Conscious Becoming
Jack Ricchiuto
DesigningLife Books

Noted author and Zen teacher Shunryu Suzuki said in the prologue of his classic Zen Mind Beginner's Mind, "In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, in the expert's there are few." If you’re familiar with Buddhism, eastern wisdom and knowledge about the self, you know that mastery takes serious practice. Local author/coach/mentor Jack Ricchiuto’s latest book, Conscious Becoming, offers insight into about what it means to more conscious in life, work, and relationships. And when you’re through with it, you’ll feel a little more like an expert yourself.

Like the Tao, this work is a collection of verses in 81 sections and offers insights on the way to awakening and how to make your life a little bit better every day by simply being more thoughtful about the world around you and those in it. Based on 4 simple truths, Conscious Becoming is written in the meditative style of the Tao te Ching, the ancient book of eastern wisdom. Unlike so many Zen works before it, the book composed in extremely digestible doses which can be consumed as daily affirmations with instant clarity. One of this reviewer’s favorite passages appears early on in Ricchiuto’s book:

“We don’t need a different reality
to do what else is possible right now.
We don’t have to wait until
we have the certainty of
approval, support, and protection.
We can practice faith in the possibility
of serendipity and surprise,
the possibility that we
have always created the conditions
for our own good luck.
We don’t need leaders
to get something started,
we don’t need followers
to get something completed.
The need for followers and leaders
are simply distractions
from what we can do
right now.”

Empowerment is but one of the book’s many lessons. To that end, Ricchiuto’s work as a thought leader and mentor has helped Fortune 500, medium sized, start-up, non-profit and government organizations find their centers. His previous five books, including Collaborative Creativity, Accidental Conversations, Project Zen, Appreciative Leadership and Mountain Paths have all focused to some degree on community, organization, personal development and sense of purpose.

Like most Buddhist texts, there is a certain degree of paradoxical language, but it comes across with depth. Conscious Becoming is exquisitely accessible – proving Ricchiuto’s worth as a communicator as well as a Zen student and showcases his ability to transcend paradox in life without becoming confusing. In all, this is a worthwhile read… one that you wish leaders across Northeast Ohio were required to read before representing the rest of us.

Ricchuito offers "A zen affirmation of life from an intention of humility, gratitude, and mindfulness" at his blog http://jackzen.com and offers his services to individuals and organizations at http://designinglife.com. You can learn more about his latest book at http://www.consciousbecoming.com.

From Cool Cleveland Managing Editor Peter Chakerian peterATcoolcleveland.com
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