There have been reports of the amazing capacity of some of the Tibetan Buddhist Monks practicing Tummo meditation in Tibetan Buddhism at temperatures of around -250 C in the Himalayas. A team of scientists from USA and Israel went to these spots by carrying some dry towels with them. When these towels were made wet in the snow and spread on the naked bodies of the semi-nude meditating monks practicing Tummo meditation, to the surprise of these scientists, these towels were getting dried up in no time. Subsequently the analysts came to the conclusion that this meditation generated a lot of heat (inner fire) in the bodies of these meditators who were using it for the spiritual purpose. This incident triggered me to go deep in not only about Tummo meditation but many other profound meditation practices in Tibetan Buddhism in this book.

Embark on a profound journey of self-discovery and enlightenment with 'Discovering the Essence: A Comprehensive Guide to Understanding Buddhism.' Delve into the rich tapestry of Buddhist philosophy, meditation practices, ethical principles, and cultural traditions as you uncover the timeless wisdom of the Buddha's teachings. From the origins and fundamentals to the complexities of modern adaptation, this book offers a holistic exploration of Buddhism's core concepts and practices. Whether you're a seasoned practitioner or a curious seeker, this book provides invaluable insights and practical guidance for integrating Buddhist wisdom into your daily life. Gain clarity, cultivate compassion, and discover the path to inner peace with 'Discovering the Essence.'

This book discusses meditation practice as a disciple of Christ through the lenses and inflexions of Asian spiritual traditions. Inspired by the author’s more than four decades of Buddhist spiritual formation and a transformative faith encounter with Jesus Christ during a sabbatical retreat, this book explores experiential, spiritual, and theological dimensions of contemplative practice for a Spirit-illumined, Spirit-transformed life towards spiritual maturity and Christlikeness. It is a book that cuts across religious boundaries while honoring the essence of tradition by foregrounding the praxis of contemplative spirituality. Part spiritual autobiography, part theological reflection, and part meditation instruction manual, this book invites Buddhist and Christian practitioners as well as meditators of diverse traditions to engage with the spirit and content of this book in a journey of gospel-shaped contemplative and interspiritual adventure.

A Near-Death Experience (NDE) is the recollected experience of someone who has been declared ‘clinically dead’ by the doctors, followed by resuscitation (the act of bringing someone back to life). Common traits that have been reported by NDErs (persons having near-dear experiences) are: An awareness of being dead; A sense of peace, well-being, painlessness and other positive emotions; a sense of removal from the world; an intense feeling of unconditional love and acceptance; experiencing euphoric environments, an out-of-body experience (OBE), that means, a perception of one's body from an outside position, sometimes observing medical professionals performing resuscitation efforts; a "tunnel experience" or entering a zone of darkness; a rapid movement toward a bright light; being reunited with deceased loved ones; receiving a ‘life review’, commonly referred to as "seeing one's life in a flash-back before one's eyes"; approaching a border or a decision by oneself or others to return to one's body, often accompanied by a reluctance to return; and suddenly finding oneself back inside one's body. Although majority of the NDErs report pleasant experiences, a few of them may have distressing or unpleasant experiences also. This book consists of 13 chapters, categorized into three sections: (i) Introduction and Overview, (ii) Some True Stories, and (iii) Scientific Interpretation.

The Sanskrit word for ‘Siddhi’ means “perfection,” “accomplishment” or “success”. It refers to the fact that siddhis are the fruit of the perfect achievement of spiritual practices. Siddhis are generally the powers to control the self, control others and control the natural world. Although siddhis appear to be supernatural, they are actually accessible to all humans in this birth itself. They arise naturally when, through spiritual practices etc., the emptiness and openness of the mind is realized.A Siddha means ‘realized, perfected person,’ a term generally applied to a practitioner who has, through his practice, realized his dual goals of siddhis and body-immortality. The most authentic text sources for attaining Siddhis are: (i) ‘Yoga Sutras of Patanjali’, (ii) Srimad Bhagavantam, and (iii) Kashmir Shaivism (in Hinduism); (iv) ‘The Visuddhimagga’ (the Path of Purification), through Kasina Meditation (in Buddhism), (v) ‘Atma Siddhi Shastra’, (in Jainism), which includes Labdhis, and (vi) ‘Sri Guru Granth Sahib’ (in Sikhism), besides many other texts like Hanuman Chalisa, Samkhya Philosophy etc. These concepts of Siddhis, are explained in details, in this book consisting of twelve chapters. The book is strongly supported by over 110 verses in Sanskrit (shlokas) along with their Roman script, translation and explanation in English language. This Book is humbly dedicated to Maharishi Patanjali, Author of Patanjali Yoga Sutras.

