Meditation

 

 

Perhaps it was 100,000 years ago, in a cave somewhere in Africa, or northern Europe, a group of men are squatted around a fire, staring into the flames and finding themselves transported out of the day they just finished struggling to survive in and to understand the huge mysterious world around them. Over immense vistas of time, man has discovered that his inner life is much richer than the outer world where he tries to apply what little force and skill that he can, to stay in place and advance his own kind. The MIND, a rich tapestry of images and ideas, of desires and craving, of fears and apprehensions......is the key to his power over his world, and his short life. The first Sorcerers were "Dream Weavers", who could go to the underworld, or the land of the dead and deliver messages, or even better, come back with guidance from the spirits of the ancestors, or even the Gods themselves. Oracles, Diviners and Soothsayers were to be found in the Forrest, or caves, or on a mountain top. In time, some of these entronaughts, discovered the very source of Consciousness itself, the alembic of the "I AM", and came back with the good news that we were all connected, we are all one, we were divinity in disguise. At times, the intense inner concentration and travel to more refined levels of existence, gave them the Siddhi, or wonder working powers, while others attained the irresistible will, and other God-like abilities. According to Meditation Philosophy, which falls under the rubric of Tantra and Yoga, there are Gods, including a God of Human Beings, but the most high, the never ending source, is a formless immaterial Consciousness. It is the only thing that is truly real,and it is behind your ego and sense of Self. In short, it is the OVERSELF, or as it is explained in VEDANTA, it is the field of BRAHMAN. Brahman or the EIN SOPH AUR (Light without limit) in Kabbalistic Mysticism, is beyond Being, yet it resides within you, exactly as it does the Gods. (See: The Atman, under Hindu teachings)

 

  

       Meditation begins with something that holds our attention. Fire was and still is, a subconsious symbol for the Spiritual Dimension of being.                                    

 

 Imagine an endless OCEANIC FIELD OF LIGHT, whose dimensions are beyond any intelligence to scale or comprehend. This clear, intelligent, Self-Knowing light cannot be an object of itself, so it contracted and created a space, or Void. Within that void, a sliver of the oceanic light was sent, and from that thread, came all of the Universes, including the Universe that is the parent of our Universe. The light is our reality and the light it came from curves up and all around the void our universe is in. It does not think, it KNOWS. Should the Ein Soph Aur withdraw its meditation, its attention on the worlds within the thread, within the void, for a minute fraction of a fraction of time.......all of reality would cease to be. The Universes, Gods, planets, beings, and all of time and space, all of everything would be as nothing. The void would fill up, and the Reality would be back to its primal state, as it is forever everywhere, except where the void is located, if "location" has any meaning. Both VEDANTA and the KABBALAH share this view of reality as having a TOP-DOWN-HIERARCHICAL structure:

(This is primarily a Hindu view of the Reality)

                                                                             

                                                                         

  This is the Kaballistic TREE OF LIFE, which is a mystical diagram of the Cosmos. Our Universe, MALKUTH, is at the feet of the Divine Personage.

                                                                      

 

 

Virtually all of the Eastern Religious thought, which includes Yoga, Tantra and Meditation, admit to a series of Heavens that are a part of the whole of reality. "Seven Heavens" refers to seven layers or dimensions. These are universes that contain an existence that is free of worry, competition or survival. One heaven and one never ending Hell, are thought of as absurd and overly rigid, in a universe that is so full of life, and levels of being. There are many "Mansions" to the reality created by and overseen by the Gods. The source of all, is too generous, to affluent and full of love and good will, to condemn isolated consiousness's forever in torment. Spiritual knowledge of the type described above, has had a difficult time dawning in the west. There are many reasons for this, that cannot be discussed within the subject matter of this article.

 

God sleeps in the Stone

Dreams in the Plant

Stirs in the Animal

Awakens in Man

            ----A Sufi Saying.

