Book of the day-15: Deepak Chopra’s bestselling book: Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul

Deepak Chopra interviewed by Alan Seinfeld
Uploaded by newrealities on Oct 15, 2009
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Now at: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307452336?ie=UTF8&tag=wwwnewrealtie-20&…


Deepak Chopra has been a frequent guest of Alan Steinfeld’s New Realities http://www.NewRealities.com Here he discusses his most recent book & soon to be bestseller Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul.


Grateful thanks to Dr Deepak Chopra, Alan Seinfeld, NewRealities and YouTube.

Book of the Day-14: Detoxify Your Life – The Ultimate Happiness Prescription by Dr Deepak Chopra

“The Ultimate Happiness Prescription” by Deepak Chopra is a book about following certain life practices that bring you joy and fulfillment every day in your life, so you can turn so-called problems into opportunities, improve the conditions in your life for happiness, and make choices every day that will bring joy to you and happiness not only to yourself but to the people in your environment. “The Ultimate Happiness Prescription” is not only about creating joy and happiness every day in your life, but about enlightenment: how do you get in touch with that part of yourself that is always happy, no matter what.

Grateful thanks to Dr Deepa Chopra, Crown Books and YouTube.

Book of the day-13: Vivekananda, A Biography by Swami Nikhilananda

Swami Vivekananda was born on January 12, 1863 in Calcutta and attained ‘mahasamadhi’ on July 4, 1902.

To understand the impact of his powerful life, I am reproducing a wonderful passage from the great book, “Eternal Values for A Changing Society” by Srimat Swami Ranganathanandaji Maharaj (Published by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai):

The Intensity of Vivekananda’s Brief Life

“Swami Vivekananda’s span of earthly life was hardly forty years, but within this short period, he lived an intense life, first as a student in school and college, then as the foremost disciple of his great Master, Sri Ramakrishna, then as a wanderer across the length and breadth of India, and lastly as the spiritual teacher of West and East. His public teaching commenced with his speeches at the World’s Parliament of Religions at Chicago in 1893; and he passed away on 4 July 1902. He spent four intense years in the United States and England, and five equally intense years in India delivering his message of a universal and practical spirituality, and setting in motion a movement as an effective conduit for the furtherance of his message.

Everywhere, he taught man to realize his divine heritage. The innate divinity of man was the constant theme of his teachings. This teaching cuts across all divisions based on political or religious affiliations. Its assimilation by man will make for a character at once deep and broad. He held that spirituality was the core of every religion; dogmatic exclusiveness and intolerance are no part of true religion. The more spiritual a man, the more universal he is. He held that the modern age stood in urgent need of this education from religion, by which men will learn to make their love of God flow into the love and service of all men. He worked hard to give this spiritual orientation to the world’s religions, so that they may be transformed into wholly constructive forces and become capable of redeeming modern man from his inner impoverishment in the context of external enrichment”.

I am also furnishing links to some great books related to him:

Full text of the book, Vivekananda, A Biography by Swami Nikhilananda:
http://www.ramakrishnavivekananda.info/vivekananda_biography/vivekananda_biography.htm

Full Text of the book, Reminiscences of Swami Vivekananda:
http://www.ramakrishnavivekananda.info/reminiscences/reminiscences_of_sv.htm

Full Text of the Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda (9 Volumes):
http://www.ramakrishnavivekananda.info/vivekananda/complete_works.htm

Grateful thanks to Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan; Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, Belur Math; Advaita Ashrama; and Ramakrishna Vivekananda.info.

Book of the day-12: ‘Life after Death’ by Deepak Chopra

  Grateful thanks to Dr Deepak Chopra and YouTube.

Book of the day-11: Jesus: Story of Enlightenment by Dr Deepak Chopra

‘New Realities’ with Alan Steinfeld interviews Deepak Chopra about his most recent book – JESUS: A Story of Enlightenment.  Dr Deepak Chopra never ceases to amaze me by his breadth of vision, depth of knowledge , benevolent heart and universal thinking. This video interview reinforces my belief that he is one of the greatest thinkers, writers and speakers of the present-day. In this interview, he tells he is planning to write more books in this ‘Story of Enlightenment’ series, which is a joyous news. Grateful thanks to Dr Deepak Chopra, Alan Steinfeld, ‘New Realities’ and YouTube.

Book of the day-10: The Third Jesus by Dr Deepak Chopra

A brief introduction about the book from RandomHouse.com by Deepak Chopra himself:
(http://www.randomhouse.com/crown/thirdjesus/)

The Third Jesus is about the consciousness of Jesus which was in touch with the source of all creation. If you can aspire to be at one with that consciousness, then you too can be in touch with the source of all creation. The Third Jesus takes you on a journey of inner transformation, so you truly understand the meanings of the phrases like “the kingdom of heaven is within you,” “my father’s house has many mansions,” “resist not evil,” “my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Each of these phrases that are drawn from the sayings of Jesus actually can be a trigger for your own inner transformation, so you move from ordinary states of consciousness to what is called “god consciousness” and “cosmic consciousness.”

