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2nd out of 27 books
—
8 voters
Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation
With wisdom, compassion, and gentle humor, Parker J. Palmer invites us to listen to the inner teacher and follow its leadings toward a sense of meaning and purpose. Telling stories from his own life and the lives of others who have made a difference, he shares insights gained from darkness and depression as well as fulfillment and joy, illuminating a pathway toward vocatio...more
Hardcover, 117 pages
Published
September 24th 1999
by Jossey-Bass
(first published September 1st 1999)
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For Senior Seminar in English.
It's hard for me to rate this book, because I feel like I was told to go about it in a wrong sort of fashion. It was the first book assigned for my senior seminar in English--a class designed to help us figure out what to do with an English Major.
The Prof assigned this book to be read in a week, and told the class (more than once), that it could be "easily read in a sitting." About 30-40 pages into the book, I realized that that was not the best way to go about a...more
It's hard for me to rate this book, because I feel like I was told to go about it in a wrong sort of fashion. It was the first book assigned for my senior seminar in English--a class designed to help us figure out what to do with an English Major.
The Prof assigned this book to be read in a week, and told the class (more than once), that it could be "easily read in a sitting." About 30-40 pages into the book, I realized that that was not the best way to go about a...more
With warmth and wisdom throughout, Palmer describes in a most linear fashion his own triumphs and travails from institutions of many kinds: social, spiritual, and higher education. He is as inclined to quote some calming poetry as he is to lecture on leadership. He taps all the right people for their own thoughts on life and leading (Buechner, Dillard, Rilke, Rumi) and organizes the book's five chapters beneath simple metaphors--the changing of seasons, and those in one's life. He loves an analo...more
a book which posits a question that it doesn't quite answer: how is one to know one's vocation when it calls?
at a certain point in life, those of us who have not found perfect satisfaction with life start asking Big Questions: what am i here for? how can i find my purpose, since my dissatisfaction is evidence that heretofore i have not? what can i know with certainty about choosing a new path to set my feet upon?
this is not the same question as: what job should i be doing? vocation and bill-payi...more
at a certain point in life, those of us who have not found perfect satisfaction with life start asking Big Questions: what am i here for? how can i find my purpose, since my dissatisfaction is evidence that heretofore i have not? what can i know with certainty about choosing a new path to set my feet upon?
this is not the same question as: what job should i be doing? vocation and bill-payi...more
A friend whose Spiritual walk has given me a deeper understanding of courage and integrity suggested I may like this little book. I quickly became aware that the only thing diminutive about this tome was its size. When I began reading it, given the few pages it contained and the dimensions of those pages, I thought I would be finished reading it in a few hours. I spent 30 minutes reading the first five pages, I would read a paragraph and stare into the Middle Distance for five minutes consideri...more
Sometimes our crises find us. We run; In my case, it was a failed engagement, a tenative jump to Portland, OR. This led to several years flailing about. Love affairs both meaningful and empty. A career change. New Meds. Bold new psychotherapies. Upgraded software.
No dice.
Every indicator on the dashboard was red, a little iconographic arrow flashing in yellow. The books that used to console me were empty, or page after page of disconnected garbage like Borges proverbial 'Book of Sand.'
The pastor...more
No dice.
Every indicator on the dashboard was red, a little iconographic arrow flashing in yellow. The books that used to console me were empty, or page after page of disconnected garbage like Borges proverbial 'Book of Sand.'
The pastor...more
I read this too fast, like eating an incredibly rich piece of cake that gives you a stomachache and a desire to never eat again. I read this too fast, because it's only 109 pages, and these days that's a Post-It note to me in a world of dissertations.
I will buy this book, and I will read it again, and I will take at least ten minutes for each page.
The thing about Palmer's writing is not that it is lofty or erudite or accompanied by some hidden soundtrack of thunderous drums and resonant string s...more
I will buy this book, and I will read it again, and I will take at least ten minutes for each page.
