These selections are from a little book written by Rami M. Shapiro—Rabbi, poet, and author—to introduce his students to the nondualistic teachings in the Kabbalah. He formulated the text as if it were written to his father’s father (his Zayde) by Reb Yerachmiel Ben Yisrael. Though the Rabbi is fictional, his teachings are authentic. The presentation represents the heart of Mystical Kabbalah. 19 Tevet 5636 Dear Aaron Hershel, You ask …
A MEDITATIVE MIND IS SILENT. It is not the silence which thought can conceive of; it is not the silence of a still evening; it is the silence when thought—with all its images, its words and perceptions—has entirely ceased. This meditative mind is the religious mind—the religion that is not touched by the church, the temples, or by chants. The religious mind is the explosion of love. It is this …
Peter Madill, M.D., spent several weeks with the contemporary teacher and sage, Nisargadatta Maharaj, during June of 1980. Nisargadatta lived in Bombay, India, and taught a direct, non-dualistic approach to Self-Realization. Several books are available that chronicle his talks, the best known of which is I Am That. Peter Madill was one of the few physicians who treated Maharaj for throat cancer, during 1980-1981. Dr. Madill currently lives in Northern …
The Wisdom of Ajahn Chah A Western monk at a Buddhist monastery becomes frustrated by the difficulties of practice and the detailed and seemingly arbitrary rules of conduct the monks had to follow. He began to criticize other monks for sloppy practice and to doubt the wisdom of the teaching. At one point, he went to Ajahn Chah the master and complained, noting that even Ajahn Chah was inconsistent and …
Lucy Cornelssen was a mystic whose German translation of Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi has been widely read over the last three decades. She spent the last years of her life in a little cottage at the foot of the sacred Arunachala Hill. We used to spend several hours each week with her, in the early and mid-1980s. Though she spent most of her time in solitude, she would become …
There have been—Hasidim, which literally means “individuals of exceptional piety,” throughout the history of Judaism. The modern Hasidic movement, based on Jewish mysticism, originated in Poland in the eighteenth century. The movement was founded by Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer of Mazbigh, known as the Baal Shem Tov (1700-1760). The Baal Shem was a wise and a charismatic man; legends and tales about him have been handed down through the generations. …
A Hasid burst into the study of Reb Yerachmiel ben Yisrael. “Rebbe,” he said breathlessly, “What is the way to God?” The Rebbe looked up from his studies and answered: “There is no way to God, for God is not other than here and now.” “Then, Rebbe, tell me the essence of God.” “There is no essence of God, for God is all and nothing.” “Then, Rebbe, tell me the …
Whatever idea I’ve had about how things work in this world hasn’t got me far, considering that I’ve spent more than twenty years in prison. Most of my beliefs I acquired from my father and from John Wayne, and anything that wasn’t ultra tough and ultra cool was to me ultra embarrassing. In fact, I lived in a state of near continuous embarrassment, never measuring up to the ridiculous standards …
“This ego, which is but a ghost without a form of its own, comes into being by taking hold of a form. Keeping hold of the form and enjoying sense-objects, it waxes greatly in strength.If the truth of it be sought, it will run away.” —Ramana Maharshi, Ulladu Narpadu (Forty Verses On Reality) verse 25 We need to study this teaching carefully. There is no ego in sleep, but only …
Yoga Vasishta is one of the great classic works of Indian philosophy. Consisting of thirty thousand Sanskrit verses, it is considered a highly authoritative work on Advaita Vedanta, and presents the highest truth—that everything which exists is Consciousness—through the use of dialogues and stories. Whatever one constantly contemplates, whatever constantly occupies one’s mind, and to whatever one is devoted with all his life, that he knows to be real and …
Being oneself is utterly plain—no image in the brain of oneself! No idea about oneself! See images and ideas about myself for what they really are-fantasy, imagination, spin! They are not the real thing. Being oneself is not a fantasy state—it happens spontaneously! No positive or negative image of “myself” is blocking or directing the brain, so all of a sudden there is a simple flow of freedom, by oneself …
Your body is the vehicle for your spirit and, just like your automobile, the more smoothly and efficiently it functions, the more able you are to enjoy the ride. If, on the other hand, your vehicle is always breaking down and giving trouble, it is very difficult to relax and enjoy the journey. You will always be worrying about what calamity may befall you next. As a health practitioner, I …
A Dialogue with Leonard Jacobson In 1981, Leonard experienced the first of a series of spontaneous spiritual and mystical awakenings which profoundly altered his perception of life, truth and reality. These experiences revealed profound insights about the nature of the human condition and many of the keys to spiritual awakening. As a result, he found himself opening to a level of freedom, love and truth which he had not known …
Since our youngest son left home we have been committed to a relationship experiment of considerable song and intensity. Having departed the town of Taos, in which we raised our three children, we moved thirty-five miles up into the vast pine and ponderosa forests of the northern New Mexico mountains. Living in near seclusion, with no phone and few distractions, we committed ourselves to an experiment in conscious connectedness. Other …
Sri Ramana Maharshi, just before his death when the devotees were grieving over his imminent departure, reassured them with the above statement. What is the meaning of these immortal words? We have the idea that upon death, we are going somewhere; we are departing from this earth, from this world. It is necessary and, I think, very fruitful to thoroughly investigate this situation for oneself. In the first place, what …
