My first impression of this book - ’The Monk Who Sold Ferrari’ was it being a boring spiritual book giving thoughts on good living doing good things blah blah blah.
However when a friend gifted it to me and I had no other option for killing time except for ’The Monk..’ I started it thinking to skim through in an hour or two. However i’s taken aback by so called out-of-box starting for a spiritual book.
The story began with Julian Mantle a heavy built ruthless attorney, having a massive heart attack in the courtroom, not meeting his long time friend colleague John and disappearing all of a sudden to return back as a sweet faced slim-trim energetic person, the story started to sound interesting.
It progressed through Julian’s travel to india, meeting the Sages of Sivana and getting a gift of their 5000 years old wisdom. The fairy tale look Sharma gave to this book marks its stupendious success.
I have heard and known that, the advice which falls soft on ears has the hardest and longest effect. This is what the book does.
Fine the book is old wine in new bottle, but how often have have taken the effort of drinking this wine. We all know these nice things mentioned in the book but how often we take the trouble of implementing it in our life.
Coming from a traditional family of ethics and values i’ve had quite a share of some of the wisdom imparted in the book. The wizened (read old people) would regularly pop up with their advice on happy living, will power etc but litle did I knew those things in my childhood and teenage. Now as a grown up youngster I realise the impact of a discipled life and wonders it can do for you.
Many things mentioned in our old scriptures and spiritual books are akin to what Sharma narrates in his book as wisdom of Sages of Sivana, but it’s only after reading the book I understood that these principles are proven and the only path for good living.
I donot say that this book is complete in itself and following it would be a path to Nirvana but yes it’s a good step towards awakening.