Browse Spiritual Growth

I'm looking out at the rain forest that surrounds my new home. I have just moved from sea level to the rain forest at three thousand feet elevation. This is a huge change for me - and for my cat Kanui too! On the first day of the move he stayed under the bed and only ventured out once for a few ...

Traditional paths of yoga, and in particular the yoga practice organised and codified by Patanjali, hold Samadhi as an ultimate state of consciousness that puts the seeker into a state of superconscious reality that effectively links him to the Divine reality and purpose of existence. Swami Vivekananda in his lectures on Raja Yoga describes the methods of attaining to Samadhi and the results therefrom. He indicates that Samadhi, the yogic trance, differs from entering into the sleep state by the results that eventuate.

The integral yoga is not an attempt to abandon this life and achieve some realisation beyond. There is no promise of a heaven of bliss, nor an escape from the difficulties posed by matter, life and mind and their interaction in the world.

‘Om Mani Padme Hum’ , ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ , ‘Om Shanti Om’ , ‘Hari Om Tatsat’ – These are all sacred mantras that we must have heard sometime or the other in our lives. The first one is a Tibetan mantra and the remaining three are Sanskrit mantras. These are just a few examples of mantras. There a thousands of mantras that are used by Seekers to progress on the path of their Spiritual journey.nnMantras are primarily used for the purpose of Chanting. Chanting

After surviving an injury/disability such as a Traumatic Brain Injury; you do need to grieve for the person that was lost. That was you, and you were awesome. The “new” person, before you, will be just as amazing. You have to get to know your new self and develop him/her to be your spectacular “new” self. As I’ve said before, ‘God doesn’t leave junk on his precious planet.’ Getting to know yourself again is not something that can be accomplished overnight, or

We know as human beings that to be an adult is just to be a child that has grown old. nInside our body we carry feelings; all of our memories. In some cases we are challenged by the corresponding elements of our environment in the guise of our children. If something has happened to you in your childhood it can reawaken in adult life when you have children. Usually it corresponds with the age that your child is at the moment you feel the fear. This is one thing to consider, be

A seeker treading the path of spiritual growth and enlightenment is confronted with a confusing mix of experiences and insights, as well as obstacles and setbacks of various kinds. A working knowledge of the various “moving parts” involved in the consciousness of the human being is valuable to help the seeker address the issues that arise. Sri Aurobindo has identified the major elements of human awareness as well as the stages that develop during the growth and evolution of consciousness.

“With the World on Edge, it’s Important to Have Alte ative Foods Sources” Here are some very easy to grow greens that can be grown inside in pots near windows or with grow lights or outside and they are very prolific and need very little care and can be grown in small spaces. With all the growing tensions in the world, it’s important to have some alte ate food sources around the house.

After hearing the stories of many monks over the last few years, I find it interesting that most of them never wanted to become a monk in the first place. Are you a monk or a nun deep down inside? 3 True Stories of Different People Becoming Monks

Spiritual seekers have long looked at liberation from the bondage of life in the world, and oneness with the Transcendent, the Absolute, as the key focus to demand their attention. This is of course an essential step in freeing the individual from the current limits of mind, life and body, and yet, if it is treated as an exit rather than a necessary stage for the transformation of life, it leads away, rather than towards the universal creation and its intention in manifestation. Sri Aurobindo has set a further stage of actual transformation of life to create a divine life on earth.

Knowing your values with how you feel about money can help you understand where you are blocking money from not coming in to your life. Some road blocks Responsibilities for many people are a big road block to getting more money. Imagine you have a lot of money and suddenly many people ...

