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About Abbot George Burke (Swami Nirmalananda Giri)
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 made a member of the ancient Swami Order by Swami Vidyananda Giri, a direct disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda, who had himself been given sannyas by the Shankaracharya of Puri, Jagadguru Bharati 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. He was ordained in the Liberal Catholic Church (International) to the priesthood on January 25, 1974, and consecrated a bishop on August 23, 1975.
For many years Abbot George has researched the identity of Jesus Christ and his teachings with India and Sanatana Dharma, including Yoga. It is his conclusion that Jesus lived in India for most of his life, and was a yogi and Sanatana Dharma missionary to the West. After his resurrection he returned to India and lived the rest of his life in the Himalayas.
He is the author of a number of books on meditation and practical spiritual life, including Soham Yoga: The Yoga of the Self, The Bhagavad Gita for Awakening, The Gospel of Thomas for Awakening, May a Christian Believe in Reincarnation?, and The Christ of India: The Story of Original Christianity.
He has written extensively on these and other topics at www.OCOY.org/
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Blog postThis article is “Creating Your Happiness,” an early writing by Paramhansa Yogananda, author of the spiritual classic Autobiography of a Yogi, taken from the East-West and Inner Culture magazines.
(The following was written during the Great Depression, but its principles remain relevant today.)
It is easier to spend than to earn.
Also it is harder to save than to earn.
Most people spend thirty dollars a week when their income is only twenty. The extra teYesterday Read more -
Blog postQ: We read in your books that Jesus and Mother Mary are the reincarnated Adam and Eve. Due to the fall of Adam and Eve, the door to heaven was closed. “No one escaped the effect of Adam’s disobedience!” Jesus and Mary paid back their karmic debt 2000 years ago and reopened the door to heaven. So, if all humans were trapped after Adam and Eve, how could Jesus and Mary get enlightenment?
“Heaven” means the entire range of astral and causal worlds above the earth plane. Jesus and Mary, A1 week ago Read more -
Blog postAn Easter Commentary on the “Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ”
Now, when the rabbis took the body of the Lord and laid it in the tomb, the mother of the Lord, and Mary Magdalene, and Miriam were there. And when the body was entombed they went to Joseph’s home and there abode.
They did not know that Jewish soldiers had been sent to guard the tomb, nor that the Roman seal was placed upon the stone; so in the morning of the first day of the week they hastened to the tomb wit2 weeks ago Read more -
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Blog postQ: I am starting to read on the new website at the introductory section, particularly Soham Yoga, but cannot help wondering why words and sounds cannot be in our own language ( in my case English)? What is special about the words, sounds and names used that they must be in Sanskrit?
Long ago in India the science of creative sound was developed. Verbal sounds were discovered which could create desired effects when applied correctly. The meaning (if any) was only secondary. Sound was un2 weeks ago Read more -
Blog postKrishna has told Arjuna, in the blog post There Are No Dead, that birth and death are simple illusions–that the unborn and undying spirit (atma) is the sole reality of our being. That is not so hard to accept if we have intuition or actual recall of the fact of our having previously dreamed the dream of birth and death many times.
But the real trouble is our identification with the experiences that occur between the two poles of birth and death.
It is like a joke I h4 weeks ago Read more -
Blog postWe 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.
All the features you have have enjoyed in the past have been improved.
Light of the Spirit Blog The blog is easier to navigate, with the most recent blog posts, and includes featured co1 month ago Read more -
Blog postIn 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.
The post Podcast: What Is the Bhagavad Gita, and Why Is It So Valuable? appeared first on Original Christianity and Original Yoga.
2 months ago Read more -
Blog postQ: 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. Doubtless there is such a thing as aptitude for yoga, as with any other practice, but the machine does not determine the success of the operator.
Facts are facts. And yoga is based on the highest facts.
Also, even though a2 months ago Read more -
Blog postEvery 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...
The post Reincarnation: Choosing Our Costumes in the Drama of Life appeared first on Original Christianity and Origi2 months ago Read more
"Original Christianity" is the teaching of both Jesus of Nazareth and his Apostle Saint Thomas in India. Although it was new to the Mediterranean world, it was really the classical, traditional teachings of the ancient rishis of India that even today comprise Sanatana Dharma, the Eternal Dharma, that goes far beyond religion into realization.
In The Christ of India Abbot George Burke presents what those ancient teachings are, as well as the growing evidence that Jesus spent much of his "Lost Years" in India and Tibet. This is also the story of how the original teachings of Jesus and Saint Thomas thrived in India for centuries before the coming of the European colonialists.
