Wisdom of the Masters

Selected excerpts from the text, "The Cloud of Unknowing" - formatted for meditation/contemplation. A number of translations have been used but most were taken from Carmen Acevedo Butcher's translation. The Cloud of Unknowing is an anonymous work of Christian mysticism, most likely a Carthusian monk, written in Middle English in the latter half of the 14th century. The text is a spiritual guide on contemplative prayer in the Late Middle Ages. The underlying message of this work suggests that the way to know God is to abandon consideration of God's particular activities and attributes, and be courageous enough to surrender one's mind and ego to the realm of "unknowing", at which point one may begin to glimpse the nature of God. The Cloud of Unknowing draws on the mystical tradition of Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite and Christian Neoplatonism, which focuses on the via negativa road to discovering God as a pure entity, beyond any capacity of mental conception and so without any definitive image or form. 🔆 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 become at Patron at: https://www.patreon.com/jayasara 🙏 May whatever goodness arises from these readings/offerings be for the benefit of all sentient beings.

1 Juni 20231h 5min

A reading for meditation of excerpts taken from the text "All Else is Bondage". Terence James Stannus Gray (14 September 1895 – 5 January 1986), better known by the pen name Wei Wu Wei, was a 20th-century Taoist philosopher, writer, Egyptologist and theatre producer.  Gray was born in Felixstowe, Suffolk, England on 14 September 1895, into a well-established Anglo-Irish family.  He was educated at numerous prestigious institutions including Eton and Oxford University.   After he left his theatrical career, his thoughts turned towards philosophy and metaphysics. This led to a period of travel throughout Asia, including time spent at Ramana Maharshi's ashram in Tiruvannamalai, India. Between the years 1958 and 1974 a series of eight books appeared attributed to the mysterious 'Wei Wu Wei'.  These works draw on a variety of sources, including Taoism, specifically the texts attributed to Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu, Buddhism, especially The Heart, Diamond and Lankavatara Sutras, and Chan Buddhism as taught by Hui Neng, Huang Po, Hui Hai, etc., as well as the teachings of Padma Sambhava and Sri Ramana Maharshi, among others. 🔆 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 become at Patron at: https://www.patreon.com/jayasara 🙏 May whatever goodness arises from these readings/offerings be for the benefit of all sentient beings.

28 Maj 202330min

This is a selection of key pointers from Nisargadatta formatted for guided meditation, taken from the texts "I am That" and "Seeds of Consciousness" - Edited by Jean Dunn. Nisargadatta Maharaj (17 April 1897 – 8 September 1981), born Maruti Shivrampant Kambli, was an Indian guru of nondualism, belonging to the Inchagiri Sampradaya, a lineage of teachers from the Navnath Sampradaya and Lingayat Shaivism. 🔆 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 become at Patron at: https://www.patreon.com/jayasara 🙏 May whatever goodness arises from these readings/offerings be for the benefit of all sentient beings.

24 Maj 202340min

Selected verses and teachings taken from The Complete Mystical Works of Meister Eckhart - translated by Maurice Walshe Johannes Eckhart was one of the greatest of Christian mystics. He was born at Hochheim in Thüringen, Germany, in 1260 and died c.1327. He entered the Dominican order when he was 15. Later he became a distinguished professor and taught at different universities. His direct and accessible teachings of a person's closeness to God inspired many people and he became well known throughout Europe. He was later summoned to an inquisition for heretical teachings, at which he vigorously defended himself. 🔆 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 become at Patron at: https://www.patreon.com/jayasara 🙏 May whatever goodness arises from these readings/offerings be for the benefit of all sentient beings.

18 Maj 202313min

A reading of the Aggivacchagotta Sutta from The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Majjhima Nikaya - ​MN 72 - Translated by Bhikkhu Nanamoli. In this discourse the wanderer Vacchagotta asks the Buddha if he holds the view of the ten speculative questions related to eternalism, nihilism, soul, body, etc. The Buddha declares that he does not hold to these speculative views which do not allow one to reach the attainment of the ending of pain/suffering. After an interactive question and answer section, Vacchagotta finally understood that it is through the non clinging and non attachment to the five aggregates that is beneficial for one to be in line with the noble eightfold path that will lead to cessation of samsara. By clinging to speculative views one is not benefitted at all. 🔆 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 become at Patron at: https://www.patreon.com/jayasara 🙏 May whatever goodness arises from these readings/offerings be for the benefit of all sentient beings.

16 Maj 202318min

A selection of poems written by Dogen taken from various texts: ** The Zen Poetry of Dogen: Verses from the Mountain of Eternal Peace - translated by Steven Heine ** The Enlightened Heart, An Anthology of Sacred Poetry - translated by Stephen Mitchell Dōgen Zenji (1200 - 1253) was a Japanese Buddhist priest, writer, poet, philosopher, and founder of the Sōtō school of Zen in Japan. Originally ordained as a monk in the Tendai School in Kyoto, Dogen was ultimately dissatisfied with its teaching and traveled to China to seek out what he believed to be a more authentic Buddhism. Upon his return to Japan, he began promoting the practice of zazen (sitting meditation) through literary works. He eventually left Kyoto for the mountainous countryside where he founded the monastery Eihei-ji, which remains the head temple of the Sōtō school today. 🔆 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 become at Patron at: https://www.patreon.com/jayasara 🙏 May whatever goodness arises from these readings/offerings be for the benefit of all sentient beings.

12 Maj 202313min

A reading of selected excerpts from texts and talks given by William Samuel. William Samuel (1924-1996) was born in Alabama to a Jewish father and Christian mother. Samuel taught and wrote from his home at Mountain Brook, Alabama, for over 40 years. He was a spiritual teacher who taught and lectured on the subject of metaphysics based upon the Absolute, or as referred to today, non-duality. Samuel never sought to be well known or venerated himself, and did not embrace the idea of being called a "teacher". However, he has been widely recognized by many as a genuine true Master. Samuel also preferred not to be labeled, categorized or assigned to any religion, particular study, nor tied to any spiritual teaching. William Samuel was the first American student to meet and sit with Ramana Maharshi, and recounts the meeting in a short anecdote: “Some years ago I was honored to be the first American student of a renowned teacher in India. For fourteen days a group of us sat at the feet of this "Master," during which time he spoke not one word—not so much as a grunt—until the final day when he bade us farewell and assured us we had learned much. And to my surprise, I had. It took months before the seeds of those silent days began to sprout one by one, revealing that there are indeed many things for which the uptight, recondite babble of books and teachers is more hindrance than a help.” 🔆 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 become at Patron at: https://www.patreon.com/jayasara 🙏 May whatever goodness arises from these readings/offerings be for the benefit of all sentient beings.

10 Maj 202316min

A reading of Rumi's beautiful poem on passing to the unseen. Translated by Coleman Barks Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī (30 September 1207 – 17 December 1273), was a 13th-century Persian poet, faqih, Islamic scholar, theologian, and Sufi mystic originally from Greater Khorasan in Greater Iran. Rumi's influence transcends national borders and ethnic divisions. 🔆 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 become at Patron at: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/jayasara⁠ 🙏 May whatever goodness arises from these readings/offerings be for the benefit of all sentient beings.

5 Maj 20236min