if you like maharaji you will like this book
920785
hard to not love any book about Neem Karoli Baba. i have a 20 year old worn out copy of Miracle of Love by Ram Dass that I still read often. This book is more story-ish and feels like it is from a woman's perspective. the one thing that comes thru is the love of Maharaji.
1192298
This book is presented in such a way as it is the basis for the knowledge you will receive for the next few years on the subject.  The author makes a lot of very good points, his logic is sound, and his understanding of the material is vast.  The first portion of this book is dedicated to showing you the roots of black ancestry and how the Ausarian religion is the religion that dominated Egypt for thousands of years, as well as the Canaanites, and the black dravidian Indians.  The author makes an effort to show that the basis of India's spiritual wisdom came from these teachings.  The beginning of the book is very important yet it is more dry reading. In the next part of the book you get to the core of the text which is really hard to put down.  He relays how the tree of life is connected to creation themed stories, and how each circle in the tree is another stage of creation.  Next, he shows on a practical level how you can see these spheres in your everyday life once you learn them, he does this by teaching which spheres correspond to which parts of our mind.  This is book is great to read if you are interested in understanding the Ancients way of life and religion, and using it in practical ways to improve your quality of life.  Note: if you read this one you won't be able to help yourself from reading the other 6 volumes.  If you are having trouble affording the book check out loj society on google they have a pdf version of the first and second books you can download for free in order to get started (although they are not the people behind writing the book.)
1852801
I just love this book.  It consists of a collection of short "essays", autobiographical, and philosophical, about the author's life growing up in the Himilayas.
Much of Swami Rama's life seems  biblical in it spiritual "magic"--it displays similar themes and  miracles that you find in the New Testament.  For instance, his father's  guru predicted that he and his wife--although he was over 60, and she over  40--would have a son who would follow the father's master.  The parents,  childless for years, declare that this would be a miracle, but that if it  happens, the child is his.  18 months later, they have a child, the Swami.  When is three, the Master returns and initiates him by whispering a mantra  in his ear.
When the Swami is still young, his parents die, and the  master comes for him, and they travel together.  Often, the master sends  his disciple off to study with another guru for a period of time, but  throughout his training into his adulthood, the master is, so to speak, the  point around which the Swami Rama orbits in his spiritual  peregrinations.
He describes many miracles.  We witness a resurrection, a  miraculous feeding of the poor, and other bizarre, often familiar,  miracles. India seems like a land of magic.
Is all this b.s.?  Who  knows.  One thing is certain...the Swami Rama is not self-promoting in this  book.  He doesn't present himself, for instance, as the performer of  miracles.  But he does witness them, and is on at least on occasion the  recipient of one.
In any case, this book is a good read--simple, wise,  and entertaining.  I can't recommend it enough.
2873266
Many Many Many Gods of Hinduism is an interesting look at not only Hinduism but the culture of of India as well. At first the book seems quite daunting with over sixty chapters but as I got into it I found the pages flying by. The chapters are very short and written in layman's terms. Never preachy, the basics of Indian culture and Hindu religion are laid out in a format that makes it easy and interesting to read. Everything, from where the word "Om" that is used while meditating comes from to what the red dot practicing ladies of Hindu often wear on their foreheads means. I did find at times the author to be a bit condescending in what he wrote, particularly Chapter Thirty-One about Heaven and Hell. His idea that Hinduism is the only correct belief and that there is no Heaven and Hell solely because his religion says it doesn't exist became a bit irritating but that is a part of the beauty of this book-it's all up for debate. There's also a great chapter about reincarnation that I found particularly interesting, especially the two cases the author writes about. This is the ideal book for someone who loves reading about different religions and one of the best, well written books about any religion I have ever read.
4428234
This is one of my favorite books.  A westerner leaves the U.S. and eventually becomes a resident of India.  I find the storyline very interesting with so much to learn from the different spiritual teachers he interracts with along the way.
638473
The Temple Is Not My Father is an insightful book. Rasana Atreya introduces me to a group of people called devadasi in the Indian culture. The devadasi are servants of God.  They are preteen girls who are sacrificed by their families to become prostitutes.  It sounds rather strange for servants of God to become prostitutes.

  The main character in this book is a woman named Godavari. I learned that the Godavari is the longest river in India. Godavari has a sister named Krishna.  This is the name of the blue skinned Hindi god. I also learned that a kirana is a grocery store.  Godavari is a devadasi  She is also a loving mother to a young daughter named Sreeja. I learned that Sreeja means spiritually intense.  All of these words are from a classical Indian language called Telugu.  Part of the fun of this book is just learning the meaning of these names and words online.

The transformation of the character of Godavari is special here.  In the first part of the book, she is a lonely and isolated mother.  She is motivated by her sister to attend a non-government school to make something of herself.  She receives an education and becomes a crusader for young girls in need.  This is a short book, but the characters and themes are strongly presented and developed.
917839
I found this book very interesting and very elevating. Though sometimes the language can throw you off however after you grasp their meaning they seem to be describing something very deep. The chapters on Babaji and Lahiri Mahasaya are a must read for every aspirant.
4875825
This is a book that evokes the 'blessings' of the great spiritual master Babaji also known as the 'Mahavatar' which means a great incarnation of God himself.

