Gaslight & Steam Dev Blog

I originally read Vinge’s titular essay years ago along with bits and pieces of the other essays included in this edition. It’s fun to reread everything once again after so many years and to recall some of the ideas expressed in them. True Names remains as intriguing and topical as it was when it was first published.

An interesting overview of spiritual practices that the author combines together under the heading of Celtic spirituality. There’s some good references to various stories, folklore, practices and other things that are uniquely Celtic, combined with comparisons to other practices that are similar in spirit across other belief systems. Many of the meditations have a “neo-pagan” feel to them, being the author’s own concoction, though they’re more rooted in ancient practices than some.

More punk rock Zen. A refreshing followup to the author’s first book, picking up where that left off and enlightening the reader on more aspects of Zen Buddhism. Everything from what enlightenment means to how to properly sit and meditate is in this book with plenty of irreverent attitude that punctures holes in preconceptions as effectively as any koan or whack upside the head (which, when you think about it, makes Zen kind of punk rock that way).