Swami Rama

By: Dr. John Ankerberg, Dr. John Weldon; ©1999

Swami Rama claims to provide knowledge of the highest of all ways for attaining spiritual reality.

Swami Rama

Info at a Glance

Name: The Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy, Swami Rama.

Purpose: To help unify religions and provide the path to and knowledge of Supreme Reality (Brahman).

Founder: Swami Rama.

Source of authority: Swami Rama.

Revealed teachings: Yes.

Claim: To provide knowledge of the highest of all ways for attaining spiritual reality.

Examples of occult potential: Psychic development, spiritism.

Examples of key literature: Swami Rama, Lectures on Yoga and other volumes; Swami Ajaya (ed.), Living with the Himalayan Masters: Spiritual Experiences of Swami Rama.

Attitude toward Christianity: Rejecting.

Quote:

“We cannot reach the realm of Divinity in any other way except over the bridge of ego. Therefore he who wants to know God, should know himself.” (Swami Rama, Life Here and Hereafter (1976), p. 86)

Doctrinal Summary

God: The impersonal Brahman (absolute being, consciousness, bliss).

Jesus: A master or prophet who attained Hindu God-realization.

The Christ: Cosmic (“Christ”) consciousness.

Salvation: Enlightenment of one’s inner divine nature through yoga meditation.

Man: Inwardly divine.

Sin: Material attachment; ignorance, error; primarily imperfection in consciousness.

Satan: Spiritual ignorance.

The Bible: One of many scriptures properly interpreted in light of Hindu beliefs.

Death: An aspect of life.

Heaven and Hell: States of mind.