contemporaries lucidly explains their spiritual paths, explores the dynamic age in which these three pioneering teachers struggled and triumphed, and investigates their remarkable poetry. It also deftly examines how Francis, Dogen, and Rumi engaged the world in the context of five shared themes: spiritual love, nature, the body, the role of women, and balancing retreat from society with active involvement. By interweaving the spiritual lives of these Christian, Buddhist, and Muslim teachers, Enlightened Contemporaries will help readers enhance their own lives and find new paths of spiritual understanding.
"This insightful study...is an excellent group biography of three mystics of critical importance to their own traditions and to mysticism as a whole." -- Publishers Weekly (see full review here)
"A beautiful, rich, and vivid weaving of the experiences of awakening by three great mystics and teachers, this book is a treasure and inspiration for our time." -- Roshi Joan Halifax, Abbot, Upaya Zen Center
"The gift of Steve Kanji Ruhl’s Enlightened Contemporaries: Saint Francis, Dogen, and Rumi is its ability to bring these awakened masters to life in a manner that allows them to speak Truth without the trappings of power. This is a book to be treasured." -- Rabbi Rami Shapiro, author of Perennial Wisdom for the Spiritually Independent
"In the 13th century three great mystics awakened to their True Nature, or God. Steve Kanji Ruhl shows how their inward journey, pursued with devotion, transformed their world and continues to inspire ours in this superbly written, stirring book." -- Roshi Eve Myonen Marko, founding teacher, Zen Peacemaker Order
"Steve Kanji Ruhl writes beautifully, and Enlightened Contemporaries is a fascinating study. This is sure to be a well-received and much-appreciated comparative study of Dogen, Francis, and Rumi." -- Dr. Anne Monius, Professor of South Asian Religions, Harvard University
"Enlightened Contemporaries provides an introduction to the thought of three contemporaneous spiritual masters in a way that bridges the past and present and affirms and inspires the human compulsion to find meaning." -- Dr. Nina Safran, Associate Professor of History, Director of Middle Eastern Studies, Pennsylvania State University
NOW AVAILABLE: STEVE KANJI RUHL'S NEWEST BOOK OF POEMS
PAINTINGS OF RICE CAKES SATISFY HUNGER
"Paintings of Rice Cakes is a mature work by an important American Buddhist poet. Lyrical, tough, and illuminating, these poems are the kind of nourishment this hungry world needs." --
Leslie Staub, author of Bless This House
CUSTOMER REVIEWS FOR PAINTINGS OF RICE CAKES SATISFY HUNGER
5 Stars: Intoxicating!
"Exquisite language. Luminous Imagery. Masterfully composed. Steve Kanji Ruhl's poetry beckons the reader to see-hear-smell-touch-taste the world and the inner life of a seeker with vivid, exuberant, piercing insight. When I put Ruhl's work down and look up breathing in the world around me -- I experience it and myself anew. Paintings of Rice Cakes Satisfy Hunger is a must-have for any contemporary poetry collection." -- Jenny
5 Stars: "Incredibly written and so beautiful." -- Kalia Furnari
5 Stars: "Awe inspiring. A beautifully written book. Anyone will illuminate inside after reading." -- Craig
PAINTINGS OF RICE CAKES SATISFY HUNGER
"Paintings of Rice Cakes is a mature work by an important American Buddhist poet. Lyrical, tough, and illuminating, these poems are the kind of nourishment this hungry world needs." --
Leslie Staub, author of Bless This House
CUSTOMER REVIEWS FOR PAINTINGS OF RICE CAKES SATISFY HUNGER
5 Stars: Intoxicating!
"Exquisite language. Luminous Imagery. Masterfully composed. Steve Kanji Ruhl's poetry beckons the reader to see-hear-smell-touch-taste the world and the inner life of a seeker with vivid, exuberant, piercing insight. When I put Ruhl's work down and look up breathing in the world around me -- I experience it and myself anew. Paintings of Rice Cakes Satisfy Hunger is a must-have for any contemporary poetry collection." -- Jenny
5 Stars: "Incredibly written and so beautiful." -- Kalia Furnari
5 Stars: "Awe inspiring. A beautifully written book. Anyone will illuminate inside after reading." -- Craig
ALSO OUT NOW:
THE CONSTANT YES OF THINGS:
SELECTED POEMS 1973-2018
The Constant Yes of Things: Selected Poems 1973-2018 is a landmark collection from a poet whose work is “very fine” (May Swenson), poems intensely personal yet addressing universal concerns of mortality and loss, erotic passion, the natural world, history, art, contemporary American life, Buddhist spirituality, mystical experience, and language itself. The book spans 45 years of work by a poet who remains a maverick, artistically and spiritually, and whose work is original, risk-taking, candid, uncompromising, and revelatory.
