vow-powered life, The

By Jan Chozen Bays

Book Description

In a world where intentions often drift away like morning mist, Zen teacher Jan Chozen Bays reveals how the ancient practice of making vows can anchor our spiritual aspirations in daily reality. Drawing from traditional Buddhist wisdom, she demonstrates that conscious vow-making transforms ordinary moments into opportunities for profound growth.

Whether your commitment involves offering a daily smile to strangers or embracing the sacred bonds of marriage, each vow becomes a compass pointing toward your deepest values. Bays explores how these intentional promises can range from intimate personal practices, like bringing mindfulness to answering the phone, to expansive spiritual aspirations that encompass all living beings.

This accessible guide bridges the gap between timeless Buddhist teachings and contemporary life, showing how vows serve as powerful tools for both worldly achievement and spiritual development. Rather than viewing commitments as burdens, readers discover how conscious vow-making creates momentum toward meaningful goals.

Through practical wisdom and gentle guidance, Bays illuminates how even seemingly small promises can reshape our relationship with ourselves and the world around us. She reveals that when we approach our commitments with awareness and intention, they become pathways to transformation that honor both the sacred and the everyday aspects of human experience.