Sacred Repose, Abiding in Bliss and Freedom is my first book. Sacred Repose is a manual for spiritual liberation from the prism of sacred repose. You will experience an in-depth journey into the non-dual Tantric teaching that there is only one knowing subject reposing in bliss and freedom. The principle of repose, or stillness, is the fundamental principle of creation and is examined from the perspective of five Tantric teachings:
Repose (viśrānti)
Nameless state (anākhya)
Still point (bindu)
Dynamic stillness (kṣobhākṣobha)
Yoga of stillness (nirācārayoga)
The book weaves these five threads of sacred repose into a liberating energy-consciousness matrix for one purpose only – to serve the reader on their journey to liberation. Each of these teachings is made accessible through scriptural references, practice insights, meditations, and the personal experiences of the author. The book is designed in such a way as to invoke an inner inquiry within the reader to discover their own innate nature. It provides the practices to access and get established in one's deepest nature as luminous unbounded consciousness reposing in bliss and freedom. There are many visuals and charts in color to help assimilate the teachings as well as inspiring photography and art in color by the author.
This comprehensive book contains a treasure trove of teachings and practical content that can elevate your inner practice. The book begins with a chapter on the basic principles of non-dual Tantra of consciousness and energy, the veils of duality, the paths to liberation, and the levels of reality, and introduces the concept of repose. Following a chapter summarizing the key points of the book, each teaching is explored in detail separately. We also explore in-depth the progression of yogic experience: contact, union, absorption, and pervasion. We then delve into the levels of repose which map to the levels of breath, mantra, voids, energy body, and consciousness, forming a sacred map to spiritual liberation. Following this, the book describes bliss and freedom, which are the fruits of repose practices. The practice chapter includes 17 meditations across all paths to liberation (embodied, energy, consciousness). These meditations are also available in audio. This is followed by a Q&A chapter on the 17 meditations. Last but not least, the book makes suggestions on how to effectively practice repose in everyday life.
What lies ahead of you is a wonderful journey of learning a new language - the language of repose (stillness). All coming and going adds nothing to it and takes nothing away from it. We ultimately experience repose as consciousness at rest in itself. Simultaneously, consciousness is actively engaged in the creation, maintenance, and dissolution of all that exists. This is life’s great mystery.
Click on the image below to read the reviews and purchase the book on Amazon.com
A review of Sacred Repose by a reader on Amazon (30 five-star reviews on Amazon as of early April 2024)
“Encyclopedia for stillness
I am really impressed by this book. Acharya Shambhu and Ben Williams have put in ton of work to explore stillness from many different perspectives. Sacred Repose is an Encyclopedia for Stillness, in my view. I have never seen such a comprehensive book on repose and stillness. Both the teachings and meditations are illuminating and can take one's practice much deeper if sincerely embraced.
I really like the teaching that repose is available any time and any place, it is eye opening. The Nameless state teaches that we can access repose in every perception. Dynamic Stillness is about stilling our will - something I have to work on. The charts on the still point, bindu, are super helpful in understanding this powerful teaching. The fifth teaching on the Yoga of Stillness is about stillness in the central channel.
It is not just the breadth of the teachings and practices, but the fine nuances both in the teachings and practices that are also very helpful. All around, a book full of teachings and practices that I will continue to study deeply.”
Other messages about the book that I received
“Couple of days ago, I sat down for a for an hour or so, and read more of your book… You can be truly proud of it, it’s truly a book for a lifetime… Even though some of the material can be found elsewhere, you have presented it in a vastly more accessible way … in this context, it reminds me somewhat of the timeless quality of Christopher Wallis’ Tantra illuminated book. 🙏”
“I’m feeling poetic after Shambhu’s 12th guided audio meditation ‘One pointedness of mind practice’: 'Just like a frog, sitting on a leaf in the pond, then jumping to the next lily pad; our breath can be a bridge that carries us from one moment of stillness to another. Each breathing pause having the potential to offer us repose as we touch it with our attention, almost like each lily pad can hide an underwater flower bud ready to rise to the surface to bloom as soon as it feels the rays of the sun.'”