A Road Less Traveled

Overcoming adversity generally advances us the most in our awareness and understanding of the world. It is very rare that a person would ever say they were willing to "undo" an experience, regardless of how difficult it was. The road less traveled brings us more experience, and more experience enables us to live more. The road less traveled can make all the difference. We ought not aspire to be as enlightened as a flea.

And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same, And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back. I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.

Ironically, the meaning of "Taking the road less traveled" is a misinterpretation of the poem which in the second and third stanzas describe the two roads being equally attractive. The poem therefore is reflecting on how we reconcile our decisions over time often giving more weight to the wisdom of our decisions than was true of the original circumstances. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. For the WikiProject, see Wikipedia: This page is an essay on the Ignore all rules policy and the Be bold guideline.

It contains the advice or opinions of one or more Wikipedia contributors. This page is not one of Wikipedia's policies or guidelines , as it has not been thoroughly vetted by the community. Some essays represent widespread norms; others only represent minority viewpoints. Retrieved from " https: He states, "While one should not be slave to one's feelings, self discipline does not mean the squashing of one's feelings into nonexistence. I frequently tell my patients that their feelings are their slaves and that the art of self discipline is like the art of slaving owning" I can't believe he refers to slave owning as an "art".

He continues, "First of all, one's feelings are the source of one's energy; they provide the horsepower, or slave power, that makes it possible for us to accomplish the task of living. Since they work for us, we should treat them with respect. What happens, of course, is that in due time his slaves stop working and begin moving into the mansion, raiding the liquor cabinet and breaking the furniture, and soon the slave owner finds he is the slave of his slaves" Scott Peck author I'm done with this book! View all 7 comments. Aug 21, Jamie rated it it was amazing Shelves: It really makes you see yourself and others in a different light, as well as words and concepts we think we understand.

His hallmark argument is that we so often view love as a noun instead of a verb In fact, something I clearly remember is his point that when people feel as though they've "fallen out of love", it is then that the opportunity for true love to grow is at its greatest. Not at all written in a preachy, self-help sort of way.

The Road Less Traveled

It's very interesting, full of a lot of great anecdotes. Sep 27, Mike rated it did not like it. This book starts out extremely engaging and helpful in nature - worthy of four or five stars. But midway through Peck reveals his psychology of teaching his patients and readers to become like God.

While I'm certain he means no malice in this objective, he seems ignorant of negative psychological aspects of this philosophy. Having observed the deleterious effect of this belie This book starts out extremely engaging and helpful in nature - worthy of four or five stars. Having observed the deleterious effect of this belief among the Mormon population I find Peck's thesis professionally reckless regardless of the popularity of his message. This book is second only to the bible to me. It teaches you what love is.

What love is not. Why old fashioned values like honesty, hard work, discipline and integrity are important. Every person should read it. This book should be required reading in high school or college. Sep 02, Thom Dunn rated it liked it Shelves: And what we all need is a discipline instilled in our childhood by a love which teaches us to face our problems instead of ducking them in procrastination, denial, and the like.

Sounds fine, but there seems to this reader to be something missing Life will be beautiful if only we get ourselves under control and work hard, etcetera, etcetera It feels to me as if all wonder has been replaced by a kind of Victorian stoicism, a Protestant ethic of duty and responsibility This is maturity, getting rid of the misery first before your play But what of the math geek who loves homework?

The great arc of Peck's undertaking, what he calls more than once "the only way to live" seems after a while to devolve into the same shoulder-to-the-wheel Volga boatman's creed delivered in kind language that all our teachers back in the Eisenhower 50's kept hammering us with. What about dreams, Mr. What of the libido? It may be the screwball Celt in me that fears coming to the end of my life with all my homework done but with, Starry Night, say, unpainted.

View all 9 comments. Jan 10, Jennie rated it it was ok Recommended to Jennie by: I read this book to make my mom happy. Her church book group was reading it, and she got all stoked about it after reading the first section. It was a fairly bland combination of basic common sense self-discipline is good, laziness is bad , pseudo-spiritual psychobabble your unconscious mind is God!

Overall, I was unimpressed, but I wasn't begging the Lord for the 6 hours of my life back, either. I never even I read this book to make my mom happy. I never even asked my mom what she thought of the book after the first part. I suppose that would be a good thing to do. I love my mom. Apr 17, Julia rated it it was amazing. I cherish this book and give praise to Scott Peck for writing this masterpiece, a wealth of knowledge and wisdom.

The first time I read it I was in my early 30's. It changed my life, encouraged me to live authentically and with courage. Peck teaches and encourages this process. I have followed up with Peck's subsequent books in the last few years. I recomend this to any adult searching for a better life but p I cherish this book and give praise to Scott Peck for writing this masterpiece, a wealth of knowledge and wisdom.

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I recomend this to any adult searching for a better life but particularly if your raising a family. The author endeared me early on to his obvious skill, professionalism and empathy with his patients. The first part was fairly entertaining, with the right amount of insight and entertainment from Peck's own therapy sessions. I could identify with the people and situations and could pause at times for self reflection. There was a challenge to personal change as Peck built his case for seeking maturity and using therapy to achieve that end.

