The Heart of Awareness: A Translation of the Ashtavakra Gita


Ashṭāvakra - 1953
    Composed by an anonymous master of the school of the great sage Shankara, it is a book of practical advice for seekers of wisdom as well as an ecstatic expression of the experience of enlightenment. In this simple, aphoristic version, the translator conveys the clarity and lyricism of the Sanskrit original with fluency and precision.

Seven Masters, One Path: Meditation Secrets from the World's Greatest Teachers


John Selby - 2003
    Finally everyone who wants to learn how to meditate, or to deepen their meditation practice, can turn to one comprehensive guidebook that leads readers gently yet surely into experiencing the seven universal dimensions of daily meditation practice.Seven Masters, One Path guarantees access to deep meditative experience for people seeking relief from emotional and mental stress, and especially for anyone who longs to experience a deeper sense of connection with our spiritual core. No matter how divergent all the theologies, philosophies, rituals, and dogmas of the world’s great meditative traditions might appear, John Selby reveals that the underlying intent of the original masters was remarkably similar—to help people to point their attention toward regular contact with the divine, through opening hearts and souls to direct communion with God by whatever name.Offering one meditation each from the seven teachers, Seven Masters, One Path emphasizes the commonalities in the diverse traditions, ultimately providing a unique and accessible meditation program that anyone can master.

The Little Book of Hindu Deities: From the Goddess of Wealth to the Sacred Cow


Sanjay Patel - 2006
    The Little Book of Hindu Deities is chock-full of monsters, demons, noble warriors, and divine divas. Find out why Ganesha has an elephant’s head (his father cut his off!); why Kali, the goddess of time, is known as the “Black One” (she’s a bit goth); and what “Hare Krishna” really means.“Throw another ingredient in the American spirituality blender. Pop culture is veering into Hinduism.”—USA Today

The Commanding Self


Idries Shah - 1994
    The book serves to illustrate and amplify Idries Shah's preceding (over 20) books on the Sufi Way.

The Vedas


Chandrasekharendra Saraswati - 2006
    They manifest the Divine Word in human speech. They reflect into human language the language of the Gods, the Divine powers that have created us and which rule over us. There are four Vedas, each consisting of four parts. The primary portion is the mantra or hymn section (samhita). To this are appended ritualistic teachings (brahmana) and theological sections (aranyaka). Finally philosophical sections (upanishads) are included. The hymn sections are the oldest. The others were added at a later date and each explains some aspect of the hymns or follows one line of interpreting them. The Vedas were compiled around the time of Krishna (c. 3500 B.C.), and even at that time were hardly understood. Hence they are very ancient and only in recent times has their spiritual import, like that of the other mystery teachings of the ancient world, begun to be rediscovered or appreciated even in India. Like the Egyptian teachings they are veiled, symbolic and subtle and require a special vision to understand and use properly. This book contains selected discourses of the Paramcharya rendered into English from Tamil by the late N.S.S.Rajan.Originally published in the year 1988 it has run into seven editions till date.

The Book of Lies


Aleister Crowley - 1913
    The Wanderings or Falsifications of the One Thought of Frater Perdurabo, which Thought is itself Untrue. Liber CCCXXXIII [Book 333]) was written by English occultist Aleister Crowley (using the pen name of Frater Perdurabo) and first published in 1912 or 1913.The book consists of 93 chapters, each of which consists of one page of text. The chapters include a question mark, poems, rituals, instructions, and obscure allusions and cryptograms. The subject of each chapter is generally determined by its number and its corresponding qabalistic meaning. Around 1921, Crowley wrote a short commentary about each chapter, assisting the reader in the qabalistic interpretation.Several chapters and a photograph in the book reference Leila Waddell, who Crowley called Laylah, and who, as Crowley's influential Scarlet Woman, acted as his muse during the writing process of this volume.

HINDUISM: Hinduism for Beginners: Guide to Understanding Hinduism and the Hindu Religion, Beliefs, Customs, Rituals, Gods, Mantras and Converting to Hinduism


Shalu Sharma - 2016
    This book has everything you want to learn about the Hindu religion!Hinduism is a fascinating religion to learn about. Even if you are not Hindu and have no interest in being a Hindu, you can still take it upon yourself to learn about the faith and understand why it is important to so many people around the world. Perhaps you will find that you share many of the beliefs that come out of the religion, or perhaps you won’t. But at least you will have a new outlook on Hinduism by advancing your knowledge in its teachings and the way it guides so many people’s lives in this world. To have that kind of knowledge can be a very powerful thing. This book will help you gain that knowledge by exploring the most important aspects of Hinduism and the main goals Hindus have in their lives. You will find out what they are much more when you read this fact filled book about the Hindu religion. After you are done reading, you will walk away with a better understanding about a religion that most of the Western hemisphere knows little about. What you will learn from this bookIntroduction to HinduismImportant Beliefs in HinduismImportant Hindu Customs and RitualsIntroduction to Gods and Goddesses in HinduismBhagavad GitaHindu FestivalsHinduism and Buddhism – Differences and SimilaritiesConversion to HinduismWhat to do in a Hindu TemplePilgrimage to VaranasiHindu Mantras

The Divine Madman: The Sublime Life and Songs of Drukpa Kunley


Keith Dowman - 1982
    Appearing in the spiritual lineage established by Tilopa, is an incarnation of the great Mahasiddha, Saraha.

