The Mystical Backpacker: How to Discover Your Destiny in the Modern World

by Hannah Papp

Part memoir, part guidebook, The Mystical Backpacker invites you to explore your inner terrain and learn how to create your own unique version of a modern day vision quest or walk-about.

Tired of living a life based on other's expectations, Hannah Papp quit her job, bought a EuroRail ticket and a map, notified her landlady, and left town. Embarking on a journey across Europe with no plan and no direction, Haynal stumbled into becoming a modern-day Mystical Backpacker. Along the way her discoveries and the teachers she encountered allowed her to go on a deeper journey into the self and the spirit—revealing the real self she had long been missing.

The Mystical Backpacker shows you how to identify the signs along the road that will lead to teachers and experiences that will reorient your own life map. Ultimately, The Mystical Backpacker offers a solution, a way to break free and find your inner self's rhythms and needs, fulfilling your true destiny. It's time you hit the road and become a mystical backpacker.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Spirituality

272 pages, Paperback

First published May 5, 2015

About the author

Hannah Papp was born in Manhattan, learned to walk on Long Island and then blossomed into womanhood in Toronto. After finishing her undergraduate degree, she attended graduate school at an American accredited university in Budapest, Hungary. It was from this locale—embittered by love and disillusioned by Eastern Europe—that she became a mystical backpacker. Today, she is the author of the popular blog My Secret Psychic Life and the founder and owner of an award-winning business in Washington, DC.

Reviews

[Delilah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book rates a solid 4 stars. I really enjoyed getting to know Hannah as she starts the reader in Budapest, then takes us through Italy, Greece, and Spain --where she coincidentally gets to know herself as well. This book is about nourishing your soul, not only through travel, but about living true to yourself. It's a how-to- novel, of sorts, as Hannah goes into detail with tips on journaling and specific exercises to figure out one's self. But I also don't feel like it is only written for those who are about to embark on an adventure because they feel lost. Anyone wanting to learn more about yourself, how others think, and exotic adventures….this is the book for you!! As the author so eloquently put--"when we expand our views of the world, this expands the views we have of our lives, which in turn, adds depth and richness to ALL our experiences….even when we're not traveling". I highly recommend this book for all...seasoned and inexperienced travelers alike!!

Disclaimer-- I was given this title by Netgalley in exchange for a honest review

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Throughout this entire read my consistent thought was to get a notebook and to go on one of these mystical backpacking adventures. Looking at the world in a way that doesn't work about money or about where exactly you're going is a concept that seems so difficult for us to do these days and I am for sure interested. The book itself was well written and comprehensive, I understood the goal and appreciated the journey Ms Papp too us on along the way.

While this book is well written and brings out an internal desire to simply drop and go on an adventure, it was a bit thick and took me a while to get through. I couldn't sit and read the entire thing without getting a bit overwhelmed and putting the book down again. Which is why it took me so long to read, it was easy to put down. But I honestly loved the story and would for sure go on a backpacking adventure myself, this book alongside me! 4 out of 5!

[Helen - Great Reads & Tea Leaves · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Discovering your destiny is far quicker than manifesting your destiny – that can be a lengthy process.”
I would probably recommend this to people who are planning to travel and have taken steps in the organisation of that big ‘overseas’ trip. Alternatively, if your future lacks focus and you are seeking direction, then this indeed is the book for you.

Full review at:
http://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogspo...

[Joshua Kai · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book must have been destined to be written for us just at a time when so many people are waking up, becoming more conscious about life and the world around them, and yearning for an example of a path of evolutionary growth. As old paradigms and patterns fade away and new ways of experiencing life emerge, Hannah shows us what it looks like to shed the expectations of convention and create our own inspired life! Well done Hannah and thank you for sharing this incredible life's work with us!

-Dr. Joshua Kai, author of the award winning bestseller " The Quantum Prayer: An Inspiring Guide to Love, Healing, and Creating the Best Life Possible "

[Rabbit {Paint me like one of your 19th century gothic heroines!} · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I think the hardest thing for me to swallow was the idea that all of us can quit our jobs and travel around the world. That is from a place of privilege. I cannot do that, but one day I would love to travel more. So, I found that part of the book really hard to relate to along with her narrative.