Grateful thanks to Dr Deepak Chopra and Random House.

Book of the day-9: "The Mind of Mahatma Gandhi"

This is an Encyclopedia of Gandhi’s Thoughts compiled by M/s.Prabhu and Rao. Gandhiji’s thoughts on various topics like Truth, Peace, Fearlessness, Love, Non-Violence, Vegetarianism, Celibacy, Democracy, Simplicity, Sarvodaya, Trusteeship, Self-reliance and many others are available in this book in his own words. It has 15 chapters covering 96 subjects and runs to 496 pages.

The printed book published by Navjeevan Trust, Ahmedabad-380014, India and priced at Rs.100/- can be obtained from the publishers and other Gandhian booksellers.

An online version is made available through courtesy of MKGandhi.org.(http://www.mkgandhi.org/momgandhi/encyclopedia.htm)

Those who are interested in Gandhian Thoughts can give this a try.

Grateful thanks to M/s.Prabhu and Rao and MKGandhi.org.

Book of the day-8: A CONCISE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF HINDUISM

A CONCISE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF HINDUISM (in three volumes)
By Swami Harshananda

New Release

Covers all aspects of Hindu Religion, Philosophy and Culture

Printed on natural shade, superior quality maplitho paper

Binding in full calico with multi-colour cover

Size: 24 x 18 cm – Each volume contains approximately 700 pages

Contains 200 line drawings and 60 photographs

Subsidised Price on Release: Rs.1500/- (US $ 150)

Special Pre-Publication Offer: Rs.1000 (US $ 100)
(Courier charges: India Rs.200/- USA & Europe: $ 60

Last date for booking at Pre-publication price : March 31, 2008-02-27

Contact:
Ramakrishna Math
Bull Temple Road, Bangalore-560019
Phone: 080-26616161, 26616060
e-mail: rkmblr_publi@vsnl.net
ramakrishnamathblr@dataone.in

Book of the day-7: "Spiritual Healing’ by Swami Paramananda

SPIRITUAL HEALING
By Swami Paramananda
Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai
Pages 86
Price: Rs.7.50 (in 1994, when I bought it, during my visit to the Ramakrishna Mission Saradapitha, Belur Math)

It is a small pocket book, sold at a very nominal price. But it contains some great thoughts on Health, Disease and Cure and many more things. I would like everybody, whether he is healthy or sick, whether he is a physician or a patient, and whatever be his caste, creed to study this book and ruminate over what he or she has read. If the wonderful thoughts contained in this book could be put to practice, it is bound to totally transform one’s life.

I shall reproduce some gems from this great little book:

