14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Introduction to the Ancient Teachings of the East, July 14, 2010
This review is from: Spiritual Teachings of the Avatar: Ancient Wisdom for a New World (Hardcover)
A couple of weeks ago, I found myself attending an International Book Launch for a book I didn't care about, by an author I had never heard of. In fact, I had attempted to NOT attend this event. However, through a series of synchronicities, not only did I attend, I ended up volunteering to help setup the event.
Prior to the event, I did a half-hearted search on the book, and saw that it was titled, "Spiritual Teachings of the Avatar". Surely, a cash grab book to capitalize on James Cameron's Avatar success I thought to myself. A week later, I'm very grateful that the Universe conspired to have me at the book launch.
My spiritual journey started a couple of years ago and while I knew there was great wisdom in the Hindu and Indian teachings, I never really got into it. Its treasure was buried too deep in words I couldn't pronounce, and stories I couldn't relate to. That all has changed with Jeffrey Armstrong's book subtitled, "Ancient Wisdom for a New World". Fortunately for us, this New World is on Earth, and not on Pandora.
"Spiritual Teachings of the Avatar" is a wonderful introduction into the ancient teachings. Jeffrey's conversational style and passion for teaching is evident throughout the book. While at the Book Launch event, I had met several of his devoted students and wondered what he was like at his workshops and weekly meetings. After reading his book, I have no doubt that his message and stories are every bit as accessible to the every day person whether in print or in person.
If you're wondering if this book review is about the person as much as it is about the book; yes, it is: for two reasons. 1) Jeffrey Armstrong has spent 40 years studying the Ancient Teachings, and after having read his book, in my opinion, this book is as much him as he is it. 2) Many gurus or teachers I have come across have shared their knowledge from a place of ego. This is not the case with Jeffrey, both in regards to having met him briefly in person, and after having read his book. His pure authenticity towards the growth and love of those around him is reflected not only from his students, but also from this book.
Jeffrey is able to communicate ancient stories and wisdom so that I can relate and understand them without disrepecting or degrading the source material. A difficult task when faced with Sanskrit or stories that seem ridiculous when taken literally. Each chapter is packed with just the right balance of ancient tales and present day analogies. As a testament to his true intention of helping the world assimulate ancient wisdom, Jeffrey includes a "Meditation and Practices" section at the end of the book that provides topics to meditate and ponder organized by chapters. As any true guru will tell you, "You have all the answers already inside you. I just show you where to look." In addition to the pragmatic section, there is one other appendix titled "Wisdom of the Avatars" which provides three key points from each chapter as a quick reference.
Thanks to Jeffrey's passionately accessible treatment of the Ancient Wisdom, I've decided to expand my old world by giving my copy of the Bhagavad Gita another go. With a new set of 4D glasses, perhaps I'll be able to touch the Pandora within.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Universal knowledge and inspired vision., July 28, 2010
This review is from: Spiritual Teachings of the Avatar: Ancient Wisdom for a New World (Hardcover)
This is the book I've been seeking for the longest time because it gives the conversation around global healing a boost from deep, time tested wisdom. It's wisdom drawn from the deeply intelligent culture of ancient India that's never been presented to me before so vividly. All through university when I was learning about the political and psycho-social aspects of how the world operates, I was unsettled by the lack of concern for strengthening of the individual in this world. I was ill at ease about the way I was being trained to be a 'leader' of a corporatist paradigm my soul did not resonate with. Discovering the Vedic knowledge of India ,through Jeffrrey's book, has given me a framework for understanding the subtle and sophisticated Indigenous worldview that makes sense to me as the basis for intelligently living on the planet. The book's emphasis on the importance of a equally balanced male and female Divine is powerful because it's helped me to re-consider my own dynamics in relationship and to consider more broadly how our world is in desparate need of respect for the female 'Shakti' energy in all realms from the family, to business, politics and activism. I've found in this book a deeply considered spiritual framework for real social change. This book truely inspires.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Handbook for our very Survival... Excellent, July 18, 2010
Spiritual Teachings of the Avatar: Ancient Wisdom for a New World by Jeffrey Armstrong is a much-needed book for our times and interestingly uses the award-winning movie Avatar as a point of reference for many of the ancient teachings. No matter what your faith, religion, or lack of faith, this is an excellent book for anyone. The ancient wisdom from as far back as unrecorded history, which has been transmitted from person to person through oral history and teachings is necessary for our age and as pertinent now as it was in distant past, perhaps moreso. Armstrong is a learned man with degrees in psychology, English literature, history, comparative religion and is an expert on India and the ancient Indian language of Sanskrit. He has studied Vedic philosophy in its original form for over forty years and is passing this wisdom about the earth and about life on to his audiences and readers around the world. The book stresses the balance of nature and the importance of our nurturing the earth as it (she) nurtures us like a mother. If we continue to destroy the balance of nature, as the recent generations have done, it will be to our own end because we need the earth but she does not need us to survive. Armstrong explains how Avatars are wise beings who appear in different times and places when their higher wisdom is most necessary. Much of this wisdom, through Jesus, Buddha, Mahatma Ghandi, and many others has come down to us through the ages, but we have nearly forgotten it in the modern, scientific age. This book is an absolute necessity and beautiful to read.
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