Looking Inward: Meditating to Survive A Changing World

by Purnachaitanya

The world as we know it in 2021 is worse than we have known in our time on earth. Global warming, a pandemic, information spreading like wildfires, fake news, riots, changing social structures and lifestyles...the ramifications of these events affect our health, productivity, and most importantly, leave a lasting impact on our inner peace. It is in times like these that the human brain could feel stressed, acutely anxious and even depressed. And it is now more than ever that we need to look inward for strength, focus, happiness and resilience. In this book, Swami Purnachaitanya helps you on your journey towards finding the source of your anxiety, stress and restlessness, using meditation to soothe distracted thoughts and refocus your energy to being fully present in a moment to better manage your mind. Every chapter includes Wisdom Sutras and a ten-minute exercise that will take you one step closer to building your own meditation practise. The idea is to acknowledge the changing outside world while strengthening your inner energy reserves to better cope with it. Today, meditation is not a luxury, it is a necessity. Looking Inward is your personal guide to understanding your mind and the need to meditate for a healthier, happier and well-adjusted life.

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction, Mental Health, Meditation

146 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2021

Reviews

[Akanksha Goel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very rarely does a book come, to which anybody from any walk of life can easily relate to, and this is one of them.
And once the reader gets connected, Swamiji step by step dispells misconceptions around the modern day twisted and commercialised concept of mindfulness (mind you, that's not meditation :P), makes us scientifically understand and realise that how and why meditation is what can get you that everlasting contentment and joy that majority of us are sadly looking for in the wrong places (jobs/relationships/hobbies etc).

He finally helps the readers who might want to try or have dropped or are already doing meditation, get great takeaways to go ahead in their journey.
It is an easy must read for anyone, specially in the current age of pandemic uncertainty, that we are living in.

[Samidha; समिधा · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book for an intro lesson into meditation and the techniques to get maximum peace while meditating. It’s also a good introduction into Art of Living.

I think the core concepts of dispassion, and letting go of thoughts (which isn’t like not thinking about them at all), and having patience in your meditation journey are the key takeaways.

[☆Shrey☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was phenomenal !

[Shreya Nupur · Rating 5 out of 5]

The beauty of this book lies in the simplicity with which an expert meditation trainer like Swamiji has laid out a path for beginners, intermediate and advanced practitioners of meditation alike leading them to a better understanding of why and how meditation can work for them

[Eva Heutinck · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
Word ik dan echt zo iemand die iedereen meditatie gaat aanbevelen?
Ben het alleen niet zo eens met het anti-meditatie-apps standpunt want dat helpt mensen juist alleen maar om op een laagdrempelige manier kennis te maken en begeleiding te krijgen.

[Sivachandran Paramasivam · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a short book. Started reading with expectation of detailed instructions on meditation. But it emphasis more on in-person training and seeking guru. But I'm satisfied with the single chapter that explains how to do meditation properly and what to expect in the process.

[Jonaki Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very easy to read book on meditation for beginners.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Praktische tips en leest makkelijk met mooie verhalen

[Dipti Kariwala · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am glad to pick up to read this wonderfully written book - Looking Inward, by one of my most inspiring mentors and a very senior faculty at the Art of Living - Swami Purnachaitanya. He is a fabulous trainer at any of the programs that he conducts of Yoga or Meditation. The amazing writer in him has given mankind an opportunity to practice authentic Meditation just by reading this super lucid book. The unique thing in the writing style is how such a deep learning subject like meditation is really broken into amazing step by step guide with practical tips throughout the book. I have learned the techniques discussed in the book over the last decade and am super proud to be practicing the mentioned yoga, breathing techniques/pranayama and of course meditation in different programs at the Art of Living with a variety of faculties. It was so exciting to really read, imbibe and cherish each of the practices that I have been practicing regularly being narrated in a beautiful flow. The parables used to draw analogy and explain such intrinsic topics with great ease is sincerely admired!

