This ethnography focuses on the concerns of young Sikh women in North America interested in asserting their rights, highlighting the voices of 13 young women finding their way through the competing traditions of Punjabi and North American culture. Mahmood is associate professor of anthropology at th

When a dramatic Kundalini awakening occurred in 1979 from the influence and guidance of a great guru, this Yuppie housewife's life was thrown into a whirling spiral of mysticism and magic. Using the guru's mantra and practices, Ruth, entered a world of wonder and bliss. Spinning off the ground, reading others' thoughts, reading languages never learned, and dancing ecstatically were daily delights that eventually devolved into a heroes' journey of cleansing the subconscious of its hidden dragons. As the cleansing process scoured her psyche, nights without sleep, days spent in a living dream, and great winds of depression brought out revengeful ghosts, sucking all the life from the soul. She was on the classical hero's journey towards self-realization, described by Joseph Campbell in "The Hero with a Thousand Faces." It had begun in bliss and then became a living nightmare. In 1979 no one in my culture knew anything about such "crazy" behavior. No one understood this lonely, confusing process where boundaries of time, awareness and self cease to exist. Finally this journey culminated in a climactic but classic ego death spiral. After visiting the guru in person, receiving his invaluable assistance, the ghouls and merging realities stabilized and Ruth was once again, the reliable, sensible, sane wife, mother and graduate student. In 1993, still puzzled and embarrassed by the trauma caused to her family, Ruth began researching Kundalini, and 20 years' later has been able to explain logically what took place in those intense 18 months. Her wide-ranging research has lead to this comprehensive explanation of some of the most wonderful and miraculous attributes of being born a human. The book will bring comfort to those going through this phenomena (or their families and caretakers) that can lead to their integration and emergence. For the truth is, Kundalini awakening is an enormous benediction. It is in fact as natural as puberty or menopause; it is human evolution, and as such should not to be suppressed or shamed but lauded and praised. It is our Mother of All (Kundalini) coming back to claim Her lost child, for She is the cosmic ONE within.

The first one on the rail-track was the father of my children. Then his friends lay alongside him and alongside them were their wives. The engine started whistling frantically from a long distance... The wheels of the train ran over many men. But no one moved from his place. All along the track we chanted: 'Praise be to the Almighty, the Formless One, Praise be...' The chant went on in unison. And then the train went backwards... When we were returning to our village that evening, my mother began to tell my sister the story of the Temple of the Guru's Palm. She told her how the Guru came that way with his disciple: how the disciple thirsted and Guru sent him to the dervish at the top of the hill; how the dervish turned him back three times: how the Guru asked his disciple to pick up a rock; how the spring burst forth from under it and the well of the dervish dried up; how the dervish had hurled the boulder; and how the Guru had said: Praise be to the Almighty, the Formless One, and stopped it with the palm of his hand.

Indian Gurus remain an important issue in the contemporary world and affect politics, culture and commerce alike. This spiritual/economic figure has become a worldwide phenomenon, signalling that syncretism is taking place on a global scale. At the same time, the concept of the guru will remain a constant challenge to ideas of enlightenment and democracy. The present book focusses on this challenge presenting contributions from an interdisciplinary perspective. German, Indian and American scholars have explored guruism in tradition, economy and Jungian psychology as well as in contemporary literature, travel writing and film. Individual studies of gurus such as Ramana Maharshi or Osho/Bhagvan, but also Gandhi and Tolstoi furthermore illustrate the spiritual globalization that has been taking place over the last century.

Among the myriad of relationships in life, the one between a Guru and disciple is most sacred and unique. In the book “Guru and Disciple”, Gnani Purush (embodiment of Self knowledge) Dada Bhagwan provides insight into the nature of the Guru-disciple relationship and offers in-depth answers to questions such as: “What is spirituality and spiritual transformation, and how is a Guru necessary in this?” “What is the definition of Guru, and what is disciple?” “How does a spiritual Guru differ from a spiritual teacher, a spiritual advisor, or from spiritual people in general?” “A spiritual life requires spiritual awakening into self realization. How do I find a Guru with the spiritual power to grant me spiritual enlightenment?” “Among the many spiritual teachers accessible today, do I need to find a Guru with a certain level of spiritual development or spiritual awareness?” For those on a spiritual quest, seeking spiritual growth, or simply desirous of spiritual guidance, this book provides an invaluable resource among the spiritual books available on the Guru-disciple topic.