Publications
New from TSJ Publications:
Gently Falls Her Rain Of Light – Collected by Kalidas
Available NOW at a discount from Ingram!
Advance praise for Gently Falls Her Rain Of Light:
Lawrence Edwards has a unique and love drenched connection to the divine Mother as Kali. From this connection has flowed a stream of living holy water. A long unfurling tender revelation in poems of profound devotion and awe. His new book, while absolutely aware of Kali’s savagery, celebrates the mystery behind that savagery. A mystery of burning tender transfiguring love. What deeper inspiration could we ask for in a time so threatened by nihilism and despair.
—Andrew Harvey, author of The Return of the Mother; The Hope; and Radical Regeneration with Carolyn Baker. www.andrewharvey.com
This powerful collection of poems invites us to risk leaping off the edge of rational, binary knowing into the sacred Unknowing that lies around and within us. Turning from poem to poem becomes a dance conducted by the Lord and Mistress of eternal Love. Gently Falls Her Rain of Light resonates with the wisdom found in such mystics of East and West as Jesus, Buddha, Marguerite Porete, Julian of Norwich, Meister Eckhart, Thomas Merton, Ibn ʿArabī, Paramahamsa Yogananda, and Ramakrishna.
—Dr. Robert A. Jonas, Founder & Director of The Empty Bell, retreat leader, musician, environmental activist, and author: My Dear Far-Nearness: The Holy Trinity as Spiritual Practice and The Essential Henri Nouwen (editor). www.emptybell.org
Back in the 1970s the spiritual teacher known as Ram Dass summed up the teachings on how to achieve enlightenment with the words “Be here now.” The idea being that if you could, even for one instant, be absolutely, unconditionally in the present moment – in the NOW – you would dissolve into the luminescent light of pure consciousness. Lawrence Edwards’ beautiful and moving poetry in Gently Falls Her Rain of Light takes you into that moment and guides you on the journey to finding yourself – finding your true Self – in the radiant light and Oneness of All.
Each and every poem is an invitation from the Divine Feminine – pouring into and out of Lawrence – to enter into Union, into Wholeness, into the Oneness and radiance of the All. These poems contain so many moving images, so many deeply relevant insights, so many Truths, that it is almost impossible to pick out the most meaningful among them. And yet here are a few lines that, in their exquisite and utter simplicity, summed up for me the ineffable peace that can be found when one loses oneself in the lustrous light of the Beloved:
Take refuge in
My loving embrace
Rest in Beauty
Rest in Grace.
—Teri Degler, workshop leader and author of The Divine Feminine Fire: Creativity And Your Yearning To Express Your Self and Gopi Krishna – A Biography: Kundalini, Consciousness, and Our Evolution to Enlightenment. www.teridegler.com
Poetry often conveys truth better than any other form. In this book you will encounter beautiful words that shine with truth. The truth of love, the truth of surrender, and the truth of unity. Reading these poems with an open heart and mind you find yourself invited into an inner revolution that leads back to your original home. I would encourage anyone to savor these profound expressions of truth.
—Jeff Carreira, meditation and spirituality teacher, and author of Transdimensional Spirituality. www.jeffcarreira.com
Kalidas (Lawrence Edwards) guides the reader beyond tendencies to dwell in memory, confusion, and reactivity into the light of Divine Presence. This collection of treasures is filled with gems of insight, gold of wisdom, and beauty that reflects the faces of the Divine. Each poem is an invitation to embrace and dance with the Sacred.
—Martin Lowenthal, PhD, author of Avatars of Wisdom, Love and Service and To Bless In Challenging Times: A Season Of Blessings. https://dli.org/books
Lawrence Edwards continues to inspire. His poems are a secret window on the private moments of the meditating soul in communion with the Eternal in an ongoing dialog. Mother and child, lover and Beloved, self and the Self of selves. Throughout, the divine touch keeps returning to us as droplets trailing down windowpanes, the rain cascading down in torrents, manifesting for us the heavenly presence eternally circulating. Read these poems with openness and stillness. They awaken blissful moments.
—Ivan Granger, author of The Longing In Between: Sacred Poetry From Around The World and creator of the online sacred poetry site, Poetry Chaikhana – www.poetry-chaikhana.com.
These poems are pure gold! Nothing more need be said.
—Lee Lyon, author of The 112 Meditations from the Book of Divine Wisdom: the meditations from the Vijnana Bhairava Tantra with commentary and guided practice, Founder and Director of the Institute for Integrative Meditation. www.integrativemeditation.com.
Also available for order at your local bookstore or online. Barnes & Noble
Om Namah Ganga Maa!
Cover Photo Credit: Steve Jurvetson
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The Soul’s Journey: Guidance from the Divine Within
This is the newly revised edition that came out in January 2023.
The audio book version was released on August 30, 2023. It is available through this growing list of distributors:
Audible, Apple, Audiobooks.com, Google Play, Nook – Barnes & Noble, Hoopla, Scribd, Libro, Storytel, Chirpbooks, Kobo.
Click HERE to download to Bonus Supplement for the audiobook.
Click HERE to download the free Ascent To Union booklet that is an excerpt from The Soul’s Journey: Guidance From The Divine Within depicting in mythological symbols the evolutionary journey of our consciousness as Kundalini expands upward through the centers of consciousness leading to merger in the Divine.