I will call it a Guide Book or a Manual to Authentic Meditation which contain answers to all possible FAQs that can come to any mind about Meditation. The structure of the book is very relevant to our generation of readers, since as each chapter concludes there is a recap to the primary takeaways from the chapter under the heading "Wisdom Surtas", this gives an opportunity to consolidate the learnings and move ahead into reading the next chapter to explore deeper and further. Also, each chapter contains a "10 Minute Exercise" which enables a reader to practically experience each of the tips shared in the chapter to experience meditation by managing the mind and the flow of thoughts! Doing this exercise for sure gives confidence to proceed with reading further since the effectiveness of the techniques speak for itself by the experience it provides to the one who really gives a 100% to read, learn, experience and continue!

I am super grateful to have read LOOKING INWARD around Guru Purnima 2021 and go deeper within myself to explore the deeper realms of my consciousness! I am more determined to regularly continue my practices with reverence and transcend from effort to effortlessness!

[Laxmi Duggirala · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am of the third category of people, as Swami Purnachaitanya mentions towards the end of the book,who have been practising meditation and I read books on Meditation by people I believe who can add value to my daily practice.
As a follower of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravishankar, I was obviously very curious to read Swami Purnachaitanya’s book on meditation.
The book is an easy read , full of wisdom and written to motivate people to cultivate the habit of meditation.There are stories from his life, anecdotes from literature ,wisdom sutras and short exercises.
On the whole a great read . JGD.

[Eilionoir Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are so many wonderful reviews about the book “Looking Inward” that it compelled me to read the book as soon as it reached me. And after reading this gem, I would not repeat many of the beautiful aspects of this book that its many readers have already highlighted, but bring you directly to the last chapter of the book - Finding the Time to Meditate
Hahaha ...now this is something each of us has given as our pet excuse to escape a disciplined practice of meditation or whatever it is that we practice! Made me laugh to see that Swami Purnachaitanya has caught us here too and has not allowed us to give “not finding time” as an excuse to escape practicing what we learnt from him. The chapter begins with a scenic story set in Assam, a himalayan state in India’s north east, a train journey and a humorous account of Swamiji meditating, oblivious of the stunned curiosity of his fellow passengers, and one man’s very apt comment “nowadays we have much less time for these things”. Struck me hard! Why do we have much less time now for the most important things that truly matter and so much time for frivolous aspects? Why are we always running away from the self? Why are we looking for something out there when its right here - within us! Here Swamiji tells us that similar to taking a shower to clean the body, just 15 mins of meditating to clean the inner self, is sufficient! So how come we don't find those 15 mins for Sadhana? Is it really our busy schedule or our escapist mind? Clearly, the mind rules us! While it should be that “We rule our mind!”. Meditating is exactly that simple tool that makes us the master of our mind, instead of vice versa, and finally gives us that sense of freedom and control!

[Leopold Carboni · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Though mindfulness is in some ways a good place to start, its often not an easy one, especially initially , because the mind is so active and we have never learned how to properly relax it. For many, relaxing means maybe having a beer, or watching TV , or doing something else ‘to take your minds off things’, where ’things’ refers to your issues, problems, stress, unfilled desires and worries . These activities don’t relax the mind though, it just takes your attention off all the thoughts racing through your head , giving you a break from all the noise. So here mindfulness is doing the opposite : it is making you more acutely aware of all the noise- something which, for many, can be quite difficult to confront”
Till now I used to think that relaxing , watching TV , going to the cinema , having a conversation with friends is energising me, but when I reflected upon my past experiences, I realised that these in some way may appear to make me happy but they actually drain our energy. After talking to a friend on the phone for two hours the mind is actually tired! But this notion got unveiled after reading the book. Till now I thought that mindfulness and meditation are the same but according to this paragraph it seems they are not! I mean it’s such an eye-opener ! This book is not just a book but it brings with itself the whole knowledge of the art of being blissful!

