Many Master

Many Lives, Many Masters was lent to me by one of my friend and I did not bother much about it. The first page of dedication to his wife got me hooked. It was a wonderful sentence and the most unusual to read. I could almost connect with that sentence because at that point of time I craved for something beyond space and time. It felt surreal and I wanted to go onto the next page. Then I could identify the general theme and settings and could feel it more. After that, there was no looking back.

Many Lives, Many Masters is about a young patient named Catherine who was troubled with many fears, phobias and anxiety. She seeks psychiatric evaluation and Dr. Brian Weiss, a psychiatrist assists her in her therapy.

During the course of treatment, Dr. Brian Weiss stumbles upon some astonishing details that he himself finds it hard to believe. Raised in a medical and clinical environment, these findings do not come easy on him. He himself is shocked beyond measure. While one side of him demands clinical proof and validation, the other urges him to probe on.

With every session he has with Catherine, he discovers more and tries to unravel more of the other world that he never knew about. Through his patient, Dr. Brian Weiss discovers that there is a different kind of life, on a different level, that is always there. He discovers amazing messages and truths. His skepticism disappears only after he started to get the messages from the other side of the world, the space between lives. He learns about his life, his dead son and more. His faith in this grew when he came across some revelations about his family and son. He documents his findings and discoveries. He tries to fit himself in the universal phenomenon. By encouraging Catherine to relive her past and painful experiences, he begins to cure her. In the process of her cure, Dr. Weiss discovers the true meaning of life. It changed him forever.

And now this book, Many Lives, Many Masters, changes our lives. I can’t remember how many times I might have been misty eyed reading the simple messages of the masters. I think I had been waiting for something like this all the while. And I read it. I still read some of the messages from time to time.

It is very hard to comment upon a book that has touched you deep inside. I can only say that it was one of the most amazing books that made me cry. It is simple, concise, neat and wonderfully narrated.

Being a voracious reader, I had laid my hands on many kinds of books. Very rarely does one come across a book that makes your totally fascinated, engrossed and awed, all at the same time.

Many Lives, Many Masters has made me humble. It made me think beyond the worldly life.

Though it deals with subjects like re-incarnation and past life regression, it fell easy on my eyes and psyche. Growing up in an orthodox belief of one life and nothing beyond, this should have shocked me and made me reject the entire concept. But it did not. The more I read, the more wonderfully the book unraveled itself in front of me. It did not challenge my belief system. It just made me more appreciative of the life I lead. It made me look forward to everyday of my life. It helped me make peace with my state of mind and the problems I face in my daily life. It helped me grasp the meaning of misery I faced. It helped me come to terms with universal justice. It made me less finicky and more spiritual, with time.

I have read the author’s other books too. I find Many Masters Many Lives to be his best work till date. I am yet to come across such an engrossing and enlightening piece of work. I hold this book close to my heart.

I also belong to the medical and health fraternity. I can understand Dr. Brian’s skepticism and the quest for validating his findings. But I am also a great believer in the after-life, and the other part of the world which I do not fully understand at this point of time. I know that with time and perseverance, we all will find the real answers to the problems rocking our world today. I know that science and art will join hands to touch upon this wonderful and enchanting world that it still beyond our reach. I know that our souls will collectively reach there, soon. And the book confirms my beliefs.

Many Lives, Many Masters is truly a spiritual classic. It just teaches you to be simple and to love simply. It has some of the most beautiful, simple yt profound messages I have come across. I know its the easiest thing for us to follow the messages but at the same time, it is not. We have built walls around ourselves and our psyche, in order to survive in this world.

This book has touched everyone who has read it. When I lend it out to my friends, I get such wonderful feedback and they ask me for more.

The book says that it is ‘The true story of a prominent psychiatrist, his young patient, and the past-life therapy that changed both their lives’. It has changed mine. And it can change yours too, if you believe.

Memoirs of a Geisha - A Book Review

Memoirs of a Geisha is a story about a young girl called Chiyo Chan who lives in a village along with her parents and sister. Poverty coupled with mother’s illness forces the father to sell his children to an acquaintance. The girls believe that they will be adopted by another person who is good. Only later do they realize that their world has fallen apart as they both are sold, separated and sent to different geisha houses.

