The Active Life: A Spirituality of Work, Creativity, and Caring

by Parker J. Palmer

Book Overview

The Active Life is Parker J. Palmer's deep and graceful exploration of a spirituality for the busy, sometimes frenetic lives many of us lead. Telling evocative stories from a variety of religious traditions, including Taoist, Jewish, and Christian, Palmer shows that the spiritual life does not mean abandoning the world but engaging it more deeply through life-giving action. He celebrates both the problems and potentials of the active life, revealing...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0787949345
• ISBN13: 9780787949341
• Release Date: July 1999
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass
• Length: 176 Pages
• Weight: 0.47 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.2" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Loved it- and constantly revisit it...

I loved this book. It helped me to think deeply about what is right action. Over my last few years, my spiritual development through contemplation and meditation has caused me need understanding of how to act in ways that have deeper alignment and truth. This book helped me better understand this topic. I would love to see someone like Eckhart Tolle write a similar book- speaking more to what we "do" after we raise our consciousness and reduce our ego. Bring your highlighter...

A gift from a professor to his students.

This book helps to answer questions about your inner feelings, and is highly recommened for anyone.

For those on a spiritual journey

I am pleased to read of the struggles shared by the author and insights received into spirituality of those who are active faith workers like myself. Many friends with whom I have shared some of the insights contained in this book are thankful to know their faith is still in reach in the active and confusing culture in which they and we work and try to find our being. Chaplain Joyce

Work Revisioned as Service and Mindfulness

This book will help any who are struggling with finding authentic work, or the transformation of current work. The kind of wisdom on action Palmer describes here can help us all to find and to engage in work and creativity which serves simplicity, mindfulness and healing rather than materialism and distraction.

Inspired thinking on Creativity, Community, and Courage.

Ostensibly, this book is about finding an authentic spirituality without withdrawing from the community. The active life of the title is offered as a contrast to a solitary contemplative life as exemplified by the late, and now famous Christian monk, Thomas Merton. I don't know if, in the writing of it, the book developed beyond Palmer's initial intentions, but it is as much about our relationship with our own demons and the creative mastery that is ours when we have the courage to face them as it is an exploration of the title theme. This book gets my absolute highest recommendation.