poster: AdiDaVideos length: 13:13 date added: March 20, 2013 event date: January 18, 1976 language: English views: 7392; views this month: 47; views this week: 27
In this seminal discourse (at The Mountain Of Attention), from the early years of His Teaching Work, Adi Da speaks about the inevitable process of self-revelation and self-understanding that prepares the being for true Spiritual life.
This 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: AdiDaVideos length: 04:52 date added: March 26, 2017 event date: January 18, 1976 language: English views: 5208; views this month: 42; views this week: 17
In this seminal discourse (at The Mountain Of Attention), from the early years of His Teaching Work, Adi Da speaks about the inevitable process of self-revelation and self-understanding that prepares the being for true Spiritual life.
This 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.
The Universal World-Prayer poster: AdiDaVideos speaker: Jacqueline Clemons length: 03:32 date added: April 28, 2015 language: Finnish views: 8096; views this month: 61; views this week: 24
Beloved, Inmost Heart of every heart, donotLet our human hearts be broken by our merely mortal suffering here — but Make our mortal human hearts break-Free to an unconditional love of You, that we may, Thus, love all living beings with Love's own True, and Truly broken, Heart.
Composed by Jacqueline Clemons and Nick Milo, and sung by Jacqueline Clemons, this soulful rendition of Adi Da's prayer for world peace, "The Universal World-Prayer", was sung many times at The Parliament of the World's Religions in Cape Town, South Africa, in December, 1999.
The song accompanies a slideshow of pictures of Adi Da.
Adi Da's Universal World-Prayer coincides with His Instructions to not "live the Law backwards": trying to love others (or attempting to bring about world peace), while failing to first love God (and have our love of others be the overflow of our communion with God).
We live the Law backwards. Instead of living from the point of view of Happiness, love of God, submission to the Transcendental Reality, we live in submission to others, objects, relations.
poster: AdiDaVideos length: 13:50 date added: February 28, 2020 event date: October 28, 1978 language: English views: 1133; views this month: 23; views this week: 15
In this excerpt, Adi Da Samraj considers the spiritual transformation of a human being, and states of the body-mind. The real spiritual process is not based on effort or having more (or greater) experiences, even in the mystical dimension. In the true spiritual process, experience, in all its forms (first physical and then mystical), must be transcended through our heart-based practice of God-Communion.
There Is No Self Within poster: AdiDaVideos length: 07:20 date added: May 29, 2015 event date: July 15, 1973 language: English views: 3385; views this month: 19; views this week: 13
An archival talk from July 15, 1973. One of the earliest video recordings of Avatar Adi Da speaking. Here He talks about the Free State of the fully Realized being, which is neither inward nor outward.
Adi Da: "God is neither within nor without. This is the principle of Satsang [the relationship with the Guru]: the Divine already present, the Divine lived with, the Divine as your Condition."
Why One Needs A Guru poster: AdiDaVideos length: 07:04 date added: November 17, 2013 event date: December 27, 1988 language: English views: 4578; views this month: 28; views this week: 13
In this video clip from the 1988 talk, "What Is Your Intention?", Adi Da criticizes the "do-it-yourself" approach to spirituality that is popular in the world today, and speaks about why a teacher is necessary.
[Contains Dutch subtitles. If the CC icon ("Subtitles/closed captions") has a red line under it, the subtitles should appear. If you don't see them, just press the CC icon to turn them on.]
Avatar Adi Da's menselijk bestaan is een unieke demonstratie van zijn verlichte staat, die hij het ‘stralende’ noemt, het bewuste licht dat de werkelijkheid zelf is. Vanaf zijn geboorte op 3 november 1939 op Long Island in New York, tot zijn overlijden op 27 november 2008, is zijn leven het verhaal van de incarnatie van het ‘stralende’ Tijdens zijn leven, bracht Avatar Adi Da een nieuwe en unieke mogelijkheid tot stand voor de transformatie van alle wezens en de wereld.
