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The Yoga of Truth: Jnana: The Ancient Path of Silent Knowledge
A guide to Jnana Yoga--the Way of Silent Knowledge--by direct contemplation of the Unchangeable
• Shows that everything in one’s body, personality, thoughts, memories, and experiences has form and is changeable and, thus, is neither essential nor eternal
• Identifies the witnessing consciousness within--all that remains when the ephemeral is eliminated--as the real Self, the one and only unchanging eternal Being
In The Yoga of Truth , Peter Marchand, through a series of deceptively simple introspective questions, leads the seeker into discarding everything--body, personality, thoughts, memories, experiences--that disguises the ego’s relentless masquerade as the Self. This form of contemplation, with its constant commitment to witnessing without attachment, disempowers the ego’s fixation on its products, leading instead to the realization that the witnessing consciousness is, in fact, the one immutable Being within or without--the real Self, the true You.
The universal illusion rests upon space and time, body and elements, the life force, mind, intellect, ego, and Self. Jnana Yoga reveals not only the insubstantial and illusory nature of our presumptions but also our habitual commitment to the illusion of being an individual that they create. This illusion collapses like a house of cards before direct inspection. When something has form, when it can change, it cannot be the eternal with which we seek union. Witnessing consciousness stands alone as that which is without form. In The Yoga of Truth , Marchand leads us simply, and compellingly, to the truth of our nature and the peaceful bliss of true Being.
• Shows that everything in one’s body, personality, thoughts, memories, and experiences has form and is changeable and, thus, is neither essential nor eternal
• Identifies the witnessing consciousness within--all that remains when the ephemeral is eliminated--as the real Self, the one and only unchanging eternal Being
In The Yoga of Truth , Peter Marchand, through a series of deceptively simple introspective questions, leads the seeker into discarding everything--body, personality, thoughts, memories, experiences--that disguises the ego’s relentless masquerade as the Self. This form of contemplation, with its constant commitment to witnessing without attachment, disempowers the ego’s fixation on its products, leading instead to the realization that the witnessing consciousness is, in fact, the one immutable Being within or without--the real Self, the true You.
The universal illusion rests upon space and time, body and elements, the life force, mind, intellect, ego, and Self. Jnana Yoga reveals not only the insubstantial and illusory nature of our presumptions but also our habitual commitment to the illusion of being an individual that they create. This illusion collapses like a house of cards before direct inspection. When something has form, when it can change, it cannot be the eternal with which we seek union. Witnessing consciousness stands alone as that which is without form. In The Yoga of Truth , Marchand leads us simply, and compellingly, to the truth of our nature and the peaceful bliss of true Being.
- GenresSpirituality
160 pages, Paperback
First published May 22, 2007
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48 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 13, 2008
I didn't finish this book but what I did read was very clear, clarifying and deep. Sometimes when I read really deep things, they go over my head in such a way that I fall into a deep dreamless sleep, even if I wasn't tired at all. This book had that effect on me. I intend to finish reading it at some future time.
November 7, 2022
This book contains precious little about jnana-yoga, to the point that the title is misleading, and what there is involves a number of glaring errors.
One example: “According to Vedic scriptures, ...the witness consciousness exists in everything, even in “nonliving” things like rocks or rivers. ” Ah, no. Owing to the fact that rocks and rivers do not have subtle bodies (including minds) with which to reflect consciousness, this is not in alignment with Advaita Vedanta and could not be considered correct according to any authentic understanding of non-duality. This is a view closer to pantheism than the panentheism of Advaita Vedanta, the tradition from which jnana-yoga derives.
This confusion regarding things or organisms being conscious (the capacity to witness implies being conscious) as opposed to existing within consciousness is common enough, but we should expect better from someone who purports to teach others about jnana-yoga.
Other fundamental errors could be discussed.
Marchand's obvious enthusiasm for the domain of non-dual spirituality and self-enquiry may well whet the appetite of newcomers to the subject and inspire them to seek further. It seems clear he has derived great personal benefit from it and sincerely wishes to share it, as far as he understands it, in order to benefit others. However, before he attempts to teach others in this field he needs to study and integrate the subject more deeply himself.
One example: “According to Vedic scriptures, ...the witness consciousness exists in everything, even in “nonliving” things like rocks or rivers. ” Ah, no. Owing to the fact that rocks and rivers do not have subtle bodies (including minds) with which to reflect consciousness, this is not in alignment with Advaita Vedanta and could not be considered correct according to any authentic understanding of non-duality. This is a view closer to pantheism than the panentheism of Advaita Vedanta, the tradition from which jnana-yoga derives.
This confusion regarding things or organisms being conscious (the capacity to witness implies being conscious) as opposed to existing within consciousness is common enough, but we should expect better from someone who purports to teach others about jnana-yoga.
Other fundamental errors could be discussed.
Marchand's obvious enthusiasm for the domain of non-dual spirituality and self-enquiry may well whet the appetite of newcomers to the subject and inspire them to seek further. It seems clear he has derived great personal benefit from it and sincerely wishes to share it, as far as he understands it, in order to benefit others. However, before he attempts to teach others in this field he needs to study and integrate the subject more deeply himself.
June 22, 2021
Read this book a long time ago, but it suddenly popped back into my brain.
Hippie stuff, for sure, but if you dig that kinda thing it's tons better than most self-help books etc.
Took notes as well because it was so useful... Jnana yoga is a pretty big deal for me, because it is the Yoga of pure thought and I'm lazy-as when it comes to exercise (hatha yoga is the one where the calisthenics us modern westerners call 'yoga' originate from, if i'm not mistaken .. ).
The book makes some cool analogies to life being like a cinema screen, with our senses creating the projections which generate reality as we experience it (like the projector in a movie theatre projects onto the blank canvas of the screen -- there are many other analogies in the book, though).
Hippie stuff, for sure, but if you dig that kinda thing it's tons better than most self-help books etc.
Took notes as well because it was so useful... Jnana yoga is a pretty big deal for me, because it is the Yoga of pure thought and I'm lazy-as when it comes to exercise (hatha yoga is the one where the calisthenics us modern westerners call 'yoga' originate from, if i'm not mistaken .. ).
The book makes some cool analogies to life being like a cinema screen, with our senses creating the projections which generate reality as we experience it (like the projector in a movie theatre projects onto the blank canvas of the screen -- there are many other analogies in the book, though).
August 5, 2017
It's a good book. It went a bit thin at the end. Somehow, it has to. The book goes on a subject that's hard to put in words. I read many years ago a Zen monk stating that if one cannot find enlightenment in this life. Then, enlightenment shall be found in another life. We have to do something in our life, it might not be useful whatsoever.
November 28, 2024
I have never loved a spiritual book so much!
This book is a profound, simple, comprehensive, and beautiful read. Tbh it has become one of my best reads of all time. Its written with exceptional clarity pertaining to Jnana marg in minimal number of pages. Truly remarkable read. 🤩
This book is a profound, simple, comprehensive, and beautiful read. Tbh it has become one of my best reads of all time. Its written with exceptional clarity pertaining to Jnana marg in minimal number of pages. Truly remarkable read. 🤩
November 20, 2021
Well and gently written, enjoyable to read
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews