Filled with stories, history and practical guidance from the masters of Zen, The Spirit of Zen is a journey through a world of paradox and insight, offering guidance on the path to enlightenment, as well as the down-to-earth, living-in-the-moment path of Zen practice.These stories, many of which are about satori or enlightenment, are funny, outrageous and full of paradoxes and puns; they are also earthy, sometimes even scatological. Nevertheless, they contain deep teachings on the Buddhist path.As in Tales From the Tao, Solala Towler feels that the simple yet profound truths of spiritual practice and awakening are often best learned from stories, rather than through ponderous exposition. These stories - profound and illuminating as well as highly entertaining - contain the true flavour of Zen.