Josh Korda

I was drawn to this book not so much for the content about recovery, but by Korda's very accurate descriptions of modern life in a capitalist society. I wanted to see what else he might have to say about this topic, and it's effects on our health, both physical and emotional. To some extent I am the choir, and he was preaching to me on this topic. Still, he is articulate and I think he noted a few things many of us feel but seldom crystallize as thoughts. Having never suffered from substance abuse/addition, it was interesting to consider how modern life affects those who do. It's rough.… (plus d'informations)

My background in smells & bells Zen colors the prejudice I have for self-professed “secular” Buddhists like Korda. It seems as though where Zen demands one do the practice and arrive at things without a lesson plan, wrestling instead with ethical dilemmas and engaging in dialectics with a teacher, other mainline American Dharma teachers seem to be explicit about steps in a sort of self-helpy way that’s always turned me off. “Don’t tell me what to do.” I’m also not crazy about the pop-psych two-hemisphered brain narrative that he uses in service of questioning the brain’s own narratives; a quick glance online says this isn’t absolute. What is?

Korda is refreshing in that he questions radical acceptance as a blanket teaching and also that he’s willing to write about concerns of younger, poorer people than what can be the usual from American Zen people of a predominant age, such as unearned privilege or end-of-life anxiety.

A brisk, worthwhile read representing years of practice and hard-earned insights, even if he does question a lot of “time on the cushion.” My biases were throughly confirmed by the last 2 chapters or so, where the cultivation of allowing oneself to be amazed seems to be a final prescription. Which is a large part of spending “time on the cushion.”… (plus d'informations)

A three-step guide to recovery from addiction to consumerism, self-deception, and life as you thought it had to be.

After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Josh Korda left his high-powered advertising job—and a life of drug and alcohol addiction—to find a more satisfying way to live. In Unsubscribe, he shares his three-step guide to recovery from addiction to consumerism, self-deception, and life as you thought it had to be.

(1) Reprioritize your goals, away from a materialist vocation toward a fulfilling avocation
(2) Understand yourself and your emotional needs
(3) Connect authentically with others, leading to secure relationships and true community.

Revolutionary, compassionate, and filled with wonderfully practical exercises, Josh will help you lead a more authentic, more fulfilling life.… (plus d'informations)

I was drawn to this book not so much for the content about recovery, but by Korda's very accurate descriptions of modern life in a capitalist society. I wanted to see what else he might have to say about this topic, and it's effects on our health, both physical and emotional. To some extent I am the choir, and he was preaching to me on this topic. Still, he is articulate and I think he noted a few things many of us feel but seldom crystallize as thoughts. Having never suffered from substance abuse/addition, it was interesting to consider how modern life affects those who do. It's rough.… (plus d'informations)