Wisdom of the Masters

John of the Cross (1542 -1591) was a Spanish Catholic priest, mystic, and a Carmelite friar of converso origin. John became a priest in 1567 and considered joining the Carthusian Order where monks lived cloistered in individual cells. 🔆 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: vivekaher...

Swami Vivekananda (1863 -1902), born Narendranath Datta was an Indian Hindu monk. He was a chief disciple of the 19th-century Indian mystic Ramakrishna. Influenced by Western esotericism, he was a key figure in the introduction of the Indian darsanas (teachings, practices) of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world, and is credited with raising interfaith awareness. 🔆 If you benefit from these podc...

Ryōkan Taigu (1758–1831) was a quiet and unconventional Sōtō Zen Buddhist monk who lived much of his life as a hermit. Ryōkan is remembered for his poetry and calligraphy, which present the essence of Zen life. 🔆 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 Pa...

These selections from Gibran's poems and verses have been formatted for contemplation and meditation purposes. Lebanon-born writer and artist Kahlil Gibran  (1883 – 1931) became known for his mystical Arabic and English works, most notably the 1923 publication, 'The Prophet.' 🔆 If you benefit from these podcasts and would like to support our nun's hermitage, there are two options to donate -...

This is a short selection of pith pointers taken from Milarepa's 60 songs. Translated by Garma C. Chang.  Milarepa is one of the most important yogis and spiritual poets in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, but very little of his life is known with any historical certainty. Even the dates of his birth and death have been notoriously difficult to calculate. In any case, it is clear that he lived...

These selections of quotes/teachings from Nisargadatta have been formatted for Guided Meditation purposes and were compiled by Pradeep Apte. 🔆 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 link: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/Viveka...

Persian lyric poet Hafiz (born Khwāja Šamsu d-Dīn Muḥammad Hāfez-e Šīrāzī) grew up in Shiraz. Very little is known about his life, but it is thought that he may have memorized the Qur’an after hearing his father recite passages. He is one of the most celebrated of the Persian poets, and his influence can be felt to this day. Selected poems from Daniel Ladinsky's book - "I heard God Laughing." 🔆 I...

Ajahn Mun Bhuridatta Thera (Thai: มั่น ภูริทตฺโต,) (1870–1949) was a Thai bhikkhu from Isan region who is credited, along with his mentor, Ajahn Sao Kantasīlo, with establishing the Thai Forest Tradition or "Kammaṭṭhāna tradition" that subsequently spread throughout Thailand and to several countries abroad. 🔆 If you benefit from these podcasts and would like to support our nun's hermitage, there...

These poems/stanzas of profound pointings written by Ilie Cioara have been formatted for the purpose of a guided meditation. Excerpts taken from the book by Cioara, "Boundlessness" - translated by Petrica VerdesIlie Cioara (1916 - 2004) was an enlightened mystic who did not belong to any lineage. He is unique in a way, in the sense that he lived in almost complete isolation, in Romania, Eastern Eu...

Nāgārjuna (c.150 – c. 250 CE) was an Indian Mahāyāna Buddhist thinker, scholar-saint and philosopher. He is widely considered one of the most important Buddhist philosophers. He is also considered one of the greatest thinkers in the history of Asian philosophy. 🔆 If you benefit from these podcasts and would like to support our nun's hermitage, there are two options to donate - via Paypal using th...

Selected teachings of Ma's taken from the text "Sad Vani" - as reported by Bhaiji - translated by Atmananda. 🔆 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 link: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/VivekaHermitage or become at Patron at...

This is the complete version of Shodoka - Song of Awakening or Enlightenment. This is one of the four essential Zen texts. It was written by Yoka Daishi in the seventh century in China. It is a testimony to his awakening; his writing and spiritual approach is simple in style. The Shodoka has been nicknamed “the Mahayana sutra that solves all problems.” 🔆 If you benefit from these podcasts and wou...