· The real seat of disease is more often in the mind than in the body.
· The only true healing is accomplished by contact with the spiritual essence.
· One may not believe in prayer, but prayer heals.
· Faith also has great healing power because it elevates us to a plane where we can be healed.
· All power is of the Spirit. Through whole-hearted prayer and unwavering faith we succeed in making ourselves receptive to this power. Unless we are open to its direct influence, it cannot penetrate our being and heal us.
· Absolute faith is the basis of all healing; even in medical science it is necessary.
· Faith brings from purity of heart, from direct perception.
· The Scriptures tell us that disease is the result of sin. Some define sin as wrong thinking, others as wrong doing; but whatever definition we accept, it is apparent that when we go against nature, we create certain results from which we cannot escape.
· Suffering is often a purifying agent.
· Even sickness sometimes proves a blessing. It all depends on the mental attitude with which we meet it. If we allow ourselves to be dragged down and made despondent and unhappy by it, then it becomes a misfortune; otherwise it may be the means of bringing to us a new spiritual awakening.
· The highest form of healing is when we do not think of the body at all.
· In Raja Yoga and Hatha Yoga, where health comes first, we are told that we must have a proper physical vehicle with which to work out our perfection.
· By the understanding and application of the science of right breathing, we can keep this body in a healthy condition; because by our breathing we control the PRANA or the life-force. As long as this life-force continues to circulate evenly and steadily, perfect rhythm or balance will be maintained in our system and we shall enjoy good health.
· If we can control our breathing, we shall restore the equilibrium of our mind and thereby safeguard our health.
· When we acquire complete breath-control, we have such a store of PRANA at our command that we can send it to any part of our organism, where there may be pain or distress, and reinvigorate it. Also we can transmit it to others. This explains the sudden cures by laying on of hands and all forms of magnetic healing.
· If we do not think rightly and live rightly, we cannot have health; because we generate a poison in our system by our wrong thoughts and actions which must culminate in disease.
· Even medical science has come to recognize that any strong passion, such as vehement anger or bitter hatred, may lead to serious illness.
· Whenever man can rise above the little self and become united with that which is universal and cosmic, there is no limit to his strength.
· There are various methods by which we may accomplish self-healing, – rigid and continual denial of disease, constructive affirmations, and concentration of the mind on a counteracting influence.
· Meditation has wonderful healing power.
· Thought has a vital influence on our bodily health and especially on the breath. Whenever we are under any great mental excitement, we see how abnormal and erratic the breath becomes. Whenever, on the other hand, our mind is exalted and peaceful, our breath grows very quiet and rhythmic.
· This body is the instrument through which we have to work out our salvation. If it is out of order, it becomes a serious hindrance. When the body is disturbed, it is difficult to forget it; and if we are constantly thinking of the body, we have no time to think of higher things.
· A healthy person is one who is least conscious of his body. Therefore the object of all breath-control is to make ourselves as little conscious of our physical condition as possible.
· The majority of mankind is more or less in an unhealthy condition, either of body or mind. The greatest disease of the mind is doubt.
· We must reverse the order of our life; and instead of being so full of craving for material things, we must be filled with yearning for spiritual things.
· The more we think o the body, the less are we conscious of that which sustains the body.
· If we can separate ourselves from our body-consciousness, not through death, but through higher reflection, at once we are released from bodily pain.
· One who is always seeking material benefits rarely has his desires satisfied; but to one who does not seek them, they come easily and abundantly. How strange seems the law!
· We must learn to retire within ourselves when there is any trouble. Whatever overtakes us – whether it be physical illness, nervous excitement or mental disturbance – we must not reach out to the external world for help; we must try rather to make ourselves more fit for the manifestation of the divine Spirit. If we can draw close to the cosmic Source within ourselves, we shall be relieved from our aches and pains and darkness.
· Meditation is a vital factor in healing.
· If our sufferings are due to matter, then the remedy must be sought in the spiritual; and the more we learn to turn towards that, the more our life is balanced.
· Sometimes an illness brings a lesson of which we have need. People are awakened often to higher thought and ideals through bodily afflictions or through misfortune.
· A person who is full of aspiration learns both through good fortune and misfortune; he learns equally through physical disease and through health.
· A healthy body is an undeniable advantage in our spiritual pursuits; but we must not let ourselves become absorbed in the idea of health as an end in itself. The best form of health is where we are least conscious that we have a body. When we are really healthy, we do not think about the body at all, our feet scarcely touch the ground; but when we are thinking constantly of the body, that is not a healthy attitude of mind or a healthy state of body.
· Nothing contributes more towards good health than an orderly life of moderation.
· Meditation is invaluable even for our bodily welfare, because it gives us balance. It quiets our nerves and brings our muscles to a state of tranquility. Often this is done involuntarily.
· There is no permanent happiness in the finite, the changing, the fleeting. That which is infinite and everlasting, That alone is the Source of real happiness and blessing. We must bind our hearts to That. In That is the only permanent cure for all disease, because It carries us beyond ignorance, beyond selfishness, beyond the unreal.
· The kingdom of God is within and we are told to seek that first, then all else will follow.
· No man can become a channel of divine power so long as his ego is in the ascendancy.
· To become a true channel, he must attune himself with God through humility, through purity, through an utter lack of self-consciousness.
· All we need is purity of thought, an open heart and sincere childlike longing. When we have these, all darkness vanishes quickly and healing takes place. When we touch the reservoir of life, the storehouse of Prana or vital energy, all our weakness must disappear.
· There are many simple people who by mere faith and ardent devotion have performed what we call miracles.
· Let us tune ourselves in such a way that we shall never be a jarring note in the cosmic harmony.
· Man’s life is inter-related. His physical life is so absolutely dependent on his moral and his spiritual life that unless he pays proper heed to these, he can never hope to be healthy.
· Whenever we violate the spiritual law and try to find a short cut to happiness, the fibre of our moral being is injured and we begin to feel pains and aches in the physical body. When these conditions continue and we do not try to remove them, a mark is made on the mind. Doubt, despair and despondency arise and these react again on the body.
· A man can never be converted by violence or by mere persuasion. He can be transformed permanently only by a spiritual influx which is so redeeming, so life-giving, so healing, that when he comes in contact with it, he is re-made.
· We must acquire a well-ordered mind; because our thoughts and feelings and aspirations will produce either good health or ill health in our body.
· Suffering is not a curse; bodily illness is not necessarily a punishment. Sometimes it comes to purify and strengthen us. Therefore those who have deeper understanding strive to make the best use of illness.
· Bodily suffering becomes a blessing when it teaches us to transcend outer conditions and to turn to the soul within.
· We must have real love for an Ideal in our hearts; then not only do we elevate ourselves, but we are able to bring constant benefit to the world.