[Miles Ström · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mind is like a razor’s edge. It can easily fall prey to extremes! Either it gives up or it indulges and when it gives up, it gets frustrated and when it indulges, it just drowns itself and totally gets engrossed in things or situations and drains all of its energy. In Hindi we say “man jeeta to jag jeeta”, (He who conquers the mind has conquered the world). So it is a thing which even the greatest cannot conquer easily! Don’t we require a guide for this ? Absolutely yes ! And this book ‘Looking Inward’ is a splendid work on the mind and how to tackle it , how to silence its tantrums or rather transcend it . And there are hundreds of ways, skills and techniques to transcend the mind which is beautifully revealed through this book. One of the biggest challenges is that just one thing can be sufficient to take away our peace of mind ! How do we manage at that point ? Often we tend to take extreme decisions as a result of the frustrations of the mind which after sometime are detrimental for life , detrimental for the people around us, and we are left with nothing but atonement for our reactions! So how to safeguard from such situations ? Meditation is that safety valve, and the skill to use it is unveiled in this book “Looking Inward” - a beautiful compilation , a must read I would say!

[Alvise Kuhn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yoga, breathing practices called Pranayam and the art of meditating are often looked upon as something very Hindu - a religious colour is added to it by some. True, that much of these ancient practices originated in India or the East, but that’s where this ends. I liked the fact that Swamiji, who himself is a foreigner to India, has chosen, in his chapter on Starting your Meditation Practice, to shed light on this aspect. The book has many stories from his life, and here too through a story Swamiji clarifies that meditation or breathing techniques called Pranayam are Practices that are beyond religious or cultural boundaries and beliefs. One can very well learn the art of meditating while practicing any faith. The purpose of meditation is to consolidate the scattered, chaotic mind. To allow itself to settle down and finally transcend itself. Meditation is not business - what sadly many have made it to be. Neither is it something that requires you to drop everything and move to the mountain retreats. It simply needs a degree of reverence and a tinge of gratitude. It requires a master to hold your hand and just show you the way. This book will do that hand-holding for you very simply - without any bias or paraphernalia.

[Zoë Westley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Swamiji’s Master - Sri Sri Ravishankarji has often reminded us of the temporary nature of this life and our visit to this planet. Gurudev - as he is fondly called - tells us that once you really internalize this, a profound change will happen inside you!
Swami Purnachaitanya’s book has the passage “We all know that we are going to die one day but we never truly realise what it means until one day we come face to face with the reality of this fact… Until then we live as though we are going to live forever ...postponing most of the things that matter to us, thinking we will do it later. ...We forget that the end can come at any time, and usually without prior intimation!”
Why then must we while away this life behind futile ventures? Why get worked up behind very miniscule aspects of life - which are most often forgotten in a matter of days! There are stories that the author shares from his life and each of us will realize that he has been on the same boat as us! This book will then open the “Larger Picture” for you. It will teach you to look beyond the mundane and unwrap a treasure trove of knowledge that will help you deepen your own practices and meditations and effortlessly reach a sense of calm and inner peace.

[Lita Ventimiglia · Rating 5 out of 5]

“We all know that we are going to die one day, but we never truly realise what it means until one day we come face to face with the reality of this fact, and if that happens it changes us. Until then we live as though we are going to live forever, postponing most of the things that matter to us, thinking we will do it some day later, and getting caught up with so many small things. We forget that the end can come at any time, and usually without prior intimation !”
This realisation has helped me filter out the important from the trash and make my life more fruitful and meaningful for self and others. It has helped me become more aware of the fact that the present moment is so much more valuable .At the same time it helped me to drop so many of the unnecessary worries, anger , hurt and jealousy, knowing that both we and the people we dislike are going to die one day. I’m more alive and free now! I would like to share the same feeling of freedom with everyone and hence I beacon everyone to come and transform their existence towards the highest by reading and gifting “Looking Inward”.

[Mansi Babbar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking Inward is a fast read, but it will take time to internalise and implement. It’s a glimpse at basics of meditation, mindful living, and introduction to what Yog really is! I liked that the author uses stories, anecdotes from his guru, and relatable examples to explain the abstract topics like mindfulness, inner peace and how to consciously choose to lead a happy life succinctly and simply. His methods and steps are simple and effective, in my view, and can be practised daily by everyone.

I would suggest to take this book up along with ‘The Little Book of Letting Go’ by Hugh Prather if you want to stop worrying and be happy in all events of life! These two have influenced me in a positive way!!

Favourite quote from Looking Inwards: “…stop living your life as pursuit of happiness, and instead start living it as an expression of happiness.”

