Posts

Image
    A Master and Swami Rama Tirtha and His Communion with Mt. Shasta by Silvia Baratta  It was during one of those hot summers in Rishikesh, when I was a full-time seva-sadhaka at SRSG (supporting guests — and there were not many guests to support), that I first delved into the spiritual classic In Woods of God Realization (Vol. 1) by Swami Rama Tirtha, first published in 1909. It was a wonderful — and cooling! — delight to take in the inspiring teachings of this great sage through his simple, yet deeply profound, presentations on the glory of Advaita Vedanta . This was especially so with the knowledge that spiritual leaders in our tradition have stated that this one known as Swami Rama Tirtha was a previous birth of the force known to us as Swami Rama of the Himalayas. The sattvic pleasure of reading In Woods of God Realization was also enhanced by learning that a substantial number of the lectures from which the essays in the publication were transcribed were given in my ...
Post a Comment
Read more
Image
   THE MEDITATION CENTER SHARAD NAVARATRI RETREAT WITH SWAMI RITAVAN Sunday, October 11- Monday, October 19, 2026 Swami Ritavan will introduce the theme of Navaratri Sadhana for the Navaratri Retreat on Thursday, October 8, during the 7:00 PM Satsang   After orientation, silence will be observed throughout the retreat. **This retreat is for initiates in the Himalayan Tradition only** DAILY SCHEDULE     5:30 a.m.:              Wakeup Bell        6:15-7:00 a.m.:   Prayers, J&G, Pranayama   7:00-8:00 a.m.:   Guided Divine Mother Meditation          8:00-8:30 a.m.:    Silent Breakfast 8:30-9:30 a.m.:   Cleanup/ Karma Yoga           ...
Post a Comment
Read more
Image
    The Whispering of Guru Reflections from Swami Ma Tripura’s Guru Purnima talk, July 2026 by Jenny May There is a particular joy in listening to Swami Ma Tripurashakti Bharati speak — the rhythm of her voice, the laughter that comes easily, and underneath it all, a devotion so steady it draws you back to your own trust and inner guidance almost without trying. Her presence itself seems to be the teaching: a loving instrument for the very force she describes. That force, she reminded us in her talk before this year's Guru Purnima full moon meditation, is not a person. Guru is whatever dispels darkness and draws us toward the light of our own consciousness. It moves within and without, always present, always calling, whispering, welcoming everyone inward — toward the one place where true joy and fulfillment actually live: pure consciousness. Ma Tripura reminds us; God, Guru and Self are one and the same. The force we call Guru is within us as Self. We are that. Picture it, she...
Post a Comment
Read more
Image
In Remembrance and Appreciation by Charles Crenshaw I remember moving from my early studies of Buddhism to the teachings of Dr. Usharbudh Arya (Swami Veda, for those too new to know that relationship) and Swami Rama. But the truth is I never made my way from anyplace to anyplace else. Here is what I mean, and it’s fascinating. Long before I ever heard of a swami, I read a book called Zen Flesh, Zen Bones. Now, before you stop reading and tell me this has nothing to do with the Himalayan Tradition, stay with me. There is a section in that book called Centering that contains some of the most fascinating and confounding statements I had ever encountered. I sensed they were filled with profound meaning, yet at the time they were completely beyond my understanding. One of them read: "With utmost devotion, center on the two junctions of breath and know the Knower..." Wait for it! I imagine many of you would assume these words came from Swami Veda, since he often said things like th...
Post a Comment
Read more
Image
 The Friend Within REFINING YOUR INNER INSTRUMENT    by Randall Krause   We live in these little bodies, and from the inside they feel pretty much the same throughout our whole lives. It's the outside that changes. Something inside stays constant. This is one of the central teachings of Swami Rama's Sacred Journey : our true Self — the Atman, the Purusha, by many names — never changes. Our task is to find it.   Swami Rama tells us to begin with the inner instrument, the antakarana . In the West we call it simply "the mind," but the tradition describes four distinct functions: manas , the sensory mind; buddhi , the discriminating intellect that makes choices; chitta , where memories and impressions are stored; and ahamkara , the ego, the voice that says this is mine . The first work is training each of these to do its proper job — because if we don't, they overreach.   Manas, for instance, is meant to ask the question — Is this good for me? Is this not good ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Exploring Silence by Carol Crenshaw

Image
  Exploring Silence by Carol Crenshaw  The idea of a silence retreat can be terrifying to some, anxiety-producing to others, and a welcome pause in a busy life for still others. Which category do you fall into? Even the meaning of silence itself brings up a wide range of thoughts, emotions, and reactions. For some, silence simply means not speaking. But what about gestures, notes, pantomime, or communication through glances? Swami Veda spoke of silence as remembering your true nature even while speaking. He said, “Speak only when you are in silence.” Many misunderstandings and hurt feelings could be avoided if we followed this advice! What do you do during a silence retreat? Some people like to read, listen to recordings, sleep, or otherwise fill up space in the day. For beginners, some of this may be helpful. But since the purpose of silence is to go inward, spiritual practice is the best use of our time. That being said, rest is important. Many of us begin a retreat carrying...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Vasudeva Principle: Notes from my Path

Image
The Vasudeva Principle NOTES FROM MY PATH   by Rob Diggins   As a beginner—really, a Level II TTP student—I first read an assigned article about something called the Vasudeva Principle. At that time, I felt nothing. As a musician in a local kirtan band, I regularly chanted Sanskrit phrases, including one that contained the word “Vasudeva.” Still, skepticism lingered within me.   Faith—the practice of believing simply because of tradition or indoctrination—had been so ridiculed and denigrated during my childhood that skepticism became my default posture. Faith itself was cast as the problem, the “opiate of the masses,” and the once-popular bumper sticker Question Authority might as well have been flashing somewhere behind my eyelids, insisting that only fools accept claims without proof. Because of this, I found myself wary, even judgmental, of many of my kirtan-chanting peers—individuals who had rejected their inherited religious traditions as pat...
Post a Comment
Read more