Superb Spiritual Masters and Educators Written by Devon Love Sections on Babaji, How To PickOr Certainly not Pick) A Spiritual Instructor, and Bottom line written by Christine Breese, Deb. D. Ph level.
D. Introduction Throughout period, many religious masters include offered teachings in service to humanity. A large number of who have been likely toward home realization possess, through a wide selection of different pathways, reached this goal and gone onto teach others. This process continues to be a secret to but many persons at some point within their lives start to question who they actually are and seek out teachings to help them answer this question.
Therearemultitudesofdifferentwaysthatspiritualinformationispassedonandsharedwithothers. Inthiscoursewewillexplorethemanydifferentcategoriesofspiritualmastersandteachersthroughoutrecordedhistory. Review Of Literature (ExamquestionsarenotdrawnfromtheReviewOfLiteraturesection. )TaoTeChing(1963)translatedbyD. C. LaufromLaoTsu’soriginalwordsisatranslationoftheChineseclassic. TheTaoTeChingringsclearlythroughtheagesasaGreatPearloftimelessWisdom. Allseriousmetaphysiciansshouldstudythisoperate, andmeditateonitstheories.
Likeallgreatspiritualtexts, theTaoTeChing, whendeeplycontemplated, revealsthetruenatureoftheuniverse. PeaceIsEveryStage: ThePathOfMindfulnessInEverydayLife(1991)byThichNhatHahnisawonderfulbook. ThichNhatHahnisaZenBuddhistmonkwhoseteachingscomestraightfromtheheart. Thosewhohavediscoveredhisworkhavelikelybeentransformedbythis. Hiswordsarefilledwithcompassion, humbleness, andpurity. InPeaceIsEveryStep, Te(teacher)ashisstudentsrefertohim, teachesofawakeningtothejoyofnow, thelovingpresenceoflife.
Hespeaksoffindingjoyandpeacewhereveroneis, inlookingatflowers, atthebluesky, orintotheeyesofachild. ThichNhatHahn’steachingsapplytoeveryone, andthissimplebookisanexcellentintroductiontohiswork. TheMiracleOfMindfulnes(1975)byThichNhatHahnisanotherbeautifulgemarisingfromtheconsciousnessofTe, thisisaZenwork of genius, remindingusinsimple, economical, andflowingwordsofthewisdomofbeingpresenttolife. Usinganecdotesfromhislife, Tetellsustowakeupandconsciouslyexperienceeachmomentasthepreciousgiftthatitis.
Fromwashingdishestodrinkingacupoftea, heencouragesustobefullypresent, awake, andaware, tobefullyinourbodies, andexperiencingtheactualphysicalsensationsofbreathingandmovementintheseacts, thisbeingthekeytofullyrealizingourselves. TheHeartOfBuddha? sTeachings: Transforming, SufferingIntoPeace, Joy, AndLiberation(1998), byThichNahtHahn, presentstheteachingsofBuddhainasimpleandlovelyway. Hisunderstandingandinterpretationoftheseteachingsisflawless.
Hespeaksofhisownrelationshipwithsuffering, andhowhemergedwithBuddhathroughthis. HegoestotheheartofBuddha’steachingsonsufferingandnon? struggling, miseryandhappiness, andhowtheseeachexistonlywiththepresenceoftheother. Fromchapter1: Buddhawasnotagod. Hewasahumanbeinglikeyouandme, andhesufferedjustaswedo. IfwegototheBuddhawithourheartsopen, hewilllookatus, hiseyesfilledwithempathy, andsay, “Becausethereissufferinginyourheart, itispossibleforyoutoentermyheart. ¦Ifyouhaveexperiencedbeing hungry, youknowthathavingfoodisamiracle. Ifyouhavesufferedfromthecold, youknowthepreciousnessoffriendliness. Whenyouhaveexperienced, youknowhowtoappreciatetheelementsofparadisethatarepresent. Ifyoudwellonlyinyoursuffering, youwillmissparadise. Don? tignoreyoursuffering, butdon? tforgettoenjoythewondersoflife, foryoursakeandforthebenefitofmanybeings. TheArtOfHappiness: AHandbookForLiving(1998)byHisHolinesstheDalai LamawithHowardC. CutlerM. M. sacollaborationbetweenH. They would. theDalaiLama, thespiritualleaderofTibet, andDr . Cutler, apsychiatrist. Thesetwopeoplebrokethebarriersbetweenspiritualityandpsychologyinordertohelppeoplerealizehappiness. TheperspectiveinthebookalternatesbetweentheunderstandingofaWesternpsychiatrist, andtheunderstandingofaTibetanspiritualleader, throughaconversationinwhicheachattemptstounderstandtheother. Theoutcomeisarichdialogueofgreatimportance, whichexploresquestionssuchas¦Ishappinesstrulypossible? and¦”Howisitthatwefindhappiness? Ifyouareseekinghappiness, thisbookisrecommended. EthicsForTheNewMillennium(1999)byHisHolinessTheDalaiLamaisabookdedicatedtowardthetaskofrightliving. Anexcerptfromchapter1readsasfollows: Wehave, inmyview, createdasocietyinwhichpeoplefinditharderandhardertoshowoneanotherbasicaffection. Inplaceofthesenseofcommunityandbelonging, whichwefindGreatSpiritualMasters&Teachers2005UniversityOfMetaphysicalSciences1 uchareassuringfeatureoflesswealthy(andgenerallyrural)societies, wefindahighadegreeoflonelinessandalienation. Despitethefactthatmillionsliveincloseproximitytooneanother, itseemsthatmanypeople, especiallyamongtheold, havenoonetotalktobuttheirpets. Modernindustrialsocietyoftenstrikesmeasbeinglikeahugeself? propelledmachine. Insteadofhumanbeingsincharge, eachindividualisatiny, insignificantcomponentwithnochoicebuttomovewhenthemachinemoves. Aroundthisobservation, H.
