Noah Sanchez7 said:Govinda has been Siddhartha's friend since they were kids. Their paths diverge for a while, but they eventually cross again. While Govinda sets out to learn from various teachers, Siddhartha prefers to learn through his own life experiences. I really think you should give the book a read.
Best,
I’d just say that Govinda is heading off to learn from Buddha—who is an enlightened guru, mind you, not some random academic—whereas Siddhartha does the exact opposite. He walks away from an enlightened teacher to become a merchant, a wealthy guy, a playboy, and basically an aesthete. In today’s terms? A total metrosexual. That part of the narrative is fine, but once the author injects his own incredibly naive perspective—suggesting that Siddhartha is somehow spiritually superior to his childhood friend (who is also an old man by now)—the whole thing feels fake, overly romanticized, and honestly, kind of childish. Then, in his later years, Siddhartha turns around and tries to teach his old friend everything that Buddha couldn't teach him throughout his entire life. It’s more like Hesse is using Siddhartha to suggest that while Buddha is a nice guy, he maybe overdoes the whole "strictness" thing a bit. The implication being that you can get deeper insights simply by doing nothing... or better yet, just enjoying life without putting any effort into spiritual practice at all. It’s one very hippie-ish, naive assumption about spirituality. Following that, you get the bitterness of the Steppe Wolf, but that’s a different story from Hesse’s life altogether...
After that, you might want to keep some anti-nausea meds nearby... You start feeling this specific kind of Buddhist compassion (karuna) for the sheer foolishness, ego, and ignorance that can brew in the minds of people who don't actually understand the basics of spirituality—even if they happen to be named Hermann Hesse and have a Nobel Prize sitting on their shelf.
The book is obviously great if you want to encourage some sophisticated high schoolers to take an interest in spiritual life. Of course, it also serves as excellent preparation for the massive disappointment they'll face when they realize that actual spiritual life isn't quite what they imagined based on the imaginary, unrealistic figure of Siddhartha.
Whether you’ve been practicing for years or you’re just starting to figure out how to sit still without falling over, spring is basically an invitation to wake up your body and mind—kind of a nudge to dive into some intense practice while hanging out in good company, surrounded by nice scenery and actual expert guidance.
The Buddhist School and the Zen Yoga Association are heading back to Manhattan this spring for our traditional yoga and Zen meditation seminar. It’s one of those rare chances to actually escape the daily grind and that constant urban chaos—just a few days of living at a healthy pace, catching up with good people, and soaking in some inspiring nature.
The seminar will be led by Žarko Andričević along with other instructors from our Zen Yoga Association groups.
Hermann Hesse’s book is pure spiritual fantasy... It can’t be considered a serious spiritual work, nor is it a legitimate Buddhist text we could actually use to have a real conversation about Buddha, Buddhism, Nirvana, or Samsara. Especially if it’s the only thing you’ve ever read—and I don't mean from Hesse himself, but regarding Buddhism in general.
The book might serve as a little spark for high schoolers to start digging into Buddhism, or just spirituality in general. It’s not bad, in a lighthearted, entertaining kind of way.
On the flip side, though, it really exposes Hesse’s lifelong lack of actual spiritual experience. It’s basically the musings of a romanticized Westerner who was never initiated into any Eastern system of spiritual practice—someone who probably never even sat down for a single Buddhist meditation, or any kind of meditation for that matter.
It’s pure spiritual fiction—kind of like someone who has never even sat behind the wheel of a car trying to write a gripping masterpiece about what they imagine driving feels like.
I can't speak for the Vaishnava tradition specifically—that's probably outside my wheelhouse—but in most other schools of thought, things tend to work just the way I described earlier.
bluemason3 said:Hmm, I get the feeling that in most traditions, the Acharya is placed above the guru... AM seems pretty specific about this—it's a bit of a niche thing. I don't know the exact hierarchy off the top of my head, I think there's mention of "dada" and "didi"... I haven't gone down that rabbit hole specifically, but it doesn't strike me as the standard or most widely accepted way to define these terms, nor does it align with how people usually interpret Shiva, Krishna, and the rest.
A Guru (in the spiritual sense) is always someone who has actually realized something... obviously, if you’re just using "guru" in everyday slang—like in Hindi or Bengali—it can just mean a school teacher or some random instructor. An Acharya is similar to a Swami; they're a respected spiritual figure, a priest, a devotee, or a sage, but they aren't necessarily a spiritually realized being.
"Dada" (which is Bengali for older brother) and "didi" (older sister) are just colloquial titles used within AM for Acharyas—essentially authorized teachers or instructors for yoga and meditation.
The Tantric understanding of Shiva and Krishna generally differs from the mainstream Hindu view, and AM follows that path—just much more radically stripped of all that Puranic superstition. But hey, that's probably a whole different conversation.
