Category: Spiritual

The First Steps in God Realization

The First Steps in God Realization

Excerpt from FOOD YOGA – Nourishing Body, Mind, & Soul

“I am the Taste of Water”

The Bhagavad-gita[1] contains a statement from Krishna that illustrates how easily we can raise our awareness of God, just by being conscious while drinking water:

O son of Kunti [Arjuna], I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and the moon, the syllable Om in the Vedic mantras; I am the sound in ether and ability in man. [2]

The translator, Srila Prabhupada comments: “This is the all-pervasive nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We should mark the important word in this verse from the original Sanskrit: aham. Aham means ‘person,’” he says.

According to monotheistic traditions within Hinduism, God is both a person and an all-pervading energy. Krishna states later in the Bhagavad-gitamaya tatam idam sarvam jagad avyakta-murtina, “By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me, but I am not in them” (Verse 9.4); or, as French philosopher Voltaire once stated, “God is a circle whose center is everywhere and circumference nowhere.” [3]

A practical way to understand this all-pervasive nature of God is through the example of the sun. We understand the constitution of the sun globe by experiencing its all-pervasive heat and light. Although we are 93 million miles away from the sun, we are able to understand what the sun is through its energy, heat, and light. Essentially, therefore, the sun and its qualities of heat and light are distinct and yet inseparable.

For example, when the sunshine enters your room, you say, “the sun is in my room.” Of course, if the sun were really in your room, you wouldn’t be around to talk about it. The point is that the sun globe and the sun rays are simultaneously one and different. In the same way, the impersonal, all-pervading energy of the Creator is simultaneously one with and different from the personal features of the Creator. God, the Supreme Person, and God’s omniscient energy are essentially the same thing, and yet distinctly different. Such is the inconceivable and apparently contradictory nature of the Supreme.

The idea that the realization of God can be experienced in the mundane act of drinking water is profound, to say the least, but certainly believable once we accept the all-pervasive nature of the Supreme. After all, water is just one of the numerous energies that make up this mortal world. Logically, we must conclude: where there is energy there must be an “Energetic” — a source from which that energy flows. That energetic Source, according to the Vedas is Para-Brahman.[4]

The Bhagavat Purana contains a rich description of how we can perceive the presence of God’s all-pervading energy or universal form in nature:

O King, the rivers are the veins of the gigantic body, the trees are the hairs of His body, and the omnipotent air is His breath. The passing ages are His movements… (SB 2.1.33) …the clouds, which carry water, are the hairs on His head, the terminations of days or nights are His dress, and the supreme cause of material creation is His intelligence. His mind is the moon, the reservoir of all changes. (SB 2.1.34)

Even without these scriptural references, it is easy to perceive the presence of a divine force in our lives, if we only take the time to contemplate. We may argue on specifics of the Divine, but we can all agree on one thing: God in some form or another exists.

The late Mother Teresa encouraged the practice of contemplation as a means to God-realization by making it a central component of her mission.

“Our life of contemplation shall…gather the whole universe at the very center of our hearts where the Lord of the universe abides, and allow the pure water of divine grace to flow plentifully and unceasingly from the source itself, on the whole of his creation.”

In her teachings, she urged people to become more thoughtful by taking the time to silence our rushed lives.

“We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature — trees, flowers, and grass grow in silence; see the stars, the moon, and the sun, how they move in silence … We need silence to be able to touch souls.”

Sometimes, we need to slow down and quiet our minds to be able to appreciate the full value of our current situation. Silence is golden. Author of The Ragged Edge of Silence: Finding Peace in a Noisy World, John Francis Ph.D. certainly believes so.

After an oil spill near the Golden Gate Bridge of San Francisco in January of 1971, Francis took a vow of silence and avoided riding in motorized vehicles for the next 22 years. A strong-willed and opinionated man, Francis decided to see what he could learn from listening and walking wherever he went. In sharing his experience, Francis learned that contemplation is an effective means to enhance our spiritual awareness because it helps us to discover who we really are — and ultimately — to find peace.

