You will find here all the longer texts – essays and stories – that have been posted on this blog, all gathered together for a better access, and a comfortable reading..
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There are Always Songs to Sing
“With time, everything is forgotten. Memories and dreams grow alike and interchangeable, and leak beyond the horizon of the heart with the certainty of sunset. They leave a residue of love and longing, that remain in our bodies and become our stories. My brother was 17 months older than me. When he was 7 years old he won silver in the 50m run …”
Discover this magnificent text by Anand R. Raghavan… (READ MORE…)
The Hermitage
“Step out of your house. Turn left. Or right. Then left again. Or maybe right. What does it matter really. You’re one with it all. Then enter the nearest wood. See how it is enchanted. And don’t forget. This is all you. You’re not walking anywhere. Not reaching any new place. Feel it inside yourself. It will pave your life with beauty. See how the sun is throwing. Its light on the forest bed. …”
A poetical stroll in search of your inner hermitage… (READ MORE…)
The Everlasting Arms
“Really, to surrender seems the most difficult thing to do. Even in our most relaxed moments, we are unconsciously holding the show through a subtle kind of effort. And this effort is being maintained throughout our life, even more so in moments of threats and desperation. The consequences of this constant tension …”
An exploration into the subject of surrender… (READ MORE…)
Songs of Awakening
“I would say that the stillness that seekers long for is the end of belief in the dream. Yet this is also feared, because when the dream of this and that is seen to be made up, then it means also that they are made up! It would mean that everyone they have ever loved or known in their entire lives are also made up! It would mean that there has never been a past and there will never be a future. …”
Listen to Nancy Neithercut wonderful poetry… (READ MORE…)
The Waiting Room
“There is a subtle waiting lingering inside us. Do you feel it? I do. Let’s have a look at it. It’s an expectation, a yearning, a feeling that says that the now, what is happening for me right now, is not quite enough. In whatever way I may look at it, that’s very clear. This is definitely not enough. Period. And off I go, keeping on living as if one day, maybe, if I’m lucky enough, if all the good stars align at last, …”
A playful exploration into the feeling of waiting… (READ MORE…)
This is is Meister Eckhart
“In the Middle Ages, in the heart of Europe and of the Christian faith, rose a voice of such richness and profusion, of such dumbfounding wisdom and precision of thought, that it is a duty for all serious seekers to be reminded of it. The name shines with a polish of spiritual mastery and authority: Meister Eckhart. Eckhart von Hochheim OP was born in 1260 …”
An exploration into the teachings of Meister Eckhart… (READ MORE…)
The Poor Man
“Reading again this sermon 87 by Meister Eckhart, entitled ‘The Poor Man’, I felt that I had to give it a place in this blog. I was stunned by its qualities, the modernity, profundity, clarity, precision, subtlety that breathes in and out of this piece, and its impeccable construction. We owe this translation to the teacher of nonduality Francis Lucille and I borrow it from the website ‘Stillness Speaks’…”
Read this most celebrated sermon by Meister Eckhart… (READ MORE…)
Verses on the Perfect Mind
“It is only recently that I have heard the first two lines of this Zen poem called ‘Hsin-hsin Ming’, which can be translated as ‘Verses on the Perfect Mind’. It is an ancient poem, one of the earliest and most influential Zen writings. It was allegedly composed by Chien-chih Seng-ts’an, who is referred as the Third Zen Patriarch. …”
Discover this old poem by the third Zen patriarch… (READ MORE…)
The Chariot and the Charioteer
“Free will is a tentacular issue. It permeates our life in a very intimate way, like very few things do. Any action that we might engage in, any decision we take, any thought we think, bear at their core the question of their ownership. If we believe in free will and don’t exercise it for all sorts of psychological reason, then the road is open to guilt, shame, regret, self-loathing. Could things have been any different?…”
An exploration into the nature and reality of free will… (READ MORE…)
The Inconceivable Actuality Here-Now
“I had a high school film teacher back in the 1960s who, in the first class, had us look at our thumbs. After about 10 minutes, he asked how many of us were bored. He told us that if we were really seeing, we wouldn’t get bored. He gave us homework assignments that involved sitting in front of trees and looking at small sections of bark for an hour, …”
Continue reading Joan Tollifson’s exploration into the Here-Now… (READ MORE…)
O Mystic Nuns!
