A friendly, funny, practical guide for creatives and entrepreneurs, written by a four-time Emmy award-winning and two-time Grammy-nominated composer-guitarist-producer who has worked with Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, Jerry Garcia, Lana Del Rey, and Krishna Das, among many others. Also a beloved and highly regarded Buddhist teacher, David teaches readers how to integrate their creative process with their spiritual practice and livelihood.
"How do I make a living doing what I love?"
"Am I a sellout as an artist if I want to be successful?"
"How do I integrate my spiritual principles with the art of running a business? And actually, um, how do I run a business?"
Wondering how to reconcile your calling with your need to make a living wage, or what to do once your art starts selling, or how to achieve success in your field, or what it even means to be successful? David Nichtern offers his lived, learned experience as an entrepreneur, musician, and Buddhist teacher to first help you figure out what "success" means to you and then show you how to get there. He offers advice on the creative process and principles of business and ethics--everything from "listen to the muse!" to "protect your intellectual property!"--and provides mindfulness exercises to help you integrate inspiration and aspiration, vocation and avocation--to go from surviving to thriving.
Whether you're a baker trying to grow from the farmer's market to a brick-and-mortar or a CEO exploring how taking care of your employees can be the same as taking care of your business--if you're trying to align your spiritual, creative, and financial pursuits and discover what it means to truly live well, this book is for you.
Creativity, Spirituality, and Making a Buck, David Nichtern, Wisdom Publications, Paperback, 248 pages, $16.95
David Nichtern is a senior teacher in the lineage of renowned Tibetan Buddhist meditation master Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. David was one of the initial American students of Trungpa Rinpoche and studied closely with him soon after his arrival in the United States in 1970. David has been co-director of the Dharmadhatu Meditation Center (LA) and the Karme Choling Meditation Center (Vermont), as well as Director of Buddhist Practice and Study for OM Yoga (NYC). His work has been featured at The Huffington Post, and he leads meditation workshops around the world and online. David Nichtern is also a well-known composer, producer, and guitarist. A four-time Emmy winner and a two-time Grammy nominee, he is the founder of Dharma Moon and 5 Points Records. David has recorded and played with Stevie Wonder, Jerry Garcia, Lana Del Rey, Maria Muldaur, Paul Simon, and many others, and has also produced multiple records for and toured with Grammy-nominated kirtan performer Krishna Das.
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Preface
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xv
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Getting Started: How to Use This Book
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1
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Part I: Basic Principles: The OS for Enlightened Living
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9
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1. Joining Heaven and Earth
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11
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2. Cultivating Mindfulness: Clarity, Intention, and Effort
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15
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3. Success and Contentment
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25
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4. Surviving versus Thriving
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31
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5. Synchronicity and Uncle Irv
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35
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Part II: Getting Down to Business
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43
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6. Clarify Your Offering
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45
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7. Take Your Offering to the Marketplace
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49
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8. The Anatomy of the Business Body
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57
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9. Vision, Plan, Execution: Ground, Path, and Fruition
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65
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Part III: Some Simple Business Principles
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75
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10. Never Negotiate against Yourself
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77
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11. Keep It Simple and User Friendly
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83
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12. Put a Ring on It: Protecting Your Intellectual Property
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87
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13. Authenticity and Integrity
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91
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Part IV: Interpersonal Skills and Ethical Conduct
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95
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14. Don't Blame, Don't Make Excuse, Don't Whine
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97
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15. Everybody Wants to Be Appreciated. Appreciate Them!
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101
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16. Lying, Cheating, and Stealing Aren't Good for Your or Anybody Else: Ethical Conduct and the Law of Karma
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105
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17. Be Merciful to Others
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111
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18. Lids and Flowers: Enlightened Hierarchy
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115
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Part V: Personal Attitude and Cultivation
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119
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19. Be Fluid and Adaptable: Impermanence is Pervasive
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121
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20. Don't Take Your Self Too Seriously: The Illusory Nature of Reality
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131
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21. Monitor Your Energy
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137
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22. Make Friends with Yourself: If You Don't, Nobody Else Can or Will
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141
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23. Self-Deception Is the Final Frontier: Develop Clarity about Your Own Negative Habits and Weaknesses
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145
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24. Train Your Mind, Train Your Body: Mindfulness Is the Foundation of Enlightened Living
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149
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25. Actually Drain the Swamp: Overcome Poverty Mentality and Find Your Authentic Confidence
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155
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Part VI: Creativity: The Wild Card
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161
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26. Forget Everything You Read in This Book
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163
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27. Be Daring: The Dignity of Outrageous
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169
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28. Know Where You Are on the Timeline: All Drama Has a Beginning, Middle, and End
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173
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29. Leave Some Space: Form and Emptiness
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181
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30. Master Your Craft: Patience Exertion, and Discipline
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187
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31. Know When to Stop Polishing a Turd: More Letting Go
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193
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Epilogue: It's Not Over Until It's Over . . . Now It's Over
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197
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Acknowledgments and Special Thanks
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201
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APPENDIX1: Meditation Instructions
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203
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Mindfulness Meditation
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203
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Walking Meditation
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206
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Awareness Meditation
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207
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Contemplative Meditation
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209
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Loving-Kindness Meditation
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211
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Frequently Asked Questions for Mindfulness Meditation
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214
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The Dedication of Merit
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217
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APPENDIX 2: Slogans
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219
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About the Author
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223
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