The Gospel of Mary is found in the Berlin Gnostic Codex (Papyrus Berolinensis 8502). This very important and well-preserved codex was discovered in the late-nineteenth century somewhere near Akhmim in upper Egypt.  Scholars do not always agree which of the New Testament people named Mary is the central character of the Gospel of Mary. Arguments in favor of Mary Magdalene are based on her stat...

'Abū 'Abdullāh Muḥammad ibn 'Alī ibn Muḥammad ibn `Arabī al-Ḥātimī aṭ-Ṭāʾī  was a Sufi mystic, poet, and philosopher born in Murcia, Spain on the 17th of Ramaḍān (26 July 1165 AD). He was one of the great mystics of all time. Through the richness of his personal experience and the constructive power of his intellect, he made a unique contribution to Shi'ite Sufism. He was considered a Saint....

Teachings of the Buddha - Bāhiya Sutta - from the Udana 1.10 - translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.   In this brief teaching, the Buddha taught Bahiya to put aside all views of self arising from confused and deluded thoughts based on clinging and craving. Bahiya was right to understand the immediacy of needing to awaken through the Dhamma. No one can know when sickness, aging and d...

Sri Brahmajna Ma (21 February 1880 – 5 November 1934) was an Indian advaitin saint from East Bengal. What little is known about her reveals her as an illumined soul who was established in non-dual realization. Like Ramana Maharshi, she had no guru, but attained enlightenment through her own efforts at self-inquiry. 🔆 If you benefit from these podcasts and would like to support our nun's hermitage...

A pinnacle teaching! This profound and sublime teaching by the Great Master, Longchenpa, is suitable and intended for experienced meditators who have an in depth understanding and practical insight into Dzogchen's perfection. Longchenpa's teaching on the Three Aspects of Meditative Absorption - read from the text: A Treasure Trove of Scriptural Transmission. Excerpt from the chapter on Natural Med...

Reading of the famous seventh-century Zen classic  Xin Ming, or "Song of Mind" - this poem is a masterpiece of expressing the inexpressible. 🔆 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 link: https://www.paypal.com/p...

Thérèse of Lisieux (2 January 1873 – 30 September 1897), also known as Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, was a French Catholic Discalced Carmelite nun who is widely venerated in modern times. She is popularly known as "The Little Flower of Jesus", or simply "The Little Flower.” 🔆 If you benefit from these podcasts and would like to support our nun's hermitage, there are two opti...

A reading from the teaching entitled "Advice to King Trisong Detusen" - from the text "Advice from the  Lotus Born", by Padmasambhava - translated by Erik Pema Kunsang. 🔆 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 link: https...

This is a guided meditation to help us work skillfully with thoughts, to understand their essence, and to be liberated from excessive, neurotic, and obsessive thinking. 🔆 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 link: https://ww...

Trekchö is translated as ‘thoroughly cutting through’ (resistance, stubbornness, toughness and closedness), or ‘breakthrough’. The practice of trekchö reveals the view of primordial purity beyond conceptual elaboration. Trekchö means cutting through delusion with fierce, direct thoroughness.   Vajrayoginī  is a Tantric Buddhist female Buddha and a ḍākiṇī. Vajrayoginī's essence is "g...

These poems have been selected from the text "The Gift" - translated by Daniel Ladinsky.  Persian lyric poet Hafiz (born Khwāja Šamsu d-Dīn Muḥammad Hāfez-e Šīrāzī) grew up in Shiraz. Music by Maok 🔆 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...

This sublime and profound teaching by the great master, Longchenpa is taken from the Finding Rest trilogy - "Rest in Illusion". It is suitable for those practitioners who have a in-depth understanding and insight into Dzogchen's concepts and paradigm. 🔆 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 a...

Jiddu Krishnamurti (12 May 1895 – 17 February 1986) was an Indian philosopher, speaker and writer. In his early life he was groomed to be the new World Teacher but later rejected this mantle and withdrew from the Theosophy organization behind it. He stressed the need for a revolution in the psyche of every human being and emphasised that such revolution cannot be brought about by any external enti...