Book of the day-7: "Spiritual Healing’ by Swami Paramananda

SPIRITUAL HEALING
By Swami Paramananda
Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai
Pages 86
Price: Rs.7.50 (in 1994, when I bought it, during my visit to the Ramakrishna Mission Saradapitha, Belur Math)

It is a small pocket book, sold at a very nominal price. But it contains some great thoughts on Health, Disease and Cure and many more things. I would like everybody, whether he is healthy or sick, whether he is a physician or a patient, and whatever be his caste, creed to study this book and ruminate over what he or she has read. If the wonderful thoughts contained in this book could be put to practice, it is bound to totally transform one’s life.

I shall reproduce some gems from this great little book:

· The real seat of disease is more often in the mind than in the body.
· The only true healing is accomplished by contact with the spiritual essence.
· One may not believe in prayer, but prayer heals.
· Faith also has great healing power because it elevates us to a plane where we can be healed.
· All power is of the Spirit. Through whole-hearted prayer and unwavering faith we succeed in making ourselves receptive to this power. Unless we are open to its direct influence, it cannot penetrate our being and heal us.
· Absolute faith is the basis of all healing; even in medical science it is necessary.
· Faith brings from purity of heart, from direct perception.
· The Scriptures tell us that disease is the result of sin. Some define sin as wrong thinking, others as wrong doing; but whatever definition we accept, it is apparent that when we go against nature, we create certain results from which we cannot escape.
· Suffering is often a purifying agent.
· Even sickness sometimes proves a blessing. It all depends on the mental attitude with which we meet it. If we allow ourselves to be dragged down and made despondent and unhappy by it, then it becomes a misfortune; otherwise it may be the means of bringing to us a new spiritual awakening.
· The highest form of healing is when we do not think of the body at all.
· In Raja Yoga and Hatha Yoga, where health comes first, we are told that we must have a proper physical vehicle with which to work out our perfection.
· By the understanding and application of the science of right breathing, we can keep this body in a healthy condition; because by our breathing we control the PRANA or the life-force. As long as this life-force continues to circulate evenly and steadily, perfect rhythm or balance will be maintained in our system and we shall enjoy good health.
· If we can control our breathing, we shall restore the equilibrium of our mind and thereby safeguard our health.
· When we acquire complete breath-control, we have such a store of PRANA at our command that we can send it to any part of our organism, where there may be pain or distress, and reinvigorate it. Also we can transmit it to others. This explains the sudden cures by laying on of hands and all forms of magnetic healing.
· If we do not think rightly and live rightly, we cannot have health; because we generate a poison in our system by our wrong thoughts and actions which must culminate in disease.
· Even medical science has come to recognize that any strong passion, such as vehement anger or bitter hatred, may lead to serious illness.
· Whenever man can rise above the little self and become united with that which is universal and cosmic, there is no limit to his strength.
· There are various methods by which we may accomplish self-healing, – rigid and continual denial of disease, constructive affirmations, and concentration of the mind on a counteracting influence.
· Meditation has wonderful healing power.
· Thought has a vital influence on our bodily health and especially on the breath. Whenever we are under any great mental excitement, we see how abnormal and erratic the breath becomes. Whenever, on the other hand, our mind is exalted and peaceful, our breath grows very quiet and rhythmic.
· This body is the instrument through which we have to work out our salvation. If it is out of order, it becomes a serious hindrance. When the body is disturbed, it is difficult to forget it; and if we are constantly thinking of the body, we have no time to think of higher things.
· A healthy person is one who is least conscious of his body. Therefore the object of all breath-control is to make ourselves as little conscious of our physical condition as possible.
· The majority of mankind is more or less in an unhealthy condition, either of body or mind. The greatest disease of the mind is doubt.
· We must reverse the order of our life; and instead of being so full of craving for material things, we must be filled with yearning for spiritual things.
· The more we think o the body, the less are we conscious of that which sustains the body.
· If we can separate ourselves from our body-consciousness, not through death, but through higher reflection, at once we are released from bodily pain.
· One who is always seeking material benefits rarely has his desires satisfied; but to one who does not seek them, they come easily and abundantly. How strange seems the law!
· We must learn to retire within ourselves when there is any trouble. Whatever overtakes us – whether it be physical illness, nervous excitement or mental disturbance – we must not reach out to the external world for help; we must try rather to make ourselves more fit for the manifestation of the divine Spirit. If we can draw close to the cosmic Source within ourselves, we shall be relieved from our aches and pains and darkness.
· Meditation is a vital factor in healing.
· If our sufferings are due to matter, then the remedy must be sought in the spiritual; and the more we learn to turn towards that, the more our life is balanced.
· Sometimes an illness brings a lesson of which we have need. People are awakened often to higher thought and ideals through bodily afflictions or through misfortune.
· A person who is full of aspiration learns both through good fortune and misfortune; he learns equally through physical disease and through health.
· A healthy body is an undeniable advantage in our spiritual pursuits; but we must not let ourselves become absorbed in the idea of health as an end in itself. The best form of health is where we are least conscious that we have a body. When we are really healthy, we do not think about the body at all, our feet scarcely touch the ground; but when we are thinking constantly of the body, that is not a healthy attitude of mind or a healthy state of body.
· Nothing contributes more towards good health than an orderly life of moderation.
· Meditation is invaluable even for our bodily welfare, because it gives us balance. It quiets our nerves and brings our muscles to a state of tranquility. Often this is done involuntarily.
· There is no permanent happiness in the finite, the changing, the fleeting. That which is infinite and everlasting, That alone is the Source of real happiness and blessing. We must bind our hearts to That. In That is the only permanent cure for all disease, because It carries us beyond ignorance, beyond selfishness, beyond the unreal.
· The kingdom of God is within and we are told to seek that first, then all else will follow.
· No man can become a channel of divine power so long as his ego is in the ascendancy.
· To become a true channel, he must attune himself with God through humility, through purity, through an utter lack of self-consciousness.
· All we need is purity of thought, an open heart and sincere childlike longing. When we have these, all darkness vanishes quickly and healing takes place. When we touch the reservoir of life, the storehouse of Prana or vital energy, all our weakness must disappear.
· There are many simple people who by mere faith and ardent devotion have performed what we call miracles.
· Let us tune ourselves in such a way that we shall never be a jarring note in the cosmic harmony.
· Man’s life is inter-related. His physical life is so absolutely dependent on his moral and his spiritual life that unless he pays proper heed to these, he can never hope to be healthy.
· Whenever we violate the spiritual law and try to find a short cut to happiness, the fibre of our moral being is injured and we begin to feel pains and aches in the physical body. When these conditions continue and we do not try to remove them, a mark is made on the mind. Doubt, despair and despondency arise and these react again on the body.
· A man can never be converted by violence or by mere persuasion. He can be transformed permanently only by a spiritual influx which is so redeeming, so life-giving, so healing, that when he comes in contact with it, he is re-made.
· We must acquire a well-ordered mind; because our thoughts and feelings and aspirations will produce either good health or ill health in our body.
· Suffering is not a curse; bodily illness is not necessarily a punishment. Sometimes it comes to purify and strengthen us. Therefore those who have deeper understanding strive to make the best use of illness.
· Bodily suffering becomes a blessing when it teaches us to transcend outer conditions and to turn to the soul within.
· We must have real love for an Ideal in our hearts; then not only do we elevate ourselves, but we are able to bring constant benefit to the world.

