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Thread: Experiencing God Within

  1. #1
    Libby
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    Default Experiencing God Within

    Experiencing God Within—A Talk Given by Brother Anandamoy, SRF Monastic

    [quoting Paramahansa Yogananda from "Autobiography of a Yogi"] "To surmount Maya was the task ***igned to the human race by the millennial prophets." He doesn't say Hindu prophets, or Jewish prophets, or whatever. It is by the millennial prophets, they all have taught the same thing. To rise above the duality of creation and perceive the unity of the Creator was conceived of as man's highest goal.

    Self-Realization Fellowship is…not a new sect, it is not a new religion. So what is it?

    Paramahansa Yogananda was the last in a line of God-realized Masters whose mission it was to bring back the esoteric teaching which is underlying all the great religions. And that teaching, that esoteric teaching was lost in the dark ages…

    (talks about the ascending and descending yugas and that we are at present in the beginning of the ascending bronze age)

    Mankind per se is still very much in the dark age. In regard to understanding what life is all about, in regard to behavior, at***udes, that sort of thing. But the advantage of the new age is, they brought back the knowledge of the finer forces in the universe--energy, electricity, atomic energy, that sort of thing.

    Control of the energy, this is the scientific key to—we call it yoga—but it is really the scientific key of the esoteric teachings that underlies all the great religions. The external aspects of religion, there you find big differences, obvious, because they have been sent in different times, they have been sent to different people...And then also, these various religions are deeply rooted in the history of certain people, the history of the great saints and masters, prophets of the various religions, so therefore you cannot possibly bring them all together in an external way, no way. (talks about the 400+ religions at the parliament of world religions).

    A professor came from a university from India to interview [Master] in Los Angeles…and he asked him, "You claim there is an underlying unity of all religions. How come there is quarreling, even war, certainly conflict between the different religions. And the Master said, you read the same thing even in the ancient scriptures of India. There is always worshiping Shiva, that is to them the supreme God. And others who say, no, it is Vishnu and his incarnations of Rama and Krishna, he is supreme. Then he said, I often have heard him say, that if you could bring together, in the same room, all the great saints, the great masters, the great prophets of the various religions, there will be perfect harmony.

    And you bring their followers together and they are at each others' throat. And he says, why? Because the great ones, they have the full vision, full experience of God. And the others, who do not have that experience, they go by dogma, and there of course are differences. And so we have to understand the key to religion is experience, not just belief…

  2. #2
    Libby
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    "When you meditate, immerse your whole mind in God. And when you are performing a duty, put your whole heart into it. But as soon as you are through with work, place your mind on the Lord. When you learn to practice the presence of God in every moment that you are free to think of Him, then even in the midst of work you will be aware of divine communion." PY

  3. #3
    Libby
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    "When your mind wanders in the maze of myriad worldly thoughts, patiently lead it
    back to remembrance of the indwelling Lord. In time you will find Him ever with you--a God who talks with you in your own language, a God whose face peeps at you from every flower and shrub and blade of gr***. Then you shall say: "I am free! I am clothed in the gossamer of Spirit; I fly from earth to heaven on wings of light." And what joy will consume your being!"

    --Paramahansa Yogananda, "Sayings of Paramahansa Yogananda

  4. #4
    Libby
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    "God is approachable. Talking to Him and listening to His words in the scriptures,
    thinking of Him, feeling His presence in meditation, you will see that gradually the
    Unreal becomes real, and this world which you think is real will be seen as unreal.
    There is no joy like that realization."

    --Paramahansa Yogananda, "Man's Eternal Quest"

  5. #5
    Libby
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    "Pray to Him, "Lord, You are the Master of creation, so I come to You. I will never
    give up until You talk to me and make me realize Your presence.
    I will not live without You."

    --Paramahansa Yogananda, "Man's Eternal Quest"

  6. #6
    Libby
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    "Talk to God all the time." PY

  7. #7
    Libby
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    "Every thought we think sets up a particular subtle vibration....When you mentally utter the word God, and keep on repeating that thought within, it sets up a vibration that invokes the presence of God."


    From: In the sanctuary of the Soul, Sri Paramahansa Yogananda p 108

  8. #8
    Libby
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    Love this from Ken Wilber:

    "I have one major rule: Everybody is right. More specifically, everybody — including me — has some important pieces of truth, and all of those pieces need to be honored, cherished, and included in a more gracious, spacious, and comp***ionate embrace."

  9. #9
    Libby
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    "Spirituality cannot be defined, but can be described as a journey to the center of the Soul."

    - Peter Kemmsies

  10. #10
    alanmolstad
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    Quote Originally Posted by Libby View Post
    ...... Then he said, I often have heard him say, that if you could bring together, in the same room, all the great saints, the great masters, the great prophets of the various religions, there will be perfect harmony.
    well.......actually.....

    as this is just all a guess anyway, my guess would be a bit different.

    I believe that if you took any holy man from any religion, and put them on a world with only one other person...that you would still end up with a holy war.

  11. #11
    Libby
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    Quote Originally Posted by alanmolstad View Post
    well.......actually.....

    as this is just all a guess anyway, my guess would be a bit different.

    I believe that if you took any holy man from any religion, and put them on a world with only one other person...that you would still end up with a holy war.
    It wouldn't be instigated by the Holy Man.

    The point of that quote (IMHO) is that the core truth of every religion is the same (in perfect harmony).

    I believe that core truth is unity in love for God and all things.

    (Appreciate your comment, Alan...thank you)

  12. #12
    alanmolstad
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    Quote Originally Posted by Libby View Post
    It wouldn't be instigated by the Holy Man.
    my answer would be that the typical result of a room filled with Holy men would be the same as seen at 1 Kings 18:40

  13. #13
    Libby
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    If there were prophets of Baal in the mix, they would not be all "Holy Men"...so, I don't think this verse pertains.

