Dynamic Thought; Or, The Law of Vibrant Energy by William Walker Atkinson

Dynamic Thought; Or, The Law of Vibrant Energy

I have virtually struggled to complete this reading. It was really tiresome to read this book. I desire to share my view about this book in some separate statements which are assertions.

The writer is not confident about the nature of the argument which he is propounding.

The writer is a lawyer by profession. He is exercising his skill as a legal professional to build his argument and a case.

The nineteenth century had declared the sway of Science and Scientific methodology. It created a crisis of existence for other fields of knowledge and epistemology. This book is an excellent example to demonstrate the nature of the struggle for survival after the advent of the Science as an established field of knowledge. The writer has exercised his professional skill to explain the theories of science concerning his opinions on Mind and Life.

The writer does not like materialists. Well, that is not a right statement. He is ready to give them space but sympathizes with them. I also do not approve the materialists' way of thinking. It is surprising that he had not quoted Karl Marx at all. He has not even talked about Albert Einstein.

The writer has a good understanding of basic lessons of Physics. He does not have a good understanding of Chemistry. He explains the nature of chemical reactions in terms of love, marriage, and divorce. I was just wondering why he never talks about mathematicians. He has quoted many scholars from Europe who were known mathematician. However, while developing his case for the concept of the Mind, he has not taken up the working of the mind of a mathematician. He has talked about zoology in detail in one of his books, but here, he has not found any need to example from that subject. No doubt, he has taken the cases of microbes.

In his book also, he is suggesting that many of his points will be discussed in detail in his next book. He tells that the title is "The Wonders of the Mind." He informs that the book is in preparation. However, I have not located this title in the present anthology which I am using. It claims to be complete works of W. W. Atkinson.

This is how I present my review of this book. Throughout the book, Atkinson keeps assuring his reader that they have to believe in the theories and explanations which he is giving. He knows that his arguments would be rejected by the world of science. Then, Atkinson wishes that one day he will be proved right. He is not confident in his own content.

The issue of Ether is tackled differently. He knows that the world of science has rejected this concept. He has been using this idea in his books wherein he has tried to explain the laws of occultism. The Hindus believe in Akash which has been translated as Ether. He has referred to Hindus theories in many of his books. Therein, he has talked about Akash. But he adopted the term Ether in place of Akash. Now, in this book, he is opposing the idea of Ether.

In one of his book, probably it is one on Telepathy, that he has claimed that he is the first person to use the term 'mentation.' However, in this book, he has written that the word mentation was first used by Elmer Gates.

His views on the actual nature of Gravity is really fascinating. He was a contemporary of Albert Einstein. He collects his material from different magazines. I have a clue that he was a subscriber to many magazines. One can locate this fact by searching on the Internet. But, he has not talked about the explanation as provided by established scientists. I do not know the actual nature and origin of Gravity. I feel secure in the fact that the scientists know and they are using it well in the form in which they have their theory on it.

On the whole, there are fourteen chapters in this book. I have virtually struggled to read this book. At one stage I had even thought of quitting this book. May I suggest then that this book can be skipped. You will not lose much if you do not read this book.

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Mysticism A Very Short Introduction Mysticism and Science

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27 Stars, 27 Gods, The Astrological Mythology of Ancient India by Vic DiCara (Vraja Kishore).

I find pleasure in introducing the book written by Vic DiCara. Kishore is the name adopted by the author after receiving initiation from his Guru Sri Srimad Dhanurdhara Swami.

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He owns two websites namely vicdicara.com and vrajakishor.com. Both the sites are substantiated with WordPress blogs.

I bought the book when I was reading the Autobiography of a Yogi by Yogananda. It was at Chapter 16, "Outwitting the Stars" that I read the views of Swami Yukteshwar on astrology as told by his disciple Paramahansa Yogananda. I leave it to the readers to experience what is written there.

As for me, I have a vacillating and wavering faith in astrology. I know a little bit of astrology. I have improved my understanding of the chart reading by going through Parashar Hora and Brihad Samhita by Vara Mahir as explained by some scholar from a university in Rajasthan. I have also taken help from pulp literature which is readily available in the market. Now, I generally look into Devidayal Jantri, published from Jalandhar, Punjab, India. I religiously buy the fresh edition every year for the last seven years now. But, I was never convinced by this science. I developed numerous questions about their algorithms.

One other tradition, Lal Kitab, was an important influential factor in my formative years. I do not have a book on it. But, since my childhood, I had listened so much about different combinations and Upayas that I had some glimpse of this science. No doubt, later I bought some general books on the so-called Lal Kitab. But, Lal Kitab made me more confused. One utterance of my father had virtually turned me away from it. He had said that it was wrong to perform the Upayas of Lal Kitab as they were of some doubtful origin. Thus, it was the cause of my wavering faith in this science.

But after reading chapter 16, I remember, that I had browsed the web and without knowing and understanding much I bought this book in Kindle format. It is the costliest book which I had bought online. The paperback edition is costlier. I bought it because somewhere, I had concluded that whatsoever I had tried to learn from self-study on astrology, was not any organised study. I found that many of the conclusions and rationales, given by different writers were not sustainable. I learned that stars were taken as fixed points. Sun is fixed. The twelve houses are assumed geometrical construct. Everything was being based on nine planets, their location in relation to each other and multiple charts combination was required to answer different queries. But there was no sequence. I do not know how I have reached the conclusion that in order to fully understand the reasons and logic behind this astrological talks, one must have a full understanding of 27 Nakshatras. But I never came across any account on Nakshatras. As I was not much impressed by astrology, I did not pursue my quest for clearing my doubts. But, when I read the chapter 16, I browsed and because Nakshatra query was at that the back of my mind, I had a question about the actual natures of the Nakshatras, so I picked this title and bought it.

The book begins with two major assertions. They were the arguments which attracted me and had driven me to punch the 'buy it' button. The first argument was that you had to unlearn some of the prevalent perceptions and laws of the astrology.

