Deciphering the Golden Flower One Secret at a Time (GFM) Paperback – December 1, 2007

I began reading "Deciphering the Golden Flower One Secret at a Time" with a great deal of skepticism. Before I knew it, I was intrigued by Semple's journey. His telling of the story has an authenticity and rawness about it that kept me turning pages. Fact or fiction? A true account or hype? I'm going to bet on Semple's sincerity. He's no phony. I believe that he experienced a physical transformation through Kundalini. I normally would not believe that something like this could occur, but something rings true to me. Semple could have set himself up as a paragon of virtue after the experience, but he doesn't. In fact, it is his very humanness that makes his quest even more fascinating. He could have turned himself into some sort of New Age guru, but he keeps his focus on Kundalini from a physical perspective, and stresses that the technique can be used to put us back together as our perfect physical selves. Semple is not offering pop psych enlightenment. He makes it clear that his path was grueling and not for the faint of heart.One reader complained that Semple should have "deciphered" the Golden Flower in this book. I did not expect him to decipher it for me. To decipher it for others would go against the entire empirical aspect of the technique. My understanding is that it is a highly personal transformation. In several places in the book he talks about the struggle he faced about sharing his experience with others. He did touch on the backward flowing method, but the strength of the book is the telling of his remarkable journey. I am about to read his second book entitled "The Backward Flowing Method" and hope to work on the technique.If you are interested in reading a fascinating account of one man's transformation through the primal power of meditation, "Deciphering the Golden Flower One Secret at a Time" will not disappoint.

This book made me realize that Kundalini was real, reproducible, and that it was not a fantasy or illusion.In a literary genre filled with non-science and charlatanism, J.J. Semple stands alone in relating his authentic and revolutionary Kundalini account. The tremendous service he has done here is in tying together two critical pieces of the Kundalini puzzle together, namely: Kundalini / Gopi Krishna, and The Secret of the Golden Flower.Until this book was published, these two were not at all understood to be related--even the great Carl Jung wasn't able to crack this code. Yet Semple has done so, and lays it all out in an engaging writing style which leaves no doubt as to the authenticity and importance of the experience he has undergone. An incredibly inspirational account; required reading for any meditator, beginners and experts alike.

JJ Semple shares his experience of Kundalini awakening in this book. Being a great writer, the book is easy to read and follow, and is full of good tips for those going through the Kundalini process, or interested in it. This is not the 'end all-be all' of Kundalini books. So while being an interesting and inspiring personal story, Semple never had a teacher and his method isn't fully complete. (TIP: Keep the tongue up!) For a more complete method, and an interesting awakening story as well, check out Path Notes of an American Ninja Master by Glenn Morris, who also uses Chi Gung to awaken Kundalini but actually knows what he is doing. All in all though, a worthwhile read.

This book is a very interesting memoir. Focusing on this particular person's Kundalini awakening. This Force in the average person lays dormant and never awakens. We can also call this energy the Primal Spirit or Life Force. When JJ was a young boy seven years old, he had an accident a 3 inch long splinter was lodged in his foot. The author feels because he didn't have the splinter removed immediately -- it affected his natural development of his body.As a child JJ had a naturally ability with math and singing, after this accident he lost both of these talents. It wasn't into many years later in Europe; he was given The Secret of the Golden Flower. He didn't read it immediately but he hung onto it. And after living in Paris for quite a while he got an opportunity to go to a small town in France. It was being rented for $40 a month no gas and electricity no hot water. He stayed warm during the winter using the fireplace. This is where his kundalini process became the strongest. He spent most of his time meditating.The two famous teachers that come to my mind that had the most amazing Kundalini awakenings were Krishnamurthi and of course, Gopi Krishna. JJ was lucky eventually to go to India and meet Gopi Krishna. So JJ has been living with this amazing process most of his life. He knows what he's talking about when it comes to Kundalini.He realized we all have "a blueprint of our bodies" it exists before we were conceived. Kundalini helps to restore the original blueprint. Because his body never developed normally ever since that splinter, but getting interested in kundalini naturally heals the body.JJ became a successful film editor and accomplish saxophone player. In one of the few authorities on the subject of Kundalini awakening. He has lived with this force for most of his life."After activating the Kundalini-Life Force, I was able to see the blueprint of my perfect body and compare it to my altered state. Amazingly, the Life Force recognized my deformity and immediately began to correct it. I witnessed it slowly reshape my body to the exact proportions in my blueprint" (Semple, p. xv).You don't need a teacher which you need to do read JJ's books, Gopi Krishna, and J Krishnamurthi.In The Secret of the Golden Flower JJ points out the phrase on the first page: action in order to attain non-action. The reader can think about that important phrase.

I thought I was buying a manual to decipher the golden. flower. A good autobiography but if your looking for deciphered secrets, move on. He had an interesting life but no shared secrets here. I feel duped.

Jj Semples exeprience of kundalini is very refreshing and reassuring. The awakening was big for him and resolved issues he brought on himself when young. It gives great insight into how the energy from within can be tapped or breaks out into a person. Its not hyped or over the top and is sincere and genuine. Proof in this is when JJ actually meets up with golden flower author. No b s'ing, no i was in touch with god etc, just straight talking. Its all to do with breathing and anyones kundalini can be raised from the body if you just let it. Thankfully with all the BS that surrounds meditation and kundalini, wanna be gurus/ spiritual leaders-this is refreshingly down to earth, thankyou jj. He wants to enlighten people to potential of kundalini not convert the reader which is healthy and non ramming stuff down your throat. Its been around for 3 to 5 thousand years.

Excellent book, arrived in pristine condition, well packaged, easy to unpack, good read, takes the reader along with the authors experiences as they happened to him. Prompt delivery service. Very happy.

Interesting read about one man's journey through a difficult time practically and spiritually

It's like a 'sinner' finding God. I'm reading ch7, and the golden flower philosophy is just starting to get mentioned. I am familiar with 'Golden Flower' books, although this one is not deeply rooted in ancient text, it has a crucial factor they all lack - it has 'balls'.