Mind-reading typically refers to the ability of discerning or interpreting someone else's thoughts, feelings, or intentions. Mind Reading has two components: human-based, and (ii) device-based (artificial intelligence). Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to programming computers to do tasks that normally require human intelligence, like learning, problem-solving, and understanding language. It is like giving computers the ability to think and make decisions on their own, similar to how humans do. AI helps machines learn from data, adapt to new situations, and perform tasks without being explicitly programmed for each step. This book covers the topics on human-based and device-based mind reading and interpretation (artificial intelligence, that is divided into 32 chapters and the following 8 sections: (i) Mind-Reading and Artificial Intelligence: Introduction and Overview, (ii) Human-Based Mind Reading, (iii) Artificial Intelligence: Introduction & Types of Learning, (iv) Device-Based Mind Reading And Virtual Assistants, (v) Applications and Opportunities of Artificial Intelligence, (vi) Artificial Intelligence: Ethical Issues, Risks and Regulations, (vii) Artificial Consciousness, and (viii) Artificial Intelligence in India: Status, and the Way Forward.

One of the most discussed topics among physicists, astronomers and cosmologists, is the origin of our universe. A number of theories have been put forward to explain the origin of the universe. Based on the evidence, the theory of Big Bang is widely accepted today. What is the Big Bang? Around 13.8 billion years ago, all the energy and the matter was compressed into a miniscule point. There was nothing else, no space or sky outside it. Everything was contained in that point. All at once, this point (which could not bear that high density and very high temperature), started expanding at an incredibly fast rate. In a split-second, it was the size of a grape, an instant later, a km-wide. Within a minute, it was billions of km-wide…and so on. Since then, the universe is not only expanding, it is expanding with faster speed as the time is passing. It's a mind-boggling question that has intrigued the scientists and the commoners alike for centuries is: “What was there before the Big Bang? Was there a universe or many more universes before our own universe? Will there be more universes after this universe? Are there parallel universes or cyclic universes? Was there just one big bang (that we know for this universe) or were there two or more big bangs? What are the theories which attempt to explain the phenomenon of the ‘Universe before the Big Bang’.

The shadow is made up of all that we hide from others: our shame, our fears and our wounds, but also our divine light, our blinding beauty and our hidden talents. The shadow is a huge source of benevolent power and creativity, but until we bring it into the light this power will remain untapped and our full potential unreached.In this transformative book, lucid dreaming teacher Charlie Morley guides you into the dazzling darkness of the shadow and shows you how to unlock the inner gold within. Using ancient methods from Tibetan Buddhism alongside contemporary techniques and Western psychology, he reveals how to use lucid dreaming, meditation, shamanic mask work, creative writing and spiritual practice to help you to befriend your shadow with loving kindness, heal your mind and open your heart to your highest potential. This book reveals: •What the shadow is, and how we create and project it •The different types of shadow, including the golden shadow, the ancestral shadow and the sexual shadow •Exercises, visualizations and meditations to connect deeply with and transform your shadows •The life-changing benefits of shadow integration, including increased energy, authenticity and spiritual growth •How to lucid dream and lucidly call forth your golden shadow and embrace it with love.Through over 30 practical exercises, this book will take you on a life-changing journey into the heart of spiritual transformation. The light you’ll find there is brighter than you could ever imagine.

Religion is considered by many to be something of the past, but it has a lasting hold in society and influences people across many cultures. This integration of spirituality causes numerous impacts across various aspects of modern life. The variety of religious institutions in modern society necessitates a focus on diversity and inclusiveness in the interactions between organizations of different religions, cultures, and viewpoints. Religion and Theology: Breakthroughs in Research and Practice examines the cultural, sociological, economic, and philosophical effects of religion on modern society and human behavior. It also explores the impact of gender identity and race within religious-based institutions and organizations. Highlighting a range of topics such as religious traditionalism, spirituality, and comparative religion, this publication is an ideal reference source for theologists, religious officials, managers, government officials, theoreticians, practitioners, researchers, policymakers, advanced-level students, and sociologists.

Deep Listening: A Composer's Sound Practice offers an exciting guide to ways of listening and sounding. This book provides unique insights and perspectives for artists, students, teachers, meditators and anyone interested in how consciousness may be effected by profound attention to the sonic environment . Deep Listening(R) is a practice created by composer Pauline Oliveros in order to enhance her own as well as other's listening skills. She teaches this practice worldwide in workshops, retreats and in her ground breaking Deep Listening classes at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Mills College. Deep Listening practice is accessible to anyone with an interest in listening. Undergraduates with no musical training benefit from the practices and successfully engage in creative sound projects. Many report life changing effects from participating in the Deep Listening classes and retreats. Oliveros is recognized as a pioneer in electronic music and a leader in contemporary music as composer, performer, educator and author. Her works are performed internationally and her improvisational performances are documented extensively on recordings, in the literature and on the worldwide web.