The Cross and The Lotus Journal · renity of devoted meditation, and in-deed the former can feel like a jarring opposition, a base reminder of what needs to be done to have clothing,

The Cross and The

Lotus Journal

June 2015, Vol. 16 No. 2

Dedicated to the Realization of God and Service to Him in All Forms

Mother Hamilton, Madras, 1977

The cross and lotus symbolizes the unity between East and West. The lotus is the sign of

illumined consciousness, the thousand petal lotus of the crown chakra. The cross is the

symbol of the body surrendered to the will of God. Following the way of the cross results in

the resurrection of illumined consciousness.

The Cross and the Lotus, symbol of man. East and West blended, join hand in hand.

Marching toward the infinite light and life divine. Lift up your eyes and see the star,

descending from heaven where e’er you are. Be filled with the peace and ecstasy of God’s almighty love.

Aum-Amen. The Reverend Yogacharya Mother Hamilton

The Cross and The Lotus Journal is published by

The Cross and The Lotus Publishing Mount Vernon, WA, U.S.A.

Website: www.crossandlotus.com

E-mail: [email protected]

© 2015 The Cross and The Lotus Publishing is dedicated to the publication of materials that

promote God-realization. Our spiritual lineage begins with Jesus Christ and Babaji and flows

down to us through Lahiri Mahasaya, Swami Sri Yukteswar, Paramhansa Yogananda and

Yogacharya Mother Hamilton.

The Reverend Yogacharya David Hickenbottom continues this lineage with the help and

support of many sincere devotees. We are dedicated to realizing God and serving devotees of

every race, color, creed and religion.

Mother Hamilton often said she was the product of two fully illumined Masters, her own

Guru, Paramhansa Yogananda, and Swami Ramdas. We therefore feature articles about

Swami Ramdas and Anandashram. We bow to the feet of Saints and realized Masters of all

religions.

The Cross and The Lotus Journal Page 3

Dear Friends,

It can seem to us that the business

markets of man are far from the se-

renity of devoted meditation, and in-

deed the former can feel like a jarring

opposition, a base reminder of what

needs to be done to have clothing,

food and shelter. However Karma

Yoga offers a way of transforming

our work life into a sacred and bliss-

ful activity.

Within Karma Yoga (union with

God through action) there is seva,

meaning loving, selfless service. Seva

is a profound concept that permeates both the human and the di-

vine. Seva includes everything from having right attitude about

your profession, making a home for your family, a hobby you

love or any activity you engage in, all the way to what a realized

master does to uplift mankind.

The beautiful thing about universal truth is the maximum good

it does for both the human and the divine. For instance, by enter-

ing into a work situation with the attitude of selfless service you

think, “How can I serve this company in order for it to better

provide goods and services for our customers?” Or, if you are

the owner, your thoughts may center on, “How can I please the

customer by giving high value for a good price and providing a

positive place for employees to work?” This attitude of service

will help ensure you are both a business and a spiritual success.

There has been a lot said on the evils of money. However,

money is simply a metal coin or piece of paper (or ones and ze-

ros in a computer!) What makes it good or bad is the attitude

with which it is handled. Obviously a business needs to make a

profit or it will no longer remain a business. Profit means mon-

ey: money that keeps the doors open, employees paid, and ex-

panded ways to provide new good and services. When done with

the right attitude it provides results that benefit everyone con-

cerned.

Page 4 The Cross and The Lotus Journal

With money as a necessity for home and business the chal-

lenge is to keep God first, in good times and bad, to be ethical in

all business dealings and feel that you are serving God through

your actions. Money is not God, however as acknowledged earli-

er, it is necessary for business success. By putting God first you

will be practical in your business, all the while maintaining inner

attunement to the spirit of loving service; this will ensure success

of the business and the person.

A practical man may ask, “Can you hold high ideas such as

seva and be a business success?”

An example of right attitude in business is James Cash (J.C.)

Penney. Born in 1875 in Hamilton Mo., he was the son of a poor

farmer. When he opened his first retail outlet Penney determined

to stand by the Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have

them do unto you”—the principle by which he saw his parents

live.

He started in 1902 with a one room building in between a

laundry facility and a boarding house. Packing crates were re-

purposed for counters and the family lived in the attic above the

store. By 1912 his stores exceeded $2 million in sales, and when

he died at the age of 95 in 1971 there were 1660 stores in North

America with the name J.C. Penney.

The stores’ operating principles were:

1. To serve the public, as nearly as we can, to its complete

satisfaction.

2. To expect for the service we render a fair remuneration

and not all the profit the traffic will bear.

3. To do all in our power to pack the customer’s dollar full

of value, quality, and satisfaction.

4. To continue to train ourselves and our associates so that

the service we give will be more and more intelligently

performed.

5. To improve constantly the human factor in our business.

6. To reward men and women in our organization through

participation in what the business produces.


7. To test our every policy, method, and act in this wise:

“Does it square with what is right and just?”

This right attitude of service is not only good for business, but

it also makes you more fully alive. For an employee it means

walking into a job and thinking about how to add value to this

company and make it more successful, and then looking for eve-

ry opportunity to be bright, attentive and service oriented. That

employee will make him or herself invaluable to the company

which will in turn provide advancement and more opportunities.

This attitude has a positive and transforming effect.

The owner of the business will be looking to creatively pro-

vide goods and services that the customer wants at a good value,

and making a good work environment so that service oriented

employees will want to stay and make the company succeed.

From the start, a positive attitude of seva will bring more hap-

piness to the individual, endowing him or her with more ener-

gy—mentally stimulated by looking for ways to serve. As attun-

ement continues to refine, the benefits of seva grow; the devotee

feels that God is blissfully operating through him, giving loving

service to one and all. The reward is now in the action itself, ra-

ther than in the outcome. The primary motivation while doing

seva is the opportunity to express the will of God from moment

to moment. So, from thinking positive and being creative by

having the right attitude about work all the way to blissful union

with God there is no downside to seva nor are there any limits to

spiritual growth a sincere soul may experience.

To begin an exploration of how the spirit of seva can trans-

form your life, simply start where you are. Mother Teresa of

Calcutta began her service by looking for the poorest of the poor

on the streets of Calcutta and doing what she could to ease their

suffering. It may have been providing clean clothes and a bed for

a dying person. She said that there are no large acts of love, only

small ones. You can start by serving your family—your parents,

husband, wife or children. You can serve a stranger with a help-

ing hand or a smile that radiates God. You can prayerfully hold

this world in His Light when you think on its difficulties. Look


around and you will find ample opportunities to be of service

right where you are.

