A Whole Life's Work: Living Passionately, Growing Spiritually
Select Format
Select Condition 
Book Overview
"Work is not just a job. It is the sum of all our purposeful activities. Seen in this light, work is our whole life."
-- from A Whole Life's Work
What is work in the truest sense of the word? For Buddhist priest and acclaimed author Lewis Richmond, work is more than just having a job, or a means to a profitable end. It is the key to cultivating inner life and contributing to the developing consciousness of all humanity.
In this companion to his national bestseller, Work as a Spiritual Practice, Richmond applies his Buddhist understanding to address what is perhaps one of the primary struggles of contemporary Western life: how to achieve a healthy balance between professional ambition and personal happiness. Here he adapts Buddhist categories of spiritual virtue in defining eight important modes of work the Earner, the Hobbyist, the Creator, the Monk, the Helper, the Parent, the Learner, and the Elder along with their corresponding eight modes of inner work: Precepts, Vitality, Patience, Calm, Equanimity, Giving, Humility, and Wisdom. How to internalize these modes of work, and lead a more meaningful and spiritual life, is what this groundbreaking guidebook is all about.
Whether we are professionals, artists, hobbyists, parents, students, or spiritual leaders, A Whole Life s Work can teach us how to reconcile our outer livelihood with our inner lives...and reap the benefits of hard work well done.
-- from A Whole Life's Work
What is work in the truest sense of the word? For Buddhist priest and acclaimed author Lewis Richmond, work is more than just having a job, or a means to a profitable end. It is the key to cultivating inner life and contributing to the developing consciousness of all humanity.
In this companion to his national bestseller, Work as a Spiritual Practice, Richmond applies his Buddhist understanding to address what is perhaps one of the primary struggles of contemporary Western life: how to achieve a healthy balance between professional ambition and personal happiness. Here he adapts Buddhist categories of spiritual virtue in defining eight important modes of work the Earner, the Hobbyist, the Creator, the Monk, the Helper, the Parent, the Learner, and the Elder along with their corresponding eight modes of inner work: Precepts, Vitality, Patience, Calm, Equanimity, Giving, Humility, and Wisdom. How to internalize these modes of work, and lead a more meaningful and spiritual life, is what this groundbreaking guidebook is all about.
Whether we are professionals, artists, hobbyists, parents, students, or spiritual leaders, A Whole Life s Work can teach us how to reconcile our outer livelihood with our inner lives...and reap the benefits of hard work well done.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0743451317
ISBN13:9780743451314
Release Date:February 2005
Publisher:Atria Books
Length:256 Pages
Weight:3.60 lbs.
Dimensions:0.6" x 6.0" x 9.0"
Customer Reviews
1 rating
Redefines work in a way we could all benefit from
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 19 years ago
A Whole Life's Work redefines "work" to mean anything we do with our time that helps to make the world a better place. Whether we are earner, hobbyist, creator, helper, learner, parent, elder, etc, all of these roles allow us to contribute to the greater good through our "work." As a career coach, I recommend this book to all of my clients so they can see work as a powerful means to not only personal fulfillment but the betterment of humanity.
Copyright © 2025 Thriftbooks.com
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information | Cookie Policy | Cookie Preferences | Accessibility Statement
ThriftBooks ® and the ThriftBooks ® logo are registered trademarks of Thrift Books Global, LLC
ThriftBooks ® and the ThriftBooks ® logo are registered trademarks of Thrift Books Global, LLC