Zijn openbaring is de goddelijke werkelijkheid, de werkelijke conditie van iedereen en alle dingen. Avatar Adi Da Samraj heeft altijd gezegd dat de weg die hij onderwijst een ego-overstijgende relatie is, in plaats van een ego-dienende techniek. De weg is gebaseerd op herkenning van en respons op zijn staat. Het is een stille, woordloze intuïtie in het hart van elk wezen—niet een kwestie van geloof, ideeën, of technieken, die vervulling (materieel of spiritueel) als doel hebben. Aan iedereen die een respons op hem hebben, onthult Avatar Adi Da Samraj de goddelijke conditie — de liefde-licht-gelukzaligheid van de werkelijkheid.
Deze korte video geeft een overzicht van Avatar Adi Da’s leven en leer, en is een uitnodiging om in spirituele relatie met hem te treden.
Jij denkt niet poster: AdiDaVideosNL length: 06:53 date added: December 13, 2020 event date: October 10, 2004 language: Dutch views: 600; views this month: 22; views this week: 12
[Contains Dutch subtitles. If the CC icon ("Subtitles/closed captions") has a red line under it, the subtitles should appear. If you don't see them, just press the CC icon to turn them on.]
In dit fragment van een toespraak van 10 oktober, 2004, legt Adi Da Samraj uit hoe alle wezens en dingen, waarvan we een onafhankelijk bestaan neigen te veronderstellen, feitelijk alleen maar verschijningen zijn in een enkelvoudig, universeel Bewustzijn en dat ze modificaties zijn van een enkelvoudige, onderliggende Goddelijke Werkelijkheid.
Avatar Adi Da merkt op dat zelfs ons denkproces onderdeel is van deze verschijning. Hij Zegt dat ook gedachten zelf alleen maar een activiteit zijn, verschijnend in het Bewustzijn en dat als we deze activiteit werkelijk zouden onderzoeken, we zouden zien dat we NIET het denkproces genereren.
This video excerpt, "Jij denkt niet" ("You Do Not Think") is from an Avataric Discourse given by Avatar Adi Da on October 10, 2004, at Adi Da Samrajashram.
Guru as Prophet poster: belleislesound length: 58:23 date added: February 8, 2020 event date: December 23, 1973 language: English views: 1597; views this month: 56; views this week: 26
A talk by Avatar Adi Da titled "Guru as Prophet", given on December 23, 1973. The full talk is available on the double CD, Money, Food, and Sex / Guru as Prophet. A written version of this talk is available in the book, My "Bright" Word.
In this talk, Adi Da distinguishes between the Spiritual function and the "prophet" function of the True Guru. As prophet, the Guru offends, criticizes, and undermines the usual ego-based life by confounding the search and the need for consolation and fascination. This process works to bring about a crisis of understanding in anyone not yet involved in the real Spiritual process.
Adi Da explains that teachings about ordinary life or even about Spiritual life tend to console the seeker in some way, exploiting the search for self-fulfillment. But contact with the True Guru frustrates the seeker instead, and draws the individual into the feeling of dilemma that is at the root of his or her search. This serves the crisis that must precede the real Spiritual process whereby the True Guru's Spiritual Function may be discovered.
Later in the Discourse, Avatar Adi Da returns to the primary theme of the Guru-devotee relationship. When the ego-frustrating process is engaged as Satsang, or relationship to the Guru, then present Realization of the Divine can be Awakened by Grace, and the real Spiritual process can begin.
ADI DA: To the extent that I appear in public at all—for example, by writing books, or even simply by the existence of the gathering of My devotees in this world—My visible Role can only be that of Prophet. I do not serve people's random needs to be fulfilled, to be consoled, to be fascinated. Every individual who is moved to Realize Real God, Truth, and Reality in My Avataric Divine Company must approach Me as My formally practicing devotee—and, in every such case, the usual egoic process will (and must) be Offended, Criticized, and Undermined by Me.