      

This knowledge came to the Rishis, the masters who found the truth from within, through meditation. Some claim that Angels imparted the Kabbalistic information, that includes the TREE OF LIFE, with a similar hierarchy to the Hindu Cosmos above, to Abraham. Meditation is the Art and Science of Inner Transformation. The above structure of reality is not accepted by the west, in time, it may become more apparent as essential truth, as mankind reaches out beyond the Earth. As explained, the working idea behind  meditation is essentialy that It is the pathway to our inner source, as both the mind and all of matter, all of the REALITY itself, have emanated from the "I AM" at large, consciousness. The core concept behind meditation is that your surface mind or ego is a temporary illusion, playing on the surface of an infinite field of Consciousness, a gigantic "I AM" that we can all tap into. The Ego is the little "I Am", on the surface of the infinite ocean of pure awareness. Most, if not all of the founders of the various World Religions were Meditation Masters of one kind or another, especially the following:

 

 

Less is known about the spiritual practices of Zoroaster, Abraham and Moses, and other great prophets. Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, had visions as a youth, but there is no evidence that he did any more to approach meditation, that to study the Kabbalah briefly. A good place to start, in learning what meditation is and how to do it, is with Siddhartha Gautama, his journey, his discovery and his methods.

 

 

Born in Nepal about 560 years before Christ, Siddhartha Gautama was a prince destined to be a King of a vast region. His wealth, by todays standards would have been in the billions. Contrary to popular opinion, Siddhartha was not short, or bald or fat. He was a consummate warrior, trained in Archery, Horsemanship, other weapons of war and hand to hand combat. He was tall and lean and had a wife and son, when he decided to leave it all behind and pursue Enlightenment. In actuality, he wanted to know the root cause of suffering. Leaving his summer palace in the dead of night, he ventured into the Forrest, where, over a period of six years, he went deep into his mind with the help of five Gurus and almost non-stop Meditation practice, of one kind or another. At the end of six years, having decided that extremes of yoga and fasting were not the way to achieve enlightenment, he hit upon the MIDDLE WAY, that is working with the mind, but not overtaxing the body, keeping it healthy and fit for meditation, yet not overindulging in sex, drink, food, sleep, etc. Finally, after six years of effort, Siddhartha retired to a large tree in Bodh Gaya and determined to achieve awakening, he sat there fixed on his pure consciousness alone, rejecting all thoughts that arose. After seven days (accounts vary), he achieved full awakening, knowing that the only thing that was real was Consciousness Itself. All else is Maya, or illusion. Space is within us, we are not within space, nor are we in a body. Our entire physical-temporal reality is a construct of mind. Body, matter itself, is an illusion. There were other teachings but they would properly fall under the subject of Religion. To sum up all of Siddhartha's teaching, the source of suffering is DESIRE. Eliminate desire and the ego withers and pure consciousness remains. Or, eliminate the Ego, and desire will wither, and the mind is like a clear, endless sky. All of your desires, even if they are satisfied, are causing you suffering. Your very life is based on a Karmic reaction born from desire. To this day, Buddha's (a Buddha is an enlightened being, according to Buddhism, even the Gods revere an enlightened Human), primary method is given as Anapanasati, MINDFULNESS OF BREATHING. The Buddha had many other methods of meditation that he taught, be he extolled the virtue of anapanasati often: Bhikkus, Mindfulness with Breathing that one has developed and made much of, has great fruit and great benefit. Even I myself, before awakening, when not yet enlightened, while still a Bodhisatva (Buddha to be), lived in this dwelling (way of life) for the most part. When I lived mainly in this dwelling, the body was not stressed, the eyes were not strained, and my mind was released from the asava (corruptions, cankers) through non-attachment. For this reason, should anyone wish "may my body be not stressed, may my eyes be not strained, and may my mind be released from the asava through non-attachment," then that person ought to attend carefully in his heart to this Mindfulness with Breathing Meditation. (Samyutta-nikaya, Samyutta LIV, Sutta 8). To the Buddhists, even the Gods, seek Enlightenment, because the Gods are also individuals, connected to the Buddha Mind, or Field of Infinite Light, just as we mortals are. In Buddhism, no individual is permanent, evolution and change is always occurring, at some rate. The Gods live a very very long time, maybe even Billions of years, but sooner or later, they must give up their individual form to the Field of BRAHMAN....or the Ocean of Consciousness, just as we will. The memory of all of our lives is also permanent, locked in the vast Akashic records of the Universal mind of Brahman. (not to be confused with Brahma, one of the Creator Gods.) But the form itself, like all forms, is subject to Birth, Aging, Sickness and Death. Meditation is the key to liberation from all suffering. Jesus, Siddhartha, Mahavira, Ramakrishna, Sai Baba, Paramahansa Yogananda, Sivayasubramuniya Swami, Swami Rama....all were masters of Meditation, and all were Buddhas. You may, from many lives and very good KARMA (action-reaction energy), become a God. Without enlightenment, your suffering as an individual will still occur. Desire has not left the Gods, or men. Because change is inevitable, and everything that has form passes into other forms, only Enlightenment is sought by the wise, above all things.

