I was recently asked a question about the importance of having a spiritual teacher. This provided a nice opportunity to explain in some detail that, yes, according to Yoga teaching it was important for a person wanting to advance in spiritual understanding to have a teacher. In modern times however, the concept of a spiritual… Continue reading A Question of Influence
Category: Others
Beyond The Days Of Our Lives
Out of all the gifts that you’ve ever been given in your life, is there one that you value above all the others? For most of us, it’s a difficult question to answer. For example, someone may have given me a million dollars, but if there are strings attached to the ‘gift’ ~ some expectation… Continue reading Beyond The Days Of Our Lives
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
A little over 500 years ago in India, the great spiritual teacher Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (also known as Gauranga because of his beautiful golden complexion), appeared in the small town of Navadwip. Both the time and place of his appearance were foretold in ancient scriptures, as were the specific reasons for it. He appeared to teach… Continue reading Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
The Trauma of Impermanence
Dear Friends, It’s oftentimes the case that people think meditation is supposed to make it so that we never have a bad day. This is true in one sense (and in the most important sense), but it should not be misunderstood to mean that our lives will always be perfect problem free zones. Because we… Continue reading The Trauma of Impermanence
Focusing On The Positive
Dear Friends, In a previous post we talked about the temporary nature of the world and our place in it, and how any attempts to find permanence and security in worldly interests, which are temporary by nature, will inevitably lead to frustration and disappointment at the very least, and oftentimes, emotional trauma much worse than that. Does… Continue reading Focusing On The Positive
Don’t You Want Somebody to Love?
Always wondering about the answer to life’s big question, what’s it all about? People oftentimes think that spiritual teachings are about some secret wisdom. The truth however is no great mystery – and we certainly don’t need to be big time philosophers to easily tune into it. It’s the most natural thing in the world – we… Continue reading Don’t You Want Somebody to Love?
Body Mind Spirit ~ What’s It All About?
‘Body Mind Spirit’ – most of us would have surely heard this term/expression at some point in our lives, but unfortunately its true significance is not so well known. I say ‘unfortunate’ because this lack of understanding makes it so that far too many people are wandering through the world without any clear awareness of their… Continue reading Body Mind Spirit ~ What’s It All About?
Beyond the World of Opinions
Who doesn’t like to try their hand at philosophy every once in a while? Not only among those who are interested in spiritual development, but even those who aren’t – so many people like to give their opinions. It would be a very rare person, who in the midst of some philosophical discussion, has never ventured forth… Continue reading Beyond the World of Opinions
Can A Leopard Change His Spots?
One of the great impediments on the road to spiritual development is the feeling that I am better than others ~ ‘holier than thou’ as the old saying goes. Most of us have it to one degree or another ~ and if not, then it’s an indication that we are in pretty good spiritual shape. Oftentimes however,… Continue reading Can A Leopard Change His Spots?
How To Maintain Consistency In Your Meditation Practice
Dear Friends, One of the problems that many people have with regard to their meditation and yoga practice is maintaining consistency. I know because I’m one of them. Fortunately though I have a good teacher, so I know what to do when I sometimes get distracted. The advice that he gave me a long time… Continue reading How To Maintain Consistency In Your Meditation Practice