Set in an unforgiving and often violent fictional land reminiscent of 17th century Spain, The Flute and the Otter is the story of Jacob's quest for wisdom, facing numerous challenges and threats to his life. As he struggles to incorporate the lessons of mindfulness and awareness he learned as a teenager, Jacob is visited by an otter, who reappears at critical moments throughout his adult life. What does this strange animal teach Jacob? Can the lessons Jacob learned from the mysterious storyteller help him survive in the harsh landscape of his native land-and the attacks by people who try to kill him?

The Flute and the Otter explores the meaning of wisdom and the tension between the Eastern focus on mind liberation and the Western focus on objective science. With the flute symbolizing clarity that removes obstacles and the otter representing compassionate action, this story of survival is replete with existential questions that arise from the meeting of Eastern and Western thought.