The Active Life: Wisdom of Work, Creativity and Caring

by Parker J. Palmer

book data

54 ratings, 4.15 average rating, 8 reviews (more data...)

rating	frequency	%
5		48%
4		29%
3		12%
2		7%
1		1%

edit

published

October 1st 1991 by Harper San Francisco (first published 1990)

details

Paperback, 176 pages

isbn

0060664584 (isbn13: 9780060664589)

description

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 …more

find at: Amazon • WorldCat • more options…

There is a good chance some of your friends read this book. Sign in to see!

new topic
discuss this book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

friend reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

lists with this book

This book is currently not featured on any Listopia lists. Add this book to your favorite list »

other reviews (showing 1-20 of 105)

sort: default (?) | date
filters: all | text-only

Jan 03, 2010

Dj Seifert rated it:

(review of isbn 0787949345)

Read in January, 1998

Palmer deals with the tension between action and what is missing in many lives, the practice of contemplation. Contemplation is cast as having potential to penetrate through the prominent and delimiting illusions and to disengage from the dominant script(s) that are rooted in anxiety in our world. Hence, Palmer argues, the challenge is to live within the living paradox of action and contemplation. While action refers to any way we co-create reality with others, contemplation refers to the necess...more Palmer deals with the tension between action and what is missing in many lives, the practice of contemplation. Contemplation is cast as having potential to penetrate through the prominent and delimiting illusions and to disengage from the dominant script(s) that are rooted in anxiety in our world. Hence, Palmer argues, the challenge is to live within the living paradox of action and contemplation. While action refers to any way we co-create reality with others, contemplation refers to the necessary ways we unveil the illusions that masquerade as reality while revealing the reality behind the masks.

Palmer aptly writes about vocation as "something I can’t not do, for reason I’m unable to explain to anyone and don’t fully understand myself, but that are nonetheless compelling." What one is truly good at or compelled to do, which one cannot escape, is connected at some level to mystery and must meet up with what the world really needs. Action thus cannot exist without contemplation, for action alone leads to a frenzy—"a frantic and even violent effort to impose one’s will on the world, or simply being reduced to surviving against the odds; while contemplation alone becomes escapism—a departure from the real world into a realm of false bliss."

Palmer further draws from the ancients and sees three living characteristics at work in a life actively pursuing a vocation or "call": work, creativity, and caring. All three require action, and what is lacking and hidden can only be fully met through the combined practice of contemplation. Work is action driven by the call of external necessity or demand. We work because we need to make a living, because we need to solve a problem, because we need to surmount and to survive. Creativity is driven more by inner choice or call from within than by the outer demands. In creative action, our desire is to give birth to something new. Caring is also action freely chosen that aims at nurturing, protecting, guiding, healing, or empowering something that already has life. However, without contemplation we may never fully hear the call to care, the voice that tells us what and who to care about, the call of God who hears the cries of the oppressed, nor the path to healing for which the therapeutic realm more that often can only diagnose.(less)

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Feb 05, 2009

Chris rated it:

bookshelves: spiritual, spiritual-disciplines

Read in February, 2009

Summary
Palmer posits that contemplation is connecting with reality and proper action must flow from and be true to that reality – the reality of who are, how the world is organized and the deeper reality of the Kingdom of God. In this way action and contemplation are inseparable. Each story or poem in turn shows the danger of action in conflict with reality or the beauty of action deeply embedded in reality.

Belief
Palmer believes that this reality is deep stuff. It is ...more Summary
Palmer posits that contemplation is connecting with reality and proper action must flow from and be true to that reality – the reality of who are, how the world is organized and the deeper reality of the Kingdom of God. In this way action and contemplation are inseparable. Each story or poem in turn shows the danger of action in conflict with reality or the beauty of action deeply embedded in reality.

Belief
Palmer believes that this reality is deep stuff. It is more complicated and varied than a cursory inspection may lead us to believe. To touch reality we must be prepared to wrestle and to suffer. With Annie Dillard, we believe we must “ride these monsters deeper down,” and there find the bedrock reality (30). The elements Palmer holds as true come from this bedrock place of depth. We are invited to take truths such as the necessity of suffering, the unknowing and weakness of God, the naturalness of the miracles of the Woodcarver and Jesus, truths that blow our minds – we are invited to take them and wrestle with them. This is important to Palmer because he believes that only by riding these difficult truths down into the darkness can we be lead to the bedrock that will provide foundation for our action.