The thing about Palmer's writing is not that it is lofty or erudite or accompanied by some hidden soundtrack of thunderous drums and resonant string s...more
Sep 15, 2009
Sunil Raheja
marked it as to-read
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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I was reluctant to read this in a time when so few jobs are available; wouldn't it be worse to know my "calling" when there's little or no opportunity to practice it? In fact, there is no better book to help me confront and enlighten such pessimism. No matter if I never find a dream job, I still have a vocation. Palmer writes about big ideas in a small, quiet, reflective tone; I can't wait to read more of his work.
Though his book was given to me at an Episcopal group for underemployed recession-...more
Though his book was given to me at an Episcopal group for underemployed recession-...more
This small tome of essays was referenced in a book I recently enjoyed, "My American Unhappiness" by Dean Bakopolus. Put this title on reserve at your local Public Library; unplug and coccoon for a cozy, lazy Sunday afternoon, curled up with this lovely book in print on life as a spiritual journey. You may add to your enjoyment of the experience by quaffing a brandy or bloody mary. This wee book soothes by it's petite size and plain spoken Quaker philosophy. It's particularly balm to the parched...more
I found myself ordering this book when I first began searching for how to discern a call from God. I am still in that discernment process, but found that this book really spoke to the liminal space I find myself in at this point in my life. Parker Palmer speaks from real, deep experiences that not only give him credibility with his reader, but he speaks with such truth (even when it's painful), that I found I shared so many of his experiences (though not true depression).
If you are in a transiti...more
If you are in a transiti...more
Received the book through a subscription I used to have from the Leadership Institute - called Leader to Leader. Book's premise is to find Leadership or vocation through inner truth. It is extremely spiritual and existential writing. I got lost in some parts about the book struggling to find the author's point. I did gain some valuable perspective with the examples he gave of Vaclav Havel - former President of the Czech Republic - who through the absolute depths of despair from communist rule ro...more
I have had this book for years and only just got around to reading it. But maybe that was the way it was supposed to be. I really enjoyed Let Your Life Speak.
A few things that I'll carry away... *that sometimes it is detrimental to be told you can do anything in life you want to do - we are not suited to do everything. We all have special talents and innate gifts and we should work with those to find out where our deepest passion meets the worlds deepest need. *Sometimes are greatest gifts are...more
A few things that I'll carry away... *that sometimes it is detrimental to be told you can do anything in life you want to do - we are not suited to do everything. We all have special talents and innate gifts and we should work with those to find out where our deepest passion meets the worlds deepest need. *Sometimes are greatest gifts are...more
If I could, I would give Palmer's book 10 stars. While the main tenet of this book is how to truly listen to your life's clues to discern your vocation, Palmer also embarks on the importance of community, leadership, and illustrates his vocational journey by including his walk through depression, which are all beautifully interconnected. I have never read such a clear description of (clinical) depression. I had to sit with this book, write down Palmer's words so that they landed deep within me,...more
Certain books prove that it takes depth of experience and a lot of contemplation in order to be both profound and concise. Parker Palmer is one such case. If his experiences haven't been as harrowing as Frankl's or as isolated as Merton's, they are in some ways more directly relevant to the modern experience of career's as a quest for fulfillment. Palmer has been an academic, a social worker, a teacher, and a writer, not to mention what can only be described as a Quaker-monastic. The summary sen...more
I loved this book. Another one that was given to me by my dad. I didn't have a clear concept at all of vocation and I do believe that Palmer did a great job of explaining that and his process in finding his. I appreciated his honesty in talking about both the triumphs and loses in his journey. I believe it's easy for us to ignore the difficult times but he went into it but from a place of peace. He was able to talk about depression and his struggles but from a now reflective viewpoint, explainin...more
When you're totally confused about a major life issue, it's so much nicer to think about what you're going through as a "process of discernment" rather than just a mess. I really appreciate Parker Palmer's gentle, thoughtful way of exploring how to make choices by being our best, truest selves, instead of thinking about what we should do or what we think other people want us to do. He also explores depression as a way of discovering that true self; not that he recommends becoming depressed, but...more
Recommendation from Reverend Jim
Interesting reading about his lifepath and seeing some struggles similar to my own. His honesty in describing his vocational path is refreshing.