Jesus said that others will know you are his disciple by putting

his teachings into practice. He identified loving God and your

fellow man at the top of the list of how to live your life. Seva is

that love put into action, it is the personification of the Master’s

liberating message.

From the human to the divine you see benefits grow from hav-

ing right attitude through seva. Imagine a world in which each

and every person was seeking a way to better serve their fellow

man! It need not only be a dream, but a reality you help to create

by the way you live your life today.

Letter to a Devotee Dear ________,

Thank you for the thoughtful question about goal planning and

God-realization. Oftentimes there is confusion around setting

goals verses the roles of surrender and grace. While it can seem

they are contradictions, really they may work together for the

swiftest ascension for the soul.

You mentioned setting goals for yourself for longer medita-

tions and reading all of Master’s Lessons; these are positive

goals that can do much to take you further spiritually.

You also ask if there are other markers to measure your spir-

itual progress, much as you use for your business: the number of

customers you have, income made in certain periods, etc. In oth-

er words, it is not just how much time you spend meditating, but

what tangible results should you experience from the time spent.

There are general markers in our spiritual journey, such as the

frequency and depth of ever-new joy and peace. There are more

specific signs such as seeing and hearing the lights and sounds of

the cerebral/spinal chakras, with Om at the top and seeing spir-

itual Lights at the Christ Center, the doorway to the Infinite.

There is slowing or cessation of breath; vital energies are cen-


tered in the spine and brain, particularly the higher centers; and

expansiveness of spirit and freedom from the limitations of the

body are all signs of progress.

There are many spiritual traditions around the world that have

signs for spiritual progress, but perhaps nowhere else has this

science been articulated in as much detail as by the yogis of In-

dia. In Savikalpa Samadhi you are transfixed, with the body inert

and the soul set free in spiritual bliss. In Nirvikalpa Samadhi you

can simultaneously move in the body and continue with the con-

sciousness merged in God. Even in this higher samadhi you enter

in and come out of it. In the highest, Brahma Nirvana or Sahaja

Samadhi there is no more going in or coming out; being one with

God is now your perennial state of Being.

My dear One, you should definitely be measuring your spiritu-

al progress by longer meditations, and use the inspired writings

of saints to help you in this, for time and depth of meditation are

necessary. However, all of this is of no avail if you are not see-

ing signs of progress in manifesting the qualities of God Con-

sciousness. Surely the path will be uneven in the beginning, but a

steady increase and depth of peace and joy will accompany real

spiritual progress.

One of the metrics used by Swami Satchidananda was wonder-

ful, “Has your circle of love grown today?” And Sri Yukteswarji,

the great jnani, asked, “Do you have continuous ever-new Joy?”

Do not settle for having a little ladle filled with the Divine Nec-

tar, but dive in and dissolve into the ocean of Sat-chid-ananda,

merging your little self into the vast ocean of God.

Ever in the Light of God, Christ, Gurus,

The Absolute Brahman is a mere witness to every-

thing—Jnana and Vijnana. It is beyond darkness and

light, ignorance and knowledge. This Reality—

Satchidananda, shines transcending the three states of

consciousness.

- Sri Guru Nijananda Bodha


The Path of Saints An Excerpt from a Talk Given by

The Reverend Mother, Yogacharya M. Hamilton

in Seattle on May 2, 1975

Realizing God through the Word

We chant Om as we chant to God, but this Word can be used

to take us all the way to God. It is a definite science, as taught by

the great masters of all religions. It is concentrating on a word

which is the very foundation of our being, which is the sum total

of the spirit within it. Jesus spoke about the Word, and it’s said

of him that in the beginning was the Word and the Word was

with God and the Word was God. And the Word took on a gar-

ment of flesh and dwelt among us. And it is this Word which is

within us which we must identify with. And it is this Word

which, if we will concentrate upon it, will take us all the way to

the realization of our oneness with God.

Now the human ear is attuned to just so many pounds of vibra-

tory rate. It is said that it cannot hear below sixty nor above

60,000 rates of vibration. There are many things that are going

on in the world outside of this room. But we are fully concen-

trated upon God who dwells within us, and therefore we hear


them but dimly or not at all, if we are truly concentrating.

Overcoming Distractions

Man can concentrate deeply, if he will but set his mind and his

will to it, upon anything: upon any subject, upon any article, up-

on any individual. But when it comes to meditation, which is a

form of contemplation or reflection, he has a greater difficulty in

doing that. It seems that every time he sits in a chair quietly and

tries to go within the silence of his own soul, that everything in

the outer sense takes hold of him and tries to distract him. He

hears every little drop of a pin. He hears the telephone ring; he

hears someone whisper; he hears a chair creak; he hears even the

heartbeat of his own body. And his mind which has been going

all over, in every direction—without direction, without control—

isn’t able to focus itself on one thought. And yet this Word, this

sound of Om—a-u-m, which we have come to call a[ah]men or

a[ay]men, is the most tremendous tool for taking us back to God.

Word is God

Now Swami Ramdas used the Word or the name of God. But

the word Om is the name of God. Ramdas called Him “Ram,”

and so he composed this chant, Om Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai

Ram, which means “victory to God; victory to God in the name

of God.” We sing it in a foreign language, and yet because the

spirit is in this mantram—this chant, it has a powerful spiritual

vibration. It has the power to elevate our consciousness and take

us into higher realms.

It is called “The Path of the Saints” but, you see, the Word it-

self is the saint. It is that purity of spirit which was before all du-

ality, and which permeates and fills and uplifts, and keeps mov-

ing and living and breathing and having its being all forms of

life in the universe; therefore it is a most powerful word that

man can chant, that man can concentrate upon.…

Harnessing the Mind

… Now, the mind is a powerful, powerful instrument and if

harnessed, if mastered and used rightly, the power that it wields

is unbelievable—indescribable! And man uses only an infinitesi-

mal part of this mind. The mind is automatic in what it carries


out. It has no will of its own. It is a creature of habit, and it will

automatically reject anything which it has disliked through expe-

riences of the past. But it will also embrace anything which it has

liked, and it will continue to be distracted by those things. There-

fore, if one is tempted by something that one has enjoyed in the

past but has made every effort to overcome, still when the

thought of that temptation comes before the mind, the mind auto-

matically goes to work. And the first thing the individual knows

they have succumbed to that same temptation. The soul is not the

master of the mind in this case. The mind is the master, and the

individual is the slave.

