“In my own spiritual journey, I became a swami on the Hindu path of Bhakti. In the Hindu tradition, a swami is a monk who forgoes regular family life for the purpose of making the whole world his family and channels his full energy into spiritual practice, devotion to God and service to humanity.” WorldWholeSpiritualPurposeHumanityEnergyMy OwnPracticePathJourneyTraditionDevotionWhole WorldMonkFamily LifeSpiritual JourneySpiritual PracticeService To HumanityBhaktiDevotion To God Author:Radhanath Swami
“I have my own way to walk and for some reason or other Zen is right in the middle of it wherever I go. So there it is, with all its beautiful purposelessness, and it has become very familiar to me though I do not know "what it is." Or even if it is an "it." Not to be foolish and multiply words, I'll say simply that it seems to me that Zen is the very atmosphere of the Gospels, and the Gospels are bursting with it. It is the proper climate for any monk, no matter what kind of monk he may be. If I could not breathe Zen I would probably die of spiritual asphyxiation.” IfsKnowsWayKindMayMatterReasonSeemsBeautifulSpiritualDiesMy OwnWalksMiddleNo Matter WhatClimateBreatheFoolishFamiliarAtmosphereIf I CouldMonkBurstingPurposelessnessAsphyxiation Book:Encounter: Thomas Merton & D.T. Suzuki Source: Encounter: Thomas Merton & D.T. Suzuki
“Prayer by its nature is communion and union of man with God; by its action it is the reconciliation of man with God, the mother and daughter of tears, a bridge for crossing temptations, a wall of protection from afflictions, a crushing of conflicts, boundless activity, the spring of virtues, the source of spiritual gifts, invisible progress, food of the soul, the enlightening of the mind, an axe for despair, a demonstration of hope, release from sorrow, the wealth of monks.” MenMindSoulActionSpiritualMotherPeaceWealthPrayerVirtueProgressTearsSourceWallSorrowActivityConflictDespairSpringDaughterUnionsProtectionInvisibleTemptationReleaseBridgesCrushCommunionAfflictionMonkReconciliationEnlighteningDemonstrationBoundlessCrossingsMother And DaughterSpiritual Gifts Author:Ignatius Bryanchaninov
“Obedience is necessary not only for monks, but for all people. Even the Lord was obedient. The proud and self-regarding do not allow grace to live in them, and therefore they never have spiritual peace, while in the obedient soul the grace of the Holy Spirit enters easily and gives joy and peace. Whoever bears even a little grace in himself joyfully submits himself to all direction. He knows that God directs even the heavens and the netherworld, and himself, and his business, and everything in the world, and therefore he is always at peace.” PeopleKnowsWorldInspirationalGivingLittlesSoulSelfChristianSpiritualJoySpiritHeavenReligiousLordGraceBearsProudHolyObedienceHoly SpiritOrthodoxSubmitMonkObedientSpiritual Peace Author:Silouan the Athonite