99 Ways to Find Your Path
Chapter Summaries for "Finding Your Path"
Right livelihood: The main purpose of this website is to spread the word about right livelihood through stories and narrative and resources. Pure capitalism is transforming into responsible capitalism. The right livelihood umbrella embraces and envelops all of the movements; including the trend toward social accountability in the workplace, the emerging green business economy and the peace is patriotic campaign; it is a personal and spiritual quest that encompasses everything that is ‘right’ about sustaining our world and ourselves.
Another purpose is to share what I have learned about right livelihood and as the site is a dot.com and represents a money-making, money sharing venture, my consultation services and book will also be available soon. There exists a new generation of ‘green’ entrepreneurs who believe that making money and doing good are inextricably linked. Share your ideas and stories about the growing ‘right livelihood’ movement, where the workplace is the new frontier for social responsibility. When I first started writing the book, “finding your path, Tales of Right Livelihood,” many years ago I assumed right livelihood was a term that was as recognizable as say, ‘karma yoga’ but as I began asking around I realized that right livelihood is not only not a buzz word but also there are many progressive people who have never even heard the term. My passion for finding my own right livelihood is what led me to start journaling about it.
Finding your path, Tales of Right Livelihood: As part of my search I have been blessed to have met many interesting characters along the path. These inspirational stories along with those of some famous real life and fictional characters can be found both in the book and on this website; click onto the ‘Book Tab’ to read chapter summaries and excerpts. What is ‘right livelihood’? ‘Right livelihood’, or Sama Ajiva, is the fifth of the eight path factors in the Noble Eightfold Path, and belongs to the virtue division of the path. The Buddhist definition is “work that is ethical and helps ones spiritual development.” “Knowing his income and expenses he leads a balanced life, neither extravagant nor miserly… knowing that his income exceeds his expenses.” This is called the middle path or the middle way between indulgence and asceticism. The middle way is a spiritual path based neither on aversion, nor on attachment, to worldliness. It rests at the center of all things.
Consultation: Within the pages of “finding your path, Tales of Right Livelihood” are many guidelines to determining if a path does or does not fall within the parameters of ‘right livelihood’ and many guideposts to help you find your path. Although there is no one specific formula you can devise to find your right livelihood there are many pointers that can help you on your path. Among the many secrets revealed in the book are to: trust your instincts and gifts; develop your intuition; follow your source of joy; express yourself creatively through service; explore for the hidden treasure within; seek your deeper values as signposts; identify your element, your type and your passion; increase your awareness; look at your myths as touchstones and bring clarity and simplicity into your life. As your path guide I can help lead you in the right direction so you stay on course. Besides right livelihood consultations and workshops, I will be hosting several Vision Quests a year to be held in pristine power spots. Vision Questing is a very powerful method of getting in touch with your core desires. The more ingrained the thought and feeling of right livelihood becomes in your life the closer you are to actualizing your dreams. If that is your destiny.
My Search: As it says in my book, “The search for my ‘right livelihood’ has occupied my thoughts every day for thirty five years. To process my thoughts, I have written hundreds of pages about that search. I call my favorite page the Santa Clause letter to god, spelling out what a good and deserving fellow I am and asking for the gift of ‘right livelihood’. I have practiced prosperity principles, completed the Ben Franklin positive/negative lists on numerous jobs, let go and let god, hired coaches, consulted mentors, consulted astrologists and soul listeners, gone on vision quests, taken MBA business classes, attended dozens of workshops, taken notes and performed the exercises in the books, prayed and meditated, and worked dozens of different vocations and avocations. I have done it all, but still I searched.”The gist of right livelihood as described in The Right Livelihood Awards website (rightlivelihood.org) says that “each person should follow an honest occupation which fully respects other people and the natural world. The Right Livelihood Awards website goes on to say that ‘Right Livelihood’ means “being responsible for the consequences of our actions and taking only a fair share of the earth’s resources.”
