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Join Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) in this December 2024 Satsang to elevate your spirit by growing your knowledge of meditation, yoga, and spiritual awakening. Listen to his new Talks on the Bhagavad Gita here: https://gitatalks.ocoy.org 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. Use these timestamps below to navigate to topics which he discusses in this month's satsang: 00:00 Introduction 00:38 Gita Talks notice 01:40 The body’s need for water 04:00 Book–Hinduism, the Eternal Religion 05:37 Reminders for spiritual living 09:07 A question about vegetarianism 14:07 Is it possible to change after years of a wasted life? 15:59 Eye position in meditation 19:36 Can people refuse to reincarnate? 24:21 Is image worship wrong? 38:01 Is Yoga just stopping thoughts in the mind? 41:44 Can God be realized by meditation without ritualistic worship? 43:34 Are Advaita and Monism the same? 45:21 Can past mistakes be erased? 49:31 Can scriptures be fully trusted? 1:02:50 Stories of Anandamayi Ma, and her mother, Didi Ma #satsang #spiritualawakening #spiritualgrowth OCOY.org RESOURCES Get FREE pdf spiritual ebooks at our E-Library: https://ocoy.org/site/e-library/ Listen to Podcast on practical spiritual topics: https://ocoy.org/podcasts/ Website: https://ocoy.org A Practical Resource for the Spiritual Student–Discover the timeless wisdom of India and the yoga path to freedom FREE Meditation Guide and weekly blog updates, podcasts and more: https://ocoy.org/signup FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL https://www.facebook.com/light.of.spirit/ https://twitter.com/Light_of_Spirit https://instagram.com/lightofthespirit/

Join Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) in this November 2024 Satsang to elevate your spirit by growing your knowledge of meditation, yoga, and spiritual awakening. Listen to his new Talks on the Bhagavad Gita here: https://gitatalks.ocoy.org 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. Use these timestamps below to navigate to topics which he discusses in this month's satsang: 00:00 Introduction 00:48 Notice: Talks on the Bhagavad Gita 02:50 Avoiding the distractions of family life 05:27 Sri Ramakrishna’s parable of the snake 09:52 Story of Mother Krishnabai 13:33 Pursuing spiritual life while living with an agnostic spouse 21:18 A philosophical question 22:27 What is Shakti and how does it affect us? 25:05 What is the difference between Iswara and Parameshwara? 33:51 How can I attain samadhi? 37:52 How does one know whether to lead a monastic life? 41:16 Gurus and their supposed infallibility 45:43 What do you advise for a daily spiritual routine? 48:48 Leading a spiritual life in a family situation 49:47 Learn Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism) 52:48 Praying for departed souls 56:20 How to understand the teachings of Jesus better #satsang #spiritualgrowth #sanatandharma OCOY.org RESOURCES Get FREE pdf spiritual ebooks at our E-Library: https://ocoy.org/site/e-library/ Listen to Podcast on practical spiritual topics: https://ocoy.org/podcasts/ Website: https://ocoy.org A Practical Resource for the Spiritual Student–Discover the timeless wisdom of India and the yoga path to freedom FREE Meditation Guide and weekly blog updates, podcasts and more: https://ocoy.org/signup FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL https://www.facebook.com/light.of.spirit/ https://twitter.com/Light_of_Spirit https://instagram.com/lightofthespirit/

Every month we have an online satsang with Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) where he answers question submitted when people register. This months topics are listed in the timestamps below: 00:00 Introduction 00:46 Rogue Creators; Lucifer 08: 45 Interpreting Scriptures 16:00 Loosing salvation? 18:33 Avoiding spiritual egotism 20:15 Spiritual dryness during meditation 20:30 Healthwork: payment or not? 31:35 What is Transmigration? 33:56 What is it that awakens to enlightenment? 38:57 What is Consciousness? 43:45 The value of spiritual imagery for the yogi #satsang #spiritualawakening #spiritualrealization OCOY.org RESOURCES Get FREE pdf spiritual ebooks at our E-Library: https://ocoy.org/site/e-library/ Listen to Podcast on practical spiritual topics: https://ocoy.org/podcasts/ Website: https://ocoy.org A Practical Resource for the Spiritual Student–Discover the timeless wisdom of India and the yoga path to freedom FREE Meditation Guide and weekly blog updates, podcasts and more: https://ocoy.org/signup FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL https://www.facebook.com/light.of.spirit/ https://twitter.com/Light_of_Spirit https://instagram.com/lightofthespirit/

Podcast and Video: Reminiscences of Anandamayi Ma by Swami Nirmalananda Giri (with archival film and photos)

In this recent satsang excerpt, Swami Nirmalananda shares unique perspectives about Ma from his own experience. Here are some of the topics discussed in the podcast and video:

• A yogi’s experience of the inner side of Ma.
• Problems with institutions.
• How Anandamayi Ma guided our ashram.  
• Dr. Ghosh takes Catholic nuns to meet Ma and what Ma said to the nuns; Ma’s love of monastics.
• What Ma said when she was asked: Can a Westerner become a Hindu?  
• The nature and openness of real Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism).

If you don’t see the player above, listen here to Reminiscences of Anandamayi Ma by Swami Nirmalananda Giri (about 28 minutes long).

Watch over 100 videos of Satsangs, pilgrimages, and other spiritual topics at our Light of the Spirit Youtube Channel.

The post Anandamayi Ma Video and Podcast appeared first on Original Christianity and Original Yoga.

Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) answers questions on practical spirituality submitted in the March monthly online satsang. See the timestamps below for the topics of the questions. #satsang #spiritualawakening #spiritualgrowth 00:00 Introduction 01:40 The effect of weather on meditation 02:39 A Yogi can affect his atmosphere 10:04 What is good for purification of the mind? 13:09 The Vijnana Vedanta of Sri Ramakrishna 15:14 Two different ideas of "I" 23:28 Differentiating between impulses of the higher and lower selves 27:58 Recommended practices beside Soham sadhana 29:11 Best time of day for meditation 33:50 Shaktipat, right and wrong 3925 The value of sacred imagery 44:13 Anandamayi Ma, what yogis said about her 54:26 How to break from a cycle of self sabotage 59:20 Responding to a question about damnation 1:10:24 Story of Swami Kriyananda and Anandamayi Ma OCOY.org RESOURCES Get FREE pdf spiritual ebooks at our E-Library: https://ocoy.org/site/e-library/ Listen to Podcast on practical spiritual topics: https://ocoy.org/podcasts/ Website: https://ocoy.org A Practical Resource for the Spiritual Student–Discover the timeless wisdom of India and the yoga path to freedom FREE Meditation Guide and weekly blog updates, podcasts and more: https://ocoy.org/signup FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL https://www.facebook.com/light.of.spirit/ https://twitter.com/Light_of_Spirit https://instagram.com/lightofthespirit/

Listen to the podcast and watch related video below.

The new Rama Temple in Ayodhya was consecrated on January 22nd, 2024. The grand ceremony, known as the Ram Mandir Prāna Pratishtha, marked a significant moment in Hindu history.

For centuries, Hindus have revered the site in Ayodhya as the birthplace of Lord Rama, the Divine Incarnation embodying righteousness and dharmic governance. Following Indian independence in 1947 many Hindus hoped for and worked for the return of many traditionally Hindu religious sites to Hindu control, including the site in Ayodhya, which had been stolen from the Hindus, and a mosque erected there instead. But the secular government worked against such aspirations for years.