As the Avataric Incarnation of the Very Divine Person, I must be Paradoxical, I must be Free—in order to Serve the Divine Liberation of My devotees. The qualities of My Avataric Divine Activity cannot be predetermined. I do not consistently assume the qualities of any particular archetype—the holy man, the Yogi, the Sage. I must be Free to Appear as I will. I am always Acting to Undo the egoic life of My devotees—even if only by Merely Being Who I Am.
poster: Bright Reality Media speakers: James Steinberg, Max Rykov length: 24:41 date added: July 31, 2021 language: English views: 798; views this month: 38; views this week: 19
Max Rykov speaks with James Steinberg. This video is the first of three parts.
James Steinberg has been a devotee of Avatar Adi Da since the early 1970's. He has been a principal presenter of Adi Da's communications to the gathering of devotees. In the '70s and '80s, James was the librarian for the Laughing Man Library. He has been a principal spokesperson for Adi Da to other religious and spiritual groups and prominent individuals. James has also continually served Adi Da Samraj's sacred projects in India. James is one of Adidam's principal educators and public representatives. He has written the comprehensive book, Love of the God-Man, and its more abbreviated version, Divine Distraction, about the Guru-devotee relationship.
poster: Bright Reality Media speakers: James Steinberg, Max Rykov length: 25:46 date added: July 31, 2021 language: English views: 691; views this month: 40; views this week: 22
Max Rykov speaks with James Steinberg. This video is the second of three parts.
James Steinberg has been a devotee of Avatar Adi Da since the early 1970's. He has been a principal presenter of Adi Da's communications to the gathering of devotees. In the '70s and '80s, James was the librarian for the Laughing Man Library. He has been a principal spokesperson for Adi Da to other religious and spiritual groups and prominent individuals. James has also continually served Adi Da Samraj's sacred projects in India. James is one of Adidam's principal educators and public representatives. He has written the comprehensive book, Love of the God-Man, and its more abbreviated version, Divine Distraction, about the Guru-devotee relationship.
poster: Bright Reality Media speakers: James Steinberg, Max Rykov length: 25:43 date added: July 31, 2021 language: English views: 697; views this month: 42; views this week: 21
Max Rykov speaks with James Steinberg. This video is the third of three parts.
James Steinberg has been a devotee of Avatar Adi Da since the early 1970's. He has been a principal presenter of Adi Da's communications to the gathering of devotees. In the '70s and '80s, James was the librarian for the Laughing Man Library. He has been a principal spokesperson for Adi Da to other religious and spiritual groups and prominent individuals. James has also continually served Adi Da Samraj's sacred projects in India. James is one of Adidam's principal educators and public representatives. He has written the comprehensive book, Love of the God-Man, and its more abbreviated version, Divine Distraction, about the Guru-devotee relationship.
This CD contains a selection of Discourses from 1974 to 1997, which cover a broad spectrum of Avatar Adi Da’s Instruction. They provide a basic introduction to His Wisdom-Teaching and include Adi Da addressing principle matters of Spiritual life.
These Talks encompass the relationship to the Spiritual Master, the principle of Attraction, what occurs in the death process, the fundamental error at the root of all seeking, the limits of conventional religion and scientific materialism, and more.
poster: CDBaby length: 08:58 date added: January 19, 2019 event date: April 16, 1995 language: English views: 2080; views this month: 31; views this week: 13
This audio excerpt is from a talk given by Adi Da on April 16, 1995, in Hymns To Me, at Adi Da Samrajashram.
Adi Da describes how the preparatory stages of practice of the Reality-Way of Adidam are associated with attention, and how the attachment to attention and all its objects prevents the Realization of Reality As It Is. He goes on to describe the unique advantage that His bodily Incarnation provides in the process of such Realization, for all time, and how the relationship to Him occurs — directly and personally — beyond the life of His human Form.
This excerpt is track 8 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.
The full talk, "Love Is How I Got To Here”, is available on a 2 CD set from The Dawn Horse Press. You also can read a transcript of much more of this talk here.
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.
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