Chop Wood, Carry Water: A Guide to Finding Spiritual Fulfillment in Everyday Life

by Rick Fields, Peggy Taylor (Contributor), Rex Weyler (Contributor)

More than a thousand years ago a Chinese Zen Master wrote:

Magical Power, Marvelous Action!

Chopping Wood, Carrying Water...

The message is as true today as it was then: the greatest lessons and the profoundest heights of the spiritual path can be found in our everyday life. It is the greatest challenge for people living in contemporary society to find the spiritual aspects of working in an office, store, or factory; balancing a checkbook; raising a family; or making a relationship work. How can we make all these daily activities a part of the path? How can we apply the insights of great spiritual traditions, and our own experience, to the way we live and develop?

This book is a guide - a handbook filled with information, advice, hints, stories, inspiration, encouragement, connections, warning, and cautions, for the inner journey as we live throughout our lives.

Chop Wood, Carry Water contains much ancient wisdom, but the emphasis is on contemporary perceptions. Many of our guides have been known to humanity for millennia: they are the world's great spiritual teachers- Christ, the Buddha, Loa Tse, Confucius. Others are contemporary teacher and healers, widely recognized and respected. All offer ways to integrate the events, our focus on relationships and family, our struggle with technology, money, politics and more- into the quest for spiritual fulfillment.

Genres: Nonfiction, Spirituality, Buddhism, Philosophy, Self Help, Religion, Zen

304 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1984

Reviews

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

"If I had my life to live over, I'd like to make more mistakes next time. I'd like to relax. I would be sillier. I would take fewer things seriously. I would take more chances. I would climb more mountains and swim more rivers. I would eat more ice cream. I would start barefoot earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall. I would go to more dances. I would ride more merry-go-rounds. I would pick more daisies."
-Nadine Stair

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book to treasure. I have go back to it many times. Basically it tells of how we can find spiritualy in the common everyday chores like washing dishes, sweeping floors. It combines the teachings of Lao Tse, Buddha,Christianity and Confucius. It is a book to pull done from the shelf when everything seems to be going too fast, be too troubling and too stressful. It helps people deal with all of that and inspires a certain sereness.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of the first books that really grabbed my interest when, years ago, I started to think outside the box of my traditional religious upbringing and indoctrination. I continually go back to reading it as it can be read just as effectively by jumping all around and reading whatever pleases you. There are many excellent reviews on Amazon so I won’t take the time to repeat what has already been written in review. Suffice to say, this book has and continues to influence my world and religious (Is there a difference?) views to some extent.

I should also state that this book does justice to my *Christian* convictions, and in no way does it detract from them.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was copyrighted, ironically, in 1984 and is filled with a great deal of what was regarded as "new age" thinking at that time. It certainly stands in complete antithesis to "1984," the novel in theme and content. There are excellent references and chapter by chapter bibliographies, which represent only a small part of the other works cited in each chapter. The overall thrust of the book is to serve as a guide in various areas of our lives from work to play, physical well-being, spiritual growth, relating to work, relationships, and all the varied aspects of life in a spiritual way. It feels a bit dated on a current reading, but the thoughts, like the title, represent timeless wisdom. I wish I'd read it in 1984, but I'm glad that I've read it now. The references alone are worth the reading.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book seems dated because we've been saturated with its message for 30+ years. The concepts of the New Age movement are socially accepted and even mainstream-- it's become a bit more sophisticated and its language is part of our daily lives now. But the message is good and as I look at our disintegrating, chaotic society it feels to me like I need it even more than I did 30 years ago. I keep this book nearby and read a page or two when I need to unwind and center myself. Though it's an older book, it is still relevant.

[Alexis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book years ago and felt the need for a re-read. It seems somewhat dated, but it did remind me of some other spiritual classics and Buddhist books that I want to read. I feel that I've been neglecting my Buddhist reading lately.

[Nuvaira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Its an inspiration

[Kit]

This book had a great message and was a very quick read! I'd give it more like 3.5 stars, but rounded down just because it started to feel monotonous about halfway through. It's very motivational, though, and really drives home the point that you have to take care with the small things to achieve the big things. I would definitely recommend to anyone who likes an uplifting, inspirational story that's relevant to everyday life.

[Lance · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. It is a compilation of teachings in various spiritual disciples, of the various aspects of human thought and experience. It is complete and a primer for further reading. I've used it as both. Very easy to read. Great stuff. A must for any bookshelf.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stopped giving this book away to friends. Now I invite them over to share my book by reading it together and then talking about the Spiritual message behind each passage.

[David Wurtsmith · Rating 2 out of 5]

My dad has owned a copy of this book since before I was born. When he gave his copy to me as a gift, I felt obligated to read it at least once, considering how long he'd had it and how many times I'd seen him reading it, and in the past I've found that the books he's encouraged me to read are highly uplifting and insightful (once I actually get around to reading them). Unfortunately, this one felt like a chore all the way through. I took almost a year to finish reading it, and had to restart at least once. A lot of the advice contained in it was very dated (it *was* written in 1984, after all), and not especially relevant to our modern, post-Internet world. The chapter on health and medicine treats homeopathy as a legitimate alternative to real medicine, which in my opinion is irresponsible and unethical (it's not medicine, it doesn't work, I'm not sorry). The chapter on money seemed useless as well. Much of the rest felt hokey and woo-woo, though I'll admit that the chapter on meditation actually contained a pretty good passage that I photographed for posterity, and the final chapter (a warning about how to avoid spiritual pitfalls, abuse, and predatory teachers) felt like an important safety precaution that most books on spirituality are only too happy to sweep under the rug.

Verdict: If you're newly interested in New Age spirituality and philosophy, then this book could be an interesting overview of the subject, and could point you to a few good books on the subject. But considering how much has changed in the last 30-odd years, you'd probably be better off reading something that was written more recently.

