ADI DA: "I find people's sorrows and losses to be heartbreaking and terrible and an immense burden and I am sympathetic and bless people in their trouble. However you must understand that is the nature of this place. This is not utopia, it is not paradise. It is a place of death, endings, suffering, brief amusements. It is not enough and merely to react to your difficulties for overlong and try to make an entire life out of it is fruitless. You do have to move on beyond that reaction to any moments suffering and loss. You must know the place you’re in and live in accordance with that knowledge instead of being sympathetic with some false view of the world or self or trying to idealize some aspect of potential experience, indulging in what amounts to addictions, repetitions of experiences, in order to avoid the knowledge of what is inherent in life, as well as all the hell that is coming on earth and is here. You will not be fulfilled.”
In recent decades, yoga and meditation have become a regular part of the daily lives of millions of people around the world. Through these and other practices, people develop stronger bodies, more personal discipline, better health, more loving relationships, and a greater ability to manage the stresses of modern life.
In the last few months, however, it has suddenly become universally apparent that these benefits are not be enough. Life is not programmed to produce lasting satisfaction and immunity to the challenges, inherent suffering, and mortality of existence.
In this Avataric Discourse, Avatar Adi Da Samraj describes how "positive disillusionment" with ordinary life is a necessary prerequisite for entering into the truly liberating process of spiritual practice.
ADI DA: "I find people's sorrows and losses to be heartbreaking and terrible and an immense burden and I am sympathetic and bless people in their trouble. However you must understand that is the nature of this place. This is not utopia, it is not paradise. It is a place of death, endings, suffering, brief amusements. It is not enough and merely to react to your difficulties for overlong and try to make an entire life out of it is fruitless. You do have to move on beyond that reaction to any moment's suffering and loss. You must know the place you're in and live in accordance with that knowledge instead of being sympathetic with some false view of the world or self or trying to idealize some aspect of potential experience, indulging in what amounts to addictions, repetitions of experiences, in order to avoid the knowledge of what is inherent in life, as well as all the hell that is coming on earth and is here. You will not be fulfilled."
In this excerpt, Avatar Adi Da speaks directly and humorously to a beginner who assumes her lack of devotional self-surrender is a "problem", rather than a process. He contrasts the beginner's necessarily muscular, “tear your guts out”, tapas-filled practice of relatively superficial surrender (counter-egoically cutting into lifetimes of self-possession) with the mature devotee's spontaneous, profound, and complete surrender. A central principle of the process is “just do it” persistence.
In this discourse, a student of Adi Da asks Him for suggestions to help her dying mother. Adi Da then responds both with compassion and also with very practical advice on how to serve the dying.
[The recording of Adi Da's voice is slightly distorted, but understandable.]
poster: Aniello Panico speaker: Aniello Panico length: 06:59 date added: December 4, 2019 language: English
Longtime devotee Aniello Panico tells of his son Alexander's suicide in 1994 (when Adi Da was at the Mountain Of Attention Sanctuary), and the story of Avatar Adi Da's Blessing Regard for Alexander and for Aniello.
For more stories and videos from Aniello, click here.
poster: CDBaby length: 09:56 date added: March 4, 2017 language: English
This video excerpt is an excerpt from Adi Da's talk, "The Bridge To God", from October 27, 1980. (The full talk, "The Bridge To God", is available as a CD and as an online transcript.)
On the previous day, a shaman from Mexico visited The Mountain Of Attention, Avatar Adi Da Samraj’s Northern California sanctuary. The following day, Avatar Adi Da considered with His devotees the inherently magical nature of the world and our psychic relationship to it.
Adi Da: "The world is a psychic phenomenon. In other words, we never experience the world except psychically. We never experience it except as knowledge and perception. We never experience it except as a condition that includes us. We are not separate from it. What we are at the level of the psyche and at the level of consciousness is just as much an inherent part of the world as the so-called material, objective forms. When we associate with the world on the basis of the totality of all the conditions of our existence, we participate in the world of forms as a psychic process. By participating psychically in the psychic phenomena of the world, we learn the laws whereby we can influence the phenomena of the waking state. We generate a process wherein we can become sensitive to the phenomena of the waking state so that we can observe unusual coincidences of form and psychic significances that our verbal mind tends to exclude from what we are observing."
poster: CDBaby length: 05:28 date added: January 1, 2019 event date: July 1988 language: English
In July 1988, during several talks at the Mountain Of Attention Sanctuary in northern California, Avatar Adi Da Samraj described the first six stages of life (based upon His own seven-stage schema), and the unique and Graceful process of real Spiritual Transmission. This audio excerpt is from one such occasion.
On November 2, 2013, the eve of the seventy-fourth anniversary of Avatar Adi Da’s Birth (Da Jayanthi), a live concert was held at The Mountain Of Attention Sanctuary in Northern California to celebrate His Eternal Blessing of all. The recording of this concert is now available on a CD, Ode to Divine Joy.
This audio clip contains a sample medley from the CD, featuring the voices of devotees JoAnne Sunshine ("Made by Your Hand"), Mel McMurrin ("Mary Don’t You Weep"), and Crane Kirkbride ("Ode to Divine Joy"), the voices of the Adidam Choir, and the piano-playing of Naamleela Free Jones. You can also hear the Choir singing devotee and Billboard Award-winning composer Ray Lynch's song, "This Is the Great Gift".