Book of the day-6: "Awakening the Mind, Lightening the Heart’ by His Holiness, The Dalai Lama

With extraordinary grace and insight, the Dalai Lama shows how Tibetan Buddhist teachings on compassion can be practiced in our daily lives, through simple meditations that relate directly to past and present relationships. While many world religions have mind-transforming or purifying techniques, Buddhists have placed particular emphasis on these practices for more than 2000 years. Basing his discussion on a 15th century Buddhist text, the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people gives clear, highly accessible explanations of these methods and how they can be incorporated into the busy rhythms of modern life. The Dalai Lama won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 and is the author of two memoirs and several books on Buddhism.

Awakening the Mind, Lightening the Heart is the second volume in the Library of Tibet series, which was founded in order to preserve and disseminate the cultural heritage of Tibet. The volumes of the Library will cover Tibetan history and culture, from meditation practices to social history. Volume Editor Donald S.Lopez is Professor of Buddhist and Tibetan Studies at the University of Michigan. John F.Avedon, General Series Editor of the Library is the author of In Exile from the Land of Snows, the definite history of modern Tibet. (From the blurb of the book)

Awakening the Mind, Lightening the Heart
by His Holiness, The Dalai Lama
(Core Teachings of Tibetan Buddhism – The Path to Enlightenment)
Published by HarperCollins Publishers India, a joint venture with The India Today Group, New Delhi
pp.237
Price: 250/-

Detailed biography of the author (Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama) with his photos from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenzin_Gyatso%2C_14th_Dalai_Lama

The author’s website: http://www.dalailama.com/

Article on Dalai Lama Lineage from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalai_Lama

Book of the day-5: ‘The Bhagavad Gita : Royal Science of God-Realization’ by Paramahansa Yogananda

A work of unparalleled scope and vision that reveals the esoteric meaning of the immortal dialogue between soul and Spirit. In this book, Paramahansa Yogananda breaks the “code” of symbolism and allegory that conceals the Gita’s deepest spiritual, psychological, and metaphysical truths.

