The Four-Way Path: A Guide to Purushartha and India's Spiritual Traditions for a Life of Happiness, Success, and Purpose by Héctor García

The Four-Way Path: A Guide to Purushartha and India's Spiritual Traditions for a Life of Happiness, Success, and Purpose Reviews

• 
  Gloria C.

  Este libro ofrece una amplia explicación sobre la base de la cultura hindú y las corrientes religiosas en la zona del sudeste asiático, a la vez que proporciona una nueva perspectiva para lidiar con nuestras vidas desde el punto de vista de estas religiones.
  
  Empecé a leerme este libro porque quería informarme más sobre esta cultura. Doy gracias al universo por habérmelo puesto en el camino, ya que me ha ayudado a lidiar con algunos problemas en mi vida y tomar otra perspectiva. A lo largo de la lectura, he ido cogiendo ideas de aquí y de allá para aplicarlas en mi vida diaria.
  
  Es verdad que me esperaba más un tono de libro de autoayuda y no tanto relato sobre las culturas hinduistas y budistas. Sin embrago, esto me ha traído conocimiento nuevo a la vez que ayuda.
• 
  Neo

  Jos haluat entiseltä it-insinööriltä pintapuolisia listoja, pari skandaalinkäryistä eksoottista kulttuurinostoa ja kädenlämpöistä "on kiinnostavaa että kahdessa kulttuurissa on samoja asioita" -pohdintaa, tämä on sinun kirjasi.
  
  Tekijöiltä kannattaa tämänkin perusteella lukea ainoastaan ensimmäinen teos, sillä jopa matkakohdetta vaihdettaessa ikigai kulkee edelleen jonkinlaisena pääteemana taustalla.
  
  Harvinaisen ohut, aika lailla sieluton cherrypicked läpyskä, joka löyhkää pukumiehen "henkistymiseltä" aka kävin kerran temppelissä ja sanoinko jo että Beatles ja Steve Jobs ja *insert jokainen valkoinen rahakas miesidoli tähän* --
  
  
• 
  Mylene Leonie

  2,5 ⭐️ vermakelijk simpel boekje met veel te weinig informatie over waar het over zou moeten gaan. India.
  Om de haverklap worden Japanse gebruiken aangehaald uit hun andere boek Ikigai in plaats van de Indiase equivalent te gebruiken. India heeft zoveel verhalen, gebruiken en methoden die werden in dit boek maar summier aangestipt.
  Ook veel westerse filosofen en schrijvers worden genoemd met methoden en filosofieën waarvan die ruimte in mijn ogen gebruikt had kunnen worden voor de Indiase geschiedenis of verhalen of gebruiken.
  Weinig diepgang.
  Teleurstellend.
  
  
• 
  Jane

  A disappointing and superficial book. It seems like the writers go to India for the first time and write a book about some basic elements of the Indian culture.
  
  They write mostly from a Western point of view, with references to Western films, for example. They use popular terms while using them in the wrong way.
  
  Indian culture has much to teach the Western world, so much more depth can be incorporated in the book, even if it is complicated.
  
  What is rather disturbing is that 'ikigai' keeps coming back in the book, while that has nothing to do with this book.
• 
  Tanner

  Unsettling. It either reads like they heavily used Chat-GPT or like they think their audience are idiots. Devoid of synthesis or analysis or any attempt to address contradictions.
• 
  Daniel

  Namaste is a relatively short, light introductory read on Indian culture, intended for Western audiences, but it lacks in-depth exploration. For those looking for a quick overview, it delivers; however, readers seeking a comprehensive dive into Indian culture should probably skip it.
  
  I did pick up a few new things about Indian and Hindu culture that I hadn’t known before. Although the material isn’t detailed, it provides a snapshot of key cultural ideas for readers who aren’t interested in an academic exploration.
  
  The occasional references to Ikigai and other authors’ work didn’t bother me—they’re brief and not distracting. Honestly, I’m more concerned that some readers find these references bothersome.
  
  The Western cultural references help make Indian culture more relatable to a Western audience, which is likely the goal here; Indians don’t need this book. Still, I think that including more contemporary Indian cultural references—ones that could easily be found online even while reading—would have brought Indian culture even closer to the reader.
  
  There are a few "woo-woo" concepts here that I’m not particularly fond of, and the book lacks a strong distinction between historical and scientific approaches when discussing wellness advice.
  
  Since I practiced yoga, I skimmed the third part of the book, as I was already familiar with most of the material. Content like this might be more engaging in a video format. If I were the authors, I’d consider opening a YouTube channel to build on the ideas in my books.
  
  Ultimately, Namaste feels more like a series of short YouTube videos on Indian culture than a cohesive, insightful read. Some of the personal development advice feels recycled, and the book lacks depth for readers genuinely interested in Indian traditions or personal growth. I was torn between 2 and 3 stars but settled on 2, as I wouldn’t particularly recommend it for those seeking real insight into India or personal growth.
• 
  Marie

  Hinduism sees truth in all beliefs. There is an option of divinities to adore, of rituals to observe, of practices to honor, of fasts to keep.
  
  Hinduism grants and respects complete freedom to the believer to find their own answers to the true meaning of life. Placing great emphasis on one's mind and values ones reflection, intellectual inquiry and self study. Hinduism accepts all paths as equally valid. The only major religion in the world that does not claim to be the only true religion.
  
  What do I love doing?
  What do I want?
  What does the world need from me?
  Why do I exist?
  What do I need to sustain my life?
  Define yourself without mentioning your name, your job, your family, your country
  Who am I in the truest sense?
  
  If you want to know the truth, you must converse with an open mind rather than simply asserting your own opinion.
  
  Learn to give up the things that you do not truly need. Continually let go.
  
  Only if you close the door to everything inessential will you be able to focus on what is really important.
  
  Dare to make contact with people you admire.
  
  Leave positive vibrations.
  
  OM Happiness
  MA Patience
  NI Discipline
  PAD Wisdom
  ME generosity
  HUM diligence
  
  Become less attached with anything that smothers your happiness
  
  How should I treat others?
  Others do not exist.
  
  Be a part of something that is much larger than yourself.
  
  Learn from those who know.
  Let go of everything you don't need.
  Choose your fellow travelers well.
  Live mindfully.
  Know yourself.
  Put an end to vicious cycles.
  Breathe.
  Feed your mind, body and spirit.
  Live in the moment.
  
  
  
• 
  RK

  The Four-Way Path offers an insightful glimpse into Indian spiritual traditions, presenting concepts and practices in a way that is accessible to readers. For those new to spirituality, this book serves as an excellent starting point, providing foundational knowledge and encouragement to explore further.
  
  However, for readers like me who have delved into countless spiritual texts, this work may come across as somewhat simplistic. The ideas presented, while well-intentioned, often lack the depth and nuance that more experienced seekers might expect.
  
  It's commendable that the authors undertook a personal spiritual quest as part of their research for this book. Their genuine enthusiasm for the subject matter is evident, yet it sometimes feels as if they could have achieved similar insights through a more thorough library search rather than through personal exploration alone.
  
  Additionally, I found it somewhat disappointing that the overall perspective of the book leans heavily on a Western interpretation of Eastern traditions. This angle may limit the richness of the original teachings and practices.
  
  Overall, if you're a beginner stepping into the spiritual world, this book will certainly be helpful, providing a solid foundation to build upon. For those more familiar with the topic, however, I recommend viewing it primarily as a review or refresher rather than a comprehensive guide.
  
  I would like to thank Times Reads for sending me a review copy.
  
  Ratings: 2.5 stars, rounded it up to 3
• 
  Sabrina

  Oggi sono qui per parlarvi di un'altra bellissima opera arrivata nelle nostre librerie.
  Ognuno di noi ha bisogno di staccare dallo stress quotidiano, dedicandosi a qualche pratica rilassante, guardando le cose da un altro punto di vista, magari e trovare, anche, il giusto punto di incontro tra noi e ciò che ci circonda.
  Il karma spesso viene definito per qualcosa che torna indietro tre volte tanto, e spesso anche in modo negativo, ma il karma è molto di più che un semplice atto di dai e ricevi.
  In questo volume ci viene spiegato per bene il concetto del Karma e, inoltre, ci viene suggerito il metodo più efficace per rilassarci come lo Yoga e la meditazione.
  Al tempo stesso però, facciamo un salto nella storia spirituale dell'oriente.
  Un'opera davvero interessante che consiglio a chi cerca principalmente qualcosa di diverso dal solito.
• 
  Chitrranshi

  The Four Purushartha by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles, the authors of the international best-seller Ikigai, is a guide to purushartha, "the four ultimate goals of human life" according to Hindu philosophy.
  The book talks about " practices from India's numerous spiritual traditions" to explain the four parts of purushartha : DHARMA, KAMA, ARTHA and MOKSHA.
  
  While dharma refers to "what the world needs from you", kama refers to "what you love doing", artha refers to "what you need to sustain your life", and moksha refers to "your truest, most actualized self."
  