The Soul’s Journey propels the reader onto a breathtaking visionary quest as the soul’s longing to know the Divine is answered by the loving power of grace and revelation, known as Kundalini Shakti in the yogic system. Dr. Edwards uses his personal mystical experiences to gradually unfold the tasks to be mastered and the lessons to be learned as we tread our individual path to the Divine. His wisdom is grounded in both direct experience as well as in the knowledge of Jungian archetypal psychology, Eastern and Western mysticism and mythology. The book presents a rich interweaving of personal trials and challenges, insights from poet saints and mystics, uplifting experiences of the Divine being discovered in everyday life, and lofty overviews of the spiritual terrain from different vantage points. The reader will have the good fortune to find their faith and enthusiasm for treading their path delightfully boosted by what they encounter in this book. It contains profound insights and revelations about Kundalini, chakras, the awakening of this sublime power and the direct guidance it gives the seeker from deep within. Kundalini is the Power of the Divine within everyone.
The Soul’s Journey: Guidance from the Divine Within
Click HERE to purchase.
ISBN: 0-595-12648-0
Distributor: Ingram
Labyrinth cover photo credit:
Myrabella / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 – modified, cropped
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Duomo_Lucca_cathedrale_Lucques_labyrinthe.jpg
REVIEWS:
“…Edwards’ first person accounts are riveting. [His] descriptions of his Kundalini states are eloquent, including colorful descriptions of his imagery (olfactory and tactile as well as visual and auditory) and profound insights into the human condition. …Edwards skillfully guides his readers through a pathway on which he has been an experienced traveler.”
Stanley Krippner, Ph.D., professor of psychology, author of Spiritual Dimensions of Healing and editor of Dreamscaping. (AHP Perspective, Sept/Oct 2001)
“You have a treasure chest of experience – so rich a story…. The only one worth telling – the only game in town.”
Joseph Chilton Pearce, noted author and lecturer on human development whose books include THE MAGICAL CHILD, THE MAGICAL CHILD MATURES and EVOLUTION’S END
“I find your descriptions of your experiences fascinating. I really feel that blackness – radiant blackness [of Kali] – you describe. Also your descriptions and explanations and in-depth experiences of the chakras are excellent. Many thanks for sharing this with me. I know it can be of value to many who are working so hard to bring East and West, body and mind together.”
Dr. Marion Woodman, the highly regarded Jungian analyst, author of numerous works and co-author of DANCING IN THE FLAMES: THE DARK GODDESS IN THE TRANSFORMATION OF CONSCIOUSNESS
“This is a moving and highly intelligent book that raises many searching questions with honesty and love. I especially enjoyed Lawrence Edwards’ fearless nakedness about the nature of evil and the nature of the dark obstacles that all true seekers at a certain level will encounter. In the sickly caramel factory that is the New Age it is profoundly invigorating to converse with a mind and heart that knows the extreme price lovers of God must be prepared to pay to come into the radiant atmosphere of union with the Beloved. Whatever small differences I may have with Dr. Lawrence Edwards on the guru question are not as important as my gratitude for his integrity and acumen.”
Andrew Harvey, renowned teacher and author of THE DIRECT PATH and SON OF MAN
The Soul’s Journey: Guidance from the Divine Within is a real gift, so often we read stories about visions, spiritual experiences and mystical teachings which seem to be continents from our own experience. It is so easy to believe in such things in “romantic” kingdoms where miracles occur or even in our own literary recreations of Tibet or India and yet be unable to experience them in our own lives and lounge rooms. In this superb book, Dr. Edwards shares his experiences in a powerful and personal way and shows how visionary experiences and real spiritual growth can be achieved by all of us regardless of where we are.
We learn a lot about his experiences of the divine. Even as a child he experienced the power of the spiritual world and moreover recognized it as a potent and important aspect of his life; he did this despite the discouragement of his parents and the materialistic environment of the culture around him. He carried with him the truth of his early experience of the Great Mother Goddess Kali throughout his life. Later, he became a devotee of… a realized master from India, and under his instruction was able to refine his spiritual life and not only experience further visitations from the Goddess but receive instruction from her.
She instructed him to transmit her teachings, so he recorded and then published them. This was his mission ordained by Kali. Kali told him stories which are enticing and enlightening. They are like the old legends and tales of the Hindu Puranas or even like the crazy wisdom of the Sufis, and while they may be enjoyable they are also allegorical and contain deep wisdom.
Dr. Edwards’ book is a fascinating volume which combines a revealing and personal outline of his own experiences, profound revelations and visions and insightful commentary which is clarified by his own background in Jungian psychology. Here is an intelligent guide to spirituality which while upholding the integrity of the visionary experience (especially Kundalini), also decodes that experience and offers insights from psychology. This is a great achievement and will be of real value to anyone on the spiritual path.
Living Traditions Magazine
In this book, Dr. Edwards provides us with a substantial bridge between the teachings of the ancient masters, and explanations of how to live these very elevated lessons in our daily lives. As the title suggests, the book is an adventure. It is an adventure not only of the author’s soul but also that of the reader. In the beginning it delineates his personal journey, and I have found that wherever I have learned from an author, I have learned a great deal more from the journal of the author’s life. And so it is here.
From the beginning Lawrence Edwards had visionary experiences. Even as a small child he recognized them as real, despite the discouragement of his parents, a disparagement that is so characteristic of our modern time. He retained the truth of the early visit of the Great Goddess, the Mother Goddess, the Goddess Kali. Later in life, when he devoted himself to a remarkable Siddha Master from the East, he opened more fully, with numerous visionary visitations from the Goddess. She instructed him to carry her lessons forward by recording them, and then publishing them. This was his mission ordained by Kali, and this is his accomplishment.
Kali told him stories that are adventures in themselves. But like the great stories of the Sufi or the Hassidic Masters, these allegories are entertainment that carry great wisdom. They import the truths from the spiritual heights. Furthermore, the legends from the Goddess become elaborated by comments and explication, which then bring their symbology into life’s practice. This is an adventure of mind and soul. It is an adventure in teaching from the soul and lessons for the soul of the reader. In the tradition of guru to seeker, teacher to student, these lessons from the life and visions of Dr. Edwards become an education in living our own lives with higher spiritual aspiration and higher personal achievement.
