Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Life, Yoga Philosophy

Meditation’s Sound of Silence

Our Inner ‘Contrast Land’ Do you remember when you first started to meditate? Do you remember the moment when you set out on your path to enlightenment, to God and Self-realization? Wasn’t that a most wonderful time?! Didn’t you receive a special blessing at the beginning of your spiritual journey? Weren’t you blessed by some precious, special glimpses of the … Read More

Spiritual Life, Yoga Philosophy

What Does It Mean to be a Disciple of Christ?

The Disciples of Christ A disciple of Christ is anyone who is seeking to emulate Christ in any measure.  A disciple of Christ, by gradations, can be one of the 12 apostles or Mary, the Mother of Christ, or Joseph, or Mary Magdalene, or St. Paul, who was headed to Damascus to kill Christians. When Jesus knocked him off his … Read More

Divine Love, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Life

Why Do We Celebrate Christmas?

What is the reason for the season? Nayaswami Ananta: We celebrate Christmas really based on two factors. Of course, the Old Testament leads us toward Christmas with the promise of the Messiah, and all throughout the Old Testament this comes to Christmas. The winter solstice is right around Christmas. I have heard that the date of Christmas was moved or … Read More

Music, Spiritual Life

Secrets from the Manger: The Christ Child’s Asleep

The Christmas song by Swami Kriyananda called “The Christ Child’s Asleep” holds a special inspirational feeling about the celebration of Christ’s birth. It also addresses the broader issue of how ‘all people here on earth’ can uplift their consciousness into the highest Christ Consciousness. Paramhansa Yogananda and Swami Kriyananda often mentioned that Christ did not come to show us how … Read More

Spiritual Life, Spiritual Practice

The Spiritual Meaning of Christmas

HOW CAN I HAVE A SPIRITUAL CHRISTMAS? Nayaswami Ananta: I think a spiritual Christmas is a really important goal. It would be an absolute shame to have [only] material Christmas and miss the real gem that we are offered every December 25, also at Easter, and the celebrations of avatars of any religion. Christmas is a cultural event. The world … Read More

Healing, Healing Prayers, Spiritual Life

Traveling

Dear Ones, The prayer sessions on Zoom continue to go deep. Join us if you can. A wonderful core group has developed with many of the people showing up several times a week. All are welcome to attend – please see the links at the end of this post. I am traveling to visit my parents and other family members … Read More

Daily Life, Spiritual Life

The Invisible Addiction: Quitting Caffeine Changed My Life for the Better

“What will you have — tea or coffee?” This is the standard question I am asked whenever I visit anyone’s home. Evidently, coffee (when I say coffee, I am referring to all caffeinated beverages) is more than a simple beverage — it is a social phenomenon that connects people. When I started meditating, like many other aspiring yogis, the idea … Read More