Resurgence Magazine reviews A Life at Work

For Resurgence’s November/December 2009 no. 257 magazine, Jordi Pigem reviews Thomas Moore’s book, A Life At Work: The Joy Of Discovering What You Were Born To Do. According to the piece, Pigem has taught at Schumacher College and the University of Barcelona.

Pigem writes,

"Moore takes the alchemical quest (which was traditionally referred to as opus – that is, 'work') as a model for "the lifelong process of getting life together and becoming a real person". This process should turn you into "a deeper, more complex, more mature person through your struggle". Many classical authors felt the presence of what in ancient Greece was called the daimon, an urge that we are born with and that pushes us in a certain direction throughout our life. Perhaps in our shifting, liquid world, we shouldn’t think of single callings that are cast in stone for one’s lifetime. And we know the task of finding our self-realisation through our work is not easy in a world that values efficiency and economic abstractions over values and callings. But often it’s not we who find a job, but rather the job finds us."

In addition to Moore’s book, Pigem recommends Eckhart Tolle’s A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose, or James Hillman’s The Soul’s Code: In Search of Character and Calling to readers keen to craft their opus.