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Spiritual Awakening Radio

Spiritual Awakening Radio

James Bean

Spiritual Awakening Radio with James Bean explores the world of spirituality, The Path of the Masters (Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts), Gnostic Gospels, mystics, world scriptures, God, meditation, mystical experiences, the vegan diet, and other ahimsa ethics -- education for a more peaceful planet.
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Top 10 Spiritual Awakening Radio Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Spiritual Awakening Radio episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Spiritual Awakening Radio for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Spiritual Awakening Radio episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Professor Sebastian Brock of Oxford University, Scholar of Eastern Christianity and Aramaic-Syriac Saints, has translated many beautiful, poetic spiritual texts of Eastern Mystics such as Isaac of Nineveh, Joseph the Visionary, John of Dalyatha, and so many more in, The Syriac Fathers on Prayer and the Spiritual Life, and other spiritual classics of Christian Mysticism and the Contemplative Tradition (Gnosis, the Church of the East). Also today we explore the Jesus Sutras that were discovered in China.

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Spiritual Awakening Radio - Rumi Was Vegan

Rumi Was Vegan

Spiritual Awakening Radio

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11/14/23 • 18 min

Says Vegan Rumi: "I have existence and I value it so much, so have all the beings on earth and they too, try to preserve it. Then, how can I kill even the tiniest creature just to satiate my palate? Even a seemingly lifeless stone has a degree of consciousness; respect it. To me, even milk is forbidden. Look at all animals as you look at humans. If we consume an animal, its blood and gore will make us act like a slaughterer. We began as mineral. We began as mineral. We emerged into plant life, and into the animal state, and then into being human, and always we have forgotten our former states, except in early Spring when we slightly recall being green again." (Rumi, the King of the Sufi Poet-Mystics and often quoted by Sant Mat Masters)

It's quite significant finding these vegan verses of Jalalaldin Rumi, as many would assume or presume Rumi would have followed the more conventional mainstream halal (similar to kosher) diet. And Rumi is not the only example within Sufism of saints advocating vegan or vegetarian values. In the past I've shared podcasts regarding Rabia of Basra, Bawa Muhaiyaddeen, and other Sufi mystics. There's even vegan sayings of Jesus preserved in Sufi circles. But knowledge of these things soon gets forgotten and lost in various traditions of world religions. ("The god of time [illusion] has put a cover over the teachings of Saints and thus concealed them from humanity." - Sar Bachan Poetry of Swami Ji Maharaj)

And not many dairy cows are living blissful happy lives roaming free in the Slovenian countryside or in some idyllic sunny pasture as some might also assume (or would prefer to imagine in order to rationalize defending old customs), but rather end up at the very same slaughterhouses as other factory-farmed animals killed for their meat... when the milk runs dry, when all is said and done. Thus, we must not drink from the tap of illusion (maya) but do the research, become informed by the science pertaining to diet-related diseases, and evolve in our thinking, taking the high road, going in the direction of compassion for all life, both human and animal! (Peace Be To All)

In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhasoami,

James Bean

Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts

Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts

Sant Mat Radhasoami

A Satsang Without Walls

https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com

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Spiritual Awakening Radio - Letters from the Masters: Spiritual Guidance
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02/21/23 • 46 min

Letters from Masters to their disciples, though originally written to specific individuals in the past, often have a universal quality about them, dealing with real-life struggles along the spiritual journey and so sometimes feel quite personal, as if they are addressed to us as well. Today's program features readings from the letters of Kirpal Singh, Sawan Singh, Baba Jaimal Singh, Soamiji Maharaj, Huzur Maharaj Rai Saligram, and Maharaj Saheb (Brahm Shankar Misra).