The popular uprising resulting in the destruction of the Babri Masjid mosque at the site in 1992 and subsequent legal battles were the expression of the growing movement for recognition of Hindu rights. The consecration of the new temple marks the culmination of a decades-long struggle and the fulfillment of a deeply held desire to see a grand temple dedicated to Rama built there.

This event is more than the building of a place of worship. It is part of the revival of the Ancient Bharatian (Indian) culture.

Indian Prime Minister Modi, who participated in the Prāna Pratishtha, had this to say from his historic speech after the consecration:

“After centuries of unprecedented patience, countless sacrifices and penance, our Lord Ram has arrived. Many congratulations to all of you and all the countrymen on this auspicious occasion. Our Ramlalla will no longer live in a tent. Our Ramlalla will now live in this divine temple. January 22, 2024, is not a date on a calendar. This is the origin of a new time cycle. A nation rising up after breaking the mentality of slavery, a nation taking courage from every bit of the past, creates history in this way. A thousand years from now, people will talk about this date, this moment. These are indelible memory lines being inscribed on the wheel of time.”

“Today, the land of Ayodhya is asking some questions to every Ram devotee, to every Indian. The grand temple of Shri Ram has been built, what next? Today, I feel that the cycle of time is changing. From this sacred time, we have to lay the foundation of the India of the next thousand years.”

In the following podcast and Youtube video, Swami Nirmalananda discusses the “World Significance” of the establishment of Ramlalla (the boy Rama) in his new temple in Ayodhya.

Listen and Watch here.

[If you do not see the podcast player above, you can listen to “The World Significance of the New Ram Temple” here. The podcast duration is 12:38.

Ramlal Darshan Video and Devotional Music

Ram Murti Sculptor Arun Yogiraj Reveals Ramlala Murti’s Face Has Changed After Pran Pratishtha

The post The New Ram Mandir in Ayodhya: Podcast, News, and More appeared first on Original Christianity and Original Yoga.

In this online satsang from November Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) answers questions submitted by the online webinar attendees. The questions are shown below with timestamp links to where they occur in the satsang. 00:00 Introduction 00:35 Is the astral world heaven? 02:07 Is Sri Ma Sarada Devi an avatar? 05:05 Is it possible, having lost something, to move on in life without attachment? 06:24 Do you ever fear for the future? 11:52 If one has a non-dual perspective, how should one view worship? 14:27 The Pranapratishta of Ramlal in Ayodhya 18:00 Jesus and India: did he also learn from the Essenes? 20:12 Can intermittent fasting help meditation? 23:14 Significance of the new Ram Mandir in Ayodhya 36:24 Should one wait for people to ask for spiritual help before acting? 40:26 About Brahmacharya 43:09 Why is cremation better for the soul? 47:24 About OM meditation 48:44 How to realize our True Self amid distractions 49:25 Are there “group souls”? 55:03 How to Read the Tarot book 1:03:55 Health recommendations for the aging 1:05:33 What is the best source for Krishna’s life? 1:07:14 Soham theurgy OCOY.org RESOURCES Get FREE pdf spiritual ebooks at our E-Library: https://ocoy.org/site/e-library/ Listen to Podcast on practical spiritual topics: https://ocoy.org/podcasts/ Website: https://ocoy.org A Practical Resource for the Spiritual Student–Discover the timeless wisdom of India and the yoga path to freedom FREE Meditation Guide and weekly blog updates, podcasts and more: https://ocoy.org/signup FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL https://www.facebook.com/light.of.spirit/ https://twitter.com/Light_of_Spirit https://instagram.com/lightofthespirit/

In this podcast, Swami Nirmalananda discusses how to deal with the decline of a loved one from a spiritual perspective. Illness and death can bring immense sadness, but if we become strong spiritually we can bring comfort and help to ourselves, others, and those who are dying during such difficult times. Swamiji shares advice on how to gain this inner strength and personal stories of how this has helped others.

If you do not see the player above, click here to listen to How to Deal with the Decline of a Loved One. The podcast is 4 minutes 30 seconds long.

Watch the Youtube video of this podcast here:

The post Podcast: How to Deal with the Decline of a Loved One appeared first on Original Christianity and Original Yoga.

In this online satsang, Swami Nirmalananda (Abbot George Burke) answers a wide range of questions, discussing the initiations of Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh, the humor of Paramhansa Yogananda, meditation practices, what is Dharma, and much more. You can read more of his writings at https://ocoy.org. Below is a list of the topics discussed, and links to where in the satsang they are. 00:54 Sanatana Dharma book doing well. 04:21 What is the definition of Dharma? 06:20 Is reincarnation only forward in time? 08:10 Baptism of the Holy Spirit in other religions? 09:54 Initiations by Swami Sivananda. 14:20 Is out-of-body experience necessary? 16:25 Om Meditation and Soham Meditation. 21:06 The Humor of Paramhansa Yogananda. 26:12 Sri Ramakrishna and the temple priest. 30:23 Sri Kaleshwar and the Jesus mantra and yantra 32:15 Does Jesus have a place in the evolution of the world? 43:15 About temporary spiritual experiences. 48:32 How to prioritize truth in difficult situations. 54:08 About Indian politicians using the Nath tradition? 1:00:05 Story of a dying devotee of Anandamayi Ma. 1:02:25 What are bija mantras? 1:06:44 Daily practical spiritual routines. 1:07:25 Thoughts on the shroud of Turin. 1:13:32 Combining spiritual methods. #satsang #spiritualawakening #ramakrishna OCOY.org RESOURCES Get FREE pdf spiritual ebooks at our E-Library: https://ocoy.org/site/e-library/ Listen to Podcast on practical spiritual topics: https://ocoy.org/podcasts/ Website: https://ocoy.org A Practical Resource for the Spiritual Student–Discover the timeless wisdom of India and the yoga path to freedom FREE Meditation Guide and weekly blog updates, podcasts and more: https://ocoy.org/signup FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL https://www.facebook.com/light.of.spirit/ https://twitter.com/Light_of_Spirit https://instagram.com/lightofthespirit/

Previous Satsangs now Online

We have now posted all of our past satsangs on our Youtube Channel (YouTube.com/@LightoftheSpirit) where you can view both full satsangs and excepts, as well as other spiritual videos (we now have 96 videos!)

Below is our latest upload, from the follow-up to the October satsang, where Swamiji addressed the following topics not covered in the live satsang. We include the timestamps on the video so that you can find what interests you:

• 00:30 The symbolism of the Cross
• 12:16 Some insights into Royalty
• 15:34 Reminiscences of Anandamayi Ma
• 48:11 Stories of Mahavatar Babaji
• 51:47 Kriya, Bhakti, and Jnana Yogas
• 56:23 Coping with the decline of a loved one

Below the Podcast (the audio version) and the video, you will find links to the most recent satsangs.

(If you do not see the podcast player above, listen here to the October Satsang Q&A Session with Swami Nirmalananda. The podcast length is 1 hour and 2 minutes.

Watch Earlier Satsangs

• December 2023 Satsang
• November 2023 Satsang
• October 2023 Satsang
• September 2023 Satsang

The post Podcast and Video of Q&A Session appeared first on Original Christianity and Original Yoga.