Hara: The Vital Center of Man


Karlfried Graf Dürckheim - 1962
    Because each of us is a unity of body and soul, there is no psychic structure or inner tension that is not reflected outwardly in the form and order of the body. When we find the physical center of the body we also find the psychological center of the soul. According to Zen masters, by correcting posture and breathing to balance this center, one can cultivate inner tranquillity and balance: the state called Hara.In Hara, Karlfried Graf Dürckheim shows the Western world how to overcome the physical and spiritual decay of modern life by adopting the age-old techniques of Japanese Zen masters. By leaving behind the "chest out-belly in" posture and attitude of the West and adopting the belly-centered posture and attitude of Hara, individuals can live a calm, grounded, and more balanced life. Included in this classic text are vital life force practices and translations of the wisdom teachings of three Japanese Zen masters. This book also explores how the practice of Hara emphasizes empirical learning and the cultivation of self-knowledge through the perfection of arts such as painting and archery.

The Art of Living: Vipassana Meditation: As Taught by S. N. Goenka


William Hart - 1987
    As taught by S. N. Goenka, this path to self-awareness is extraordinary in its simplicity, its lack of dogma and, above all, its results. The Vipassana technique can be successfully applied by anyone.Based on the lectures and writings of S. N. Goenka--and prepared under his direct guidance--The Art of Living shows how this technique can be used to solve problems, develop unused potential, and lead a peaceful, productive life. It includes stories by S. N. Goenka, as well as answers to students' questions, that convey a vivid sense of his teaching.S. N. Goenka's Vipassana courses have attracted thousands of people of every background. Unique among teachers of meditation, Goenka is a retired industrialist and former leader of the Indian Community in Burma. Although a layman, his teaching has won the approval of senior Buddhist monks in Burma, India, and Sri Lanka, a number of whom have taken courses under his guidance. Despite his magnetism, he has no wish to be a "guru" --instead he teaches self-responsibility. This is the first systematic study of his teachings to appear in English.

Chants of a Lifetime: Searching for a Heart of Gold


Krishna Das - 2010
    Since 1994, the sound of his voice singing traditional Indian chants with a Western flavor has brought the spiritual experience of chanting to audiences all over the world. He has previously shared some of his spiritual journey through talks and workshops, but now he offers a unique book-and-CD combination that explores his fascinating path and creates an opportunity for just about anyone to experience chanting in a unique and special way.Chants of a Lifetime includes photos from Krishna Das’s years in India and also from his life as a kirtan leader—and the CD that is offered exclusively in the book consists of a number of “private” chanting sessions with the author. Instead of just being performances of chants for listening, the recordings make it seem as if Krishna Das himself is present for a one-on-one chanting session. The idea is for the listener to explore his or her own practice of chanting and develop a deepening connection with the entire chanting experience.

Karma Cola: Marketing the Mystic East


Gita Mehta - 1979
    An Indian writer who has also lived in England and the United States, Gita Mehta was ideally placed to observe the spectacle of European and American "pilgrims" interacting with their hosts. When she finally recorded her razor sharp observations in Karma Cola, the book became an instant classic for describing, in merciless detail, what happens when the traditions of an ancient and longlived society are turned into commodities and sold to those who don't understand them.In the dazzling prose that has become her trademark, Mehta skewers the entire Spectrum of seekers: The Beatles, homeless students, Hollywood rich kids in detox, British guilt-trippers, and more. In doing so, she also reveals the devastating byproducts that the Westerners brought to the villages of rural lndia -- high anxiety and drug addiction among them.Brilliantly irreverent, Karma Cola displays Gita Mehta's gift for weaving old and new, common and bizarre, history and current events into a seamless and colorful narrative that is at once witty, shocking, and poignant.

Ramayana: India's Immortal Tale of Adventure, Love and Wisdom


Krishna Dharma
    Cherished throughout India and much of Asia for centuries, it has been faithfully preserved and passed on through poems, folk tales, music, dance, drama, sculpture, painting, even film and graphic novels. This story and its characters have captured the hearts and minds of countless generations. Revered through the ages for its moral and spiritual wisdom, it is an uplifting tale of romance and high adventure, recounting the odyssey of Rama, a great King of ancient India.

Sexual Personae: Art and Decadence from Nefertiti to Emily Dickinson


Camille Paglia - 1990
    It ultimately challenges the cultural assumptions of both conservatives and traditional liberals. 47 photographs.

The Cosmic Serpent: DNA and the Origins of Knowledge


Jeremy Narby - 1998
    This adventure in science and imagination, which the Medical Tribune said might herald "a Copernican revolution for the life sciences," leads the reader through unexplored jungles and uncharted aspects of mind to the heart of knowledge.In a first-person narrative of scientific discovery that opens new perspectives on biology, anthropology, and the limits of rationalism, The Cosmic Serpent reveals how startlingly different the world around us appears when we open our minds to it.