From Deepa's Desk

Have you ever come across a book that feels like it has been written for you? This is one such book. I will start the review with an excerpt from the last chapter of this book. Most books end by telling you what to take with you. This one will not. Nothing new was given here. No belief to carry. No practice to repeat. No identity to adopt. Only a mistake was questioned. If something loosened while reading, it was not created by these pages. It was already present. The words only interrupted a habit. The said habit being, believing that 'I' am the doer. This is also the mistake referred to in the above paragraph. The whole of the book stresses on only one point that basically, we are not the doers.  It doesn't try to solve the mystery of who is, then. It doesn't preach any practice. It doesn't pertain to any one particular religion, although many facets of Shaivism are mentioned. It just advocates a way of belief - to detach, to not to stick to thoughts or events and...

Why a fox,  you wonder? In the words of the author, 'If Zen ever decided to play tricks, it would likely wear a red tail. The fox is clever. Mysterious. It shows up when you are not looking, then vanishes when you reach for it.' Like all the other books of Kai, this too has 33 short zen-centric stories. A monk sets up camp in a forest, wanting to live in solitude. Except, he finds he is never really alone.  Sometimes, a flash of a red tail. Sometimes a pawprint. Sometimes a half-eaten fruit. Sometimes a giggle. The fox reveals itself to him little by little. With every glimpse and encounter with the fox, something inside the monk shifts and transforms.  Not much happens in the stories yet they are wholesome. Most of them have open endings, urging the reader to reflect and learn from the story. However every chapter is serene and soothing to read. The elusive and mysterious fox will hold your attention and keep you engaged throughout the book. The monk, with his silent sol...

Krishna and Buddha have influenced generation after generation with their timeless wisdom that is relevant in every age. This book while exploring the unique traits of the Bhagavad Gita and Buddha's teachings, draws a comparative analysis of their essence and proves one timeless fact - that both Buddhism and Bhagavad Gita meet at one common destination i.e. Shanti, peace. The book begins with a brief introduction of Buddha and the events that led him to choose the life of an ascetic. It then describes in detail, the Eightfold path prescribed in Buddhism. The book draws out parallels between the Eightfold path and verses of Bhagavad Gita and finally publishes the similarities between the two. It is indeed amazing how both the teachings have so many things in common - detachment, inner reflection, Dharma, liberation from all desires and freedom from the clutches of ego. The narrative is very simple and uses bulleted points to stress on the important parts. The similarities have been ...

Come, sit for a while. There is no rush. No urgency. Thus begins this book. It takes you on a leisurely journey laced with wisdom and timeless insights. The story starts with a monkey who is not satisfied with a mundane existence. When he seeks out his friends, asking them whether they ever feel that there is more to life, they ridicule him. Not finding anyone to share his views and thoughts, the monkey gets frustrated.  One day, he learns about a master who seemingly had answers to all the questions of life. The monkey sets off in search of him, thus earning the name, 'The Wandering Monkey'. He meets the master as a frustrated and restless monkey, irritated with the trials and tribulations of life and seeking peace.  The monkey represents the quintessential human, always in search of something that would provide unshakeable peace, something that would provide answers to all the questions in life. The book proceeds to show the monkey's transformation - from a grumbling, dis...

My friend lent this book to me stating that I have to read this.  To be frank, I was already taken in by the lovely book cover. It is an instant dopamine hit. The second thing I fell for was the title. Let's admit it, we readers fall hard for any title that has 'book', or 'Reading' or 'bookstore' in it. Sometimes that is all it takes to buy or read a book, isn't it? I started reading this book with great excitement, wanting to know what it talks about. By the third or fourth chapter, that excitement was replaced by a contented sense of bliss that I never wanted to let go of, which meant I wanted the book to just go on and never end. Yes, it is one of those books. The author talks about various aspects related to reading. Why do we read, what do we read, how do we read, what happens if we cannot get through the first few pages of any book... As a reader, I have always believed that we read mostly because we are bookworms. For the first time, I have realiz...

This book is a collection of 33 short stories all of which feature a cat. Why a cat, and why the moon? To quote the author, 'If Zen were to take form, it might very well show up as a cat - appearing when it pleases, ignoring you when you try too hard, curling up in the most inconvenient places, and slipping away just when you think you have finally figured it out.'   About the moon, the author says - 'In Zen, the moon often represents truth - unreachable, yet reflected in every puddle, every bowl of tea, every pair of eyes that dares to stop and look.' This is definitely one of the best books that I have ever come across. It is simply amazing how the author has created such beautiful and insightful tales around a cat. The stories are deep in meaning, imparting unforgettable life lessons and invoking self reflection. At the end of every chapter there is a question that makes you pause and think on it.  Reading this book felt like the ultimate mindfulness exercise. The na...