I bought this book after reading about it in my yoga magazine thinking I could really use a good book of poems to ponder and this book is terrific. The poems really will quiet your mind. I love that such a wide array of authors are represented - from Rumi to Dogen to Emily Dickenson to Walt Whitman. A great collection. Glad I bought it.

One of the most inspiring collections or sacred poetry ever compiled. The translations are perfect. The sensual/spiritual quality of the words can transport you into altered states. Beautiful. Al Link - 4 Freedoms Tantra

Much like Mitchell's Tao Te Ching this selection of poerty from various spiritual traditions is a joy to read and a nice tool for reflection and meditation. Zazen On The Mountain by Li Po has become my favorite poem and this work has been helpful to me in many ways. The Enlightened Heart is a lovely book and a great companion to his Tao Te Ching. Thumbs up for Mitchell's work as editor.

Words fail me in my attempt to describe the book, perhaps it is best I describe the emotions I experienced, as I read this book.

The book captured my breath and concentration and I was unable to think of anything else till I finished the book. I took quite some time over a few days to finish it, simply because each page makes you think. There are books that hit you hard with the force of their ideas, and then there is this book... which gently caresses your mind as a wave would caress the shore, as our eyelashes caress our cheek when we blink. The book and its delivery is so gentle and calm, that my mind was immediately transported into the vivid imagery that EE creates, of a guru in a remote hut and his simple lifestyle and his disciples. EE strikes a chord when he points out the massive gamble that these disciples take, in deciding to pursue nothing but the Truth and sacrifice all else in its path. His writing gentle and kind, and one feels like a young boy in front of an affectionate father, the father doesnt seem to teach, but just seems to speak calmly, and one feels like listening.
EE brings out the Upanishads for what they really are, an incredible advancement into the inquiry of Truth, using the principles of concentration and meditation, and the medium of story telling to pass down the wisdom of the ancients. I could not resist my tears as I read with joy of the tales of Yajnavalka, nor could I feel but astonished at the clarity of thought and the level of the discussion between Yama and Nachiketa.

I could go on, but there is little to say except that one should read this book. For those in search of additional readings, there is a book called "The Vedas", which is an english collection of the discourses of the Head of the Kancheepuram Shankaracharya school. It's a tough read, to be read with pencil and paper, and perhaps committing to memory some of the terms... but it is the Definitive primer into the Vedas and India's true heritage.

The Upanishads are a remarkable collection of mystical literature that represent a turning point in Indian thought. Eswaran tranlates the most famous of them into strikingly simple and resonant language. "Freed from sin, as a snake sheds its sin, They see the Supreme Lord, who lives in all." "As the sun, who is the eye of the world, Cannot be tainted by the defects in our eyes. . . So the one self, dwelling in all, cannot be tainted by the evils of the world." "The tree of Eternity has its roots above and its branches on earth below. Its pure root is Brahman the immortal From whom all the worlds draw their life. . . "

Each of the main Upanishads is given a short and helpful introduction, then followed by a few pages of notes. The text as a whole is again bracketed by eloquent essays by Easwaran and Michael Nagler, who make helpful comparisons to Augustine, Pascal, Gandhi, the Rig Veda, the Gita, and Einstein, building bridges to readers of various traditions and interests. All in all, Easwaran has gone the extra mile to help his readers comprehends the message of the Upanishads, as he understands it.

It may be that clarity is sometimes achieved at the cost of strict accuracy. Eswaran admits "simplifying" the text in certain ways -- cutting what he thinks repetitive, using "Lord of Love" dozens of times to translate a term that in a note toward the end he admits means "God-self-energy." I lost a little confidence in the translation after reading that. Also, he translates "atman" as "Self," a term some people seem to think is not quite right. So while I enjoyed this version, I plan to compare it to others for scholarly purposes.

Nagler made a few comments both on the Upanishads and on Christianity that made me question his clarity of vision a bit. His claim that, aside from Augustine, "the shapers of early Christianity" believed there was "no high task of self-sacrifice left for people to perform," seemed an odd thing to say of a religion whose primary texts are full of advice like, "Take up your cross and follow me," and "Make your life a living sacrifice," and whose early followers have been blamed for being too eager for martyrdom.

Given the fact that some experience the "I am that" state yet reject it as an illusion, should we believe what the mystics experienced as true? What social, psychological, and moral affect did the "inward turn" that this text represents have on Indian society? One feels a bit crass or, well, unenlightened, to pose doubtful such questions in the face of such beautiful poetry. But I think they are also worth posing. Anyone who would like to consider these questions from the point of view of a knowledgable and fair-minded Christian, read The Crown of Hinduism, by F. N. Farquhar, or the more critical (and passionate) books by Indian social reformer, Vishal Mangalwadi, such as Truth and Social Justice or The World of Gurus.

author, Jesus and the Religions of Man

After reading the Dhammapada translation from the same author, it was not a surprise to find a similar high-quality translation of the Upanishads - the philosophical part in the Vedas of Hinduist religion. Some points to highlight in Easwaran's work: Poetic but precise wording, great introduction and commentaries, easy-to-read without creating a scholar-only work, impeccable introduction to the Historical context of the work and it's importance in Hinduism.

Mr Easwaran's work convinced me to buy all Three books that form a Trilogy: The Dhammapada, The Upanishads and The Bhagavad Gita. Without a doubt, especially considering the price, this Trilogy is a steal.

This book along with Putting on the Mind of Christ (Marion) and the Magus of Strovolos (Markides) is a thorough beginning in esoteric Christianity. If by reading any one of these books you are not moved with an intesne longing and ache for true religion, then you have already found your truth. If not, plunge your life into the way and find yourself.

His main premise is that Christianity has lost any real means of spiritualy transforming people. That the methods that teach us the "how to" have been lost or replaced with emotional indulgance pretending to be spirituality. As Needleman says "all real religions produce results." The inability for mainstream Chrisitian chruches to do that and even keep members is a sobering reminder that something has gone wrong within western Christianity.

So professor Needleman turns to the more intact Eastern Orthodox Church and does this by using several contemporary Christian thinkers and some of the Orthodox Saints like St. Symeon the New Theologian and St. Gregory Palamas, Thomas Merton, Metropolitan Anthony Bloom, Gurdjieff, and Father Sylvan (it is debateble if Father Sylvan was real, but if he was, I sure hope Prof. Needleman publishes this man's manuscript, hint hint). To illustrate modern Christianity's plight.

Though I have a problem with his inclusion of Gurdjieff. Gurdjieff teachings were not necessarily Christian per se. Gurdjieff advocated the path of the householder not the monk nor the priest. Christianity has no path for the householder who wishes to pursue theosis.

He's right in my opinion, if you examine the Philokalia, though comments from St. Maximus the Confessor, or St. Symeon the New Theologian supports Needleman's assertion that methods once existed for transformation. Though not couched in our modern day verbage, but it's there if you can see. BTW Needlman illustrates this via St. Symeon's understanding on how to fulfill the Sermon on the Mount show just how far away we are from being Christians.

But as Needleman implies it is not a continuous or living tradition like Sufism or Buddhism where the teachings can be passed on from teacher to student. Instead it is lost and sometimes someone is able to reconstitute "lost Christianity" though it dies again with the teacher. This is still the crux of the matter.

He does'nt offer a solution to this though. He essentially puts the onus on the seeker.

This is no "new age" tract by any means nor a how-to book. It is more along the lines of a question and search. Prof. Needleman does a fine job footnoting, and referencing writings for his argument. Not to mention being a fine writer to boot. But this book is a slow read because he covers concepts that quite unfamiliar to most. If you want easy to read get Chopra.

I'd recommend this book to any Christian who's curious as to what happened to spiritual component in Christianity. He does not try to steer you to another religion as some suggested. But to re-examine it in a new light.

Sadly like so many books of this kind it is out of print and instead we get Chorpa, Redfield and the Prayer of Jabez (sigh).

I'd also recommend
Man and Nature by Hossein Nasr for overview of what's happened to the west and modern Christianity.
Waking Up by transpersonal psychologist Charles Tart on the pychology and mechanics of human perception, understanding, and waking up.

Prof. Needleman clearly outdid himself in this highly detailed account of the search for meaning and mystical experience in Christianity. Definitly a modern spiritual classic which is written with honesty and respect for the reader. A must read for anyone interested in spirituality!

