The Razor's Edge

"We find that are mind does not want to undergo the discipline of discrimination, nor does it have the capacity of consistent logical thinking. It has been allowed its willful ways and indulgences and gross pleasures for many births. It cannot be blamed for its follies. It has not known subtler joys. When the mind is made to inquire and is turned towards its source, it fears its own death and protests. The devious mind find various ways to prevent this inquiry. Initially it does not allow the person to attend discourses of Vedanta. Even if he attends, the mind puts him to sleep or distracts him, not allowing the words to register. If heard, the mind refuses to understand. If understood and accepted as logical, the mind calls it 'impractical for this day and age.' This play of the mind is called Maya. We should not yield to its tricks. By consistent and guided inquiry, all our doubts will disappear and we would come to experience the Truth."

-Swami Tejomayananda, introduction to Drig Drshya Viveka (An Inquiry Into the Nature of the Seer and the Seen)


Our course on this wonderful Jnana Yoga text starts Tuesday



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Annamalai Swami's Samadhi

Annamalai Swami's Samadhi

What is the Self?

“I am that which knows or is aware of all experience, but I am not myself an experience. I am aware of thoughts but am not myself a thought; I am aware of feelings and sensations but am not myself a feeling or sensation; I am aware of perceptions but am not myself a perception. Whatever the content of experience, I know or am aware of it. Thus, knowing or being aware is the essential element in all knowledge, the common factor in all experience.”

― Rupert Spira

Time to Be Silent

"The Ordainer controls the fate of souls in accordance with their prarabdha karma. Whatever is destined not to happen will not happen, try as you may. Whatever is destined to happen will happen, do what you may to prevent it. This is certain. The best course, therefore, is to remain silent."


-Ramana Maharshi



Read more about Ramana-ashram and containment/sheltering as ways to get quiet and go within here.



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The Power of Gayatri Mantra

Abiding in the Self

"Normally, knowledge is not something to practice. Your mind is open, you perceive something and the knowledge arises in the mind effortlessly. It is object-dependent, assuming your senses are working properly. Self-knowledge, however, is unique because self-ignorance is famously stubborn. It not only persists, it resists. Self-Ignorance -- 'I am small, inadequate and incomplete' -- has been masquerading as self-knowledge for one's whole lifetime and is not usually removed permanently the first time you hear Vedanta. After the initial euphoria the ignorance returns. You hear the truth 'I am whole and completely adequate to deal with anything life has to offer' -- and you recognize it and are uplifted by it. If you want the knowledge to stick you need to practice it. Practicing it means continuously keeping it in mind and applying it diligently to every self-ignorance-inspired projection that arises until all the projections have been negated."


-James Swartz


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