Now the soul, in its pure state, is pure; it is holy. But it has had

encrustations from ages form upon it and it is necessary to get rid

of all of this debris—this hard lump of coal which has embedded

itself around the soul so that the diamond of the soul can no

longer be seen—so that it cannot be taken out into the light of

day, into the light of God and shine in all of its brilliance.

God is beyond all Religions

The path of the Word, or the path of the saint, is one that trans-

cends all religions. This is a strange thing to say but you see reli-

gions are conceived by man. God has no religion. He has no

technique. He has no hang-ups. He exists beyond all religions.

He is the One Father-God who looks down upon all of His crea-

tion with total love, with total light, with total wisdom, and the

power to manifest in all of those who will open their minds and

their hearts to Him.

It is a strange thing, but every time someone starts a new reli-

gion, he creates a new separation in God, and the mind becomes

engrossed with the religion, with the path instead of the Source

of all religions and the Maker of all paths. This word there of

Om or “Shabd,” as some of the masters call the path, is the great-

est path, the greatest way for concentrating the mind, the greatest

technique and the greatest method, if you will but discipline

yourself and concentrate upon it fully. The most wonderful thing

about this word: it is not a thing of imagination.

There are some who teach words which they say have no


meaning, in order to concentrate the mind so that the mind will

not focus on the meaning of anything, particularly upon the

word; it is just a means of focussing or concentrating the con-

sciousness on one object. But to focus the mind fully upon this

life current is an even greater method of meditation, from the

standpoint that because we know that this word Om is the Word

of God, that it will take us all the way in the journey back to

God, without any harm coming to us. It will take us through all

planes of consciousness, all levels of understanding, all of the

worlds. …

A True Teacher Transcends Religion

….This Word is God, it says in the scriptures. So therefore,

the true guru watches each disciple very closely, even though

they may not seem to do so because God-within-them tells them,

one way or another, whenever someone is in trouble and that

they need help. And so that one will go and straighten them out.

You cannot do it by yourself. You cannot be your own guru.

You must have a living guru to whom you can either go in per-

son or to whom you can write, and make them conscious of the

fact that you are in trouble and you need help.

Now, many people shy away from going beyond body-

consciousness. They don’t know what they’re going to meet. It’s

a fear of the unknown. But it is a necessary step if you’re going

to reach the ultimate in God-realization. It is the way of the mys-

tics—a way of the mystics—and mysticism has a tremendous

place because again, it transcends all religion. It is pure, raw

spirit, and you look at a mystic and you see that he has gone be-

yond all religions.

The true teacher is no longer interested in religion as such, at

all, because they have transcended it. They see God everywhere

equally present—in every religion, in every form of creation on

the earth. And so they’re interested only in the way. It is a reli-

gion of every man. It is the path of the saints, and there is no

greater way to attain this realization, to be able to transcend body

consciousness and go first into the astral world, then into the

idea or the causal world, and beyond that. You’ve got to do it

some time. You’re forced to do it when you have an ordinary


physical death, but you have no control of it. But if, like St. Paul

said, “I die daily”—if you can do this while you are still con-

sciously living in the body, you have conquered the last enemy

which is death and you need have no fear of it; in fact, you can

go and come at will. “I die daily”: that means that daily I leave

all consciousness of this body—the three sheaths, the three bodi-

ly jars—and I am roaming in the kingdom of my Heavenly Fa-

ther.

Become Absorbed in the Sound of Om

It is a tremendous experience. But in order to do that, if you

will concentrate on this sound of Om, you see, it will take you

into this astral plane in complete safety, and you will go through

the various planes of consciousness in the astral even as you

have overcome them—gone through them and overcome them—

in the physical sense. And as you reach these higher planes, you

will at first hear the beating of the heart, and then sometimes you

will hear the various sounds of the astral body, which are con-

nected to the spine. You will hear the sound of the bumble bee,

the flute, the harp, the bell, and these sounds occur at each one of

the first four lower centers. And then you will hear the great cos-

mic sound of Om. It is like the rushing of many waters, and you

should be absorbed in that sound.

You will hear beautiful melodies—mystical melodies—

melodies which transcend anything that you’ve ever heard with

your human ear, anything that you hear man sing or play on any

instrument. It is the music of the spheres. But then, all of a sud-

den, you go even beyond that—you go beyond that, and you are

released totally from this world of birth and rebirth—totally.

You have gone beyond. You have transcended all duality. You

have come face-to-face with the light of your own soul, and

therefore you are one with the Light which permeates the whole

universe and beyond. You’ve gone beyond even the ability to

express what you are experiencing. But you know that in truth

you have met God. And then you even go beyond the knowing,

to experiencing without thought of experience because you’re so

absorbed in the state of eternal bliss.

It is the most tremendous thing which man can accomplish,


but it must be accomplished at some time or other by everyone.

It is said that those who are truly on the spiritual path are heroes,

and must be, and also heroines. And it is the Truth because you

must overcome all fear within yourself. But if God, the Supreme

Being of the universe—your Heavenly Father who dwells right

inside of you—is taking you by the hand and leading you

through all of these experiences, what do you have to fear?…

…Now this sound of Om is different than anything you hear in

the outer sense. It is a high-pitched sound, and even though you

seem to hear it with the outer ear, in fact you do not; you hear it

with your inner ear. It is the sound of the spirit, the life within

your own body. And if you will listen—focus your full attention

upon it—you will be able to hear it.

Learn to control your mind and go beyond it with the use of

this word Om, and listen to this sound. Now in the beginning

you can chant the word Om; chant it outwardly until you get the

tune of it, as we do—the sound of it. [Mother chants Om here,

beautifully.] And as it dies in the recesses of your throat, or with-

draws there, listen to the last part of that hum. Listen to it. And

then say it again. [Mother chants Om again.] And you will find

that it has disappeared into this high-pitched Om within your

own consciousness. And if you will continue to listen to that in-

wardly, you will be so absorbed in it, so absorbed in it that no

sound in the outer sense will be able to reach your conscious-

ness.

Transcendental Meditation

Think of that sound of Om as the Word, that you are going—

returning—to God; you’re going back on this stream of the word

Om. It is the stream of spirit and you are taking your boat up that

stream. You yourself are sitting in the boat, and you are going

ever-closer to your Heavenly Father. This is the greatest prayer

there is, this one Sound. This is the greatest word you can con-

centrate on because it is God Himself whose voice you hear. It is

God Himself who absorbs you in this Sound which is the seat

and the source of all love, of all creation. And as you focus the

full attention upon that, listen for that sound principally in the

right ear because the right ear is more sensitive. We use the right


side of the body more, unless we are left-handed. Those who are

left-handed then will listen in the left ear because your con-

sciousness is geared to the other side of your body, and you

shouldn’t go against that. But become absorbed in that.

