Fairy Tales: Our Journey to Self-Realization

"Do you know why we are here-I don't mean here where we are sitting or standing, but here on this planet? We've come for joy We jumped in for joy, not to learn lessons, not to struggle and find life hard, not to pay off our karma. No, no. For joy." So begins one of Srimati Shanti Mataji's commentaries on a classic fairy tale. Fairy tales, Mataji believes, were written and circulated by mystics who understood the philosophy of Absolute Oneness (Advaita Vedanta), who understood our divine origin and inevitable destiny, and who understood the spiritual path to remembrance. In times past, such tales provided a way to convey in a concealed manner-much like the parables of Jesus the Christ-the highest truths. Children hearing a fairy tale would be enchanted at the story level. Thus, they would remember it and, in turn, tell it to their children. In this way, fairy tales passed down from generation to generation. All the stories presented in this book preserve mystical truths and have much to offer each of us in our personal journey to enlightenment. Every character in every fairy tale represents some characteristic of ourselves, either a part of us now, a part that we have transcended, or a part yet to be realized. "Sleeping Beauty," "Snow White," "King Thrushbeard," and "Rapunzel" come from Grimm's Fairy Tales. The Wizard of Oz-although, strictly speaking, not a fairy tale-contains profound spiritual symbolism. Other stories in this collection come from different parts of Western Europe, and two derive from Persia. As revealed in the wisdom of Mataji's commentaries, fairy tales are not just for children but are for beings of all ages. She reveals how they charmingly teach the eternal truths of Oneness and the inseparability of Soul and God, the Absolute Reality.

Author: Srimati Shanti Mataji
Publisher: Darshan
Published: 06/22/2014
Pages: 306
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.78lbs
Size: 8.50h x 5.50w x 0.64d
ISBN: 9780615955223

About the Author
SRIMATI SHANTI MATAJI Srimati Shanti Mataji was ordained a member of the Universal Swami Order by her Guru, Sri Swami Shankarananda Giri. As founder and preceptor of the Divine Life Church in Baltimore, Maryland, Swami appointed Mataji as the associate minister of the church, and she began giving services there in the early 1980s. He also consecrated her with the Sanskrit names Srimati, "a female spiritual teacher"; Shanti, "peace"; and Mataji, "revered mother." Swami's devotee since his earliest days on the pulpit, Mataji truly served as a guide, blazing the trail for many others on the spiritual path. Mataji's contributions to the Divine Life Church include being the founding editor of DARSHAN, the church's quarterly journal, as well as the publishing company of the same name, dedicated to producing books and CDs of the works of Swami Shankarananda. In addition to Fairy Tales: Our Journey to Self-Realization, her own writings include articles for DARSHAN, a book of poetry entitled Songs of a Seeking Heart, and a forthcoming book about the master-disciple relationship, based on her nearly forty years with Swami Shankarananda. The mother of two daughters, Mataji, also known as Carolyn Hatt, practiced and taught all levels of Reiki as a Reiki Master in the Usui tradition. In addition, she held highly responsible positions during her successful career at the National Geographic Society in Washington, D.C., as a researcher-editor on the Magazine and as managing editor for an educational division of the Society. Mataji's life-a consummate example of divine motherhood-lives on in her writings and in her infinite love and service.

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