Many people come to meditation believing that a settled mind is the sign of a “good” practice. When restlessness appears instead—wandering thoughts, resistance, agitation—it can feel like failure. Over time, I’ve come to see this differently. A restless mind is not a...
In this episode of the Integral Yoga Podcast, with host Avi Gordon, Nina Rao, acclaimed kirtan artist and devotee in the Neem Karoli Baba lineage, shares her journey from cultural rituals in India to discovering the depth of sadhana (spiritual practice) in New York...
How to really let go of wanting the fruits of your efforts? The best way to let go is to realize what will happen if you do not let go. Ask yourself: “If I let go, what will happen? If I do not let go, what will happen?” Make a list of pros and cons. The main reason...
As December holidays give way to New Year celebrations, it's a good time to move beyond the wrapped presents received and re-awaken to life's gifts. As you make your way through the new year, you can return to this foundational practice as a way to (re)awaken to the...
I’m Aurora Jalu. I’m 6-years-old. Just a few weeks ago, I gave a meditation at my mom’s Yoga class, “I am Yoga.” I hoped my friends could make it to support me because I was very nervous but as it turned out, I got great feedback from everyone. That gave me...
Thanksgiving, a special time when we give thanks. It's the perfect time to reflect on how we can put gratitude and compassion into action. As we make our way through the month of November, we can return to the following practice as a tool to deepen your capacity for...
Ahimsa is a Sanskrit word that translates as “without injury” or “nonviolence” in English. It’s a principle in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jainist philosophy that involves causing the least amount of harm possible to all beings. It’s the first ethical principle given as a...
If you deny thoughts and emotions or try to get rid of them by suppressing them they will just reemerge. When negative thoughts come there are three things you can do. You can ignore them the same way that the blue sky ignores the gray clouds that appear in it. The...
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...
In this short video, Swami Ramanacharana Tirtha answers this question. Sri Swamiji is an Acharya of Vedānta sampradāya. His discourses and writings are filled with the power of Atmajñāna and the fragrance of bhakti and one gets an intimation of one’s spiritual essence...
Viveka is the spiritual practice of discrimination—distinguishing between the real and unreal, the eternal and temporary, the Spiritual Presence and ego-identity. Here are some ways to put viveka into practice. See which of these resonates with you and supports you to...
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...
When you make a spiritual commitment—what kind of commitment is it? And why do you make it? A spiritual commitment doesn’t have to be to become a swami, a minister. Particularly in the spiritual field, what are you committed to? Not to an organization or an ashram,...
In this profound podcast episode, Krishna Das, the renowned kirtan singer, sits down with Integral Yoga Teachers Association director Avi Gordon to share insights on navigating the subjective nature of reality, the power of spiritual practice, and the art of letting...
“Possession are okay, as long as you possess them, and you don’t allow them to possess you.” ~Sri Swami Satchidananda It’s ironic how as youngsters all we want to do is play with our toys. As children, we must learn to share at home with our siblings and at school...
When we strive to see ourselves as instruments of a Higher Will—the hands of God at work in the world—we access and allow ourselves to be guided by a concern for the well-being of everyone. We more easily let go of our personal desires without force or denial and find...