The Secret of Shambhala : In Search of the Eleventh Insight

Continuing the action-packed adventures begun in The Celestine Prophecy and The Tenth Insight, The Secret of Shambhala opens with a search for the legendary Tibetan-Buddhist utopia of Shambhala (or Shangri-La), a magical place that not only truly exists, but is destined to be found and understood in our time. Following a childs instructions and led by fascinating synchronicity, we cross the Himalayas and discover a mysterious community set high on a Tibetan mountain range where the spiritual future of mankind is already being lived. Overcoming Chinese interference and the tests of the mysterious Dakini (the otherworldly guardians of Shambhala) we finally discover the secret of this idealistic way of life, and understand how it will now begin to move into the rest of the world. The Celestine Prophecy has sold over eight million hardcover copies worldwide, and was the bestselling novel in the world in 1995 and 1996. The Tenth Insight, Redfields sequel to The Celestine Prophecy, has over 1.2 million hardcover copies in print and remained on the New York Times bestseller list for 24 weeks, peaking at #2. Also available as a Time Warner AudioBook.

Author James Redfield takes readers to the mountains of Tibet in search of the mythical place called Shambhala, otherwise known as Shangri-La. Like his previous bestselling books, Redfield holds the tension between an adventure travel story (in this book, armed Chinese soldiers doggedly pursue him) and divine encounters. Rather than preach his spiritual beliefs, Redfield likes to portray himself as a naive pilgrim, receiving wisdom and insights from the various guides and teachers he meets on his metaphysical journeys.

Shambhala is indeed a paradise, just as it was lovingly portrayed in the famous James Hilton novel Lost Horizon. It is also a spiritual utopia, and Redfield takes great pleasure in pondering the possibilities of living in a culture that is entirely "focused on the life process." Residents explain their lifestyle, which has emerged from a completely spiritual culture, including some rather sensible opinions about technology, parenting, and even genetic testing. Meanwhile, Redfield remains the wide-eyed observer. Those who loved the characters, writing style, and epiphanies in The Celestine Prophecy will not be disappointed with Redfield's latest inspirational portrait of a new world order. --Gail Hudson