This timely, provocative book combines and shows the relationship between two large themes: a)the nature and importance of spiritual and religous values and b) the nature and spiritual character of American democray, with all its flaws. I was struck to find this book and the manner in which Needleman developed his themes. In broad outline, Needleman's preocupations are my own. Without agreeing with everything he said, I came away from his book with my own ideas clarified and strengthened -- and a bit envious of Needleman's eloquence and ability to put his ideas into print.

Needleman draws a double picture of American freedom and its use. One picture is that freedom means everyone does simply as he or she pleases. This is, for Needleman, an America which has been criticized by many for its materialism, its emphasis on growth, its sole focus on the profit motive, its greed, racism, and, sometimes, bellicosity.

The other America is a spiritual American whose ideas of freedom and democracy was founded upon religous and metaphysical ideas of the nature of man, human commonality, the uniqueness of each person, and the search inward of each person for what is valuable and important. The ideal of democracy on this view is not simple pursuit of material wealth but rather a turning inward so that each person may pursue life and truth in his or her own way.

And what is the relationship between these two concepts of America? How do we help transform the one into the other?
Needleman's answer is in part a study of the wisdom literature common to all religions and great philosophy of life. (Needleman evidences a great deal of impatience with standard church or synagogue-going. He argues that he himself has found such conventional forms of religion sterile and routine.) He finds such wisdom, in various of its phases, in the writings of the American founders.

Thus the larger part of the book is a discussion and creative discussion of the American founders and a reading of certain of American texts. Thus Needleman gives us a paragraph-by-paragraph discussion of Washington's Farewell Address, The Tenth Federalist Paper, Lincoln's Second Inauguaral Address, an Oration of Frederick Douglass, and Iroquois Indian creation myth, and Walt Whitman's late essay, Democratic Vistas. He tries to show how these texts show an America of spiritual values rather than money-making. His aim is, avowedly, to remythologize America and its past.

In a broad sense his project is carried through well. Some of his readings of the texts, particularly of Washington's Farewell Address and of the Iroquois myth, seem to me forced. Needleman would have done better to let Washington speak for himself rather than create a Washington with, perhaps, Needleman's own spiritual preocupations. The readings of Whitman, Douglass, and Lincoln work much better, even on Needleman's own terms.

In trying to get people to think about America -- and to reassess its values in spiritual terms --Needleman has critical things to say about America's treatment of the Indians and about the long legacy of slavery. These themes are valuable and important and Needleman is right to dwell upon them. I have some question about whether the treatment of the Indians is inself free from a degree of modern stereotyping. Be that as it may, Needleman's point is that we may see America with its flaws and crimes and love it and try to recognize and bring about the ideal in the sometimes shabby nature of the real.

There is a great deal of erudition in this book, both on spiritual texts and on American history. In addition to his treatment of certain standard figures in American history, Needleman has a fascinating discussion of the Ephrata community in Pennsylvania and its founder Conrad Bissel. This Protestant spiritual community flourished briefly during the period just before the Revolutionary War.

Walt Whitman has the last word in this book, as he properly should, with his vision of America and of the American person.
There is a great deal of interest, as best as I can tell, in American history, as evidenced by the many new books on the Founders and the unending interest in Lincoln and the Civil War, and in spirituality, which I myself have found in a study of Buddhism. This book combines these two broad themes in an attempt to help the reader rething and reunderstand America. It is a worthy goal and the book carries it out well.

The American Soul: Rediscovering The Wisdom Of The Founders is an impressive compendium of timeless truths deeply embedded withing the founding vision of the United States of America. Here presented are the key ideals underlying democracy, individual liberty, freedom of conscience, and a human wisdom freed from religious dogmas and philosophical imperialisms which have proved essential to the success of the uniquely American perspectives on government, community, and the worth of the individual citizen. Read by the author Jacob Needleman, and additional enhanced with the narrations of Gabriello de Cuir, Stefan Rudnicki, M.E. Willis, and William Windom, The American Soul is whole heartedly recommended to students of American History, Political Science, and Philosophy. (Running Time: 3 hours).

