PICO IYER THE ART OF STILLNESS SERIES

They ask innovative entrepreneurs to detail their journeys from concept through completion, helping to define the importance of what is next.ДЄBOUT PICO IYER: Iyer is the author of two novels and ten works of non-fiction, on subjects ranging from the Cuban Revolution to Islamic mysticism, from stillness to travel, and from forgotten nations of the world to the 21st century global order. Focused on that movement of when an idea becomes a success story. This podcast is dedicated to commitment and accomplishment. Wilkinson College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences is excited to have author Pico Iyer joining us for this exciting Podcast Series, The Purpose of Past Tense on Tuesday, April 17, 6 p.m., at the 1888 Center, 115 N.

PICO IYER THE ART OF STILLNESS SERIES

This lyrical and inspiring book expands on a new idea, offering a way forward for all those feeling affected by the frenetic pace of our modern world.The Art of Stillness Podcast Series with Pico Iyer In 2013, Pico Iyer gave a blockbuster TED Talk. Ultimately, Iyer shows that, in this age of constant movement and connectedness, perhaps staying in one place is a more exciting prospect, and a greater necessity than ever before. The Art of Stillness paints a picture of why so many-from Marcel Proust to Mahatma Gandhi to Emily Dickinson-have found richness in stillness. Growing trends like observing an 'Internet Sabbath'-turning off online connections from Friday night to Monday morning-highlight how increasingly desperate many of us are to unplug and bring stillness into our lives. These aren't New Age fads so much as ways to rediscover the wisdom of an earlier age. He reflects that this is perhaps the reason why many people-even those with no religious commitment-seem to be turning to yoga, or meditation, or seeking silent retreats. A still life leads to more meaning and contentment. Our world which is obsessed with speed and rife with distractions, there are a few things that feel better than sitting still, slowing down, paying attention and going nowhere. Iyer also draws on his own experiences as a travel writer to explore why advances in technology are making us more likely to retreat. The Art of Stillness by Pico Iyer is a small book which is weighty in meaning. In The Art of Stillness-a TED Books release-Iyer investigate the lives of people who have made a life seeking stillness: from Matthieu Ricard, a Frenchman with a PhD in molecular biology who left a promising scientific career to become a Tibetan monk, to revered singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen, who traded the pleasures of the senses for several years of living the near-silent life of meditation as a Zen monk. There's never been a greater need to slow down, tune out and give ourselves permission to be still. Why might a lifelong traveler like Pico Iyer, who has journeyed from Easter Island to Ethiopia, Cuba to Kathmandu, think that sitting quietly in a room might be the ultimate adventure? Because in our madly accelerating world, our lives are crowded, chaotic and noisy.

A follow up to Pico Iyer's essay 'The Joy of Quiet,' The Art of Stillness considers the unexpected adventure of staying put and reveals a counterintuitive truth: The more ways we have to connect, the more we seem desperate to unplug.

Pico iyer the art of stillness