Peck is strongest as a therapist. His insight is keen, an The author endeared me early on to his obvious skill, professionalism and empathy with his patients. But he's also rather ambitious. The middle section attempted to tie a loose story into a cohesive thesis on what Peck personally believed ought to happen in life. It went from being passive-objective to prescriptive-subjective. Eventually he was stretching into subjects somewhat beyond his grasp. His forays into philosophy, theology and neuroscience didn't lend much credibility to his arguments.

The final part of the book was clumsy, contradictory and seemed somewhat outdated. He dragged psychology out of science and into mysticism. Which is fine if you're a fan of Oprah and Chopra. My journey down the Road Less Travelled started out on a sunny day with a compass and small, promising path.

It ended with me being dragged down a dark alley-way by a man with a white stick. Mar 12, M. I read the Road Less Travelled because several Internet sites rated it the most read self-help book ever. As a therapist and fan of self-help books I felt like I needed to get right on it. I'm glad I did. Peck has wisdom and depth to spare on the topics of psychotherapy and human fulfillment.

He offers a fundamental jumping-off point to anyone hoping to improve their life, whether through therapy or introspection. So you need to read it! That being said, there are some cautions. Peck can by turn I read the Road Less Travelled because several Internet sites rated it the most read self-help book ever.

Peck can by turns be loving then judgmental toward therapy patients. His language choice and lack of sympathy at times made me cringe. He puts forth questionable opinions on boundaries as well, over-estimating in my opinion the degree of importance and control the therapist exercises in the patient's progress. He uses that importance to justify breaking well-established standards of professionalism and ethics in the counseling field.

Finally, the last section, which addresses his spiritual beliefs, meanders. There are valuable nuggets to be mined, but they're buried within some bizarre musings. As he reflects on God and grace, Peck seems to forget he's writing to a general audience and instead expounds on his philosophies In a form more suited to autobiography than therapeutic enlightenment. At the end of the day, I'm aware I'm standing on the shoulders of a giant. Peck wrote this book in the '70s. Therapy has evolved quite a bit since then. Professionals brave enough to put forth their theories and thoughts are to be commended -- they push us forward.

And Peck, whatever his imperfections, clearly comes from a place of courage and love serving not only as teacher but example for us all. I have owned this book since I believe or so, but consider this a book, everyone should have on their life travel.

Nov 10, Chelsea rated it it was ok. Initially, I was intrigued and really enjoyed this book. Then I got to the Grace section. It all went downhill from there, and quickly. It seems very jumbled as to the actual point of this book until the Grace section where Peck goes wacko with the God talk.

Even for a Christian or person of faith, I would imagine that his ideas are far out there. As an atheist, I was dumbfounded by the abrupt bullshit and disappointed that a book with such potential came to a screeching halt. I have never not f Initially, I was intrigued and really enjoyed this book. I have never not finished a book, but I couldn't force myself to read the last 30 pages. This book went from great to absolutely terrible in about 2. Until the utter nonsense came along, I would have given this book stars.

I would give the last section negative stars if I could. Talk about a roller coaster ending in disaster. Apr 20, Kressel Housman rated it really liked it Shelves: This book was recommended by one of my seminary teachers whose specialty was mitzvos bein adam l'chavero , i. It was the only non-Jewish self-help book she respected, and considering her own expertise, I think that's quite a compliment.

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As the subtitle states, this is a book about the union of psychology and spirituality, or more specifically, how psychotherapy and spirituality are so close, they are almost one and the same. Having been This book was recommended by one of my seminary teachers whose specialty was mitzvos bein adam l'chavero , i. Having been through a fair amount of therapy myself, I long ago came to the same conclusion: As a matter of fact, this book was my Shabbos reading, far more appropriate than any fiction or politics I'd otherwise choose.

Having said that, I must warn my Jewish friends that the author writes from a Christian standpoint. Some of the ideas can be translated into Jewish terms, particularly the concept of "grace," which we Jews see as "Divine Providence. The quotes from the Christian Bible - and there weren't that many - I just skipped over. Actually, the author doesn't get too into Christianity until the second half of the book. The first two sections, called "Discipline" and "Love," are pretty much free of this, and I found them absolutely riveting.

I'd read something like, "Listening is an act of love" and then find myself trying to listen better to my kids, which is what any self-help book should do to its reader. I found myself looking forward to reading more so that I could apply more ideas. To put it in Jewish terms, this book is an "avodah.

We are not commanded to become G-d, which is impossible, but to emulate His ways. I don't know if the author would consider that a "cop-out" on my part, but that's the Jewish point of view. G-d is much greater than we are. It's not an avoidance of responsibility to say so. So overall, I thought it was an excellent book, one that I learned from and one that encouraged me. And I consider it a bit of "grace," read: The author's next book, The Different Drum: Community Making and Peace , takes these concepts to the community level.

Community involvement is something I've been thinking about quite often lately, so now I've been shown a new step toward that goal. May Hashem help that I use His guidance toward real growth. Jan 29, Chris rated it really liked it. I periodically stop in at thrift stores—hoping to salvage some prophetic oracle from the ravages of being sandwiched and left to die a slow death between the James Pattersons and Julie Garwoods of the bargain aisles—and there this book can be found in droves.

