Review by ciecheesemeister -- A Thousand Seeds of Joy

[ciecheesemeister]

[Following is a volunteer review of "A Thousand Seeds of Joy" by Ananda Karunesh.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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A Thousand Seeds of Joy: The Teachings of Lakshmi and Saraswati by Ananda Karunesh is a beautiful, peaceful book that will delight followers of Hinduism and Buddhism. This book will also be of interest to those who enjoy researching various mythological and religious belief systems from an academic perspective and to feminist scholars as well.

It is the author’s belief that the material contained in this book was channeled from the Hindu goddesses Lakshmi and Saraswati. The book also addresses mother goddess figures from other religions, including Brigid of the Celtic pantheon, the Chinese goddess Kwan Yin, the Egyptian mother goddess Isis, Mother Mary of Catholicism, and the Earth goddess Gaia. The book postulates that there is no discrepancy in honoring all belief systems, for all are one.

A Thousand Seeds of Joy is not only a metaphysical text, but it also addresses a societal need to focus on the feminine. Goddess-based mythology long been oppressed in favor of patriarchal systems of worship. The book emphasizes the importance of the feminine energy for balance in the Cosmos.

The author hopes that women will find the words of the Mother Goddesses comforting and empowering. There is a discussion of the ways in which the rise of patriarchal religious systems and the suppression of stories of the divine feminine have harmed both women and men. The author believes that the restoration of feminine power is necessary for the healing of the world.

A Thousand Seed of Joy encourages a holistic approach to spirituality. Contemplation of holy writings or meditation alone is not adequate to achieve enlightenment and, in fact, may delay enlightenment. For physically incarnate beings, the body must be involved in order to ground the soul.

The text addresses the reason for clearing the mind during meditation. Emptiness is necessary for oneness with the whole. Involving the body in the meditation practice helps to control intrusive thoughts by channeling the energies through the physical vehicle. Practices that focus the breath, such as yoga, are encouraged.

I give A Thousand Seeds of Joy: The Teachings of Lakshmi and Saraswati four out of four stars. It is meticulously crafted and professionally edited. I highly recommend it to Buddhists and Hinduists, to those who have pantheistic or polytheistic philosophies, and to those who are practitioners of goddess-based religions. Those who study mythology, religion, and/or philosophy from an academic viewpoint and feminist scholars are also likely to enjoy the book. Those who find beliefs such as reincarnation either blasphemous or preposterous and those who feel that polytheism is heresy or belief in any sort of divine power is folly will not appreciate A Thousand Seeds of Joy.

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A Thousand Seeds of Joy
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