The separation led to Chiyo’s entry into the Geisha household (also known as Okiya). This is the turning point in her life. Here, she gets her name ‘Sayuri’ and begins to lead a life totally alien and intimidating to her. Step by step, she comes to terms with the hardships. Little by little she understands her plight, her misery, helplessness and the mysteries of life.

In the Okiya, she learns about what a geisha is. She slogs in the house, works endlessly, gets beaten up, and is treated badly by Hatsumomo, another geisha of the house. Though she is fascinated by the dress, makeup and lifestyle of the geisha, she has her share of bitterness and misery.

The turning point in the story is when Sayuri meets a man who says some kind words to her. She remembers him fondly throughout her trials and trysts with life. She hopes to meet him someday. She does not know if she loves him but she hopes for him endlessly. In the meanwhile Sayuri is taken under the wing of another geisha named Mameha, who teaches her the finer life and living of a geisha, all the while plotting the downfall of Hatsumomo.

The rest of the story goes on describe how Sayuri transforms in a beautiful geisha. Her transformation is complete. She is introduced to the tea-houses. She meets people and gives them company. Mameha ensures that Sayuri is well taken care of and continually teaches her the fine nuances of being a Geisha.

Memoirs of a Geisha is a fictional story intertwined with facts. The period in which the story was set was turbulent. There were difficult times when the geishas did not have enough to live properly. Their funds and resources were incredibly low. Being a Geisha or a princess, the trials and tribulations of life do not excuse anyone. Even in the rich brocade ensemble is the trial and tryst of the poor young woman. With no one to look back to or ahead for, the reader can sympathize with Sayuri. Not because she is the central character of the book, but for the fact that she is a human too. A human being who has been subjected to a world she would have never wanted to be in.

The book is a wonderful narration of the life of a geisha. It begins slowly and ends beautifully. The book is always better than the movie as it lets you weave your own imagination.

The character of Sayuri has been sketched wonderfully by the author. Sayuri is one personality you will be completely sympathetic to. Her life, trials, trysts, dreams, wishes, and fantasies become yours. The book is about the 25 years of her life. From being a small village girl, thrown into painful circumstances, brought up in the geisha’s house, slogging under the okiya, and becoming a geisha herself, you feel and empathize with sayuri. Her helplessness, her anger and bitterness are felt. There is so much emotion that gets conveyed that you almost feel she had been with you all the while.

Memoirs of a Geisha gives us a new perspective of life. Life of a geisha is not roses and voilets. They cannot have their own will. Half their life goes in getting beaten up and trained and another half goes in taking care and training the other one. It is cruel by circumstance. There is not much money or wealth left with them as most of their earnings go to the upkeep of their ‘mother’ or ‘the okiya’.

It gives a new perspective about the life of Geishas whom I erstwhile thought to be premium prostitutes. It is a fine dividing line.

Geishas are not exactly prostitutes but a companion who comes at a price and with whom the men can spend time with. Geishas are exclusive women with training in finer aspects of life such as art, tea-ceremonies, singing, etc. But there are some geishas who sell themselves. We do not know if all geishas are like that. Geisha are mostly in the company of men but utterly lonely. More often than not, they are being paid to be in the company of men and serve them, and this does not relive them of their loneliness. Their only other company is other geishas who are competitive themselves, to the extent of being cut-throat. And they are not supposed to be having boyfriends, companions or husbands. This makes their life all the more pathetic.

Memoirs of a Geisha does full justice to the life of a geisha. It does not malign them nor ridicules them. It celebrates the uncertainness of life.

This is one of the most painful yet hopeful novels I had come across. All the while I read, I hoped that Sayuri’s life changes or that she dies to escape her painful life. I kept hoping that things would be better for her. Her pain was indeed painful and there was no reason why she should be suffering so much.

But as we draw close to the end of the book, lovely surprises await. Suddenly there is so much hope and happiness in her life that you cry out of joy. The last few pages of the book were indeed soul warming. You could feel her love and longing.

Memoirs of a Geisha is one of the most heartening novels I had come across. I recommend this book to anyone who would be interested to know about Geishas, Japanese Tea Ceremonies, Second World War Times and its difficulties, and the general scenario in Japan.

Memoirs of a Geisha gives us a fascinating insight for those who are not well versed with the Japanese culture and helps us appreciate it.

Memoirs of a Geisha has also been made into a movie by Sony Pictures.