How to know God indeed.
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Quote from book - "One of the most attractive characteristics of Patanjali's philosophy is its breadth of vision, its universality. There is no attempt here to impose any particular cult upon the spiritual aspirant. God is within us, and it is by the light of his presence- no matter how dimly it shines through the layers of our ignorance- that we fashion our own pictures and symbols of goodness and project them upon the outside world"
How to know God is a collection of yoga aphorisms of Pantanjali written in-between the 4th century B.C and the 4th century A.D. is the best guess by scholars. The translations themselves although limited with our use of language, are very good and full of insights.
Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood have done an excellent job with the commentary and this is where the heart of this book lies, this is where the insights come to life and as well as educating you in several philosophies, they inspire the reader to start meditation.
There is a smattering of humour within this scholarly work, and I cannot stress how flawless the commentary is, well worth reading if you are embarking on a spiritual journey and there is plenty to meditate about within this little gem of a book.
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Eastern Spirituality at it's Peak
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Patanjali was a Hindu master who lived sometime between BC400 and 400AD. This 1953 translation is by the Californian Vedantist, Swami Prabhavananda, and Christopher Isherwood - well after saying goodbye to Berlin! There is a superb commentary, which is the purpose of the book.
The book is a treatise on Yoga, divided into aims, practice, powers and liberation. The Swami has a deep understanding of Catholicism (read also his Sermon on the Mount according to Vedanta) and his commentary is spot on for westerners. He explains mind control, purification, non-attachment and the art of meditation and contemplation. There is nothing that would offend Christians and any attempt to use the physical powers of Yoga is discouraged. Read the work, pick a few Christian images, concentrate and remove all the cloying stains of Maya, the illusory world of space and time. This should be obligatory reading in school religious courses; it cannot help but transform your outlook on life.
Of course the depth of spiritual achievement depends on the time available for meditation and contemplation, but even a small amount of time each day devoted to study of the book brings benefit, and one can take on trust the Swami's beautifully clear statements about those things that only the monk has time to discover.
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