Anxiety can be overwhelming, but what if there were small ways to learn to refocus anxiety triggers so that everyday life could become more manageable and enjoyable? Shunmyo Masuno (The Art of Simple Living), the head priest of a Buddhist temple in Japan, leads readers through a Zen approach to life in Don't Worry: 48 Lessons on Relieving Anxiety from a Zen Buddhist Monk. In lessons imparted through phrases derived from scriptures (zengo) and anecdotes that "help us understand the wisdom and practice of Zen," Masuno seeks to teach readers to "focus on the here and now," instead of "agonizing over what might happen in the future" so that they can "enjoy a calmer, more relaxed, and positive version" of themselves.
The book of teachings, translated from the Japanese by Allison Markin Powell, organizes its 48 lessons into five parts of varying lengths; each lesson comprises a short, meditative chapter. Readers can move through it cover to cover or dip in and out. All Zen sayings discussed in the book are indexed at the end, which provides another way to use the text: readers can find a zengo that resonates with one's current moment and then read Masuno's meditation on that lesson. It adds up to an approachable yet flexible guide to making Zen practice a habit. Rather than prescribing one way to let go of anxieties, Masuno creates a format in Don't Worry that lets readers take what they need and form their own Zen awareness. --Michelle Anya Anjirbag, freelance reviewer