Tantric Yoga: And the Wisdom Goddesses [Import] [Paperback]

David Frawley (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Motilal Banarsidass, (March 30, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 812081357X
• ISBN-13: 978-8120813571
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,696,204 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

David Frawley (or Pandit Vāmadeva Śāstrī वामदेव शास्त्री) is a Vedic teacher and educator with numerous books in several Vedic and Yogic fields published worldwide over the past thirty years. He is the founder and director of the American Institute of Vedic Studies in Santa Fe, New Mexico (www.vedanet.com), which offers courses and publications on Ayurvedic medicine, Yoga and meditation, and Vedic astrology. He is also involved in important research into ancient Vedic texts and is a well known modern exponent of Hinduism and Sanatana Dharma. His work is high respected in traditional circles in India, where he has received many awards, as well as influential in the West, where he is involved in many Vedic and Yogic schools, ashrams and associations.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent overview of Hindu Tantra, April 12, 2003

By 

R. Clampitt "seeker" (Palmdale, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tantric Yoga and the Wisdom Goddesses (Paperback)

David Frawley has done a fine exposition of Hindu Tantra. He not only knows the subject well, but he also can convey it in a readable and lucid manner. He clears away many of the misconceptions that have risen around Tantra since the New Age movement has appropriated it. Its not about "sex" as many purveyors would want you to believe. Most westerners think that the 'Left hand Tantra' is all there is. Wrong. It is a authentic and very real path of spritual realization that is very comprehensive in its practice.

After Frawley dispels the misconceptions he proceeds to define aspects of Tantra and the various paths within it. Then the bulk of the book deals with the Ten Mahavidyas or wisdom goddesses. Now some of them are really hideous or nightmarish visually. Be forwarned!

5 of the goddesses comprise each an aspect of the divine as I understand it. The other 5 deal with personal transformation. He gives instructions on how to worship each one, along with mantras and yantras, with visualizations of each goddess.

Later chapters deal with the chakras, pranas, tejas and ojas.

Overall a fine introduction to Tantra.

I have only a few quips.

1) It is not a instruction manual per se. Yes he lists the various mantras - however its nearly impossible to learn a mantra from a book. A audio CD would be a fine complement for the next edition. Get Harish 'Tools for Tantra' for the practice methods.

2) The Yantras and drawings of the goddess should be done in color.

If you're interested in knowing more about real Tantra get this book. You won't be disapointed.

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inner workings of the real Tantra, February 6, 2006

By 

Dragan (Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tantric Yoga and the Wisdom Goddesses (Paperback)

For those who are interested in purchasing this book, I would recommend using the 'Search inside this book' feature. The contents pages alone made me want to get this book. Now let me just add, for those who are looking for the usual pop culture, westernised, multiply your orgasms and awaken your kundalini in no time flat, new age Tantra; don't expect this here. This book is for those who have gone through all of this and desire the real stuff. Yes you'll only get from this book according to where you are at. As far as I'm concerned, this book contains a great mystery. No wonder George Feuerstein, in the Forward chapter of this book, rebukes Dr. David Frawley for spilling the beans on such gems of hidden wisdom.

For those who have made the connection with the divine feminine and the kundalini, this book gives such profound inner wisdom as from the original Vedic tradition. There is a wonderful section at the back of this book which reveals that "Hinduism and Buddhism are two formulations of the same yogic tradition, differing in approach, but not in essence". This for the main part is also inclusive of the Ten Wisdom Goddesses, as described by Dr. David Frawley. The ten wisdom Goddesses are not Pagan Goddesses of the Hindu or Buddhist religion of a by gone era. Sadly this was my misconception for many years and even worse. No the Ten Wisdom Goddesses, as described in this book, are different emanations of the divine feminine aspect of God; more importantly, they are aspects of the divine feminine within each of us.

So why does Kali hold a sword in her hands? What are the yantras and mantras associated with each of the 10 forms of the wisdom Goddesses? What are tejas, ojas and Prana; and how does one go about balancing these in an effort to correctly awaken the Kundalini? This book gives the answers to these questions and more.

For those familiar with Samael Aun Woer, I have been told that he stated near to the end of his earthly existence, that the profoundness of the Divine Feminine has been overlooked and underestimated in the esoteric work. It only makes sense to me to further understand the truth of his words by investigating and understanding who and what the divine mother is, in all her intricacies. This book by Dr. David Frawley is a profound work to help in this investigation. I can only thank him for condensing this information and for revealing such hidden secrets to us in the West.

25 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent guide to Tantra and Hinduism, September 20, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Tantric Yoga and the Wisdom Goddesses (Paperback)

Tantra and Hinduism in general is often confused with Black-Magic and Sexuality, however this book provides an excellent and traditional view against such false propeganda. Tantra in it's true context is Spiritual and Right-Handed and Dash-Mahavidya or the worship of the Ten Mother-Goddesses is perhaps one of the best ways to understand the Hindu philosophy of Advaita Vedanta. The book provides meditations, yantras and mantras of the goddesses and excellent guides to understanding their relation with Nature and the Divine!