The Zen of the Wild (In the Moment)

The Zen of the Wild (In the Moment)

From the author of The Zen of Climbing and The Craft of Bouldering , a manifesto for a new approach to connecting meaningfully with the wildness around and within us. In recent years, we have woken up to the crucial role that nature plays in our well-being. As we live increasingly urbanized lives, we seek out wilderness and green space in times of hardship and turmoil, or simply for our leisure.  Weaving together ideas from spirituality, neuroscience, religious philosophy and art history, Francis Sanzaro argues that we obscure opportunities for real connections through our attachments, our anxieties, and simply through our egos. We rarely observe nature without subconsciously filtering out the parts that don't fit into our perfect snapshot. To foster a genuine connection with the natural world, and to better protect it, we must embrace its contradictions as well as the surface beauty. Through deeper engagement with our environment, we can discover the wild within ourselves, too. Nominated for the 2026 Reading the West Book Awards “I love the idea of this book because I’m a sucker for philosophy. This book has the descriptions of a poet. Based on the author's personal, relatable experience in the Rocky Mountain West. It is not a quick read, but worth the effort of a deep read.” Cheryl Glenn, Last Chance Bookstore Praise for the Zen of Climbing "Climber Sanzaro ... writes simple but elegant, vivid prose to make his case for a unified approach to movement and mind ... An inspiring book aimed at rock climbers and other athletes that's ideal for both spirituality and sports psychology sections. Its emphasis on the virtues of cultivating mind-body awareness will also appeal to readers interested in New Age wisdom" Library Journal 'Written by a climber, and for climbers, there is no better book to get you started climbing with the right mindset."  Adam Ondra, first person to climb 5.15c and 5.15d, multiple World-Cup Gold Medalist "A skilled and experienced climber, Francis Sanzaro writes about his long-time application of Zen Buddhist mind-training techniques to overcome the difficulties of fear and enhance performance in life-challenging, climbing situations ... The lesson: we could bring this wisdom not only into climbing and other athletic pursuits but also into modern-day life in all its many aspects." John Baker, co-editor of Cutting through Spiritual Materialism and The Myth of Freedom Francis Sanzaro (Ph.D.) is a climber, academic, speaker, and the author of books on philosophy, climbing, athletic theory and comparative religion. His essays, poetry and fiction have appeared in the New York Times, Outside, Huffington Post, Climbing, Adventure Journal, The Baltimore Post Examiner, Continental Philosophy Review , Vol. 1 Brooklyn and  Rock and Ice , among a dozen others. His books include The Zen of Climbing ; The Craft of Bouldering; and Society Elsewhere: Why the Gravest Threat to Humanity Will Come From Within . He appeared at TEDx Ascend in Colorado speaking on approaches to risk and our relationship with the natural world. Francis lives in Carbondale, Colorado.