Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse is a truly enchanting book. If you’re looking for a balanced review of positives and negatives about Siddhartha, you won’t find it here, I honestly have nothing negative to say about what has been one of the most influential books in my life.
The story centres around a young man who sets out on a journey of spiritual discovery as a wandering ascetic. On his travels he encounters holy men, success, wealth and temptation but ultimately it is the river that teaches him to be at one with the world and himself.
It would be wrong of me to discuss the plot at length, as at 226 pages, it can easily be read with a few days, and costing little more than £6 new, or a fraction of that used on eBay there should be little persuasion needed to give this a chance to reinvigorate your soul.
It’s not that often that I include works of fiction on my modelhuman personal development blog, but this tale should have pride of place on any lifetime learners bookshelf. As a story of spiritual development it offers countless examples of how we can get closer to our true self, how we can find perspective and stillness even in the midst of chaos.
Written originally in German and published in 1922, after years of costly Warfare, Hermann Hesse’s masterpiece screams of heavy far eastern influence, and in some ways is the perfect counterbalance to a world ravaged by fear and destruction. Fast forward to modern times, with our dizzying array of mobile devices, with e-mail, SMS, MMS, tweets, Facebook, blogs, podcasts, camera’s, GPS and all manner of craziness, and Hermann Hesse’s Siddhartha still seems as relevant now as the day it was written, the world may have changed, but the individual thirst for understanding and inner peace has not diminished.
This is a work of self discovery, which illuminates a core set of values that everyone should consider integrating into their lives. “I can fast”, “I can wait” are a few of Siddhartha chosen words, which seem in complete opposition to modern societies “fast food” and “I want it now” attitudes.
I think this is part of the reason why the book resonates so strongly with whoever reads it, it’s as if we know our direction and priorities are wrong yet we continue on course, hoping for a lottery win or a lucky break. We put the responsibility for changing in the hands of others. We see change as a negative and something to be viewed with caution, instead being content to live out our lives in stress and poor health. We could really learn a lot from absorbing Siddhartha and from the wise river, which can be considered a symbol for the circle of life.
Writing this review has reminded me of just how fortunate I was to come across this little book when I was only 19, and it’s my hope that I can make others aware that it’s out there too. The emotions it elicits are as real today are they were the first time I read Siddhartha, and I’m sure will be with me for the rest of my days.
If you’d like to find out more about Siddhartha, you can use the amazon.co.uk link (right)
