Ways to Self Realization

Rating:
Summary: Spiritual Inspiring + find true Spiritual Path and/or Master
Review: Mouni Sadhu (pseudo name for: the silent Yogi), broke his silence and said much on finding a *true* and worthy spiritual path. I have read this work and regard it as being of great quality. I would highly recommend this book to anybody whom is trying to figure out which Path to follow in their spiritual lives, or if they are trying to evaluate whether a specific 'Master' or 'Guru' is indeed what he or others claim of him and whether he posses the real qualities to be worthy of such a title. Having been a direct disciple under a TRUE Master (a Christ/Buddha equivalent), Mouni Sadhu is most definitely qualified to speak on the matters above.

What you will find this book is not coercion to join any specific spiritual path, nor shunning people from any specific religions. In fact you will find many quotes from Jesus Christ, Thomas A Kempis (Chistian Saint), Master Ramana Maharshi (Hindu Master), Buddha, Hermeticists, etc. As he simply put it: "No true Master ever contradicts another; there is only ONE truth!". What Mouni does in this book is he defines for us the qualities of a true Path and of a true Master so that we can safely navigate through our spiritual journeys without false expectations or unfortunate disaster. He warns us of paths which promise many occult faculties and that a true path focuses primarily on Self-Realization - something which all serious religions and spiritual paths contain at their core of study and practice.

I cannot in addition write a review without stating just how inspiring every page of his clear and insightful book was! From this aspect alone, the book is worth purchasing, never mind all the very sensible advice (not always obvious to the beginner) that it provides. I have, over the last few years, collected over 50 books on occultism/philosophy and wide-ranging spiritual matters from very high profiled authors such as Franz Bardon, Papus, Eliphas Levi, Georg Lomer, Israel Regardie, A.E. Waite, Aggripa, Paramahansa Yogananda and many more.. and from none of these was I able to extract such useful and inspiring quotes... 40 from this book alone to be exact! Of course reading philosophical books and collecting quotes does little for our evolvement. For practical spiritual matters, I would have to recommend other books from some of the authors above, but still, this is a wonderful book.

Lastly, I leave you with some of my favourite quotes which summarise just a few of the pages of this wonderful book.

"True spiritual attainment never advertises itself, for then a man knows too much and his horizon is so vast that nothing like Earthly honours, position, recognition or veneration could possibly attract him for even a second. If it is otherwise, there can not be any attainment."

"The peace that another has found is not conclusive evidence for oneself. Only individual experience can establish conviction."

"You can not destroy your illusions by creating others in their place."

"Who hath stronger conflict than he who striveth to overcome himself?"

"It is by resisting the passions, and not by serving them that true peace of heart is to be found".

"A conversion of a savage to Christianity means only a conversion of Christianity to savagery"

"The spiritual power of the realization of one's true self is infinitely greater than ALL the siddhis put together!"

"If you know who you are, by that very fact you know everything worthy to be known. If you do not, no outer knowledge will ever enlighten the dark path. In vain is to seek after limited knowledge in order to reach the Infinite!".

"If you wish to know the ALL (God), then you must start at the beginning by gaining control and knowing your own mind (see his other 2 books, concentration and meditation for practical advice on this); for how else can you possibly gain understanding of the beyond if your inner self is still unknown and undominated by you?"

"If under some influence we feel that we become better, wiser, more tolerant, and full of love for all living things, then we should consider the matter seriously, for it might be our true Path. But if we receive only some scraps of doubtful occult secrets under the label of initiations, and so on, then we can be sure that the author or the alleged "master" is a rogue. There cannot be the slightest doubt if, in addition, we are asked to pay for the lessons, and if such revelations are easily accessible to everyone irrespective of his qualifications to receive certain knowledge".