“At all times, India has embraced the love and longing for God as a privileged access to our ultimate reality. This path of love or devotion, called bhakti, was trodden by countless seekers and poets who have offered their verses to posterity. Amongst them many women. Women who, alone, have walked the steep path to God, going against the society of men, marriage and conventions, with only one goal …”
Listen to the voices of Andal, Akka Mahadevi, and Mirabai… (READ MORE…)
The Search
“I have collected here some excerpts of a poetical work by J. Krishnamurti, published first in 1927 under the title ‘The Search’, and later in the book ‘From Darkness to Light’ (1980), along with other poems from this period. Krishnamurti considered these writings as not being part of his official teachings, for they were written when he was still involved with the Theosophical Society, …”
Read some excerpts of this old poem by J. Krishnamurti… (READ MORE…)
I, Lallā
“In the wake of the 14th century, Kashmir was an extraordinary place, at the crossroads of major religious influences: Kashmir Shaivism, Buddhism, Islam through the rise of Sufism, not forgetting the Vedantic tradition in place for centuries. Great political changes were taking place as the first Muslim rulers came into power. It was there, in a beautiful valley south-east of Srinagar, …”
To know more about Kashmiri woman saint Lal Ded… (READ MORE…)
Ishani’s Quest
“There was once a young girl of about ten years old, called Ishani. She lived on a mountain farm with her father. Her mother died a few years ago, and since then her father has grown bitter, hard, a gruff man. He started drinking, stopped seeing anybody, and forced his daughter to the same isolation. He wasn’t a bad man, but was saddened by the loss of his wife …”
A fairy story about the inner quest of a little girl… (READ MORE…)
Karma or the Monastic Life
“Politeness, wanting to be good, to do the right thing has tremendous power. It binds the world together. In spite of all the suffering, the hardship that exist in society, it is remarkable to notice to what degree people, all over the world, manage to lead a quite responsible life, searching to act in ways that are right, respectful. I used to work in a spiritual community where we would employ, …”
To delve into the concept of Karma and right action… (READ MORE…)
Khetwadi Lane
“The small village of Kandalgaon had just woken to a new day. The heat was slowly gathering in strength, and a few columns of smoke were the signs that another working day was on its way. “Maruti! Maruti!” Parvati Bai was once again calling her son. She was always worried about her six children, …”
Read about the path and teaching of Nisargadatta Maharaj… (READ MORE…)
A Secret Love Affair with Life
“I’m at home. The washing up is being done. All that exists in the universe is the chinking of plates, the glistening of bubbles, and the whoooossshhh of water as it shoots out of the tap. The washing of dishes fills all available space. This bowl is particularly dirty. It’s covered in dried breakfast cereal and will take ages to clean. The phone rings. The bowl is put down, rubber gloves are removed, …”
Continue reading Jeff Foster’s text on the intimacy of life… (READ MORE…)
Be Still and Know
“This was our last retreat there. In the old mansion that we so dearly loved. Amongst the rolling hills of Wales. Here we have listened and felt. Here we have known what needs to be known. We have felt our heart sing and thrive beyond measure. Here we sang together for the last time. A small improvised choir. …”
A text unraveling the words of a divine song… (READ MORE…)
Insights into Wholeness
“It really was a thrill. The day when David Bohm was announced to come and participate at our staff meeting. This was back in the years when I was working in Brockwood Park, the school founded in England by J. Krishnamurti. Just realise: one of the greatest theoretical physicist of the 20th century, who worked closely with Albert Einstein and had numerous insightful dialogues with Krishnamurti …”
Continue reading about David Bohm’s life and insights… (READ MORE)
The Unattainable One
“In the deepest villages of Bengal, there remains today a community of vagrant singers, both mystical bards and wandering minstrels, the Bauls. For centuries they have been treading the dust of the roads, with a firm and aerial step, at the rhythm of their daily needs and highest aspirations. The term ‘baul’, derived from the Sanskrit ‘vatulā’, means …”
