poster: CDBaby length: 12:21 date added: February 17, 2016 event date: January 18, 1976 language: English views: 6476; views this month: 77; views this week: 28
An excerpt from the talk, "The Grace of Suffering", given by Adi Da on January 18, 1976.
This excerpt is track 1 of the CD, The Impulse to God-Realization, a collection of talks focusing on Adi Da's clarifying Wisdom on the Impulse to Realize God that is inherent in all beings, and His Divine Offering and Instruction on the Ultimate Means to cultivate this heart-Impulse, thereby allowing it to become the guiding force of one's entire life.
This selection of Talks by Avatar Adi Da Samraj focuses on His clarifying Wisdom on the Impulse (inherent in all beings) to Realize God, and His Divine Offering and Instruction on the Ultimate Means to cultivate this heart-Impulse, thereby allowing it be the guiding force of one's entire life. As Avatar Adi Da points out, the real Spiritual Process cannot be truly initiated until and unless one’s Impulse to God-Realization becomes the governing principle of one's life.
Note: Due to distribution policies set by CDBaby (and beyond the control of this website and Adidam), this video may not be playable in every country. However, sometimes, even when you can't play it on this page, you may be able to play it on YouTube: click here.
"The Grace of Suffering" is a beautiful talk by Adi Da. But it IS very compressed, making quite a few points in a short space, and depending to a significant degree on a familiarity with Adi Da's spiritual teaching. Here are some notes that may help.
Throughout the talk, the technical term, "sadhana" (spiritual practice), is used.
Genuine spiritual practice is not about belief systems, mere rituals, or a little "peace of mind", but rather about actually locating the Divine, through the tangible Transmission of the Spiritual Master.
After a recent illness, a devotee mentions to Adi Da that he notices how the physical suffering of illness was distracting enough that he was not "able" to find Adi Da's Transmission when he is ill.
Adi Da acknowledges this, and responds with three more general points.
1. The illness didn't "make" the devotee lose the thread of practice; rather, he allowed himself to be distracted from God by the illness. When the devotee gets this, and sees how he himself is "doing" the turning away, he'll be able to "do better next time" by not turning away even when ill.
2. Until Divine Enlightenment — in other words, until there is no limit on one's spiritual practice — sadhana (spiritual practice) is always only reflecting back to devotees the remaining limits in their practice: where they are still turning away from the Divine, where they still need to become responsible for not turning away.
In the beginning, the "turning away" is very "crude": even mere physical suffering is enough to distract one from God. (If we find ourselves saying, "what do you mean, MERE physical suffering?" that definitely identifies us as spiritual beginners! :-) ) But as one grows in practice, and ceases to turn away in such a crude manner (as one becomes a "saint", "yogi", "sage", etc.), one discovers that one is still turning from the Divine at an even subtler level of the being (in the mind, the psyche, etc.)
It is only when that "turning away" has been inspected, understood, and transcended in every dimension of the being that Divine Realization occurs.
In this sense, for the genuine spiritual practitioner, physical suffering — along with every other circumstance that reveals to us our turning away from the Divine — is truly a Grace, enabling us to grow in our practice.
3. Where we are turning away is a reflection of what we are identifying with: the body, the mind, the soul, etc. (For example, if physical illness is enough to distract us from God, then the physical body is what we currently are identified with.) God-Realization only occurs when all "identities" less than God are understood and transcended.
In this sense, "there are no winners in God" — the Way is not about seeking, accomplishment, or winning, but rather about surrender to God, sacrifice of self, and ego-death. There's no "one" left to "win"! But the One Who Remains is perfectly, eternally happy.
poster: CDBaby length: 02:25 date added: December 30, 2016 language: English views: 3619; views this month: 59; views this week: 19
Adi Da recites "The Heart Of Understanding", the prologue to His autobiography, The Knee Of Listening.
This excerpt is track 1 of the CD, Death and the Purpose of Existence, a collection of talks and recitations that exemplify Avatar Adi Da’s essential Wisdom-Teaching on death and dying.
