“A revealing, relatable look at a topsy-turvy path to spiritual enlightenment.” Kirkus Reviews
From Booklife Publishers Weekly:
“The author of Z is for Zen invites readers to walk alongside her as she battles to discover meaning in life, through an enticing narrative chronicling her steps towards practicing Zen, set against the larger context of history and its enduring impact on her journey. From America’s terrifying entrance into the Vietnam War to Mueller’s experience gambling at a casino with a Buddhist Roshi, readers will be riveted.
The stories entertain, provoke deep thought, and gently encourage readers to implement the author’s wisdom when reflecting on their own life journeys. She strikes a nearly-flawless balance between spiritual discovery/meaning and the traditions of this world.”
A young woman searching for meaning enters the uncompromising world of Zen Buddhism—and stays for thirty-five years.
Z is for Zen is a deeply personal journey into spiritual longing, discipline, and awakening—set against war, cultural upheaval, and the quiet intensity of Zen practice.
From a restless twenty-something to a devoted student training under a Zen master, the author takes readers inside the lived experience of Zen—not as philosophy, but as daily practice. From the mountains of Colorado to monasteries in Japan and silent meditation halls in New York City, this is a story of commitment, doubt, and transformation.
But awakening does not come in the way she expects.
As decades of practice unfold, the path reveals both clarity and contradiction. When the #MeToo movement casts new light on long-standing power dynamics within spiritual communities, she is forced to confront the shadow side of the teacher and tradition she once trusted completely.
What follows is a profound unraveling—and a final, unexpected lesson in letting go.
Blending memoir, spiritual reflection, and cultural insight, Z is for Zen offers an intimate portrait of what it means to seek truth over a lifetime.
For readers of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Siddhartha, and The Alchemist, this is a story of questioning, presence, and the search for a meaningful life.