It presents an enlightening and deeply encouraging guide to the ultimate mysteries of human existence and an unfailing source of spiritual solace for the modern world. It unfolds the essence of India’s age-old philosophy of yoga, its time-honoured tradition of meditation, and how yoga meditation leads to higher states of consciousness.

This comprehensive work offers an in-depth look at the origin, evolution, and nature of cosmos; striking correlations between the Vedic view of reality and the discoveries of modern science; and the subtle aspects of Kriya Yoga – the ancient science of meditation.

About this work, Paramahansa Yogananda said, “I am not giving an interpretation, but am chronicling what I perceived as the Spirit pours Its wisdom into an attuned soul’s devotional intuition in various stages of ecstasy.”

Published by

Yogoda Satsanga Society of India

Paramahansa Yogananda Path

Ranchi-834001

Jharkhand

Price: Rs.595/-

Book of the day-5: ‘The Bhagavad Gita : Royal Science of God-Realization’ by Paramahansa Yogananda

A work of unparalleled scope and vision that reveals the esoteric meaning of the immortal dialogue between soul and Spirit. In this book, Paramahansa Yogananda breaks the “code” of symbolism and allegory that conceals the Gita’s deepest spiritual, psychological, and metaphysical truths.

It presents an enlightening and deeply encouraging guide to the ultimate mysteries of human existence and an unfailing source of spiritual solace for the modern world. It unfolds the essence of India’s age-old philosophy of yoga, its time-honoured tradition of meditation, and how yoga meditation leads to higher states of consciousness.

This comprehensive work offers an in-depth look at the origin, evolution, and nature of cosmos; striking correlations between the Vedic view of reality and the discoveries of modern science; and the subtle aspects of Kriya Yoga – the ancient science of meditation.

About this work, Paramahansa Yogananda said, “I am not giving an interpretation, but am chronicling what I perceived as the Spirit pours Its wisdom into an attuned soul’s devotional intuition in various stages of ecstasy.”

Published by

Yogoda Satsanga Society of India

Paramahansa Yogananda Path

Ranchi-834001

Jharkhand

Price: Rs.595/-

Book of the day-4: ‘Autobiography of a Yogi’ by Paramahansa Yogananda

This book has been chosen as one of the best 100 Spiritual Books of the 20th century. This acclaimed autobiography of Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda is now available in a new attractive hardbound edition, in a larger format, with more photographs. It is priced at Rs.125/-

First published in 1946 and enlarged by Paramahansa Yogananda in 1951, this book has been translated into twenty one languages including Hindi, Bengali, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Oriya, Tamil and Telugu.

Published by Yogoda Satsanga Society of India (Paramahansa Yogananda Path, Ranchi-834001, Jharkhand, India) and distributed by Jaico Publishing House and Motilal Banarasidass.

Free online edition is available at

:

http://www.crystalclarity.com/yogananda/

Brief Biography of Paramahansa Yogananda from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paramahansa_Yogananda

Book of the day-4: ‘Autobiography of a Yogi’ by Paramahansa Yogananda

This book has been chosen as one of the best 100 Spiritual Books of the 20th century. This acclaimed autobiography of Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda is now available in a new attractive hardbound edition, in a larger format, with more photographs. It is priced at Rs.125/-

First published in 1946 and enlarged by Paramahansa Yogananda in 1951, this book has been translated into twenty one languages including Hindi, Bengali, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Oriya, Tamil and Telugu.

Published by Yogoda Satsanga Society of India (Paramahansa Yogananda Path, Ranchi-834001, Jharkhand, India) and distributed by Jaico Publishing House and Motilal Banarasidass.

Free online edition is available at

:

http://www.crystalclarity.com/yogananda/

Brief Biography of Paramahansa Yogananda from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paramahansa_Yogananda

Book of the Day-3: "How to Live 24-hours a Day" by Arnold Bennett

Arnold Bennett’s, HOW TO LIVE ON TWENTY-FOUR HOURS A DAY, is an unusual book which has won a distinctive place in world literature. It is a small classic, designed to help us make the best use of the most priceless possession we have, TIME. What follows is a synopsis:

Time is the raw material for everything. Without it nothing is possible. The supply of time is truly a daily miracle. No one can take it from you and nor receive either more or less than you receive. And you cannot waste it in advance.

You have to live on this twenty four hours a day; out of which you have to spin money, pleasure, content, health. It demands sacrifices and endless effort.

Now let us examine the budget of the day’s time. A typical man spends eight hours (from 9 am to 5 pm) in the office. During the remaining sixteen hours (from 9 am to 5 pm) he has nothing whatever to do but cultivate his body and soul and serve fellow men.

