Life is much like the ocean, in a constant state of flux. The moon, the sun, the winds, even the earth that holds it in its deep lap—all play on the ocean their eccentric tunes. The ocean responds, retaliates or revolts; its waves pushed into a frenzied dance; the sands besieged, ready to cave in and crumble. As storms brew in the sky, it slips into a dark mood; its waters murky and ominous, seemingly life denying. But eventually, it is summer, and the ocean grows quiet as a stream, finding its peace and rhythm, its crystal waters holding a million rainbow dreams once again. Life is cyclical too, bound to have its winters and springs. However, while the ocean is resilient, an elemental force in its own right, many of us cannot take the blows life delivers to us and feel weak, lost and uprooted.

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Civilizations across history have stressed upon inculcating and strengthening a culture of resilience in order to withstand and rebuild after climatic disasters. However, the contemporary world needs this trait more than ever, especially in the light of humanly perpetrated horrors unfolding every day, be it wars or environmental disasters. On a more ‘normalized’ level, the amount of comfort and ease that modern day living offers and that we feel so highly entitled to, necessitates a concerted effort at building resilience. We are today oddly out of sorts when forced to deal with loss, grief and disease. It is in this context that the book ‘RISE: The Deep Resilience Way’ by Dr. Neena Verma published by Rupa Publications, New Delhi, acquires great significance.

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The author is a scholarly practitioner and educator in the field of deep resilience. In the course of the book, she introduces the reader to the concept of resilience and its multiple deeper and broader significations not limited to the usual term ‘bouncing back’. In fact, Dr. Verma pegs ‘bouncing back’ as the first phase of resilience and terms it ‘restorative adaptation’. This paves the way for the second phase, titled ‘imaginal growth’. This strategy holds the key to go beyond blaming the storms in our life for battering us and eroding away our grit. Dr Verma rather underscores the point that every subsequent storm should make us even more seasoned to bear things with strength and dignity. In short, adversity should be put to use for sweeter ends.

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The third step is to get in touch with our ‘supple strength’ which also includes being aware of the other opposite paradigm-- our fears, anxieties, doubts and limits. The author builds a cogent case for acknowledging the simultaneous existence of both sides to arrive at a place of strength. The fourth phase called ‘expansive emergence’ focuses on going beyond the self to put to use the strength and benefits reaped from the second phase to greater good of the community. Not only does it build a stronger community, this practice also acts as a natural dam for the doer, preventing any possible backflow into vulnerable zones.

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These four phases contribute to ‘RISE’, the acronym that is part of the title of the book. Interestingly, the book seems to be the product of the third phase of the author’s personal journey towards finding resilience after the loss of her son and several other setbacks. This adds a touch of authenticity and relatability to all the models of resilience developed by the author to guide the reader. The author candidly talks about her memories and emotions concerning her transcended son in the course of the book, and the reader empathizes with her pain. The last part of the book, however, culminates into a quiet celebration of her son’s life and philosophy, which she brings out in his story of the Enormous Turnip. It is in these parts of the book that the reader distinctly feels the final triumph of the human spirit against all odds and connects with the author the most. In a way, the progression of the book becomes a journey within a journey, and a vivid exemplification of what it propounds. Very interestingly, the structure of the book seems to be working at augmenting the message.

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The entire book is dotted with life stories of real people—their setbacks and struggles; their determination and decisions; their actions and perseverance; and finally their victories and achievements. Interesting and novel concepts such as ‘presilience’, ‘eustress’, ‘respair’ fan the readers’ spirit of enquiry, encouraging to shift the perspectives a little, and bring a refreshing take on existing terminology. Respair, for example, means fresh hope, a recovery from despair. This technique of using new (or relatively unknown) coinages somehow seems to reinforce in practice one of the core ideas for changing mindsets, which is changing perspectives. Choice of words that we speak to ourselves and to others goes a long way in changing mindsets.

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Beautiful and inspiring quotations from poets, philosophers, psychologists and other preeminent people from various fields keep the narration interesting and energetic, adding several nuances of meaning that poetical words can render. The author has also added self composed poems at several junctures to drive home the underlying sentiment, idea and even strategy. All the same, the writing style is fluid, simple, friendly and engaging, enhanced by models and diagrams that have been created by the author. The diagrams are easy to follow in black and white print, but would have been clearer in colour. For the convenience and understanding of the reader, the chapters have been divided into various small sections, bringing in visual variety and engagement of interest. The summing up, ‘Reframe the Perspective, and ‘Write the Insight’ sections work well at reinforcing the concepts and ideas discussed in chapters.

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Symbols and motifs such as the dandelion, or references such as the Japanese art of Kintsugi, and fables such as ‘The Eighteenth Camel’ are not mere embellishments to enliven the narrative but stress on the point that resilience is a lesson we imbibe from nature, art, folk tradition and history. Our collective unconscious is instinctively coded to seek out renewal and strength. Dr Neena Verma emphasizes that this strength lies within us. This idea is the bedrock and nerve centre of this very illuminating and inspiring work. It, of course, holds the promise that there is light at the end of every dark tunnel. As it turns out, we were the lantern that we had been looking for in desperation all along in the course of our passage through the tunnel, much as in the fable of the heavenly Simurgh quoted in the book. In this story, many birds fly far in the quest of the Simurgh, a legendary, grand bird and finally arrive at a place where they see their own reflections to realize that each one of them is a Simurgh. The fable drives home the point that everyone has their ‘own abundant capacity for deep resilience’. This is it! We are it! Like the ocean, we too are elemental forces in our own right, but only if we choose to be. Dr Verma’s work-- based as it is on her extensive professional practice, scholarly studies, applied research and a life lived deeply and wisely-- shows the way.  And so, towards the end of the book, the reader is motivated to say with the author in unison: ‘May our deep resilience RISE, every day and every way.’