India Books

I picked this little book up at a local bookstore after reading through quite a few on the shelf. I think this is the best bet for the money--simple and to the point. A great first book and intro to the art of Tarot. My first use of the cards with this book was very helpful! Be creative with your intuition and the information available in this book and you may find the key which is hidden in your subconscious.

This is the ultimate book for the beginner. It is short and to the point and it is right on target. In so few pages this book is packed with great information. All you need to know to get started is right here. First there is the history of Tarot. Alan Oken takes you all the way back to the beginnings of the cards and brings you through the many transformations over the years. Next he takes you through the deck card by card. Each card is explained. The meanings are made clear. If you are interested in Tarot this is the book for you.

Though I have many books on the Tarot, this little book intrigued me. I had picked it up originally thinking that it was so small it would come in handy as a travel companion for one of those 'when in doubt' readings... Then upon actually reading it - Wow! ~ Packed with so much information, even the intermediate and advance Tarot Reader can value it's information. Traditional meanings, Esoteric meanings as well as Mundane. How they can apply in a reading, as well as pointing out a large amount of symbolism, particularly in the Major Arcana. I was (and still am) simply impressed with this little book. A little book that packs a punch! Save yourself some money on the big names and invest in this little book at a small price and I doubt you'll ever regreat it!

This little book is for anyone searching for a simple, yet meaningful reference book on interpreting the cards in the Waite Tarot deck. Where other authors typically use superficial interpretations for each card, Alan Oken touches upon the symbolism in each card and moves beyond mediocrity to unveil the deeper spiritual/psychological meaning inherent in the tarot system. For the more advanced readers, he includes esoteric and exoteric wisdom for each card. This is a must book for anyone interested in tarot!

This book is a must-read for those interested in Indian philosophies. Like ancient/medieval Western philosophies, Indian philosophy is hard to grasp unless one has a clear sense as to what sorts of problems the philosophers are trying to answer. In this work Potter does a very good job at this-- he lays out the fundamental problem that all (speculative) Indian philosophies attempt to solve: How is complete freedom possible? As explained very clearly by Potter, complete freedom is understood by classical Indian philosophers as BOTH freedom-to (i.e. we can effect changes in the world so that we can be free from bondage by karma) and freedom-from (i.e. the world leaves us with sufficient room that we don't HAVE to stay bounded or become free). Put under this fundamental understanding, Potter was able to provide a clear survey of a myriad of ~20 most significant philosphers' views-- their logics, ontologies and epistemologies-- under a very handy framework of classification. Potter's classification is philosophically-oriented and is infinitely more useful than the standard scheme (Materialists, Buddhism, Jainism and the 6 Hindu 'Orthodox' schools). This classification is both very insightful and original. As someone who is fairly well-acquainted with the different strands of classical Chinese philosophy (which asks a slightly different question: 'how is becoming a possible?' where the interpretation of the sage as end-goal is more diversely understood than in the Indian tradition), I feel that Potter's framework gives me a powerful tool to help me acquire a much deeper philosophical understanding of the Chinese traditions.
As a clear thinker, Potter writes with sharp clarity and is able to express difficult ideas in fairly accessible terms. In fact, it's a real accomplishment to complete such an ambitious survey of major Indian philosophies in a manuscript of less than 300 pages. I only wish that Potter had revised this work after his editing of the encyclopedia of Indian philosophies! (This work was originally published in 1963, and does show his lack of a good first-hand understanding of Buddhist philosophies. If Potter had revised this after his editing of the Encyclopedia, I'm sure this book will be longer and with more thorough analysis on the Abhidharma philosophies.)

I first read this book when I took an undergraduate philosophy course from Karl Popper himself way back in 1969 at the University of Minnesota. My opinion of it has never changed, and I am pleased to see that an Indian press has resurrected this seminal work: it remains, for me, the best serious evaluation of the conceptual foundations of Indian philosophy. It is a serious work by a serious philosopher, so those in search of shortcuts to nirvana should continue their search elsewhere. I lost my old copy of this book years ago, and am thrilled to have found it once again. Thanks, Amazon.com!

