In Search of Simplicity is a startlingly poignant and inspiring real-life endorsement of the power of thought, belief and synchronicity in one’s life. It has been compared with James Redfield’s The Celestine Prophecy and Dan Millman’s Way of the Peaceful Warrior. It is a page-turning adventure story and it’s TRUE!
This search for simplicity carried me all over the world. You could call it a search for a simpler way of living, a more natural way of being. The external journey culminated in living for periods of time with two sets of agrarian people, one Islamic, the other Christian—the Hunzas in their Shangri La stronghold at the roof top of the world and the Trobriand Islanders at their doorstep perched on coral islets in the western Pacific. Each of these societies exists with grace and in balanced harmony with nature. The internal journey took place while staying in Dharmsala, home of the displaced Tibetans and their leader, the Dalai Lama, in northern India. That journey carried me home to the place we’re all seeking, to the source of sustenance spoken of by every mystic, to the Heart of Life itself. It is a chronicle of challenges: encountering a ghost, getting highjacked and more than once returning from the shadows of death with a mission. It is a story of import to every human being because it is the journey we are all on, a search for the meaning of life. This true tale is filled with coincidences to the point of disbelief. The journey brought me in contact with inspiring people who dared to be different, who dared to be themselves. It is an epic adventure. It is a story of love. It has helped me to live my life with a simpler perspective and more meaning. I trust it does the same for you. Years after the events described in In Search of Simplicity took place, I read The Celestine Prophecy for the first time. It felt like my personal journey mirrored that of the reluctant fictional hero created by James Redfield. I continue to be swept along on a great adventure (of my own making) to discover and to share the magic and the mystery of life. It’s waiting for us all behind every smile and with every breath of the wind. Enjoy! John Haines New Zealand, 2010
“In Search of Simplicity is a truly amazing true story travel/adventure book by a loving and thoughtful man. I LOVED [this] book. I found it fascinating …inspiring, hilarious, moving.”
Amanda McBroom, actress, singer/songwriter and composer of the 1979 worldwide hit, The Rose.www.amcbroom.com
“In Search of Simplicity is nothing short of captivating. It's an incredible travelogue of the spirit, with a plot composed by the universe itself and an author who takes as much delight in language as he does in life. Whether you pick it up for inspiration or for escape, you'll discover that the entire book is evidence for how the whole world conspires to support and delight those who follow their hearts.”
Siona van Dijk, Director of Gaia.com
“As you read the many colorful accounts of John Haines’ true story you find that he has all the color and verve and life experience of an Indiana Jones.”
Elan Sun Star, Photographer-Writer-Teacher, Hawaii
“Like an innocent child, John Haines lures us to join him in awesome wonder at life’s beauty, magic and mystery. His enlightened temperament oozes on every page into a simple philosophy that life has good, everywhere.”
Roselyn DeGaris, Adelaide, Australia
“As modern society takes us further away from simple living, the message in this book brings us back to what matters most, by reminding us that ‘simplicity’ is available at any time when we are prepared to open our hearts and minds and engage fully with the world around us. In this way, being present to each moment reconnects us with the preciousness of life.”
Suzanne Stewart, Buddhist practitioner, Wellington
“…interesting, captivating and thought provoking …a great read and a great author. You won’t and can’t put it down!”
Jenny Hamberger, New Zealand
“This book, a partial-life autobiography, deserves to be read by every individual not yet committed to an 8-5 job, marriage, child rearing and a mortgage. If you happen to be past those decisions in life, you should still read it to discover where you, personally, may have ‘gone wrong’. John Haines, like you, had choices and those he made will serve as pungent examples; it is never too late to change your direction in life.”
Robert B. Cooper, author, technology evangelist, and ‘the father of satellite TV’
“It was an inspiration to read of how [the author] 'let go' so often and allowed the synchronistic energy to step in and let it do its work. It has been a timely reminder for me to let go and allow the same! I have come away from reading [the book] feeling enthused about life’s journey and with the realisation that I had let my enthusiasm become a little faded and hidden by the 'trappings' of our day to day life!”
Leanne Lonergan, NSW, Australia
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