This is a lovely book following the adventures of a young woman encountering all of the setbacks and the difficulties one can experience in a culture different to that of one's birth.It flows naturally and is easy to read. The romantic entanglements in this journey in the Himalayas eventually lead her to a feeling of complete fulfilment. Very enjoyable. ~ Amazon customer, Amazon page for my book

"Pilgrimage On The Path Of Love was definitely one of the best books I have ever read. It tells the story of the author's journey, as she travels to the Himalayas and her amazing spiritual experiences. However, these are only part of the story. She meets some wonderful people, and I remember many of them, but one that sticks out most in my mind, is the gentleman who owns a shop and tries so hard to get her to buy something, and when he has tried two or three additional approaches to get her to purchase and she says she is about to leave, he gives up and says "OK, will you at least stay and have a cup of tea with me?" Each time Barbara arrived at an ashram or visited a temple, I entered the name into Google and was happily able to see the place she was describing. It was incredibly immersive experience. If you are interested in travel, other cultures, Buddhism, triumphing over adversity, or you are just looking for the next book that you will recommend to your friends, this is the one for you!" ~ , Amazon Reviewer

Wonderful Writing: This is an excellent first novel. It is well-written with a multi-layered plot all on the theme of love but in different ways. ~ Barry Spivack, Oxford University graduate

"I loved this book. Pilgrimage on the Path of Love is one of those rare novels that manages to combine great storytelling with genuine and profound spiritual insights and experiences in a completely natural way. The essence of the book is about the search for the truth of life, and for supreme love, both human and divine. Written in autobiographical style, I found the prose so vivid and immediate, that I really entered into the experiences of the narrator, Shantila Martin, an American woman writer living in the UK. She visits India for the publication of her first book, and finds herself on an unexpected journey. Her experiences of the vibrancy of Indian life in Delhi, and later in Manali and Ladakh, are vividly depicted, and descriptions of the scenery of the Himalayas are breathtaking, reminding me of the wonderful paintings of Nicholas Roerich. The writing is so alive that we feel every bump in the road, every intense discomfort of life in this extraordinary country, and all Shantila’s responses. We are also able to share in her experiences of its astonishing beauty and spirituality, and enjoy her many meetings with interesting and remarkable people. There is real spiritual poetry in this book, in the descriptions of nature, and in Shantila’s profound experiences during her visits to Temples and Monasteries, often reverberating with the devotional chanting of Buddhist monks. The descriptions of the transcendental nature of her own meditation are beautiful, and one feels this must be the first hand experience of the author. As the book gains momentum, all of her experiences together - painful, blissful and reflective, combine to help her unfold deeper and deeper layers of realisation of the true nature of love, and of the ultimate unity of all life. I feel it’s a strength of the book that the narrator is depicted as a woman with normal vulnerabilities, rather than as a superwoman. It shows that genuine desire for spiritual growth can transform all our lives to higher states of consciousness. This book was a really inspiring read. It’s a heartfelt book - full of enjoyment of the beauty of life, and a celebration of the highest spiritual values of human consciousness and its relationship to the Divine. I missed it when I had finished it, and am looking forward to more from this author." ~ Sally Brighouse, UK

" Whether you read this book or not, this is a journey everyone is going to have to take. Truthful, touching, vulnerable always to an impossible ideal, until that ideal undergoes its inevitable transformation and finds fulfillment. You can't imagine this story, it has to have been lived. Beautifully and honestly told." ~ HWB, Architect,UK

I was privileged to have met The author in the New Delhi airport during our journeys through India. We talked for awhile before she told me she was an author, then told me of her book. I could not wait to get home to order her book. I loved the book; it was a peek at this amazing women’s journey for happiness and enlightenment along with love. I gifted my book to another traveler friend of India. She loved it also. I hope others are inspired by her journey. ~ Taylor G. Dangerman, Amazon

"Even though she grew up in New York and had lived in England for some years, Shantila feels very much at home on her second trip to the spiritually and historically rich country of India. She's in India for two reasons: to promote her book about her previous visit to India and to visit many holy places that she hopes will enrich her spiritual well-being. In Pilgrimage on the Path of Love, Shantila's journey includes beautiful landscapes like the Himalayas, living in a Buddhist monastery, enlightening thoughts about love and spirituality, painful days of not having a place to sleep, and heart-warming expressions of love and hospitality. Barbara Ann Briggs's book conveys an extensive exploration of some of India's major religious establishments, driven by a search for meaning and wisdom. Pilgrimage on the Path of Love is a portal to an artfully detailed world of beauty, love, and awareness. I call it a portal because it felt like I stepped into one from the moment I picked up the book; I was immersed in the realistic depictions, poetic words, and colorful backgrounds. My favorite feature of Pilgrimage on the Path of Love is how in sync it is: the relaxed progression of the story correlates perfectly with the peaceful mood of the protagonist and her consistent striving to return to a balanced state of mind. Barbara Ann Briggs writes for the free spirits, adventure enthusiasts, and wisdom and spiritual depth seekers. The audience is encouraged to love and embrace others regardless of their religious beliefs, and this core message is key to achieving world peace. I recommend it to the world." ~ Readers' Favourite Review from Foluso Falaye, Readers' Favourite Award Contest, USA

