Category: The Jewelled Garden

For more about the Orthodox Christian saint Theophan the recluse, (1815-1894 CE), see this post. Images, however sacredthey may be, retainthe attention outside,whereas at the time of prayerthe attention must Continue Reading →

This subtle thought about self-awareness is taken from the Maqalat or Conversations of Shams of Tabriz, the spiritual catalyst of Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi. The mind constricts; love unbinds.The mind says, Continue Reading →

Lalleshwari or Lal Ded was a 14th c. Kashmiri yogini in the Shaivite tradition. She is deeply loved in Kashmir, both by Hindus and Muslims, and it is said that Continue Reading →

This subtle thought about self-awareness is taken from the Maqalat or Conversations of Shams of Tabriz, the spiritual catalyst of Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi. Now, O friend, you say, “Place the Continue Reading →

For more about the Chinese philosopher Chuang Tsu, see this post. All that is limited by form, semblance, sound, color is called object.Among them all, man alone is more than Continue Reading →

Mother Julian or Juliana of Norwich (ca. 1343 – post 1416) was an English anchoress, living in seclusion in a cell attached to St. Julian’s Church in Norwich. During a Continue Reading →

Sumangalmata (6th c. BCE?), the wife of a maker of shade umbrellas and hats, was a member of the earliest community of women followers of Shakyamuni Buddha. Many of these Continue Reading →

For some information about the Buddhist monk and poet Eihei Dogen, also known as Dogen Zenji (1200 – 1253 CE) see this post. Treading along in this dreamlike, illusory realm,Without Continue Reading →

For some information about the 10th c. Tamil poet and mystic Sivavakkiyar, see this post. Worshiping a put-up stone as God, showering it with flowersand intoning mantras under your breath Continue Reading →

For more about the 15th c. CE mystic and poet Kabir, see this earlier post. O how may I ever express that secret word?O how can I say He is Continue Reading →