Today we’d like to introduce you to Bani Hosseini
Hi Bani, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My love for books as a way of inner work and self-discovery started when I was 15 years old when my sister introduced me to Eckhart Tolle’s “A New Earth”. This book taught me the language to identify and observe the subtleties and complexities of our most intimate space, the self. Since then, books in the self-help genre have become a world of infinite discovery and later led me to study psychology to deepen my understanding and knowledge of the ultimate question I sought to answer: “Who am I?”
Learning about myself from books became such an important part of my life that I started to share my favorite books and passages with a close circle of friends. Since we were all located around the globe, in South America, the US and Europe, we began to meet online to discuss our insights and experiences from the books we were reading together. My passion for sharing this experience of reading life-changing books grew from there as I realized the power of deep listening in a group context and how speaking from the heart in a safe space can help us understand ourselves in a very profound way and ultimately live life more fully.
In 2018, I started my Youtube and Instagram channels where I started to share summaries and important teachings from my favorite books. It wasn’t until January 2023 that I started to hold my first online Zoom sessions to meet with people from all around the world. It’s one of the greatest joys in my life to meet with people with whom you may have never crossed paths and to connect on such a deep level.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The journey towards realizing what my offering to the world is has gone definitely through moments of doubt and confusion. Discovering our own inner essence requires us to remain open and to risk being seen. Once I realized that my passion for sharing the wisdom of words is not about me, but rather about the positive effect it could potentially have on someone else, I released any attachment to what the journey should look like. I believe that everyone has gifts to share with the world, and going through difficulties on this journey is an important part of strengthening our abilities to offer our gifts to our communities.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I run an online self-help book club called “Bani’s Book Club”. It’s an online space where we read life-changing books together, attend talks, workshops, meditate, journal and even do yoga in community. The structure of the book club is seasonal, where we read one book per season. There are seasonal and annual memberships available to attend the weekly live Zoom sessions to discuss the book we are reading. Members are free to join whichever season resonates with them. The workshops and talks take place all year-around and are open to the public. My intention for this community is to be a place where people know that they can always find sanctuary and to feel safe to explore their inner dynamics and to share from the heart.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
I’m always so excited to meet new people and to welcome them to our space! Reading together in community is something that has changed my life – and I am honoured to be able to share this passion with like-minded people.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.banisbookclub.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/banisbookclub/
Image Credits
Photo credits: Kenda Al Yakobi
https://www.kendalyakobi.com/
