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    Summary of “Journey Home” The Journey Home is a spiritual memoir—the real-life, autobiographical account of an exceptional countercultural youth who leaves America in search of himself. Trying desperately to access the continent within, he sets out first for Europe, visiting cathedrals, holy places, and hippie hotspots. Western religious ideals and the models who exemplify them are his first natural guideposts and ports of call. He is open, nonsectarian and, most of all, earnest. With little more than a seeker’s heart and a blues harmonica, he leaves few avenues unexamined, as his overland journey takes him through the Middle East and beyond. Ultimately, he arrives in India by the end of 1970, where he finds himself living the life of a wandering sadhu, a mendicant, with little money and fewer resources. His travels lead him in many directions, both geographically and philosophically, and the reader watches him age with the wisdom of centuries. In a few months, his young world is augmented by experience and realization. We accompany him into a magical land of yoga, meditation, and soul-stirring revelations. At various points in his journey, he meets deformed lepers and frightening Naga Babas, contemplative Buddhists and mystic yogis—even old friends from the West and angelic devotees. Through the author’s personal encounters, the reader is introduced to many of the prominent yogis, monks, and gurus of the era—Shivananda, Swami Rama, Satchitananda, Chidananda, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Ananda Mayi Ma, Neem Karoli Baba, Muktananda, even the Dalai Lama and Mother Teresa—either directly or through their legends and teachings. We meet many nameless luminaries as well, and those whose names, if not for Radhanath Swami, we would have never heard. Our blossoming seeker meditates under the original Bodhi Tree—the Buddha himself meditated and achieved enlightenment here!—and studies with masters and saints. Each experience inches him closer to his goal. We witness, with him, the burning of dead bodies in Benares and fascinating pilgrimages to ancient cities (and inner worlds) where life takes on new meaning, high in the Himalayas, Tibet, and in holylands innumerable. He lives in caves, deep in forests, under trees, and moves throughout the subcontinent with a thirst for “the truth” that is rarely seen—anywhere. The book is replete with touching, heartwarming (and sometimes heart-rending) episodes—like when he rejects the advances of a beautiful woman for the sake of his quest, or when he feelingly and with tears bids his harp goodbye, throwing it, once and for all, in the River Ganges, or when he meets his eternal guru. All such scenes are recreated for the reader with deep emotion and storytelling expertise. Both descriptive writing and perceptive analysis are plentiful in this book, making it a precious gem that will enrich the reader with its shining brilliance. The meeting with his eternal guru is, in many ways, the most pivotal episode in the book. It was on this momentous occasion that all he had learned would suddenly gel for him. The Indian print of Lord Krishna our young seeker had carried with him for numerous months, uncontrollably attracted to it, now had personality, definition—it was the Supreme Lord as evoked in the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra. This sacred chant, too, was something he had carried around for many moons, having mystically received it through the grace of the Ganges River. But now, by his guru’s grace, he was able to connect the form with the mantra, the Godhead with His spiritual sound vibration. It all came together, like the three rivers—the Ganges, the Yamuna, and the Sarasvati—in Prayaga. Still, his quest continued, even after meeting his master, just so he could be sure that he had left no stones unturned. But it was in his master’s eyes that he found his home. It was in the master’s teaching, mission, disciples, love. Home, too, was in Vrindavan, Lord Krishna’s holy playground, which embodied all of the

