Freedom's Call

Inspired by an ancient hermetic text, tech entrepreneur Robert Riley sets out in search of wisdom, navigating divorce and fatherhood along the way. His desire to discover and share universal truths about politics, culture, religion and science is fuelled by rising tensions around the world and the pressing need for unity.

Riley goes on a shamanic quest into his inner being - aided by the formidable plant spirit medicine ayahuasca - seeking to get more in touch with himself and the world around him. His journey takes him through past, present, and towards a new future, from his lakeside home to protest-wracked Hong Kong, the temple at Angkor Wat, and into the deepest corners of the mind. Now feeling the love - in a new relationship and with humankind as a whole - Riley speaks of connection, compassion and hope for us all in the evolution of our species on this planet.

Part rumination on the unprecedented crises of our time, part reminiscence of a family man, part exploration of consciousness and the sacred, Freedom's Call shares what it means to be human in the 21st century. Riley's sharp, witty and, at times, emotional storytelling, mixed with philosophical meditations, sound an earnest plea for engaged civic action, a new spirituality and a call to unity.

ABOUT ROBERT RILEY

If I could write effectively anonymously I would, but folks like a little background on a writer before they read. So emphasis on 'a little' background. Robert Riley is my pen name. My real name doesn't matter. I'm one of 'us'; the silent majority; one of the many who are quiet and busy keeping the lights on and the taps flowing; driving kids around and getting taxes paid on-time.

By day I'm a dad, husband, entrepreneur, corporate guy; but in the early hours of the morning, just before sunrise, my heart... my heart belongs to you. To anyone that wants to wake-up, to help, to restore this world, our times, us to a cohesive whole. I can't sing, I'm terrible at prayer and meditation. What I care most about, what I write about and share is the beauty in us, in our shared striving, to grow, to become a little less raucous and a little more chill with each other and this world we are living in.