Listening for the Voice of Vocation - Let Your Life Speak

How does your spiritual journey prepare you for leadership among God's people? How does God shape your life using both positive and negative circumstances? Be prepared to stretch your thinking and take a new look at how God works to spiritually form you for ministry. An intriguing book, makes you think.

How does your spiritual journey prepare you for leadership among God's people? How does God shape your life using both positive and negative circumstances? Be prepared to stretch your thinking and take a new look at how God works to spiritually form you for ministry. An intriguing book, makes you think.

Not up to Palmer's usual standard. It is a lot about him and a lot of drawing conclusion for others' lives by reflecting on his own. We used it as a group and one of the group was WOW! -- several were Hmmm, some interesting comments -- several were Ugh.

If you went to high school in the 1960s, this book's for you. The rambling insights of a person who lived in a Quaker commune (seriously) is, at best, a psychedelic relic. Why are baby boomers so sure they got it right? If you want rambling introspection, you'll love this. If you are pragmatic (and likely born after the boomers), it is doubtful you'll find this helpful. There are some good sections, but this has a "father (he'd likely use "parent") knows best" tone that is a bit or a lot annoying. Perhaps not for the 21st Century.

This book is not a "how-to" as the title suggests. The author merely relates his own journey through depression and doubt to a career in which he was healthy and happy. He assumes that jobs are readily available and that everyone has an education which prepares them for different careers. The language he uses, as well as his sentence structure, would make the book a bit difficult to read for the average reader. Throw in LOTS of metaphysical poetry and poetry references and most readers would be scratching their heads and leave the book unfinished.

I don't recommend this book.

Parker seriously needed to get a grip when he was a younger, pretty much spoiled, UC Berkeley grad student. This need apparently extends to the present. Most of the book's lifelong trials and tribulations he brought on himself with his need for "drama". As we all usually do, he mellowed a bit as he got older but never has realized that the main problem in his life has been fear of communicating with other human beings. He made a short personal essay s-t-r-e-t-c-h to fit a small book and really, all I could think was "Will you please end this already, what about obvious don't you get?".

Unfortunately, apparently a PhD will get your book sold and on a required text list for colleges, even if you are definitely not college-read material. I'm a masters student and got stuck shelling out the bucks for this book, thank God my semester just ended.

Had to get this for a grad class, kind of annoying that whole book is basically about author trying to find his path and spends time in a quaker community for like 10 years...im like you have a PHd...you're and author...stop complaining about life and go back to work ya hippie! Overall its....okay and it was like 3.00, so make sure you buy it used or id consider it a waste of money!!

Parker Palmer, writer, teacher, dedicated Quaker, and activist, shares his philosophy of life to people in many walks of life. In Let Your Life Speak Palmer invites us to listen to our inner teacher to learn a sense of meaning and purpose.

The author shares his own search for finding his vocation. For years he attempted to force with grim determination what he thought should be his life’s work. Eventually, he learned that in order to remain true to himself, he needed to listen within to find a meaningful and lasting vocation.

Forcing ourselves into a vocation based on “shoulds” often results in burnout, trying to give what we do not possess.

Palmer shares a dark period of depression in his life. He describes depression as an ultimate state of disconnection: between mind and heart, between people, and between one’s self-image and reality. I found his painful journey one of the most enlightening of the book.

A section of the book, a look at self through seasonal metaphorical lenses, held profound meaning for me: Autumn, a time of seeding for ultimate growth. Winter, an opportunity to face harsh reality. Spring, though sometimes ugly with mud is also a time of rebirth. Summer, a time of abundance.

In just six chapters, 114 pages, Palmer has written a little volume of gentle wisdom and insight. I highly recommend this book, especially to a young person just beginning to search for meaningful work.

After reading the glowing reviews I was disappointed by this book. It almost seemed like a series of essays that were loosely connected but it lost it's direction in the chapters starting with his story of depression. In the early chapters, he was probing and posed some questions for the reader, gave some quotes and stories that might help in one's own search and I was quite enjoying it. But then he got into a lengthy description of his depression and went on to discuss leadership, community and how life is reflected by seasons but there wasn't a continuity of how the book started. He has a descriptive writing style and likes metaphors but if it was on-topic, it wasn't clear. I kept waiting for the title's premise to show up again and it never did.

I was introduced to the teachings of Aleister Crowley who teaches "Do What Thou Wilt Shall Be the Whole of the Law." In other words, do your true will and nothing more, so this book was recommended to me on finding my true purpose in life. I really don't find it useful. Its a short read but it still feels like it has a lot of fluff in it and the author repeats many points through out. I didn't find it compelling and my ultimate impression was that it is disjointed feel-good fluff.

Palmer's thesis is that our vocations should be shaped by who we "truly" are, and not the contrary ideas that our "ego" might desire instead; accepting this reality can be a very difficult journey, but there is fullness of life on the other side of it.

The book is essentially an extended reflection of his own experience. Based on averaging what I saw on a few random pages, I figure there are between 1000 and 2000 first person pronouns (I/me/my/myself) across only 128 pages! This was disappointing, as I did not realize from the title it was essentially autobiographical. As such, the approach to vocation is what he has come to know via self-discovery and Quaker spirituality. Well, I suppose that is great for him, and based upon numerous positive reviews, it is apparently very helpful to others, too. I am not a Quaker, and I did not find his personal reflections very engaging or persuasive, so it was not as helpful to me.

