#146. 2004/01/11
Mysticism is man's long, loving
look at reality to which he is united by love. It is the highest expression
of man's intellectual and spiritual life. Its activity is its own end.
Mysticism has no utilitarian purposes: just looking, loving, being utterly,
magnificently, wildly useless. It is life itself fully awake and active
and aware that it is alive. Mysticism is awe and wonder at the sacredness
of life and of being and of the invisible, transcendent and infinite abundant
source of being. It knows the source obscurely, inexplicably, but with
a certitude beyond reason. It is a veritable vision of the Godhead - in
the human, earthly context. This act by which man sees who he is - not
in isolation, but against the background of eternity - and so simultaneously
and experientially sees who God is - this is genuine mysticism. William
McNamara, Christian Mysticism, P. 8
#147. 2004/01/18
You are a child immortal. You have
come on earth to entertain and to be entertained. This is why life should
be a combination of both meditation and activity. If you lose your inner
balance, that is just the time when you are vulnerable to wordly suffering.
Paramahansa Yogananda, Man's Eternal Quest, P.242.
#148. 2004/01/25
Then Ezra said to them, "Go your
way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those
for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord; and do
not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." Nehemiah 8:10.
#149. 2004/02/01
There is but one instruction to
give. There should be humanity in you. People of all countries should unite
with each other as brothers. All of you must be happy and healthy and appreciate
the joy of life. (...) Teachings of Babaji (1970-1984), P.41.
#150. 2004/02/08
Love is not a virtue. Love is a
necessity; more so than bread and water; more so than light and air.
Let no one pride himself on loving.
But rather breathe in Love and breathe it out just as unconsciously and
freely as you breathe in the air and breathe in out. The Book of Mirdad
by Mikhail Naimy, Chapter Eleven. Submitted by Aleksandra.
#151. 2004/02/15
The world is transitory. You will
achieve stability only on the path of karma yoga. Only action can take
a man to God and give him liberation. The law of karma is so deep that
no words are great enough to describe it. The day karma stops on this earth
will be the day of its dissolution (pralaya). Haidakhan Babaji (1970-1984).
Teachings of Babaji, P.91.
#152. 2004/02/22
You must be careful never to strain
your body or spirit irreverently. Simply sit relaxed and quiet and plunged
and immersed in sorrow. The sorrow I speak of is genuine and perfect, and
blessed is the man who experiences it. Every man has plenty of cause for
sorrow but he alone understands the deep universal reason for sorrow who
experiences that he is. (...) He alone feels authentic sorrow who realizes
not only what he is but that he is. (...) This sorrow purifies a man of
sin and sin's punishment. Even more, it prepares his heart to receive that
joy through which he will finally transcend the knowing and feeling of
his being. The Cloud of Unknowing, (XIII-th Century) P.103.
#153. 2004/03-07
It is true that the highest of
all companionship is the company of the real self. Those who learn to enjoy
the real self within are never lonely. Who makes us lonely? Those who claim
to know and love us, or those whom we love, create loneliness and make
us dependent. (...) Those who know the Friend within love all and are not
dependent. (...) Being alone happily means enjoying the constant company
- the constant awareness - of the Reality. Swami Rama (2001). Living with
the Himalayan Masters. P.103.
#154. 2004/03/14
God is within you, and that which
is within you is subject to self-realization. No one can show God to anyone
else. One has to independently realize his real self; thereby he realizes
the self of all, which is called God. In the state of ignorance, the student
thinks that God is a particular being, and he wants to see that being exactly
as he sees something in the external world. It never happens. But when
he realizes that God is truth and practices truth in action and speech,
then his ignorance about the nature of God disappears and self-realization
dawns. Swami Rama (2001). Living with the Himalayan Masters, P.64.
#155. 2004/03/21
A Zoroastrian is not a fire worshiper
but through the veneration of fire is able to generate an intimate communion
with Ahura Mazda. When Zoroastrians stand in devotion before a sacred fire
they believe that they are standing in the presence of the radiating power
of Ahura Mazda. When they pray before a fire they pay homage to the creation
that represents life and the inherent nature of Ahura Mazda -- total goodness.