Lacking a natural quiet of a previous age, we can accept the benefits of meditation and silence as a way to counteract the anxiety and depression often generated through our association with a noise-polluted world.

Of all the material elements, water is the one that speaks to our body, mind, and soul. In its purest form, it energizes our body through the process of hydrolysis; as calming tea, it can still our mind; as a transporter of higher vibrations it can inspire our soul, and its feminine qualities can embrace and nurture our entire being.

Take the time to fully appreciate this wonderful element and reap the benefits of holistic well-being.

Excerpt from FOOD YOGA — Nourishing Body, Mind, and Soul

BUY NOW

Food Yogi Website

Footnotes —

[1] Bhagavad-gita As It Is, by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, published by Macmillan in 1972.

[2] Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Verse 7.8.

[3] Voltaire (1694–1778).

[4] Para-Brahman: term often used by Vedantic philosophers as to the “attainment of the ultimate goal.” There is only one Supreme ParaBrahman and all energies and other deities are expansions of this Para-Brahman.

New Book: The 7 Maxims for Soul Happiness

New Book: The 7 Maxims for Soul Happiness

Unlock the keys to a more fulfilling life with help from ‘The 7 Maxims of Soul Happiness

New book by Paul Rodney Turner teaches readers how to unleash their inner bliss

GAITHERSBURG, Md. – According to former monk and the “Food Yogi” Paul Rodney Turner, the state of happiness is in trouble; with many unable to find some form of happiness, people go through life sad, exasperated and even suicidal. In “The 7 Maxims for Soul Happiness: How to Unleash Your Inner Bliss” (published by Balboa Press), Turner shares insights into living a more blissful life.

Filled with a plethora of tips, the book features pragmatic spiritual solutions intended to nurture a wayward spirit. Turner explains that happiness is the natural state of being. Most discontentment stems from a person’s misidentification with their physical form. “We are programmed to look for happiness in all the wrong place,” says Turner.

He adds, “Everyone wants to be happy but most of us are looking for it in the wrong place. In my new book, I outline some concepts that will shed light on our true potential as spiritual beings, from where true happiness resides.”

For a complete list of books authored by Turner, visit his Amazon Author page.

“The 7 Maxims for Soul Happiness”

By Paul Rodney Turner

Softcover | 6 x 9 in | 156 pages | ISBN 9781982222451

E-Book | 156 pages | ISBN 9781982222468

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

[button_3 text=”download-now.png” align=”center” href=”http://paulrodneyturner.com/7-maxims-of-soul-happiness”/]

About the Author

Australian-born Paul Rodney Turner, also known as the “Food Yogi,” was a celibate monk for 14 years from age 19-33. He lived a simple life, including sleeping on the floor without a pillow, taking cold showers, rising at 3:30 am every morning, meditating for 2 hours and studying the ancient Vedic literature of India. Turner is a vegan chef, social entrepreneur, public speaker, numerologist, holistic life coach, spiritual guide and the international director of Food for Life Global, the world’s largest food relief that serves up to 2 million plant-based meals daily. He currently lives in the Andes Mountains of Colombia with his wife and son on their animal sanctuary. Get a free sample here

Take Our Survey and WIN a FREE SCHOLARSHIP

Take Our Survey and WIN a FREE SCHOLARSHIP

I am offering a FREE scholarship at the Food Yoga Academy.

All you have to do is take a quick survey that you can complete in less than 2-minutes!

And that’s it. You will be in the running to get full access to the Food Yogi level 1 Certification course.

This is the introductory course for food yoga and it includes many hours of video lessons and vegan recipe demonstrations. All students that complete the course will be awarded a printable certificate and a digital badge that they can proudly display on their online resume.

So don’t delay, do the survey now and be in the running.

HOW TO ENTER

Answer the following question in this short survey and you will be in the running to win a FREE scholarship at the Food Yoga Academy for the Level 1 Food Yogi Certification.

