I like to do things a little backwards! Well, not really. I suppose I should’ve done this review first before doing the review to the
, but hey – things happen, right?

Time and experiences had left lines on my face, which had grown deeper, like the dusty trails of my life that I seemed to be retracing.

Reeling from yet another relationship failure, Jerry travels to the American Southwest to spend a couple of months riding his horse, savoring the warm weather, and finding respite from the daily grind. But what begins as a simple escape to the wide-open spaces of Arizona soon becomes a powerful odyssey of self-discovery.

When Jerry comes upon an Indian named Tom in the middle of the Superstition Mountains, he senses that the meeting is no casual encounter. Wise and unreserved, Tom speaks to Jerry with a knowingness that both unnerves and captivates him.

Jerry is compelled to return to the mountain again and again to accept Tom’s challenges, exercises, and assignments for living in the moment, tuning into the love all around him, and honoring a connection to Spirit. With Tom as his guide, Jerry uses dreams and visions of his own past lives to make sense of his modern reality.

Tom’s lessons cause Jerry to question long-held beliefs, but they also afford him the insight he needs to move beyond pain and make his metaphysical journey toward inner peace and enlightenment.

I really enjoy this author (I am sure it has nothing to do with our similarities) and I have to say, I really enjoyed this book. I felt I could really relate to the lessons that were in this book. One of the first lessons was staying in the here and now. Jerry (the author) thought it would be so easy and he really struggled with it. I found myself trying to do the same exercise and I struggled just as much!

The lessons provided throughout this book (as well as the sequel) were life lessons that I needed to take to heart (and had been told so previously, but it hits home differently when you read it in a book such as this).

If you are looking to do some inner searching of yourself, I highly recommend Desert Journey and Return to the Desert. Both are great books that offer great insight – both written by Dr. Jerry Burgener.