Jaya shares with us some of her favorite books of the year....
I am struck with gratitude as I look over the year and feel all the generosity in the sangha. Over the year, I have received so many great books as gifts and recommendations. Here are a few.
1) One afternoon on the way home from picking up Gyan from school, there was a big envelope on TOP of our mailbox at the beginning of our dirt road.
The post officer Antonio knew we were expecting a package, so he made it easier for us.
At home, we opened the package sent from another rural address on another continent:
Encyclopedia of the Exquisite: An Anecdotal History of Elegant Delights by Jessica Kerwin Jenkins, published on Nov. 2, 2010!
We keep it at hand on the dining table for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, when some literary dessert is needed. Mmmm, delicious.
Thank you, Jessica.
2) Sensing, Feeling, and Action by Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen
Single most fascinating and helpful book of the year for me.
3) These Matisse biographies may be more of a personal quirk of mine, but I am still digesting some of the hidden spiritual details of the life of this painter.
The Unknown Matisse and Matisse the Master: A Life of Henri Matisse: The Conquest of Colour, 1909-1954 both by Hilary Spurling.
Some parts read like a detective novel.
4) Tomato Blessings and Radish Teachings, by Edward Espe Brown
Funny and deep, with recipes included.
5) Passionate Enlightenment by Miranda Shaw
Slower reading, but mind-blowing, as Shaw rearranges our thinking about women in India and women lineage-founder who have been forgotten.
6) Vayu's Gate and the Ten Vital Winds by Orit Sen Gupta. This book by Odelia's yoga teacher unveils simple, life-changing practices that she diescovered by studying ancient texts and practicing herself in infinite detail...Her simple practices reach to the roots of posture problems, energy imbalances-- a deep, centering way of practicing yoga. I would love for everyone to read this book.
7) My Grandfather's Blessings: Stories of Strength, Refuge, and Belonging by Rachel Naomi Remen
An easy read, I kept it by the fireplace and read a few pages while holding Gayatri in the mornings.
8) Introduction to Integral Education by Shraddhalu Ranade, great for those who love learning.
