This blog post is about the book “Following the Moon” written by James Norbury

I guess everyone is lost in their journey at multiple points in their lives. They manage to get out of that situation by seeking internal or external help. Internal help could be characterized as grit, perseverance, doggedness, fooling around, hardwork, focus and so on. External help could be guides, mentors, teachers, parents, siblings, friends, colleagues and so on. This feeling of “lost” can arise in many situations, some transient, some periodic and sometimes it is permanent

The book traces the journey of a young pup Amaya who is lost and is separated from her parents in a snow storm. She encounters a set of angry wolves who want to eat her and just then an old senior wolf, referred to as “big wolf”, through out the book, saves Amaya from the wolves.

Amaya wants to follow her mother’s suggestion

If you followed the moon, with all your heart, it would take you where you needed to be.

At first the Wolf does not want to believe at all, but then changes her mind and decided to follow the moon along with Amaya. The entire book relates to various conversations between Amaya and Wolf and in those conversations, the author weaves various Zen lessons.

Doing anything with all your heart might just take you where you need to be
Doing something with all your heart turns the meaningless into the meaningful
It’s important to remember, sometimes we are not rewarded, sometimes our struggles and patience and optimism will be for nothing. But the journey itself, how we did it and who we did it with, will always live within us
That’s why we do things with all our heart, so when it doesn’t work out, at least we know we put the best of ourselves into the world
We should do our best to enjoy every part of the adventure. Maybe we will never get where we want to be, and wouldn’t it be sad if we had not even enjoyed the ride ?
Thanks to impermanence, all things are possible
There are times when we have done everything we can do, then we must learn to step back and allow the universe to play out in all its unfathomable wonder
And when you write your poem, Amaya, take your time choosing a place to sit and a subject that inspires you. Enjoy searching for the right words, even if it takes all day. Relish the way the world changes around you as you create. The result is really beyond our control. If we are only concerned about how it turns out and what others might think, we have lost that which makes creation joyous
The reason the lotus blooms is that it just keeps going - the little shoot has no idea how deep the pond is, how far it needs to climb or what might be in its way, it just keeps going
Although a lotus begins its life in the dark and filth, it rises above the black waters, glorious and beautiful, reaching for the heavens
No matter the twists and turns, the trials and obstacles, it is always the way - the path. You cannot walk another one. So we must have faith and give this one everything we have
The path ahead is perhaps the most difficult one I will ever travel. But I will embrace it, I will devote myself fully to it, and I will welcome every trial that it brings, for I know it is what I need to take me where I need to be.

Takeaway

If you feel stuck in your life at any point in time or in any situation in life that seems challenging, and you have a feeling of being completely lost, pick up this book and it will provide you with just enough cues to get yourself back up on the road. Like all James Norbury’s book, it is the interplay of words and visuals that make it an interesting and worthwhile read.