Fotografía de autor
4 Obras 190 Miembros 14 Reseñas

Obras de Karan Bajaj

Keep Off the Grass (2008) 71 copias
Johnny Gone Down (2010) 44 copias
The Freedom Manifesto (2022) 2 copias

Etiquetado

Conocimiento común

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Miembros

Reseñas


In the tradition of Janwillem van de Wetering’s "The Empty Mirror" and Andrew Harvey’s "A Journey in Ladakh" recording the journey of a young man from the West making his spiritual pilgrimage to the East, we now have a splendid new entry with "The Yoga of Max’s Discontent" by Karan Bajaj. And since we all love to read stories, we are given some added spice – rather than a first-person account, Bajaj’s first-hand experience is rendered in novel form, a third-person narrative of Max, a bright, inquisitive New Yorker raised in the low-income projects, educated at Harvard (he won a scholarship) and working as an analyst in Manhattan until he has a spiritual crisis and is off to India to seek the way of the yogis and enlightenment.

To provide a reader with a more specific rasa, that is, taste of Max’s various experiences, here are several quotes from the book along with my comments. Incidentally, I feel a special connection with Max and also the author since, as a Westerner, I have received training under a number of outstanding teachers and have been practicing yoga and meditation for many years:

“They want to find it. Not just believe in it on faith or scripture, but see it face-to-face.” ---------- The appeal of the path of yoga and the enlightenment tradition is direct experience of the divine for the one who steps on and follows the path. Max’s yearning for this direct experience is the same yearning of yogis and Buddhists for the past thousands of years.

“More discussion followed. Authentic Indian and Middle Eastern restaurants, this club and that, what was so good, what was awesome, who was in the know, who wasn’t, drinking, eating and more drinking. Max recalled similar conversations- with a date or colleagues after work – and felt disgusted.” ---------- In a word, Max has had his fill of superficiality – loads of chatter and running after pleasures like a dog chasing its tale. There comes a point when a spiritual seeker rejects the common run of what passes for life in society and yearns for something deeper.

“He barely knew anything about yoga and meditation. The rational part of him still didn’t know what to make of this mystical mumbo-jumbo. And yet he felt compelled to find out exactly where the Brazilian yogi lived.” ---------- There is that part of us - call it consciousness, spirit, light or inner self - that is beyond the rational mind. Max can’t explain it but he senses its reality and yearns for a guide who can show him the way.

“He needed to take the next flight back to New York and get his shit together. No stupid questions, no privileged pontifications on the meaning of life – just live the life he and everyone else expected him to.” ---------- Ah! Once in India and embarking on the spiritual path, the ordinary world calls out, so many social responsibilities and expectations demanded of each individual. How authentic is Max’s quest? This is a challenge that must be faced by every true seeker.

“Next he learned sun salutations, a series of stretching and bending exercises that worked every part of the body from the tops of the arms to the backs of the legs, in an elegant dance.” ---------- As part of the spiritual path, Max discovers the body must be completely and totally transformed. Not easy, but no authentic spiritual teacher ever said the path is easy.

“Once again paranayama worked its magic. The careful, long exhalation meant an automatic long inhalation, which brought a fresh supply of revitalizing oxygen into the body. He wasn’t the breathless, sweaty mess he’d been when he had walked from the village to the ashram.” ---------- On the path of yoga, the bridge from the outer world to the inner is through the breath. Max has a direct experience of the power of breath – a clear sign he is on the right path and future transformations await.

“You have to work harder than ever before. Only the most accomplished of yogis achieve this union,” said Ramakrishna. “You will become the sum of all knowledge. Many powers will come to you. But all that has to be left behind. Falling from this state is easy if you develop even a shadow of an ego.” ---------- After gaining great powers through the practice of yoga, the yogi faces new challenges, including not using his or her power for selfish ends. Not easy. That’s why the path of yoga can be like walking on a razor’s edge.

“The universe is your teacher now. Consciousness will guide you to merge with it,” said Ramakrishna. “See it, hear it, feel it everywhere, within and outside everything. You have nothing more to learn from me.” ---------- Max has come a long way. At some point, the accomplished yogi looks to his own inner resources as the teacher rather than relying on an external guide.

Coda: I received a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
… (más)
 
Denunciada
Glenn_Russell | 9 reseñas más. | Nov 13, 2018 |

In the tradition of Janwillem van de Wetering’s "The Empty Mirror" and Andrew Harvey’s "A Journey in Ladakh" recording the journey of a young man from the West making his spiritual pilgrimage to the East, we now have a splendid new entry with "The Yoga of Max’s Discontent" by Karan Bajaj. And since we all love to read stories, we are given some added spice – rather than a first-person account, Bajaj’s first-hand experience is rendered in novel form, a third-person narrative of Max, a bright, inquisitive New Yorker raised in the low-income projects, educated at Harvard (he won a scholarship) and working as an analyst in Manhattan until he has a spiritual crisis and is off to India to seek the way of the yogis and enlightenment.

To provide a reader with a more specific rasa, that is, taste of Max’s various experiences, here are several quotes from the book along with my comments. Incidentally, I feel a special connection with Max and also the author since, as a Westerner, I have received training under a number of outstanding teachers and have been practicing yoga and meditation for many years:

“They want to find it. Not just believe in it on faith or scripture, but see it face-to-face.” ---------- The appeal of the path of yoga and the enlightenment tradition is direct experience of the divine for the one who steps on and follows the path. Max’s yearning for this direct experience is the same yearning of yogis and Buddhists for the past thousands of years.

