Journey in Search of the Way: The Spiritual Autobiography of Satomi Myodo

general

special and rare

I had to read this for my Eastern Religions class and it was awful. It is an absolutely terrible book and a urge you to avoid it if you can. No problems with the seller or anything, just hated the book so much...

Not for everybody, I admit, though everybody should hear this voice. An invitation to a voyage, freedom, -- listening to your call to unravel an authentic life. The translation is not the best, true, but the thoughts are different from what you hear everyday, even through a lifetime for some. Passionate Journey is a very special book for curious minds, who are dreaming of changing their lives, and achieve full realization.

I have taught this book several times in my university classes. It is challenging for some students to identify with or to care about Satomi-san as she tells her own story--full of strange experiences--especially when she neglects her infant. Another challenge is that her memoir focuses on the many difficulties she has on her spiritual path; it does not to the same degree linger over or celebrate her final attainment of kensho under the guidance of Yasutani Roshi. However, this is a sincere, vivid, real account of what it meant for a peasant woman from Hokkaido to be, wholeheartedly, a "person of the way" in the first half of the 20th century. Where else can you find something even slightly like this?? It is a rare and precious document, even if not to everyone's taste. Thanks to Sallie King!