 

 

In anapanasati, one simply watches the breath enter and leave the body, as if they were watching air being blown into a bag and released again, as if the body were something one just observed. The breaths can be counted, one on the exhalation, two on the next exhalation and so on, up to 10 and start over, or even up to 100, or more....the idea being to inhibit the wandering mind and bring it all into one place....the Breath. Sitting like a stone, the spine straight, one brings the mind to the life force of the body, the breath. Staying on the breath, the mind begins to dissolve into a state of non-thought (this is called Manolaya)...from non-thought, the consciousness moves into SAMADHI, or mystic trance. Samadhi is the gateway to enlightenment, the realm of pure spiritual light. To focus on the breath, you can feel the abdomen rise and fall, or you can feel the breath enter and leave the nostrils. Either way, the breath focus will eventually bring calmness to the agitated mind stream. In virtually all of the eastern meditation practices, the back is kept straight, as the spine is the energy power house of the body. The breath has always been tied in with the SPIRIT, in the spiritual realms of endeavor, and the breath can be directed to any part of the body, or even out into the world, as well as  to others. If the underlying reality is pure light, a light we cannot perceive with our eyes, then the breath is connected to it, and thus, by directing the breath, or simply watching it, we are either directing pure Spirit Consciousness, or we are looking directly at it, as we are watching the breath. In time, an image, called a "REACTION IMAGE" will appear before the meditator, that seems to symbolize the breath. From this point on, the Reaction Image is the new focus of meditation, as it appears. Sitting quietly, bringing the mind back to the breath over and over again, the reaction image finally appears. Then Sitting quietly, letting the reaction image sit in front of the minds inner gaze, other levels of mental penetration begin to unfold.

 

The breath can also be tied to an idea, such as: "breathing in, I breath in calmness", or "with this breath comes serenity". During our daily activities, we can catch the breath as it is moving and note its intensity, speed, depth, etc. We can go back to the breath when others try to get us off balance, or when we feel overwhelmed by deadlines and we need to settle into a period of sustained effort. Virtually all positive words, such as  "understanding, love, power, peacefulness, health, rejuvenation even wealth", can be connected to our breath. The practice should build, until you can sit for an hour or more. A true master of meditation, can replace sleep with a night in Samadhi, or mystic trance. Watching the breath, working with the breath is very simple, yet many start it and stop it due to an agitated surface mind, that will not allow the individual to be released from their bondage that has grown out of fearful clinging and desire and therefore, almost endless suffering. All beings of form, all that exists, experiences a deep separation anxiety, born of desire, and clinging to that which has no substance, which will change, which will end in loss. Give up clinging, by getting back to the source of thought itself, and nothing can move you from your center. The little "I Am" or Ego takes credit for things the subconscious does, and it fights for its continued existence, it is in fact, your only real adversary disguised as your very Self, it is not your SELF. (See: Mindfullness with Breathing, Duddhadasa Bhikku, a manual for serious beginners)

 

 

Happiness does not require that we change anything in the external world. Happiness is a function of what we identify with mentally. We dont have to "do" anything, we have to simply see reality through the idea that we are witnessing a vast, impressive illusion. This is not unlike watching a movie. When the film strip is gone, or the images on it are not there, its pure white light. I call this the BACKGROUND LIGHT. Many have experienced this light while in the process of dying, only to be pulled back with the memory of the light intact. Yoga means "yoking" or "tying. Tantra means "weaving"....all methods of yoga and tantra require working behind the ego, to the ocean of the OVERSELF, or large "I AM". Just a few of these methods are:

 