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    Summary of “Journey Home” The Journey Home is a spiritual memoir—the real-life, autobiographical account of an exceptional countercultural youth who leaves America in search of himself. Trying desperately to access the continent within, he sets out first for Europe, visiting cathedrals, holy places, and hippie hotspots. Western religious ideals and the models who exemplify them are his first natural guideposts and ports of call. He is open, nonsectarian and, most of all, earnest. With little more than a seeker’s heart and a blues harmonica, he leaves few avenues unexamined, as his overland journey takes him through the Middle East and beyond. Ultimately, he arrives in India by the end of 1970, where he finds himself living the life of a wandering sadhu, a mendicant, with little money and fewer resources. His travels lead him in many directions, both geographically and philosophically, and the reader watches him age with the wisdom of centuries. In a few months, his young world is augmented by experience and realization. We accompany him into a magical land of yoga, meditation, and soul-stirring revelations. At various points in his journey, he meets deformed lepers and frightening Naga Babas, contemplative Buddhists and mystic yogis—even old friends from the West and angelic devotees. Through the author’s personal encounters, the reader is introduced to many of the prominent yogis, monks, and gurus of the era—Shivananda, Swami Rama, Satchitananda, Chidananda, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Ananda Mayi Ma, Neem Karoli Baba, Muktananda, even the Dalai Lama and Mother Teresa—either directly or through their legends and teachings. We meet many nameless luminaries as well, and those whose names, if not for Radhanath Swami, we would have never heard. Our blossoming seeker meditates under the original Bodhi Tree—the Buddha himself meditated and achieved enlightenment here!—and studies with masters and saints. Each experience inches him closer to his goal. We witness, with him, the burning of dead bodies in Benares and fascinating pilgrimages to ancient cities (and inner worlds) where life takes on new meaning, high in the Himalayas, Tibet, and in holylands innumerable. He lives in caves, deep in forests, under trees, and moves throughout the subcontinent with a thirst for “the truth” that is rarely seen—anywhere. The book is replete with touching, heartwarming (and sometimes heart-rending) episodes—like when he rejects the advances of a beautiful woman for the sake of his quest, or when he feelingly and with tears bids his harp goodbye, throwing it, once and for all, in the River Ganges, or when he meets his eternal guru. All such scenes are recreated for the reader with deep emotion and storytelling expertise. Both descriptive writing and perceptive analysis are plentiful in this book, making it a precious gem that will enrich the reader with its shining brilliance. The meeting with his eternal guru is, in many ways, the most pivotal episode in the book. It was on this momentous occasion that all he had learned would suddenly gel for him. The Indian print of Lord Krishna our young seeker had carried with him for numerous months, uncontrollably attracted to it, now had personality, definition—it was the Supreme Lord as evoked in the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra. This sacred chant, too, was something he had carried around for many moons, having mystically received it through the grace of the Ganges River. But now, by his guru’s grace, he was able to connect the form with the mantra, the Godhead with His spiritual sound vibration. It all came together, like the three rivers—the Ganges, the Yamuna, and the Sarasvati—in Prayaga. Still, his quest continued, even after meeting his master, just so he could be sure that he had left no stones unturned. But it was in his master’s eyes that he found his home. It was in the master’s teaching, mission, disciples, love. Home, too, was in Vrindavan, Lord Krishna’s holy playground, which embodied all of the

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    13K views1 page

    The Journey Home Book - Autobiography of An American Swami

    Uploaded by

    svd230
    Summary of “Journey Home” The Journey Home is a spiritual memoir—the real-life, autobiographical account of an exceptional countercultural youth who leaves America in search of himself. Trying desperately to access the continent within, he sets out first for Europe, visiting cathedrals, holy places, and hippie hotspots. Western religious ideals and the models who exemplify them are his first natural guideposts and ports of call. He is open, nonsectarian and, most of all, earnest. With little more than a seeker’s heart and a blues harmonica, he leaves few avenues unexamined, as his overland journey takes him through the Middle East and beyond. Ultimately, he arrives in India by the end of 1970, where he finds himself living the life of a wandering sadhu, a mendicant, with little money and fewer resources. His travels lead him in many directions, both geographically and philosophically, and the reader watches him age with the wisdom of centuries. In a few months, his young world is augmented by experience and realization. We accompany him into a magical land of yoga, meditation, and soul-stirring revelations. At various points in his journey, he meets deformed lepers and frightening Naga Babas, contemplative Buddhists and mystic yogis—even old friends from the West and angelic devotees. Through the author’s personal encounters, the reader is introduced to many of the prominent yogis, monks, and gurus of the era—Shivananda, Swami Rama, Satchitananda, Chidananda, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Ananda Mayi Ma, Neem Karoli Baba, Muktananda, even the Dalai Lama and Mother Teresa—either directly or through their legends and teachings. We meet many nameless luminaries as well, and those whose names, if not for Radhanath Swami, we would have never heard. Our blossoming seeker meditates under the original Bodhi Tree—the Buddha himself meditated and achieved enlightenment here!—and studies with masters and saints. Each experience inches him closer to his goal. We witness, with him, the burning of dead bodies in Benares and fascinating pilgrimages to ancient cities (and inner worlds) where life takes on new meaning, high in the Himalayas, Tibet, and in holylands innumerable. He lives in caves, deep in forests, under trees, and moves throughout the subcontinent with a thirst for “the truth” that is rarely seen—anywhere. The book is replete with touching, heartwarming (and sometimes heart-rending) episodes—like when he rejects the advances of a beautiful woman for the sake of his quest, or when he feelingly and with tears bids his harp goodbye, throwing it, once and for all, in the River Ganges, or when he meets his eternal guru. All such scenes are recreated for the reader with deep emotion and storytelling expertise. Both descriptive writing and perceptive analysis are plentiful in this book, making it a precious gem that will enrich the reader with its shining brilliance. The meeting with his eternal guru is, in many ways, the most pivotal episode in the book. It was on this momentous occasion that all he had learned would suddenly gel for him. The Indian print of Lord Krishna our young seeker had carried with him for numerous months, uncontrollably attracted to it, now had personality, definition—it was the Supreme Lord as evoked in the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra. This sacred chant, too, was something he had carried around for many moons, having mystically received it through the grace of the Ganges River. But now, by his guru’s grace, he was able to connect the form with the mantra, the Godhead with His spiritual sound vibration. It all came together, like the three rivers—the Ganges, the Yamuna, and the Sarasvati—in Prayaga. Still, his quest continued, even after meeting his master, just so he could be sure that he had left no stones unturned. But it was in his master’s eyes that he found his home. It was in the master’s teaching, mission, disciples, love. Home, too, was in Vrindavan, Lord Krishna’s holy playground, which embodied all of the

