My book ‘The Truth About Spiritual Enlightenment: Bridging Science, Buddhism and Advaita Vedanta‘ is available now in Amazon, in both kindle and paperback versions.
Spiritual enlightenment is becoming a buzzword. Enlightenment is a popular niche for people who write or read about self-help, meditation, healing, psychology and more.
But do you really understand what enlightenment is? Is it some kind of altered state of consciousness, a solution to get high without drugs, a way to live life in 24/7 bliss, a myth or a complete scam? Is there any scientific basis to enlightenment or spiritual awakenings?
This book has the answer for these questions. This book attempts to bridge spiritual teachings of Vedanta and Buddhism with science. It gives you a practical and reasonable path to end your suffering and live a peaceful, satisfied and happy life. Above all, it will help you to find your own way and follow your own light.
The book will also introduce you to some important concepts in psychology, which are related to spiritual awakening. The concepts and solution presented in this book are based on the author’s own experience. It also has a chapter that narrates author’s own spiritual journey which led to a complete spiritual transformation. The book also has a separate chapter which talks about scientific research done on spiritual enlightenment.
Shanmugam's Blog 
Isn’t this book available in Paperback version in India yet ? I see only Kindle version on Amazon.in.
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No Prasanna. Amazon KDP is not offering paperback in Amazon.in. Paperback is only available in Amazon.com.
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Thanks for the clarification. I’ve bought the Kindle version.
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Hello, I came across your book and have started reading it. I am a scientist by profession, a physics guy. I have a couple of questions for you. You talk about self being existence that which is permanent and unchanging, how does it exist and why? Assume big bang as a starting point of our universe, lets go back before big bang, there is nothing, no space-time but even nothing is not empty. There are vacuum fluctations due to virtual particles which cannot be obsereved as compared to material particles like electrons, protons, neutrons. I think there is no physical aspect to existence as it is.
Without doing any particular practice of yoga or meditation, i do my work, am at peace with myself, travel through life’s ups and downs knowing they r part and parcel of life, then is there any such thing as liberation? I know that whatever is present in universe, will function according to laws of physics (lets keep aside emotional aspect of organics life forms). Why even think there is a screen or something such as liberation. Life is what is. Why do you think that the screen and the movie of life are not the same. Only through mind we approach self but then why do you think there is an absolute self because absolute means a reference point but why shall nature have a reference point? Why shall one point be a reference for human beings. We r just here by chance. Nothing special.
Hope I get a meaningful reply from you.
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I don’t think you understood what is written in the book. You have seemed to have taken many things literally. I am talking about subtle psychological aspects, not something related to physics or chemistry. Did you get to the part where I have talked about ‘Acceptance and commitment therapy’? Did you read the part where I wrote about the hedonic treadmill? These are psychological concepts which have been empirically verified.
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Ok, let us for a moment think that I have not come across your book and what I have written to you is my way of thinking. So what are your comments upon it and also ask you why there is this need to liberate? Why liberation at all?
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Here is all I know: 18 years old, I wanted to commit suicide; then it was the spiritual path which saved me; I know why and how; and that is what I have explained in my book; I am sharing what I have gone through.
Ask the question this way. There is a therapy called acceptance and commitment therapy. Why does such a therapy exist? Why does it cure people? And why does it resemble the teachings of Eastern traditions?
It is not compulsory that one should walk on the spiritual path. But there are always people like me who have seen extremes of life. And I know that those people need this book.
Also, there are thousands of people who go to fake spiritual gurus. This book will help them to see through their false beliefs. Because, I have said in this book that everyone can find his own path according to his own nature. I have also explained the possible neurological basis to spiritual enlightenment.
What I call as ‘liberation’ is a real phenomenon. That is what the whole book is about. I just want the concept of spiritual liberation leave the domain of religion and the grips of false gurus and become a true phenomenon recognized by science. Already much work has been done on this and I have talked about it in my book as well.
So, there are two questions here.
1) Is liberation a real phenomenon?
Yes. I have explained that in the book very clearly.
2) I am peaceful without liberation. Why do I need to walk in the spiritual path?
Actually, you don’t need to. Because, contentment and peace is the goal of liberation. But if you look at the history, many people have accidentally ended up in a spiritual experience and got somehow transformed by it. So, at least people who have some kind of personality combinations need the spiritual path and spiritual practices. All I know for sure is, I was one such person and there are a lot of people who are going through extreme dissatisfaction just like I did.
Having said that, it doesn’t mean mindfulness meditation is waste of time for others either. There has been already substantial research done on mindfulness meditation, which seems to indicate that it helps to increase subjective well being. The transformation that it has given me is unbelievable.
I think if you finish the book and go through some of my videos, you will get a clear idea. Because, as I clearly suspect, you have misunderstood what I have written. I have mentioned in the book that it has got nothing to do with physics or chemistry.
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Thanks for the reply.
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Hi Shanmugam,
I really want to read your book.
When will the paperback version of the book be available on amazon.in?
Regards
Suraj
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Sir I tried to buy this book but it’s not available in India is the reply I got.
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The paperback is not available, But Kindle version in available in Amazon India.
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