November Read 2016

Title: The Urban Monk
Author: Shojai, Pedram
Call Number: 294.34435 S559U 2016
Book Description from amazon.com

We all struggle to discover satisfaction and contentment in the modern world and yet the more technology we use, the more things seem to get worse. What are we all missing? What will it take for us to find our centers? Pedram Shojai shares how the calmness of Zen masters is attainable in today's fast-paced world, and with practice, you too can stop time, refuel, and focus on the things that really matter.

The Urban Monk, a New York Times bestseller, reveals the secrets to finding an open heart, sharp mind, and grounded sense of well-being, even in the most demanding circumstances. Shojai’s no-nonsense life mastery program brings together clear tools and exercises that can elevate your existence. Learn to honor your body with nutrition and shake free from addictions to toxic substances and experiences. Let your body and mind unwind each day with evening meditations, loosening exercises, and resting rituals that will keep any stress or unfinished business out of the bedroom, helping you sleep better so that your body can rejuvenate.

The Urban Monk is filled with priceless practices that you can use in your daily life, right here and now. It is designed to be your companion in this crazy world we live in. Get it dirty, mark it up, and take it around with you on your journey to becoming an Urban Monk. There’s no need to move or drastically change your current life. You can find peace within, and The Urban Monk will teach you how to calm the chaos in your head.

The world needs you to step up and live your life to the fullest. Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk who can show you how to drink from infinity, find peace and prosperity, and thrive in a modern world.

Hard Work (page 237):

"Again, the literal translation of the words kung fu is "hard work" or "eat bitter." So when a fellow martial artist asks me how my kung fu is, he isn't necessarily inquiring about my roundhouse kicks. It is a metaphor for life itself. The premise is that how you do one thing is how you do everything. Life is hard work, and when we apply ourselves to mastery of the items we choose to engage in, we do what it takes to be good at it. Whether you're an auto mechanic, tax planner, or athlete, the choice sits with you whether you actually apply yourself and master your craft. It is a frame of reference, an ATTITUDE. Once you adopt this attitude, it relates to everything else you do. We become good at things because we remain aware, alert, and present. Divided attention fragments us. It makes us anxious and wastes our energy. An Urban Monk is fully engaged in what he does and applies himself fully. When that task is over, he moves on to the next one. When he's tired, he rests fully and sleeps deeply. When it's time to play, he's enjoying the party. He's switched on and vibrantly alive.

September Read

Title: The Tao of Happiness
Author: Lin, Derek
Call Number: 299.51482 L735T 2015
Book Description from amazon.com
f you have not encountered Chuang Tzu before, prepare yourself for a treat. He was the sage who stood apart from all others in Chinese history. He was a unique presence, a great mind like no one before or since. Chuang Tzu quickly distinguished himself and became well known for his deep understanding and sense of humor. His mastery was such that he could explain the Tao with simple stories, and his humor was such that he could see the joy in ordinary things. He taught his students about “carefree wandering”—the path of moving through life with a free and happy heart, regardless of how turbulent the journey might be.

It is time for modern readers to join in on the fun. Chuang Tzu’s wisdom is not just for Eastern culture, but for all of humanity. We may not have the instability or the clash of massive armies indicative of Chuang Tzu’s time, but we have a lot of stress and tension in our modern world. Many of us find ourselves fighting little battles on the personal front just to get through the day. We can benefit greatly from Chuang Tzu’s teachings. These parables are presented throughout this book and juxtaposed with the charming and intelligent prose of modern-day Taoist teacher and author Derek Lin. Together, Chuang Tzu and Lin will present you with simple lessons that will have a lasting impact on your life.
My Read;
     I've learned the stories in this book when attending schools at youth; those stories were taught in the Literature classes. It's interesting to realize that rereading those stories at a later age inspired me, especially stories about death. Chuang Tzu said: "In that state between existence and nonexistence, her initial transformation gave rise to energy. That energy gave rise to a physical form, and that physical form took on life to become a human being. Now it's the other way around, as her continuing transformation returns her to the Tao. This whole process-from nonexistence to life, from life to nonexistence again-is like the changing of seasons, all completely in accordance with nature."-page 98
     Another story about friendship is also inspiring. It's an exceptional personal communication directly and candidly conducted by two friends/confidantes. It's about affinity, trust, and time you've shared with someone special. "They may have no idea what you are talking about, but that's okay. They will sense what you mean and understand what you are trying to say. This simple understanding will demonstrate, yet again, the three ingredients of the miracle-our most incredible miracle of all."-page 108

August Read/3

Title: 

Eastern Wisdom, Modern Life: Collected Talks: 1960-1969

Author: Watts, Alan

Book Description (from amazon.com):

