Wisdom of the Masters

A reading of reflections and poems of Saint Symeon taken from various sources and translations including:~ The Book of Mystical Chapters: Meditations on the Soul's Ascent from the Desert Fathers and Other Early Christian Contemplatives, Translated by John Anthony McGuckin~ The Enlightened Heart: An Anthology of Sacred Poetry, by Stephen Mitchell~ The Fire rises in Me - English version by Ivan...

A reading of selected musings from the great John Muir with nature video montage for your contemplation and relaxation. John Muir (April 21, 1838 – December 24, 1914), also known as "John of the Mountains" and "Father of the National Parks", was a Scottish-born American naturalist, author, environmental philosopher, botanist, zoologist, glaciologist, and early advocate for the...

Sri Aurobindo's seminal text The Mother (1928) is a concise, foundational work in Integral Yoga, outlining the Divine Mother's crucial role, her four great aspects (Maheshwari, Mahakali, Mahalakshmi, Mahasaraswati), and the path to divine transformation on Earth, emphasizing sincerity, self-opening, and the descent of the supramental consciousness, with later comments from the Mother herse...

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. He renounced the world at an early age to train at nearby Sōtō Zen temple Kōshō-ji, refusing to meet with or accept charity from his family. These selected excerpts and poems by Ryokan have...

A selection of profound pointers taken from the text 'The Heart Treasure of the Enlightened Ones' by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. H.H. Khyentse (1910-1991) was born in the Dergé region of Kham, Eastern Tibet and was recognized as the mind emanation of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo. Regarded by many as one of the greatest Dzogchen masters of the twentieth century, and the very embodiment of Padmasamb...

A reading for meditation of the St John of the Cross poem - "I Entered the Unknown."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. He was attracted by the simple and quiet life. However, he encountered...

Harada Sekkei Roshi (1926-2020) was the abbot of Hosshin-ji, a Soto Zen training monastery and temple, in Fukui Prefecture, near the coast of central Japan. He was born in 1926 in Okazaki, near Nagoya, and was ordained at Hosshin-ji in 1951. In 1953, he went to Hamamatsu to practice under Zen Master Inōe Gien (1894-1981), and received inkashomei (certification of realization) in 1957.In 1974, he w...

This is a selection of non-dual pointers taken from Jean Klein's texts, 'Dialogues with Jean Klein' and 'The Flame of Being.' Jean Klein (October 19, 1912 – February 22, 1998) was a French author, spiritual teacher and philosopher of Advaita Vedanta (Nondualism). He was born in Berlin and spent his childhood in Brno and Prague. Having left Germany in 1933 for France, he secretl...

A reading of the Khemaka Sutta from the Saṁyutta Nikāya - Connected Discourses on the Aggregates SN22.89. Translated by Bhikkhu BodhiKhemaka's teaching clarifies that a noble one (in his case a non-returner or anāgāmi) can still have a sense of "I am" without identifying with the aggregates. He explains that he has let go of the lower fetters, but the notion of self still exists. How...

This is guided meditation for practising and understanding the principles of the 'I Am' as taught by Nisargadatta Maharaj. The words are an amalgam of pointers/teachings taken from the text 'I am That' by Nisargadatta (translated by Maurice Frydman), The Nisargadatta Gita by Pradeep Apte, along with some of my own added points for clarification. Nisargadatta Maharaj (17 April 1897...

Selected excertps of poems from Rumi - translations by F. Hadland Davis and R.A. Nicholson. Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī (30 September 1207 – 17 December 1273), was a 13th-century Persian poet, faqih, Islamic scholar, theologian, and Sufi mystic originally from Greater Khorasan in Greater Iran. Rumi's influence transcends national borders and ethnic divisions. Music: Envato Elements - Licensed m...

This is a spoken guided meditation (no music) that commences with an open awareness and listening - accepting and allowing things to 'be' - to come and to go. It then progresses to an investigation of the thinking process to see and understand its empty, substanceless nature. This insight brings freedom, relaxation and inner peace. 🙏 May whatever goodness arises from these readings/offeri...

Text reading taken from:Treasures from Juniper Ridge (Padmasambhava's Advice #3) by Padmasambhava by Tulku Urgyen, Erik Pema Kunsang (Translator) , Marcia Binder Schmidt (Translator).Padmasambhava, also known as Guru Rinpoche (Precious Guru), was an Indian Vajrayana Buddhist master from the 8th century who introduced Tantric Buddhism to Tibet. He is considered the founder of the Nyingma school...

A reading of excerpts from Margery Kempe's autobiography 'The Book of Margery Kempe.' A number of translations have been consulted to render the writing into modern English parlance. Margery Kempe (c. 1373 – after 1438) was an English Catholic mystic, known for writing through dictation The Book of Margery Kempe, a work considered by some to be the first autobiography in the English la...

A reading of two discources on the profound teaching of Dependent Origination (Paṭiccasamuppādasutta) as taught by the Buddha. These suttas have been taken from:Saṁyutta Nikāya (SN 12.2) - Paṭiccasamuppādasutta: Dependent OriginationTranslated by Bhikkhu BodhiSaṁyutta Nikāya (SN12.20) - ConditionsPaccayasutta - Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi 🙏 May whatever goodness arises from these readings/offerin...

Reading of excerpts from Dr Raghavan's essay 'The Eye of Self Existence'. The full text can be found here: https://theosophytrust.org/944-eye-of-self-existence Professor Raghavan N. Iyer (1930 -1995) was an internationally known philosopher, political theorist, and spiritual practitioner who devoted his life to the intellectual and spiritual uplift of human society. The only Rhodes Sch...

A reading of verses on 'The Spirit of Wabi-sabi: Beauty in Imperfection' by Sen No Rikyu. Sen no Rikyū (1522 -1591), was a Japanese tea master considered the most important influence on the chanoyu, the Japanese "Way of Tea", particularly the tradition of wabi-cha. Rikyū’s life unfolded during a turbulent period in Japanese history—an age of warlords and shifting powers—but in th...

Selected excerpts of Ramana Maharshi's teaching taken from the text, Aham Sphurana. With thanks to John David for permission to read from this recently published text.https://www.amazon.com.au/Aham-Sphurana-Realisation-Selection-Teachings/dp/1916321178Ramana Maharshi ( 1879 -1950) was an Indian sage and jivanmukta (liberated being). He was born Venkataraman Iyer, but is mostly known by the nam...

A selection of pointers read from the text, 'Selfless Self: Talks with Shri Ramakant Maharaj'.Ramakant Maharaj (1941-2018) was a direct disciple of the late Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj and spent 19 years with him. From 1962, he visited Nisargadatta Maharaj and listened to his lectures regularly, until his master's Mahasamadhi in 1981. Ramakant was himseldf also an Indian spiritual teacher...

A reading of St Paul's first Letter (Chapter 13) to the Corinthians, the Christian community that he had founded at Corinth, Greece. In the year 55 C.E. while in Ephesus, Paul wrote this inspired letter, now known as 1 Corinthians. Among other things, he encouraged the Christians in Corinth to reject false teachings, to remain united, to shun immorality, and to strengthen their faith in the resurr...

This reading compiles excerpts from three different Dhamma talks (which were translated live), where Ajahn Dtun talks about the paths and fruits to full liberation (arahantship) and responds to questions. Only a few small grammatical adjustments have been made to allow for a smoother transition between sections. Ajahn Dtun is a highly respected Thai Buddhist monk and meditation master, known for h...

A selection of pith teachings on the nature of mind from various Khandros/Dakinis belong to the Bon Dzogchen tradition. These short teachings are found in the text, 'Heart Essence of the Khandro: Experiential Instructions on Bonpo Dzogchen - Thirty Signs and Meanings from Women Lineage-Holders ' - by Yongdzin Lopon Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche. 🙏 May whatever goodness arises from these readings...

The Hsin Hsin Ming (Shinjinmei in Japanese) is a verse attributed to the Third Zen Patrriarch. Written in the 6th century, it is considered the first clear and comprehensive statement of Zen. The Hsin Hsin Ming has been much beloved by Zen practitioners for over a thousand years and is still studied today in Western Zen circles. The Hsin Hsin Ming emphasizes that the Great Way is not involved in t...

The Ashtavakra Gita is a short treatise on Advaita Vedanta which systematically deals with the mystical experiences of the individual in their quest for truth, transcendental peace and bliss. It was composed before the common era, most likely between 500-400BC. Some scholars claim it was written later, either in the eighth century by a follower of Shankara, or as late as the fourteenth century dur...

The Ashtavakra Gita is a short treatise on Advaita Vedanta which systematically deals with the mystical experiences of the individual in their quest for truth, transcendental peace and bliss. It was composed before the common era, most likely between 500-400BC. Some scholars claim it was written later, either in the eighth century by a follower of Shankara, or as late as the fourteenth century dur...