This satsang with Swami Nirmalananda consists of follow-up questions not covered in the October monthly online Satsang. Topics covered are below with their timestamps for ease of viewing. 00:00 Intro 00:30 The symbolism of the Cross 12:16 Some insights into Royalty 15:34 Reminiscences of Anandamayi Ma 48:11 Stories of Mahavatar Babaji 51:47 Kriya, Bhakti, and Jnana Yogas 56:23 Coping with the decline of a loved one 1:00:49 Gratitude 1:01:48 Sri Ramakrishna's Parable–Go Forward #satsang #babaji #anandamayima OCOY.org RESOURCES Get FREE pdf spiritual ebooks at our E-Library: https://ocoy.org/site/e-library/ Listen to Podcast on practical spiritual topics: https://ocoy.org/podcasts/ Website: https://ocoy.org A Practical Resource for the Spiritual Student–Discover the timeless wisdom of India and the yoga path to freedom FREE Meditation Guide and weekly blog updates, podcasts and more: https://ocoy.org/signup FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL https://www.facebook.com/light.of.spirit/ https://twitter.com/Light_of_Spirit https://instagram.com/lightofthespirit/

In this satsang, Swamiji talks about Babaji (of Autobiography of a Yogi) and his sister and much more (see timestamps below) #satsang #babaji #spiritualawakening 00:00 Beginning 00:21 New Sanatana Dharma Book 01:01 Babaji and Babaji’s sister at Dashashwamedh Ghat 07:44 Where to get good vegetarian recipes 10:03 How difficult to attain spiritual awakening? 13:58 Is anything known about Jesus’ guru? 15:01 A question about slavery 18:09 Where do unwanted thoughts come from? 24:06 Swami Sivananda on Soham Sadhana 33:30 A question about disturbances in meditation OCOY.org RESOURCES Get FREE pdf spiritual ebooks at our E-Library: https://ocoy.org/site/e-library/ Listen to Podcast on practical spiritual topics: https://ocoy.org/podcasts/ Website: https://ocoy.org A Practical Resource for the Spiritual Student–Discover the timeless wisdom of India and the yoga path to freedom FREE Meditation Guide and weekly blog updates, podcasts and more: https://ocoy.org/signup FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL https://www.facebook.com/light.of.spirit/ https://twitter.com/Light_of_Spirit https://instagram.com/lightofthespirit/

Join Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) in this October 2024 Satsang to elevate your spirit by growing your knowledge of meditation, yoga, and spiritual awakening. Listen to his new Talks on the Bhagavad Gita here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzUa3GQViSbVFbfQW_yugfTi5u9x8W7bb 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. Use these timestamps below to navigate to topics which he discusses in this month's satsang: 00:00 Introduction 00:28 Notice: Talks on the Bhagavad Gita 01:21 Sanatana Dharma: The Eternal Religion 02:34 Hinduism The Universal Religion 05:27 Yogananda and the Candles story 17:38 A special thanks to our friends 25:00 Ahimsa & Satya: handling conflict resolution 33:00 The difference between Spirit and Soul 35:51 Stories of Mahatama Gandhi 39:02 Karma Yoga in our daily lives 40:57 Long hair vs. shaving the head for the yogi 45:32 Why do monks wear a monastic habit? 56:28 “Emptiness” in the Heart Sutra 58:23 Asking personal advice 1:03:10 Question about pranayama 1:04:30 Question about Gajanana Maharaj 1:06:38 Stories of Swami Nirmalananda’s healing grandmother 1:23:07 What is the difference between Jiva and Atman? 1:25:00 What is the Witness Consciousness? 1:28:13 Does the personality survive death? #spiritualawakening #satsang #spiritualgrowth OCOY.org RESOURCES Get FREE pdf spiritual ebooks at our E-Library: https://ocoy.org/site/e-library/ Listen to Podcast on practical spiritual topics: https://ocoy.org/podcasts/ Website: https://ocoy.org A Practical Resource for the Spiritual Student–Discover the timeless wisdom of India and the yoga path to freedom FREE Meditation Guide and weekly blog updates, podcasts and more: https://ocoy.org/signup FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL https://www.facebook.com/light.of.spirit/ https://twitter.com/Light_of_Spirit https://instagram.com/lightofthespirit/

Podcast: What Happens to the Soul After Death?

The afterlife of any individual depends on the life of that individual. Each life is unique, and what happens afterwards depends on how a person lived that life, and the lives before. Learn how our karma (our actions) will determine where we go after death, and more in this podcast and video.

If you do not see the player in the email, listen to the podcast here: What Happens to the Sould After Death?

Youtube video of the podcast:

The post Podcast: What Happens to the Soul After Death? appeared first on Original Christianity and Original Yoga.

Every month Swami Nirmalananda has an online satsang in which he answers questions that have been suggested by attendees. Go get word of future online satsangs, visit https://ocoy.org/signup/ #satsang #spiritualawakening #dharma OCOY.org RESOURCES Get FREE pdf spiritual ebooks at our E-Library: https://ocoy.org/site/e-library/ Listen to Podcast on practical spiritual topics: https://ocoy.org/podcasts/ Website: https://ocoy.org A Practical Resource for the Spiritual Student–Discover the timeless wisdom of India and the yoga path to freedom FREE Meditation Guide and weekly blog updates, podcasts and more: https://ocoy.org/signup FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL https://www.facebook.com/light.of.spirit/ https://twitter.com/Light_of_Spirit https://instagram.com/lightofthespirit/

Every month Swami Nirmalananda has an online satsang in which he answers questions that have been suggested by attendees. Go get word of future online satsangs, visit https://ocoy.org/signup/ #satsang #spiritualawakening #dharma OCOY.org RESOURCES Get FREE pdf spiritual ebooks at our E-Library: https://ocoy.org/site/e-library/ Listen to Podcast on practical spiritual topics: https://ocoy.org/podcasts/ Website: https://ocoy.org A Practical Resource for the Spiritual Student–Discover the timeless wisdom of India and the yoga path to freedom FREE Meditation Guide and weekly blog updates, podcasts and more: https://ocoy.org/signup FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL https://www.facebook.com/light.of.spirit/ https://twitter.com/Light_of_Spirit https://instagram.com/lightofthespirit/

Every month Swami Nirmalananda has an online satsang in which he answers questions that have been suggested by attendees. Go get word of future online satsangs, visit https://ocoy.org/signup/ #satsang #spiritualawakening #dharma OCOY.org RESOURCES Get FREE pdf spiritual ebooks at our E-Library: https://ocoy.org/site/e-library/ Listen to Podcast on practical spiritual topics: https://ocoy.org/podcasts/ Website: https://ocoy.org A Practical Resource for the Spiritual Student–Discover the timeless wisdom of India and the yoga path to freedom FREE Meditation Guide and weekly blog updates, podcasts and more: https://ocoy.org/signup FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL https://www.facebook.com/light.of.spirit/ https://twitter.com/Light_of_Spirit https://instagram.com/lightofthespirit/

Every month Swami Nirmalananda has an online satsang in which he answers questions that have been suggested by attendees. Go get word of future online satsangs, visit https://ocoy.org/signup/ #satsang #spiritualawakening #dharma OCOY.org RESOURCES Get FREE pdf spiritual ebooks at our E-Library: https://ocoy.org/site/e-library/ Listen to Podcast on practical spiritual topics: https://ocoy.org/podcasts/ Website: https://ocoy.org A Practical Resource for the Spiritual Student–Discover the timeless wisdom of India and the yoga path to freedom FREE Meditation Guide and weekly blog updates, podcasts and more: https://ocoy.org/signup FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL https://www.facebook.com/light.of.spirit/ https://twitter.com/Light_of_Spirit https://instagram.com/lightofthespirit/

Every month Swami Nirmalananda has an online satsang in which he answers questions that have been suggested by attendees. To get word of future online satsangs, visit https://ocoy.org/signup/ OCOY.org RESOURCES Get FREE pdf spiritual ebooks at our E-Library: https://ocoy.org/site/e-library/ Listen to Podcast on practical spiritual topics: https://ocoy.org/podcasts/ Website: https://ocoy.org A Practical Resource for the Spiritual Student–Discover the timeless wisdom of India and the yoga path to freedom FREE Meditation Guide and weekly blog updates, podcasts and more: https://ocoy.org/signup/ #satsang #spiritualawakening #dharma FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL https://www.facebook.com/light.of.spirit/ https://twitter.com/Light_of_Spirit https://instagram.com/lightofthespirit/

At our monthly online Satsangs (the first Saturday of each month–sign up here to get notices, and much more) there are many more questions that can be answered in an hour. So we are going to be regularly posting answers to the extra questions. Here are Swami Nirmalananda’s answers to the questions left over after the September Satsang. You can listen to the audio podcast or watch the Youtube videos below.

To see previous satsangs, visit our Video Satsang page.

The post Questions & Answers with Swami Nirmalananda from September appeared first on Original Christianity and Original Yoga.

At our monthly online Satsangs (the first Saturday of each month–sign up here: https://ocoy.org/signup/) there are many more questions that can be answered in an hour. So we are going to be regularly posting answers to the extra questions. #satsang #dharma #spiritualawakening OCOY.org RESOURCES Get FREE pdf spiritual ebooks at our E-Library: https://ocoy.org/site/e-library/ Listen to Podcast on practical spiritual topics: https://ocoy.org/podcasts/ Website: https://ocoy.org A Practical Resource for the Spiritual Student–Discover the timeless wisdom of India and the yoga path to freedom FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL https://www.facebook.com/light.of.spirit/ https://twitter.com/Light_of_Spirit https://instagram.com/lightofthespirit/

At our monthly online Satsangs (the first Saturday of each month–sign up here: https://ocoy.org/signup/) there are many more questions that can be answered in an hour. So we are going to be regularly posting answers to the extra questions. #satsang #dharma #spiritualawakening OCOY.org RESOURCES Get FREE pdf spiritual ebooks at our E-Library: https://ocoy.org/site/e-library/ Listen to Podcast on practical spiritual topics: https://ocoy.org/podcasts/ Website: https://ocoy.org A Practical Resource for the Spiritual Student–Discover the timeless wisdom of India and the yoga path to freedom FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL https://www.facebook.com/light.of.spirit/ https://twitter.com/Light_of_Spirit https://instagram.com/lightofthespirit/

Swami Nirmalananda was under Anandamayi Ma’s guidance from 1963 until her leaving this world in 1982. He made many trips to India during this time and knew many of the people in her orbit. In this video and podcast he shares some stories about her unique nature.

Watch the podcast here:

Or listen to the podcast here: The “Mind” of Anandamayi Ma – Satsang With Swami Nirmalananda Giri

If you do not see the player above, click here to listen to The “Mind” of Anandamayi Ma – Satsang With Swami Nirmalananda Giri.

The podcast is 6:30 minutes long.

The post Podcast: The “Mind” of Anandamyi Ma appeared first on Original Christianity and Original Yoga.

Join Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) in this September 2024 Satsang to elevate your spirit by growing your knowledge of meditation, yoga, and spiritual awakening. Listen to his new Talks on the Bhagavad Gita here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzUa3GQViSbVFbfQW_yugfTi5u9x8W7bb 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. Use these timestamps below to navigate to topics which he discusses in this month's satsang: 00:00 Introduction 00:20 Recommendations 03:31 Gita Talks 05:09 What are the gunas? 13:36 Soul contracts? 14:33 Humor in spiritual life (tag link to referred Gita talk in youtube) 25:54 Is it OK to teach others Soham Yoga? 28:12 Comment on Jesus’ words in the Gospels 36:18 Is it OK to skip japa? 37:52 Who is the Supreme Being, Krishna or Siva? (short 38:15-38:41) 39:32 Stories of Warren Vickerman, Yogananda’s early disciple 43:20 Why would a practicing yogi reincarnate? 50:20 Sri Ramakrishna’s story 51:53 Tapah lokas–world’s for spiritual discipline 56:47 Saying of St. John Vianney #satsang #spiritualawakening #spiritualgrowth OCOY.org RESOURCES Get FREE pdf spiritual ebooks at our E-Library: https://ocoy.org/site/e-library/ Listen to Podcast on practical spiritual topics: https://ocoy.org/podcasts/ Website: https://ocoy.org A Practical Resource for the Spiritual Student–Discover the timeless wisdom of India and the yoga path to freedom FREE Meditation Guide and weekly blog updates, podcasts and more: https://ocoy.org/signup FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL https://www.facebook.com/light.of.spirit/ https://twitter.com/Light_of_Spirit https://instagram.com/lightofthespirit/

Podcast: What is Aparigraha? (The Yoga Term for Non-Possessiveness) – Satsang With Swami Nirmalananda Giri Watch the podcast here:

Or listen to the podcast here:

If you do not see the player above, click here to listen to What is Aparigraha? (The Yoga Term for Non-Possessiveness) – Satsang With Swami Nirmalananda Giri.

The podcast is 14:20 minutes long.

The post Podcast: What is Aparigraha? appeared first on Original Christianity and Original Yoga.

Today, we share both an audio podcast and a video podcast made from a recent Zoom Satsang with Swami Nirmalananda (Abbot George Burke).

In this podcast, Swami Nirmalananda answers the question, “Can you talk about how Jesus is the Savior, knowing that our liberation is our personal responsibility?”

First, he talks about what a Savior is, and what they do. And he speaks about our own personal responsibility for our own spiritual welfare and advancement.

Among the stories he tells are:

• The Greek elder and the surprising response he gave to someone asking for his prayers.
• The remarkable healings he witnessed.
• Different Saviors and the effects they had.
• His experience with Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh, including the story of the woman who wanted to clean her glasses with his clothes.
• The unusual changes in appearance of Anandamay Ma.

If you don’t see the podcast above (it won’t show in emails), here is a direct link to the Podcast: Saviors, or Personal Responsibility?. The Podcast is just under 21 minutes long.

YouTube Video:

Further Listening and Watching:

• Visit our Podcasts page, with dozens of spiritual podcasts.
• Explore our Youtube Channel.
• Discover our Video Satangs page.

The post Podcast (and Video): Saviors, or Personal Responsibility? appeared first on Original Christianity and Original Yoga.

In our effort to continue to make OCOY.org a true “practical resource for the spiritual student,” we have added more valuable content which we hope you will explore, with our new articles, new videos, new books in our free eLibrary, and in our monthly Zoom satsangs, starting with a new Podcast from a recent satsang.

Satsang Podcast

Podcast of Satsang Excerpt: Great Yogis I have Known

Here is a direct link to the Podcast: Great Yogis I Have Known.

Articles

First, we have added two useful articles:

• Vibrational Medicine and the Yogi:  The body and mind are profoundly interrelated. This is especially important for the yogi to realize. Health of mind and body are also profoundly interrelated. Swami Nirmalananda wrote this to share with you information about what he considers a most appropriate and effective form of therapy for a yogi: vibrational medicine.
• Astrology and Divination:  Astrology and divination are very real and valuable tools in the yogi’s life. They are not superstition, but metaphysical science.

Videos

Next, we have been adding videos of our Zoom online satsangs with Swami Nirmalananda to our Youtube channel. A number of videos posted in the past months have gone viral. Our channel has had over 500,000 views in the past ninety days! You can subscribe to our Youtube Podcast here.

