Before Becoming This

by Steven Newmark

Shree Maa, one of India’s best loved saints, was so absorbed in God for a period of eight years, that she only ate a little piece of turmeric with basil leaves for her daily meal. Then she heard an inner message to come to the West to teach the wisdom of India. Swami Satyananda is an American who, after completing graduate school, decided to travel around the world before settling into corporate life. To his surprise, he was so captivated by India that he just couldn’t leave. He finally returned to America along with Shree Maa twenty years later, as a highly respected Swami. This book relates the story of these two remarkable modern saints. In a series of fascinating and candid interviews with transpersonal psychologist Steven Newmark, Shree Maa and Swami Satyananda share their perspective on India’s ancient wisdom, and how it applies to the issues facing men and women today, whether they live in Himalayan caves or New York condominiums. Covering such diverse topics as devotion and worship, life after death, and the purpose of romantic relationships, this book offers a joyous view of the experience we call “life on earth.”

300 pages, Paperback

Published April 1, 2001

Reviews

[Elazar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I discovered "Before Becoming This" after stumbling on Swamiji and Shree Maa's website. I found the book just as interesting as I find the two gurus. While some of the factual errors/typos irritated me, I learned a great deal about Hinduism and general spiritual philosophy from "Before Becoming This."

The book is presented in interview format with an occasional caveat regarding the accuracy of the author's documentation (and perhaps the veracity of the content, e.g., "That was really something, wasn't it? I taped that whole interview, and nothing came out.")

Taken with a bit of context and a grain of salt, I'd recommend "Before Becoming This" to anyone who is interested in religion and spirituality.