The Art of Stillness

Adventures in Going Nowhere

By: Pico Iyer

Narrated by: Pico Iyer

Length: 1 hr and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

A follow up to Pico Iyer's essay "The Joy of Quiet," The Art of Stillness considers the unexpected adventure of staying put and reveals a counterintuitive truth: The more ways we have to connect, the more we seem desperate to unplug.

Why would a man who seems able to go everywhere and do anything - like the international heartthrob and Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Famer Leonard Cohen - choose to spend years sitting still and going nowhere? What can Nowhere offer that no Anywhere can match? And why might a lifelong traveler like Pico Iyer, who has journeyed from Easter Island to Ethiopia, Cuba to Kathmandu, think that sitting quietly in a room and getting to know the seasons and landscapes of Nowhere might be the ultimate adventure?

In The Art of Stillness, Iyer draws on the lives of well-known wanderer-monks like Cohen - as well as from his own experiences as a travel writer who chooses to spend most of his time in rural Japan - to explore why advances in technology are making us more likely to retreat. Iyer reflects that this is perhaps the reason why many people - even those with no religious commitment - seem to be turning to yoga, or meditation, or tai chi. These aren't New Age fads so much as ways to rediscover the wisdom of an earlier age. There is even a growing trend toward observing an "Internet sabbath" every week, turning off online connections from Friday night to Monday morning and reviving those ancient customs known as family meals and conversation.

In this age of constant movement and connectedness, perhaps staying in one place is a more exciting prospect, and a greater necessity than ever before. The Art of Stillness paints a picture of why so many have found richness in stillness and what - from Marcel Proust to Blaise Pascal to Phillipe Starck - they’ve gained there.

©2014 Pico Iyer. All rights reserved. (P)2014 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

Love this book

Enjoy silence. It can be fleeting especially in our world. I love the permission this book gives me to sit still. Especially in a world which wears a frenzied pace like a badge of honor. I recommend this book to patients that suffer from anxiety.

Staying Still Whilst Listening.

I adored this. 😊 It was like having a relaxing yet stimulating tea session with Pico Iyer.

A book everyone should experience

I have listened to this book again and again. I never tire of the very poignant message, or Pico Ayers' words and voice. I recommend it to anyone and everyone for the need to slow down, and be still with oneself is both universal and vital to our health of mind, body, and spirit.

It made a difference.

A book is supposed to make a difference. Most books make you want to do something. This one makes you want to stop rushing around madly.

It's a good investment.

A must read or listen. As a Mom, a wife and a Professional.

Excellent . Simple, yet powerful. I've traveled the world and am grateful I have. It's nice to learn I can have the same joy and appreciation for life in stillness.

Learning to be still

Audio tape teaching how to listen really listen no movement. In the stillness one gains knowledge listening to the sound of the authors voice, tone and volume radiate. A great journey of discovery.

Stillness speaks if we listen

As this is my 2nd or 3rd listen, my take away lesson is to start using travel time as a journey within retreat in order to shed or cleanse myself of the former destinations stress, baggage and negativity. Making way for possible trips of a lifetime.
🧘🏿‍♂️😌☯️💓☮️🙏🏿🙂✌🏿

Like having a long chat with the author

Let me begin by telling you what this book is not. It's not a guide. It's not a how-to. It won't give you any tips. The author doesn't follow any religion. What it is is simply a long letter to the reader about stillness and the benefits of it. When you're done, you'll feel like you sat next to Pico during a long flight as he filled you in on all his discoveries regarding stillness. It will also leave you thinking of how you too can look for ways to incorporate it into your life.

Interesting read about stillness

If you want to read a book about how to disconnect and find the balance you’ve always wanted , this is for you . It’s an unusual approach to the subject , not telling you to travel and discover the world and yourself , on the contrary it’s telling you to listen to the voice inside , here and now !

A visit to a favorite destination

An excellent and well-researched travelogue to as good a resort as you are likely to find.