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 how it was persecuted by the colonialists.
- The Beliefs of Original Christianity
- Special Appendix 1: Indian Masters Who Considered Jesus One of Them. Stories of masters who had visions of Jesus, and those who researched Jesus' time in India, including Sri Ramakrishna, Paramhansa Yogananda, Swami Sivananda and others
- Special Appendix 2: The Yoga of the Nath Yogis and Jesus
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.
"From the very beginning there were two Christianities." So begins this remarkable work.
While the rest of the Apostles dispersed to various areas of the Mediterranean world, the apostle Thomas travelled to India, where growing evidence shows that Jesus spent his "Lost Years," and which had been the source of the wisdom which he had brought to the "West."
In The Gospel of Thomas for Awakening, Abbot George shines the "Light of the East" on the sometimes enigmatic sayings of Jesus recorded by his apostle Saint Thomas, revealing their unique and rich practical nature for modern day seekers for spiritual life.
Ideal for daily study or group discussion
The Reverend Gerry Nangle says: "The chapters are quite short, each based on one or two sayings, making them ideal for daily study and contemplation or suitable as material for group discussion. This book can be read once or twice for its rich factual content, or many times for the spiritual challenges it raises within the reader's own mind and heart."
While many books related to the Gospel of Thomas deal with historical or theological issues, Abbot George's approach is remarkably practical, dealing with how Jesus' words can be applied to make your life better and more spiritually rich. This is a must have book for spiritual aspirants, whatever their background.
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 Pavas
In Soham Yoga: The Yoga of the Self you will find a full explanation of:
- What is Yoga?
- Why Soham Yoga?
- How to practice Soham Yoga meditation.
- What great teachers say about this practice, such as Ramana Maharshi, Swami Sivananda, Gajanana Maharaj, Swami Muktananda, Kabir, Sankara, and many others.
- Pointers for success in meditation
- The foundations of yoga.
- Breath and Sound in Meditation
Those who seek to practice meditation will need nothing further than this in-depth guide.
You can discover much of those “many other things which Jesus did” in this unique compilation of ancient records and mystical revelations, which includes historical records of the lives of Jesus Christ and his Mother Mary that have been accepted and used by the Church since apostolic times. This treasury of little-known stories of Jesus’ infancy, his sojourn in the Orient as recorded in the famous Ladakh Manuscript, and his passion, crucifixion, and resurrection, will broaden the reader’s understanding of what Christianity really was in its original form: a far more vibrant and conscious movement than what we see today in its place.
But this book is more than just a collection of ancient texts. Abbot George Burke’s illuminating and scholarly commentary adds a further dimension and relevance, and will guide you to a deeper understanding of how, as he puts it, “to manifest the inner Christ that abides within us all.”
The Unknown Lives of Jesus and Mary includes the text and commentary on these early writings:
- The Protoevangelium Of Saint James >
- The Gospel of the Infancy of Jesus and Mary
- The Gospel of the Nativity of Mary
- The History of Anna, The Mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- The Gospel of Thomas
- The Infancy of the Savior
- The Ladakh Manuscript, a manuscript found in a Buddhist monastery in Tibet telling of Jesus’ “Lost Years” and travels in India and Tibet
- The Gospel Of Nicodemus
- The Death of Pilate, Who Condemned Jesus
- The Narrative of Joseph
- The Book of John Concerning the Falling Asleep of Mary Miscellaneous Sources
“An intelligent, respectful, and incredible perspective into an esoteric Christianity that is seldom seen. … The quality of the piece was a pleasant surprise.”
–River Ezell
Several thousand years ago in north-central India, two people sat in a chariot in the midpoint of a great battlefield. One of them, the yogi Arjuna, knew that it would be not be long before the conflict would begin. So he asked Krishna, the Master of Yoga (Yogeshwara), what should be his attitude and perspective in this moment. And above all: What should he do?There was no time to spare in empty words.
In a brief discourse, later turned into seven hundred Sanskrit verses by the sage Vyasa, Krishna outlined to Arjuna the way to live one's entire life so as to gain perfect self-knowledge and self-mastery.
The Bhagavad Gita tells us that we can attain a Knowing beyond even what it tells us. And it shows us the way.
With penetrating insight, Abbot George Burke illumines the Bhagavad Gita's practical value for spiritual seekers, and the timelessness of India's most beloved scripture. With a unique perspective of a lifetime of study and practice of both Eastern and Western spirituality, Abbot George mines the treasures of the Gita and presents them in an easily intelligible fashion for those wishing to put these priceless teachings into practice.
