3 out of 4 stars
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A Thousand Seeds of Joy by Ananda Karunesh is a book containing the dialogues between the writer, his friend, Jade Devi Kamala and the Godesses Lakshmi and Saraswati. Ananda Karunesh started his conversations in 2007. After years of speaking directly to the Goddesses, he decided he was ready to write this book.
While reading the description of A Thousand Seeds of Joy by Ananda Karunesh, I noticed the fact that the author proposed a series of dialogues with the Goddesses to his readers. What I didn’t realize was how literal he was in using the term “dialogue.” What I thought to be a simple metaphor, Ananda Karunesh sees as straightforward reality. He claims he “began to receive answers to his questions directly from” the Goddess Lakshmi, answers that “came as a strong sense of knowing, or the gift of CLAIRSENTIENCE.” How much of this should be taken at face value, and how much can be considered speculation is completely up to the reader.
I consider the main purpose of this book to be the enlightenment of its readers. With talks about reincarnation, prayer, mantras, compassion, joy, yoga, breath, and tantric methods, the author is trying to guide his audience through the complicated feelings that come with being alive. The main goal is to give into “emptiness,” clear our minds, and let go of negative feelings by entering a state of primordial joy.
I enjoyed the overall calm and positive vibe of A Thousand Seeds of Joy by Ananda Karunesh. I can even go as far as saying that parts of this book could easily be used in a guided meditation. The complex ideas are presented in an easy to follow manner, and there are many new interesting concepts worth exploring. The book has a very strong feminist undertone, speaking constantly about a future in which both female and masculine energies get balanced out for the greater good of humanity.
I loved the way present, modern issues were viewed from a spiritual standpoint. I believe we are all familiar by now with the idea of ego, which the author thoroughly dissects in his book. Another interesting topic debated is manifestation, or the way in which people can achieve anything they want by simply asking the Universe for it. While I do not fully agree with this being possible, I love the way this mindset can change someone’s views on the world. Ultimately, this idea pushes its followers to live in a state of gratitude and joy, and there is nothing wrong with that. The educational aspect of A Thousand Seeds of Joy represents another plus of this read. I love learning about new cultures, and the lecture provided on chakras was particularly entertaining.
Unfortunately, the book has proven to be problematic in many aspects, at least in my opinion. First of all, Ananda Karunesh dismisses many key points of several religions as he straightforwardly claims that they are not true. I cannot go into details when it comes to the Hindu teachings mentioned it the book, but I believe many dedicated Christians might feel offended while reading about the fact that “in contemplation with higher divine beings, Eve and Adam made a decision to remove themselves from a place of joy and harmony because they were evolved to a point where they needed to move forward into even greater spiritual realms.” This twist of the Genesis is, unfortunately, not the only instance in which the author attempted to reinvent the Bible. Another central point that might mainly upset the followers of a monotheistic religion is the fact that Ananda Karunesh states that we create the Gods, the Goddesses, and the entire universe from emptiness, or from nothingness, with our imaginations.
The second thing I didn’t appreciate was the lack of citations. While the author does provide short explanations at the end of the book, none of his provocative ideas have any kind of backup. I guess this is the upside of writing a book stemming from conversations with Goddesses: there is no need for bibliographic sources. Many of the ideas exposed in this book seem to be based on things that “will come to light later.”
As an extension to the point I have made above, I am against any book promoting a holistic, spiritual approach to real medical issues. There is an instance in this book where the author encourages menopausal women to meditate instead of taking hormone replacement therapy. There is, of course, no study mentioned that could back up such claims. I hope anyone reading this book will choose to consult with their doctor before giving up their medication in exchange for soul searching.
The book was incredibly well-edited. From the fact that I couldn’t find one error in writing to the beautiful layout, I did enjoy the overall presentation of A Thousand Seeds of Joy. I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars for the reasons mentioned above (the lack of citations, the disregard of many religious teachings, and the presence of uneducated medical advice). I am not rating it lower than that because I consider a big part of this book’s content to be subjective and based on cultural aspects. I would love reading the opinion a Hindu or a Buddhist might have on this particular read.
I recommend this book to anyone trying to open up their views on the world. I consider A Thousand Seeds of Joy by Ananda Karunesh to be best suited for people that already have basic knowledge on religious and cultural topics such as Buddhism, Hinduism, the practice of yoga, chakras, and many others. The book is also well-suited for a feminist audience, having an empowering message when it comes to the balance between the male and female energies. While it is hard to be critical about a book that can be so close to many people’s hearts, I do not recommend it to anyone that might consider the reinvention of biblical stories and the idea of polytheistic Gods to be profanity.
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A Thousand Seeds of Joy
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