Customer Reviews

Cities of Lightning : The Iconography of Thunder-Beings in the Oriental Traditions

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This book's scope takes in Buddhism, Hinduism and Taoism with helpful examples taken from Native American legend (huh?). Inter alia, the author (a young American gentleman) imparts items of "information" that make me question his erudition. For instance, Jehovah is an emanation of Shiva and (spoiler alert) Atlantis and Lemuria were real.

Curiously, for a book claiming to be about "iconography" it has not one illustration. Indeed, despite the book's subtitle, it does not actually deal with "The Iconography of Thunder Beings" at all. If you're curious about the iconography of oriental deities (or, as this book has it, "Deity's"), I would suggest you try one of the many excellent books by Professor Lokesh Chandra. I'm not at all sure that "Samudranath" knows what "iconography" means.

This book was absolutely life changing for me when I first read it in 2001, and I still find the most wonderful treasures in it whenever I am called to open it again. A must to any one who has a heart connection to the thunder traditions, to highest yoga tantra, Mahavatar Babaji, Lord Shiva and the Winged thunderers such as Garuda. Enter this powerful world with your heart open and the willingness to be transformed. Thank You Sri Samudranath

The book is a rambling meditation and an intutitve look at the potential interaction with elementals with a focus on the thunder beings. The book provides a look into the personal integrative process of the author, so it has gaps and inconsistencies... Oh Well

The addition of illustrations to provide visual reference and examples would be a great benefit.

If you are already an adept in these areas, then this book may prove useful. Since I am not, I found it to be very rambling in nature.