Customer Reviews

Beyond The Siddhis: Supernatural Powers and the Sutras of Patanjali

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The Author, probably because he's not very far on the path, attempts to tell readers that the Siddhis are not to be taken at face value and are in fact only philosophical references. He goes through many of the most popular Siddhis such as Invisibility, Levitation, and Psychic Communication and instead of explaining and expounding on them as they were written by Patanjali over 2000 years ago, he takes outrageous liberties and "philosophizes" them to where they mean nothing.

For example in the section discussing Invisibility he first asks the question "How visible are we to begin with?" Then proceeds to run off with a bunch of philosophical tripe about how none of us are really visible since we cannot "see" each others true selves and nor can anyone "see" our true selves so we're all already performing this siddhi everyday!

He continues to do this exact same thing with every Siddhi he covers, beginning with asking some meaningless philosophical questions and pointing out that we usually are already doing the siddhi we are trying to attain such as with Levitation where he asks "Are we really connected to the earth we wish to levitate above?"

This process of "philosophizing" the Siddhi's into meaninglessness is totally opposite to what Patanjali and the Yogis since him having been teaching and practicing for the last 2000 years.

What's most annoying about this book is that this "philosophizing" technique that the author uses is so out-dated and pathetic that the reader is just left shaking their head the whole time and wondering if the author was even around during the 60's when this stupid technique was most used by every drug using self-professed guru that had to come up with a good explanation for their clueless followers as to why their enlightened teacher couldn't walk on water.

Not to mention the ridiculous idea that these types of "gurus" like to maintain that Patajali, considered the father of yoga, would be stupid enough to write an INSTRUCTION book filled with abstract double meanings e.g. "Oh he didn't mean Levitate off the ground, he meant for us to examine the idea of weather or not we really are on the ground in the first place and we will then find that we are already levitating!"

Given that Yoga is such a difficult subject for laymen to understand it's sad that it must be riddled with selfish fakes like this that purposely seek to destroy what little truthful instruction we have left from the legendary adepts.

Bottom line if you want a good book on the Siddhis I suggest simply buying a direct Patajali's Sutras translation. You'll usually get all 4 books with none of the Sutras missing, the author will probably do the direct translation and then further explain things in more laymen's terms. You still probably won't find many authors that'll heavily discuss their own Siddhi experiences but at least they don't try to destroy what Yogis have spent over 2000 years trying to preserve.

I highly suggest "Raja Yoga" by Swami Vivekananda. Vivekananda was one of the greatest Yogi's of the 20th century and had a clear understanding of the science of Yoga and Patanjaili's sutras and could at the same time present this information in a format available to the modern westerner. Keep in mind this book may be a little tough for beginners but if you understand it then it will be the most important book you've ever read.

As other reviewers have already pointed out the author makes a vain attempt to reduce the siddhis to nothing more than shifts in our everyday perception; no more than cryptic word games. The Author's conclusions are utterly ludicrous and are reached through no reasonable amount of logic whatsoever. He tries to explain away and pronounce dead wrong things that 2500 years of Indian scholars and Yogic Ascetics know to be fact. This is by far and away the most ignorant, westernized interpretation of any area of Yoga I have ever seen. I wouldn't be speaking so harshly if it weren't entirely warranted. Trust me. If you want to learn about The Eight-Fold Path and the Siddhis I highly suggest you look elsewhere.

The foundation of yoga, we learn in John McAfee's brilliant new book, Beyond the Siddhis, began somewhere between 2500 and 5000 years ago. It was then that the focus of humankind shifted from learning to do (build, hunt, sow ) to identity i.e. "Who am I?"

The Sutras of Patanjali, written about 2500 years ago in Sanskrit, are the earliest writings (siddhis) about not only the nature of consciousness, but the New Age mysticism dealing with magic rituals and supernatural powers so popular today. Prolific author and seeker John McAfee's intent "...is to peel back the layers of words that hides the truth beneath the Siddhis." As you read this fine work, you will see he does this quite effectively.

