Divine Books

I have found this book by John Bluck to be inspiring and relevant. His thoughts on both passages of scripture and Christian thought in our times are meaningful to me. I will use many of his ideas in preparing sermons for delivery to my congregation, giving proper credit, of course. The book was a gift from a member of my parish who visited Dr. Bluck's Cathedral in New Zealand. Thank you so much. The Rev. Philip Seitz

This is an account of the author's experience in the presence of Sri Sathya Sai Baba. The spiritual journey took her to many countries and through a variety of religious disciplines and practices in her search for truth and reality. Born in Denmark, she traveled to Rome to explore Catholicism, looked for God and spirituality in Protestantism, explored Zen, was led to a Buddhist Center, worked with concepts taught by Rudolf Steiner, and studied yoga with Elizabeth Haich and Selva Raja Yesudian. She went on to India to meet Sri Aurobindo and The Mother, studied with Krishnamurti, and finally traveled to Prasanthi Nilayam in India to study with Sai Baba. Here she found a new understanding of the spiritual path that she wished to share with other people who are seeking as she has been seeking all her life - for peace in the world.
---from book's back cover

The Devi Mahatmyam (DM), popularly known as Chandi or Durga Saptasati, is part
of the Markandeya Purana but regarded as a separate text by
devotees of the Goddess within the Hindu tradition.
I would like to bring the attention of the interested readers
to this wonderful edition, written by a man, Sankaranarayanan,
who was a great initiate and transmitted
his profound intuition into these pages.

The DM, to the one who believes in Shakti, the Feminine Energy
of the Hindu tradition, often represented as a Supreme Goddess,
or as a collective entity of Goddesses, is not -just- a text.
It is perhaps the most Sacred Text,
a Living Entity provided of its own power and will, written in Sanskrit.
Sanskrit is per se
a sacred language, in which each letter is a primordial Sound that
can be connected to a State or Aspect of the Supreme Consciousness.
In the Vedas it is said that the Spoken Word becomes reality,
so the Spoken Word uttered in Sanskrit is not just word, it is
-creative- Word, `Word that makes'.

Combination of Sanskrit letters in special ways, following arcane rules
devised by the Gods, can create a Mantra, which does not just invoke a Deity or a higher State
of Consciousness, but _is_ indeed the very Deity or the high State one
is attempting to invoke. Mantras cannot be translated. Or understood. They can only be recited in a certain mental mode, and with the best of
intuition and human intelligence one can only hope to glimpse a minuscule
fraction of what a Mantra really is.

From the Author, we can read in the Introduction that the DM
is `a practical science teaching how to approach and
win the favor of the unique manifestation of the Mother, Durgaa,
whose name signifies She who is not easily approachable.'
Again from the Introduction we read that the `DM
is highly occult, a secrete science bestowing all Siddhis.'
`Each s'loka (verse) of the text is a potent Mantra', so the
Sadhana (spiritual practice) associated with the recital
(paaraayana) of the text is the crucial element.
Again the Author warns us that even the Gods understand only a
part of the DM, and only She, the Supreme Feminine Consciousness,
knows the true and entire meaning of it. So the DM cannot be just translated,
neither can be understood intellectually.

An academic investigation of this text can be useful and extremely interesting,
but it is not the key of spiritual progress. A mere attempt to
`understand' an English translation, without the Sanskrit Text,
could be meaningless if deprived of the Sound of the Sacred Word.
Modern English is not a sacred language, there is no correspondence between
letters and deities, not even between letters and sounds,
so a mere English translation of the DM may
be well done and poetic, but would be somewhat futile if taken alone,
without the spiritual practice.
The core of the DM is not just in its story.
The story may even be a pure symbolic sequence of enigmatic events
hiding the fundamental secret Truth which can arise only by performing the Sadhana for this text as a recitation in an `audible form', as the Author recommends.

All this to say that in this Edition of the DM a true initiate, born and dead
in India from a family of true initiates, an Author who did not seek international
recognition as a guru and did something totally unrelated to earn his living,
had conveyed his sacred knowledge and his teachings.

The Introduction states the purpose of the DM, and explains to the seeker the state of mind needed to approach the Goddess. In the following sections, the Author
teaches a mode of recital, and provides then the Sanskrit
and his own translation of the preliminary texts commonly associated with the
DM recitation.
These texts, particularly the Devi Kavacham (The armor of the Goddess),
are highly protective mantras meant to defend and help the seeker.
Then the 3 episodes of the actual core of the DM,
are presented and translated with the Author's unique occult knowledge.
Finally the appendixes containing, among others, the texts known as
Devi Sukta, and The Three Secrets, are provided.

Without being disrespectful to several other Authors who have published
English editions of the DM, I would like to suggest that, in my opinion,
this particular Edition has something extraordinary to offer. It is written with the
intent of opening a gate towards one
of the most profoundly esoteric aspects of the Hindu religion.

I strongly recommend this Edition of the DM to interested individuals
that can read Devanagari, and I suggest attempting the recitation of the text following with utmost care the Author's instructions.
This is no simple task, and I want to make clear that I do not
claim to be an Initiate or an advanced practitioner,
but I feel strongly that with time and constance spiritual practice is likely
to be successful under Sankaranarayanan's guide, and I am also confident that someone more skillful than myself may found the Author's instructions very useful from the very start, and make a huge leap forward in his or her spiritual progress.

