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Holiday Gifts for My Readers

Holiday Gifts for My Readers

Last updated on: December 16, 2017 at 3:39 pm by Gudjon Bergmann

Holiday Gifts for My Readers 2017-12-16T15:39:38+00:00 Gudjon Bergmann

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In the spirit of the holidays, I am giving away copies of my two novels, The Meditating Psychiatrist Who Tried to Kill Himself and Premature Holiness, on Kindle from December 16 to 20, 2017.

Both novels are based on personal experiences.

The Dark Side of Meditation

Almost twenty years ago, an acquaintance of mine, who was both a psychiatrist and had been meditating for many years, tried to commit suicide. The episode left an indelible mark on my psyche and affected my meditation practice. The question I struggled with was: Will I end up like him?

This tragic event became the inspiration for my first novel, The Meditating Psychiatrist Who Tried to Kill Himself, where a struggling therapist and recovering alcoholic named Robert Davis is called into a mental hospital in Austin to consult about a suicidal patient that has been meditating for thirty years. The reader gets pulled into the roller coaster ride that ensues.

In the novel, I explore themes of mental health and meditation, philosophy, religion, the male role in modern society, and the need for belonging to a spiritual community.

Click here to get your free copy of the Meditating Psychiatrist (December 16 to 20 only). Once on the Amazon.com page, click on ‘buy’ not ‘read for free’.

The Ashram Paradox

I have spent time at numerous ashrams over the years and been witness to the fall of several gurus. The opening pages of Premature Holiness show the guru falling into a pit of despair while his students flee the premises. The reader is then transported back in time and learns what happened during the five weeks leading up to the event through the eyes of an Icelandic investor who is learning to become a yoga teacher in order to start a yoga studio with his new girlfriend.

In the novel, I stay true to the philosophical teachings of yoga, explore the drama that often unfolds when people are thrust together in ashram settings, and play around with the idea that most people try to appear better than they actually are.

Click here to get your free copy of Premature Holiness (December 16 to 20 only). Once on the Amazon.com page, click on ‘buy’ not ‘read for free’.

Dark Themes with Positive Messages

Although both novels explore the dark sides of spiritual practice and the drama of ordinary life, they also contain positive messages and ideas.

If you decide to download the books and read them, I wish you happy reading. I also wish you happy holidays. Remember to embrace the ones you love and take a moment every now and then to find peace within.

Gudjon Bergmann
Author & Interfaith Minister

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