Maurie D. Pressman, M.D., author of Enter the Supermind; co-author of Twin Souls; Professor of Psychiatry at Temple University and Emeritus Chairman of Psychiatry at the Albert Einstein Medical Center
With quiet grace and the impressive assurance that comes from deep familiarity with the path, Lawrence Edwards introduces us to ever deeper levels of Divine Reality as manifested through the Goddess (Kundalini). He achieves what few dare attempt and even fewer succeed in: a profound and convincing revelation of his own inner progression along that journey of spirit to which he has been called. In his account of his personal quest, he includes the full spectrum of what seekers may expect, from the overwhelming bliss of ecstatic union to the terror of unexpected encounters with the Shadow.
His learning is based on a deep familiarity with ancient teachings, but he is able to put much material in a fresh perspective; for example, he reminds of the need to keep the feminine principle ever in view, including the importance of allowing the Goddess, which is Kundalini, to direct us as the energies awaken, rather than trying to coerce Her into preset paths and institutional (patriarchal) formulas. Further, he makes a welcome and vivid distinction between that which is literal and that which is figurative in the ancient descriptions. His explanation of the chakras (“wheels”) and the “snake” of Kundalini does much to clarify the confusion which has surrounded these images through the years. Although he was a follower of external teachers for many years, he points out that the ultimate guide is the inner, rather than the outer, guru.
This book is an invaluable map to all who venture into similar spiritual terrain. It will be most especially welcomed by those who have tasted of comparable experience through Kundalini awakening, visionary revelation, or the soul’s dark night. His voice is that of the authentic pilgrim whose many years of immersion into the ancient practices and lore of Siddha Yoga together with his training in Jungian/transpersonal psychology create a uniquely qualified spokesperson. He is both practitioner and scholar, with a rich familiarity with both Eastern mystical tradition and contemporary Western perspective. He is a wise and trustworthy voice, a teacher whose knowledge and counsel will benefit all those fortunate enough to be introduced to this volume. And, for persons undergoing Kundalini transformation who are seeking a more comprehensive understanding of the process, this book is an invaluable source.
Dorothy Walters, Ph.D., author of Marrow of Flame: Poems of the Spiritual Journey, Unmasking the Rose: An Account of a Kundalini Initiation, and A Cloth of Fine Gold: Poems of the Inner Journey.
Lawrence Edwards is a mystic who shares a deep and abiding love and respect for the Divine in his work. Through sharing his visions and stories, honed in the fires of meditation and Eastern mythological symbolism, he unlocks the particular to expose the Universal connection to the Divine. For him, it is devotion to the Divine Feminine which is so powerful. …Here we see the Divine Feminine as reflected by a man in search of Her. Lawrence is also able to express the woundedness of men without the strength of a strong positive Masculine, as well. If your path is rooted in meditation and Eastern mythology, you will find a home in this spiritual autobiography which points well beyond itself.
Barbra Telynor, Editor, ATP Working Titles, January 2002
Thank you so much for the privilege of reading your book. I really like all the stories… My favorite story was the one in which you were preparing dinner for your colleagues as if you were preparing to serve God. That story just really resonated for me. I’m sure the people at your dinner table were fed and blessed by your vision of them… I found your book very uplifting and it made me want to spend hours talking with you and sharing stories and talking about how we are applying all these visions in our daily life.
Kathi Kemper, M.D., M.P.H., best-selling author of The Holistic Pediatrician and Mental Health Naturally!
Lawrence Edwards wrote his doctoral thesis on Kundalini. The Goddess first paid him a visit when he was 3 years old (although it wasn’t until much later that he realized the magical “lady of light” was none other than Kundalini). When he humbly sought her guidance, Kundalini returned to initiate him through a series of intense experiences of mystical union… At one point, Kundalini instructed Edwards to publish the narrative visions so the world would know of her presence and purpose, which is exactly what he has done with THE SOUL’S JOURNEY.
With his Jungian training, Edwards translates the images and revelationary story line of his visions into familiar actualities of the path. He also tells of unexpected twists in his own journey (past life recall, harrowing encounters with malevolent entities, sudden healing abilities) and advises readers with wisdom he’s gleaned along the way….
Most touching is his devotion to Kundalini. He tells a wonderful story about an author who had experienced Kundalini… Although Kundalini had appeared to him in a vision, he hadn’t been impressed, as she seemed to be an ordinary woman. While in the company of a yogi/saint famous for his love of Kundalini, the author again saw Kundalini manifest herself. But this time she appeared as a radiant Goddess. Stunned, the author asked why the Kundalini looked so much more beautiful in the presence of the yogi. The yogi answered simply, “Because I worship her.” As Glenn Morris would say, study on this.
THE SOUL’S JOURNEY is a powerful, illuminating and inspiring book — one that anyone seeking to understand Kundalini should place near the top of their reading list.
El Collie, former publisher and editor of the internationally distributed newsletter, Shared Transformation
I have been reading Dr. Edwards’ book “The Soul’s Journey: Guidance From The Divine Within” and, Wow!, it’s fantastic!
After seeing the Goddess in his childhood, years later, while sitting in a meditation hall, Dr. Edwards has six consecutive visions of six different forms of the Goddess prior to Kali lighting up his inner space with one cosmic revelation after another, culminating in profound realizations and a message from Kali.
The Goddess then directs him to share her “gift” to him with others by writing it all down and getting it published. He is shown in visions what to write along with commentaries by the Goddess, presented to him as scenes in his mind. Dr. Edwards is just as amazed as his readers will be, and humbled by his cosmic visitations from Kali. Moreover, his surprise and humility at being “chosen” by the Divine give his words a solid ring of truth.