1. It was interesting finally to see a book on Indian philosophy beginning with Bhagvat Gita and four Purushaarthas for a change. These are the hallmarks of Indian philosophy, especially Hindu thought. I particularly liked his notion of attitudes about the Purushaarthas. That was a new approach towards Dharma, Artha, Kaama and Moksha. However, his sequence is different. He places Artha, Kaama, Dharma and then Moksha which is different from the traditinal sequence. Also, his description of Artha and Kaama was little inadequate. Artha and Kaama have been regarded as two powers in Hindu thought. Artha (Wealth) is deemed necessary so that all the economic resources can be spent for charities, donations and other spiritual/social works. Similarly, Kaama is treated as God's creation also in BhagwatGita Chapter 4, only if it is according to prescribed Dharam/scriptures. This information is missing from pages 5-10 (chapter 1).

2. In the same chapter, page 15 - 19, he talks about Renunciation and Resignation. I found it very very bold defence of Krishna's advise to Arjuna to fight. It is indeed a controversial topic and I am glad that Potter did support Krishna's advocacy for freedom and performing one's duty without attachment to results. And here, Potter has defined Karma Yoga so beautifully.

3. But in the very next chapter, page 40 in the section for Paths for freedom, while describing Karma Yoga, he misses the important points he just mentioned in the previous chapter pages 15 - 19 (as above). He confuses Karma - Kaanda(rituals) of Vedas with Karma Yoga, how sad!

Like one of the previous reviewers I was lucky enough to have been taught by Professor Potter himself, though I met him at a latter stage in his career while attending the University of Washington. His book, especially the first four chapters, presents the foundations upon which the Indian philosophical mind turns better than any other book I know. I strongly believe that this is the best place to begin one's studies of Indian thought, not because it provides the best systematic account of the history of Indian philosophy but because it provides the clearest articulation of its most basic presuppostions. Highly recommended reading for both its insights and quality of writing.

Great home recipe's from Orissa/ Eastern India. Good to get the recipes for Chitau Pitha etc.

Very rarely one comes across a book that seems on surface to be
devoted to a narrow specialty, but which by virtue of its author's
knowledge and expertise, becomes a mirror in which the whole
subject area and more is reflected and illuminated.
In this sense ``Purba'' is not merely a book on food originating from a major
state in eastern India -- it is a palette on which the author
manages in her inimitable style to unify the basic methods and
techniques of food preparation from different regions of the
world as disparate as France, China and Orissa (the last being
the state in eastern India where she hails from). In this
identification of the basic principles and techniques of cuisine
from across the world, this book and its author (a computer
scientist from Orissa, working in New York) is symptomatic of
our times; for better or for worse, an indicator toward our
globalized future.

``Techniques + Ingredients = Recipes''. This, according to the
author, is the defining equation of all cuisines. It also captures
succinctly the point of view from which the author (a scientist
byprofession) approaches the subject. It is not on the particulars,
but on the universal techniques, that cut across cuisines across different
continents, that our attention is focused on. The author is clearly
a master of her subject matter, as well as a good expositor, with a
sleek style and the occasional scientific humor. It is in fact a good
read even if you don't want to step into the kitchen in this lifetime.

Of course, subject of the book is food from Orissa and the author
does an extremely good job of exposing the richness and variety of
Oriya cuisine to the non-Oriya speaking world. This is a great service
in itself, as unlike cuisines from North and South India, food from
Eastern India tend to be unnoticed outside India -- partly, because
of their elaborate preparations which makes them unsuitable for
the typical Indian restaurant. But, when one really delves into it there are
immense riches here to be picked for the gastronomically inclined and
``Purba'' is a wonderful introduction to this rich, new, culinary world.
The recipes themselves are described with unusual precision, and
is suitable for both beginners as well as experienced cooks.

I have been interested in international cooking for years with a particular fondness for Indian cooking. I discovered this wonderful book on Amazon.com and found it appealing because 1) it covers a region of India (Orissa) whose recipes I have never seen before and 2) the author is actually a scientist so I knew the recipes would not omit any details. I must say I was not dissapointed. If you are like me, you will be amazed that Dr. Parida is not a full time chef and cookbook author.

