Every year on his birthday, as we gathered to honor Sri Swami Satchidananda, the tables would turn in the most profound way. Rather than our offerings of gratitude and celebration taking center stage, Gurudev would bless us with a birthday message brimming with wisdom...
While in seclusion (in the early 1940s) undergoing intensive sadhana, Ramaswamy’s (Swami Satchidananda’s birth name) diet was austere, limited to one meal a day at noon consisting of kitcheree, a mixture of rice and dhal. His mother, Srimati Velammai, would prepare it...
Enjoy watching/listening to Yoga teacher Rachel Scott's podcast in which she is in conversation with Integral Yoga Publications author Carroll Ann (Prashanti) Friedman. Prashanti discusses her new book, Practicing the Yoga Sutras: A Personal Study Guide and Journal....
It would be easy to dismiss the question by saying: "Yes, after a prolonged period of intense austerities and meditation while I was living in Swarg Ashram, during which I had the darshan of a number of maharishis and their blessings, the Lord appeared before me in...
Imagine a country whose citizens—maybe even its leaders—are brave, calm, and open towards each other; a country whose people realize that all human beings belong together as one family and must act accordingly; a country guided by Common Sense. This may seem more than...
Alan Asangan Binstock was born in 1948 and raised in Bronx, New York. His formal fine arts education began in New York’s High School of Music and Art, followed by undergraduate studies at Hunter College. He moved to Boulder, Colorado and began developing sculpture and...
Sri Ramalinga Swamigal, a great Tamil Siddhar, left an indelible mark on South Indian spirituality, inspiring future generations through his profound compassion, universal outlook, and commitment to social justice. His teachings continue to resonate, particularly...
In this episode of the Integral Yoga Podcast, senior Integral Yoga monk Swami Gurucharanananda (Mataji) shares insights into her life journey and spiritual path, first as a Catholic nun and later meeting her Guru, Swami Satchidananda. Born in Washington DC on April...
The Finnish-born artist Iria Leino is known not only for her expansive body of abstract work but also for her deep spiritual devotion, which played a central role in her artistic development. Throughout her life, she found inspiration in a rich spiritual practice and,...
We try to use our limited, finite intelligence to understand, grasp things, and make our lives happy, aiming to achieve and acquire this or that. Yet, in the end, nothing seems to truly help. Sometimes, it may feel like we’re finding peace or happiness, but all these...
A few years ago, I read an article titled “Humility, The Virtue No One Wants.” It was a good title, I thought, because humility is maybe just a little too close to the word humiliation for comfort, a bit like shame, the sort of thing we think we’d like to get away...
The only way to deal with fear is to face it. The more you try to run, the more it will haunt you. Face it and ask yourself questions: “Who are you? Where are you coming from? Why are you coming to me? What am I afraid of?” When you ask these questions, you will find...
In Part 8 of this series, we explored how Ramaswamy (Swami Satchidananda’s birth name) delved deeply into his spiritual yearnings, engaging with sacred texts and absorbing the wisdom of saints. Another profound influence during this formative period was the life and...
In Part 7 of this series, Ramaswamy (Swami Satchidananda’s birth name) had expressed his deepening spiritual yearnings to his parents and they agreed to not pressure him into remarriage. Instead, they gave him time to devote himself to religious study and meditation...
While humility is the hallmark of a sincere spiritual aspirant, we may rarely think of practicing it. In an age where self-empowerment is synonymous with personal growth, the idea of humbling oneself is decidedly unpopular. It can easily be dismissed as a sign of...
September 8th 2024 marks the 137th Jayanthi (birth anniversary), as well as the 100th Sannyas (monkhood) anniversary of H. H. Sri Swami Sivananda, the Guru of Sri Swami Satchidananda. Swami Satchidananda humbly said of his Guru, " I feel very fortunate to have sat at...