A friend whose Spiritual walk has given me a deeper understanding of courage and integrity suggested I may like this little book. I quickly became aware that the only thing diminutive about this tome was its size. When I began reading it, given the few pages it contained and the dimensions of those pages, I thought I would be finished reading it in a few hours. I spent 30 minutes reading the first five pages, I would read a paragraph and stare into the Middle Distance for five minutes considering what I had read and tracking its course through my body. Dr. Palmer writes so well that his words have the kind of power that can be physically felt.
Parker Palmer is an author whose writing has received multiple awards, recognitions and other well deserved kudos. What he writes speaks to the core of human existence with a hope founded in truth and reality. A Quaker by religious tradition, he invites the reader into the quiet knowing that is the heart of that faith system. This book is not about religious instruction; however, it is about life instruction, as cliché as that sounds. He confronts long held notions of success and "calling" by asking simple questions. Those simple questions were the cause of the frequent moments of "listening" I had while reading this book.
One of the privileges available to many of us is a plethora of choices of vocation (life's work) we feel we have. The idea that "anyone can be anything they want to be if they strive for it hard enough" has caused more pain, depression and dissatisfaction than can be best related in this short narrative. Inherent in such statements is, if you do "succeed" in becoming that which you had dreamt of becoming but find dissatisfaction instead of fulfillment, then guilt is induced. However, if the dream is left unfulfilled, then it is because one did not work hard enough for it.
Dr. Palmer suggests learning to "listen to one's life" in deciding the direction of one's life rather than to the "shoulds," "oughts" and "supposed to's" often learned by the time we are in high school. This is done by being conscious of the successes (what brings one joy and fulfillment) as well as those moments when close in our faces. His opening statement is the heart of the remainder of the book, "the life I am living is not the same as the life that wants to live in me" (p. 2). The following chapters speak to the possibility of discovering the Life one's life is trying to live. This process is neither a "to do list" nor does it offer steps for one to follow to come upon The Answer for which one has been searching; it is too intuitive and personal for such sterile maneuvers. This is a matter of listening, being honest and courageous enough to follow ones discovered path.
The chapters are gathered from previous writings Dr. Palmer penned for various publications and lectures but edited for a coherent, well-developed discourse on an important concept. There is no judgment or coercion in the course of the book which speaks to the author's talent. I found it to be deeply spiritual but not religious; the author speaks of his Quaker faith but does so to "flesh out" the point he was making. In lesser hands his self-revelations could become a source of conceit; here they serve to give depth to the truths he is holding forth.
Reading this book requires: an open heart, a willingness to learn, a desire to listen and a fresh highlighter.

This wonderful book was given to me as a gift by the clerk of my Quaker Meeting. What I found in its pages was courage, strength, hope and faith. I learned to let go of the reins and hand them over to God. I also learned how to listen to what God and life are trying to tell me. I believe that God speaks to us in many ways. It is not just a big booming voice coming down out of heaven. By reading this book, I learned to pay attention to the doors that were closing in my life and to stop banging on them. I learned to ask for what God wants my life to be and to stop being so bull-headed and beating my head against the wall of things that weren't meant for Juliet. But I also learned the vital lesson that what I do for a living and what my true vocation are not necessarily the same thing. I can do one thing to support myself while I still pursue what I feel is my true calling in life, or, summarizing Palmers' take on it, that one thing I absolutely have to do. This book also speaks about being true to oneself in social situations and the dangers of doing things you really don't want to do. The most important thing is to listen to and follow God and to be true to yourself. I highly recommend this book to anyone, whether or not they are struggling with issues of vocation.

[...]

This book whispers in to you. It whispers in the way that a small whisper across the room catches your attention and forces you to focus on what is being said. Palmer's slight in length (just over 100 pages) but deep in thought book offers insights that resonate with experience. When he talks about the need to face your fears and face your failures, he first lets you know of his own failures, his own fears that he would never measure up or find the way. An example of the deep and yet subtle method of teaching that marks this set of essays is found in this anecdote: when Palmer spent time at a Quaker retreat after a crisis in his professional life, he waits impatiently for "the way" to open up to him. A respected elderly Quaker tells him wryly: `In 60 plus years, way has never opened in front of me...but a lot of way has closed behind me and that's had the same guiding effect."
Palmer combines honesty forged from a rigorous personal integrity with the compassion as he reveals his own two struggles with clinical depression. The depression is presented as a deep disconnect that includes a disconnect with well meaning friends who just don't know what to do. Yet, he celebrates the deep connection with community that is at the root of all vocation and even self - stating that "Who am I?" leads inevitably to the equally important question "Whose am I" for there is no selfhood outside of relationship." (p 17).
The last chapter - a beautiful meditation on the gifts of each season, would be worthy of a freestanding status. He presents the argument that autumn is full of life for it is full of seeds and new life, just as our own emotional downtimes can be. He urges us to appreciate the clarity of "winter" when all is icy white. His approach to spring is truly a gift - for he illustrates how the excessive abandon of joy and color and bloom that occurs then can only occur when nature acts as a community and that in the end, we humans must also be aware of and work with in the framework of our community. For, ""community doesn't just create abundance, community is abundance".

[...]

Most of us approach vocation from an egocentric standpoint, deciding what we should and must do and using willpower to chisel out what we believe is our path in life. Often, however, this process breaks down in a harvest of pain and regret when we realize that the vision we have engineered is not really our own.

In this slim volume of essays, teacher, writer, and activist Parker Palmer proposes a radical alternative of listening to one's deepest self for the soundings of true vocation. As Palmer states it, "Vocation does not come from willfulness. It comes from listening." A member of the Religious Society of Friends (Quaker), Palmer was drawn to an old Quaker saying for the theme of this collection: "Let your life speak."

Palmer infuses his writing with meaning by offering us so much from his personal struggles with vocation, including the mistakes and failures and his bouts with serious depression.

In one dramatic example, Palmer describes how he was thrilled to be offered the presidency of a college and expected to accept it. He then attended his Quaker "clearness committee," a process where trusted friends ask you probing questions for several hours, without giving advice. Members of Palmer's committee asked him what he would like most about being a college president. He proceeded to give answers about what he would dislike, such as giving up writing and teaching. Upon being nudged again to state what he would like about the position, Palmer finally admitted that the only thing he would like would be seeing his picture in the paper designating him a college president. Finally, a member asked, "Can you think of an easier way to get your picture in the paper?" After this session, Palmer declined the position and realized it would have been a disaster for him and the college had he taken it. This is a vivid example of how often we will make poor decisions unless we come upon a better process of inner discernment.

Far from a "how to" guide on landing a job or acing an interview, this book speaks to a much more fundamental journey that, unfortunately, few of us are encouraged to undergo. As Palmer states, "The soul speaks its truth only under quiet, inviting, and trustworthy conditions." In this collection, Palmer has suggested a framework for creating those conditions. Individuals and society could benefit enormously from such an approach to vocation.

