Concentration is a choice. It excludes all except its object of concentration; it is a narrowing. If you are walking on the street, you will have to narrow your consciousness in order to walk. You cannot ordinarily be aware of all that is happening because if you are aware of everything that is happening you will become unfocused. So concentration is a need. Concentration of the mind is a need in order to live–to survive and exist. That is why every culture, in its own way, tries to narrow the mind of the child.
“Enlightenment does exist,” internationally renowned author and meditation master Jack Kornfield assures us. “Unbounded freedom and joy, oneness with the divine . . . these experiences are more common than you know, and not far away.” But even after achieving such realization—after the ecstasy—we are faced with the day—to-day task of translating that freedom into our imperfect lives. We are faced with the laundry. Drawing on the experiences and insights of leaders and practitioners within the Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, Hindu, and Sufi traditions, this book offers a uniquely intimate and honest understanding of how the modern spiritual journey unfolds—and how we can prepare our hearts for awakening. Through moving personal stories and traditional tales, we learn how the enlightened heart navigates the real world of family relationships, emotional pain, earning a living, sickness, loss, and death. Filled with “the laughter of the wise,” alive with compassion, After the Ecstasy, the Laundry is a gift to anyone who is seeking peace, wholeness, and inner happiness. It is sure to take its place next to A Path with Heart as a spiritual classic for our time.
A leading yoga researcher offers a clear and lively introduction to the history, philosophy, and practice of the Tantric spiritual tradition Tantra—often associated with Kundalini Yoga—is a fundamental dimension of Hinduism, emphasizing the cultivation of “divine power” (shakti) as a path to infinite bliss. Tantra has been widely misunderstood in the West, however, where its practices are often confused with eroticism and licentious morality. Tantra: The Path of Ecstasy dispels many common misconceptions, providing an accessible introduction to the history, philosophy, and practice of this extraordinary spiritual tradition. The Tantric teachings are geared toward the attainment of enlightenment as well as spiritual power and are present not only in Hinduism but also Jainism and Vajrayana Buddhism. In this book, Georg Feuerstein offers readers a clear understanding of authentic Tantra, as well as appropriate guidance for spiritual practice and the attainment of higher consciousness.
Meditation is indigenous to all religions, and this book offers 63 step-by-step guides to both ancient and modern techniques. From ancient Buddhist, Taoist, Sufi and Hindu practices to Osho's own modern Dynamic Meditation and Mystic Rose Meditation, these methods will help any spiritual seeker further along the path to fulfillment.
"Kirtan: The Art & Ecstasy of Chanting is the long-awaited book by Western chant master, Divya Prabha. In this comprehensive guide to the how-to's of chanting, Divya generously shares her personal experience and a wealth of practical tips to help chanters derive full benefit from the beautiful and sacred practice of kirtan-both as leaders and participants. She also presents an introduction to the path of bhakti yoga, of which kirtan is a central practice, guiding readers through its ancient underpinnings, and offering an insightful orientation to the various deities invoked through chanting. This beautiful handbook will deepen and enrich the practice of kirtan for beginners and experienced chanters alike. Divya Prabha is a gifted singer and prolific composer of Sanskrit chants that are now sung all over the world. Born in Nova Scotia, Canada, she underwent a profound spiritual awakening at age 28 which led her to yoga and to a life with her Indian gurus, Swami Sri Kripalvananda, Swami Haridhos Giri, and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Having led joyful and ecstatic kirtan around the world for many years, she now lives a quiet life by the sea, in Nova Scotia, where she continues to compose, record, mentor, write, and conduct programs in bhakti yoga and chanting."--
In this inspiring book, Salle Merrill Redfield guides you through four brief meditations. Each celebrates nature as a revered path to self-knowledge and spiritual enlightenment, leading you on a satisfying mental journey.
In this revised edition of Maps to Ecstasy, Gabrielle Roth expands on the themes that have guided her — ways of transforming daily life into sacred art. Her work in teaching movement has been described as a marriage of art and healing. Each chapter initiates readers into one of the five sacred powers necessary for survival and reveals the five life cycles that lead to enlightenment. The creative process brings readers in touch with these five sacred powers by freeing the body to experience the power of being, expressing the heart to experience the power of loving, emptying the mind to experience the power of seeing, and embodying the spirit to experience the power of healing.
These songs of Kabir are nothing but the overflowing of that melody that he has heard. These songs are nothing but the overflowing of the flood that he has received into his innermost being. These songs are no longer ordinary songs. These songs are not only those of a poet but those of a mystic - one who knows knows by living it; one who has tasted God who is drunk with God. -Osho
