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Author: [[Alan Cohen]] Full Title: Spirit Means Business Category: #books They have all gotten out of balance and failed to integrate their inner life and their material world. Somewhere in their minds there is a split between money and passion, between worldly success and soul reward. One group works for money but has lost their soul. Another group has remained true to their passion and functions well in the marketplace, but the daily grind has eclipsed their joy. The third group doesn’t care about money, but they have to deal with it. This group is thriving spiritually but malnourished materially. Members of each group have a piece of the puzzle, but do not see the larger picture into which their piece fits. They don’t believe they can have it all, so they settle for what they have and still feel empty. The challenges we face at work are not punishments, curses, or impassable obstacles. They are opportunities to discover where we are limiting ourselves and how we can grow beyond those perceived limitations. had to set up some structure to manage my activities, and suddenly I was thrust into the business world. In spite of my desire to just write books and teach seminars, I had to establish a corporation, negotiate contracts, do spreadsheets, set up marketing campaigns, maintain a certain income to pay my mortgage, make detailed travel arrangements, hire and fire employees, wade through recessions, pay taxes and insurance, and all the other accoutrements that come with being a business owner in today’s convoluted world. If I delegated some of those tasks, I had to manage the people to whom I delegated, which was a job in itself. Now, some 35 years later, I realize that the tasks of business I so vehemently resisted provided some of the most powerful transformational lessons of my lifetime. While business has been a demanding taskmaster, it has also been a sterling teacher and a dynamic liberator. Although I would rather have sat in the woods writing books, the spiritual insights I gained from learning to work in the marketplace have empowered me far more than simply writing. Those insights have, in fact, made me a better writer and teacher. It is said, “What’s in the way is the way.” The first step to removing any obstacle is to discover and dismantle the beliefs that are keeping you stuck. Where are you denying your aliveness? What do you believe you have to do first before you can do what you really want to do? Who or what seems to be limiting your income? If you experience any struggle, strife, or lack in your livelihood, you must believe some lie. Truth does not require sacrifice; only fear, the enemy of joy, demands suffering. I will explain why you may have settled for less than what you really want and motivate you to settle for more. If you are already successful, we will look at ways for you to rise to your next rung of empowerment. If you associate money with fear, I will show you how to make money your servant rather than your master. We will take our power back from beliefs in struggle, dependence on external conditions, the burden to earn, competing in a field of limited supply, allowing work to become a substitute for life, and much more. This book is about freedom from vocational and spiritual bondage.

AI Summary

Spirit Means Business by Alan Cohen presents wisdom from the contemplative traditions.

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