“Great for Bacterial Infections, Diarrhea, Asthma, Colds, and No Side Effects” Here is a very powerful herb that helps with lots of diseases processes that’s been used for hundreds of years in Australia, Africa, and India and other places in the world. And whip vine has no side-effects of any kind. Other Names - Also called Flagellaria indica, Bush Came, Supple Jack, False Rattan, Hell Tail, Anaud, Arayan, and Auai si Gayang

I remember the day I got my broken knees—how could I forget it? You start out with an ordinary day and in an instant, everything changes. One of my first reactions was why’d you let this happen, God? Why did you have to give me the broken knees? Why couldn’t it have been someone else?n I would soon learn that God had more in store for me than I could ever have imagined and it all began with broken knees, a wounded body and a broken spirit. I looked down at my knees and

Evolution takes time. Hundreds of millions of years were required to move even small steps forward, as universal “time” does not fit into the “human” time-sense. Humanity measures things in terms of an individual lifespan, and in increments that we have devised from our humanity-centric viewpoint. Thus we speak of generations, and look for change to occur in months, years or decades. Centuries seem like ete ity to us, and millennia are beyond our immediate ability to truly understand.

The mental consciousness likes to make ‘black and white’ decisions. Thus, it tends to set up oppositions between reliance on the spiritual force for healing, and the use of physical means such as medicines or other medical interventions. When we recognise, however, the complexity of the human instrument, and the variable rate at which the different parts of the being open with receptivity to a higher spiritual force and are able to assimilate it, it becomes clear that taking a dogmatic approach is not productive.

Sometimes it amazes and frustrates me how much I don’t know. And sometimes the fact that there is so much to learn inspires and motivates me to grow. With all the studying and reading and training I have done I am still aware of many gaps in my education. These gaps show up in all areas of ...

“Low Glycemic Index and Great Fiber for Probiotics” This vegan soup is sweet and very tasty and has lots of nutrition to do the body good. Malanaga is a tropical root that grows in Florida and other tropical regions of the world and the US and can be found at Asian and Latin markets. Malanga is much creamier than potatoes and has a low glycemic index, and this wonderful soup is sure to please everyone. This soup is a full spectrum food with great protein from the beans, carbs, and live enzymes.

Genetic engineering. It is everywhere in our lives, whether we recognise it or not. The question arises as to how humanity responds to it, and what, if anything, we can do about it. In the past, genetics was involved with attempts at selective breeding. Over multiple generations certain traits were chosen as preferable and plants or animals were developed through selection, breeding programs, etc. Eventually over time, the preferred trait was brought forward. it is the method used to breed new varieties or colors or qualities in flowers, for instance.

"All happiness is born of love; Love gains meaning from adversity, so to suffer is to call upon the heart’s desire to conquer sadness."nnHow can we find Joy in the midst of our suffering? Don’t jump to conclusions that your suffering is to punish you. Suffering is always about change and offers an opportunity for a new understanding of the self. nn How often have you procrastinated about making a change in your life that you knew was necessary, only to find that the unive

He or she doesn’t call back. I am not thanked. Someone yells at me. I hope you can relate to the type of stuff we experience in our life. When I call my friend and they don’t return my call could it be that they simply aren’t up to it or maybe somehow their schedule conflicts with the ...

Having been the poster child of the 99lb weakling for all those Charles Atlas ads in the back of my childhood comic books, I feel that I must inform my friends, and for that matter, my enemies as well, of my brute strength. My pinky can counteract the gravity of an entire planet that weighs over six trillion kilograms! It’s true. I do it every time I lift a feather with my finger.nnI sense that you are not impressed, and that you are considering sending me back to the Atlas

he long legacy of the Yogic tradition is founded on the recognition that there is a greater Reality that exists, that the human individual is a participant, in fact a part of that reality, and that it is possible through the practices of yoga, including various psychological and psycho-physical forms of discipline, to refocus the attention away from the day to day activities of the world and toward the greater reality.

“True Story - From Being Blind in One Eye to Totally Healed Ove ight” While we were in Brazil with John of God our friend Ryan Beard who had a miracle take place with his father in Tennessee.

“Thomas Keating the Trappist Monk had a Profound Change take Place” The Christian Trappist monk Thomas Keating understood the value of meditation. And Thomas had a profound change take place when he started meditating. Christian monastic life can be very hard as one tries to get closer to God. It’s was hard until one day the Dalai Lama came to visit Thomas Keating and his life changed in very short time.

