Product Description

A sublime photographic record of Ricard's yearlong retreat in the foothills of the Himalayas.

A photographer and Buddhist monk, Matthieu Ricard recently spent one year in retreat at the hermitage of Pema Osel near Kathmandu. Surrounded by spectacular scenery, nestled between lush valleys and the towering Himalayas, Ricard meditated daily, waiting for the light that illuminates the path to awakening.

Each day from his sublime viewpoint, he contemplated the different subtleties of light: at dawn, before dusk, and in the evening. At the rhythm of one image per week, he captured the magnificent landscapes that surrounded him. These photographs, taken from the hermitage's terrace and nearby, reflect the elation of bearing witness to nature's harmony. 80 color photographs.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #227068 in Books
• Published on: 2008-04-28
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 128 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780500543528
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Booklist
The hermit tradition is part of many spiritual practices, and Ricard, a Buddhist monk and a photographer, had the good fortune and grace to retreat for a year in a hut in the foothills of the Himalayas near Kathmandu. His “motionless journey” was an immersion in light. In silence he watched the sun, moon, stars, wind, and clouds transform the valley and mountains. His saturated, contemplative photographs are at once magnificent and subtle, the burnished stones, trees, birds, and mists reminiscent of classic Asian landscape art, the gradations of color like those of Rothko. Prayer flags and rainbows, golden beams and deep shadows, each radiant, meditative image is accompanied by a quote. From the Dalai Lama, “The question is not to know the meaning of life, but what meaning I can give to my life.” From Gandhi, “We must be the change we wish to see in the world.” To spend time with Ricard’s exquisite photographs of an exalted place is to dwell in wonder and gratitude. --Donna Seaman

About the Author
Matthieu Ricard has created numerous books, including Tibet: An Inner Journey. He has lived in the Himalayas for almost thirty years, and has been the French interpreter for the Dalai Lama since 1989.

Customer Reviews

A bit of a disappointment
Anyone familiar with 'Buddhist Himalayas' (Mathieu Ricard's and Olivier and Danielle Follmi's absolutely outstanding book of photography) will be disappointed by 'Motionless Journey.'

The photography, the printing, and the written content of 'Motionless Journey' are all decidedly sub-standard when compared to 'Buddhist Himalayas'.

Compared to 'Motionless Journey' ($45; 70 illustrations, about 160 pages), 'Buddhist Himalayas' ($55; 140 illustrations, 424 pages) is a bargain. Compared to almost any photographic book, 'Buddhist Himalayas' is a bargain. And a delight, page after page after page.

I bought 'Motionless Journey,' sight unseen, because of 'Buddhist Himalayas.'

As you've probably gathered, it was a bit of a disappointment.

Wonderful!
I have always enjoyed Matthieu Ricard's photography. This book gives a visual taste of what he must have experienced while on retreat in the Himalayas. It is a beautiful book to take time with. It was also nice to know that Matthieu Ricard's share of the proceeds are entirely donated to various humanitarian projects in Tibet, Nepal, India and Bhutan. May his life and practice continue to be of benefit to all.

Meditation on each page
After I liked so much "Tibet an inner journey" by Matthieu Ricard, I bought that book. What a wonderful book. While the photos in "Tibet" tell the story of a journey thru Ricard's wonderful and sensitive camera's lens. "Motionless Journey" tells a story of motionless journey. Great mountains, clouds, birds and light/dark and color games. Highly recommended. Just look at the photos and feel it. Enjoy