Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke)

Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) is the founder and director of the Light of the Spirit Monastery (Atma Jyoti Ashram) in Cedar Crest, NM, USA.

In his many pilgrimages to India, he had the opportunity of meeting some of India’s greatest spiritual figures, including Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh and Anandamayi Ma. During his first trip to India he was given sannyas by Swami Vidyananda Giri, a direct disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda, who had himself been given sannyas by the Shankaracharya of Puri, Jagadguru Bharat Krishna Tirtha.

In the United States he also encountered various Christian saints, including Saint John Maximovich of San Francisco and Saint Philaret Voznesensky of New York.

For many years, Swami Nirmalananda has been engaged in deep study of the spiritual unity (actual identity) of Jesus Christ and his teachings with India and Sanatana Dharma. It is his conviction that original Christianity (not contemporary “Churchianity”) and original Yoga are not just compatible, they are essentially one; that Jesus lived in India for most of his life, being a Sanatana Dharma missionary to the West, and that after his resurrection he returned to India and lived the rest of his life in the Himalayas.

He has written extensively on these and other topics, many of which are posted here at OCOY.org. Of major significance are: The Christ of India, Soham Yoga: Its Theory and Practice, The Bhagavad Gita for Awakening and his various commentaries on spiritual texts which you can explore in the Dharma for Awakening section.

Most of his writings available here at OCOY.org are also available in print and ebook formats at Amazon and other online book outlets.

Podcast: How Should We Respond to Outer and Inner Negativity and Evil?

In today’s podcast Abbot George tells us about the difference between Satan and Mara, and how we should respond to outer and inner negativity and evil.

Podcast: What Is Satan?

The topic of Satan and evil is one that we should not dwell on, for Abbot George says “talking about negativity can bring the mind into the orbit of negativity.” But it is good to have a basic understanding of evil so that we can be on our guard against inner and outer evil.

A Question About Karma, Forgiveness and Inner Transformation

We do not need forgiveness, we need awakening into Atmajnana which is Brahmajnana as well. And that awakening is the transformation we need.

Podcast: What Is Maya?

In today’s podcast our friend Jonathan Mahoney asks Abbot George “What is Maya?” Abbot George’s answer covers various aspects of Maya.

About Dark Forces in This World

It is our karma to be in this place of dark forces because we belong here with people of similar karmas. Our purpose is to purify ourselves.

Podcast: What is Mahashakti?

In this podcast Abbot George discusses the “Great Power” (the meaning of Mahashakti) as the entire range of relative existence, composed of vibrating energy. There is nothing but Consciousness. But when Consciousness does not move, we call it spirit. When Consciousness moves, we call it energy or shakti or power.

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