Advance Praise for The Soul of Money
[A] must read book for those who regard asset accumulation as a necessary evil, and philanthropy merely an easy way to reduce taxes. Written by a professional who understands how to make philanthropy more enjoyable, this book will greatly benefit investors, fundraisers, philanthropists, and successful laymen who want to make the world a better place.
Alan B. Slifka, Halcyon/Alan B Slifka Management Funds, The Abraham Fund Initiatives, The Coexistence Initiative
The Soul of Money shows with exquisite sensitivity that the way we treat ourselves and the way we treat our money are two sides of the same coin. Lynne Twist puts the magic back in money by understanding that it is a form of energy with which we can perform miracles.
James Garrison, president, State of the World Forum
Lynne Twist is a creative artist, who generously shows us how to give the gift of giving and through this process, realize our deepest dreams. The Soul of Money is a must read for anyone who wants to make a difference.
Michael Toms, New Dimensions World Broadcasting Network and author of A Time for Choices: Deep Dialogues for Deep Democracy
This is a beautiful, surprising book, rich with practical advice, inspiring stories and wisdom. The Soul of Money will transform your relationship to money and heal and delight your soul.
James S. Gordon, M.D., Center for Mind-Body Medicine; author of Manifesto for a New Medicine ; Presidents Commission on Complementary Medicine
Lynne Twists eloquent book, The Soul of Money , is an indispensable resource for all those interested in transforming their relationship with money and its influence in their lives. It sheds much light on this critically important subject at just the right time.
Charles A. Garfield, Ph.D., author of Peak Performers ; University of California Medical School, San Francisco
The Soul of Money is a long overdue wake-up call for the transformation of ourselves and our world to peace, harmony, and abundance for all.
Robert Muller, former UN Assistant Secretary General and cofounder of the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica
I want to warn you, your life will not be the same after you pick up this book. The Soul of Money delivers a message that will move, inspire, and touch your soul so deeply that you will not be able to live your life in the same way.
Paul Dolan, president, Fetzer Vineyards, Hopland, California
What a truly great book! Profound, passionate, and practical. If sanity around money were a virtue, Lynne Twist would be a saint.
John Robbins, author of The Food Revolution and Diet for a New America ; founder of EarthSave International
Lynnes journey into the soul of money can teach us all how to reclaim the sacred with our money.
Theodore J. Mallon, businessman, philanthropist, and author of The Journey Toward Masterful Philanthropy
Lynne has taken the topic that occupies us mostmoneyand turned it into a profound spiritual teaching of enormous practicality.
Margaret Wheatley, author of Leadership and the New Science and Turning to One Another
THE SOUL OF MONEY
Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Life
Lynne Twist
with Teresa Barker
W. W. Norton & Company
New York London
Copyright 2003 by Lynne Twist
All rights reserved
For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, write to Permissions, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Twist, Lynne.
The soul of money: transforming your relationship with money and life / by Lynne
Twist with Teresa Barker.1st ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN: 978-0-393-32950-6
1. MoneyPsychological aspects. 2. Money. 3. Conduct of life. I. Barker, Teresa. II. Title.
HG222.3.T855 2003
332.4'01'9dc21
2003008423
W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 500 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10110
www.wwnorton.com
W. W. Norton & Company Ltd., Castle House, 75/76 Wells Street, London W1T 3QT
This book is dedicated to my grandchildren,
Ayah, Isa, and Ibrahim,
who embody the beauty, love, and possibility
I see for the world.
LYNNE TWIST
CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
It took a village to write this book. It has been one of the most challenging and difficult things I have ever done and would not have been possible without the support, participation, collaboration, and generosity of many, many people.
I first want to acknowledge my brilliant collaborative writer, Teresa Barker, who became one with me during the three-year process of creating this book. Her keen intelligence, deep partnership, and sturdy professionalism made what you are about to read possible.
My remarkable literary agent, Gail Ross, encouraged me in a way that transformed the idea of writing this book into a reality. She has stayed with me and supported me every step of the way.
My editor at W. W. Norton, Angela von der Lippe, brought her wisdom, graceful intelligence, and years of experience to each page. Her assistant, Alessandra Bastagli, managed the complex production process of turning a manuscript into a book of which both W. W. Norton and I could be proud.
More than twenty years of experience with The Hunger Project were the platform for much of what I have written here. My teacher and mentor during those years and for most of my adult life has been and will continue to be Joan Holmes, the president of The Hunger Project. Her example, her brilliance, her integrity, and her unyielding commitment have in many ways forged and shaped who I am.
Other colleagues during my Hunger Project years were vital contributors to my understanding of money and how it relates to the deepest issues we face as a human community. John Coonrod, Carol Coonrod, Mike Wick, Franc Sloan, Tom Driscoll, Ted Howard, Dick Bishop, Jay Greenspan, Sherry Pettus, Catherine Parrish, Bill Parrish, Kendra Goldenway, Ronn Landsman, Mike Cook, Les Traband, Lee Traband, Larry Flynn, Raul Julia, Merel Julia, Janet Schreiber, Fay Freed, Joe Friedman, Dana Carman, Jane Shaw, Michael Frye, Tom Henrich, Gunnar Nilsson, Scott Paseltiner, Lalita Banavali, Naji Loynmoon, Fitigu Tadesse, Badiul Majumdar, Tazima Majumdar, Shingo Nomura, Mikio Uekusa, Hiroshi Ohuchi, Ian Watson, Peter Bourne, John Denver, Robert Chester, Annetta Chester, Valerie Harper, and countless others are all colleagues who have left a deep and profound imprint on my life and helped shape my perception of the world. The thousands of Hunger Project volunteers, activists, fund-raisers, and investors with whom I have worked over many years were both the laboratory and the inspiration for this message and to them I am deeply grateful.
I particularly want to acknowledge Faith Strong, who, as a woman, as a philanthropist, and as a partner in my work in the world, has taught me more than she will ever know.
My dear friends and consummate philanthropists Alan Slifka and Ted Mallon have stood by me long before and all during the incubation and fulfillment of this project and have provided wisdom, financial support, and unlimited love along the way. There are no words to adequately thank them.
My friend and soul brother, Tom Burt, has been my full partner in this endeavor, always encouraging me, inspiring me, and pushing me lovingly into the next space to have the vision of this book realized. His financial and spiritual partnership has been invaluable, but more important, his love and belief in me were the nourishment I needed to complete this work.
Neal Rogin, longtime friend and colleague, has always helped me find words for the inexpressible. Wink Franklin, president emeritus of the Institute of Noetic Sciences, helped me name this book and the work that it represents, as well as providing wise counsel for the past two decades of my life. The encouragement of Michael and Justine Toms to write this book was steadfast throughout the process. Michaels seminal interview with me on the Soul of Money was the launching pad for the book.