The Essence of Yoga

There is a principle which is pure, placed in the human mind, which in different places and ages hath had different names;  it is, however, pure and proceeds from God.  It is deep, and inward, confined to no forms of religion, nor excluded from any, where the heart stands in perfect sincerity.  In whomsoever this takes root and grows, of what nation soever, they become brethren in the best sense of the expression.

 John Woolman, American Quaker saint

 

Our Monistic god, the all-embracing essence of the world, the Nature-god of Spinoza and Goethe, is identical with the eternal, all-inspiring energy, and is one, in eternal and infinite substance, with space-filling matter.  It “lives and moves in all things”, as the Gospel says.  And as we see that the law of substance is universal, that the conservation of matter and of energy is inseparably connected, and that the ceaseless development of this substance follows the same “eternal iron laws,” we find God in natural law itself. The will of God is at work in every falling drop of rain and every growing crystal, in the scent of the rose and the spirit of man.

Ernst Haekel (Professor Jena University)

 

There is, I know not how, in the minds of men, a certain presage, as it were, of a future existence; and this takes its deepest root in the most exalted souls.

Cicero

 

Be simple, not with the simplicity of negation but with the profundity of comprehension.

Sri Ram

 

We are immortal and that our soul tomorrow may be in peace, let us rebuild our civilization.  Let us establish our government of realities, our commonwealth of the wisest.  We are the citizens of tomorrow. We are the life that shall throb in the communities yet to come. We are the voice that shall speak in these of an unborn day.

To that great life which is our true self to that tomorrow which to us must ever be the now, let us dedicate our inner selves and the achievements of our external natures.

Manly Palmer Hall

 

He is the happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home.

Goethe

 

One can be instructed in society; but one is inspired only in solitude.

Goethe

 

Love covereth all things with its garments. Love is unfailingly kind.

Rev. J. Todd Ferrier

 

He who conquers others is strong, but he who conquers himself is mighty.

LaoTse

 

When all desires that dwelt in the heart are let go, then the mortal becomes immortal and reaches the eternal.

Katha Upanishad

 

‘Tis in ourselves that we are thus or thus.

Our bodies are our gardens to the which our wills are gardeners.

Shakespeare’s Othello

 

Natural Law is immutable … all Life serves Law.

Cicero

 

Look death in the face with joyful hope, and consider this a lasting truth; the righteous man has nothing to fear, neither in life, nor in death, and the gods will not forsake him.

 Socrates

 

Each soul is potentially divine. The goal is to manifest this divinity within, by controlling nature, external and internal. Do this either by work, or worship, or psychic control, or philosophy, by one or more, or all of these – and be free. This is the whole of religion. Doctrines, or dogmas, or rituals, or books, or temples, or forms are but secondary details.

Vivekananda

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There’s a world deep inside us

As a gentle kindly dream

Where Love is ever present

And beauty is always seen

 

It’s the spirit of Christmas

When remembered all the year

That brings joy, peace and laughter

Of life’s music to our ear

 

So Christmas is inside us

An expanding, growing dream

Of love forever present

And beauty everywhere seen

 

Echo of Christ within us

Outwardly seeking new birth

As human beings perfect

Creating a heaven on earth.

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One of the most important realizations in understanding a little more about the mysteries of life – lies in the value and importance of sound.

The sacred texts of all cultures include this factor, even to the point of suggesting that all natural creation is the result of Divine Sound as is given us in the Bible, the Vedic wisdom, and in fact is inherent in all of our present religions.

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The 20th Century at an end we are now in an Age of the Kali Yuga as named in the Hindu wisdom of ages “Vishnu Purana”.

Those of us who see the negative trends upon the Earth and its people – the lifestyles, habits and values observe how decadent the world is becoming. Certain prophesies of the bad period before a Golden Age seem to be manifesting – the following is taken from The Secret Doctrine.

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Whether we seek for relief from pain and suffering, or for courage to melt our fears, or for enlightenment and understanding, or look towards a recipient for our aspiration and devotion, we turn to prayer.

Although it is generally formulated in religious observances and rituals, it is something that arises in us spontaneously from our hearts and most intensely when we feel the need for a power we cannot generate ourselves when seeking to relieve the pain of another.

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Instead of a seemingly complex mental process, the key to meditation is in simplicity. There are two basic concepts that can help us prepare or to may help refresh our current  meditation practice.

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When individuals apply self discipline then it is possible to further the advancement of our race as a whole, albeit droplet by droplet, we can expect humanity’s progress.

Should we as a group in society, or a group of nations or greater still, contribute a unity of effort come from a small or larger group the result is magnified.

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At this sacred time we are reminded of the essential message of the Christian celebration of Easter – that is ‘sacrifice.’

There may be many ideas and associations relating to the scriptures and to the idea of sacrifice that can be translated on either a personal level or as a spiritual generality when focussed upon the universal symbolism that Nature demonstrates so vividly for us on this planet in the miracle of growth.

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We will all know the soothing effect of wandering around our own garden, tending or watering.  It tends to put us in a natural meditative mood of appreciation of plant life in general and perhaps allows us a little sense of pride in the results of our personal horticultural efforts.

All meditative states of consciousness commence with a stimulus or focus. If we have a material focus such as a beautiful flower we will be inclined to expand our thoughts and emotions and also elevate them as we look at the intricate handiwork of nature and drink in its beauty.

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There is no better proof of the soul stimulus that is given to us than to watch someone enjoying something of beauty.

When reading a beautiful message or story we eagerly digest the silent melody of the words.

When an audience is entranced by a superb performance of visual art such as ballet, it is obvious in the whole atmosphere that becomes hushed.

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