Beyond the Siddhis is filled with truths and understanding. Patanjali's discussions of the Siddhis, originally called Vibhuti Pada, can be confusing, but Mr. McAfee sorts it out easily. Our relationship with the present moment "...becomes a tool that we use to create some future reality in which we will be something different."

We learn that the past, present and future are not real. Only the eternal now exists. The process of becoming is an illusion. Mr. McAfee writes, "The true beauty of Patanjali's writing is that when we stop living in the past and future, when we stop creating images in our minds and living within them, then all time becomes now." This is the real, the true, in which we can live fully.

Beyond the Siddhis is a masterful book about attainment. John McAfee, author of The Secret of the Yamas (see my review), guides the reader to awareness, compassion, love and the means to ease the suffering in your existence. It sheds a brilliant light on the core of ourselves!

I have been a Yoga instructor and TM Siddha for over 20 years and thought that I knew everything there was to know about yoga. This little book, however, exploded my carefully constructed world in an instant and in its place was nothing but the infinite unfolding of life. With tears I write this brief invitation to anyone with the courage and willingness to look at themselves, and beyond that at the mystery of creation.

I've been studying yoga and meditation for nearly 20 years and this is the first book about Patanjali's Sutras that makes spiritual sense that I have read. McAfee describes, step by step, the way to inner knowledge by using the sutras as a vehicle. His insight is amazing. He shows us what we truly are and intimately links the siddhis to our everyday life in a way that knowledge of death, invisibility or mastery of time becomes a true power in a sense far beyond the traditional "supernormal powers" interpretation of the siddhis.

This is an amazing book with astonishing implications. A must read for every Yogi.

Without a doubt the most intense and incisive book about Patanjali's Sutras. The author's approach is unexpected and almost unbelievable, yet the first few pages reveal an undeniable truthfulness; a view of the siddhis so brightly illuminated that there can be no doubt as to the authenticity of the author's viewpoint.

If you want to have your world turned upside down, then I highly recommend this little book. If you want to continue the sameness of your existence, then avoid it at all costs.

IF the siddhis are REALLY only pointers to your normal state of living, then there is no point in the reading Pantanjali. John McAfee goes through each Siddhi, such as levitation and says, see you levitate all day when you move from place to place, because you're not actually the body.... Skip this one and study a commentary by one of the authentic yogis.

This little book reminds me of the old Readers' Digest digests that one left on the commode. If you're in a hurry, and seek only the most ephemeral of companionship with THAT, then this book is for you. Otherwise, keep on shoppin'....

What can I say??? Get this book!!

The foundation of yoga, we learn in John McAfee's brilliant new book, Beyond the Siddhis, began somewhere between 2500 and 5000 years ago. It was then that the focus of humankind shifted from learning to do (build, hunt, sow ) to identity i.e. "Who am I?"

The Sutras of Patanjali, written about 2500 years ago in Sanskrit, are the earliest writings (siddhis) about not only the nature of consciousness, but the New Age mysticism dealing with magic rituals and supernatural powers so popular today. Prolific author and seeker John McAfee's intent "...is to peel back the layers of words that hides the truth beneath the Siddhis." As you read this fine work, you will see he does this quite effectively.

Beyond the Siddhis is filled with truths and understanding. Patanjali's discussions of the Siddhis, originally called Vibhuti Pada, can be confusing, but Mr. McAfee sorts it out easily. Our relationship with the present moment "...becomes a tool that we use to create some future reality in which we will be something different."

We learn that the past, present and future are not real. Only the eternal now exists. The process of becoming is an illusion. Mr. McAfee writes, "The true beauty of Patanjali's writing is that when we stop living in the past and future, when we stop creating images in our minds and living within them, then all time becomes now." This is the real, the true, in which we can live fully.

Beyond the Siddhis is a masterful book about attainment. John McAfee, author of The Secret of the Yamas (see my review), guides the reader to awareness, compassion, love and the means to ease the suffering in your existence. It sheds a brilliant light on the core of ourselves!