Book Review: Think Like a Monk, by Jay Shetty

Image Source: GoodReads

Introduction

Author: Jay Shetty

Language: English

Genre: Self-help book, Non-Fiction

About the author - Jay Shetty (born 6 September 1987) is an English author, former monk, and life coach of Indian descent. As the host of the podcast On Purpose, his guests have included Alicia Keys, Khloe Kardashian, and Kobe Bryant resulting in 64 million downloads. He has appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, A Little Late with Lilly Singh, and Today to discuss mental health and life purpose.

In 2020, Shetty released the book Think Like a Monk through Simon & Schuster. The book offers advice on reducing stress and improving focus, based on Shetty's experiences from the ashram. In September 2020, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and Amazon named the book on their bestseller lists.

Book Review :

This is one of the most enlightening and empowering books I have ever read. One read isn’t enough, Jay reveals how to overcome negative thoughts and habits and access the calm and purpose that lie within all of us - if there was ever a time to read this book, it’s now.

One of a quote from this book which I love is -

“Your identity is a mirror covered with dust. When you first look in the mirror, the truth of who you are and what you value is obscured. Clearing it may not be pleasant, but only when that dust is gone can you see your true reflection.” – Jay Shetty, Think Like a Monk

The book is written in a language that can be easily understood by a beginner-level reader. The content, however, is detailed and in-depth and may take beginners some time to get through. Jay speaks about life purpose, mental health, relationships, wellbeing, and has appeared on many famous shows like The Ellen DeGeneres Show and A Little Late with Lilly Singh. 

He is also a podcast host, former monk, and purpose coach.“Think Like a Monk” is a book that helps us live a more peaceful and purposeful life; one that is full of gratitude and brimming with positivity. No, the book doesn’t promise us overnight miracles, but what it does promise is a sense of calmness, a change of attitude, more love, more positivity, and better clarity of who we are. 

Image Source: YouTube

There are many interesting and novel concepts that I learned through this book. For example, in Jay’s own words – “Mudita is the principle of taking sympathies or unselfish joy in the good fortune of others.”While the monk mind is single-task focused, looks for meaning and genuine solutions, controls and engages energy wisely, is enthusiastic, determined, and patient, seeks long-term gains and is compassionate, caring, and collaborative.

Similarly, Jay also talks about many novel concepts like the cancers of the mind, the quadrants of potential, the circle of love, double-edged ego, the chariot of the mind, etc.

The book reads like a conversation, and there is an instant connection that the reader feels with the author. Given the subject, the book doesn’t feel preachy at all. A generous number of examples, personal anecdotes, some illustrations and diagrams, practical tips, and implementable tools and techniques, make the book an interesting and deeply engaging read.

In addition to this, he also gives examples of many others from whom we can learn. For example, while talking about Dharma, he talks about a British ex-pat who had competence in finance, and who decided to become a nun after going through a horrifying incident in Jakarta, Indonesia.

But as she found out, sitting in a cave and meditating was not her true calling or Dharma. She later found all her expertise, passion, skill, compassion, talent, and service overlapping in service, and she deployed her financial acumen to build a UK-based charity that helps people living in the rural areas of East Bhutan.

In the end, “Think Like a Monk” is a book that offers both conventional as well as unconventional wisdom in an attempt to make our lives better, happier, more peaceful, and purposeful. It is a book that I would certainly recommend to readers, and more importantly to non-readers because of its relevance in the current times.

Also, Pick the book if you :

• You love reading self-help

• You haven’t picked up self-help in this category in a while

• You are looking for books that inculcate a spiritual mindset

• You want to be a better, happier, and more positive version of yourself

• You are looking for a book that changes the way you look at your life

• You are willing to find meaning and purpose in life

·   Or if one of these things ail you – anxiety, work stress, deteriorating quality of relationships, media clutter, device overdose, inadequate sleep, lack of purpose, disappointment in life.

My rating for the book is 4/5

You can easily buy a copy of this book on Amazon - Think like a monk

Written By - Ishita Sharma

Edited By - Anamika Malik