How One Man Brings Voice To His Reading Journey

It goes without saying that I love meeting new people. Human connection is my love language. And if they enjoy discussing books, then all the better. 

Last year I met voice actor Ryan Vaniski through the Awakening Dragon Community on Telegram, a group hosted by my long-time mentor and coach Casey Kotchmer. A Las Vegas-based voice actor with a jaunty way about him, Vaniski uses his voice to soothe, educate and entertain, all while sowing seeds of inspiration in the minds of his listeners. 

Says Vaniski: 

“Growing up in entertainment, both as a performer and a creator, I always knew my purpose was in the creative arts. A performer from a very young age, I acted all the way through high school with a fascination for cartoons and puppetry, eventually moving into directing for stage and film….

“….At Disneyland I enlivened the majestic puppets in the “Lion King Celebration”, and danced the streets in various other parades and shows. Later I donned the Dragon puppet in the “Shrek Live” show at Universal Studios, then produced and starred in the short film, “Puphedz: The Tattle-Tale Heart”.

Vaniski then stepped away from entertainment for a number of years, dipping into the world of theme park development, before becoming a Holistic Health Practitioner with a private practice in Southern California. 

Stepping away from entertainment for many years, with a dip or two into the world of theme park development, I became a Holistic Health Practitioner with a private practice in Southern California. Now after a few decades of detours, Vaniski says that he’s now on the highway of his dreams. 

Tell us about your formative years and early experiences with books. 

As a kid, I always hated reading. In fact, I despised everything that had to do with school or edification. Everything, that is, except science. I had a tremendous draw and interest in science and everything that it encompassed—nature, animals, the human body, weather, and on, and on.

I wanted to learn and experience all things science, but I never wanted to read anything. Whether it be fiction, education, periodicals, whatever it may be, I had no desire to read. It was an excruciating experience for me; not that it was difficult, I simply did not enjoy the process. I much preferred to draw, perform, move my body and be creative. It appears that I needed to always be active, creating and experimenting.

What then fueled your eventual desire to become a reader? 

It wasn’t until my adult life—truly into my thirties—that I finally gained an appreciation for reading. This is when I began my personal journey inwards, as well as my professional education in Holistic Health. I purchased and read book after book on health, alternative medicine, meditation, spirituality, and more, all the while forgetting that I ever had a prior allergy to the act of reading. 

How has your reading journey then evolved over the years?

To this day I am finding myself drawn deeper into books on spiritual philosophies, business, and finance, as well as practical guides on art and entertainment. And while I love to learn and experience fresh new ideas and perspectives, I never seem to pick up any fiction. I presume this to be more a factor of time value as I prefer to reserve my reading opportunities for learning rather than escaping.

What was the last great book you read? In what ways did it resonate with you?

Most recently I finished a book entitled, “Self Observation - The Awakening of Conscience, An Owner’s Manual” by Red Hawk. This small, yet very powerful treatise on understanding and working with the mechanics of the human psyche documents. It offers a novel, yet ancient perspective on how the inner, emotional, and thought-based processes in the mental/emotional body—referred to as the “intellectual-emotional complex”—perceive itself, as well as how it functions, and can therefore be changed. I know that’s quite a mouthful, and it’s even more convoluted to understand but was well worth the effort. 

How has this book impacted you? 

When finished, I gained a fresh new concept for handling emotions and for understanding the choices we make throughout our lives. As a former Holistic Health Practitioner, discovering uncommon methods to bring healing and growth to others and me without the reliance on tools, substances, or invasive techniques, I found Red Hawk’s perceptions and techniques to open such value in self-responsibility, while placing the key to understanding and transformation into one’s own hands.

What about the book resonated with you the most? 

The aspect of this book that I preferred most is that it doesn’t merely tell you what you should do. Rather, it describes, in detail, the prime steps one must take to truly awaken the divine Self within, as well as rich processes to weave this understanding into one’s own daily experience and eventual personal growth and evolution. 

How did it differ from other related books that you’ve read over the years? 

