Week 3 Round Up of Books Read in 2019

Week 3: Jan 14 - Jan 20, 2019

Books Read : 2

1. Being Buddha At Work by Franz Metcalf and BJ Gallagher - A wonderful book beyond comparison. Calling this book a mini-manual on applying Buddha's advice at workplace won't be an extrapolation at all. It's amazing to note as to how such a short book could contain so much practical wisdom on the application of Mindfulness and Buddhism. The book does great job in distilling the relevant and applicable pieces from the tenets of Buddhism and then presenting them in an easily digestible form for the readers. There are 15 themes divided into 3 parts/ sections of  Self, Others(Relationships) and Organisation. The 15 themes are further divided into various pertinent chapters, where each chapter deals with a relevant topic of interest related to the theme. Each chapter is just about the right length and deal with a particular aspect of a potential workplace issue/ problem. Presenting the ground realities at work by way of various examples/ situations / scenarios, the book then suggest ways and strategies (derived from the teaching of Buddha and Buddhism) to address them in a mindful way. For me, the highlight of the book was the depth and the insight contained in each of the "sutras" at the beginning of each chapter. Becoming Mindful at Work made easy by "Being Buddha at Work" !
2. Mind Platter by Najwa Zebian - An amazing collection of reflections on life and covering so many different aspects of our life. Written as single page paragraphs, the entries are quite insightful and definitely touch the heart and soul of the reader. Drawing from her personal life, the author does an excellent job of providing the readers with ample of opportunities for self-introspection and seeing life from different perspectives. A great companion book, for all phases of our life, providing strength during times of despair to help deal effectively with vicissitudes of life. The reflections are short and crisp (about 200 single page entries) but still so effective, as if the words directly flow from the soul of the author. The list of the topics addressed is very exhaustive - love, education, friendship, change, simplicity, soul, dreams and  happiness being just few of those. Except for few repetitions and contradictions, the book turns out to be a highly inspiring, refreshing and delightful read.   

Book Review - Finding Your Strength in Difficult Times

Finding Your Strength in Difficult Times by David Viscott

A wonderful companion book that one can pick up anytime, open any page and start deriving strength from the content. Everything about the book is perfect - right from it's size, the layout, the content and if i may add price too :) .

The title of the book itself is self-revealing about what is contained inside it. The chapter names are

very well thought (that's how there are plenty of them but that's well justified!) and relate to common crossroad situations that each of us find our self in many times. The chapter are succint with practical yet powerful advice rendered to the reader. Each chapter is indeed a meditation; an opportunity for self-reflection and brooding to understand and accept life and its vagaries. Each chapter has a message and a learning.

Another wonderful feature of the book is the affirmation(s) at the end of each chapter. These powerful affirmations are also well thought about, relate to the context of the chapter and are indeed easy to apply by the reader.

The book is available for purchase at http://amzn.to/2vInEGe

Al in all, the book is extraordinary and a great companion during tough times when we need some support!   

Book Review - Notes To Myself

Notes To Myself- My Struggle To Become  A Person by Hugh Prather

This book is probably one of the best self-reflection book i have read. The book is like a companion which can accompany forever and provide guidance whenever and wherever required. The beauty of the book is that one can open any page randomly sand start reading it and still every word will make sense. The story about how this book came by makes it all the more interesting and a must read. The thoughts penned down by the author in his diary/ journal about life's struggles, hardships and dilemmas proved to be great insights on life. Since the book is an outcome of author's personal experiences, it comes out as very honest, authentic and genuine in its approach. The content of the book beautifully captures the confusion, chaos and identity crisis that each one of us face while we are maturing and evolving as a being. The only thing that appeals to us during these time is some "food for thought" to aid us self-reflect and accept the realities of life; the reality that is indicative of our true personality and our approach to life.   

No Index, No Chapters, No Begging and No End - The book is simple, easy and uncomplicated. It's all about "self-discovery" by connecting to our inner-self. 

Even after multiple re-reads i still discover new gems of learning and knowledge in the book.

Preview the book here -  http://amzn.to/2vIuzPJ