  14. #14
    Libby
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    "It is not wrong to tell the Lord that we want something, but it shows greater faith, if we simply say: Heavenly Father, I know that thou dost anticipate my every need. Sustain me according to Thy Will."

    -Sayings of Paramahansa Yogananda

  15. #15
    alanmolstad
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    Quote Originally Posted by Libby View Post
    If there were prophets of Baal in the mix, they would not be all "Holy Men"...so, I don't think this verse pertains.
    It clearly pertains and shows us the normal and expected results of people of different faiths being around each other.

    What i have found true is this> That when you run into a member of a different faith that is actually a nice person to talk to, that this fact does not stem from their religions teachings, but is really more of a credit to the person's parents and their own nice personality.

    the reverse is true as well....
    I have run into people of faith both within my own religion and in others that were ****s.
    I dont blame their religion on this, rather I believe that mostly it's because the person is just a real ****.

    What I am also saying is that regardless of how high up a person is in their faith, and how much they have a reputation of being a faith's true "Holy man", that you are still going to find the same problems with ****s as you do among the unwashed lesser believers.

    There are just a lot of ****s in the world.
    and that the natural reaction of men of different faith being near each other and talking is not "Lets all keep our heads and find some common ground"

    rather it more like > "Lets cut off all their heads and lay them on the ground"
    Last edited by alanmolstad; 11-05-2011 at 10:52 PM.

  16. #16
    Libby
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    Not true Holy Men, then.

    Of course there are ****s in every religion and it has nothing to do with the religion, but I am speaking of TRUE Holy Men....not ****s posing as Holy Men.

  17. #17
    alanmolstad
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    Quote Originally Posted by Libby View Post
    Not true Holy Men, then.

    .
    Ahhh.....thats the rub.

    For guess who decides who is a true "holy man" and who is not?.....

    ANSWER - other holy men....

    I think that what you find true is that no matter the good press behind a person we might think of as a true 'Holy man" the real truth is that all men suffer from the same faults.

    In the Christian church history we see over and over again that whenever someone is lifted up on to a pedestal they sooner later show themselves to be "Not all what they were cut out to be"


    And when we look at a mere man and try to convince others, "My leader could never fall" we only kid ourselves.

    Take the lesson of Saint Peter for example.
    He sat with the Lord
    Ate with the Lord.
    Was the very first to understand that Jesus was God incarnate.

    and yet in spite of his brave words that he would never turn away, he did so that very night.

    Yet we consider Peter the greatest of the followers Jesus taught.
    His life is not considered great due to its merits, rather we consider him great in that God used him in a mighty way that overshadowed the guy's personal flaws.

  18. #18
    Libby
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    Ahhh.....thats the rub.

    For guess who decides who is a true "holy man" and who is not?.....
    No, don't think so.

    True Holy Men are apparent by their wisdom, works and how they treat people. I don't think anyone would mistake Hitler (for example) as a true Holy Man. True, he did get a lot of people to follow him, for awhile, but most were not aware of his hideous intentions and later crimes against humanity.

    True Holy Men and Women leave this planet better and more enlightened than they found it. People like Jesus & his close disciples, Krishna, Buddha, Gandhi, Mother Teresa, John of the Cross, St. Teresa of Avila, the current Dalai Lama, Buddhist Monk Thich Nhat Hahn, Prabupada and my own Guru, Paramahansa Yogananda. (That is just a sampling - there are many more)

  19. #19
    Libby
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    The ultimate purpose of our experiences in this world is to motivate us to seek with intense yearning the all-fulfilling relationship with the Divine that the Great Ones have known.

    More precious to Jesus than life itself was that state of unbroken awareness of the Heavenly Father - the inexpressible comfort, joy and divine love that enwrap the soul that lives in His presence.

    Cultivate that awareness by devoting time each day to release your mind from worldly cares to silently commune with God.

    Ask not just for the granting of a specific wish or prayer, but to know Him as the beloved of your soul whom you trust to guide you, and care for your highest well-being.

    -Sri Daya Mata

  20. #20
    Libby
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    If you are feeling down, perhaps unworthy because in some way you have slipped from the path, bring it to God and ask him about it. In your mind, sit him down and ask him if he still loves you. You will invariably see that the God's love is unconditional.

    SRF

  21. #21
    alanmolstad
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    thank God for Libby.....and a topic that has squat to do with attacking and defending Mormonism.


    Now Im not really that into ...(eh?. what is this section about???, , oh yes ...) Hinduism, but I do totally enjoy the chance to read about a new topic, and help it along with a little "BUMP"

  22. #22
    Libby
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    Thanks, Alan. It's nice to have your company over here.

    Peaceful over here, isn't it?

  23. #23
    Libby
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    " In waking, eating, working, dreaming, sleeping,
    Serving, meditating, chanting, divinely loving,
    My soul constantly hums, unheard by any;
    God, God, God! "

    PY

  24. #24
    Libby
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    "In the universal sense, love is the divine power of attraction in creation that harmonizes, unites, binds together....Those who live in tune with the attractive force of love achieve harmony with nature and their fellow beings, and are attracted to blissful reunion with God."

    PY

  25. #25
    alanmolstad
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    Quote Originally Posted by Libby View Post
    "In the universal sense, love is the divine power of attraction in creation that harmonizes, unites, binds together....Those who live in tune with the attractive force of love achieve harmony with nature and their fellow beings, and are attracted to blissful reunion with God."

    PY

    Eh?

    Umm...so I take it you smoked a lot of gr*** back at school right?.....I thought so

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