Last night on local pubic television, there was a special documentary called "Dreaming of Tibet" that showed how China's invasion of Tibet and dishonoring of the Tibetan's religious freedoms goes on until today. Many Tibetans travel by foot through the Himalayas, some by the very foothills of Mount Everest, to reach the neighboring country of Nepal, where many Tibetans currently live. These Tibetans arrive with frostbite and other physical ailments, and Nepal does not have the resources to... Read Full Story

"Meditating on OM is the secret to peace of mind." This is one of the most famous sayings of the late Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh who authored hundred of spiritual books about life, meditation, and positive living. Swami Sivananda's writings have been a guiding light in my life and if you ever feel that other spiritual readings somehow "don't do it", then pick up one of his books and I am sure you will come away with new hope and new insights into our life experience. All The Best... Read Full Story

I have alot of respect for the ancient Chinese Philosophy of Taoism. It basically says that completeness is the result of two opposites that live in mutual harmony and acceptance of the other half. So, white accepts black and black accepts white. Left accepts right and right accepts left. This outlook on life reminds me of the ancient Hindu lore about the dance of Shiva and Shakti, also representing the two sides of life: the divine masculine and the divine feminine. However, beyond both the... Read Full Story

Simplicity is an understated virtue and quality "par excellence". There is no question in my mind that when I meet someone who is essentially a "simple" person, that he or she has other great qualities and it is indeed worth my time to get to know that person - I will have a chance to learn something of value from them. Simplicity does not mean poverty - but rather keeping a lifestyle and perspective that is healthy, yet not overburdened. Many times we fall into the trap of getting too... Read Full Story

The central theme of the Buddha's teachings is called the "dharma", or the path of righteousness. The Buddha says that by following eight holy "right" principles - speech, focus, meditation, action, etc. we eventually will achieve the goal of life: Buddhahood - which is the attainment of purity of body (A) speech (U) and mind (M). The Dalai Lama has taught in his writings that OM (also spelled AUM) is the sound-symbol for Buddhahood. So, chanting OM or meditating on OM can also be added as... Read Full Story

All great spiritual masters have encouraged us and continue to encourage us to love others. There is no mystery here. But why this common teaching? It is simple: there is only the one Universal Self. So, metaphysically, it is in our very best interest to love one another. In the same way that the heart should care about the other organs of the body, similarly, we must care about one another, because there is a natural co-dependence since we are all complimentary aspects of the Universal Self... Read Full Story

Our life is a great journey and it takes many turns. As much as we would like to control the external world, we cannot. Just look at how many natural disasters have nearly ruined the lives of people around the world. Surely many of these people are good world citizens and also pray and meditate at least on a semi-regular basis. So what can be done? The answer is for us to learn to center in the Divine, which is within us. This is what I have learned from Sacred Syllable OM Meditation. It is a... Read Full Story

In today's world, people are busy accumulating more and more material things. We have "lost ourselves" in a culture of accumulation. However, what really matters is awareness. Why? Because with awareness, we are able to successfully navigate our lives. For me, Sacred Syllable OM Meditation, an ancient technique taught by the Himalayan sages, is how I re-tune my awareness so that I do not get drawn into the consumer-mentality of buying things only because others are doing so. Rather, keeping a... Read Full Story

One of the greatest book-series ever put together was by Dr. Joseph Campbell called "The Power of Myth". As a Professor of Religion, Dr. Campbell explored the many myths that civilizations over the centuries and millenia have used to try to explain our existence. I encourage everyone reading this blog to at least rent this series via Netflix, at the bare minimum. What you will learn is amazing - and how our very societies and traditions are shaped and influenced by myths. OM Shanti, Keith... Read Full Story

After more than twenty-five years of dedicated study, practice and inquiry into the nature of our existence, my conclusion is this: God alone is "Guru". It has been frustrating to see over the years many gurus fall into great sin and treachery - with money, sex, and even pride. There are many self-professed "gurus" who are not gurus and there are self-professed "avatars" who are not avatars either. The "true master" in my opinion is one who recognizes God, or Divine Spirit, alone, as "Guru... Read Full Story