Alan Watts introduced millions of Western readers to Zen and other Eastern philosophies, but he’s also recognized as a brilliant commentator on Judeo-Christian traditions as well as a celebrity philosopher who exemplified the ideas — and lifestyle — of the 1960s counterculture. In this compilation of controversial lectures, delivered at American universities throughout the decade, Watts challenges readers to reevaluate Western culture’s most hallowed constructs. Watts treads familiar ground, interpreting Eastern traditions, and also covers new territory, exploring the counterculture’s basis in the ancient tribal and shamanic cultures of Asia, Siberia, and the Americas. In the process, he addresses some of the era’s most important questions: What is the nature of reality? And how does an individual’s relationship to society affect this reality? Filled with his playful, provocative style, the talks show the remarkable scope of a philosopher in his prime, exploring and defining the '60s counterculture as only Alan Watts could.
My Read:
Page: 142
"The art of living is to operate in the world as if you were absent." 
This sentence stays with me after I finished the book. It reminds me of those books I have read about "mindfulness," "live in the moment," "enlightened life." But this book also provoked me in some ways. For instance, as I was walking I wondered where the ancient sages got their ideas/perceptions about life. There were no printed wisdom in ancient time. The answer must, in my own personal thinking, come from the nature: the changes of the time and seasons, the ever-changing landscapes and the shapely clouds, mountains, rivers, and creatures roaming the earth. Sometimes, I figure, the answers are simple and straight; they are right in the plain sight and around us. It just needs an aware mind to be conscious about life, living, and beyond. Life is to live.

August/John

THE WINTER FORTRESS

This non-fiction book was written by Neal Bascomb. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, it is 322 pages of narrative, two pages of acknowledgements, 34 pages of notes, and 20 pages of bibliography and index. Archives were researched in five different countries. And yet, it reads like a novel, urging the reader to keep turning pages to follow the action which detail the pursuit to destroy the 'heavy water' and the equipment required to manufacture atomic weapons. 

The movie based on this story, 'The Heroes of Telemark', as it turns out, barely covered the story - as films can only do. Although it was very good and with much action, it does not hold a candle to the whole saga delivered in the book. Chapter one begins on February 14, 1940 and this fascinating story does not conclude until 1945, plus its contextual follow up. 

As a race between the Allies and the Axis powers to first develop the atomic bomb, this story, in spite of already knowing the ending, is a nail-biter. Obviously I enjoyed reading about the story's background, all the personalities involved from various countries and backgrounds, the rugged training, and the various operations to thwart the Nazis. It gives merit to the expression "The Greatest Generation." 

August Read/2

Title: Subliminal: How Your Unconscious Mind Rules Your Behavior

Author: Mlodinow, Leonard

Book Description (from amazon.com):

Over the past two decades of neurological research, it has become increasingly clear that the way we experience the world--our perception, behavior, memory, and social judgment--is largely driven by the mind's subliminal processes and not by the conscious ones, as we have long believed. As in the bestselling The Drunkard’s Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives, Leonard Mlodinow employs his signature concise, accessible explanations of the most obscure scientific subjects to unravel the complexities of the subliminal mind. In the process he shows the many ways it influences how we misperceive our relationships with family, friends, and business associates; how we misunderstand the reasons for our investment decisions; and how we misremember important events--along the way, changing our view of ourselves and the world around us.

August Read

Title: Is Nothing Something?: Kids' Questions and Zen Answers About Life, Death, Family, Friendship, and Everything in Between
Author: Thich Nhat Hanh
Book Description (from amazon.com):
In Is Nothing Something? Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh answers heartfelt, difficult, and funny questions from children of all ages. Illustrated with original full-color artwork by Jessica McClure, Is Nothing Something? will help adults plant the seeds of mindfulness in the young children in their lives. Beginning with the most basic questions, "What is important in life?" and "Why is my brother mean to me?" and progressing through issues that we all wrestle with, such as "How do I know if I really love somebody?", "How long am I going to live?", and "What does God look like?", each page presents a question with a short answer from Thich Nhat Hanh, appropriate for beginning readers to work with on their own. The back of the book has the first complete children’s biography of Thich Nhat Hanh, along with basic, kid-friendly instructions for mindful breathing and mindful walking. Both humorous and profound, Is Nothing Something? is the perfect resource for kids with questions, adults looking to answer them, and anyone with questions of their own.

July Read/2

Title: The Seat of the Soul
Author: Zukav, Gary
Call Number: 299.93 Z94S 2014
Book Description from amazon.com:
With the same extraordinary skill that he used to demystify scientific abstraction and the new physics, Gary Zukay, the award-winning author of The Dancing Wu Li Masters, here takes us on a brilliant and penetrating exploration of the new phase of evolution we have now entered. 
With lucidity and elegance, Zukav explains that we are evolving from a species that pursues power based upon the perceptions of the five senses -- external power -- into a species that pursuesauthentic power -- power that is based upon the perceptions and values of the spirit. He shows how the pursuit of external power has produced our survival-of-the-fittest understanding of evolution, generated conflict between lovers, communities, and superpowers, and brought us to the edge of destruction. 
Using his scientist's eye and philosopher's heart, Zukav shows how infusing the activities of life with reverence, compassion, and trust makes them come alive with meaning and purpose. He illustrates how the emerging values of the spirit are changing marriages into spiritual partnerships, psychology into spiritual psychology, and transforming our everyday lives. The Seat of the Soul describes the remarkable journey to the spirit that each of us is on.
Note:
What I could remember after closing the book is as followed:
There are 3 things to remember: compassion, clarity, and boundless love.
The chapter(s) I like the best are the chapters titled "Intention," and "Intention II."
In the book there are two things the author refers again and again: personality(the five-sensory being) and soul(multisensory being). 
I found the term useful for meditation: reverence.
Thing to remember: one has to learn to forgive others and accept oneself to complete this life journey with certain degree of accomplishment and satisfaction.
Happy read.