“More discussion followed. Authentic Indian and Middle Eastern restaurants, this club and that, what was so good, what was awesome, who was in the know, who wasn’t, drinking, eating and more drinking. Max recalled similar conversations- with a date or colleagues after work – and felt disgusted.” ---------- In a word, Max has had his fill of superficiality – loads of chatter and running after pleasures like a dog chasing its tale. There comes a point when a spiritual seeker rejects the common run of what passes for life in society and yearns for something deeper.

“He barely knew anything about yoga and meditation. The rational part of him still didn’t know what to make of this mystical mumbo-jumbo. And yet he felt compelled to find out exactly where the Brazilian yogi lived.” ---------- There is that part of us - call it consciousness, spirit, light or inner self - that is beyond the rational mind. Max can’t explain it but he senses its reality and yearns for a guide who can show him the way.

“He needed to take the next flight back to New York and get his shit together. No stupid questions, no privileged pontifications on the meaning of life – just live the life he and everyone else expected him to.” ---------- Ah! Once in India and embarking on the spiritual path, the ordinary world calls out, so many social responsibilities and expectations demanded of each individual. How authentic is Max’s quest? This is a challenge that must be faced by every true seeker.

“Next he learned sun salutations, a series of stretching and bending exercises that worked every part of the body from the tops of the arms to the backs of the legs, in an elegant dance.” ---------- As part of the spiritual path, Max discovers the body must be completely and totally transformed. Not easy, but no authentic spiritual teacher ever said the path is easy.

“Once again paranayama worked its magic. The careful, long exhalation meant an automatic long inhalation, which brought a fresh supply of revitalizing oxygen into the body. He wasn’t the breathless, sweaty mess he’d been when he had walked from the village to the ashram.” ---------- On the path of yoga, the bridge from the outer world to the inner is through the breath. Max has a direct experience of the power of breath – a clear sign he is on the right path and future transformations await.

“You have to work harder than ever before. Only the most accomplished of yogis achieve this union,” said Ramakrishna. “You will become the sum of all knowledge. Many powers will come to you. But all that has to be left behind. Falling from this state is easy if you develop even a shadow of an ego.” ---------- After gaining great powers through the practice of yoga, the yogi faces new challenges, including not using his or her power for selfish ends. Not easy. That’s why the path of yoga can be like walking on a razor’s edge.

“The universe is your teacher now. Consciousness will guide you to merge with it,” said Ramakrishna. “See it, hear it, feel it everywhere, within and outside everything. You have nothing more to learn from me.” ---------- Max has come a long way. At some point, the accomplished yogi looks to his own inner resources as the teacher rather than relying on an external guide.

Coda: I received a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
… (más)
 
Denunciada
GlennRussell | 9 reseñas más. | Feb 16, 2017 |
With vivid descriptions, this book will transport you to other lands. Deathly hot, freezing chill, and otherworldly, the reader journeys with Max in search of .... something. The people he encounters are well developed and impact his life one way or another. I enjoyed this story and found it inspiring.
 
Denunciada
standhenry | 9 reseñas más. | Jun 15, 2016 |
Books on spirituality or spiritual journeys aren't usually my thing, but I have to give Karan Bajaj an enormous amount of credit because this book was so incredible that I may have to reevaluate that stance.

The Yoga of Max's Discontent is the story of Max, a Wall Street man who grew up in the not-so-great areas of New York. His life has been shaped by his surroundings, by what he has and doesn't have, but after the death of his mother and a chance conversation with food cart salesman, he begins to evaluate what this life he's living is really all about. Taking a chance, he decides to follow some leads he's been given and head to India where he is both comforted, surprised, and deeply challenged by the journey that he has embarked upon.

Let me start with the title - yes, this story has a lot about yoga in it, but that's not the message of the book. The book is about the journey - physical, mental, and spiritual - that Max has found himself pulled into. I went into this book, personally, knowing nothing about yoga and certainly none of the words that would typically be associated with the practice. This however in no way kept me from understanding the story or the message, and I actually feel like I now have a greater grasp on the purpose behind using yoga as a meditative practice.

Now on to the writing. Karan Bajaj has some of the most beautiful writing I've read in a while. The way the characters are portrayed is truly an art in that you feel their hunger for both food and a deeper understanding of this life. But the truly brilliant thing about this writing is Karan Bajaj's ability to transport the reader to these different places throughout the world. I have traveled better through this book than I have ever traveled in reality.

What did I think?: First of all, who could resist that stunning cover? I absolutely adore this book. This was such a fascinating read, and I too felt that I have been on a bit of a journey. Do I understand this enlightenment and all that must be endured in order to achieve it? No. But I do know that every minute spent reading this book was well worth the while.

Who should read it?: If you have any curiosity about spiritual practices, yogis, India, or just a better understanding of life, please pick this up. It's an amazing story, and one that you'll carry with you for a while.


*I was provided with a copy of this book in order to conduct this honest review.*





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Denunciada
tipsy_writer | 9 reseñas más. | May 19, 2016 |

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Estadísticas

Obras
4
Miembros
190
Popularidad
#114,774
Valoración
½ 3.5
Reseñas
14
ISBNs
14
Idiomas
1

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