Always keep your full attention at the point between the eye-

brows when you’re listening there. And as you listen, automati-

cally the eyes are turned upward. The light of your own soul

starts to shine. You see the five-pointed “star of infinity” and

you open that door. And the Father will come in and sup with

you and you with Him. You transcend all time and space.

Meditation properly done is transcendental meditation, in any

religion you want to talk about. It is not just a special gimmick

for commercial purposes. It actually is the transcending of the

mind above all things human, and taking it beyond, into the di-

vine. When you are one with that eternal Source, having gone

through all of the necessary steps, you will find that you are the

newborn Christ and that the Christ Consciousness permeates

your being—that instead of John the Baptist, the still small

voice, guiding you and directing you spasmodically, that you

will have the constant, instant direction from God Himself.

It is like the flow of the river into the ocean, and the ocean

again meeting the river and flowing into it. One blends into the

other. One blends into the other. The river and the ocean are not

different. They are both made of water; they both have ripples

and waves. But it is that power that makes them move that is the

determining factor in it.

Take Time to Meditate

I urge you, I plead with you, to spend time every morning, to

make your first engagement with God—no one else. If you do

not expect Him to be too busy to listen to your pleas—to answer

your needs, to comfort you, to heal you, to take you in His arms

of everlasting bliss—then you must not be too busy to commune

with Him. And each morning when you get up and you com-

mune with Him, you start your day out right. You cleanse your

body first; you take a glass of lukewarm water; you brush your

teeth; you wash your face or you bathe and then you sit in a state


of purity and you worship at the feet of your Father.

You give all of yourself to Him, and in turn you ask for His

guidance, His direction, His teaching every moment of your life

during that day. You surrender yourself to Him as His servant

and say, “Here am I, Lord. Use me. Do with me as You will.”

And you will find that your life will take on a new dimension.

You will be so busy at times that you won’t know what to do,

but your life will be so utterly fascinating and interesting be-

cause it is at a higher dimension. And you will find not only little

miracles but major miracles occurring more and more and more,

until you realize that your whole life—that life itself—is a con-

stant miracle if man, all men, would but work and walk in har-

mony with God’s laws.

How we punish ourselves! What stupid fools we are in our

ignorance when we think that we can do things, that we think

that we can reach out for happiness and that we can make it work

for us. We of ourselves can do nothing; it is the Father who

doeth the works. But faith without works is also dead, so you

must do your part in every detail every morning, every night and

in between times because you can sit still and you can close your

eyes and you can go within in the flash of an eyelash and you

can hear this sacred sound of Om, the eternal Word of God.

The guru is the stepping stone,

The guru is the boat,

the guru is the raft of Hari’s name.

The guru is the lake, the sea,

The guru is the ship,

the guru is the place to ford the stream.

Would you like to glisten

in the lake that’s made of truth?

go then and bathe in that name. - Guru Nanak


Chant the Name with all Your Heart God’s name is very sweet—sweeter than anything

in the world. There is a general complaint of many as-

pirants that this glorious Name has not been giving

them the sweetness which saints have found in chant-

ing it.

There are certain conditions to be fulfilled before

you can know its nectarine taste. Know in the first

place that God is eternal peace and bliss and He and

His name are not different. Then humble yourself be-

fore Him and take His name with all faith, love and de-

votion. Court the company of saints. In their presence

your ego-sense is greatly subdued and there you take

His name. Then you will certainly feel that the Divine

Name is the giver of pure joy. Or, go into solitude

when the company of a saint is not possible, and pray

to God, the universal and super-universal Power and

Truth, in all humility, and chant His name. Sing His

name in chorus in a similar attitude in congregation.

Your mind will then be filled with a rare bliss and

peace derived from the Name.

When you once get the taste of His name and find

that it is capable of making the mind still, calm and se-

rene and of revealing the joy of the Divine, it will take

possession of the mind, which will be drawn towards it

irresistibly. Who would not have the Name always

with him when he has once experienced that it has

proved to be the great joy and solace of his life? So,

chant the Name with all your heart and it will lead you

to the highest spiritual experience.

- Swami Ramdas


The Incredible Life of a Himalayan Yogi Book Review By Yogacharya David Hickenbottom

This book is a biography of an extraordi-

nary yogi, Baba Lokenath Brahmachari

written by Sri Shuddhaanandaa Brahmacha-

ri, published in 2014. Shuddhaandandaaji

received a vision of the yogi during his stay

at a monastery and since that time he has

felt a deep connection with Baba.

Baba Lokenath was born in August of 1730;

he lived 160 years and left the body in June

of 1890. He spent many of his last years in

an area now in the country of Bangladesh.

His Mahasamadhi is currently celebrated by

millions annually on June 2 or 3.

Baba Lokenath left home to follow his Guru when he received

the sacred thread at the age of 11, along with his best friend Ben-

imadhav. His master, Guru Bhagwan Ganguly sought secluded

places to meditate. Ever vigilant over his young charges, he went

out and begged food for the three of them so that the boys would

not be disturbed as they sat in meditation for hours, days and

weeks at a time. The guru kept a strict regimen yet was like a

loving mother to them.

Baba became fully realized in his 90s and his guru was 150

years old. After the passing of his guru he wandered with Ben-

imadhav for many years before one day he wandered into a vil-

lage called Baradi. He was soon known for the miracles that

happened all around him, but his teachings were focused on real-

izing God alone. What makes this biography special is the loving

treatment given by the author, the purity of his expression re-

garding Baba’s teachings as well as his own commentary and

meditations on the saint.

Shuddhaanandaa Brahmachari (2014). The Incredible Life of a Himalayan

Yogi: The Times, Teachings and Life of Living Shiva: Baba Lokenath Brah-

machari. Kolkata, India: Lokenath Divine Life Mission.


Excerpt from the Book—Chapter 3

The Role of the Satguru Lokenath always choked with emotion when he spoke about

Guru Bhagwan’s motherly love during this long period of conti-

nence and fasting. He said, “Gurudev would always be alert so

that we did not need to move our bodies while we were seated at

meditation during this fasting. We were not allowed to move,

even while attending to the call of nature. Like a loving mother,

he would wash away urine or stool and carry us to a clean place.

He would then remove the stool, throw it a distance away, and

then finally clean the whole place.”

