The Book
At the heart of Tiny Instruments are thoughts that were distilled into a book. A Small Book of Big Ideas: Reflections on a Conversation with Destiny is an illustrated narrative non-fiction work authored by Raveen Kulenthran. The writing draws on the principles of various disciplines: theoretical physics, genetics, epigenetics, neuroscience, manual therapy and spirituality. It uses those principles to introduce the notion that each of us has a unique story and to explain how we can transcend the restrictive legacies of our story to live more freely, should we wish to.
The narrative begins by unravelling the threads of our story into two categories: the threads that we have inherited and the threads that have been woven through experience. Because the latter entwine with the directives of family and society, the train of thought goes on to describe the complexities pervading society and then uses this description as context to emphasise the need to work for the welfare of society as we go about our efforts to live freely.
After stressing that striving for individual freedom goes hand in hand with social responsibility, the narrative takes on a more practical tone. It introduces the philosophical essence underpinning Yoga and then overlays that essence onto the unravelled threads of story in order for the account to use philosophical metaphors as it builds towards the crux of the book: how we may – through practices and works of creation – break the chains that enslave us to the past to live our lives freely and in harmony with one another.
Words of Support
There is no turning back the inexorable advance of science, nor the socio-political currents of post-modernity. These are neither morally good nor bad in and of themselves – in Yoga philosophy, they are just the churnings of prakriti, matter. Their moral value – their ability to be benevolent or malevolent to the well-being of humanity – is determined by how infused they are with moral values. In this sincere and thoughtful little book, Kulenthran blends some primary spiritual insights from the land of his forbears and brings them into dialogue with modern currents of thought. Our modern world is in desperate need of contributions of this sort.
Edwin Bryant, PhD
Professor of Hindu Religion and Philosophy, Rutgers University
Author of The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali
A Small Book of Big Ideas offers the reader a vital invitation to awaken our natural forces of relational health. Raveen crafts a delightful tale of what has led to our human relational dilemma and a practical inquiry to support our native body wisdom to meet each moment. A Small Book of Big Ideas has the authenticity of whole mind touching whole mind – potent words and inspired illustrations resonate and guide us to wake up.
Kevin Frank
Movement Educator and Certified Advanced Rolfer
Author of How Life Moves, Explorations in Meaning and Body Awareness
I truly enjoyed the flow and weave of words that spoke clearly about complex and fundamental aspects of life emerging on Earth in a body. I hear prosody of voice offering deeply lived experience, stated in ways that I can understand and receive from behind the words. I sense a silent understanding in my body as it changes in response as I read. The metaphor of tiny instruments appeals to me, describing a way of relating to our own patterned behaviour and its impact on relationships to others. The drawings are a gentle nourishment that support the ideas.
Caryn McHose
Movement Educator, Certified Advanced Rolfer, and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner
Author of How Life Moves, Explorations in Meaning and Body Awareness, Collaborator (with Andrea Olsen) for Body Stories: A Guide to Experiential Anatomy
A precious masterpiece – of wisdom, simplicity and beauty.
Robert Schleip, PhD
Executive Director of the Fascia Research Project, Technical University of Munich
Author of Fascial Fitness
I found reading A Small Book of Big Ideas to be like a calming pause in an oasis, a brief respite from today’s frantic world.
David Moore, PhD
Professor of Psychology, Pitzer College and Claremont Graduate University
Author of The Developing Genome: An Introduction to Behavioral Epigenetics
What a beautiful book! Gorgeously written, a book to revisit time and time again. The enchanting illustrations are a fabulous accompaniment to the story and messages.
Hannah Critchlow, PhD
Neuroscience Presenter and Fellow, Magdalene College, University of Cambridge
Author of The Science of Fate