Listen to the path and voices of the Bauls of Bengal… (READ MORE…)
Benares my Love
“One day long ago, I was stopped on my way, redirected as it were. It was one morning, the time of a glorious encounter with the subtle ethers of a city. Nothing would ever be the same. But what did I know at the time? In Benares I met the Ganges. But it wasn’t a river. It was something calm, placid, yet charged …”
A secret and poetical meeting with Varanasi or Benares… (READ MORE…)
At the Feet of the Rishis
“In January 1950, in the wake of her freshly acquired independence, India adopted the motto that was to adorn the base of the Lion Capital of Ashoka, one simple phrase: “The true prevails, not the untrue.” How revealing that this country has put on her national emblem a mantra excerpted from the Mundaka Upanishad (Hymn III.1.6). This mantra is a profoundly significant spiritual message …”
Discover some of the gems contained in the Upanishads… (READ MORE…)
A World of Delight
“I have borrowed the words of the title to another of William Blake’s poems. It points to the realisation that our true nature is intimately married to the world, and that the expression of this understanding is pure, unconditional delight or happiness. This is the Tantric view: in Rupert Spira’s words, “the intimate knowing that Consciousness, what we truly are, is the substance of Reality, …”
A collection of quotes on the Tantric path… (READ MORE…)
Tantra, the Song of Life
“For anyone interested in uncovering the true nature of his or her being, some pathways exist to travel – motionlessly – from being identified to an imaginary sense of self to being established in the real, forgotten, and only self there is: consciousness. These pathways correspond to the different components of our living experience, …”
An exploration into the nature of the Tantric path… (READ MORE…)
The Mystique of Freedom
“In the vast library cataloguing exceptional human experiences, daunting adventures, and intriguing explorations, the tales of humanity’s search for spiritual liberation are some of the more compelling, and have even formed the basis for most of the world’s religions and philosophies. We all love a good story! However, as fascinating as the reports may be …”
Discover this beautifully crafted essay by Bob O’Hearn… (READ MORE…)
Precious Little Remains
“I have chosen to share with you here a few of the haiku-poems written by Ray Andrews, a friend from Wales. They are lovely little poems, making our heart soft, provoking here a smile, there some tenderness, taking you gently to a place in yourself where silence abides. They are, as one of Ray’s poem read, like “Precious little remains On the pathway To the sun. …”
Enjoy Ray Andrew’s poems and Nicki Gwynn-Jones’ photos… (READ MORE…)
Rumi
“Rumi is a giant. Somebody whose words resonate with the perfume of truth, but about whom we paradoxically know very little. At least I didn’t. Quoted far beyond the small circle of spiritual seekers, he is taken for granted, like a distant angular stone of spirituality. His verses are shared, loved as so many gems of human history, but without showing off. And yet, what depth of understanding they convey! …”
Immerse yourself in Rumi’s path of divine love and poetry… (READ MORE…)
Variations on the Separate Self
“Why is it so difficult to recognise something that’s staring us in the face? The distance is always so short between our worse moments of separation and the full recognition of the truth of our being. The tiniest, softest change of focus can either show you a world made of infinite space or throw you into an abyss of tortured thinking. When we stand in the apparent coziness of our false beliefs, …”
Various thoughts on the ways of the separate self… (READ MORE…)
The Departure
“His two bags were lying at his feet in the bedroom, wonderfully clean, square, tied up. Slowly, he had dressed with the clothes he had carefully chosen for the trip, had slipped his black leather belt on, in which slept a few bundles of neat traveler’s cheques, had put on his brand new, too new sneakers. Already, he imagined them, old and wrinkled, worn out, …”
A short story that speaks of a dream coming true… (READ MORE…)
The Deepest Acceptance
“The question of ‘surrender’ is one that is often misunderstood. Surrender implies, in everyday language, something that the mind does, even remotely, in order to give itself to a reality that seems inescapable. It often comes down to a form of resignation, a giving up, something passive at its core, which brings more delusion and suffering. So what is true ‘surrender’, in a non-dual context? …”
