Charlotte Joko Beck (1917–2011) was an American Zen teacher and author. The Ordinary Mind Zen School founder was one of the first Western women teachers of Zen.
Born in New Jersey, Beck studied piano at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, worked at the University of San Diego as an administrative assistant, and taught piano.
Beck came to Zen practice in her early 40s, became a dharma successor of the late Taizan Maezumi Roshi. She established the Zen Center San Diego in 1983 and served as its lead teacher until July 2006.
One of the most influential Zen teachers of her time, Beck was the founder of Ordinary Mind Zen School, focusing on the relationship between Zen and modern psychology. Joko later moved to Prescott, Arizona, established the Zen Center of Prescott, and continued to teach until she retired as a teacher in 2010.
Beck was the bestselling author of Everyday Zen: Love and Work (1989) and Nothing Special: Living Zen (1993.)
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Joko Beck
Life always gives us exactly the teacher we need at every moment. This includes every mosquito, every misfortune, every red light, every traffic jam, every obnoxious supervisor (or employee), every illness, every loss, every moment of joy or depression, every addiction, every piece of garbage, every breath. Every moment is the guru.
—Joko Beck
Topics: Light, Life, Teach, Act, Give, Joy, Depression
If we can accept things just the way they are, we’re not going to be greatly upset by anything.
—Joko Beck
Body tension will always be present if our good feeing is just ordinary, self-centered happiness. Joy has no tension in it, because joy accepts whatever is as it is.
—Joko Beck
Joy is being willing for things to be as they are.
—Joko Beck
Human beings are basically good, kind, and compassionate, but it takes hard digging to uncover that buried jewel.
—Joko Beck
Joy is being the circumstances of our life just as they are.
—Joko Beck
It’s of no use to look back and say, “I should have been different.” At any given moment, we are the way we are, and we see what we’re able to see. For that reason, guilt is always inappropriate.
—Joko Beck
Topics: Life
When we’re lost in thought, when we’re dreaming, what have we lost? We’ve lost reality. Our life has escaped us.
—Joko Beck
We tend to run our whole life trying to avoid all that hurts or displeases us, noticing the objects, people, or situations that we think will give us pain or pleasure, avoiding one and pursuing the other.
—Joko Beck
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