If I Can, So Can You: The Ultimate Mind Mastery Blueprint. Proven Strategies for Positive Transformation has been written by Tannaz Irani who describes herself on the cover of the book as a "life coach.” She introduces herself as "a successful actress (or so they tell me) who has been in the industry for the last 30 years. I have acted on stage, TV serials, Bollywood movies, and I am also a director… So why did I suddenly have the urge to write a book?” she asks rhetorically.
Perhaps the answer lies in what her inner wellness coach Dr Yogendra Singh Rathore writes in the foreword: "When the doctors were unable to diagnose the reason for the pain in her leg which eventually led her to walk with a limp and give up her acting assignments… she turned her pain to power.” The blurb on the book’s rear cover reads: "Tannaz writes unabashedly about her fight with depression which most people shy away from sharing. And a physical pain that left her unable to continue acting… (She) turned to her mind when her body gave up so that she could find another path that would fulfill her quest for growth and help others as well… (The book) takes you through her journey to how she became a life coach and a neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) practitioner.” (According to Wikipedia, this is a branch of applied psychology that aims to enhance people’s ability to make wise decisions and achieve their goals by involving learned patterns of behavior or thinking and then finding creative new ways to make use of them or to update them.)
If you feel emptiness, you are not aligned with your life, writes Irani. The NLP course helped Irani to identify the cause of depression by making her conscious of core values like integrity, respect, responsibility, excellence, collaboration, adaptability and compassion and to emphasize the role of honesty, empathy, being conscious of the environment, equality and personal growth. It is when actions are not in alignment with core values that people need to take corrective measures and work towards rectifying the situation.
For those stuck in negative patterns, struggling with limiting beliefs, lacking self-awareness… this book provides insights and actionable techniques to empower you, writes Irani. There are techniques and exercises required such as mindfulness which reduce stress and increase resilience. Heightened awareness of emotions, focus strengthens the mind to resist distractions and improve concentration. Deepened relationships and empathy foster understanding leading to more harmonious relationships. A sense of gratitude allows individuals to savor the richness of each moment, leading to overall well-being. Self-reflection and insights along with reshaped perspectives and attitudes transform one’s outlook on life.
When the benefits of her chosen path became manifest Irani "decided that I had to take this story to the world. I was going to use my live testimony to help others… Maybe it’s time to be a real life heroine.”
Acknowledging her debt to Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of Art of Living, she admits that at first she was not a believer but agreed to do the Happiness Course along with a good friend. She found a special breathing technique "very beneficial... Meditation is bringing your attention on your breath and the present moment and… focusing on the now.”
Dedicated to her children Zianne, Zeus and Zara and her husband Bhakhtyar, the hard cover 120-page book, priced at Rs 399, has been published by Adhyyan Books, New Delhi (email: contact@adhyyanbooks.com). SHERENE VAKIL