Overview

The companion to the 2017 biography The Goddess and the Guru, Gifts from the Goddess presents the essential teachings of Sri Amritananda Natha Saraswati, colloquially known as Guruji. Previously named Dr. N. Prahlada Sastry, Guruji left a prestigious position in India's missile defense complex to become a spiritual teacher in Hinduism's millennia-old school of Sri Vidya Tantra. Along the way, he discovered and revived a long-forgotten Goddess temple in a remote Indian jungle, traveled the globe teaching the powerful techniques of Sri Vidya, and attracted tens of thousands of followers worldwide. At the center of Gifts from the Goddess lie Guruji's two largest works: his 1994 opus, Understanding Sri Chakra Puja, and his stunning 1979 debut, Dasa Mahavidyas ( The Ten Great Wisdom Goddesses ). Both pieces have been revisited and updated by Guruji, and are presented here for the first time in their entirety. Gifts from the Goddess also includes other pieces of writing and lectures from throughout Guruji's career. Each reveals his inimitable voice and personality - lively, insightful, inspiring, and often humorous. His writing offers beautiful teachings on building and deepening one's spiritual practice. Discover his lessons on nurturing a relationship with the Divine (and the Universe), understanding the secrets of Tantra and Sri Vidya, incorporating a spiritual attitude into everyday life, and much more.

Full Product Details

9780997946666

Table of Contents

Reviews

Amritananda Natha Saraswati dedicated himself to introducing a wide range of sincere seekers to the hitherto difficult-to-attain practical knowledge of Sri Vidya: a life-positive, body-positive spirituality that sees the Goddess in all, and respects as sacred her every aspect. In Gifts from the Goddess, his collected writings offer readers a detailed and succulent vision of just how spiritual life can be when we offer to her all that is most precious to us. --Dr. Robert Svoboda, author of the Aghora trilogy; Ayurveda: Life, Health and Longevity; The Hidden Secret of Ayurveda and others Sri Vidya has continued to be enshrouded in mystery and secrecy, lending itself to a host of misunderstandings. Sri Amritananda Natha Saraswati, arguably the greatest modern exponent of the practice, strove to change this, not just through his teachings but in the way he lived them. Thoughtfully curated and compiled, Gifts from the Goddess will become the much-needed source book for Sri Vidya practitioners--as well as for anyone interested in the science of awakening. An explosive exposition. --Kavitha Chinnaiyan, MD, author of Shakti Rising and The Heart of Wellness Gifts from the Goddess brings millennia of Goddess-centered wisdom and practice together into one accessible and illuminating volume. This beautiful work is filled with gems of knowledge for new and old practitioners, spiritual seekers, devotees and scholars alike. It presents a treasure trove of Shakta, Tantra and, most specifically, Sri Vidya teachings and practices--all in the inimitable voice of the beloved contemporary Sri Vidya master and Goddess-honoring guru, Amritananda Natha Saraswati. --Laura Amazzone, teacher and author of Goddess Durga and Sacred Female Power In Gifts from the Goddess, Sri Amritananda takes us on a mighty journey to uncover the mystery, meaning and techniques of the sacred Sri Vidya, not just for purposes of study, but to experience it for ourselves. At a time when many men (and women) consider the female physical form to be a constraint in the path of spirituality, Guruji's teachings turn that notion on its head. His teachings and interpretations of Sri Vidya emphasize the fact that a woman's body is far from a limitation. In fact, it could be the very path to spiritual enlightenment, not just for women but for men as well. She is not the hurdle; She is the path. --Sinu Joseph, coordinator, the Forward Foundation, and founder, Mythri Speaks Truly a lexicon of devotion, knowledge and practice, Gifts from the Goddess takes readers on a unique scientific and spiritual journey through the teachings of Sri Vidya. Beyond the precision of its teaching and the depth of its psychological and spiritual insight, the book is a profound transmission that will penetrate your heart with love and awaken the essence of the Great Feminine within. It is an invaluable guide for practitioners of this tradition, or anyone who has an interest in the timeless teachings of the Goddess. --Julie Brown Yau, Ph.D., author, The Body Awareness Workbook for Healing Trauma Reminding us not just how to practice but why, Gifts from the Goddess is exactly the book we need now to help restore our faith in both humanity and the divine, while living in an increasingly unstable world. --Maya Devi Georg, founder and editor, Brahmaloka or Bust

Author Information

Michael Bowden is an attorney and former New York Times Company reporter with three decades of publishing experience, having written for newspapers and magazines ranging from the ABA Journal to India Today. A longtime features editor for Lawyers Weekly Publications in Boston, Bowden is currently director of communications for Roger Williams University School of Law, Rhode Island's only law school. His freelance magazine features have appeared in both national and international publications, and he was awarded the American Bar Association's prestigious Ross Award for his legal journalism. A magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Rhode Island, Bowden earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Maine and actively practiced law for several years before returning to journalism. In 1999, he cofounded the Shakti Sadhana Group, which collected, published and hosted discussions of Hindu Shakta scriptures. He and Amritananda met in 2003 and collaborated on a number of projects together. Bowden is also an accomplished artist, whose paintings have been featured in both group and solo gallery shows. He lives in Rhode Island with his wife Anna and their two sons.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available