Many, if not all of these methods and others, overlap and are used together. An Example would be KRIYA KUNDALINI PRANAYAM..."Directed Evolutionary Life Force Control."  Mantra yoga is the practice extolled by MAHARISHI MAHESH YOGI, and involves repeating a Sanskrit word over and over again in place of thoughts. This technique is just as simple as Anapanasati, and will eventually lead the mind back to its source. The experience of the Brahman, or Overself is BLISS. This is a state so profound, that it is beyond any concept we have of happiness. Most people find meditation from day to day to be a great stress reliever and find that the practice makes them better able to cope with life. The advent of Samadhi, or Enlightenment comes to those who practice many hours a day, for an extended period. Although every sense is used in meditation in one way or the other, the primary method is simply to be still and know the inner silence as sacred, profound and Holy. Sometimes the silence is broken by a high pitched sound, that if listened to, over time, will turn into other sounds, such as Rolling Thunder, high vibrating strings, or a deep bell sound. Thou art Boanergis, (son of thunder)....Jesus to John. In the practice of SURAT SHUBDA YOGA, the meditator is fixed on a sound emanating from the right side of the head. This sound eventually develops into the deep bell sound or sound of the SOUL CURRENT, that leads to deep mystical experiences. The Soul Current has been with us since the beginning of all the Universes and if and when we tap into it, we are slowly transformed into enlightened beings. It is like a thread leading back to SACH KAND, the 5th Heaven, wherein man will merge with God directly. (See Radhasoami Science, or Surat Shubda Yoga, Natha Yoga.) Meditating on the Breath, or a Mantra or an Inner Sound, all lead to Enlightenment, but the experiences will vary both from the method itself, and from the individuals own Karmic history. http://www.shindharmanet.com

 

Many meditation methods first require an INITIATION. Initiation by a true Master brings with it the SHAKTI, or spiritual energy that greatly assists the meditator in their practice. Whatever a Master gives you, will work for you because it was tailored to fit your particular ego. Other more general methods such as Anapanasati, are taught in ZEN Monasteries as the primary method. If you find a quiet place to sit, with your back straight, and your gaze fixed on the floor or eyes closed, and begin to bring your attention to the breath entering and leaving your nose...you are practicing Zen, as well as the primary method of meditation on this planet. The breath is always with you, so it is a very convenient anchor for your mind. In ZEN PHILOSOPHY, the Non-Moving Mind, or mind fixed within the present moment is paramount. The entire goal of the Zen method is to get you to the  Buddha Mind, Brahman or the Oceanic Consciousness. KOANS, or riddles that have no logical answer are also pondered upon during the meditation period to break through the rationcinating ego. KRIYA YOGA, the method extolled by Paramahansa Yogananda, who came here from India in the 1920's untill his passing in the 50's, requires an Initiation from a KRIYABAN, or Kriya teacher. The method is to run the breath up the spinal column visualizing this column as hollow and curving into the forehead. Running the breath up and down the hollow canal, or SHUSHUMNA, will eventualy open the CHAKRAS, or wheels of spiritual energy located along the spinal axis. Kriya Yoga is really a form of PRANAYAMA or life force control and is another method of Kundalini Yoga. There are several levels to this Science and the Highest level also includes listening to the Inner Sound, exactly like Surat Shubda Yoga. It is a complex method, but can turn an ordinary human being into a CHRIST, or Enlightened Son of God (this claim was made by Yogananda and others, who practice the Kriya method)....it is powerful and very sacred. More discussion about it here, would not be appropriate. Anyone interested in learning the Science of Kriya Yoga, should first read AUTOBIOGRAPY OF A YOGI, by Paramahansa Yogananda and A RECIPE FOR BLISS, by Carl Schmidt. There are Kriya Centers around the world with Kriyabans who will teach this sacred method to you.

 

 

Once you have experimented with several methods and have decided which path, method, teaching, whatever that you like, you should not vary from it after that, unless a Master or Hidden Master (enlightened man or woman who works behind the scenes), directs you to change your technique. Your meditation time should be fixed, and the place itself, where you meditate should be free of distraction. TV's, Cell Phones, etc should be off. Silence is Golden when it comes to your practice. The only sound you want to hear is the inner sound, or your own breathing.  When you close your eyes and sit for a time, you are peering directly into your mind. As a beginner in meditation, you will quickly discover how weak your concentration really is, as the mind bounces around from place to place, forcing you to drag it back to the meditation object. Practice diligently until you can sit for an hour or more, twice per day. This is the bare minimum for spiritual results; less time will yield relief from day to day stress. Find comfort, but do not allow your back to bend, the head is upright, with the chin slightly lowered. The hands rest in comfort either on your knees or in your lap, palms up, one hand on top of the other....

