Rating: 
Summary: Part memoir, part metaphor.
Review: At age 62, Sam Keen learned to fly. In 1993, he started his training
on the flying trapeze at the San Francisco School of Circus Arts. The
fact that he was the oldest student at the school did not deter Keen
from pursuing his "strange passion" (p. 15). "Over the
years," he observes," I have discovered that it is hazardous
to ignore passing fantasies and emerging passions. To begin with, in
the degree that I cease to pursue my deepest passions, I will
gradually be controlled by my deepest fears. When passion no longer
waters and nurtures the psyche, fears spring up like weeds on the
depleted soil of abandoned fields. I suspect the major cause of
depression and despair and the appetite for violence in modern life is
the result of the masses of people who are enslaved by an economic
order that rewards them for laboring at jobs that do not engage their
passion for creativity and meaning" (pp. 16-17).Part memoir,
part metaphor, Keen's book is filled with daring leaps, midair turns,
somersaults, and catches. For Keen, the trapeze is a good teacher.
From his six-year love affair with the trapeze, he derives insights
into fear, trust, letting go, and what it means to live life
passionately. If we learn to live life as a "ten-ring
circus," he writes, in "a world ruled by enchantment--where
magic existed before morality, wonder before worship, pleasure before
piety, and amazement before practicality" (p. 24), then we will
be "transformed, changed back into children whose horizons are
open" (p. 25). "The Great Path is a spiral journey,"
Keen notes. "Every day we begin again, knowing that danger and
death may be lurking, that we will be fearful and will need to
cultivate courage. We will need to keep our balance and discern when
it is time to wait and when to act. We will take leaps of faith,
fall, and rise again. If we are diligent in our practice, there will
be unexpected moments of grace and joy and a gradual growth of mastery
in fashioning our lives into something of beauty"
(p. 241). Keen's LEARNING TO FLY is inspirational and insightful.
Although reading it did not inspire me to attempt a triple somersault,
it did encourage me to find a flying trapeze in my own life, and then
to practice it, knowing that "practice is perfect"
(p. 237). G. Merritt
Rating:
Summary: Part memoir, part metaphor.
Review: At age 62, Sam Keen learned to fly. In 1993, he started training on the flying trapeze at the San Francisco School of Circus Arts. The fact that he was the oldest student at the school did not deter Keen from pursuing his "strange passion" (p. 15) for the flying trapeze. "Over the years," he writes, "I have discovered that it is hazardous to ignore passing fantasies and emerging passions. To begin with, in the degree that I cease to pursue my deepest passions, I will be gradually controlled by my deepest fears. When passion no longer waters and nourishes the psyche, fears spring up like weeds on the depleted soil of abandoned fields. I suspect the major cause of depression and despair and the appetite for violence in modern life is the result of the masses of people who are enslaved by an economic order that rewards them for laboring at jobs that do not engage their passion for creativity and meaning" (pp. 16-17). Part memoir, part metaphor, Keen's book is filled with inspirational leaps, midair turns, somersaults and catches. From his six-year love affair with the trapeze, he derives insights into fear, trust, letting go, and living a meaningful life. For Keen, the trapeze has been a good teacher. If we learn to experience our life as a "ten-ring circus," he observes, in a "world ruled by enchantment--where magic existed before morality, wonder before worship, pleasure before piety, and amazement before practicality" (p. 24), then we will be "transformed, changed back into children whose horizons are open" (p. 25). LEARNING TO FLY is inspirational and insightful. Although it did not inpsire me to join the circus, or attempt a midair triple somersault, it did encourage me to discover the flying trapeze in my own life, and then to practice it, because "practice is perfect." G. Merritt
Rating:
Summary: Part memoir, part metaphor.
Review: At age 62, Sam Keen learned to fly. In 1993, he started his training
on the flying trapeze at the San Francisco School of Circus Arts. The
fact that he was the oldest student at the school did not deter Keen
from pursuing his "strange passion" (p. 15). "Over the
years," he observes," I have discovered that it is hazardous
to ignore passing fantasies and emerging passions. To begin with, in
the degree that I cease to pursue my deepest passions, I will
gradually be controlled by my deepest fears. When passion no longer
waters and nurtures the psyche, fears spring up like weeds on the
depleted soil of abandoned fields. I suspect the major cause of
depression and despair and the appetite for violence in modern life is
the result of the masses of people who are enslaved by an economic
order that rewards them for laboring at jobs that do not engage their
passion for creativity and meaning" (pp. 16-17). Part memoir,
part metaphor, Keen's book is filled with daring leaps, midair turns,
somersaults, and catches. For Keen, the trapeze is a good teacher.
From his six-year love affair with the trapeze, he derives insights
into fear, trust, letting go, and what it means to live life
passionately. If we learn to live life as a "ten-ring
circus," he writes, in "a world ruled by enchantment--where
magic existed before morality, wonder before worship, pleasure before
piety, and amazement before practicality" (p. 24), then we will
be "transformed, changed back into children whose horizons are
open" (p. 25). "The Great Path is a spiral journey,"
Keen notes. "Every day we begin again, knowing that danger and
death may be lurking, that we will be fearful and will need to
cultivate courage. We will need to keep our balance and discern when
it is time to wait and when to act. We will take leaps of faith,
fall, and rise again. If we are diligent in our practice, there will
be unexpected moments of grace and joy and a gradual growth of mastery
in fashioning our lives into something of beauty"
(p. 241). Keen's LEARNING TO FLY is inspirational and insightful.
