Deciphering the Golden Flower One
Secret at a Time
JJ Semple
Reviewed by Araminta Matthews
When I think of memoirs, I am often bored by the thought of reading the
machinations of some person's mundane existence. I imagine the
story to be amateurish, over-written, and esoteric. Couple that
memoir with a critical commentary on a [in]famous philosophical
treatise from Chinese spirituality and I expected a full-on
yawn-fest. Instead, I was met with a frank, enlightening foray
into the depths of "The Secret of the Golden Flower" from the
perspective of a real person, flaws and all. JJ Semple's
Deciphering the Golden Flower One Secret at a Time is truly a
phenomenon unto itself. This book uses one person's real life to
extrapolate the intricacies of The Golden Flower, from pre-discovery to
post-discovery, and it is quite a ride.
Beginning with a memory and an accident, Semple recounts an incident
involving a splinter and its catastrophic effects on his life.
Perhaps when one reads critical commentary – or even a regular memoir,
one expects the story to begin at the beginning. That is,
according Aristotle, the point before which there is nothing.
Wouldn't that be Semple's first encounter with kundalini? Or the
moment in 1972 when he first lays eyes on the Golden Flower
treatise? While it might be our inclination to believe that
commentary should begin with the object upon which it comments, when it
comes to the spiritual, one knows that nothing is
coincidence. It is no coincidence that Semple had a tragic
accident involving wood just as it is no coincidence that Semple
encountered the concept of kundalini and its applications in the real
world. Self-realization begins at birth; it is the journey as
much as it is the destination. Semple seems to know this and
recounts his story from the true beginning – his earliest memory –
which is long before he ever hears of "The Secret of the Golden
Flower".
At the same time as encompassing the spiritual element, Semple's book
also masters the craft of writing and entertainment. He has
mastered dialogue in its creative nonfiction element and brought alive
through voice the characters of his memories. In addition, his
writing is constantly hand-carved – in no instance does it feel
over-written or flowery, as though he has kept his language on a leash
close to his hip.
Perhaps the best feature of this book is the epilogue, a chapter
dedicated to clarifying the process of applying "The Secrets of the
Golden Flower". The epilogue includes exercises for examining
your own facial symmetry, cleansing yourself from within with mediation
and diet, and opening yourself up to the inner voice of your Life
Force. These instructions offer no pretense or
"corner-on-the-market" language. First and foremost, Semple says
that we are just as capable as he at applying this knowledge, and
what's more – we should do it to the tune of our own inner heart
strings.
I recommend this book to everyone. Truly, this is the best book
I've read in a long time, both in terms of practical application of
spiritual practice and market entertainment. This book is a
riveting experience.