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...
Introduction The art and science of Yoga, one of the greatest treasures of India's unique cultural heritage, has much to offer in terms of understanding the human mind. Yoga treats the human being as a multi-layered conscious being, possessing three bodies (sthula,...
Someone once asked me the following question: “In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna says, ‘The yogi who perceives the essential oneness everywhere naturally feels the pleasure or pain of others as their own.’ Is it possible to feel the pain of others without losing...
Healing from addiction or any other unhealthy habit is a spiritual practice. It’s impossible simply to say, “Oh, I don't want to indulge in this or I have to get rid of that.” We cannot. The more we try to push it away and get rid of it, the more we wind up...
God or Infinite Consciousness is That through which our own egos move. Unfortunately, the ego tends to overlook the fact that its capacity to function is from that Source, and instead it comes up with the notion that I am doing everything by myself. But it would be a...
On September 8, 2023, we celebrate the 136th Jayanthi (Birth Anniversary) of Sri Swami Sivananda, the Guru of Sri Swami Satchidananda. In honor of this occasion, we offer this video during which Swami Satchidananda is asked to explain this well-known teaching of his...
The month of September contains two of the most important holy days in the Jewish tradition, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Rosh Hashanah begins a 10 day period of introspection and repentance that culminates in Yom Kippur, known as the Day of Atonement. These holy...
We all look for excitement, thinking that it is a plus. But what is a plus? A minus crossed. A pendulum won’t swing to the plus side and remain there. When it swings to one side, it automatically has to come back to the other. When you want excitement, and swing to...
Join Amy Weintraub, the leader in Yoga therapy for depression, for this online workshop hosted by Satchidananda Ashram–Yogaville from October 1 – 2, 2022. Don’t stay stuck in a bad mood or thinking that limits you. Not only will these practices shift your mood, but...
A few times a year anxiety sends my mind into a death spiral. I wake in the middle of the night with my stomach clenched like an angry fist. Thoughts race from zero to catastrophe and I am convinced that social interactions will only result in total alienation. By the...
Many of us live in a culture that resists a quiet inward orientation. Our senses are constantly lured outward with flashy images, sound bites and all manner of entertainment, expressly designed to capture and keep our attention. It’s intoxicating and another example...
A course on "Psychology and Mental Health" will be hosted by Yogaville Online from March 7 - April 16, 2022. The program will be taught by Karla Helbert, LPC, E-RYT 200, YACEP, C-IAYT. Both psychology and Yoga can aid in developing deeper personal insight, changing...
Most of you will probably recognize the following prayer by St. Francis of Assisi. As you read it, let the words enter your heart. Take a moment to reflect on how you could apply it both outwardly to others and inwardly toward yourself. Prayer of Saint Francis of...
Here is my radical proposition: All attempts at growth motivated by disguised self-hatred ultimately fail, and often cause harm. Being “good enough” is only a thought, a mental construct. Nobody can be “good enough,” because that’s just a thought. If we imagine some...
Like so many, I’ve struggled with body image issues since my teenage years. I’ve been underweight, a healthy weight, obese and overweight. I’ve dieted, restricted, binged, purged, detoxed and excessively exercised. I’ve hidden my body with baggy clothes and caked...
When you are caught in feelings, thoughts, frustration and trying to figure out what to do, thoughts may arise like: What can I do? How can I be more spiritual? How can I be more surrendered? This is the mind just doing what it does—angling for advantage. The key here...