In this January 2026 Satsang, Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Swamiji) reflects on the teachings of Anandamayi Ma, the nature of meditation, and the necessity of direct spiritual experience rather than belief alone. Topics include the meaning of satsang as the association of the holy, the role of mantra as a living seed of realization, meditation in nature and city life, and whether belief in God must be tied to formal religion. Swamiji also addresses questions about Jesus, including his teachings on non-resistance and possible contact with Greek philosophy. Personal stories, traditional wisdom, and practical guidance are woven together, offering clarity for sincere seekers drawn to meditation, Soham Yoga, and the universal core of spiritual life. This satsang is especially valuable for those seeking: • Practical understanding of meditation • Insight into Anandamayi Ma’s life and sayings • A universal approach to God-experience beyond dogma • Guidance on meditation practice, timing, and environment Chapters / Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 00:40 A saying of Anandamayi Ma 01:27 Satsang: the association of the holy 10:09 Those who challenge you to prove God exists 12:05 The necessity of experience 12:31 A mantra as a seed to something bigger 15:52 Yoga: the flight of the alone to the Alone 17:22 Did Jesus have contact with Greek philosophers 18:47 Jesus’ saying “resist not evil” 22:16 How long and at what times should one meditate 26:49 Is meditating in nature beneficial? 28:30 Meditating in the city: the story of Luthur McKinney 32:15 Is it OK to believe in God but not follow a religion? 34:13 Is there benefit to meditating with others? 35:42 From Eastern Orthodox monastic life to Soham Yoga 37:41 Anandamayi Ma identified as a sannyasini — Dr. Ghosh 40:19 What is meditation? 44:06 Your life is your own — not determined by others’ opinions 45:27 Would a self-realized person still meditate? 49:53 Commentary on the sayings of Anandamayi Ma 50:45 About Brahmacharini Atmananda 51:33 Anandamayi Ma’s multi-language capacity 54:51 Getting Ma to answer definitely 57:56 Anandamayi Ma and the black magician #AnandamayiMa #Meditation #Satsang OCOY.org RESOURCES Get FREE pdf spiritual ebooks at our E-Library: https://ocoy.org/site/e-library/ Listen to Podcast on practical spiritual topics: https://ocoy.org/podcasts/ Website: https://ocoy.org A Practical Resource for the Spiritual Student–Discover the timeless wisdom of India and the yoga path to freedom FREE Meditation Guide and weekly blog updates, podcasts and more: https://ocoy.org/signup FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL https://www.facebook.com/light.of.spirit/ https://twitter.com/Light_of_Spirit https://instagram.com/lightofthespirit/