No matter how much I dislike the oversimplifications of broad, emotionally loaded categories, I have always had to admit that I fall into two common ones. The first is "spiritual." The second is "patriot." How odd, at first glance! Aren't they rather contradictory? Am I a redneck if I put (as I have done since September 11th) an American flag on my car? It's puzzled me, as well as others.

Needleman's American Soul clarifies (I almost said "dispels," but it doesn't really make the mystery go "away," it deepens and enriches it) the mystery for me: without being in any way blind to human shortcomings, he reminds us of the spiritual ideals that this country was founded on and which can still be effective agents in life if we seek and create the America inside our souls. Our founders, like Washington, Jefferson, and Franklin were not naïve idealists who ignored the abundant greed, folly and hatred that existed then, exists now, and has always existed. The external form they created in the Constitution recognized these and created a system that could keep them in check, while promoting a unique societal climate that allowed for the spiritual growth (they called it "Reason," but meant far more than contemporary logic chopping) in both individuals and the community. Exploring the details of this is fascinating! For instance:

"... Scholarly controversies aside, the fact is that many of the ideals that Americans now consider definitive of our nation were introduced and developed by these mystical communities, and the original and deeper meaning of these ideals may be astonishingly different than what we now understand of them. For example, the ideas of human equality and independence in these communities are rooted in the notion that God, or "the inner light,? exists within every human being, and that the aim of life revolves around the endeavor and the necessity for every man or woman to make conscious contact with this inner divine force. This interior divinity?in William Penn?s language, ?the inner Christ"?is the source of true happiness, intelligence and moral capacity, and is meant to be the guide and ultimate authority in the conduct and assessment of our lives and obligations."

"Seen from this perspective, no human being can have ultimate authority over another, not because the individual has the right to satisfy the desires of the body or the ego; not because every individual has the right to plot the scheme of his or her own actions with respect to the social, economic or sexual aspects of life; not because every individual has the right to say whatever he wants to say. No, a human being is his own authority only because he has within him the inner Christ, the inner divinity."

These kind of thoughtful and stimulating insights abound in American Soul. This is one of Needleman's most profound books, and I recommend it enthusiastically!

If you want a good book to read this pick this one up, you won't be dissapointed.

The truth, grace and wisdom of Mary Magdelene teachings are now brought forth in this historical, transcendental and empowering book. It may very well shift the Occidental fabric of this world. The feminine compliment is here. If you can, read this book in conjunction with the New Testament, Torrah, and/or Koran.

At last a Gnostic Gospel is presented in a way that even non-Gnostics can love. Leloup's excellent commentary adequately summarizes the Gnostic world-view without being intrusive, and the light he shines on the Gospel of Magdalene will make you ponder no matter what you believe, even if you believe nothing. It is short enough to read quickly -- but you probably won't. It's too good. Savor its wisdom and go back to it often. It's a spiritual experience par excellance and a bargain to boot.

After reading several versions of the Bhagavad Gita, I found this one to be the most accessible -- especially listening to it on an audio cassette. I sensed that I really understood the message as the original author intended for the first time. Needleman is a masterful reader, and this contributes to the enjoyment and teaching of this work. I find the wisdom presented here to have had a profound effect on my learning as a human being seeking my spiritual self.

Very well read by Mr. Needleman. I'm listening to it now for the second time. Barbara Stoler-Miller's translation works for me: she translated everything. People's names were not changed, but there are no untranslated Indian words to puzzle the listener. The Dover Publications book, e.g., has some Indian words left untranslated so I sometimes don't know what is being "said". That's why I put down the Dover book and got this tape and am very happy with it. The Bhagavad Gita is very interesting and very thoughtful. I've been interested ever since I saw the Mahabarata (spelling?) presented on PBS. The Bhagavad Gita is a part of that larger story.

Jacob Needleman is not a bureaucratic philosopher. His teachings are about an intense search for a meaningful life. In this book he talks about some intense experiences in his own life and also with students and their parents. He also presents a very personal overview of occidental philosophy.

Many philosophy teachers of our days are more concerned about formalities and structures of thought. Past philosophies are studied as dead bodies: cut into pieces, dissolved with chemicals, watched through microscopes.

I have already used this book in philosophy seminars for management students, at the University of Campinas, here in Brasil (there is a Portuguese translation). The response was enthusiastic!

