A Meditator’s Guidebook to The Secret of the Golden Flower


Book Description

The first book to examine and extract the workable teachings from the The Secret of the Golden Flower. Forget dogma and belief systems… This is DIY meditation method, especially for those individuals tempted to brave the solitary path. It’s only limits are your ability to envision and strive for a new YOU. Since the publication of Deciphering the Golden Flower One Secret at a Time (ASIN: B001A9TN7Q) in 2008 (DGF), readers have asked for an in-depth guidebook on using The Secret of the Golden Flower (SGF) to awaken kundalini in a manner, and with results, similar to those described in JJ Semple's DGF. The Secret of the Golden Flower: A Kundalini Meditation Method is that book, a much anticipated interpretive guide to the SGF as well as a sequel to his DGF autobiographical kundalini memoir. Kundalini is the formative, biological life force energy in your body. Most people don't realize that kundalini resides within them; they are simply unaware of its actuality and its potential. Which means, of course, that it may never "re-activate" either spontaneously or otherwise, not unless you learn how to induce a Kundalini awakening through meditation practice. Even then, the outcome is never certain. There's a quantum or karmic aspect to the process. Wilhelm, Cleary, and Jung translated the book and commented on its teachings, but not one of them ever practiced the method. This book compares their translations and commentaries with JJ Semple's empirical practice of the method, using his ultimate success in awakening kundalini as the arbiter of its suitability as a method — in essence, the author identifies where the written word deviates from actual practice. He extracts the workable teachings from the esoteric text of the SGF and shapes them into a practical modern method. By cross-referencing both the Cleary and the Wilhelm versions, the author details each version's contribution to the kundalini awakening process. A chapter comparing Golden Flower Meditation (GFM) to the Microcosmic Orbit (MCO) is also included. Says JJ Semple, “Did I take every word and every passage in the Wilhelm version literally? No more than I take every word or passage in the Bible, or in Cleary’s translation, literally. I realized that a successful practice depended on problem solving and detective work, that searching for literal meaning was a waste of time. Success would be found in doing, not in fantasizing.” In fact, the SGF has two objectives. One, it's a manual for kundalini meditation, even though the term "kundalini" never appears in the text. Put aside what you may have been told or read about the SGF and accept this as fact — one borne out by centuries of realized practitioners who practiced the method, a fact vetted by contemporaries such as Gopi Krishna. Two, it's an explanation of ontology, which the dictionary defines as: “the branch of metaphysics dealing with the nature of being.” Neither objective is readily understood without practicing the method. Sure, it’s possible to approach the text as an academic challenge, but the best way to reconcile the two objectives is by practicing the method, which, if you are patient, allows you to “grok” the ontological elements as you move forward. The two are not separated in the text; they’re mingled together, which, as you might imagine, makes understanding problematic. Says JJ Semple, “Although the ontological portions obscured the practical aspects to some degree, I decided to forge ahead. Ultimately, once the meditation took its course, once the light started to circulate, I was catapulted out of the limiting duality of the physical world into the metaphysical actuality of ‘the great One...which has nothing above it.’" In short, he learned that enlightenment comes with practice.







Deciphering the Golden Flower One Secret at a Time


Book Description

Semple reveals the techniques behind "The Secret of the Golden Flower"--an extraordinary statement about the inevitability of karma and the obstacles one must overcome in the quest for self-realization.







The No-Nonsense Meditation Book


Book Description

'Meditation could retune our brains and help us cope with the long-term effects of the pandemic' - New Scientist 'Readers in search of an introduction to mindfulness that's free of woo-woo promises should look no further.' - Publishers Weekly 'For a boost to your wellbeing don't miss the brilliant The No-Nonsense Meditation Book, which unites brain science with practical tips' – Stylist ---- Rigorously researched and deeply illuminating, world-leading neurologist Dr Steven Laureys works with celebrated meditators to scientifically prove the positive impact meditation has on our brains. Dr Steven Laureys has conducted ground-breaking research into human consciousness for more than 20 years. For this bestselling book, translated into seven languages worldwide, Steven explores the effect of meditation on the brain, using hard science to explain the benefits of a practice that was once thought of as purely spiritual. The result is a highly accessible, scientifically questioning guide to meditation, designed to open the practice to a broader audience. A mix of fascinating science, inspiring anecdote and practical exercises, this accessible book offers thoroughly researched evidence that meditation can have a positive impact on all our lives.




Meditation As Medicine


Book Description

Dr. Dharma Singh Khalsa “shows us how the tremendous power of medical meditation can heal not only the body but also the mind and soul” (Deepak Chopra) in this practical and engaging guide to natural healing. Proven effective by scientific research and presented here by Dr. Dharma Singh Khalsa and Cameron Stauth, the practice of Medical Meditation revolutionizes the healing process. By balancing and regenerating the body's ethereal and physical energies through simple meditations, Medical Meditation unites the mind, body, and spirit into a powerful triad. Each Medical Meditation here has a specific physiological effect, targeting afflictions from arthritis to ulcers to cancer. Dr. Khalsa details the five unique attributes that endow this type of meditation with far more power than standard meditation. The combination of special postures and movements; exact positioning of the hands and fingers; particular mantras; specific breathing patterns; and a unique focus of concentration can change your entire biochemical profile, easing you into a calm, healing state. Practiced in conjunction with conventional or alternative medical treatments, cutting-edge Medical Meditation activates the healing force within you.