Once you read the preface you will also see she has a great sense of humor that shines through again and again throughout the book.

For those among you who sometimes feel that the spice mixtures of Indian recipes are a little overwhelming, this book is for you. All of the recipes I made from this book are flavorful without being overpowering.

So far I have 3 recipes that I love from this book:

1) Khichidi - a wonderful rice and lentil combination that is extreemly easy to prepare, elegantly seasoned and can serve as a full meal on its own.

2) Baigana Bharta - Mashed fried eggplants. while the description may not sound so appetizing, think of it as an alternative to Babaganoush. The buttery flavor of the slow roasted eggplant and the delicate seasonings make this an excellent dish hot or cold. I serve it cold as an appetizer with thinly sliced crusty bread. My dinner guests rave about it!

3) Kheeri - Rice pudding. Indian comfort food! Rice pudding is one of favorite desserts and when I first saw this recipe I thought it had a typo because it appeared to call for too much milk. I tried the recipe as printed and the result was a deliciously silky rice and milk concoction that I have made again and again.

I highly recommend this wonderful book. Lets encourage this highly gifted author to keep writing books!

One Lakshmi feeds the world, another Laxmi in NY tries food recipes and cooks them to taste.  Lakshmi at Puri is busy in making recipes from all her creations and endows color, grandeur and nutrition to food.  Laxmi at NY examines these recipes and selects the ones that people can attempt in their homes.  The eternal Lakshmi opens her many kitchens to scientist Laxmi to learn and write for the rest of the public.  Laxmi Parida, a computational biology scientist at IBM in NY has produced a magnificent collection of Oriya recipes in a book form.  The book called "Purba: Feasts from the East" is distributed through Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com.  For every Oriya and for any person interested in Orissa, this is an elegantly produced and extremely valuable reference book.  It has the distinct honor of the first Oriya cook book to hit the US stands.  Congratulations to Dr Parida, who carries the blessings from SriLakshmi.

The 207-page book is broken into nine chapters: Oriya pantry, Jalakhia, Pitha, Breads, Bhata, Entrees, Sun-drying (badi and pickles), Mitha and "East meets Far East".  Each chapter is wholesome and is loaded with specific recipes that carry the nostalgic charm and full-bodied instructions for preparation.  Through her home kitchen back in Orissa and with the urging of her mother (remember "Bend it like Beckam"), she has herself tried each dish and knows the failings well.  She is an astute observer and an expert teacher.  With the objective humor of a scientist, she guides any novice to travel through the roads of Oriya culinary arts.  For me, the reading itself was a meal.

Anything that you ate in homes or streets during your time in Orissa is in the book. My special favorites were the recipes for various chakulis, chitaus, arisa and kakara. People who know me know my weakness to these objects.  What we don't normally succeed is to create a full holiday meal as one had taken in Lekhanapur or Nardia. The holiday meal consists of pithas of grains and legumes of the season, seasoned with herbs and spices particular to the season, supplemented with vegetables cooked according to the climate and temperature of the season.  This is the food culture of Orissa and the book enables you to recreate it.  Then go to my other favorites of mithas: rasagolla, ladoo, kesar, khiri and tons of other savory dishes. Time has come that we impress our neighbors with the brilliant food that Oriyas invented and the  brilliant style the food is composed.  Let there be a weekly meal with "kakharu and saga" and "potala rasa" or a nonvegetarian festive meal with "machha mahura" and "mangsa gugni".  Let children enjoy "gaja" and "singada" and let "peda" and "sandesh" replace cakes.  Time has come to announce to the words that Oriya is style and sophistication.  The culture and food have been hundreds of years in the making.  It's royal.

Dr Parida is available to assist the new cooks to initiate into Oriya cooking. the veterans can comment and add more dishes to the book to make a second part.  SriJagannatha eats sabara food and the whole set of recipes from the hills and forests need assembly.  The recipes from south and the recipes from the inner villages at Puri would make other volumes.  The books reminds you of the richness of food as a sustenance and the beauty of human ingenuity in creating crafts in taste and nutrition.  At (cheap) e book is a bargain for all the information and the meticulous guidance.  Enjoy!!   

