Author: Priya Kumar
Publisher: Books That Inspire
Pages: 156
Synopsis:
The Calling is a spiritual adventure.
It is an encounter with the truth, the wisdom and the force that is innate to us all.
At the brink of a divorce and personal breakdown, Arjun took a trip into the heart of the Himalayas, on the insistence of a sadhu, who predicted that the journey up to Hemkund Sahib would align him to his purpose and change his life forever.
At every turn the mountains holds secrets and tests that urge Arjun to evolve into the person he had denied to be – himself.
Pretenses, falsities, confusions and untruths fall apart as Arjun is forced to confront the mess he had created in his life.
What started off as an opportunity to escape reality, turned out to be an opportunity to escape from the dwindling spiral of self-created misery.
Filled with spiritual insights and sprinkled with light humor, this story will help you find your calling, your voice and who knows, even your true self.
Review:
Let me tell you something about this book before I proceed with my review.
You would really find your calling, if you go past the first few pages of this book.
You’d never really regret reading it till the end.
It is a gem – almost a boon – to all those souls who are in desperate need of something motivational to read.
But, if you are going to give this book a miss, either you must already be on the right path in your life or you’re just ignorant of something that holds the true power to unleash your inner self.
This story is about Arjun – a depressed individual whose personal and professional life has taken a tumultuous turn. It is then that he meets with an accident that changes his life forever. An accident that leads him to find himself.
He then meets a sadhu who advises him to take a journey to Hemkund Sahib located in The Himalayas.
However, Arjun isn’t aware that this journey would provide him with pearls of wisdom, knowledge, truth and finally himself.
He finds his lost self among the mountains, in the highest point where every soul’s life is cleansed of their past mistakes and renewed energy flows through.
He is accompanied by a witty, humourous and an enlightened individual Chandu, who actually disguises his true self and acts as a transporter.
Though Arjun finds him irritating throughout, the revelation about his true identity is a major blow to him at the end.
Chandu’s words, ‘These mountains look still, sahib, but they are not. They move, they are alive, they speak, they share your soul’, have deeper meaning and sow the seeds of motivation in Arjun’s mind.
The most interesting part of the story is the various tests which the second sadhu subjects Arjun to.
These tests not only awaken Arjun, but also the readers. We get to read wisdom that would never be taught to you, if you hadn’t picked up this book.
For example, this is the lesson that we learn from the first test,
‘To sit in your space and your world and do nothing in it is a disgrace to the intelligence that you are bestowed with. It is a disgrace to the spiritual force that is inherent to you. Your role in the world is to take charge, to take responsibility for your role in your environment and of what happens in it.’
Yes, that’s true, right? The space in which you live is your responsibility. You must take care of your own world and prevent it from falling to pieces. Your environment is your responsibility and you must surely do something about it.
One more lesson which we learn is,
‘Every person in our world has a significant role in our purpose, especially those who are a part of your journey – your wife, your children, your colleagues, friends. People are in our lives and our path for a contribution by virtue of who they are. When people’s purposes meet, then their paths align and they come together for a common purpose.’
Of all these lessons which we learn, the last one is the most enlightening.
‘Let the world change, but don’t let your state of positivity change. Let the world change, but don’t let your state of certainty change to doubt because you don’t like that change. Let the whole world change, but don’t let your happiness change in accordance with the apparent despair the world projects onto you.’
Well, the book is completely filled with such wisdom. Everyone would find something for them in it. I am sure that you’d truly find your calling as soon as you finish this book. You’d surely feel the mountains calling out to you. The characters are so neatly presented that they never deviate from the essence of the plot. And there are some quotes which I personally liked.
For example, Priya Kumar’s precious words on friendship,
‘Friends are supposed to help you restore your belief and confidence so that you can solve your own problems. They are supposed to listen to your problems without interrupting to give you solutions, so you can talk yourself out of them. Friendship means allowance; it means granting you the space if you need it without intruding to give you advice.’
Overall, The Calling – Unleash Your True Self is a book which is on the lines of The Alchemist and The Secret. Some books are meant to be chewed and swallowed. This motivational book by Priya Kumar is one such!
A final quote for all of you,
‘Regret is to life like termite is to wood. It will eat you up. Confusion is to life like a parasite is to its host. It will consume you. Don’t continue selling your life and your soul to the highest bidder. For when you do, with that you sell your family, your dreams and your purpose.’
"Accidental living,
Accidental death.
Oblivion rests
At both ends.
Lost to life,
Lost to death.
Ignorance prevails,
As the soul pretends.
Wake up
Break free
It is an illusion.
And you can choose to 'see'.
Know who you are,
Remember, reclaim.
For what you have become,
It's only you to blame."
I Highly recommended book for all those who love motivational books (with a touch of fantasy) that can really open your eyes and provide you with rich insights.
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