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Powers of the Mind
This small book includes two lectures of Swami
Powers of the Mind given in Los Angeles, Calif. on Jan. 8, 1900; and
Concentration and Breathing
An excerpt from Powers of the Mind :
The science of Yoga claims that it has discovered the laws which develop the personality, and by proper attention to those laws and methods, each man (or woman) can grow and strengthen his or her personality. This is one of the great practical things and is the secret of all education.
Powers of the Mind given in Los Angeles, Calif. on Jan. 8, 1900; and
Concentration and Breathing
An excerpt from Powers of the Mind :
The science of Yoga claims that it has discovered the laws which develop the personality, and by proper attention to those laws and methods, each man (or woman) can grow and strengthen his or her personality. This is one of the great practical things and is the secret of all education.
32 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1976
105 people are currently reading
1245 people want to read
About the author
Vivekananda
1,847 books1,607 followers"Arise Awake and Stop not til the goal is reached"
Vivekananda left a body of philosophical works (see Vivekananda's complete works). His books (compiled from lectures given around the world) on the four Yogas (Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Jnana Yoga) are very influential and still seen as fundamental texts for anyone interested in the Hindu practice of Yoga. His letters are of great literary and spiritual value. He was also considered a very good singer and a poet.By the time of his death, He had composed many songs including his favorite Kali the Mother. He used humor for his teachings and was also an excellent cook. His language is very free flowing. His own Bengali writings stand testimony to the fact that he believed that words - spoken or written - should be for making things easier to understand rather than show off the speaker or writer's knowledge.
Swami Vivekananda [ স্বামী বিবেকানন্দ ] (1863 – 1902), born Narendranath Datta, was an Indian Hindu monk, philosopher, author, religious teacher, and the chief disciple of the Indian mystic Ramakrishna. He was a key figure in the introduction of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world and is credited with raising interfaith awareness, and bringing Hinduism to the status of a major world religion.
Born in Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, British India (present-day Kolkata, West Bengal, India)
Vivekananda left a body of philosophical works (see Vivekananda's complete works). His books (compiled from lectures given around the world) on the four Yogas (Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Jnana Yoga) are very influential and still seen as fundamental texts for anyone interested in the Hindu practice of Yoga. His letters are of great literary and spiritual value. He was also considered a very good singer and a poet.By the time of his death, He had composed many songs including his favorite Kali the Mother. He used humor for his teachings and was also an excellent cook. His language is very free flowing. His own Bengali writings stand testimony to the fact that he believed that words - spoken or written - should be for making things easier to understand rather than show off the speaker or writer's knowledge.
Swami Vivekananda [ স্বামী বিবেকানন্দ ] (1863 – 1902), born Narendranath Datta, was an Indian Hindu monk, philosopher, author, religious teacher, and the chief disciple of the Indian mystic Ramakrishna. He was a key figure in the introduction of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world and is credited with raising interfaith awareness, and bringing Hinduism to the status of a major world religion.
Born in Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, British India (present-day Kolkata, West Bengal, India)
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
May 23, 2020
The booklet is superb about mind and meditation by Swami Vivekananda. It consists of two parts; first from The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda vol.2 and the second one is from vol. 6.
January 21, 2016
Swami Vivekananda has explained how we can grow our power of thinking and power of mind. A well explained problem is 80% solved. And to define the problem well you need amazing mind skills which you can gain by meditation, This book will help you to develop it :)
April 19, 2021
Frequently I create barrier for myself saying I won't be able to do this. So this book is in a way inspirational as it highlights the powers of the mind through real life experiences of Swami Vivekananda. This book states how our mind is capable of creating something magical but we have to make conscious effort to understand it first.
March 28, 2021
Interesting read!
December 21, 2018
Yeah, all this religious shit is not for me, may the religious people have good time reading this.
April 2, 2019
a beautiful book
March 23, 2024
This book is for awareness and getting inspired by what a human mind is capable of (such as mystical powers like reading others mind, transmitting thoughts over distance) and brief science behind it, Interconnectedness of body and mind, and how to sharpen mind as an instrument for concentration to know, learn anything quickly.
It is very short read and primarily based on Raja Yoga.
To know in depth, suggested book read would be Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda!
It is very short read and primarily based on Raja Yoga.
To know in depth, suggested book read would be Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda!
September 20, 2018
This book explains, how you can take the benefits of Powers-of-the-Mind by just practicing Meditation regularly.
October 16, 2021
Detailed guidance on how to strengthen the mind.
November 14, 2021
Excellent
January 13, 2025
Best Read ever!!
One of the best books have ever read! thank you!
I recommend everyone to read this book, get this book immediately!
One of the best books have ever read! thank you!
I recommend everyone to read this book, get this book immediately!
January 28, 2025
Good read
August 16, 2022
This book helps you analyse your mind and it's functionings. It contains some speeches of Swami Vivekananda delivered on various stages.
October 23, 2020
So this is less a book and more a speech that Swami delivered at Los Angeles, California on January 8, 1900. But for the purposes of the review, I will refer to it as a book. It begins with Swami describing his experience with a man who seemed to pull off some seriously extraordinary stunts that were super-natural. He then proceeds to accede the fact that there are a ton of magicians out there but qualifies it by saying that they are only trying to emulate things that wise men from the ancient days did regularly. He says that studying of Raja-Yoga will get you there and frankly I am quite taken aback with this assertion. The middle section segues into why men of religion (I would term it mysticism) have a certain allure that philosophers don't possess. The claim is that the science of Yoga helps to develop this personality and from here begins some abstract ideas about the subliminal aspects of ours and the world's physical existence. I liked how he draws parallels between the tiny muscles that work together to bring coarse motion with tiny tendencies and thoughts that ultimately drive our actions. A few more mentions about how the few that have followed the proper path of Yoga and thus became Yogis are the prophets and messengers of the past.
