Customer Reviews

A Christian Pilgrim in India: The Spiritual Journey of Swami Abhishiktananda (Henri Le Saux) (Library of Perennial Philosophy)

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This is an excellent guidebook, and more accurately a detailed analysis of the spritual-psychology of Henri Le Saux. Oldmeadow has composed this very beautiful biography from a very even handed and objective point of view of the theological problems Henre Le Saux encountered as a Catholic Missionary who simply could not resist the spiritual "treasure" that India had in store.

I think what was most valuable from the book were the quotes by Le Saux on Advaita, and his description of the experiences he had at Arunachala. The biography is packed with quotes by Frithjof Schuon, Ananda Coomaraswamy and other traditionalists which help to situate Le Saux's theological dilemma in the proper context.

The book is beautiful and as the review title suggests, it should probably be read over a period of time. One feels a sense of unfolding as the book is being read. I think ultimately the book should have been titled: "Henri Le Saux in light of Tradition." But hopefully this book will serve as an introduction to "the solution" of the problems many of us have while encountering other religious forms besides our own.

If one thing struck me as poignant, it was a sentence from Le Saux letter to an associate regarding the experience of Advaita: "All notions are burnt, in the fire of experience." Hopefully this gem will motivate you to look into this Swami's life.

A CHRISTIAN PILGRIM IN INDIA: THE SPIRITUAL JOURNEY OF SWAMI ABHISHIKTANANDA offers an excellent set of insights into the spirituality and writings of a missionary and ashram pioneer which builds on the biographical studies of Le Saux and probes the insights of his legacy. Libraries strong in Eastern religion and missionary experience will find it an excellent survey packed with quotes and source material references.

What a gem this book is! Not knowing much about Swami Abhishiktananda nor his life (heard about it from Robert Godwin's blog: http://onecosmos.blogspot.com/), I found this semi-biography a beautiful expression of a profound spiritual journey. And this book is so much more: its essence speaks to the truth beyond all spiritual disciplines, and creates a beautiful narrative of the struggle and merit in reconciling different disciplines through one man's journey. Oldmeadow moves beyond the typical academic comparative religious book, and instead enters the interior depths of these spiritual disciplines.

Abhishiktananda was a Christian practicing Advaita in India, who found a deeper meaning in Christ than he would probably have had just holding on to his theistic faith. By entering the "cave of the heart", and taking on some deeper philosophical and metaphysical ideas, he further enriched his faith and embodied more truth. Though there are always inconsistencies to relative truths, as Oldmeadow alludes to, we learn that this is part of the struggle and beauty that each of us must take on to keep tradition alive and flowing in each of us.

Oldmeadow offers many great insights from Fritjhof Schuon, René Guénon, and Ananda Coomaraswamy. My only dissent to Oldmeadow's metaphysics is his resistance to modern interpretations of spirit through an evolutionary context. I understand the traditionalist perspective that Truth is immutable ("sophia perennis"), however, there are points in the book where he makes the case that tradition must be infused with some cultural relevancy. Maybe I'm partial, being somewhat drawn to Wilber's Integral philosophy, but I do believe the modernity project is not purely a reflection of human ignorance, but part of the process that allows divinity to express itself in more creative manifestations.

In any case, Oldmeadow did a fine job and I can't recommend this book highly enough. Thank you!