Vid Dicara suggests that first, you have to unlearn that the Nakshatras are associated with Zodiac Signs. You have to drop the perception or suspend the perception that House dominates the stars or Nakshatra.

The second notion which you have to suspend is that the Nakshatras are associated with the Planet. I believe that you have not to follow the sequence of Ketu, Shukra, Surya, Chandra, Mangal, Rahu, Guru, Shani and Budhha in order to interpret the result of each Nakshatra.

Then, he emphasises that you have to learn the nature of each Nakshatra and its god. The book then tries to explain the nature of each Nakshatra and its God.

In order to explain each Nakshatra, he had written 27 chapters. It is followed by three more chapters.

While undertaking the task of building his chapters, he had taken references from Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas and Mahabharata. He has given references to the hymns and authorities while explaining the nature. How far they are true, I can not authenticate at present.

Apart from that, he had given his own interpretation as per the understanding which he had developed on the basis of his learning of the Sanskrit literature that he had mentioned. One may like it or reject it but for me, it is allowed. This is why you write a book. You give your view and understanding. You are not there to assert. Let the readers and the world of scholars comment on your inferences and conclusions. He has done it boldly and without any complex or bias.

I have found his work a well researched, scholarly work, guided and directed by objectivity and scientific temper. He had not given details of any experiment or collection of data. The experiment is not the only criteria for being scientific. It is the interpretation which you do while using the data which you refer to, that decide the scientific temper. He has demonstrated it well.

He has not gone into any wild explanation. He has not gone in elaborate theories. He has not gone into any philosophy. He created a premise. He created the limits. He dismantled some of the preconceived perceptions He picked his topic and substantiated it with proof from the scriptures. In between, he gave his own interpretation based on his own understanding developed on his study of the contents which he had used.

Those who believe that they would learn astrology from this book, kindly, do not buy it. Those who want to undertake a mature and serious study of Indian Culture and Astrology, they should definitely consult this book in order to refine their questions and queries.

However, the paperback is too costly. I have read it on the Kindle version. It costs ₹400. Kindly keep in mind 

Thus I read this book.  

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Later Edit
My review of this book appears at Quora. Check Here.

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Do me a favour by visiting the author page on Amazon HERE -AUTHOR AMAZON PAGE.

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Telepathy: Its Theory, Facts and Proof by W. W. Atkinson

I had completed the reading of this book on April 4, 2017. There is nothing much to say about this book. The contents of this book can be summarised in the following paragraph.

Atkinson believes that the Telepathy is true. It can be proved by scientific methods. A major experiment was carried out in America during 1907 to 1908. The name of the experiment is The Weltmer Experiment.

The survey of the chapters of the book reveals and approves what is written above. They are as follows.

Chapter I: What is Telepathy

Chapter II: The Nature of the Problem

Chapter III: Experimental Telepathy

Chapter IV: The English Experiments

Chapter V: More English Experiments

Chapter VI: The Weltmer Experiment

Chapter VII: Results of The Weltmer Experiment

Chapter VIII: Results of The Weltmer Experiment (Continued)

Chapter IX: The Theories.

The chapterization in itself tells the actual content of the book. It is English Experiments and Weltmer Experiment.

I have developed the Wikipedia Book for it. The entries on Wikipedia also reveals some more features about the actual facts about the theory of the writer itself. Many of the scholars whom he had mentioned for substantiating his argument were not approved by the scientific world. The Wikipedia Book as developed by the blogger can be accessed HERE. It will take you to Wikipedia server. 

Another feature which emerges is that you can not fully depend upon the statements and elaboration of Atkinson. One of his strong argument was that it was first known to the Hindus. They had used it during the revolt of 1857. He claimed that at that the Telegraph was not available in India. As a result, the British administration suffered because of that. The rebels had extensively used this medium to communicate with each other and gave a tough fight because of the exchange of information through telepathy. He had made this claim in the first chapter titled What is Telepathy. It is all wrong. The Telegraph services were available in India. It is another thing that by May 13, 1857, it was disrupted by the revolutionaries. The revolution started on May 11, 1857. For two days, it was working and the British officer in Amery, Jalandhar, Phillaur and Ludhiana had received the information from the telegraph. Secondly, it was again restored by September1857, when the British army recovered Delhi. Hence, the writer himself had not verified his facts.

I do not have any opinion on this parapsychological phenomenon of Telepathy. However, now these days, we have the internet, twitter, facebook, instagram etc. We have smartphones. Do we need such a phenomena? Even if, it exists, then do we need it. We may research it to decide the actual issue. I do not know, how does psychologist deal with it? What do the neurologists tell about it? But, for all these matters, the reading of this book does not provide much material to work upon. It has rather revealed the weaker side of the writings and contents of the book of W. W. Atkinson.

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The Subconsciousness and the Superconsciousness Planes of Mind by W. W. Atkinson

The Subconsciousness and the Superconsciousness Planes of Mind is a book written by Atkinson. I had completed the reading on March 26, 2017. It was started after the completion of the reading of the books by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev. I had already read half of the book written by Ved Bharti but when I again began to read that book, I suddenly picked up this book from the compilation of the complete works of W. W. Atkinson. The last book which I had read by the writer was Psychic Healing which I have already reviewed. I wanted to shift away from this writer. As one of the commentators on his writing had recorded that you read his books because of their contents, I felt the desire to return to this writer because of the attraction of the style and content of the books by him. The reading of Ved Bharti is still incomplete. I have picked this new title and have completed its reading. It is because of the ability of the writer to narrate his point of view in a smooth English, that one can continue to read his different titles. No doubt, the Kindle software and technology of internet are also an important factor in accomplishing this task. I have nearly 100 titles by this author. If my affair with his writing continues like this, I will be able to read the whole compilation.

Before coming to the chapters of this book, I would like to comment on the style of his writing. I am repeating my version on it. The present comment will be in a mixed language which includes Hindi and English. No doubt, I wrote those comment in between while I was fully engrossed in reading the book.

