This “passage to nowhere” gave him time to uncover internal joy and evaluate the significance of stillness away from the twenty-four-seven demands of a technological world.Ĭontemplative Cherry Blossom Garden in Japan This journey began when he was twenty nine years old and made the decision to take a year off and travel to the ancient Japanese capital Kyoto. In his book he invites the reader to share in the wonder of this journey and without preaching or dogma I felt willing to embrace his practices and celebrate his insights and perceptiveness. This passion has been further enriched by his discovery of the rewards of going nowhere. I believe Pico Iyer has carved out a fortunate life by successfully seeking a career in travel where he is able to live and work immersed in his passion. I feel sure this is where he takes time out to practice The Art of Stillness And so he flew alone regularly back and forth over the North Pole during his childhood.Įducated at Eton, Oxford and Harvard he lives in Kyoto Japan spending part of each year in a Benedictine hermitage in California. His persuasive argument was that an English tutelage was far less expensive than the alternative at a school near his home in California. In fact as a nine year old he successfully convinced his parents to continue his education in England. His love affair with travel began at a very early age. In 1964 he moved with his family to California. He was born in Oxford, England in 1957 to academic parents from India. Pico Iyer has a distinguished career as acclaimed travel writer, journalist, essayist and novelist. Also I responded very positively to how these ideas have sat comfortably in my mind slowly digested by my thinking and feeling processes.Īuthor Pico Iyer, urging us all to practice the Art of Stillness I loved how the ideas in The Art of Stillness linked to narrative examples that highlighted the writer’s journey of discovery. To my way of thinking communication, connection, innovation and positive change flourish in this receptive environment. The independent, unbiased and nonaligned nature of the organisation nurtures curiosity, exploration and a sharing of ideas. TED is a non-profit and nonpartisan foundation, indeed a global community committed to disseminating ideas through short talks, books, animation, radio programs and events. These Books are designed for a single sitting read, they challenge the reader to think divergently and contemplate on previously held conceptions and understandings. The books explore more deeply the germinating ideas expressed in the short TED Talks. Each book is paired with a related TED Talk that is available on line at TED.com. The Art of Stillness, published in 2014 was the first TED Book I have read and the second in the series.
#Pico iyer the art of stillness youtube series
An added bonus was the discovery that it was part of a series of inspirational books.
It was very rejuvenating and highly motivating when I stumbled upon a book that offered a unique approach, unexpected ambiguity and a perceptive insight into being still and going nowhere.
Practicing the ‘art of stillness’ five hundred people gather for a mass meditation to launch No Noise at Selfridges London Janu(Photo Stuart Wilson/Getty Images for Selfridges)
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