This book contributes widely to the construction of a vital awareness of what a "militant" should be in our contemporary society. Osho praises the power of rebellion through meditation and despises all traditional ways of violent materalistic revolutionary schemes. Good food for thought.

For those of you who have been wobbling between political movements and spiritual search, this is a wonderful book. It sorts out the virtues and shortcomings of socialism and anarchism, it smashes christianitys self-destructive demands of serving others, and it gives you guidelines, not for a future utopia, but for a constant ongoing inner rebellion, a change that might change the world

"It is easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission."
"Delay is the strongest form of denial."

There is so much that we don't know about ourselves. The powers that be, political, economic or religious, would like to keep it that way. They don't want us to know that we can be totally responsible for ourselves, thereby making ourselves totally free of them. After all, there are governments, churches, courts, etc... because at some point in history we allowed these institutions to form so we wouldn't have to worry about certain things like making our own decisions. To find out what "good" is, we don't need to think for ourselves - we can just ask our local religious or political representative. No thought necessary.

It's time to change things around a bit. It has become crystal clear that living in a social collective has its disadvantages. Mediocrity is praised, while often, genius is attacked as evil by disassociation. If you're not part of the herd, you're not to be trusted.

Fighting with the established powers is futile. Revolution only succeeds in putting the revolutionaries into the very seat of corruptible power their enemies occupied previously. What is needed is not a change of leaders, but rather a change in mode of existence. The change must start from within each individual. Each individual is a single unit in the mass that forms the social collective, so to have a truly successful "revolution" the change must start from within the single units. Through meditation we can hope to change ourselves, which on a grand scale will change the world.

This self-change or self-revolution is what Osho means by "rebellion." Rebellions are not tied to any particular group of people, or system of belief. Rebellions are wholly the concern of the individual. There is no need for bloody, violent revolutions once we see that they only lead to the same twisted human relations that existed beforehand.
Rebellion has never been tried on a mass scale; considering that the death toll will equal zero, what do we have to lose?

For thought-provoking treatment of similar topics, in addition to this and other books by Osho, I strongly recommend reading Christopher Hyatt, Robert Anton Wilson, and many other authors who can be found [...](a very interesting publishing company).

this book is good. osho says revolutoins fail. So, he says, rebel. Change inside. Then after you change inside you will be better equipped to change the world outside. good book, read it.

This is an English translation of the most significant book ever written by Rosa Luxemburg, the great European socialist theorist and revolutionary. Born in Poland she gravitated to Berlin just as Edward Bernsein was leading the German Social-Democratic Party and all of European socailism toward a reformist, revisionist position which would become his philosophical legacy the to world.

From the very start, Rosa Luxemburg was the main theoretical opponent of Bernstein's revisionist theory. She critized that theory from her position in the political left. This book, written in 1900, is the classic answer to Bernstein's book, "Evolutionary Socialism" (written in 1898).

For any library hoping to survey the entire course of modern European thought this is a necessary addition.

Barbara Greenway, a high school teacher in Maryland, January 18, 2004,
luxemburg
Written at the turn of the last century (1900), this is Rosa Luxemburg's concise but brilliant response to the question --- what is the future for the workers of the world? The debate then, in Germany, is still the same question today. Can the current system be 'reformed'? Can we have humane capitalism? As Luxemburg says in this short pamphlet, 'The historic necessity of the socialist revolution manifests itself above all in the growing anarchy of capitalism...' Although it may seem that we are further away from this debate then ever before, reading this polemic may make you think differently. Luxemburg takes up economic development, unions, and the dangers of the opportunists of the 'left'. She always keeps her remarks grounded in the scientific socialism of Karl Marx and successfully, in my opinion, argues the case for workers ultimately taking power. A strong and convincing argument for those who want to study the writings of past revolutionary leaders to prepare for fights to come. While Amazon may say that this book is unavailable from time to time, it is always available from the Pathfinder Z store listed under"new and used" at the top of this page.