Nature of the Style of writing:

Author Inductive Logic का खूब प्रयोग कर रहा है । एक proposition देता है। उस की परिभाषा को बनाता है। उस को प्रभावी बनाने के लिए उस का एक premises तैयार करता है। उस पर फिर शुरू हो जाती है एक प्रक्रिया ।  यह प्रक्रिया क्या है? Testimony पर Testimony, Testimony पर Testimony और Testimony पर Testimony। इस Lord ने यह कह। उस Sir ने यह कहा । इस scholar ने ये कहा । इस प्रकार chapter बनता जाता है। Chapter का अंत अचानक रोक दिया जाता है। अब तक लेखक आप के चित से करामात कर चुका है। यह आप हैं जिस ने निष्कर्ष निकाल लिया है। पर आप उस के बारे में actively conscious नहीं हो। तो फिर यह कैसे कह दिया गया है कि आप ने निष्कर्ष निकाल लिया है?

आप के subconscious से लेखक खेल चुका है। निष्कर्ष आप के subconscious में plant हो चुका है । बस अब तो वक्त की बात है जब आप कह उड़ें - हाँ मैं जनता हुँ कि यह ऐसा ही होता है। यह ऐसा ही है। यह तो बहुत से बुद्धिजीवि भी मानते हैं ।

आप से अगर उन बुद्धिजिवियों का नाम पूछा जाए तो शायद आप एक का भी समरण न कर पायें । पर आप अपने दावे पर अड़ जाएंगे ।  ऐसी है इस लेखक की शैली। ऐसी है इस शैली की करामात । पर इसे आप scientific नहीं कह सकते । 

Influence of Swami Vivekanand

There is enough evidence within the different titles of W. W. Atkinson, that his writings have a connection with the people of Theosophical Society. In this book, we can observe another feature. It is that the visit and views of Swami Vivekananda had left a great impact on the literary society of the American scholarship and influenced the development of the thought of the American thinkers. No doubt, W. W. Atkinson had borrowed a name spelt as Yogi Ramcharaka. He had tried to introduce the American world to the Eastern Philosophy in those terms which could attract the attention of the American world of 1910. Here, is a glimpse that shows that it was the visit and speeches of Swami Vivkenanda which was well received in America. It percolated their thought and started making changes. You find a long quotation from the speeches of Swami Vivekananda while the author explained the concepts which he desired to explain. He had been using the testimonies of the European scholars only. When he quoted Swami Vivekanada, the difference was quite evident and arresting.

The Chapterization:

The book can be divided into two sections.  

Mind is Your Business (Isha Foundation: Sadhguru)

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Mind is Your Business is the book in focus here. It is published by Jaico.

Jaico is not considered as a publisher of the literature for academic purpose. It generally publishes general reading literature on varied topics.

There is no intention to show any disrespect to the publisher. This is what I understand. I can put it in other words. This is my impression and an opinion.

I have bought this book on March 13, 2017, along with the Inner Engineering. I had completed the reading on March 20, 2017. I am posting this after three days. There is a gap in recording. Due to time constraint, I am not able to write as per the actual motive of this blog. It has to be the first impression.

The title also displays the name of Sadhguru. The term appears as Sadhguru Yogi, Mystic and Visionary. The point is that it is not specifically declared that this book is written by him.

The book is published from Mumbai, India, in the year 2015. The ISBN number is

978-81-8495-695-5. The copyright is in favour of Isha Foundation. The description does not contain the name of the author. The cost of the title is ₹ 99. Similar titles in Penguin is also priced at ₹ 99 but therein, Sadhguru is shown as the author. They have a different set of chapters.

The book contains five chapters which are:

Introduction

The Circus of Mind

The Garbage Bin

A Ladder to the Divine

Isha Kriya.

There is another book with same design and outlay but with a different title. The title of that book is Body the Greatest Gadget.

It is about this book (Mind is Your Business), that a reader and buyer had recorded his dissatisfaction in the review section of the online Kindle bookstore of amazon. He wrote that this book was in question answer format. All that was written was already available on the Internet on different sites as well on YouTube. Well everyone has the right to express his opinion and impression about a thing which can be identified by others. That is the way of a testimony to show that the given thing is a fact.

However, there is another question. The question is that what actually is the inner content of the written words. What is the intrinsic value of the narration?

Sadhguru is best in expressing the abstruse thought in terms which can easily attract the attention of even an existentialist and materialists. One of the new features that one can easily discern is that he uses the present day terms, terminology and phrases to explain the contents and processes of esoteric science. One can read that Mind is a software and body is the hardware. How is that? Does it attract you? Will that make talks on Mind, body and soul as more meaningful? If so, then you will like to go through this book. He talks about the works of neurologists. In Inner Engineering he has virtually thrown a challenge to the neurologists. He has suggested that they would not reach the submit which the Yogis has reached. The neurologists are working in the field of material world only.

I had been reading W. W. Atkinson for some time. He also discusses the topics like Mind, Body, Prana or Energy, the real I and the Absolute. He wrote in 1910. He tried to explain these terms to the western world as the knowledge of East. He tried to interpret in scientific terms the processes and mechanism of esoteric science. He had used the scientific knowledge of the level as it had developed by 1910. He adopted the method of using evidences and testimonies by quoting the scholars and established thinkers of that period. He followed a literary style. I can not say that I understood everything which he explained. Somewhere, I received an impression from his writings. I can claim that I was not only receiving suggestions as desired by him but also learned few things. It was not a blind faith in whatsoever he said. But there was a learning along with the receiving the impressions by the writing of an expert writer.

In the case of Sadhguru, you also find that perfection which you find in the case of W. W. Atkinson. However, Jaggi Vasudev does not quote anyone to provide evidence or testimony to establish his views as facts. But, he is using the phrases of present times more dominated by computer sciences and neurology. He had the courage to even challenge the learning of the neurology. No doubt, his inimitable style is to use anecdotes and happenings of day to day life. He has a degree in English literature. He has written in his other book that he was a good reader. Therefore, he is also a master in writing.

