The Vij¤Èna Bhairava is one of the most important Tantrasof Kashmir Shaivism as far as the practical aspect of yoga ofthis school is concerned. It teaches 112 dhÈranÈs or ways ofcentring awareness and entering divine consciousness, whichinclude ordinary and extraordinary experiences, as well astantric methods of spiritual practice such as ku!ÇalinÏ, mantraand mudrÈ. This ancient text is of great relevance for a spiritualityof our times which has to integrate all aspects of life.The present edition, translation and commentary is uniquesince it contains the oral teaching of the last great master ofthe Kashmir Shaiva tradition, Swami Lakshman Joo. In hisexplanation of the dhÈranÈs he gives the deep significanceand practical application of various methods of yoga whichgive direct access to states of higher consciousness.

Hindu Tantric text.

Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening is a complete guidebook for all who wish to know the practice of Centering Prayer.

Swami Lakshman Jee is the last living Master of the oral tradition in Kashmir Shaivism. This exposition of the non-dual philosophy with practical applications is his first book in English. The tantric teachings are hidden in a language of allusion and symbol. Swamiji offers the skeleton key of the oral tradition that allows access to the secrets. The intent is to preserve the tradition and to make it available. The emphasis is on practical realization of Truth through the experiences of Kundalini Yoga. The author contrasts this realization with the concepts of liberation taught by other schools of Indian philosophy, especially Advaita Vedanta. Kashmir Shaivism experiences the world as real and true--as real and true as the existence of God. Liberation is the unbroken awareness of this universe as one's own transcendental Consciousness. It is a blissful realization.

The best-selling author of The Wisdom Jesus and The Meaning of Mary Magdalene demystifies the popular Christian meditation method rooted in contemplative prayer Centering Prayer is the path to a wonderful and radical new way of seeing the world. It is not, as is sometimes thought, simply an act of devotional piety, nor is it simply a Christianized form of other meditation methods. Cynthia Bourgeault here cuts through the misconceptions to show that Centering Prayer is in fact a pioneering development within the Christian contemplative tradition. She provides a practical, complete course in the practice and then goes deeper to analyze what actually happens in Centering Prayer: the mind effectively switches to a new operating system that makes possible the perception of nonduality. With this understanding in place, she then takes us on a journey through one of the sources of the practice, the Christian contemplative classic The Cloud of Unknowing, revealing it to be among the earliest Christian explorations of the phenomenology of consciousness. Cynthia Bourgeault’s illumination of the Centering Prayer path provides compelling evidence of how important the practice has become in the half-century since it first arose among American Trappist monks, and of its maturation and refinement over the ensuing years of sincere study and practice. It will resonate with beginners on the Centering Prayer path as well as with seasoned practitioners.

It's been said that Centering Prayer is like two friends sitting together in silence, just being in each other's presence—completely natural and comfortable. Yet, Centering Prayer is sometimes viewed as too mysterious, too escapist, too hard. At first, it even appeared that way to the author, but events in his life and his further studies about prayer changed his views. Through Muyskens' insightful guidance, you'll explore a method of prayer that goes deeper than verbal conversations with God. This book teaches: silent communion with God a method of being open to the gift of God's presence a way of receiving a deep ad intimate relationship with God Each day's reading has a focal scripture verse and the author's reflection, ending with simple suggestions for contemplative prayer. You'll begin with as few as 5 minutes of Centering Prayer. By following the guidance in this book for 40 days, you will be led to a closer relationship with God. As you progress through the daily scripture and meditative readings in Forty Days to a Closer Walk with God, you'll find greater understanding and fresh awareness of Jesus' promise, "I am with you always."

In this searching study, Fr. Murchadh Fr. Ó Madagáin describes the life and thoughts of Fr. Thomas Keating, the Trappist monk who was one of the founders of the centering prayer movement. Centering prayer aims to reclaim the Christian contemplative and mystical traditions after centuries of neglect and to make it available for modern spiritual seekers. Fr. Ó Madagáin traces its roots back to the fourth- and fifth-century Desert Fathers such as Evagrius and John Cassian. He shows how it was used in the medieval classic The Cloud of Unknowing and practiced by saints John of the Cross and Teresa of Avila, then revived by Thomas Merton during the twentieth century. Fr. Ó Madagáin illustrates how, by bringing the insights of contemporary psychology to bear on this ancient method of prayer, Fr. Keating has not only revitalized the contemplative tradition, but also has enabled it to become a powerful tool for people of faith to gain insight into themselves and God, whom Keating calls the divine healer. Fr. Ó Madagáin also unpacks the processes at work in centering prayer and clears up some of the common misunderstandings that surround it. Centering Prayer and the Healing of the Unconscious is an essential work for all those interested in the history and practice of centering prayer. In addition to describing the background of this unique and effective practice, Fr. Ó Madagáin offers unique insights into the ideas of one of its leading contemporary teachers and practitioners.