The survey should take no more than 2-minutes to complete. Don’t delay!

Create your own user feedback survey

You and I are Brilliant

You and I are Brilliant

“I used to be conceited once but now I know I’m brilliant” – Rodney Turner

LOL, my dad (Rodney Turner) was a character, always the joker and always the one to say something outrageous, however, sometimes he spoke some gems. In all seriousness, the above statement taken literally is outrageous, pompous and a little cheeky but when we understand our true nature as souls the statement get some legs. You see, all of us from the single cell organism to biologically complex humans are essentially souls having a physical experience and what is the nature of the soul? It is as brilliant as the sun and it “illuminates the entire body by consciousness,” says Krishna in the classic scripture known as the Bhagavad-gita.

My father may not have understood the spiritual significance of his comically-motivated statement during his physical presence here on earth but I’m sure he did when he had to leave his body at death.

Death is our greatest teacher with old-age a close second. Both of which provide clues to our true eternal nature as a soul. As we age, things start to break down or stop working the way they used to. As young men, we are motivated by sex and our body responds accordingly.  But, as we get older, sex is not as motivational as it once was and our aging bodies comply. The same can be said of our voracious appetites as teenagers. I remember well how much food I could easily digest in one sitting, whereas now at age 54 I have to be more mindful of how much my stomach can digest.

Wrinkles, reduced vision, hearing, and memory are all reminders (clues) that this body (temple) we call “home” is on borrowed time and at any time it can be taken away and we will be forced to evacuate and move to another physical shell. Unless of course, we are successful in raising our awareness to such a state that we are fully detached from this material world and purified of the ensnaring desires of lust, greed, and anger. Then, according to the Bhagavad-gita, we can transcend the bond of material nature and move into the higher spiritual frequencies.

The fact is, as souls, we are truly brilliant in all aspect, for just as a spark has the same quality as fire, we as a soul have the same qualities as the Creator, only in smaller quantity. It may take us many thousands of physical bodies to awaken to this truth but eventually, our ultimate success is assured. My dad, in all his quirkiness, was actually onto something and it is one of the fondest memories I have of him. He would often say this after potting a ball on the pool table and his natural confidence rubbed off on me, however, it was not until many years later when I decided to become a monk that his statement revealed its true worth.

Thanks, dad.

PS. In my latest book, SOUL POWER I go into great detail about our true nature as souls. Get your copy here.

 

New Book, SOUL POWER Now Available on Amazon

New Book, SOUL POWER Now Available on Amazon

SOUL POWER – Five Noble Truths for a Successful Life available in paperback and ebook

International director of Food for Life Global www.ffl.org, the world’s largest network of plant-based food relief projects, Paul Rodney Turner has released a new book in the self-help genre called SOUL POWER – Five Noble Truths for a Successful Life that draws from his 35-years of experience as a practitioner of the Bhagavad-gita.

This is a follow-up to his earlier book, the 5-star rated FOOD YOGA – Nourishing Body, Mind & Soul in which he became world-famous as the food yogi.

“One evening in New York, while sitting at the table with pen in hand and feeling a little discouraged, I asked myself a simple question: What is special about me? I allowed my pen to flow without thinking too much about the answers, and to my surprise, I came up with five affirmations that coincidently all begin with the letter “P”. Easy to remember, and as you’ll see they touch upon the very core of our existence. Thus was born what I call The Five Noble Truths that now serve to guide me through my life: I am Powerful; I am Protected; I am Perfect; I am Prasadam; I am Prosperous,” he explained.

Turner’s hope is that these affirmations will give people the solace, strength, and wisdom they need to succeed in life as well help remind them just how awesome they are as a spirit soul.

In expanding on the meaning of each affirmation, Turner has drawn from the teachings of various esoteric and spiritual traditions, with a special preference to the Vedic scriptures. “Essentially, I was writing this book for myself,” he says. “As I typed each word, I took on the role of an empathetic friend offering encouragement. I want the readers to know that everything contained in this book was written with the utmost sincerity by the hand of an encouraging friend.”

