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.

“Christian” or Follower of Jesus?

Q: I want to convert to Christianity–can you help? I am a Hindu. If you want to convert to the religion popularly called “Christianity” then you need only find a church and join it. IF, however, you want to be a follower of Jesus Christ, … Continue reading

What is Our Essential Nature as Seer?

Sutras 3 & 4 of Book One of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali 3. Then the Seer [Drashta] is established in his own essential and fundamental nature [Swarupa]. Vyasa immediately comments and paraphrases: “Then the power-of-consciousness [chit-shakti] rests in its own nature, as in the … Continue reading

When a Vritti (Mental Ripple) Cannot Arise

Sutra 2 of Book one of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali 2. Yoga is the inhibition of the modifications of the mind. Yogash chitta-vritti-nirodhah. This is almost sure to be misinterpreted in English translations and commentaries, though I cannot say why, unless it is that … Continue reading

The Beginning of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

Sutra 1 of Book one of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali 1. Now, an exposition of Yoga [is to be made]. Raghavan Iyer: “Now begins instruction in yoga.” This is the usual formula for the beginning of a major text. It is very interesting to … Continue reading

A New Commentary on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

With this post we will begin adding Abbot George’s Commentary on Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras to our Blog’s rotation of articles. We hope you find it useful. Introduction to the Yoga Sutras The text known as the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali is a repository of transcendental … Continue reading

What is the Right Perspective on Scriptures?

A continuation of an analysis of the correct place of scriptures in spiritual life discussed in When Rites Go Wrong Krishna has more to say about materially oriented scriptures and religion (though he just mentions the Vedas): “The Vedas are such that their scope is … Continue reading

Explore Blog Categories