The Tao of Abundance: Eight Ancient Principles for Living Abundantly in the 21st Century (Arkana)

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 400 pages
• Published by: Penguin Non-Classics November 1, 1999
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0140196064
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0140196061
• Book Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.5 x 0.9 inches
• Weighs: 1.3 pounds

Product Review
Not since Alan Watts has there been a lay expert with the erudition and insight to so expertly pack a difficult package of unfamiliar notions into a book of immediate relevance. What is consumerism to me? and sex? and money? How do they relate to my goals and aspirations? Laurence Boldt, a career counselor and author of the bestselling Zen and the Art of Making a Living, presents a sophisticated alternative to life as we know it. Fully equipped with opinion polls, sociological studies, intellectual histories, and classic economics texts, Boldt dismantles the foundations of our consumer society brick by brick and, more importantly, our unquestioning acceptance of it. The alternative is a path of awareness, of flowing, and of sufficiency that together result in the joyful abundance of a productive, natural life. The shift in world view that Boldt seeks to effect in the reader has such profound practical implications that this book could very well change your life--which is exactly the author's intention. Boldt can be excused for slipping into fuzzy notions like the so-called perennial philosophy, for his recasting of modern life in Taoist terms of ready abundance is so convincing that it makes you wonder how we got stuck in our lifestyles of lack in the first place. --Brian Bruya

From Publishers Weekly
"The art of abundance is not the art of making money, but the art of knowing how to live." Drawing heavily on Taoist concepts of work, creativity and love, Boldt (Zen and the Art of Making a Living, etc.) offers a systematic program for achieving well-being. Asserting that the Western emphasis on subduing nature and our relentless consumer culture offset the perception of "abundance," he suggests that feelings of prosperity and contentment can flourish independently of actual material wealth. He offers the Taoist pursuit of harmony, leisure and beauty in simple things as a means to help readers appreciate the world's inherent pleasures and to create a sense of fulfillment. According to Boldt, everyone can live abundantly by identifying their true sources of happiness, by following the path of least resistance and by redirecting energy that is unnecessarily tied up in the daily struggle to survive in our culture. Each chapter contains short sections focusing on specific Taoist concepts and showing how readers can apply them to their lives, as well as inspiring quotes from Eastern and Western thinkers. Boldt also provides a workbook section to help readers examine their ideas about money, careers, relationships, time and more. Those looking for a way to sidestep the endless cycle of getting and spending will welcome Boldt's practical, humanist approach to change. (Nov.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Reader Reviews
Having read many books on Eastern thought, I am often disappointed with new books that are either too esoteric to be of use in my day to day life, or are simple collections of aphorisms aimed at readers with short attention spans. I am happy to say that this book is neither. The author gives a very brief but clear explanation of Taoist belief, and relates it to the struggles faced by all who live in our consumer society. He also distinguishes Taoist beliefs from other traditions such as Christian and Buddhist. A very enjoyable and informative read!