The Atma Jyoti Blog

Frequently Asked Questions:

Where and what is Atma Jyoti Ashram?

Atma Jyoti Ashram is a small ashram for men located on a forested mountain on the edge of the Cibola National Forest in the East Mountain area near Albuquerque, New Mexico.

What is the monastic tradition of the Ashram?

The ashram follows the monastic tradition of the Shankara Order of India, whose age is unknown, though it was put into its present shape (not founded) by Adi Shankaracharya, whom the Order dates as living in 500 B.C., but some as late as 500 A.D.

The Shankara Order is nothing like Western monastic orders, as there is no authoritarian structure. Shankara intended the order to be a free and voluntary association of sadhus, and not a monolithic institution. Consequently, membership in the order simply consists of being made a Swami by one who can trace his lineage to one of the centers of the Order.

Our sannyas comes from Swami Nirmalananda Giri, who was initiated into sannyas by Swami Vidyananda Giri at his ashram in Lahkanpur (Purulia District), West Bengal, on June 11, 1963. Swami Vidyananda was a sannyas disciple of Jagdguru Bharat Krishna Tirtha of the Govardhan Math in Puri.

Thus the sannyasis (monks) of the ashram are part of the Giri branch of the Order, which is spiritually connected to Jyotir Math, the northern center of the Shankara Order in the sacred city of Badrinath.

What is its monastic observance?

As members of the Shankara Order, renunciation and spiritual discipline are the key characteristics of our ashram and its residents.

No ritualistic worship is performed, as Shankara insisted that sannyasis should never engage even in personal ritual worship.

Our spiritual cultivation consists of meditation and spiritual study.

What is its spiritual tradition?

We place great emphasis on our adherence to the ancient, traditional philosophy and practice of Sanatana Dharma: the Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Yoga Darshana (Yoga Sutras), and Sankhya Karika. We also place great value on the writings of Shankara, the supreme Advaitin. Our philosophy is outlined in the articles and books on our website.

We have no “spiritual leader” but the tradition of Sanatana Dharma. However, for the last fourteen years of her life (1968-1982), our ashram was under the direct supervision of Sri Anandamayi Ma, who was thoroughly traditional in all things. (Anandamayi Ma, one of the major spiritual figures in twentieth-century India, was first made known to the West by Paramhansa Yogananda in his Autobiography of a Yogi.) Since then we are basically on our own.

What is the ashram routine?

• Our ashram “day” begins at 3:30 a.m. with six hours of meditation (in two three-hour periods with an hour in between) and ends at 8:00 p.m.
• Each member engages in several hours of assigned work daily except for “rest” days.
• Our life is totally communal, all engaging in the same schedule with common meals and a common dormitory.
• We are vegetarians, never eating meat fish eggs, or anything that contains them to any degree. We also abstain absolutely from nicotine, alcohol, and mind-altering drugs.
• Simplicity of life is pursued as much as is possible in today’s technological world.
• Our ashram exists solely for the sadhana of its members. We have no outside activities, nor do we have programs in the monastery for non-residents.

Do you have activities for outside people to attend?

Our ashram exists solely for the sadhana of its members. We have no outside activities, nor do we have programs in the monastery for non-residents.

What is your outreach?

Our spiritual outreach consists of the Atma Jyoti website which we are continually developing.

The website has two aspects: practical and theoretical. The practical side includes instruction in meditation and various aspects of the yoga life. The theoretical consists of spiritual texts and commentaries on those texts.

The purpose of the theoretical aspect is to demonstrate that there is only one dharma: Sanatana Dharma. There are fragments of truth in the various world religions, but they can almost always be traced back to the historical influence of India, where the whole picture (purna dharma) alone can be found.

Some of those religions, such as Buddhism and Christianity, began as part of Sanatana Dharma but degenerated into sectarianism and separation.

It is our conviction that whatever the religious tradition, those who will return to their roots will return to Sanatana Dharma. As Mahendranath Gupta, the author of The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, said in a conversation: “Undoubtedly there are good people in every land, but those people are aliens in those lands, and their faces are turned toward India.” This has been our experience and observation.

Do you have visitors?

Our ashram exists solely for the sadhana of its members, so we have no special “events” or programs, but we do welcome brief (one hour) visits from those who wish to speak with us on spiritual life and practice—exclusively.

Are extended visits permitted?

The ashram has no facilities for guests to stay in the ashram. Men who are interested in joining the ashram may come for a few days, staying in outside accommodations such as a bed and breakfast, hotel, or motel, and spend the days at the ashram following our routine, which includes daily meditation and work.

How can a person join the ashram?

Those who are seriously interested in becoming members of the ashram may contact us and express their interest, giving us some information about themselves, and requesting and application form.

Top: front of Atma Jyoti Ashram; next: ashram Siva shrine; below: ashram Krishna shrine

View larger ashram photos here.

Read more about monastic life.

Click here to see a list of streaming audio satsangs which are available

to listen to online or download and hear at your convenience.