An affirmation is a declaration of something that is true. Turner explains that the affirmations presented in SOUL POWER will resonate with readers as they have with him and that they’ll embrace and apply them within the context of their own spiritual tradition.

“Each one of these affirmations is drawn from the perspective that you and I and all living things on this planet are souls – eternal personified sparks of the Creator, not bound by time and the true essence of what makes us conscious beings” he explains.

To complement the spoken affirmations, Turner has also provided geometric equivalents (yantras) for each affirmation which will aid the reader in their meditation.

ISKCON author, Krishna Dharma praised the new book:

It is said that the greatest of all wisdom is to know yourself. In this well written and fascinating book Paul Rodney Turner introduces us to five life changing truths about who and what we really are. Drawing from different spiritual traditions, especially from the Sanskrit texts of India’s ancient Vedic teachings, he shows how we are something far greater than we could ever imagine. He presents us with five powerful meditations, each accompanied by a mystical yantra that embodies its essential truth and aids in expanding the consciousness. By deeply contemplating these truths about the self, along with the yantras, you will surely become empowered to fulfil your life goals, and experience a profound and lasting peace and inner happiness.

The book is available in digital and print from Amazon.com for $1.99 and $9.95 respectively.

GET YOUR COPY NOW FOR JUST $1.99!

PRINT EDITION $9.95

Food Yogi Interviewed on Sacred Space TV – Part 1

Food Yogi Interviewed on Sacred Space TV – Part 1

[kad_youtube url=”https://youtu.be/XbqIgiY0N3k” width=640 height=450 ]

This is part 1 of 4 parts of an interview I gave in Australia at the Melbourne Hare Krishna temple. Forgive the background noises, especially the occasional plane and coughing and kirtan, I did not realize at the time and boy I wish I had. There is one thing I misspoke in part 4. Correction: Male calves from the dairy industry are fed a LOW-iron diet to make them anemic and their flesh light color. However, on the video, I said, “High-iron diet.” oops.

Trekking through the Himalayas

Trekking through the Himalayas

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/201382921″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]

On Day 1 we gathered — at an eco hotel,
Excited and hopeful — that all would go well,
Sincere seekers of truth, with hearts filled with love,
We prayed the Gods would bless us from those mighty peaks above.

On Day 2 we felt grounded — as we embraced Mother Earth,
Appreciating her artistry in stone carvings, and the birth…
of a Nation full of climbers, with calf muscles like granite,
you won’t find stronger men by weight on this planet.

On Day 3 we dove deep — into the Mother divine —
Manifest as Water — with qualities feminine,
Such as softness, compassion, quiteness and adaptability,
as well as nurturing, secretiveness and flexibility.

The mighty Trisuli — would express her powers 3+
Her challenging currents — were more than ample for all of us,
While her chilly waters drenched — our lust for soft beds,
The friendly sun shone boldly and warmed our sorry heads.

The Fire energy roared loudly — as we sat by the banks,
enjoying smores and good company — while our egos shrank…
from hardened wood to dark coals — on a black starry night,
we felt invigorated and thankful — for the grace of fire light.

Fire energy is masculine — with the power to destroy,
Manifesting as change, war, and fury — it can melt metals into alloys,
It’s erratic behaviour — is impossible to contain,
and yet, without its heat and light — we could not maintain.

On Day 4, vegan pancakes, adorned our hungry plates,
prepared with love by Juliana — we all could hardly wait,
We then drove to Pokhara — to settle down for the night,
the first day of our trek — was now close within our sights.

On Day 5 we were greeted — with the most glorious sunrise,
set against a mighty backdrop — of glorious mountain highs,
As snowy peaks pierced the skyline, and clouds danced around,
We practiced yoga that morning — our energy unbound.

After a short morning commute — we arrived at Nayapal,
the starting place of our trek — a humble village in Nepal,
It was there we met “Yuddhi” a street dog with a smile,
She would walk with us gladly, for the next few miles.

