Kolkata, Jan 17 : Founding member and former president of the USA Chapter of the Art of Living Foundation, Michael Fischman on Friday released his autobiographical sketch 'Stumbling Into Infinity: An Ordinary Man in the Sphere of Enlightenment', here at The Bengal Club.

Associated with the organization for over two decades now, Fischman narrated his personal encounter and experiences with spiritual leader and founder of the Art of Living Foundation, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar over the years and how these have shaped his life and spiritual journey.

The Art of Living Foundation is a volunteer-based, humanitarian and educational non-governmental organizations which aims to relieve individual stress, societal problems, and violence.

In an intimate account, Fischman throws light on many questions he was asked about the early days around Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.

Through this book, Fischman conveyed some of the magic and mystery of those early years - little-known stories, private moments with Sri Sri, and the extraordinary combination of wisdom and innocence that he saw in Gurudev.

He said that the spiritual journey has not always been easy.

Being on this path has brought out both the finest and worst qualities in him.

However, throughout this journey there has been an underlying sense of grace and many mysteries he can't explain. Fischman has offered this book in gratitude, with the hope that it will inspire others to explore a life of greater fulfilment and unconditional love.

Winner of the Nautilus Silver Award, an Eric Hoffer Prize, and a Finalist in the 'USA Best Books 2011' Awards, 'Stumbling Into Infinity', reveals the unusual chain of events that led Michael Fischman from a challenging childhood in an Orthodox Jewish household to an unexpected role as friend and helper to renowned humanitarian and spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, whose Art of Living Foundation's 25th anniversary event drew more than 2 million people.

With elements of 'Eat, Pray, Love' and 'Autobiography of a Yogi', 'Stumbling Into Infinity' is a personal story that begins with the son of a Holocaust survivor, in an Orthodox Jewish household.

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Michael Fischman releases Stumbling Into Infinity

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today condoled the demise of spiritual leader of Dawoodi Bohra community, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin, saying his appeal went beyond the community and his humanism inspired people of all faiths.

Expressing deep sadness at the demise of the spiritual leader, Singh said he led the Dawoodi Bohra Community with wisdom and enlightenment. "His appeal went beyond the community as his compassion and humanism inspired people of all faiths."

The Prime Minister extended his heartfelt condolences to the followers of Syedna.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi also expressed grief at the demise of Syedna.

In her condolence message, she said Syedna was not just a leader of a particular community, but brought people of all faiths together and was respected by people of all faiths.

"His contribution went far beyond the religious sphere. He was steadfast in promoting education, particularly among girls, and remained committed to the cause of improved civic life and infrastructure," she said.

Syedna (102) died this morning after a cardiac arrest at his residence in South Mumbai.

In Mumbai, the one-of-its-kind Raudat Tahera mausoleum, which has the entire Quran inscribed in letters of gold and bejewelled with precious stones, the world-class Saifee Hospital, and the ongoing ambitious Saifee Burhani Upliftment project of the redevelopment of Bhendi Bazaar are some of the major initiatives of Syedna.

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Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi condole death of Dawoodi Bohra community leader

By Rajnish Singh, New Delhi, March 24 : Fifty-seven-year-old Gabriel, a Nigerian, never thought that making powdered colours for the Holi festival in Delhi's Tihar Jail would lead him on the path of spirituality and soothe his conscience, blotted after spending 37 years of his life in criminal activities.

Gabriel, a drug peddler who also forged passports, is an undertrial and has been lodged in jail No. 3 of South Asia's largest prison located in west Delhi for the last five years.

"I wasted 37 years of my life in petty crimes. the last five years I have repented for my mistakes and I am a new man now," Gabriel told IANS.

So drastic has been the life-changing experience for Gabriel that he now counsels young prisoners on how to reform their lives once they are free.

"He is helping the youngsters here in mending their ways and focussing on the right things. He is definitely helping us," Tihar spokesperson Sunil Gupta told IANS.

