Biographies and Awakening Accounts



         "Hafiz, there is no one in this world who is not looking for God.   Everyone is trudging along with as much
         dignity, courage and style as they possibly can."


              - Hafiz


         "The life of the believer is like a torrent making its way out of the high mountains down into the canyons
         and chasms of life, passing through many experiences until finally coming to the spiritual experience of
         death. From there, the torrent experiences resurrection and a life lived in concert with the will of God while
         still going through many stages of refinement. At last the torrent finds its way into the vast, unlimited sea.
         Even here the torrent does not totally come to be one with the vast ocean until it has once more passed
         through final dealings by the Lord."


               - Madame Guyon


         "There are men of enlightenment who cannot throw down a bridge from where they are to where they once
         were, so that others too can cross over. They do not know or cannot describe in detail the way which others
         must follow to reach the goal. Such men are not the teaching masters, and should not be mistaken for them...
         The man of enlightenment who has never been a learner, who suddenly gained his state by the overwhelming
         good karma of previous lives, is less able to teach others than the one who slowly and laboriously worked his
         way into the state - who remembers the trials, pitfalls, and difficulties he had to overcome."


               - Paul Brunton


         Q: My Guru is Sri Babaji. What is your opinion of him?
         M: What a question to ask! The space in Bombay is asked what is its opinion of the space in Poona.
         The names differ, but not the space. The word ‘Babaji’ is merely as address. Who lives under the address?
         You ask questions when you are in trouble. Enquire who is giving trouble and to whom.

               - Nisargadatta Maharaj


  "The Death of a Dream and a Gift of Truth"
A Personal Experience with Sant Kirpal Singh. By Peter Holleran
 
  Kirpal Singh - Beloved Master
One of a kind Sant Sat-Guru. Brief life sketch
and extensive personal accounts by devotees.
By Peter Holleran.
 
  Atmananda (Krishna Menon) - Householder Karana Guru
"You come to realize that you are yourself the goal of samadhi." A life sketch and discussion of the difference between the witness consciousness and reality.
By Peter Holleran.
 
  Paul Brunton - Architect of a 21st Century Philosophy
Writer-sage who brought the higher teachings of the East to the West. By Peter Holleran.
 
  Ramakrishna Paramahansa - God-Intoxicated Saint
”Find God, that is the only purpose in life.”
By Peter Holleran.
 
  Swami Vivekananda - Vedantic Pioneer
Tireless exponent for a rational religion.
By Peter Holleran.
 
  Swami Brahmananda - Bhakta Supreme
Spiritual son of Sri Ramakrishna, Brahmanda most embodied the devotional ideal. By Peter Holleran.
 
  St. Teresa of Avila - to Hell and Back
A Second Look at the Dark Night and the
Mystics of the Church. By Peter Holleran
 
  The Enigmatic Kabir
Universal guru, beloved by many. By Peter Holleran.
 
  Lord Chaitanya - Krishna Devotee:
Founder of the Chaitanya Vaishnava religious movement. By Peter Holleran.
 
  "DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY"
Meher Baba and the concept of the Avatar. By Peter Holleran.
 
  Bankei Yotaku - Unborn Zen
Awakening to prajna-truth versus final enlightenment.
By Peter Holleran.
 
  Paramhansa Yogananda and Kriya Yoga
Inspirer of thousands. Includes link to complete
on-line version of Autobiography of a Yogi.
By Peter Holleran.
 
  Sri Aurobindo and the Integral Yoga:
"The Ultimate Construction Project"
By Peter Holleran.
 
  The Two Krishnamurti's
Paradox and contradiction in two modern iconoclasts.
By Peter Holleran.
 
  George Gurdjieff - Mysterious Trickster
Proponent of "The Fourth Way", George Gurdjieff taught a hard school of self-understanding. By Peter Holleran.
 
  Upasani Baba - SadGuru
Disciple of Narayan Maharaj and Sai Baba of Shirdi, and one of the five 'perfect' masters preparing the way for Meher Baba. By Peter Holleran.
 
  Swami Sivananda
One of the most famous yoga masters of the twentieth century, said to have written written over two hundred books.
 
  Those Amazing Christians
A potpourri of interesting, colorful characters. St. Catherine of Sienna, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Philip Neri, St. Seraphim of Sarov, Theophane the Recluse, Father John of Kronstadt, St. Padre Pio, Teresa Neumann. By Peter Holleran.
 
  H.P. Blavatsy and Rudolph Steiner - Man's Secret Past.
"All You Wanted to Know About Esoteric Evolution But Were Afraid to Ask." An examination of Theosophical and Anthroposophical accounts of man's development through the ages. By Peter Holleran.
 
  St. Augustine to Gandhi: The Sexual Dilemma
The battle with the flesh, as exemplified by St. Augustine and Mohandas K. Gandhi, and thoughts on the role of psychotherapy in spiritual practice.
By Peter Holleran.
 
  Mary Baker Eddy and the Neo-Vedantic Origins of Christian Science:
Its influence on New-Age thinking, and fundamental misunderstanding.
(Sounds boring, but believe me, it's not!). By Peter Holleran.
 
  Ramana Maharshi - Jnani of the Century
Fountainhead of modern non-dualism.
 
  Timothy Conway
Engaged spirituality versus mystical spirituality.
 
  Eckhart Tolle: From Depression to Awakening
"The Power of Now"
 
  Richard Sylvester - "there is no one"
Account of his two-part realization.
 
  the story of Charlie Hayes
"WHAT was THAT?!"
 
  Sri Ranjit Maharaj
Co-disciple of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj (1897-1991) speaks of his experience with their master Sri Siddharameshwar Maharaj (1888-1936).
 
  Dancing with God
By Ed Muzika, a student of Robert Adams.
 
  Robert Adams - "The Good for Nothing Man"
Last American disciple of Ramana Maharshi.
 
  Radical Gradualism: A Journal of Awakening
By Phil Servidio.
 
  Enlightenment of a Non-Conclusionist
By Melvyn Wartella.
 
  Byron Katie
Account of her awakening; website link for "The Work".
 
  Journey Through the Light and Back
Incredible, cosmic NDE story by Mellen-Thomas Benedict.
 
  The Divine Reality: Transcendent and Immanent
By Dick Richardson. Smashing account.
 
  Suzanne Segal
Collision with the Infinite.
 
  Ram (James Schwartz)
Mystical odyssey and vedantic realization.
 
  Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
"I Am That"
 
  Papaji - "Nothing Ever Happened"
"The unchanging, formless Self alone exists."
 
  Franklin Merrell-Wolff
"Consciousness-Without-An-Object"
 
  Richard Rose
Originator of the TAT foundation and The Albigen System.
 
  Adyashanti - "Emptiness Dancing"
Contemporary non-dual teacher and founder of Open Gate Sangha
 
  Bhagwan Rajneesh (Osho)
In his own words..