Description
Book SynopsisAwaken: A Journey to Purpose, Wholeness, Healing, and Impact Awaken delivers a contemporary and accessible guide to how each of us can experience a life of meaning, purpose, and fulfillment in a world that is rife with anxiety, depression, and addiction. Drawing on the distinguished author's lifetime of accumulated insights and experience, Awaken guides readers on a journey to achieve complete alignment between who they are, what they say, what they do, and how they relate to others. People are traumatized and polarized the world over. By healing our traumas, uniting the polarities in our lives, and connecting to our deepest purpose, we can attain personal power and amplify our positive impact on the world. Most people have chosen not to deal with their trauma; they conceal it, numb it, and relive it. Through the prism of the author's life journey, Awaken shows us how to mine the ups and downs of our lives to experience post-traumatic growth. Written for anyone with even a passing interest in improving their inner life and making a difference in the world, Awaken provides proven tools and practical advice that allow readers to know themselves, love themselves, be themselves, and express themselves. Readers will learn how to grow their personal power by building self-trust, cultivating presence, drawing healthy boundaries, leaning into necessary conflict, and challenging orthodoxies. Awaken will help readers see their lives differently in order to transform their experience of living.
Table of ContentsForeword xi
Prologue xiii
Chapter 1 Roots 1
Life Without Papa 1
From Kesur to Canada 3
Sidebar: The Rajputs 6
Papa Returns 11
Reflections 14
Chapter 2 Changing of the Guard 17
A Whole New World 17
Bewildered in Barbados 18
Serene in Salinas 20
Confused in Canada 24
Reflections 27
Chapter 3 Return of the Native 29
The Ratlam “Suar” System 30
Sidebar: The Caste System 31
Objects of Curiosity 33
Hard Landing 34
School of Horrors 36
Innocence Lost 40
Home Base Indore 41
Reflections 45
Chapter 4 Return to Kesur 47
The Darker Side of Kesur 50
Trickle-Down Tyranny 54
Reflections 55
Chapter 5 No Time to Dream 57
My Luck Runs Out 62
Grim Survivor 65
Political Awakening 66
Bombay Bound 69
Back to the Future 72
Reflections 74
Chapter 6 New York, New York 77
Marketing Mecca – or Mayhem? 78
Ivy League Ivory Tower 79
An Accidental Academic 81
Dowry Drama 83
Dissertation Dilemma 85
Escape from New York 87
Reflections 90
Chapter 7 Boston Blues 93
Out of Africa 98
An Unblessed Marriage 104
Nightmare on Commonwealth Avenue 107
Reflections 109
Chapter 8 A New Beginning 111
The “Prodigal” Son Returns 114
A Mentor at Last 119
Standing Up for Myself 122
A Growing Family 125
Awakening My Creative Side 127
Reflections 128
Chapter 9 Back to Boston 131
New Millennium, New Challenges 133
My Winter of Discontent 136
Good Thing, Bad Thing – Who Knows? 138
Following My Heartbreak 140
The Shame of Marketing? 141
Reflections 143
Chapter 10 Purpose in the Poconos 145
Tears of Joy 145
Metamorphosis 146
Becoming an Instrument of Evolution 148
Renegotiating a Relationship 150
Doubling Down 152
Sliding Doors 153
Birthing a Movement 155
Growing the Movement 157
Reflections 159
Chapter 11 Searching for Inner Peace 161
Seeking Spiritual Solace 163
Sidebar: Art of Living CORE TEACHINGS 164
Could I Be Happy? 167
Growing and Sinking 171
Reflections 173
Chapter 12 Conscious Awakening 175
The Wise Women 178
Twin Bombshells 184
No More Denial 186
Reflections 187
Chapter 13 Healing the Father Wound 189
The Father Wound 189
My Arc with My Father 190
Seeing the Whole Picture 192
Innocence Lost – and Reclaimed 193
Grief or Relief? 195
A Two-Time Destroyer of Families? 196
Healing My Son’s Father Wound 197
Last Words 198
Reflections 200
Chapter 14 Honoring My Mother and Becoming Whole 203
Who Was Usha? 206
Portrait of a Marriage 209
Passages 210
Bringing My Mother to My Father 212
Reflections 212
Chapter 15 Discoveries 215
Stay True to Yourself 216
Be Open to New Adventures 219
Be Your Own Best Friend and Coach 220
Challenge Orthodoxies 220
Choose Your Life 221
Embrace Seeming Opposites 222
Acknowledge and Heal Your Traumas 223
Be a Peaceful Warrior for Truth and Love 225
Stay Awake! 226
Epilogue Healing the Patriarchy 227
The Need to Heal Kesur 228
My Duty and Destiny 229
A Healing Circle 231
The Path Ahead 234
Acknowledgments 235
About the Author 239
Index 241
