The Little Book of Hercules

[konchog uma]

firstly thanks to SereneBlue for turning me on to this awesome book.

 

The Little Book of Hercules

http://www.amazon.com/Little-Book-Hercules-Physical-Spiritual/dp/0972190716/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329966932&sr=8-1

 

In it William Bodri discusses the 12 labors of Hercules in Greek mythology, and explains how they are metaphors for the awakening of a person's energies through spiritual cultivation. I am about halfway through it, but this book has awakened me to several things, notably, the deeper meanings behind stories of old greek, christian, chinese, and various origins, which bodri elegantly explains the metaphoric meaning of. It has also explained several completely bizarre things that i have experienced as stages on the path, and given me a sense of relief that i am not some sort of freak, but that these bizarre occurances happen to those who cultivate their energies! Stuff i have never seen anywhere else or heard from teachers, but have experienced. Its a very thorough book, and i highly recommend it to anyone who is cultivating themselves spiritually, whether they are having kundalini experiences, which the book focuses extensively on, or not.

 

also on the back burner, til i'm done with The Little Book of Hercules:

 

Kivas of Heaven : Ancient Hopi Starlore

http://www.amazon.com/Kivas-Heaven-Ancient-Hopi-Starlore/dp/1935487094/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329967388&sr=1-1

 

Self Realization in Kashmir Shaivism : The Oral Teachings of Swami Lakshmanjoo

http://www.amazon.com/Self-Realization-Kashmir-Shaivism-Lakshmanjoo/dp/0791421805/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329967461&sr=1-1

[Creation]

The Little Book of Hercules and the works of Swami Lakshman Joo are on my to read list as well. Here are two more from my backlog that you might be interested in.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Power-Seekers-Guide-Kundalini/dp/0911307397/

http://www.amazon.com/Kundalini-Comprehensive-Scriptures-Nondualistic-Traditions/dp/0887068014/

[konchog uma]

The Little Book of Hercules and the works of Swami Lakshman Joo are on my to read list as well. Here are two more from my backlog that you might be interested in.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Power-Seekers-Guide-Kundalini/dp/0911307397/

http://www.amazon.com/Kundalini-Comprehensive-Scriptures-Nondualistic-Traditions/dp/0887068014/

 

thanks Creation

 

i have had my eye on both of those, especially energy of the depths, so i just ordered them both

[RiverSnake]

Been wanting to read Hercules. Thanks for the review.

[konchog uma]

sure oldgreen

 

its a really powerful book. I hope you get to read it!

[JustARandomPanda]

So glad you are enjoying Hercules anamatva. If you like that book you should definitely check out some of Bodri's other books. I especially recommend Socrates and the Enlightenment Path. Bodri shows step by step Socrates was a Zen master with major high-level meditational achievements. I promise you will never read a Socratic Dialogue in quite the same light ever again.

[Gerard]

Those transformations are basically an effect of slowly peeling off the "carcass" we spiritual beings in our human form all carry along. Revealing our true nature that is trapped/dormant inside like a brute diamond that is waiting to shine outwardly.

 

I also recommend this one since the author's teacher is Ch'an master Huai-Chin Nan:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Tao-Longevity-Transformation-Wen-Kuang-Chu/dp/087728542X/ref=pd_sim_b_4#reader_087728542X

 

[Sunya]

So is this book good because you learn about how Greek mythology connects to spiritual progress? Or are you guys actually learning meaningful and practice things from the book?

[konchog uma]

So is this book good because you learn about how Greek mythology connects to spiritual progress? Or are you guys actually learning meaningful and practice things from the book?

 

It is interesting to me to see how the myths hide meanings, and it is also good because he points out signposts on the path. So for example, about 2 years ago, i started speaking in verse, just spontaneously rhyming. It was really annoying, and at the end of it i had a period where i couldn't sleep for 3 or 4 nights. I never knew what to make of it, but he points it out as a sign of progress, saying it goes along with cleansing of the main bodily channels of energetic impurities, and is called "the inspiration phase" or something like that. So I haven't seen that info anywhere else, and it helped me to realize, like many other similar passages, where i am on the path as far as my progress towards wholeness and waking goes. There isn't as much practice stuff in the book, its not that kind of book, but he does talk about white skeleton method, and some other basic methods. I didn't really learn any new practices from it though.

[Sunya]

Ah, very nice. So he goes into detail about signposts and certain phenomena happening so you can gauge where you're at? That's interesting. Maybe the book is worth getting then. One question that pops into mind for me though is -- are these phenomena truly the same for everybody? Don't we all have different karma to work though? Hmm...

