Ajahn Chah, a revered Thai Buddhist monk and meditation master, shares profound insights on facing death and embracing impermanence. He encourages understanding life’s transient nature, highlighting how attachment leads to suffering. Ajahn Chah guides listeners through practices of mindfulness to cultivate inner clarity amidst anxiety and fear. He emphasizes that true peace stems not from material gains but from a deep connection to one’s spiritual 'real home,' fostering acceptance and compassion in the face of life's challenges.

Dive into the wisdom of Gnostic texts as selected excerpts from The Sophia of Christ unfold. Discover the intricate relationship between material and spiritual worlds, exploring profound truths beyond mere understanding. Reflect on human perception and philosophical views while embracing the eternal nature of spiritual knowledge. This journey invites listeners to connect with deep insights and timeless wisdom.

Nisargadatta Maharaj, an influential Indian guru of nondualism, dives deep into the essence of consciousness. He highlights the formlessness of consciousness and how our attachment to physical identity can lead to pain. Maharaj encourages a shift in perspective towards acceptance and understanding our connection to a universal consciousness. His teachings remind us of the transient nature of individual identity, pushing listeners to explore a broader sense of being.

Charlotte Joko Beck, a renowned American Zen teacher and author, shares profound insights from her talk rooted in 'Everyday Zen'. She discusses the evolution of spiritual practices, shifting from mere comfort to genuine transformation. Joko highlights common misconceptions newcomers have about Zen, emphasizing that true fulfillment goes beyond material gains. The significance of selflessness and compassion in personal growth is also explored, stressing the journey of understanding through meditation and the importance of patience in navigating emotional landscapes.

Dive into the life of Milarepa, a pivotal figure in Tibetan Buddhism. Discover his transformation from a vengeful sorcerer to a devoted yogi under the guidance of Marpa. The themes of purity and karma resonate deeply as listeners learn about Milarepa's journey toward enlightenment. Reflecting on the impermanence of life, the podcast encourages a commitment to spiritual growth and the pursuit of deeper truths. Through poetic readings and personal insights, the essence of yoga as a path to understanding life and death unfolds beautifully.

Dive into the core teachings of Longchenpa, highlighting the path to recognizing your own nature. Explore the transformative journey toward self-liberation and the concept of original purity. Discover how all phenomena manifest the Dharmakaya and the importance of gaining confidence in liberation. The insights provided illuminate the timeless awareness essential for achieving Buddhahood.

Explore the significance of solitude and silence during the Christmas season. Embrace introspection to enhance the spirit of giving, focusing on authenticity rather than materialism. Delve into the complex emotions that arise during the holidays, advocating for deep spiritual connections. Reflect on the interior experiences of faith, hope, and love, connecting with the divine in everyday moments. This journey emphasizes quiet contemplation as a path to experiencing the profound truths of the season.

In this thought-provoking discussion, Jean Klein, a renowned French author and spiritual teacher, delves into the profound nature of listening. He explores how true listening goes beyond mere hearing, fostering awareness and clarity. Highlighting the importance of transcending identities, Klein emphasizes that this meditative state leads to a deeper understanding of existence. He also discusses the connection between body awareness and intuition, revealing how pure listening can enhance love and relationships. Prepare for a transformative journey into non-duality!

This is a selection of "Sayings of Jesus" from the gnostic Gospel of St. Thomas (translated by Stephen J. Patterson and James M. Robinson) plus a few other selections of Jesus' key teachings from other gospels. https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-topics/bible-versions-and-translations/the-gospel-of-thomas-114-sayings-of-jesus/ Here's the link to various other translations: http://gnosis.org/naghamm/gosthom.html The Gospel of Thomas (also known as the Coptic Gospel of Thomas) is a non-canonical sayings gospel. It was discovered near Nag Hammadi, Egypt, in December 1945 among a group of books known as the Nag Hammadi library. Scholars speculate that the works were buried in response to a letter from Bishop Athanasius declaring a strict canon of Christian scripture. Scholars have proposed dates of composition as early as AD 60 and as late as AD 140. The Coptic-language text, the second of seven contained in what modern-day scholars have designated as Codex II, is composed of 114 sayings attributed to Jesus. In the Gnostic Christian tradition, Christ is seen as a divine being which has taken human form in order to lead humanity back to the Light. The usual meaning of gnostikos in Classical Greek texts is "learned" or "intellectual". Art image - "Ground" by Dan Hillier used with kind permission of the artist. Please see Dan's incredible art at: https://danhillier.com/ Music: Father Archimandrite Serafim Bit-Kharibi and his choir - Saint- Petersburg 🙏 May whatever goodness arises from these readings/offerings be for the benefit of all sentient beings. 🔆 These podcasts are not monetized. If you benefit from these podcasts and would like to support our nun's hermitage, there are two options to donate - via Paypal using this email address: vivekahermitage@gmail.com with PayPal or using this direct link: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://paypal.me/VivekaHermitage⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or we have a WISE account with the above email address.

Selected teachings of Ma's taken from various sources. Anandamayi Ma ( 30 April 1896 – 27 August 1982) was a Bengali Saint, described by Sivananda Saraswati (of the Divine Life Society) as "the most perfect flower the Indian soil has produced." Precognition, faith healing and miracles were attributed to her by her followers. Paramahansa Yogananda translates the Sanskrit epithet Anandamayi - as "Joy-permeated" in English. This name was given to her by her devotees in the 1920s to describe her perpetual state of divine joy. Music: "Sleep Music" - Le Code Bandcamp : https://le-code.bandcamp.com/ Spotify : https://spoti.fi/3GN1OGm https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGykDEr7ugNVA6QylRuzOPA With thanks to Alex for his gift of music 🙏 May whatever goodness arises from these readings/offerings be for the benefit of all sentient beings. 🔆 These podcasts are not monetized. If you benefit from these podcasts and would like to support our nun's hermitage, there are two options to donate - via Paypal using this email address: vivekahermitage@gmail.com with PayPal or using this direct link: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://paypal.me/VivekaHermitage⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or we have a WISE account with the above email address.