The rendition of Beethoven's "Ode To Joy" (retitled "Ode To Divine Joy" with new, devotional lyrics) performed during the concert was a unique fusion of two performances: the live performance and a 1990 studio recording played as accompaniment. This unique amalgam of both studio and live performances of Ode to Divine Joy, as well as all of the other pieces of the live concert included on this CD, are offered in the spirit of celebration and gratitude.
poster: DawnHorsePress length: 07:39 date added: February 13, 2011 event date: January 7, 2006 language: English listens: 7676; listens this month: 37; listens this week: 19
On January 6, 2006 at The Mountain Of Attention Sanctuary in California, Adi Da Samraj recited His own renderings of the Advaitic texts Maneesha Panchakam ("Five Verses on Wisdom"), Shankara's Dasasloki ("Ten Declarations"), and the Devikalottara.
These recordings are now available on the 3-CD set, The Reality-Teachings of the Advaitic Sages, the second volume in The Gnosticon Discourse Series from the Dawn Horse Press.
It is a delight to hear Adi Da bring the essence of these ancient texts to life, and feel how He completely and utterly combined Himself with the tradition of the Advaitic Sages. Not only does Adi Da clarify the hidden treasures and ancient truths in these texts, He also explains why the meaning of a sacred text can be communicated only by someone who has Realized the truth of it.
This is an excerpt from Track 4 of Disk 3 ("Reality (Itself) Is All The God There Is").
The collection of Avatar Adi Da's renderings and related discourses became the seed of His book, The Gnosticon, in which He thoroughly examines the Transcendental Teachings of the ancient Sages in relation to His Transcendental Spiritual Way of Adidam.
Ruchira Avatara Gita poster: DawnHorsePress length: 02:04 date added: November 7, 2010 event date: March 2001 language: English listens: 5019; listens this month: 17; listens this week: 10
A remarkable recording of Naamleela Free Jones chanting Avatar Adi Da’s Ruchira Avatara Gita in a manner that serves contemplation and devotion. The entire text is chanted in the traditional mantric “swadhyaya” manner. This most beautiful devotional Gita is sometimes broadcast in Adidam temples and centers around the world. Recorded in Temple Adi Da at The Mountain Of Attention Sanctuary in California on March 28 & 30, 2001.
On October 26, 1980, a shaman from Mexico visited The Mountain Of Attention, Adidam’s primary Sanctuary in Northern California. The following day, Avatar Adi Da considered with His devotees the shamanic view of the world, the inherently magical nature of the world, and our psychic relationship to it.
He describes the difference between the left-brained, scientific, control-oriented way of relating to the world, and the magical, psychic, or shamanistic point of view, in which the elements of the non-human world are related to in a participatory manner.
poster: DawnHorsePress length: 07:08 date added: May 4, 2011 event date: 2006 language: English
On a rainy afternoon at The Mountain Of Attention Sanctuary in 2006, Avatar Adi Da Samraj gave what would be His final discourse in this form (with questions and answers) to His devotees, for the sake of all. He began the occasion with exquisite recitations of His Renderings of key statements from the Buddhist Sages Gotama Sakyamuni (known as “the Buddha”) and Nagarjuna.
These recordings are now available on the 3-CD set, The Reality-Teachings of the Buddhist Sages, the third volume in The Gnosticon Discourse Series from the Dawn Horse Press.
Adi Da’s Renderings bring these traditional Buddhist texts to life in a unique manner. As He speaks these ancient gems of instruction, the truth of each text comes through and penetrates the heart. While listening, you might feel that you are now not only in the room with Adi Da Samraj, but also with the Buddhist Sages Gotama Sakyamuni and Nagarjuna!
This audio clip is an excerpt from Adi Da's discourse.
The collection of Avatar Adi Da’s renderings and related discourses became the seed of His book, The Gnosticon, in which He thoroughly examines the Transcendental Teachings of the ancient Sages in relation to His Transcendental Spiritual Way of Adidam.
Alexis talks about her "Where Is Happiness?" Retreat at the Man Of Radical Understanding Retreat Center (behind her) at the Mountain Of Attention Sanctuary in Northern California.
Everybody wants to be happy, but how do you actually "do" happiness? Please join us to find out more about true happiness in the free two day retreats that we offer in many locations around the world.
The retreats are based on, and inspired by, the Wisdom of Adi Da Samraj. They include guided meditations, yoga lessons, video presentations, group considerations, personal stories, contemplative walks, and delicious vegetarian meals.
The retreats are hosted by a team of experienced and long time practitioners of Avatar Adi Da’s Teachings who guide the retreat program in an inspiring fashion.
The complete weekend program (including workbook and materials) is offered for free. You only pay a contribution for food, drinks and your possible lodging during the weekend. Costs can differ depending on the location.
For more about these free weekend-long retreats, click here.
John Wubbenhorst (bansuri) and Samrat Kakkeri (tabla) provide a Sacred Offering of North Indian ragas. Concert benefits sacred musicians' travel to Naitauba, Fiji.
Time: 2:30pm, June 12, 2011 Place: Land Bridge Pavilion, The Mountain Of Attention Sanctuary
$15 suggested donation. Call 301-346-0789 for more information.
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("Five Verses on Wisdom"), Shankara's Dasasloki ("Ten Declarations"), and the Devikalottara.