At the end, the Swami says that this path is not easy or trivial to accomplish and he himself has dedicated close to 30 years of his life on it and yet only sees a glimpse of the real reward. But for him, that revelation alone was worth putting his life and efforts into. This slight bit of qualification along with his admittance of "sounding all bosh" convinced me that I was still reading Swami Vivekananda and not some mystical propagandist. In any case, the message was overall quite abstract and if I were to condense the message I got out of it, it's this - "Raja Yoga is a path from the ancient times that is extremely hard to stay on and follow, but the prize is Enlightenment (along with some seriously kickass superhuman powers)".
It's definitely one of the less sober works of the Swami I have encountered and for what its worth he didn't fail to keep me engaged. 2 stars because, umm - not sure I am willing to accept many of his claims outright. Perhaps as a partially enlightened figure in the future, the discovered veracity in these claims will induce me to give it 5 stars.
At the end, the Swami says that this path is not easy or trivial to accomplish and he himself has dedicated close to 30 years of his life on it and yet only sees a glimpse of the real reward. But for him, that revelation alone was worth putting his life and efforts into. This slight bit of qualification along with his admittance of "sounding all bosh" convinced me that I was still reading Swami Vivekananda and not some mystical propagandist. In any case, the message was overall quite abstract and if I were to condense the message I got out of it, it's this - "Raja Yoga is a path from the ancient times that is extremely hard to stay on and follow, but the prize is Enlightenment (along with some seriously kickass superhuman powers)".
It's definitely one of the less sober works of the Swami I have encountered and for what its worth he didn't fail to keep me engaged. 2 stars because, umm - not sure I am willing to accept many of his claims outright. Perhaps as a partially enlightened figure in the future, the discovered veracity in these claims will induce me to give it 5 stars.
January 14, 2023
"Powers of the Mind" is a book written by Swami Vivekananda, which is based on his teachings and philosophy. The book is a collection of transcripts and recordings of the author's talks and discussions on various spiritual and philosophical subjects, with an emphasis on the nature and power of the mind.
One of the most striking aspects of the book is the author's emphasis on the power of the mind and its potential for transformation. The author stresses that the mind is not just a passive receiver of information, but also an active creator of reality. The author provides practical advice on how to harness the power of the mind to achieve self-realization and inner peace.
Another notable feature of the book is the author's clear and concise explanations of spiritual concepts and practices. The author does an excellent job of breaking down complex spiritual concepts and making them accessible to the reader. The book is written in a way that is easy to understand, yet it still manages to convey the depth and wisdom of the author's teachings.
The book also explores themes of self-realization, the nature of the self, and the relationship between the individual and the universe. The author's teachings are centered on the idea that the ultimate goal of human life is to realize one's true self, and to understand one's place in the universe. The author's insights into the human mind and behavior make for an engaging and thought-provoking read.
In conclusion, "Powers of the Mind" is a book that provides an accessible and comprehensive introduction to the teachings and philosophy of Swami Vivekananda. The author's emphasis on the power of the mind and its potential for transformation, as well as his clear and concise explanations of spiritual concepts and practices, make the book an enjoyable and meaningful read. The author's teachings are centered on the idea that the ultimate goal of human life is to realize one's true self, and to understand one's place in the universe, making it a must-read for fans of spiritual philosophy and personal development in general.
One of the most striking aspects of the book is the author's emphasis on the power of the mind and its potential for transformation. The author stresses that the mind is not just a passive receiver of information, but also an active creator of reality. The author provides practical advice on how to harness the power of the mind to achieve self-realization and inner peace.
Another notable feature of the book is the author's clear and concise explanations of spiritual concepts and practices. The author does an excellent job of breaking down complex spiritual concepts and making them accessible to the reader. The book is written in a way that is easy to understand, yet it still manages to convey the depth and wisdom of the author's teachings.
The book also explores themes of self-realization, the nature of the self, and the relationship between the individual and the universe. The author's teachings are centered on the idea that the ultimate goal of human life is to realize one's true self, and to understand one's place in the universe. The author's insights into the human mind and behavior make for an engaging and thought-provoking read.
In conclusion, "Powers of the Mind" is a book that provides an accessible and comprehensive introduction to the teachings and philosophy of Swami Vivekananda. The author's emphasis on the power of the mind and its potential for transformation, as well as his clear and concise explanations of spiritual concepts and practices, make the book an enjoyable and meaningful read. The author's teachings are centered on the idea that the ultimate goal of human life is to realize one's true self, and to understand one's place in the universe, making it a must-read for fans of spiritual philosophy and personal development in general.
October 29, 2018
OK to read it once, religious content...!
November 5, 2018
A very summary, touching very aspect of spirituality, religions, and love. A suggested read for everyone irrespective of one’s religious belief or disbelief.
April 11, 2020
Short and Simple Book with so many Good ideas of swami Vivekananda towards life.
July 29, 2020
Wonderful
Very useful for everyone who is in search of the truth. The function of the mind and the power of meditation.
Very useful for everyone who is in search of the truth. The function of the mind and the power of meditation.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews