In 1971, at age 20, Visakha had just published her first book and was beginning her ascent to fame and fortune through a career in photojournalism. She dreamed of bringing the people of the world closer by sharing their common kinship and values through her photographic essays. Then, at the invitation of her college boyfriend, who was working on his MFA thesis in India, Visakha traveled east, where she first learned about bhakti yoga – the yoga of devotion – from a simple Indian sage. The bhakti tradition seemed irrelevant to Visakha, and she rejected it.
Five Years, Eleven Months and a Lifetime of Unexpected Love is Visakha’s deeply personal account of the emotional upheaval caused by her doubting her own cherished convictions, by her discovery that the alarmingly unreasonable – bhakti – could gradually become alarmingly reasonable. Visakha portrays her own and others’ experiences in India, Europe, and the United States as they grapple with knowledge and a culture that is at once utterly foreign yet also resonant with their hearts. And she reflects on the profound, life-altering questions that we all sometimes ask. Written by a fellow seeker who maintains a healthy dose of skepticism, this is the heartwarming, funny, colorful, bizarre, surprising, informative, and upending true story that will help questioner-skeptics see life from another perspective, one likely different from their own. In Five Years, Eleven Months, Visakha beautifully weaves together her personal losses and gains with an age-old tradition that enfolds her, creating a moving narrative for anyone who has ever asked, “Why?”
Quarter Finalist
Assessment:
Plot: Well plotted and well paced. That the character arc develops slowly makes the book that much more believable. I wouldn't cut a word.
Prose: This gifted author's prose is beautiful, carefully wrought, and a pleasure to read. The only issue is the title, which doesn't do justice to a wonderful book.
Originality: Wholly original. This makes Eat, Pray, Love look like a summer vacation.
Character Development: The author's spiritual development occurs gradually. It is believable and by degree -- and brilliantly told. The way the author handles the deaths of her parents is both painful and perfect. Dasi walks the line between sentiment and sentimentality and never veers too far toward the latter.
Blurb: As multi-faceted and luminous as the photos it contains, this book is an important historical and spiritual journey told seamlessly.
Date Submitted: March 10, 2017
Literate and introspective, Visakha's memoir is a joy to read. Especially engaging is her running account of the tension within herself between her spiritual path and, on the other side, her persistent doubts, her skepticism, and a rational mind always on guard against being spiritually duped. And hers is an extraordinary story. As a young photojournalist, still in college, she journeys first to Nepal and then to India, where she meets a spiritual teacher who shows her much more than she expected to see in her viewfinder and changes the course of her life. Now, nearly fifty years later, she shares with us her adventures, her insights, her reflections, her wisdom. A splendid book!
"Brilliant photographs ... a talented writer ... her descriptions are lyrical and evocative."
5.0 out of 5 stars Compelling!
By Josh Wagner on January 3, 2017
For a number of reasons, I found Visakha Dasi’s book compelling reading:
• The writing was clear and elegant, often poetic in its descriptions
• The author was brutally honest about her struggles with atheism and faith (I identify with that; I was brought up in a communist, atheist household that mocked the idea of God)
• She was also honest (in a non-judgmental way) about the shortcomings of neophyte spiritual practitioners and how their inner battles were sometimes expressed in harsh and condemnatory behavior toward female followers
• She eloquently described how the progress of someone new to the spiritual path is not at all linear, but rather ebbs and flows based on a number of stimuli
• The love she developed for her spiritual teacher was inspiring
• The transformation of consciousness she experienced in the holy Indian city of Vrindaban made me want to go there
• And the scene of her return to her family home was touching and all-too-real.
This work is a result of decades of mature spiritual practice grounded in human experience and wisdom. I found it spiritually edifying and an absolute joy to read. It deserves to become a prominent part of the literature in this genre.
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant book by a gifted author!
By Yogi D on January 28, 2017
I bought Visakha dasi’s book on the recommendation of a personal friend who’d read it and loved it. Boy, was I glad!
It’s brilliantly written, gripping and tells an extraordinary tale of a talented young woman from Long Island, NY (published author at 19, and a photography major), who goes to India to shoot films and pictures with her boyfriend John.
The subject? The burgeoning Hare Krishna movement and the founder who brought this ancient spiritual tradition to American shores in the 1960s: Srila Prabhupada.
