Home At Last (Book Review) by Sarada Chiruvolu

Book Name: Home At Last

Author: Sarada Chiruvolu

Publisher: Amaryllis Press

Rating: 5/5

Book Blurb: Home at Last explains specific landmarks that we encounter during the journey toward enlightenment, based on the author’s direct experience. The book also lets readers know what they can expect when confronting the mysterious, awakened inner force called kundalini. It explains how our outlook and goals change radically as kundalini directs our day-to-day life. Part spiritual memoir, part meditation handbook, Chiruvolu’s writings are clear and accessible yet contain profound spiritual insights covering: • The nature of prana, or vital life force; how to increase its presence in our system; and the process of transmitting pranic energy from teacher to student. • Detailed information on the important roles of diet, exercise, and training the mind in preparation for the journey of realization. • The physical and psychological challenges one can expect during the extended process of awakening. • Possible impediments to raising the energy, and how to transcend them. • How to adapt to living and working with this powerful new energy in the context of everyday life.

Review: Home At Last is an inspiring spiritual journey of the author where she shares her tale for the benefit of the readers. While she acknowledges that the basic nature of spiritual journey may be the same for all, each experience being personal differs slightly.

The book comes with a number of easy to follow steps and detailed methods which even a layman can follow in order to meditate and embark on his/her own spiritual journey. The author has focussed on spiritual aspects and not solely on the rituals and complicated mudras that may make the practice cumbersome for some people. 

“Today I no longer use any of the familiar mudras that many people beleive help facilitate their meditation…I have used mudras at times in the past, but gave up the practice because I felt it was not necessary.”

Her efforts at renunciation and detachment are described in detail as are her efforts and her meeting with her Guru-Amma Karunamayi. It is said that true realization can never happen without the help of a competent Guru. Its also euqally important not to hang on to the Guru like an ubilical cord once you are ready. While detachment and renunciation is easy to pronounce, it is extremely dificult to follow. The author’s personal account may help some people in need who face this constant dilemma and are not able to fully immerse themself leading to a half-hearted attempt at meditation.

No amount of meditation can help unless the body is fully ready to undertake this spiritual journey and therefore the importance of a diet, exercise and mind strengthening are also deliberated upon in the later chapters. The book is basically a handy guide for anybody interested in meditation. A lot of research must have gone into compiling this book. The author’s personal journey makes for an interesting read.

The beauty of this book lies in the simple prose without any unnecesary ornamentations that are generally the hallmark of books on such subjects. It is an ideal guide for people who are at the threshold of their spiritual journey and are unsure of where and how to begin. This book can help you if you allow it to help you.

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