The Unsuspected Teachings - A Kashmir Diary

Johannes Steck

Sinopsis

Like so many, motivated by a quest for a ‘Higher Reality’, Johannes makes his way to India, the Motherload of spirituality. The introduction entitled ‘Getting there’, gives a brief, graphic description of his journey northwards, skilfully sketching out some key aspects of Indian life: colour, ancient tradition, poverty, diversity and humanity. Inspired by a long-term interest in Tibetan Buddhism, he makes his way to Kashmir, having booked a flight to Ladak. Deep snow scuppers the trip, and he encounters an unsuspected and hidden vein of Muslim spirituality, Sufism. Most of the book is then taken up with Johannes’ diary which details, daily life, friendships, stunning descriptions of his environment, but above all, the teachings of the Sufi Master Amin. Leader of the Chistya Sufis, he was an independent, tolerant, and free-thinking individual, with far reaching interests and profound spiritual insights. ‘It was his face that was truly striking. His head seemed massive, twice normal size. The enormous domed forehead, criss-crossed by wrinkles, the long aquiline nose and the piercing dark eyes spoke of granite will and power. ’Caught between unconditional acceptance of the teachings, and resistance, due to nurture and inclination, the book makes interesting reading. Keys are given for a much wider and deeper understanding of Islam, and levels of ‘being’ indicated, were descriptions marking the definitions of a ‘Religion’ are meaningless. ‘Religion is like a boat, a ship into which man is born. It carries him over the ocean of life. Eventually the ship reaches the other shore; here he must abandon it and step on to the firm land. Unfortunately, people continue to carry their ‘boat’; jumping ashore they hoist it on to their shoulders and march on. They exclaim to one another, “Are you carrying a boat? Are you carrying a boat?” In reality, once land is reached, one has to leave the boat and step ashore. A seeker after the truth uses religion and then transcends it. Truth does not require a vessel. ’Johannes takes part in a pilgrimage to Ajmer Sharif in Rajasthan, which opens up an aspect of devotional life, now almost vanished from contemporary culture. The final section, ‘Departure’, describes Johannes’ trip homewards. He embeds himself in the strange twilit world of ‘travelers’ and encounters various curios individuals including a magician. Johannes is hosted by a family in Srinagar and forms a deep friendship with one of the sons

Disponible desde: 08/08/2024.

Biografía y memorias

Otros libros que te pueden interesar

Becoming Hewlett Packard - Why...

Philip E. Meza, Robert A....

Based on extensive primary research conducted over more than fifteen years, this book documents the differential contribution of HP's successive CEOs in sustaining the company's integral process of becoming. It uses a comprehensive strategic leadership framework to examine and explain the role of the CEO: (1) defining and executing the key tasks of strategic leadership, and (2) developing four key elements of the company's strategic leadership capability. 
 
 
 
The study of the strategic leadership of HP's successive CEOs revealed the paradox of corporate becoming, the existential situation facing successive CEOs (that justifies the book's empathic approach), and the importance of the CEO's ability to harness the company's past while also driving its future. Building on these insights, the book shows how the frameworks used to conceptualize the tasks of strategic leadership and the development of strategic leadership capability can serve as steps toward a dynamic theory of strategic leadership that animates an evolutionary framework of corporate becoming. This framework will be helpful for further theory development about strategic leadership and also offers practical tools for founders of new companies and CEOs and boards of directors of existing companies who intend to create, run, or oversee companies built for continued relevance, longevity, and greatness.

Ver libro

Richard Posner

William Domnarski

Judge Richard Posner is one of the great legal minds of our age, on par with such generation-defining judges as Holmes, Hand, and Friendly. A judge on the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and the principal exponent of the enormously influential law and economics movement, he writes provocative books as a public intellectual, receives frequent media attention, and has been at the center of some very high-profile legal spats. He is also a member of an increasingly rare breed—judges who write their own opinions rather than delegating the work to clerks. 
 
 
 
Now, for the first time, this fascinating figure receives a full-length biographical treatment. In Richard Posner, William Domnarski examines the life experience, personality, academic career, jurisprudence, and professional relationships of his subject with depth and clarity. Domnarski has had access to Posner himself and to Posner's extensive archive at the University of Chicago. In addition, Domnarski was able to interview and correspond with more than two hundred people Posner has known, worked with, or gone to school with over the course of his career. 
 
 
 
Richard Posner is a comprehensive and accessible account of a unique judge who, despite never having sat on the Supreme Court, has nevertheless dominated the way law is understood in contemporary America.

Ver libro

The Political Thought of Xi Jinping

Olivia Cheung, Steve Tsang

Over the course of the last half dozen years, China's supreme leader Xi Jinping has made extraordinary changes which have profound implications not only for the Chinese people but nations throughout the world. Given how swiftly and fundamentally China's relations with the rest of the world are changing under Xi's rule, it is imperative that we know what Xi Jinping Thought is, how it evolved, and why it is so important. 
 
 
 
In The Political Thought of Xi Jinping, Steve Tsang and Olivia Cheung provide an authoritative overview of what "Xi Jinping Thought" is and is not and what it means for both China and the world. Xi, now effectively leader for life, has worked to ensure that "Xi Jinping Thought" becomes cemented as the new state ideology. Clearly inspired by the doctrine of "Mao Zedong Thought," which shaped the parameters of acceptable thinking for a quarter century, Xi wants his doctrine to define what he calls the "China Dream of national rejuvenation" and serve the pathway to its fulfillment by 2050. Drawing from original research of Xi's speeches, writings, and policies, Tsang and Cheung conceptualize Xi's vision independently from interpretations provided by the Chinese Communist Party or other sources. They further examine and explain how Xi seeks to transform this vision into reality.

Ver libro

Samurai - From Feudal Warriors...

Jodie Brooks

This audiobook is narrated by an AI Voice.   
Samurai: From Feudal Warriors to the Fall of a Legend 
Honor. Power. Betrayal. The true story behind the myth. 
Step into the shadows of ancient Japan and uncover the riveting saga of the samurai, the elite warrior class whose fierce loyalty, deadly skill, and unbreakable code of honor shaped the destiny of an empire. 
From their blood-soaked rise during the Heian period to their dominance under the shogunate and eventual downfall in the modern age, Samurai: From Feudal Warriors to the Fall of a Legend brings history to life like never before. Journey through epic battles, political intrigue, and the philosophical heart of bushidō, the soul of the samurai. 
✔Richly detailed and deeply researched 
✔Features legendary figures like Miyamoto Musashi, Oda Nobunaga, and Tokugawa Ieyasu 
✔Perfect for fans of military history, Japanese culture, and epic storytelling 
Whether you're a seasoned historian or a curious reader, this book offers a gripping narrative that is both educational and unforgettable. Discover how these warrior legends lived, fought, and died, and why their legacy still captivates the world today. 
Unlock the legend. Learn the truth. Become part of the story.

Ver libro

A Thousand Feasts

Nigel Slater

THE INSTANT #1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
From award-winning writer Nigel Slater, comes a new and exquisitely written collection of notes, memoir, stories and small moments of joy.
'Nigel Slater’s prose is the rarest delicacy of all: exquisite yet effortless, filled with heart, tenderness, yearning and humour' ELIZABETH DAY
For years, Nigel Slater has kept notebooks of curiosities and wonderings, penned while at his kitchen table, soaked in a fisherman’s hut in Reykjavik, sitting calmly in a moss garden in Japan or sheltering from a blizzard in a Vienna Konditorei.
These are the small moments, events and happenings that gave pleasure before they disappeared. Miso soup for breakfast, packing a suitcase for a trip and watching a butterfly settle on a carpet, hiding in plain sight. He gives short stories of feasts such as a mango eaten in monsoon rain or a dish of restorative macaroni cheese and homes in on the scent of freshly picked sweet peas and the sound of water breathing at night in Japan.
This funny and sharply observed collection of the good bits of life, often things that pass many of us by, is utter joy from beginning to end.
‘I loved this. It is a secular book of hours – thoughts and pleasures beautifully cadenced and generously placed’ Edmund de Waal
‘Nigel Slater has a magical capacity to find beauty in the smallest moments. A nourishing, sustaining book’ Olivia Laing
‘His evocative, uplifting observations are a balm for life: a prose-poem for eaters and a spiritual companion for thoughtful cooks. A true and enduring joy’ Nigella Lawson
‘You can’t always feel buoyant and grateful but noticing – and getting pleasure from – the seemingly insignificant is a good way to live. As he says, feel the “small moments of joy”’ Diana Henry
Nigel Slater, a top author and best-seller, continues to captivate with his culinary narratives and non-fiction essays. His travelogues, filled with the scent of freshly picked sweet peas and the sound of water breathing at night in Japan, are a testament to his ability to find beauty in the smallest moments.
For fans of Wendy Macnaughton (Lost Cat), Rick Stein (Under a Mackerel Sky), Alice Waters (Always Home), and Stanley Tucci (What I Ate in One Year).
HarperCollins 2024

Ver libro

Surviving My Birthright

Casey Hammer

This is a revealing and inspirational memoir by Casey Hammer, sole granddaughter of the American billionaire, industrialist, art collector and philanthropist Armand Hammer. 
SURVIVING MY BIRTHRIGHT is a story of hope, love, and the reclamation of empowerment. Casey's is a journey of discovery—recounting many years of blocked memories, violence, nightmares, hazardous behavior, guilt and feeling unworthy of joy or happiness. 
By taking responsibility for her life, no longer being prepared to accept the role of victim and by facing the truth, Casey began to heal. Hopefully, her story will inspire many others to do the same.

Ver libro