I first read this book in 2005 when a Pastor I respected and admired gave it to me as a gift. Upon his passing recently, I decided to pay homage to his memory by re-reading it. I just finished it today, reading slowly, a page or two each day so as to savor the words that became so much more alive given the many twists and turns my life has taken in the 8 years since my first having read this gem. I am so grateful for Dr. Palmer's willingness to share so much of himself, both when shining in the light and cowering in the darkness of the divine paradox that is life in human form. His masterful articulation of the painful view from depression was so vivid that in the moment I was comforted by a kindred spirit. He wrote a beautiful poem about it called "Harrowing." It's difficult to recommend such a book that, for me, speaks so deeply to personal experience. In 2005, Let Your Life Speak was good. In 2013, Let Your Life Speak was excellent. Let Your Life Speak. . .. hmmmm wonder what it will say the third time around!

One thing that our world does not encourage very well is stopping and listening -- stopping and listening to each other, stopping and listening to life around us, or stopping and listening even to ourselves. This is a skill that, given our cultural conditioning, must be cultivated. That is one of the things that this book by Parker Palmer, `Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation', strives to do -- to help the reader, the seeker, to be more attentive to life.
Palmer is a well-known author in the area of vocational care and consideration. I first encountered Palmer's writing in another book, The Courage to Teach, as various of us explored the meanings of our vocations as educators in the fields of theology and ministry.
Palmer states at the outset in his Gratitudes (a wonderful substitution from the typical words Preface or Introduction) that these chapters have in various guises appeared before. However, they have been re-written to fit together as a complete and unified whole for the purpose of exploring vocation.
Chapter 1: Listening to Life, starts as an exploration through poetry and Palmer's own experience in vocation. What is one called to do? What is the source of vocation? Palmer states: `Vocation does not come from willfulness. It comes from listening. I must listen to my life and try to understand what it is truly about -- quite apart from what I would like it to be about -- or my life will never represent anything real in the world, no matter how earnest my intentions.'
The very word vocation implies both voice and calling. Crucial to this understanding is that one must be present and attentive to hear that voice, that call.
Chapter 2: Now I Become Myself, continues, through the words of May Sarton, Palmer's self-exploration and self-discovery of the vocation not as an achievement but rather as a gift. One must be ready to receive the gift.
Many people, and Palmer is no exception, go through a period of darkness, despair, and depression before reaching a clear understanding of the vocation to which they are called. It requires courage. It requires diligence. It requires (and again Palmer uses the words of Sarton) the understanding that this will take 'time, many years and places'. It requires patience.
Chapter 3: When Way Closes explores one of the frequent problems along the vocational trail -- what happens when something stops or closes? Is it as simple as thinking a window opens when a door closes?
Sometimes it is not so simply identifiable. Our vocation sometimes propels into action or inaction because what we are doing rather than what we should be doing. Palmer says we must learn our limits, and sometimes we subconsciously force ourselves into action by closing off the past.
Palmer used the example of having lost a job. Palmer was able to discern, through reflection, that he was not fired from that job because he was bad at the job, but rather because it had little to do with his true vocation, and his heart would never be in it. His vocation required that he lose that job.
In stopping ourselves from dwelling on the past, beating on the closed door, but rather looking at where we are and where we can go from there, that our vocation opens for us.
Chapter 4: All the Way Down, deals with that depression we often face on the way. While it may sound cliche to talk about hitting bottom before being able to progress, there is a truth behind the cliche.
Depression ultimately is an intimately personal experience. Palmer explores the mystery of depression. He frankly admits that, while he can understand why some people ultimately commit suicide in their depression, he cannot full explain why others, including himself, do not, and recover (at least to a degree).
Chapter 5: Leading from Within talks of Palmer's return from depression into a world of action. Quoting from Vaclav Havel, the playwright-president of the Czech Republic, he says, `The power for authentic leadership, Havel tells us, is found not in external arrangements but in the human heart. Authentic leaders in every setting -- from families to nation-states -- aim at liberating the heart, their own and others', so that its powers can liberate the world. `
By unlocking those places in our hearts -- places that include faith, trust, and hope -- we can overcome fear and cynicism, and move to a firm grounding where we can be leader of our own destiny by following our true vocation.
Chapter 6: There is a Season winds through a treatment of the seasons of nature in relation to the seasons of our lives. We in the modern world have forgotten the basic cyclical nature of our ground of being. Decline and death are natural, yet we always flee from these and treat them as tragedies beyond understanding. We see growth as a natural good, but do not trust nature (even our own self-nature) to provide the growth we need for all.
The various chapters are remarkable in their sense of spirit and flow. For a book of only barely more than 100 pages (and small pages, at that), this book opens up a wonder of insight and feeling that helps to discern not one's own vocation, but rather how to think about discerning a vocation. This is, in many ways, a book of method, by showing a personal journey combined with other examples, principles and honest feelings.
This book can, quite simply, make a difference in the life of reader. There is no higher praise or recommendation I am able to give than that.

Every once in awhile I finish a book and immediately desire to call the author and have a chat about what they wrote. This is one of those books. It was given to me by the president of a small college here in Portland. I was looking for some help in deciding whether to start a deep and personal project. Although the book certainly helped in that area, it was a surprise to me how intimately Mr. Palmer shared about his life's experiences, some of them very personal. For me, the best part of the read was his sharing about dealing with depression. I've fortunately been spared that trial, but I have lost a child. And I was dumbfounded to find that so many of his insights transferred almost exactly with some of my experiences and emotions dealing with that profound level of grief. It is a good read, but I would recommend it to anyone who wants to share their life with others, but isn't quite sure how to go about it.

I first read this book at a time when I was deeply unhappy in my work life. I was hoping to find some answers or at least direction. Like Palmer, I was confused about my life's purpose and disturbed by the meaninglessness of my days. How could I feel so poor when surrounded by so much abundance? I wasn't looking for (and didn't need) some pop-culture fix; I was searching for something more meaningful to help me explore my life.

What *Let Your Life Speak* gave me was a clear and honest story of one man's search for meaning in the midst of plenty. I related to Palmer's frustrations, neediness, searching, and displacement. I learned about myself by understanding how he revealed his own myths and faced his realities.