Here are a couple of the most recent videos:

Books

We continue to publish new books, including three this year. We make them available in paperback, ebook, as free PDF’s in our eLibrary, and as web pages.

In our eLibrary, you can download these new free PDF titles:

• The Inspired Wisdom of Sri Gajanana Maharaj–A Practical Commentary on Leading an Effectual Spiritual Life
• The Inspired Wisdom of Lalla Yogeshwari
• The Benefits of Brahmacharya: A Collection of Writings About the Spiritual, Mental, and Physical Benefits of Continence

You can also read these books here online:

• The Inspired Wisdom of Lalla Yogeshwari
• The Benefits of Brahmacharya

These books are also available as paperbacks and ebooks on Amazon and other online bookstores:

• The Inspired Wisdom of Sri Gajanana Maharaj
• The Inspired Wisdom of Lalla Yogeshwari
• The Benefits of Brahmacharya

Satsangs

The next online one-hour Zoom satsang with Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George) is Saturday May 6th at 12:00 noon E.S.T.

[This has now past, but next month we will have another satsang. Stay tuned.]

 

 

The post Podcast: Great Yogis I Have Known, plus New Articles, Videos, & Books appeared first on Original Christianity and Original Yoga.

Swami Sivananda composed many songs in English to convey his teachings, the most famous being the Song of Ities listing such virtues as Simplicity, Purity and Charity. Others were advice and inspiration for spiritual endeavor. This Song of Admonition is the best known. Below is a transcript of the song.

This podcast is 10:25 minutes long. If you do not see the podcast player above (it won’t show in emails), you can listen here: Swami Sivananda and the Song of Admonition.

 

Song Of Admonition By Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh

(The quality of the audio is not ideal, so we include the transcribed text here. For unfamiliar Sanskrit terms, we recommend you see our Brief Sanskrit Glossary.)

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare.

Radhe Shyama Radhe Shyama Shyama Shyama Radhe Radhe Radhe Krishna Radhe Krishna Krishna Krishna Radhe Radhe

Gauri Shankar Gauri Shankar Shankar Shankar Gauri Gauri Uma Shankar Uma Shankar Shankar Shankar Uma Uma

O My Jesus O Lord Jesus Hail Hail Jesus O Father Father O My Mary O Virgin Mary Hail Hail Mary O Mother Mother

O My Buddha, O Lord Buddha Hail Hail Buddha O Saviour Saviour

O My Allah, O Lord Allah, Hail hail Allah, O Khuda Khuda

O My Sakti, O Adi Sakti, Hail hail Sakti, O Mother Mother

Is there not a nobler mission than eating, drinking and sleeping? it is difficult to get a human birth, therefore try your best to realise in this birth.

Fie on that wretch, woe to that man who wastes all his life in sensual pleasures.

Time sweeps away kings and barons Where is Yuddhistir? Where is Ashoka? Where is Shakespeare? Where is Valmiki? Where is Napoleon? Where is Shivaji? Where is Gandhi, Where is Jinah?

Be up and doing yogic Sadhana you will enjoy supreme bliss Be up and doing in Brahma vichara you will attain immortality, kaivalya moksha

Can you expect real shanti if you waste your time in idle-gossiping? Can you enjoy Supreme Peace if you waste your time in novels, newspapers, in fights and quarrels, in scandal, backbiting,

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare.

When the mind melts in the silence, you will have Self-realization. What have you learnt, tell me frankly from the Bihar and Quetta earthquakes?

Have you got now real Vairag? Do you practise Japa and Kirtan? Here is a challenge to non-believers of the Hindu theory of transmigration: Have you not heard the thrilling narratives of Shanti Devi, of her past life?

Can you expect real shanti if you waste your time in cards and cinemas ? When your throat is choked at the time of death, who will help you for your salvation?

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare.

Dehonaham, Jivonaham, Pratyagabhinna Bramaivaham, Paripurnoham Paramarthoham Brahmaivaham Brahmaivaham Jagad Kalpa Natha, Jiva Kalpa Natha

All This Kalpa Natha, Dhiera Svapa natha All This Jalam, all this Juggler deeds All This Maya’s Street, All This Maya’s Thought Nothing exist, nothing belongs to me, I am neither my body, immortal Self I am.

Practice Ahimsa, Satyam Brahmacharya This is the foundation of Yoga Vedanta Practice [unclear] Japam you will have Self-realization.

Eat a little, drink a little, Talk a little, sleep a little, Mix a little, move a little, Serve a little, give a little,

Do Asanas a little, Pranayamas a little, Reflect a little, Meditate a little, Do Japa a little, do Kirtan a little, Study a little, worship a little.

Do asana a little, pranayama a little, Reflect a Little, Do Vichar a little. [He varied the words from time to time, and frequently added: “Do a little of each; you will have time for all. God-realization is thus brought within your easy reach; and you are saved from the fear of a fall.”]

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare.

More about Swami Sivananda:

• Podcast: Swami Sivananda’s Humor (including a Video Podcast)
• Podcast: Days with Sivananda
• 10 Sagely Sayings of Swami Sivananda

The post Podcast: Swami Sivananda and the Song of Admonition appeared first on Original Christianity and Original Yoga.

In today’s podcast, our friend Jonathan Mahoney asks Abbot George, “Could you tell us the difference between Satan and Mara, and how we should respond to outer and inner negativity and evil?”

Abbot George discusses:

• How both Satan and Mara are aspects of the cosmic force to get us to stop our spiritual quest.
• How resistance to negativity and evil make us stronger by developing our will towards spiritual growth.
• How we have to be constructive towards that which is positive and destructive towards that which is negative.

This podcast is 24:38 minutes long. If you do not see the podcast player above (it won’t show in emails), you can listen here: How Should We Respond to Outer and Inner Negativity and Evil?

 

Further Reading:

• The Divine and the Demonic: Negativity from the Gita View
• Viveka: How to Walk Safely in the Jungle of Delusion, Illusion and Deception
• Living the Yoga Life: Dedication to Spiritual Life

Grow Your Spiritual Library–This Week’s Recommendation:

• The Dhammapada for Awakening

The post Podcast: How Should We Respond to Outer and Inner Negativity and Evil? appeared first on Original Christianity and Original Yoga.

In today’s podcast Jonathan Mahoney asks Abbot George, “What is Satan?” Though this is a topic some people find fascinating, it is one that we should not dwell on, for Abbot George says “talking about negativity can bring the mind into the orbit of negativity.” On the other hand, talking about spiritual topics has a positive influence on the mind.

But it is good to have a basic understanding of evil so that we can be on our guard against inner and outer evil.

Abbot George illumines these ideas with apt illustrations and stories.

This podcast is 18:28 minutes long. If you do not see the podcast player above (it won’t show in emails), you can listen here: What Is Satan?

 

Further reading about dealing with evil:

• Evil Spirits and Satan: Where Do They Come From?
• Demons and Dunces, Part 2: Deluded Asceticism and Dispelling Evil Spirits
• 3 Types of Supernatural Contact and the People Who Engage in Them
• How You Can Overcome Negativity by an Effective Positive Attitude

The post Podcast: What Is Satan? appeared first on Original Christianity and Original Yoga.

In today’s podcast our friend Jonathan Mahoney asks Abbot George “What is Maya?” Abbot George’s answer covers various aspects of Maya:

• Maya as the hypnotic power of creation.
• It is mistaking the Unreal for the Real.
• It is caused by our instinctive reactions to sense perceptions.
• He explains the common simile of mistaking a rope for a snake.

He stresses that the Shakti of creation is real, it is our perception or understanding that is unreal. Maya, illusion, is in our minds. Abbot George shares a number of stories to illumine these ideas.

