If you were in a position of unique privilege, and could access anyone in the world you wanted to, who would you turn to for wisdom when you needed it most of all? You would, of course, be ultra wary of those driven by self-interest, narrow in view, or lacking in insight. You would wish to...
I had such a lot of fun writing The Queen’s Corgi: On Purpose. Like The Dalai Lama’s Cat series, what I’ve tried to do in the book is to offer wisdom – in this case about how to lead a purposeful life – packaged in an entertaining and heart-filled format. Chapter Three introduces the theme...
I’d like to respond to this very important question by sharing some ancient symbols with fascinating associations from East and West. I first came across the idea of alchemy as a teenager. I think we were studying a Shakespeare play where there was a reference to medieval chemists trying to turn base metals into gold. At the time I thought of...
One of the great privileges of spending your days with The Queen is the intriguing assortment of beings you encounter. And the insights they share. In passing just a few of these on to you, my fellow subject, I make no claims to be the model of a purposeful pooch. On the contrary, my early...
As a writer, my main interest is in what makes people tick. What makes animals tick, too. The workings of our mind is where the action is all at, from my perspective. With the underlying question being – how can we achieve a sense of fulfilment and wellbeing? Apart from studying psychology, philosophy and spiritual traditions, it’s also interesting...
As the author of The Dalai Lama’s Cat series, and a clear devotee of all things feline, people sometimes assume that I am a dog-hater. As it happens, nothing could be further from the truth. In my childhood home I was brought up with a Siamese cat, called Pandy as well as two corgis, Trudy...
In my 20s and 30s I was very keen on goals. ‘If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll never get there,’ was a premise that made perfect sense to me. I read books and articles on goals. I faithfully documented and reviewed my goals. I was aware that goals should be SMART (specific, measurable,...
Picture the following scene, dear reader. It is a busy morning at the Himalaya Book Café. With less than an hour before lunch service, I am sitting on my customary spot on magazine rack, nostrils flaring as I try to identify the delightful aromas wafting from the kitchen, where the Dragpa brothers are working their...
I am delighted to share with you the first 12 pages of my book, The Queen’s Corgi: On Purpose! If you’d like to know a little more about why I wrote to the book, check out this two minute video: Now, find yourself a nice, snuggly spot for a few minutes and enjoy! Warm...