And like Palmer, I found my life reinvigorated once I exposed and cleared away the underbrush.

This book is not a "how-to" but a "think-deeply". Palmer writes clearly and candidly in a voice that is gentle and trustworthy. I've gone back to this book many times for inspiration and recommended it often.

This is a beautifully written contemplation on life and meaning.

Parker Palmer is a voice of wisdom and his personal pilgrimage of vocation is a hopeful read for any sensitive, wandering soul trying to 'figure it out' in the world of work. This book is incredibly insightful, well-written to a fault and a faithful representation of the 'inner world', all without the mushiness and unintentional loose language that one can sink into when dealing with matters of the heart.
Highly recommended!

I got this book some time ago, when one of the professors at BC recommended it to me as a way to think about what I wanted to do with my life and of course, I never read it. However, I'm almost glad that I didn't read it until now, because at this point in my life I think I needed it more than I did when I was choosing a path. Palmer is basically telling his own story of vocation, including all the dark spots that he hit along the way. However, he emphasizes the need to see the good and the possibilities for growth in those dark spots. For example, in the final chapter he compares life to the changing seasons in an extended metaphor. For winter, he says, "Despite all appearances, of course, nature is not dead in winter--it has gone underground to renew itself and prepare for spring. Winter is a time when we are admonished, and even inclined, to do the same for ourselves" (101). His main point is that in order to do this (renew ourselves for growth in our vocation), each person should learn to listen to their inner self because that is the only way that we will truly become the full person that God created us to be. He does frequently refer to religious ideas like this but, the nice thing about his writing is even though he is religious, this idea does not overwhelm the book and it can really be for anyone (though I'm sure that an atheist might not get as much out of this as a religious person would).

This book helped me to look at my life and see if I could discover what my "inner self" has been trying to tell me, even in times of my darkness and "winter", about my vocation.

Here is a book that I wish I had read twenty years ago on that perennial Christian conundrum faced by so many: what is God's will for me in my vocational life? I hasten to add that I am not sure that at that stage of my life I could or would have understood its wisdom. For the most part Christians try to answer this question about God's vocational guidance by going "outside" of ourselves to external matters like my skills, the advice of others, perhaps some tests, and so on. But from his Quaker tradition Palmer urges us to go "inside" ourselves to matters of the heart. When we pursue the former path a "false" self often follows the expectations that others have of us and so distorts the "true" self. Vocation, in short, is not "a goal that I pursue. It means a calling that I hear" (p. 4) or "a gift to be received" (p. 10). We discover this call or gift, writes Palmer, by listening to our life, by discovering the true self God made each of us to be, rather than by soliciting the acceptance and approval of others about what we "ought" to do. Palmer is a gifted story teller and writer, and shares liberally from his own vocational pilgrimage, warts and all. Entire chapters on clinical depression and "when way closes" (a Quaker aphorism) were helpful. A final chapter uses the seasons as a metaphor for the vocational life, reminding us as we move inevitably through fall, winter, spring and summer that, contrary to all culture tells us, we do not only "manufacture" our life, but would do well to "grow" it.

Parker Palmer's work touched me on a deep level. He has helped me look at my life and vocation in a new way. The interesting thing for me personally is that I have just written a parenting guide called "Mojo Mom" that looks at the transformation of motherhood as a keystone step on life's journey. Motherhood gives a woman a chance to reflect on her career and vocation, and to align her life's work with her true self. Given that my focus is on motherhood, I was struck by how Parker Palmer's writing and core beliefs resonated with my own. He is a man of my father's generation, yet he connected with what I have come to think of as "mojo" or one's core source of power, commitment, and calling. I highly recommend "Let Your Life Speak" to all thoughtful seekers who are looking for a gentle guide and companion on the quest for our life's purpose--whether that is career, calling, or parenthood as vocation. People ask me for resources for fathers, and "Listen to Your Life Speak" would be an interesting read for men. One final note on this book: it is religious in the sense of being spiritiual in a very inclusive way. It is probably the first spiritual book that I have been eager to recommend without hesitation to anyone who is open to this approach, whether or not they identify with an organzied religion. I do not come from a Friends (Quaker) background, but I appreciate their wisdom and I am thankful for the chance to learn from Parker Palmer's experiences.

Palmer reminds us that the word vocation is rooted in the Latin for "voice." He has come to understand vocation as a gift to be received, rather than a goal to be achieved. Watching his granddaughter during the early days of her life, he could see that she had inclinations, preferences, and her own personality from birth. He says, "We are disabused of original giftedness in the first half of our lives. Then-if we are awake, aware, and able to admit our loss-we spend the second half trying to recover and reclaim the gift we once possessed."

And he says: As May Sarton reminds us, the pilgrimage toward true self will take `time, many years and places.' The world needs people with the patience and the passion to make that pilgrimage not only for their own sake but also as a social and political act. The world still waits for the truth that will set us free-my truth, your truth, our truth-the truth that was seeded in the earth when each of us arrived here formed in the image of God. Cultivating that truth, I believe, is the authentic vocation of every human being.

And: Our deepest calling is to grow into our own authentic selfhood, whether or not it conforms to some image of who we ought to be. As we do so, we will not only find the joy that every human being seeks-we will also find our path of authentic service in the world. True vocation joins self and service, as Frederick Buechner asserts when he defines vocation as `the place where your deep gladness meets the world's deep need.'

This small volume of essays from Palmer leads us through his choices about vocation, his depression and dark periods, and his ultimate realization that he is a teacher. He believes our shared vocation, leadership in the world of action, is an outgrowth of our inner journeys. We should support one another's inner work by creating "communities of solitudes," not abandoning or trying to fix each other.

