Harry Manx: Books for Internal Progress

I earn my living now and for the last 45 years as a musician. I picked up the guitar at the age of 15 after feeling that music was the only path that had any attraction. At the time it was my only escape from a miserable home environment with an alcoholic father. But after so many years as a somewhat successful musician I can now see that the dysfunctional home situation was the main catalyst for my music career. In many ways I’m grateful for the push I received at home.

My taste in books tends towards eastern mysticism. I haven’t actually read a book that is solely entertaining in about thirty years. My favourite writer these days is Hazrat Inyat Khan. His books have a lot to do with music related philosophy. At the moment I’m reading The Mysticism of Sound and Music by Hazrat Inayat Khan. But I tend to keep a few books on the go at once because the books I read give me a lot to digest and I take small bites out of them. I’m also reading a book titled Dang, Dang, Doko, Dang by Osho, an Indian mystic and also This Is It by Alan Watts.

I was never very attracted to books as a child. I was active outdoors in the bush with my three brothers. Books weren’t present in our house. My parents were hard working immigrants from Scotland/Isle of Man. I don’t think I saw either of them touch a book when I was growing up.

I wanted to be a hobo. I saw a movie about a homeless guy that hopped freight trains across the country. He’d sit at night by his fire and sing songs to other hobos. Strangely this met all my conditions for a perfect life…..no job, able to play music, free to travel at will. This could even be a fitting description of my present situation. I travel, play music and am self-employed.

I think I would be proud to see that I’ve created something beautiful out of my life situation. I realized even as a child that life was an opportunity to be creative or destructive, it was all up to me. With that in mind I quit school at 15 and began my search for a life situation that would be worth living. I decided that I would always chose the adventure over comfort. I’d rather sleep rough than compromise my freedom.

I’d rather be poor than lose my freedom to a job and a boss that I didn’t want and I’d rather be condemned by everyone while I lived my truth than settle for a life unfulfilled or compromised. That thinking led me to a fair bit of suffering but that suffering is the stuff that informs in ways that only an artist can make use of. The hard times I met have given depth to my songs, have given insights to my writing and allowed me to know life from the bottom up with all the compassion for others that it brings.

The Book of Mirdad by Mikhail Naimy. If you love Rumi, you’ll love this book. If it comes down to one book, this is it for me.

I like to read in the afternoon. I’m less physically active at that time. I’ll read, meditate and then sleep. A perfect afternoon.

I went to India the first time in 1979 after reading Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda. That was where I first learned about Indian music. I returned to India in 1986 and stayed twelve years to study music. That music has been driving my career since the last twenty years.

I’ve been a lover of the Indian mystic Osho for many years. All of his writings speak to me very clearly and deeply. The songs that I write are rooted in and inspired by the philosophy of Osho more than any of the other mystics that I’ve known. He’s written approximately 600 books.

To fellow musicians I recommend that they read anything by Hazrat Inyat Khan. His books on music will help the musician to find motivation, purpose and a path that leads to greater creativity and expression. It allows the reader to understand what’s driving them and how to harness inspiration. In a world filled with excitement and drama it’s very easy to struggle to find your place as an artist. Khan’s books inspire the reader to find his centre within in the midst of all the distractions. From that place of strength, creativity is uninhibited and encouraged.

Non fiction only it seems.

It’s important to me to read and to grow through doing that. I want to inform myself in ways that will promote change and progress internally.

I only read actual books. I like the feel of them. They look great lined up on my shelf.

It’s a difficult question because it suggests that you could force people to learn. I would love everyone to read The Book of Mirdad by Mikhail Naimy but the reality is that most people wouldn’t see much in the book. You need to have a hunger for mysticism to really go deep into that book.You have to be searching for the truth. You have to have some context to put the words in. There’s probably more people who are interested in entertainment than consciousness. So, I wouldn’t try to force that book on them and I doubt there’s another that would mean something to everyone.

I would say that Be Here Now by Ram Dass was a revelation to me. It got me thinking that there must be so much to discover in India. I set out for India not long after reading that book. The message was clear… the Unknown exists!

Yes, Meetings with Remarkable Men by GI Gurdjieff.

I continue to read books by Hazrat Inyat Khan. I recently bought every book I could find of his. I have quite a few to get through still.

I am writing my autobiography at the moment. I’ve tentatively called it ‘Letters to my Son’ seeing as I began this book when I was dealing with cancer and wasn’t sure if I’d survive my son’s childhood. I was trying to tell him everything that he needs to know in order to navigate the world around him. I’ve overcome the illness since then but I’m still working on the story. The illness brought a whole new perspective to the writing. An urgency and a purpose. Inspiration comes where it will, I remain grateful for the journey and the opportunity to be creative. My songs have inspired thousands of people but it all began with my own ability to inspire myself.