Achariya George Adams
Speaks on : "The Gita: A Living Metaphor"
Sunday, November 2, 2014 at 11:00am
Swami Premananda describes the Gita as “the voice of subjective revelation and an unfailing guide on the path of self-unfoldment.” This Sunday we will listen for that voice, and not only reflect upon the Gita as a metaphor for living, but as a living metaphor as well.
We will explore the question: “What is the authority for the Gita?" and discover that its authority is to be found within ourselves. We will further discover that the Gita is an evolving, living fountain of spiritual insight into our own subjective journey, and as we grow, evolve and unfold as spiritual beings so will our understanding of the Gita’s message.”
—Achariya George
From the Gurus and Swamis: AUM
“All sublime scriptures have an inner spiritual meaning which remains hidden from the unenlightened mind. The discovery of that inner import makes the scripture a living fountain of eternal substance to quench the spiritual thirst of every true seeker after God.
"…The Gita is the expression of the cultural and spiritual soul of India. But it has satisfied the quest of reason and fulfilled the spiritual hopes of men and women in all parts of the civilized world. Be he a Sankaracharya, the absolute monist, or a Gandhi, the apostle of love and nonattached Karma, or impersonal service; an Emerson, the transcendental thinker, or a Bergson, the scientist-philosopher; each has carried the message of the Gita within his mind and heart."
—"Srimad-Bhagavad-Gita" by Swami Premananda
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"A brief explanatory comment with regard to the significance in which I have used the four terms, the ego, the soul, the self and the supreme Self, may assist in their proper understanding.
"By ego I do not mean the soul. Ego is the sense-born and sense-identified self-consciousness It is the pseudo I. It is created and sustained by the continuity of sense-perceptions. It vanishes as soon as consciousness is withdrawn from objective sensations. It is the Ahamikabhava.
"The soul is to be considered as being synonymous with the self, not capitalized. The soul, or self, is the individualized supreme Self, capitalized, or the embodied self. It is the Jivatma.
"The Supreme Self is Brahman, God, the Self of all, Sat—Chit—Anandam, Consciousness—Existence—Bliss Absolute. It is the Parama Atman.
"The difference between the self and the supreme Self is one of degree and not of quality. Even that is an assumed differentiation. The self in its highest state of perfection becomes, in truth, attains to, the realization of its own transcendental nature as the eternal supreme Self."
—"Srimad-Bhagavad-Gita," Introduction by Swami Premananda
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Noble Thoughts: ("Let Noble Thoughts come to us from all sides." —Rigveda)
“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
“For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.”
— "The Bible" Matthew, Chapter 16
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“Feel nothing, know nothing, do nothing, have nothing, give up all to God, and say utterly, 'Thy will be done.' We only dream this bondage. Wake up and let it go.”
—Swami Vivekananda
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"Don't you know yet? It is your light that lights the worlds."
—Rumi
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"Only by much searching and mining are gold and diamonds obtained, and man can find every truth connected with his being if he will dig deep into the mine of his soul."
—James Allen from "As a Man Thinketh"
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"Purnam adah purnam idam
Purnat purnam udacyate,
Purnasya purnam adaya
Purnam eva avasisyate.
SHANTI SHANTI SHANTI”
“That is Perfect; this is perfect;
Out of That Perfection emanates this perfection;
In the ocean of Perfection surge the waves of perfection;
Yet That Perfection is never lost.
PEACE BLISS PEACE”
—Ancient Invocation