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Light of the Spirit Blog

A Yogi’s Recommended Reading List

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recommended reading : spiritual books

The following is a list of recommended reading for the spiritual aspirant. First, there are five books whose value cannot be estimated. They are foundation stones of understanding spiritual life and spiritual philosophy. They should be read through many times carefully and reflectively. I think they should be made the yogi’s lifetime companions and guides.

  1. The Song of God: Bhagavad Gita, translated by Swami Prabhavananda of the Vedanta Society of Southern California.
  2. The Upanishads, Breath of the Eternal, by Swami Prabhavananda.
  3. Autobiography of a Yogi, by Paramhansa Yogananda–the first edition facsimile by Crystal Clarity Publishers (with the exception of this and editions also published by Philosophical Library, the original publishers, later printings are so altered and falsified they are misleading.)
  4. Meditation and Spiritual Life, by Swami Yatiswarananda of the Ramakrishna Mission of India (in America: the Vedanta Society).
  5. The Philosophy of Gorakhnath, Akshaya Kumar Banerjea, Motilal Banarsidass.

These are treasures beyond valuation. I read the first three nearly fifty years ago and they are still supplying me with new insights. I am sure they will do the same for you if, as I say, they are read meditatively. Banerjea’s book should be a philosophical “Bible” for all yogis.

Other books by Yogananda

The heads of the five great monasteries founded by Shankara are given the title of Jagad-Guru–World Teacher. Certainly great masters have been mahants of those monasteries, but they had no spiritual influence outside India, so they were not jagad-gurus. But Paramhansa Yogananda during his lifetime was a true World Teacher, and continues to be through the following books:

This is not a complete list. All of Yogananda’s writings are beyond price, as are his recordings. I may have written extensively on various religious traditions and yoga–as seen on the ocoy.org website–but I can say that all which is true and worthwhile in my writings is based squarely on the knowledge I gained from studying Yogananda’s writings. Except for the two most basic ideas that God exists and man is immortal, I do not think there is a single significant truth I know that did not come from Yogananda. And without his teachings those two ideas would never have been understood by me and made part of my life. He was and is a light unto my path, and I hope he will be the same for you.

Therefore I also highly recommend two books about Yogananda: The New Path and Paramhansa Yogananda; both by Swami Kriyananda.

Other books

For Sanskrit terms I recommend: Yoga Vedanta dictionary by Swami Sivananda; A Concise Dictionary of Indian Philosophy by John Grimes; and A Brief Sanskrit Glossary, which is found on our website, and which is also now available in print at Amazon.com. More books by Abbot George Burke are available from Light of the Spirit Press at Amazon.

(Since this article was posted, many new books by Abbot George have been published as paperbacks and ebooks, including the Dharma for Awakening collection and others which you can browse at Abbot George’s author page on Amazon.)

recommended reading : books by Abbot George Burke

After a while look into other translations of the Bhagavad Gita for in-depth study. I particularly recommend the translations by Swami Swarupananda, Swami Sivananda, and Winthrop Sargeant. Sargeant’s translation is the absolute best for word-by-word study, an essential ingredient of the serious yogi’s library.

Investigate other translations of the upanishads for the same reasons. Among the best are those of Radhakrishnan, Swami Sivananda, Swami Gambhirananda, Swami Madhavananda, and Swami Jagadananda.

Everything by Shankara is of inestimable value. I would start with his Vivekachudamani (Crest Jewel of Discrimination) translated by either Swami Madhavananda or Swami Prabhavananda. His Gita commentary can be a bit heavy-handed because he wrote it to present his interpretation and at the same time vanquish opposing views. Actually some of his similar writings are much like those of Saint Thomas Aquinas in form and style–not the easiest to read and comprehend. His commentaries on the upanishads (included in the translations of Swami Gambhirananda, Swami Madhavananda, and Swami Jagadananda) are exceptionally helpful, though, and I have found his minor works of great value also.

Do give attention to Sri Ramanuja and Sri Madhavacharya. Vedanta is not just advaita (non-dualism), it is also vishishtadvaita (qualified non-dualism) and dvaita (dualism). Together the three views comprise Vedanta. The writings of these three great teachers cover the entire range of legitimate Vedantic thought, and all three are right in their own sphere. Dvaita is the reality of the waking state (jagrat), vishishtadvaita is the reality of the dreaming state (swapna), and advaita is the reality of the dreamless sleep state (sushupti). They are all three “real,” but they are transcended by the fourth and ultimate state of consciousness, turiya, and since that is beyond words there are no teachers, just realizers–the yogis. And the Avadhuta Gita says: “Some uphold advaita (non-duality) and others uphold dvaita (duality); they do not realize the Ultimate Truth, Which is distinct from and transcends both dvaita and advaita.”

The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, translated by Swami Nikhilananda, is a remarkable treasury of spiritual philosophy. It consists of stenographic records of conversations with Sri Ramakrishna spanning several years. It was set down by Mahendranath Gupta, who next to Sri Yukteswar was the most important influence in Yogananda’s spiritual development. (He is written about in Yogananda’s autobiography as “Master Mahasaya the Blissful Devotee.”) It is good to read it straight through the first time, but you can also simply open it at random and read amazing things, including the words of truly spiritual songs.

The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ, by Levi H. Dowling. This is a transcription of the psychic investigations into the life of Christ made by Dowling in what is popularly known as “the akashic records” and I believe contains the the authentic teachings of Jesus, but makes no claim to infallibility or absolute accuracy.

Two books of authentic Christian wisdom are The Cloud of Unknowing and The Book of Privy Counsel (translator: William Johnston), and Theologia Germanica (translator: Susanna Winkworth).

Everything by I. K. Taimni is a marvel of clear and relevant wisdom. His commentary on the Yoga Sutras, The Science of Yoga, is the best I know.

Everything by the following writers are classics of enlightened insight:

For the facts about diet, I recommend Diet for a New America by John Robbins, What’s Wrong With Eating Meat? by Vistara Parham, the books of Dr. Neal Barnard, particularly Food for Life: How the New Four Food Groups Can Save Your Life.

Regarding books by Abbot George, you can sample them free on this site on our Dharma for Awakening section.

Prayer, Dharma, and Meditation: 3 Questions

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Prayer, Dharma, and Meditation

What do I need to do to get God to answer my prayer?

There is little value in wanting to get God to do what we want. He already knows what is needed, and takes care of it all.

What is of value is our wanting to do what God wants! And since he has manifested this entire universe for the sole purpose of our evolving and attaining perfect knowledge (Brahmajnana/Atmajnana), that is what we should be wanting, as well. The Bhagavad Gita explains it very well, making the conclusion: “Therefore be a yogi” (Bhagavad Gita 6:46).

To someone who asked about a yogi’s personal dharma and it fulfillment when there seem to be conflicts between his dharma as a yogi and his dharma in following a profession in the world.

Dharma is vast, never just one little point in our life. The observance of yama and niyama is the fundamental dharma of everyone. Then there is our swadharma which is based on our own personality and karmas. And the swadharma of every human being is to realize the Self. Of course those that are adharmic can always find specious reasonings to twist these principles–or ignore them.

Never does a yogi allow anything to take priority over his spiritual life. Yet he must be able to fulfill his outer obligations. If there is continual conflict, though, then he should seriously consider changing his profession.

To someone who asked if the practice of Soham Yoga was itself sufficient in leading a spiritual life.

Yes, the japa and meditation of Soham and the observance of yama and niyama are sufficient for spiritual life. Most other things considered spiritual are irrelevant and distracting. Of course such things as spiritual reading are very beneficial.

The purpose of Soham Yoga is the simultaneous realization of the yogi’s individual Self and the Supreme Self, God. Dedication to the practice is definitely dedication to God.

Soham is the fundamental vibration/consciousness of both the Divine Absolute and the individual spirit. It is the true, eternal Name of God and our own Self.

Please read Soham Yoga carefully and completely, and note anything you would like to ask about.

Further Reading:

Podcast: Moksha, the Seven Levels of Consciousness, and Avatars

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seven levels of consciousness

In today’s podcast, Abbot George is asked a question about Moksha. He then talks about arguments regarding levels of consciousness: are there seven levels of consciousness, or five levels, or fourteen levels?

Then he discusses the seven levels of consciousness or lokas (worlds or main divisions) in which the whole range of evolutionary relative existence (rungs on the evolutionary ladder) is encompassed, corresponding to the seven chakras.

He discusses the nature of consciousness in each of these realms, and their gradations or levels.

Then he illumines the much-misunderstood topic of avatars: what is the purpose and nature of avatars?

And most importantly he discusses how all these things relate to us and our spiritual evolution.

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If you don’t see the player above, you can listen to the podcast Moksha, the Seven Levels of Consciousness, and Avatars here. The podcast is about 39 minutes long.

There Are No Dead

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There are no dead - Krishna and Arjuna on the Battlefield

“The wise do not mourn for the dead or for the living,” (Bhagavad Gita 2:11) says Krishna to Arjuna. Why? Because there are no “living” or “dead” in the sense that those with bodies are alive and those divested of a body are dead. Nor is there such a duality of life/death. These are only the illusions produced by the distorting veils of ignorance.

“Lead me from death to immortality” is not a petition to gain a state where we will nevermore experience bodily death, but a plea to be led from the outward-turned consciousness that produces death to the in-turned consciousness that produces life. It is spirit itself that is immortality–nothing else. “Change and decay all around I see. O Thou Who changest not: abide with me.” What we are praying for is consciousness itself.

The truth about us

Yes, the plain fact is this: There are no dead. For Krishna continues: “Truly there was never a time when I was not, nor you, nor these lords of men. And neither will there be a time when we shall cease to be from this time onward” (2:12).

We are as eternal as God Himself because we derive our very being from God. Just as there was never a time when God did not exist, nor can there be a time when He will not exist–especially since He is utterly outside of time–so there can never come a time when we shall not exist, for we, too, exist outside of time however enmeshed we are in the experience of time through the temporal instruments of the body and mind.

Krishna is also making it clear that our distinction as individuals–both from other finite beings and from God–is also eternal. There is absolutely no place in the Gita for the teaching that in time we melt into the infinite and exist no more as a distinct entity, only God remaining, our having never really existed at all. Yet Krishna does not say we exist separately from God and from one another at any time, for that is also impossible. There is absolute unity, yet within that unity is an eternal diversity. Advaita is the true view–Not Two, which is in no way the same as One, or Monism.

Our spirits transcend time

Although Krishna declares that he, Arjuna, and all those present on the battlefield exist eternally, he does not mean that their present conditioned personalities are eternal and unchangeable. Just as our spirits transcend time, so our personalities, which are nothing more than masks shaped by our past and present lives, exist only within time and are ever-changing until they are dissolved in the light of spiritual knowledge (jnana).

Our personalities are indeed separate from God, and as long as we identify with them we will feel separated from Him and engage in the delusional “search” and “reaching out” for God. I say delusional because our true selves (atmas) are never separate from God. “He is not far from every one of us: for in him we live, and move, and have our being; for we are also his offspring” (Acts 17:27, 28). Our personalities can never find or touch God because they simply do not exist as actual–much less eternal–realities. It is those who identify with the personality and think it is their true self that fall into the trap of either Dualism or Monism.

Available as a paperback and as a Kindle ebook

Bhagavad Gita for Awakening coverThe Bhagavad Gita for Awakening: A Practical Commentary for Leading a Successful Spiritual Life, by Abbot George Burke, is available as a paperback, ebook, free pdf, and for online reading.

Review from Publisher’s Weekly: “[Abbot George] Burke enthusiastically explores the story as a means for knowing oneself, the cosmos, and one’s calling within it. His plainspoken insights often distill complex lessons with simplicity and sagacity. Those with a deep interest in the Gita will find much wisdom here.”

Random Gems:

The Mind as the Source of Suffering and Happiness

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buddha header-Mind as the Source of Suffering and Happiness

“To speak or act with a defiled mind is to draw pain after oneself, like a wheel behind the feet of the animal drawing it” (Dhammapada 1).

Suffering is inevitable for the person with a defiled mind, for it is impossible not to act or think (which is speaking inwardly, even if not outwardly). “Good” or meritorious acts done by a person with a defiled mind will bring suffering–perhaps not as much as evil acts, but still the suffering will not be avoided.

This is imperative for us to comprehend: Action is not the determining factor in our life–Mind is. And mind alone. This why in the seventeenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita Krishna describes how bad people do good in a bad way and thus accrue more misery to themselves.

It is very important to understand this fact, since we tend to mistakenly assume that “good” acts produce “good” karma, etc., when in reality the actions mean nothing–it is the condition of the mind that determines their character and therefore their consequences. (Buddha was very insistent on this.) Selfish people do “unselfish” deeds to either cover up their selfishness or to get merit for themselves so they can enjoy this or a future life. Their intentions defile the actions and so little good (if any) accrues to them. Instead their selfishness and pettiness is compounded. This is the plain truth.

Negative consequences

False religion gets rich on such persons through promises of merit and remission of sins. Even after death the deception goes on as their relatives and friends offer prayers and almsdeeds that supposedly will mitigate their negative karmas and alleviate–or even eliminate–the after-death consequences of their defiled thoughts and deeds. It is common to hear patently evil people excused on the grounds of “all the good” they do along with their evil actions. [Read more…]

We Are Responsible for Our Own Success in Spiritual Life

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Responsibility for success

More from our series “Wisdom of Sri Gajanana Maharaj of Nashik”

The ultimate responsibility of obtaining success in worldly or spiritual matters rests upon ourselves. It is through intense devotion and persistent efforts that we have to achieve success. As we progress, we shall ourselves come to know the stage we have acquired in our previous life. Through incessant practice, desires for sensual pleasures slowly become less and less and ultimately disappear, and the aspirant reaches the final goal of everlasting happiness.

Only you must have the lighted torch of Soham with you, and must try to obtain peace in its light. I have said what I know from my own experience. Everybody should try to realize it by his own experience. Soham is the soul, and there is everlasting peace in the soul. That itself is the Avyakta, the Unmanifested, in which everything lives, moves and has its being. Obtain everlasting peace by the mantra of Soham. This simple method surely and certainly leads to the goal.

The world is like a big jail, and people are born into it to serve out their sentences. Have therefore a wholesome fear of this jail, and try to purge away your sins and evil desires by the japa and contemplation of Soham. You need not do anything else for the purpose of your deliverance.

Analyze Yourself

A person should always try to examine his mind and see how far the tendency of renunciation has developed. If he finds that while doing various actions his mind does not cast any glance towards the good or bad result of those actions, but actions are done solely from a sense of duty, he should be sure that he is progressing and rendering himself more and more fit. In the Gita the word tyaga (renunciation) has been used in this very sense. If the letters in the word Gita are reversed we get tagi, which is the same as tyagi.

A mumukshu [seeker after liberation] is terribly afraid of this panorama of worldly existence and, not being able to know who he really is, becomes full of bewilderment and misery. Then Soham is shown to him. His bewilderment disappears, he begins to enjoy constant and everlasting peace and ultimately obtains moksha.

If a sadhaka has recourse to Vedanta or the other different kinds of yoga, he gets confused. The Dhyana Yoga of the Nath Pantha which has been handed down from Matsyendranath acts like a light which clearly shows the right path. I say this from my own experience.

As the sadhaka has to repeat the japa and also to meditate, this path is known as Dhyana Yoga. With firm faith, having turned back the course of thoughts from the outward world to inside himself, a sadhaka has to carry on the japa and meditation for a long time. As he progresses, he gradually reaches perfection and realizes that his own soul has been his sadguru. This stage is known as oneness of jiva (the individual soul) and Shiva (the Supreme Soul). It is also called Sakshatkara.

A sadhaka then naturally enjoys the bliss of the Self and becomes devoid of desire for anything else. This path is also known as Dhyana Yoga or Karma Marga, because a sadhaka gets Sakshatkar after progressing through many steps. He also attains complete knowledge, hence it is called Jnana Yoga. I therefore again and again say that people should have recourse to this simple path of self-deliverance.

For unknown words, see A Brief Sanskrit Glossary on our website.

NOTE: Atmaprabha, from which this blogpost is taken can be found in Appendix One of our publication Soham Yoga. Other teachings of Sri Gajanana Maharaj can be found in Chapter Three of Soham Yoga.

You can also read Soham Yoga on our website here.

Podcast: How to Become an Angel (and More)

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How to become an Angel header

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If you do not see the player for “How to Become an Angel” above, listen to the podcast here.

Today our friend Jonathan Mahoney asks Abbot George, “How does a human being evolve into an angel in this lifetime? How do they ‘get out of the game’”?

In this podcast Abbot George talks about the ideas of the processes of evolution in Christian and Hindu cosmologies. He then discusses the two paths of evolution: the natural path by “accumulating a lot of goodness,” and the deliberate path of evolution through yoga and meditation.

He also talks about evolving to “tapa lokas,” realms which are dedicated to intentional and intensive sadhana and spiritual practice. And he tells of people who limit their spiritual horizons by merely mundane aspirations. Listen to discover this and much more in this 20 minute podcast.

More podcasts:

Three Bits of Wisdom from Gajanana Maharaj

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Wisdom from Gajanana Maharaj

More from our series “Wisdom of Sri Gajanana Maharaj of Nashik”

The necessity of having strong sense and intelligence

Various qualities are necessary to carry on worldly transactions efficiently. But there is one thing which far surpasses all these qualities taken together, and that is strong good sense which is natural and not acquired. By reading we can at the most obtain useful and varied information, but to make proper use of that information at the proper time requires natural good sense and intelligence. I here remember a saying: “God should be known through good sense and intelligence.”

This is a simple statement, but it illustrates a very important principle. It shows that real intelligence is a very important qualification. If a person possesses this intelligence, he will not need to read various books. He would be able to solve all his difficulties by the exercise of his keen intelligence. Wisdom acquired from books is, after all, one-sided. This keen intelligence is useful in worldly as well as spiritual matters

The different kinds of “I”

Let us now consider the different kinds of “I,” their extent and their mutual relation. The word “I” is used in two senses. The first is “mind,” and the second is that principle or element inside our bodies which is very subtle, which is all-pervading and which is the seer and knower of all things. This means that in worldly parlance it is used in the sense of the vital principle of Brahman. That ever-present witness inside who knows both these kinds of minds and who himself is beyond all sense perception, is the real “I.”

As described above, the “I” is of two kinds. That “I” which is devoid of ahamkar feels that it pervades everywhere. It knows no distinction between a learned man and a dunce. It is always immersed in joy. While doing worldly actions, although the actions are correctly and methodically done, it all along is enjoying atmic bliss. In order to attain this attitude it is necessary that the principle of Self-realization or renunciation must be firmly and thoroughly assimilated. This does not mean that actions are to be abandoned. Only the desire of obtaining the fruit of those actions is to be renounced. All actions must be done quite naturally.

External conditions are almost the same in all Yugas

Some people say that the present age is the age of material happiness. The present Yuga is Kali Yuga. In this Yuga it is extremely difficult to attain the highest goal of Self-realization. Naturally, men in general will be always striving to obtain material happiness. I, however, think that it is not proper to be complaining about external conditions. A little consideration will, on the contrary, convince us that external conditions are almost the same in all Yugas. The change lies in the mind, the attitude it adopts. According to the attitude of your mind you will feel that the age is Satya Yuga or Kali Yuga. Everything thus depends on your mind. Hence I say that you should get your mind immersed in the ceaseless contemplation of Soham and then you will find that the difficulties created by troublesome external conditions will automatically disappear.

