Guidance for Your Spiritual Journey from the Wisdom of Yoga and Vedanta

The ultimate goal of life is to discover the divinity within ourselves and in all beings and things. This will lead us to adore our true Self, adore our fellow beings, and adore the world that is but a reflection of Reality. This reunion with the Absolute the core of our individual being as well as of the universe is the true meaning of yoga. from chapter 13

The yoga way maintains that spiritual quest is not a matter of choice but a vital necessity for total well-being. This comprehensive guide for spiritual seekers of all faiths and backgrounds presents a roadmap to Self-knowledge, the goal of spiritual quest, and shows that reconnecting with the center of your being, your true Self, is real, tangible and attainable.

Exploring the route to spiritual fulfillment through the teachings of Yoga and Vedanta, Swami Adiswarananda outlines the meaning of spiritual quest, the nature of and the preparations necessary for the journey and the milestones you will use to chart your progress. He also draws from the sacred texts of these time-tested traditions to address the vital questions that often trouble spiritual seekers, such as: Which spiritual path should I follow? How can I attain liberation? What are the dangers and obstacles on the spiritual path? How do I control the restless mind? Why are there many religions and what is the way to interfaith unity?

Eternal Wisdom of India depicts the way religion has been seen through the ages and how it affects the whole structure of mankind. It reviews the ancient ideals, and points out how the power of religion has been abused. The book analyses religion and social tensions and also tells us how harmony should be maintained. It also emphasises on universal brotherhood and asks people to draw inspiration from Buddha, Mira Bai, Sri Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Chaitanya, The Holy Mother Sarada Devi, Swami Vivekananda and many more.

Discover how the crown jewel of Hindu teachings can enrich your life and spirituality.

Guarded for centuries by saints and ascetics in the forests and mountains of India, the universal principles of Vedanta were deemed too precious to be understood by the masses until Swami Vivekananda first introduced them in the West at the end of the nineteenth century.

Today Vedanta s principles of self-awareness, self-knowledge and self-control are available for anyone who wants to enrich their life by following this ancient tradition. Fusing science, philosophy, meditation and contemplation, these timeless teachings encourage spiritual growth by inviting critical inquiry, encouraging honest doubt and providing realistic explanations of the mysteries of spiritual quest.

This comprehensive guide examines in detail the tenets of Vedanta, its relationship to other spiritual paths and its applications for your own spiritual journey, such as: Re-establishing Contact with the Ultimate Reality Acting in the Living Present Awakening Spiritual Consciousness Mastering the Restless Mind Grasping the Essentials Liberating the Soul And much more

Discover How Tagore s Spiritual Life and Vision Can Enlighten Your Own

"Rabindranath Tagore s philosophical and spiritual thoughts transcend all limits of language, culture, and nationality. In his writings, the poet and mystic takes us on a spiritual quest and gives us a glimpse of the infinite in the midst of the finite, unity at the heart of all diversity, and the Divine in all beings and things of the universe." from the Preface bySwami Adiswarananda

Rabindranath Tagore is one of the most influential mystic poets and teachers of the last century. Deeply spiritual and profoundly sensitive, his verse speaks to people from all backgrounds who seek a deeper understanding of self, country, creation, God, and love.

This beautiful sampling of Tagore s two most important works, "The Gardener and Gitanjali, " offers a glimpse into his spiritual vision that has inspired people around the world. Poems from "The Gardener" explore youth and earthly love, while excerpts from "Gitanjali" express divine love and Tagore s difficulty in satisfying it.

Overwhelmingly mystical and lovely in its simplicity, this unique collection offers insight into Tagore s heavenly desires, his ongoing quest for "Brahama Vihara, " the joy eternal, and illuminates the remarkable diversity that made him the most important bridge between the spirituality of the East and West in the first half of the twentieth century.

Techniques explained by the masters for today s spiritual seeker

Meditation is designed to give you direct access to the spiritual. Whether it s through deep breathing during a busy day, listening to the quiet after turning off the car radio, chanting in prayer, or ten minutes of visualization exercises each morning, meditation takes many forms. But it is always a personal method of centering our spiritual self.

