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.

Can Women Attain Liberation?

Anandamayi Ma Even today in India there are people who believe that there is no need for a woman to engage in meditation because it is impossible for a woman to attain liberation. My friend, Saguna Hejmadi (a cousin of Papa Ramdas of Anandashram), was … Continue reading

The Perfect Tranquility of Lahiri Mahasaya

“The Vedas are such that their scope is confined to the three gunas; be free from those three gunas, indifferent toward the pairs of opposites, permanently fixed in reality, free from thoughts of acquisition and possessiveness, and possessed of the Self.” (Bhagavad Gita 2:45). “Permanently … Continue reading

How the Book “May a Christian Believe in Reincarnation?” Came to Be

FREE Kindle download through Wednesday at Amazon! Get it Now! You might find the history of this study interesting and amusing. Quite some time ago we became very good friends with an Eastern Orthodox archpriest who not only believed in reincarnation, but had engaged for years … Continue reading

What Happens to the Yogi in Samadhi?

Sutras 40 through 46 of Book One of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Sutra 1:40. His mastery extends from the finest atom to the greatest infinity. This is not as big a leap as it seems, for it does not mean that after the preceding steps the … Continue reading

3 Simple Points for Removing Spiritual Doubts

Q: I am full of doubts about my ability to realize the Self. What is the right course for me to follow? First: Understand that since you ARE the Self, you cannot help but realize it. So relax and fear not. Second: Become a yogi, … Continue reading

Straightening Out the Mind

An Extract from The Dhammapada for Awakening Experience is surely the best teacher, but sometimes its lessons are discouraging. That is why Arjuna told Krishna: “Restless man’s mind is, so strongly shaken in the grip of the senses: gross and grown hard with stubborn desire … Continue reading

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