Work as a Spiritual Practice: A Practical Buddhist Approach to Inner Growth and Satisfaction on the Job

A guide to developing and maintaining a spiritual life on the job, drawn from the teachings and practices of Buddhist tradition.

Most people associate Buddhism with developing calmness, kindness, and compassion through meditation. Lewis Richmond's Work as a Spiritual Practice shows us another aspect of Buddhism: the active, engaged side that allows us to find creativity, inspiration, and accomplishment in our work lives. With over forty spiritual exercises that can be practiced in the middle of a busy workday, Work as a Spiritual Practice is based on the principle that "regardless of your rank and title at work, you are always the chief executive of your inner life."

Drawn from the author's diverse professional experience--as a Buddhist meditation teacher, business executive, musician, and high-tech entrepreneur--Work as a Spiritual Practice addresses a wide variety of on-the-job problems. Here you'll learn how to:

perform spiritual practices while commuting to and from work
meditate while sitting, walking, or standing--a minute at a time
understand ambition, money, and power from a spiritual perspective

Work as a Spiritual Practice is an essential guide for anyone who wants to bring his or her spiritual life and work life together.

Spirituality at work? Isn't that the oxymoron to end all oxymorons? Not according to Lewis Richmond, a veteran corporate executive and former Zen Buddhist priest who convincingly disputes the phrase's inherent contradictions in Work as a Spiritual Practice. "Even people who are comfortable with the notion of spiritual practice," he concedes, "are skeptical when I say that it can be done not just at home or at a retreat center but in the workplace." Nonetheless, he maintains, "this book is based on the premise that it can be done, and the circumstances and challenges of our work life can be transformed into opportunities for inner growth." After explaining how common mental and emotional experiences can be parceled into four distinct categories (conflict, inspiration, accomplishment, and stagnation), he effectively shows how Buddhist principles might be employed to mitigate related problems and enhance associated opportunities. The bulk of this satisfying book is divided into sections that correspond to these categories, with each exploring appropriate practices followed by real-life examples that illustrate their power and applicability. Recommended. --Howard Rothman