Note: Due to distribution policies set by CDBaby (and beyond the control of this website and Adidam), this video may not be playable in every country. However, sometimes, even when you can't play it on this page, you may be able to play it on YouTube: click here.
A video excerpt from an Avataric Discourse given by Avatar Adi Da on November 6, 2004, at Adi Da Samrajashram.
The complete Avataric Discourse (nearly four hours long) is available on the DVD, There Are No Historical Selves. In this Discourse, Adi Da elaborates His assertion that although we refer to others as "you" and ourselves as "I", we have never really experienced any such separate entities. Furthermore, the self-reference is a reference to a fiction, a convention from the society of egos.
ADI DA: You refer to yourself every time you say a sentence because that's how sentences are supposed to be constructed, and yet you have no experience of that "self" that you keep referring to. You don't experience it any more than you experience the room. You can experience "yourself", so-called, from the point of view of the moment or what could be called the "late time' of every perception and thought. It's the "late time" because it's after when it occurred. But it's called the present because it seems to be happening now.
The Illusion of Familiarity poster: AdiDaUpClose length: 06:56 date added: June 5, 2010 language: English views: 2555; views this month: 16; views this week: 5
Audio excerpt from a discourse given by Adi Da on October 29, 2004. The talk can be found on the DVD, The Illusion of Familiarity.
For a video clip of Adi Da speaking this excerpt, click here.
The Illusion of Seeking poster: Religion99 length: 05:49 date added: February 1, 2009 event date: April 8, 1993 language: English views: 3164; views this month: 22; views this week: 9
A talk about seeking and self-understanding (audio), accompanied by video footage of Adi Da.
poster: CDBaby length: 07:26 date added: June 19, 2023 language: English views: 365; views this month: 66; views this week: 15
This talk excerpt is track 10 of the CD, Reality Is Beyond "Point Of View", a selection of talks by Adi Da (from the 30 years of His formal Teaching-Work) on the true nature of Reality. Brings together samples from His vast Divine Instruction relative to the true nature of Reality — as the unknowable Condition that is Always Already the Case, prior to the presumption of a separate “point of view”.
Note: Due to distribution policies set by CDBaby (and beyond the control of this website and Adidam), this video may not be playable in every country. However, sometimes, even when you can't play it on this page, you may be able to play it on YouTube: click here.
The Master's Eyes poster: SpiritLight Videos length: 04:34 date added: January 28, 2016 language: English views: 2592; views this month: 15; views this week: 5
"The Master's Eyes" is from Van Morrison's 1985 album, Sense of Wonder.
How the light shone from the master How the light shone from the master How the light shone from the master's eyes.
Oh how the truth shone, from the master How the truth shone, from the master How the truth shone, from the master's eyes.
Why didn't they leave us to wander through buttercup summers? Why didn't they leave us to wander when there was no other?
And my questions all were answered When the light shone from the master When the light shone, from the master's eyes.
From the master's eyes. Oh how the light shone from the master How the light shone from the master How the light shone from the master's eyes.
The Mummery-Cult Of Pairs Set Free poster: Matt Braithwaite speaker: Steve Brown length: 04:34 date added: November 2, 2014 event date: October 2014 language: English views: 6159; views this month: 55; views this week: 14
In response to Shakespeare's famous monologue, "All the world's a stage", from his play, As You Like It, Adi Da Samraj wrote the extraordinary poem, "The Mummery-Cult Of Pairs Set Free", which appears in His Happenine Book.
Because Adi Da intended this as a direct response to William Shakespeare, reciter Steve Brown is standing before the River Avon in Stratford, Shakespeare's hometown.
poster: CDBaby length: 09:53 date added: October 25, 2015 language: English views: 3031; views this month: 41; views this week: 17
A talk in which Adi Da elaborates some of the philosophical implications of the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle (from quantum mechanics).
