Reading at Borders Again...

Actually, I've been there a few times since I wrote several posts about Paramhansa Yogananda's writings about the second coming of Christ. (in you/in us/in me) Every time I stop at Borders (which is often since I am running Beth to and from work so much) I read from one of the books in the two volume set...The Second Coming of Christ.  I will be disappointed when someone purchases the set.  I should note that Borders has a "read whatever you want to read, and have a cup of coffee while you're doing it" policy.  I am careful not to stain, bend, rumple or as the saying goes....staple, fold, spindle or mutilate. 

Some people do..and others leave stacks of books sitting there for the staff to pick up and put away.  Rude...very rude. I mean come on people, if they let you read the books for FREE..with no obligation to even buy a cup of coffee, at LEAST put them AWAY!!! 

Anyway...I've gotten some pretty interesting quotes from the book. Not all of it resonates.  Probably not even half of it resonates...but every time I take it off the shelf and settle in a comfy chair in the Border's coffee shop, I find a gem.  Some recently found gems, you ask?? Okay....about prayer and meditation....

Mediation- concentration upon God, is the portal through which every seeker of every faith must pass in order to contact God. Withdrawal of the consciousness from the world and the senses for the purpose of communing with God was taught by Christ in these words:

But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet (draw the mind within) and when thou hast shut the door (the door of the body and senses) pray to the Father which is in secret (within you) Matthew 6:6 Volume one, page 232

I like that...

And how about...

The Hindu scriptures say, "The flower falls when the fruit appears" The flowers of meditation and prayer must be conscientiously nurtured to blossom in the garden of the devotees consciousness; but when the fruit of God realization comes, the flowers of meditation and prayer, having served their purpose wither away. 

I like that, too!! 

It makes me think of the reminder that says...never forget that the finger pointing at the moon...is not the moon.  And does go on to say that these things continue to have a place in the Devotees life.  Odd that I was reading from Brother Lawrence's Practicing the Presence today at the gym...and found similar sentiments. But that is fodder for another post....

Anyway....in my journeys around the world wide web today, I came across a site devoted to Paramhansa Yogananda and his teachings.

I found an online version of his well known book Autobiography of a Yogi.  Plus a really interesting magazine called Clarity which contains many of his teachings.  In the archives, the Summer 2007 issue has excerpts from the two volume book I've been reading at Borders. 

Check out the other volumes in archives, and the latest edition, too.....