Those present with Baba at Baradi said that Baba cried pro-

fusely when telling about the tenderness of his Guru’s care for

him. The assembled devotees were so moved that they, too,

found it difficult to restrain their emotions. The love that Guru

Bhagwan had for his two young disciples is indeed a rare and

unforgettable example of the Guru-disciple relationship. And the

devotion that Baba Lokenath returned to his Master was intense

and complete.

The need for a Guru in spiritual life has often been questioned

the world over. One valid reason is the fear that has been created

by the false gurus in the marketplace of spiritual seekers. The

large number of sects and the stories of abuses of spiritual power

which are circulated in the news media from time to time have

legitimately contributed to guru-phobia, especially in those who

are unfamiliar with Hindu tradition.

There are others who are open to a Guru, but who remain con-

fused as to who is the right one. Whatever the reason for the pre-

sent day guru-phobia and the attendant indifference towards the

need for the Guru in spiritual life, the truth remains unchanged.

Realization of the Self and the need for the Satguru always go

together. The Satguru—or True Guru—is one who has reached

the highest of all goals: permanent and complete union with the

Divine. The realized Master has gone through the process of nur-

turing the God-seed in his or her heart until it finally achieves

mature flowering. He or she alone can become the true Master


who has trod the path of Truth, successfully negotiating all the

ups and downs of the spiritual path to reach the peak of enlight-

enment. The Enlightened Ones make themselves available to the

seeker by Divine Will. As the embodiment of Divine Compas-

sion for those of us who remain trapped in the illusion of separa-

tion, the Satguru lights the way. Without the Grace of such a

master as a spiritual teacher, the path of Truth is like moving

through the thickest jungle without a guide.

The scriptures and other spiritual books are invaluable. But

the simple truth is, for the immature and struggling seeker, most

often they are borrowed, encased in dead, distorted, ill-

conceived or inherited interpretation, which limits our effective

application of the wisdom they contain. It is the Conscious, liv-

ing Divine, through the Satguru, who gives us, as seekers, the

wisdom, confidence and tools to find our way through the jungle

to our final destination.

The Satguru guides from outside, in the form of a material

person whose words can be heard, whose life and teachings are

living manifestations of the Divine, and whose very presence

opens the heart center to the Divine Light and music within.

Drawing our attention to the emptiness of the material world and

material relationships, the Satguru shows us the way home by

creating situations which lead us within. Gradually, we realize

that God alone is real and that we are God-Seed. From outside,

the Satguru pushes us inward.

The Satguru also guides from within. Sitting within our own

hearts, in the sanctum sanctorium, he or she pulls us back to-

ward the center. That is why the Guru is also called the Antar-

yamin, the indwelling controller. S/he is the Conscience—the

faculty of discrimination between the temporal/transient and the

permanent/transcendent. The Sat is inseparable from Brahman,

the Pure Conscious field. The Sat operates from within our own

consciousness, making the larger, Divine Consciousness availa-

ble to us (at whatever intensity we can sustain it) by virtue of

His or Her inseparability from us and the Divine. Without the

Grace of the Guru, no one can attain the state of Pure Mind.


Meeting Yogacharya Oliver Black By Rev. Larry Koler

In 1984, I was planning a business trip to Detroit and I decided

I would like to meet Yogacharya Black. I asked permission from

Mother and she immediately granted it, saying that he was a

great soul and that she used to be closer to him in the old days

but that, over the years, they had each gone their separate ways.

She told me to give him her warm regards.

She didn’t say much then but I had heard her over the years

mention that she, Oliver Black and a few other disciples of Mas-

ter had a meeting after Rajasi’s passing. They all voiced their

worries about what was going on in “the organization” (this is

often how Mother referred to Self-Realization Fellowship, SRF),

the many changes to Master’s books and to his work in general.

They discussed what to do about it.

Yogacharya Black was (is) a saintly individual. He had a very

calm and penetrating gaze. He seemed to be able to read me as

soon as I met him. But, as with other saints I have met, it was a

reading that was for my benefit not his. He seemed to have a uni-

versal view of things and he did not intrude himself into my con-

sciousness nor did I feel anything from him except crystal clear

observation.

I met him at the main house at the Song of the Morning Ranch

near Vanderbilt, Michigan. He and his daughter walked over

from the “Boat House” to join us for dinner. He reminded me of

my grandfather who had passed away four years before this.

There were four other disciples at the table and I remember

how formal everyone was during the meal. I once leaned my el-

bows on the table and, while talking to others, I noticed too late

that Yogacharya was doing the same only in a more exaggerated

fashion, lolling along the edge of the table. The others laughed

sympathetically at my discomfort and I quickly learned that this

was his way of enforcing the “no elbows on the table” rule of the

place. Who knew? He didn’t make me feel personally too un-

comfortable with this but I also learned to keep my elbows off

the table out of respect.


After the meal, as he was

making his way back to his

rooms in the Boat House, I

asked him if I could meet

with him. He immediately

said yes and set a time for

the next day.

Which is how I found my-

self seated opposite him

across his desk in the Boat

House. His daughter had let

me in and, after I was settled,

excused herself and left the

room. Yogacharya asked me

about Mother Hamilton, how

was her health and other

small talk. I mentioned SRF

and the problems of them

changing Master’s work. He immediately and firmly dissuaded

me from any such talk and said, “Why worry about this—it’s not

important. What you need to do is to focus on the third eye point

and pierce that bright light that is there. You must go through it

and you will see that nothing else is important.”

Then he asked me if I had been taught Kriya. I told him yes

and he asked me to demonstrate a Kriya breath for him to watch.

I did this and he said very sweetly, “You can come to the medi-

tation tonight up in the lodge.”

Later that evening a small group of devotees gathered and we

listened to Yogacharya prepare us for meditation. It’s funny how

little a great spiritual master has to do if it’s done with sincerity

and intentionality. With great economy Yogacharya led us all in

some Kriya exercises. Just a few and then he waited for us to

drop into a deep meditative state. His voice and spirit filled the

comfortable room and meditation had a pleasurable feeling to it.

This was when I got a glimpse of who he was and thanked God

and Mother for this opportunity to learn simplicity from this

great western saint.


Divine Mother, Divine Shakti By Cate Koler

I was raised a Protestant and there were no signs, symbols or

statues in our church except a single cross at the front. It wasn’t

until I was a young adult that I ventured into a Catholic church;

the various chapels with incense, candles and statues seemed

somewhat foreign and other-worldly, and entering my first tem-

ple in India seemed to be another world entirely. By this time I

had studied the mystical teachings of the East with Mother and

offering pronams to saints didn’t seem unnatural, but bowing to

the various idols in the temples was not something I was com-

fortable with. After all I had been instructed since young to “not

make unto thee any craven image,” and not “bow down thyself to

them….”

