The Light of the Christ Within

John Laurence

Description

John Laurence—minister, modern mystic, and direct disciple of the great spiritual master and world teacher, Paramhansa Yogananda (author of the bestselling classic, Autobiography of a Yogi)—presents, in this volume of talks, an outline of the inner path with practical spiritual teachings. Laurence’s speaking style is refreshingly straightforward and lively as he highlights timeless truths via fascinating stories from the lives of saints from East and West. Laurence’s message of how to grow spiritually is universal and non-denominational, and his compelling discussions of life after death are centered in the foundation of Laurence’s own psychic abilities and high spiritual state.

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie
• Body (disambiguation)
• Spirituality
• Meditation
• Eastern
• Religion
• Paramahansa Yogananda

Informations

• Publié par: Crystal Clarity Publishers
• Date de parution: 01 avril 2013
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781565895119
• Langue: English

Extrait

The Light of the Christ Within
Jesus Christ, from a painting by Heinrich Hoffmann
The Light of the Christ Within
INSPIRED TALKS BY
REVEREND JOHN LAURENCE

A DIRECT DISCIPLE of PARAMHANSA YOGANANDA
Compiled and Edited by ELANA JOAN CARA
Crystal Clarity Publishers, Nevada City, CA 95959
Copyright © 2012 by Elana Joan Cara
All rights reserved. Published 2013
Printed in USA
ISBN 13: 978-1-56589-267-5
ePub: 978-1-56589-511-9
1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2
Cover and interior design by: Amala Cathleen Elliott
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Laurence, John, 1908-2003.
The light of the Christ within : inspired talks by Reverend John Laurence, a direct disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda / compiled and edited by Elana Joan Cara.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-1-56589-267-5 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Yogananda, Paramahansa, 1893-1952. 2. Ananda Sangha (Organization) I. Cara, Elana Joan. II. Title.
BP605.S43Y638 2012
294.5’44--dc23
2012024638

www.crystalclarity.com
800-424-1055
[e-mail]
THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO TRUTH SEEKERS OF BOTH EAST AND WEST, THOSE WONDERFUL SOULS OF ALL RELIGIONS WHO ARE THIRSTY FOR DIRECT EXPERIENCE OF GOD.

The illumined consciousness that speaks in these talks is a healing balm for the wounded spirit, a guiding light for one’s daily journey within, and a gift of love designed to inspire, awaken, and expand our understanding and childlike trust in the infinitely compassionate and all-loving divine presence that lives within every heart.
CONTENTS
Introduction
PART ONE Spiritual Talks of 1981
January 25, 1981 Serve the Lord with Gladness
March 29, 1981 O Rest in the Lord
May 1981 The Secret Place of the Most High
June 26, 1981 The Democracy of the Spiritual Trip
June 28, 1981 Judge Not
June 28, 1981 Have You Tuned In?
July 26, 1981 In the Beginning
August 16, 1981 Fear Not
October 25, 1981 A Recipe for Happiness
PART TWO Sermons on Saints
January 31, 1981 Spiritual Inventory (St. Francis)
January 31, 1982 God is Everywhere (St. Francis)
January 1981 Tell It From the Mountains (St. Francis)
September 29, 1981 Workers in the Vineyards (Mother Teresa)
February 21, 1982 Father, What Can I Do For You Today? (Violet Olive Johnson)
November 29, 1981 Give Thanks Unto the Lord (Kathryn Kuhlman)
January 31, 1981 I Will Lift Up My Eyes (Kathryn Kuhlman)
February 28, 1982 Practicing the Presence (Brother Lawrence)
October 24, 1982 A Modern Mystic (Padre Pio)
July 11, 1982 A Bridge Between East and West (Paramhansa Yogananda)
March 28, 1982 The Search (Paramhansa Yogananda)
PART THREE Spiritual Talks of 1982 / 83
March 28, 1982 Praise Ye the Lord
April 25, 1982 Thy Gentle Presence Silences All Fear
May 16, 1982 All Things Work Together for Good
June 27, 1982 On This Day
June 27, 1982 Share Your Love, Your Smiles, and Your Blessings
July 25, 1982 How Excellent Is Thy Name
August 15, 1982 Be Not Anxious
August 15, 1982 Your Awakened Imagination
September 26, 1982 If Thine Eye Be Single
October 16, 1982 Seek and You Shall Find
February 27, 1983 Your Faith Is Your Fortune
PART FOUR What Comes After Life?
March 21, 1981 Life After Death
October 11, 1981 The Continuity of Life
December 1981 O Death, Where Is Thy Sting?
March 14, 1982 Is Spiritualism Really Spiritual?
January 24, 1982 To Die Is Not Death
December 1981 Christmas: A Compilation of Three Talks
Oh Yoganandaji beloved this day we mark with love and gratitude for tis thy natal day.
Thou who with infinite compassion toucheth soul of devotee awakening to birth in consciousness that matchless path of love, of dedication.
Could we fail to love thee who has taught us how to love, to serve? Who has led and guided, even suffered in our stead?
Oh Yoganandaji beloved, we hail thy natal day. *
—John Laurence
Footnote
* A poem written by John for Paramhansa Yogananda. On January 5, 1952, the Master asked his disciple, Dr. M. W. Lewis, to read this poem at the banquet table of his last birthday on earth. (As mentioned in Yogananda’s letter to John, published on page 13.)
FOREWORD
by Swami Kriyananda
If ever you feel tempted to lose faith in human nature, I suggest you read a few of the talks recorded in this volume by John Laurence. They exude goodness, kindness, humility, good humor, and wise insight. I strongly recommend reading what John said not only for what he said, but above all for who he was. Contact with such a soul is both purifying and uplifting.
I myself got to meet John while he was alive. My contact with him was not extensive, but I have always carried with me the sweet memory of a man with clear insight into reality, one who was not influenced by anyone’s opinions regardless of that person’s position or importance, and one, finally, whose focus always was on the spiritual heights.
I am grateful to Elana Joan Cara for the care with which she has edited these talks. It is seldom easy to edit talks by those who speak spontaneously, as John did. (And how few speakers are even able to speak spontaneously!) She has done an excellent job, combining clarity with intuitive understanding. In my opinion, she has done the world a signal service in producing this volume.