The book provides a list of very core and 'powerful' mantras which if one chants with sincerity of heart will evoke divine blessings.  Not only that - the 'manasa yoga' means the yoga to purify one's mind from the 'filth' out there today.

Reading and then sincerely following the teachings of Maha Munindra Babaji (king of sages) one can evolve and purify his consciousness.

In this era of troublesome times, this book's teachings will bring that great peace and satisfaction.  One needs to follow the path with sincerity, obey the laws of 'Dharma' first  (i.e. vegeterianism, controlling one's physical senses, etc.) and then only the 'mantras' and techniques taught in this 'divine' book will follow through.

All the best.
856267
Known as India's most famous convert to Christianity, Sundar Singh, loved Jesus and devoted his life to knowing and following him.  Singh left his home at the age of 16 to become a sadhu (a wandering holy man).  Through his drifting existence, his parables became legends and very popular.  This book is a collection of anecdotes, sayings, parables and meditations - which culminates in the best of Sundar Singh's teachings.
  I did appreciate this books as I read through it.  The reader must note that Singh is through and through from India, and his teachings are distinctly Indian idiom. You must look deeply and thoughtfully past the India of the words, and into the heart of the Gospels.  Singh was an incredibly deep thinker; yet the simplest of things like watching hungry birds, brought about insight into God's presence like I have never considered it before.  Reading his works will not only allow you to think of God, the Gospels and Jesus in a different light, but will open your spiritual eyes to new understanding about yourself.  I recommend this book to adults who are open to experience something new and afresh that is far from our western thinking.

(I received this book free from HandleBar Central as a request to review this book. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.")
4250694
Since I believe in the existance of one God, I like this book a lot, because Sri. Eswaran does not focus on meditating on a particular belief or religion. This book shows that no matter which spiritual journey (path) you take, you end up in one place. The passages in this book are very uplifting.
3303639
I liked how the book was written. I also liked the clear takeaways that you can put into action immediately. I am Spiritual but not religious, so I was hung up on the word God at first. It dissipated though. This is a great book for a new spirituality seeker, the quotes used throughout the book can lead you to your next great book to read. Namaste to all who read this review and book.
1468861
The Agony of Dal Lake is Maharaj Kaul's paen to his ancestral people. A culture that has a recorded history of over 5087 years and a pristine land that was blessed by Nature has fallen in the grip of a movement most foul.
Dal Lake whose ancient name is Mahasarit and on whose banks at Ishbar Goddess Durga was venerated is the symbol of Maharaj Kaul's collection of vignettes.
Maharaj writes gently with his mind, heart and soul. He observes with great sensitivity the gift that Kashmiris were given and how they went horribly wrong in their ambitions. In this descent there were inevitable casualties and the worst affected were the Kashmiri Pandits the indigenous people of Kashmir.
Maharaj spans and intermixes time and space, sentient with insentient so the reader is always transported to experiences that educate and delight.
I found it touching that his uncle had presciently named his home as Remembrances. I found it instructive that Gulmarg was originally named Gaurimarg and this action presaging hundreds of other such actions was taken in the sixteenth century by Yusuf Chak. Does it matter? Yes it does. Gaurimarg was the name that the shepherds had given to this meadow and it tied the land and space with Lord Shiva's consort. Gulmarg ties the land with Rose specifically and flowers generally through its Persian and Turkish etymology. This is the fork in the road and this is the fork that has pierced the heart of Kashmir.
A thoroughly enjoyable book from the Walt Whitman of Kashmir.
4111473
This book was far better written then I was given to believe.  I am still with Mother and was actively involved in this group for over thirty years.  I had trouble believing everything Gail said but I have personally observed some of the disturbing behaviors and events Gail described. All that said I really liked her simple but lovely descriptions of India and I appreciated the little details of daily life in the ashram.  I really feel anyone could enjoy the book even if they are not connected to the subject matter.  I enjoyed Gail's style so much that I finished the book in three readings. Overall, I would recommend this book as a pretty good read but if you are a devotee of Mother's you probably shouldn't read it- your faith will be sorely tested.  One nit- missing from the book is a compelling reason why Gail would even spend one day in the company of the irrational, demanding, cruel, mean-spirited, hypocritical guru she describes.
1630091
I enjoyed this treatment of the Mahamudra view of meditation. It took a few chapters of slogging along until I got into the rhythm of the narrative. After toughing it out, I was glad I continued. The author is very concise and detailed in his explanations. I also enjoyed the question and answer sections at the end of each lecture.
893416
This was a fun and enlightening tour thru India with "Bindi Girl", Erin.  I've read quite a few travelogues of India, but this is one of the few that discusses learning about the religious/spiritual side of India.
1483698
This a lovely book about an Englishman who journeys in India to find out if real holymen, enlightened yogi really exsist.

The book is well written in a classical english style from times gone by which is kind of sweet and amusing.

This book should please anyone with an interest in spirituality, meditation, and the philosophy of yoga.
921477
Possibly the best, or at least most complete, description of the nakshatras in English. The author has some opinions about some of the nakshatras which unfortunately get in the way of his analysis. His negative comments have to be taken with a grain (fistful?) of salt. You may be put off by the illustrations done by the author's ex-girlfriend, which are fanciful, and a bit overdone. Nonetheless, this is a very useful, helpful book. I am a professional Vedic astrologer, and I refer to this book regularly.