RED BULL TO BUDDHA: Innovation and the Search for Wisdom by David Passiak
Publication Date: July 23, 2013
Red Bull to Buddha is a meditation on how to find balance in a world that is constantly disrupted. We are entering a new era of human history where disruption is the new norm. The pace of innovation is getting faster and faster – it’s impossible for anyone to keep up, and we all struggle to stay grounded in the present moment.
Red Bull to Buddha refers to an experience of author David Passiak during an extended trip through Southeast Asia and India. He encountered the energy drink Red Bull placed as a devotional offering in a Buddhist temple in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The encounter serves as a metaphor for understanding how meanings are contextually relative. It also marks a turning point in a search for wisdom that leads him to remote forest monasteries in Burma, the heart of the Golden Triangle in Thailand, and into the heart of the Kumbh Mela, the largest religious gathering in the world held in India every 12 years.
As a former scholar of religion turned technology entrepreneur, who has practiced meditation for nearly 20 years, David brings a unique and fresh perspective to the East-meets-West dialogue about spirituality, globalization, and the future. Although we cannot stop the rapid pace of innovation, we can make wise choices, starting with the choice to seek wisdom.
5.0 out of 5 stars Gentle, but assuredly provocative, August 7, 2013
JonM (USA)
I picked this up as not as a travel book per se, but more of a guide on how to identify and participate in a less distracted life. It does that, but I think this is the book to read before or during traveling because it does a great job of showing how to really get the most from your experiences.
Terrific observations and insights flow from storytelling that's neither distant nor self-absorbed. Seemingly disparate ideas from history, business, cultures, and first-hand experience are contextualized into memorable vignettes that gave a novel perspective on what's changing in the world, from the vantage point of a man of the world who knows business and buddha.
I read it here and there, but I found myself able to remember most of the book, probably because of the writing is active and organized (I was expecting something a bit more dry from an academic, but it all reads quite nicely). The author shares some autobiographical references that serve more to provide a frame of reference to the book, rather than a bunch of navel gazing, which was appreciated.
Good read. Gentle, but assuredly provocative.
5.0 out of 5 stars Awakening, August 6, 2013
By Angela Lammers
I feel like this author read my mind as I found myself agreeing with his ideals, morals and vision of a better world. He truly balanced out his experiences in his travels to the current technological advances which made it a great read. The message is inspiring and heartfelt. I learned a lot about the history of southeast Asia and my own country. This book speaks volumes of the shift in consciousness that I believe is happening and is eloquently written. I hope everyone will read this book!
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