"Dear Asha, why is this happening to me?"

Sorrow and stress are universal, but difficult situations can also be opportunities—life trying to guide us toward greater happiness—if only we had the wisdom to follow it. To find the hidden blessings within the various situations in life, you need faith, trust . . . and sometimes, a wise friend to talk to.

To many spiritual seekers, that person is author, Asha (Praver) Nayaswami—who through her counseling and lectures has helped thousands worldwide gain a deeper understanding of themselves and the spiritual path.

Based on letters to questing souls, this book showcases the clarity, compassion, and inspiration of Asha—a disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda and a meditation teacher for over 40 years. Her responses will astound you with their universality. How to help others . . . How to see life as fair . . . How to be true to yourself.

Here is an example of the practical wisdom in the pages of Ask Asha:

"Every apple seed contains within it the potential to become a fruit-bearing tree. It doesn't happen all at once though. It may be tiresome for the seed first to be a sprout, then a twig, then a sapling—but it is the fastest, in fact the only way to become an apple tree.

"So it is with the soul. Self-realization is our divine destiny, but we can't get there in one leap. Perhaps your repeated failure is not caused by lack of will power but from lack of patience—trying to reach the goal without first walking the path.

"If you reach too far beyond your actual realization, inevitably you will collapse back—perhaps to a place lower than where you started, if you define yourself now by your failure. You may think you are compromising your ideals to aim lower, but in fact that may be the surest route to success.

"Spiritual progress is both a science and an art. The science is comprised of the divine laws of the universe; the art is to know which to apply and when."