In examining the typical man’s method of employing the 16 hours that are entirely his, let him spend 30 minutes daily in the morning, and an hour and a half every other evening in cultivating the mind. He will still be left with 3 evenings for friends, family and gardening.

We do not reflect upon genuinely important things; upon the problem of our happiness, upon the main direction in which we are going, upon what life is giving to us, upon the share which reason has in determining our actions and upon the relation between our principles and our conduct.

In the formation of principles and the practice of conduct, much help can be derived from books. I suggest Marcus Aurelius and Epictetus. I may also mention Pascal, La Brayere and Emerson. But no reading of books will take the place of a daily, candid, honest examination of what one has recently done and what one is about to do – of a steady looking of one’s self in the face.

Many people remain idle in the evenings because they think there is no alternative to idleness but the study of literature; and they do not happen to have a taste for literature. This is a great mistake. There are enormous fields of knowledge quite outside literature which yield magnificent results to cultivators.

You need not be devoted to the arts, nor to literature in order to live fully. The whole field of daily habit and scene is waiting to satisfy that curiosity which means life and the satisfaction which means an understanding an understanding heart.

I now come to the case of the person, happily very common, who does like reading. I offer two general suggestions for self-improvement through reading. The first is to define the direction and scope of your efforts. Choose a limited period, or a limited subject, or a single author. And during a given period confine yourself to your choice. There is much pleasure to be derived from being a specialist. The second suggestion is to think as well as to read. To read the full book, click: http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext00/24hrs11.txt (Thank you very much, Project Gutenberg, thank you very much!)

Book of the Day-3: "How to Live 24-hours a Day" by Arnold Bennett

Arnold Bennett’s, HOW TO LIVE ON TWENTY-FOUR HOURS A DAY, is an unusual book which has won a distinctive place in world literature. It is a small classic, designed to help us make the best use of the most priceless possession we have, TIME. What follows is a synopsis:

Time is the raw material for everything. Without it nothing is possible. The supply of time is truly a daily miracle. No one can take it from you and nor receive either more or less than you receive. And you cannot waste it in advance.

You have to live on this twenty four hours a day; out of which you have to spin money, pleasure, content, health. It demands sacrifices and endless effort.

Now let us examine the budget of the day’s time. A typical man spends eight hours (from 9 am to 5 pm) in the office. During the remaining sixteen hours (from 9 am to 5 pm) he has nothing whatever to do but cultivate his body and soul and serve fellow men.

In examining the typical man’s method of employing the 16 hours that are entirely his, let him spend 30 minutes daily in the morning, and an hour and a half every other evening in cultivating the mind. He will still be left with 3 evenings for friends, family and gardening.

We do not reflect upon genuinely important things; upon the problem of our happiness, upon the main direction in which we are going, upon what life is giving to us, upon the share which reason has in determining our actions and upon the relation between our principles and our conduct.

In the formation of principles and the practice of conduct, much help can be derived from books. I suggest Marcus Aurelius and Epictetus. I may also mention Pascal, La Brayere and Emerson. But no reading of books will take the place of a daily, candid, honest examination of what one has recently done and what one is about to do – of a steady looking of one’s self in the face.

Many people remain idle in the evenings because they think there is no alternative to idleness but the study of literature; and they do not happen to have a taste for literature. This is a great mistake. There are enormous fields of knowledge quite outside literature which yield magnificent results to cultivators.

You need not be devoted to the arts, nor to literature in order to live fully. The whole field of daily habit and scene is waiting to satisfy that curiosity which means life and the satisfaction which means an understanding an understanding heart.

I now come to the case of the person, happily very common, who does like reading. I offer two general suggestions for self-improvement through reading. The first is to define the direction and scope of your efforts. Choose a limited period, or a limited subject, or a single author. And during a given period confine yourself to your choice. There is much pleasure to be derived from being a specialist. The second suggestion is to think as well as to read. To read the full book, click: http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext00/24hrs11.txt (Thank you very much, Project Gutenberg, thank you very much!)

Book of the Day-2: ‘As a Man Thinketh’ by James Allen

It is a world-renowned book and does not need any introduction. It is one of the all-time great books. Generation and generation, people are getting benefitted by this wonderful book. I have derived a lot of inspiration from this book. I am reproducing below some of the passages which appealed to me most. I am providing the link to this book for those who want to read this book in full.

As a being of Power, Intelligence, and Love, and the lord of his won thoughts, man holds the key to every situation, and contains within himself that transforming and regenerative agency by which he may make himself what he wills.

Only by much searching and mining, are gold and diamonds obtained and man can find every truth connected with his being, if he will dip deep into the mine of his soul;… only by patience, practice, and ceaseless importunity can a man enter the Door of the Temple of Knowledge.Just as a gardener cultivates his plot, keeping it free from weeds, and growing the flowers and fruits which he requires, so may a man tend the garden of his mind, weeding out all the wrong, useless, and impure thoughts, and cultivating towrd perfection the flowers and fruits of right, useful, and pure thoughts.