Coming back to the chapters as given in the book, the first chapter is Introduction. It is not in question answer form. It is a full essay. It is an essay by the Isha foundation. It tells about the view of Sadhguru on Mind.

The second chapter is titled The Circus of Mind. Herein, it is work of Sadhguru. He had explained the contents in many of his YouTube publications. However, one has to remember that Mind has a special meaning in the realm of esoteric studies and Yogic Philosophy. It is not something which is explained in the field of psychology or philosophy. In order to appreciate the contents, one must understand the views of the Yogis about the Chitta or Mind. That is another thing, that Jaggi Vasudev had not used the term Chitta here. The essay will impart you a different meaning of Mind and problems associated with it.

The next chapter is titled The Garbage Bin. It is again an essay on the working of Mind as understood by the Yoga expert and problems related to it. They are not self improvement suggestion. I am highly infatuated by the subject of psychology. The Psychology is definitely adding to the knowledge of the humanity and helping in improving our lives in different spheres of activity, like Medical science, commerce, social problems, advertisement, personal management. However after reading about the concept of Mind as propounded by these Yogic talks, I am trying to review my attraction towards psychology. I believe that those who study these views may be able to recognize what I am trying to say.

The question answer format begins from the chapter The Garbage Bin.

After taking up many questions on Mind in the chapter of The Garbage Bin, the next chapter takes the issue of spiritualism. The title of the chapter is A Ladder to the Divine. In this chapter, one can find a set of questions which is related to the path of spiritualism and the role of Yoga in it. I would like to emphasise, that after reading two books by Sadhguru, I find that Sadhguru has his own way of talking about spiritual facts. All these Yogis talk about the same thing. However, Sadhguru has his own trademark when he takes up the question of Spiritualism.

The Isha Kriya is the last chapter. It directs to access the ishakriya.com. It contains instructions on the meditation. The similar instructions can be watched on YouTube. Even the diagrams given in the books also appear there.

Mind, Prana, Body or Matter are the three identities which are the subject of the Yogic Philosophy. The postures of the Yogic are one aspect only. One has to learn about the theory also which they propound. This book is about the Mind as talked about in Yogic Philosophy.

I must accept that I have read this book just after completing the reading of "Inner Engineering – A Yogi's Guide to Joy". I have already posted it here. I have to complete my version of that book. Somewhere, in this essay, I may have carried the impression of that book also.

There is another set of books which are published by Penguin. Sadhguru, The Three Truths of Being: ... In the case of that publisher, it is prominently displayed that the author of the titles is Sadhguru. It is in Penguin E-Single series. They are also priced for ₹. 99.

A very emphatic comment about the introduction on Sadhguru in most of the publications on him is, "Sadhguru, a profound mystic of our times". It continues to reappear in the different introduction to Jaggi Vasudev.

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Inner Engineering – A Yogi's Guide to Joy by Sadhguru (Penguin - Ananda)

Inner Engineering – A Yogi's Guide to Joy is written by Sadhguru. He is also addressed as Jaggi Vasudev on the Internet at many places. He is a celebrity. Nobody introduced me to his work. On Shivaratri, Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi visited his place. At that time I was reading, as usual, a book in a collection of W. W. Atkinson. I was reading psychic healing. I was somewhat disenchanted with the content. After that, I had started looking into the sample pages on the books written by Sadhguru on amazon online portal after Shivaratri. On March 13, 2017, I just bought two titles written by him. On March 18, 2017, I completed the reading this title which is published by Penguin under Penguin Ananda Series. The digital edition of 2016 is marked e-ISBN: 978-9-386-05758-7. I bought it for Rs./- 119.20. After that, the price has been reduced by 10%. Very Bad.

During those five days when I read this book, My approach towards the reading of the book passed through a swing mode. Sometimes I laughed, then I just glided through some of the explanation totally unconcerned and at times, I was all appreciation for the contents.

A reviewer on the amazon site had commented that one should not buy a particular title authored by Sadhguru. The argument presented by the person is that whatsoever is written in the book, is already available online free of cost. When I read, I google a lot and watch YouTubes also. Thanks to Mukesh Ambani for that, regardless of the speed which is committed. I observed and listened in many of the interviews of Jagdish Vasudeva on YouTube, which are again conducted by celebrities, that the answers which he gives to them, appear word by word in the book which I was reading. Well now, Mukesh Ambani will charge money for the internet, you can not watch all of them at leisure and within a specific time. On the other hand, the title which I have completed, has its own organic unity. I want to contradict that reviewer. I will rather say, BUY IT. But I suggest a caution. You can enjoy this book, only if, you have some understanding of the Philosophy concerning Sankhya, Yoga, Naya, Vesheshika and Mimansa (Vedanta). If you follow Aristotelian Logic, or follow Western Scholars (European) from Enlightenment onwards, then you may reject it. If you believe that you want a Self Improvement or Self Help or DIY book, then, this book is not meant for you.

Sadhguru is a celebrity. He is a master in his field. I do not have enough of that thing in me to venture to comment on the contents. Well, I may present my view on my way of reading a book.

(to be continued).

The Science of Psychic Healing by W. W. Atkinson

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The Science of Psychic Healing by W. W. Atkinson

There are 21 chapters. I am writing it after reading the Chapter 17

Presently I am in a different mood. The supply of electricity is discontinued again. It was not there for ten hours yesterday.

A Contradiction:

In the Fourteen Lessons of Yogi Philosophy, the author invites the seekers to seek the knowledge of Yoga Philosophy. He warns that if they are approaching him to acquire some special powers or 'sensational abilities' then they are not there to instruct them or impart them such things.

In Psychic healing, he gives the motive for the book as instructions or as a practical guide to heal the patients.

There is a contradiction in above two propositions. There is a contradiction between the two premises. There is a contradiction between the actual purpose of the different books which are basically shown as supplementary and complementary to each other.

Herein, the main motive of learning about Yogic philosophy get demolished. Do we really seek all this knowledge to merely to seek superhuman powers? Is it not so? How will peace be achieved? Why is the peace a goal? What does the peace consist? Is it an end or an acquisition?

