[bprater]

I tend to be anxious and depressed like the author, but I've improved over the years. Things that have helped me:

There are 3 kinds of books I read: business, programming and spirituality. (I don't read fiction.)

It's a challenge to keep up to speed on all three, but when I start pouring myself into the latter (spirituality), I find myself feeling much lighter, living more in the moment and enjoying whatever momentary mess I'm currently into.

(Spirituality isn't about religion. It's about figuring out how to go deeper inside of yourself to make life-altering discoveries. "Whoa, that's why I react like that when she ...")

I've also found that consciousness-expanding drugs have helped me too. I can get outside my own reality and see things a bit more clearly. (I lived in Amsterdam for a time.)

[Hexstream]

How do you tell the great spirituality books from the bullshit ones? Are there spirituality books that an hardcore atheist such as myself can read? Lack of religious terminology would be a start.

[mixmax]

I'll second that - I find the subject interesting, but must admit that almost all of the books I have picked up on spirituality start blabbering about force-fields and qantum mechanics without having a clue what they're talking about.

I have yet to find a good book on the subject - if someone from this forum can recommend anything it would definitely be appreciated.

[DanielBMarkham]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man%27s_Search_for_Meaning

[raintrees]

I think it is different for every person, as usual. I am a self-described atheist, and yet I have found much enjoyment in something as simple as The Tao of Poo by Benjamin Hoff. Seemed silly, at first, but I found myself listening to it (book on tape from the library at first) over and over again. Now I own a copy and the hard bound book. I usually get little lessons each time i relisten.

The lessons for me right now are: slow down, figure out a way to enjoy everything, because I'm still alive. Even in the bad stuff, there is some gleaming little tidbit in the corner that is helpful/instructive. And there is great stuff in what I used to consider mediocre. I don't need the extreme highs as much any more to feel good (still learning, still working on it).

I have a tendency to want to find the RIGHT way of doing anything I decide to do. Lots of angst, in that for me. Better to just let go, do my best at the time, and accept it as it is, as it happens. Eventually, it all seems to work out. If it does not look like it, It usually means I haven't waited long enough.

It then starts coming through in my work. Go ahead and ship it. Then keep refining it. Clients are usually nowhere near the perfectionist I am, and are usually quite pleased.

But, we're all different, your mileage may vary. :)

[dawson]

I'm trying to find somewhere online where I can buy a downloadable audio book version of "The Tao of Poo", don't suppose you know of somewhere? Google isn't coming-up with much.

[raintrees]

I was fortunate enough to get them as a gift from family. The Santa Cruz Public Library System (California, USA) has a copy, and they are part of a network of libraries that cross-loan to other library systems. Are you a member of a local library and do they participate?

Search used: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=benjamin+hoff+the+t...

Online results: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Tao-of-Pooh/Benjamin-Hoff/p... http://www.amazon.com/Pooh-Philosophers-John-Tyerman-William...

Hope that helps.

[dawson]

Thank you!