"You need not be afraid of discussing esoteric teachings of the Masters with others. Spiritually illumined do owe much to their less gifted brethren when you can instill faith and right understanding in them out of your own personal knowledge derived from the sacred books published from here and on personal experience gained by meditations." (Kirpal Singh)

"Stand on your belief on solid ground. Let not others' wayward opinions deflect you from the true path you are on. Let not promises of glory by anyone waylay you. Do not come to hurried conclusions, but use discrimination in all your undertakings. Stick to what is Real." (Kirpal Singh)

"The human body is like a radio receiver for listening to the Sound Current [the inner Sound during meditation]. When we tune in the radio, we begin to hear the sound. Similarly, when the Master (Sant Satguru) guides us within, we are able to hear the Divine Music. By adjusting the ‘dial’, we hear various kinds of Sound.” (Huzur Baba Sawan Singh)

"The escape is through the Sound Current." (Hazur Baba Sawan Singh)

Always Listen to the inner Sound During Meditation Every Day: "If you listen for ten minutes, or five minutes, or four minutes, or two minutes, or even one minute, with love and devotion, millions of sins and obstacles will be removed." (Baba Jaimal Singh)

In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami,

James Bean

Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts

Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts

https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com

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Spiritual Awakening Radio - Being a Spiritual Survivor in This Land of Illusion
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07/13/23 • 32 min

Spiritual seekers are faced with many possible choices and detours along the way. If the genuine seeker finds spiritual sustenance in the luminous wisdom of the saints and mystics, they will reach the first level of satsang (association with eternal truth) and make serious spiritual progress during this life. With such a developing reverence for the higher wisdom of great souls of the ages, one may eventually encounter a living mystic path in the world of today, discover a living gnosis now, a school of spirituality lead by a living one, a living master (Sant Satguru). Today's satsang podcast features reflections about what is playing out in the vast world of spiritual paths and world religions based on the spiritual classic known as the Anurag Sagar (Ocean of Love), how the various planes of creation, states of consciousness and temperaments are all being represented by avatars and archons affiliated with a multitude of paths and practices in the marketplace of ideas, seeking to draw souls to material, astral, causal, or mental regions. Countless are the idols made of wood and stone. Countless are the ceremonies, holidays, and rituals. Countless, the doctrines, the prophecies, sectarian politics and struggles, tethering souls to realms of mind and matter, but what of you, the soul, and the God that is All-Spirit residing beyond these worlds of form and time?

Says Rumi, "Don't be satisfied with stories, how things have gone with others. Unfold your own myth."

"Who speaks, after seeing with their own eyes, and teach the method of salvation during life, They are of the stage and stature of Saints, for they reveal the quintessence of the soul." (Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras)

"Seeing that Kal is deluding all the jivas and entangling them in this world and seeing the jivas suffer in this world of Kal, God Almighty sends the Saints into this world to enlighten and awaken the jivas and bring them Home." (Baba Ram Singh)

"Seek to behold the Living One while you are alive, lest you die and seek to see him and be unable to do so." (Gospel of Thomas, saying 59)

"Whoever joins the Immortal becomes Immortal. Whoever delights in the Living One becomes Living." (Odes of Solomon, ode 3)

Today there are readings from: the Gospel of Thomas (both Greek and Coptic manuscripts), the Odes of Solomon, Kabir (1008 Vani, the Ethical Teachings of Kabir), Soamiji Maharaj (Sar Bachan Radhasoami Poetry), Maharshi Mehi Paramhans (the Padavali), Baba Somanath (a bhajan, mystic poem/hymn), and a satsang discourse by Baba Ram Singh (excerpted from. Seeing The Jivas And Entangled And Suffering In This World Of Kal, God Almighty Sends The Saints To Awaken The Jivas And Bring Them Home, shared during the afternoon of January 20th, 2023).

Says Kabir: "Love is like a deep ocean. Only that lover of God who will dive into it fearlessly shall be able to get the pearl of ultimate happiness. And one who will not be able to muster up enough courage to dive into it, shall remain sitting at the beach. He will remain without love in this world or the next. How will he get the pearls of ultimate happiness then?"

In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami,

James Bean

Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts

Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts

A Satsang Without Walls

Sant Mat Radhasoami

https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com

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Says Rumi: "Sometimes, though rarely, the disciple (of a false guru) because of the sincerity of his quest for God may derive spiritual benefit even from that false guru (literally, ‘the falsehood of the impostor may turn out to be profitable to the seeker.’). Due to his own honest intention he ascends to a higher spiritual region (not because of but despite the pretender whom he imagined to be the ‘soul’ but who turned out to be only ‘flesh’.) Such a sincere seeker may even have spiritual experiences which his worthless guru may not have had in ages." (Mathnawi of Rumi)

Today on this satsang edition of Spiritual Awakening Radio we explore the Radhaswami teachings of Baba Faqir Chand, his commentary on the Sar Bachan Radhasoami Poetry of Soamiji Maharaj and other writings on the journey of the soul from the realms of illusion to the Abode of the Beloved Most High in the Highest of Heavens, also readings from Huzur Maharaj Rai Saligram, a poem of Rumi, and from a White Paper on the Religion of Sants and Radhasoami Faith published in Agra, which has an entry about the life and spiritual teachings of Baba Faqir Chand.