Dr. Edwards extraordinary encounter with the Divine is one of the most impressive and inspiring books I have ever read about Kundalini. Perhaps devotion to the Mother Goddess is the highest path to fully awakening Kundalini with a Mother’s Love guiding you safely home.
Bob Boyd, Kundalini Survival & Support
At last! A book on the spiritual path written by someone who has walked the walk instead of just talking the talk. Edwards’ descriptions of personal revelations by the Goddess, dating from his early childhood, give clarity, inspiration and hope to all those yearning in their lives for a closer connection with the divine. This book inspires awe at the infinite beauty, grace and love which has flowed from the Goddess in Her many forms directly to the author’s mind and soul. Just as importantly, though, it is a sobering reminder of the challenges, struggles and dangers of the spiritual quest which arise from the darkness of our own shadow side, and which we must continually acknowledge, confront and release in order ultimately to open ourselves fully to the ever-present divine love and grace always enfolding us. We see that these revelations, both positive and negative, were the product of years of intense and serious cultivation under the tutelage of a truly enlightened Master. Such devotion and perseverance, especially in the face of inner demons and outer tribulations, are the inevitable offerings necessary eventually to bear the ecstatic spiritual fruit that it has been the author’s delight to have experienced. But what is also impressive is the sense throughout that the author sees himself as a human being, like the rest of us, working to get through each day and dealing with the myriad confusions, vices, and temptations that plague us all. His commitment to confront these issues as consciously as possible is what makes this book, and his example, accessible as a “better way” to deal with our own issues. It also gives the hope that, by following this “better way”, we may ourselves one day personally experience the loving presence and guidance of the Goddess just as he has.
This book, and especially the chapter presenting the allegory of “The Bird of a Thousand Lights,” came at an especially critical point in my own spiritual development. Reading that chapter brought an immediate intuitive sense of recognition. Being able to identify with the protagonist on his quest and to see clearly both where I stood in my own journey, and what the path ahead held for me, lent tremendous encouragement to me. As a long time follower of the spiritual path, I have often “found” a book which, after reading it, I knew was the “right book at the right time.” The Soul’s Journey was one such book for me, and I trust that it will be for many other “seekers” as well. I highly recommend it!
Jim Giorgi, MA, the late school psychologist, black belt Aikido Master and Zen dharma teacher
I think your book is truly wonderful. …I couldn’t help but compare your extraordinary stories with the parables that Jesus used to express himself. I believe your book will help many people…
Judith Miller, Ph.D., clinical psychologist and author of Direct Connection
The Soul’s Journey: Guidance from the Divine Within can be ordered through bookstores everywhere or click HERE.
O My Beloved: Whisperings From The Divine Heard By Kalidas
by Lawrence Edwards, PhD
Available NOW!
Praise For O My Beloved:
“Lawrence Edwards is that rare miracle—an authentic mystical poet inspired by direct experience of the divine. In O My Beloved, he offers us a gorgeous, wild, passionate, sacred feast. Eat, be inspired, rejoice, and keep using these messages from reality to embolden and ennoble your life.” —Andrew Harvey, author of Turn Me to Gold: 108 Translations of Kabir www.andrewharvey.net
“The jewels in this collection are translucent. By getting out of their own way, these poems let the divine light come streaming through.” —Mirabai Starr, author of Wild Mercy: Living the Fierce and Tender Wisdom of Women Mystics www.mirabaistarr.com
“These whisperings from the Divine are magnificent. As I read O my Beloved, I see spiritual seekers getting off their cushions, spreading out their arms to the sky, and breaking out in joyous song for the Divine Love that has given them life. As the seekers find each other in dance, the surrounding clouds of doubt, fear, brokenheartedness, loneliness, and self-reproach fall away, revealing their fellow dancers, Buddha, Jesus, Lord Yama, Saraswati Devi, Mother Mary, Shekhinah, and Tara. Reading these poems is a Lectio Divina, changing us as we drink the nourishment of Kalidas’ shared freedom. —Robert A. Jonas, EdD, retreat leader, musician (shakuhachi), and founder and director of The Empty Bell sanctuary www.emptybell.org
“I love these poems! In his inspired O My Beloved, Lawrence Edwards put words to the timeless longing our soul feels for its source. Each poem has a power to pull the receptive reader into a deep meditative state filled with a love of the Divine. In this collection we find the extraordinary power of the fifteenth century devotional dialogue tradition effortlessly voiced in the twenty-first century. Moving and inspiring. Good company for anyone with a heart full of longing.” —Lee Lyon, founder and director of Foundation for Integrative Meditation, Santa Fe, NM, author of The 112 Meditations from the Book of Divine Wisdom www.integrativemeditation.org/about-lee-lyon
“When the Goddess speaks, she expresses the inexpressible. And this is exactly what she does when she speaks to the poet Lawrence Edwards. She expresses the inexpressible and then urges him, cajoles him, and spurs him on to find a way, to find the words that expresses it to the rest of us—to express the utter, unimaginable grandeur and glory of the Oneness of the All.” —Teri Degler, author of The Divine Feminine Fire: Creativity and Your Yearning to Express Your Self and The Fiery Muse: Creativity and the Spiritual Quest http://www.teridegler.com