Again, I don't want to even vaguely appear dismissive of other
scholars and devotees who have spent many years of their lives to publish
wonderful English editions of the DM. I do believe that these editions can
be all valuable complements to the work of Sankaranarayanan. Indeed,
one should always perhaps look at different editions of a Sacred Text, like
different facets of a jem. Among these, I recommend at least
three other versions of the DM with Sanskrit text
and English translations: the `classic', pocket-size, affordable edition published by Ramakrishna's Math in 1953; the excellent work by D. Nelson (aka Devadatta Kali), perhaps the most comprehensive in the English language, and the devotional edition published by the Devi Mandir, particularly suitable to Sanskrit learners, because of the large and clearly readable Devanagari fonts adopted, together with a convenient interlinear layout of Devanagari, Romanized text and translation.

The first of this volume's three main parts, Controversies, deals primarily with the central theme that different revelations are provided for different cultures. There is no single "universal" revelation for all men through all of time. The different spiritual temperaments of individual men (represented by jnana and bhakti) are also examined. I especially liked his analogy that bhakti without jnana is like flesh without a skeleton, while jnana without bhakti is like a skeleton without flesh. You cannot sustain one without at least a minor degree of the other.

The second part, Gnosis, proceeds to describe the state known by that name (and who better to define it than the author- I know of no more authentic case in modern times.) Gnosis is shown to represent the highest aspect of the Intellect- and is not to be confused with the lower faculty of rational thought. Gnosis deals with intuitive contact with the higher level of the Self, while mere rational thought deals with the strictly human level- profane intelligence for a profane world. The difference between of emphasis between Christian and Muslim gnosis is explained.

The third part, Christianity, deals with gnosis in the specifically Christian tradition (Trinitarian Metaphysics.) The Father is shown to represent, or rather is, pure existence (Beyond-Being), the Son is our pure intelligence (Being), and the Holy Spirit represents our pure will (Beatitude and Manifestation.) It is also in this section that the difference between the Church of Peter (Rome) and the Church of John (Celtic Church) is mentioned almost in passing.

There is a full section of very useful editor's notes to explain and expand the author's many learned references (in addition to the already extensive footnotes.) There is in addition an extensive section of letters and other related writings that have never before been published. There is also a full index.

Even in an excellent translation like this one, Schuon is not an easy read. However, I find that if I have to read a given passage over three or four times to gain its meaning, it is always worth the effort. It is the kind of effort that rewards instead of drains. It was a miracle that a being of such perception and intellect was given to us in these late times.

I read this book back to back after reading her first book and attending an all-day healing workshop. The information resonates very deeply at a soul level. I keep re-reading it and each time different information "pops" out from the page and feels like a new book. If you read this book with your full "rational" brain, it may sound like science fiction. But with all great spiritual teaching, one's intuition or felt-sense must kick in greater than the rational brain.

Caroline's group and personal healing sessions are amazing, subtle and highly effective. Her "system" for praying and intentions is one I now use daily with tremendous results.

Pastor Offiler lays out in this book a beautiful presentation of the major truths of God's word. By gleaning from the pages of scripture a concise overview of the various types and shadows of the Old Testament, and their fulfillment in the New Testament. This one book is a tremendous aid to any serious Spirit filled believer, desiring to grasp more fully the "big picture" of who God is, and what His will is for man.

Do you remember when you were younger when your teachers/mum/dad/granny/grandpa/priest/pastor/? used to tell you - "God loves you". This book really typifies what that means and beautifully brings to life the true dynamics of 'a relationship with God'.

This book communicates, in no uncertain terms, the authors heartfelt desire to get to know God for herself and graciously takes us through her many experiences with God from her very early stages of coversion.

Whilst offering a humanly portrayal of God, (without the limitations that that suggests) it illustrates, through the relaying of personal stories and events in her life that God's nature is actually quite reciprocal (contrary to popular belief) and really quite humourous!!! (dependant on the circumstances of course).

Accessible, thought provoking and positively enlightening, this book comes alive from the very first pages and undeniably has, in my opinion, a genuine ability to affiliate the reader to the idea of a relationship with God.

I would encourage absolutely anybody, to read this book - and also to get to really know what the author is talking about.

Truly a first class read.

God & Science is an anthology of brief essays by expert mathematician and investigator into East Indian cosmology and spirituality Richard L. Thompson. Addressing the seemingly intractible rift between religious and scientific views by exploring connections between modern science and the Vaishnava tradition of India, a belief system based on monotheistic philosophies that in turn share common traits with Judeo-Christian thought. Each short essay offers a gleam of insight into the old conflict of ideas, from the question of whether Eve existed to the mysteries of consciousness, paradoxes of time and space and more. A fascinating tour of the borders of the mystical and the analytical, offering revelations to both sides.

God Gave Leroy a miracle arm, but can he be a winning pitcher for the Yankees? George Steinbrenner is calling.

Leroy's 2005 Minor League Stats

W-L ERA IP K BB
0-17 6.66 13 2 44


Does Barry Manilow know Leroy raids his closet?

HELLO MY NAME IS MICHAEL GIBSON.I PERSONNALY WORKED WITH DAVID ON THIS BOOK FOR OVER 2 YEARS,ALL STARTING WITH MY OWN JOURNEY WHICH STARTED 17 YEARS AGO,WHEN I RETURNED TO GOD {SEEKING THE TRUTH}.I JUST RETURNED FROM A CRUISE IN WHICH I PERSONNALY SAW THIS BOOK AND THE CONCEPTS WITHIN TOUCH BOTH CHRISTIAN AND AGNOSTICS.I WATCHED THEM HUG WITHOUT JUDGEMENTS AND IN GODS LOVE I KNOW FOR THE FIRST TIME.BOTH MINE AND DAVID'S WISH FOR THIS BOOK IS THAT IT WILL TOUCH YOU IN A WAY THAT WILL CAUSE YOU TO SEEK GOD'S TRUTH FOR YOUR OWN PERSONAL JOURNY. THANK YOU,GOD BLESS,MICHAEL S.T.T.!!!