 

 The picture here is of a meditator in the tailor position, which is the preferred method for flexible people. If you are not so flexible you can sit in the usual cross legged position. The buttocks are on a cushion, to raise the back somewhat, and lesson strain on the lower back. This position, tells the mind that it is ready for meditation. The inner mind is already programmed to accept that you will someday embark on the meditation journey. You can work from a chair as well as the floor, as long as you stay comfortable and keep your spine from sagging. First the body is in position, then the mind must find its anchor. If you use the breath as you anchor, your practice will proceed, and your only problem will be the usual fickle mind, that wanders from subject to subject and does not stay in one place. Another problem for meditators is falling asleep. Falling asleep is really just another way for the ego to maintain its lead position on your consiousness, so arousing yourself and starting over is the method of choice when this occurs. Here is a meditation method that will work for nearly everyone and will have transfer benefits if you decide to become initiated into any of the techniques described above:

METHOD ONE:

 

1.Sit as pictured or find a comfortable seat and sit cross legged or let your legs touch the floor. Do not cross your legs if you choose to let them hang over the end of your seat.

2. Take some time to become settled and the scan your body from the top of your head, slowly down to the soles of your feet. (See Vipassana method). Do this as if your were exploring the inside of your body, looking for any tension. When you come across tension anywhere, purposly stay there for a time and relax that area. Breath into tha area and tell it to unwind, unknot, and relax. Move on and move back up the body to the top of your head. Again, there is no hurry.

3. Now seperate your hands, keeping them palm up, so that they are about 8 inches to a foot apart. Try to feel your hands, and especially the palms. Bring heat and warmth to your hands by imagining that the blood is flowing into them and making them warmer.

4. In time, feel that a ball of warm yellow light is forming on the palm of each hand. You can feel the ball of light and you can feel its benign presence sitting there in the palm of each hand.

5. Now, magicaly, connect the two balls of light together with a beam extending from each ball, toward the other ball and they meet in the middle, forming a bridge of light between your palms. The palms are still facing up. You now have a beam of light with rounded edges connecting your two hands.

6. After a few minutes, when you have thoroughly formed this beam of light extending between your palms, imagine that two more beams are growing out of the ends of the beam and extending up to your forehead, right to the middle of your forehead. The two beam meet at the center of your brow. Your head is only very slightly forward, and your hands have not moved. You now have a TRIANGLE OF LIGHT connecting your two palms, and your forehead. Hold this image and strengthen it by trying to feel the heat of the yellow light triangle touching the palms and your forehead, see this triangle in your mind clearly. Move your mind over this triangle, over and over again. Move your mind from the left palm up to your forehead and back down to your right palm and over to the left palm from the base to the triangle. Go back to the right at the base, from the right palm and up to your forehead and hold the image there for a time, move around the triangle from various directions. Bring the mind to bear on the triangle  and keep it there. Feel this triangle and feel that it has both heat and weight. Build this image and make it strong, make it very real.

7. In time, when you have created the triangle of light and feel its reality, you will disconnect it from your hands and your forehead, and mentaly move it forward and upward untill, in your minds eye, it is now in front of you, in front of your forehead and about 2 to 2 and a half feet in front of you, slightly upward from your normal vision. This triangle is floating in the air above you, your palms are back together resting on each other, palms up as usual. This Triangle is glowing and powerfull and right in front of your minds gaze somewhat upward, so that you move your eyes a little upward in your head to see it...you do not move your head at all. Hold this image.

8. Here is the crucial part of this Visualization-Meditation...you are going to move your body into the triangle. Do not move the Triangle or change its size, simple imagine that your body is floating upward and shrinking enough to enter the triangle of light. Practice placing your seated self inside this Triangle of Light untill you can feel its warmth all around you, below you and above you. Feel that you are indeed, within the Triangle.

9. Feel the tingling energy of the light triangle sending you its energy and wisdom. After a time feel your self shrinking even more and eventually disappearing inside the Triangle of Light. In time, let the Triangle begin to shrink and disappear also...untill there is NOTHING.

10. Stay in this NOTHING state, as long as you can, without strain or effort. When you are ready, slowly open your eyes and stay seated for a time, getting used to the peace you created. Do not rush to stand or resume your activities. When you do stand, do some stretching before you walk away into your daily life. This method, is a variation on a Tibetan Method. It gives a great deal of benefit.

 

METHOD TWO:

 

In this meditation, you will practice indentification with Brahman, or the Atman.