L. theDalaiLamaoffersacureforwhatailsus. Thisisanexcellentbook, andagreatfollow? uptoTheArtOfHappiness. RumiastranslatedbyColemanBarksinTheEssentialRumi(2001)isanexquisitetranslationtoread. Here wefindthepoetryofRumi, andifyouhavenotexperiencedhiswork, thereisnothingtodobutdrinkfromthefountain: TheManyWinesGodhasgivenusadarkwinesopotentthat, drinkingit, weleavethetwoworlds. Godhasputintotheformofhashishapowertodeliverthetasterfromself? consciousness.
Godhasmadesleepsothatiteraseseverythought. GodmadeManjunloveLaylasomuchthatjustherdogwouldcauseconfusioninhim. Therearethousandsofwinesthatcantakeoverourminds. Add? tthinkallecstasiesarethesame! JesuswaslostinhisloveforGod. Hisdonkeywasdrunkwithbarley. Drinkfromthepresenceofsaints, notfromthoseotherjars. Everyobject, everybeing, isajarfullofjoy? fromTheEssentialRumiGuruForTheAquarianAge: TheLifeAndTeachingsOfGuruNanak(1996)bySteveGilbarandPartnatmaSinghtalksaboutaparticulargurunamedNanak.
FromtheintroductionbyYogiBajan: GuruNanakservedhumanitybyopenlyteachingthistechniqueofawarenessinordertobringmenoutfromthepitofhellintowhichtheyhadbeendraggedbytheblind, ritualistic, self? concentrated, spiritualegoistsofthatdarkage. Hegavemenfreedomofthespiritandtookawaythedominationofthese”middlemen. Humanityhadcommittedtheerrortimeandtimeagainofworshipingthemanratherthanthetruthherepresents. GuruNanaktaughtthatitisGodwhoprevailsthroughdemandandtheman? owevergreathemayalways be? isonlythechannel, theinstrumentfortheflowofDivineWisdom. MenaremeanttopraiseGod, andtoteachotherstodoso , nottobecomeobjectsofworshipthemselves. Hence, GuruNanakreestablishedrighteousnessandthepathtogloryinhisowntime. Hemademankindunderstandthebasiclawoflife: “NanaknamChardikala, terebhanesarbatkabhala, keepupandwishgoodtoall. IsisUnveiled: SecretsOfTheAncientWisdomTraditions, MadameBlavatsky? sFirstWork, ANewAbridgmentForToday(1997)byHelenaP.
Blavatsky, abridgedbyMichaelGomesisavintage. HelenaBlavatskywasaspiritualadventurerandmetaphysicianwhofoundedtheTheosophicalSociety, “Aworldorganizationdedicatedtofellowshipamongallpeoplesandencouragementofthestudyofreligion, philosophy, andscience. Inthisvoluminousbook, Blavatskyendeavorstorevealthetruthunderlyingtheancientmysteryteachingsfoundinmanycultures. Thoughtheoriginalisdifficulttoread, theabridgededitionismuchmoreaccessible.
Ifoneisseriousaboutmetaphysics, theosophy, Egyptology, andmysteryschoolteachings, thisisamustread. HildegardVonBingen’sMysticalDreams: TranslatedFromScivias(1995)translatedbyBruceHozeskiisallaboutHildegardVonBingen, aneleventhcenturymysticalvisionarywhohadbeguntohavevisionsandspeakprophecybytheageof15. Shewasawriterandanaccomplishedmusician, andeverythingshewroteandcomposedseemeddivinelyinspired.
ThisbookisatranslationfromherworkentitledScivias, whichmeansKnowTheCourse. Itisacollectionofhervisionsandtheprophecybroughtforthinall of them. Thereare26visions, andHozeskibreakseachoneupintosectionsanddiscussesandinterpretstherichsymbolismcontainedwithin. Thisisaprofoundlookintothevisionsofagreatmystic. InTalesofHasidim: Book1, TheEarlyMasters(1991)byMartinBuber, translatedbyOlgaMarx, theauthortellsthestoriesoftheearlyleadersofthisreligious beliefs.
