Customer Reviews

My Visit to Agharta

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

It was obvious even in the first page that this was not a genuine work by Tuesday Lobsang Rampa. It just does not read like a Rampa book. I spent many, many years living and breathing all 19 books by 'TLR' and, if I say so myself, know the contents - as well as his writing style - inside out. I would guess this book has been penned by someone who has read some of the Rampa books (not very thoroughly at that!) and who has a certain knowledge of some spiritual traditions but Lobsang Rampa this certainly isn't! There are so many blunders that give the game away I hardly know where to start, but here are a few:

The narrative on page 8 is written from the perspective of Cyril Hoskins (Hoskins was the man whose body Rampa 'took over'). Rampa never wrote like this; he made the whole business of 'the takeover' crystal clear yet the writer of 'My Visit...' obviously didn't quite get it! The Lama Mingyar Dondup is constantly referred to as 'master' yet this title was never used for Mingyar Dondup in any of Rampa's books, indeed TLR specifically mentioned his dislike of this word more than once. The reference to extra-terrestrials that 'seek to exploit mankind's divine nature for their own benefit...' is in complete contradiction to everything TLR wrote on the subject, most notably in 'The Hermit'. There is much more that is obviously uncharacteristic of Rampa's writing: references to ascended masters, language such as 'my amazing life', the meaning ascribed to 'elementals' on p12...

I could go on! Having said all that, the 'long lost material' does contain a modicum of mildly inspiring content. I suppose it could, just possibly, be very doctored Rampa that has been added to by another writer but my feeling is that this is totally bogus. In addition to the 'newly discovered chapter' the book contains sections from 4 genuine Rampa books. I notice that these passages have been slightly altered from the originals in places (I have early Corgi editions) though not to the extent of making them 'un-Rampa-like'.

It would appear likely that this book was cynically conceived as a money making venture and I therefore strongly recommend you do not buy it.

Secret long lost manuscript found! What a load of rubbish!!!
Please give us the readers and Rampa followers some credit! I have read all of Rampa's early publications and I do agree that this "lost" manuscript will make someone laughing all the way to the bank.

My first exposure to the works of T. Lobsang Rampa was with his book THE THIRD EYE. After reading that book I had to read the rest. Rampa was the first to bring Eastern spirituality to the Western world in a way that was understandable to those who were still wrapped up in crass materialism. There are still many people today who could use some lessons on how to get along with our fellow humans - that is why I am so excited over this lost book of Rampa, recently discovered and released by Inner Light Publications. This book details Rampa's physical journey through the secret caves and tunnels that criss-cross this planet where he finally joins thousands of his fellow "enlightened beings" in the sacred land of Agharta that is located not only in the hollow exterior of Earth, but in the exterior of millions of other planets throughout the universe. In Agharta Rampa is given a personal message from the Creator for all of mankind that details the beautiful and incredible goal that the Creator has in store for us. This is a wonderful book that will open your eyes to the potential of our species and how we have been chosen to lead other species throughout the universe to find their spiritual side.

Before his death in 1981, occult scholar and metaphysical philosopher T. Lobsang Rampa acquired a small but nevertheless dedicated international following. In his lifetime, Rampa wrote several books designed to help seekers looking for a certain kind of truth discover for themselves the secrets of existence as filtered through his intimate working knowledge of the astral plane and other otherworldly dimensions. While the main body of his work has been out of print for the last several years, Inner Light Publications has recently begun to publish reprints of Rampa's books for a new audience eager to learn from a proven master just how this universe of ours truly functions on a metaphysical level.

"My Visit To Agharta" includes previously unpublished material taken from manuscripts discovered in the personal effects of a bookseller in New York who befriended Rampa and had published some of his earlier work. The book takes its title from its first section, in which Rampa tells an incredible yet curiously believable story about a journey to the Inner Earth, accompanied by a Tibetan lama named Mingyar Dondup. Along the way, they manage to rescue a young woman who has been kidnapped and tortured by demonic dwellers in the underground tunnels that lead to Agharta. The woman's fate is not unique, we are told. Thousands disappear that way every year, making up the statistics of missing persons who are never heard from again.

But the real purpose of the sojourn into the depths below is to reach Agharta itself, which turns out to be a garden paradise at the center of the Earth as well as at the center of every other habitable planet in the universe simultaneously. There Rampa and his friend the lama take part in a kind of convention of wise men and saints, both human and alien, and witness a demonstration of the power of the light that sustains life throughout eternity.

While the story is admittedly difficult to take literally, it still works beautifully as a well-crafted bit of modern mythology, and Rampa's sincere, wide-eyed telling of the tale is so infectiously positive and uplifting that you end up feeling much better whether you believe it to be factual or not.

Rampa also manages to deliver a frighteningly realistic account of how he came to be a Walk-In. Since his own body was starting to die of disease and old age, Rampa and some of his spiritual help-meets made an agreement with a suicidal young malcontent who was more than willing to give Rampa his body in exchange for freeing his own soul to dwell in the astral plane. Let the reader be warned that the grueling details of Rampa's struggle to fit his soul into the body of the younger man are not the stuff of warm and fuzzy New Age storytellng.

