From one of the central figures in Buddhism’s introduction to the West and the founder of Tricycle magazine comes Lotus Girl: My Life at the Crossroads of Buddhism and America by Helen Tworkov, a brilliant memoir of forging one’s own path that Pico Iyer calls...
“The Last Ecstatic Days”
Ethan Sisser, a young man with terminal brain cancer started livestreaming his death journey. Thousands joined to celebrate his courage. Honoring Ethan's wish, his doctor Aditi Sethi transported him to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, North Carolina. What...
A Journey with Sri Gurudev: Remembering Parameshwari Dinsmoor
Integral Yoga's beloved Parameshwari Mary Dinsmoor, an early disciple of Swami Satchidananda (Sri Gurudev), passed away on May 29, 2024, from cancer. Born on Oct. 6,1940, she was a true embodiment of love and selfless service and leaves behind a legacy of devotion,...
Wandering Turtle: A Heartfelt Tribute
Wandering Turtle, a a cherished member of the Choctaw community and beloved member and resident of Satchidananda Ashram–Yogaville for the past 25 years, passed on into the Divine Light on May 15, 2024. Turtle, as he was lovingly known, was a dedicated Karma Yogi,...
Remembering Reverend Saraswati Beth Neumann
Born in 1947, Rev. Saraswati was a graduate of American University in Washington D.C. After graduation she worked in an interior design firm and architectural companies in New York city and in New Jersey and even worked as a professional clown for some time. She...
In Memoriam: Swami Murugananda, 1942 – 2024
On Jan. 6, 2024, after some time at the Acute Care Center at the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville, Virginia, our dear brother Swami Murugananda has passed into the Divine Light, embraced by the eternal love of his beloved Sri Gurudev Swami...
Christmas Message 2023 from Br. David Steindl-Rast, OSB
+ Dear Family and Friends, The days are growing short. Winter daylight is fading early, as I’m watching the chickadees quickly snatching a few last sunflower seeds from the bird feeder. From my armchair by the window i can enjoy their antics all day long, as i look...
The Broken Christmas Tree: How Love Saved Its Light
My dad ascended the rickety ladder, thus launching our family’s annual quest to decorate our Christmas tree. Ours was no snowy trek to an idyllic woodland. Instead it was an ascension up the world’s oldest wooden ladder to a high and bafflingly small closet where our...
The Light that Shines Through the Ages
We all need teachers in life; not everything can be learned from a book. According to Hindu tradition, there are four main teachers: Mata, Pita, Guru, Deva: Mother, Father, Guru and God. The mother is the baby’s first guru; she is everything to the baby: unconditional...
The Unchanging Amid the Changing
It seems like any birthday that ushers us into a new decade brings with it a whole spectrum of feelings, and that is what happened for me recently. Turning 70 gave rise to that culturally influenced feeling, “OMG! I’m getting old.” But I’m grateful that I also...
Br. David Steindl-Rast Honored
Congratulations to Grateful.org founder, Br. David Steindl-Rast, on both his 97th birthday and for being awarded the Gold Decoration of Honor for Services to the Republic of Austria. The award is given to select individuals by the Austrian government and was presented...
The World is Like a Movie, a Dream, a Video Game
The celebrated book, Autobiography of a Yogi, by Paramahansa Yogananda, is credited with changing the lives of tech genius Steve Jobs, musicians George Harrison and Elvis Presley, wellness guru Andrew Weill and actress Mariel Hemmingway, among many others. It also...
Integral Yoga India Celebrates International Day of Yoga 2023
The Integral Yoga Institute of Coimbatore, India is commemorating International Day of Yoga 2023 with a day of Yoga: asanas, pranayama, talks and featuring 108 rounds of Surya Namaskar, the Sun Salutation. The International Day of Yoga was established by the United...
“Where the Rope Ends”
“Where the Rope Ends” is a feature length documentary film about Yoga teacher Nichole Doane’s experience on a fateful day when a rope ended and a long road to recovery that ensued. Here’s some of that story, in Nichole’s own words. I’ve always had endless appreciation...
“The Prophet:” The 100th Anniversary of Kahlil Gibran’s Timeless Wisdom
In a world that seems to be spinning faster every day, the words of Kahlil Gibran’s “The Prophet” continue to resonate across time and cultures, providing solace and guidance to millions of readers. As the Kahlil Gibran Collective marks the 100-year anniversary (2023)...
A Rock Band and the Swami
I don't know about you, but I grew up in the 1960s—first concert (Dave Clark Five), listening to "Cousin Brucie" (the legendary "disk jockey" on the radio), first date (nothing to write home about), first hippie yearnings... And, of course, the celebrated band: The...