Mindfulness and Meaningful Work: Explorations in Right Livelihood

Rating:
Summary: Best Guide to Right Livelihood I've Ever Seen
Review: I'm the author/editor and Ernest Callenbach wrote the Foreword.

In creating this anthology, I set out to explore the integration of mindfulness and ethics in the workplace. In my own opening essay I show how Buddhism and the New Age movement have impacted American culture and stimulated an increasing interest in the meaningfulness of work.

I use the Buddhist 8-fold path, which includes Right View, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Mindfulness, and Right Contemplation to organize essays by some of the leading thinkers and doers of our time, including Thich Nhat Hanh, Joanna Macy, Sam Keen, E.E Schumacher, Gary Snyder, Shakti Gawain, Shunryu Suzuki, Robert Aitken, Tarthang Tulku, Marsha Sinetar, Rick Fields, Ellen Langer, and many others. They share their insights on the practice and value of working and of finding work that is meaningful, life-affirming, and non-exploitative.

In my closing essay, I describe in some detail a practical method for using mindfulness to find meaningful work.

My overall goal was to deepen your understanding of the concept of "right livelihood;" show how to go about overcoming the obstacles in your path so that you can find and maintain meaningful, satisfying work; and provide encouragment to live in a way that increases your inner peace, self-worth, and purpose.

Rating:
Summary: Best Guide to Right Livelihood I've Ever Seen
Review: In spite of the empty criticisms and single-minded diatribes of a couple of previous reviewers, I think this book is well worth it.

Other than Tarthang Tulku's "Skillful Means" it's hard to find much information on right livelihood and certainly, this is a definitive review.

I especially liked the even-handed inclusion of points of view from other religions besides Buddhism.

The reviewer who said it makes a great gift was right. And, it makes a great bedside book to help you go to sleep inspired and hopeful that it IS possible to find right livelihood.

Rating:
Summary: May help you decide on your life's work
Review: Interesting book in the Buddhist document of Right Livelyhood. Not as much a book about Mindfulness as a book about Meaningful Work. Most of the authors say much of the same thing. One author, Sam Keen, I liked a lot. This book might help you decide your priorities when it comes to career. And the advice contained within might help you alter your livelyhood in a way that you are more in tune with ecological concerns

Rating:
Summary: Makes a great gift for Christmas, birthdays or friendship
Review: This book inspired me! It presents a wide range of views on the subject of right livelihood, from traditional Buddhist thinking to essays from well-known non-Buddhist writers. I was especialy impressed by the inclusion of essays on Amish economics, Islamic banking, and the scientific study of mindfulness founded by psychologist Ellen Langer at Harvard. In addition, the author's closing essay did a great job of describing the practical steps you need to take to find "right livelihood." And, the book happens to have a beautiful cover, which makes it a pleasure to give as a gift.