Law, not confusion, is the dominating principle in the universe; justice, not injustice, is the soul and substance of life; and righteousness, not corruption, is the moulding and moving force in the spiritual government of the world.Let a man radically alter his thoughts (by systematic introspection and self-analysis) and he will be astonished at the rapid transformation it will effect in the material conditions of his life….impure thoughts of every kind crystallize into enervating and confusing habits, which solidify into distracting and adverse circumstances: thoughts of fear, doubt, and indecision crystallize into weak, unmanly, and irresolute habits, which solidify into circumstances of failure, indigence, and slavish dependence : lazy thoughts crystallize into habits of uncleanliness and dishonesty, which solidify into circumstances of foulness and beggary: hateful and condemnatory thoughts crystallilize into habits of accusation and violence, which solidify into circumstances of injury and persecution; selfish thoughts of all kinds crystallize into habits of self-seeking, which solidify into circumstances more or less distressing.

http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext03/mntkh10.txt

Book of the Day-1: ‘Daily Divine Digest’ by Swami Chidbhavananda

This is a pocket book meant for daily use. It contains 365 topics of interest and help to spiritual aspirants for the 365 days of the year, date-wise. Author of this book, Srimat Swami Chidbhavanandaji Maharaj, is a disciple of Srimat Swami Sivanandaji Mahraj, second President of the Ramakrishna Order. He founded Sri Ramakrishna Tapovanam at Tirupparaithurai, near Trichy in Tamil Nadu. The swamiji attained ‘Mahasamadhi’ in . I had been to Tapovanam three times when the swamiji was alive and had the good fortune to receive his blessings.

A few lines from the Introduction of this book: “The search for Reality is inborn in man. Ceaselessly it is going on. Geographical limitations and traditional upbringing are no barriers to it. The quest would stop only with the attainment of Union with Reality.
….
Tenets belonging to all the four paths (Karma Yoga or the Path of Action; Raja Yoga or the Path of Self-control; Bhakti Yoga or the Path of Devotion; and Jnana Yoga or the Path of Knowledge) are interspersed in this little book. Their being mixed up is a psychological necessity. As the change of diet is relishing to the tongue, change of theme is refreshing to the mind. An ardent daily pursuit of a page in this book is bound to enrich the spiritual caliber of the aspirant. Pursuit is to be followed by reflection.”

As a sample, I am giving below the entry for today, the 19th July:

“THE AXLE

The wheel turns having the axle as the basis. The axle is not only the basis, it also keeps the movement of the wheel under control. Such is also the structure of nature.

Motion is relative. A moving object requires an immovable basis to move on. The moving planets have the fixed space to move on. The perishing things have the persisting Consciousness as the axle or basis. Nature rests and moves on Consciousness.

In man Consciousness is the axle on which the body and mind move and evolve – Vedanta”

Book of the Day-1: ‘Daily Divine Digest’ by Swami Chidbhavananda

This is a pocket book meant for daily use. It contains 365 topics of interest and help to spiritual aspirants for the 365 days of the year, date-wise. Author of this book, Srimat Swami Chidbhavanandaji Maharaj, is a disciple of Srimat Swami Sivanandaji Mahraj, second President of the Ramakrishna Order. He founded Sri Ramakrishna Tapovanam at Tirupparaithurai, near Trichy in Tamil Nadu. The swamiji attained ‘Mahasamadhi’ in . I had been to Tapovanam three times when the swamiji was alive and had the good fortune to receive his blessings.

A few lines from the Introduction of this book: “The search for Reality is inborn in man. Ceaselessly it is going on. Geographical limitations and traditional upbringing are no barriers to it. The quest would stop only with the attainment of Union with Reality.
….
Tenets belonging to all the four paths (Karma Yoga or the Path of Action; Raja Yoga or the Path of Self-control; Bhakti Yoga or the Path of Devotion; and Jnana Yoga or the Path of Knowledge) are interspersed in this little book. Their being mixed up is a psychological necessity. As the change of diet is relishing to the tongue, change of theme is refreshing to the mind. An ardent daily pursuit of a page in this book is bound to enrich the spiritual caliber of the aspirant. Pursuit is to be followed by reflection.”

As a sample, I am giving below the entry for today, the 19th July:

“THE AXLE

The wheel turns having the axle as the basis. The axle is not only the basis, it also keeps the movement of the wheel under control. Such is also the structure of nature.

Motion is relative. A moving object requires an immovable basis to move on. The moving planets have the fixed space to move on. The perishing things have the persisting Consciousness as the axle or basis. Nature rests and moves on Consciousness.

In man Consciousness is the axle on which the body and mind move and evolve – Vedanta”