Once upon a time, University of Tennessee alum Phillip Moffitt taught American men the secrets of style and sophistication. As the chief executive and editor-in-chief of Esquire magazine in the 1980s, Moffitt lived and thrived in the glamorous world of big-name magazine publishing, crafting a career of great success and distinction.

Today, Phillip Moffitt uses Buddhist teachings and philosophy to help anyone who is interested achieve a more balanced, spiritually aware life. The man who once ran a highly lucrative publication now runs the non-profit Life Balance Institute, an organization devoted to the study and practice of spiritual values in daily life.

In 1987, Moffitt left his post at Esquire to fully devote himself to the study of Buddhism and the examination of spirituality. He was subsequently ordained as a lay priest in Theravada Buddhism at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Northern California, where he now teaches. Moffitt currently travels the country to teach at various retreat centers and leads a vipassana meditation group.

Moffitt’s fascinating and unconventional journey has led him to write his new book, Dancing with Life: Buddhist Insights for Finding Meaning and Joy in the Face of Suffering. On his web site, Moffitt says of the book’s themes and its use of Buddhist teachings, “Through this intuitive knowledge, you can find a new relationship with your suffering that will bring you increased meaning, joy, and liberation, no matter how difficult your life may be.”

Moffitt received both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He served as UT student body president from 1967 to 1968 and assistant dean of students from 1969 to 1970. In 1971, along with several college friends, he founded the Knoxville-based publishing company 13-30 Corporation. The company purchased Esquire magazine when the publication was struggling to survive and managed to make the magazine highly profitable.

Campus and local communities can learn more about Phillip Moffitt’s exciting life journey and his new book when he visits campus on Monday, November 10 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Lindsay Young Auditorium on the first floor of Hodges Library for a book talk and signing. The event is free and open to the public, but seating is limited. Free parking is available in the University Center parking garage (view map). Bring your parking pass to the event for validation.

The event is brought to you by Writers in the Library and the Dr. and Mrs. A. H. Lancaster Library Friends Lecture Series. Dancing with Life is available at Carpe Librum Booksellers.

For more information, call the UT Libraries at (865) 974-0037.