. . . And it must follow as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man."
I used to frown upon Polonius's words in Hamlet. They seemed muddled in the same kind of serve-yourself mentality that pervades much of pop psychology and much of our business culture. Polonius, after all, was usually a man big on words and short on wisdom.
With time, I came to understand those words more deeply. He's really saying, "Don't let others decide who you're going to be or how you're going to act or react." When you act from a clear sense of who you are--who God has created you to be--then your actions have integrity with your being. And you will be false--in the sense of being phony--to no one.
Using colorful metaphors, Parker Palmer takes this basic theme and fleshes it out with his own life. He focuses this wisdom on the choice of vocation in life, suggesting we put aside what we feel we "ought" to be and choose a vocation that expresses who we truly are.
Sometimes he's a little too fuzzy for me on the matter of truth, following the popular line of thinking in our American culture that we each have our own truth. If you're the kind of person who ascribes to that way of thinking, then you'll probably love every aspect of Palmer's book. For myself, I can only go so far with that. If by "your own truth" he means simply "the truth about yourself," then I whole-heartedly agree: we do each have unique truths about ourselves; and, if we know those truths, we can avoid some of the pitfalls in life. If he means, as so many do, that there's no objective or absolute truth, only what "works for you" and what "works for me," I find that kind of thinking popular but shallow, no matter how nicely you dress it up with words.
Still, in terms of vocation, I think he's right. The code I'm trying to accept for myself when it comes to vocation is "pursue your passion." That, in essence, is what Palmer describes. I could be misunderstood on that, just as I may be misunderstanding what Palmer's saying about truth. Some might think I mean "Do whatever feels good. Follow your lusts." What I really mean is that God's calling rarely comes from words one hears. God has created his calling within the very fiber of your being. If you pursue a career or path in life that follows those things you most deeply care about and desire to be and do, then I think you are being the person God has created. That, according to Palmer, is our true calling--to be the person God has created us to be and not the person everyone else thinks we should be--not even the one we think we "should" be--but the person we deeply want to be. If we believe our souls are uniquely created in the image of God, then we can acknowledge that God's pattern for our lives lies within ourselves. (Or--if you're an atheist--you can, at least, think of it as being true to the core of your being.)
That doesn't mean we can dispense with general guidelines for living, such as a moral framework for social interaction, but the particulars for deciding how we can meaningfully, joyfully, and helpfully engage with our world are imprinted within. Palmer points out that being president is not for him, but it may be just right for someone else. In that sense we have our own particular truth, and we must be guided from self-understanding if we're going to serve others in the most joyful way we can.

This book helped me change my perspective on more than one core concept, and after 65 years of twists and turns, that is not a small thing. Beautifully written Mr. Palmer kept my attention, no small feat in itself, as I will quickly ditch any book in print that does not have a skilled story teller at its creation. The title threw me, and I'm not sure that it couldn't have a better title, but as I can't think of a better one, I leave it to you to ponder the depth of this treasure.

This is an excellent book for reading and reflecting on life. The words will grip your inner soul and move you to a higher state of thinking and consciousness. Along the way, the author uses poetry to awaken the spirit. This book is real and has practical applications regarding life for almost everyone. I heard the author speak at Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, regarding education and he is an excellent speaker. This is an educator who removes the secret veil, exposes what life is about, and the level of aspiration we should strive for. I highly recommend this book. Other excellent books to read are: "Trilogy Moments for the Mind, Body and Soul," "The language of Poetry Forms" by Tree Good, and "Everyday Miracles" by Okubo.

I've been struggling with depression the past six months and a close friend - who is also friends with Parker - referred this book to me. I read it on a gloomy Saturday afternoon in San Diego after a two hour run and felt a deep calm come over me as I read through Parker's own struggle with depression. He gave me several new things to think about and reinforced that this particular cycle for me is coming from a combination of fear of death combines with lack of clarity of purpose. Thx Parker - great stuff at the right time for me.

This small book is a real treasure, at once deeply wise and completely unpretentious. Palmer doesn't take himself too seriously; he is candid about his various struggles, yet also able to celebrate them as part of the human journey. While I'm hesitant to oversimplify its content, I would say that one of the most powerful of the book's themes is that both personal and professional dry spells, detours, and other "negative" experiences are virtually inevitable in even the most accomplished lives. Without being in any way pat or trite, each of the book's linked but freestanding essays reminds readers that false starts and failures are themselves valuable guideposts during the search for true vocation. As the title and subtitle suggest, Palmer believes that vocation is a thing to be listened for, and to, rather than being acted upon, rushed towards, decided on or otherwise forced. Consistent with this belief, Palmer doesn't force the reader to share his conclusions or offer any steps, tips, or advice; rather, he quietly tells his stories and allows the reader to make of them what he or she will.

Having read this book during my morning and evening train commutes, I found it to be incredibly inspiring and challenging at the same time. At first I was hesitant to read this book because I have become tired of all the "how-to" books on finding one's vocation and calling in life. I have found that someone else's 5-step plan to finding the right job hasn't always worked for me.
However, I like this book because it's very personal, yet without being preachy. Through reading Parker Palmer's own journey toward self-fulfillment, I have become inspired to examine my own path toward vocation. I think that finding one's calling in life is a very personal process, and following someone else's step-by-step plan can actually cause more harm than good.
In fact, I found myself reading as if I were conversing with a personal mentor. As a result I've become challenged to examine my own life in a way that a "how-to" book could never have provoked me to do. I plan to give this book as a holiday gift to a close friend who is facing a "midlife crisis." I think it will help him.

I took this book on retreat with four friends in widely various forms of Christian ministry. Over the course of the next few days, the book was passed, like a peace-pipe, from retreatant to retreatant and we each devoured it, transfixed from cover to cover. We returned each to buy several copies for family, friends and colleagues.

For anyone with an appetite to find meaning in life; for anyone who has ever struggled with ambition, self-doubt, pressure, burnout, hyper-activity and all the pressing corporate imperatives of church-life, this book is a MUST-READ.

Educator, Parker J Palemer writes insightfully and powerfully with an openness and vulnerability that totally disarm and denude the reader. So much of the well-intentioned falsity to which our ideas of 'spirituality' push us gets evaporated by the honesty and reality of this little volume - yet all is done gently and with a light and refreshing touch.

To anyone to whom 'vocation' is an important idea I would recommend this book without hesitation. Thought-provoking and potentially life-changing, this is a warm, human, gentle and acessible read. Don't miss out on Parker J Palmer's avuncular and friendly advice. You'll be glad you read it. 'Let your life speak" changed the course of my ministry. Perhaps it will do the same for yours!