PS: This book too has been underlined, scribbled in and I’ve used a dozen stickers! Will keep revisiting the pints and practising dispassion, mindfulness and meditation! I felt at ease with letting things be as they are after reading this refreshing take on life. Read it twice already in a day.

[Rebecca MacCàba · Rating 5 out of 5]

For many people it is quite scary to just sit down and then do nothing but observe their thoughts because it is like opening a cupboard full of junk that we have consciously avoided for many years ! The moment we open it a little and the dust clears out , there are suddenly more reasons to just leave the thing closed and forget about it . For someone who is really worried, stressed, agitated or afraid, the last thing that will make them relax is sitting and doing nothing but thinking about looking at that fear , worry or problem that is disturbing them. It is in the nature of the mind to be active so rather than trying to wrestle with it, the wise thing is to transcend the mind. Things that disturb us even more than the thoughts are actually the feelings behind them and feelings are more powerful than the thoughts, so how do we get over them? These things really require a guide. We can’t resolve all this, all by ourselves, and this book is one of the rarest gems which provides us with answers to resolving obstacles on the path of a sincere seeker.

[May · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the whole book in just a few days, which rarely happens to me. It means that this book is a very pleasant and easy read! I really liked that there were a lot of stories, both from his own life as well as ancient stories. What stood out the most for me was the emphasis on respect and devotion in meditation practice. I am used to very secular and non-dogmatic yoga and meditation practice, and even though I am interested in ancient wisdom, I usually look more at the practical application of it and leave the religious/devotion aspects out. This book does inspire me to learn more about this aspect.
The criticism towards meditation and mindfulness apps was a bit too much for me. I do believe in the good intentions of the developers of meditation apps, and that it is better to do a few minutes of checking in with yourself than nothing. I think it is a good development that so many people are taking first steps on the path of mindfulness and meditation. It plants a seed and if people want more, they will find their path towards it.

[Jenifer Groos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mindfulness practises are all about making an effort to be fully with what we are doing or what is happening at that very moment. It is about becoming fully aware of what is happening right now. This may sound simple but unfortunately our modern lifestyles have conditioned us to multitasking at almost all times. We are watching the news on TV while at the same time also scanning the emails on our phone. Even while doing simple actions like making coffee or taking a shower our mind is simultaneously planning, worrying and doing so many things. This is where mindfulness becomes beneficial but this book shows us that meditation is simply the OPPOSITE of Mindfulness! It is Not Effort - But Effortlessness. I don’t think I could have received such beautiful guidance from any other source. I invite everyone to explore this book and start “Looking inward”.

[Danna Jardine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that changes your perspective on spirituality very effortlessly! Everything is well explained through modern and ancient stories that all seem to fit in and have similarities with our everyday life even if we don’t live in India or may have not started a spiritual journey. The exercises provided at the end of each chapter are easy to follow and can help build up to a complete practice. The book offers you a deeper understanding of meditation and the philosophy that helps you practice it without expecting false “miracle” results, a practice guide for someone who truly wants to commit and not just try to get some “fast food” kind of results. Swami Purnachaitanya grasps the essence of spirituality and its presence in our everyday lives and delivers it in a sweet, honest and real way seeking only to help people.

[Marijn Quaranta · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that remains in your thoughts many days after you read it. Full of wisdom and personal experiences of Swami Purnachaitanya, it helps you understand your own thoughts, thoughts not so unique after all as we are all facing the same core problems (as Gurudev Sri Sri Ravishankar has many times said), and learn how to practice meditation in a simple, clear and effective way without comparing your experience to anybody else’s or feeling guilty for the thoughts that visit us uninvited during our practice. I will read it again many times to grasp all the bits of wisdom that it contains and I will be patiently waiting for the paperback edition to be available in my country too. I would really love to read more books from Swami Purnachaitanya as I found his way of sharing his knowledge very comforting and enlightening.

[Talia Nisi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spirituality made relevant and helpful but not through a commercial way as we are used to seeing these days. Swami Purnachaitanya engages us with a book full of honest examples from his own life, beautifully described, and makes us question our everyday behavior and gives immediate explanations of what’s happening around us through some stories shared by different Saints and Gurudev Sri Sri himself. His narrative makes you feel comfortable to explore your own way of thinking, understand the nature of the mind and tackle the obstacles that it puts before us. He provides easy to do exercises that give you a different perspective on meditation and can make the practice much easier. A must read especially for those who are now starting their spiritual journey, are new to meditation or want to better their practice through a deeper understanding of the philosophy behind it.

