A collection of new stories, analogies
and metaphors from best selling author
Nick Owen
The Salmon of
Knowledge
Stories for Work, Life, the
Dark Shadow, and OneSelf
Nick Owen
There are well over 140 stories
in this collection, from ancient to
contemporary, from all points of the
compass, organised by theme, and
which suggest ways to see ourselves
and our organisations less as discrete
items in a faceless, mechanistic
universe and rather more as unique dynamic forces operating inter-
dependently within an immense and utterly fascinating wholeness.
The stories invite us to wake up, stop taking ourselves so seriously,
look at the world from perspectives other than our own, and
recognise that only by changing ourselves can we reconnect with
what is truly important in life. The stories offer ways to do just that
for, to slightly paraphrase the words of Dogen Zenji, if you want to
know the Truth first you must study yourself. Here is an example:
Busy-ness
A successful businessman asked a monk: “What do you do to
make a living?”
“Nothing,” the monk replied.
“Isn’t that laziness?”
“Not at all. Laziness is the art of finding countless ways to
distract yourself. Usually, being ‘busy’ is a strategy people use
to avoid asking themselves the really difficult and necessary
questions that most need to be asked. Most often, laziness is
the vice of people who are too busy.”
The root of the word business, incidentally, comes from the
Old English bisignis, meaning anxiety.
Nick Owen is an experienced trainer, consultant, and coach. He has also enjoyed
successful careers as a professional actor and theatre director, radio and print jour-
nalist, writer and storyteller. He combines work in the corporate and professional
sectors with work in the arts and education, bringing a broad range of creative and
innovative perspectives to the work at hand. He is the author of two bestselling
books on creativity, personal development, and leadership, The Magic of Metaphor
ISBN 9781899836703 and More Magic of Metaphor 9781904424413
ISBN 9781845901271 £16.99 available June 2009
Other best selling titles from
Nick Owen
The Magic of Metaphor
77 Stories for Teachers Trainers and
Thinkers
ISBN 9781899836703 £16.99 available now
More Magic of Metaphor
Stories for Leaders, Influencers and
Motivators
ISBN 9781904424413 £18.99 available now
visit www.anglo-american.co.uk
or contact us on 01267 211880
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