Come back often to find new, valuable and practical articles to help you in your spiritual life. Below the latest blog posts we also list some of our most well received articles.
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Latest Blog Posts
The Unholy Trinity of Yoga: Raga, Dwesha, and Moha
In his teachings Buddha frequently listed the Unholy Trinity: Raga, Dwesha, and Moha. In yoga philosophy also these are detailed at length. Find out more here about why.
The Final Stages of Samadhi
Sutras 49 through 51 of Book One of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Sutra 49. The knowledge based on inference or testimony is different from direct knowledge obtained in the higher states of consciousness (I-48) because it is confined to a particular object (or aspect). That is, such knowledge is only relative and limited to one object at a time, whereas the knowing
Remembering Sivananda, Podcast Part 2
During his first trip to India in 1962 Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) was blessed to spend time with the great Swami Sivananda at his ashram in Rishikesh. In this three-part podcast Abbot George shares his memories of this saint with visitors to our ashram. Among the many saints that Abbot George met in India, he described Sivananda as
The Mystical Outlook of Original Christianity
A Commentary on the Odes of Solomon. The Odes are the earliest known Christian mystical hymns and poetry (discover more). Behold! the Lord is our mirror. Open (your) eyes and see them in Him. And learn the manner of your face, and declare praises to His Spirit. And wipe off the filth from your face, and love His holiness and
Podcast: Remembering Sivananda, Part 1
With this post, we begin our new Podcast section, which will be added to on a regular basis. These will be talks on meditation, practical aspects of spiritual life, memories of remarkable spiritual figures Abbot George has met, and much more. During his first trip to India in 1962 Abbot George Burke was blessed to spend time with the great Swami
Dawning of the Spiritual Light
Sutras 47 and 48 of Book One of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali 47. On attaining the utmost purity of the Nirvichara stage (of Samadhi) there is the dawning of the spiritual light [adhyatma prasadah]. In contrast to the samadhi spoken of in the prior sutra, nirvichara samadha is nirbija: “without seed,” without attributes and without the production of samskaras
Distinction Without Difference: The Nature of the Atman
Q: What is the difference between atman and jiva? Also do you believe that we are all one soul, or many living entities? The atman and the jiva are the same thing, though since atman is derived from the root at, which means “I breathe,” you could say that atman is the jiva in relative existence and experience, and the
Featured Articles
Yogis Who Saw Jesus
The Many Advantages of Vegetarianism
Seeing the One in All
In response to our recent blog posting about the reality of Jesus in the experience of India’s great yogis, we received a most heartening letter from India. I want to share parts of it with you and my reflections on it for I feel it presents the most authentic perspective on these matters.