Creativity, Spirituality, and Making a Buck

August 12, 2019
In this profound, delightful work, Nichtern (Awakening from the Daydream), a Buddhist teacher and professional guitarist, humorously explores balancing one’s spirituality with earning a living. Nichtern bases his advice on the “threefold logic” of “view, practice, and action” that was integral to the teachings of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche (Nichtern’s mentor and a teacher of Kagyu Buddhism). He starts with a brief discussion of the basics of Buddhism (“the OS for Enlightened Living”) before explaining his basic principles of business centered on defining and “clarifying offering.” He stresses that being able to easily work with others is the key to personal and professional fulfillment. With anecdotes and examples of heroes who embody the ethos of “focus and simplicity” (such as the Dalai Lama and Steve Jobs), Nichtern explores how being comfortable with failure and difficulty can be a boon to creativity. Addressing “creatives and entrepreneurs,” Nichtern also offers a brief introduction to meditation practices, workplace mindfulness tips, and strategies for “motoring energy” and clarifying one’s strengths. Readers new to Buddhism will find a welcoming introduction to basic Buddhist tenets, and any general reader working in a creative field will relish Nichtern’s helpful tips on sustaining a long-term artistic practice.