Todd Calfin
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Todd Calfin

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DALAI LAMA BLESSING On July 6th 2025, the author attended the Dalai Lama's 90th birthday celebration in Dharamsala. On the full moon of July 10th, he presented his book, Enlightenment on a Shoestring, to His Holiness. The book was warmly received and is now luxuriating, much like a pampered Himalayan cat, on the Dalai Lama's bedside table. Or so the author likes to imagine. INTERVIEW WITH TODD CALFIN What is your writing process? A calm, clear, meditative mind. In other words, a state of no-mind. In the sublime space between thoughts, the Cosmic Muse has a chance to enter. What are your five favorite books, and why? Siddhartha, The Tao Te Ching, The Alchemist, The Little Prince, and The Essential Rumi. These refreshingly simple books are potent wake-up calls. What's the story behind your books? The Keys to the Palace of Bliss (2013) is an autobiographical fairy tale about a mysterious forest dweller. Le Troubadour (2016) is the French version, translated by yours truly. Enlightenment on a Shoestring (2025) is a glimpse into the weird and wonderful world of a wandering baba. Who is Toddy Baba? Currently my pen name but ultimately my cosmic self. What is the greatest joy of writing for you? If I can inspire the reader to have a belly laugh, I have succeeded. After all, a belly laugh a day keeps the doctor away! Describe your desk. Truth is, I don't own a desk. Nor do I own a computer. The Keys to the Palace of Bliss, Le Troubadour, and Enlightenment on a Shoestring were written on the “Magic Desk of Existence”. Do you have a hero? My father is my hero. He is the kindest, most compassionate person I have ever known—a true Bodhisattva. On his deathbed, I offered my father a mala, a sacred garland of 108 beads, dipped in the very pond where the Buddha was bathed 25 centuries ago in Lumbini, Nepal. What do you like to do when you're not writing? Wander. My lifelong dream has been to explore 108 countries, not just islands and territories but actual countries, and that dream is now fulfilled. Here's some fun philosophy: An odyssey to 108 countries threads a magical mala around the globe, each nation a bead of life experience that ultimately illuminates the wayfarer. Imagine that! The author may be contacted: palaceofbliss at gmail dot com
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