This podcast is 11:15 minutes long. If you do not see the podcast player above (it won’t show in emails), you can listen here: What Is Maya?

 

Further Reading and Listening about What is Maya?:

• Living the Yoga Life: Many Answers About Maya
• How You Can Break Through the Net of Maya
• Podcast: The Means of Getting Beyond Maya: Leading the Yoga Life

The post Podcast: What Is Maya? appeared first on Original Christianity and Original Yoga.

Recently our friend Jonathan Mahoney visited us, and he had a number of questions for Abbot George during that time, which we recorded and will share in the coming months as podcasts. His first question was “what is Mahashakti?”

In his answer, Abbot George discusses the “Great Power” (the meaning of Mahashakti) as the entire range of relative existence, composed of vibrating energy. There is nothing but Consciousness. But when Consciousness does not move, we call it spirit. When Consciousness moves, we call it energy or shakti or power.

He talks about Mahashakti as a manifestation of God, an intelligent power, usually thought of as a merciful power, a caring power, a loving power, therefore, it’s called Mother.

Also, since we reflect the qualities of what we pay attention to, people will begin to manifest the qualities of the forms of God they worship. And because of our inner temperament we will naturally gravitate towards one concept of God or another, because in them are the qualities that are beneficial for them, so it will help them develop those automatically.

As we grow and evolve, our spiritual inclinations may change, and we should follow our instincts on these things and if there’s no instinct, we shouldn’t force ourselves.

This is a short summary of some of the points covered in this podcast. Listen to learn much more.

This podcast is just over 13:24 minutes long. If you do not see the podcast player above (it won’t show in emails), you can listen here: What Is Mahashakti?

Further Reading (and Listening):

• Shiva and Shakti: A Yogi’s Perspective
• Podcast: Plain Talk About God
• Podcast: Beyond Theory and Belief to Actual Experience

The post Podcast: What is Mahashakti? appeared first on Original Christianity and Original Yoga.

 

In this podcast Abbot George continues his discussion concerning how Lucifer could stand to be in the presence of Jesus, and how the status of master yogis is often hidden. He begins by giving his own experiences with spiritual figures in India, and continues with what he had heard of others.

In one of his many trips to India, Abbot George saw the great vedantic teacher and head of the famous Kailash Ashram in Rishikesh, Chaitanya Giri, and was stunned at his spiritual presence. Then Abbot George shares the story of his meeting, some years later with Chaitanya Giri’s successor, Swami Vishnudevananda, and the surprising experience which cause Abbot George to revise his opinion of him

He tell a humorous story of Paramhansa Yogananda told him by Peggy Dietz, who had been Yogananda’s secretary, when a friend of hers first saw Yogananda at the Hollywood SRF Church.

Masters and Karma

He discusses how spiritual masters deal with their karma in relation to using it for helping the world. He shares Swami Kriyananda’s story of what Yogananda said when he asked him what it was like for Yogananda when Yogananda had to take rebirth for helping the world.

And he shares how Yogananda made “preparations” for his next birth at the end of his life. He also shares what Yogananda said his next life would be like.

This podcast is just over 20 minutes long. If you do not see the podcast player above (it won’t show in emails), you can listen here: The Hidden Status of Master Yogis, Part 2

Further Listening:

• The Real Yogananda: 8 Stories of Mischief and Mercy
• Raihana Tyabji, the Moslem Saint Who Worshiped Krishna
• How to Gain the Vision of God

The post Podcast: The Hidden Status of Master Yogis, Part 2 appeared first on Original Christianity and Original Yoga.

Recently our friend Jonathan Mahoney asked Abbot George Burke how Lucifer could tempt Jesus if evil spirits cannot stand high spiritual vibrations. In this first of two podcasts Abbot George answers this question, showing how the status of master yogis is often hidden, giving examples from the lives of Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh, Ananadamayi Ma and others.

This podcast is just over 22 minutes long. If you do not see the podcast player above, you can listen here: The Hidden Status of Master Yogis, Part 1

The post Podcast: The Hidden Status of Master Yogis, Part 1 appeared first on Original Christianity and Original Yoga.

Join Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) in this uplifting August 2024 Satsang. Elevate your spirit by growing your knowledge of meditation, yoga, and spiritual awakening. Also, watch his new Talks on the Bhagavad Gita here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzUa3GQViSbVFbfQW_yugfTi5u9x8W7bb 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. Use these timestamps below to navigate to topics which he discusses in this month's satsang: 00:00 Introduction 00:27 The book “Hindu America” 03:38 Talks on the Bhagavad Gita 04:05 Sacred Places (Pithas) 14:38 Reincarnation in the Gita and Buddhist teachings 17:17 Maya vs. Mara 29:47 Life as a training film 31:30 Imagining God? 33:30 Soham as Nirguna Brahman 36:20 How to pray 42:44 About mantras 44:29 Continuing spiritual practice in the next birth 50:37 What is a Sad Guru? 1:07:57 Being free from karma 1:09:09 Defining the Second Coming #satsang #spiritualawakening #spiritualgrowth OCOY.org RESOURCES Get FREE pdf spiritual ebooks at our E-Library: https://ocoy.org/site/e-library/ Listen to Podcast on practical spiritual topics: https://ocoy.org/podcasts/ Website: https://ocoy.org A Practical Resource for the Spiritual Student–Discover the timeless wisdom of India and the yoga path to freedom FREE Meditation Guide and weekly blog updates, podcasts and more: https://ocoy.org/signup FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL https://www.facebook.com/light.of.spirit/ https://twitter.com/Light_of_Spirit https://instagram.com/lightofthespirit/

In today’s podcast, Abbot George Burke talks about how diet affects consciousness, and the importance of a pure diet for the yogi.

Abbot George shares these stories:

• The unusual experiment in diet that Abbot George conducted before teaching a yoga seminar.
• The positive effect that taking up a vegetarian diet had for exam students.
• The negative effect that occurred from using just a small amount of liqueur for stomach troubles.
• How a vegetarian diet is not primarily Ahimsa (harmlessness) for the yogi, but Shaucha (purification).
• Why Abbot George became an avid food label reader.
• What happened to Abbot George’s yogi friends who refused to be strict with their diets.

If you do not see the podcast player above, click here to listen to Diet and Consciousness: The Importance of a Pure Diet for the Yogi. The podcast is 10 minutes long.

Further reading and listening:

Vegetarianism: an Interview of Abbot George on Australian Radio

Humans: Are We Carnivores or Vegetarians by Nature?

“Vegetarianism and Occultism” by C. W. Leadbeater

The post Podcast: Diet and Consciousness: The Importance of a Pure Diet for the Yogi appeared first on Original Christianity and Original Yoga.

We have updated this podcast to include a YouTube video version of the podcast at the bottom of this page. We hope you enjoy it.

Click here to listen to Swami Sivananda’s Humor if you do not see the player above. The podcast length is 16:06 minutes. Swami Sivananda’s joyful sense of humor are evident in this podcast. This includes the following incidents:

• Sivananda’s riddle and the over-serious student.
• The story of the rare color film photos of Swamiji.
• Sivananda’s omniscience regarding what was going on in Sivanandashram.
• What it was like at satsangs with Sivanandaji.
• Two interviews with Sivananda, and Sivananda’s important advice for success in spiritual life.

Listen to Swami Sivananda’s Humor.

Listen to more podcasts on meditation and living the Yoga Life.