Sitting Bull said:So, about that person who kicks things off—does he really have to be some kind of "embodiment" of the whole thing? Just a thought. Is that actually a person, or... what?😉
Technically speaking—if we’re getting all pedantic about it—there’s a distinction between a guru and a priest. A guru is an enlightened master, a true teacher who is one with God—essentially equal to God, since there's really nobody else besides Him, right? You have these massive figures like Shiva, Krishna, Buddha, or Jesus, and they’ve initiated countless other spiritual seekers, disciples, and followers. Now, those students might not have reached full enlightenment themselves just yet, but they were taught how to pass along the specific techniques of spiritual development to others. That’s basically how they become teachers—or priests, if you want to use that term.
So, here’s the thing—if you get some kind of guidance regarding spiritual work from a spiritual person, maybe even a priest who's just passing down wisdom from a tradition handed to them by some guru, that knowledge still carries weight. It doesn't lose its punch just because it's being passed along—it still works.
If you actually want to change as a person, you need more than just willpower—you need the luck and the blessing of being initiated into the right kind of spiritual practice by an enlightened master.
It’s easy to talk the talk, but true character is revealed when things get difficult. The longer you can stick to meditation without breaking focus, the better the results and the bigger the shift in consciousness. Blessings to everyone out there!
Heh, classic Tagore. If you're looking for something decent, check out this link to a small independent US publisher—they’ve put out some really solid translations of Tagore's work and they actually take the time to edit them properly too:
Yoga is this whole psycho-spiritual, energetic, and physical practice thing. If you look at the roots, people point back to Shiva—this mythical figure who basically got elevated by later Vedantic thinkers and then by the Puranic Hindu traditions. It’s possible that’s where the Tantric (pre-Vedic) origins of Yoga actually stem from. Honestly, Yoga was already a thing long before those post-Upanishadic sages like Patanjali came along to try and systematize everything. It just kept evolving, too—like how in the Middle Ages, those Neo-Tantric teachers (think Goraknath and his crowd) stepped in to re-interpret it through a Tantric lens. Even Buddhists picked up Yoga, and apparently the Jains did too... I guess that's just how it works—Yoga ends up weaving its way through every single belief system it touches along the way.
Michael Caine is spot on here—though I don't think his point is directly about color versus black-and-white cinematography. It’s less about the technical specs and more about the mindset. Modern Hollywood basically manufactures this shallow pseudo-culture on purpose, mostly because it's easier to manage and exploit a population that isn't thinking too hard. Capitalism is built entirely on this kind of consumerist fluff, and honestly, we're seeing it hit its peak right now. From here, the exploitation is only going to ramp up, which requires an even more mindless consumer base—people who will settle for whatever mediocre garbage is put in front of them. To make sure that happens, they just have to keep everyone even more distracted.
Back during the height of feudalism, the clergy used religious dogma and superstition to dull people's wits to such an unbearable degree that it became impossible for anyone with a shred of common sense to stomach. To keep the exploitation engine running, they needed followers who were even more narrow-minded. Then, naturally, some people started pushing back... Today, those people are the ones starting to say "NO" to this whole consumerist pseudo-culture. So, yeah—that's Michael Caine's take applied to the world of cinema.
Joseph Ortiz26 said:Can someone explain why, during meditation, I sometimes get this weird sensation that my body proportions are shifting? Like, I suddenly feel incredibly tall and stretched out, or objects around me seem strangely far away, or my head feels miles from my feet... kind of a tripping sensation, if you will?
Look, Joseph Ortiz26, just ignore those side effects and keep at it—assuming, of course, that you’ve been initiated and are actually following some structured spiritual path. Meditation basically clears out the mental "clutter," so you end up dealing with all sorts of sensations, some pleasant and some... well, less than ideal. A true yogini wouldn't give these things a second thought; she'd just stay focused on the core practice... even if it costs her everything, or so the Hatha Yoga Pradipika suggests.
Hey there, Steven Cruz3! Just dropping by to see what’s going on in here... though I don't exactly have much time to hang out on a bunch of different forums. Most of my time is spent over at Origin.👋
Ryan Wilson2 said:Personally, I’d say his most beloved work is either the book of wisdom or the book of madness.
I actually have the Vasiljevic translation from back in the 80s—it’s decent enough, not bad at all—but honestly, I find the book about tarot much more engaging. On a side note, does anyone happen to know who might be interested in the book of crawling? I’ve got that early Esoteric edition in hardcover from before the war, and it's in mint condition. I'm just not really feeling those Crowley little poems, so I’d be down to trade it for something else if you have anything interesting to offer. Or, if you know someone looking, hit me up at: goldeneagle2@gmail.com
Since we're on the subject of spiritual practice, what exactly do people in Magica consider to be the core daily practices for a student? How are they chosen? Is there some kind of structured system in place, or does everyone just pick whatever technique happens to resonate with them?
