How to Let Things Go: 99 Tips from a Zen Buddhist Monk to Relinquish Control and Free Yourself Up for What Matters

by Shunmyo Masuno, Allison Markin Powell (Translator)

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

Few know how to live a life with minimal attachments like Buddhist monks. Now you can tap into their expertise to free up your own life, whether you're bogged down by mental hang-ups, physical clutter or something else entirely.

“You might have encountered the ‘let them’ theory, inspired by the book of the same name by motivational speaker Mel Robbins. . . . Another book with a similar message [is] How to Let Things Go. . . . Perfectly designed for modern readers . . . it provides a deeply practical approach to life.” —Buddhistdoor Global

Feeling overwhelmed? Step away from life's demands and free yourself up for what matters with this succinct and sensible guide by the Zen Buddhist author of the international bestsellers The Art of Simple Living and Don't Worry.

Amid the relentless cycle of news, social media, emails, and texts, it can be hard to know when, if ever, you can take a break from everything clamoring for your attention. The internationally bestselling Buddhist monk Shunmyo Masuno offers a radical message: You can leave it all be, and, indeed, sometimes the best thing you can learn is how to do nothing. How to Let Things Go will teach you to:

• Lesson #2: Give people space—being caring and being nosy are not the same thing.
• Lesson #15: Remember that social media is a tool and nothing more.
• Lesson #19: Let a relationship come to an end rather than force it.
• Lesson #40: Think of letting things go not as throwing them away but as setting them free.
• Lesson #75: Make decisions in the light of the morning—don't rush into them.
• Lesson #90: Slow down and take more breaks.

With these and ninety-three other practical tips, you can abandon the futile pursuit of trying to control everything and discover the key to a fulfilling social life; individual well-being; and a calmer, more focused mind.

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Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780143138136
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	11/12/2024
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 7.10(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Shunmyo Masuno, the head priest of a 450-year-old Zen Buddhist temple in Japan, is the author of the international bestsellers Don't Worry and The Art of Simple Living as well as an award-winning Zen garden designer for clients around the world. He is a professor of environmental design at one of Japan's leading art schools and has lectured widely, including at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, Cornell University, and Brown University.

Allison Markin Powell (translator) won the PEN Translation Prize for her translation of Hiromi Kawakami’s The Ten Loves of Nishino and was a finalist for the Man Asian Literary Prize for her translation of Kawakami's The Briefcase. She has also translated Shunmyo Masuno’s The Art of Simple Living and Don't Worry, and works by Osamu Dazai, Fuminori Nakamura, and Kanako Nishi, among others. She was the guest editor of the first Japan issue of Words Without Borders and maintains the online database Japanese Literature in English. She lives in New York.

Editorial Reviews

08/12/2024

Zen priest Masuno (Don’t Worry) touts the merits of living a more unencumbered life in this wise and succinct guide. Contending that letting go is nothing less than a “survival skill” in an age of information overload, Masuno shares brief lessons on letting go at work (set aside one’s feelings in order to “get along with... adversaries”; accept personal weaknesses rather than working fruitlessly to overcome them); in personal relationships (observe rather than automatically intervening in others’ problems; accept that it’s impossible to fully know another person—“when you don’t understand, let it go” is the key to a happy marriage) and on social media (maintain “a certain distance” so as not to engage in “futile battles”). Masuno has a knack for turning a phrase to make familiar advice memorable—learning from one’s mistakes, he writes, is a way to “remake how we carry the past with us”—even if truisms like “worrying over little things... only makes your life more difficult” might elicit eye rolls. Still, the stressed will find much to appreciate. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

Take life’s challenges day by day with the help of the newest book from Shunmyo Masuno. . . . Masuno’s voice shines through his tips, which are often simply put and charmingly straightforward. Despite being rooted in Zen concepts, this book’s accessible format and worldly focus make it a great choice for readers of all backgrounds.” —Tricycle

“[A] wise and succinct guide . . . Masuno has a knack for turning a phrase to make familiar advice memorable. . . . The stressed will find much to appreciate.” —Publishers Weekly

“Akin to a pocket Dhammapada or Bible, it provides inspirational and practical lessons for navigating social media, relationships, careers, and personal growth . . . with an easy-to-digest format that fits neatly on a smartphone screen.” —Buddhistdoor Global

“Provides succinct instructions paired with hard-to-argue rationale, simplifying what otherwise might feel like a daunting task.” —Lion’s Roar

From the Publisher

10/01/2024

People often hear the expression "Let it go," but letting go is easier said than done. Masuno (Don't Worry; The Art of Simple Living), a Zen Buddhist priest, offers 99 tips for relinquishing negative thoughts and focusing on the important aspects of life. Divided into five sections, this title includes guidance on managing anxiety, curbing negative energy, fighting pessimism, embracing humility, coexisting with adversaries, and handling relationships with family or friends. Masuno frequently employs zengo (Zen sayings) and anecdotes about Buddhist monks from history to communicate his message. Each tip is only a page in length, but they all convey powerful messages that underscore the importance of slowing down, living in the moment, and not brooding about the past or worrying about the future. Masuno encourages surrounding oneself in nature, embracing solitude, jettisoning mental garbage, and limiting social media use. This book offers simple but essential reflections that could support individuals attempting to find meaning in a frenzied, self-absorbed world. VERDICT Readers will find brief but profound advice that will assist those who want to put their life in perspective. Recommended for readers interested in Buddhist principles or self-improvement practices.—Erica Swenson Danowitz

Library Journal