"It is my experience that the best writers are those with keen and alert observation skills. In Pilgrimage on the Path of Love we are privileged to feast on the delicacies of keen observation that at once affirm the reader's own life experiences and delight the reader in the bond created by that recognition. Written in the first person by a young woman seeker, the narrative will confirm for female readers their own inner longings and doubts that are the stepping stones for those engaged in the pursuit of higher human awareness. For the male reader, the text will awaken him to the sensitivities of the female mind. And such an awareness for men is very vital in this age that is witnessing the rise of the gentleness and compassion that is the hallmark of the cosmic feminine. Any seeker who yearns for companionship on their singular and sometimes lonely path to Enlightenment will take heart from the pages of this book. It falls in the same exalted category as Yogananda's Autobiography of a Yogi and The Journey Home: Autobiography of an American Swami, by Radanath Swami. Pilgrimage on the Path of Love shows us that the path of love and devotion to higher consciousness is barred to none, whether from the East or the West. It is wonderful to live in an age in which Enlightenment is a growing understanding, and to receive the blessings of those moving along the path with such awareness as author Barbara Briggs." ~ Dr Joseph Boxerman, Adjunct Professor of Business Administration, Maharishi International University, Fairfield, Iowa

"Pilgrimage On The Path Of Love was definitely one of the best books I have ever read. If you are interested in travel, other cultures, Buddhism, triumphing over adversity, or you are just looking for the next book that you will recommend to your friends, this is the one for you! It tells the story of the author's journey, as she travels to the Himalayas and her amazing spiritual experiences." ~ Amazon Reviewer, Amazon

Reading Pilgrimage on the Path of Love gave me the experience of transcending with eyes wide open. Through Shantila – the main character’s unbiased eyes – I observed and absorbed the beauty of rural Himalayan India. Shantila lives and moves in such a way that life itself becomes her prayer…every moment of her waking hours is aiming to align itself with Divine perfection. While reading I felt enchanted, peaceful and inspired. A deep longing to visit India, to travel “the road less traveled”, and to move by faith the way Shantila is moving… came upon me. Pilgrimage on the Path of Love is a gentle and rich, yet quiet adventure full of authentic moments and human realizations. A perfect lesson in trust and surrender. ~ Mrs. Kristin Naituli, Norwegian residing in Kenya

"Totally enjoyed this book. I had the great fortune to meet the author, Barbara Briggs while at a meditation retreat in India. I am so impressed with her book. Barbara weaves a tale of love, hope, disappointment, hardship and moments of beauty and fulfillment. It is a very personal account of her innermost feelings, experiences and thoughts. For anyone on the spiritual path this book is very insightful and at the same time so enjoyable to read. Her vivid descriptions of life in India, the temples and her journeys show the rest of us what it is like to be a dedicated seeker. Her devotion, steadfastness and serenity are inspiring. She has a very good understanding of Indian culture and shares stories and explanations of their customs, their devotion to deities and their way of life. She delves into their culture and finds the silence within. It's clear to see that Barbara is enchanted with the spiritual side of India and describes beautifully her experiences of higher states of consciousness." ~ Marilyn, Canada

A Journey Through Divine Love “So many times, we look outside, searching for a perfection which already exists inside us all the time. I realised that each moment contained all we could ever seek to know, to feel and to believe. Each moment contained perfection. I remembered who I was – a simple child, an aged pilgrim, a Mother of Creation, a human being made in the image of the Eternal Being, That One, unbreathed upon, ever giving life to all, ever reborn, ever the same,” says Shantila Martin, the protagonist of Barbara Briggs’ book Pilgrimage on the Path of Love. Written lucidly, this book is the perfect amalgamation of spiritual awakening and self-discovery. The protagonist found herself by connecting to her inner Divine, at every challenge she faced in the new land. Coming to India to get her first book published, Shantila expected to be hosted by her publisher, who later refused to let her stay with him. Looking for shelter, she eventually becomes a guest at a Buddhist Center in Delhi. Surrounded by lamas, she finds herself nestled in Divine love. Seeking solace in this very Divine love, she travels to Manali, Manikaran and finally, Ladakh. Travelling through the northern landscape of India, she meets strangers who become channels of divine for her – a love she had set out to seek in India. As she experiences spirituality through paths like Buddhism and Sikhism, Shantila’s faith in the Divine begins to strengthen. What stands out in the narrative is her utmost optimism and unshaken faith in God. When faced with difficulties, she surrenders herself to Him and derives energy from her firm belief that the right path will be illuminated by the Creator. The book is also filled with vivid and detailed descriptions of Shantila’s transcendence during meditation. While meditating, she delves deep within to reflect on her painful past. This helps her understand the true nature of the unfulfilled love she had experienced in her life. In understanding its true nature, she is provided with a strength to move ahead on her path of spiritual fulfilment. Written eloquently by Briggs, the book paints a vivid picture of Indian landscapes, temples, and even ordinary bustling roads, enabling the reader to journey with the protagonist. Her astute description of life in India and its people can make one fall in love with this land and its healing grounds. The ordinary character of Shantila becomes extraordinary because of her zeal to grow and seek the Divine. Having read a few books on esoteric spirituality, this book came to me as a breath of fresh air, with its simple narrative and profound spiritual insights. Pilgrimage on the Path of Love introduces the spiritual ethos of India to the world, and even to Indians who have forgotten the sacred presence of Divinity in this land. ~ Muskaan Sharma, Life Positive Magazine

