Paulo Coelho

Marlon was not selected for Andrea McCain “Experimental Witch” competition, but it seems that everybody had a lot of fun!

If there is any other making off, we will post here. Please send the video to [email protected]

By Paulo Coelho

The two hardest tests on the spiritual road
are the patience to wait for the right moment
and the courage not to be disappointed
with what we encounter.
(Veronika decides to Die)

Welcome to Share with Friends – Free Texts for a Free Internet

You are one of the few authors who give readers your books for free, I am sure that would have raised a lot of objection from your publishers, how did you deal with it?

Actually, all my publishers backed me up. Harper Collins, for example, decided to offer a new book of mine every month, for free reading. I’m putting them in my blog too: www.paulocoelhoblog.com

By Paulo Coelho

The heart never suffers
when it goes in search of its dream,
because every moment of the search
is a step towards encountering
God and Eternity.
(The Alchemist)

Welcome to Share with Friends – Free Texts for a Free Internet

What is your message to your readers especially Indian readers? Any mantras for making their lives doubly meaningful and satisfying?

I’ve never seen myself as someone giving away mantras for making other people lives more satisfying. I’m not responsible for others.

Freedom is exactly that: people making their decisions by themselves, not giving it away for a “guru” to answer and decide for them.

I think the best advice is always to not follow advices. Try life by yourself.

I’m just a man that has gone in the direction of his personal legend, taking risks and learning daily from all around me.

By Paulo Coelho

If we pay close attention
we will come to realize that
no day is the same as another.
Every morning brings
with it a hidden blessing.
(Unpublished)

Welcome to Share with Friends – Free Texts for a Free Internet

By Paulo Coelho

By changing the way you do routine things you allow a new person to grow inside of you.
(The Pilgrimage)

Welcome to Share with Friends – Free Texts for a Free Internet

You have over the years become more visible on the Internet with your blog, Walking the Path — The Pilgrimage and your blogs in WordPress, MySpace & Facebook. Has the medium helped you understand your readers better?

Actually the medium has given me the possibility to get in touch with my readers and this is a priceless experience. Through my blog – www.paulocoelhoblog.com – as well as my profiles in social network communities I’ve managed to interact in ways that were impossible before.

Recently, I’ve discovered Digg and I love the idea of the internauts actually choosing and voting for the news that are relevant to them. Internet is one of my windows to the world.

John Lennon in his song “God” makes a list of things he doesn’t believe in to then say to all – he, who was the idol of his time – that he only believed in himself and Yoko.

So here’s my question : do you think that in order to believe in yourself you have to renounce first to all other beliefs?

Last week’s rocks have faced the test of time and converted itself into sand. Now we pass to the Hourglass.

Indeed, before being associated with death, the hourglass has its roots in time. The falling of sand, one of the first measurements of time, symbolizes instability and the constant transformation of things. It’s natural then that this object would remind people of “memento mori”, i.e “remember you will die”.
The hourglass is the main attribute of the gods of Time, Chronos or Aion.
Yet, given that this object needs to be turned constantly, it also conveys the idea of a cyclic time – reenacting the constant return of things and actions.
The hourglass is also a reminder of measurement in the sense that one has to use time wisely, preserving oneself and not simply throwing away the gift of life. Ascetic figures are often depicted with hourglass in western tradition.

Now you take the floor, what do you associate with the hourglass?

By Paulo Coelho

The roller-coaster is my life;
life is a fast, dizzying game;
life is a parachute jump;
it’s taking chances, falling over
and getting up again;
it’s mountaineering;
it’s wanting to get to the very top of yourself
and feeling angry and dissatisfied
when you don’t manage it.
(Eleven Minutes)

Welcome to Share with Friends – Free Texts for a Free Internet

Your books are said to have changed the lives of many. What has been that one fantastic response you’ve got for your works? Any unusual fan you can recall?

Readers are always very inventive. I remember once an Indian reader sent me a letter saying that she had offered one of my books to the Ganges. I thought this was such a poetic and beautiful thing to do. I’ve never forgotten this letter.