Paul Wallis - author of "Be Thou My Breastplate - 40 days of giving your life to God the Celtic way." "This serene, superb...book is...a rich gift to the Church." (Phyllis Tickle)

"Let Your Life Speak" is a brilliant, yet accessible, little book of wisdom on finding your true calling in life. He advocates listening to the voice within, one of the basic Quaker tenets, as a means of self-discovery, leading to a life lived with meaning and purpose. I love the image he paints of a person's inner life as a frozen river, with a layer of solid ice on the surface, but a flowing current underneath. Palmer advocates holding a dynamic tension between our limits and potentials, and not moralizing as to what we should be doing, but finding and doing that which is our unique gift to the world. Highly recommended.

I recently heard Parker Palmer speak, and was left wanting to hear more, thus the reading of this book. In his speach, I had just a taste of what he had to say about vocation. He seemed to never get around to addressing that topic, although it was the title of his talk. The beginning of this book contains much wisdom regarding vocation, but soon became a discussion of Palmer's personal struggle with depression. While the early discussion on vocation was meaningful, there was too little of it, in an already short book. Admittedly, he states that it was not a "how to" book for others to follow his directions, but rather that they would be able to learn from his experiences and apply them to their own lives. I will say, it gave me the clearest picture of depression that I have ever seen. But, I was reading for vocation, and would have liked more about that.

I didn't know I WASN'T listening to my inner sense of meaning and purpose until I read LET YOUR LIFE SPEAK and was stunned into recognition. After engaging Parker Palmer through his writing here--he shares insights gained from darkness and depression as well as from puzzling out an authentic vocation--I felt like WAY OPENED for me. This book encourages deep reflection and compassionate recollection of our truest calling. Palmer invites us to be ourselves in work and community in a way that enables bringing all of who we are--both shadow and light--to what we do.

Like all Palmer's work, this one speaks to people from many walks of life, including public schools, college and universities, religious institutions, corporations, foundations and grass-roots organizations. As a clergy person and professor of religion, I found this work to be profoundly inspiring.

I devoured this book! It was suggested to me by my Reverend, as I seek to discern God's direction in my life. I totally got his depression & figure it may be the same with me (as opposed to being totally chemical).
Thank you for the gift of this book! I'm so much clearer because of it!

The first two chapters of this little book are profound and either life affirming or life changing. The rest of the book is so-so, of little impact. But the first two chapters are more than worth the entire book. Whether you're finding your way in life or helping others do so, the first two chapters speak what needs to be heard.

I read the first 80 pages of this book carefully, but just looked at the subjects afterwards. I don't think the book helped me because I matured as I quit focusing on myself. This book suggessts the opposite.

Palmer writes very well about this journey, but I didn't learn what most of us need- to be lees self-preoccupied.

Sorry, I would not recommend the book, though I know many would be impressed by it.

Parker Palmer creates a peacful arena for understanding our own lives by sharing what he has experienced and learned from his own. I found this book to be a "quick read" on the one hand and yet I keep going back and rereading parts of it ... and then rereading the whole section.
I came away from reading this book - the first time - with a peace about my life and how I have lived it. I better understand the lessons I have been taught and more faith about the path I am following. A whole lot for a little book to accomplish.

I wish I could let Parker Palmer know - this book changed my life. It made me stop and listen to the still voice within in regard to my life's work. I have highlighted, starred, and underlined so many passages. It gave me the courage to make a change that I needed to make. Palmer's insights and way of articulating those insights in regard to turning away from the world and listening to one's self when it comes to vocation resonated with me on such a deep level. I'm forever thankful to him.

I recently heard Parker Palmer speak, and was left wanting to hear more, thus the reading of this book. In his speach, I had just a taste of what he had to say about vocation. He seemed to never get around to addressing that topic, although it was the title of his talk. The beginning of this book contains much wisdom regarding vocation, but soon became a discussion of Palmer's personal struggle with depression. While the early discussion on vocation was meaningful, there was too little of it, in an already short book. Admittedly, he states that it was not a "how to" book for others to follow his directions, but rather that they would be able to learn from his experiences and apply them to their own lives. I will say, it gave me the clearest picture of depression that I have ever seen. But, I was reading for vocation, and would have liked more about that.

I didn't know I WASN'T listening to my inner sense of meaning and purpose until I read LET YOUR LIFE SPEAK and was stunned into recognition. After engaging Parker Palmer through his writing here--he shares insights gained from darkness and depression as well as from puzzling out an authentic vocation--I felt like WAY OPENED for me. This book encourages deep reflection and compassionate recollection of our truest calling. Palmer invites us to be ourselves in work and community in a way that enables bringing all of who we are--both shadow and light--to what we do.

Like all Palmer's work, this one speaks to people from many walks of life, including public schools, college and universities, religious institutions, corporations, foundations and grass-roots organizations. As a clergy person and professor of religion, I found this work to be profoundly inspiring.

I devoured this book! It was suggested to me by my Reverend, as I seek to discern God's direction in my life. I totally got his depression & figure it may be the same with me (as opposed to being totally chemical).
Thank you for the gift of this book! I'm so much clearer because of it!

The first two chapters of this little book are profound and either life affirming or life changing. The rest of the book is so-so, of little impact. But the first two chapters are more than worth the entire book. Whether you're finding your way in life or helping others do so, the first two chapters speak what needs to be heard.

I read the first 80 pages of this book carefully, but just looked at the subjects afterwards. I don't think the book helped me because I matured as I quit focusing on myself. This book suggessts the opposite.

Palmer writes very well about this journey, but I didn't learn what most of us need- to be lees self-preoccupied.

Sorry, I would not recommend the book, though I know many would be impressed by it.

Parker Palmer creates a peacful arena for understanding our own lives by sharing what he has experienced and learned from his own. I found this book to be a "quick read" on the one hand and yet I keep going back and rereading parts of it ... and then rereading the whole section.
I came away from reading this book - the first time - with a peace about my life and how I have lived it. I better understand the lessons I have been taught and more faith about the path I am following. A whole lot for a little book to accomplish.

I wish I could let Parker Palmer know - this book changed my life. It made me stop and listen to the still voice within in regard to my life's work. I have highlighted, starred, and underlined so many passages. It gave me the courage to make a change that I needed to make. Palmer's insights and way of articulating those insights in regard to turning away from the world and listening to one's self when it comes to vocation resonated with me on such a deep level. I'm forever thankful to him.

