Wisdom to Create a Life of Passion, Purpose, and Peace!!

Author: Robin S Sharma. Publication: - Jaico Publishing House (In arrangement with Harper Collins Publishers Ltd. Toronto, Canada.) Distributed by: - India Book Distributors (Bombay) Ltd. Print: 2005 Price: Rs.175 Pages: 198
By:

Vishal Kumar

Overview:
The monk who sold his Ferrari is a fable that tries to give some unique lesson for living a healthy and fulfilling life. Todays world is running very fast and therefore most the people are not able to get time for their own betterment. We remain highly busy is achieving goals and money; however we forget to consider about health. At a time, when people have everything in world, but unfortunately, they do not have health to enjoy all this. This book is written with this basic purpose in mind. This is beautifully dealt through the story of a lawyer who appears to have it all - the corner office, the life style, the cars, women.then he gives it all up and tours the East. While there he comes across this strange monk and monastery. He comes to live life in a much different way. Yet he is challenged by the monk who has trained him to go back home and share the message he has learnt, with the West. The main character returns to his old law firm and to his protagonist John. He tells him a parable; then the rest of the book explains the parable and how it relates to different aspects of our lives. It focuses on the benefits of good health. This book also gives emphases on ancient wisdom which is available to sages. It fold open to us many wisdom from ancient time.

About the Author:

Robin Sharma is a world-renowned authority on organizational and personal leadership. Robin Sharma holds 2 law degrees including a Masters of Law and has had a distinguished career as a litigation lawyer. The widely acclaimed author of seven #1 international bestsellers including the million-copy blockbuster The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari, The Saint, The Surfer and The CEO, which was the #1 selling book in the world at amazon.com.

Robin Sharma is also the Chief Visionary Officer of Sharma Leadership International Inc., a widely respected coaching services firm whose mission is to grow leaders and help organizations become extraordinary. He is a well-known media personality who has appeared in TIME Magazine, The New York Times and other national publications. His bestseller Who Will Cry When You Die? was listed as one of the 10 Best Leadership Books by The Globe and Mail and Leadership Wisdom from The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari written in 1999 has been used as a handbook for professional excellence and success by numerous Fortune 500 CEOs.

Summary:
This well crafted story by Robin S Sharma is the tale of Julian Mantle, a lawyer brought face to face with a spiritual crisis. Julians spark of life begins to flicker. He embarks on a life-changing odyssey and discovers the ancient culture of India. During this journey he learns the value time as the most important commodity and how to cherish relationships, develop joyful thoughts and live fully, one day at a time. The eleven chapters are meticulously planned and flow seamlessly from one to the next. Julian Mantle, a very successful lawyer was the epitome of success. He had achieved everything most of us could ever want: professional success with a seven figure income, a grand mansion in a neighborhood inhabited by celebrities, a private jet, a summer home on a tropical island and his prized possession a shiny red Ferrari parked in the center of his driveway. Suddenly he has to come terms with the unexpected effects of his unbalanced lifestyle. John, who is a friend as well as co-worker of Julian, narrates the story. He begins by describing Julians flamboyant

lifestyle, his exaggerated courtroom theatrics, which regularly made the front pages of newspapers and his late night visits to the citys finest restaurants with sexy young models. Julian Mantle, the great lawyer collapses in the courtroom, sweating and shivering. His obsession with work has caused this heart attack. The last few years Julian had worked day and night without caring about his mental and physical health. That helped him become a very rich and successful lawyer but took a toll on his health and mental state. At fifty-three he looked seventy and had lost his sense of humor. Julian refused to meet any of his friends and colleagues at the hospital. One fine day he quit his law firm and took off without saying where he was headed. Three years passed without any news from Julian. One day he paid a visit to his friend and former colleague John, who was now a cynical older lawyer. But Julian, in the past three years, had been miraculously transformed into a healthy man with physical vitality and spiritual strength. Following his heart attack Julian Mantle had sold all his property (Yes, his Ferrari too) and left for India. The author tells us about Julians Indian odyssey, how he met the sages of Sivana who had a life changing effect on him. Julian Mantle shares his story of transformation, his secrets of a happy and fulfilling life with his friend John. Julian describes Sivana- a small place located in the Himalayas, the land of rose covered huts, placid blue waters with white lotuses floating, youth and vitality, beautiful glowing faces, fresh and exotic fruits. He tells John about the sages of Sivana who knew all secrets of how to live life happily and how to fulfill ones dreams and reach ones destiny. Julian relates his experiences with Yogi Raman the leader of the sages of Sivana and the person who taught Julian his