Gabriel is among 88 prisoners - 50 male and 38 female - who are undergoing reformation sessions with the help of meditation as well as imbibing soft skills that will help them get employed once they complete their sentences.

Apart from learning to make colours, an initiative introduced in December 2012 by NGO Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan (DJJS), the inmates are also taught how to make incense sticks and herbal beauty products, among others, which are then made available in various malls and markets.

"We greatly emphasize on helping them (inmates) spiritually and teach them yoga and meditation as it prepares them for the normal world outside. They learn to be at peace with themselves," DJJS spokesperson Swami Vishalanand told IANS.

Tihar Jail Director General Vimla Mehra told IANS: "While making colours or beauty products, the prisoners learn a new skill which will help in their rehabilitation after they have completed their terms."

"The spiritual wisdom teaches them to tread on the right path of life," she added.

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Enlightening Tihar's prisoners - spiritually and skillfully

Reverend Ellen Grace O #39;Brian, Center for Spiritual Enlightenment

By: Cathy Zheutlin

Excerpt from:

Reverend Ellen Grace O'Brian, Center for Spiritual Enlightenment - Video

Satori is a Zen Process for Enlightenment

Think of a state of being with no mind. It is a thought process without ego and thought between the body and the mind. Think of it as a process of pure thought without any personal opinions, beliefs, and understandings. Satori is a type of thinking, just a blank open mind. It is not a goal you wish to strive for, it is a point of mental relaxation in which you take everything in without prejudice.

Listen Twice as Much as You Speak

When we seek guidance, it is usually to fix a problem or change our path of destiny. The reason you have you two ears and one month is so you listen twice as much as you speak. Acquiring spiritual intelligence requires an open mind like a sponge. It is not often a three minute Internet search, it requires an investment of time and a study of different points of view. The type of knowledge you seek is based on the problem you have. This is a direct impact on where you seek, and what you do with the knowledge you will acquire.

Reference Education

Reference education refers to "text book" type knowledge and is the first step to solving problems related to health, finance, and anything concrete. Questions like this would fall under this category:

This type of education is often easier to get and easier to use in your decision making process. Again, we can't underestimate the importance of researching multiple sources of the same subject as the quality of the education you seek is proportional to the amount of energy you use to gather it.

Philosophical Education

Philosophical education refers to knowledge or wisdom relating to subjects that have no proof of factuality. Millions of people refer to the bible as knowledge and wisdom, but it is not a factual reference like an encyclopedia. What if it was? Wouldn't our troubles be so much easier to solve? Of course, and that is exactly why it is not. Here are some examples of philosophical questions:

Philosophical education is also known as wisdom and advice. The universe has to allow you, in communication with your soul, to define these parameters and live your life accordingly.

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Spiritual Enlightenment Seek Knowledge and Wisdom

Since you found your way here, you must be aSeeker Of Truth, someone whos serious about how to achieve Enlightenment, Spiritual Enlightenment, Spiritual Awakening, Illumination, Mystical Consciousness, Presence, etc.

But how do you get there from where you are now right now?

Thats the critical question.

There are generally two obstacles on the journey to getting there.

Problem 1.What is enlightenment, the spiritual awakening, and spiritual enlightenment in the first place?

Some people have a solid intellectual understanding of what Higher Consciousness means.

Some have no idea what it means. Its just an attractive target and they want the Experience.

Some people think they know what these terms mean, but they dont really.

Problem 2.I Understand what enlightenment and spiritual awakening are intellectually, but Im not experiencing it. I dont know how to achieve enlightenment and I want to.

Thats a far more common problem.Is it yours?

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How To Achieve Enlightenment, The Spiritual Awakening, And ...

London (PRWEB) January 15, 2014

The search for wisdom, truth and knowledge is a quest affecting all mankind. Author Hazel Sinanan wrote The God Within Speaks to help individuals succeed in that search.