"My Visit To Agharta" also contains detailed instructions on how to free your astral body and travel anywhere at will as well as a short course on how to use a pendulum for purposes of divination. But it is Rampa's gift for good stories well told that are the book's primary fascination. For example, he relates a wonderful bit of myth about a world ruled by intelligent and quite conscious cats. When the felines' lifestyle reached a level of bliss and contentment, their world was destroyed by the powers-that-be because the cats had lost their ability to strive for anything better. They were subsequently sent to Earth to observe and report on the human population for the overseers of the universe, which they continue to do to this day.

Whether you're a serious student of the occult or just a casual reader looking for something a little different, this small volume by T. Lobsang Rampa offers a wonderful glimpse into the mind of a true believer and his ever-evolving soul.

Unfortunately I agree totally with a couple of the disappointed reviews here and was not able to enjoy or take this book seriously. Instead I too was left to ponder how little if any of this is actually Rampa, being related in such a way as to cast more than a shadow of doubt on any authenticity it may possibly have had. Lobsang leaves his house and arranges for a good friend to look after his `beautiful cats' (what happened to Mama San?) for a week long visit via spaceship to a mountainous cave. There he meets the Lama Mingyar Dondup where they have a cup of tea together before embarking on new adventures in underground worlds (never mind the fact the lama's physical life came to it's end at the hands of the Chinese back when Lobsang was in China, long before he was able to set up house with his furry friends.)

He picks up his `backpack' and buckles it on while the lama picks up his smaller pack. They soon descend further into the cave whereby Lobsang panics in the darkness then is totally in awe as it slowly lights up like a summer's day, questioning the Lama how and why this could be when in 'Tibetan Sage' he'd already seen and experienced this phenomena repeatedly while in caves such as this when not much more than a boy, and the Lama had already long explained these matters to him.

Lobsang is even mesmerised and aroused to such an extent by a woman that he is filled with hatred for his beloved guide when he mistakenly assumes the lama is moving forth to commune with the holy of physical pleasures ahead of himself, betraying him by taking what is rightfully his only to find she's an illusion. These are just tiny examples and I too could go on and on because this book has more holes than swiss cheese. Perhaps because it was riddled with irregularities page after page, it read like a bad sci fi novel I didn't even bother to finish..... If I could have I'd have given this 0 stars.

I have read most of Rampa's earlier books. (At least the ones I have been able to find.) Now a lost chapter in Rampa's life has been discovered and printed at last.

My Visit to Agharta is a great book and a fantastic read. One of the early reviews said he had his doubts that Rampa actually wrote this book, but if you know Rampa's writing style and love of details, you will be convinced, as was I, that Rampa did write this book.

It is unfortunate that in Rampa's final years he could no longer find a publisher and many of his books remain unpublished.

Since My Visit to Agharta has been so successful, maybe this will spur publishers to reconsider and finally publish the other lost books of Rampa at last.

Until then, read this book and discover the incredible person that was T. Lobsang Rampa.

Being in possession of 15 Rampa books, I am very suspicious about the authenticity of this publication. The writing is not in Rampa's usual style and there are so many incongruities in the phrasing.
For example, he always referred to the Lama Minyar Dondup as his "beloved guide" or just "guide". In this book the Lama is continually called Master.
If, as it seems to be portrayed, Lobsang commenced his journey after an astral visit by the Lama, it suggests this was when he was in the West. How could the Lama physically join Lobsang on the journey to Agharta as the Lama died when Lobsang was in China, before travelling to the West? (See chapter 5 "Doctor from Lhasa")
Once in the tunnels, both the Lama and Lobsang were seemingly almost seduced by woman dancing before them. This is totally unrealistic for such high Lamas, as is seen in other books.
There are more inconsistences to numerous to mention. Don't be fooled into thinking this is genuine. Someone out there is laughing all the way to the bank.
The only good point (hence my one star award) about this edition is that it holds excerpts from true Rampa books after the Agharta story.

Being in possession of 15 Rampa books, I am very suspicious about the authenticity of this publication. The writing is not in Rampa's usual style and there are so many incongruities in the phrasing.
For example, he always referred to the Lama Minyar Dondup as his "beloved guide" or just "guide". In this book the Lama is continually called Master.
If, as it seems to be portrayed, Lobsang commenced his journey after an astral visit by the Lama, it suggests this was when he was in the West. How could the Lama physically join Lobsang on the journey to Agharta as the Lama died when Lobsang was in China, before travelling to the West? (See chapter 5 "Doctor from Lhasa")
Once in the tunnels, both the Lama and Lobsang were seemingly almost seduced by woman dancing before them. This is totally unrealistic for such high Lamas, as is seen in other books.
There are more inconsistences to numerous to mention. Don't be fooled into thinking this is genuine. Someone out there is laughing all the way to the bank.
The only good point (hence my one star award) about this edition is that it holds excerpts from other Rampa books after the Agharta story.

I have read most of Rampa's earlier books. (At least the ones I have been able to find.) Now a lost chapter in Rampa's life has been discovered and printed at last.

My Visit to Agharta is a great book and a fantastic read. One of the early reviews said he had his doubts that Rampa actually wrote this book, but if you know Rampa's writing style and love of details, you will be convinced, as was I, that Rampa did write this book.

It is unfortunate that in Rampa's final years he could no longer find a publisher and many of his books remain unpublished.

Since My Visit to Agharta has been so successful, maybe this will spur publishers to reconsider and finally publish the other lost books of Rampa at last.

Until then, read this book and discover the incredible person that was T. Lobsang Rampa.

This book is a compilation of chapters taken from T. Lobsang Ramps books and is an unauthorized publication according to the deceased author. He states that it is in one of his books.