“Travel with me for part of your journey and you might be surprised where we go. We are heading away from the realm of theories and beliefs towards a unique form of knowledge.” – Prem Rawat, Hear Yourself, page 1
Good news! Prem Rawat’s New York Times best-selling book, Hear Yourself, published in September, 2021, has now sold more than 50,000 copies and is projected to reach the 100,000 mark by year’s end. Originally published in English, it has already been translated into Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese. In July, it will be published in German, as well as Brazilian Portuguese. As more and more publishers track the impact of the book, it is highly likely that “Hear Yourself” will be published in more languages, including Hindi in November.
To date, Prem Rawat has spoken at “Hear Yourself” book launch events in Miami, New York City, Los Angeles, Vancouver and, on April 13, in Mumbai – an event livestreamed to more than 10,000 people in 78 countries.
Indeed, the English book launch in Mumbai resulted in significant media coverage across India. Reviews in English and Hindi publications are on the upswing and additional coverage is expected with several senior HR managers of huge companies in India quoting Prem Rawat from his Mumbai book event.
Having made the New York Times’s bestseller list just two weeks after its publication, “Hear Yourself” was two years in the making – the first of a series of books that Prem intends to write and publish in the next few years.
Reading the book, however, is not the only way that people are imbibing its content. The audio version is also rising in popularity – a phenomenon that can be attributed to two factors: 1) Audio books have become the biggest growth sector of the publishing industry; 2) Prem Rawat is the book’s narrator – a project that required three immersive weeks of effort – not all that surprising when you consider the challenge of recording 65,000 words, not just with accuracy, but the kind of deep meaning and nuance with which the book was written.
The audio version of ‘Hear Yourself’ totals nine hours and 43 minutes. Learn how to buy it here and also how to give it away.
Explains Broni Doran, a “Hear Yourself” audiobook fan from Australia, “to hear Prem’s voice is powerful. The tone and the presence of a teacher who has experienced so much is enlightening as well as being incredibly comforting.”
Adds Denis Cartwright, from the USA, “I find Prem’s soothing voice naturally turns the volume down in my own head and I easily find myself aware of living in the moment.”
If you are new to the world of audio books and have questions about how to download “Hear Yourself” or gift someone with it, this six-minute tutorial will help.
Two Related Grassroots Book Initiatives
Inspired by the Kifubon Project in Japan, in 2017 Steve Ahsmuhs and a team of US volunteers launched “The Giving Books Project”, a grassroots initiative to distribute books free of charge to residents of rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, prisons, hospitals and more. What began as a local effort in Florida, North Carolina, and Ohio in the USA now includes 120 volunteers in three countries – United States, Canada, and Mexico – with new volunteer teams now forming in other countries as well. To date, 4,000 copies of “Hear Yourself” have been distributed to people facing challenges. Response to the book has been overwhelmingly positive:
“Thank you again for ‘Hear Yourself.’ I am loving it!” – Manock Luai, the Prezential Basketball Charity for Youth, Ottawa
“This book is amazing! Thank you so much!” – Becca Bouchey, Elizabeth Fry Society, Ottawa
“Thank you for Prem Rawat’s book. It is light for the heart and mind.” – Dr. Bruce Parker, D.C., Chiropractic Clinic
The Giving Books Project, however, is not the only grassroots initiative that has sprung up in response to “Hear Yourself.” In 2021, Kirk Laidlaw, a resident of tiny Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, Canada, began what is now known as the “Bookmarks Project” – a simple way to promote the book one person at a time.
Each bookmark is inscribed with a quote from the book, a QR code that links to the book’s website and contact information. To date, more than 57,000 bookmarks have been circulated. They are available for free to anyone who requests them, as costs for the project have been underwritten by a steady stream of small donations.
Grassroots Volunteer Opportunities
If you would like to make a donation to the Giving Books Project, it is simple to do. And if you are thinking of launching a Giving Books Project initiative in your own country, the project team of volunteers is just an email or phone call away to provide you with the support you need to get started: [email protected]
If you would like to launch a bookmarks project, feel free to inquire at [email protected]. A Bookmarks Starter Kit is being prepared and will be available soon. To order free “Hear Yourself” bookmarks, simply make your request to the bookmarks team at the above email address.
More about the book from Prem’s website