secrets of a happy and fulfilling life. He narrates to John the fable that contained the seven virtues for a life abundant with inner peace, joy and a wealth of spiritual gifts. He tells John the techniques that he learned from Yogi Raman on how to master our minds with simple techniques like the heart of rose technique and the secret of lake technique. He tells John how to cultivate the mind and how to use setbacks for expanding knowledge of the self. He talks about setting and following our own purpose and teaches John the ancient art of self-leadership with techniques such as do the things you fear and the 5 step method for attaining goals. He waxes eloquent about the value of self-discipline and respect for time. He describes techniques such as the ancient rule of 20 and the vow of silence. He teaches how to focus on the priorities and thereby maintain a balance and simplify life. He gives examples that prove that willpower is the essential virtue of a fully actualized life. Julian teaches John the virtue of selflessness in serving others. He asks John to embrace the present and live in the present - Now, never to sacrifice happiness for achievements and to savor the journey of life and live each day as his last one. At the end he asks John to spread these secrets for the benefit of other people. Embracing John like the brother he never had, Julian leaves.

Critical Analysis: Life is no brief candle for me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold for the moment, and I want it to burn as brightly as possible before

handling it to the future generation. ----- George Bernard Shaw

This is the powerful message the book begins with. Seldom as human have had we realized the importance of this life. We conjure ourselves to the quotidian of life. Running as cats and dogs for material pleasure we forget the importance of life. We adhere so much to the worldly desires and its happenings that the small cherishing moments mean nothing to us, we hardly wait to pay heed to these. We forget that its not money that we live for, we live for being we, being together with our family and laughing at every small bit , enjoying thoroughly each and every moment. We should always realize that we are humble, unimportant little people on this earth and try to help this world as much as we can in our short span of time here. I expect to pass through this place but once. Any good, therefore I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any of my fellow mates let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it for I shall not pass this way again. The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari is certainly a gem. This is a book of self-help but at a glance it does not look so. As we go along the pages trying to read between lines we feel that how we ourselves are responsible for self-annihilation. The book succeeds in its objective of making the readers aware of the true potent of this life. The book chiefly focuses on self-actualization. It also focuses on striking a work-life balance. To quote: Investing in yourself is the best investment you will ever make. This was rightly stated as unless we have mastered the art of loving ourselves we cannot love others. Its only when we feel

centered and alive then we come in a position to be a better person.

The book depicts some timeless principles and priceless virtues with a very unusual example. Garden symbolizing The Mind. Lighthouse symbolizing Purpose. Sumo wrestler symbolizing Constant Improvement. Pink wire cable symbolizing Discipline. Stopwatch symbolizing Time. Roses symbolizing Charity and Service. Winding path of diamonds symbolizing Embracing the Present. Such an anecdote is not often. This book also focuses on Re-enforcement. It simply says that if we keep repeating things we want to do daily we somehow try and make it true. The same happens with negative re-enforcement, if we keep repeating negative ideas it gets struck deep inside and hinders our growth. Positive thinking is the key. This book deals with several virtues and ideas but amongst them is a structure of practical changes that have the potential to profoundly change our outlook and achievements. The uses of stories or parables that awaken understanding in the reader derive their power in this way. However after reading the story the reader is then left with the question of what to do with this awakened understanding; how do they actually change? The alternative approach is to provide a change instruction

manual which prescribes changes in the hope that these then create change from which new understanding will follow. The danger here is that unless understanding is changed, the result is the mindless application of prescribed rituals, or the rejection of them. This book attempts to bridge these two approaches.

Conclusion:
The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari imaginatively reiterates the ancient truths of Sivanan philosophy in a very forceful manner. The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari effectively expresses ancient truths in a modern idiom. The corporatevariety or the workaholics would do well to read and give their life a better shape and meaning. Students and others can also look forward to build a daily-schedule and develop positive thinking in every aspect. Through the simple and yet effective techniques like the heart of rose and the secret of lake one could develop better control on ones mind and thus can control ones thought. This inspiring tale provides a step-by-step approach to living with greater courage, balance, abundance, and joy. A wonderfully crafted fable, The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari tells the extraordinary story of Julian Mantle, a lawyer forced to confront the spiritual crisis of his out-of-balance life. On a life-changing odyssey to an ancient culture, he discovers powerful, wise, and practical lessons that teach us to: Develop Joyful Thoughts

Follow Our Life's Mission and Calling Cultivate Self-Discipline and Act Courageously Value Time as Our Most Important Commodity Nourish Our Relationships and Live Fully, One Day at a Time.

A must read!