“In his deeply felt book of spiritual poetry, Lawrence Edwards ascribes the beauty of his words with heartfelt modesty to the Kundalini goddess, Kali Ma, saying she chose him as a scribe to communicate her divine inspiration. We sense the unity of their connection in each line and observe the transcendent joy Edwards experiences in letting go of the all-too-human doubts and uncertainties produced by the mortal mind. This book is a celebration of his deep compassion for all that is known and unknown in our lives and for what is waiting for us when we shed our illusions, recognize that All is One, and embrace the universal love offered by Mahadevi in all her forms. No matter the source of the words, Edwards conveys his euphoric poetry with graciousness and passion, and each line is offered to us as a gift waiting to be unwrapped and savored.” —Bruce Singer, PsyD, clinical psychologist, mindfulness meditation teacher, musician, composer, and author of Black Duck Moments Every Day www.drbrucesinger.com
“Kalidas’ renderings of these ‘Whisperings’ throb with the Divine presence. Evoking tears of longing and holy laughter, I found myself savoring them with long pauses to drink in the Beloved’s blessings. The poems overflow with tenderness, passion for the Holy and compassion for the ‘dear mind’ that attempts to reign. Kalidas transmits the Devi’s invitation to go—or be taken ‘where mysteries beyond mysteries unfold.’ Take Her up on her offer and ‘hurl yourself in!’” —Sister Elizabeth Broyles, CMA, cofounder, Companions of Mary the Apostle https://companionsofmarytheapostle.org/
“Passion, love, deity, dignity all clearly expressed in poetry rarely seen in today’s creativity. Dr. Edwards reveals and revels in the deepest part of his Soul, welcoming our Souls to new heights and possibilities. His transparent love for the Divine, his passion, pours out with the dignity that only a worshiper of his caliber can express. Reading his new poetry took us to a level rarely acknowledged in our present day. What an experience!” —Charles Whitfield, MD and Barbara Whitfield, CMT, RT, authors of Healing The Child Within and The Natural Soul, and other books www.barbara-whitfield.com
“In O My Beloved, Lawrence Edwards shares a precious song of devotion. These poems reflect both longtime spiritual practice and the immediacy and intimacy of moment that is the timeless center of that practice. In sacred and beautiful conversation, Edwards points toward a hopeful space where the longing and loving, broken and whole heart is unconditionally held.” —Rachel Blum, poet, author of Doctor of Flowers https://rachelblumpoetry.com/
“O My Beloved is an enchanting, mystical song of the Divine, leading the way to victory beyond the battlefields of life and death itself. Kalidas strikes with a clean sword, penning words that cut straight into the Heart of the One. What pours forth in these poems is Divinity’s pure nectar. Each word, a vibration of the Divine, releasing and transmitting the purest of Love, bestowing grace and delight on every page. Kalidas guides us through a portal to a liberating journey from the finite to the infinite. A magical, masterful ride into the highest realms of the mystics, Gods, Goddesses, and into the abode of the One. Elevated into states of higher consciousness, this is our opportunity to take refuge and find the place of Union inside our own sacred, loving heart.” —Anita Craig, founder and director, FLOW, Future Leaders of the World (Pty) South Africa; and founding member of the Ganga Bhavani Maa World Trust https://www.futureleadership.co.za/
“The poems of Kalidas invite us to step outside our daily concerns and melt into the divine embrace. These songs remind us of our own inner voice in continuous, passionate dialog with the Divine Beloved. The language is often simple and direct, the honest, unadorned voice of the heart discovering new ways to surrender and open. A book to keep at arm’s reach on the nightstand or near the altar.” —Ivan Granger, founder and editor of Poetry Chaikhana, author of Real Thirst: Poetry of the Spiritual Journey, and editor of This Dance of Bliss: Ecstatic Poetry from Around the World www.poetry-chaikhana.com
Order now from your local bookseller, Amazon or at a discount: online:
O My Beloved by Lawrence Edwards
ISBN (paperback): 978-0-578-37228-0
ISBN (ebook): 978-0-578-37229-7
Kali’s Bazaar: Penned by Kalidas
You may laugh out loud, be moved to tears or pulled into deep contemplation by what you encounter in Kali’s Bazaar. Readers will return often to this accessible collection of poems to draw from its wellspring of devotion, revelation and celebration of the Divine present in every moment, every being and all of creation. Bring inspiration, clarity and practical instruction to your spiritual path or meditative practice through insightful and often ecstatic poetry from a devoted master meditation teacher who has more than 40 years of experience teaching and practicing the arts of meditation. Dr. Edwards has trained in Buddhist, yogic, Kundalini and other mystic traditions, in addition to his professional training in depth psychology, biofeedback and neurofeedback. This was his first published collection of poetry he received in meditation. Click here to purchase.
Kali’s Bazaar penned by Kalidas
Author: Lawrence Edwards
Illustrator: Molly Edwards
Publisher: TSJ Publications
ISBN: 978-1-935827-09-2
Trade Paperback, 202 p.
Publication date: 2/2012
Copyright 2011 Lawrence Edwards
All Rights Reserved
Superlative Reviews For Kali’s Bazaar:
Enter this book and you enter into Kali’s terrifying and amazing world in which all of your fantasies both of power and of limitation will be exploded. Let yourself be exploded by the wild truth in these poems so you can become both sane and mad enough to do Kali’s work.
Andrew Harvey, author of Turn Me to Gold: 108 Translations of Kabir, Return of the Mother, Son of Man: The Mystical Path To Christ, and many more.
Kali’s Bazaar is poetry in the ecstatic tradition of Hafiz, Rumi, and Kabir. This type of poem isn’t cultivated or tidy; it’s devotional and raw. The fundamental drive and message of Kalidas’s poems are eternally important—they speak of love, fearlessness, and joy, and they speak about all of these things in a large voice. The style of the poems departs from the more refined voice of traditional poetry, which might not appeal to every ear. But because of their driving intent to realize and “see through,” the poems in Kali’s Bazaar are worth a look for anyone trying to do the same.
Keith Belcher – Yoga International journal, Fall 2012
Extraordinary poetry — pure bhakti!
Roger Woolger, world-renowned Jungian analyst, past-life healer and author of several books including The Goddess Within.
This collection of devotional poems, a rarity in today’s world, will awaken the heart of love within any reader whatever their spiritual tradition. Lawrence Edwards, a long time devotee of the Devi (the archetypal feminine that exists within all), has had the blessings of some of the leading Masters of our time. As these ecstatic poems reveal, he provides a shining example of the spiritual life fully lived, able to embrace with eloquence all of life’s extremes from suffering to bliss. These poems are in the tradition of the great ecstatic poets such as Rumi, Kabir, Hafiz and others. They transport the reader beyond this world of duality into unconditioned Oneness, a rare gift indeed!
Most of the poems came to Kalidas during meditation by “the Divine’s power of Grace.” Others were born amidst the challenges of daily life. The sign of a wise teacher, he doesn’t separate the inner, devotional life from the world’s suffering, but rather weaves them together masterfully. These poems radiate a passionate, timeless, love-saturated intensity and will touch your heart in unimaginable ways.
Olivia Ames Hoblitzelle, author, Ten Thousand Joys & Ten Thousand Sorrows: A Couple’s Journey Through Alzheimer’s. Excerpt included in an anthology of Best Buddhist Writers, 2009.
Here, gathered over many years of quest and deep experience, is a beautiful symposium of devotional poems to awaken the mind and rejoice the heart. The introduction is a powerful call to the incandescent reality of inner experience. Here are poems to savor, to guide, to bring tears and, above all, to dissolve the veil that lies between us and the Divine Presence who tells us that we live within Her Being and Her Love.
Anne Baring, British Jungian analyst and author of One Work: A Journey Toward The Self, and co-author with Andrew Harvey of The Mystic Vision and The Divine Feminine. www.annebaring.com
Those on a sacred path will recognize that Kalidas (Lawrence Edwards) has made an authentic life journey and, through his poetry, is sharing his piercing insights and exalted states. His relationship to the Mother allows us to hear her voice in every sound, to see her magnificence in every sight, to feel her fiercely loving caress in every touch, and to sense the rhythm of her beating heart in our soul. Reading these poems transports and transforms the reader through delight and deep satisfaction.
Martin Lowenthal, Psychologist, Tibetan Buddhist, Founder of the Dedicated Life Institute and author of several books, including Alchemy of the Soul and Buddha and the Art of Intimacy. www.dli.org
In this collection, Kalidas (servant of Kali) offers us the distillation of a lifetime of spiritual seeking and devotion. Each poem glows with the iridescent spark of that sacred essence left in the alchemist’s dish when all the dross has been sifted away. Yeats used the phrase “when naked to naked goes” to describe such moments, when the unadorned soul unites with the Beloved in shameless adoration. These poems allow us to observe at close hand this profound process by which the mundane substance of the material self is transmuted into the clarity of the refined being, the gold of pure spirit.
For years a monk in India, later an accomplished Jungian therapist, workshop leader, and meditation master, Kalidas (Lawrence Edwards, PhD) now devotes much of his time to helping others on the path, particularly those undergoing unexpected Kundalini awakening. This is the gift he returns to the world, precious goods recovered from a lifetime voyage into the authentic self.
Dorothy Walters, PhD, author of numerous works including Unmasking the Rose: A Record of a Kundalini Initiation; Marrow of Flame: Poems of the Spiritual Journey; www.kundalinisplendor.blogspot.com
The poignant imagery and keen spiritual insights I found in Kali’s Bazaar delighted me. But what moved me even more was that they revealed Lawrence – whose vast knowledge and rare understanding of Eastern traditions have long marked as a man of profound intellect – to be a man of even deeper heart….
Teri Degler, author several books, including The Divine Feminine Fire and The Fiery Muse: Creativity and the Spiritual Quest. She is an international workshop leader on the Divine Feminine. www.teridegler.com
With great humility (a sign of an authentic teacher) Lawrence Edwards reveals to us his spiritual inner life empowering us to accept our own inner experiences instead of thinking something might be terribly wrong.
As we read these devotional poems aloud to each other we discovered – not new landscapes but the same landscapes with new eyes. This beautiful writing reminded us that Spirit is in everything, including our relationships. Kali’s Bazaar is definitely a gift of grace for anyone, including couples to share.
Charles Whitfield, MD, author of Choosing God and Teachers of God
Barbara Harris Whitfield, author of Spiritual Awakenings and The Natural Soul. Barbara-Whitfield.blogspot.com
The book is magnificent, epic!! It, in brief lines of prose and deep inspiration, exposes the eternal truth and
perennial philosophy naked to the world. It is a book that can be read in an hour and must be studied for a
lifetime to reveal the astonishing truths hidden in its pages.
Kali’s Bazaar contains a distillation of the essence of all the world’s mystery and ecstatic traditions. Embrace
the light streaming from its pages!
Curtis Allen Paulson, author of Quantum Christ
Click HERE for your discount purchase of Kali’s Bazaar!
Or you can order it from your local bookstore or online book sellers.
Also by Lawrence Edwards, PhD and available through Sounds True:
Awakening Kundalini: The Path To Radical Freedom – click HERE to purchase.
This comprehensive guide to Kundalini offers teachings and practices not included in the audio program, while the audio program includes guided meditations, mantras and chants unique to the audio version.
With his unique expertise in modern psychology, neuroscience, meditation training, and spiritual traditions, Lawrence Edwards clarifies for readers the many dimensions of Kundalini awakening, including practices and meditations for recognizing its manifestations and preparing the body and mind to enter its expansive, empowering flow.
When experienced skillfully, Kundalini can be the most profoundly transformative experience of our lives. Awakening Kundalini makes available a complete and practical resource for tapping into this transformative force, and realizing our ability to live “radically free.”
