Parthiv N. Parekh

A Rare Gem for Spiritual Seekers

Revisado: 01-12-21

This is a veritable encyclopedia for all spiritual seekers—from the novice to the one who has come to his or her wit's end in their journey.

As a seeker since more than a couple decades, one who has read/listened to a wide spectrum of teachings, teachers, and gurus—classical yogic teachings with its eight-limbs; mystics like Rumi and Kabir; the Kriya Yogi giants of the 20th Century coming from the lineage of Mahavatar Babaji down to Paramhansa Yogananda; the self-inquiry luminary, Ramana Maharishi; Vedanta and nondualism; intellectual giants like Jiddu Krishnamurti; the contemporary teachers and gurus like Eckhart Tolle, Rupert Spira, Sadhguru Vasudev, Mooji, Gangaji, and dozens more—I am truly surprised that Paul Brunton is not as well-known as he most certainly should be in spiritual circles.

Let me first dispense with one slight criticism I have: Paul Brunton’s use of some terms that he has coined (such as “World Mind,” “World Idea,” “Overself,” etc.) or the ones that he has redefined (such as “Mentalism” and “Philosophy,”) is a bit disorienting and somewhat inaccessible at first. It is quite possible that my somewhat unclear comprehension of those terms is my own limitation, and that he may have deliberately sought this effect so as to encourage the seeker to dig deeper into highly sublime concepts that are inevitable in the journey towards transcendence. But even if otherwise, that’s a minor letdown in an otherwise indispensable work of wisdom that both, illumines and synthesizes mankind’s most revered scriptures such as the Bhagavad Gita, the Bible, the Koran, and others to lead one into the rare stratosphere of spiritual insight.

Following are some specific reasons I feel this is a standout work of the most sublime yet very pragmatic synthesis of all the spiritual knowledge from the sources mentioned above:

• It does an unparalleled job of expounding on the confusions, contradictions, and dualities that hound even advanced seekers, such as the classic tussle between the polarities of the contentions of those who say that the ultimate spiritual deliverance is impossible without a Guru, and surrender to such a Guru; and those who, with equal conviction, maintain that the only and ultimate guru is your own Self—the God within, and that any reliance on anything or anyone outside of you is an obstruction.

• Brunton’s depth and expanse of wisdom are rare: he plumbs from just about every single source of collective spiritual knowledge of mankind, including the wide panorama of some of the teachings and teachers mentioned above. This is not only highly illuminating but also refreshing—in contrast to the often suffocating singularity of each of the above, no matter how profound each teaching may be in its own right.

• Brunton’s approach is lucid (notwithstanding the criticism cited above regarding the use of unfamiliar terms), sound, and rational even as he leads you increasingly to your ultimate, unspeakable, and unfathomable reality that is beyond understanding and rationality. The complete refrain from tangents, and from the superfluous, makes you want to hang on to each and every word, unlike the often quirky and tedious asides of many otherwise enlightened teachers.

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esto le resultó útil a 9 personas

Slow

Revisado: 12-05-19

It’s a good book but it’s way too slow. The climax is late and it is slow

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