Doubt
In my doubt I ask not, “Are these ideas true?” but “In what way might they be true?” I have a hard time wrapping my head around a God who doesn’t have it all figured out but hopefully acts. This view of God seems contrary to the declaration of scripture, that God is all-powerful and all-knowing. Tozer would suggest that a God who is not the superlative in all things, cannot by definition be God (Knowledge of the Holy). Palmer’s treatment of the Loaves and Fishes also draws some questions. He says he “does not demand a naturalistic explanation for the ‘miracle’ in this story,” like liberal theologians demythologizing the gospel (130). He is content with the mythos of the story, but his hermeneutic demands a naturalistic explanation (129). Palmer and Mark are slightly cross-purposes. Mark is developing his theme that Jesus demonstrates the breaking in of the Kingdom of God by the miraculous, where as Palmer wishes to show the breaking in of the reality of the Kingdom of God in the ordinary actions of people.

Synthesis
In terms of how we approach reality, the paradox between belief and doubt explored above can remain in tension. It is as we explore other angles of looking at God, scripture, Jesus and life that we see more facets of reality. While it is true that God is sovereign and wholly other, unbound by time and space, it is helpful in understanding the deep truth of his reality to explore God’s action in terms we can understand. In some mysterious way God’s knowledge outside of time and power over space is best understood by our finite minds as unknowing and weakness. In our contemplating the reality of the Kingdom coming to bear on the earth it is equally important to stand in awe of Jesus as wonder worker and recognize the presence of the Kingdom in ordinary action. The deep reality is difficult to explore and requires much stretching of the brain.

Application
Palmer provides a compelling matrix for discerning right action. I find myself more geared to contemplation just as Palmer found himself wired for action. He challenges me to find reality and disillusionment in my contemplation and carry that to action. I feel the conviction that my actions don’t often enough flow from that source. To often I am Chaung Tzu’s professional, working from reaction, creating places to show my stuff. I keep busy to have a sense that I am alive, laziness stalks me, I crave the intentional action flowing from reality.
(less)

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Dec 11, 2008

Ronda rated it:

(review of isbn 0787949345)

Read in December, 2008

This book is definitely written from a Fowler Stage 5 perspectives it is ultimately about learning from the tensions of duality and reconciling paradox. He uses a different story or poem to frame each of the last five chapter. These pieces of literature come different religious traditions that had uneven impact on me. But a couple were so powerful that I still believe it warrants the five star rating. John Dehlin this is a book I would recommend to you.

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Nov 16, 2008

Drick rated it:

(review of isbn 0787949345)

bookshelves: community-work, personal-growth, teaching, theological

Read in November, 2008

This book is one of Palmer's best and uses ancient stories to talk about the intergration of the inner and outer life, the search for authentic self, and the finding of one's true vocation.

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Mar 17, 2008

Cherice rated it:

Read in January, 2005

Really focuses attention on the idea of natural gifts, how we can recognize them, and how in seeking a vocation, we should look for when our "deepest joy meets the world's deepest need."
His writing is beautiful, his thinking is substantive, and so although the book is short and very conversational in style, I found I could only read the book a few pages at a time if I really wanted to digest everything that it contained. A truly beautiful book.

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Apr 22, 2007

Pamela rated it:

(review of isbn 0787949345)

Active contemplation and contemplative action--it's not just action or contemplation. The way he expands on that concept is challenging and insightful. But I was surprised at his theological conclusions that the feeding of the 5,000 was actually a big sack lunch feast and that God isn't all-knowing or all-powerful. I have some major disagreements with that, but the book is well written and worth a read.

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Aug 17, 2008

Joan rated it:

(review of isbn 0787949345)

bookshelves: nonfiction

Read in August, 2008

Palmer uses literature (mostly poetry) to highlight the key lessons he wants you as a reader to take away. The poems and stories were thought-provoking and I imagine I'll be flipping back to them regularly. A good read especially if you're on any sort of spiritual quest.

Like this review? yes

1 comment