Are we truly free to act with full awareness in the present moment — in harmony with our true nature and our interconnection with all of life? To choose freedom means learning to respond to life without being driven by the hidden “shoulds” that may have taken root in...
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...
In this short calming guided meditation, Adyashanti guides you below your thoughts into the quieter dimension of being. As you release old narratives of who you thought you are and should be, you liberate yourself from these limiting constraints, and experience the...
Spring marks a sacred transition—when the dark, dormant days of winter give way to light, warmth, and new growth. With the intention of making space for fresh perspective and new ways of blooming, we can consciously embrace the tradition of spring cleaning during this...
There is a constant force shaping our experience that we usually don’t recognize: we are often “at the effect” of everything we encounter. The reactions that arise within us in response to these experiences are called the “effect.” For example: we might see a steaming...
In North America, the Spring season will soon be behind us giving way to the Summer Solstice in June. Spring has long been a time of transition, when the dark and barren days of winter give way to light, warmth and new growth. Before summer is upon us, this month’s...
Savasana (or Corpse pose) is well-known for being the most important pose in our Yoga practice. It is the moment when all the physical hard work of class can seep into our muscles and bones, our body can melt into the floor, and we can finally do nothing but breathe....
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...
According to Dr. Frawley, mantra repetition is perhaps the main method of the Yoga meditation. He regards mantras as asanas for the mind. He’s written an entire book on the subject (Mantra Yoga and Primal Sound) and, in this interview, he details the use of mantra as...
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...
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...