The Direct Path: Creating a Journey to the Divine Using the World's Mystical Traditions

by Andrew Harvey

" The Direct Path is the Path to God without dogma or priests or gurus, the Path of DIRECT self-empowerment and self-awakening. Whether you know it yet or not, you have been on it since the day you were born."

Today more Americans than ever consider themselves to be "spiritual" people, and yet regular attendance at religious institutions is down, perhaps because many of us are searching for a way to encounter the divine on our own terms.  We long to connect with something greater than ourselves, but are often conflicted about the teachings and rituals of organized religions, or simply don't know where to begin.  In this groundbreaking, eloquently written work, renowned religious scholar Andrew Harvey builds on his twenty-five-year study of the world's various mystical traditions--including Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Sufism, the Kabbalah, and Christian mysticism--to create an illuminating spiritual map that anyone can use to develop a direct path to the divine.

Andrew Harvey has devoted his life to the study and pursuit of the divine, and in The Direct Path he chronicles his own spiritual journey, revealing the events that led to his own disillusionment with the guru system, and the hierarchy and hypocrisy of many contemporary religious movements.  He then provides us with the tools we need to cultivate a personal relationship with the divine without relying on gurus, churches, or other institutions and intermediaries.  Drawing on mystical traditions from around the world, Harvey outlines eighteen sacred practices--including breathing, chanting, meditation, prayer, and the practice of lovingkindness--that readers can use to unite mind, body, and soul, and he streamlines them into a step-by-step guide to personalized spiritual development and enlightenment. He discusses the four stages of spiritual transformation--awakening, engagement, marriage, and birthing--and shows us how we can incorporate the sacred into everyday life through activities such as dieting and fasting, dancing, laughing, and healing exercises such as yoga and tai chi.  Through practical lessons and exercises, Harvey guides us in excavating our spiritual self, and creating not only a path to the divine but to the millions of other selves who walk the earth with us.

Perfect for anyone who, in this time of spiritual uncertainty, yearns for fresh teachings and wisdom that will bring them closer to their life's purpose and meaning, The Direct Path is an intelligent, beautifully crafted masterpiece from one of today's most celebrated and respected spiritual luminaries.

Genres: Spirituality, Philosophy, Mysticism, Religion

291 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Andrew Harvey is an author, religious scholar and teacher of mystic traditions, known primarily for his popular nonfiction books on spiritual or mystical themes, beginning with his 1983 A Journey in Ladakh.

From Wikipeadia

Reviews

[Jennifer Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of this I REALLY liked and resonated with, while some of it felt too far from the Christian path for me to feel comfortable with. He actually speaks of this in the book—that some will feel more comfortable remaining within their own spiritual tradition’s unique “brand” of mysticism. That’s where I am presently, and I appreciate this book for helping clarify that for me. I do LOVE recognizing how universal “the direct path” is to all faith traditions, and I don’t see the Christian path as the “right” or “only” way—I just see it as the one that speaks most directly to me.

[Ludmila · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am so disappointed with this book. I really wanted to like it. During the Introduction part, I felt like Harvey could provide me with a lot of new, fresh, inspiring thoughts. I felt strong compassion and connection to him, when he explained that during his childhood he got to know various religions, he realized all of them lead in the same direction, and that you do not need any intermediary to reach the goal.

I was served something completely different from what I had imagined. In explaining his idea about a direct path, Harvey basically came up with a whole new religion. It is his own religion, his own idea, his own dogmatic system. Instead of encouraging people to find their own way without the help of a religion, he is telling them to follow HIS way.

Harvey might think he is above the religion, but he is doing the same. Every religion started as a new way which thought itself to be better than any other religion. And Harvey is just gathering pieces of other teachings and putting them into his own little "tutorial." His lack of self-awareness makes it worse. If you really want to pursue connection with God and if you feel that religion cannot lead you in that way, please, do not waste your time on this new-agey chatter.

[Ellen Keener · Rating 5 out of 5]

An early book but worth reading again

[Louise Silk · Rating 3 out of 5]

This a good book with many practices to bring one along the path.

I particularly noted the part on Rites of Passage that isn't covered so much in other practice books: adaption of Phowa Transference of Consciousness practice moving yourself to a new free body of light and essentialized Tonglen when you take on your suffering to free all others of their suffering- moving your pain and suffering beyond the personal.

[teri Ciacchi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marvelous, accessible, very helpful work.