Baba Faqir Chand: "Many Gurus are concerned with accumulating wealth and fame and their disciples are equally motivated by worldly desires. So instead of being enlightened and liberated, seekers are more and more involved in material things and thus subjected to the cycle of birth and death. When a Guru who is the true practitioner of the Yoga of Light and Sound is found by a disciple who is truly desirous of being freed from the spatio-temporal world, then and only then the relationship of the disciple and the master has some significance."

Huzur Maharaj Rai Saligram: Nothing Without Love: "All Sants, and Radhasoami Dayal in particular, have, in their bani [hymns, mystic poetry], laid great emphasis upon engendering love. The idea is that the task can be accomplished quickly and easily with the help of love. Mere renunciation cannot afford so much advantage, nor can mere comprehension of the Faith confer such a benefit. All activities in the world are going on because of love and desire. If one does not have any feeling of love or he has no interest in the matter, he can do nothing. For the real spiritual benefit of their Jiva [soul], it, therefore, behooves all Jivas [souls] to develop true love for the true Supreme Being."

In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami,

James Bean

Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts

Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts

A Satsang Without Walls

Sant Mat Radhasoami

https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com

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Spiritual Awakening Radio - The Spiritual Treasure of Kabir, Mystic Verses of the Bijak
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04/25/23 • 48 min

Kabir Says: "Just as a coded document shows the way to a hidden treasure, just so this Bijak shows the way to realize the soul. It teaches such instructive words to the soul, but there is seldom anyone to understand them." (Sakhi of Kabir)

Commentary by Dr. Jagessar Das: "Bijak means a coded document that leads to a hidden treasure. In this Bijak, Guru Kabir explains the path to that hidden treasure that is within, and not visible by the objective senses. He teaches everyone to give up cleverness and argumentation, and become humble and accept the Divine Lord dwelling within."

The term "Bijak" means treasure or treasure-map, in this case the treasure map of Guru Kabir. "Bij" means: the seed or essence. "Bijak" means treasure. The Bijak of Kabir is intended to be a treasure-map to the essence of reality: our soul and God.

In India the Bijak is the most popular sacred text containing the teachings of Guru Kabir, and as such is the main scripture for those who follow the Path of Kabir. Today we explore, "The Complete Bijak Of Kabir -- Guru Kabir's Mystical Teachings on God-Realization", by Dr. Jagessar Das, translating into English and commenting on the entire Bijak of Kabir. This is an impressive work, a true, grassroots "satsang template" of traditional Sant Mat, wonderful to have, featuring all eleven sections of the Bijak in one volume: the Ramainis, Shabdas, Sakhis, and other lesser-known sections.

"The Bijak tells of a treasure,

a treasure that doesn't show.

The word tells of a creature.

Only rare ones know." (Kabir)

From the Principals of Kabir Published in the Earlier Ahmad Shah Translation of, The Bijak:

"To believe in One Avagat, Satya Purush [One God]. His bhakti [devotion, love] should be practiced.

Have faith in the Master and in his teaching.

True Sadhus should be served.

Show mercy and love towards all Jivas [souls].

To abstain from all kinds of meats.

No visible object in this world should be worshiped.

Do not tell lies.

Do not steal.

Do not gamble.

Do not curse any one.

Repeat Satya Nam.

Practice bhakti of Satya Purush [God] and teach about him.

Hindu, Muslim and any other sect can join Kabir’s religion.

Without the knowledge of Sar Shabd [the True Sound], no one can attain jiva mukti (liberation, salvation).

Abuse, deceit and jealousy are enemies of jiva mukti.

Humility is a great virtue.

Give thanks for the gift of the Sat Guru.