If you want to find more than formalism in philosophy, you will probably enjoy this book.

_Modern Esoteric Spirituality_ is a fascinating collection of essays by leading scholars dealing with the various subsurface spiritual movements and traditions deemed "esoteric" and focusing principally on the West. The book fills a real need both as a historical and sociological account of these movements as well as offering a smattering of some of the different systems of thought available to the seeker. The book deals with these movements and traces the esoteric thread from the most ancient sources to the modern era from a scholarly approach. Included in this collection are essays on: ancient and medieval esotericism and mysticism, Kabbalah in the Renaissance, Paracelsus, Rosicrucianism, Jacob Boehme, Freemasonry, nineteenth century esoteric movements, Rudolph Steiner, Theosophy, Rene Guenon and Traditionalism, G. I. Gurdjieff, and C. G. Jung. A continuous link is established from Pythagoreanism, hermeticism, NeoPlatonism, and Gnosticism through the Middle Ages to the great mystics of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam and on into the modern era. Nearly every ancient and medieval mystic in these three major religions is discussed. Alchemy and natural science arose from these ancient traditions and philosophies with a Romantic twist. From the Jewish tradition of Kabbalism came the many hermetic Renaissance movements, for at one time the Kabbalah was considered a forerunner of Christianity revealing the Trinity. The German physician, Paracelsus, provided inspiration for the German theosophist, Jacob Boehme and many other later followers of both. The movements of Rosicrucianism, arising from the publication of a document alleging the existence of a secret society by a Lutheran minister, and Freemasonry, which adapted from its origins in medieval guilds to its modern form based on Enlightenment philosophy, are thoroughly discussed in separate essays. By the nineteenth century, various occult movements became systematized through individuals such as the Parisian magus, Eliphas Levi. In this era, Christianity experienced a renewal and a call for return to tradition was expressed. This set the foundation for the occult movements of spiritualist medium, H. P. Blavatsky: the Theosophical Society. Rudolph Steiner, a German philosopher and spiritualist, broke away from the Theosophical Society of Blavatsky and introduced his own unique system of anthroposophy. In France, the Traditionalist school arose from the writings of such thinkers of Rene Guenon and Ananda Coomaraswamy. The basis of the Traditionalist school is summed up, "tradition is what humanity has not invented but received, and which finds its starting point, in the final analysis, in the superhuman origin of things" (p. 340). From the metaphysics of Guenon, individuals such as Frithjof Schuon, Titus Burckhardt, Martin Lings, Marco Pallis, Leo Schaya, and Seyyed Hossein Nasr, and of course Ananda Coomaraswamy have taken off and further developed this school. (I recommend the book _The Only Tradition_ by Quinn as a good introduction to the Traditionalist school.) The enigmatic and perhaps oppressive figure of G. I. Gurdjieff and his principle interpreter P. D. Ouspensky is the source of another modern esoteric movement. Claiming to have received wisdom from ancient traditional sources, Gurdjieff created his school along with Ouspensky (who later broke away and created his own school). Finally, the works of psychoanalyst C. G. Jung are considered in their relationship to Christian esotericism. Jung has become immensely popular for his psychoanalytic methods as well as his unique understanding of madness and myth as arising from the same source, the collective unconscious. Many have carried on the works of Jung, and the rest of the individuals here. Overall, this book presents a very decent collection of interesting essays, which are invaluable to the student and seeker alike.

"The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao."

So begins this version of the Tao Te Ching. This book provides an experience of the Tao like few others. First, there is the blank page. Lots of white space. The absence, the void.

"The Tao is an empty vessel; it is used, but never filled."

"Profit comes from what is there, / Usefulness from what is not there."

Emptiness is the vessel which contains the words and images of this experience. Each chapter is written in both English and Chinese. I don't even pretend read Chinese, but the characters evoke a sense of something beyond ...

"The form of the formless / the image of the imageless / it is called indefinable and beyond imagination."

The English translation reads smoothly. This is not the awkward prose frequently stumbled over when a scholar attempts to reproduce the ambiguities of the original in a foreign tongue. These words play smoothly together. The text does

"not tinkle like jade / or clatter like stone chimes."

The final element in this alchemy is the photographs:

"Less and less is done / until non-action is achieved. / When nothing is done, nothing is left undone."