[Denis · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't believe that it is possible to write a weak meditation book, but the author made it happen. Unfortunately Purnachaitanya really lacks in knowledge about the scientific part of the topic. Sometimes the author even lies to people because of his knowledge gaps. For example he said that meditation apps are bullshit and only meditation + religion mixed together has an effect which was proven by science. And that is an absolute lie. I hope it's an unintentional lie. There are literally hundreds of studies which have scientifically proven efficiency of meditations via apps. For exampel https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
The main thought of the book is that only his knowledge mixed with religion is correct one and the rest of modern yoga and meditation approaches are wrong. 
I do not recommend this book.

[Rudy Traver · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a fantastic read! It made me realise and open my eyes to many realities because when we start to look at our mind, we realise the mess it is in. Until we become aware of this fact, we are living a life just like a machine. Everything is scheduled and life is on the run without paying attention to the small joys of life, the nectars of life! We end up making life a frustration rather than a celebration, all for mere peanuts ! Having read this book , I have become more aware and started giving more space to myself, to others, to surroundings, to objects around me and this makes a huge difference in our vibrations, in our personality and how the world perceives us. An awesome book to start with , on the journey of Looking Inward.

[Léonce Pellegrino · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic read for the spiritually curious and those with curiosity about the possibilities of self exploration. Refreshingly honest and engaging, explains through everyday examples, our constant way of thinking and how to transform them based on ancient wisdom. Swami Purnachaitanya shares endearing and heartwarming experiences of his struggles, his own journey of exploration and his path next to his Master Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, in a beautiful narrative. He invites us to explore our own potential and make our meditation practice a personalised extension of ourselves based on true knowledge and understanding. Swami Purnachaitanya employs a very engaging writing style and gifts a book that provides comfort, understanding and transformational knowledge.

[Mel Brigham · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I absolutely loved about this book, and what really sets it apart from many others, is that at the end of each chapter, you will find beautifully written Wisdom Sutras, that wrap up the learnings of each chapter, and then a 10 minute Exercise too! So as you keep doing these 10 min exercises, they train you to gently but surely move towards the ultimate aim of the book - Journeying Inward!! Most books give us a theoretical aspect of things while Swamiji here draws out a clear path for us to practically try the things we read / learn and implement them in our life. This aspect really took the cake for me! It was like the author was right there walking next to us in this journey of Looking Inward. Loved the book!

[Altaf Merchant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picked up this one since the title really caught my attention. On reading, discovered simple yet profound sharings which helped my being introspect and I realized how true they seemed for myself. Swamiji’s writing style is unique and the book makes for a lucid read while at the same time gives us insights about rediscovering our innate qualities which help in creating a calm, peaceful being and help in dealing with modern life challenges. Would definitely recommend this one for those who are interested in these kind of topics. Looking forward to more such reading experiences from Swami Purnachaitanya ji.

[Santiago Estebes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many times we are not clear about what we are seeking. Many people say I want happiness but where to search for happiness ? Often we are searching in the wrong direction ! We search everywhere but we forget to look inward! This book is that lost key with which we can unlock the treasure chest within us and get the answers which a sincere seeker seeks. ‘Looking inward’ as the name suggests is not just about meditation but looking for peace , calmness and tranquillity in the right direction! This can enable us to open our eyes towards the actual truth and make us all more sensible and sensitive!

[Laurie Costantini · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Trauma is that state where you are not able to let go of some experience, something you have seen, heard or experienced and it keeps disturbing you . So, in some ways you could even say that until we are really able to let go of the past.”
This is so true! The mind is either stuck in the past with a sense of “I am the victim or Why me?” or the mind runs away to either plan for or fear the future. In all this we lose the present moment completely. Swamiji’s book will train you very effortlessly on how let go of past baggage and be in this moment - which would allow you to be naturally stress-free and aid in deepening your meditation.