I’m actually pretty curious—what’s the latest deal with General Motors over in the States? [/B]
So, I finally reached out to that AlephTaou contact of yours—or whatever they call themselves. They've got a pretty interesting reading list, but I could use a little guidance. I'm looking for more theoretical stuff—essays and things like that. Honestly, technical manuals on how to perform specific rituals are useless to me; I have zero intention of actually practicing them. I was thinking Magik without tears might be a solid bet. If I remember correctly, that's basically Crowley's notes to his students where he breaks down the core principles of Magik and all that. That's more my speed. For instance, the essay on Egyptian tarot (Book of Thoth) is easily Crowley's most profound work.
I'd really appreciate it if you could point me toward more works like that. Sadly, your friend's list doesn't include the essay on yogi—which is a hilarious read, even if it is a bit surface-level when it comes to actual yoga.
Is Vasiljevic still around? Was he ever part of General Motors? Thanks again for that address—I'm definitely going to order something. I've got my eye on that essay on yogi specifically. It’s not really about yoga itself, per se, but it's pretty hilarious.
I honestly kind of assumed you were connected with P. Vasiljević. So, you're an OTO member—nice, respect. It’s actually a real treat reading posts from people on this forum who clearly have some actual, hands-on experience under their belts. But anyway, what’s the deal with Esotherija over in New York? That Mandic guy—or whatever his name is—seems to have completely lost the plot... He’s out there publishing books about Saint Sava and whatnot. Honestly, the whole scene has gone downhill lately. It feels like they've totally lost the OTO spirit. And then there was that one guy appearing in the papers in Chicago a year ago claiming to be the OTO leader, but his statements left me feeling pretty skeptical too. It made me wonder where the crew went that used to publish the Toth stuff and those Crowley's books. Your writing and general vibe just reminded me of that classic OTO mainstream energy again.
So tell me, Ryan Wilson2, where did you pick up all these magical practices? Is there some kind of occult organization here in the States, or did you just go the bookworm route? Back in the late 80s, there was an active Aleister Crowley group running around the US—they used to put out a magazine called Toth. I actually managed to snag some bound copies, and honestly, I still find myself flipping through them from time to time. There was also that publisher in New York, Estheria, which started out publishing ABRAHADABRA stuff for the OTO, but they shifted gears later on and now mostly churn out total nonsense. Somehow, your writing style reminds me of how people close to the OTO tend to think. I really dig the quotes you drop in your posts—it’s obvious you’re doing some actual systematic practice and speaking from experience. That’s pretty rare to come across, both on this forum and over at Iskon.
If I'm not mistaken, that's basically standard practice for pretty much any kind of yoga. So, what actually sets Ananda Marga apart from the rest? [/B]
I’d say those MPRH practices show up in plenty of different magic schools too—everyone's got their own little twist on the approach, I guess.
Philosophically speaking, AM leans into that Tantric perspective where the world and God are essentially one and the same. Because of that, the whole point of the practices is to realize that God is right here, right now. On the technical side, the core AM practice breaks down into six specific techniques:
First, there's mantra meditation aimed at reaching savikalpa samadhi. Honestly, I think that part is very similar—if not identical—to what you'll find in other monistic yoga traditions. Second, there's this technique of maintaining an awareness of God's presence during every single action you take. We use a mantra for that during our daily tasks, which I personally feel is a unique hallmark of the AM sadhana from a technical standpoint. Third is working with the elements (earth, water, etc.)—that's old-school Tantra, and I'm pretty sure other schools use it too. Fourth is pranayama, which isn't exactly new territory. Fifth involves cleansing the chakras using a specific mantra application; I think this is another area where AM stands out, since many yoga schools don't really touch it, and while Kriya yoga handles things through breath and mantras, they do it quite differently than we do. Finally, the sixth technique is another form of meditation, but this one targets nirvikalpa samadhi. I'm not entirely sure how much that specific method overlaps with other yoga schools or if they even practice it.
Not sure if I explained all that clearly enough—it's a lot to digest. You should definitely drop by the iskonov forum sometime; we have a whole thread dedicated to religion.
Ryan Wilson2 said:It’s mostly just MTRP and MPRH practices—stuff like daily Yi Ying casting, visualization drills, and lucid dreaming. And occasionally, you know, some "bigger" calling.
Baphomete, what exactly are these MTRP and MPRH practices?
I do yoga every single day—meditation, chakra work, pranayama, asanas, and kirtan. That’s basically my spiritual routine with Ananda Marga yoga.