The Statesman, one of India’s oldest newspapers reviewed Vijay Eswaran’s book In the Sphere of Silence here.
Quick: In what year did Babur invade India? Who was the first cosmonaut in space? What is the capital of Iceland? If you’re still racking your brains for the above answers, this one’s for you. Read on.
“The human mind is the most powerful creation ever,” says Malaysia-based businessman turned author Vijay Eswaran. “But it needs to be harnessed so as to exploit maximum potential.” Vijay is talking about his latest book, In the Sphere of Silence, in which he has revisited the ancient practice of mouna or silence in bringing discipline and order into one’s life. “It is yoga of the mind,” he says. “It improves memory and stretches one’s mental faculties.” Vijay, who now leads a multi-million dollar MNC, the QI Group, and has been practicing this sacred silence since his childhood, feels it is this art that gives him that extra edge. “Wars in the 21st century are going to be fought not with guns and cannons, but with laptops and PDA. Facts and figures need to be on our fingertips and the sphere of silence helps you attain that state of mind.”
The trick, says Vijay, is for individuals to retreat within themselves for an hour every morning. He has divided “the sphere” into three paths for the sake of simplicity. The “Path of Duty” calls for the setting of goals for each day and conducting a post-mortem of those same goals the next day. The “Path of Knowledge” seeks to stimulate memory and the “Path of Devotion” is the time taken to converse with the Almighty.
Vijay’s book has been warmly received around the world since its release a year and a half ago. Not only has it been translated to the German and other languages, the former president of the Philippines Fidel Ramos has recommended it as mandatory reading for officials in the government.
