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Hinduism and India

Karma in the Bhagavad Gita

Vijay Kumar commented on my post about karma and free will with the remark that the Bhagavad Gita has something to say about the topic. He stresses the freedom of the Soul, or Atma, and it’s joy in finding itself in life, doing something. He has a point, but how does that relate to freedom [...]

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When yoga increases stress: about the teacher

Yoga is generally sold online and off as a great stress reliever. I can vouch for that: with the right teacher, yoga can be very healthy emotionally. I’ve often come away from a yoga class with a great big smile on my face that was certainly not there before. However, last week when I was [...]

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Remembering Blavatsky – White Lotusday

On May 8th theosophists all over the world, whatever theosophical organization they belong to, commemorate Blavatsky’s passing on May 8th 1891. This day is called White Lotusday. Traditionally quotes from three texts are read: The Bhagavad Gita, The Voice of the Silence and Light of Asia. So here goes from chapter ten of the Bhagavad [...]

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Work as those who are ambitious…

Work as those work who are ambitious. Respect life as those do who desire it. Be happy as those are who live for happiness. Mabel Collins, Light on the path, part 1 (4) This quote must be a bit puzzling for those who think ambition itself is a spiritual virtue. Light on the Path is [...]

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Desire & spiritual development, some thoughts

Desire has a bad name in certain spiritual circles – but in others it’s hailed as the fundamental source of all spiritual growth. In that debate I’ve always stood in the first group, but from reading I.K. Taimni’s ‘The Science of Yoga’ (a commentary on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali), I see that it’s really [...]

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Levels of meditation: relaxation, concentration, contemplation, awareness…

Richard asked on my last post: How do you usually distinguish contemplation from meditation? I’d say contemplation is a type of meditation: a type with more thought than most. To explain the matter as well as I understand it (can’t do better than that after all), I think I have to categorize all types of [...]

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The difference between spiritual growth and personal development?

Michael asked me on my Dutch blog: What’s the difference between personal and spiritual growth anyhow? I think self knowledge is perhaps the only spiritual or personal growth there is, isn’t it? It’s a very good question. Depending on ones spiritual background, one can go into this very deeply, or just skimp the surface. Ken [...]

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Bliss, Atman, Brahman – Jnana Yoga Q&A

Today I got a Jnana Yoga question from Roy: “How can Bliss be part of the essence of Brahman? The ego seeks bliss, i.e. to feel good (at minimum a feeling of well being), even at the expense of truth. Doesn’t the concept of Bliss being part of the essence of Brahman ultimately fulfill the [...]

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Generosity and detachment – spiritual virtue no. 5

Generosity is, for once, a classic virtue. In Islam it’s called Zakat: the duty to give a percentage of your possessions to the poor. Generosity is linked to another classic virtue: detachment. In both Hinduism and Buddhism attachment to stuff, money and status is seen as a problem. Letting go of that in the form [...]

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Blavatsky on Yoga

Since we’ve been studying the yoga suttras in the The Hague lodge of the Theosophical Society (inspiring meetings), I thought I’d look up what H.P. Blavatsky has to say about the subject. Unfortunately I find she’s so busy debunking misconceptions rampant in her time, she finds little room to talk about the real thing. Some [...]

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