The God Within Speaks illustrates how the answers to lifes big questions can be found within when one cultivates a relationship with their inner-divine being. Sinanan helps readers find truth through the discovery of their sacred self, which allows them to exude clarity, confidence and certainty in a harmonious, balanced life.

Sinanan spent many years as a lawyer and law educator, but after a profound spiritual awakening in 2009 she has rededicated her life to spiritual teaching and energy healing.

The Mantra of my teachings is the path to freedom is truth, Sinanan said. I encourage all people to take the inner journey to their higher mind, which will allow them to find the voice of truth improving and clarifying their daily lives.

The God Within Speaks follows Sinanans personal story to enlightenment in order to inspire the discovery of the extraordinary in what people normally find ordinary.

The God Within Speaks By: Hazel Sinanan SC-ISBN: 978-1-4525-8078-4 SC-Retail price: $23.99 Available at barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com.

For more information, please visit http://www.pathtofreedomistruth.com or http://www.thegodwithinspeaks.com.

About the author Hazel Sinanan was a lawyer and law lecturer by profession until 2012. Her spiritual awakening in 2009 led her to discover her higher self and access the spiritual hierarchy of the Earth. She currently travels the world performing workshops to pass along her teachings. Sinanans works have been translated into several languages.

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New Book "The God Within Speaks" Reminds Your Higher Self is Calling

(PRWEB UK) 15 January 2014

A very wise man called Lawrence Durrell once said, Travel can be one of the most rewarding forms of introspection. Well, it couldnt have been better put. Travel isnt just an escape. It isnt about running away from the mundane or packing up and leaving things behind. It is about finding new things.

It is perhaps due to this that travel goes hand in glove with spirituality. This theme of finding things has brought together travel and spirituality since ancient times. So JoGuru gives you suggestions of mystical places to travel to, to quench your spiritual thirst.

The Sacred and the Famous

There are those spiritual places that everyone has heard of

Jerusalem, which holds so much importance for all three Abrahamic religions; Islam, Christianity and Judaism is a really magical place. The very pull it has on believers from all over the world even to this day is testament to the fact that there is a very strong spiritual lure to it. The whole area has an eerily primeval feel to it that is worth experiencing.

Bodhgaya in Bihar, India, is no different. This amazing place is where the Buddha achieved enlightenment. Since it is a huge landmark in Buddhist history, followers of Buddhism as well as tourists seek out this destination in search of its spiritual potential. In fact, there is no dearth of such places in the country. The ancient Jain Architecture is incredibly thought-provoking while the older Hindu temples set atop daunting hills provide a very amazing vantage point and a philosophical perspective to the world.

Spiritual, Unusual

There are a few places that one may not pin point as mystical but the very experience of visiting them is surreal.

The Petroglyphs in Canada have this surreal experience on offer. The Petroglyphs were carved by the old Iroquoian community and the designs and carvings have given rise to a lot of speculation. It is possible that the ancients believed that the rock was sacred but why they believed this is unclear. One thing is for certain, these massive illustrations make it an interesting tourist destination for sure.

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JoGuru brings top Spiritual places to Travel this 2014

Monday, January 13, 2014 - 6:05pm

Tyler, TX (KETK) Americans are constantly searching for a diet plan to help lose weight quickly. Whether this is through a juice cleanse, the Paleo diet, Atkins, or a number of other fads, the list gets longer and longer each year. However, most overlook one that has been around for 2,000 years, and comes from the bible. This is commonlyknown as the "Daniel Fast".

This diet is a detox that requires eating only fruits and vegetables for 10 days. There are a few variations of this strict vegan diet, but for some, beans, oats, and barley are allowed. Vitamins and lots of water are also recommended.