We trekked up and down — “Nepali flat” we were told,
it wasn’t easy for any of us, but thank God it was not cold,
Today would be easy — compared to tomorrow’s big ascent,
Our porters, led by “Babu” walked with focused intent.

We stayed overnight in a guest house, some 1600 meters high,
Although the air was getting cleaner — we all had sore thighs,
The rooms were very humble and the food simple fare,
but nobody complained — and nor did anyone care.

Our hearts were being enriched — with every step we trod,
lifting our heavy boots — while straining our quads,
On Day 6 we soared higher, up the steps to Ghorepani,
over 4000 to be exact, and boy, it was not funny.

By the end of the day — we were exhausted and very sore,
but elated we had scaled over 1100 meters more.
“This was now getting serious,” our minds cried out in pain,
I admired the determination of Ivas, as he focused on the gain.

While Bob and Cyndi took their time — setting a steady pace,
Juliana shadowed Babu — with a mountain-climber’s face,
Matching his pace all the way, while glaring at his shoes,
The mountain “poker dot jersey” was hers to lose.

Meanwhile, Billy quietly ascended, holding sticks in both hands,
Like the great men before him, he made proud Deutschland,
Just behind him was Santa, snapping photos all the way,
while encouraging her man, Ivars, to the Gods she would pray.

On Day 7 we arose early — to catch the sunrise,
scaling the top of Poonhil — we found clear blue skies.
I did headstands for my album, while we celebrated the new day,
after sun gazing respectfully — to Gayatri we did pray.

To Juliana’s delight — her friend Yuddhi did reappear,
It was some kind of miracle that she’d ascended without fear,
She’d never done this trek before — and was barely 1-year-old,
and yet here she was smiling — wagging her tail so bold.

A great day to honour Fire and Air — combined in one breath,
enriching our lungs and eyes — we pushed away death.
Onwards went our trekking — as we headed for Tadapani,
Some 5-6 hours later it was still very sunny.

The weather kept cooperating — everyday we felt blessed,
Making our trek all the more easier, as we walked in light dress.
Breathing deeply and slowly — absorbing the mountain chi,
Our faces grew younger — as they filled with utter glee.

The quality of Air is feminine — embodying a soft touch,
expansive thoughts, sweet fragrance and detachment as such.
We arrived at the Discovery Hotel, complete with spectacular views,
and bedded down for the night, to start a day anew.

On Day 8 we ventured downward — to a place called Chomarong,
In the evening, we all spontaneously broke out in devotional song.
After a demanding descent to Jhihu — that stressed our knees and calves,
It was time to soak our aching limbs in a refreshing hot bath.

The natural hot springs replenished — our weary sore feet,
As we soaked and wrinkled up — we shared stories in the heat,
While the rapids churned powerfully — creating a pleasant natural song,
rain drops fell softly — it seemed nothing could go wrong.

Returning to our new guest rooms, 30 minutes up the hill,
We witnessed Mother Nature’s power — as hail did fill…
the courtyard beside our rooms — crashing hard on the rooftop,
If it had come earlier today — our trek would have to stop.

But the Gods were blessing us — it was very easy to see,
Our guide and porters kept telling us — how lucky we had been,
Clear views, bright colours — and perfect paths to walk,
The Himalayas were so kind to us – I swear I could hear them talk…

To each and everyone of us — a personal spiritual song,
One we could personally relate too — one that would make us strong,
As we expanded our consciousness – to embrace these new ideas,
We felt invigorated like children — with suction cups for ears.

For today was about Ether — and the intention it contains,
We should direct our thoughts to positive things — and eschew all things mundane,
We must master our mischievous tongues — with pure food and pure talk,
by praising others, giving gratitude and wielding a conscious fork.

On Day 9 we returned to Nayapal — back to where we had begun,
Feeling tired but satisfied — the adventure had been so much fun.
As we drove back to our hotel — Nepalese folk songs played aloud,
As the leader of the group — I could not be more proud.

