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.

Is Initiation Necessary?

Q: Some say anyone can practice meditation and some say only initiated persons should meditate as it could be dangerous for some. What is true? Over half a century of yoga practice have demonstrated to me that anyone can practice authentic, traditional yoga safely and … Continue reading

The Healer, the Raja, Neem Karoli Baba, and the Unnamed Master | Podcast

Click here to listen to The Healer, the Raja, Neem Karoli Baba, and the Unnamed Master if you do not see the player above. The podcast length is 19:37 minutes. It might seem strange that I am writing about Neem Karoli Baba because I have no stories about … Continue reading

What is the Self, the Atman?

Q:Is consciousness an attribute of the Self, or is it the Self? Spirit is consciousness itself, and the Self is spirit. Consciousness is not an attribute, it is essential being, the nature of God himself. Consciousness does not depend on anything else for its existence, … Continue reading

Two Views on the Nature of Meditation – and a Third

In India there is a long-standing disagreement on the nature and purpose of meditation. One school of thought considers that definite–and conscious–evolutionary change is necessary for liberation; consequently meditation must be an actively transforming process. The other view is that the only thing needed for … Continue reading

How You Can Break Through the Net of Maya

“This, My Maya, made up of the three gunas, is difficult to penetrate” (Bhagavad Gita 7:14). Since time immemorial Maya has been referred to as a net such as is used for catching fish and birds. However hard it may be to break through this … Continue reading

Avoid the Coming Misery: Be an Effective Yogi

Sutras 16 through 22 of Book Two of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Sutra 2:16. The misery which is not yet come can and is to be avoided. This is an extremely important sutra because it is implying that all karma can be expunged and never … Continue reading

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