[Claire M · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book entered into my life in a very sweet way. I found this by chance in my father’s very dated book collection, squished between electrical code, boy-scout handguides, and various math textbooks. I read the title and assumed that I’d be instructed on how to chop wood and carry water. This couldn’t have held a greater appeal. 😂
To my surprise, however, I was gifted a world of spiritual exploration. And let me tell you, this covers the range of the modern human experience. I loved the continued relevancy (despite the date of publication) and tuning into bits that appeared to be important to my father during his era of spiritual questioning. It was like I found a bit of my father that I had never met before. What a true delight.
This will prove to be a reference for me that I will go back to time and time again. The world is most certainly brimful of small miracles, either stored away in a dusty closet or knocking at the front door. Happy to have read this during the summer.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book, and it's companion "As Above, So Below" are a bit dated now--as they are essentially New Age concepts that have permeated mainstream culture. There's a lot of New Age "woo" and pseudo-science here, but among the chaff are actually some strong ideas that have become part of mainstream pop psychology (i.e. Mindfulness practice, Gratitude, etc)

As another review pointed out; this book came out in 1984 and is an antithesis to it. It's about being mindfully present and examining. That being said, the books are a bit "busy" they name drop a lot of references and each chapter has a bibliography which makes it seem better researched than it is (its almost a kin to seeing a bibliography to a copy of "Fortean Times".

It's got pepperings of peak experiences, the noble paths, the new age of narcissism, a course of miracles, perennial philosophy, The Teachings of Don Juan, Alan Watts, Tantric Sex, Orgone, The Psychic Side of Sports, Varieties of Religious Experience, the value of competition, synchronicity, The Alexander Method, Yoga, Martial Arts, Massage/Body Work, Spiritual Cookbooks, Findhorn, Kicking God out of the Garden of Eden, the Gaia Hypothesis, Meditation, Thomas Merton, etc

Sun-Song-Sax-Stretch-Sprint-Stough-Smile

[Andrew Clinton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book that combines teachings from many different 'religious' teachings into a guide of how to live a more spiritual existence. It is dated back a few decades, but the lessons can be taken and applied across time. I picked this book up wanting to learn how to take a spiritual approach to daily life and there are lessons to help one do so. The lessons aren't one-size-fits-all and each reader will have to interpret and apply what is written to their own lives, but this is a book I will find myself picking up again at some point in the future since finding happiness is a lifelong process.

[Tatjana · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had this back in the 90s.never had time to read it. Thought I'd pick it up. It was definitely a child of its time.
It's awkwardly formatted and dull as watching beige paint drying. So much cognitive stuff has been done since this has come out, that it seems provincial and impossibly dated.
Two stars because 30 years ago it seemed good. Maybe it actually was as bad then, and maybe if you are in your 20s it is good. It could absolutely be my old ass cackling on the porch.
Either way, I just could choke it down.
Like is too short for bad books.

[Guy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Been on my shelf for some time and around for a lot longer. Though I found some good nuggets overall it did not resonate with me. I think the style of the book pulling from many sources did not work for me I think because it just scraped the surface and did not go that deep before moving onto something else. I think for someone just starting their spiritual path it would be helpful.

[Turquoise Brennan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that I will keep on my shelf. I marked this one all up. Just like it's title - it takes you back to the simple truths and practices we can choose to use and think about daily for a life we feel could be our highest good. I shared so many quotes from this one with friends along the way of reading it.

[Matthew C.]

This book is Huxleyan to the core, a collection of essays based on the "perennial philosophy." As such, it is a mixed bag, ranging from real nuggets of timeless wisdom to esoteric gobbledygook. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone at face value, but it was beneficial for me to better understand the New Age mindset.

[Scott Andrews · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this when it first came out. Re-reading it now I cannot think that 1) 30% is very naive and jejune and 2) how we all have changed after the MKULTRA/BlackRock/COVID/WEF/UN/WHO war against humanity. Some good takeaways, but there needs to be an update.

That being said: the section on Spiritual Materialism is timeless, simple and to the point. Essential reading, that.

[Geraldine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found myself falling in love with the book if not only for it's simplicity. There's a lot of self-help noise out there and anything to help us simply our lives can't be a bad thing. I've been recommending it a lot for people living super busy, stressful lives.

[michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick read of a simple story or even parable on performance. Surrender the outcome, take the rough side of the mountain, be present, control the controllables. Bribed my kids to read it. They loved it.

[Wendell Hennan · Rating 3 out of 5]

a little dated now but a great interpretation and application of zen living in the work place, relationships and every aspect of your life. The chapter on the merging of science and spirituality was interesting and parallels with Aboriginal practices were impressive.

[Janine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I used to have a cassette tape of this book read by Richard Thomas. It was important to me and I need it again, but I need it in audio version. Can’t someone make an MP3 or some sort of podcast version of this?

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best book I have read all year. Truly inspirational and kind, meditative and nourishing. There is a lot to unpack here, so maybe this should be a required reading for every year of life. There is certainly enough material to be rediscovered!

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dated; nice direction in creating practical tips and resources, but quickly becoming irrelevant.

[Earl McLaurin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an easy read but there are many life lessons to learn through this novel.

[John Dean · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were some chapters in the book that were good but overall I felt there were to many different perspectives trying to be provided and not leaving you feeling you were learning.

[Joelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are some glaring grammatical errors in this book, and I felt like the book had an inconsistent flow to it, but there were some good messages within it.

[Robin Ferguson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now Breath

[Ana Neto · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know I’ll get back to this back for several times.
It is inspiring and ends beautifully.
I’ll definitely read the afterwords every single day of my life 👌