This talk is track 5 of the CD, Science and the Myth of Materialism, a collection of talks from throughout the 30 years of Avatar Adi Da’s formal Teaching-Work that brings together samples from His vast Divine Instruction relative to the psycho-physical nature of the world, the limits of scientific materialism, and the Inherent Unity of Existence.
poster: MysticalPositivist speakers: Stuart Goodnick, Robert Schmidt, Leroy Stilwell length: 66:33 date added: June 21, 2014 event date: June 14, 2014 language: English listens: 6733; listens this month: 51; listens this week: 17
The Mystical Positivist is a weekly, two-hour radio show on KOWS 107.3 FM, Occidental, CA. The program is dedicated to the application of reason in the pursuit of spiritual practice and development. The show is hosted by Stuart Resnick and Dr. Robert Schmidt. Stuart has been a Tayu Meditation Teacher since 1993. He received apprentice and master-level training in the alchemical transformation of human consciousness from Tayu Meditation Center. Dr. Robert Schmidt is the director of the Tayu Meditation Center, and a co-founder of the Many Rivers Bookstore in Sebastopol, California. He is also currently a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Archaeological Research Facility at U.C. Berkeley.
This audio clip is part 1 of The Mystical Positivist's interview with devotee, Leroy Stilwell. Leroy has been a formal devotee of Adi Da since 1977. Since 1986, he regularly lived in Hermitage on Naitauba, Fiji, for extended periods during which he participated in cycles of consideration with Adi Da, and served as editor, photographer, videographer, communications manager, ashram manager, and personal assistant to the Ruchira Sannyasin Order. He is the author of Love’s Sacrifice: Witnessing the Self-Revelation of the Divine Person - 30 Years with my Spiritual Master, Adi Da (2014) and For Those Who Call For Light - Learning How to Think about Religion (2013). Leroy is also a co-founder and managing editor of the Adi Da Up Close site.
poster: MysticalPositivist speakers: Stuart Goodnick, Robert Schmidt, Leroy Stilwell length: 50:06 date added: June 21, 2014 event date: June 14, 2014 language: English listens: 6276; listens this month: 50; listens this week: 22
The Mystical Positivist is a weekly, two-hour radio show on KOWS 107.3 FM, Occidental, CA. The program is dedicated to the application of reason in the pursuit of spiritual practice and development. The show is hosted by Stuart Resnick and Dr. Robert Schmidt. Stuart has been a Tayu Meditation Teacher since 1993. He received apprentice and master-level training in the alchemical transformation of human consciousness from Tayu Meditation Center. Dr. Robert Schmidt is the director of the Tayu Meditation Center, and a co-founder of the Many Rivers Bookstore in Sebastopol, California. He is also currently a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Archaeological Research Facility at U.C. Berkeley.
This audio clip is part 2 of The Mystical Positivist's interview with devotee, Leroy Stilwell. Leroy has been a formal devotee of Adi Da since 1977. Since 1986, he regularly lived in Hermitage on Naitauba, Fiji, for extended periods during which he participated in cycles of consideration with Adi Da, and served as editor, photographer, videographer, communications manager, ashram manager, and personal assistant to the Ruchira Sannyasin Order. He is the author of Love’s Sacrifice: Witnessing the Self-Revelation of the Divine Person - 30 Years with my Spiritual Master, Adi Da (2014) and For Those Who Call For Light - Learning How to Think about Religion (2013). Leroy is also a co-founder and managing editor of the Adi Da Up Close site.
poster: billkrenz54 length: 06:14 date added: January 3, 2011 event date: 2010 language: English views: 4460; views this month: 37; views this week: 13
A slideshow of the Naitauba Farm Crew, at work on tropical organic farm in Fiji in 2010.
This slideshow was shown at the Naitauba “Breakup” party at the beginning of 2011 (just before everyone leaves to spend the holidays with families). The "Breakup" party celebrates what crews did over the past year. The breakup party includes songs, skits, slide shows, gift giving, and praises.
For even more from the Naitauba Organic Farm, visit the Naitauba Organic Farm website.
