Being Black: Zen and the Art of Living with Fearlessness and Grace Cover
Podcast Mentions

Being Black Zen and the Art of Living with Fearlessness and Grace

Angel Kyodo Williams

An African American's Zen guide to happiness, satisfaction, and balance shows black Americans how to apply Buddhist principles to their lives to achieve the "warrior spirit" path to truth and responsibility. 25,000 first printing.

Podcasts 1
Quotes 10
On Being with Krista Tippett

This book, published in 2000, was described as a bold statement, challenging the notion that Black people could not live with fearlessness and grace. The author's exploration of grace as a gift inherent to Black people, even in the face of adversity, was particularly highlighted.

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Which was saying a lot back then.

— Episode: angel Kyodo williams – The World Is Our...

Episode: angel Kyodo williams – The World Is Our Field of P...

This book, published in 2000, was described as a bold statement, challenging the notion that Black people could not live with fearlessness and grace. The author's exploration of grace as a gift inherent to Black people, even in the face of adversity, was particularly highlighted.

"

Which was saying a lot back then.

Which it was saying, yeah, it was a bold statement.

Living with Fearlessness and Grace part or being Black? Or both?

Both.

That we could do that. That we could live in grace.

Episode: [Unedited] angel Kyodo williams with Krista Tippet...

It was described as a bold statement, challenging the idea that Black people could live with fearlessness and grace, especially given societal expectations. The author discussed how the book's message of fearlessness was sometimes met with discomfort from Buddhist teachers.

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I've been following you and reading you for years

Following and listening to you for years. I feel like it's like a very familiar voice in my head.

In 2000, that's also a wonderful book. It's Zen and the Art of Living with Fearlessness, right? With Fearlessness and Grace. And grace. With Fearlessness and Grace.

Which was saying? It was saying, yeah it was a bold statement. You know it was something really quite challenging in that statement. The living with fearlessness and grace part or being black? Or both? Both. Yeah. That we could do that. That we could live in grace.

But fearlessness is the really bold statement because we're expected to not be fearless. And in fact our fearlessness is dangerous and threatening. And so having people of African descent, of people that identify as black to choose fearlessness is a very, very bold statement of defiance.

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