For unknown words, see A Brief Sanskrit Glossary on our website.

NOTE: Atmaprabha, from which this blogpost is taken can be found in Appendix One of our publication Soham Yoga. Other teachings of Sri Gajanana Maharaj can be found in Chapter Three of Soham Yoga.

You can also read Soham Yoga on our website here.

Podcast: Evolution (Material and Spiritual) and What It Means for the Yogi

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Evolution (Material & Spiritual) and What it Means for the Yogi

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(If you don’t see the player above, visit this link to listen to the podcast: Evolution (Material and Spiritual) and What It Means for the Yogi. The podcast is 40 minutes long.)

In a new podcast, our friend Jonathan Mahoney asks Abbot George Burke the following question:

From Robe of Light, we have the quote: “The drama of creation simply stated is this. God breathes forth this vast universe. Slowly, it comes out and evolves according to set patterns. Then, after a precise measure of time, he breathes it back in again, involves it and vanishes. This he does eternally.” So could you give us your definition of evolution and how it relates to the individual?

Abbot George begins by describing the ages-long process of “involution,” the manifestation into and mastery of material creation, and the increasingly conscious process of evolution, “to move out of” materiality in our return to God-consciousness. In particular he speaks of the later stages of human evolution, where we move from outer awareness to inner awareness, and from outer dependency to self-reliance and responsibility. At that point we become capable to evolve ourselves consciously through the practice of yoga sadhana.

Robe of Light is available to read or download at OCOY.org, or as a paperback or ebook at Amazon.com.

 

Advise on Abhyasa: Sustained (Constant) Spiritual Practice

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Abhyasa: Sustained Spiritual Practice

More from our series “Wisdom of Sri Gajanana Maharaj of Nashik”

A few words of advice on abhyasa (practice)

Now, I shall say a few words regarding abhyasa (practice). Some persons carry on the japa of Soham for some time, but owing to want of intensity on their part, when they find that they are not making marked progress, or when they do not see any visions, they give up the practice, thinking that fate is against them. Or if they carry on the japa, they do it merely mechanically without any heart in the matter.

If our mind is unsteady, if it does not feel any joy in the contemplation of Soham, we should ask ourselves the question: Why do we not enjoy pleasure in doing the japa? The obvious answer is that it is our own lack of faith that comes in the way, and bars us from getting this joy. There is also another thing. Thousands of bad impressions have been accumulated in our mind through the course of previous births. How can all these impressions disappear at once?

In the case of those whose bad impressions have been cleared away to an appreciable extent, if they carry on the practice they will get some spiritual experiences sooner or later according to their merit. If any bad desires have beset their mind in this life, the continuous contemplation of Soham will gradually destroy all those desires in this very life. In the next life the remaining bad impressions and bad desires, and kama (desire), krodha (anger) and lobha (avarice), generating them or generated by them, will surely disappear. You should have no doubt regarding this in your mind. You may have no faith in me, but you must have faith in Soham.

Soham is the real path of knowledge (Jnana Marga). Owing to this, egotism disappears. In the path of knowledge, the sadhaka’s consciousness becomes more and more comprehensive, until it becomes all-pervading. But all this is nothing but the play of the “I,” and Soham teaches this very principle.

Thus, in the path of knowledge one becomes all-pervading and one with the universal Being.

For unknown words, see A Brief Sanskrit Glossary on our website.

NOTE: Atmaprabha, from which this blogpost is taken can be found in Appendix One of our publication Soham Yoga. Other teachings of Sri Gajanana Maharaj can be found in Chapter Three of Soham Yoga.

You can also read Soham Yoga on our website here.

More about Abhyasa:

How We Can Deal with the Storms of the Mind: Abhyasa and Vairagya

About OCOY.org

This site is a service of Light of the Spirit Monastery, located in Cedar Crest, New Mexico, USA

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