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.

Om, the God-Word

Sutras 27 through 30 of Book One of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali 27. His designator [vachaka] is ‘Om’ [Pranava]. Usually, vachaka means that which is denoted by speech, in this case meaning that Ishwara is designated by the Pranava–by the sacred syllable OM. But … Continue reading

Reincarnating Backwards in Time, the Mother-God, and Other Questions

Q: Are our soul’s transmigrations limited to linear time? In other words, can, and is it natural, for a soul to reincarnate from, say, the 21st century, to the 13th? It is never good to be dogmatic about anything, especially since language never encompasses reality fully or … Continue reading

Who Is God According to the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali?

Sutras 24 through 26 of Book One of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali 24. Ishwara is a particular Purusha who is untouched [aparamrishta] by the afflictions of life [kleshas], actions [karma] and the results [vipaka] and impressions [ashayai] produced by these actions. Ishwara, God, is … Continue reading

4 Questions on Meditation

Q: Where is the atma (soul) located in our body? The atma is everywhere in the body and beyond as the basis of the aura. Therefore there is no need to put the attention on any particular point when we meditate. The heart and the third … Continue reading

Pure of Deed: Good Intentions Are Not Enough

A Continuation of “How to Expand Your Glory” from The Dhammapada for Awakening: Commentary on Buddha’s Practical Wisdom “When a man is resolute and recollected, pure of deed and persevering, when he is attentive and self-controlled and lives according to the Teaching, his reputation is … Continue reading

Samadhi by “Giving the Life to God”: Ishwara Pranidhana

Sutra 23 of Book One of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali 23. Or by total giving of the life to God. This could legitimately be rendered: “Or by total merging of the life with/into God.” This is NOT a mere: “Here, O Lord, take my life; I … Continue reading

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