For those losing track of the meaning in every day life, Dr. Ashok Bedi, of Milwaukee, has combined his medical expertise with Hindu and Christian spiritual acumen in his book "Path to the Soul," an easy-to-follow and informative guide for those looking to find healing through self-discovery.
Blending ideas of Eastern spirituality and Western psychiatry in addressing emotional, psychological and spiritual life issues, Bedi creatively integrates myths, personal stories, spiritual frameworks and traditional religious principles to demonstrate how spiritual and psychological healing work together, building a relationship between the mind, body and soul.
Leading his readers on an enjoyable and enlightening voyage toward self-acknowledgement and spiritual fulfillment, Bedi claims that through listening to one's inner and outer lives, individuals can reach harmony and balance. By paying attention to dreams, relationships, projections, complexes, synchronistic events, accidents, symptoms and illnesses, he suggests that people can come to a deep understanding of self and fulfill spiritual evolution and bodily health.
Through active reflecting, living in the present moment, connecting and accepting personal behaviors, as well as listening to and coming to terms with all that is within us, Bedi shows how harmony and balance are possible.
Bedi illustrates how relationships between the chakras -- or points of intersection where physical, emotional, developmental and spiritual forces come together -- can create imbalances with physiological symptoms.
By leading readers through each of the seven chakras of Kundalini Yoga, he shows how individuals can channel energies of the physical body and individual consciousness to open the gate for emotional and spiritual growth and healing.
Not simply a guide or self-help book for personal well-being, "Path to the Soul" is filled with enjoyable tales and insightful understanding into the meanings of Hindu and Christian traditions. Bedi also incorporates the personal stories of his patients to demonstrate how others have discovered their own paths to the soul. Each chapter ends with a few "Points to Ponder" with thought provoking questions guiding toward self-assessment and understanding.
A glossary at the end of the book offers useful definitions for becoming familiarized with certain terminology.
Promoting the routine of listening to self and actively connecting with one's community and surroundings, "Path to the Soul" teaches individuals to embrace challenges and find the courage to live fully and responsibly. The message is not only about the individual, it's about community as well. And with a thoughtful summation, Bedi, himself, writes, "The path to the soul is the first step toward leaving the world a bit better than we found it."
Dr. Ashok Bedi's "Path to the Soul," is published by Samuel Weiser in paperback at $16.95. It can be purchased at www.weiserbooks.com.
Dr. Bedi, whose wife and daughter own the Dancing Ganesha, an east side Indian restaurant, also has his own web site.