Watch this podcast with videos and photos of Sivananda with our YouTube video:

The post Podcast: Swami Sivananda’s Humor (Updated 5-2022 with a Video Podcast) appeared first on Original Christianity and Original Yoga.

One of Yogananda’s early disciples was named Brahmacharini Radhalila. She was a person with a very strong personality. And she frequently would say, during the last years of her life, “One day I am going to write a book called The Real Yogananda.”  She was living at the SRF headquarters, and everyone would panic at the thought of what she might write, because she was the type of person she was, and also because they wished that a public image of Yogananda be created that would supposedly fit in with people’s spiritual ideas. And just also with the image that they wanted people to have of him.

So there are a lot of stories that people have never heard, because of the intention that Yogananda be sort of a cross between St. Francis and St. Teresa of Avila, rather than the very unique personality that Yogananda had.  So here are some things that were told to me by direct disciples of Yogananda who were there when these incidents took place that you might find interesting. Some devotees were visiting here at our monastery, and one evening I just started telling these stories. And here they are.

These include the following stories:

• Brother Bimalananda’s story of how Yogananda surprised the young monks calling out to him at his window.
• The special gift Yogananda gave to an overly-fervent “devotee.”
• How Yogananda would have fun with the disciples at Mt. Washington and how things took a surprising turn.
• How Yogananda would entertain visitors with a drunk act.
• The story of Yogananda and the oversized tricycle in a department store in Los Angeles.
• Yogananda’s mercy to a shop owner down on his luck.
• The SRF nuns with Yogananda at a roadside watermelon stand.
• Why Yogananda stopped driving a car.
• How Yogananda worked a miracle when late for an event.

If you do not see the podcast player above, you can listen to The Real Yogananda–8 Stories of Mischief and Mercy here. The podcast is just under 15 minutes.

NOTE: This is the first of several podcasts from conversations with Abbot George about Yogananda, Gyana Mata, Sri Yukteswar, Babaji, Yogananda devotees, Anandamayi Ma, and other spiritual figures Abbot George has met or has stories about.

Listen to more instructive podcasts on our Podcast Page.

Here is our YouTube Video of the “Real Yogananda” podcast, with film and photos of Yogananda

The post Podcast: The Real Yogananda – 8 Stories of Mischief and Mercy appeared first on Original Christianity and Original Yoga.

“Am I more sensible, or less sensible, as a result of this practice and this experience?”

In this 4th podcast on Spiritual Experiences and Abilities, Abbot George delineates the very real and very extreme dangers of imbalancing experiences that fake yoga can produce, contrasting this with his observation of the cardinal qualities of real yogis he met.

If you do not see the player above, listen to Part 4 of What the Beginner Yogi Know About Spiritual Experiences and Abilities. This podcast is about 16 minutes long.

Listen to the earlier parts of this podcast: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

The post Podcast: About Spiritual Experience and Abilities–What Should the Beginner Yogi Know?–Part 4 appeared first on Original Christianity and Original Yoga.

“Have I learned anything? Has this spiritual experience changed my awareness, my meditation?” In the third part of the podcast series on Spiritual Experience and Abilities, Abbot George contrasts the effect of real spiritual experience with examples of people who were deluded by visions and dreams – like the American he met in India who “realized” that he was the king of India, and that his child bride would give birth to the next avatar (!).

If you do not see the player above, visit What Should the Beginner Yogi Know About Spiritual Experience and Abilities?–Part 3 to listen. This podcast is about 14 minutes long.

Listen to the earlier parts of this podcast: Part 1 and Part 2.

Podcast News!

For our listeners’ convenience, we have added the Light of the Spirit Podcast to a number of popular podcast and music apps. Click on these links to subscribe on your favorite online apps.

Spotify – Gaana – Jiosaavn – iHeartRadio – Podchaser – Stitcher – Blubrry Podcast – Podcast Index – Android as well as Apple Podcasts – Google Podcasts and Amazon Music. And the podcast is FREE!

The post Podcast: What Should the Beginner Yogi Know About Spiritual Experience and Abilities?–Part 3 appeared first on Original Christianity and Original Yoga.

The state of perfected beings like Buddha, Krishna, and Jesus is far greater than most people’s concept of God. Abbot George tells the story of Catholic stigmatist and visionary Therese Neumann’s response to Christian who were overwhelmed with Christ’s miracles, as an example of how we are satisfied with so little in our aspirations. And how much is required to really trod the path to God, as shown in the story of encounter between Anandamayi Ma and the devotee who “wanted to know God.”

If you do not see the player above, click here to listen to Spiritual Experience and Abilities–What Should the Beginning Yogi Know?–Part 2

Also, listen to What Should the Beginner Yogi Know About Spiritual Experience and Abilities?–Part 1

The Light of the Spirit Podcast is now available on Apple Podcasts! Click here to listen and subscribe.

The post Podcast: Spiritual Experience and Abilities–What Should the Beginning Yogi Know?–Part 2 appeared first on Original Christianity and Original Yoga.

“What should the beginner yogi know about spiritual experience and abilities?” Abbot George draws on a lifetime of study and personal experience and observation to present a many-facted answer to this important question.

Since the “yoga boom” of the 1960’s and even earlier, Western seekers have been regaled with and fascinated by all that glitters in fake yoga — a circus of thrills, chills, and supposedly higher states of consciousness.

In this four-part podcast Abbot George expounds on the attraction and many dangers of these kind of practices and the experiences they produce, and most importantly, presents the important questions the meditator needs to ask himself in assessing his spiritual practice and its effects.

Part 1

Abbot George speaks about the nature of the higher worlds — how vaster they are than the states of conscious that so many yogis aspire to and are satisfied with, and how the soul can get bogged down in these worlds during its long, long journey to the Absolute.

If you don’t see the media player above, visit What Should the Beginner Yogi Know About Spiritual Experience and Abilities? to listen. The podcast is just over 16 minutes long. (Parts 2 through 4 of this topic will follow shortly.)

Further Podcast Listening:

• Introducing the Yoga Life: Laying the Foundations
• The Symbolism of Christmas and Its Universal Message
• Days with Sivananda

 

The post Podcast: What Should the Beginner Yogi Know About Spiritual Experience and Abilities? appeared first on Original Christianity and Original Yoga.

