Richmond, Lewis. Work as a Spiritual Practice: A Practical Buddhist
　　　　  Approach to Inner Growth and Satisfaction on the Job. Feb. 1999.
　　　　 
　　　　  The principles of the Protestant ethic and its message that work is
　　　　  good played a role in helping capitalism gain a foothold at the
　　　　  start of this century. As the century ends, Richmond's message is
　　　　  that we should embrace Buddhist tenets to help transform free-market
　　　　  capitalism, "the most dominant system of human commerce," to include
　　　　  spiritual as well as material values. Richmond lauds the empowering
　　　　  aspects of capitalism and says the free-market system "brings out
　　　　  the best" in people. He acknowledges, however, that it sometimes
　　　　  also brings out the worst, but that Buddhism can help reconcile this
　　　　  contradiction. After Sausalito-based Richmond lost his job as
　　　　  executive vice-president for catalog merchandiser Smith & Hawken, he
　　　　  started his own company producing inventory-management software. He
　　　　  is also an ordained disciple of Buddhist teacher Shunryu Suzuki,
　　　　  heads a meditation group, and cofounded the Buddhist Business guild
　　　　  of San Francisco. Here he explains what "spiritual practice" is and
　　　　  details the four sectors of the "Energy Wheel," showing how "to move
　　　　  around and through" conflict, inspiration, accomplishment, and
　　　　  stagnation.