In 1897 Eduard Bernstein, then a influential leader of the German Socialist party, the SPD (a large, well funded organization which led many unions and whose leadership was respected internationally), began publishing a series of articles in the Socialist press which were later published as a book "Evolutionary Socialism". In this work Bernstein challenged a number of the basic underpinnings of Marxism. Principally, that a revolution was necessary to transfer political power from the capitalist class to the workers and farmers. Bernstein argued instead that by using the power of the unions, by getting reformers elected to public office, by passing social welfare legislation, etc. a gradual transformation, evolution, of capitalism to socialism could occur. None of the other leaders of the SPD challenged Bernsiein's views.

Instead a young woman in her twenties, just out of college, and an immigrant to boot, took on the job. In a series of articles she took on and demolished Bernstein's arguments. She went further and argued that a rot had infected the organization and needed to be cleared out. This was Rosa Luxemburg and this is her first important book. Well worth the time to read.

It is right now (2004) the accepted wisdom of the mainstream of that which
calls itself The Left in the U.S. (and not only there) that the present
evils of this System-the "free market" capitalist system-are the result of
"mistaken" policies, that U.S. imperial war and parallel attacks on our
rights were invented by George W. Bush (or at best, the Republicans), and
that the best we can do-we, meaning working people and youth seeking to
resist-is hope by various ways to tame the Yanqui Empire and make capitalism
behave in a "responsible" way. More than one hundred years ago, a
Polish-born, Jewish, and-for that time, gasp! -female revolutionist Rosa
Luxemburg stood up (on a chair once, the story is told; she was short as
well) in front of the largest and best organized labor movement in Europe,
the German Social Democratic Party, and declared that while working people
can never stop fighting for our rights and our interests such as in street

demonstrations and above all the strike picket line, we will carry the
weight of this system's evils around our neck unless we have the final goal
always in mind of taking power out of the hands of the capitalists and
putting it in our own. Elsewhere she summed it up as the choice between "
Socialism or Barbarism." In today's terms it could be summed as: either we
do what the Cuban people did in 1959 and after in this country-in our era-or
humanity is doomed to a march by imperialism toward fascism and Word War
III. Read this book and you will do much more than learn about a long-ago
debate in the labor movement: you will be inspired by Rosa Luxemburg's
absolute confidence in the ability of working people in the most advanced
capitalist industrial power of her time to storm the heavens and make
revolution!

I really enjoyed Mukulika Banerjee's look into the beautiful but often complicated world of the sari. It provides a great deal of information on regional customs. I was disappointed that the book did not contian more photos.

Mukulika Bannerjee's book, while easily accessible to Westerners with little to no knowledge of Indian clothing customs, also goes in-depth about the many levels of nuance attached to a deceptively simple 6-yard piece of unsewn cloth. She delineates cultural sentiments about what colors and styles are appropriate for unmarried girls, the new bride, middle-aged mothers, and widows. Sections include explanations of the many fabric styles, from ethnic handloom cottons and silks to garish polyester synthetics, along with discussions on what sort of woman is likely to wear each, and for what occasion. Fascinating real-life vignettes feature all sorts of sari wearers, from Hindu to Muslim and from the poorest villager to Bollywood stars and political leaders like Indira Gandhi. The many stunning color photographs make this book a real delight to the eyes as well as a great source of information on a topic rarely covered in the West.

I have had a deep interest in Indian and Pakistani dress for four or five years. I own and wear several saris and shalwar kamiz, but didn't know much about their history or the nuances of dress; this book changed that for me. I was looking for a well illustrated coffee table book, but got that and much more! I could barely put it down from the moment it was delivered. Although there is a lot of detail, it is written in a way that is interesting and easy to read. I highly reccomend it!

I own about 450 books on India and Indian culture, so when I say this is one of my 2-3 favorite books on India (the other probably being Meeting God by Stephen Huyler), it truly says something about this book.

The Sari is beautiful to look at, and fascinating to read. It draws us into women's lives in a way that is enlightening, personal, and does not play to Western preconceptions.

A cross between social antropology and coffee-table book, this book appeals on many levels. It has a ring of truth, drawn from hundreds of interviews with Indian women about their lives and their attitude towards the clothes they wear. It sets these individual attitudes squarely in the cultural milieu in which they belong.

