IDEAL
Everyone is essentially divine. We are the divine Self. The ideal of human existence is the recognition of our spiritual Self. Religion is the realization of our divine nature, otherwise called Self-realization. When we realize our true Self, spirituality guides our daily life and conduct. Life guided by spiritual vision insures inner contentment and peace.
AUM - Shanti Shanti Shanti - Hari AUM Shanti
May absolute peace pervade the whole universe.
SUNDAY PHILOSOPHIC SERVICES
We welcome you to join us in the Golden Lotus Temple of the Self-Revelation Church of Absolute Monism. Our weekly non-sectarian philosophic services are held in the Church at 11:00am each Sunday (except during the months of July and August.) This devotional and philosophic service offers messages of Advaita Vedanta, or Absolute Monism. Children are welcome to join our Sunday School which meets in the Church of the Children at the same time. All are welcome.
The sacred path of Yoga is within our total being—our body, mind, heart and soul. Setting forth on this spiritual path, every step is rewarding and every effort Is fruitful.
TEMPLE OFFERING MESSAGES
"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.
The mystic studies the breath of life in subtle and beautiful ways. In this third evening of our Kriya series, we enter that current which reaches the innermost and extends outward.
To free the mind from the strong grip of mental attachment requires a steadfast pursuit of the study of silence. Not just silence of the senses but a sense of calm can be attained by an inward journey. In this second evening of our Kriya Yoga series we will dive into the ocean of self-subjectivity and the depth of calm.
What are the dimensions of our meditation? In our daily life and activity we live in dimensions of length, height and depth and we experience the effects of time. Scientists theorize about additional dimensions in which other worlds arise and other histories and futures are possible. In our meditation we explore universes of experience that go beyond space and time, to the infinite and eternal. In the first evening of our Kriya Series we will begin to explore awakening to the light and life of meditation.
In the light of mysticism, the entry into Jerusalem symbolizes the journey of life, the pilgrimage of self-unfoldment which each of us must follow on the path of life. The life of Jesus sets forth a spiritual pattern which each of us must follow to walk on the path of God.
All life is guided by consciousness. Consciousness is responsible for all our happiness or unhappiness, peace or sorrow in life. Right now we are our consciousness. Our consciousness reveals the authority over our daily experience.
Books and words comprise scriptures, but they are not the only revelations of life. All creation is “word,” God's cosmic scripture for us to read and understand. The method of study is glorification, communion, and feeling that the stream of life that flows through our and Nature's veins is One.
Self-realization is the highest goal of our life. We are irresistibly progressing towards that ultimate objective of our existence. In truth, through science, art, philosophy and religion we are drawing ever nearer to the realization of the full perfection and glory of God, our supreme Self. In the realization of our divine self we reach that state of self-perfection wherein we realize our identity with God and attain the realization that we are the absolute self.
Let us examine our mental life to see how well established in the peace of our own subjectivity we are: For too many people the day is so crowded with one activity after another that there is little time given to realize pure self-reflection. Instead, they habitually establish themselves solely in their objective life, allowing their mind to be dominated by the sense-world.
“Initiation into subjective meditation is like a bridge to those who are earnest and determined to transcend all inner finiteness. Realization of the imperishable Brahman, the absolute Self, is the goal of self-liberation.”
All possess love. We not only possess love, but we also have the spiritual strength to express it. To possess love is to manifest it. One whose heart is imbued with love can never hide it, for his whole being radiates it. Can a full-blown rose hide its fragrance? Then how can anyone ever conceal the sweetness of love? For love is sweeter than the rose
With ascending consciousness soul offers itself in sacrifice throughout its human pilgrimage to God, and sacrifice can be perceived and understood in the manifestation of the human personality at four levels.
We meditate to live in the consciousness of God, to enlighten our life with the spirit of God. That is our goal. This soul within us is God. Therefore, it is through our own soul that we will come to know God. All meditation begins with the soul, not with the senses.
Speak ill of no one, hurt no one, steadfastly follow the path which leads to self-liberation, be moderate in the enjoyment of life, from time to time seek solitude, but always keep your mind firmly established on the highest Self: These are the conditions of the path of self-enlightenment.
When you find that your soul, your heart, every wisp of inspiration, every speck of vast blue sky, every shining blossom of the sky, the mountains, the earth, the whippoorwill, and the bluebells are all tied with one cord of Rhythm, one cord of Joy, one cord of Unity, and one cord of Spirit, then you know that nothing exists but the waves of His Cosmic Sea.