Meditation has long been practiced in the Jewish community as a powerful tool to transcend words, personality, and ego and to directly experience the divine. Inspiring yet practical, this introduction to meditation from a Jewish perspective approaches it in a new and illuminating way: As it is personally practiced by today s most experienced Jewish meditators from around the world.

A how to guide for both beginning and experienced meditators, Meditation from the Heart of Judaism will help you start meditating or help you enhance your practice. Meditation is a Jewish spiritual resource for today that can benefit people of all faiths and backgrounds and help us add spiritual energy to our lives. Contributors include:

The philosophy of Yoga tells us that the root cause of our sorrows and suffering is loss of contact with our true Self. Our recovery is only possible by reestablishing contact with our innermost Self, the Reality of all realities, and by recognizing that knowledge of Self is our salvation. In this comprehensive guide, Swami Adiswarananda introduces the overall philosophy of Yoga and then delves deeply into each path: ? Karma-Yoga: the path of selfless action, for the active ? Bhakti-Yoga: the path of divine love, for the emotional ? Raja-Yoga: the path of meditation, for the contemplative ? Jnana-Yoga: the path of knowledge, for the rational Covering the message and practice of each of the yogas as well as philosophy and psychology, preparatory practices, common obstacles and ways to overcome them, this accessible book will prove invaluable to anyone wishing to follow a yoga practice in order to realize the goal of Self-knowledge.

A message of love, compassion and the spiritual unity of
humankind from one of India s visionary teachers

Vivekananda s message gives us hope for the future. His love for humanity gave him the mandate for his message, and his innate purity gave him an irresistible power that nobody could match. The same love that was born as Buddha, the Compassionate One, once again assumed human form as Vivekananda. from the Introduction

At the World s Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893, a young Hindu monk caused a sensation. At the utterance of his simple opening words Sisters and Brothers of America the audience broke into spontaneous applause for Swami Vivekananda. What followed was a stunning speech about the validity and unity of all religions. In just a little over a century, Vivekananda s message has spread throughout the world.

In this book for spiritual seekers of all faiths and backgrounds, and for all who yearn for solutions to the ideological conflicts that threaten our world, Swami Adiswarananda presents a selection of Vivekananda s most profound and inspiring lectures and an intimate glimpse of his life through newspaper reports from the time, personal reminiscences from disciples and others close to him, and impressions of his life and message from world leaders. A chapter by Swami Nikhilananda, founder of the Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center of New York, offers a fascinating view of Vivekananda s spiritual mission to America a mission that brought the ideals of spiritual freedom and spiritual democracy to the forefront of Western religious thought.

A message of love, compassion and the spiritual unity of humankind from one of India’s visionary teachers Vivekananda’s message gives us hope for the future. His love for humanity gave him the mandate for his message, and his innate purity gave him an irresistible power that nobody could match. The same love that was born as Buddha, the Compassionate One, once again assumed human form as Vivekananda. —from the Introduction At the World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893, a young Hindu monk caused a sensation. At the utterance of his simple opening words—“Sisters and Brothers of America”—the audience broke into spontaneous applause for Swami Vivekananda. What followed was a stunning speech about the validity and unity of all religions. In just a little over a century, Vivekananda’s message has spread throughout the world. In this book for spiritual seekers of all faiths and backgrounds, and for all who yearn for solutions to the ideological conflicts that threaten our world, Swami Adiswarananda presents a selection of Vivekananda’s most profound and inspiring lectures and an intimate glimpse of his life through newspaper reports from the time, personal reminiscences from disciples and others close to him, and impressions of his life and message from world leaders. A chapter by Swami Nikhilananda, founder of the Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center of New York, offers a fascinating view of Vivekananda’s spiritual mission to America—a mission that brought the ideals of spiritual freedom and spiritual democracy to the forefront of Western religious thought.