BUT she did give us options for us who have a lot stricter budgets. I am considering using parts of this book in my own journey.

I do believe this book can easily be summed up as YMMV.

[Kat (Lost in Neverland) · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's partly a memoir but mostly a 'guidebook' for this thing the author created called 'mystical backpacking'. Papp wants you to do all these exercises to open your soul and mind and it's more of a self-help/spiritual book rather than travel memoir. I found myself skimming the exercises and the second half of the book after the talk of destiny and finding 'sacred objects and signs' grew to be too much.

[Mamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book! It was exactly what I needed in my life right now. I've been wanting to hike the Appalachian Trail, and I've done some traveling/study abroad in Europe. This book made me think about ways to figure out which direction I ultimately want to head in life (bc at some point, I have to choose a long-term career) and also how to get on that path. The book made me feel like I was living vicariously through the authors experiences as I remembered some of my own. I love her perspective on spirituality and its connection to happiness. I also loved her emphasis on the importance of journaling and all the prompts and "mystical exercises" included in the book. I'm going to have to get my own copy to go back to when I need motivation and to work on some of that journaling. Great book and worthwhile read!

[Abigail]

It took me a long time to read this book. I did enjoy all her traveling stories but struggled to get through the "exercises" which felt very "life coachy" to me. Papp is a good writer though and gives us all great advice: follow your heart and where the wind blows, and make every journey into a sacred one. Like most of us who travel have discovered, she also talks about the hard work of keeping the spirit of your true self alive once you return "home", wherever home may be.

[Debbie Hoskins · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the google preview, I'm learning that this author left everything and went to Europe. That's really cool, I admire the author. I'm too afraid. I enjoy food, shelter, and security too much to actually do this for real.

[Ally · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my all time favourite travel memoirs/spirituality books. It really mirrored my thoughts/ideas, personal soul adventure, and heart. I’m so grateful that Hannah penned this gift.

[Barbara Bryant · Rating 3 out of 5]

This travel book does not cover any new ground, but I liked how it combined practical and spiritual aspects. Recommend for YA readers.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tried to read. Not very good in my opinion.

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy of The Mystical Backpacker from Netgalley.

I'm not too sure about The Mystical Backpacker. This is the first non-fiction book that I'm reviewing so I'm still trying to figure out the best way to review it.

It was okay. It was more of a how to guide rather than a travel memoir. I would have preferred to have learned more about Hannah Papp's actual travels. I liked the little journal excerpts that were dotted throughout the book.

However, The Mytical Backpacker does do what it says on the tin, so to speak. It is a guide to how to become a "mystic backpacker". Although it did keep referring to the website of the same name. So I don't quite understand why someone would buy the book if they could get all the information from a website for free. Also, it asked you to flick to the back a lot of the time, which is slightly harder when it is an ebook you are reading and not a physical copy. I also found the tone of the book quite boring in places and I couldn't always be bothered reading it.

I did think the pictures added at around 70% were quite nice and I would have liked to have seen more of them. Such as the places she visited and not the front covers of her journals.

All in all, I'm still not too sure about The Mystical Backpacker. Maybe it's because I haven't had the chance to travel yet that I don't quite understand some of the concepts. I do plan to someday so maybe The Mystical Backpacker will be more use to me then. Therefore, I would probably recommend this to people that are already planning their travelling and have set the ball into motion for going.

[Emilia P · Rating 3 out of 5]

I super-rolled-my-eyes when I got this to read. As much as I love taking the Grand Tour of Europe (oh and I do!) and even as much as I loved the slightly wilder and farther afield China experience, I don't suppose that my experiences were mystical or that I made a dent or felt something as much more than a tourist (except for in all my extensive churchgoing -- that was pretty meaningful) but um! Hey, this book was pretty decent -- about the concept of getting away from yourself and your ruts and your routines to find the essence of who you are and what you care about -- Papp tells her own story and gives fairly straightforward reflective recommendations. Not all that mystical in the deeper sense, but approaching it -- if you picked this apart anthropologically (the privilege of vacationing as soul-searching is a bit iffy) it might not stand up, but as light-hearted self-help it is fairly delightful.

