Paul Brunton
(1898-1981)
Writer and seeker, born Raphael Hurst, Paul Brunton travelled extensively throughout India and Egypt during his early spiritual search.
Finally in 1931 he became a close disciple of Ramana Maharshi and perhaps achieved the most balanced expression of Ramana Maharshi's teachings.
Born in Great Britain, he lived in Switzerland near Vevey where he taught a small group of students.
Balance
Your nature as a human being has different areas, each of which needs to be worked on. The body needs cleansing, the feelings need uplifting, the thoughts need calming.Especially in the contemporary individual the critical analytic intellect needs turning away from its destructive tendency and directing constructively, first, to discriminate truth from error, reality from appearance and, second, to discern the ego and its working, as well as its education by experience.
Beyond Effort
If a person has conscientiously followed this fourfold path, if they have practised mystical meditation and metaphysical reflection, purification of character and unselfish service, and yet seems to be remote from the goal, what are they to do?They have then to follow the admonition of Jesus: "Ask and ye shall receive, knock and it shall be opened unto you." They have literally to ask for Grace out of the deep anguish of their heart.
We are all poor. They are indeed discerning who realize this and become beggars, imploring of God for Grace.
Prayer
Pray first to be liberated from the heavy thraldom of the senses, the desires, and the thoughts. Pray next for the conscious presence of the Overself. Pray silently and deeply in the solitude of the heart. Pray with concentrated emotion and tight-held mind.The yearning for such liberation and such presence must be unquestionably sincere and unquestionably strong. Begin and close - and even fill - the hour of meditation with such noble prayers.
Do this day after day, week after week. For the Overself is not merely a concept, but a living reality, the power behind all other and lesser powers.
Guru
Homage and devotion to a guru, study and practice of the teaching, each has its place. For from the first one gains inspiration and from the second, understanding and capability.Abdullah
The Old Teacher Abdullah Dougan mentioned that when he was just beginning on the path, he saw Paul Brunton in the distance one day in a park in Auckland, NZ, and felt compelled to approach and talk to him. That moment sparked a lifelong inner friendship.ReadtheBooks
"A Search in Secret Egypt""In Search of the Overself"
"The Hidden Teaching Beyond Yoga" PB-SearchinSecretIndia.pdf