Through mirroring, seeing ourselves through the eyes of others, we receive impressions which influence our self-image. Often, we allow others to strongly influence our view of ourselves, what we can expect from life, and the meaning of life in general. It’s essential to review your accumulated mirroring and then remirror yourself, if necessary.

Sufis at times call the world in which we live the little world. Some Christians call it the veil of tears. Living in the little world, we are limited and under the tyranny of our sense-bound mind. As we rise above the noisy mind, we gradually become conscious of the soul, our true self. You can break out of your prison and live free.

In the view of yogis generally, Creation is an emanation of the Divine Spirit. Creation is furthered every time a person chooses to do good. You are attuning directly with the Lord when you seek to express goodness.

Through spiritual practice we can discover holiness — the holiness of ourselves, of one another, and of the Divine. The two main forces which block this realization are lust and greed. Transmutation of the sex drive liberates us from preoccupation sex. Transmutation of greed usually brings abundance and faith.

One jnana yoga realization is that it is God within that impels us to seek Him and to realize the Infinite. Spirit is the real self at the core of our being. It is the soul within which is calling us to realize and express our divine self. Discover how wonderful life can be when you respond to the call of your inner self.

Swami Vivekananda’s teachings on jnana yoga emphasize the realization of oneness. As you transcend the activity of the mind and ego, you find your soul, the Spirit within you. Spirit reveals that everything is Spirit expressing in different forms.

One of the realizations of jnana yoga is that — in essence — you are already free and perfect. Your ego, mind, emotions and senses just haven’t realized it yet. The goal is to release the delusion which stands between your present awareness and a realization of your true infinite soul.

Jnana yoga states that even though we appear to be separate individuals, we are all part of one great Being. Swami Vivekananda explains that desires are the cause of most of our misery. The solution is to give up the idea of proprietorship and adopt the attitude of stewardship. The reality is that everything is made up of Spirit expressing in different ways. Discover how living as the caretaker — not the owner — changes your relationships and quality of life.

Good nutrition helps to create the proper conditions for the awakening and maintenance of spiritual life. Yogis have much to share about which foods are (and are not) conducive to spiritual practices. Ramakrishna Ananda shares the views of Sri Ramakrishna, Baba Hari Dass, and others about diets which support spiritual growth