I hope that it gets the wide readership it deserves.

This book is really a discourse on why we feel pain. For people of a more "intellectual bent", this book may be the perfect opening into Yogananda's other books and works. According to this book, there really is no pleasure. So what do we feel when we have sex or eat an ice cream cone? First of all, the mind is just fine as it is. That is, you will not add anymore pain. But by association in thought (thinking), one creates an "excitation" in the brain. This is a desire and it causes pain because we want the desired object. Now here is the hard part. The so-called pleasure is really just the removal of the WANT created by the association in the mind. I thought about writing a book review. Somebody calls. I feel upset (pain). But the pain is caused by my having thought about the book review in the first place. I created an "excitation" or spark in the brain. Then this excitation was not fulfilled. Great pain. But even if somebody doesn't call, and I do write this review, THE FEELING OF PLEASURE IS ONLY THE RESULT OF REMOVING THE ORIGINAL EXCITATION FROM MY BRAIN! So, there really isn't any pleasure. There is the pain of not satisfying the excitation and there is the neutral feeling of satisfying the excitation (which will uninevitably arise again). How do we get out of this quagmire of pain. Quite simple. Order this book from Amazon. com.

In this small book, PARAMAHANSA YOGANANDA clearly states a simple and profound truth that is the core philosophy of all of the world's great spiritual systems. As Douglas Ainslie says in his introduction "this small book offers the clue to the universe....between these narrow covers is to be found the flower of the Vedas and the Upanishads, the essence of Patanjali,...and the thought of Shankara, greatest mind that ever dwelt in mortal body........This is the deliberate attempt of one who has at last found in the East, after many wanderings, the solution to the riddles of the world......The essential point to be remarked about Paramahansa's teaching,....is that it is not speculative , but practical, even when dealing with the utmost reaches of metaphysics."

The author was a great Yogi who lived and taught in the West for over 30 years. The example of his life and work have not only turned many people god-ward, but has also shown them the way to SELF-REALIZATION through Kriya Yoga and his prolific inspired teachings. His wisdom, insight and remarkable innovations in the field of human development and religion are legendary.The main theme of this book is "bliss", our deepest need and how to find it.

Parmahansa Yogananda established the Self-Realization Fellowship as the sole authorized representative and spiritual path for his great work.

Also Recommended:

AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A YOGI........SANCTUARY OF THE SOUL........THE DIVINE ROMANCE...............MAN'S ETERNAL QUEST..................JOURNEY TO SELF-REALIZATION.....................WHISPERS FROM ETERNITY..................WHERE THERE IS LIGHT ....etc....all by the same author.

Yogananda's maiden voyage on the sea of authorship, THE SCIENCE OF RELIGION, surprises the reader us with paradoxes. In 1920, when still at his teacher's ashram in India, Yogananda received an invitation to speak to an International Congress of Religious Liberals in Boston, sponsored by the American Unitarian Association, thus beginning his three decades of teaching and work on this continent. "Science" and "religion" are usually discussed as opposites or adversaries, as are "reason" and "faith," but this expansion of his 1920 address to that congress brings the yoga approach: revealing the unities - in the most ancient and universal "unitarian" approach.

The very word "religion" has roots in "unity:" the Latin 'religare', which dictionaries often define unpleasantly as to restrain or to tie back; Yogananda cites the more yogic definition: to bind. To someone accustomed to the term "yoga" with its common roots in "to yoke together" or "to unite," the positive implications become apparent for religion as a force of LIBERATION rather than of restraint. If you are among the thousands who shun the contemporary uses of "religious" and say, with many of my friends, "I am not so much a religious person as a spiritual person," you will appreciate Yogananda's use of this more universal and positive meaning of "religious."

In this tightly reasoned essay on how ancient spiritual revelations from yoga science can elevate modern religion to liberating heights, Yogananda offers to even the most intellectual of audiences the best of reasons 1) why devotion to Truth and the experience of Spirit must logically go hand-in-hand and 2) how the airy realms of spirituality are pressingly practical: "...religion necessarily consists in the permanet removal of pain and the realization of Bliss or God."

