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BOOKS ON INDIAN SPIRITUALITY
Autobiography of a Yogi,
Yogananda Paramahamsa
At once a riveting account of an
extraordinary life and a remarkably accessible introduction to a
little-known spiritual science, Yogananda's Autobiography is something of
a publishing phenomenon.
When it first appeared in print in 1946,
Newsweek called it "fascinating". The New York Times hailed it as a "rare
account". Continuously in print for over fifty years, the Autobiography,
remains a seminal work in the field of Eastern religion, and still appears
on best-seller lists in relevant marketing categories.
The work
is enduringly popular because it introduces millions of readers to Eastern
spiritual thought. Yogananda's masterly storytelling epitomizes the Indian
oral tradition with its wit, charm, and compassionate wisdom. The yogi
begins by showing how his childhood experiences in turn-of-the-century
India produced a spiritual youth in search of an enlightened teacher,
continues with an account of his years of training in the hermitage of a
revered master, and concludes with the highlights of a period, beginning
in 1920, during which he lived and taught in America. Yogananda
sensitively interprets not only his own spiritual evolution but also his
relationship with elements of the West's spiritual tradition, such as the
story of Adam and Eve, providing a penetrating look at the ultimate
mysteries of human existence. Bibliographical footnotes, which would have
interrupted Kingsley's magnificent narration, are thoughtfully included in
an accompanying booklet
From Here To Nirvana, Anne
Cushman and Jerry Jones
A guide for the spiritual seeker and the
curious to ashrams, temples, yogis, and gurus in India. Interspersed with
details on directions, contact information, and descriptions of food,
cost, facilities, and programs, are personal stories of the authors,
quotes from students and masters, and retellings of local legends. There
is also information on spiritual pilgrimage in general and an overview of
Indian philosophies and religions.
Marriage
of East and West , Bede Griffiths
A classic by
the sage who spent his life in Tamil Nadu in India in ashrams.His life is
living example of how the two cultures can merge and what is the best to
be taken from the respective cultures. He is revered and respected in both
cultures and the book is a must read for anyone who wishes to attempt an
integration of the two cultures in their personal lives.
Sri Aurobindo or the Adventures of Consciousness,
Satprem
Satprem spent all his life with the master
and in this book provides unique ,thoughtful and masterly guidance by way
of introduction to the teachings of the great seer Sri Aurobindo. This
book is recommended as an intrduction to the works of Sri Aurobindo ,
since his delightful style , wide experience with the master and his own
masterly commentary on the works , makes it an excellent beginning for the
seeker on the path to spirituality.
Am I a
Hindu ; The Hinduism Primer , Ed Viswanathan
This gem of a
book encapsulates the esoteric wisdom of one of humanity's oldest
religions in an easy-to-understand conversational format. Covering the
entire sweep of Hindu belief, answering questions Westerners ask about
Hindu practice (like what exactly is the law of Karma and reincarnation?
why do Hindu women wear a red dot on their forehead? and why do Hindus
worship so many Gods?) answering life's most enduring questions has been
hailed as a much-needed primer to this major
religion.
The Prophet , Kahlil Gibran
In a distant, timeless place, a mysterious
prophet walks the sands. At the moment of his departure, he wishes to
offer the people gifts but possesses nothing. The people gather round,
each asks a question of the heart, and the man's wisdom is his gift. It is
Gibran's gift to us, as well, for Gibran's prophet is rivaled in his
wisdom only by the founders of the world's great religions. On the most
basic topics--marriage, children, friendship, work, pleasure--his words
have a power and lucidity that in another era would surely have provoked
the description "divinely inspired." Free of dogma, free of power
structures and metaphysics, consider these poetic, moving aphorisms a
20th-century supplement to all sacred traditions--as millions of other
readers already have.
This book was given to me as a gift before I
journeyed overseas on a spiritual quest to "find myself." I never got a
chance to read it until one month after I was there and I had lost my job,
my relationship was very unsteady, and being so far form home, I felt
completely isolated. After skipping around the book and reading sections
that immediately pertained to me at that point, I cried, not out of
sadness, but out of enlightenment...Gibran wrote his experiences,and his
thoughts on life, but they are such detailed poetic accounts, it applies
to everyone at some time, his writings have layers, and therefore this
book can be read many times over, and each time a new understanding will
come. "Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your
understanding..."
God Talks With Arjuna - The
Bhagvad Gita - Yogananda Paramahamsa
The scope and
depth of Paramahansa Yogananda's commentary is astounding. In God Talks
with Arjuna the Yogi Master unveils the Gita's allegorical, psychological
and spiritual meaning and applies it to our everyday lives--especially as
it relates to the ongoing battle between our Soul and the ego. If you are
interested in the true and complete meaning of Yoga, and if you strive to
walk the balanced path of right activity and meditation, read this book.
Be patient with the long first chapter, and remember, you don't have to
start at the beginning and finish at the end; use the table of contents to
locate almost any spiritual topic imaginable--this masterpiece has it
all.
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