Pico Iyer., The Art of Stillness: Adventures in Going Nowhere (New York: Ted Books, 2014)

This tiny books is barely a TED talk, but it is beautifully put together with gentle photographs and an invitation to read slowly and quietly and process the invitation to slow down and disconnect from the world of constant motion and more than a little bit of craziness. Pico Iyer makes the case for learning to be still and to appreciate the creativity and energy that can come from just doing nothing.

The invitation, of course is to journey to the depths of life instead of constantly skimming on the surface. Grounding one’s life in stillness provides a challenge to those who are swept up in the constant busy pace of life. Along the way, Iyer issues the invitation to pay attention to what is going on, and look for meaning in places that are overlooked by those whose pace of life is somewhere in the fast lane.

It is a good read for a contemplative - or one who aspires to become more so.