One who is completely free from ill will and is friendly and compassionate towards all, who has overcome attachment and egotism, who is self-composed in pain and pleasure, and forgiving…is thus devoted to me is dear to me…Those who follow this immortal path of devotion exactly as herein propounded by me, with faith and regarding me as the supreme goal; such devotees indeed are exceedingly dear to me.

Our spiritual life should not be dominated by adverse material circumstances. Spiritual life must stand above all earthly conditions, as our Soul is above all effects of dualities. Do not always seek God, begin to see God. Blessed is he who sees God everywhere and beholds good in all things.

Perfecting the means is a constant effort that requires steadfastness and humility. It requires placing importance upon every thought, every word and every deed. Our actions produce effects in both seen and unseen ways. Therefore, we should not be attached to the ends for we may not know or understand the actual effect.

Thou dost speak unto me in the melody of thy infinite voice. The gentle whisper of the passing breeze, the mystic call of the soaring skylark, the minstrel song of the wandering brook, the message of eternity from the mighty sea---thy voice all!---I hear in rapturous adoration because thou hast endowed me with the power of hearing.

Wisdom is the discerning nature of the soul. It is not merely intellect but a higher state of consciousness that guides us internally. Self-knowledge has a value unequal to any other possession in life. It is that which alone reveals the true nature of ourselves and the world around us.

Why do we desire peace? Because peace is the basic substance of our being. It is a constituent quality of our spiritual self. Peace is the divine essence of the soul. We long for that which belongs to us and we are never satisfied until we have regained our divine treasure. The longing for peace is the most blessed yearning of our soul, the most righteous desire of our being.

When a gift is offered with the thought that it is righteous to perform acts of charity, without expecting anything in return, at the right time and place and to a worthy person, that gift is regarded as the source of self-liberation and peace.

We shall be drowned in the ocean of misery if we live in selfishness. A little straw in the river sinks down under a small weight. A log floats, though a crocodile may lie upon it. A selfish life is like the little straw which is unable to hold itself up against the burden of a little suffering. An unselfish man is like the log, though the monster of great misery be thrust upon him, he lives in serenity, wisdom and joy.

Come out into Nature—not the nature of maps and marked paths—not even the nature of America or any particular country—but the Nature of God…and of yourself.

Cultivate the consciousness of the inner life. “Do not follow the way of the worldly-minded.” (Isha Upanishad). Learn to seek God by seeing God. Seek to earnestly know who you are. Self-knowledge is the source of freedom, peace, joy and love. It is the basis for enlightened character.

What is the message revealed by Nature? What expression does the formless give within form?
Ever offering a living word, the tone and tenor of cosmic vibration carries the Absolute into Self-manifestation.

Light ignites our hearts in many ways, always joining, embracing, expanding… Some hearts are slow to illumine. Like coal they need time, but once aglow, their quiet warmth soothes and endures for a long time. Some hearts hold light as water does, subdued in dark and silent depths, yet brilliant and energizing in streams and cascading falls. Some hearts spread their light like the ignited incense - a fragrance offered into all directions freely, inviting and pleasing to all. Some hearts, like peerless transparent diamonds reveal the full spectrum of Light.

The Isha of our Upanishad, the Super Soul, which permeates all moving things, is the God of this human universe whose mind we share in all our true knowledge, love and service, and whom to reveal ourselves through renunciation of self is the highest end of life.

Sitting with the purpose of meditation you can follow a tremendously beneficial process of breathing in twelve stages. Just by reading them, you will see right away that they are progressively sublime, calming and expansive. They will be effective and helpful from your very first attempt and every time you follow them! Following them, you will gradually benefit from increasing contentment, gentleness and peace.

The gentle autumn has arrived. Her very presence fills the heart with serene happiness. Tranquility composes the mind with calmness, a sublime stillness pervades the entire being with inexplicable beatitude, soul feels closer to one's own pure consciousness, and a contemplative attitude fills the whole environment with an inner spiritual well-being.a

Experience has taught me that silence is a part of the spiritual discipline of a votary of truth. Proneness to exaggerate, to suppress or modify the truth, wittingly or unwittingly, is a natural weakness of man, and silence is necessary in order to surmount it.

