Soham Yoga-The Yoga of the Self


Book Description

A complete guide in the theory and practice of meditation on the mantra "Soham."Why Soham Yoga Meditation?Meditation is the process of centering our awareness in the principle of pure consciousness which is our essential being. In this way we will never lose sight of our real identity.Normally we lose awareness of our true Self through consciousness of external objects. Since we are habituated-if not actually addicted-to objective consciousness, we can use that very condition to our advantage. Rather than disperse our consciousness through objects that draw us outward, away from the source of our being, we can take an object that will have the opposite effect, present it to the mind, and reverse our consciousness.Such an object must have three qualities:? it must be something whose nature it is to turn our awareness inward and draw it into the most subtle depths of our being,? it must be something that can continue to be perceived even in those most subtle areas of our awareness,? it must already be present in our inmost being awaiting our discovery of it. Therefore it must be an object that can both impel and draw us, accompanying our questing consciousness inward, not being transcended when the mind and senses are gone beyond, but revealing itself as the Self.That object is the mantra Soham. By sitting with closed eyes and letting the mind become easefully absorbed in experiencing the inner mental repetitions of Soham we thereby directly enter into the state of consciousness that is Soham, the state of consciousness that is both Brahman the Absolute and our Self."Meditation is the shortest, simplest and most efficient method of Self-realization. Experiencing the oneness between the seeker (the individual sadhaka) and the sought (Satchidananda Brahman) is the essential feature of meditation. Soham sadhana is its most potent method (practice)". -Swami Swarupananda of PavasThose who seek to practice meditation will need nothing further than this in-depth guide.




Light of Soham


Book Description

At the beginning of the twentieth century, a young crippled boy in North India met a spiritual teacher in the Nath tradition of the great teachers Matsyendranath and Gorakhnath, who imparted to him the precious knowledge of yoga meditation. The boy began to apply himself to this meditation practice and became a very unusual saint indeed.Gajanan Murlidhar Gupte, later known as Gajanana Maharaj, led an unassuming life, to all appearances a normal unmarried man of contemporary society. Crediting his personal transformation to the practice of the Soham mantra, he freely shared this practice with a small number of disciples, whom he simply called his friends. Strictly avoiding the trap of gurudom, he insisted that his friends be self-reliant and not be dependent on him for their spiritual progress. Yet he was uniquely able to assist them in their inner development.Gajanana Maharaj taught the ajapa-japa of the Soham mantra with the breath. In Light of Soham his teachings for success in Soham sadhana and spiritual life in general have been collected from the writings of himself and his disciples. An appendix by Abbot George Burke on the method of Soham Yoga gives detailed instruction on how to practice this method of meditation.




Soham Tattva


Book Description

Soham Tattva describes the journey of the seeker of transcendental knowledge. The author of the book tries to share his experience and attempts to describe the transcendental state that is almost impossible to describe with the help of human language, human feelings, and human knowledge. The inexpressible state can only be attained after overcoming the numerous obstacles scattered across the path of Yoga that leads to the knowledge of Self or Atma Jnana. This book provides a glimpse of the different stages a Yogi passes through in his/her transcendental journey and how he/she should differentiate among the different phases that are usually associated with the state of a sentient being or the embodied existence of the Jeeva and reject the unreal states until he/she attains the real state of Brahma. Soham Tattva was originally written in Bengali and was first published in 1910. This is its English Edition.




The Christ of India


Book Description

The unique story of Jesus, Saint Thomas his Apostle, and how the Dharma of India became part of Original ChristianityThere is a strong connection between Jesus and India, both historically and philosophically. And his disciple, Saint Thomas, who was the apostle of India, built upon the foundation of that connection. The result is that unique form of Christianity known as Saint Thomas Christianity.In The Christ of India, Abbot George Burke presents the growing evidence that Jesus spent much of his "Lost Years" in India and Tibet, and reveals the philosophical unity of Jesus' teachings with the Eternal Way of Truth known in India as Sanatana Dharma. The history of Saint Thomas Christianity from the times of Jesus and Saint Thomas to the present day is also outlined.The Christ of India: The Story of Original Christianity includes the following:¿ The Christ of India, about the Essene roots of Jesus and the early Christians; the spiritual training of Jesus; The "lost years" of Jesus, with much information never before gathered together in one place; Jesus' return to the West, and how his teachings were misunderstood; Jesus return to India after his resurrection; and much more.¿ The Apostle of India, about how Jesus' apostle Saint Thomas went to India, and how the Christianity which grew up in India had a totally unique character compared to elsewhere in the world; the history of Saint Thomas Christianity in India and the story of mission from the Church of India to America in the 1800's and what happened to it.¿ Basic Beliefs of Original Christianity.You will learn about the manuscripts which proved Jesus lived in the "East," and the efforts to suppress the news of their discovery.You will learn about the Indian Saint Thomas Christian bishop of the 18th century who taught karma and reincarnation, who later became a wonderworking saint revered by Christians, Hindus, and Muslims alike.Those who find themselves attracted to both Jesus and the Dharma of India will find this book fascinating and illuminating.




