Christ the Yogi: A Hindu Reflection on The Gospel of John (Ravi Ravindra)

[Guest guest]

(i have ordered this book too)

 

Book Review

By Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat

 

Christ the Yogi

A Hindu Reflection on The Gospel of John

Ravi Ravindra

Inner Traditions 10/98 Paperback $14.95

ISBN: 0-89281-671-6

 

Both Thich Nhat Hanh and the Dalai Lama have written about Jesus

Christ from their Buddhist perspectives. This paperback presents an

interpretation of the Gospel of John as a way " of letting the inner

Christ grow in us. " Although Ravi Ravindra is no expert on the Bible,

he is interested in the heart of the Gospel. His Hindu perspective

and knowledge of the Bhagavad Gita give an unusual slant to this

interpretation. Throughout the book, the author emphasizes the unique

relationship Jesus had with his disciples and the difficult challenge

of working and waiting for their " quiet and slow ripening. " He sees

Jesus as an enlightened person whose main message was " the revelation

of God within the human heart. " Again and again, the prophet from

Nazareth defers to the Father when people want to exalt him.

 

Ravindra offers esoteric interpretations of Jesus's encounters with

Nicodemus, the Samaritan woman, and Lazarus. He sees them all as

messengers about seeing and not seeing — which is the whole point in

spiritual development. This nonsectarian evaluation of Jesus and the

Gospel of John is another good example of the fruits of interfaith

dialogue.

 

Synopsis

An unusual and rewarding exploration of the Gospel of John from an

Indian perspective, offering a meditation on our need to draw

inspiration from all spiritual sources as we search for the paths

toward personal transformation.

 

Eloquently and convincingly reveals the interconnectedness of all

faiths and the growing need in today's world for interfaith dialogue.

The Gospel of John differs from the other gospels of the New

Testament in both its cosmological scale and mystical nature. Through

thoughtful comparisons of its teachings with Hindu and other

religious traditions, Christ the Yogi eloquently and convincingly

reveals the interconnectedness of all faiths and the growing need in

today's world for interfaith dialogue. For those concerned with the

emergence of a universal spirituality, Christ the Yogi is a source of

light, a translucent pool of wisdom that offers from its depths an

immense and lasting spiritual vision.

 

------

 

Amazon.com

Editorial Reviews

 

Review

A loving pondering over one of the most beautiful and probably most

esoteric of the Four Gospels of the Christian tradition. -- The

Theosophical Society

 

Looking at Christ through Hindu eyes, Ravindra's " external " view of

Christ is in ways more faithful to Christian history than much

Western Christology now manages to be. This makes Christ the Yogi

something of a landmark in interfaith dialogue. -- Huston Smith,

author of The World's Religions

 

The book's real value lies in bringing readers into contact with the

Gospel itself, highlighting its yogic nature, connecting us to the

mystery that leads to rebirth in the Spirit. -- Yoga International

 

The main qualification for an interpreter of a religious text is the

ability to discern true wisdom -- something Ravindra certainly can

do. . . . [Christ the Yogi is one of the best studies on a book of

the Bibles] that I have read . It has opened aspects of John's Gospel

that were previously closed to me. -- Gnosis, 1998

 

This nonsectarian evaluation of Jesus and the Gospel of John is

another good example of the fruits of interfaith dialogue. --

Frederic Brussat, Cultural Information Service

 

Product Description

An unusual and rewarding exploration of the Gospel of John from an

Indian perspective, offering a meditation on our need to draw

inspiration from all spiritual sources as we search for the paths

toward personal transformation * Eloquently and convincingly reveals

the interconnectedness of all * faiths and the growing need in

today's world for interfaith dialogue The Gospel of John differs from

the other gospels of the New Testament in both its cosmological scale

and mystical nature. Through thoughtful comparisons of its teachings

with Hindu and other religious traditions, Christ the Yogi eloquently

and convincingly reveals the interconnectedness of all faiths and the

growing need in today's world for interfaith dialogue. For those

concerned with the emergence of a universal spirituality, Christ the

Yogi is a source of light, a translucent pool of wisdom that offers

from its depths an immense and lasting spiritual vision.

 

 

Customer Reviews:

 

A wonderful analysis of the book of John, August 29, 2001

By Noam Winter (USA)

 

This book is excellent, but the title is a bit misleading. Let us

start by saying that you can't go wrong reading this book. It is a

detailed analysis of the book of John, from the New Testament. I must

admit that much of the author's commentary brought up ideas I had

never considered, or not seen the same way. It will add depth and

understanding for anyone trying to understand the mystical style of

the book of John.

 

The reason I only gave this book 4 out of 5 stars is that the title

suggests a more detailed treatment, and bonding between the Eastern

traditions of Hinduism and yoga, and Christ. Little of the Eastern

traditions are mentioned, but those that are mentioned are excellent

reflections. I was hungry for a treatment of Christ philosophy from

an Hindu Yoga point of view. It was much more geared for the biblical

reader, than for the Hindu reader. A little more balance would have

been my preference.

 

Still, a wonderful book to read!

 

 

An exploration of Jesus' teachings by a native of India, July 3, 2000

By Ruth Henriquez Lyon (Duluth, Minnesota USA)

 

This review is from: Yoga of the Christ: In the Gospel According to

St. John (Paperback)

 

In this book Ravi Ravindra goes through the gospel of John section by

section, following each part with commentary. I found his insights

very valuable; although I had read John's gospel many times before,

Ravindra's reading of it pointed out many insights I would never had

caught on my own. I suspect this may be because the author approached

the gospel with a " beginner's mind, " which is often difficult for

those of us raised in a Judaeo-Christian culture. His perspectives on

the story of the Samaritan woman at the well were so profound that

they pushed my understanding of Jesus' teachings to a new level. As a

person who has given up on organized religion, this book was valuable

in helping me to go back to what is of value in Christian teachings

and draw on it. Ravindra combines his understanding of the Hindu

approach to the spiritual path with Christian mysticism in this book.

Rather than watering down either tradition, the approach is truly

inspiring.