Long ago in India the science of creative sound was developed. Verbal sounds were discovered which could create desired effects when applied correctly. Sound was understood as one of the fundamental powers accessible to the human being. Many effects were found to be possible if the sound formulas known as mantras were correctly applied.

We are happy to announce that we have made a major update to the OCOY.org website to make your experience on the site better in many ways: Easier to read. Easier to find what you need. More mobile friendly. A more pleasing visual experience. More content. And this is just a start.

In today’s podcast our friend Jonathan Mahoney asks Abbot George about the Bhagavad Gita, its story and its value for the spiritual seeker. Abbot George discusses Vyasa, the pivotal figure in early Hinduism, and the author of many works, including the epic Mahabharata, from which the Bhagavad Gita is taken.

Why is Yoga considered a science rather than a religion? Because it is a precise methodology that has nothing to do with faith or the action of another being–including God. If you do it, it works, if you don’t, it won’t. It is just like a machine.

Every time we are about to reincarnate we look at our karmic balance sheet and decide just what karmas-good and bad-shall be reaped in the next life. It is rather like plotting a drama in which we are going to be the star. Having outlined the play, we then work on our costume-the kind of body we are going to have-and the sets-the kind of place we are going to live in…