However to some, this is notjust a diet. It isconsidered a fast. KETK spoke with Senior Pastor Demarcus Pierson from Omega Ministry, who's entire congregation is participating in this fast. Pierson said, "The Daniel Fast is pretty much a fast that of course we have derived from the bible, for our spiritual enlightenment and enhancement". This stems from the prophet Daniel, who challenged the king by refusing to eat the food he offered. Instead, onlyconsuming fruits and vegetables for 10 days. If Daniel failed to be as healthy as the others, hewould be put to death or enslaved.At the end of his fast, he came out healthier and stronger than the King's servants (Daniel 1:12-13). Pastor Demarcus shared the main goal in participating inthis fast is, "To really get closer to God and to help build and discipline our souls and our body".

For others who use this as a diet plan, Nutritionist Jon Shoop from Total Nutrition, believesthis is a diet that promotes a healthy lifestyle. Shoop said, "It is a dietI would recommend. The only issueI see with it is getting enough calories in throughout the day, because it is very, very hard to get enough calories simply from vegetablesandfruit". Shoop recommends incorporating fish orchicken if this diet is maintained for longer than 10 days. Also, like any diet, it is important to contact your nutritionist or doctor to follow a proper routine.

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Bible-based diet sweeps East Texas

Kabbalah as a Tool for Spiritual Enlightenment
Red string can be seen on the wrists of a list of celebrities ranging from Demi Moore to Madonna.

By: 2feel2

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Kabbalah as a Tool for Spiritual Enlightenment - Video

THE DAUGHTERS OF JUDAH ARE COMING! by Donna Hall
Sistahs. Do you need a HUGG? Do you need spiritual enlightenment? encouragement? empowerment? emancipation? education? Then the Daughters of Judah is for YOU! The Daughters of Judah (DOJ) is...

By: DONNA HALL

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THE DAUGHTERS OF JUDAH ARE COMING! by Donna Hall - Video

Spiritual Enlightenment Through Action by Saint Bhaskarananda
advaita, nonduality Vahdeti Vcud Nonduality Advaita Nondualism Spirituality Wahdat al-Wujud Sufi metaphysics Varlik birligi Tasavvuf Zeitgeist Addendum Alev...

By: Nonduality SupremeSoul

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Spiritual Enlightenment Through Action by Saint Bhaskarananda - Video

A tall, heavy-set man with shaggy blond hair and straight-cropped bangs stands in the middle of an empty gravel parking lot. He looks around aimlessly, hands shoved in his pockets.

When he sees a car pulling up, he turns, hands still stuffed in pockets, and hurries over to a small building with a satellite on the roof and a serape covering the door.

"Someone's here," he says into the darkened building.

New Times photo illustration/Photo by Andrew Pielage

Andrew Pielage

First, the Reverend Anne Zapf cuts the tops of peyote buttons, then dries them, and measures out 20 grams for the final gruel-type mixture church members imbibe.

A minute later, a small, wiry man wearing tight, black yoga pants, a fanny pack, and a baseball cap pulled over a graying ponytail appears in the doorway and moves across the lot with a mountain goat's spring in his step.

"Hello, I'm Matthew," he says, a grin touching the corners of his mouth. "Welcome to Peyote Way."

This is Matthew Kent, one of the two primary spiritual leaders of Peyote Way Church of God near Safford. On this afternoon, "Rabbi" Kent has just finished an interview with two filmmakers from California who are working on a documentary about his church. The blond man wandering around the property, he says, is preparing for one of the church's "spirit walks."

In the distance, the peak of Mount Graham, a Western Apache holy site, is dusted with snow.

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A Remote Arizona Church Offers Peyote-Induced Spiritual Journeys

Jan. 7 (UPI) -- It wasnt his flashy suit or fresh haircut that people noticed when new Pomfret, N.Y. Town Council member Christopher Schaeffer was sworn in last week -- it was the colander he wore on his head.

Schaeffer was wearing the spaghetti strainer atop his dome because he is a minister with the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

"It's just a statement about religious freedom," he said. "It's a religion without any dogma."

According to its website, the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster really started to take off in 2005.

"Our ideal is to scrutinize ideas and actions, but ignore general labels," the website says.