Swami Kriyananda and John Laurence
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I gratefully acknowledge the many people who have contributed to the publishing of these wonderful talks by Reverend John Laurence.
First, I extend my never-ending gratitude to Kamala Silva, beloved disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda, for your masterful spiritual direction, and for encouraging me to write about John Laurence as part of my life’s work.
I wish to express my deep appreciation to Swami Kriyananda, for the privilege of publishing The Light of the Christ Within through Ananda’s publishing house, Crystal Clarity Publishers.
My heartfelt thanks go to all the people at Ananda who were involved in this project, especially Skip Barrett, President of Crystal Clarity Publishers—and Richard Salva, for your expertise, impeccable attention to detail, research and footnoting of the scriptural references in these talks, and for your valuable suggestions, fine tuning, and final editing of the texts.
Many thanks also to Rita Viscogliosi, for your tireless work in proofreading the first draft of these talks. Your brilliant and humorous comments made light work of an otherwise tedious task.
A special thanks to the Friends of John Laurence, for your generous support of this work. “JL” is smiling at you: Russ Anderson, Robert and AnaMaria Dean, Stephanie Costanza, Mike Ginoza, Herbert Grosser, Collen Laurence, Stuart McIntee, Sheila and Robert Nichols, Scott and Meridian Phillips, Linda Phon, Nancy Karpani Rakela, Grace Rinaldi, Lids Rinaldi, Mike Rinaldi, Vincenzo and Janes Rinaldi, Erik and AnaMaria Rose, Brad Roy, Scott Shnurman, Suma Vasudevan, and Robert and Maria Rita Viscogliosi.
And finally, a special thanks to you, my friends and students, for your enthusiasm, encouragement, and ongoing support. You are each reflections of the divine light, and I love you: Mary Colligan, Carol Calvert, Richard Gundry, Melinda Elwell, Patti Valdez, Virginia Gilstrap, Ashana Lobody, Ed Wiggins, Diane Benson, Lois DiMari, Dante Allegro, Lee Ann Davis, Jean Kraft, Scott Gilmore, Seva Khalsa, Nancy Broadhead, Bill O’Donnell, and Brother Brian Dybowski.

John Laurence serving in the US Navy

John Laurence as a child

John with his sister and mother

John Laurence’s mother

John Laurence’s father
INTRODUCTION
T HE L IFE O f J OHN L AURENCE
John Laurence was born on January 6, 1908 on an Indian reservation in Wyoming, at an Army post named Fort Washakie. His father was in the Army Medical Corps, so the family, mother, father, and his older sister, Marian, lived in a small adobe house on the reservation.
John’s mother was a short, slender, devout Roman Catholic, who was born and raised in Ireland in County Carey near the Lakes of Kilarney. She was a very sensible and positive woman who possessed courage and an abiding faith. Altogether, she had five children, three of whom died in infancy.
Because John’s father was in the military, the family traveled a great deal. They left Wyoming when John was very young and moved to Fort Terry, an island off the coast of New London, Connecticut, where they stayed for four years. They moved again, this time to San Antonio, Texas, where John entered school for the first time. He was only in class for about three weeks before the family once again moved to another military base. It was two and a half years before John saw a classroom again.
He was not a very good student and not the brightest in the class. Besides that, he was always a little older than the other students. John attended public schools in Washington, D.C., but his mother decided to transfer him to a Catholic school—the Thomas Edward Shields Memorial School: a fine example of Catholic education, affiliated with the Catholic University of America. He remained there until he graduated.
John was deeply influenced by his mother’s devout religious nature. He was also impressed by his family’s natural love of music. Both religion and music played an important role throughout his life. John loved opera, concerts, and song recitals. Eventually he developed a deep love for orchestral works, particularly the piano concerti of Sergei Rachmaninoff and other great compose