Wisdom of the Masters

A selection of verses taken from various texts from the works of Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite.  Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, (flourished c. 500), probably a Syrian monk who, known only by his pseudonym, wrote a series of Greek treatises and letters for the purpose of uniting Neoplatonic philosophy with Christian theology and mystical experience.  In the early sixth century, a seri...

Neem Karoli Baba or Neeb Karori Baba (c. 1900 -1973), known to his followers as Maharaj-ji, was a Hindu guru and a devotee of the Hindu deity Hanuman. Baba was a lifelong adept of bhakti yoga, and encouraged service to others (seva) as the highest form of unconditional devotion to God. In the book Miracle of Love, compiled by Ram Dass, a devotee named Anjani shares the following account:  "Th...

A reading for meditation of excerpts taken from the text "All Else is Bondage" by Wei Wu Wei. Terence James Stannus Gray (14 September 1895 – 5 January 1986), better known by the pen name Wei Wu Wei, was a 20th-century Taoist philosopher and writer.  Between the years 1958 and 1974 a series of eight books appeared attributed to the mysterious 'Wei Wu Wei'.  These works draw on a variety...

This is a selection of some key pointers and teachings on the nature of no-self taken from various texts by Bernadette Roberts.  Bernadette Roberts (1931-2017) was born in California, and is a former Carmelite nun and contemplative in the Catholic tradition. She entered the Monastery of Discalced Carmelites in Alhambra, California when she was seventeen in January 1949. After eight and a half...

Baba Hari Dass (1923 - 2018) was an Indian yoga master, silent monk, and commentator of Indian scriptural traditions of dharma and moksha. He was classically trained in the Ashtanga of Patanjali (also known as Rāja yoga), as well as Kriya yoga, Ayurveda, Samkhya, Tantra, Vedanta, and Sanskrit.  Baba Hari Dass took a vow of silence in 1952, which he upheld through this life. Although he did no...

This is a recording of selected pointers for meditation taken from the book "The Truth Is." Formatted as a guided meditation.  Sri H. W. L. Poonja (1910 -1997) was born in Lucknow, India, known as "Poonjaji" or "Papaji", was an Indian sage who taught Self-enquiry as advocated by Ramana Maharshi. 🔆 These podcasts are not monetized. If you benefit from these podcasts and would like to support...

A reading for meditation of the Kaccānagottasutta taken from Samyutta Nikaya (SN 12.15).  In this sutta, Venerable Kaccānagotta asks the Buddha about right view, and the Buddha answers that right view arises when one sees the origin and cessation of the world. The main theme of the text is the avoidance of the extremes "existence"  and "non-existence" with respect to the world, and inste...

This is  a selection of key pointers from Nisargadatta taken from the texts "I am That" and "The Nisargadatta Gita" - intended as a guided meditation. Original text of "I am That" edited and compiled by Maurice Frydman. The Nisargadatta Gita edited by Pradeep Apte. 🔆 These podcasts are not monetized. If you benefit from these podcasts and would like to support our nun's hermitage, there are...

"Wu Hsin" (meaning No Mind)  was a fictitious character created by Roy Melvyn to create and structure a series of pith teachings and pointers to the Absolute, based on key non-duality teachings. Despite the controversy around the "deceit" in publishing these works as words from an  "authentic" Chinese Master, I have chosen to upload these readings as they are some of the clearest pointer...

The Root Verses on the Six Bardos are some of the most famous sections of The Great Liberation Through Hearing in the Bardo (Bardo Tödrol Chenmo), a treasure text revealed by the fourteenth century tertön Karma Lingpa. This text offers instructions on each of the six intermediate states (bardo) and helps us to live a better life while preparing for death and beyond.  The Bardo Thodol , is a t...

A selection of Thoreau's verses taken from "Walden" and various Journals written by him.  Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862) was an American philosopher, poet,  a leading transcendentalist, and environmental scientist whose major work, Walden, draws upon each of these identities in meditating on the concrete problems of living in the world as a human being. He sought to revive a conception...

Excerpts taken from the text "All Else is Bondage" by Wei Wu Wei. Terence James Stannus Gray (14 September 1895 – 5 January 1986), better known by the pen name Wei Wu Wei, was a 20th-century Taoist philosopher and writer.  Between the years 1958 and 1974 a series of eight books appeared attributed to the mysterious 'Wei Wu Wei'.  These works draw on a variety of sources, including Taoism...

This is a selection of reflections taken from Lusseyran's  books "And There Was Light" and "Against the Pollution of the I."  Jacques Lusseyran (19 September 1924 – 27 July 1971) was a French author and political activist. Blinded at the age of 7, at 17 Lusseyran became a leader in the French resistance against Nazi Germany's occupation of France in 1941. He was eventually sent to Buchen...

