An intensive primer to a complex aspect of a sophisticated philosophy.
A passionate introduction to the practice of Jyotish, an ancient form of astrology rooted in Hinduism that fosters self-exploration while offering guidance and predictions.
The ancient tradition of Jyotish, which means “Light of God,” is also called Vedic astrology, and it uses the teachings of Hindu philosophy to try to help people answer life’s nagging questions about identity, purpose, and the divine. Nirupa (Lizla, The Daughter of Isis, 2014, etc.), who says that she was personally affected by a Jyotish reading, introduces the Eastern practice to those for whom it may not be as familiar as its sister traditions of meditation and yoga. She also illustrates the differences between it and modern astrology, which shares similar signs. The book breaks down Jyotish’s zodiac and its various houses, star signs, and more, focusing on the importance of planetary paths and placemen, and how readings of Vedic charts may be used to interpret their numerous intersections. The final results, she says, provide a breakdown of one’s emotional and intellectual behavior. A skilled reader, called a Jyotishian, can use this to decipher the future, she says. The author also explores modern uses for this area of study, noting its scientific credentials in some parts of the East and its use in matchmaking for arranged marriages. The book charts numerous “outstanding examples” to illustrate what she sees as the predictive capability of Jyotish methodology, matching the accomplishments and personalities of actors, world leaders, and historical figures to their readings. Skeptics, however, will see this as interpretive hindsight. During these analyses, the author also explores Vedic terms and history while introducing elements of Hindu philosophy and Jyotish study. It’s a roundabout but effective teaching process, although the author actively discourages readers from attempting to divine things from their own charts. The book highlights parallels between Hinduism and Christianity, effectively showing that one may believe or explore Jyotish without it overwriting other belief systems. Although the book first presents Vedic astrology as a prognosticative tool, it primarily advocates its use for developing an understanding of oneself, so even doubters might find it engaging and useful.
An intensive primer to a complex aspect of a sophisticated philosophy.Pub Date: Jan. 29, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-5049-7091-4
Page Count: 214
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Review Posted Online: April 25, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
Yet another book teaching busy Americans how to slow down and savor the moment. Rechtschaffen, a founder of the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies, offers a series of lessons in mindfulness. The busier we are, he advises, the more we need to take time off, practice random acts of purposeless fun, or listen to Mozart, rather than let ourselves be frantically driven through our precious existence by society's deadly time fixation. A pivotal concept for Rechtschaffen is that different moments and situations have their own distinct time rhythms. Time shifting is thus the art of adjusting (``entraining'') to the unique rhythm of each new event, so that we can truly experience it and be fully present in the moment. Rechtschaffen, who counts Thomas Moore, Thich Nhat Hanh, and Ram Dass among his spiritual teachers, offers a series of practical rituals to facilitate these shifts, including breathing exercises and meditation. In the second half of the book, Rechtschaffen applies these exercies to such areas as self-care, relationships, sports, health, the raising of children, and aging. He finds much to criticize about our distracted, workaholic society, and argues, drawing on his travels, that we need to pay greater attention to the very different approach to time found in many traditional societies. Few would dispute the truth of much of this. But as he reels off his this-is-how-it-is anecdotes and trite statements (``Paradise is where you are right now''; ``Relationships based on sex are bound to fail if we're bent on conquering the object of our love''), Rechtschaffen's facile, often preachy style reduces his truths to truisms. (First serial to New Woman magazine; Literary Guild Selection; author tour)
Pub Date: June 1, 1996
ISBN: 0-385-47849-6
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Doubleday
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 1996
Smarmy advice on how to conduct your life from Bode (First You Have to Row a Little Boat, 1993, etc.). Jettisoning a marriage of 30 years, Bode takes to the beachcomber's life along California's lovely Miramar coast. He troops up and down the strand, musing on the human condition. These pensÇes are the fruits of his ambulations. He cherishes the child's wonder, the free life: ``Like a migratory bird, I move by instinct, my behavior governed by forces beyond myself.'' Vraiment. But without leisure and means, said lifestyle is little more than figment. The force at work here is of the white-male-with-connections variety; soft touchdowns await, a phone call away. Money is vulgar, Bode informs readers, then churlishly turns on his wife over their settlement. ``I had earned the money, but I didn't need it. She hadn't earned the money, but she did need it . . . She acquired financial security; I purchased my freedom.'' Such honesty, hombre. Money is vulgar, though he would be nowhere without its reference points. ``I might have been a millionaire; I mean that literally.'' He was a successful public relations man; big bucks awaited; he declined (though the river ran deep and Bode knew where to cast): ``It astounds me when I think of the courage it takes to live, to behave as we want to.'' Most of his time is spent otherwise: crawling over parental injustices, dismissively laughing at a man confusing a sea lion with a dog, patronizing a relative who abandoned the piano. Follow your star, urges Bode, even in a relationship: ``He can have his perceptions and she can have hers and the two don't have to jibe.'' A couple of pages later, though, he notes what a shame it is when two people ``don't respond to the world about them in the same way.'' Pretentious, aimless, worthless. (Author tour)
Pub Date: June 6, 1996
ISBN: 0-446-51867-0
Page Count: 224
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 1996
BOOK REVIEW
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