Abandon Hope
“Abandon hope, all ye who enter here.” This would appear to be the opposite of everything we believe in, the death blow to our expectation of living a full and fulfilled life. But it isn't. [...]
T’ai Chi Chih and Non-Duality
Advaita in Sanskrit means non-duality. This is a difficult concept for most people as we look about us and see multiple objects. But what we see are only transformations not permanent forms, whether we are [...]
Spiritual Stories of the East: Mantras, Chants, Sadus & Hakuin
Volume 1, Track 3 In India, many people have a mantra given to them in an initiation by the family guru. A mantra is not a magic talisman, a sound with magic properties. Rather, [...]
The Personal, Part 2
One time, in Baroda, India, some graduate students at the local University asked me if I'd like to meet a great Yogi. Naturally, I said, "Yes." Accordingly, we came together in late afternoon and [...]
The Best Reason To Practice
Karma is an important and frequently-used word, so it is important to understand what it means. In the Sanskrit language, karma means “action,” that and no more. So, when we glibly speak of “our karma,” [...]
General Instruction for T’ai Chi Chih
The movements, and their variations, that you are about to learn are the results of many years of experimentation. From a development of the original two movements shown me, adding the leg motions and making [...]
Foreword for Climb the Joyous Mountain
Reading Climb the Joyous Mountain, we are touched by Justin’s lyrical poetry and deep appreciation of life. He genuinely connects with people, places, and situations because he doesn’t bring a personal agenda. Justin asks, “Does [...]
Glossary for Gateway to Eastern Philosophy & Religion
AHAMKARA - The ego, the sense of "I," which Indian philosophies feel is false. AVATARS - A direct incarnation of the Lord. It is believed there have been ten Avatars (incarnations on earth) of Lord [...]
The Impersonal, Part 2
Frequently, followers of the Spiritual Path reach a joyous feeling of Unity — and then get hung up there. Unless they can come full circle, back to the ordinary life, it will be practically [...]
Breath
Let’s consider the breath for a bit. Nothing is as vital to life as breath, yet we take it for granted and breathe unconsciously. This is probably for the best, for when breath is regulated [...]
The Self Of All Things
The great Indian sage, Ramana Maharshi, told his followers to ask themselves the question, “Who am I?” A psychiatrist or psychoanalyst might also want to know the answer to that question, but the purpose of [...]