He moves forward to show the differences between the basic four approaches to spiritual realization (as described by another reviewer, below) and provides more fundamentals about meditation and esoteric yoga practice than his 1920 audience could possibly have coped with. It is more accessible to our new, better-initiated century. The Science of Religion is an introduction to the universality of yoga, meditation, and the experience of the Divine, and -- although lacking the fascinating annecdotes of his Autobiography of a Yogi or the inspirational upliftment of such later books as Where There is Light and The Divine Romance -- The Science of Religion is a powerfully reasoned call to the intellect to open its heart along with its mind.

RECOMMENDATION: Especially good gift for your intellectual, agnostic friends - or those who have been alienated by narrow, orthodox, negativity-based presentations of religion.

Religion or faith in fundamental principles, is the foundation upon which the edifice of reasoning, or science is built upon. While it is religion which binds us into courses of action consistent with those fundamental principles, it is science that enables us to stay clear of inconsistent systems of guiding principles, and to practically attain the goals posited by our principles.

The Science of Religion by Paramahansa Yogananda arrives by analysis at inner happiness or bliss as the goal that binds all men. Thus, from the standpoint of the etymological meaning of the word religion as that which binds (from religio-onis in Latin), the author says that the pursuit of bliss is universal religion, as it motivates all human actions.

Having arrived at universal religion, the author then goes on to present the practical means of attaining the goal, i.e.,the science. He outlines the four broad classes of methods that have been evolved to attain bliss, or God: the methods of reasoning, devotion, meditation, and life-force control. He points out the limitations of the first three methods, and recommends the method of life-force control (which acts directly upon the vital organs of the body, slowing them down) to sever the identification of human consciousness with the body that underlies all human suffering.

A friend's mother left a wealth of metaphysical books behind that did not interest him. Since my interest in these matters was well beknownst to him, I became the recipient of such wonderful volumes. Among many titles from classic religion to Edgar Cace, the collection included an early printing of The Secret Path by Paul Bruton.

Albeit Paul Brunton writes in a formal style, wherein one finds a certain quaintness, the depth and breadth are stirring - the imagery akin to Aldus Huxley. Moreover, I was drawn in by the Brunton's sincerity and commitment to reaching beyond his privileged path.

Much as the Buddha exemplified, sharing ones awareness of the inner nature of higher man is vital to the upliftment of all. Brunton shared what he realized and what was shared with him, where ever he found the opportunity.

To give and share wealth of spirit helps advance the will to share abundance with ones kind - and all in need who share this planet. It is the Christ-like way - the enlightened path that seems a secret, yet lies within our grasp. This book helps us realize the way.

May I also recommend The Mystic Christ by Ethan Walker III, Devipress - 2003?

Brunton knew much more than he chose to show in this book; he was a very serious student of the path...and a sage. He started out as a journalist and those writing skills allow him to write clearly, simply and yet to explain one way of reaching the deeper mind and deeper reality. This is an excellent description of one way of accessing ones deeper self. I am sure there are many ways to climb that particular mountain...and yet he must surely be correct in stressing relaxation and "no-mind" (though he doesnt use that term) as milestones on the way to universal consciousness.

This extraordinary book explains in simple language what life is all about,and why we are here.It`s about you and me.If you are disatisfied with your life read this book and you will see things from a different point of view.The load of cares and troubles which most of us carry about with us can be thrown off and a won-derful feeling of peace and freedom can take their place.Simply by reading and understanding the explanations given you can lift your life up and experience a new beginning and an ever fresh ou-tlook on what seems to be a boring existence.Life is to enjoy.

In this book Dr. Paul Brunton invites us to define ourselves in our quest for the Overself. He asks the question 'Who am I?'. He then outlines three stages of meditation: self-analysis, breathing & mental quiet. He continues to describe the peace and serenity that we will achieve once we have completed these 3 steps and have awakened to our Overself.

An excellent book that I read almost everyday just before my meditation.

THIS BOOK LISTED AS IT CAME- VERY GOOD CONDITION. IT IS A TREASURE TO ME!