Part travel writing, part memoir, the book is a completely sincere account of the nearly six years she spent traveling around the world photographing Prabhupada and his students. She doesn’t gloss over the doubts she harbors, the chaos of India, or the turmoil within the movement itself as some of its adherents find they cannot live up to the simple but pure spiritual standards established by Prabhupada.
The book captures the utter charm and charisma of the founder, how he inspires by high personal example, the growing attraction to his teachings within the heart of this once atheistic girl, her marriage with John along the way, and the wonder and the joy she finds doing her work.
It’s a most refreshing book, full of enthralling story after enthralling story. The writing is superb and very easy to read. The descriptions are brilliant. The black and white photos are evocative. The emotions depicted are sincere, and searing at times. The book inspires and provides enjoyment at the same time.
Very highly recommended.
5.0 out of 5 stars I love this book
By Champa on January 14, 2017
I love this book! Candid and raw, Visakha tells a story of skepticism turned to love. Her story fascinates me in that she didn’t begin her journey to Krishna as a spiritual seeker as many did, but as a pragmatic photo journalist with the typical “capture a good story” aspiration. What followed was about as atypical as it gets when the story she sought to capture became her own. She writes with emotion, poetry and flair and I cried and laughed in turn keenly connecting to her experience. Her story has altered my outlook on life and the world in deep, meaningful, and personal way. A must read!
5.0 out of 5 stars Reading this was a thrilling and joyous experience!
By D. E. Smith on January 16, 2017
The detailed descriptions of time, places, and events allowed me to enter into the past and get a sense of what it was like to be a part of a cultural and spiritual transformation. In addition, the way in which the author so candidly described her inner journey was very revealing and heartwarming, for it gives the reader an honest and up-close perspective of what it’s like to undergo a life-changing metamorphosis and undergo deep shifts of one’s identity. Seeing such a critical analysis of one’s values and beliefs creates a space in which I found myself asking critical questions about my own identity, values, goals, and lifestyle choices. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in spiritual transformation!
5.0 out of 5 stars Finally a professionally successful women narrates her spiritual journey
By Amazon Customer on January 25, 2017
I could relate to this author, as she went to one the top 10 colleges in her field and studied under Mr. W Eugene Smith, a top photojournalist. It’s rare that professional achievement, good luck, and inner fulfillment come together in one person’s life, but the author, Ms. Visakha, undoubtedly got it all.
I really enjoyed this book and Visakha’s story. She narrates her tale simply and takes the reader along with her.
Visakha’s life story and wisdom has definitely inspiried me and I can see it inspiring many successful women who have got it all!
5.0 out of 5 stars Straightforward yet poetic, down-to-earth yet transcendental…a person you want to know and a story you want to change you
By Natasha R.on February 27, 2017
As soon as I began reading this book, I related to Visakha dasi in a way I don’t often with authors. The writing is so intensely personal: you are right there with her as she astutely observes the practitioners of bhakti yoga, deeply ponders its rich philosophy, and—most significantly—meets and serves the incredible spiritual teacher who becomes her Guru. The writing of her narrative is imaginative and expressive, vivid and evocative—often wonderfully poetic. It’s a down-to-earth account, but with a decidedly transcendental conclusion. It didn’t just tell her personal story, or just give an experience-driven account of what bhakti yoga entails, or just honor her spiritual master (although it accomplishes all three)—it prompted me to look inward, at my own spiritual journey, and it had me re-dedicating myself to prioritizing that journey. I’m sincerely grateful to her.
5.0 out of 5 stars An honest and moving book
By Joseph P Carini on February 20, 2017
This book really spoke to me. It is written from the heart with honesty, humility, and understanding. It is a frank recollection of young woman unexpectedly coming into contact with that rarest of things..a true spiritual master, and overcoming her skepticism and conditioning. I could relate with so many of her internal realizations and struggles along the way. And I found her candor extremely helpful for my own understanding of what it means to strive to live a spiritual life. I highly recommend this book to anyone struggling to find their spiritual life.
5.0 out of 5 stars the good, the bad and the ugly
By ettel dobson on January 26, 2017
This is a memoir/spiritual journey that spans decades and continents with ease, elegance and grace. The author has cracked open her heart revealing the contents…the good, the bad and the ugly. Her writing is elegant, honest and inspired; the love that flows freely from her heart onto these pages is a gift to us all…soak it up!
5.0 out of 5 stars I can’t put this book down! A captivating read—
By Amazon Customer on January 23, 2017
I can’t put this book down! A captivating read—brilliantly worded, and refreshingly honest. I appreciate the author’s honest crisp description of her inner thoughts and processes throughout the story.
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic read! Visakha Dasi’s spiritual journey is thrilling
By PM on January 22, 2017
Fantastic read! Visakha Dasi’s spiritual journey is thrilling, captivating and awe-inspiring. Her candor and introspection at each point in her spiritual life was instructional to an aspiring spiritualist like myself. Very hard to put down, I read it even over meals!
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book filled with profound insights
By Ron Conroy on February 13, 2017
Great book filled with profound insights . Every time i pick it up and read , for some reason it has me reviewing
my own life. Thought provoking , I recommend it for everyone.
5.0 out of 5 stars This book is one of a kind.
By Ainsley Bresnahan on February 4, 2017
This book is one of a kind. While many spiritual memoirs are inspiring, they are often not relatable to the reader. Visakha sparks hope in the hearts of the audience with honesty about her journey. She is sincere about her feelings and not afraid of crossing over the “flowery norms” usually linked with sacred practice. Well written, practical, inspiring, and an addictive read!
5.0 out of 5 stars An important and beautiful memoir. She thinks she’s flawed, we know she’s real
By CM Long on February 16, 2017
Wonderful writing! A compelling story. The female perspective of serving a guru (who doesn’t judge based on the body) in a male dominated circle that does, is inspiring and important. Visakha is so candid, we identify with her thoughts and feelings throughout the book. She’s never “too good” to be true. I didn’t want to put it down and ignored other duties to finish it. We, male and female, owe her a collected thank you for such a beautiful and honest memoir.
5.0 out of 5 stars I want to read this with all my friends!
By Stephanie on February 8, 2017
This book is a really honest account and a truly genuine perspective on the process of following a spiritual path amidst all the doubts and misgivings that come up. I could feel the love deepen that the author developed for her faith as I read the book, and in this process, my own faith deepened. The book is autobiographical and also instructive, historical and grounded, from a a leading female perspective not often heard. What a gem! I am so happy that my friends recommended this book, as I feel transformed and supported after reading the story and seeing the parallels with my own questions and quests to know more and feel more in my spiritual life.
5.0 out of 5 stars This is a perfect book for any person traveling to India
By Kate Reddy on January 11, 2017
Visakha dasi’s book is such a gem. I have never heard a more tender rendering of the life of Prabhupada, one of the spiritual teachers who first brought Krishna devotion and worship to the western world. Through the eyes and camera of Visakha, we come to know the tender, loving heart of her guru, and we witness the care with which he treated his disciples. This is a perfect book for any person traveling to India for the first time. It shows the grace and glory of late 1960-early 1970’s India, and shows us what an adventure life was at that time.
5.0 out of 5 stars … to walk alongside her as she weaves the most beautiful and intriguing tapestry of her spiritual journey
By M3d2 on January 11, 2017
An incredible book! Visakha dasi allows the reader to walk alongside her as she weaves the most beautiful and intriguing tapestry of her spiritual journey. On that walk, she reveals the innermost chambers of her heart – something most people usually cannot do – which makes her story profoundly personal. There is no question: one can easily identify with her thoughts and experiences, while taking heed of her most enlightening realizations. She is obviously deeply devoted to her spiritual teacher, someone who shared his love, that love which everyone is always seeking.
5.0 out of 5 stars A down-to-earth account of a trip to the spiritual stratosphere
By Hari-kirtana Das on January 9, 2017
‘Five Years, Eleven Months’ is a colorful and captivating story of an unexpected journey to an unsought revelation. Offering testimony to the possibility and power of authentic spiritual transformation, demonstrating how faith and love walk hand-in-hand with reason and critical thinking, and fusing truth to the truism that the teacher appears when the student is ready (or not), Visakha Dasi’s memoir is a must-read for anyone seeking encouragement to follow a spiritual path and especially for women who aspire to experience a depth of spirituality that goes beyond sentimentality.
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Read!
By Aarti on January 23, 2017
As a writer and an artist I just loved this book, I usually tend to be a little skeptical about spiritual journeys but this one really stole my heart. I loved her honesty, at so many moments in the book when I felt skeptical of certain things being said, she would go ahead and echo my doubts. It was inspiring to see a woman who didn’t just blindly follow but truly question and slowly fall in love with God while still being able to critique and question the path that she was on. In so many books about people’s path to find God, authors tend to just talk about the good sides of religion and God and neglect the darker parts, like how religion is used to spread sexist ideas or fuel hatred towards non-believers, and I loved that Visakha faced these conflicts head on, by asking questions and trying to understand the true soul of religion and God. I couldn’t stop reading this book, it was so entertaining and inspiring and poetically written that by the end even my inner skeptic couldn’t help falling in love.
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it!
By Amazon Customer on December 27, 2016
I read this book like a hungry man devouring a meal, relishing each new course while anticipating the next. The author describes her dramatic transformation in exquisite, relevant detail, creating for me vivid insights and realizations. The introspective sections balance smoothly with the exciting flow of events in her life, intermingling and prodding one another into a rich, virile, stimulating and very human tapestry. This is a great book for someone looking for more out of life. If you’re like me, you’ll love the read and leave it a better person.
5.0 out of 5 stars A Brilliant, Revealing, Captivating Work
By Amazon Customer on December 30, 2016
A brilliant work of introspection, candor, narrative, and hope from which I learned much, not only about Visakha and her journey, which have been described in vivid detail, but also about myself: Visakha’s insights into her ways of being and her efforts to achieve transcendence gave me tools with which to evaluate my own ways of being and attempts in enlightenment. Also, reading her descriptions of events to which I was party, or in knowledge, was refreshing; she saw things that I missed, or saw them from a different perspective—that of an extremely intelligent, clear-eyed, frank, dedicated, tenacious woman with a wry sense of humor. The book is accessible to all sorts of readers and will be captivating and enlightening to any open, honest person. It is so rich and deep that I have read portions repeatedly and gained fresh insights every time.
5.0 out of 5 stars The book was tooooooo good.
By C. N. KRISHNASWAMY on January 24, 2017
The book was tooooooo good.
5.0 out of 5 stars Simply beautiful!
By Amazon Customer on February 26, 2017
Simply beautiful… a must read for all seekers of spiritual truth… and love.
5.0 out of 5 stars What a ride!
By Nikul Bhatt on January 24, 2017
Amazing life changing book. Love to read it again and again.
5.0 out of 5 stars Best of Memoirs!
By Steven J. Rosen on December 26, 2016
I was a little suspicious because of the title. What did it mean? Why give the book such a cryptic name? Well, not one to be easily swayed, I gave it a close read anyway — and I couldn’t put it down. Title notwithstanding! (It ultimately becomes clear.) I’ve read other spiritual memoirs and this one is right up there with the best of them. Well-written, exciting, logical, and thought-provoking, Visakha Dasi knows what she’s doing. I mean, this is **real** writing, too, with clear descriptions and metaphors prompting visualization and allowing entrance into her way of thinking — and you’re glad you went there. The author uses figurative expressions with elegant restraint and her manner of presentation is always deeply considered. No cheap shots here. But most of all, she has obviously imbibed the teachings of her master, fully embracing the mysticism of the East. If the writing is first-rate, so is the content. She explains her path well, not only because she is a good writer — no, a GREAT writer — but because she lived what she writes, and is truly living it. This is evident on just about every page of this book. For this and so many other reasons, I can’t praise this too highly: both her writing style and her commitment to her path allow the reader entrance into her totally spiritual worldview, and that’s a great place to be. This is a book for people who like memoirs and for seekers of spiritual truth, and, really, for just about everybody!
5.0 out of 5 stars This may be the best book to read if you really want to know …
By Sobriquet on January 7, 2017
The Hare Krishnas are an enigma to many. This book clears up many misconceptions. Visakha Devi’s memoir: Five Years, Eleven Months is an earnest and honest account of her entry into that society. Five years and eleven months was the time she knew the founder of the society, A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami.
This book sheds light on the teachings and attitude of the founder, the adaptations he made to bring an ancient philosophy to the West, the struggles of Westerners to adapt to it, and through it all, a highly personal and transparent telling of Visakha’s own doubts, misunderstandings, and realizations.
The Hare Krishna society, otherwise known as The International Society for Krishna Consciousness, was more than just chanting and dancing. It was also a powerful art movement with a deep philosophical base. Visakha was a photographer before and after she joined. In this book she gives us some idea of the founder’s attitude toward art.
This may be the best book to read if you really want to know what it was like.
5.0 out of 5 stars Must Read
By Samir R. Kagalwala on January 22, 2017
I am glad I read this book. The subject of selfless devotion is not easy to adapt and, cultivating it is even harder. Reading the memoir of Visakha Dasi made it easy with her honest, vivid writing that is palatable as well. She touches head and heart and, reaches to an innermost conscious layer.
The depth of Visakha Dasi’s self-revealed understanding shines through her elucidation of often subtle and obscure experiences with smooth flowing and lucid writing. It is adaptable and adoptable.
While the memoir is for everyone running, it would benefit most to those who have not yet initiated the spiritual marathon. The photojournalist author, Visakha Dasi herself unexpectedly landed on the ‘start line’ unprepared and trod the unknown track. Throughout the journey, she experienced all possible road blocks: doubts, skepticism, anxieties, fears, struggles, resistances, uncertainties. She has unfolded them in her memoir clearly, systematically and sequentially as she experienced first-hand and, the ways she overcame them. I could relate those to my own struggles and found answers reading her memoir. I am sure, you would too. That makes the memoir most valuable. I highly recommend all spiritual marathon runners to read and benefit; especially more so to the new and wary runner. It is all gain and none loss.
5.0 out of 5 stars I enjoyed seeing through Visakha’s eyes as she grew up in …
By Susan Wieland on December 31, 2016
This book details the account of a young Western woman entering a spiritual lifestyle that was previously reserved mostly for Indian men. Self-reliant, wry, witty, and even-keeled, Visakha Dasi’s story contrasts her personal struggles with the insight of the Bhagavad Gita and the emergence of a modern day (monotheistic) mystical Indian lifestyle, as she meets and travels with her spiritual teacher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.I enjoyed seeing through Visakha’s eyes as she grew up in New York, traversed the 60’s, traveled the globe, delved into a new culture, and found a deeper love; a journey which came to life all the more through her beautiful and rare black and white photographic collection.
This book will be of interest to those interested in self-discovery, those who would like to know more of India’s spiritual wisdom and heritage, those interested in the impact of spiritual movements upon the social dynamics and thinking of American life over the last 50 years, particularly in the 60’s, and those who value the rarely heard perspective of a practicing woman spiritualist. For me, it’s a 5 star read because it‘s descriptive, insightful and entertaining, written from a woman’s viewpoint, and because it helped open avenues of thought for me that I am still contemplating.
5.0 out of 5 stars A Revealing Masterpiece
By TCG on January 8, 2017
Five Years, Eleven Months and a lifetime of unexpected love, very honest and straightforward as Visakha candidly reveals her innermost thoughts, feelings and emotions while moving through a major transition in her life from atheist to theist. Introspectively looking at her doubts, philosophical realizations and her newly developing relationship with her soon to be spiritual teacher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, she expertly leads the readers to experience every step of her journey. Definitely a page turner…I highly recommend reading Visakha’s book to anyone interested in the human psyche, analyzing philosophical change and understanding the deeper meaning of life.
5.0 out of 5 stars Very insightful story.
By Amazon Customer on December 27, 2016
I really enjoyed this book. Having grown up during this period, it brought back many fond memories of that era. Beautifully written, I loved her adventures as a young women to India and Nepal, her professional and personal discoveries along the way and what a chance encounter can do to alter your direction and heart forever.
While reading this book, I became reflective of my own journey by the authors honest and open approach .There are many strong messages within the pages about life, love, devotion, family and caring for fellow souls on the planet. I would recommend this book to anyone who is searching for more answers, indeed to anyone interested in a more meaningful life.
5.0 out of 5 stars A superb read which speaks to the mind and heart!
By Vrinda on January 13, 2017
A marvelous achievement; this memoir speaks to both the cynic and the faithful, and carefully documents the author’s journey from deeply held intellectual queries to the transformation of the heart. The author Visakha Dasi writes with a voice that is self-reflective and undeniably smart; her observations of her surroundings are mediated by a dry humor that charms, and her conclusions resonate with wholistic power, appealing to the mind and heart. Visakha Dasi moves through her story with not only vivid detail but vulnerability, so necessary in a memoir, and thus pushes her work to the top of this particular genre. What I particularly appreciated and enjoyed was that the narrative is grounded in personal experience, including early childhood memories, her first meeting with her husband, and the tragic unraveling of her parental family. The personal is never lost, even as Visakha moves into the more metaphysical realm, having discovered a guru, who in Five Years, Eleven Months, alters the course of her life forever. Highly recommended. A superb read which moves the heart and the intellect to a deeper understanding.
