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A Life in Service: Remembering Fr. Christie A. Joachimpillai, OMI (1931–2025)

On August 30, 2025, the world lost a devoted priest, scholar, and bridge-builder between faiths. Fr. Christie A. Joachimpillai, OMI—affectionately known as Fr. Pillai to many in the Integral Yoga community—passed away peacefully in Toronto, surrounded by loved ones....

Swami Sivananda’s Sampoorna Yoga for Modern Seekers

If you asked Sri Swami Sivananda what a busy person in the West should actually do each day to grow spiritually, he would likely point you to a deceptively simple framework: do a little meditation, a little prayer, a little study, a little service—every day—with...

The Greatest Victory

Gurudev Sivanandaji used to say that we should watch our thoughts because they create habits. Once you develop a habit, it becomes your character. And then your character becomes your destiny. So, it all originates with your thinking. That is why it is so important to...
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Nataraja

Nataraja

In 1961, the great writer Aldous Huxley (Brave New World, The Perennial Philosophy, The Doors of Perception, Island) was interviewed in London. This beautiful video includes the audio from that interview during which Huxley describes the "Dancing Shiva" image...

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The Last Satsang

The Last Satsang

On August 12, 2002, Sri Swami Satchidananda gave satsang at the Integral Yoga Institute of Coimbatore during which he answered questions. This excerpt is part of the last recorded satsang of Sri Swamiji and follows his participation as a keynote speaker at the World...

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The Meaning Behind Being Made in “God’s Image”

The Meaning Behind Being Made in “God’s Image”

In 2002, Sri Swami Satchidananda was invited to be a keynote speaker at the World Congress on Peace, Nonviolence and Harmony in South India. He left the body and entered Mahasamadhi a few days after the conclusion of the World Congress—his participation a fitting...

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Poses to Relieve Shoulder Pain

Poses to Relieve Shoulder Pain

Yoga is effective for reducing shoulder pain, reducing stress, boosting immunity, improving circulation and mental focus, and increasing vitality. I know this to be true. A long time ago (2004) in a far-away land (New York City) I had a vision that teaching Yoga would...

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The Bhagavad Gita in Daily Life: Part 3, Spiritual Blindness

The Bhagavad Gita in Daily Life: Part 3, Spiritual Blindness

This series continues with part 3, in which we’re going to start at the very beginning. I remember, growing up, Julie Andrews singing in the film The Sound of Music, “A very good place to start . . .” So we’ll start with chapter 1, verse 1 of the Bhagavad Gita. Take a...

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Seriousness is a Crime in the Court of God

Seriousness is a Crime in the Court of God

In this Integral Yoga Podcast video,  Avi Gordon (Integral Yoga Teachers Association director) talks with Jonathan Foust, MA, CSA. Foust is a guiding teacher with the Insight Meditation Community of Washington and a founder of the Meditation Teacher Training Institute...

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Meditation Slokas

Meditation Slokas

These Sanskrit slokas are led by Swami Satchidananda and are from the Vedas and other sacred texts. Swami Satchidananda recommended chanting these prior to a meditation session to help connect to the Guru-tattva principle. This principle teaches that there's a...

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How Mantras Work

How Mantras Work

In 1976, Swami Satchidananda was giving this talk (below) on Yoga in Denver, Colorado. Yoga was something that wasn't widely practiced, or understood, in its broader and deepest sense at that time—and in large part, still isn't today. And, the use of mantras in...

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Meditation is My Temple

Meditation is My Temple

Keep it simple,” said the Dalai Lama. “There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; our philosophy is kindness.” Meditation, or contemplation, is the seventh limb of Yoga in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras....

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