Aleph, By Paulo Coelho : When Spirituality Gets Tangled With Desire

I started reading Aleph many years ago. I still remember liking the opening pages… and then, like many books that start strong but somehow slip away, it found a place on my shelf and quietly gathered dust.

This Diwali, while cleaning up my things, I came across it again and realised I had never actually completed it.

So I picked it up once more, hoping this time it might spark some reflection.

The opening felt mystical, almost meditative. A man searching for meaning, setting off on a journey across the world to reconnect with his spirit.. It sounded like the kind of story that gently nudges you to look within.

Paulo feels spiritually stuck despite all his success. So he boards the Trans-Siberian Railway, hoping travel will bring him back to faith and clarity. Along this journey, he meets Hilal, a 21-year-old violinist who claims to share a connection with him from a past life.

The idea of souls crossing paths across lifetimes intrigued me. The book was about to reveal a profound universal truth through the Aleph moment. It felt deep.

But as the story unfolds, that spiritual beauty slowly gets overshadowed... that profound, universal search starts feeling like a specific, personal drama.

The bond between Paulo and Hilal becomes oddly intimate. It is described as something symbolic, something happening at a soul level, but it did not sit well with me. A 60-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman sharing that kind of closeness felt uncomfortable. The bond should have remained purely platonic, especially in a story positioned as a spiritual journey.

Aleph felt like a journey that began with promise and then lost its direction midway. Just like we humans do sometimes. When we lose our moral compass, the thin lines between soulful connection and inappropriate closeness can blur. What could have remained pure or meaningful can quickly turn into something uncomfortable and gross.

In the end, I closed the book feeling thoughtful, but not entirely moved. It left me with mixed emotions. There were a few sparks of wisdom, wrapped inside a story but not the universal messages that I had hoped for.

Soul connections are beautiful, but only when they honour the soul.

The Art of Racing in the Rain

Despite not being a dog or car enthusiast, I found the book captivating. Its unique perspective, storytelling, and lessons on resilience and navigating life's challenges made it a truly insightful experience.

"The Art of Racing in the Rain" by Garth Stein is unique. It's told from the point of view of a dog named Enzo. It’s a touching story about family, love, and life's struggles, seen through the eyes of a dog with the soul of a philosopher.

Some notable quotes from the book :

"So much of language is unspoken. So much of language is compromised of looks and gestures and sounds that are not words. People are ignorant of the vast complexity of their own communication."

"To be a champion, you must have no ego at all. You must not exist as a separate entity. You must give yourself over to the race. You are nothing if not for your team, your car, your shoes, your tires. Do not mistake confidence and self-awareness for egotism."

"Learn to listen! I beg of you. Pretend you are a dog like me and listen to other people rather than steal their stories."

"Here’s why I will be a good person. Because I listen. I cannot speak, so I listen very well. I never interrupt, I never deflect the course of the conversation with a comment of my own."

"It makes one realize that the physicality of our world is a boundary to us only if our will is weak; a true champion can accomplish things that a normal person would think impossible."

"Such a simple concept, yet so true: that which we manifest is before us; we are the creators of our own destiny. Be it through intention or ignorance, our successes and our failures have been brought on by none other than ourselves."

“There is no dishonor in losing the race,” Don said. “There is only dishonor in not racing because you are afraid to lose.”

"A winner, a champion, will accept his fate. He will continue with his wheels in the dirt. He will do his best to maintain his line and gradually get himself back on the track when it is safe to do so. Yes, he loses a few places in the race. Yes, he is at a disadvantage. But he is still racing. He is still alive. The race is long. It is better to drive within oneself and finish the race behind the others than it is to drive too hard and crash."

Highly recommend it for anyone looking for a quick thought provoking read.