Embarking on a Spiritual Odyssey, Part 6: The Cosmic Dancer

When asked to reflect upon his life, Swami Satchidananda once said, "It’s hard to summarize a long life in a few words. But I can just say I am fortunate, in a way, to be born in a family of pious parents. They were my first Gurus. They instilled faith in God in my...

Embarking on a Spiritual Odyssey, Part 5: Guided by the Thirukkural

As a young boy, Ramu (Swami Satchidananda’s birthname was Ramaswamy, Ramu for short) was deeply immersed in Tamil culture and spirituality. One of the most significant influences in his life was the Thirukkural, a revered Tamil text written by the celebrated poet and...

Embarking on a Spiritual Odyssey, Part 4: The Floating Swami

As noted in our last installment (part 3), devotion played a central and foundational part in how Ramu (Swami Satchidananda’s birthname was Ramaswamy, Ramu for short) was raised. In his biography, Sri Swamiji noted that of all the devotional worship offered in his...

Embarking on a Spiritual Odyssey, Part 3: Roots of Devotion

Devotion and worship were part and parcel of Ramu’s (Swami Satchidananda’s birthname was Ramaswamy, Ramu for short) upbringing and shaped him, his daily life and worldview. His parents were extremely devout and raised Ramu to participate fully in traditional spiritual...

Embarking on a Spiritual Odyssey, Part 2: Tamil Shaivism and Palani Malai

In the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, with its verdant landscapes nestled amid swaying coconut palms and fragrant jasmine vines, lies a quaint village steeped in timeless charm and rustic allure. This is the setting in which the family home of Sri Gurudev Swami...

Embarking on a Spiritual Odyssey: Tracing Our Integral Yoga Tradition Through Time, Part 1

It is said that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, but what if that journey encompasses not only miles but also centuries of profound wisdom, timeless traditions, and a tapestry of influences that have shaped our spiritual heritage? In this...

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Featured Posts

New Interactive Website: Ask Swami

Ever have questions about Yoga? The meaning of life? What is maya? Other burning questions? Now there’s a new website, Ask Swami (askswami.org), where you can ask those questions in real time and get your questions answered!  The answers are sourced from the Integral...

The Path to Spiritual Awakening

The Cosmic Guru is the only Guru. All the rest is just comic. The real Guru is everywhere. Within, without. The Guru is above all the qualities, at the same time you see every kind of quality there. Sometimes the Guru is all sattvic, sometimes very rajasic, sometimes...

The Ego is Like a Powerful Elephant

A dialogue between Sri Ramana Maharshi and a disciple, as recounted in Maharshi's Gospel: The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi, 1939. Devotee: How is the Guru found? Maharshi: God, who is immanent manifests, through Grace, according to the devotee’s development. The...

“Lotus Girl”

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 Way of Recognition

Understanding Enlightenment and Awakening For many, the terms enlightenment and awakening evoke the promise of extraordinary experiences. Referring to a concept that has intrigued and captivated truth seekers throughout history, these terms are often associated with...

Introduction to The Essential Teachings of Swami Satchidananda

In this short, self-directed, free online course, "Introduction to The Essential Teachings of Swami Satchidananda," you will be able to watch Swami Satchidananda sharing some of his core teachings in his fun, loving, and inspirational manner. He also reflects on how...

Embarking on a Spiritual Odyssey, Part 6: The Cosmic Dancer

When asked to reflect upon his life, Swami Satchidananda once said, "It’s hard to summarize a long life in a few words. But I can just say I am fortunate, in a way, to be born in a family of pious parents. They were my first Gurus. They instilled faith in God in my...
Featured News
New Interactive Website: Ask Swami

New Interactive Website: Ask Swami

Ever have questions about Yoga? The meaning of life? What is maya? Other burning questions? Now there’s a new website, Ask Swami (askswami.org), where you can ask those questions in real time and get your questions answered!  The answers are sourced from the Integral...

read more
“America’s First Guru”

“America’s First Guru”

America’s First Guru, by director Raja Choudhury, premiered on PBS in May 2024. The film is the compelling story of how a young charismatic Indian monk named Swami Vivekananda came to America for the first World’s Parliament of Religions in 1893 and went on to share...

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Explore Practice
Deepening Your Hatha Yoga Practice

Deepening Your Hatha Yoga Practice

With his unique humor and enormous depth of wisdom, Swami Asokananda is a master in presenting the great teachings of Yoga in ways that are deeply relevant to key issues in modern life. In this article, he shares the benefit of his experience from his personal journey...

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Breath: The Subtle Connection

Breath: The Subtle Connection

Often in life, we overlook the value of the simple and familiar: a kind word, a helping hand, a timely smile. Such everyday gestures impart meaning and a sense of connectedness as we wend our way through time and space. Similarly, the breath is our constant companion,...

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The Divine Sound Within

The Divine Sound Within

Your practice of mantra repetition creates a sort of sound within. The sound is already in you. You are not doing anything new. That is the divine within you in the form of sound: namarupa, in Sanskrit. The Bible says that in the beginning there was the Word. That...

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Explore Lifestyle
“Lotus Girl”

“Lotus Girl”

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...

read more
Christian Mysticism Meets Integral Yoga

Christian Mysticism Meets Integral Yoga

Everyone seeks happiness, but happiness seems never to be stable. Something always happens to disturb our happiness. Religions were born to show a path to happiness that never dies. The mystical aspect of most faiths are particularly focused on this quest. Integral...

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Explore Philosophy
The Path to Spiritual Awakening

The Path to Spiritual Awakening

The Cosmic Guru is the only Guru. All the rest is just comic. The real Guru is everywhere. Within, without. The Guru is above all the qualities, at the same time you see every kind of quality there. Sometimes the Guru is all sattvic, sometimes very rajasic, sometimes...

Go Within

Go Within

In this episode of the Integral Yoga Podcast, host Avi Gordon (director of the Integral Yoga Teachers Association) discusses with Amma Kidd the significance of collective prayer, the transformative influence of a Guru, surrendering to God's will, and the...

The Way of Recognition

The Way of Recognition

Understanding Enlightenment and Awakening For many, the terms enlightenment and awakening evoke the promise of extraordinary experiences. Referring to a concept that has intrigued and captivated truth seekers throughout history, these terms are often associated with...

Explore Education
Integral Yoga Meditation Teacher Training: July 2024

Integral Yoga Meditation Teacher Training: July 2024

Meditation Teacher Training with Swami Karunananda, E-RYT 500 and Integral Yoga Senior Staff will be held July 22 – August 4, 2024 at Satchidananda Ashram Yogaville. Our whole life experience is based on the condition of the mind, how we perceive and respond to...

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Explore Health
Yoga for Mental Health

Yoga for Mental Health

In recognition of  "Mental Health Awareness Month"  (observed each May in the USA),  Nalanie Chellaram's (director of the Integral Yoga Institute Gibraltar and Sotogrande, Spain) gave a talk on how Yoga can help with mental health issues. In this video, Nalanie also...

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