Below is an edited transcript of the podcast. We strongly recommend you listen to the podcast to understand the correct pronunciation of the Soham mantra. The podcast is just under 7 minutes long. If you do not see the player above, listen to How to Meditate Using the Soham Mantra here. The practice of Soham Yoga is very simple. Making ourselves aware of our breathing, when we inhale we mentally intone So throughout the inhalation, and when we exhale we mentally intone Ham throughout the exhalation. And we do this continuously. When we are doing other things at the same time, we call it Soham Japa, and when we sit upright with closed eyes, we call it Soham Meditation. Soham Yoga is based on the science of spiritual sound. A mantra is a series of sounds whose effect lies not in an assigned intellectual meaning, but in an inherent sound-power that can produce a specific effect physically or psychologically. The word mantra itself comes from the Sanskrit expression manat trayate which means “a transforming thought,” that which produces an objective, perceptible change. When joined to the breath, Soham is the supreme mantra of Self-awareness and Self-knowledge culminating in liberation. The proper pronunciation of Soham For a mantra to produce its effect it must be pronounced correctly. Soham is pronounced like our English words So and Hum. The whole word is pronounced Soham. Now let’s go through each letter of Soham and consider its correct pronunciation. The S is pronounced as in the English words Say, So and Sign. A simple “S.” Some languages pronounce the letter S like the SH in ash or cash Sh. But this is not correct for Soham Sadhana practice It is most important to pronounce the O correctly. It should be pronounced like the long o in the Italian or common American manner–as in home and lone. In England, Canada, and parts of the American South, the long o is sometimes pronounced as a diphthong, like two vowels jammed together: either like “ay-oh” or “eh-oh.” This is not the correct manner of pronouncing the O, which should be a single, pure vowel sound. The same is true of the U in ham (hum). It is pronounced “U” like the u in up or hunt–not like the u in truth or push, as is done in parts of Great Britain. The short a in Sanskrit is pronounced like the u in up or hunt, so we say “hum” h-u-m, even though we write it as h-a-m. The M in Soham is like that in English, such as sum or come. The benefit of intonation A mantra is most effective if it is mentally intoned–that is, mentally “sung”–on a single note: Soham, Soham, Soham. (The actual pitch of the note doesn’t matter–whatever is spontaneous and natural to you.) This makes the repetition stronger and of deeper effect, because intoning unifies the mind and naturally concentrates it. Japa, the continual repetition of the mantra The way to receive the benefit of a mantra is japa, the continual repetition-intonation of the mantra. In this way the invoker is constantly imbued with the power and consciousness inherent in the mantra. So whenever we intone Soham in time with the breath, we align and link our consciousness with its origin: both our spirit and Divine Spirit. And we do the same when we sit with closed eyes and meditate. The process is the same. The mental sound of Soham in time may become more and more soft and even become like a light whisper or even a soundless repetition as when we just “mouth” a word when we don’t want to speak aloud. But please realize: The inner intonations of Soham NEVER stop. Soham continues to be repeated in the consciousness even if in a very subtle form. It cannot be described, but it will be experienced. Learn more

Darshan: Literally “sight” or “seeing;” vision, literal and metaphysical. Darshan is the seeing of a holy being as well as the blessing received by seeing such a one. Satsanga: Literally: “company with Truth.” Association with godly-minded persons. The company of saints and devotees. Asatsanga: the company of the unholy and the worldly–in the form of people who have no interest in spiritual life, as well as books, magazines, television, radio, and motion pictures that are centered on material consciousness. In today’s podcast, Abbot George discusses the inner mechanism of how the senses affect us, and how external connections influence our inner make-up, for good or ill. He begins by talking about the positive effect of darshan and satsanga, recounting his own experiences with holy people. He shares the stories of: * The criminal who visited Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh against his will, and the surprising result. * The effect of visiting Anandamayi Ma, both on others who Abbot George witnessed, and his own unusual side-effect of darshan of Ma. * The dangers of association with negative people and why to avoid them, including his experience of the shy college girl he knew of who got into bad company, and what resulted. And much more. If you don’t see the podcast player below, listen to The Esoteric Side of Good and Bad Association here. The podcast is about 16 minutes long.

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. He tell the story of the events leading up to the Mahabharata war, and how Krishna became Arjuna’s charioteer, and how they came to Kurukshetra and surveyed the Pandava and Kaurava forces before the beginning of the great battle. He tells of Arjuna’s sorrows and reservations, and how Krishna exhorts Arjuna to fulfill his destiny. He describes the teachings which Krishna gave Arjuna as an image of the battle of life that each spiritual aspirant must engage in, and how these teachings are of unique value among all spiritual writings. He highly recommends seekers make the study of the Gita a daily part of their lives, and illustrates how great saints and aspirants have likewise done so, and made similar recommendations. The podcast is just over 16 minutes. If you don’t see the player, listen here to What Is the Bhagavad Gita, and Why Is It So Valuable? Further listening: * Introducing the Yoga Life: Laying the Foundations * Raihana Tyabji, the Moslem Saint Who Worshiped Krishna * I Meet Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh  

Join Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) in this uplifting July 2024 Satsang to elevate your spirit by growing your knowledge of meditation, yoga, and spiritual awakening. Listen to his new Talks on the Bhagavad Gita here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzUa3GQViSbVFbfQW_yugfTi5u9x8W7bb 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. Use these timestamps below to navigate to topics which he discusses in this month's satsang: 00:00 Introduction 00:36 The use of incense in meditation 02:23 New talks on the Bhagavad Gita 03:24 The Importance of a sense of humor 08:29 Appreciation for the questions 09:25 Can you explain the law of rebirth? 16:05 Will the "world" ever get better? 20:04 How to maintain self awareness during conversation 22:41 Like minded communities around? 23:19 Can you progress spiritually with parents who are not spiritual? 26:20 The best amount of time for meditation 31:49 What is Buddhi? And What is Buddhi Yoga? 38:36 The story of Matsyendranath, Gorakhnath, and the Nath Yogis 48:58 Is Brahman, the formless, active or passive? 50:42 A question about Brahmacharya 54:01 What are the different levels of our being? 55:10 What is the difference between intellect and emotions? 56:52 What separate man from God? 59:50 Some observations about Astrology 1:06:04 Observations about Soham Yoga practice #satsang #spiritualrealization #spiritualawakening OCOY.org RESOURCES Get FREE pdf spiritual ebooks at our E-Library: https://ocoy.org/site/e-library/ Listen to Podcast on practical spiritual topics: https://ocoy.org/podcasts/ Website: https://ocoy.org A Practical Resource for the Spiritual Student–Discover the timeless wisdom of India and the yoga path to freedom FREE Meditation Guide and weekly blog updates, podcasts and more: https://ocoy.org/signup FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL https://www.facebook.com/light.of.spirit/ https://twitter.com/Light_of_Spirit https://instagram.com/lightofthespirit/

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. He tell the story of the events leading up to the Mahabharata war, and how Krishna became Arjuna’s charioteer, and how they came to Kurukshetra and surveyed the Pandava and Kaurava forces before the beginning of the great battle. He tells of Arjuna’s sorrows and reservations, and how Krishna exhorts Arjuna to fulfill his destiny. He describes the teachings which Krishna gave Arjuna as an image of the battle of life that each spiritual aspirant must engage in, and how these teachings are of unique value among all spiritual writings. He highly recommends seekers make the study of the Gita a daily part of their lives, and illustrates how great saints and aspirants have likewise done so, and made similar recommendations. The podcast is just over 16 minutes. If you don’t see the player, listen here to What Is the Bhagavad Gita, and Why Is It So Valuable?

In today’s podcast our friend Jonathan Mahoney asks Abbot George about Jesus’ role as guardian of the Earth. Listen and you will discover: How Lucifer fell and how it affected the earth. Who were Adam and Eve and where was Paradise. Who were the “Matrikas.” What was the special mystery of the Crucifixion. The Buddhist master who had two Saviors. And much more. Two books are referenced in the podcast. You can find out more about them here: * The Rosicrucian Cosmo Conception, by Max Heindel * Robe of Light: An Esoteric Christian Cosmology, by Abbot George Burke Listen to Jesus as Guardian of the Earth here if you don’t see the player below. The podcast is 34 minutes long.

In today’s podcast our friend Jonathan Mahoney asks Abbot George about Jesus’ role as guardian of the Earth. Listen and you will discover: How Lucifer fell and how it affected the earth. Who were Adam and Eve and where was Paradise. Who were the “Matrikas.” What was the special mystery of the Crucifixion. The Buddhist master who had two Saviors. And much more. Two books are referenced in the podcast. You can find out more about them here: * The Rosicrucian Cosmo Conception, by Max Heindel * Robe of Light: An Esoteric Christian Cosmology, by Abbot George Burke Listen to Jesus as Guardian of the Earth here if you don’t see the player below. The podcast is 34 minutes long.

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. 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.