  Overall, it's an enjoyable and thought-provoking read, and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone interested in learning more about purushartha and finding their purpose in life.
• 
  Renate Eveline

  De Nederlandse versie heb ik deels gelezen en deels als audioboek geluisterd. Dat laatste was zeker geen aanrader, zowel door de structuur in het boek als door wat eigenaardigheden van de voorlezer die me zachtst gezegd weinig zen maakten (maar daar heeft het duo Garcia & Miralles waarschijnlijk weer een apart boek over).
  
  Al met al: erg in de breedte, weinig in de diepte. Fragmentarisch als verboekte blogs. Veel opsommingen en to-do lijstjes in de vorm van: stap 1 vind het doel in je leven, stap 2 zie anderen als goddelijk, stap 3... De kaft was het hoogtepunt, verder vooral fake diepzinnigheid.
• 
  Jitesh

  
  While The Four-Way Path promises a guide to purushartha—the four aims of life—it spends little time on these core principles. Instead, the author introduces a broad range of topics from Indian spiritual traditions without clear focus or guidance on practicing purushartha. The book serves more as a general overview of Indian spirituality than as a structured, practical guide.
  
  For readers seeking an introduction to Indian traditions, this book may offer some value. However, those wanting specific insights on purushartha and its application in life may want to look elsewhere.
• 
  Laxmi Duggirala

  Coming from the authors of Ikigai, this book is a huge disappointment. There are mistakes in some simple, well know facts and the narrative is disjointed. Lots of information is put together with no definite theme or purpose. It shows that the authors lack sufficient knowledge or practical experience in this particular subject. On the whole it’s a hastily done piece, both by the authors and the publisher.
• 
  Merel

  Aikamoisella vauhdilla käytiin läpi Intian henkisiä aarteita, välillä viitaten populaarikulttuuriin, osittain vähän kömpelöllä tavalla. Varsin pintapuolisen raapaisun aiheeseen tästä saa ja tuntui, että oltiin yritetty yhdistää liian monta asiaa pieneen kirjaan paneutumatta mihinkään kunnolla.
• 
  Andrea Encabo

  Una delicia leer a estos autores 🤌🏻💋
  Es un libro para leer con calma, asimilando la información y disfrutando de todo lo nuevo que aporta. Muy recomendado si nunca te ha interesado la India, descubres y redescubres cuestiones que siempre has oído hablar pero ahora te sabes la historia.
  
  Insisto que la estructura y el estilo de este libro y el de Ikigai son magníficos, se leen tan sencillamente, sin fricción que es un gusto leerlos.
  
  Muuuy recomendado, sus buenas 4 estrellas 🌟
• 
  Robert

  Namaste: viatjar ajuda a cultivar humilitat. Et permer adonar-te que potser allò teu, els costums, les tradicions i les maneres del lloc on vius, no és el millor ni és únic.
• 
  Pieter Seuntjens

  Read it in Dutch. Good book for beginners in meditation or people who want to know more about India and it's magnificent culture.
• 
  Clarisa Lica

  4.5/5
  A short, easy read with lots of valuable information about hinduism: yoga practices, ayurveda, breathing techniques, meditation. Informativ and practical at the same time. Recommend it!
• 
  Alexandru M. Bogdan

  Am citit versiunea in romana. O carte foarte buna, la fel ca si celelalte scrise de autorii acestei carti. Ikigai.
• 
  Maddelline

  [Hobby] a book about how to make your life more meaningful and beautiful
• 
  Inês Lucas (Só Mais Uma Página)

  Dos autores do popular livro Ikigai, chega Namastê: um livro que explica as principais filosofias indianas e crenças que são hoje tão populares no ocidente. Desde breves explicações sobre a cultura e religiões, à explicação do karma, exercícios de respiração, meditação, yoga, ego e muito mais, somos levados numa viagem pela espiritualidade e técnicas de auto-regulação que nos podem ajudar a ter uma vida mais simples e intencional, e a estarmos mais presentes. Gostei muito, mas preferia se tivesse sido mais focado no yoga e meditação e um pouco menos na espiritualidade. Mesmo assim, recomendo a quem tenha interesse nestes temas e curiosidade com o yoga e meditação.
• 
  Matthias

  Oppervlakkig en chaotisch.
• 
  Susana Figueira

  Li a versão traduzida, da Albatroz.
  Leitura interessante, com explicação de conceitos bem acessível.
• 
  Tzina Strataki

  It is like a Wikipedia on spirituality..
• 
  Celeste Ravera

  Maravilloso Libro, muy completo. Lo recomiendo 🙏🏻✨🪷