It’s very easy to have faith when we are healthy. But it sometimes harder to have faith when we are sick. Here are a few tips that can help a person uplift their faith when they are ill. 1 - Being healthy or sick has nothing to do with the soul. The soul it always healthy and knows exactly what we need every day to be healthy in our body. Ask your body for guidance it will show you the way to healing. Great Spirit works through your heart to guide you through your healing process.

“Herbs for Healing Dengue Symptoms, Boosting Up Your Immune System, Getting Rid of the Virus, and Increasing Platelet Production” Dengue fever is moving around the world and many people need help. Dengue is a virus that’s transmitted via mosquitos and this virus will need to run its normal course. The important thing is supportive therapy for the symptoms. Most people with dengue fever never have any symptoms, but 5% do have symptoms, and 1% have complications.

Slaying Dragons nnWhen I was a boy reading the stories of "The Knights of the Round Table" and other adventure tales of knights, ladies, and evildoers, my friends and I were inspired and spent many afternoons playing heroes and villains. In the woods of our backyards we went on many daring excursions, faced serpents with crested heads, and dark and wily villains, and emerged victorious. Knights and dragons are primary themes in our Western heritage. The power of these stories

My friends in Spain have yet to hear the Gospel. Here I am in what is supposedly a Catholic country – and my friends really have never heard the truth about Jesus. Maybe they got bits and pieces of information about Jesus from a Catholic education. Maybe they’ve heard about evangelicals who passionately yell things about God in public settings.

Not too far in the past, if a woman was assertive, demanding and purposeful, she was considered a controlling bitch. On the other hand, if a woman complained about her lack of opportunity and played victim, she was considered an annoying whiner. Today, many women are looking to each other for clues as to what it truly means to be a woman.nnOne of the great perks of being a woman is sharing intimately with other women. I have found over and over, no matter if I am talking with

“Quickly Lose those Extra 10 Pounds Gained Over the Holidays” Most people enjoyed the holidays and some enjoyed themselves a little too much and gained some weight. Here are a few ways that a person can quickly lose that extra 10 pounds.

Feed the Sacred Feminine at Gypsy Wolf in Woodstock, NY by eating delicious Mexican food with friends. My soul sisters and I have been going to this funky restaurant since it first opened in 1990. Frozen margaritas, chips and salsa, black bean soup, grilled chicken salad are a few of the delicious items on the menu that have been consistently fresh and yummy all these years.

The opening of the chakras has been the subject of a tremendous amount of focus in the yoga literature, with emphasis on the awakening of the kundalini energy at the base of the spine, and the rising up of this energy through each of the chakras up to the crown of the head. The dangers associated with this process have also been described, as a sudden opening of one of the lower chakras can lead to serious psychological and physical imbalances and dangers, particularly if there is not a trusted and experienced guide to help one manage the experience.

I was at work yesterday, and I heard the most outrageous statement from one of the residents there. I heard a woman call herself “stupid” because she forgot this or that. I jerked my head back in complete astonishment and said to her in a commanding voice, ‘You are not STUPID!! You are different, but you are not STUPID!!’ Fellow staff members stood back and clapped with their eyes. I could not believe in a million years that that was what I looked like and sounded lik

“Do You Know What Your Values Are?” Most people never write out what they value in life. Most people just float through life thinking that values are something we make up as we go. And that’s also why lots of people flounder through life and never do well. And how can we honor what we value… if we don’t even know what we value? This whole process takes being really honest with ourselves.

Practically anyone can conjure up the image of a child saying their prayers before going to sleep at night. "Now I lay me down to sleep," were the first words of prayer I can remember using. Thinking about your day before getting out of bed is a variation of the same principle. Do you take the ...

I have been pondering a passage from the New Testament in recent days:nn"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6,7)nnWhat a wonderful antidote for anxiety, worry, fear and doubt! We can either let our minds get very passive, and allow all kinds of negative emotions in

Whichever method one chooses to begin the practice, eventually the seeker finds that mental control is not going to achieve the result on its own. There comes a time when the recognition comes that active intervention cannot achieve what an opening or receptivity to the higher Force can provide. This makes sense when one reflects on it. The ‘mind-stuff’ (citta) reacts both to inbound perceptions and impulses and to mental process.

