Director - Dru Yoga Teacher Trainings Midlands

An overview of Face to Face with Life, by Mansukh Patel and John Jones

In Face to face with Life, Mansukh Patel tells his own personal story of how he came to lead the life he does, how he overcame the challenges and trials he faced, and how he formed friendships that would become the basis of Dru Yoga and the original Life Foundation – work which now spans 5 continents.

Mansukh Patel was born in the Kenyan Rift Valley in the midst of the turmoil of the Mau Mau conflict of the 1950s. He witnessed many atrocities first hand, and this early experience would guide his later decisions as his life led him more and more to a follow the path of a peacemaker and humanitarian.

At the age of 12, Mansukh Patel’s family moved to the UK where the young Mansukh attended entered the schooling system, quickly picking up the English language. By the 1970s Mansukh Patel was studying at Bangor University, and it was there that he met the group of friends with whose lives his would become so intimately entwined. He began to share with these fellow students some of the sacred indigenous teachings of his own parents, and the group embarked together on a spiritual journey that would change their lives forever, and indeed the lives of the hundreds of thousands of people they would come into contact with.

Mansukh Patel’s wisdom is simple. It is not based in any one tradition or faith, but rather in indigenous knowledge that has been passed down to him through many generations. His message is clear: reach for the very highest in life.

Struggle and Freedom

In ‘Face to Face with Life’, Mansukh Patel and his friend and colleague John Jones use examples from their own lives to show how any struggle or pain that we are experiencing can be turned to help us and propel us forwards. In fact, Mansukh Patel explains how the pain can be the source of energy and potential for creating something greater. This realization gives an incredible freedom – a freedom to learn from every experience to improve the lives of other people as well as your own.

Pathways to Happiness and Success

‘Face to Face with Life’ is full of practical tips for attaining happiness and success in your life, including:
•    Focus on what you really want
•    Distinguish between what you desire and what you really need
•    Make a list of other ways you can attain your real goals

Each one of these points is elaborated, with illustrations from Mansukh Patel and John Jones’s own experiences, to show you how very simple techniques can be the key to your success.

A calm, clear mind

In this section, Mansukh Patel outlines the main principles of meditation and the importance of developing moments of silence in your life. We typically lose so much energy rushing around. Have you ever noticed that when you keep calm and centred, you always achieve a lot more and in less time?

The relationship with myself

Absolutely crucial to any person’s happiness is their own view of themselves, their own feelings of self-worth and adequacy. Too often we are our own worst enemy, already sabotaging ourselves before anyone else can have the chance!

Mansukh Patel shares powerful techniques that can help us to unleash our own personal power and stand in our strength because, as he often says, “you are the creator of your own destiny”.

My relationship with others

With their own deep friendship as a basis, Mansukh Patel and John Jones explore how we can make our relationships really work. “Empower the highest in others and it empowers you,” says Mansukh. If you always look for the best in others, you will constantly build friendship and love wherever you go.

Unconditional love

Unconditional love is probably the most powerful force that exists in the Universe. Unconditional love accepts all things exactly as they are – no criticism, no judgement, no anger. This is the force that underpinned great beings like Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa. It is the force that propels all things towards their highest expression.

Mansukh Patel gives the example of Pooh Bear who recognises the perfection of each moment and just flows along with it. Pooh’s uncomplicated and accepting philosophy simply accepts things as they are.

Unity and Oneness

“Generosity connects us to the oneness of life.”
                                                 - Mansukh Patel

Oneness is another name for love, friendship and trust – all the foundation stones for a global family. In this way, by the end of the book Mansukh Patel has taken us from our relationship with ourselves, to our relationship with others around us, and right out to our relationship with the whole of humanity. From one tiny seed, the mighty oak tree grows.

For more information, please visit Face to Face with Life, by John Jones and Mansukh Patel

Related reading:

The Flame that Transforms, by Savitri MacCuish , Mansukh Patel and Andrew Wells
A Call to Action, by Savitri MacCuish, Mansukh Patel and Andrew Wells
The Secret Power of Light, by Mansukh Patel