Without true love of God the practice of bhakti is fruitless.

To read the Sat Guru’s words is a great virtue.

One should know the Supreme Spirit."

In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami,

James Bean

Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts

Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts

A Satsang Without Walls

Sant Mat Radhasoami

https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com

https://www.facebook.com/SantMatRadhasoami

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Spiritual Awakening Radio - The Vegetarian Christians of Early Christianity
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08/15/23 • 22 min

One thing that might be rather surprising to most people that can be learned by doing a study of the gospels, acts and other literature of the Hebrew Christians -- the Ebionites -- the Christianity that Existed Before Paul -- is that, rather than some imagined Sunday school notion of a fish market in the village of Galilee being operated by the disciples of Jesus, there is significant evidence that the Original Jesus Movement and well-known apostles became vegetarians. And furthermore, this vegetarianism of the disciples and Jesus Movement is fairly widely known and mentioned by the early church fathers. It's not that this information is coming from recently discovered writings dug up in the Middle East. Rather, these are old texts that have been with us since the early days of Christianity but didn't seem all that meaningful and significant to a pro-meat carnistic population. Vegetarians however would indeed be most interested finding this out! (Peace be to you)

"Jacobus [James], the brother of Jesus, lived of seeds and vegetables and did not accept meat or wine." (Saint Augustine)

"The consumption of animal flesh was unknown up until the great flood. But since the great flood, we have had animal flesh stuffed into our mouths. Jesus, the Christ, who appeared when the time was fulfilled, again joined the end to the beginning, so that we are now no longer allowed to eat animal flesh." (pro-vegetarian early church father Hieronymus [St. Jerome] who apparently read the Gospel of the Hebrews and was influenced by Ebionite views)

"Sacrifices were invented by men to be a pretext for eating flesh." (Clement of Alexandria)

"The steam of meat meals darkens the spirit. One can hardly have virtue if one enjoys meat meals and feasts. In the earthly paradise [Eden], no one sacrificed animals, and no one ate meat." (Saint Basil the Great)

In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami

James Bean

Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts

Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts

Sant Mat Radhasoami

A Satsang Without Walls

https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com

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Within this temple of the human body, just beyond the field of darkness one sees with eyes closed during meditation, are vast oceans of Light, Sound and Love. Genuine Sant Mat is the spiritual Path of Love (Bhakti) as well as Inner Light, and Sound. It is absolutely essential for the initiate, the disciple, the satsangi, the seeker of spirituality, to be in touch with the Bhakti side of the Path. Huzur Maharaj Rai Saligram in his Prem Patra Radhasoami says: "All Sants, and Soami Ji Maharaj in particular, have, in their Bani [hymns], laid great stress upon engendering love. The idea is that the task can be accomplished quickly and easily with the help of love. Mere renunciation cannot afford so much advantage, nor can mere comprehension of the Faith confer such a benefit. All activities in the world are going on because of love and desire. If one does not have any feeling of love or he has no interest in a matter, he can do nothing. For the real spiritual welfare of their soul, it therefore behooves all Jivas [souls] to develop real love for the true Supreme Being."

There are compositions of Guru Nanak, Sants like Kabir, Namdev, Ravidas, Dadu, Mirabai, Dayabai, Sahjo Bai, Tulsi Das, Paltoo Sahib, Surdas, Tukaram, Dariya Sahib, Tulsi Sahib, Girdhari Sahib, Surswami, Swami Ji Maharaj, Huzur Maharaj, Maharshi Mehi Paramhans, Baba Somanath -- so many great Saints of the ages, during each generation of humanity. Their mystic poetry and hymns (banis and bhajans) are such treasure-troves of inspiration. These are all voices speaking from that state of being or consciousness that we call "Anurag Sagar", the Ocean of Love, and "Sach Khand", the Timeless Spiritual Realm. These verses of the Saints read like poetry or psalms. Rumi poetry is similar. These Mystics of the East provide very beautiful and Bhakti devotional teachings, the Way of the Lover and the Beloved.

