The Empty Bowl

“A brilliant and brave memoir about facing emptiness. The prose is intelligent, taut, and disarmingly honest while the nuanced reflections are Proustian. A wild ride to satisfaction.” —Dr. Richard S. Marken, author of Controlling People: The Paradoxical Nature of Being Human
“A powerful, heartbreaking, inspiring and joyful journey. The reader will be touched by the life, the musings, the discoveries, and most profoundly, the vulnerability and honesty of the writing. Reading this memoir, you feel less lonely in your own struggle—Rikki’s inner awareness provides one possible path for each of us to find joy.” —Roshi Illana Berger, PhD, spiritual leader, coach, and blogger
“Compelling, riveting, and a spiritual game-changer, Rikki West’s new memoir is a coming-of-age and quest memoir all rolled into one. With candor, intelligence, and clever prose, she guides the reader on a roller coaster ride of self-discovery and then leads them across the finish line of spiritual awakening.” —Julie Ryan McGue, author of Twice a Daughter: A Search for Identity, Family, and Belonging and Belonging Matters: Conversations on Adoption, Family, and Kinship

Rikki West, a former spiritual seeker and UC Berkeley–trained scientist, spent decades trying to reconcile scientific explanations of existence with her ordinary, real-life awareness. One adventure at a time, she found her way to a peace and beauty that changed all the questions. Her book Rootlines, a memoir of family healing, was published by She Writes Press in 2020. Mother of Noli and Godmother of Morgan, Rikki loves being outside in the alpine desert of northern New Mexico, where she lives with her wife Jill and her dog, Zoey.

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