ThebrilliantJewishphilosopherandscholar/practitioneroftheHasidicbeliefs, commentsonthephilosophyofHasidicJudaism. HiswritingonTheBaalShemTovwereusedintheresearchforthiscourse. MartinBuber? sbodyofworkhasbeenprofoundlyinfluentialinitsfocusonthevalueofhumanrelationshipsandconsciousinteractionwithlife. HisphilosophicalviewsarebeautifullyexpressedinthenowclassicIAndThou(1970). IfyouareinterestedinlearningmoreaboutHasidismorhumanrelationships, theseworksareinvaluabletoyourstudies.
WhyTheBaalShemTovLaughed: 52StoriesAboutOurGreatChasidicRabbis(1993)bySternaCitronisaninformativepieceofliteratureonHasidicJudaism. Fromthebackcover: Intheyear5487, abrilliantsourceoflight illuminatedthedarkskiesofEuropeanJewry. YisroelBaalShemTovbreathedlifeandjoyintoapopulationoppressedbyaGreatSpiritualMasters&Teachers2005UniversityOfMetaphysicalSciencestwo hostileenvironmentanddepressedbydisillusionment¦”TheseHasidicstoriesarenotonlyheartwarmingandencouragingbutalsoasourceofourowncharacterbuilding.
Whilereachingthegoalsofthesaintlyindividualsmaybeunrealistic, theprinciplestheyestablishedandmanifestedintheirlivesshouldserveasguidelinesforus. Eventhefactthatwecannotachievetheirgreatnessshouldnotdeterusfromatleasttryingtoemulatethem. ? fromDr. AbrahamJ. TwerskiASimplePath(1995)byMotherTheresaandcompiledbyLucindaVardeychroniclestheworksofMotherTheresa, herunfailingdedicationtoservingthoseinneed, andtheformationofherpowerfulandcompassionatefirm, TheMissionariesOfCharity.
ThestoryofMotherTheresaandherworksisaninspirationtoevery. Thisishighlyrecommendedreading. Fromthebackcover: “Thereissomethingelsetoremember? thatthiskindoflovebeginsathome. Wecannotgivetotheoutsidewhatwedon? thaveontheinside. Thisisveryimportant. IfIcan’tseeThe almighty? sloveinmybrotherandsisterthenhowcanIseethatloveinsomebodyelse? HowcanIgiveittosomebodyelse? Everybodyhasgotsomegood. Somehideit, someneglectit, butitisthere. MotherTheresaThePhilosophyOfFreedom: TheBasisForAModernWorldConception(1916)wastranslatedbyMichaelWilsonandisanearlyworkofphilosophybyRudolphSteiner. Steinerwasa19th? centuryphilosopher, spiritualistandclairvoyantwhocreatedaspiritual? philosophicalcosmologythathecalledanthroposophy. Hewasastudentofmysterytheories, andwasinvolvedforyearswiththeTheosophicalworld, aswellastheRosicrucians.
ThePhilosophyOfFreedomwashisdefiningworkoutlininghiscosmologicallook at. Fromtheback cover: Arewefree, whetherweknowitornot? Orisoursenseoffreedommerelyanillusion? RudolphSteinertacklesthisage? oldprobleminanewway. Hesaysthatbytakingaccountofourownactivityofthinking, wecanknowthereasonsforouractions. Andifthesereasonsaretakenfromourworldoftheideals, thenouractionsarefree, becausewealonedeterminethem. Butthisfreedomcannotbesettledforusbyphilosophicaldiscussion.
Itisnotsimplygrantedtous. Ifwewanttobecomefree, wehavetostrivebyourowninneractivitytoovercomeourunconsciousurgesandhabitsofthought. Inordertodothiswemustreachapointofviewthatrecognizesnolimitstoknowledge, seesthroughallillusions, andopensthedoortoanexperienceoftherealityofthespiritualworld. Thenwecanachievethehighestlevelofevolution. Wecanrecognizeourselvesasfreespirit.? MichaelWilsonGurdjieff: TheKeyConcepts(2003)bySophiaWellbelovedisathoroughinvestigationofGurdjieff’slegacyofwork.
Fromthebackcover: “SophiaWellbelovedhasprovidedhereatoolfordelvingbeneathGurdjieff’sveilofwords, forbothaspecializedandgeneralpublic¦thisisaworkthathonorsGurdjieff’sgifttothemoralandspiritualwelfareofmankind. PaulBeekmanTaylor. “ThisuniquebookofferscleardefinitionsofGurdjieff’steachingterms, placinghimwithinthepolitical, geographical, andculturalcontextofhistime. Selectedentrieslookatdiverseaspectsofhiswork. TeachingsOfTheHinduMystic(2001)byAndrewHarveyisacompilationofwritingsfromtheHindumysticaltradition.
AndrewHarveyisaworld? renownedauthor, lecturer, andteacheroftheworld? sspiritualcustoms. HehasspentmanyyearsstudyingHinduism, BuddhismandChristianity. IncludedareworksfromtheBhagavad? Gita, theUpanishads, teachingsfromRamakrishnaandRamanaMaharishi, aswellasdevotionalpoetryfromMirabai, Ramprasad, andother folks. ThisisagreatintroductiontoHindumysticteachings, withitsbeautifulwayofexpressionthroughlyricalverse. BrotherFrancis: AnAnthologyOfWritingsByAndAboutSt . FrancisOf