Let’s learn how to get out of our own way and be the people we’re destined to be right from our home, offices and even during our long commutes.
“You don’t have to retreat to a temple to find your center and sense of calm,” so says Pedream Shojai, OMD in his new book The Urban Monk (Rodale Wellness, 2016). “With practice you can stop time, refill and focus on the things that really matter, even among the chaos,” he continues. This a promise regularly touted in the swelling mass of self-help books, blogs and audio of today’s market. So, what makes Mr. Shojai’s claim (and the delivery of it) unique?
Pedram Shojai is the founder of Well.org, the producer of the movies Vitality and Origins, and the host of The Health Bridge and The Urban Monk podcasts. He is also an acclaimed qigong master, master herbalist, doctor of oriental medicine and taoist monk who has traversed the world. Beyond that lengthy tally of accomplishments, Dr. Shojai is a family man, raised in Los Angeles. He is a guy with a wife and kids and dogs… and, a mortgage. That “regular guy” with everyday responsibilities reality is woven into his prescription and makes for a swift and practical connection with readers. The author’s depth of knowledge of esoteric practices fuels the pages of The Urban Monk, but it resists the lofty language we often find in books of this nature and instead delivers its remedies for elevating one’s existence in a no-nonsense fashion.
Have you ever felt guilty about missing a workout at the gym? Did you learn meditation at one point and then stop doing it? Do you have a stack of books by your nightstand that you look at each night wondering when you’ll get to them? Yes! Yes! And, YES! Nothing like posing just the right questions to nudge the reader to buy into rolling up their sleeves and getting down to business. “Let’s learn how to get out of our own way and be the people we’re destined to be right from our home, offices and even during our long commutes.” What follows are ten chapters – each examining major life issues such as; stress, time poverty, stagnant lifestyles, disconnection with nature, and sleep issues. In the snapshot “personal journeys” interspersed among these chapters, Dr. Shojai shares instances or life experiences which have formed the foundation of his teachings.
Lifestyle is the key in The Urban Monk reboot… And, while those tweaks of course include many of the expected remedies like drinking tea, turning to the breath and learning to listen, Dr. Shojai also coaches the reader to; “recalibrate their stress buckets”, “ninja up” and to “get uncomfortable”. Again its his eastern grounding meeting his power-up tone which gives vision to his guidance.
“Get it dirty. Mark it up. Take it around with you. The book was designed to be your companion in a crazy, busy world. It’ll help you make better decisions and find peace in the parade of events that swarm your days.” The Urban Monk concludes with over fifteen pages of resource information – a terrifically curated finish which saps the reader of any excuses for not going forward with the book’s closing marching orders. For the author’s deep grasp and his feasible game plan The Urban Monk stands out among the surge of titles crowding the shelves of this genre!
Learn more about Pedram Shojai, OMD, and check out The Urban Monk 7-Day Reebot through his website, theurbanmonk.com.
Author Susan Currie is an Associate Editor at LA YOGA magazine. Her words and images have been featured in the Boston Globe, Elephant Journal, Yogi Times, the Tishman Review, the Huffington Post, Spirit of St. Bart’s and on the cover of the book Moving into Meditation (Shambala) by Anne Cushman.
Susan is also the creator of the Daily Inhale and an RYT 200 registered yoga instructor. She unpacks her various professional experiences through the creative and yoga workshops she leads throughout the country. Her new book, GRACENOTES (Shanti Arts 2017), a blend of words and images, is now available in wide release.