Discovery of the spiritual wealth of your life does not mean that you will automatically become prosperous, healthy, famous or popular. Nor does it mean you will find a life of ease, free from care or responsibility. But you will enjoy true wealth, well-being and serenity.

All spiritual aspirants ought to know and clearly understand kundalini power. To the intiate trained to use kundalini it comprises the inner path to God. In Kriya meditation, kundalini is the specific and conscious link between individual prana or life energy pervading the human being and cosmic prana, the source and perfection of all beings.

I walk to the tree of life and sit beneath her canopy. My thoughts ascend through her outstretched branches. I listen to her wisdom and praise her for her beauty. I thank her for her beneficence. I learn from her guidance. She offers blessings as dewdrop beads of light on the gossamer string of love.

So long as our unfoldment requires us to continue our existence in the world of manifestation, we must have two ideals. One is the relative and the other is the absolute ideal. The relative ideal demands that we provide for the objective aspect of life; whereas the absolute ideal inspires us to realize the highest state of perfection, which is oneness with God, or Self-realization.

Light encircles each day with its garland of seven illuminations. In solemn stillness of Pre-dawn is foretold the course of each heavenward destiny. Dawn heralding advent of rose-golden rays In beneficent blessing, spanning across the horizon of time and space. Gaze upon this day of Thy creation! Each morning bathing the day with renewed vitality and opportunity.

I have discovered that man is fundamentally good and spiritual. In the innermost depth of his heart every man is kind and loving. This realization of the innate goodness of man has completely oriented my attitude towards my fellow beings. Today none can hurt me because I behold man in his spirit, and in his spirit man is good. Now my constant effort, under all circumstances, is to awaken man to his innate virtue and righteousness.

Within a few years of his arrival in Washington in 1928, Swamiji (then a Brahmachari) met a couple whose influence and generosity would further his work in establishing his first church on Western Avenue while he simultaneously became an inspiration to their work in establishing the Shenandoah National Park.

Krishna as the guide of Arjuna reveals the truth and ideal of guru—that is, our own divine, ever pure and perfect soul, Self-conscious and ever one with God. Embodying the ideal of human guru, Krishna leads Arjuna to discover the life of his own soul.

What is Karma Yoga? It is Self-Realization in action; liberation through work; freedom by service. It is commonly called the path of action. In whatever state of self-expression we engage, that is action. We think, we love, we work. These are all actions. Karma Yoga is the regulation of all our actions in order that we may realize our innate spiritual perfection.

O precious cycle of time, I witness your changing attire, your wardrobe of expression. Traversing celestial realms, this budding universe appears before me in all its grandeur.

AUM represents the physical, mental and spiritual states of consciousness of the Self. For the final Wednesday evening of our Kriya Yoga Meditation series we will explore the powerful suggestion of the silent utterance of this sacred mantram, contemplating its meaning and significance, as we meditate on AUM.

All messengers of light have identified the path of inner illumination. It is accessible to anyone who makes sincere effort. Even when darkness surrounds us from all sides, still there is a light on the altar of our consciousness that burns bright. For this evening’s Kriya Meditation, let us meditate on the glory of that effulgent reality. All are welcome.

"O Thou self-manifested cause and substance of creation, O Thou indwelling Self of all, Thou source of illumination, guide me beyond Thy rays of creation, transport me beyond Thy objective form that, by Thy grace, I may behold Thy glorious Self: That absolute Self abiding in the transcendental effulgence, verily, I am That."

In meditation, the mind has to become more subtle. To get to that subtle perception we have to begin with that which sets the whole engine in motion. That is Prana. Prana determines the quality of our consciousness. This cosmic Prana is not realized by the light of intellect, the brilliance of mind, or the power of the senses.