These direct and clear pointers to the Deathless have been extracted from various Dhamma talks given by Ajahn Sumedho.  Ajahn Sumedho (born Robert Karr Jackman, July 27, 1934) is an American Buddhist monk and one of the senior Western representatives of the Thai forest tradition of Theravada Buddhism. He was abbot of Amaravati Buddhist Monastery, UK, from 1984 until his retirement in 2010. A...

This is a Universal Prayer applicable for any spiritual or religious context and practice. It focuses on developing and generating love or loving kindness and compassion (metta and karuna), peace (equanimity/upekkha), and light (wisdom, joy: mudita). It is both a healing and protective prayer for oneself and others. If practiced with ease, presence, and sincerity it is very powerful and transforma...

This is a readings for meditation of excerpts taken from the text: The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi in His Own Words" - edited by Arthur Osborne.  Ramana Maharshi ( 1879 -1950) was an Indian sage and jivanmukta (liberated being). He was born Venkataraman Iyer, but is mostly known by the name Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi. He was born in Tiruchuli, Tamil Nadu, India. In 1895, an attraction...

This is a guided meditation on the four (4) Form/Rupa Jhanas based on the methods and teachings of Ajahn Lee. Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Phra Suddhidhammaransi Gambhiramedhacarya (1907–1961), commonly known as Ajahn Lee Dhammadharo, was a meditation teacher in the Thai Forest Tradition of the Dhammayuttika Nikaya order of Theravada Buddhism. He was born in the Ubon Ratchathani Province of I...

Readings of the Commentary - the  Fifth Vajra Point : Moon's Reflection from the text - Finding Rest in Illusion by Longchenpa.   Longchen Rabjam (1308-1363), is a great luminary of Tibetan Buddhism. He was highly skilled in all aspects of scholarship from an early age and excelled throughout his life in the practice and accomplishment of the Dharma. Regarded as a great Dzogchen mas...

This is selection of excerpts from the Tao Te Ching for meditation and contemplation. Lao Tzu (l. c. 500 BCE, also known as Laozi or Lao-Tze) was a Chinese philosopher credited with founding the philosophical system of Taoism. He is best known as the author of the Laozi (later retitled the Tao-Te-Ching translated as “The Way of Virtue” or “The Classic of the Way and Virtue”) the work which exempli...

This is a guided meditation to help you recognize your own inherent Awareness and learn how to abide by that. Pure Awareness is our true nature. Only by intuitively realizing and  understanding the depth and profundity of this impersonal Reality, and resting in it, can we begin the journey to transcend suffering and samsara. 🔆 These podcasts are not monetized. If you benefit from these podca...

A selection of Kabir poems for meditation taken from the following website: https://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/Poets/K/Kabir/index.html#PoemList Though little is known of the life of the 15th-century Indian mystic and poet Kabir, it is believed he was born in or near Benares. He grew up in a family of Muslim weavers before becoming a disciple of the Hindu ascetic Ramananda. Kabir is considered both...

This is a guided Yoga Nidra through the 61 points of the body that is designed for induce deep relaxation and aid in peaceful and deep sleep.  🔆 These podcasts are not monetized. If you benefit from these podcasts and would like to support our nun's hermitage, there are two options to donate - via Paypal using this email address: vivekahermitage@gmail.com with PayPal or using this direct lin...

A reading of the teaching, "The Spontaneous Vajra Manifestation of Awareness and Emptiness' by Mipham Rinpoche.  Jamgön Mipham Gyatso  (1846-1912)  was a great Nyingma master and writer of the last century. He was  a student of Jamgön Kongtrul, Jamyang Khyentsé Wangpo and Patrul Rinpoche. Blessed by Manjushri, he became one of the greatest scholars of his time. His collected wo...

This is a reading for meditation of a short section from the The Zohar’s Bereishit (Beginning/start) - the opening verse of Genesis. English version by Daniel Chanan Matt.  The Zohar (Book of "Radiance") is a foundational work in the literature of Jewish mystical thought known as Kabbalah. It is a group of books including commentary on the mystical aspects of the Torah (the five books of Mose...

Bassui Tokushō (1327–1387) was a Rinzai Zen Master born in modern-day Kanagawa Prefecture who had trained with Sōtō and Rinzai Zen-masters. Bassui was unhappy with the state of Zen practice in Japan during his time, so he set out in life with the mission of revitalizing it. The problems he saw were really two sides of the same coin. That is, he saw both too much attachment by some monks and master...