“In reality, our mind is the creator of all the things we experience.”

— Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Breakdown Dancer

(2021, Poets of Queens Press)

BREAKDOWN DANCER, Vijay R. Nathan's third poetry collection, invites the reader on the not-so-unfamiliar journey into mental wellness challenges (breakdowns) and heartbreaks (breakups) and the dances between them, through supplementing original poems with 3 curated playlists. Although this journey into the heart will bring us into the depths of the unknown, the speaker, as your guide to these deep waters, illustrates pathways to understanding; when we view ourselves as most alone we will discover our connection to creation. These poems run the gambit from seeking and losing love, breakdowns in psyche and in communication, to an acceptance of our common struggles. This process is not just a means to an end but a worthy destination we may call home.

“In this volume of poetry, the pains of heartache and mental health become the rhythms of performance. A wide-ranging poetry collection with a sharp ear and a lot of heart.”

— Kirkus Reviews

“Breakdown Dancer explores a questing, open, generous need to really know and love the world, for all its downfalls and dystopias. These poems play the dating game without being too bitter; recall the past without being too regretful; portray illness and breakup without being too despairing; and seek a way forward with honesty, bravery, and humor.”

—Bruce Whitacre, KGB Lit

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Escape from Samsara (2016)

‘Escape from Samsara’ is a spiritual journey , where our speaker is seeking transcendence in a world dominated by materialism, fads, internet phenomena, flaky lovers and plenty other bad stuff. The collection asks “How does one rise above all this and escape? How can I become whole in a world dead-set on fragmenting and fracturing apart?” In a series of poems aimed at exploring spirituality in the modern world, we are taken on a trip through all the road blocks that exists between here and enlightenment. Whether it be in romantic relationships, finding purpose in work, or the absurd moments where you find yourself questioning your life. If you're a seeker you'll find your journey on the path inspired by the poems in this book.

2017 Reader's favorite winner (HONORABLE MENTION) in Poetry: LOVE / ROMANCE,

“There is always so much happening in our lives every day, and the hectic nature of this lifestyle can easily take over your entire life. Reading the poems in Escape from Samsara by Vijay R. Nathan gives your mind much-needed serenity, away from the demands of modern life, and sets you on the path to enlightenment and fulfillment.”

— Readers’s Favorite

“An accessible volume of poetry rich with vivid imagery and grounded in Buddhist and New Age thought.”

— Kirkus Review

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