Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. It contains the ancient writings of a buddha and how these teachings impacted a very wise man who wanted to stay a student: President George Washington. It seems that many great men look backwards and try to be guided by tried and true paths of integrity and morality. President Washington chose the Buddha, Sakyamuni. Robert Sachs guides us through both the teachings of the ancient wise teacher and our first President. This is not an easy read even for those of us familiar with Buddhism but it is a fascinating read. It gave me new admiration for George Washington and his humility. This is a nice companion for anyone interested in how our leaders use whatever "counsel" they can in order to be a good leader and a good person. It can help us to aspire to be better person. ~ Sara Somers (Reviewer) , NetGalley

On Saturday mornings I always go to the local market in Chalabre, where there are almost inevitably longish queues at the stalls and shops. This gave me the opportunity of reading through most of this book and finishing it in the hammock outside my writing hut, which overlooks the village. It brings to the fore the importance of civility in personal and social terms, rooted as it is ‘in an altruistic spirit, founded on an understanding that we are basically good and that we best grow and succeed through cooperation. The originality of the book is that it combines the wisdom of the Buddha and George Washington. As beings of passion, it is our task to transform the three poisons of ignorance, attachment and aggression into compassion. This leads into a chapter on the six perfections of a generous spirit, kindness, patience, discipline, stillness and wisdom. Wisdom is further broken down, as is compassion, and here the author makes the useful observation that civil disobedience corresponds to a form of wrathful compassion and it is even enshrined in the First Amendment. The principles of appropriate speech are set out, and are followed by a detailed chapter on mind training and civility, drawing on the 59 slogans composed by the 11th century Buddhist sage Atisha. These give sound practical advice and are embodied in a special meditation. The longest chapter is an analysis of George Washington’s rules of civility, of which he copied down 110 from the original book Youth’s Behaviour, Or Decencie in Conversation amongst Men published in 1668 and drawing on an earlier Jesuit text dating back to 1595. The author’s commentary brings the content into a modern context and the principles can be summarised in terms of nobility, dignity, magnanimity, generosity, courtesy, consideration, modesty, respect and integrity....... ~ David Lorimer, Paradigm Explorer

A colleague on the planning team for a Second National Civility Convening to be held in May, 2021, wrote this book. It seems natural to be reviewed in our newsletter and serves as an introduction to the parallels of Buddhist belief and George Washington’s Rules of Civility. Our country seems to be divided by so many issues right now: economy, immigration, racism, how to deal with Covid-19, politics and more! Sometimes it seems everyone is angry at everyone else and is asking, “WHY IN THE WORLD DON’T YOU SEE IT MY WAY?” In the midst of this chaos comes this book that encourages us to do what each of us can do to help the situation rather than mixing it up in the fray. Robert Sachs wrote this book because of his personal involvement in learning about Buddhism. Through this personal experience, he simply shares the key features of a Buddhist life. Sachs contends we all have a little something inside of us encouraging us to rise to the level of seeking good at all times and in all places. The Buddhist tradition emphasizes getting along with others. Wouldn’t it be nice if we all did this in our country? What a change we would see. Buddhism is about improving one’s life and the lives of others. But since one cannot control others, one focusses on oneself. Buddhism is about that process and what happened to the author could happen to others. In reading the book one learns some of the basics about Buddhism. Insight as to why Buddhists might react differently to contentious situations from many of the rest of us can be gained. And so the first part of the book is about the Buddhist tradition and it opens the door to understanding this tradition from a Western perspective. The latter part of the book focuses on the Rules for Civility that our first President George Washington used throughout his life. The author intertwines his commentary throughout, emphasizing that both perspectives call for tolerance and respect of others. Our nation is in desperate need of this call! Perhaps learning about another tradition is a good place to start. It may give you a tip or two of how to handle difficult situations in your own life. ~ Institute for Civility in Government, Review