[konchog uma]

Ah, very nice. So he goes into detail about signposts and certain phenomena happening so you can gauge where you're at? That's interesting. Maybe the book is worth getting then. One question that pops into mind for me though is -- are these phenomena truly the same for everybody? Don't we all have different karma to work though? Hmm...

 

his focus is on universal phenomena. Yes they are different for everyone but have themes, and the themes is what he is focused on.

 

i recently have been beginning to experience the 5th and 6th anapanasati stages. When i experienced the 4th, it manifest to me in my own unique way, but it was in accord with the formal definition of the 4th stage. (I thought i might have had a realization of emptiness, but xabir showed me the 16 anapanasati stages and it made perfect sense with "where i was" on my path.) So in my experience there is something valid about a progression that is more or less universal. It tends to move from gross to subtle, roughly speaking.

[Sunya]

Interesting. Does Bodri talk about the anapanasati stages in this book?

 

 

BTW, do you guys think that Bodri has actual experience of this stuff? Is he talking from experience or parroting what he learned from Master Nan and other sources?

[konchog uma]

Interesting. Does Bodri talk about the anapanasati stages in this book?

BTW, do you guys think that Bodri has actual experience of this stuff? Is he talking from experience or parroting what he learned from Master Nan and other sources?

 

nope bodri hasn't mentioned them. I gave them as an example of things moving in a somewhat orderly fashion through stages of progress (and the states that accompany them)

 

I think bodri speaks from a fair amount of actual experience, because when he parrots nan huai chin he says "my teacher says.."

[JustARandomPanda]

Ah, very nice. So he goes into detail about signposts and certain phenomena happening so you can gauge where you're at?

 

 

That is precisely the purpose of the book.

 

 

 

That's interesting. Maybe the book is worth getting then. One question that pops into mind for me though is -- are these phenomena truly the same for everybody? Don't we all have different karma to work though? Hmm...

 

 

They are universal signs. This is why Bodri stresses over and over that such practice itself is non-denominational. Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Confucianism, Western Mystery Traditions, Kabbalah, Sufism, even Atheists!

 

....doesn't matter

 

If you practice correctly (no matter what tradition you are in) you will get these signs and phenomenon at certain stages and he tells you what that means is happening to your body, mind, emotions, etc per stage.

 

He just uses the 12 Labors of Hercules as a framework for these signposts. Sometimes old myths hide deep truths but it takes people who are pretty far along the spiritual path themselves to turn around and see what the myths are hiding in plain sight.

[JustARandomPanda]

BTW, do you guys think that Bodri has actual experience of this stuff?

 

In his book (including this one) and on his website he will sometimes discuss some things that happened to him.

 

Is he talking from experience or parroting what he learned from Master Nan and other sources?

 

Yes and yes.

 

Bodri has been through these stages personally but Master Nan is Bodri's Guru so much of what you are learning is what Master Nan taught Bill Bodri.

[JustARandomPanda]

Here is some of what you can learn from

 

The Little Book of Hercules

 

 

blurb from the website

This book reveals the full sequence of physical stages involved in a kundalini awakening that opens up the sushumna central channel [called the Zhong Mai in Chinese - SB], and then all the other chi channel circulations within the body in turn, including the eight additional meridians of Taoism. if you want to know what chakras open in turn, and what phenomena arise when that happens, this is the book that finally sheds light on these matters. Most of these stages are not discussed in any texts, including the generation and completion stage texts of Tibetan Buddhism. A clear description is missing from Taoism and the traditions of esoteric tantric yoga from India even though all schools mention these channels and chakras. This book takes all the mysticism out of the process, shows the non-denominational descriptions of these stages from various schools, clearly explains how to cultivate the kundalini awakening through simple meditation practices to kick start the process, and reveals where the subsequent physical transformations fit into the larger picture of the spiritual path and the attainment of enlightenment. Basically, you won't find this material in print anywhere else - a book that unifies the discussions of dharmakaya, sambhogakaya and nirmanakaya.

 

 

Though that quote doesn't mention it he goes into detail about the Microcosmic Orbit and many other signs Taoist Internal Alchemy and Tantra talks about.

 

Bodri is all about non-denominationalism and how universal the spiritual path is. All of the above - although it may use Zen Buddhism for some terms since that was/is Bodri's own tradition - can be found in other traditions as well - just under different names.