ISBN 13: 978-1-931816-08-3
$16.50 Retail, $13.20 Online Price
182 main text pages (208 total)
 5.5"x7.5" (Quality paperback)

Reviews:

Library Journal, March 2008
Robert Ellwood, Ph.D., author
Swami Tathagatananda
Laura Ramirez, author
Karen Mueller Bryson, Ph.D., author
Lyn Chamberlain, Managing Editor

Vedanta, a still little-known school of Hindu thought, may be said to have reached its apogee in the first quarter of the 20th century. Modern Vedanta, as interpreted by Swami Vivekananda, emphasizes peace between and among various sects and religions, as well as meditational practices rooted in ancient Hinduism. Hourihan attempts to reintroduce Vedanta to the public, reinvigorating its ideas for a modern audience.
                            - Library Journal, March 2008

 

Children of Immortal Bliss is a splendid introduction to Vedanta for the average person, presenting this Indian tradition simply, and with the use of ideas and illustrations that will make sense of it to a wide audience. I particularly liked the frequent referral to American writers like Thoreau, Emerson, and Whitman who also drew from Vedanta. Such familiar names will reassure educated readers that this way of thinking has a noble heritage in America as well as Asia. No less valuable is the concluding presentation of convergent lines of thought in Plotinus, Lao Tzu, Eckhart, and the Sufis, showing that under one name or another the ancient wisdom called the Vedanta in Hinduism is in fact the way of the wise across the earth.

I hope this little book finds the wide audience it deserves, and touches the hearts of many for good.
                              - Robert Ellwood, Distinguished Emeritus Professor of
                                Religion, University of Southern California

"I have found Children of Immortal Bliss very useful for Westerners. I do believe exposure to Indian ideal would help anybody to broaden his/her outlook and deepen their spiritual consciousness.

I gladly recommend Children of Immortal Bliss for general Western readers looking for spiritually uplifting and emotionally fulfilling ideas of basic spiritual life."
                            - Swami Tathagatananda, Senior Minister,
                              The Vedanta Society of New York, and author  

Once in a great while, a book comes along that contains such essential concepts that it strikes a universal chord and reveals what is true and sacred.  Children of Immortal Bliss is such a book. It explores the core tenets of Vedanta (one of the six schools of Hinduism) from a philosophical and practical standpoint. Since its concepts are at the heart of every religion's mystical roots, the reader will recognize ideas that he or she has heard before, but it's the way the author frames them that makes them so accessible.

... Hourihan's voice comes through with such clarity that one feels that he is there to guide one personally, like a wise teacher whose presence illuminates an ocean of self-insight.

...  Amidst the plethora of books on spirituality, Children of Immortal Bliss is a rare and compelling find. It is a consummate companion for the journey within—a book to be treasured, dog-eared, read and re-read and is the perfect size to tuck into a purse or briefcase. FULL REVIEW* (PDF)
                                    - Laura Ramirez, author of award-winning Keepers of the
                                Children: Native American Wisdom and Parenting.


 

If you’ve found it difficult to understand the ancient teachings of India, Children of Immortal Bliss is for you. Hourihan’s explanation of Vedanta, the mysticism of ancient India, develops ideas in easily understood terms. The section on meditation is an example.

“To realize God, first control the outgoing senses and harness the mind,” cries The Upanishads, Breath of the Eternal. But how does one harness the mind with its wild, assuming ways? Not by force, but by substitution of thought. By giving the mind an affirmation of Truth we bring it under control and have a defense against distractions....

Mysticism claims universality. Hourihan compares the teachings of outstanding mystics and finds parallel thoughts expressed in different terms. These thoughts have become the underlying foundation of every religion.

The teachings are ancient and the understanding thorough. Hourihan’s elucidation of Vedanta, while especially designed for the Western mind, also offers further understanding for those already familiar with Indian mysticism.
                                                                           FULL REVIEW* (PDF)

                     - Lyn Chamberlain, OMThP, Managing Editor
                       Arcadian House Writing and Publishing