A Step Away from Paradise

The True Story of a Tibetan Lama's Journey to a Land of Immortality

By: Thomas K. Shor

Narrated by: Philip Battley

Length: 10 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

It was the early 1960s. The place, a far-off corner of the Himalayas long fabled in Tibetan tradition to be hiding a valley of immortality among its peaks and glaciers - a real-life Shangri-La. They waited generations for the prophesied lama to come, the one with the secret knowledge of how to "open" the Hidden Land. Then, one day, he came. His name was Tulshuk Lingpa.

This book tells the true story of this charismatic visionary lama and his remarkable expedition. Against the wishes of the kings of both Sikkim and Nepal, he and over three hundred followers ventured up the snowy slopes of the third highest mountain of the planet. Their aim: to open a crack in the very fabric of reality and go to a land we would all wish to inhabit if it were only there - a land of peace and concord.

Forty years later, the author spends over five years tracking down the surviving members of this extraordinary expedition. He deftly weaves their stories together with humor, wisdom, and scholarly research into Tibetan traditions of Hidden Lands, all the while reflecting on what this means for the rest of us.

“Like no other book I have ever read…a riveting tale of adventure…honest to the real spirit of Tibet…both unique and intriguing…an engrossing read. Highly recommended.” (Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, from the Foreword)

From Tulshuk Lingpa’s Guidebook to the Hidden Land:

“Don’t listen to anybody. Decide by yourself and practice madness. Develop courage for the benefit of all sentient beings. Then you will automatically be free from the knot of attachment. Then you will continually have the confidence of fearlessness and you can then try to open the Great Door of the Hidden Place.”

What would have happened...

If Lewis Carroll had proclaimed the reality of Alice’s Wonderland? What if he had gathered a following and launched an expedition?

©2012 Thomas K. Shor (P)2019 Thomas K. Shor

Fascinating

I loved this book in so many ways. Brilliantly written . Beautifully told. The narrator was absolutely first class.

A Mystical Journey

What a pleasure to listen to this story of adventure and faith. I thoroughly enjoyed it and plan to listen to it again.

Absolutely Inspiring!

There are so many excellent teachings in this intriguing story.
I loved it and will listen to it again.

Deeply affecting

Inspiring, thrilling and powerful, I suspect I will be thinking about this account for a very long time.

This book works beautifully on multiple levels: as a mind-bending logic-defying story of modern day magic and adventure, as a brilliant revelation of the depth and power of human meaning-making in difficult situations, and—for Western people like myself with an interest in Vajrayana Buddhist practice—a precious example of how Buddhist doctrines of karma, pure view, emptiness and compassion can be *lived* experience.

Incredible Story

Masterfully told and narrated. I was transported to lands I may never visit. Thank you!

Wonderful book, Great Narration, Magic!

I first read the paperback version and loved it. When I heard the audio book had come out, I just had to get it. Sometimes the movie of a book or the audio book can ruin the experience you had while reading. But not in this case! The way it was narrated brought out aspects of this true story I didn’t get in the first reading, layers of meaning beneath the surface. Now I want to read the book again! Such a magical, yet true story from the Tibetan world. A great book for anyone with a sense of wonder. No need to have an interest in Tibet, Buddhism, or any other belief for that matter. A real human story of what we all wish for, somewhere deep down inside: a place of peace, free of strife and troubles. I’d give it six stars if I could!!

Wow!

An amazing read. The author has done a stunning job telling the story from many points of view on the life of an important terton. The research and completeness make this book a true treasure. And the story is riveting like a good novel.

Learning about Tibetan Buddhist traditions

I enjoyed getting a peak into the minds of a famous lingpa and the people who were drawn to follow him.

Awesome Story

The painstaking research that went into this made an inherently fascinating account come to life without hyperbole and unencumbered by the politics one must take into account if one were a Tibetan Buddhist.

love it!

So well written and such a captivating story! Narration was well done too, nice voice and pace.