Embracing the Inconceivable: Interspiritual Practice of Zen and Spirituality

Books like this will hopefully cause Zen caricatures of Christianity, or Christian caricatures of Zen, to fade into the past where I hope they can stay. Birx deftly avoids sloppy fusions, instead treading the more difficult, and responsible path of maintaining the integrity of both traditions. "Rather than saying that there is no self," Birx advises, "it is more accurate to say that this is no separate self." Drawing on a lifetime of practicing Zen as a worshiping and believing Christian, she explains: "Our self-emptying mirrors Christ's self-emptying in service to the world, and God's self-emptying in the ongoing creation of the world." The book is deeply researched, and yet practical, clear and wise. "Interspiritual practice," Birx understands, "does not erase boundaries."

This is above all else a timely book; as a culture we need it. Interspirituality is about moving in depth beyond the boundaries between religious traditions without erasing those boundaries. Many people feel an implicit pressure to choose a particular religious tradition and stick with it alone. Yet in the long run more than a few may feel vaguely unfulfilled because something they can't quite describe seems incomplete. It may be why so many either walk away that from that tradition or settle for a superficial involvement with it.Roshi Ellen Birx has done the opposite - that's the significance of this book - by practicing two great spiritual traditions herself in depth, and has found lasting spiritual fulfillment in so doing. And she emphasizes that depth of spiritual practice matters. That in Zen practice it's vital to "meditate long and strong, with the guidance of an authentic Zen teacher and with a sangha to support your practice." Otherwise the depth that practice needs to bear fruit will be missing. And that in "walking the Christian path...study, prayer, spiritual direction, loving action, and participation in Christian community" are all vital.There is a remarkable, continuing depth to her book that is difficult for me to describe given the brevity of an Amazon.com review. But I'm  a first hand witness - I can tell ya - that Roshi Ellen knows whereof she speaks.

Reading Roshi Ellen Birx's experience of reconciling Zen with Christianity was like reading a guide book of a place that I have traveled to. I believe that those that have struggled to reconcile Zen and Christianity will, at last, in this book, find the confirmation and guide they have dreamed of. There is no aspect of what she calls the inconceivable that is not touched. For those that are considering the trip and those that are traveling right now, having such an eloquent, scholarly and experienced guide is a definite requisite. This is a book that should be studied, pondered and reread. It is like hundreds of streams running into dozens of rivers that inevitably reach one great ocean. The emphasis on the highest goal of zazen is much needed in the current popularity of what has been called "McMindfulness", the removal of spirituality in mindfulness with the goal of mass consumption. For Christians, it will guide in reconnecting with the deeper truths in the scriptures and provide a way of practice that somehow got lost in the developing church.

This is the best book I have ever read on the topic of Christianity and Zen. It presents each tradition clearly and demonstrates how one tradition can support the other w/out trying to convert anyone. It is a gift offered freely, w/out prejudice and obviously comes from the pen of a sincere and seasoned practitioner.

A beautiful, illuminating exposition on the interface between the sacred principles of Christianity and the timeless principles of Zen. Deepened my practice of both.

I recently read Roshi Ellen Birx’s Embracing the Inconceivable, savoring one chapter or two a day. The book is organized in short, contemplative passages centered around broad themes of interspiritual practice: non-dual spirituality, the non-separate self, meditation and prayer, and embodying loving action. Roshi Birx’s down to earth, compassionate voice comes through clearly in this latest book, as it did in her previous book, Selfless Love.Roshi Birx’s experience, as well as her scholarship, inform her writing. Her descriptions of both Zen practice and Christian spirituality shed light that illuminates each tradition and enables us to see the parallels and commonalities between them. This book led me to a deeper understanding of both Zen and Christianity and to a more direct experience of God or ultimate reality in my own everyday life.Zen practitioners and Christians will recognize the references to their respective traditions and will gain a richer understanding of both traditions through her skillful interweaving of descriptions of the two spiritual paths.Embracing the Inconceivable is a gem. Its nuggets of insight will follow you through your day. I recommend it for people of all faiths who have a desire to explore how God manifests in our lives, and for anyone curious about Zen practice, particularly those with a Christian backround.