Zen Baby

As babies approach the world, everything is so sparkling and thrilling and different: the sound of their mother’s voice, the bright sunlight, the first glorious jump into a puddle, even the flicker of a TV. And despite the unequivocal newness of all that’s around them, how often their little faces seem to evoke the seasoned perception of an older soul. Zen Babyreminds us how Zen-like an infant’s sense of wonder can be. Pairing more than fifty beautiful photographs of babies with gems of Zen wisdom from a variety of sources, we get a glimpse of what might be passing through their minds as they ponder new experiences. For example, a photograph of a lovely little girl nibbling a huge loaf of bread is matched with the saying “If you realize you have enough, you are truly rich.” Beyond being stirred by their undeniable cuteness, we could even learn a thing or two from these little Buddhas. As Zen teaches, “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s mind there are few.”