"Contains selected excerpts from Paramahansa Yogananda's book "The Second Coming of Christ: The Resurrection of the Christ Within You," which book is a commentary on the New Testament gospels and noncanonical source material, focusing on the quest to uncover the original teachings of Jesus"--Provided by publisher.
People often equate yoga with Eastern religion, but Brooke Boon sees it as an exercise style that Christians can use to generate patience, strength, and deeper worship. Author and yoga instructor Brooke Boon combines her passion for Christianity with her commitment to health to introduce yoga as a physical and spiritual discipline that strengthens the body and the soul. Clear explanations and photographs make yoga accessible for any reader, and Brooke offers customized routines for readers struggling with specific issues, such as weight loss and anxiety. Through it all Brooke uses scriptural references to help reinforce the idea that by taking care of our bodies we can also take care of our faith.
This book is addressed to serious Biblical students, Christians who are interested in comparing Eastern spiritual teachings with those of Christianity, and students of spiritual Yoga, otherwise known as Classical Yoga and Tantra, as well as students and practitioners of meditation and other spiritual disciplines. The discoveries of ancient manuscripts, and their analysis by independent critical scholars using scientific methods, provide much insight into the original teachings of Jesus. The sayings of Jesus, circulated orally during the first decades following his crucifixion are probably the most authentic source of his teachings that we have available today. These sayings are limited to a few dozen parables, aphorisms and sharp retorts, which were repeated in the oral tradition for two or three decades before they were eventually recorded by the anonymous writers of the Gospels. Remarkably, what Jesus taught through his parables and sayings exactly parallels the yogic teachings of the Yoga Siddhas. For those seeking to apply the wisdom of these sayings in their own life, the implications are clear. Seek not to know about God; instead, seek to know God through higher states of consciousness.
This attractive two-volume, slip-cased edition of The Second Coming of Christ, presents Paramahansa Yogananda's unique perspective on the real meaning of Jesus' teachings, and takes the reader on a revelatory journey, verse by verse, through the four Gospels. Dispelling centuries old misconceptions and dogma, this monumental work is destined to leave an indelible mark on the way the world views the teachings of Jesus Christ. In titling this work The Second Coming of Christ, I am not referring to a literal return of Jesus to earth. He came two thousand years ago and, after imparting a universal path to God's kingdom, was crucified and resurrected; his reappearance to the masses now is not necessary for the fulfillment of his teachings. What is necessary is for the cosmic wisdom and divine perception of Jesus to speak again through each one's own experience and understanding of the infinite Christ Consciousness that was incarnate in Jesus. That will be his true Second Coming.
"Contains selected excerpts from Paramahansa Yogananda's complete commentary on the Bhagavad Gita: 'God talks with Arjuna: the Bhagavad Gita--a new translation and commentary.' Also, Yogananda's original translation of the Bhagavad Gita into English is included in uninterrupted sequential form"--Provided by publisher.
Selected by the Modern Library as one of the 100 best nonfiction books of all time The Gnostic Gospels is a landmark study of the long-buried roots of Christianity, a work of luminous scholarship and wide popular appeal. First published in 1979 to critical acclaim, winning the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award, The Gnostic Gospels has continued to grow in reputation and influence over the past two decades. It is now widely recognized as one of the most brilliant and accessible histories of early Christian spirituality published in our time. In 1945 an Egyptian peasant unearthed what proved to be the Gnostic Gospels, thirteen papyrus volumes that expounded a radically different view of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ from that of the New Testament. In this spellbinding book, renowned religious scholar Elaine Pagels elucidates the mysteries and meanings of these sacred texts both in the world of the first Christians and in the context of Christianity today. With insight and passion, Pagels explores a remarkable range of recently discovered gospels, including the Gospel of Thomas and the Gospel of Mary Magdalene, to show how a variety of “Christianities” emerged at a time of extraordinary spiritual upheaval. Some Christians questioned the need for clergy and church doctrine, and taught that the divine could be discovered through spiritual search. Many others, like Buddhists and Hindus, sought enlightenment—and access to God—within. Such explorations raised questions: Was the resurrection to be understood symbolically and not literally? Was God to be envisioned only in masculine form, or feminine as well? Was martyrdom a necessary—or worthy—expression of faith? These early Christians dared to ask questions that orthodox Christians later suppressed—and their explorations led to profoundly different visions of Jesus and his message. Brilliant, provocative, and stunning in its implications, The Gnostic Gospels is a radical, eloquent reconsideration of the origins of the Christian faith.
The autobiography of Paramahansa Yogananda (1893 - 1952) details his search for a guru, during which he encountered many spiritual leaders and world-renowned scientists. When it was published in 1946 it was the first introduction of many westerners to yoga and meditation. The famous opera singer Amelita Galli-Curci said about the book: "Amazing, true stories of saints and masters of India, blended with priceless superphysical information-much needed to balance the Western material efficiency with Eastern spiritual efficiency-come from the vigorous pen of Paramhansa Yogananda, whose teachings my husband and myself have had the pleasure of studying for twenty years."