Geri Larkin – författare

Gardens have often been used as metaphors for spiritual nurturing and growth. Zen rock gardens, monastery rose gardens, even your grandmother''s vegetable garden all have been described as places of refuge and reflection. Drawing on her experience working at Seattle''s premier gardening center, Zen teacher Geri Larkin shows how the act of gardening can help you uncover your inner creativity, enthusiasm, vigilance, and joy. As your garden grows, so will your spirit.

Larkin takes you through the steps of planning, planting, nurturing, and maintaining a garden while offering funny stories and inspiring lessons on what plants can teach us about our lives. As soothing as a bowl of homemade vegetable soup, Plant Seed, Pull Weed will entertain, charm, and inspire you to get your hands dirty and dig deep to cultivate your inner self.

Chock full of moving and enlightening stories, The Chocolate Cake Sutra will help you let go of perfectionism and celebrate the sacred nature of the life you already have.

The Dhammapada is much loved by Buddhist practitioners as a simple and straightforward rendition of some of Buddha''s core teachings, and is read daily by thousands of people. While there are many translations available, few have an inclusive – and lyrical – sensibility. In studying various versions of this sacred text, Larkin noted many discrepancies and embarked upon an entirely original translation. Each instalment gets tested at the Still Point Zen Buddhist Temple in Detroit, a remarkable Zen centre in the heart of one of the roughest neighbourhoods in the country.

This small gift hardcover will have the appeal of the Thomas Byrom/Ram Dass edition, but will be made even more accessible with each chapter''s introduction containing a powerful contemporary anecdote from the Still Point Temple community. This ''Downtown Dhammapada'' will appeal not only to Buddhists, but to those who also appreciate beautifully rendered sacred texts as simply good reading.