Members of the church are called Pastafarians.

"Most of us do not believe a religion -- Christianity, Islam, Pastafarianism -- requires literal belief in order to provide spiritual enlightenment," the website reads. "That is, we can be part of a community without becoming indoctrinated. There are many levels of belief."

Pastafarian or not, Schaeffer plans on making the citizens of Pomfret proud.

"Mostly, I'm just looking forward to making sure that the town is run smoothly and we meet the needs of all of our citizens," he said. "If anybody ever has any concerns or questions, I hope they contact me, because I want to make sure that everyone is represented."

The church called Schaeffers choice of headwear encouraging news.

Link:

Pastafarian town council member sworn in while wearing a colander on his head

POMFRET - A unique style of headwear was present during Christopher Schaeffer, newly seated Pomfret Town Councilman's, oath of office Thursday afternoon, but it wasn't intended to keep his head warm.

Schaeffer wore a colander (a strainer typically used to drain water from spaghetti) while Town Clerk Allison Dispense administered the oath of office to him before the board's reorganizational meeting. When asked afterward why he wore a colander on his head, Schaeffer said he was a minister with an even more unique organization - the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

"It's just a statement about religious freedom," he said. "It's a religion without any dogma."

Newly seated Pomfret Town Councilman Christopher Schaeffer, left, recites the oath of office read to him by Town Clerk Allison Dispense. Schaeffer wore a colander, which is associated with a unique religious movement called the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Photo by Greg Fox

A dogma is a set of principles laid down by an authority as truth, such as the doctrine of an organized religion.

Schaeffer directed interested parties to the church's official website for additional information on the topic. According to the website, the church came into the mainstream in 2005.

"Our ideal is to scrutinize ideas and actions, but ignore general labels," the website states. "Some claim that the church is purely a thought experiment, satire, illustrating that Intelligent Design is not science, but rather a pseudoscience manufactured by Christians to push Creationism (the doctrine that God created the universe) into public schools. These people are mistaken. The Church of FSM is real, totally legit, and backed by hard science. Anything that comes across as humor or satire is purely coincidental."

The group has become an international movement and is widely recognized in the media as poking fun at organized religion. Many followers oppose the teaching of Intelligent Design and Creationism in public schools.

Schaeffer explained a group of church members in Russia, called Pastafarians, were arrested during a parade last summer and charged with organizing an unsanctioned rally because they "offended the Orthodox Church."

"Somebody called the cops, and the cops came and arrested them," he added.

Continued here:

'Strainer' Than Fiction

Russell Brand on Sex, Drugs, Fame, Money and Spiritual Enlightenment in 10 seconds
Russell Brand on Sex, Drugs, Fame, Money and Spiritual Enlightenment on Gaiam TV Full interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PYpHFwcITI.

By: Best of Russell Brand

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Russell Brand on Sex, Drugs, Fame, Money and Spiritual Enlightenment in 10 seconds - Video

TAIPEI - The Shihlin District Court yesterday sentenced Ouyang Hsien, the founder of Tao Chih Men Living Academy, to 14 years' imprisonment for raping a 14-year-old girl over the course of two years.

The court also ruled that the girl's mother, who is a member of the academy and engaged in sexual activities with Ouyang, is to serve 11 years in prison for assisting Ouyang in sexually assaulting her daughter.

The court said that in an attempt to gain the trust of the victim's mother, the 68-year-old Ouyang told the woman that engaging in sex with him is a method for "transferring energy into the female body to improve their health."

Police said that the academy led by Ouyang held meditation lessons with an emphasis on the power of sexual energy as the key method to achieving spiritual enlightenment.

The woman not only engaged in sex with Ouyang, but also took her then-11-year-old daughter to a motel and let Ouyang sexually assault the girl in 2011, the court said, adding that after the incident the woman forced the victim to have sex with Ouyang another 17 times over the next two years.

