If You're Curious About These Questions...
You should listen to this audiobook
- What's the secret to finding calm in a chaotic world, and how can ancient monastic wisdom help you achieve it?
- Are you curious about how the principles of sixth-century monastic living can help you become a more effective leader in your daily life?
- What if you could cultivate a sense of inner peace and purpose by embracing the simple yet profound teachings of St. Benedict?
Listen to How to Live — Free Audiobook
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Key Takeaways from How to Live
- Learn how to 'listen with the ear of the heart' to truly understand others, a sixth-century monastic secret that builds harmonious communities.
- Discover why acknowledging the inevitability of death is a powerful motivator to stop living on autopilot and start fully embracing your daily life.
- Master the practice of true silence by stepping away from modern distractions like social media to quiet your mind and nurture a rich inner life.
- Understand how reframing humility as patience and love can help you avoid gossip, resolve conflicts, and foster peaceful relationships.
- Find out how to abandon the impossible pursuit of perfection and instead use tools like prayer and poetry to achieve true work-life balance.
Learning Tools
Reinforce what you learned from How to Live
Mind Map
How to Live
Listening & Communication
Deep Listening
Awakening & Mortality
Present Awareness
Embracing Death
Silence & Humility
Inner Peace
Patience
Balance & Contemplation
Rest & Ritual
Forgiveness & Hospitality
Letting Go
True Hospitality
Leadership & Community
Servant Leadership
Accountability
Simplicity & Awe
Interconnectedness
Meaningful Work
Ora et Labora
Conversatio
Quiz — Test Your Understanding
Question 1 of 9
According to St. Benedict, what is the most important rule for building a harmonious community?
How to Live — Full Chapter Overview
Chapter 1: Recommendation
Chapter 2: St. Benedict urged his community to listen deeply in order to understand each other better.
Chapter 3: To live fully, you must awaken truly to your surroundings and to the inevitability of death itself.
Chapter 4: Silence and humility are key tools for peaceful living.
Chapter 5: Practices like prayer and poetry can help you lead a more balanced life.
Chapter 6: Forgiveness and hospitality are essential keys to living peacefully.
Chapter 7: The Rule offers wisdom not just for facing our faults, but also for learning how to become better leaders ourselves.
Chapter 8: We must neglect nothing and remember to live in awe.
Chapter 9: Meaningful work arises from true love for the world and combining action with contemplation.
How to Live Summary & Overview
How to Live (2018) takes a thoughtful look at the teachings of St. Benedict and how the rules he applied to sixth-century monastic living can help us lead better lives today. From the benefits of cultivating silence to insights into how to be a better leader, find out how The Rule of St. Benedict can help you better navigate the pitfalls of modern life.
Who Should Listen to How to Live?
- Anyone eager to live more meaningfully
- People interested in monastic life
- Burned-out workers looking for balance
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