Honor your mind first by acknowledging how powerful the mind is. This is another jewel for self discovery. We are not our minds. We are spirit in physical form with a magnificent tool, our mind. The mind is best used for creating our life with intention and purpose in union with the Divine. Honor your mind by recognizing that we are always creating through our thoughts. Remember to consciously create by using your mind as the wondrous tool that it is. What we focus on we create more of and it expands since energy follows awareness.

People take up the practices of Yoga with many different objects in mind. Many do so from the viewpoint of the individual ego, seeking for fitness, health, energy, prosperity, fame, or for individual spiritual realisations, spiritual experiences, acquisition of special powers, conquest of death or ultimate salvation. These goals are all based in the ego and are ultimately illusory, as the ego is not an independent actor per se. They all measure the results of Yoga based on the individual’s value scale and judgment.

Concentration of various sorts is a part of yogic development generally. In most cases, particular paths recommend very specific forms of concentration, whether it be visualisation, recitation of mantras, or specific devotional exercises. The integral yoga also utilizes concentration, but does not prescribe a very specific fixed regimen for everyone, recognising that each individual has his own starting point, specific issues to address and resolve and different phases in the yogic sadhana.

Each relationship from the pass leaves its mark be it positive or negative on you as you grow older, you carry these marks with you and it affects how you see and deal with the world. Pointing to the star Pointing to the star is what parents are to their children for you are the path shower; ...

How would we connect to God if there were no religions? How would we experience God if there were no priests? How would we open to God without "spirituality", without meditations, rituals, ceremonies, sacred circles, candles and incense? Where would we find God if there were no churches, temples, sacred places?rn rnThose questions came to me as I was watching a video yesterday, sent to me by Brooks. "This woman is an example for unique modeling of advanced life opportunity, c

One of the most eloquent concepts in mystical thought is the microcosm/macrocosm phenomenon. The idea is that the human being is a “miniature universe,” reflecting every aspect of the world at large — and the universe is a giant organism. A copy of every detail of the universe exists inside of each human being, and by refining different aspects of our personal lives, we also refine each respective corresponding dimension in the universe.

Another explanation: “From among those whose death is by Your hand, God.” How mighty are those who have received empire from Your hand. Who is this? This is Nebuchadnezar. “From among those,” namely, those who have received their portion on this world. “Whose portion is in this life,” namely, those who receive their reward while still alive. “And with Your hidden treasure, You fill your belly,” since they became rich from what they stole from the Temple treasu

You must perform Hajj even you are not adult or young with Hajj Packages from England for Muslims. But, a majority of folks do not think so. This is the main reason why in youth most of the persons give a slight position to religion. To make their mark and accomplish their worldly purposes, they spend maximum time enduring on these activities. When one grows old a conflicting behavior is seen. In Islam, for at all good a person does in his or her youth there is a countless re

James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.n The only prayer God hears from a lost person is a prayer for salvation. The lost cannot serve God nor can they please Him. The lost can do nothing but sin. Saved or lost God is against those that do evil. 1 Peter 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the fac

These maple bars are wonderful and super easy to make. And they are full of the goodness of oats… and they are low fat and gluten free. This great recipe only takes 15 minutes to put together… and these bars are yummy! In fact, we have a good friend visiting from Germany and he loves these bars… and I know you will too. Another Whole-Foods Plant-Based Recipe. Ingredients: 4 - Cups of Organic Rolled Oats 4 - Cups of Organic Oatmeal Flour 1 - Cup of Organic Maple Syrup 1 - Teaspoon of Organic Baking Powder 1 - Teaspoon of Organic Baking Soda

Jalue Dorje is a 9-year-old kid living in Minnesota who the Dalai Lama pronounced as the reinca ation of the 8th Terchen Taksham Rinpoche. Right after Jalue was born in 2006 his mother had a dream of a white mother elephant and a white baby elephant. And his mother told her local Buddhist priest this and the word finally made it’s way to the Dalai Lama. And the Dalai Lama had many dreams of Tigers roaming through Jalue’s home and this means great strength. And after a long period of time, the Dalai Lama decided that Jalue was the reinca ation of the 8th Terchen Taksham Rinpoche.

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