The practice of Yoga and the science of Yoga, or Yogabhyasa and Yogavidya, are two of the traditional ways that Yoga is described. Yoga is a practice (abhyasa) and a science (vidya). While asanas and pranayama are immensely popular and currently the most visible...
The Secret of Karma Revealed
As long as you feel that you are doing something, then you are responsible. But when you don’t feel that you are doing anything, and you feel that you have completely surrendered into the hands of a Higher Power that does everything, where is the karma for you? When...
The Lessons of Life’s Vital Moments
Transformation happens in life’s “vital moments,” says Adyashanti — the moments when something changes, and we must redefine our whole identity. There are times when a great deal depends on the decisions we make and which direction we go in. I call these “vitality...
Reincarnation
Have you always wondered what reincarnation really is? Could it be true? Where's the proof? In this video, Nalanie Harilela Chellaram (Integral Yoga teacher and teacher trainer, founder of Service in Satchidananda and Integral Yoga Gibraltar and Sotogrande) talks...
The Divine Light in You
All our various spiritual practices should bring some benefit right away to the body, mind and to our society. Don’t think that if you practice for a long time and there’s no benefit that suddenly, after twenty years, peace will come to you! Instead, you should feel...
A Message of Hope from Sri Swami Satchidananda on 9/11
During 9/11, many devotees and students reached out to Sri Swami Satchidananda to ask his advice about how to not only understand what happened on September 11, 2001, but also what they could do during that time to help relieve suffering. The evening of September...
Sri Swami Sivananda Jayanthi: September 8, 2021
September 8th marks the 134th birth anniversary of Sri Swami Sivanandaji, the Guru of Sri Swami Satchidananda. Swami Sivanandaji is considered one of the greatest Yoga Masters and Vedantins of the 20th century. He founded the Divine Life Society and Sivananda Ashram...
Purposefully Purposeless
In this episode, Avi Gordon speaks with Robert Sankara Moses, who has taught Yoga and Advaita Vedanta for 50 years. Born in South Africa, in 1972 he discovered Yoga in the tradition of Sri Swami Sivananda (Swami Satchidananda's Guru). He served in the International...
Becoming Unlimited
In this modern age, filled with conflict, chaos and doubt, the youth want to raise above these conflicts and come together as one global family. We have been dividing ourselves and separating ourselves in so many hundreds of ways. These man-made divisions are in the...
The Meaning Behind Being Made in “God’s Image”
In 2002, Sri Swami Satchidananda was invited to be a keynote speaker at the World Congress on Peace, Nonviolence and Harmony in South India. He left the body and entered Mahasamadhi a few days after the conclusion of the World Congress—his participation a fitting...
The Pursuit of Happiness
Yoga is now known and practiced all over the world. This is because it’s not only for people who believe in religion, spirituality, or a particular philosophy. The yogic teachings comprise the very same foundation that is found in all faiths and religions. And, even...
The Inner Guru
In this short video "The Inner Guru" from 1998 during Guru Poornima, Swami Satchidananda speaks about the true meaning of "Guru" and also about attuning oneself to the inner Guru. Using examples from his own Guru (Sri Swami Sivananda), the Bhagavad Gita and South...
The Five Koshas
One question I often like to start my meditation workshops with is: Are you your thoughts? It’s quite controversial for some people and can provoke interesting responses. Sure, most of the time we feel like we are stuck in our heads. But aside from our minds, how else...
The Power of Recognition
In this discussion between Dr. Deepak Chopra and Dr. Christopher Wallis, they discuss the nature of Consciousness and how we know anything that we know. And, as Swami Satchidananda always taught, enlightenment is nothing you need to "get" from outside or "achieve."...
What We Can Learn from a Flower
We can find lessons in everything we do. One of the lessons that I learned as a mechanic, many years ago, is very useful in being able to control the mind. The newer vehicles probably don’t require this anymore, but way back then, a car had to be periodically...
What is Consciousness?
Dr. Deepak Chopra and Dr. Hareesh Wallis discuss the nature of Consciousness as explained in the ancient text The Recognition Sutras. As Dr. Wallis explains, "Consciousness engages in this divine act of creation, preservation, dissolution, concealment, revelation....