Although reading it did not inspire me to attempt a triple somersault,
it did encourage me to find a flying trapeze in my own life, and then
to practice it, knowing that "practice is perfect"
(p. 237). G. Merritt
Rating:
Summary: Part memoir, part metaphor.
Review: At age 62, Sam Keen learned to fly. In 1993, he started his trainingon the flying trapeze at the San Francisco School of Circus Arts. Thefact that he was the oldest student at the school did not deter Keenfrom pursuing his "strange passion" (p. 15). "Over theyears," he observes," I have discovered that it is hazardousto ignore passing fantasies and emerging passions. To begin with, inthe degree that I cease to pursue my deepest passions, I willgradually be controlled by my deepest fears. When passion no longerwaters and nurtures the psyche, fears spring up like weeds on thedepleted soil of abandoned fields. I suspect the major cause ofdepression and despair and the appetite for violence in modern life isthe result of the masses of people who are enslaved by an economicorder that rewards them for laboring at jobs that do not engage theirpassion for creativity and meaning" (pp. 16-17).Part memoir,part metaphor, Keen's book is filled with daring leaps, midair turns,somersaults, and catches. For Keen, the trapeze is a good teacher.From his six-year love affair with the trapeze, he derives insightsinto fear, trust, letting go, and what it means to live lifepassionately. If we learn to live life as a "ten-ringcircus," he writes, in "a world ruled by enchantment--wheremagic existed before morality, wonder before worship, pleasure beforepiety, and amazement before practicality" (p. 24), then we willbe "transformed, changed back into children whose horizons areopen" (p. 25). "The Great Path is a spiral journey,"Keen notes. "Every day we begin again, knowing that danger anddeath may be lurking, that we will be fearful and will need tocultivate courage. We will need to keep our balance and discern whenit is time to wait and when to act. We will take leaps of faith,fall, and rise again. If we are diligent in our practice, there willbe unexpected moments of grace and joy and a gradual growth of masteryin fashioning our lives into something of beauty"(p. 241).Keen's LEARNING TO FLY is inspirational and insightful.Although reading it did not inspire me to attempt a triple somersault,it did encourage me to find a flying trapeze in my own life, and thento practice it, knowing that "practice is perfect"(p. 237).G. Merritt
Rating:
Summary: Part memoir, part metaphor.
Review: At age 62, Sam Keen learned to fly. In 1993, he started training on the flying trapeze at the San Francisco School of Circus Arts. The fact that he was the oldest student at the school did not deter Keen from pursuing his "strange passion" (p. 15) for the flying trapeze. "Over the years," he writes, "I have discovered that it is hazardous to ignore passing fantasies and emerging passions. To begin with, in the degree that I cease to pursue my deepest passions, I will be gradually controlled by my deepest fears. When passion no longer waters and nourishes the psyche, fears spring up like weeds on the depleted soil of abandoned fields. I suspect the major cause of depression and despair and the appetite for violence in modern life is the result of the masses of people who are enslaved by an economic order that rewards them for laboring at jobs that do not engage their passion for creativity and meaning" (pp. 16-17).Part memoir, part metaphor, Keen's book is filled with inspirational leaps, midair turns, somersaults and catches. From his six-year love affair with the trapeze, he derives insights into fear, trust, letting go, and living a meaningful life. For Keen, the trapeze has been a good teacher. If we learn to experience our life as a "ten-ring circus," he observes, in a "world ruled by enchantment--where magic existed before morality, wonder before worship, pleasure before piety, and amazement before practicality" (p. 24), then we will be "transformed, changed back into children whose horizons are open" (p. 25). LEARNING TO FLY is inspirational and insightful. Although it did not inpsire me to join the circus, or attempt a midair triple somersault, it did encourage me to discover the flying trapeze in my own life, and then to practice it, because "practice is perfect." G. Merritt
Rating: 
Summary: Inspiration, courage and vitality
Review: Everyone who reads Keen knows he writes very well and from the heart. But in this book his very soul flies through the air with his words. When Sam reviewed my book, PRIMAL AWARENESS, he said it was an adventurous search for the lost ark. LEARNING TO FLY is about finding the lost ark.
Rating:
Summary: Life Lessons
Review: I read a passage from the book at my daughter's wedding and then I wished them wings and flight. I found this book to be absolutely fascinating and, at age 57 myself, found inspiration to try new ideas. Learning to Fly is never boring. I found the chapter-beginning drawings helpful as I tried to follow Sam Keen in flight, literally as well as figuratively. A real winner!
Rating:
Summary: Life Lessons
Review: I read a passage from the book at my daughter's wedding and then I wished them wings and flight. I found this book to be absolutely fascinating and, at age 57 myself, found inspiration to try new ideas. Learning to Fly is never boring. I found the chapter-beginning drawings helpful as I tried to follow Sam Keen in flight, literally as well as figuratively. A real winner!
Rating:
Summary: I'm Buying This Book for Everyone on My Christmas List
Review: I read Sam Keen's "Learning to Fly" out loud with my husband over the course of a few road trips. It was a truly amazing experience for us. Sam Keen shares his experiences of life and trapeze in a philosophical way, but avoids being pedantic or condescending with his message about simultaneously taking hold and letting go. I've been thinking about what Sam Keen has to say ever since I finished the book.
Rating:
Summary: I'm Buying This Book for Everyone on My Christmas List
Review: I read Sam Keen's "Learning to Fly" out loud with my husband over the course of a few road trips. It was a truly amazing experience for us. Sam Keen shares his experiences of life and trapeze in a philosophical way, but avoids being pedantic or condescending with his message about simultaneously taking hold and letting go. I've been thinking about what Sam Keen has to say ever since I finished the book.
|