This is a stunning novel. When I read a novel, I expect escapism, diversion, entertainment and sometimes upliftment. 'Pilgrimage on the Path of Love' soars above these expectations. I can only describe it as a meditation. As I read it, I entered the world of the protagonist, Shantila Martin. I traveled with her, felt with her and scaled the heights with her, smelling the Deodar trees, seeing the Divine pattern in rocks, mountains and people. Sometimes I read of faraway places and want to go there. In 'Pilgrimage on the Path of Love', the scenes were painted with the eye of the soul and were so visceral and full, I was there. I missed it when I had finished. ~ Amazon Customer, UK

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Pilgrimage on the Path to Love. The book brought me to a greater appreciation of the country of Ladakh and the monks and people who love and live in that spiritual country. Also Ms Briggs’ inner experiences were expressed so genuinely and intimately. I had the sense of experiencing those depths with her. It is an art to relate those states of consciousness in such a succinct and illuminating way. Her writing is clear and one feels transported to a very heavenly place. I highly recommend this book for inspiration and for a very satisfying journey. ~ Mrs. Harriet Berman, USA

Love Saves Us From Wrong And Guides Our Path In Life "Pilgrimage on the Path of Love" is the story of Shantila, a courageous woman, travelling alone in India in search for the true meaning of life. The path she follows is the path of love. With almost no money in her pockets, she lets all-knowing mother nature guide her each and every step and provide meaningful experiences very useful for individual evolution. Shantila falls in love with a Tibetan Buddhist lama, only to find out that this kind of personal love has to develop into unbounded universal love. Universal love and knowledge, which the ancient Rishis of India express in the words: “Aham Brahmasmi, Tat tvam asi, Sarvam kalv idam Brahm” - [I am Brahm (Totality), Thou art That, All this is Brahm]. By the grace of God, Shantila is blessed with glimpses of this exalted state of consciousness, filling her heart with love for whole creation. "Pilgrimage on the Path of Love" is written by Barbara Ann Briggs in skilfully refined and easily flowing words. The reader will be absorbed in adventurous real-life stories, leading to deeper understanding of progress and evolution towards the highest goal. ~ Dr Herbert Gerstendorf, Germany

Pilgrimage on the Path of Love is a wonderful spiritual book which is easy to read and contains,at the same time, many profound spiritual insights which are helpful for our own path. Barbara Ann Briggs combines in her book spiritual values and the relationship to the Divine. Her book is full of human love which is transformed into divine love and enables us, not only to read the story, but also to live it. ~ Inge Quatraro, Belgium

This beautiful novel is about a spiritual seeker’s inner and outer journey through India and Tibet. The main character is a writer who experiences many seeming setbacks in her travels but finds that her path on a more subtle level is leading to greater realization and peace. Having fallen in love with a Lama she eventually perceives the source of this love in the Self and that following her own dharma brings the fulfilment she is yearning. Her descriptions of the countries’ scenery are breathtaking and that of her inner landscape is equally nuanced and inspiring ~ Sue Halley, Amazon Review

This novel describes a pilgrimage in India by the character Shantila Martin. It provides many descriptions of deep inner spiritual experiences, such as in meditation where her heart melts into an ocean of silence. It also offers experiences of love, such as with a Buddhist lama where sparks of love cross between them like a lotus blooming. The novel describes the character's insights into the meaning of love on many levels -- love of Self, love of an intimate other, love of friends, love of nature, love of life. As the author climbs higher on her trek, the meaning of love filters through the mountains and through the people she meets to bring a surprising but lasting fulfillment. This story will take you deeper into love as you climb higher in the mountains. ~ M.R. Neer, Amazon Review