Absent in this volume are the reams of footnotes which clutter most Taos I've read. Absent, too, are chapters on historical background and the relationship to Confucianism. If you seek these things, seek elsewhere.

For me, this book has opened a way to the Tao.

It is hardly difficult to understand the enduring quality of the Tao Te Ching. Written by Lao Tsu in the sixth century BC is a simple, quiet book that reflects upon our true nature and our behavior. Broken up into 81 'chapters' or short poems, it comprises a mere 5,000 words. Every other sentence is a memorable quote, and one can read it in an hour and study it for a lifetime.

What I do find remarkable is the durability of this particular edition. My copy is ancient, dating back to my college days. At frequent intervals it seems to come to hand and I will peruse it again and enjoy the clarity of this translation by Gia-Fu Feng and Jane English. They have carefully chosen a simple, accessible style which I feel completely captures the nature of the Tao. "What is a good man? A teacher of a bad man.

What is a bad man? A good man's charge."

Accompanying the text are many fine examples of Gia-Fu Feng's calligraphy and Jane English's photographs. While I like Chinese calligraphy, I lack the understanding to make any judgement. I can only report that it shows flow and grace, and works perfectly with English's photographs. These latter capture, most often with natural images, a play of contrast which often is as calligraphic as the accompanying handwriting. Thus, the book itself is a careful balance between content and form.

At the end of the day, or in an otherwise tense moment, this volume has often been the source of the tiny bit of sanity that makes the next day possible. There is much to meditate on here and this edition is a precious resource for the seeking mind.

For me, the Tao Te Ching is the most profound book ever written. This version is my personal favorite. I find the the gorgeous pictures go a long way to helping my limited understanding of the text.

I've read this book twice, and I've bought it four times. The first time I read it, I thought it was great and heartily agreed with the concept of love being work.

After a little growing up prompted by a lot of suffering, I reread it, and now realize I barely read it the first time. Yes, love benefits greatly from working on and with it, but I'd totally missed the other, more fundamental points of the book-that we we love the search, the struggle for understanding of 'life beyond life', in each other, the duality of love (selfish versus selfless), and the idea that what we identify as love in contemporary culture may only be passion, need, desire, and egoism.

I'm humbled enough to realize I can benefit from reading this book, with more of my attention, in times of suffering and times of joy, throughout the rest of my life.

Oh, and I keep buying it so often because I keep giving it away...I suspect there's no open human who cannot benefit from reading this book.

This wise guide to love by Jacob Needleman is compact excellence; displaying a freedom and flow of language and idea. He moves forward from the present vernacular and modern mind-set and back to the classics and ancients with ease, all the while engendering a sense of deep exploration and gradual, seemingly simple common-sense Ah-ha's. My ex-Christian Reformed (ex-girl) friend thought it all resembled basic biblical principles, and therefore just turned off. It just shows you the danger of new wine in old bottles syndrome by know-it-all skimmers. True, the book doesn't do much more than inspire us to realize that we need to do A NEXT CONSCIOUS STEP of inner work on ourselves. However, for anyone who doesn't read further from Needleman bibliographic recommendations will never have a clue about the EXACTING nature of the FURHTER STEPS in the journey past the RELATIONSHIP CROSSROADS of LOVE (which would be way too difficult for most moderns to extract using their backgrgound to find Bible-base correlates & language). Just trying to "be a better more loving person" is the most common thinking of self deception today. Nobody that I've met in general society even has a working definition of Love that even approaches M.Scott Peck's definition (Road Less Travelled). And thats another book that I loan out a lot. Also, in a longer also exhilarating exploratory manner is Needleman's "Money & the Meaning of Life." A little more difficult is his book on "Time and the Soul."

When I read the review of the Ohio person, I thought the person was a nut. But it got my curiosity up, so I bought the book. Wow, am I glad I did! I was afraid it would be too "religious" and I'm not a religious person, but it just uses different teachings to show, "Hey look - they all tell you this!" What they tell you is good horse-sense stuff that really works. I was having problems in my relationship, but now things are turning around for us. Just make sure your "significant other" reads the book too! This is a wonderful book, no kidding. But the Ohio person is still probably a "nut" - one you should listen to in this case!