Unplugging from the World: How a Retreat with Monks Taught Me the Power of Gratitude, Focus, and Joy

Leonardo Gomez: While definitely not as intense as Living with a Seal, there are some interesting lessons to be learned here. If you apply those lessons then the book is totally worth the time

United States on Aug 14, 2023

L. Lopatin: Living with seal, his first book was fantastic and I loved it.

This second book just seemed forced.

It’s ok, not great.

United States on Jul 25, 2023

Uma Devidasi: I can not say enough good things about this book. It's just a book you have to read to understand why I love it so much. It's witty, deep, philosophical, spiritual, hilarious, thought provoking, and overall a fun and easy read. Reading it will bring about some sort of change for you whether that is something spiritual, intellectual, professional, or personal.....read it, do the work, and then pass the book to a friend. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!!

United States on Dec 30, 2022

Jack Bear: Now before you see 4 and go what was wrong. I am only giving it 4 as I gave living with a seal 5 and that was just incredible. Only difference is Goggins. But what another great book.

It was this book that changed my daily routine. No longer do I log on at 7.30am and go straight to work but I sit, have a coffee, read my book over looking the thames. Take a moment to take it all in, soak up the world, step back from the madness for a minute. I now do this twice a day religiously. That combined with a 20 minute sauna to finish the day and I feel like I have way more time to take it all in, embrace the journey of being a 24 year old working his way up the ladder.

This book gives you that sort of perspective. A chance to re-evaluate your life a little. I can only imagine how valuable this information would have been to Jesse at 24. So with his wisdom for me to read I plan to learn earlier. Find that balance now. Before it is to late.

Great book. Worth a read. Not a self help book in the slightest but a thought provoking memoire of Jesse's time with the monks

United Kingdom on Dec 13, 2021

Nicky, London: Perhaps not quite as entertaining as Living with a Seal but more than good enough read from Mr Itzler.
Always good to pick up few words of wisdom within novel/autobiography rather than reading it from usually quite dry self help, tip type books.
Obviously living with monks would include number of meditative type prose.
Living with Seal (where same author takes a Navy Seal into his home to get him super fit) has both meditative/mindfulness reflections and fitness approach making it doubly good;

United Kingdom on Nov 27, 2020

azhar mahmood: Great read he’s done hard work
You got go deep inside your self to become great .
Must read and learn

United Kingdom on Jan 13, 2020

Amanda Young: Loved this book. Has some great values

Canada on Oct 22, 2019

Bruce_in_LA: The author is lively and really brought his experience to life. There are other books about visitor-to-monastery but usually authors with a lot of monastery experience. This was Jesse's two weeks of plunge into the unknown. The book is episodic and provides a lot of other experiences of the author (Some weeks before I went to the monastery, I had quite an experience climbing a mountain....") The author's wife founded SPANX garments and we hear a bit about that.
In part, the author (a remarkable serial entrepreneur) describes the monastery from the perspective of the business world. If you want more on that theme, try BUSINESS SECRETS OF THE TRAPPIST MONKS by Turak. If you'd like a book on being more centered and "doing less" [busy-ness], I listened to THE ART OF LESS DOING (3 hrs audiobook) a couple years ago AT a monastery weekend, and really enjoyed it. After listening to LIVING WITH MONKS, I tallied up my lifetime stays at monasteries (four days once, otherwise a few weekends in several decades) and it totaled 14 days, the same as Izler's stay. I used to visit Blue Cloud Abbey in North Dakota, now closed, and more recently, St Andrews in the desert north of Los Angeles.

United States on Aug 23, 2018

CarlyRenee24: This is an easy read with some good takeaway lessons. ‘Remember tomorrow’ is my new mantra meaning you should consider how you will feel tomorrow as you do whatever you are doing today. Don’t quit or put in a lesser effort because tomorrow you will be disappointed in your choice to give less than you could have today. Slowing down, being present in whatever task you are doing, taking pride in your work- including the mundane task of life, smiling and finding joy in the simple things, meditating/praying...there are so many good reminders for those of us that feel too busy all the time (all of us!). It was fun to live through Jessie’s experience at a monastery but his other takeaway point is to go create those adventures or experiences for your life resume for yourself- don’t just read the books and go to the seminars. That is why I signed up for his 29029 challenge with my husband. Let Jesse and this book inspire you to do more with your life and to build your life resume!

United States on Jul 26, 2018

Glenn Myers: A pretty good read, not as good (or funny) as Living With A Seal, but still good. I'd of liked it a bit more if the author went 30 days instead of 14, and he'd of not "cheated" with the contraband newspapers, and using his phone when he was supposed to be in complete isolation. The concept is a good one, and Jesse has proven he can write about being out of his comfort zone and what it taught him. The brothers and nun's are the real stars proving sometimes the old ways have it over our modern day lives, all in all a good read.

Canada on Jun 25, 2018