[The video clips in this series may not play on mobile devices.]
poster: CDBaby length: 07:14 date added: November 15, 2018 event date: November 25, 1993 language: English views: 1649; views this month: 38; views this week: 20
This is an excerpt from a talk given by Adi Da on November 25, 1993 at Adi Da Samrajashram.
This excerpt is disc two, track 5 of the double-CD, After My Lifetime, an exceptional collection of Adi Da’s Instruction covering the significance of His Divine Mahasamadhi (the passing of His physical Body), the ever-present Gift of the direct relationship to Him, and the never-ending Nature of His Work to Bless and Awaken all beings.
Note: Due to distribution policies set by CDBaby (and beyond the control of this website and Adidam), this video may not be playable in every country. However, sometimes, even when you can't play it on this page, you may be able to play it on YouTube: click here.
poster: CDBaby length: 14:22 date added: December 12, 2018 event date: December 19, 2004 language: English views: 2243; views this month: 61; views this week: 23
This is an excerpt from an Avataric Discourse given by Adi Da on December 19, 2004 at Adi Da Samrajashram.
This excerpt is disc two, track 3 of the double-CD, Science Is A Method, Not A Philosophy, in which Avatar Adi Da unravels present-day scientific presumptions, with great humor and penetrating insight. Adi Da reveals how scientific materialism has replaced the sacred orientation in life and indoctrinated humankind into limited belief systems, discussing common views about evolution, astronomy versus astrology, ancient religions, the expanding universe, the "language" of mathematics and shape, and more. In addition, He masterfully describes how knowledge is an effort to achieve power over nature, based on the fundamental illusion that there is such a thing as an independent (or "objective") "point of view". In this process, Avatar Adi Da calls His listeners to be free of all false authorities, and to consider the Way that perfectly transcends "point of view" itself.
Note: Due to distribution policies set by CDBaby (and beyond the control of this website and Adidam), this video may not be playable in every country. However, sometimes, even when you can't play it on this page, you may be able to play it on YouTube: click here.
The Pattern Becomes Obsolete poster: AdiDaVideos length: 08:22 date added: January 4, 2019 event date: July 29, 1973 language: English views: 2048; views this month: 54; views this week: 17
Video excerpt from an early discourse by Adi Da Samraj on July 29, 1973.
Adi Da would later make a similar communication in a very memorable way in “The Divine Avataric Self-Disclosure” (in The Aletheon):
ADI DA: The conditionally Apparent “world”-Process Of “Everything Changing” Is Simply The Natural “Play” Of Cosmic Life, In Which the (Always) two sides of every possibility come and go, In Cycles Of appearance and disappearance. Winter’s cold alternates with summer’s heat. Pain, Likewise, Follows every pleasure. Every appearance Is (Inevitably) Followed By its disappearance. There Is No Permanent “experience” In The Realm Of Cosmic Nature. One whose Whole bodily Devotion To Me Is Constant Simply Allows All Of This To Be So. Therefore, one who Truly Listens To Me and “Knows” Me Spontaneously Ceases To Add “self”-Contraction (and, Thus, “conditional-experience-causing” energy and intention) To This Relentless Round Of Natural and Futile Changes. . . Intrinsically egoless Self-Realization Of Me Is Possible Only When a living being (or body-mind-“self”) Has Whole bodily Ceased To React To The Always Changing Imposition Of Cosmic Nature. . . Those who Perfectly “Know” Me Tacitly Understand That whatever Is Not Always Already (or Eternally) Self-Existing and Self-Radiant Only Changes. . . Those who Perfectly “Know” Me Acknowledge (Tacitly, and With every Whole bodily act) That What Is Always Already The (One and Only) Case Never Changes. Such True Devotees Of Mine (who Perfectly “Know” Me) Perfectly Realize That The Entire Cosmic Realm Of Change—and Even the To-Me-Surrendered Whole body (itself)—Is Entirely Pervaded By Me (Always Self-Revealed As That Which Is Always Already The Case).
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, Adi Da Samraj wrote the extraordinary poem, "The Mummery-Cult Of Pairs Set Free", which appears in His 