During that first trip to India in 1998 we traveled to Anandash-

ram and many of the holy places connected to our lineage. I soon

experienced the powerful vibrations of these sites and bowing to

statues of saints, gods and goddesses not only became natural but

became a spontaneous expression of my inner being. There was

no denying the Shatki which resided there.

This past December Larry and I took a celebratory trip to New

York City to sight-see and enjoy ourselves. Yet wherever we go

we are always drawn to churches or temples and New York was

no different. We toured St. John the Divine and visited St. Pat-

rick’s Cathedral another day. It had just been the festival of Our

Lady of Guadalupe and the statue of her was surrounded by hun-

dreds of flower offerings, but it was in a different smaller Mary

chapel where both Larry and I peacefully meditated for a while.

Our last day, a Sunday, after stopping at Columbus Square, we

happened upon another small church, St. Paul the Apostle. When

I now go back and look up the church on the internet I can see

nothing that would have necessarily impressed me about it. On

that day there was a Hispanic congregation having some kind of

service but we were told we could walk around. A man dressed

like Juan Diego, who had the apparition of Our Lady of Guada-

lupe, was at the back of the church and then there was a full size


statue of Our Lady nearby. I stood before

the statue with folded hands. Suddenly I

felt like someone had given me a blow to

my chest and I experienced a tremendous

shock of Shakti right at the heart center. I

was quite overwhelmed by the experience.

I had known nothing about the story of

Our Lady of Guadalupe before then but I

had been feeling more connection with

Mary and the Divine Mother in all her

forms over the past year or so. Now one

of these manifestations was introducing

Herself to me. Om Mother Om. Thank

you for gracing me with your Presence.

Our Lady of Guadalupe In 1531, a poor Aztec named Juan Diego,

who had recently converted to Christiani-

ty, was walking in the Tepayac hill coun-

try in central Mexico when he encoun-

tered a beautiful woman surrounded by a

ball of light. She told him in his own lan-

guage that she was the Mother of the true Deity who gives life

and maintains its existence. She told him to tell the bishop to

build a church there so people could experience her compassion.

The bishop was skeptical and asked for a sign. Juan returned

to Our Lady two or three times to request that she send a differ-

ent emissary but she assured him he was her chosen one. The

first miraculous sign she gave was to heal his dying uncle. She

told Juan to gather flowers from the hill, and although it was

usually barren, especially in December, there were non-native

Castilian roses blooming there. Juan carried the flowers to the

bishop in his cloak, and when he opened it an image of Our Lady

was found to be impressed in the fabric. This tilma (cloak) is

now Mexico’s most popular religious symbol and the basilica

housing the relic is the world’s third most-visited sacred site.

The feast day is December 12th.

Statue at the Church


Christian Yoga Class Each month Yogacharya David teaches a class on “Christian

Yoga: The Way of the Cross and the Christ.” Recently the topics

of the class have been ones relevant to the Easter season such as

“Why did Christ allow Judas to betray Him?” and “Ascension

in Christ Consciousness.” Devotees are given a focus for the

month to contemplate and put into practice and then share their

experiences, if they wish, with the group during the next class.

Last month we were asked to take a particular quality which has

been or will be instrumental on our path to God-realization

(such as loyalty, surrender, dedication, purity) and go deeper

into its meaning.

One devotee, Briana, was not able to attend and wrote a letter

to Yogacharya David about her month’s sadhana. David read it

to the group (with her permission); all in attendance were very

moved by her devotion and we felt it should be shared with our

readers here. (Those who cannot attend the class can see it live

—find the link to YouTube on the cross and lotus calendar—or

listen later to the digital recording accessed from the website.)

- the editors.

Surrender By Briana Jones

My Dearest Sat Guru,

As I will not be able to attend this Sunday’s Christian Yoga

class, I am sending you my month’s (lifetimes’ rather) home-

work. I chose this month to focus on the quality of “surrendering

all to God.”

Little did I know the monumental material God would be

handing me in order to deepen this practice. A tiny child on the

brink of death, an acting-out four year old, bodily sickness and

preparing to move are some of the experiences God placed be-

fore me in order that I might use every last bit of strength and

determination to give all to Him.


Father Divine, this is my prayer: I care not what I may perma-

nently possess, but give to me the power to acquire at will, what-

ever I may daily need.

Paramhansa Yogananda, Whispers From Eternity

The theme of my feeling for the month was complete tininess.

All that has transpired has taken me down to the smallest, most

incapable, tiny speck of dust. In this state of complete powerless-

ness before these shattering earthquakes, I have literally had no

choice, no strength, but to surrender ALL to Him. How could I

do anything? How could I face anything? How could any of this

belong to me? It is all too BIG for the little me.

It has been very painful, and don’t think I have not raged at

God, sobbed to God and resisted these experiences; but overall,

more than ever before, I have fallen at the feet of God in surren-

der. And what has been the result? The most incredible, loving,

giving, grace-filled support beyond my wildest dreams.

Every step along this journey I, we, have been blessed with the

angels of God from the form of a helicopter pilot, to doctors,

nurses, janitors, close and extended family, dog, neighbors,

friends, teachers, and of course, our beloved Masters, my

Gurudev and my most beautiful spiritual family of fellow devo-

tees. Phone calls, prayers, cards, gifts, money, meditations, heal-

ing OMs, they all keep raining in and I can hardly believe the

extent of such Love.

I feel it all as God’s love, pouring from His very heart through

all. My gratitude (and Scott’s) is so immense it brings me again

to my knees, in awe before God’s tremendous forces. Though

there are still aftershocks, there is a fathomless deepening of this

sense that God is the power and the life and the love in all, and

surrender is the only path to follow.

May His grace take me even deeper, until there is nothing but

Him.

Om Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram.

- Briana


Memories of Mother [From a letter Mother sent to devotees in 1957 from India]

How time flies. It doesn’t seem possible that so much of it has

elapsed since our last letter to you, but in this seemingly timeless

land, that is not surprising. We go to bed each night thinking that

surely tomorrow we will find time to do some writing and be-

lieve me, our intentions are the best; however, when another day

rolls around we find to our dismay that it has been packed to the

hilt with new and wonderful experiences. But the sheets of paper

we had laid out preparatory to sharing these experiences with

you still remain in their virgin state.

I wish it were possible to put down everything as it happens

because only in that way can one capture, in its entirely, the

mood, the picture, the event and the impression formed as it

makes its first impact upon the mind and the senses. I wish too

that I had the artistry of words with which to paint, in true and

glowing colors, the picture of life in India as it passes before our

eyes. Better still, I wish that you were here with us so that you

might share our wonderful adventure.