I read this book at the suggestion of a counselor who is helping me through depression and lack of interest in my career. While I was touched by his insights and authenticity, I was nagged by the practical aspect (or lack thereof) of letting your life speak. Palmer seemed to have an endless amount of time and resources to find his true calling in life. How does this apply to people who struggle just to put food on the table, who lack the means to get a higher education, or who have a family to support? Palmer's journey seems to be a luxury that many can't afford. Also, he seems to gloss over the difficulties involved in discovering that you picked the wrong path- not only for the self, but for all the others involved (spouse, children, friends).

A lovely book, but too "pie in the sky" for me.

This is the most pretentious piece of crap I've read. I have read other works my Parker Palmer, and though I appreciate his point about listening to your life, getting in touch with whom God created you to be, Palmer writes about taking a year sabbatical and being asked to be a college president as somehow normal. I'm sorry but he writes from a certain socio-economic status. This is for middle-class, upper class readers who have the luxury of self-reflection.

I am a very introspective person. I believe in the power of the inner person to shine light. I am presently searching for my true vocation. So, this book should be manna, right? It is good. I benefitted, and I can recommend it. But it is too flawed for me to give the highest marks.
The flaw is understandable: Palmer believes just a little too highly in the goodness of the human spirit/conscience. He gives it an ultimate authority. Palmer probably only has friends who are really good people, whose conscience is a worthy guiding light. But there are a lot of people in our society whose conscience is not good. For those people, direction must first come from submission to an external voice, call it principle or natural law or God or whatever you want. Only when their conscience has changed can it serve as the 'Voice of Vocation'.
If this flaw is recognized, Palmer's book is quite valuable. It provides insight in taking that introspective journey in search of vocation. For more on the importance of self-evident principles, read Covey's _Seven Habits of Highly Effective People_.
Palmer's _To Know As We Are Known_ is one of the 5 most influential books in my life. I recently completed a 5th reading of it. I highly recommend it to anyone. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend _Let Your Life Speak_ as highly.

The light within can shine out of someone so that others may see the path they are on. Palmer writes of his own journey in the finest tradition of Penn, Woolman and Fox. Parker writes of his own struggles, his wrong turns, his mistakes and his revelations. The path he took is not for everyone -- but that is the point. In the Biblical tradition, we can learn from his struggles, just as we learn from the struggles of the Jews in the Old Testament and the trials and tribulations of the early Christians in the New Testament. As we search for that of God within us, we can look to the experience of others who have gone before us.
After reading LET YOUR LIFE SPEAK, I got out of a competitive, contentious field and got into a position that makes me feel like a fish in water.
A great book for non-Quakers as well as Friends.

I highly recommend this book to anyone dealing with the issue of identity. Who doesn't? It speaks to ways of discovering who you are meant to be as opposed to what you have been told you should be. The book was received within the time scheduled and in excellent condition.

Have read and re-read, and given this as a gift to family members
and friends as they seek to explore the "deeper" during times of
life transition.

Seems especially relevant to "mid-life" seekers (such as myself)
when wondering about taking new risks that more fully reflect
the true self.

Book was ok, same as some others I have read - did not really give me any inspiration - However, it was recommended to me by someone who has completely changed her life and career after reading it- so in the end, book affects people differently

For me, this book is less about vocation than it is about loving yourself. In my life (and to the world, a wonderful one) was empty and void. Having come from a verbally abusive childhood, I struggled all my life to "become". But it was never me. Recently, I hit bottom, as Parker did. And I discovered what he writes so eloquently about...you must love yourself first before you can see and cherish and give your gifts to others. For me, it was the end of a 19 year marriage. A change in what I would tolerate at work. And the people around me, most blessedly my children, notice a huge difference. I am me now, not driven by fears or other's boxes. I was pretty charismatic before, but you should see my light shine now. This book helps explain the journey I thought was just me. Parker Palmer has captured probably the most important concept in life...and one that you really should read. This is one of those books that you'll share with others, but you'll want them to get their own copy!

A fantastic book!

This book has been my default purchase for people that are going through tough times, or people that are at a point of change in their lives (or should be). It is free of the "you-can-do-it-all" fluffiness. It brings a real, truthful and deep approach to life.

This is the kind of book that you not only read the words, but the spaces between the words. Great, great stuff. One of my all-time favorites.

To discover the purpose and meaning in life is an aspiration that all people desire and seek. Many live a lifetime never finding their true purpose for why they were born and what their contribution towards community should be. Parker Palmer addresses this need head on. In his book Let Your Life Speak, Palmer explains that it is through listening and responding to the signs of life that we can find hope, comfort and peace. Parker uses his personal life, to tactfully illustrate the seasons of life that all experience. Parker causes the reader to explore their souls and lives to discover why we too are given our gift of life and what are we to do with it. Parker encourages this inner examination and encourages a response of reality and integrity. This little book is both practical and inspirational.

This book is a true gem, one of the best I have read in my lifetime. Many authors try to be startling and insightful, to change their readers' lives; few truly have that power. Parker Palmer's small book rocked me to my core. He speaks simply and honestly. He tells his own story with startling truthfulness and quietly challenges you to look as honestly at your own life. He offers insights and haunting questions that turn you inside-out, strip away your self-deceptions, and leave you with a truer sense of who you are.

Thank you,Parker Palmer, for having the courage to risk sharing your story and speaking the truth that we know in our hearts, but our American culture so often distorts. Thank you for your gift of putting into words what so many of us believe, but haven't been able to articulate. Now I know what to get all the men in my life for Father's Day! It's short and simple -- a must read for all Americans who are searching for "the way in and through" in order to continue the journey!

Too self referential for what I needed. Lots about depression. Third chapter was unusual though. Puts forward the thinking that sometimes it is your limitations and "way closings" that also can provide your direction to your calling.

This book is a much needed contrast to many of the 'self help' books out there that claim to give the magic solution. It gives important perspective that helps you not just struggle to be or do anything other than where you are or what you're doing right now, but helps you be able to sit with and learn from it.

