Bodhicitta

A translation by some at the Ari Bhod group. A wonderful basic teaching on essential virtues: http://aribhod.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/NORBU_CHOS-Web-021115.pdf

Do not follow; exception to what?

Mencius, VI (4th century BCE)

Confucius, Analects, IV, 1

Let us please avoid PC 'virtue' - the word simply means in root and dictionary sense 'a foolish or stupid person'.

Plato, Phaedo, 114

Thanks, others may chime in too.

Cicero, On Duties

No doubt Sri Jnanadeva's commentary is very good, whichever of the 3 or 4 English translations you use. But I am now re-reading the classic esoteric Nath based commentary by Swami Yogananda. Read it first 20 years ago and am able to appreciate it better now. Also have read Lahiri Mahasay and Sri Yukteshwar's comments, but Yogananda's is deeper, fuller and more in tune with we benighted Occidentals. He did live here for 30 years or so. His treatment (like all the Kriya gurus before him) of the first, usually ignored chapter, is amazing. He devotes 150 pages to the occult meanings of the warriors & their families etc.! His title, God Talks to Arjuna, is a tribute to a verse in Arnold's Gita version. Two vols. paper or hardback

Katherine Tingley

Born with a powerful link to spiritual Masters, this autobiography is a magnificent and uplifting work. https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?sts=t&an=sri+m+&tn=apprenticed+to&kn=&isbn= Sri M is what he is often called, was born in the south of India in 1948. A sequel to this first volume in coming out in a few weeks more. Highest recommendation!

There are a couple of chapters in Sri M's Journey on astral travel. He mentions no dangers or serious problems with the techniques he cites. Any comments (about the dangers in general, not his techniques) from those who have experience with OBEs or astral travel?

This August the ITC conference will be in Philadelphia. Here are readings on the main subjects: Universal Brotherhood, Nucleus and Healing.http://www.theosophyconferences.org/index.php/readings/Typos and highlighting abound.

Finished reading Sri M's sequel The Journey Continues, shorter in length but still filled with spiritual adventures rarely put into print. A blessing in book form!

Samuel Johnson (1709-84)

This field of sources is vast, yet these six little books compile enough quality thoughts for one to ponder many a lifetime on: http://prometheustrust.co.uk/html/the_music_of_philosophy_series.html#fosouls

A new collection of the Platonic writings of Dr Alexander Wilder - not expensive. http://www.lulu.com/shop/alexander-wilder/the-perfective-rites-and-other-writings-of-alexander-wilder/paperback/product-23157312.html

The Goal... and The Universe... are two of the best by Swami Satprakashananda. Of course Hinduism is colossal in scope, so these two titles focus on modern Vedanta. https://www.librarything.com/author/satprakashanandaswam

Surgery and life long drugs given to children is new and wrong. Especially since most kids grow out of their confusion and become gay or straight.

Not as closely as I should have. This below is more accurate "More gay folks are becoming uncomfortable with trans movement regarding children."

More gay folks are becoming anti-trans: https://4thwavenow.com/author/4thwavenow/

There has always been dissension and conflict between humans, in this era such divisive attitudes and speech and action seem very strong. This old article reminds we humans of our inner brotherhood and unity which cannot be avoided or destroyed. http://www.universaltheosophy.com/articles/johnston/uncomfortable-brothers/

It has been 50 years or so since I loved reading his Consolations of Philosophy. Now we learn there was music to go with the words! http://aleteia.org/2017/02/05/an-ancient-philosophical-song-comes-back-to-life-after-more-than-a-thousand-years/

No, my memory is not good. He may have only mentioned its existence, not quoted it. It requires Initiation and may be beyond words, as Swami Krishnananda comments: Etad evam padaṁ veda. athāsya etad eva turīyaṁ darśatam padam: Generally, people do not know that there is any such thing as the fourth foot of Gāyatrī. Nobody chants the fourth foot. It is a mystical appendix, as it were, to the normal chant. The fourth Pada is not given in its entirety in the original text for some unknown reason. Parorajāsé-sāvadon is the fourth Pada, which is beyond all Rajas. But the Upaniṣhad tells us that this fourth foot is very important. It is something like the Amātra aspect of Prāṇava, the soundless aspect of Om which is spiritual in its nature, which is Consciousness in its essentiality. Some such thing is the character of this fourth foot of Gāyatrī. While the three feet of Gāyatrī may be said to comprehend everything that is temporal, the fourth foot is non-temporal. It represents an absolute state. It is a special feature of this mystical aspect of Gāyatrī recitation into which very few people are initiated. Generally, initiation is not given into the fourth foot, but is only given in the three feet. Turīyaṁ darśatam padam: 'The fourth foot is apparently visible', really not visible. One cannot understand what this fourth foot is. As I mentioned to you earlier, you cannot understand what fourth dimension means. To us it is only a word without any sense, but it conveys every sense and every meaning from its own point of view. Likewise is this fourth foot of the Gāyatrī Mantra which is apparently visible, says the Upaniṣhad, but really not visible to the eyes, which means to say that its meaning is not intelligible to the mind. It is something very mystical. Parorajā parorajāsé-sāvadon is the fourth Pada. 'It is above the dust of the earth. It is superior to all that is manifest as creation. It is not material at all, and therefore it is called Paroraja.' It is super-physical. Ya eṣa tapati: 'The one that shines before us', the Sūrya, or the sun, is the supreme reality, the great superintending power, the deity behind this fourth foot of Gāyatrī. He has to be meditated upon through the recitation of the fourth foot.

I think Shankara or maybe the Brihadaryanaka Upanishad itself mentions a fourth line or foot. It seems to be esoteric, maybe silent - not sure. Swami Chinmayananda gave the words out once.