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hannah Papp's book is marketed as "part memoir and part guidebook". When first picking up this book I was more interested in the memoir part. As someone who enjoys traveling I was looking forward to a book that highlighted someone's experiences traveling. I knew that it was also considered a "guidebook" and while that wasn't a huge appeal for me I figured it might be interesting.

What I found as I kept reading was that the memoir part of the book was short, it was mostly a guidebook. So while I enjoyed reading about Papp's travels and her journal entries I wasn't thrilled with how much of the book was self help. It wouldn't have been a bad thing except it felt like most of the information was very generic and uninspiring. Some of her advice was solid and I'm sure helpful to some, but I found myself skimming every time I reached the exercise pages.

I received a free copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Smitha · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Hannah Papp quit her job and decided to go on a Eurorail trip, little did she realise that she was about to embark on a road to self discovery, she was about to become a 'Mystical Backpacker'.

This part-memoir, part guidebook is a chronicle of Papp's self discovery as well as a wonderful guide for those embarking on a similar journey or with plans to do so.

What I liked about this book is that it's more about life than just mystical backpacking. So many interesting and relevant quotes that I ended up highlighting, a lot of wisdom, which Papp says helped her in her life later.

A interesting book, not the kind of book I normally pick up, as I'm not in to self-help books, and yet it kept my interest, had me nodding away.

[Debra Schoenberger · Rating 4 out of 5]

In The Mystical Backpacker, Hannah helps you to understand what kind of rut you are living in - and oftentimes we find that we are stuck in a rut, a very BIG rut, the size of a volcano. I liked this book because it makes you think outside the box and take control of your life, instead of just living up to other people's expectations.

I wasn't so keen on the "mystical" side of her writing, however, I feel that there is enough in this book to motivate you to make changse in your life. The quotes as well as the true-life stories of others who made changes in their lives were inspiring.

This is an interesting read for anyone who loves to travel and discover their inner selves.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I have to admit that I didn't do all the exercises but I definitely feel it's a book I'll go back to, and perhaps will do the exercises at a later time. I loved the memoir parts of the book and reading about Papp's own mystical backpacking adventure. Papp is funny and down-to-earth and she offers excellent advice, some of which I will try to use in my own life. I liked the overall positive message of the book and it was affirming to read about someone who was able to identify her dreams and then realize them. I recommend this book.

[Nicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not all those who wander are lost - J.R.R. Tolkien. The Mystical Backpacker encourages one to take the first step in living and enjoying the life you dream about. The lessons and challenges in each chapter can be applied to almost any rut you find yourself stuck in even though the book focuses on traveling. Start small and explore a New-to-you part of town then work your way up to a dream trip-of-lifetime! Just stop daydreaming and start doing.

[Rena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what a great book. There was so much information that applied to my life right now as a fifty year old mother of two. It really is about regaining our passion in life, finding those things that we love, and placing them first, not last on our list of priorities. Whether you are twenty years old and getting ready to embark on your own mystical backpack experience, or someone my age, this book will inspire you to find what makes your heart sing!

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book wasn't what I had expected - a complete memoir about her own "mystical backpacking" experience. I enjoyed reading about her experience and personal journal entries, but since I wasn't reading it to eventually go on my own backpacking adventure, I wasn't as interested in the guided questions.

[Christine Lussier · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received the "Mystical Backpacker" as a preread from NetGalley for an honest review. I did enjoy reading of Hannah's adventures. Her technique of "her story" to "what you can do" was interesting. Her comments are well thought out & it was an enjoyable read.

[Luisa]

Hannah Papp is a wonderful writer. Although she gives tons of good advice, I was hoping to hear more about her adventures than advice. sometimes the best advice is told through an adventure retelling!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have decided to buy a copy for myself..and gifting copies of this book to others in the future. A modern day "Oh The Places You'll Go" for young adults (college age and beyond), and especially this 45 year old.

[Julianna Borbely]

how to live - book

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book, I love reading about travel.

[Charity Gillihan · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting perspective on travel and backpacking. I liked the reflective aspects of the book.