What if conflict isn’t the enemy-but an invitation to presence?

Most of us meet conflict with control, avoidance, or quick fixes. Conflict and Zen: Stories of Presence in Heated Moments offers another way-one rooted in Zen philosophy, mindfulness, and the quiet strength of deep listening.

At its heart, this book asks a radical question: What if the problem is not conflict itself, but how we meet it?

A Fresh Approach to Conflict, Mindfulness, and Communication

In a marketplace filled with books on negotiation, communication skills, and conflict management, this collection stands apart. It doesn’t offer formulas or scripted dialogue. Instead, it draws from Zen Buddhism, meditation practices, and real human encounters, inviting you to pause and face difficulty with clarity.

Through simple yet profound stories, you’ll discover how conflict can become:

A doorway to deeper connection
A spark for personal transformation
A call to be fully present, even in heated moments

What You’ll Find Inside

This book contains forty-five contemplative stories set in courtyards, kitchens, train platforms, and hospital rooms-ordinary places where extraordinary presence arises. Like traditional Zen koans, each story carries its own teaching.

You’ll encounter:

A Zen monk meeting yakuza debt collectors in a Japanese restaurant
A father and daughter sharing a silent meal
Strangers meeting in temple gardens, hospital corridors, and quiet kitchens

Each story reveals how presence, mindfulness, and compassion can shift even the most difficult moments.

About the Author

Written by a longtime professor who has taught thousands of students in conflict resolution and negotiation, and who has lived and practiced in Japan and Southeast Asia, this book draws from decades of academic expertise and lived contemplative practice.

Conflict and Zen: Stories of Presence in Heated Moments is more than a book-it is a journey into stillness, clarity, and the wisdom of meeting life exactly as it unfolds.

If you are looking for a mindfulness book, Zen reflection, or practical wisdom for navigating relationships, this collection will speak to you.

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