8 Minute Meditation


Book Description

More information to be announced soon on this forthcoming title from Penguin USA




Seminal Retention and Higher Consciousness


Book Description

Higher consciousness and sexual sublimation (diverting sexual energy to the brain) are inextricably linked in most of the world’s meditation methods. So where does seminal retention fit in? Seminal retention techniques can be used by male practitioners who want to continue sexual relations without the deleterious effects linked to ejaculating. While best meditation practices dictate renouncing ejaculation and sexual relations, seminal retention techniques do provide a compromise for males not able or not willing to give up sex. In the East, people have always known about the connection between higher consciousness and what goes on below the waist. Seminal Retention and Higher Consciousness: The Sexology of Kundalini explores this connection, and its sexological implications. First, there’s a limited amount of semen in the male body. Neither you, nor I, can change this; it’s a biological fact. Second, although you can’t replenish what’s been lost, you can conserve what’s left. Today, it’s understandable that young, vital individuals working on kundalini activation techniques want to maintain a normal sex life. Formerly, the only way to avoid the deleterious physiological effects linked to ejaculation was to avoid sex altogether after activating kundalini. That is not acceptable to this generation: The sex drive is too powerful to simply put it on the back burner in favor of abstinence or abstention. Today’s seekers want instant gratification, free license to ejaculate at will, at the same time, they pursue higher consciousness. Fortunately, there is a way to reconcile the two, a series of seminal retention techniques I discovered after activating kundalini. But before revealing these secret techniques, let’s examine some of the effects various authorities on kundalini had to deal with. First, Gopi Krishna writing in 1977: “At the present time, we can say, that perhaps twice a week to once in two weeks would be a safe measure for indulgence in the sexual act. This is of absolute importance for those who would like to awaken the Serpent Power. “On one occasion, after months of abstention, I prematurely had a contact with my wife. The next moment, because the energy did not come up to feed the brain, I seemed to sink into a pit of horror and terror, so much so that I thought that if nothing happened to save me from this terrible situation, I would die. “People realize these mistakes when they are sixty or seventy years old. There have been many cases in which men of advanced age have repented the folly of their youth.” Second, before I mastered retention techniques, I discovered first hand how much the brain needs the elixir and I wrote about it in Deciphering the Golden Flower One Secret at a Time: “My head is imploding and the elixir is being summoned to my brain for life support. I curl up in a fetal position. To no avail, my nerves are like an electrical fire searing the very conduits that enclose them and there isn’t enough elixir to cool them. Certainly, if I try to lead a normal sex life, I’ll simply exhaust my resources. I can feel the elixir waning and, as Gopi Krishna put it, ‘a tongue of golden flame searching my stomach for food.’” I learned the hard way, but you don’t have to. Not if you take the time to master the techniques discussed in this book. Yes, I suffered bouts of physical pain, like the ones described above, that led me to seek and ultimately find techniques that not only allowed me to continue sexual relations, but also allowed me and my partners to experiment with new pleasures. In ancient times, sex relations and higher consciousness were a no-no. Today, seekers want both. And they can have them…within reason. The biology hasn’t changed; Kundalini still needs the energy. But, if you can control the energy as it surges up the spine into the brain and not allow it to flow out, you can navigate the tricky waters between sublimation and ejaculation.




The Power of Vital Force


Book Description

"By contemplating and applying the precious knowledge in these pages, you will learn to make everything in your life easier . . . Relationships. Jobs. Family. Creativity. Happiness. And maybe even doing something more game-changing than you've ever thought possible." - Dave Asprey Why do some people thrive while others just get by? What's their secret to peak performance and maximum happiness? Some call it the zest, the gusto, or the extra edge in life. The ancient Indian spiritual tradition Vedanta calls it prana, or life force. We can call it vital force. By any name, it's the fundamental fuel that activates and optimizes all physical, emotional, and cognitive functions, including consciousness, perception, thinking, judgment, and memory. In modern life, we have forgotten the golden key-the higher our energy, the better our performance in everything we do. Energy naturally impacts mind-set and moves us toward greater happiness, success, and self-awareness. This book gives you back your power with simple tools to take hold of the limitless energy of life itself-more swiftly and easily than you ever thought possible. Rajshree Patel is a former federal prosecutor who discovered Vedanta by accident and went on to become an internationally renowned teacher of its deep wisdom and dynamic practice. In these pages, she reveals: • What vital force is, how it influences every single aspect of your life, how to enhance it-and how your mind, the biggest energy hog, can drain it; • Tools to dial down the chatter of your racing mind and resolve your personal energy crisis; • Why traditional mindfulness meditation may not be your best path to inner peace; • Easy biohacking techniques, from breath work to meditation to movement, that reduce stress and maximize joy; and • Ancient secrets to fuel your purpose and performance in every aspect of your life. The Power of Vital Force is a practical pathway to the unlimited source of energy and intelligence that exists beyond the thinking and reasoning mind.




Zen and the Brain


Book Description

A neuroscientist and Zen practitioner interweaves the latest research on the brain with his personal narrative of Zen. Aldous Huxley called humankind's basic trend toward spiritual growth the "perennial philosophy." In the view of James Austin, the trend implies a "perennial psychophysiology"—because awakening, or enlightenment, occurs only when the human brain undergoes substantial changes. What are the peak experiences of enlightenment? How could these states profoundly enhance, and yet simplify, the workings of the brain? Zen and the Brain presents the latest evidence. In this book Zen Buddhism becomes the opening wedge for an extraordinarily wide-ranging exploration of consciousness. In order to understand which brain mechanisms produce Zen states, one needs some understanding of the anatomy, physiology, and chemistry of the brain. Austin, both a neurologist and a Zen practitioner, interweaves the most recent brain research with the personal narrative of his Zen experiences. The science is both inclusive and rigorous; the Zen sections are clear and evocative. Along the way, Austin examines such topics as similar states in other disciplines and religions, sleep and dreams, mental illness, consciousness-altering drugs, and the social consequences of the advanced stage of ongoing enlightenment.