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    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    spirituality/memoir

    Mystic yogis, gurus, and an epic quest through spiritual India US $16.95

    The Journey Home


    Autobiography of an American Swami
    R
    The Journey Home
    a d h a n at h
    “A stunning story worth reading. Radhanath Swami’s journey
    Swami was born
    from the external to the internal world is awe-inspiring. His
    in Chicago in 1950.
    In his teens he set out
    to wander the world
    determination as an ardent seeker of truth is clear, for at last
    he savored seeing the soul face-to-face. The Journey Home W ithin this extraordinary memoir,
    Radhanath Swami weaves a colorful
    tapestry of adventure, mysticism, and
    Autobiography
    is the story of a seeker who became a seer. May many
    on a spiritual quest
    be inspired to experience what he has experienced.” love. Readers follow Richard Slavin from
    where he eventually

    of an American Swami
    ­—B. K. S. Iyengar, author the suburbs of Chicago to the caves of the
    discovered the yoga
    Iyengar Yoga: Wisdom & Practice Himalayas as he transforms from young
    path of devotion. He
    seeker to renowned spiritual guide. The
    presently travels in Asia, Europe, and America
    “It is a great joy to know that a saint like Radhanath Swami is now Journey Home is an intimate account of
    teaching devotional wisdom but can often be
    the steps to self-awareness and also a
    found with his community in Mumbai. sharing his precious memories with the world through this long-
    penetrating glimpse into the heart of mystic
    People who know Radhanath Swami speak awaited book. Having had the privilege to know [him] closely,
    traditions and the challenges that all souls
    of his dedication to bringing others closer to I have no doubt that future generations will find these
    must face on the road to inner harmony and
    God. Almost in the same breath they speak reminiscences fascinating and inspirational.”
    a union with the Divine.
    of his lightness, simplicity, and sense of —Arvind N. Mafatlal, industrialist
    Through near-death encounters, appren-
    humor. Visitors and friends are inspired by his
    ticeships with advanced yogis, and years of
    unassuming nature and natural unwillingness “A sensitive, comprehensive, intuitive, and inspiring book delving
    travel along the pilgrim’s path, Radhanath
    to take credit for the works he inspires— into one’s soul and spirituality. His extensive commitment
    Swami eventually reaches the inner sanctum
    developing communities, massive food to achieve what he wanted to, how he learned his belief in
    of India’s mystic culture and finds the love
    distribution to indigent children, missionary reliance to God, and of hope are all written with utmost
    he has been seeking. It is a tale told with
    hospitals, eco-friendly farms, schools, affection and in pure honesty by the author.” rare candor, immersing the reader in a
    ashrams, and emergency relief programs. “He —Yash Birla, industrialist journey that is at once engaging, humorous,
    seems to see life as a continuous blessing of
    and heartwarming.
    God’s grace,” one admirer said, “and yet he
    “What is remarkable about this book is its transparent honesty . . .

    Radhanath Swami
    never loses his humanness. His accessibility
    one marvels at Radhanath Swami’s fearless description of his failings
    leaves people feeling that with a little sincere
    and short comings, fears, and anxieties as he went about from place
    effort, they too will find the path to inner
    peace and God realization.” to place looking for the ultimate purpose of life. . . . In every chapter
    there is a glimpse of the great souls which have influenced his
    www.radhanathswami.com thinking. . . . This book is a must read for all spiritual seekers . . .”
    —N. Vaghul, Chairman, ICICI Bank

    ISBN: 978-1-60109-056-0 • US $16.95

    Published by Mandala Publishing


    3160 Kerner Blvd. Unit 108, San Rafael, CA 94901
    800.688.2218 • Fax: 415.526.1394
    www.mandalapublishing.com
    Radhanath Swami
    Printed in India by Palace Press International
    www.palacepress.com

    SadhuPaperbackCover_v2.indd 1 8/17/09 11:12:34 AM

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