Quoted after: http://www.parsicommunity.com/Religion/Fire.htm
#156. 2004/04/04
Two others also, who were criminals,
were led away to be put to death with Jesus. When they came to the place
that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals,
one on the right and one on his left. (One of them) said: "Jesus, remember
me when you come into your kingdom." (Jesus replied)"Truly I tell you,
today you will be with me in Paradise." Luke 23:33, 42-43
#157. 2004/04/11
Now is the time for this world
to be judged; now the ruler of this world will be overthrown. When I am
lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to me. John 12:31-32
#158. 2004/04/18
As long as you remain conscious,
be with God consciously by remembering Him. When your conscious mind starts
fading as you fall asleep, surrender yourself. The last thought before
you go to bed should be, "O Lord, be with me. I am Thine and Thou art mine."
The whole night the Lord will remain with you. You can always remain together.
Sadhu Sundar Singh, quoted in: Swami Rama (2001). Living with the Himalayan
Masters, p.269
#159. 2004/04/25
All the great religions of the
world have come out of one Truth. If we follow religion without practicing
the Truth, it is like the blind leading the blind. Those who belong to
God love all. Love is the religion of the universe. A compassionate one
transcends the boundaries of religion and realizes the undivided, absolute
Reality. Swami Rama (2001). Living with the Himalayan Masters, p.263
#160. 2004/05/09
The mother is an expression of
the unconditional love of God. Mothers were created by God to show us that
He loves us with or without cause. (...) The mother who looks upon all
God's children as her own is no longer a mortal mother. She becomes the
Mother immortal. Paramahansa Yogananda, Man's Eternal Quest, P.246, 248.
#161. 2004/05/17
Where is your faith? Stand firm
and hold your ground. Be a man of courage, and wait in patience; my comfort
will come to you in its own good time. Thomas A Kempis, Imitation of Christ,
III.30.2
#162. 2004/05/23
O our Father, do Thou cause the
divine light of thy face to shine upon every one of us, for by the divine
light of thy face, O Lord our God, hast Thou revealed to us the Torah,
which sustains life, which teaches the love of kindness, righteousness,
blessing, mercy, life, and peace.
Jewish prayer. Quoted after: Miriam
Bokser Caravella, The Holy Name. P.107.
#163. 2004/05/30
Have them pray also for the gift
of the Holy Spirit so that all those who come here will feel the presence
of God. Our Lady of Medjugorie, June 3, 1983. Words from Heaven,
P.145.
The important thing is to pray to the Holy Spirit so that He may descend on you. When one has Him, one has everything. People make a mistake when they turn only to the saints to request something. Our Lady of Medjugorie, October 21, 1983. Words from Heaven, P. 150.
#164. 2004/07/11
The Sufi should not travel for
amusement, vanity, ostentation, or to seek wordly things. Abu Turab al-Nakhshabi
said that nothing is more injurious to the novices than to travel in the
pursuit of their caprice. Kitab Adab al-Muridin, A Sufi Rule for Novices,
106-107, p.52-53.
#165. 2004/07/18
Man's mind is very fast, faster
than the wind. By doing work while repeating God's name, your mind becomes
cleansed of thoughts and useless, negative thoughts cannot enter it. To
uplift man, for the progress of the whole of humanity, karma is a great
sadhana. All of you, therefore, continue to make progress through karma.
(...) Only through Karma Yoga can you advance in your life; your heart becomes purified, your thinking will be good. Karma Yoga is also beneficial for your health; you will sleep well and have a good appetite. A man with good appetite and sound sleep is always a healthy man and with good health he can achieve anything in life. Haidakhan Babaji (1970-1984), Teachings of Babaji, P.66, 79.
#166. 2004/07/25
Self-surrender is the highest and
easiest method for enlightenment. One who has surrendered himself is always
protected by the divine power. One who possesses nothing and has no one
to protect him belongs to God and is constantly under the protection of
the Divine. Swami Rama (2001). Living with the Himalayan Masters, p.287.