Robert Sachs’ masterful work The Path of Civility reminds those of us who invest years of time, resources, and energy in understanding the human element of organizations, that the fundamental truths and practices are well-grounded in early, universal spiritual practices that apply today. While we may call these other names like emotional intelligence, appreciative inquiry, conflict management, on-boarding, civil discourse, they are grounded in ancient teachings. While a bit too many, I personally benefited from Robert’s references and examples that highlight today’s relevance. Civility does indeed start with self-awareness that is fine-tuned with ongoing practice and life challenges. May I never lose the habit of introspection and resulting action. Sachs slowed me down to not only get through the deep roots of civility, but also with encouragement to reflect, laugh a bit, own my own stuff, recognize available choices, and strengthen my courage to act.” ~ Deb Sholl Humphreys, Ph.D., Principal, Waypoint Coaching and Consulting; Co-Director, Civil Discourse, League of Women Voters San Luis Obispo County , Review

Robert Sachs has written an important book for our time. Freedom and human rights are based on the fundamental idea that a moral sphere within which freedom and liberty can exist must be created and sustained across every generation. It is imperative that we maintain a collective consciousness that nothing has more value to us than to live together in a world which honors freedom. Such a moral sphere requires that we understand the virtues which mold and constitutes a civil society. Our opportunity to live peacefully together in societies always depends on a moral condition. It is important that we strive to choose those alternatives which provide all our citizens the best life possible. This is best assured by following the path of civility. Robert’s new book; “The Path of Civility” traces both the Eastern and Western cultural ideas which have guided humanity toward love, compassion, peace, and well-being. He reminds us again why civility is essential if human transactions are to bring peace and harmony amid the many vicissitudes we experience in life. He suggests there is indeed a path to civility, and he outlines how we can create such a path for ourselves. He gives us many examples of how we tend to respond for better or worse in our personal life encounters. We intuitively know the distinctions we make in how we analyze our circumstances largely define how others see us. There is no better example in life than the example of a good man who has an altruistic spirit; a sense that he does not live for himself alone, that he is here to help others, support our country’s highest ideals, and perform his duties with a cooperative frame of mind. After all, these attainments are fundamental to our collective happiness and purpose. The author suggests that civility, love, and compassion operate in an atmosphere of cooperation; and he provides excellent insights into what these things mean, and how we can use them in our personal, social and civic actions. This book reminds us what appropriate and inappropriate behavior looks like; and how we may manifest our character around doing things that are right solely because they are the right things to do. Sachs uses the thoughts of the Buddha and the wisdom of Washington to show how we can transform our mind to become more aware of how precious life is; and how we can use the time we have to honor the best that is within us. His commentaries on Washington’s classic rules of civility are superb. I highly recommend “The Path of Civility” for your instruction, and as a resource you can use in striving to be a man of civility! ~ Robert G. Davis Author of “Understanding Manhood in America” , Review

Attaining and maintaining civility is not easy, especially in today’s society. In The Path of Civility, Sachs uses the teachings of George Washington and the wisdom of a Buddha to help each of us improve ourselves as we work to repair our world. ~ Russ Charvonia, Past Grand Master Masonic Grand Lodge of California, Review

Conscious leadership begins with an idea that freedom and peace are not only possible, but are our inherent nature as human beings. Robert Sachs’s, The Path of Civility gives our mind a reason to accept what our heart already knows; that passion, love, and compassion is the great healer of life. The power to passionately and compassionately love into civility lives within each of us. Thank you Robert for this gift to humanity. ~ Dr. Darren Weissman, originator of The LifeLine Technique and author of The Heart of the Matter

Robert Sachs’ book is an extraordinary exploration of the linkage between ancient teachings and the enlightened thinking in the founding of the United States. He delivers his analysis with thought, care, and scholarly detail. ~ Don Maruska, Master Certified Coach and author of How Great Decisions Get Made

Speaking as a Freemason, I sincerely appreciate Robert Sach's work in this book because it addresses a number of issues central to Freemasonry: civil coexistence, the integration of spiritual and worldly wisdom, and respect for the world's diverse religious and philosophical traditions. These are perennial matters to humanity, and it seems every generation must rediscover not only their importance, but also the relevant wisdom passed on to us from previous generations. Sachs' integration of wisdom from Washington and the Buddha is both deeply insightful and thoroughly practical. It amounts to a master worker's tool kit for being compassionately proactive and responsive amid the social complexities of our increasingly diverse and interconnected world. ~ C. R. Dunning, author of Contemplative Masonry

Robert Sachs has written an extremely timely and pertinent book, because we urgently need to bring civility back into our personal interactions and political discourse. ~ Tim Freke, Author of Soul Story