The court said the girl audio-recorded a conversation with Ouyang this May, keeping a used tissue paper as evidence, and later used these materials to press charges against Ouyang.

Ouyang however denied the allegation of raping the girl, and claimed that he only asked her to perform fellatio twice with her consent; in light of this, the court deemed that Ouyang showed no remorse over the incident, and the mother did not fulfil her duty to protect her daughter, and thus sentenced the two to 14 and 11 years in prison, respectively.

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Meditation guru sentenced to 14 years for rape

Listed here are highlights from a discussion thread in our forums regarding the question "What does it really mean to be spiritually enlightened?"

To me, enlightenment means (at least right now) expanding your consciousness to infinite proportions, with the goal of understanding/becoming one with God/dess/Divine etc. etc. - Smonikee

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Enlightenment to me is that point in my life when I understood that everything is connected. Once that understanding came then my way of being changed for I understood that there is more reason to all the creator created than it was simply there. Through seeing that each being that the creator made has reason for being, I can learn what the creator is and what my place within creation is. - whorse

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For me this is a path, one that will go on for ever and ever. Each step on that path brings me closer to understanding the things I can't 'touch', or 'see', or 'understand' with my brain, and yet they are all there. I think if I'd ever come to the end of that path I'd be God, so all I can do is keep on walking and staying on that path, learning with each step, including falling off the road now and then and stumbling through the bushes till I find my way back to the road. - inni

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My perception would be liberation from suffering (according to vedic shamanistic tradition suffering is the spawn of ignorance.) Mukti is a Sanskrit word used for enlightenment. One meaning of mukti is liberation. The ancient pattern of enlightenment in many traditions is first realizing ones condition as the journey begins from where you are not where you want to be. There is generally the realization that at the core of your being is suffering. Thus begins the nightmarish task of confronting oneself. - Fire888

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I would describe enlightenment as clarity in reference to your life and the meaning of it. When there is no cloudiness about your purpose, your goals, morals, everything seems clear and your feeling about life is a secure feeling. - Nancy

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Spiritual Enlightenment - Definitions of Spiritual Enlightenment

English Video Book | Success Definition
There is no definite term within which we can define success. The connotation of success varies from person to person. For some of you success is measured in...

By: Ts Madaan

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English Video Book | Success Definition - Video

"I" am Spiritual Enlightenment - This site is dedicated to the demystification and teaching of spiritual enlightenment. Spiritual enlightenment is abiding in non dual awareness and it is from this perspective that everything on the site is written.

A Course in Consciousness - Part 1. Quantum theory and consciousness Part 2. The metaphysics of nonduality Part 3. The end of suffering and the discovery of our true nature.

A New Belief - Spiritual Website including Angel, Archangel & religious articles/information for people who are in search of spiritual enlightenment & hope.

A Spiritual Quest - A true story of growing in love and understanding and a tumultuos Master-disciple relationship.

A Year To Enlightenment - Creating shifts in consciousness that ultimately result in enlightenment.

About Adidam - Featuring information, books, testimonials, and common questions about Adidam, the Way of Perfect Happiness through Divine Realization.

Additive Creations, Inc. - Additive Creations, Inc. is a publishing company dedicated to the dissemination of spiritually related works that foster enlightenment. We believe that enlightenment permits the alteration of ego constructed realities to that of spiritual.

Adi Da and Adidam - Receive a free book about the Avatar Adi Da Samraj and the church of Adidam. Your spiritual seeking might stop here. Available in several translations.

Adidam - What is Adidam? Adidam is a complete Way of life, the gift of Avatar Adi Da Samraj. As His devotees, we practice this Way in relationship to Him because we recognize, at heart, that Adi Da Samraj is Real God appearing in human form.

Adidam Global Ashram Magazine - A free online magazine, featuring articles, video presentations, photographs and stories about the Spiritual Teaching and Blessing Work of Avatar Adi Da Samraj. Includes free book offer.

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Enlightenment - All Things Spiritual Directory