"Sant Mat is not the path of information. This is the Path of Transformation." (Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj) "As the river enters into the Ocean, so my heart touches Thee." (Kabir)

In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters,

James Bean

Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts

Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts

https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com

https://linktr.ee/SpiritualAwakeningRadio

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We get to have a rare glimpse of the Great Master Huzur Baba Sawan Singh through the eyes of Harbans Singh Bedi, an initiate of Hazur who attended joyful satsang gatherings presided over by Sawan back during the 1940's.

Other glimpses of Sawan come from his letters, foreign correspondence with spiritual seekers and initiate-disciples in the West. Spiritual guidance from the Master included discussion about the power of unwavering attention at the Third Eye Center during meditation practice, guidance about Simran, Dhyan and Bhajan practices, the value of corresponding and consulting with someone more advanced on the Path, also about the need for everyone interested in the Path of the Masters & Inner Light and Sound Meditation (Surat Shabd Yoga), East and West, to adopt a vegetarian diet:

"Meats, eggs and alcoholic drinks are prohibited... The real Sant Mat, or the teachings of the Saints, and the system of Yoga which they follow is distinct and individual, and it consists of a definite method of going inside of the Kingdom of Heaven and taking possession of that Kingdom. And this is a Universal Science. It is adaptable to all peoples and all lands, and has absolutely nothing to do with climate or particular condition of any country or people. This much I would strongly emphasize... If one understands where and how to find the protein bearing foods, among vegetables and grains and fruits, he will never have any need whatsoever for meats or eggs." Also: "Meats, eggs and alcoholic drinks have to be given up by the practitioner. These articles of diet dull the soul."

Huzur Baba Sawan Singh Ji also provided some introductory meditation instructions for new spiritual seekers to give them a convenient method, a short, daily Jyoti (inner Light) Interim Meditation to help prepare them for the eventual initiation into the full practice given at the time of initiation.

The Great Master said that the ultimate or true peace will never be fully realized in this turbulent ocean of samsara, the outer world of constant change, but is to be found on the Inner Planes accessed during meditation from the inside, in the world of within:

"The Way to Peace lies within. Within us lies the Royal Word, the Sound Current, which mystics have called by various names but which means the same thing. Everybody has to go within himself to attain that peace." And: "The soul must seek Other Planes to find peace. To find peace is the business of the individual. Everybody has to seek it within himself." (Huzur Baba Sawan Singh Ji Maharaj)

In Divine Love, Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters,

James Bean

Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts

Spiritual Awakening Radio

https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com

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Spiritual Awakening Radio - A Brief Introduction to This Spiritual Path Called Sant Mat
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06/11/24 • 17 min

As the podcast title suggests, a right-to-the-point, in this case fifteen-minute summary of the essential beliefs and heavenly goals of this spiritual path called Sant Mat, which is defined as the Path of the Masters and Teachings of the Saints (Sants). Also explored are the ethical precepts, the low karma peaceful lifestyle followed by initiates of this path (satsangis). And you'll learn about the spiritual practice called Surat Shabd Yoga, which means being yoked to, or to become one with, the Inner Light and Sound of God (the Positive Power) during meditation. This Sant Mat Satsang Podcast concludes with a mystic poem of Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras on transcending the material realm and leaving the conventional world of religion behind, seeking and finding a living gnostic path during this life and experiencing communion with the Divine in the here and now (!)

In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhasoami (Radhaswami)

James Bean

Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts

Santmat Satsang Podcasts

Sant Mat Radhasoami

A Satsang Without Walls

Spiritual Awakening Radio Website:

https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com

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FAQ

How many episodes does Spiritual Awakening Radio have?

Spiritual Awakening Radio currently has 292 episodes available.

What topics does Spiritual Awakening Radio cover?

The podcast is about Meditation, Spirituality, Vegan, Religion & Spirituality and Podcasts.

What is the most popular episode on Spiritual Awakening Radio?

The episode title 'The Mystics Of Eastern Christianity and the Jesus Sutras Discovered in China Today on Spiritual Awakening Radio' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on Spiritual Awakening Radio?

The average episode length on Spiritual Awakening Radio is 41 minutes.

How often are episodes of Spiritual Awakening Radio released?

Episodes of Spiritual Awakening Radio are typically released every 5 days.

When was the first episode of Spiritual Awakening Radio?

The first episode of Spiritual Awakening Radio was released on Aug 23, 2019.

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