REVIEWS:
“This book is a revelation that is a service to all of us—beginner, initiate, sage. It is a book about awakening that inspires awakening. It is a book about honoring the feminine that is a true sacred marriage of the masculine and feminine—remarkably clear and beautifully poetic. The book is elegant in the truest scientific and consciousness-based ways—simple and so powerful. Lawrence Edwards supportively guides us on our own heroic journey in a way that demonstrates he is what he writes about—so humble and so wise. A real teacher.”
—Andrew Hahn, PsyD, Founder and director of the Guided Self Healing Training Institute
“A rare combination of a highly trained, articulate Western mind and a deeply personal experience of this extraordinary subject. Wise, elegant, and inspiring. Highly recommended.”
—Lee Lyon, Founder and director of the Foundation for Integrative Meditation
“This book is an indispensable guide for anyone on the path of spiritual awakening. Dr. Edwards has devoted his life to studying and practicing the unfolding process of Kundalini, the subtle spiritual energy within everyone that leads to the highest states of consciousness. His depth of knowledge, personal experiences, and devotional poems illuminate the pages of this extraordinary book. Acknowledged worldwide for his professional experience in guiding people along the spiritual path—particularly through the mysteries of advanced yogic practice—Dr. Edwards is a gifted and compassionate guide. His devotional journey will inspire all who read his book. It is destined to become a classic in the field.”
—Olivia Ames Hoblitzelle
Author of Ten Thousand Joys & Ten Thousand Sorrows: A Couple’s Journey through Alzheimer’s
“Lawrence Edwards has given us an incomparable gift: a detailed, compassionate, and brilliantly clear guide to the greatest mystery and greatest revelation of our existence. It tells the story of his call to the profound process of awakening known in the yogic tradition as Kundalini, through his early visionary experiences, his meeting with his Indian teacher, and how his life unfolded from that fortuitous meeting. Drawing on the rich legacy of numerous traditions—Jungian, Western psychology, scientific research, traditional yogic and mystical ones—this book is an incomparable aid in taking us beyond the confines of the delusionary certainties of our ego mind toward the experience of the deepest ground of our own being. Kundalini—known by other names in other spiritual traditions—is the path of reunion with the Divine Consciousness that lives and breathes in all of us—capable, as he says, of transforming our mind, our body, and every aspect of our lives. There is no one better qualified to explain and teach it, or to accompany us on our own mythic journey of discovery.”
—Anne Baring
Author of The Dream of the Cosmos: A Quest for the Soul
“This book is ‘state of the art’—the most comprehensive discussion of the Universal Life Force known as Kundalini. Edwards explores spiritual principles with his unique expertise in psychology, neuroscience, meditation training, and spiritual traditions. Western psychology has mapped our psychological and emotional development. Western medicine has mapped our physical development. Now Edwards shows us, in unprecedented depth, each step of our spiritual development. Toward the end of this excellent read, Edwards helps us to experience the realization that we humans are capable of and entitled to the wonder and splendor of each moment.”
—Charles L. Whitfield, MD – Author of Choosing God: A Bird’s Eye View of a Course in Miracles
—Barbara Whitfield, RT – Author of Spiritual Awakenings: Insights of the Near-Death Experience and Doorways to Our Soul
“This book makes me very happy. First, as a woman, it is fundamentally reorienting to read the work of a man who is devoted to the wisdom and transformative power of the divine feminine. As a psychiatrist, it is immeasurably helpful to have a clear framework to understand the gift of the extraordinary consciousness beyond our usual body-mind perspective. Understanding the creative process of Shakti’s unfolding in the evolution of our Self is a much-needed perspective in interpreting the physical, mental, and emotional challenges that can arise in us—whether or not we are actively seeking to cultivate the vital flow of Kundalini. Dr. Edwards provides detailed guidance for exploring meditative techniques and other tools to work with this ancient tradition in our everyday lives. Further, he provides a balanced treatment of the psychological process encountered in inner work, including the healthful role of the ego mind and working with our shadow in the process of Kundalini awakening—essential but often neglected topics in spiritual guidance. This is an inspiring reference manual for my work with others.”
—Mary B. O’Malley, MD, PhD, Harvard trained psychiatrist and sound healer
Awakening Kundalini: The Path To Radical Freedom, audio program – click HERE to purchase.
Audio download from Sounds True that gives you 7.5 hours of instruction, guided practices, meditations and powerful mantra chants to further your progress on your spiritual path.
Discover a Potent, Creative Force for Spiritual Transformation
Kundalini is the power of Divine within that compels us to evolve and grow—identified by cultures and traditions all over the world as a key to the most profoundly transformative experiences we can have. With its ability to connect us to the energy of creation and elevate us to a higher state of consciousness, Kundalini awakening is crucial to the deepening of our spiritual evolution. But the deep spiritual unfolding that Kundalini offers can also be confusing and difficult to grasp—so how can we approach this universal power with preparation and wisdom?
An Essential Guide for Navigating the Kundalini Experience
In Awakening Kundalini, Dr. Lawrence Edwards, who has devoted his life to understanding and teaching about Kundalini, presents an essential guide to harnessing this boundless energy. In six in-depth sessions, he offers a comprehensive exploration from the physical, psychological, and spiritual perspectives, with insights and practices for recognizing what Kundalini is, how it manifests, and when your body and mind are ready to initiate an awakening of consciousness. “You are born with Kundalini,” says Dr. Edwards. “You just need the right conditions to unfold it.” Through seven hours of teachings, learn how to open to the freedom of awakening while avoiding the pitfalls, misunderstandings, and projections that are so often a part of the spiritual journey.
