If you need to correct somebody’s behavior, to get them to stop some negative action, you may have to use anger. By doing that, you are “punishing” their mistakes, but you are not punishing the person. You are not hating them. It’s like the child in a classroom, who...
Enjoy this wonderful kirtan with Astrud Castillo and hosted by the Integral Yoga Institute of San Francisco. Sure to lift your spirits! A devoted Bhakti Yogi and kirtan artist, Astrud came to Yoga seeking peace of mind. She was most inspired by and drawn to the...
In the wake of yet another gross example of racism and another senseless murder in the USA, many people are searching for some way to actively respond to a world that has given birth to so much violence and injustice. In Integral Yoga, we often speak about how we can...
I’ve drafted this email to my Yoga studio members: “When we return to our space, please leave your shoes at the front door, bring your own mat, wear a mask, wash your hands before and after class, and place your mat six feet away from others.” I’ve read and reread...
As some of us were discussing the strange feel of this life with social distancing, we expressed both a sense of gratitude for being safe and healthy, and a deep pang of sorrow for those many souls who are suffering. Those in my immediate circle of friends are...
Karma Yoga, the path of selfless service, is a main branch of the classical Integral Yoga system. Integral Yoga founder, Swami Satchidananda, considered the spirit of Karma Yoga as foundational to the practice of Yoga. In this article, Rachel Naomi Remen, MD, captures...
As we gather for various events celebrating the 50 year anniversary of Integral Yoga in San Francisco, we are reminded again and again of the importance of spiritual community. We have committed ourselves this month to making good use of the support and inspiration...
“I became a Buddhist because I hated my husband.” These were the words of Pema Chödrön that hooked me, after accidentally discovering an interview she gave about why she became a Buddhist nun. Until then, I was only vaguely familiar with her. Buddhism represented the...
After years of dedicated service in Integral Yoga ashrams and centers in California, New York, Virginia, India and other places, Swami Divyananda now travels more than ever, calling the entire world her home. Along the journey, she has learned some insightful lessons...
One the most furious debates we can witness on social media is between the vegetarians and vegans versus the meat-eaters. Of all the issues facing the world currently, this conversation can drive such strife on both sides. Recently, I read a post from a friend on...
If you want to love all, serve all, and spread peace you first have to learn to love yourself. You also have to find peace within yourself. If you recognize the peace and joy within, then you will be able to give the same to everyone else. And you are not actually...
The basis of the mind, which you call the ego, has a tendency to want everything. I want this, I have to gain or own it; I want to do this or that. Wanting to possess is the nature of the ego. That’s why the little “i” always has a “mine” in it. You become really...
Divine love is the affection shown toward the spirit of the individual. Personal love is the love that is shown toward the body, or the mind and its characteristics, or, the person’s belongings; anything that is materially-based. Even though there is spirit in each...
In March, I will be running a self-supported 108k trail “moving meditation” at Satchidananda Ashram–Yogaville to honor Sri Gurudev Swami Satchidananda—the Woodstock Guru—during the 50th anniversary year of Woodstock. Although I have decades of experience running long...
Snatam Kaur (whose name means, “universal, nucleus and friend to all”) was introduced to music and spiritual practice at an early age through the 3HO lifestyle (Healthy, Happy Holy Organization) founded by Yogi Bhajan, and she was schooled in Sikh traditional kirtan...
In the world today, most people approach the study of Yoga through the asanas (physical postures). And for many schools, that’s where the study of Yoga ends. People want to be healthy and have a trim physique. One may ask, why do you want a trim physique? In some...