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“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...

“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 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...

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“Where the Rope Ends”

“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...

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A Rock Band and the Swami

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...

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Living Their Yoga: Devātman Daniel Givens

Living Their Yoga: Devātman Daniel Givens

In this interview by Dhāraṇī Diana Díaz, Integral Yoga teacher and sound healer Devātman Daniel Givens shares an overview of his Yoga journey and passions. Your journey is an interesting path. When and how did you discover Yoga? What brought you to Integral Yoga? I...

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Swami Vivekananda: The Power & the Glory of Vedanta

Swami Vivekananda: The Power & the Glory of Vedanta

On January 13th, the Vedanta Society celebrated the birth anniversary of the great sage Swami Vivekananda. In this video, Swami Sarvapriyananda, spiritual director of the New York branch, pays homage to Swami Vivekananda for his contributions to Indian society and the...

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The Spiritual Wisdom of George Harrison

The Spiritual Wisdom of George Harrison

For many, George Harrison was just one of the Beatles and a musician, but there was so much more. This short video captures some of the spiritual wisdom that inspired his inner life and his spiritual journey. He explains how being anchored in the Yoga teachings and...

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My Journey “In the World, But Not of the World”

My Journey “In the World, But Not of the World”

From 2008 to 2009 I lived at Satchidananda Ashram–Yogaville, in Buckingham County, Virginia. I returned to “the world” in 2009 to take a job in the West Indies, where I spent four clumsy years stumbling all over myself in an effort to integrate the experience and...

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Vegetarian Crocodile Offered Last Rites at Hindu Temple

Vegetarian Crocodile Offered Last Rites at Hindu Temple

Indian Express: In a rare gesture, a Kerala temple accorded “bhu samadhi” to a crocodile, named Babiya, that died in the shrine’s pond on Sunday night and a post-mortem cited the death due to old age. Since the crocodile has been part of the lore of Sree...

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The Origin Story of Integral Yoga Japan (Hiroshima)

The Origin Story of Integral Yoga Japan (Hiroshima)

I’d like to share with you the story of how I decided to start Integral Yoga Japan in Hiroshima. There was a lady in Japan who was undergoing a lot of physical and mental challenges. She wrote to Satchidananda Ashram–Yogaville to ask for help and guidance. Swami...

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