Drawing from the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna, Jesus, Paramhansa Yogananda, Ramana Maharshi, Swami Vivekananda, Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh, Papa Ramdas, and other spiritual masters and teachers, as well as his own experiences, Abbot Burke illustrates the teachings of the Gita with stories which make the teachings of Krishna in the Gita vibrant and living.
While Yogananda in his commentary on the Gita, God Talks with Arjuna: The Bhagavad Gita, focuses on the valuable symbolism contained in the Gita, Abbot Burke dwells primarily on the practical aspects, and what aspirants can put into practice here and now on a daily basis.
Any student of the Bhagavad Gita will find The Bhagavad Gita for Awakening an essential companion in their studies. At times general principles found in the Gita are illumined, and in other places the deeper meanings found in the Sanskrit text are explained word by word so that seekers will have and in-depth understanding of the religion, practices, and culture that those familiar with Indian religion and philosophy take for granted.
"A must read for anyone on a spiritual quest for the truth!" --Sailaja Kuruvadi
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.
This sanskrit glossary contains full translations and explanations of many of the most commonly used spiritual sanskrit terms, and will help students of the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, and other indian scriptures and philosophical works to expand their vocabularies to include the sanskrit terms contained in them, and gain a fuller understanding in their studies.
If you are reading the writings of Swami Sivananda you will find a basketful of untranslated Sanskrit words which often have no explanation, as he assumes his readers have a background in Hindu philosophy. For writings like his, this book is invaluable, as it lists frequently used sanskrit terms used in writings on yoga and Hindu philosophical thought.
This is not a sanskrit grammar, and those wanting to know sanskrit pronunciation will need other books, as it does not have the diacritical markings sometimes used in books on the sanskrit language.
As the title says, this is a spiritual students guidebook, listing not only commonly used spiritual terms, but also giving brief information about spiritual teachers and writers, both modern and ancient.
With a refreshing and timely perspective to ancient wisdom, Abbot George's unique background shows seekers of inner peace how they can effectively lead a spiritual life in the modern world. The Dhammapada for Awakening is a knowledgeable guide to spiritual aspirants of all traditions.
The Dhammapada for Awakening explores the Buddha's answers to the urgent questions, such as "How can I find find lasting peace, happiness and fulfillment that seems so elusive?" and "What can I do to avoid many of the miseries big and small that afflict all of us?".
Drawing on the proven wisdom of different ancient traditions, and the contemporary masters of spiritual life, as well as his own studies and first-hand knowledge of the mystical traditions of East and West, to Abbot George illumines the practical wisdom of Buddha in the Dhammapada - and more importantly, makes that teaching relevant to present day spiritual seekers.
The Dhammapada is the first collection of Gautama Buddha's practical teachings for those seeking Nirvana, compiled only three months after his passing away by his enlightened disciples, who named it Dhammapada: The Way of Dharma. It is a distillation of forty-five years of the Buddha's teaching.
Abbot George says of the Dhammapada, "Over and over in the teachings of Buddha we find that he is giving us only that which can be applied in our daily lives in order to fit ourselves for freedom from all that binds us."
In The Dhammapada for Awakening you will learn:
- An esoteric understanding of the mind and how to deal with it.
- How we create our destinies by our thoughts and actions, and how we can use that knowledge to shape a better present and future for ourselves.
- What are the obstacles to reaching our full potential, and how we can avoid them.
With penetrating insight, Abbot George Burke illumines the the wisdom of Lao Tzu’s classic writing, the Tao Teh King (Tao Te Ching), and the timeless practical value of China's most beloved Taoist scripture for spiritual seekers. With a unique perspective of a lifetime of study and practice of both Eastern and Western spirituality, Abbot George mines the treasures of the Tao Teh King and presents them in an easily intelligible fashion for those wishing to put these priceless teachings into practice.
It is said that the Tao Teh King is the work of the great Chinese sage Lao Tzu. Disgusted with the degeneration of Chinese society, he decided to leave and vanish forever, which he did. But as he was leaving the capital, the warden of the gate asked him to set down his realizations since he would no longer be accessible to truth seekers. He did so, and then went out the gate into the lost pages of human history.
If a person wishes he can immerse himself in the stewpot of scholarly speculation as to who Lao Tze really was, whether he ever existed, and whether he wrote the Tao Teh King, or who did. None of this means anything. Taoist masters through the centuries have proved the truth of the Tao Teh King, and that is all that matters. For truth seekers it stands as a monument to Truth. Even those who understand it imperfectly will reap great gain from its study.