We are all one. We do not hate or envy each other. We are all going to merge finally with the Ultimate, the Absolute. Is that the peace? You want to convert people to the ways in which you perceive things. You are free to have such a desire. But, who has given you the right to expect others to accept it when the science is doing its job without such a goal?

Jai Charvahaks. Buy Patanjali products. Bake in India. Oh, Sorry. Make in India. Do Anulom, Pratiloma, Kpalbhatti and Pranayama as told to you by the Great Scientist, Thinker and Nationalist Ghamagha Dev. Consult Ghaal Bhasam for Cancer and HIV and any other incurable disease. Even Aliens visit him. Aliens do visit yogis who live in Himalayas. They have not yet revealed that secret. Right, Mr. Yogi Ganchakra. Oh, Sorry Ramcharak.

Has anyone seen any UFO near Rishikesh?

W. W. Atkinson died too soon? He should have visited Rishikesh. He would have learned about making Chavanprash. That would have definitely helped the Americans. It is good for constipation as well as the lungs.

If I am right and If it is true then let me ask, did The Beatles sue an Indian Yogi? Why did they do so? Probably a Yogi from South India may tell the truth.

I must seek blessings of some Yogi. No, Maha Yogi. I believe that is Shiva of Kailash. But he now camps at Benaras. I should visit Sirsa first.

NamamiIshan Nirvan Rupam

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Na Jamami Jap Nem Puja.(Sant Tulsidasa)

The Economy and Ground Realities of Published books: A Digital Cheating

There seems to be a truth in an observation that the books by Atkinson are popular even today. As per the American law, the patent rights ends after 60 years. The books by Atkinson are available on archive.org free of cost. They are the original books. There are titles which are available on Google Books and Kindle which are available for a consideration. They are recycled with new title prints and formats so that they can be available in the different digital readable format. Is it not a cheating? I fear that the people behind the Internet Archive may not read it. They are also providing these documents in digitally readable format.

Regardless of the above two points, one can still enjoy reading these books. At least, they encourage you to learn about an exercise of breathing correctly. Do it, find it and get the result. The result will be worth the experience. If it gives you some therapeutic benefit, then it is a bonus. But do observe Moderation.

(to be continued). The observation on the completion of the reading. 

This book has 21 chapters. It can be divided into two sections. Up to chapter 17, it should be called Section I on psychic healing. For three chapters, that are from 18 to 20, it should be called Spiritual Healing or Metaphysical Healing. The author then gives instructions to the Spiritual Healer on how to heal the patient. Does a Spiritually awake mind need such instructions? Who will be the better instructor to him, this author or the Absolute?

Just a view:

Out of the whole world, does this field of knowledge work well if it heal the patient? What are the Health systems meant for? Can no other task be expected to be achieved that such esoteric, mystic, omniscient knowledge may think about? Are other problems of the humanity the task of the State in power? Can such expert not reach to each and every person to spread their impact? Is the Yogi Philosophy meant for it? Can Yogi Philosophy think about some other aspect of humanity or even the whole world?

I can not claim to be an authority. It is just a view after reading the book.

Digital and Economic Issue:

As I have stated above, the free document which is available on archive.org in digital form in pdf format and also in Kindle format, where you have to pay nothing except for the internet data and electricity which you use and no doubt, the time you devout to read such things apart from your other duties, contains some more details about the document.

That archive document declares it a 'Sequel to Hatha Yoga' which I have already reviewed. The author continues to suggest to the reader in the book, that in order to appreciate the contents of this book, he should practice the guidelines of Hatha Yoga.

The actual publisher is Yogi Publication Society, Chicago, Illinois. The author of this particular book has mentioned about the publisher again and again in the body of the book but does not name it. The London Agent is L. N. Fowler & Co. 7, Imperial Arcade, Ludgate Circus, E. C., The Latent Light Culture, Tinnevelly, So. India. It seems that it tried to say South India. Tinnevelly is in India. The Copyright is 1906. Is it another clue of Theosophical Society connection? By that time, it was headed by Annie Besant, the person from Great Britain.

The archive.org book begins with a passionate appeal to the readers to believe in the content. One message is worth noting. It suggests that the healing should be practised on one own self. I believe that is a better idea.

On the whole, in the case of this book and the Hatha Yoga, I felt amused. In the case of other titles, I remained serious, appreciative, contemplative and reflective. I just admired the contents. But, here, I am moving away. Probably, that is why, I just bought two titles of Sadhguru, a person from South India. I had remarked earlier that all the books, which I have collected by now have a Bengal connection. Here, I find that this book is having a South India connection.

So I am moving from East India to South India. From Calcutta to Madra, from the Himalayas to the Indian Ocean, the way River Ganga moves to the Bay of Bengal. Clive from Great Britain moved from Madras to Calcutta. Wow. Quite Mystic.

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 Suggestive Reading (Advertisement - Use your discretion)

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Gyan Yoga by W. W. Atkinson.

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The actual title of the book is written as "Gnani Yoga (A series of Lessons in Gnani Yoga). It is in his Fourteen Lessons Course, that writer had explained that why he was using the spelling as given by him. I have used the spellings as Gyan.

I have completed the reading of this book on March 5, 2017. Somewhere I have written that I had read it. Actually, there is a chapter in the Advance course with the same title. I have read that chapter and then reported that I had read the book.

At the time of launching this blog, I had already read the Fourteen Lessons and the Advance course before starting this series of book which forms the part of the Complete Works of W. W. Atkinson. I have yet to write the reviews on this blog about those books. The reading and contents of those two books had pushed and goaded me to continue the reading of the writings of W. W. Atkinson. The writer writes well. As one of the readers had pointed on the internet itself that he had bought these books for its contents. No doubt, he has given the true picture.

I will like to record following points as my first impressions.

