Snagged by the Divine — Pravrajika Vrajaprana on Self-Realization, Devotion, & the Ramakrishna Tradition

A 15-year-old anti-war activist arrived at the Vedanta Society in Southern California to distribute protest flyers. Upon hearing that inner peace is the prerequisite for world peace, she realized that peace requires working in a domain far deeper than politics. She was snagged by the Divine. But it wasn't until ten years later, compelled by a close encounter with death, that she finally committed to the monastic path in the Ramakrishna Order. Realizing God is easy, her guru Swami Prabhavananda told her. Now, after five decades of monastic life, Pravrajika Vrajaprana shares her own experience of the ego gradually making way for the peace of Self-Realization.

Intimate stories with spiritual luminaries — holy and hilarious. Devotion to her guru. Facing death. Embodying Kali. Life at the convent. And what it truly means to love God above all else.

Chapters

00:00 The First Encounter with Swami Prabhavananda: Tangible Holiness

06:38 Why Politics Couldn’t Satisfy the Soul

13:49 Lightning Bolt: The Day "Atman Is Brahman"Changed Everything

17:59 The Car Accident That Led to The Convent

27:35 Meditate With the Sword of Death Over Your Head

36:50 What Is a Guru? The Eternal Relationship

51:34 Vivekananda, Ramakrishna, and The Holy Mother

58:25 Humor in Spiritual Teachings

01:00:22 Are You a Bhakta or a Jnani?

01:07:02 We Have Only Ever Loved God

01:13:14 The Ego-Crushing Machine: Spiritual Life in aConvent

01:18:34 She Whose Life is Devoted to God

01:20:04 Mother Kali: The Mama Bear

01:30:10 "Realizing God is Easier than QuittingSmoking" -- Really?

01:32:17 Dry Spells & Burning Karma

01:35:04 Humor and Compassion Work Better to Train the EgoThan Fighting It

01:41:37 A Chaplain's Lessons: Seeing God in Everyone

01:48:30 Most Attuned To the Divine

01:52:50 Supporting Others on Their Spiritual Journey