" I really love this book and will recommend it for everyone who loves wisdom. The book is well written and very inspiring to read." ~ Einar Ostmyren, Swedish Engineer

"It is my experience that the best writers are those with keen and alert observation skills. In Pilgrimage on the Path of Love we are privileged to feast on the delicacies of keen observation that at once affirm the reader's own life experiences and delight the reader in the bond created by that recognition. Written in the first person by a young woman seeker, the narrative will confirm for female readers their own inner longings and doubts that are the stepping stones for those engaged in the pursuit of higher human awareness. For the male reader, the text will awaken him to the sensitivities of the female mind. And such an awareness for men is very vital in this age that is witnessing the rise of the gentleness and compassion that is the hallmark of the cosmic feminine. Any seeker who yearns for companionship on their singular and sometimes lonely path to Enlightenment will take heart from the pages of this book. It falls in the same exalted category as Yogananda's Autobiography of a Yogi and The Journey Home: Autobiography of an American Swami, by Radanath Swami. Pilgrimage on the Path of Love shows us that the path of love and devotion to higher consciousness is barred to none, whether from the East or the West. It is wonderful to live in an age in which Enlightenment is a growing understanding, and to receive the blessings of those moving along the path with such awareness as author Barbara Briggs." ~ Dr Joseph Boxerman, Adjunct Professor of Business Administration, Maharishi International University, Fairfield, Iowa

Pilgrimage on the Path of Love, a spiritual odyssey, delivers the richness and complexity of life in India, and brims over with convincing, memorable characters, not the least of which is her narrator/protagonist Shantila, a seeker after something we too seldom see in literary fiction - spiritual awakening and liberation. Through many suspenseful twists and turns of fortune, a reader follows Shantila's journey with the certainty that the outcome of her story will enrich his or her own meditations on the timeless question of why we are here, and how we can follow a spiritual path in a world so stained by suffering. This is a book I would recommend for everyone who loves wisdom and wishes to live an examined life. ~ Dr Charles Johnson, Ph.D. , Professor Emeritus, University of Washington, author of Middle Passage

Reading through Pilgrimage on the Path of Love by Barbara Ann Briggs gave me the feeling of moving gently on a canoe in a beautiful lake on a bright sunny evening when the approaching twilight leaves you nostalgic to see the day coming to an end. Making lucid use of the confessional mode of expression, her debut novel remarkably captures the spirit of the times. The quest that Shantila, the chief protagonist, undertakes on the path of love unveils to her not only the agony of pain and suffering implicit in meetings and partings but also the ecstasy of understanding and appreciating the intrinsic beauty of the landscape of the soul, the true nature of life as we live it. Her rumination at the end of the journey: "The pilgrimage I sought to complete has been completed, not to the temples of Rishikesh, Haridwar, Badrinath or Gangotri, but to the omnipresent God, to the temple hidden within every human heart" - comes as a potent antidote to growing intolerance bordering on clash of cultures and civilizations that characterizes a world in individual as well as collective distress. The charm of the novel lies in its ability to capture the attention of the reader from beginning to the end as it takes us over picturesque rivers, dales and hills to experience a kind of peace that defies understanding. I wish her maiden venture all success! ~ Dr Nibir K. Ghosh, D.Litt., UGC Emeritus Professor, Dept of English Studies & Research, Agra college

Pilgrimage on the Path of Love by Barbara Ann Briggs is a loving account of a woman's quest for spiritual fulfillment. At heart is a palpable undeniable love for the country of her adoption, its multitudinous life, its minor duplicities and wider generosities are so fondly captured with a liveliness, both authentic and amusing, that I felt fresh love gushing for this crazy country of mine. In the book, we travel from Dubai to Delhi to Manali and Leh with its far flung monasteries and brooding temples, and with each ascent, the protagonist is symbolically nearing that state which neither gains nor wanes, where plenitude and beatitude are suffused. These visitations are presented with gossamer delicacy, the author's luminous prose spreading its lacy veil over creation till creation becomes a salutation and a benediction. The inherent discipline encourages emulation. The devotion which the author brings to her enterprise and the serenity that follows are an inspiration. ~ Dr Shernavaz Buhariwalla, Ph.D., Retired Professor of English Literature, Nagpur University, Nagpur, Maharashtra (India)

Reminiscent of Irina Tweedie's Daughter of Fire, Herman Hesse's Siddhartha, and Teresa of Avila's Interior Castle, Pilgrimage on the Path of Love is a tale of human love transformed into divine love, of desperation into exaltation, of darkness into enlightenment. Barbara Briggs writes with a poignant, transcendent grace that enables us to experience the story, not merely read it. And this is an experience to treasure. ~ William T. Hathaway, author of Wellsprings: A Fable of Consciousness