That evening I led everyone — on a visual meditation,
guiding them to each Element — to pause for appreciation,
How Mother Nature embraces us — with unconditional love,
How God is ever present — and not solely in heaven above.

Each element expresses — in multifarious ways,
Through energy, food, behaviour — and even what we say,
We are personified energy — experiencing material form,
It is imperative we realize — our soul is never born.

For energy is eternal — just changing shape and space,
What we know of each other — should be more than just a face,
Look behind the eyes of others — to see their force inside,
Embrace your soul divinity — with mountainous pride.

(c) 2015 Paul Rodney Turner

12 day Nepal Adventure with the Food Yogi April 3 – 14

12 day Nepal Adventure with the Food Yogi April 3 – 14

Join us for this exclusive trek in Nepal in 2015

FOODYOGA-NEPAL600

Highlights include:

  • Incredible Himalayan trekking in the Annapurnas
  • Whitewater rafting on the Trishuli River w/ overnight camping
  • Exploring the amazing UNESCO architectural wonders of the Kathmandu Valley
  • Boating on Lake Phewa
  • Vegan BBQ and kirtan in the Himalayas
  • Yoga/meditation sessions
  • Seminars on Food Yoga and connecting with the 5 elements
  • Reiki healing for humans and animals
  • Aromatherapy basics

Cost Includes

  • Airport pickup & drop services
  • Hotel in Kathmandu and Pokhara (3 star category by Nepalese standard) in twin sharing room on bed and breakfast basis
  • Insurance, meals and accommodation and other expenses of trekking crew (guide and porters)
  • All your meals (Vegan)
  • Simple tea-house lodge accommodation with 3 meals daily during the trek
  • Necessary trek permit and national park fee
  • Farewell dinner with cultural programs
  • Transportation by tourist bus Kathmandu
  • Pokhara – Kathmandu and Pokhara-Nayapul-Pokhara
  • Himalayan white water rafting for 1 night 2 days
  • Boat ride in Phewa lake Pokhara

BOOK NOW!!! https://foodyogi.org/food-yoga-trek-himalayas/

FFL Director, speaking at MBS in Sydney

FFL Director, speaking at MBS in Sydney

lg_mbs10

paul300-vitamixSydney, May 16 – 19 — FFL Director, Paul Rodney Turner, also known as the “food yogi” will be speaking every day of the Mind, Body, Spirit Festival in Sydney at the Soul Kitchen stage. Turner will talk about the work of Food for Life Global and share knowledge of food yoga, including some raw food recipes. The talks and demos are free to all attendees. Turner will have copies of his book, FOOD YOGA to autograph.

If you you’ve ever wanted to get involved with Food for Life as a volunteer or learn directly from Paul about the art and science of Food Yoga, there is no better time.

Paul will only be in Sydney until May 21 when he will fly to New Zealand to continue his world tour, helping to expand the work of the charity and educate the public about food yoga.

To learn more about Turner’s travel schedule, connect with him on www.facebook.com/foodyogi 

ABOUT Mind, Body Spirit Festival

It’s a fantastic fun day out, filled with new experiences, entertainment, learning and expert advice.

At the MindBodySpirit Festival, you can learn to conquer stress in minutes, discover the latest herbal supplements,  or realise your psychic powers. Perhaps you’d like to know how to find your soul mate, enjoy the mysteries of tantric relationships, find that highly prized work-life balance, or balance your chakra.
There is something for everyone searching for a healthier and more fulfilling lifestyle.

How to Get There

Sydney Convention and Exhibitions CentreHall 1, Sydney Exhibition & Convention Centre, Darling Harbour, Sydney, Australia

One of Australia’s great waterfront destinations, with attractive harbourside promenade and parkland areas, Darling Harbour plays host to over 15 million international and local visitors every year.
www.scec.com.au

Please follow & like the Food Yogi :)