Recently, someone was asking me about the connection to the Guru. Words are limited. Whatever “under-standing” I have on this matter comes from the experience of “standing-under” God’s Presence through Sri Gurudev Satchidananda’s loving guidance. Today I am far from...
Manish Vyas is a teacher of Nada Yoga, the Yoga of sound. His composition "Tumi Bhaja Re Mana" is one of his most popular and beautiful. Translated, the mantra means: Oh mind (mana), my dear friend, always chant (bhaja) the name of the Divine, Always repeat (japa)...
A student once told me how he was having beautiful experiences in meditation but was distressed because his experience of his daily life wasn’t beautiful or good. I asked this student to explain what his meditation experience was like. His reply was, “Well, I...
What is love? Unfortunately, the word “love” is very much misused. When we see our own Self in others and wish that they would experience the very same happiness, the same joy that we have toward ourselves, then you are experiencing true love. This kind of love is not...
The saints and sages of many faiths are dynamic examples of how spiritual awakening is accompanied by a natural impulse to serve humanity. After experiencing the interconnection of all of life, many of these great beings were moved by a profound compassion to dedicate...
Sri Guru Gita is a Sanskrit hymn, that illuminates the mystical relationship between a Satguru and a disciple. This divine dialogue takes place between Lord Shiva (the primordial Guru) and Goddess Parvati (his consort and Shakti, creative power) on Mount Kailash....
In this music video, Sanjay Mahajan (accompanied by Rupali and Saveri) chant selected verses with a backdrop of footage filmed in India and Satchidananda Ashram, along with photos of Satgurus, sages and saints of India. This video is part of the CD/DVD set "Sri Guru...
This 8th century CE text describes a conversation between the Lord Siva and his wife, the Goddess Parvati, in which she asks him to teach her about the Guru and liberation. Siva answers her by describing the Guru principle, the proper ways of paying homage to the...
In October 2020, Swami Karunananda gave the following talk—during the San Francisco Integral Yoga Institute’s 50th anniversary celebration—on the future of the Integral Yoga teachings and organization. A reporter once asked me to describe Swami Satchidananda’s legacy,...
Swami Karunananda (senior Integral Yoga monk and master teacher) writes about the Guru-disciple relationship and shares some of the inspiring experiences she had with her Guru, Sri Swami Satchidananda. This talk was recently given on the 18th anniversary of the...
Enjoy this wonderful kirtan with Astrud Castillo and hosted by the Integral Yoga Institute of San Francisco. Sure to lift your spirits! A devoted Bhakti Yogi and kirtan artist, Astrud came to Yoga seeking peace of mind. She was most inspired by and drawn to the...
How many times and how much do we invest in holding up the veils that obscure the truth and the opportunities for enlightenment? A Guru can aid a student in navigating the path, gaining mastery over the obstacles, cracking open the egg shell, and reaching the summit....
The best way to take care of your heart is to not disturb it. Originally, the Creator programmed it to be a beautiful place for physical, spiritual, and emotional growth. But we don’t keep it that way; we disturb it. We don’t have to do anything to make the heart...
If our aim is great, then our obstacles will also be very big. Always remember that without suffering we can never achieve anything great. That’s why I always say that the bigger the pain, the bigger the gain. No pain, no gain. Pain builds up a lot of strength in you....
Again and again, people ask me, “Why is there suffering? How can I avoid suffering?” My answer is, “You cannot.” If anything has to happen, it will happen. Think, All right, let it happen. I am bold. What’s the use of being afraid of it? I’m not going to be able to...
When anger arises, the mind becomes deluded. The Bhagavad Gita has two beautiful slokas about this: From brooding on sense objects, attachment to them arises. Out of that attachment, personal desire is born. And from desire, anger appears. Anger confuses the thinking...