“Over and over people have mistaken trivial and pathological conditions for enlightenment, written books, given seminars and gained a devoted following. I have encountered quite a few myself, including people who believed they were the Divine Mother, Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, Saint Francis of Assisi, Archangel Michael, Lucifer and assorted famous masters of the past. One called our monastery and left lengthy narratives on our answering machine about herself because, she said, she did not want to die without anyone knowing about her experiences and attainment. Another one wrote me a note that simply said: ‘I am the Goddess!’”
“I have known more than one person who believed all their dreams were revelations of truth. And I have known some that continually predicted their imminent death for decades. Others told me how enlightened they were, including the one that had whiplash from ‘crashing into the divine light.’ What did they all have in common? They had an experience! Not of one of them was an intentional fraud. They believed their delusions based on their experience.”
“Most of these unfortunate people were completely unreachable with reason. Yet there are those who can have an experience and realize that it really cannot be real, but a vagary of their mind. Some may not understand that on their own, but can be shown by others the truth about it. For them and those that may one day be in danger of meditation-produced delusions I have written this brief study.”
The above is from the author in the book's preface.
In Dwelling in the Mirror you will learn:
• Different types of meditation and the experiences they produce, and the problems and delusions which can arise from them.
• How to get rid of negative initiation energies and mantras.
• What are authentic, positive meditation practices and their effects and aspects.
• An ancient, universal method of meditation which is both proven and effective.
“I am very grateful for this book, and for the clean, honest wisdom it dispenses, and I would eagerly suggest it to anyone who’s on a path of spiritual discovery. It was certainly not what I expected when I started reading, but by the time I reached the last page, I knew it was exactly what I needed to hear.”
– Sandra Carrington-Smith, author of Housekeeping for the Soul
Often called the "Bible" of Hinduism, the Bhagavad Gita is found in households throughout India and has been translated into every major language of the world. Literally billions of copies have been handwritten and printed.
The clarity of this translation by Abbot George Burke makes for easy reading, while the rich content makes this the ideal "study" Gita. As the original Sanskrit language is so rich, often there are several accurate translations for the same word, which are noted in the text, giving the spiritual student the needed understanding of the fullness of the Gita.
The Story of the Gita
Several thousand years ago in north-central India, two people sat in a chariot in the midpoint of a great battlefield. One of them, the yogi Arjuna, knew that it would be not be long before the conflict would begin. So he asked Krishna, the Master of Yoga, what should be his attitude and perspective in this moment. And above all: What should he do?
There was no time to spare in empty words. In a brief discourse, later turned into seven hundred Sanskrit verses by the sage Vyasa, Krishna outlined to Arjuna the way to live an entire life so as to gain perfect self-knowledge and self-mastery.
The battle was ferocious and everyone lost. Only a handful remained alive. But when Vyasa wrote his epic poem, the Mahabharata, he put Krishna’s inspired words into it as a precious jewel. Instantly they were extracted, named The Song of God (Bhagavad Gita), and circulated throughout the subcontinent of India.
What is the appeal of the Gita?
- It is totally practical, free of any vague or abstract philosophy.
- It is not dogmatic. At the very end Krishna says to Arjuna: “Now I have taught you that wisdom which is the secret of secrets. Ponder it carefully. Then act as you think best.” No threats, no promises, no coercion. It is all in the reader’s hands.
- The Bhagavad Gita tells us that we can attain a Knowing beyond even what it tells us. And it shows us the way.
For those unable to make a spiritual journey to India, a greater pilgrimage can be made by anyone anywhere in the world by simply reading The Holy Song of God, the Srimad Bhagavad Gita. It will be a holy pilgrimage of mind and spirit.
When asked on a cosmic scale, it is bold indeed: What is this universe I keep finding myself in, and how did I get here? That is answered by esoteric Christian cosmology.
In Robe of Light Abbot George Burke explores the whys and wherefores of the mystery of creation. From the emanation of the worlds from the very Being of God, to the evolution of the souls to their ultimate destiny as perfected Sons of God, the ideal progression of creation is described. Since the rebellion of Lucifer and the fall of Adam and Eve from Paradise flawed the normal plan of evolution, a restoration was necessary. How this came about is the prime subject of this insightful study.
Moreover, what this means to aspirants for spiritual perfection is expounded, with a compelling knowledge of the scriptures and of the mystical traditions of East and West.
About Abbot George’s writing: “As informed and informative as it is inspired and inspiring”.
—James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief, Midwest Book Review
"Abbot George is like the Emily Dickinson of modern day spiritual writers." —Reverend Gerry Nangle
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