"We arrive in this world with birthrights- then we spend the first half of our lives abandoning them or letting others disabuse us of them. As young people, we are surrounded by expectations that may have little to do with who we really are, expectations help by people who are not trying to discern our selfhood but to fit...more
Interesting reading about his lifepath and seeing some struggles similar to my own. His honesty in describing his vocational path is refreshing.
"We arrive in this world with birthrights- then we spend the first half of our lives abandoning them or letting others disabuse us of them. As young people, we are surrounded by expectations that may have little to do with who we really are, expectations help by people who are not trying to discern our selfhood but to fit...more
I bought this book because it kept getting mentioned in other books and articles I was reading, and even alluded to in songs I was listening to (Parker Palmer and Carrie Newcomer are friends and colleagues). But when I ordered it from my local bookstore, it didn't feel like it was time to read it yet; then all of a sudden it was time, and it just opened up a number of issues for me: the relationship between discernment and depression, the need to ride down into the darkness to get through to the...more
This was exactly what I needed to read right now. A few of my favorite quotes
"Despite the American myth, I cannot be or do whatever I desire....Our created nature makes us like organisms in an ecosystem:there are some roles and relationships in which we thrive and other in which we wither and die."
"When I give something I do not possess, I give a false and dangerous gift, a gift that looks like love but is, in reality, loveless - a gift given more from my need to prove myself than from the other...more
"Despite the American myth, I cannot be or do whatever I desire....Our created nature makes us like organisms in an ecosystem:there are some roles and relationships in which we thrive and other in which we wither and die."
"When I give something I do not possess, I give a false and dangerous gift, a gift that looks like love but is, in reality, loveless - a gift given more from my need to prove myself than from the other...more
Parker J. Palmer, with his simple insight and straight-forward, personal writing always seems just this side of sentimental platitudes to me, but then he never veers into that territory. His writing ends up being intelligent and insightful and simple and meaty and somehow--easy--all at once. As a PhD and former professor and administrator, Palmer has all the academic credentials for something sophisticated and complex, and brings that depth to his writing about the inner life, but never loses to...more
The basic message of this short, but very clearly written book by Parker Palmer, is to be faithful to yourself, honest about your True Nature, particularly as it relates to your vocation, your career. If you are not being true to yourself, if WHO you are does not align with WHAT you do, then you may not find as much joy or satisfaction in your life as compared to when you align these two things. Parker covers a great deal of personal ground in this book and brings to the message many of his own...more
My small-group Spiritual Exploration Program group decided not to finish this book on the assumption that we're all adults and can finish it if we want to, or not if we don't, which kicked me into finishing it.
It was exactly what I needed just now. I'm sure it is a book that I will revisit and will give me different things at different times in my life. I just had so much hunger for some of the topics that Palmer addressed, that NO ONE ever talks about, that I find myself indebted to a book. Thi...more
It was exactly what I needed just now. I'm sure it is a book that I will revisit and will give me different things at different times in my life. I just had so much hunger for some of the topics that Palmer addressed, that NO ONE ever talks about, that I find myself indebted to a book. Thi...more
Eventually, I developed my own image of teh "befriending" impulse behind my depression. Imagine that from early in my life, a friendly figure, standing a block away, was trying to get my attention by shouting my name, wanting to teach me some hard but healing truths about myself. But I-- fearful of what I might hear or arrogantly trying to live wihtout help or simply too busy with my ideas and ego and ethics to bother-- ignored teh shouts and walked away.