He said to them, "When you pray,
say: 'Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day
our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone
indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial.'" Luke 11:2-4
#167. 2004/08/01
One of the astonishing attributes
of Sabbath time is its unflinching uselessness. Nothing will get done,
not a single item will be checked off any list. Nothing of significance
will be accomplished, no goal realized. It is thoroughly without measurable
value. Many of us are reluctant to slow our pace because we feel a driving
need to be useful. (...) But Sabbath time offers the gift of deep balance;
in Sabbath time, we are valued not for what we have done or accomplished,
but simply because we have received the gentle blessing of being miraculously
alive. Wayne Muller, Sabbath, PP.210-212. Submitted to Merton-L Discussion
Group by Norman King.
#168. 2004/08/08
One of the novices, brother B.,
was afficted by the paroxysm of laughter. He laughed more and more every
week. In the end he laughed all day long and had to go. I was told that
once, before a choir practice he was so taken by this thing that he rolled
on the floor. Life here is far more merry than we think. Thomas Merton,
Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander, (trans. from Polish).
#169. 2004/08/15
And Mary said, "My soul magnifies
the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has looked with
favour on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations
will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name. (...)"
Luke 1:46-49
#170. 2004/08/22
Breath conquers thinking, because
one must "let go" when breathing out. The power of breath goes beyond the
judging mind... The method of counting breaths aims at keeping the mind
busy, so the mind does not keep us busy. Though we count "one, two, three,"
in reality the sequence is one, one, one. It does not depend on memory
or consciousness. This superficially linear repeating changes into a mantra
and in this way frees the linear mind. Whenever we exhale, the air we breathe
out is compassion. It is the breath of giving or releasing. Inhalation
is receiving. Like birth and death. Inhalation is a constant birth. In
this way, we say, we are able to receive life. Jakusho Kwong, Zen in America,
quoted in: Smith, J. (ed.)(1999). 365 ZEN: Daily Readings. The quotation
translated from the Polish edition.
#171. 2004/08/29
The first chirps of the waking
day birds mark the "point verge" of the dawn under a sky as yet without
real light, a moment of awe and inexpressible innocence, when the Father
in perfect silence opens their eyes. They begin to speak to Him, not with
fluent song, but with an awakening question that is their dawn state, their
state at the "point verge." Their condition asks if it is time for them
to "be." He answers "yes." Then, they one by one wake up, and become birds.
(...) Thomas Merton.(1989). Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander. N.Y.: Image
Books. P.131
#172. 2004/09/05
What really matters is openness,
readiness, attention, courage to face risk. You do not need to know precisely
what is happening, or exactly where it is all going. What you need is to
recognize the possibilities and challenges offered by the present moment,
and to embrace them with courage, faith, and hope. In such an event, courage
is the authentic form taken by love. Thomas Merton.(1989). Conjectures
of a Guilty Bystander. N.Y.: Image Books. P.208.
#173. 2004/09/19
In order to understand the philosophy
of Gorakhnath, it has at every stage to be remembered that the whole is
essentially prior to the parts, which are its self-manifestations. The
whole is really one and it manifests itself in the forms of many, and in
relation to these manifestations it is called whole. Ultimately Siva (the
Supreme Spirit) with His Sakti immanent in and identified with Him is One
Reality (...). Thus at every stage the whole originates the parts, and
the parts contribute to the richness of the whole; every living part again
functions as a whole giving birth to parts which enrich it. In this way
evolution goes on, and the Ultimate Reality becomes a greater and greater
whole through the origination of parts within parts, all of which had been
initially present in an unmanifested state in that ultimate Cause and are
in the manifested states also essentially one with it. (...) Nothing absolutely
new is added to the ultimate Reality, the ultimate Cause. Akshaya Kumar
Banerjee.(1999). Philosophy of Gorakhnath. Delhi.: Motilal Banrsidass Publ.
P.140-141.
#174. 2004/09/26
A certain Philosopher asked St.
Anthony: Father, how can you be so happy when you are deprived of the consolation
of books? Anthony replied: My book, O philosopher, is the nature of created
things, and any time I want to read the words of God, the book is before
me. Thomas Merton. (1960). The Wisdom of the Desert. Sayings from the Desert
Fathers of the Fourth Century. NY: A New Directions Book, CIII, p.62.
#175. 2004/10/03
You are One,
prior to all computation
and ground to
all figuration.
You are One,
and your oneness's mystery amazes
the wise,
who've never
known what is was.