The title, extrapolated from a poem by the great poet Robert Frost, coerced me on multiple occasions to pick it up and flip through it. From the outset of reading, I was mildly interested. Soon I became intensely interested. After this prelude to the meaning of confusion and pain, he pulls back further to the beginning of our psychological development—birth. As a psychoanalyst, following most closely to the traditions of Jung and Freud, he maintains that a much of our malfunctions as adults stem from how we were raised by our parents.

A parent who has never learned to discipline their own lives will not know how to affirm or discipline their children in healthy ways. Parenting involves knowing how to suffer with your child to help them learn to overcome their challenges, but without this ability to endure and hold out for the higher good, a parent will remain self-focused and unable to create an environment of stability and trust for a child to feel they are safe, and therefore, valuable. He believes firmly in the unique human ability to override past conditioning and forge new paths.

Having established that we have a choice to delay gratification and suffer for the things we value and that will bring joy to our lives, he segways into the goal—and ultimately the deepest impetus—of self-discipline: Love, in the mind of Dr. Peck, is the goal of all nature. Here Peck provides what I have found to be the most compelling and cogent explanation of physical-emotional infatuation that I have ever heard or read. This inevitably leads to disillusionment as one or both parties realize that they did not extend their world in love, but only squeezed into the already crowded space of another lonely soul.

Next time you see a parent that refuses to acknowledge the autonomy of their child, refusing to accept that the child may grow up and not need them anymore, try to imagine the parent as a giant leach sucking the life and will out of the child, leaving only a limp, bloodless shell of a thing that will never develop strong legs to run from the giant bloodsucker with its razor-toothed mouth to their throat. Peck believes that for a person to truly benefit from another person, they must both develop firm boundaries or they are both liable to be harmful for each other.

An identity must be established before it can be transcended. He urges his readers not to fool themselves into thinking that anything ought to be done exclusively for another person. Some things we must do because they put us right with ourselves, with others, and with God. The right thing is as much for us as it is for another. The first pages or so were the best. The rest I found to be somewhat speculative and even a bit rash in spots. I believe he is correct in his view that science is first founded on a belief of some sort, an implicit value system, and the denigration of religion by science is often not only as bigoted as any religious belief, but also backwards.

Religion and science are mostly concerned with subject and object respectively, and there should be a healthy respect one for the other. He attempted to wax philosophical, and though I think he did all right and many may find his conclusions enlightening, I found it to stray too far off topic.

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It is true that his original thoughts in psychoanalysis are indebted to the linking of his philosophy of life to psychology, and his bravery in owning up to personal values in scientific pursuits is a huge leap beyond his peers, but I was more interested in the application of his beliefs in psychoanalysis, rather than a full review of his personal values and faith. So, the end felt anti-climactic and wound down.

But there are other things too that I would warn people of before they read it. But in spite of all this, I still consider him to be eminently respectful of the tension between science and religion, and that is a tonic to find in his field of typically aggressive anti-religion and a reductionist view of humanity and a purpose to our existence.

Feb 26, Dustin rated it did not like it. This book wasn't absolutely terrible, but it was terrible. It has nothing to do with a Road Less Traveled and there is virtually no unifying theme to it whatsoever. If you can get through the author's self-congratulation of himself and all psychoanalysts you can actually find some very good points in the first few sections.

But as the book progresses it gets worse and worse. The finial section is absolutely horrible. It's about God and some shit about Jesus. I couldn't bare to read it all the w This book wasn't absolutely terrible, but it was terrible. I couldn't bare to read it all the way through. May 08, Andre rated it liked it.

I loved sections I-III. Section IV turned pretty biblical on me, and very fast, although I got the point.

Wikipedia:Taking the road less traveled - Wikipedia

Going into section IV, it was a solid 4 stars. Afterwards, I'm not sure so much. Maybe that might change as my spirituality grows, but it just seemed like I was reading the bible instead of a book on Psychology. Pirsig would state, I took out of the book what I saw had value to me as I sit right now. Well, one big thing is that you need to constantly revise the map of your life. Think of drawing your map in pencil as opposed to pen after reading this, I actually asked myself if I tend to write heavy handed?

To a lesser extent, another thing I remember is that I found it interesting that he points out that self-responsibility is key One big thing I liked is that he mentioned that it's "lonely out on the growing edge. I strongly disagreed with Peck's statement that Good always triumphs Evil. I'll write more about this after my copy comes in the mail. All in all, I think that if Psychology is your bag, this is an interesting read. You might not agree with everything, but, well, regardless, you'll be more rounded. Jul 01, Mehrsa rated it it was amazing. I give this book five stars because I can honestly say that reading it has made me a better person.

I have plenty of criticisms, which I will get to, but the bottom line is that there are a lot of difficult truths in this book and it stands as a challenge and a guide to the reader to progress and develop beyond where you may be comfortable. I do not often read or like this genre of book, but my mom has been recommending this book to me for years and I finally borrowed her copy which incidentall I give this book five stars because I can honestly say that reading it has made me a better person.