ebook review: Spiritual cross training

On a quest for enlightenment, Benjamin Shalva journeyed through the wilds of Tibet and took a pilgrimage to a white-walled monastery in Rhode Island. He wrestled with demons, danced with temptresses, and sang with hundreds of voices under the stars. Now, using the lessons and techniques gained through years of religious exploration and inward reflection, Shalva offers simple and powerful ways to connect with your spiritual self, whether it be in a place of worship or the yoga studio, or even while sitting in traffic, working late at the office, or kneeling in your garden.

In this honest, intimate—sometimes embarrassing and frequently funny—memoir with down-to-earth instruction and guidance, Shalva reveals that you don’t have to be perfect or singularly focused to accomplish deep spiritual work. By cross-training in three simple exercises—silence, stretch, and song—you can strengthen your spiritual muscles and deepen your personal search for meaning.

Inspiring and refreshingly candid, Spiritual Cross-Training encourages you to trust your own path, grow with an open mind and a light heart, and uncover the truth as you search for your place in the universe.


My Review: 
I don't buy it. In fact, I don't think Shalva buys what he's putting on the table here. In the introduction, one phrase in particular popped out at me:

"Patting myself on the back I declared "I meditate." or, "I sing and dance and pray."

That's pretty much the feeling I get from this entire book. Someone with enough money to travel the world in order to figure out what his heart believed is telling us that singing and moving and meditating is the secret to life. He gives us a journal and sells it as self help.

And I don't buy it. It feels forced. Like he got the placebo pill for spirituality and wants everyone to try some. 

As a self help spiritual guidance book, I don't recommend it at all. As a memoir, sure go ahead and get it. You might find a bit of humor under the pompousness.