PRAISE FOR THE POETRY OF STEVE KANJI RUHL
“The words of these poems seem to cup and contain the experience like the hands of a craftsman who loves his material. The language is strong and delicate simultaneously. I can’t think of any more accurate word for the poems than beautiful. He says off-handed things which are hard to forget,” wrote Pulitzer Prize winner and U.S. Poet Laureate William Meredith.
Steve Kanji Ruhl’s “poems are very fine…they are complex but clear, infused with flashes of self-revelation. They make use of language in the instinctive way that marks a true poet. His perceptions are keen, and he takes care to be a good craftsman. ‘The astonishment of being in this world’ — a line from one of the poems — is what he conveys so well,” wrote May Swenson, winner of the Bollingen Prize and a MacArthur “genius award,” and acclaimed by eminent critic Harold Bloom as one of the major American poets of the 20th century.
Steve Kanji Ruhl's poems are "strong, self-sufficient, well-made, rich in imagery and in rhythm," wrote John Balaban, noted poet and translator, winner of the William Carlos Williams Award from the American Poetry Society, the Lemont Poetry Prize, and finalist for the National Book Award.
“I was blown away. I have tremendous respect,” said Pulitzer Prize-winning poet James Tate.
CUSTOMER REVIEWS FOR THE CONSTANT YES OF THINGS
5 Stars: A stunning poetic lifescape--exquisitely crafted
"For the lover of language, poetry and the amazement of human experience, this volume of Ruhl's poems is an exquisite expression of life in all its jubilation, tenderness and grief. The author's luminous use of language captures a riveting moment in nature or the bittersweet twinings of romantic love. His gaze is at once both ferocious and poignant, searing and restrained. The grief he has suffered, the loves he has known, the spiritual depths of his witness are gifts to the reader." -- Ellen D.
5 Stars: A truly original voice- masterfully crafted, poignant, fresh, and inspiring!
"An amazing collection of poetic gems - masterfully crafted, with truly fresh images and inspiring perspectives. This work travels a broad sweep of Ruhl's life experiences, opening with his very personal journey into the meaning of illness, cracking our hearts open with grief and loss, then turning toward life, celebrating the senses, juxtaposing the whimsical and profound, the sacred and profane, with surprising twists as we travel the inner world of his remarkable perspectives. The loss of a beloved brother, the delicious celebration of the sensuous in a new found love, the restoration of joy and hope in encounters with the natural world, all conveyed with a vibrant pallet of word and image in a truly original voice. Ruhl embraces all of it and takes us with him in "The Constant Yes of Things!" A must read for poets and lovers everywhere!" -- Chelsea M. Wakefield
5 Stars: Ruhl's poetry is vivid, truthful, and searingly personal
"It is full of reflections and deep feelings about the experiences of life that have blessed and bruised him, and which struck chords of recognition in me. He moved me with the exquisite imagery of his nature writing. I love that I almost always understand what he is saying, and that he doesn't have to be obscure in order to be profound." -- James L. Perkins
5 Stars: YES!
"A must read for anyone interested in the intersection of language and culture, experience and naming, absurdity and truth. If you love poetry, if you're looking for a contemporary finger pointing to a spherical moon with an American flag on it, read this---savor it. This is a breathtaking collection of poems." -- lil lester
5 Stars: Poems as a practice in gratitude
"Here's a poet who deeply loves people, nature, and the rhythms of language, who looks close and also sometimes steps away to give us a view as if from the stars. It's a privilege to view particular New England gardens, woods, beds, and kitchen windowsills through his eyes." -- Jeannine Atkins