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Long Pilgrimage: The Life and Teaching of Sri Govindanda Bharati, Known As the Shivapuri Baba
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185 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1983
55 people are currently reading
392 people want to read
About the author
J.G. Bennett
130 books68 followersJohn Godolphin Bennett (8 June 1897 – 13 December 1974) was a British mathematician, scientist, technologist, industrial research director and author. He is perhaps best known for his many books on psychology and spirituality, particularly on the teachings of G. I. Gurdjieff. Bennett met Gurdjieff in Istanbul in October 1920 and later helped to co-ordinate the work of Gurdjieff in England after Gurdjieff's arrival in Paris. He also was active in starting the British section of the Subud movement, and co-founded its British headquarters.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 13, 2024
Part biography and part discussion of SB’s doctrines. Shivapuri Baba (SB) was a Hindu ascetic that walked from India to Europe then walked through North and South America over several decades in the 1800s. He then spent the rest of his life in semi-seclusion in Nepal, where he said he achieved God Consciousness after long periods of meditation.
Bennett, a student of Gurdjieff, sought him out after searching for learned masters and being told of him. Bennett visited him multiple times and was asked to write this book by SB.
SB’s doctrine is living the Right Life. This involves three duties: physical duty (providing physical necessities to oneself and dependents), moral duty (obligations to oneself to seek truth), and spiritual duty (worshiping God). All three are necessary, but should be exactly planned and executed with intention. One should fulfill but minimize physical and moral duty and spend all remaining time to spiritual duties. Nothing should be done from passions, fear, or temptation, but from exacting plans. For example, one eats food because it is necessary to live and one plans one’s meals in advance, but to eat food from hunger or craving would be detrimental. This is pummel the body and mind into submission to minimize its needs. All remaining time is to spent meditating on God in order to achieve God Consciousness (experiencing/encountering God directly). Such a state is the ultimate goal for a person. He describes the stages one reaches when on this path and common mistakes made.
Bennett and other Europeans have question and answer sessions with SB throughout the book. As a Westerner, I appreciated Bennett’s ability to translate SB’s teaching to a Western audience. SB also spoke fluent English and had spent years in Europe and America, so he was also able to communicate well to Bennett and his companions. I can see the value in SB’s teaching and the devotion he displayed toward his goal.
Bennett, a student of Gurdjieff, sought him out after searching for learned masters and being told of him. Bennett visited him multiple times and was asked to write this book by SB.
SB’s doctrine is living the Right Life. This involves three duties: physical duty (providing physical necessities to oneself and dependents), moral duty (obligations to oneself to seek truth), and spiritual duty (worshiping God). All three are necessary, but should be exactly planned and executed with intention. One should fulfill but minimize physical and moral duty and spend all remaining time to spiritual duties. Nothing should be done from passions, fear, or temptation, but from exacting plans. For example, one eats food because it is necessary to live and one plans one’s meals in advance, but to eat food from hunger or craving would be detrimental. This is pummel the body and mind into submission to minimize its needs. All remaining time is to spent meditating on God in order to achieve God Consciousness (experiencing/encountering God directly). Such a state is the ultimate goal for a person. He describes the stages one reaches when on this path and common mistakes made.
Bennett and other Europeans have question and answer sessions with SB throughout the book. As a Westerner, I appreciated Bennett’s ability to translate SB’s teaching to a Western audience. SB also spoke fluent English and had spent years in Europe and America, so he was also able to communicate well to Bennett and his companions. I can see the value in SB’s teaching and the devotion he displayed toward his goal.
November 30, 2009
If I could only have one book, then this would be it.
May 1, 2014
Great book.
April 25, 2017
I really enjoyed the biography part; but the last several chapters are a mishmash of spiritual concepts, mostly (all?) Hindu, and it just bogs down. That part isn't written particularly well; although there are plenty of spiritual concepts in the biography part, they come in organically. When it gets completely didactic, it's just a lot of information thrown artlessly into piles of words. So I quit reading at that point.
January 4, 2020
I was going through the Hindu Philosophy and thought that is the concept of Brahman is still relevant to the age of reasoning and science? can we reach up to the transcendental stage, it is the story of Shivapuri baba!
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December 30, 2016i will be transformed
June 13, 2025
A very practical book on the life and teachings of Shivapuri spiritual teacher.
His teachings is called the Right Life. It has 3 parts - World-Realization, Soul-Realization and God-Realization.
World-Realization also has 3 sub-parts.
Body discipline.
Social Obligations
Professional Duty
Soul-Realization is about moral discipline.
God-Realization is about finding God through meditation. God means Truth to Shivapuri.
Chapter 5 - "New Lights on Old Teachings" was tough to comprehend as it requires a deeper understanding of the Hindu scriptures. So I skipped the later part of it.
His teachings is called the Right Life. It has 3 parts - World-Realization, Soul-Realization and God-Realization.
World-Realization also has 3 sub-parts.
Body discipline.
Social Obligations
Professional Duty
Soul-Realization is about moral discipline.
God-Realization is about finding God through meditation. God means Truth to Shivapuri.
Chapter 5 - "New Lights on Old Teachings" was tough to comprehend as it requires a deeper understanding of the Hindu scriptures. So I skipped the later part of it.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews