Some Review Comments

"I have studied the book and I liked particularly the chapter "The lightness of being" and the lines "Last but not the least is the big delusion… that the ego-self is the 'doer'".

– A P J Abdul Kalam, Former President, Republic of India

"For those of us who have spent many years in teaching and counselling bright young people, this book comes as a blessing. In simple language, it shows how to gain an inner awareness which brings peace, uniting us to each other and to the whole universe. Its most valuable lesson is that a practical spirituality is possible within everyone's daily activities, including the pursuit of a successful career."

– Fr Lancy Pereira, S J, Former Principal, St Xavier’s College, Mumbai

"This book takes the mystery out of the awakened mind and provides a context in which to utilize its teaching of awareness, in one’s everyday life experiences."

– Patt Lynd-Kyle, Author of When Sleeping Beauty Wakes Up

"It is a simple but incisive unfolding of how to stop shuttling between achieving dreams, punctuated by commas, and attain that one-stop dream which gives an infinite sense of fulfilment."

– Prof. Rekha Rau, K J Somaiya Institute of Management Studies and Research, Mumbai

"This book is a brilliant piece of work, especially commendable for the sheer lucidity with which the metaphysical dimension is presented. I enjoyed it immensely."

— Subir Chakraborty, Kolkata, India

"I haven’t read anything more truthful and refreshing. I guess when truth strikes, it strikes hard."

— R Shiv Shanker, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA

"This book helped me realize how much I was in the grip of my ego-self. I found it particularly relevant because of all the academic allusions. The last two chapters are absolutely exquisite."

— Prof. Bharath Sethuraman, California State University, Northridge, USA

"This is a wonderful thought-provoking book which de-stresses the mind. It is a ‘must-read’ book for all in the teaching profession."

— Renu and B S Murty, IIT Madras, Chennai, India

"Now and then a book comes along that makes you pause and compels you to take stock of your life. This is one such book. Its insights seem true, not because of any underlying logic, but because deep down you already know them to be true. Succintly put and hard-hitting."

— Siddharth Savadatti, IIT Madras alumnus, Chennai

"I encountered this book at the right moment in my life. It really made me stop and think. I go back to it again and again to find answers to many questions in life."

– R Pandia Raj, M.S. Research Scholar, IIT Madras

"It was a totally engrossing read. At least during the reading time, I was able to see through the camouflage called ‘ego-self’, to discover and awaken its dormant counterpart, the 'pure-self', and awaken and experience some moments of quiet bliss".

– Praveen Mookoni, Software Consultant, Fidelity Investments, Boston, USA

"I found this book to be most enjoyable, very educative and providing considerable exercise for my mind (as different from brain). In particular, the idea that "we should enjoy the present rather than worry about the future" is wonderfully described in this book. Also, the conflicts of the ego-self are brought out clearly; these are the conflicts that we as teachers and coaches need to continually work to resolve in today's highly competitive world."

– M Krishnakumar, Management Consultant and Tennis Coach, Kinesis, Bangalore

"I thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful book. The way Dr Menon unfolds the mysteries of minds caught in the vortex of present-day materialism is lucid and enlightening. This book is a great treasure and I recommend it wholeheartedly to everyone for awakening and re-energizing."

– P. Y. Manjure, Director, The Freyssinet Prestressed Concrete Co. Ltd., Mumbai.

It is customary and common for college professors to author books based on their areas of research and teaching. But IIT Madras structural engineering professor Devdas Menon has done the unusual by authoring a book that is miles away from any engineering subject. His book, "Stop sleepwalking through life!" published by Yogi Impressions in 2004, resembles the content that one would find in the Upanishads, Zen Buddhism, Taoism or the teachings of Ramana Maharshi and J. Krishnamurti.

In a hundred or so lucid, easy-to-read pages, Dr. Menon deals with an array of topics that are fundamentally about INNER AWAKENING. The author delves into subjects like education, suffering, the unpreparedness for the eventuality of death, the entrapment by the ego-self, the resistance to awakening, the power of awareness, and enlightenment. He writes with deep understanding and insight. The tone is thoughtful and reflective, not preachy or morose.

The challenges faced by humankind in the 21st century require the inner awakening that Dr. Menon writes about. Otherwise, the ability of the human species to cope with (often) self-inflicted problems is in doubt. We may drown in our own vile juices. As concerned inhabitants of this beautiful planet, we should pay serious attention to the topics in Dr. Menon's book. Reading the book would be an excellent start, to be followed by reflection, discussion and personal exploration/ validation.

-- Sudhir Krishna (IIT Madras B.Tech. 1976, now in the U.S.)

All of us want to be be happy. But a vast majority of us believe that happiness lies in objects or events external to us and make all efforts to acquire and change them. But it is actually we who make a choice between happiness and unhappiness. It is all in our mind.

The author echoes the message of eminent philosophers and saints of all the major religions of the world that self-awareness is the key to happiness, contentment and peace of mind.

In this invaluable little book he questions the way we lead our lives. His questions are rather uncomfortable but serve a great purpose. When we ponder over these questions we get convinced that our constant endeavor to acquire something or to become something, our continuous dissatisfaction with present and dwelling in past or future are the root causes for our unhappiness and discontentment and a restless mind.

Having raised these questions, this book does not provide ready made prescriptive answers like in many of the self-help books available in the market. This I think is the uniqueness of this book. The sole purpose of this book is to shake you awake and make you realize the necessity of developing self-awareness. But each one of us have to find our own way which suits us ,as the protagonist in the Herman Hesse novel Siddhartha does. One hat size will not fit everyone. And I congratulate the author for not trying to impose his views on developing self-awareness on the readers. Rather he
has given pointers to different sources which the readers may refer and make their own decision.

The book is written in a very simple and lucid style. It has 9 chapters each one expanding on a theme based on the beautiful thought provoking quotations from Rupert Brooke, Anthony de Mello, Chuang Tzu, Thomas Merton, T.S. Eliot, Brihadarnyaka Upanishad, J. Krishnamurti, Li Po and William Blake.

I strongly recommend this book for anyone who is feeling restless in life and is sincerely seeking peace of mind, happiness and contentment.

-- Dr R Gopinath, Bangalore (http://bookwormsrecos.blogspot.com)