Sit quietly as above and begin to imagine that you are sitting in an ENDLESS SKY. Your body is not on anything at all, there is no ground, nothing around you, above you or below you. The endless sky is everywhere and extends everywhere. It also has the quality of AWARENESS, that is to say, even though you are in a sky that goes in all directions forever, this sky, or space is very much aware of you....it knows you inside and out, and you feel its pure, loving nature. This endless sky is seething with wisdom, love, infinite power, and cherishes you most of all. Stay in this view for a long time, and then slowly dissolve your body in space. Imagine first that your feet are dissappearing, then the rest of your body up to your head and eyes, then...there is only the endless space, the very source of everything, the endless Consiousness only. If you begin to hear a sound, just enjoy it....the space you are in is beyond all problems, and far away and in your mind the things of earth are not falling on your ears, not troubling you. The seething power of the Beyond the Beyond may reverberate with a humming sound, or pulsing rhythm, or an ongoing Onnngggggggg....whatever the sound is, it is really the Atman, or Oversoul, or Brahman...that is your true SELF, there is no other substantial self. Idenfity with this space, be this space and try to even carry this view, into your daily world. When people try to upset you or get you off balance, you can detach from them and the irritation, by immediatily reminding yourself..."im all right right now"...I AM the Atman" "these problems have nothing to do with me." Bring the Endless sky of peace and power with you, wherever you go.

 

It is a good idea to RECORD these instructions and have them played back to you for the first few times....leaving time between the various stages, so that you can practice without interruption. Soon you will have your routine down and can sit and practice at will.  Read the Bibliography given here for a great selection of books on meditation and resources for your personal journey, into the Spiritual part of your being. Practice daily remindiing yourself that you are BRAHMAN, the never ending light of pure consiousness. Try to relate to everyone and all events from this position, taking nothing personaly, and being generous and kind to everyone.  You will find that your entire life changes in a positive way, over time. It takes practice. NAMASTE!

 

The Sri Yantra, Hindu Symbol of the Universe: 

                                                                                  

 

 

A Recipe For Bliss: Kirya yoga for a New Millennium. by Carl Schmidt,New Falcon Pub. 2001(a simple technique

             that leads to peace)

Footsteps to Freedom: Four spiritual masters of Kriya Yoga and a beginner. by Heidi Wyder,Kriya

             Source Pub. 2003 (gives a clear idea of what masters are like, and what Kriya yoga is)

The Secret Doctrine of the Kabbalah: Recovering the Sacred Key to Hebraic Sacred Science. by

             Leonora Leet, Inner Traditions Int. 1999 (deep treatment of Jewish mystical practices)

The Heart of Meditation: Pathways to a deeper experience. by Swami Durgananda, SYDA foundation,

             2002 (most informative book on meditation written in the last 10 years!)

Layayoga: Advanced method of concentration. by Shyam Sundar Goswami,Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1980 (hard

             core study of Laya-Raja Yoga, with many illustrations and techniques)

The Little Monk Meditates: (an illustrated pamphet), by John C. Huntington,Weatherhill Inc. 1995

             (an illustrated manuel of a technique similar to the one taught above)

The Meditation Handbook: A step by step manual...... by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso,Tharpa Pub. 1995(this is

             pure Buddhism)

Mindfullness with Breathing: Unveiling the secrets of life, a manual for serious beginners. by Buddhadasa

             Bhikkhu, Dhamma-study practice group pub, 1988 (gives method of Anapanasati in detail)

The Power of Now: A guide to spiritual enlightenment. by Eckhart Tolle,Namaste Pub, 2004 ( full of insights,

             and simple techniques, leaves you inspired to live in the moment)

From Science to God: A physicist's Journey into the Myster of Consciousness. by Peter Russell, New World Lib

           Pub, 2003 (excellent description of the Brahman, brings science and meditation together, easy reading)

The Way to Buddhahood: Instructions from a modern chinese Master. by Venerable Yin-Shun, Wisdom Pub, 1998

           (a very good discussion about the nature of the Gods, and the meaning of enlightenment)

The Yoga of Light: A classic esoteric handbook of Kundalini Yoga. by Hans-Ulrich Rieker,The Dawn Horse Press,

          1971 (very good book for beginners, full discourse on yoga and many techniques)

The Void: by Frank Close,Oxford Univ. Press, 2007 (brings science and spirituality together)

Zen Living: The Idiots Guide Series, by Gary McClain, Ph.D & Eve Adamson, MFA, 2001 ( an excellent teaching

           of Zen and its methods and philosophy, easy reading)