A collection of quotes on the question of ‘surrender’ (READ MORE…)
Kabir Says:
“Little is known about Kabir. Legends abound and certainties are scarce. He was a weaver, probably spending most of his time working at his handloom. He was born in a Muslim family in fifteenth Century Benares, and became a mystic and a poet whose songs and ‘bānīs’ – meaning ’utterances’ – spread in the whole of India and beyond, mostly handed down orally between seekers and sadhus …”
Listen to the wonderful voice and poetry of Kabir (READ MORE…)
Bhakti, the Song of Love
“I intend here to continue exploring the three different pathways towards realising our true nature. I have some time ago given my attention to Jñāna, which in the Indian tradition is the name given to the means of attaining truth through the investigative qualities of the mind, which are mostly thinking …”
An exploration into Bhakti, the path of love and devotion (READ MORE…)
Where God Speaks
“Angelus Silesius was a German mystic born Johannes Scheffler in 1624. Although a Lutheran, he converted to Catholicism and became a priest. After being a physician for a while, he became known for his mystical poetry. He published two poetical works, “The Soul’s Spiritual Delight“, a collection of more than two hundred religious songs, and “The Cherubinic Wanderer“, …”
Read the poems by Angelus Silesius on the nature of reality (READ MORE…)
A Silent Wind
“Amma. A name, a face, a smile that I have seen represented so many times. Her reputation and aura precede her wherever she goes, and she happened to come close to where I lived. So I went, not knowing what to expect, apart from the Indian ceremonial, a good dose of devotion, and her embrace, this simple gesture …”
A day spent in Amma’s presence and embrace (READ MORE…)
Duet of One
“The Ojai Valley runs along an east-west mountain range, twenty miles inland from the Pacific coastline. The area where Krishnamurti was staying was located at the east-end of the valley surrounded by lush green mountains, oak and pine forests, and acres of orange and avocado groves. …”
Continue with Ray Brooks’ one to one meeting with Krishnamurti (READ MORE…)
Jñāna, the Song of the Self
“It happened long ago, during a morning stroll behind my house. I was contemplating my deep sadness and my desire to change, when a simple intuition came uninvited. I felt that it was possible to change and I had the power to initiate it. I felt that this change, this cure for my unhappiness was to be found in myself. …”
An exploration into Jñāna, the path of knowledge (READ MORE…)
Song of the Avadhut
“I share here excerpts from an ancient text of India called ‘Song of the Avadhut’, which has been translated by Swami Abhayananda. Although it has been attributed to Dattatreya – most probably a legendary figure – the author is unknown, but it is agreed that it was written around the 9th or 10th centuries. ‘Avadhut’ means ‘liberated being’. The song describes what it means to be spiritually liberated. …”
Discover the ancient song of the liberated soul (READ MORE…)
The Heart of Tagore
“Rabindranath Tagoreis certainly one of the fathers of modern Indian literature. His work is immense and fascinating. He is the author of more than a thousand poems, two thousand songs of which he also wrote the music, novels, short stories, plays. He has also written essays on all subjects that were dear to him, from philosophy to politics, from education to the arts …”
Let’s delve into the spiritual heart of Tagore’s poetry and essays (READ MORE…)
The Distant Lord
“In 1990, I visited Corbett National Park, one of the largest and most famous wildlife sanctuaries in India. My dream: to see a wild tiger. When the bus that took me there had crossed the entrance of the park, and while I was already scanning the jungle in an irrational hope, a burst of flamboyant colors vanished into the canopy. It was a peacock! I had already seen hundreds of peacocks in India …”
An insightful meeting in the depth of the Indian jungle (READ MORE…)
A Day at Brockwood Park
“Seated on the back seat of the car, I was scrutinising the landscape. Although we were driving through one of these English narrow roads, squeezed between two tall hedges, the place was nevertheless growing in familiarity. Twenty-two years! Twenty-two years that I hadn’t been here! Now the landscape and the roads were known by me, my heart was throbbing and I was seized by an unavoidable emotion. …”
Join me for a day spent in the aura of Krishnamurti’s Teaching (READ MORE…)
