Work, Sex, Money

Sometimes we view spirituality as an escape from ordinary life, using spiritual practice as a way to get away from the intensity and conflict of existence. Trungpa reveals this view to be an illusion. Everyday life is intimately linked to meditation, contemplation, and the search for genuine spiritual experience, he teaches, and everyday life is inevitably connected with work, sex, and money. He examines these aspects of our ordinary life in relationship to the construction of our ego or self-image, how karma arises in connection with them, and how we can use chaos and uncertainty as the basis for making wise choices in our livelihood, finances, and relationships. Work, sex, and money are examined as general principles and as specific areas of interest. The topic of sex is presented in the context of relationships and communication as a whole. The discussion of money looks at how we view the economics of livelihood and money as "green energy" that affects our lives. The discussion of work includes general principles of mindfulness and awareness in how we conduct everyday life as well as discussion of ethics in business and the work place. The discussion is always informed by a meditative or contemplative approach to life-one that engages life rather than remaining separate from it.

Chögyam Trungpa (1940–1987)—meditation master, teacher, and artist—founded Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, the first Buddhist-inspired university in North America; the Shambhala Training program; and an international association of meditation centers known as Shambhala International. He is the author of numerous books including Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior, Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism, and The Myth of Freedom.