The idea of life as a continuous prayer reveals the sublimity of soul through constant remembrance of God, the source and perfection of life. Prayers of praise and thankfulness, prayers of devotion and longing, prayers of hope and peace...all maintain a prayerful thought throughout every dimension of life. Prayer is an act of communion with the Divine. It is the constant thought of God.
The Angels, Gracious Light of Soul, bending near the earth in me touched the golden harp strings of my heart and the worlds in silent obeisance lay to hear their voices: "Peace and Joy! Peace and Joy unto All!.”
In our thought and meditation we are gradually revisualizing our life by the light of God. We are building our own spiritual home, a temple furnished and filled with the light of all the noble virtues of our own souls. We are making our own body a temple, a temple in which we meet God.
The figure that appears in the moon to Indians is not that of a man but a rabbit, and the story of how it got there is a lesson of charity brought through nature's own tender creature.
Generosity is the expression of the soul living harmoniously, enlarging in consciousness and divine will. Life offers us at every turn the opportunity to be generous, charitable and giving.
The entire religious experience of the American Indian—purification of mind and body, prayer and fasting, a strong personal relationship with God, meditation to learn from the “Great Mystery” its teaching beyond words—describes the spiritual heritage that nourished Mahatma Gandhi perfectly in one word: Yoga, the ideal of union of soul with God and the oneness of Man-God-Nature.
Serve and guard the light, never allowing doubt, distrust, or despair to creep into your life. Bring the light of goodness and godliness to your own Prag-Jyotis-Pura and keep the lamp lit to draw others to their divine light. Try to see the same light in nature—the light that draws all life together, that emanates from one source and that leads, draws and guides all life onwards.
He it is who weaves the web of this maya in evanescent hues of gold and silver, blue and green, and lets peep out through the folds his feet, at whose touch I forget myself.
Astronomers bring us to the threshold of pure Yoga philosophy with their assertion that we see only ten percent of our universe. The ninety percent that is imperceptible to our senses exists as potential to be penetrated by our minds. We must bring that light of consciousness within our minds to a similar state of vibration of cosmic light to be aware of the rest of the vast, yet unseen, universe.
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, who is ever content, meditative, serene, resolute in spiritual effort, and whose mind and intellect are dedicated to me; he who is thus devoted to me is dear to me.
The purpose of Yoga is seeking our largest, most enduring and most powerful identity. In this process we realize a potential consciousness that may seem dormant or undeveloped but is ultimately the most powerful, meaningful and sublime reality of Life.
Journalist and author, Vincent Sheean wrote the following description of Gandhi, saying that Gandhiji “was so penetrated with the truth and beauty he felt in the verses of the Sermon that through years of effort he actually became something like a summation of the Beatitudes, the meek, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemaker. His reverence for Jesus and the Sermon on the Mount illumined his long struggle and gave him strength for it.”
How do we utilize the light of consciousness, the knowing faculty of the soul? We can describe the ways that the light of pure consciousness manifests and grows in “terms of enlightenment.” First of all, the soul, as God in man, is Pure Consciousness, Suddha Chaitannya.
We intuitively know that within our innermost self abides the power of Spirit, the power which is so benign and efficacious that it must have its origin in God. When we become consciously aware of the presence of that indwelling power, a new inspiration quickens our hearts and minds.
ANNOUNCEMENT
FEATURED PUBLICATIONS
The Divine origin and meaning of Breath for human life according to Yoga philosophy and meditation coupled with the harmonization of the consciousness-bearing life force, Prana.
Also available on Amazon Kindle
All inspired thoughts, meditations and prayers become to us many lights on the path of spiritual unfoldment. This collection of reflections draws from the idealism of advaita (absolute monism) offered by Srimati Karuna, Minister of the Self-Revelation Church of Absolute Monism.
The spiritual teachings of life as shared deep within the forest sanctuaries of ancient India are of immense value to us even today. Although the cultural and spiritual referents of her writings emerge from the idyllic forest ashrams of India’s Vedic Age thousands of years ago, Srimati Kamala draws from her memories of life with her guru, Swami Premananda, from a profound spiritual tradition and from her own meditations and musings.
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Through all times and all lands devotees have offered prayers of soul with creative and beautiful traditions. One way is through prayer beads. By the repetition of prayers or sacred names of God, one holds a constant thought of God. With this book I present a collection of prayers with prayer beads beautifully illustrated by Shanthi Chandrasekar. I offer these prayers with open hands and open heart. Kindle e-book is also available.