★A prominent Zen authority and abbot with a modern perspective, Fujihara Tōen, who holds a background in law from Kyoto University, brings this cutting-edge Japanese healing work of July 2025.
★33 Zen practices dissolve self-negation, interpersonal anxiety, and job burnout, teaching people to practice “accepting imperfection.”
★The methodology combines Zen charm with practicality, from “finding bright spots” to “transforming workplace mindsets,” providing guidance for every step of life.

How can Zen phrases and Buddhist wisdom be integrated into daily life? A Zen monk explains in an easy-to-understand manner.

Lack of confidence, loss of goals, and interpersonal fatigue... In response to these common confusions, this book conveys the following beliefs: “It's okay not to try hard occasionally”, “There is deep meaning in things you are not good at”, “No need to compare with others” and “Your very existence is precious”. By combining Zen thought with life scenarios, it gently answers the anxieties of modern people.

The book is full of warm insights: learn to discover your own bright spots, use ingenuity to accept shortcomings instead of blaming yourself, let go of the obsession with “must do” and allow yourself to say “this is fine”. Whether it is “anxiety”, “confusion” or “the restlessness of things not going as wished”...

Reading this book will dispel the gloom.

Fujihara Tōen

The abbot of the Myōshin-ji Sect Hōtai-ji, and the director of the Sarnath Art Center.
Born in 1944 in Hōtai-ji, Shizuoka City, which is famous for the “Number One Garden in the East Sea” and was once the residence of the Joseon envoys during the Edo period. After graduating from Shizuoka High School and the Faculty of Law at Kyoto University, he practiced at Kyoto Tōfuku-ji and became the private attendant of the renowned monk Hayakawa Keikyō (the head of the Tōfuku-ji Sect). He has successively served as the president of the Myōshin-ji Sect Preacher's Association, the director of education, and the head of the cultural development office of the Shizuoka Youth Conference. He has also worked as a high school English teacher and a part-time lecturer at Hamamatsu University, and is currently a lecturer at SBS Academy.
He is deeply trusted by monks, believers, and community residents for his sincere attitude in listening to their troubles.
To promote “evangelism” and “community exchange”, the Sarnath Art Center he presides over, in addition to operating the well-known Japanese art cinema “Shizuoka Cine Gallery”, also holds a variety of cultural activities. He also serves as the representative of the “Mind Bond Cultivation Association”, practicing the way of listening.

Chapter 1: Why not try to discover more of your inner bright spots? — Learn to affirm yourself!
Chapter 2: Start decluttering the burdens in your heart now! — Teach you to let go of obsession
Chapter 3: No need to force yourself in interpersonal interactions! — Differences should be embraced
Chapter 4: Is “work = pain” an illusion? — The secret to turning passivity into initiative
Chapter 5: Toward a lighter daily life! — A stress-free life begins from here