Samsara: An Exploration of the Hidden Forces that Shape and Bind Us

McKenzie (The Wisdom Teachings of the Bhagavad Gita) delivers an eclectic if uneven exploration of the Hindu concept of samsara, traditionally understood as the “cycle of birth and death” during which humans try in vain to achieve satisfaction through worldly pleasures. Here, McKenzie recasts it as a “psychological realm” from which to escape, likening it to The Matrix. To “awaken from the dream that is samsara,” he writes, one must stop chasing rewards in the material world and instead look within through meditation, which “removes ignorance” by “internalizing what is already known.” McKenzie recommends readers access this self-knowledge by first practicing karma yoga, which “emphasizes worship of family, wisdom, nature and humanity,” then moving on to samadhi yoga, which focuses on managing one’s thoughts. However, clunky constructions (“In the Vedic tradition from which Hinduism is based”), insufficiently explained terms (“subtle forms”), and a general lack of specificity will make this tough going for the uninitiated. As an introduction to a key tenet of Hinduism, this comes up short. (Apr.)