1. The nature of writing is same as I have pointed out in the case of Raja Yoga by the same author. The writer takes up a teaching of Yogic philosophy without referring to any teacher. His sole argument about the basis of those teachings is that they are the essence of Eastern Teaching and Philosophy. Then he gives his elaboration. He writes a very smooth English. If a reader has any inclination for Philosophical studies, even if he is not spiritually inclined, he will get interested in his explanation. His explanation is built on the basis of the references and quotations from the Western Thinkers, philosophers and English literature.

2. The writer was definitely in touch with the teachers from the Theosophical Society. The guiding forces, the possessed writing theory, and all such views about the actual nature of this writing are actually directed by the people from Theosophical society. There are references to it in Raja Yoga, in Fourteen Lesson and in this book as well. So, the doubts about this Yogi Ramcharak and Baba Bharta can be investigated from that angle.

3. There are 12 chapters in this book. Some chapters are chapters from Zoology. The standard of the contents in that field is up to the level to which that science would have developed by 1910.

4. The closing lines provide announcement for another set of series which the people behind these writings about began. They had planned to write on "Mystic Christianity. They had planned to on write on "Mystic Christianity.

5. The contents also show that there was an intellectual conflict between the utility of Scientific Subjects and Non-Scientific Subjects or other philosophies.

6. There are many fascinating and thrilling chapters if you are interested in such type of readings.

7. It is fascinating to read the views of the author about J. C. Bose. Do the Indians talk about him? There was a chapter in Autobiography of Yogi on J. C. Bose. Presently, India only talks about Gandhi and uses the cosmetics and grocery produced by Ramadev.

8. One should know that it is a part of a set of courses which the writer has completed in four years.

The following titles actually form the part of the whole course.

a. Fourteen Lessons in Yogi Philosophy and Oriental Occultism.

b. Advanced Course in Yogi Philosophy and Oriental Occultism.

c. Hatha Yoga.

d. The Hindu-Yogi Science of Breath.

e. Raja Yoga

f. Gnani Yoga. It is at the end of this book that the writer announces that the course is complete. In all the books mentioned here, you will find references and instruction to read each of these books.

Hence, we can say, the course started with Fourteen Lessons and ends with Gnani Yoga and in between other books are also included.

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To be concluded.

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Raja Yoga or Mental Development by W. W. Atkinson

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I have completed the reading of the book on February 24, 2017, the day of Shivaratri in India.

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Raja Yoga by W. W. Atkinson is compiled in the complete works of the author. The compilation is published by e-artnow, 2016 copyright and the ISBN number is 978-80-268-4787-8.

Many titles which are included in this compilation are sold separately. They are available on Kindle of Amazon for a very small price below Indian Rupees 50. The whole compilation is also available within that price range. Why is it then that the publisher sells the different titles separately when all the titles are also sold within the same price range? The readers who may get interested in this author, should buy this whole compilation instead of buying separate title. Many of the titles are also available free of cost on many sites in pdf format. One can check it on Wikipedia entry on this author.

Before I write what I have to write about this book, I will like to ask few questions. I have already mentioned about W. W. Atkinson in my other posts and shared my apprehension and doubts about the actual nature of these books and true authorship. The questions are as follows:

• Who is Yogi Ramachakara?
• Who is W. W. Atkinson? 
• Who is Baba Bharat?

Those of us who are from India and can read Hindi may try to focus on the term Ramacharaka. We know about the names like Ramdeva, or Ramchander or Ramchanda or Shivarama or Ramadeen or Ramavtara or Ramakirpa or Sitaram etc. etc.. But has anyone ever been called Ramacharaka?. Well, we talk of Ghanchakara. That has a derogatory connotation. Well, there was a Charaka of Charaka Samihta. He was associated with Ayurveda. But, I believe we do not name anyone as Ramacharaka.

I had started reading this book in January 2017. The reading remained suspended. During the hiatus, I read the Autobiography by Yogananda, the biography of Sri Sri Swami Shamcharan Lahiri, the Great Glory by Sri M, bought a half dozen books, read some pages in those books, undertook a lot of googling on various person, concepts, principles etc., watched a number of YouTube on various people, by various people, and in between kept on writing in my dedicated register the comments on the contents and recorded my impressions, contemplations and reflections on a separate register which are going to be material for a separate blog, a new one, which I have already envisaged for along with this very blog. In between, I have also attended to my mundane affairs and duties which are required to raise finance for continuing my life and activities.

What I have read in this book?

I am going to reproduce my impression of the book. This post is merely the first post on the completion of the reading. I have yet to write about other books also about which I have already displayed the postings.

Now, if there is some dissatisfaction with the book, then one may ask, why do you read his books? I have already pointed out that I bought the book by Ramacharaka because of the portrait on the title and the contents. Later I bought the whole compilation because of its contents. Somewhere, I am not all that amused by the contents. I have found a similar writer on the internet who has raised similar doubts. I will take up the issue in a separate post. There is a need to quote this person here who also encountered the doubts about the actual identity of the author of these books. He is probably living in Netherlands and writes in the Dutch language. He calls himself as Ananda. He claims himself to be initiated by Swami Yogeshwarananda. The address of his web page is users.telenet.be/ananda/ramach.htm He had undertaken some research on the identity of the writer. Regardless of his conclusion, he ends his search by the following observation which I quote:

 "I have bought the books because of their contents."

That is it. Whatsoever, one may feel and think about these books by W. W. Atkinson, whatever may be the doubts about his actual motives and knowledge, whatever may be the level and nature of the contents, the person writes well. You read him because of that.

Now, here I record my first impression. I will write more about it.

Thus it goes:

I take the liberty to pick a phrase from the book itself which appears in the twelfth chapter, which is the last chapter in the book. It is worded "Success Talks". I quote the lines wherein it has appeared.

The author writes, "In this lesson, we do not purpose 'Success Talks' for our students."

The line quoted will convey that the last lesson or the Chapter 12, titled, "Sub-Conscious Influences" is of the nature of a 'Success Talks'. Well in a way, part of it is like that throughout the book. That is not what Raja Yoga is. No doubt, the author himself has defined the title with an adjective "Mental Development".