The Churches of Rome
“Ah the churches of Rome! Here I am, trodding for the second time the worn, disjointed, unsettled paved streets of the eternal city, with one thing in mind: visiting and admiring some of its most beautiful basilicas, churches, chapels, oratories… It is said that there are about 900 churches in Rome, so the choice is wide and elegant. One thing to remember here …”
An essay on the churches of Rome and their deeper meaning (READ MORE…)
The Divine Play
“Jnaneshwar was a Marathi saint, poet and mystic born in 1275. He is the author of two major works of Marathi spiritual literature. The first was written when he was only sixteen, and is a commentary on the Bhagavad Gita called ‘Jnaneshwari’. The second is called ‘Amritanubhava’, ‘The Nectar of Wisdom’, and is indeed the fruit of his own understanding and realisation. …”
Jnaneshwar’s writings on the Divine Play of Shiva-Shakti (READ MORE…)
Our Mother’s Lap
“I’m sure we can all remember this. We were small children, we were playing in the courtyard near our house with our little friends. Maybe running after a ball. Then, pushed by a rough little boy, we fell and hurt our knee on the ground. It was painful. We got confused and a rush of pain and sadness overwhelmed us. We froze for a second, confused, and then what? …”
A divagation into the ways of the little child (READ MORE…)
Unsubstantiality
“I remember one day being at the breakfast table, my eyes peeking randomly through the window. They landed on the courtyard down below where a thin layer of snow were covering the lawns. I was attracted by the curious behaviour of a couple of magpies. One was so to speak climbing up a tree, branch after branch, until it reached a spot where the building of a nest was being started. …”
A reverie that speaks of our unsubstantial nature (READ MORE…)
The Lord of the Dance
“The most famous form of Shiva is the Lord of the Dance, ‘Nataraja’, the form in which all other forms of Shiva are included. In one sublime pose, in one movement, one dance, is described the whole process of life and death, of ignorance and understanding. Ananda Coomaraswamy remarks: “Whatever the origins of Shiva’s dance, it became in time the clearest image of the activity of God… ”
Quotes and pointers on Shiva’s dance of life and death (READ MORE…)
Rendezvous with Ramana, Part III
“The life of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi was immaculate humility and benevolence. He showed compassion to all beings — animals, thieves, people from all castes, religions and creeds. He refrained from getting involved in worldly activities; he never handled any of the ashram money nor did he answer letters addressed to him, though he would always welcome anyone into his presence. …”
Embark on Paula Marvelly’s third Part journey to Arunachala (READ MORE…)
Speaking of Shiva
“If you have been to India, you are likely to have met a beggar who came to you imploring, asking you to relieve him from his suffering, but also being a little rough, with something in his voice sounding like a reproach. You probably froze for a second, feeling guilty, not knowing what to do. You felt caught between giving or not giving, between an easy way out or a shameful flight. …”
An essay to explore the meaning behind Shiva’s many forms (READ MORE)
Rendezvous with Ramana, Part II
“I wake up and leap out of bed, panting and thrashing about like a mad woman. It takes a few moments to realize where I am. It was all just a dream, I tell myself. But it was so very real whilst it was all happening. And now, another dream surrounds me. When will I wake up from this one, I wonder? …”
Embark on Paula Marvelly’s second Part journey to Arunachala (READ MORE…)
Rendezvous with Ramana, Part I
“I haven’t slept a wink. My body is weeping sweat and the pain in my gut has had me writhing on the bed all night, culminating in an acute upset stomach. I feel terrible. Once more, day breaks. The sounds of India seep into my consciousness as I lie in my alien room …”
Follow Paula Marvelly’s journey to Arunachala (READ MORE…)
The Fruitless Search
“It is not because I have read a few books, bathed in the presence of some beautiful beings, and participated to many retreats that I know where I am, what I am at, and can now follow the upward course of a promised, enlightened destination. I’m not like an arrow steadily cutting through the air. It’s not like that I’m afraid. …”
A tale that speaks of a lost being and its fruitless search (READ MORE…)
A Path, What Path?
