The book, Whispers of the Invisible – The Quest of 64 Yoginis, is a compilation of author S Veena Unnikrishnan’s experiences in the realm of Tantra (intuitive practices for liberation from physical and mental bondage) and associated spirituality.
Tantra is a mind-centered or emotion-centered path of liberation to achieve conscious union with the Divine. The author walked that path under the guidance of a master and has written down his journey and his worldly and spiritual experiences in this book. Tantra has a broad canvas, but the author’s practice is limited to conjuring up images, images and characteristics of goddesses called yoginis, matching many of them with idols housed in ancient temples in India, observing the impact of these activities on his daily life, and finally writing down his unique experiences.
Hinduism is a broad and wide-ranging collection of philosophies. There is a wide variety of practices for experiencing and communing with the divine. Tantra finds its roots in sacred texts called the Puranas. Despite the diversity of philosophies and practices, there is a common spiritual root, according to which human life has a common goal: salvation. It is a state of almost permanent blissful existence, one at one with the ultimate spiritual power that creates and controls the universe. Tantra, as one such practice, has some unique characteristics. It is mysterious and esoteric. However, it remains an integral part of the cultural canvas of Hinduism, since its threads are found in the mythological stories of the ancient Puranas, which form the basis of traditional Hindu practice. This includes practices such as astrology and Reiki, which the author had a deep interest in, and which are expressed in this book.
“Whispers of the Unseen” begins with the author’s powerful expression of her love for the Goddess and her exploration of spiritual experience through appeasement. The author speaks of her mentor and mentor, Dr. David (not his real name). The author describes how, by divine providence, he advanced her spiritual journey and led her to fellowship with 64 yoginis.
Depicting these 64 Yoginis was her unique way of spiritually realizing the divine feminine. Hence, she compiled this enlightenment experience into 64 chapters, each vividly depicting a particular Yogini and her unique legendary qualities against the backdrop of the mythological stories surrounding her. One of the last chapters is dedicated to the author’s sacred journey – visiting the temples associated with many of these Yoginis across India. In the last chapter, the author reflects on her experiences and revelations and states, “The journey has come full circle and become self-realization with total surrender.”
There are two important lessons that the general reader can take from this book. First, the human spiritual journey is not completed by simply adhering to the rituals of a simple text. It requires a deeper practice, abandoning the ego. Second, the practice requires a teacher or guru. It cannot be performed alone, but requires the ongoing support of a guide.
This book is a very moving portrayal of the essential qualities of the 67 divine feminine forms. It successfully connects the general reader to the yogini descriptions of the Puranas and conveys that the male and female energies inherent in every individual are the twin foundations of all creation. These energies must be related in harmony for the individual’s spiritual progress.
However, it must be pointed out that the treatment of the gods in this book is rather theoretical. The qualities of various gods are expressed through metaphors in the Puranas and it would have been better if the author had described these qualities and his own experiences in more detail and comprehensively, making them more relevant to the contemporary real life of the readers.
Thus, this is not a book of immediate interest for the general reader, but for those who are already spiritually guided and inclined, it is undoubtedly an interesting and educational work.
Whispers of the Invisible – The Quest of 64 Yoginis
Author: S. Veena Unnikrishnan
Publisher: Blue One Ink
Number of pages: 326
Price: Rs 699