I thought that rather than continue our travel log where I left

off, it might be interesting to describe a chapter out of our life

here while it is still fresh in my mind. I shall pick up the threads

of the journey from America later on. This time I’d like to tell

you about our recent trip to Madras. We had planned previously

to go on a tour of India during the months of January and Febru-

ary because we had been told that these are the two best months

in the year for travel; however, as the time drew near, neither of

us felt in the mood. Finally we laid our problem in Papa’s lap

and he said, “Well, to tell you the truth Ramdas is not much for

it.” To those who are not familiar with this habit of referring to

himself in the third person, his manner of speech would no doubt

seem very strange. But because the ego-consciousness is entirely

absent, having been absorbed completely into God-

consciousness, it is literally impossible for him to say the word

‘I’ in connection with himself.

That settled it. He did agree, however, with Father’s sugges-


tion, that it might be a nice change if we were to visit Madras

just for a week or so. There are some very famous and historical

places in and near there which no traveler to India should miss

visiting, particularly if his interest is in the spiritual field. So we

readily compromised on Madras instead of a continental tour and

immediately felt much relieved over our decision. We decided to

leave on Dec. 28th, immediately after Papa’s Sannyas Day which

is Dec. 27th, the anniversary of the day he took his vow to re-

nounce all things of the world and dedicate himself completely

to God. But because of the heavy traffic during the holiday sea-

son, we were unable to get reservations in a first-class compart-

ment until January 2nd.

Papa emphasizes constantly that God does everything for the

best, so having put ourselves in God’s hands, we have come to

accept everything that happens, whether it be apparently good or

bad, in that light. He illustrates almost everything he says

through the telling of stories and this case is no exception. To

drive home the point, he told us a story about a parrot. It seems a

man went into a pet store to buy a parrot. There were quite a few

birds there but one in particular attracted his attention. He went

over to the bird, examined it thoroughly and said to the shop-

keeper, “This seems like a very nice parrot.”

The parrot cocked its head on one side, looked at him and

said, “There can be no doubt about it.” The man was immediate-

ly intrigued with the parrot’s intelligent answer, so the purchase

was made. He took the bird home, anticipating that he would

derive a great deal of pleasure in conversing with it. But, much

to his disappointment and chagrin, the only thing the parrot

could or would say was, “There can be no doubt about it.”

The constant repetition of the same sentence finally inflamed

the man’s anger to such an extent that he waved his fist at the

parrot and shouted, “I was certainly a darn fool ever to have

bought you.” The parrot looked at him, blinked its eyes and said,

in a deep, throaty voice, “There can be no doubt about it.” So

now, whenever anything occurs which causes Papa to say God

does everything for the best, someone pipes up, “There can be

no doubt about it,” and we all have a good laugh. [to be cont’d ]


Loon Lake By Lorraine Bourcier

The lessons and blessings of our retreat at Loon Lake are still

reverberating from my very core. This last retreat felt especially

powerful. The focus was so intense and David was such a pow-

erhouse himself, sharing it with us, driving us deeper and higher

into ourselves, our greater Selves. The main topic was Does God

Have Desires? David talked a lot about magnetism and not just

the good things we draw to ourselves but also the difficulties. I

was struck by the phrase, “hating a situation magnetizes it back

to you.”

Upon arriving home there were the usual challenges to face

and then a few extra thrown in for good measure. It was amazing

to find that I was untouched by them. I dealt with them to the

best of my abilities but they didn’t disturb the peace that I had

gained at the retreat; nor have they yet.

We all have difficulties that are apparent to most others. Then

there are difficulties that we reveal to a few close friends. Third-

ly there are the ones we keep to ourselves, hidden deep inside.

One of these deep hidden forces came up to challenge me. At

L-R: Denyse, Rolf, Lorraine


one point I felt like it was me and God against opposing forces

and it was a lonely place to be. I think that because I didn’t re-

spond in the ways I used to, I was rewarded with so much love

from the outside and especially from the inside—just bubbling

inside so I felt like I would burst with it all. To be untouched

emotionally by a situation that used to make me angry and inse-

cure was a revelation. I recognized that my automatic reaction

was going to be anger and that I still have a bad temper but I

could look at that with dispassion and not give it any power and

certainly not express it in an inappropriate manner. I waited until

I could assimilate the information and situation. Then I didn’t

have to say or do anything because I was completely detached. It

was something that really had nothing to do with me and I could

let it go and focus on what is truly important—God alone. So,

for me, in this one particular area, I feel I had a healing.

This is the lesson I took away with me. Emotions can be just

like Teflon, sliding off, not getting a hold of your heart or dis-

turbing the peace you work so hard for. As David said, “You

must be neutral and focus on love for God, then you will mag-

netically draw God to you.”

Om Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram

L-R: Angela, Davidji, Andrea


Reveal Your Divinity God-realization is nothing but a manifestation of one’s

own divinity.…

…A man may be learned in all the scriptures and have

studied all the philosophies. He may have performed severe

austerities. All this is of no avail if the redeeming, elevating

and transforming power of the Divine within him has not

begun its work. All true Sadhakas who are on the divine

path, at one stage of their progress, become like furnaces in

which the impure metal is freed from its dross, and their life

flows out in its pristine spiritual beauty and splendour.

Just as the sculptor reveals a figure of rare charm and

grace in a crude stone, so the working of the grace from

within brings out the latent potentiality and magnificence of

the Spirit. The hidden God asserts and manifests Himself.

This is the truth about God-realization. A man, understand-

ing the true purpose of his life, should submit himself to this

spiritual process of growth and achieve the supreme goal.

- from The Divine Life by Swami Ramdas

The group of retreatants at Loon Lake


Far Far Beyond Qualities and Thought* By Rebecca Barnowe

The air is ringing ringing heralding an oceanic In-

visible Presence everywhere broadcasting an untold

Peace.

Feel this utter subtlety of Being spreading out unim-

peded in every direction, imparting a perfect fluency

and ease—here where you stand!

What need have you, wandering through the dense

fog literally, searching for bread?

Here is the “bread of life,” manifesting right before

you. Still your whole being with Its supreme energy

and all-enlivening Grace. Receive in bounty whatever

you have need of—from this day forward.

Here is the Fountainhead flowing unceasingly, from

which everything in existence receives real suste-

nance!

It never spoils; it never wanes, but delivers on-time,

every time, your faintest longing, surfeited beyond

your wildest imagining.

