Tantric Quest: An Encounter With Absolute Love

Rating:
Summary: Excellent story and the teaching
Review: Although I have been on my path of 'enlightenment' for a very short time, I have had a chance to read through numerous publications (Power of Now, Tao Te Ching, Flow, Wisdom of Vedas) and other, I found this one to be a more realistic teaching. The answer to the eternal question of where to find happiness is answered for you on a very practical level, just like The Lost Gospel (as far as I heard). The difficult part is incorporating the teaching into your every day life that is if you really want to do that in the first place.

Rating:
Summary: A Gift of Liberation From a Master
Review: Although I have been on my path of `enlightenment' for a very short time, I have had a chance to read through numerous publications (Power of Now, Tao Te Ching, Flow, Wisdom of Vedas) and other, I found this one to be a more realistic teaching. The answer to the eternal question of where to find happiness is answered for you on a very practical level, just like The Lost Gospel (as far as I heard). The difficult part is incorporating the teaching into your every day life that is if you really want to do that in the first place.

Rating:
Summary: A wonderful, moving intro to Tantra by a living master
Review: Although the book is brief, it seems to contain all the salient points of what tantricism is really all about. It reads like a blend of story, fable, and philosophy while presenting some intriguing tidbits for practical application. Definitely a book that can be read over and over to gain further insight. I was surprised that the author wrote the book that was the basis for the movie 'Diva'. I loved the movie when I saw it years ago, now I have to see it again.

Rating:
Summary: Calming and seems authentic
Review: I read this book while commuting on the bus and it was like going into a peaceful bubble amidst the chaos of traffic and noise. It was very refreshing and the translated version has free-flowing verbage that recalls meditation. The best part of the book is the end when the author tells of his reintegration into "normal" society and his problems adjusting leading to eventual overcoming of these problems. This made the ideas in the book less unattainable by people who cannot seem to get enough vacation time from life to travel to Tibet and become enlightened.

Rating:
Summary: A Gift of Liberation From a Master
Review: That is what the essance of Tantra is. Daniel Odier writes about his search to find a Master to recieve this ancient and secretive teaching from. On the verge of giving up he retreats to a small village in India where, almost seemingly by accident, he finds a great Yogini Tantric Master, Devi, in the forest. She agrees to take him on as a student and so begins Daniel's immersion into a whole new way of experiencing the world.

The transmission of Tantric tradition is very personal. Devi puts Daniel through a variety of tests to strengthen the bond and trust between them. She warns him at the outset of this journey that doubts about himself, anger and even hatred of her could manifest during their work together. As Daniel progresses, and the master/student bond is solidified, Devi's teachings become more deep and subtle. The final part of his time spent with Devi involves his initiation into the Tantric ritual sex, the joining of Shiva and Shakti, causing the rising of the Kundalini(a sacred spiritual force that purifies the body for deeper spiritual attainment).

Daniel not only shares his experience of Devi and what she taught him, but tells how he came back to the 'real world' to use what he learned. Not always an easy task.

A fairly good book, a beautiful story of the student/master relationship, and it's not too wordy either. A basic knowlege of Hinduism is a real plus when reading this.