Adopting a Hermeneutics approach, from the contents of the book, it is clear that this book was completed in the year 1906.

I have made some comments on each chapter which will appear again on this blog. However, the contents of those impressions can be reproduced here to explain the various features and nature of the book.

I reproduce.

The comment was made in Chapter 12. It goes like this.

I have never seen a writer from Western world criticising some major trends of the western life. He is not doing it with that idea but they are definitely a comment on the western life and thinking which was developing in America in the 1910s. It was a period of the history of America when it was dominated by Progressivism, guided by Theodore Roosevelt and Taft. On one hand, America found that in the race of Imperialism, the big Bosses were on the Continent and America stood nowhere in the race. But, America had a spirit to continue with its efforts regardless of what Muckrackers to trying to tell America about the Americans. However, taking the side of Yogic Teachers and supporting their thoughts, he is critical of some New Thinking Wave in the western world in the field of Psychology or rather Social Psychology which had talked about "Power of Thought".

The book reveals that many new changes were taking place and birth and growing to strength by the end of the nineteenth century. The author is also pursuing the methods of New Thought Wave which otherwise seems to mean the East Philosophy and to be specific, the Yoga Thought (Not merely the postures and exercises associated with that).

It is intriguing and interesting to observe that in the first decade of the twentieth century, the western world got attracted towards the concept and principles of Yoga. It was only in 1892, that Swami Vivekanand spoke to the people of America after reaching there. Before that Wiliam Jones had talked about the Indian literate in the 1790s through Bengal Asiatic society. In 1920, Swami Yogananda had reached America. In between some more Yoga teachers had reached the shores of America. When you try to list all of them, the set of such recording or data will impart you a picture. In that picture, or with such activities in the background, if you reach the work of W. W. Atkinson, it gives a shiver and sense of amazement that how the thought can be real forces.

On the whole, a reluctant or superficial or conceited person may find this book a set of lessons on "Success Talks" of a group. However, such a person, if without appeal to any faith factor but with a confidence in one's own ability to get to the truth, with a spirit of scientific spirit, approaches these lesson, he will find that they are not merely "Success Talks". That can be a feature of the content. On the whole, there is more depth in the topics taken and discussed on which the author has written and with his ability to write a catching narration, he has met with a success.

One of the feature I will like to emphasise. Every chapter ends with a small paragraph. It is titled Mantras. It consists of a set of positive assertions. I have found the same feature with the writings of Shuddhaanandaa Brahmchari in his writing titled "The Incredible Life of a Himalayan Yogi, The Times, Teachings and Living Shiva: Baba Lokenath Brahmachari published by Lokenath Divine Life Mission, Kolkata. He ends every chapter with a paragraph titled "Meditation". Did he read W. W. Atkinson and followed him. He had called himself as "Motivational Speaker". I have made a posting on him in this blog elsewhere.

I will also like to reproduce a comment which I have made in the case of Chapter 11. It will be again repeated. It is in Hindi. It talks about another feature of the writing.

इस chapter में ऐसा लगा कि मुख्य रूप में यह एक Self Improvement की किताब है । किताब का नाम राज योग है । मुख्य विचारक तो पतञ्जलि है। उस के संभंध में कहीं कुछ नहीं कहा गया है। व्यख्या का स्वरूप ऐसा है कि यह कहने में कोई दोष नहीं होता कि यह Self Improvement की किताब है जिस में कुछ सुझाव, विचार और suggestions दी गयी हैं। यह पुस्तक आप को Auto-suggestions सुझाव मात्र ही दे रहीं हैं ।

यहाँ'तक पहुँच कर एक रूप और स्पष्ट होता है । कथन के दो हिस्से रहते है। योगी पद्धतियों से एक सम्मिकरण उठाया जाता है। उन पर चन्द शब्दों का प्रयोग किया जाता है। यह एक हिस्सा बनता है।

दुसरे हिस्से में एक व्याख्या होती है जिस की रचना पश्चमी समाज के बुद्धिजीविओं के कथनों के संग्रह से की जाती है। His selection of the western scholars is quite specific. The explanation can be termed as a motivational and psychological counselling.

इस में कोई संदेह नहीं की लेखक पश्चमी समाज के पाठकों को ध्यान में रख कर लिख रहा है। वह राज योग के सिद्धान्तों की जानकारी तो  दे रहा है पर वह इतना सजग है कि वह कहीं भी किसी संस्कृत श्लोक,संस्कृत शब्द और भारतीय ऋषि की चर्चा नहीं करता है। वह ज्यादा से ज्यादा इतना लिखता है कि योगी ऐसा करते थे या योगी वैसा करते हैं । उस से आगे वह जो भी कहता है वह पश्चमी साहित्य के प्रयोग के माध्यम से ही कहा गया है।

These are some common features which one can observe throughout the book.

I will also write observations on individual chapters. They are required to be shown and displayed. As the other observer on the internet has said, his books are read because of its contents. You may have your own reservations on many issues about W. W. Atkinson. But, you can spend time on it. You must have some liking for the esoteric learning and spiritual learning. You should not be biased. You should not have a rigid stance. You can appreciate the contents.

Thus I read this book.

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A SUGGESTION:
DOWNLOAD THE KINDLE SOFTWARE FROM AMAZON.IN. IT IS FREE. CHECK THE PRICE OF KINDLE EDITION OF THE EACH TITLE. THEY ARE AMAZINGLY VERY LESS.
SECONDLY, YOU CAN GET SOME BOOKS FREE OF COST.
IN CASE OF W. W. ATKINSON, YOU CAN GET HIS COMPLETE WORK IN RS.49/- IN KINDLE FORMAT.
IT IS A SUGGESTIVE TITLE GIVEN BELOW. TAKE YOUR OWN DECISION BEFORE BUYING ANYTHING.

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The Little Guide to Greater Glory by Sri M.