Philosophy of Gorakhnath


Book Description

This volume contains the essence of the writings and teachings of Mahayogi Gorakhnath. It is well pointed out that while the ultimate object of the search is the same for a Yogi and a philosopher, their modes of approach are different, the latterês being intellectual and the formerês intuitive and spiritual. The task of a Yogi does not require any subtle intellectual speculation or the framing of hypotheses and theories. The quest of the Yogi is a direct spiritual experience of truth on a high plane of consciousness. The highest state of Samadhi attained by the Yogi is neither purely subjective nor objective. It transcends both categories and it is an integrated experience beyond formal description. Such a transcendent state of consciousness is alone called Samadhi. This book analyses in detail the nature of Samadhi Experience. The term –Experience” is perhaps inaccurate because, in this state of Samadhi, there is no relation between subject and object, the experiencer and the experienced. It is the fulfilment of life as described in the Yogasutras. The Yogi who comes back from Samadhi may not have attained Kaivalya or Moksha, but he is illuminated by his experience. If he assumes the role of a teacher or preacher, he gives expression to his experience in such forms as may be easily intelligible to the people at large. Gorakhnath was a Maha-Yogi. The cult of the Kanphata Yogis is a definite unite within Hinduism, and its study is essential for understanding this phase of the religious life of India. the book is divided into three sections. The first two sections comprising chapters 1 - 13 deal with the cult and history of this sec. the third section containing chapters 14 - 16 opens with the Sanskrit Text Goraksastaka and its English rendering and annotations. The book is fully documented. It has a preface, Glossary, Bibliography, Plates and General Index. This book is an attempt to present a systematic and consistent account of the philosophical background of the spiritual culture associated with the names of Yogi Gorakhnath and other adepts of the Natha school.




Path of Fire and Light


Book Description

Practical information on the advanced practices of yoga presented in straightforward language.




The Upanishads for Awakening


Book Description

With penetrating insight, Abbot George Burke illumines the Upanishads' practical value for spiritual seekers. With a unique perspective from a lifetime of study and practice of both Eastern and Western spirituality, he presents the treasures of the Upanishads in an easily intelligible fashion. The sacred scriptures of India are vast. Yet they are only different ways of seeing the same thing, the One Thing which makes them both valid and ultimately harmonious. That unifying subject is Brahman: God the Absolute, beyond and besides whom there is no "other" whatsoever. The thirteen major Upanishads are the fountainhead of all expositions of Brahman. The word "upanishad" itself comes from the root word upasana, which means to draw or sit near, and is usually considered to mean that which was heard when the student sat near the teacher to learn the eternal truths. We do not know who wrote the Upanishads. This has a distinct advantage in that the image of a historical, finite personality does not intervene to obscure the revelation handed on to spiritual aspirants. The authority of the Upanishads rests not upon those who wrote them, but upon the demonstrable truths they express. They are as self-sufficient and self-evident as the multiplication tables or the Table of Elements. They are simply the complete and unobscured truth. And realization of that Truth alone matters.




Om Yoga Meditation


Book Description

Fifty years ago few people in the West had even heard of meditation, while today the concept of meditation is well known, and meditation methods are to be found everywhere. With so much information about meditation, how is a sincere seeker to find a meditation method which is both proven and effective? By using a method which has been used successfully through the centuries: Om Yoga Meditation. Om Yoga Meditation: Its Theory and Practice is a thorough guide providing all the information that might be desired for a successful meditation practice, illumining the art and science of effective inner life. Beginning with an in-depth explanation of what yoga is and what its goals are, and continuing with a background on the theory of mantra, Abbot George then shows the value of the unique mantra Om. He shows that Om Meditation is the original yoga, citing the classic scriptures of India and the testimony of the saints. In this book you will discover the techniques for using Om in meditation, and how to make your meditation the most effective. You will also learn the foundations of the yogic life that will support and nourish your practice, and be given the keys to bless others as well as yourself using Om. "The Holy word, Om, bestows the highest state" (Yoga Vashishtha 5:54) "This is the bridge to immortality. May you be successful in crossing over to the father shore beyond darkness" (Mundaka Upanishad 2.2.5,6).




Love Your Disease


Book Description




May a Christian Believe in Reincarnation?


Book Description

A growing number of people are open to the subject of past lives, and the belief in rebirth-reincarnation, metemphsychosis, or transmigration-is becoming commonplace. But it often thought that belief in reincarnation and Christianity are incompatible.But is this really true? May a Christian believe in reincarnation? The answer may surprise you.Reincarnation-also known as the transmigration of souls-is not just some exotic idea of non-Christian mysticism. Nor is it an exclusively Hindu-Buddhist teaching. In orthodox Jewish and early Christian writings, as well as the Holy Scriptures, we find reincarnation as a fully developed belief, although today it is commonly ignored. But from the beginning it has been an integral part of Orthodox Judaism, and therefore as Orthodox Jews, Jesus and his Apostles would have believed in rebirth.This historical study of reincarnation in both Judaism and Christianity cites many authorities of both traditions, including many Christian saints and Fathers of the Church, as well as both Old and New Testaments. In our opinion the testimony of orthodox Judaism, ancient Christianity, and the Bible is sufficient to answer the question: May a Christian believe in reincarnation?Included in this second edition is Annie Besant's article on various scientific, moral, and historical aspects of reincarnation from a Christian perspective.