The Art of Reading with Jade Moyano
An interview series giving us a glimpse into the life of the reader.
The Art of Reading is a Trust and Travel Interview Series dedicated to exploring the role reading has played in shaping the creatives we become. Reading is a multitude of things: a love affair, a pastime, a mind shaper, a heart breaker. We often tether ourselves to the books that have come along and shaped our identity and understanding of the world, and therefore in the process our creative pursuits as well. The Art of Reading explores this act across all disciplines.
This week we chat with Jade Moyano, Founder of Trust and Travel.
Trust and Travel: What are you currently reading? What is currently on your night stand to read?Jade: I am currently reading 3 different books, which is not something I don't do normally. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I'm simply too scattered right now to focus on one thing? I am reading You Were Born For This by Chani Nicholas. It's a comprehensive view on astrology, simply laid out to help us better understand ourselves. I'm also reading a lot of poetry to remind myself to keep writing it. Mary Oliver's Upstream, Yesika Salgado's Tesoro, and How to Cure a Ghost by Fariha Roisin are currently inspiring me.
TT: Where is your favorite place and time to read? Paint us a picture. Jade: I love reading at night, curled up in bed, bathed in my essential oils, cup of tea at arm's reach.
TT: Tell us about a book that changed you in some way. Maybe it changed the way you read, or the way you feel about yourself, or a place. A book that altered your thinking/feeling in some way.Jade: Well, there are many. When I was younger, I read every single Paulo Coelho novel. Somehow, they gave me a sense of possibility. Most of his books are about trust in your inner guidance, about spiritual awakenings and stories of truth. I grew up amidst a lot of chaos and these stories always made me feel like there was more to life. And it turned out to be true! There's so much more to life. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance also had enormous impact on me. I remember finishing it and just sitting there in awe, full of goosebumps. I love philosophy and Robert Pirsig's inquiry into values gave me so much perspective on things such as living life as a romantic or a realist, our approach to problem solving being responsible for how we show up in the world. His book was rejected by 120 publishers before it became considered one of the most important books ever written. The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer got me through a very difficult time of confusion and anxiety. He really explains how the mind works and it's a relief to know we have control of all of it.
TT: What is the one book you always recommend to people? And why?
Jade: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Because it's really freaking hard to read and if you get through it it's because you are really understanding the deeper message, and your life is probably about to change. I also always recommend The Surrender Experiment, Michael Alan Singer, about the art of letting go. For people who like fiction, I always go with Murakami's Norwegian Wood.
TT: Why do you read?
Jade: To stay alive.
xoxo
A note on Jade:
Jade spent the early days of her writing career in the non-profit sector, becoming immersed in contemporary efforts towards social change. She believes the main benefit of travel is to educate through pleasure, and that this cultural education holds the key to a more holistic society. As a widely published writer and editor, she has spent most of her days in the past 8 years developing creative and editorial strategies for brands, traveling extensively all over the world, teaching yoga and writing for publications such as Monocle, Conde Nast Traveller UK and US, GQ, People, Passion Passport and Uproxx.
She is currently based in LA and works on the creative team at Airbnb as a storyteller.
