Introducing the Series

What if the key to unlocking Zen wasn’t about chasing enlightenment but about understanding Zero? Not emptiness. Not nothingness. But a fundamental principle that cuts through the noise and gets to the heart of effective Zen practice.

This is Zero and the Search for Effective Zen, a series using Joshu Sasaki’s groundbreaking approach to Zen training to help evaluate the plethora of Zen paths – even, perhaps, the one you are presently walking. After decades of teaching, Sasaki zeroed in—literally—on Zero as the foundation of a productive Zen practice.

So, what is Zero? How does it shape Zen training? And more importantly—how does it change your understanding of an objectively effective Zen path?

Let’s find out.