This book falls in the category of my top ten favorite books. For such a small book it is packed with wisdom. I have read it twice and continue to refer back to. It is an essential book for anyone struggling with finding their vocational path or giving themselves permission to follow their dream. Reading this book unleased my power to pursue my calling. Highly recommended!

I was moved by Palmer's openess on avoiding and eventually confronting depression, fear of failure, and the what of what really matters. This small books holds many succinct insights and examples.There's a Buddhist quality too to his found appreciation for waiting, listening, experiencing the moment.
A compliment to this text is Tara Bennett Goleman's Emotional Alchemy.

Palmer does a brilliant job of captivating his audience with his thoughts and life story. There are many wonderful quotes in this book that resonated deeply with me. It would make a great gift for a recent college graduate or any other person who wants to know more about themselves. This book makes you think about the person you have become and the person that you can become using your own tools.

This book is an inspiration for those feeling "the pull"--the struggle between "what society tells me I should be doing" and "what I feel I need/was born to do". Both my husband and I could not put it down. Palmer validated our feelings of "I don't think the rat race is what life is really about..." whereby giving us the confidence to pursue major life and career changes. Read a paragraph, stop and think...and then read on....

This Parker Palmer book touched me so deeply that I purchased it for each of my teachers (I am head of a private school). Palmer gently leads the reader to examine one's commitments and career path. While a spiritual book, it is not religious. I recommend it highly. It provides questions, not answers, but for these topics, at least for me, that is what is really needed.

I was led to the book because it was one person's account of their depression. However, I found it to be much more. A component of Palmer's depression was the misconnection between the life he was living and the life that wanted to live within him and come out. That is often a found in men and their work. So our men's group at church is reading it together, reflecting on their own points of connection with Palmer's story. As we just started this past Saturday, we'll see whether it bears fruit.

Parker Palmer does a wonderful job in a concise why of providing us a guide to how we can learn to value our own experiences and truly listen to our inner voice. Listen in such a way as to be guided by what we are sensing and felling to help us speak through our life work and work life in ways that are self fulfilling and enriching. A very thought provoking and touching look at his own inner journey.

Mr. Palmer writes eloquently, poetically, and scholarly. He is truly an intellectual, and has definitely made insightful revelations...about *his* life. If you are looking for a systematic, step-by-step approach to finding your vocation, read Stephen Covey's 7 Habits. If you want a book on letting your vocation find you, written in intricate metaphor and poetry, this is the one! I am so grateful that we have so many wonderful writers for so many wonderful subjects. Different writers affect different people in different ways! You decide!

A wonderful little book, and easy to read. This reflective little book looks into what "God's will" means in a practical modern life through a personal exploration of the author's own life. If you are looking for an insightful meditation on vocation and work, you will very much enjoy this book!

Palmer's book would be ideal for a rainy day read or for taking on a private retreat. He shares much learning from his life experiences. It is not a book about doing. Rather, it is a way to be integrated in one's living. One can learn to listen to their inner voice by what goes well and by recognizing one's limitations. Much food for thought.

I found this book to be an interesting read into one man's journey toward self-discovery. He has some good insights into how one might take a different view of the world and find one's true vocation.
From my perspective, it was a bit too self-absorbed and self-engrandizing. I would recommend this book to anyone that is depressed about his or her life and needs to find a potential source of comfort. If you have a fairly good sense of self, this book may not be of great benefit.

Biblical Christianity is about Truth being outside ourselves. I did not read the whole of this book. There was a principle that could no longer allow me to read further. It was a principle that the author believed that allowing a being outside yourself to dictate to you what you should be is wrong. God is outside humanity. We are to be governed by God in all things, according to the Bible. To make self the center and finding within yourself your answers is a principle of spiritualism not Christianity. I must now re-examine his other book that I was reading. I hope this is helpful.

my god, what an obnoxious, over-wrought, self-important heap of nonsense. this man thinks far too highly of his life story, which is low on anything truely trying and high on sentimentality. i quote:
"i love the fact that the word humus, the dacayed vegatable matter that feeds the roots of plants, comes from the same root that gives rise to the word humility. it is a blessed etymology. it helps me understand that the humiliating events of life, the events that leave 'mud on my face' or that 'makes my name mud' may create the fertile soil in which something new can grow."
well, good for you, pal. the oft-used metaphores and life stories that are not incoherent are utterly laughable in a droll, sugary way that does not lend itself to serious reading. some people may be capable of enjoying such writing and finding it truly inspiring. i am not one of those folks, and do not reccomend this book. to anyone.

Parker Palmer is one of my mentors. I have grown through several of his books. This is timely for me, as have most of the others. I will re-read this one, too. I'd like to spend time with him. If you suspect there is more to your life than you know, read this.

In this wise heart-speaks-to-heart missive, Parker Palmer encourages us to let our lives speak to us as to what we should do. Listen to our true selves, he advises. Noting that the word vocation is rooted in the Latin for voice, he admonishes us that it is a calling that we can hear if we listen.

He describes his own failures that were as instructive to him as his successes in following a path. Sometimes a way closes. We can't fight who we are or what we were meant to be. Parker suggests that life is like the seasons--there will be dormant, frustrating times as much as boisterous, productive seasons.

Learning our limits is wise he counsels--a humorous episode he tells about was when he was asked to be a college president. A group of seasoned Quakers, with whom he was living at the time, asked him what was the most important reason for why he wanted to be a college President? Parker started generating all the reasons why he DIDN'T want to be a college President: had to wear suits, work during the summers, fund raise continually etc. and finally ended with the only reason he WANTED to be a college President was to get his picture in the paper with a big title. Someone ruefully suggested there was an easier way have his picture in the paper than to accept this huge responsibility.

How seductive is the world's definition of success, and to turn from that takes knowing ourselves when it isn't right for us.

What I appreciated about this book was the intriguing argument he makes for how we sometimes have to go to the depths of despair--have our ego and former sense of self dissolve--for rebirth and re-creation. Or, as he describes "depression was indeed, the hand of a friend trying to press me down to ground on which it was safe to stand..."

If you're in one of those dark, grounding experiences, it's helpful to realize that something positive is going on. This book helps you look at your life in a compassionate and discerning way as you find a hopeful path for yourself. This book is a wise teacher.