Into the Hands of the Unknown: an Indian Sojourn with a Harvard Renunciant

by Thomas Shor

“I think you should come with me to India” Thus begins this tale of the author and photographer Thomas K. Shor when he was a young man and happened to sit next to Ed Spencer, a brilliant seventy-year-old ex-Harvard professor, turned wandering holy man, who makes this offer within an hour of their meeting on a Greek ferry. Though unsure whether the old man is some kind of a bum or a realized being or both, he agrees to go with this enigmatic stranger whose credo is, “Take the Money out of your pocket and put yourself in the hands of the Unknown.” When they arrive in Greece and Ed passes the money exchange with hardly a glance, his young companion begins to understand the gulf that separates the old man from the rest of humanity. The ensuing journey, recounted in the pages of INTO THE HANDS OF THE UNKNOWN, takes them on an epic journey by foot into the heart of South India and then to the Himalayas where the author made his first contact with the Tibetan people. INTO THE HANDS OF THE UNKNOWN, which is revised and has a new Postscript describing the author’s subsequent encounters with the Ed Spencer, was originally published as Part II of the book WINDBLOWN CLOUDS published by Escape Media Publishers, USA, in 2003 and by Pilgrims Publishers, India and Nepal, in 2006.From the review by the renowned British poet Kathleen Thomas Shor’s life is a continual unfolding of those inner and outer worlds which his sense of wonder discovers continually. His story reminds us that we are, or could be, travelers in a world of marvels, of love, and encounters with men and women themselves on pilgrimages of the imagination. Did not the Emperor Haroun al-Rashid for a thousand and one nights hear in the city of Baghdad endless stories that make up the one story of the world? Once involved in Thomas Shor’s adventure of life, one hopes only for more.Kathleen Raine (D.Litt., Cambridge; Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, France; Commander of the British Empire; Winner—Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry, England, etc.)

252 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 31, 2012

Reviews

[Peter Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good travelogue, well told, about a seekers sojourn through India.

A young man meets a stranger on a ferry in Greece, and is persuaded to travel with him to India. The stranger is a seeker, an ex-Harvard professor, who has found what he was looking for in the seeking itself. He initiates the author into the ways of a sidhu as they walk their way through the cities and countryside of India.

The true story is told through anecdotes, some more believable than others but all of them interesting. They meet a variety of people, all of whom are signposts on the Way. The author and the old man finally part, with the younger man continuing on to the Himalayas,

It is an interesting story well told, and well worth reading by any want-to-be or experienced seekers, as well as those who enjoy travelogues or have an interest in India.

[Markus Pintzinger · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author is quite skilled in his descriptions of people and places, but when it comes to describing the spiritual path he was on, it feels as if he's barely scratching on the surface. The book feels more like a travel book than a serious attempt at introspection. Character development is also lacking. It's a pity, because the premises were all there: an encounter with a mysterious stranger, amazing synchronicities with a girl, living with spiritual teachers.....all left unexplored.
If you're looking for a lighthearted travel book, then you'll find this quite entertaining. If, however you're expecting more depth, especially for a book that is supposed to treat that subject, you'll be left disappointed.

[Wanda B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating story of personal journeys written by a great story teller. I admire the courage of ones who can actually live into the hands of the unknown. These brace ones fall forward into their higher calling.