“Kundalini reveals the divine nature of the entire universe and every being within it-and shows us our true capacity for limitless compassion, connection, and love,” Dr. Edwards teaches. Join him to discover how to tap into this profoundly transformative force, and through Awakening Kundalini, realize your ability to live “radically free.”
Highlights:
– The soul’s yearning for transcendence and freedom
– The three upayas (means) that support Kundalini’s ascent
– Cultivating “Witness Consciousness”—the ability to watch without judgment whatever arises and dissolves in our lives
– How Shakti, the vibrational power of mantra, helps to unfold Kundalini energy
– The importance of discernment and healthy boundaries when it comes to spiritual practice
– The unlimited ways in which Shaktipat, the descent of grace, can reveal our true nature
– The body’s chakra system and its role in Kundalini awakening
– Our shadow sides, and how Kundalini can illuminate the darkness that hides our talents and lures our ego-mind
– Telling the difference between sat (what is true) and asat (what is not true)
– Kundalini empowered practices for one to do use at home.
To purchase the audio program Awakening Kundalini click here.
New YouTube video channel for the Anam Cara Meditation Foundation features weekly programs of teaching, mantra, chants and meditation led by Lawrence:
MEDITATION AND CHANTING CD!
Preview and buy here.
The mahamantra, the great mantra, Om Namah Shivaya, is a throb of your own divine Self. Om Namah Shivaya translates as Om, I bow to the Auspicious One, the Divine within everyone. You are the Auspicious One, Shiva. Limitless is your power, love and ecstasy. That is your true nature, your true home and refuge. Kundalini Shakti gives you the sublime form of mantra, opening the way for you to abide once again in the truth of your radical freedom.
Through chanting and meditation, become absorbed in Om Namah Shivaya, watching as the power of the mantra transforms mind and body into perfect vehicles for the ecstatic One already residing within you as you. The mantra will empower you to live with the boundless wisdom, love, and creativity that radiate from your true Self.
This album includes brief meditation instructions, meditative chants of Om Namah Shivaya, and silent tracks for timing your meditation. The meditation ends with the ringing of a beautiful Tibetan gong (which can be used separately on any smartphone for a ringtone or alarm tone), followed by chanting Om Namah Shivaya to ease your consciousness back into the day. The Om Namah Shivaya chant on this album is the one that so many people attending Lawrence’s programs and retreats love for its power to ease the mind and plunge you into the depths of pure Consciousness. In the stillness of meditation Lawrence first heard Om Namah Shivaya being chanted in this way as the mantra arose spontaneously within the spaciousness of Consciousness. Shaktipat diksha is the ultimate gift that this mantra has to bestow on souls ripe for awakening.
After the meditation tracks is a chant of world mantras from Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, and Christianity, which invoke the unity of the one Source. These mantras are:
- Om Namah Shivaya – “Om, I bow with reverence to the auspicious One” – Invokes the all-embracing, omnipresent One, the Divine within – Hindu.
- Om Kali Durge Ma – “Om, Kali Durge Mother of all” – invokes the living presence of Great Goddess Kali, the mother of the universe from whom all forms emerge – Hindu.
- Om Mani Padme Hum – “Om, Hail the jewel in the lotus” – Invokes the living presence of the Buddha within you as your true nature – Tibetan Buddhist.
- Om Tare Tam Soha – “Om, Tara, mother of all Buddhas, resounding in the heart, so may it be” – Red Tara mantra invoking Tara, Mother of all Buddhas and her boundless compassion which brings to the seeker all that’s needed to overcome obstacles – Tibetan Buddhist.
- La ilaha illallah – “There is no deity other than God” – Invokes the awareness of the universal One – Islam.
- Ein Od Milvado – “There is none but Him” – Invokes the sublime non-dual awareness that all is God, everything is God – Jewish.
- Kyrie Eléison – “Lord, have mercy” – Invokes the boundless compassion of the One – Christian.
- Sancta Maria Mater Dei – “Holy Mary, Mother of God” – Invokes the living presence of the Divine feminine as Mary, Mother of God – Christian.
The last track on the album is an extended version of the slow Om Namah Shivaya chant that allows you to become more deeply absorbed in this vibration of the Divine within.
The deep power of mantra arises from beyond the mind, beyond thoughts, beyond words. The ordinary mind mistakes mantra as just another thought form and thus doesn’t recognized its true potency. The real power of mantra is the Consciousness of the Self, Kundalini Shakti, vibrating into form and manifesting the sound body of the Infinite which the mind can then perceive as mantra. Take hold of the mantra and you take hold of the Divine. Absorb the mind in mantra and you dissolve back into the One, the Source of all. Know the true nature of mantra and you will know what it is to merge into the ocean of Love that is your Divine Self.
The word “mantra” means “that which protects.” It protects one from the ignorance of one’s true nature and from continuously acting out of that ignorance, creating countless life-times of karma. Become absorbed in the mantra and know your radical freedom, your true nature as the Self of all. You are what you seek. The ancient Vedas proclaim: Tat twam asi! Thou art That!
The translations of the mantras only hint at their true meaning and power. The meaning of the words are the least important aspect of a mantra. The Consciousness that is invoked and transmitted through the mantra is what truly initiates and sustains awakening to the One. Fully enter into the vehicle of mantra and discover where it takes you. You can learn more about the power of mantra and mantra practices in Lawrence’s books, Awakening Kundalini: The Path To Radical Freedom and The Soul’s Journey: Guidance From The Divine Within.
This album was created to support people in their meditative practices and the proceeds go to helping support Anam Cara Meditation whose mission it is to make meditation available to everyone. For more information please visit www.anamcarameditation.org. Lawrence Edwards is the founder and director of Anam Cara Meditation. The website has many additional free resources.