So this figure, still with friendly inten...more
So this figure, still with friendly inten...more
This could be a very quick read at just a little over 100 pages. But books like this should be read slowly, so you can reflect upon the message. What I particularly liked about the book were the last two chapters that dealt with leading from within and understanding your own "shadow self" so you don't unconsciously inflict your wounds and unfinished business on others. The last chapter was nicely done as he used the seasons as a metaphor for our lives. As long as we fear death (winter) it will a...more
Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation by Parker Palmer
Are you living what you think you "ought" to do, or are you following your God-given natural potentials and limitations? This 101 page book is a Quaker-minded meditation on discerning vocation through an approach of discovering and living out authentic self-hood. Palmer encourages the reader to look deep inside oneself asking the questions, "Who am I? What is my God-given nature?." Through personal reflection and Quaker ins...more
Are you living what you think you "ought" to do, or are you following your God-given natural potentials and limitations? This 101 page book is a Quaker-minded meditation on discerning vocation through an approach of discovering and living out authentic self-hood. Palmer encourages the reader to look deep inside oneself asking the questions, "Who am I? What is my God-given nature?." Through personal reflection and Quaker ins...more
Feb 08, 2008
RF
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommended to RF by:
Katie Williams
Shelves:
apologetics-life-of-faith
This book is simply and beatifully written. It especially resonates with my mid-twenties vocational muddle, a "quarter life crisis" if you will... Palmer writes about how we spend so many years "putting on faces" that are not our own, and describes the journey to discovering our "true face."
“Vocation does not come from willfulness. It comes from listening. I must listen to my life and try to understand what it is truly about - quite apart from what I would like it to be about - or my life will...more
“Vocation does not come from willfulness. It comes from listening. I must listen to my life and try to understand what it is truly about - quite apart from what I would like it to be about - or my life will...more
"Years ago, someone told me that humility is central to the spiritual life. That made sense to me: I was proud to think of myself as humble! But this person did not tell me that the path to humility, for some of us at least, goes through humiliation, where we are brought low, rendered powerless, stripped of pretenses and defenses, and left feeling fraudulent, empty, and useless - a humiliation that allows us to regrow our lives from the ground up, from the humus of common ground."
This book helped me when I started asking about my own vocation. Sometimes we need to let out all of the clutter in our mind and really listen to what our life intends for us and not the other way around.
Favorite quote ~ “Before you tell your life what you intend to do with it, listen for what it intends to do with you. Before you tell your life what truths and values you have decided to live up to, let your life tell you what truths to embody, what values you represent”
Favorite quote ~ “Before you tell your life what you intend to do with it, listen for what it intends to do with you. Before you tell your life what truths and values you have decided to live up to, let your life tell you what truths to embody, what values you represent”
This is a nice, compact book. Mostly a compilation of essays, but all rewritten and with new material added. The title comes from a Quaker tenant that the author reframes, and the message is one that really resonates with me right now - basically that your inner and outer life should and can be in alignment, but that most of our institutions don't really support that connection in our work life. I read this through pretty quickly and am looking forward to reading it again.
I had put off reading this book for a long time because I believed it was going to be about finding the right career path and I am not looking for a career path. However, finally picked it up and it is really about finding one's vocation. Which involves some things about what you do for a job, but also about what you do for your life. It was very encouraging and nurturing for the time of life I am currently experiencing. Thus it showed up at just the right time.
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Parker J. Palmer (Madison, WI) is a writer, teacher and activist whose work speaks deeply to people in many walks of life. Author of eight books--including the bestsellers Courage to Teach, Let Your Life Speak, and A Hidden Wholeness--his writing has been recognized with ten honorary doctorates and many national awards, including the 2010 William Rainey Harper Award (previously won by Margaret Mea...more
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“Before I can tell my life what I want to do with it, I must listen to my life telling me who I am.”
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57 people liked it
“In my own life, as winters turn into spring, I find it not only hard to cope with mud but also hard to credit the small harbingers of larger life to come, hard to hope until the outcome is secure. Spring teaches me to look more carefully for the green stems of possibility; for the intuitive hunch that may turn into a larger insight, for the glance or touch that may thaw a frozen relationship, for the stranger's act of kindness that makes the world seem hospitable again.”
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10 people liked it
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Oct 17, 2010 02:40pm