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.

When Rites Go Wrong

“Addicted to many specific rites aimed at the goal of enjoyment and power.” Bhagavad Gita 2:40 Lord Krishna in the Gita is not speaking only of the people outside India. Throughout the subcontinent right now millions are streaming in and out of temples, paying money … Continue reading

Wisdom as Explained by Jesus in the Aquarian Gospel

The Aquarian Gospel is full of deep wisdom which one might pass over because of its brevity. Below is a commentary on a short paragraph full of insight which is well worth dwelling on. “Again Lamaas asked, Of wisdom what have you to say? And … Continue reading

Cultivation and Attention in Spiritual Life

Attention cannot be produced immediately, it requires constant and vigilant cultivation, meditation being the prime implement of such cultivation. For “those who pay attention will not die, while the careless are as good as dead already.” [see the previous Dhammapada post] Keeping this perspective in … Continue reading

How to Avoid Ignorance Disguised as Wisdom

A continuation of Fool’s Gold in Religion, about how to discern between wisdom and ignorance in religion. A profile of ignorance Krishna has already told us that the sole purpose of yoga is the realization of the Self and the liberation that produces. It is not … Continue reading

Fool’s Gold in Religion

Seeing should not always be believing “All that glitters is not gold” is especially true in the realm of religion. I can never hear that adage without remembering a walk I once took with the Russian Orthodox (OCA) Archbishop of Chicago. We were just wandering … Continue reading

Buddha’s Words About Attention

“Attention leads to immortality. Carelessness leads to death. Those who pay attention will not die, while the careless are as good as dead already” (Dhammapada 21). “Attention”–appamada in Pali–literally means “non-infatuation,” but is usually interpreted as the result of such freedom from infatuation. Narada Thera … Continue reading

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