Many other spiritual philosophy books will share with readers the importance of the concepts being discussed, such as being happy, not judging, or feeling gratitude, yet they fail to teach the practical steps necessary to achieve such experiences. Although simple, the ideas in “Self Observation” are by no means easy. They take courage, a strong willingness, and a highly flexible mind to grasp and use all that is held within these pages.

Can you share more about the basic tenets of the book? 

The concepts in this book encompass the teachings and philosophies of G. I. Gurdjieff. To expand upon these teachings I have graduated to reading an even more fascinating book, “In Search of the Miraculous”, by P. D. Ouspensky. This volume is a vast textbook of the subtle universe and all that it, and Us, are capable of. I am only a short way into it, and thus far I have a fully new perspective of where human thought rests within the fabric of the universe. Unbelievably fascinating! I only wish that I had more time to read through this book faster as my hunger for knowledge is great.

In general, what authors and genres are you particularly drawn to? What are your main sources of book recommendations?

When it comes to selecting books that I wish to read, the choice rarely comes first by the author. I am more drawn to the specific subject that is discussed, rather than by whom it was written. If the book shares insight and information in which I have a great interest, it is of little consequence to me the name of the person who created the work. This is not to say that I have no respect for the author; as an author myself, I hold a bright torch for those who pour their heart and wisdom into text for the world to read. 

But are there any particular authors that appeal to you? 

I must attest to my deep appreciation for don Miguel Ruiz. I will read any book written by this man. Some say that his work is too simplistic and elementary, however, it is the ideas, the thoughts, and the energies that are hidden between the words, between each letter that he writes, where the genuine value shines. As I have learned many times over, the more complex something is, the more ego-driven it is, whereas the more simple it is, the more true and effective it becomes.

What about book genres and themes? 

As you may have assumed by this point, my greatest genre of attraction is towards spirituality, philosophy, and the mind. In all of my studies and practice of health, nature, and the human body, it has become clearly evident that the primary sources for nearly all ailment and suffering are thought and subtle energy. This statement may offend many and fascinate others. However, I know this to be true from my own experiences, education, and observation. And from this perspective, seeking concepts, methods, and ideas to remedy such inner disharmonies has been a compelling journey that I am always reaching for more to learn.

Where do you get the vast majority of your book recommendations? 

If I am going to pick up a new book to read, this choice is going to come either by recommendation of a trusted friend or colleague or by way of a reference from another book that I am reading. The trail of recommendations has not let me down yet. And I must say that the vast experiences of your Great Books, Great Minds digital newsletter certainly feed a seemingly endless list of prized recommendations. For this, I am truly grateful.

In terms of your preferred reading experience, do you prefer hardback/paperback, digital, or audiobook format?

My clear preference for reading is always going to be paper, and if I had a choice I will always go for hardback. Reading a book printed on paper creates a tangible map for the experience. If I want to return to a specific idea that I read earlier, in a paper book I can remember where it physically was that I read a certain passage, not only within the progress of the book’s pages but also approximately where on the page it was that I saw this information. 

Interesting. Can you elaborate on this point a bit further? 

Sure. Like traveling in a new location, one can remember landmarks and aesthetic points to remember where one has been. This proximal reference is impossible in a digital book because the content on the pages is dynamic and flexible based on the font chosen and the point size of the lettering. There is no thickness of the book to measure progress and location in an iPad compared to a bound block of paper.

It does though seem like you’ve had some experiences with digital books

I do partake in digital books when necessary, but again, I am much more into hardback and paperback books. I do also appreciate the convenience of audiobooks for absorbing knowledge while driving or washing dishes. However, this format, again, lacks the proximal reference found in paper books.

One can say that the environmental cost of paper books is too harsh, and to this, I agree. However, with technology, there is also great environmental damage from mining the materials for chips, boards, batteries, and such. The positive aspect of paper is that it can easily be recycled into new paper, and trees can always be planted. Yet once raw materials are stripped from this beautiful Earth to manufacture the newest tablets or phones, those essential organs of the planet will take eons to replenish, if ever. I choose paper.