The Yoga of Max's Discontent

Written by Karan Bajaj

Narrated by Neil Shah

Max Pzoras is the poster child for the American Dream. The child of Greek immigrants who grew up in a dangerous New York housing project, he triumphed over his upbringing and became a successful Wall Street analyst. On the frigid December night he's involved in a violent street scuffle, Max begins to confront questions about suffering and mortality that have dogged him since his mother's death. His search takes him to India, where he encounters a mysterious night market, almost freezes to death on a hike up the Himalayas, and finds himself in an ashram in a drought-stricken village. As Max seeks answers to questions that have bedeviled him-can yogis walk on water and live for 200 years without aging? Can a flesh and blood man ever achieve nirvana?-he struggles to overcome his skepticism and the pull of family tugging him home. In an ultimate bid for answers, he embarks on a dangerous solitary meditation in a freezing Himalayan cave, where his physical and spiritual endurance is put to its most extreme test. By turns a gripping adventure story#160;and a journey of tremendous inner transformation,#160;lt;Igt;The Yoga of Max's Discontentlt;/Igt;#160;is a contemporary take on man's classic quest for transcendence.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Highbridge Company
• Release date: May 3, 2016
• ISBN: 9781681680378

Reviews for The Yoga of Max's Discontent

[rodraglin · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Yoga of Max's Discontent enlightening, inspiringMax is a determined guy. The son of an impoverished, immigrant, single mother living in the war zone that is the South Bronx he manages to survive and prosper getting scholarships to ivy league schools.Before you know it he's pulling down the big bucks working for a private equity firm on Wall Street. When his mother dies, Max experiences one of those "what's life all about" moments and an unlikely conversation with an Indian food cart owner sends him on a spiritual quest to the Himalayas.Right about here, that would be page thirty, I'm about ready to abandon The Yoga of Max's Discontent. Though well-written and fast paced the opening is a cliché and do I really want to read the male version of Elizabeth Gilbert's specious Love, Eat, Pray?However, author Karan Bajaj is Indian so maybe (I hope) his story will become more original once his protagonist reaches more familiar terrain.It does.Max's journey through the sub-continent searching for a guru to teach him the road to enlightenment is enhanced by memorable characters and stunning imagery. His internal journey to see "the unborn, un-aging, un-ailing, sorrowless, and deathless face-to-face" is fascinating. Despite dealing with mystical concepts and practices, this reader never found it didactic though it might not appeal to those looking for romance and high-adventure.As Max's travails increase and transcendence continues to elude him I actually became concerned with how Bajaj would end this novel. Would the author renounce all his remarkable insight, seemingly authentic experience and intensive research to accommodate a Hollywood ending? Would the novel be bookended by clichés?He doesn't. It isn't. The ending is brilliant, appropriate, even inspiring and, I have to say, somewhat courageous on the part of the author.There are books for different times of your life. The Yoga of Max's Discontent resonated for me, now.

[ajarn7086-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I reviewed this book in return for a complimentary copy in uncorrected proof form. The only disadvantage as far as this book goes to reading a book in this form is the unexpected font size resizing that occurred from time to time.I gave this four stars on Goodreads and LibraryThing because of the high quality of writing. This book fits in a niche for those interested in yoga, Buddhism, and reflections on the true nature and purpose of human (and all) existence. It is not the kind of book I would normally choose for entertaining reading, but I am interested in writers with other than a Eurocentric background. I was very impressed with the writing style and new information I discovered about India, Buddhism, and the methodology used to seek enlightenment. Karan’s credibility is established in the acknowledgement section when this reader got the impression that Max was actually Karan with experiences that were expanded beyond Karan’s actual experiences. Protagonist Max occupies a position in the word familiar to many of us: go to work, succeed, acquire more and more, and compete. A chance encounter with an Indian food vender provides him a goal that might get him out of a rut. Boss Sophie pulls the trigger that causes Max to abruptly abandon his past and begin a journey into the unknown, leaving behind a few letters to inform those he cares about an obvious fact, he has left.In fact, Max has not really left in that his past occupies his mind and spirit. Until he can sever all relations to an imperfect past, he can never find the reality that is a soul in harmony with all things. The rest of the book is a story of his adventures and problems encountered as he tries, step by step, to rid himself of the past. Layers are slowly peeled away until he arrives at who he is most concerned about from his past, close friend Andre and his sister, Sophia. Once he resolves these issues, he can move on to the next stage of evolution to complete his journey and be in harmony with the “One.”There are surprises along the path; to describe them here would be “spoilers.” The writing makes the reader a travel companion with Max, although a silent one. Which suits Max fine. I read the book in one session, was never bored and was pleased with the lack of clichés in language use. This was a satisfying book for a reader who likes language. I will consider using it in my English as a Second Language classes.

[hjvanderklis_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Yoga of Max's Discontent (published in India as The Seeker) is a surprising novel of spiritual discovery, and coming of age. Max Pzoras, a successful Wall Street analyst embarks on a spiritual quest to India after a rough encounter with a violent street scuffle. Why do people suffer? What or who do you believe?What started a search for a certain Brazilian doctor who somewhere in the Himalayas lived as yogi, becomes a slow detachment of the need for relationships, sexual desires, the need of three meals a day and hours of sleep. Max's discontent triggers him to continue his path to enlightenment. He stays for months alone in a cave up in the Himalayas, and finally ends up as host in a guesthouse. Incredible yoga positions and exercises, walk on water, and float for a while, as a reader you're watching what Max sees, feels and does. Tested to the max, transcendence is reached, and life's cycle rounded. Whereas the American slang, the curses, and abuse of Jesus Christ's name prevail in the first part of the book, this novel is basically promoting a Buddhist way of life, in which Max chooses to believe in nothing, follow no guru, denying membership of a specific Indian cult. Emptied, nearly dead at moments, tempted to return to America at points, but devoted to the very end.

[standhenry · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

With vivid descriptions, this book will transport you to other lands. Deathly hot, freezing chill, and otherworldly, the reader journeys with Max in search of .... something. The people he encounters are well developed and impact his life one way or another. I enjoyed this story and found it inspiring.