Choose the Yoga path that best suits you, and you choose the way to know God. The philosophy of Yoga tells us that the root cause of our sorrows and suffering is loss of contact with our true Self. Our recovery is only possible by reestablishing contact with our innermost Self, the Reality of all realities, and by recognizing that knowledge of Self is our salvation. In this comprehensive guide, Swami Adiswarananda introduces the four spiritual paths of Yoga—Karma-Yoga, Bhakti-Yoga, Raja-Yoga and Jnana-Yoga—and what you can expect as an aspirant on each path. Covering the message and practice of each of the Yogas as well as philosophy and psychology, preparatory practices, common obstacles and ways to overcome them, this accessible book will prove invaluable to anyone wishing to follow a Yoga practice in order to realize the goal of Self-knowledge.

Guidance for Your Spiritual Journey—from the Wisdom of Yoga and Vedanta “The ultimate goal of life is to discover the divinity within ourselves and in all beings and things. This will lead us to adore our true Self, adore our fellow beings, and adore the world that is but a reflection of Reality. This reunion with the Absolute—the core of our individual being as well as of the universe—is the true meaning of yoga.” —from chapter 13 The yoga way maintains that spiritual quest is not a matter of choice but a vital necessity for total well-being. This comprehensive guide for spiritual seekers of all faiths and backgrounds presents a roadmap to Self-knowledge, the goal of spiritual quest, and shows that reconnecting with the center of your being, your true Self, is real, tangible and attainable. Exploring the route to spiritual fulfillment through the teachings of Yoga and Vedanta, Swami Adiswarananda outlines the meaning of spiritual quest, the nature of and the preparations necessary for the journey and the milestones you will use to chart your progress. He also draws from the sacred texts of these time-tested traditions to address the vital questions that often trouble spiritual seekers, such as: Which spiritual path should I follow? How can I attain liberation? What are the dangers and obstacles on the spiritual path? How do I control the restless mind? Why are there many religions and what is the way to interfaith unity?

An inspiring in-depth look at the nineteenth-century Godman of India and Prophet of Harmony. Sri Ramakrishna, one of the greatest spiritual personalities of our time, is widely recognized as the Prophet of the Harmony of Religions. After perfecting the practice of several religions—including Christianity, Islam and various traditions of Hinduism—he declared, “As many faiths, so many paths.” For the first time, two classic biographies—Dhan Gopal Mukerji’s The Face of Silence (1926) and Swami Nikhilananda’s Sri Ramakrishna (1942)—are brought together to provide a fuller understanding of the life and spiritual significance of Sri Ramakrishna as well as the systems of Indian religious thought intimately connected with him. Pairing legend with fact, memory with history, this unique volume—including an Introduction to Sri Ramakrishna’s God-consciousness by Swami Adiswarananda—succeeds in intimately examining the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna and conveying the true story of this great mystic, whose leaping flame of spiritual realization continues to influence the modern spiritual search.

The complete sourcebook for exploring Hinduism's two most time-honored traditions of meditation. Meditation is a subject of universal interest, practiced by seekers of all traditions on the quest for serenity, peace, and blessedness. Among the many traditions of meditation in Hinduism, Yoga and Vedanta have passed the test of time, proving as vital today as they were throughout the ages in helping seekers overcome the maladies of life and attain the greatest spiritual fulfillment. In one comprehensive volume, Meditation & Its Practices illuminates the principles of the Yoga and Vedanta meditation traditions, the meaning of meditation, its goal of Self-Knowledge, the methods by which concentration is developed and the ways of achieving self-control. Defining key concepts in clear terms, this complete guidebook covers every aspect of this ancient spiritual practice, including: Goals and Benefits of Meditation Objects of Meditation Methods of Concentration Posture, Physical Condition, Eating Habits and Spiritual Exercises Mystical Experiences and Realizations Obstacles in Meditation and Ways of Overcoming Them Drawing on both classic and contemporary sources, this comprehensive sourcebook outlines the scientific, psychological, and spiritual elements of Yoga and Vedanta meditation, the results of which lead not to the seeker's dreams and visions but to the transformation of his or her character.