When we get this message that ‘I’m hungry spiritually’, we misinterpret that and think, “Oh, I need some more things. I need to go somewhere, I need to do this pleasure, I need to do that pleasure.” When we become followers of, believers in, practitioners of the yoga system, we begin to interpret the message as it is correctly. When I feel...
More12. Evolution of the Soul
The evolution of the soul is the evolution of consciousness from a dull, covered material consciousness ‘I am the body, this world is my home, I am the enjoyer, I can be happy here,’ and on and on, to an awareness of ‘I’m not the body, I’m spirit soul.’ I begin to direct my mind, and I direct my body to facilitate my evolution...
More13. Astanga Yoga
There are different yoga systems, like I said. Hatha yoga is a part of a system, known as astanga yoga. You start off regulating your life; you clean up your act, so to speak. You stop your bad habits; you start regulating your schedule, when you get up and so on. Dropping off the bad habits – sometimes it’s called Yama and Niyama. You give up the...
More14. Bhakti Yoga
The only solution according to the highest level of yoga teaching is Bhakti Yoga and it is declared that this is the culmination of all yoga. ‘Bhakti’ means devotion or union with God, but union in a devotional relationship, a loving relationship. Just like in our material relationships, the more the devotion, the more the love – the more the...
More15. Mantra Meditation: an Inward Journey and the Best Help
What we just did, GAU–RA–ANG–GA, that is transcendental sound. That is sound that comes from the spiritual world, that is the sound that affects the heart, the soul. This is food for the soul. It looks like another word, “Oh you can do Baa–na–na. What’s the difference? Gau-ra-ang-ga – Baa-na-na. One is as good as the other.” But it...
More16. Achieving Inner Perfection
This is the teaching of Bhakti yoga. That is why we are promoting this mantra meditation: because we know what it does, we know this is the Supreme Lord’s instruction. “Okay, you live in the most difficult age, Kali yuga. You’ve had a hard go just by being born in Kali yuga. You’re going to live a very difficult life, but this process...
More17. Kirtan
What we’re going to do now to conclude the evening is to chant some more mantras and a different method, a different technique. You have one more mantra card. It has two mantras on it. Everybody got your card out? Okay, the mantras are: HARIBOL NITAI-GAUR, NITAI-GAUR HARIBOL. And the second mantra: GOPALA GOVINDA RAMA MADANA MOHANA. Transcendental...
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