“The question of the ‘spiritual path’ is a difficult one, that seems to draw different points of view and approaches, both from students and teachers. I have gathered here many quotes and pointers on and around this subject, from various spiritual teachers and poets of the eternal and the infinite. …”
A collection of quotes on the question of the spiritual path (READ MORE…)
The Path
”I’d like to tell you a story, a parabolic tale I wrote long ago. It’s a story that has already been posted here on its own. It is called ‘The Truth Seeker’, but could have been called ‘The Path’, as it exposes, describes some of the stages we find …”
A playful exploration into the nature of the spiritual path (READ MORE…)
Promenade Parisienne
“I love, during my walks in Paris, to stop in one of the many small parks that you find in the capital. I sit on a bench and rest while observing, listening: Some children are having some fun a little further, pushing each other on the slides, playing on the swings. …”
Share with me a poetical promenade in Paris (READ MORE…)
Destroyer of Darkness
“It knew better. This thing, so dense, so light, that took me into its lap, that invited me for a dance with eternity, with infinity, would not leave me alone, unattended. Not even two days after encountering this mystery, after dipping into this bath of love and beauty, I was being shown a way. I believe it is inevitable when there is an opening. …”
An exploration into the function of the spiritual teacher (READ MORE…)
The Meeting
”Benares – a strange and beautiful city, the most religious city of all, so entrancing, so mysterious. Pierre had often heard of this town, and now he was already treading its soil. Many people had advised him that it’s not a place to linger in. ‘You will be assailed by the rickshaws, the hoteliers, the merchants…’, …”
A short story, that tells of an unexpected meeting (READ MORE…)
The Truth Seeker
“A long time ago, in India, lived a man named Admita. All his life had been aspent in a harsh and hostile desert, surrounded by sand and dry, swirling winds. He led a life of wandering without help or hope on this desolate land. He had well heard of stories that described places of lush greenery and great beauty, …”
A short fairy story, a spiritual parable (READ MORE…)
Blown Out
“Nothing much, really. Something just like peeking out of the window. But let’s not be overly disdainful, for this can bend the course of a life and change it in a profound way. To have a spiritual experience is a blessing, a call, maybe a rehearsal for the final dissolution. It leaves you puzzled, wanting to understand, …”
An essay to delve into the nature of Awakening (READ MORE…)
Bhāratā Mā
“India. I visited her and fell under her spell and her charm. If I look back, my spiritual journey started as a big cliche: I went to India to find truth, and I found it. Well, I didn’t find a neatly arranged package of truth, ready made and understood to be lived for ever thereafter. …”
An essay on the discovery of India’s spiritual heart (READ MORE…)
On Labyrinths, Grace and the Via Creativa
“The Labyrinth is a familiar symbol. Its enigmatic presence has left footprints that fade back into the beginning of the human story. Its origins and its purpose have been rich fodder for research and speculation.
I don’t pretend to know the truth of its tale, but see the archetypal labyrinth as apt visual shorthand for the map of a life, and that’s how its symbolism is used in this little essay. …”
A text by Miriam Louisa Simons (READ MORE…)
Suffering Leads to Joy
“How did it all begin for me? This. This deep interest in finding out what life is about. This love of Truth. This spiritual search. In what cradle did it come to existence, in what fertile soil did it come to grow? I remember how acute the desire for change was as a young man. …“
A text on the subject of suffering (READ MORE…)
The Dawn Within 