I have loved this collection of poetry since the day I first encountered my grandmother's personally illustrated and calligraphy reproduced version (of the poems she loved best), as a child of about nine or ten. She had been a Ziegfeld Follies dancer, and the passion and sadness of Laurence Hope's poetry inspired her interpretive style of performing. She gave me my own copy for my sixteenth birthday and I have it still. My hope is to someday find the complete illustrated work (in good to excellent condition).

I really loved this book. I happened to come across one at a garage sale. I found, I believe, a 1923 copywrited edition. The poems in it do not center themselves around India exactly, although it does include some customes in it, but focus more on feelings and ideas related to love itself. My personal favorites are written by Mohammed Akram. I highly recomend this book to poetry fans!

I really loved this book. I happened to come across one at a garage sale. I found, I believe, a 1923 copywrited edition. The poems in it do not center themselves around India exactly, although it does include some customes in it, but focus more on feelings and ideas related to love itself. My personal favorites are written by Mohammed Akram. I highly recomend this book to poetry fans!

This book is a breath of fresh air in today's world of yoga and spirituality. It is unusual to read from a teacher who has not only gained intellectual understanding of a particular system, but has also experienced the reality of its practices.

The first chapter 'Fifteen Verses of Wisdom' went straight over my head, which shows I still lack understanding in this area. The chapter 'Talks on Practice' reveals the mechanics of meditation according to the system of Kashmir Shaivism. I found it clear and insightful. This was balanced by the chapter 'Talks on Discipline' which shows that Lakshmanjoo has the integrity to give clear guidelines to the spiritual aspirant on how one should conduct oneself on the spiritual path.

Finally in his last chapter 'The Secret Knowledge of Kundalini' Swami Lakshmanjoo gives real insight into the mechanics of the mysterious subject of kundalini. To date I have found other material on this subject to be rather nebulous and mere fantasy, based in the vivid imaginations of so called gurus and well read authors. Swami Lakshmanjoo takes this mysterious subject out of the category of fantasy and clearly defines how kundalini functions. His intimate description of the various modes of rising of kundalini, based on his own experience are truly fascinating.

This book is a revelation for the earnest seeker on the spiritual path.

Can hardly believe I wrote this review 6 years ago (it is now 24 Feb 2008).

Having delved deeply into the subject of Kundalini, I still find nothing to match Swami Lakshmanjoo's explanations on this mysterious subject. In my continued research I have found that almost all writings on Kundalini are based on what is known as the "Shat Chakra Nirupana," which elaborates on the six chakras in the subtle body. Everywhere you will find illustrations showing the chakra positions along the vertical axis of the spine and the various petals that emanate from each chakra.

After reading the last chapter in "Self Realization" I wondered why Lakshmanjoo made no reference to these commonly recognized lotus petals that surround the charkas. I found the answer in his earlier book "Kashmir Shaivism, the Secret Supreme", in the form of a small footnote which says: "in Kashmir Shaivism the lotus petals are neither experienced nor recognized."

This explains why Lakshmanjoo only talks about the chakras spinning with great velocity and power as the energy of kundalini rises from one chakra to another. Obvious isn't it, since the word chakra actually means wheel.

In this book Lakshmanjoo also explains the difference between prana kundalini, cit kundalini and para kundalini; subjects unique to Kashmir Shaivism. Based on his own personal experience, Lakshmanjoo elaborates with great clarity, leaving the reader convinced of his total authority on this subject.

For those interested in Kashmir Shaivism in general, and Kundalini in particular, I highly recommend this book, and the earlier one: "Kashmir Shaivism the Secret Supreme" which has two chapters on Kundalini.

This book took me to the heart of Kashmir Shaivism. It covered concepts and included both practice and experience. The authors have also provided transliterated sanskrit verses for those who are interested. This is a good begining for any one intending a study of Kashmir Shaivism.

One of those books you devour in one sitting! Too cool for words. A kind of quick overview of Shaivite philosophy and practice. An excellent beginning for those wishing to start the Shaivite path.

It is the first book of kashmir philosophy which covers all the aspects of the title.It is the complete informative book about pre-history age of kashmir.