The Journey Within: Exploring the Path of Bhakti

by Radhanath Swami

Overview

With illuminating references to Western religions and ideologies, The Journey Within invites readers from all backgrounds to discover the simple truths that unite us.

The mysteries of the soul have evaded mystics, sages, and gurus for centuries. Humanity has long yearned to discover the answer to our existence, and many spiritual traditions have evolved to provide those answers through sacred texts that facilitate journeys of transformation and discovery. Yet, never before have all of the spiritual traditions been distilled so simply into one easy-to-follow path—a path of love and devotion.

In this long-awaited follow-up to The Journey Home, New York Times bestseller The Journey Within guides readers through the essential teachings of bhakti yoga. World-renowned spiritual leader Radhanath Swami draws from his personal experiences to demystify the ancient devotional path of bhakti, capturing its essence and explaining its simple principles for balancing our lives.

His down-to-earth writing simplifies spiritual concepts and answers timeless questions in a heartfelt narrative that brings this sacred philosophy beautifully to life. What is love? What is the soul? Who is God? How can we live in the physical world without losing touch with the spiritual?

In concise and approachable language, Radhanath Swami sheds light on how to answer these vital questions and offers solutions to life’s challenges with the simplest of resources. Reach beyond the material world and journey within to discover the beauty of the true self.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781608871575
Publisher:	Mandala Publishing
Publication date:	05/17/2016
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	6.40(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

New York Times best-selling author Radhanath Swami was born in Chicago in 1950. At age nineteen, he traveled overland from London to India, where he lived in Himalayan caves, learned yoga from revered masters, and eventually became a world-renowned spiritual leader in his own right. His acclaimed memoir, The Journey Home, has been translated into over twenty languages and sold in over forty countries worldwide. Radhanath Swami presently travels in Asia, Europe, and America teaching devotional wisdom but can often be found with his community in Mumbai, where he works tirelessly to help develop communities, food distribution initiatives, missionary hospitals, schools, ashrams, emergency relief programs, and eco-friendly farms.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Part I The Big Questions

1 What is True Wealth? 11

2 Who Am I? 25

3 Who Is God? 47

4 What Is Yoga? 65

5 What Is Bhaxti? 81

Part II Living Spiritually in a Material World

6 Distinguishing Reality from Illusion 103

7 Practicing the Dharma of Bhakti 111

8 Awakening Divine Love 135

9 Leading a Spiritual Life 193

10 Growing Through Adversity 215

11 Living Consciously and the Art of Dying 229

12 Becoming One Through Love 251

13 Entering the State of Grace 263

Conclusion 285

Glossary 289

Acknowledgments 299

About the Author 301

Editorial Reviews

03/14/2016
Radhanath (The Journey Home) offers a light and accessible introduction to bhakti yoga, a spiritual journey some Buddhists believe can reunite practitioners with the supreme source. According to Swami, one forgets “the love that lies dormant within,” and longings, desires, and dissatisfactions are attempts to recover that loss. Through bhakti yoga, practitioners see themselves as they really are—loving and loved by the “Supreme Beloved” through acts of devotion and compassionate service in the world. Radhanath often teaches readers through stories; his tales showcase the effect of devoting oneself to the “Supreme Beloved” and the great need for compassion in this world of suffering. By practicing yogic regulative principles such as ahimsa (nonviolence) and living compassionately through practices such as environmental care, community, chanting, and worship, one is able to “taste divine love” and serve the world and God. Radhanath’s teaching here is highly accessible and a delight to read; newcomers will feel welcome to bhakti and intrigued by his conviction and compassion. (May)

Publishers Weekly

"The Journey Within was blurbed by Russell Brand and Cornel West — Radhanath is, for all his humbleness, an intellectual ambassador for a movement, 'a general in the saffron army,' as one of his friends described him to me. Radhanath later tells me that he’s spoken at Princeton and Oxford, before the British Parliament, and at the Milken Conference in Beverly Hills. He’s even chatted with President Obama."

— New York Magazine online

“Radhanath Swami is a towering spiritual figure of our time. He is a masterful teacher and a wise leader whose knowledge inspires me. Don’t miss the gems of wisdom and courage that comprise this powerful book.”
— Dr. Cornel West

"Radhanath Swami has conveyed The Divine Light through his writing with the gentle and seductive effortlessness that he does in person. This book is a joyful way to move closer to the truth within you”
— Russell Brand

"Radhanath’s teaching here is highly accessible and a delight to read; newcomers will feel welcome to bhakti and intrigued by his conviction and compassion."

— Publisher's Weekly

From the Publisher