You are One,
and in your oneness
know neither loss nor addition,
neither lack nor magnification.
You are One,
but not as one that's counted or
formed,
for neither enhancement nor change
pertains to you,
neither description
nor name.
You are One,
and my speech can't establish your
boundary or line,
therefore I said I would guard
my ways,
so as not to
sin with my tongue.
And you are One,
sublime and exalted above all that
might fall -
that One might
fall is impossible ...
Quoted after: Cole, Peter (Trans.)
(2001). Selected Poems of Solomon Ibn Gabirol (XI-th Century). Princeton,
Oxford: Princeton University
Press. P.141
#176. 2004/10/10
(...) with every out-breathing
the individual self (jeeva) frees itself from the bodily limitations and
goes forth to the Cosmos and identifies itself with the Soul of the Cosmic
Body (Siva); and with every in-breathing He, - the Soul of the Cosmos,
Siva - enters into the body and reveals Himself as Aham or the individual
soul. (...) The cultivation of this conception and constant remembrance
of the essential identity of the individual soul and the Soul of the universe
with every breath occupies very important position in Goraknath's system
of yogasadhana. It is known as Ajapa-Yoga. Akshaya Kumar Banerjee.(1999).
Philosophy of Gorakhnath. Delhi.: Motilal Banrsidass Publ.
#177. 2004/10/17
The lamps are different,
But the Light is the same.
(...)
Concentrate on essence, concentrate
on Light.
(...)
One matter, one energy, one Light,
one Light-mind,
Endlessly emanating all things.
One turning and burning diamond,
One, one, one.
Ground yourself, strip yourself
down,
To blind loving silence.
Stay there, until you see
You are gazing at the Light
With its own ageless eyes.
Rumi, One, One, One, quoted in:
Helminski, Kabir (2000). The Rumi Collection. P.112.
#178. 2004/10/24
Cherish your visions; cherish your
ideals; cherish the music that stirs in your heart, the beauty that forms
in your mind, the loveliness that drapes your purest thoughts, for out
of them will grow all delightful conditions, all heavenly environment;
of these, if you but remain true to them, your world will at last be built.
James Allen, As A Man Thinketh. Marina del Rey, CA: DeVorss & Co. P.58.
#179. 2004/10/31
In Siddha-Siddhanta-Paddhati Gorakhnath
defines Samadhi thus: (...) The realisation of the spiritual unity of all
orders of existences, the perfectly effortless state of consciousness,
and living a life of perfect ease and equanimity and tranquility and self-fulfillment,
- this is the nature of Samadhi.
An enlightened Yogi, (...) sees
and enjoys the differences and at the same time sees and enjoys the internal
unity of differences; he consciously deals with the plurality of finite
things , and at the same time sees the One Infinite Eternal Spirit in them;
(...) he outwardly participates in the joys and sorrows of the people,
and at the same time inwardly enjoys supreme bliss amidst all these particular
and transitory enjoyments and sufferings. While living and moving amidst
diversities and changes, he always inwardly dwells in the realm of blissful
changeless spiritual Unity. Akshaya Kumar Banerjee.(1999). Philosophy
of Gorakhnath. Delhi.: Motilal Banrsidass Publ. P.246-7.
#180. 2004/11/07
In the supreme golden chamber is
Brahman indivisible and pure. He is the radiant light of all lights (...).
There the sun shines not, nor the moon, nor the stars; lightnings shine
not there and much less earthly fire. From his light all these give light;
and his radiance illumines all creation. Katha Upanishad, quoted after:
Novak Philip, The World Wisdom, P.16.
#181. 2004/11/14
#182. 2004/11/21
#183. 2004/12/05
#184. 2004/12/12.
#186. 2004/12/27.
"For the monks of old, the secret of success in the practice was to keep the name of Jesus always in mind. The name of Jesus brings the energy of God, namely the Holy Spirit, into your own being. When the monk was able to do this, he could live his daily live in the presence of God. (…)" (P.166). "The Holy Spirit can be described as being always present in our hearts in the form of a seed. Every time we pray or invoke the name of the Lord, that seed manifests itself as the energy of God." (P.183). Thich Nhat Hanh. (1995). Living Buddha, Living Christ. N.Y.: Riverhead Books.