Vivekananda & Qualification — Spring Retreat in Seattle [Last February, we gathered with Babaji in honor of Swami Vivekananda’s 150th birth anniversary to study the nature of spiritual qualification in the aspirant through the lens of Swami Vivekananda’s teachings and statements.  Using Babaji’s chart, “Qualification is King,” as a foundation outlining essential concepts in seven philosophical systems (Sankhya, Yoga, Vedanta, …

[These notes are from Babaji’s classes from September 2012 through March 2013] Insights into Yoga One does not transgress the laws of Nature, one leaves Nature behind.  This is the real meaning of levitation. A special thing happens when the adept enters Sananda Samadhi, which is perception of individual bliss.  It is all-attracting, but the soul turns away and sees …

  Notes & Reflections, July 2012The 2012 summer retreat at the American River focused on the teachings of Moksha, True Freedom.  The English language and the way we use it will never be the same for those of us who study Vedanta and the divine vocabulary of Sanskrit – a language by which, as Babaji often tells us, a substantial …

Classnotes — June, July, August 2012 The RealSat Chit Ananda [absolute Existence, Awareness, Bliss] is an ancient name for God, and a triputi of Supreme ramifications.  In fact, It had an even more ancient version called Asti Bhati Priya – It is Existence, It is Light, and It is the most dear. Faster than the speed of sound is the …

March-May Classes Tantra TeachingsOne of the Seven Victories in Tantric philosophy and practice is called manojavittvam.  Manojavittvam expresses the swiftness of thought and mind.  In this state of attainment, the mind visits all realms consciously.  When one sees the changes of consciousness [from the standpoint of the stable Witness], then comes the death of root ignorance. The final victory in …

Spring Retreat in Seattle, Washington Reflections and Notes All of our SRV retreats are unique and profound, and each “retreat sangha” has its special character.  The Yoga Vasishtha retreat with Babaji, held in Seattle last May, was one of our smaller such retreat sanghas and especially conducive to more subtle communion in the teachings throughout all activities of the weekend …

Winter Seminar in Oregon Plus Hawaii Class Notes Notes & ReflectionsIn February, Babaji presented a weekend seminar on Dissolving the Mindstream through diverse philosophical systems and perspectives: Vedanta, Sankhya, Yoga, Tantra, and Aum.  He is continuing this series in Hawaii during Sunday classes so that mainland and island sanghas receive the same teachings. Retreat Reflection #1The SRV ashram in Portland …

Class Notes from Hawaii, Oregon, & San FranciscoJanuary-March 2012  Discrimination and its CulminationIn the course of the practice of discrimination between the unchanging Reality, Brahman, and the ever-changing phenomena referred to as “the world,” the mind of the aspirant gets clarified and purified and moves through the following perspectives with regard to phenomena and its relation to Reality: first, phenomena …

Babaji’s Fall Classes, September – December, 2011 Babaji’s Autumn visit to the West Coast centers was attended by a wonderful diversity of events and teachings.  With him, we studied the Svetashvataro Upanisad, Divine Mother teachings in accord with the auspicious Navaratri worship of Mother Durga celebrated in both San Francisco and Portland, and also the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility for …

Babaji’s Sunday Class: July 3, 2011, Hawaii This class followed the Wood Valley Raja Yoga Retreat and ended the early summer series of classes in Hawaii.  Babaji used it as an opportunity to continue with the teachings on Raja Yoga, specifically, the teachings on Samadhi. In the Vivekachudamani, Shankara states, “Only by that meditation that is free of all doubts …