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.
Wisdom Quote of the Day
Latest Blog Posts
The 5 Kinds of Modifications of the Mind
Just as there are five senses, so according to Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras there are five modifications of the mind. Why is this important?
The “Gospel of Thomas for Awakening” Now Available in Print
We are happy to announce the publication of Abbot George’s latest book, The Gospel of Thomas for Awakening: A Commentary on Jesus’ Sayings as Recorded by the Apostle Thomas in printed and ebook formats. The following is from the back cover of the book: “From the very beginning there were two Christianities.” While the rest of the Apostles dispersed to
Jesus Speaks of Meditation, Part 2
A Continuation of Jesus Speaks of Meditation: Wisdom from the Aquarian Gospel In Eastern Christianity, meditation is called Hesychia–a Greek word meaning Silence. A monastery is often called a hesychasterion, a place of silence. Regarding meditation, Jesus tells the magian: “The Silence is the kingdom of the soul, which is not seen by human eyes. When in the Silence, phantom
Beyond Theory and Belief to Actual Experience
In this week’s podcast, Abbot George Burke speaks of the necessity of experience in spiritual life, and the fact that too often mere theory is offered as a substitute. The talk is from a satsang in which he comments on the preface to Raja Yoga, Swami Vivekananda’s analysis of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. He gives living examples of those who miss
Jesus Speaks of Meditation, Part 1
Wisdom from the Aquarian Gospel “And Jesus said, There is a Silence where the soul may meet its God, and there the fount of wisdom is, and all who enter are immersed in light, and filled with wisdom, love and power” (Aquarian Gospel 40:3). The Silence There is a Silence. Everything is consciousness: when consciousness moves we call it energy
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
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.