Russill Paul and Jesus in the Lotus

[Siddhartha]

Jesus in the Lotus: The Mystical Doorway Between Christianity and Yogic Spirituality

Drawing on a deep knowledge of Christian scripture as well as Hindu philosophy, musician and teacher Russill Paul reveals that the mystical core of religion offers us much more than the simple solace of unthinking dogma. By demonstrating that these two seemingly separate and irreconcilable religions can actually unite in one person’s spiritual practice at the center of his life — as they did in his — he offers an alternative to religious intolerance and strife, as well as hope for personal liberation.

…

A native of Chennai, South India, Russill Paul took to playing stringed instruments from the early age of four and began professional music in his teens. Although he was born and brought up in a Christian family, he developed a keen interest in Indian spirituality in childhood that has guided him into the present day.

In 1984, he underwent a powerful spiritual transition that motivated him to begin living the unusual combination of a Benedictine monk and yogi under the direction of Dom Bede Griffiths, a pioneering Benedictine monk and revered sage who directed Shantivanam, a Christian monastery that expressed itself through the spiritual and yogic culture of India.

During the five years he spent as a monk, Russill Paul immersed himself in the sacred culture and spirituality of India’s esteemed heritage, studying traditional Sanskrit chanting and South Indian classical music as well as yoga, meditation, philosophy and cosmology. In addition to his training at the monastery, Russill was initiated into the sacred learning of Sanskrit and Indian music in several ancient temple cities of South India enabling him to develop the tools related to his lifework: The Yoga of Sound.

 

[Lancer]

Russill Paul reveals that the mystical core of religion offers us much more than the simple solace of unthinking dogma.

By…."the simple solace of unthinking dogma"…do you mean something like the fact that Jesus founded a visible Church with a visible head…his vicar…the Pope and the Bishops who teach The Truth…through the Magisterium…teachings such as the Creed…and dogmas like the real presence of Jesus – body, blood, soul and divinity – in the Holy Eucharist…if so…then I would tell Mr. Paul, respectfully, thanks…but no thanks…I would pass on his offer…in a heartbeat.

Taking nothing away from or questioning his/their sincerity, excellent talents…and charitable good will towards all…I would not give up one-iota of the Church’s teachings…Creed/dogma…because the Creed and the dogmas are what really count…the drama is in the dogma…*(Dorthy L. Sayers). *Without the dogma…without the creed…it is all very, very boring…I mean really boring…too much self…too much feelings and too much sensuality…too much vanity and way too much pride.

No Thanks…my friend…I like the the “challenge of a good fight”…with high stakes…or as they say in poker…"…all in…"…no safety net…no time outs and no personal judgments or waffling on the objective Truths of this life…all brought to you in “living color” by the power of none other that Our Lord Jesus Christ’s’…Most Holy Spirit…in and through the His Church! So for Christians it is a “both/and” situation/proposition…both SPIRIT and TRUTH…because the Truth is not something…it is someone… a person…Our Lord Jesus Christ…who along with the Truth…gave us the Way and the Life…also a person…Himself…on how we are to live this life!

John 14:6 (NIV-UK)

6 Jesus answered,*** I am the way and the truth and the life***. No-one comes to the Father except through me.

Yes...count me in...where everything counts...every breath and every action (thought, word and deed)...no safe/free zones...and not timeouts (although I am forever grateful that we do have a "penalty box"...in the Sacrament of Reconciliation...for guys like me..."screw-ups")!

What is really the best part of the Christian drama is that we Christians are not alone…we are one in Christ and one in his One body…The Church…24/7/365…for “X” years!..it is an absolute illusion to think or act otherwise! The greatest of all drama is that all of it – all that we do from breath # 1…to…breath # last – all of it must be wrapped in Charity – Agape – serving and not being served! The Cross!

John 4: 21-26 (NIV-UK)
21 Jesus declared, Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.
23 Yet** a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks.
24* God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth.***
25 The woman said, I know that Messiah (called Christ) is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.
26 Then Jesus declared, I who speak to you am he.

Please forgive my exuberance over “Creed and Dogma”…
Pax Christi

 

[Siddhartha]

By…."the simple solace of unthinking dogma"…

Please forgive my exuberance over “Creed and Dogma”…
Pax Christi

That’s OK, you’re forgiven. I’ve read Russill Paul’s book, and the “simple solace of unthinking dogma” phrase comes from a reviewer of the book, not from Russill Paul himself, who would most likely disagree with the phrase.

 

[bpbasilphx]

You might want to read what a convert to Orthodox Christianity from Hinduism said about the compatibility of Hinduism and Christianity.

orthodoxphotos.com/readings/future/hinduism.shtml