Come into the temple of the Most High. Here is

your Home, long sought, your Lord Transcendent.

Inimitable His Presence, filled with purest Power

and a Love sublime—stretching into infinitude.

Come.

* Title comes from the last sentence in the last verse of the Chant: “Hymn

To Brahma,” from Paramhansa Yogananda’s book, Cosmic Chants.


Yoga and Health Krounchasana (Heron pose: a variation)

By Briana Jones

A serene pose for the summer to create stillness and clarity.

When I do this pose I think of the heron bird itself, standing at

the edge of glass-like water in the dawn. So tall, graceful, and

perfectly still. And yet its eye misses nothing.

Props: Even floor space, yoga mat, yoga strap (a tie, belt

or scarf can work as well.)

Practice: Begin seated on your mat with your knees bent, feet

on the floor. Hold your shins comfortably and take a centering

breath. Take your left foot to your right buttock, and clasp your

hands around your right shin. Your left knee should be opened

out on the floor, spine tall, and your weight spread evenly on

both sitting bones.

Take your right foot into your hands and extend your leg into

the air. (You can also choose to use a strap to place under the

ball of your foot, holding the ends to your desired length instead

of using your hands.) If this feels too difficult, bring a bend into

the knee, only lifting the leg to where you can still maintain a

straight spine. Keep your heart open, chest slightly lifted. Draw


your arms back into the shoulder sockets. Find an unmoving fo-

cus point in front of you and become very still. With each exha-

lation, feel the muscles all along the back of your leg releasing.

Open yourself to receive clarity, inspiration and divine peace.

When you are ready to come out, bend the right knee and re-

place your foot to the floor. Bring the left foot back to the floor

to the position you began in. Alternate and repeat on the left, fin-

ishing in your beginning seated pose. Feel both feet contacting

the earth in grounding peace.

Benefits: Releases the hamstrings and back of the thighs, en-

courages good posture, opens the hips and improves focus and

concentration. A blessed summer to all! Namaste.

Babaji Remembrance Day–July 25th

“Babaji’s spiritual state is beyond human comprehen-

sion,” Sri Yukteswar explained to me. “The dwarfed vi-

sion of men cannot pierce to his transcendental star. One

attempts in vain even to picture the avatar’s attainment. It

is inconceivable.”

- Paramhansa Yogananda, Autobiography of a Y ogi

“God wants to return to Himself. And then He can take on

form or He can leave it off. We have all read the stories in

the Autobiography about Babaji, this tremendous God-

man, who has been on this earth for several hundred years

and has the power and control over the atoms so that he

can manifest his body or not, as he chooses, and appear

anyplace. What a tremendous thing that is, to have com-

plete power over life and death. But is this not what is

promised us, if we will go all the way? How beautiful.

How wonderful it is. How beautiful and how wonderful it

is.”

- Mother Hamilton, from the talk “Holy Week” April 8, 1977


From the Master’s Kitchen One of the recipes originally published in Master’s Lessons

Apples with Cream

Shred raw Delicious apples. Add a very little brown sugar or

honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Fold in a small amount of

whipped cream and serve very cold in sherbet glasses. The ap-

ples may be thinly sliced instead of shredded if desired.

Comments from our C&L chef, Angela Victory

My garden, which is real-

ly God’s garden, a dreamy

location for the assembly of

Master’s “Apples with

Cream”—cottonwood fluff

blowing through, afternoon

sunshine catching the wav-

ing flowers, air is infused

with early summer sweet

smells and my mind is still

on David’s Sunday service,

“Our relationship with

God.” We substituted

Greek yogurt for cream

and Ambrosia apples

for Delicious. Results

were perfection be-

cause in my practice of

“laser beaming to the

source,” I am listening

to God; I am sharing

my time with God; and

I am cultivating my

relationship with God

through “Apples with

Cream.”


Journal Editors: Larry & Cate Koler

Calendar of Events June 17 Ramadan begins (ends evening July 17)

21 Father’s Day

21 Summer Solstice (9:38 a.m. PDT)

July 1 Canada Day

4 Independence Day

25 Babaji Remembrance Day

31 Guru Purnima

Aug. 19 Swami Ramdas’ Mahasamadhi Day (1963)

Sept. 13 Rosh Hashanah (ends evening Sept. 15)

23 Fall Equinox (1:22 AM PDT)

26 Lahiri Mahasaya’s Mahasamadhi Day

30 Lahiri Mahasaya’s Birthday (1828)

Oct. 12 Mother Krishnabai’s Birthday (1903)

12 Swami Satchidananda’s Birthday (1919)

Cross and Lotus Online Resources Our online resources are there to support you in your journey

and will propel you Godward in your practice. Thanks to your

contributions and many, many hours of volunteer work there is

no charge for any of this. (www.crossandlotus.com)

Crossandlotus.com: has many facets to it including Moth-

er Hamilton’s and Yogacharya David’s talks that can be down-

loaded to your computer or digital player or burned to a CD.

YouTube: We are now using YouTube to broadcast

Yogacharya David’s talks live. Please see the Calendar on the

website for the time and link. Find the day of the talk and click

on the city link and the live talk will be listed in your browser.

Skype: Yogacharya David conducts talks and two way

conversations with aspirants at certain designated Centers only.

He also is available for personal Skype and phone interviews.

David’s Blog Postings: www.yogacharyadavid.com

Calendar of Events: check to find out what is current.

Questions: contact Car la at car [email protected].

If you repeat Ram Mantra

constantly and surrender

yourself to the Divine within

you in your meditation and

also your daily activities, you

will have freedom from bad

habits, because God within

will see to it that your

thoughts are pure and then

your life will be imbued with

spiritual light and peace.

Swami Ramdas

God-realization must come

first; books and everything

else are of secondary

importance. Have God and

you have everything. Seek ye

the kingdom of God first, and

all things will be added unto

you—all wisdom, prosperity

and beauty. Get the tree of all

life, and you shall have each

of its fruits too.

Paramhansa Yogananda

The sweetness of God’s Presence surpasses any earthly experi-

ence. To love God with all of your heart, mind and soul creates

the most powerful magnetic force in all creation. The Infinite

Beloved cannot resist the pull of a true devotee. Feel a power

building in your heart center that radiates a Light irresistibly

drawing the Divine Presence and merge into the great I AM.

Yogacharya David Hickenbottom

Babaji’s Grotto at Cloud Mountain (Retreat for David’s Year of Silence)

The Cross and The Lotus Journal · renity of devoted meditation, and in-deed the former can feel like a jarring opposition, a base reminder of what needs to be done to have clothing,

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