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The Little Guide to Greater Glory by Sri M. Kindle Cost Rs. 50/-

The Little Guide is too little. What right does it claim to Glory? I can not say. But it will cost you Rs. 50/- on Kindle. The paperback is too costly for the contents.

The profile of Shri M is written by Gp. Capt. (Retd.) Ratnaker Sanadi. You will find a painted profile of Sri Babaji. It is totally different from the profile portrait in Shri Yogananda's Autobiography and similar portrait already available on image.google.com. You get the opportunity to look at the pen portrait of Guru Maheshwarnath Babaji, the guru of Shri M, alias Madhu as the Guru called him alias Shri Mumtaz Ali, the real name.

The book contains eight chapter. The chapter 8 contains merely two paragraphs and they are quoted as the saying of 'M'. Then who is the actual author?

The book is a set of instructions. They are not elaborate. They consist of arguments. If your not of a peculiar mindset, I do not know, what harsh words will you use to describe it?

The information given below can be useful. If you want to contact Shri M, then the postal address given in the book is:

"The Satsang Foundation Office, 48/49, Wheelers Road, Cox Town, Banglore, 560005, India."

The email is: satsang.foundation@gmail.com

One of the acquaintance told me about Shri M. He told that he is one of the known Kriya Yogi Expert presently available in India. Therefore, I bought this book.

If you have any idea of the philosophical or spiritual subject and want to know about Kriya Yoga as explained by Shri M, then it is better to watch YouTube. The YouTube editions available are lengthier than this book and contains far more material than what is available in the book. It is neither a good introduction to Shri M's life, nor the teachings of the person. You may say that it will cost you 1 GB data to watch or even download a content for one hour and that would cost you a fortune, then it is up to you but there is no need to buy this book. A profile on the net is easily available on net than what is given in there in the book. However, one of the YouTube which I watched using Jio, was a good experience. Hence, I will suggest you too watch his YouTube editions..


However, his most popular book is "Apprenticed to a Himalayan Master: A Yogis' Autobiography". The Kindle edition as checked on 18/02/2017 is for Rs. 333 and the paperback, for Rs. 370. However, my next reading will be "Meditation: The Art and Science" by Swami Veda Bharti. I have already bought it. It is again recommended by the same person who directed me to Shri M. It is another thing, the person who is directing me is twice, initiated disciple of Shri Ram Swami, the author of "Living with the Himalayan Master." Well, that is another story.

 However, before starting the above-mentioned book, I will like to read W. W. Atkinson and Swami Vivekananda.

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Yogiraj Shri Shri Lahiri Mahashaya by Prof Jogesh Chandra Bhattacharya. M. A. PRS.

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Yogiraj Shri Shri Lahiri Mahashaya by Prof Jogesh Chandra Bhattacharya. M. A. PRS.

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I am reading the book titled "Autobiography of a Yogi" by Shri Yogananda. The flow of reading is being obstructed due to the diction of the narration, especially because of some selection of words and phrases. I have written about that in a post elsewhere. It was during such a halt, it was in chapter six, that I again browsed through the Kindle selling list and downloaded the book on Shri Shyamacharan Lahiri by Prof Bhattacharya. The actual title is spelt above.

I am not motivated by any desire to read on spiritualism. My target is to read about Patanjali. I am seeking a book on that topic by Swami Vivekananda. It is a fading glimpse in memory that he had written the finest commentary on Patanjali and Rajyoga. I have acquired the complete writings of Swami Vivekananda by now, but I have yet not read them. I have posted it elsewhere on this very blog that for the last three months, I am reading books on spiritualism. I am devouring them. It is during the phase of such an activity that I have acquired the title, mentioned above, about which I have written this post.

The title by Prof. Bhattacharya is the costliest one among all the books, which I have purchased in the last three months. It is the smallest one among all of them. I purchased it on February 8, 2017, and I had completed its reading on February 9, 2017.

The lineage of Kriya Yoga Experts

Portrait of Shri Babaji Maharaj (source mentioned)

It is a book by a professor. It has only five chapters, one appendix and Bibliography as written in an older way of writing wherein merely a list is given. It is not a Bibliography essay which is generally found in a case of New Cambridge Series publication and it is now found in the works of other scholars. In the appendix, he has given the theory as propounded by Swami Yukteshwar. Swami Yukteshwar was a disciple of Shri Shamcharan Lahiri. Swami Yukteshwar was the guru of Swami Yogananda, who had authored his "Autobiography of a Yogi". Prof. Bhattacharya had referred to the sources from which he had borrowed the information. In chapter two, he had given the family history to Swami Shamcharan Sandilya Lahiri. In the third Chapter, he had written about his Diksha and the mysterious Shri Babaji Maharaj, who is known for his youthful looks and believed to be alive even today. The last two chapters are about the life of Shri Shamcharan Lahiri as an enlightened being. The nature of the contents is such, that I have not made a single note on those chapters. The book has just introduced Shri Shamcharan Lahiri. It is only in the last section that there is a content about spiritualism although it is about the theory as propounded by Swami Yukteshwar.

Thus I have read this book.

One Final Observation: Why was this book published? This book is a typical example of a product of an Indian academician who sometimes writes because he feels like getting something published in his name to show ME TOO.

Is it a sincere work? He has discussed the family tree of Shamcharan Sandilya in one chapter. Probably, that was a result of his research. Now if you read "Autobiography of a Yogi", you will learn on your own that his work is a complete 'cut and paste' job. Another author Shri M, and some other Kriya Yoga specialists whose discourses are available on YouTube, emphatically say that it was Mukunda, otherwise revered as Paramhansa Swami Yogananda who was the first person to write about Shamcharan Lahiri. His guru, Swami Yukteshwar, his teacher and even his own father and mother were the direct disciple of Shamcharan Lahiri.

The verdict is in your hand. Do not buy this book.

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Acknowledgement: The portrait of Babaji Maharaja and Graphic on relations between the enlightened being are picked from the following site which claims that is an unofficial site on Yogananda. No permission is sought from the owner. The site is http://www.yogananda.com.au/gurus/babaji01.html