I have a friend who has told me, on multiple occasions, that she cannot meditate. Up to this point, I have failed miserably to convince her otherwise. I have used all the best quotes, like the old Zen saying, “You should sit in meditation for twenty minutes every day,...
Meditation is something we should learn to practice, not just in formal meditation, but all the time. But, for our formal, sitting meditation practice, preparation is most important. Is there not a saying, “Well begun is half done?” We often don’t begin well. We don’t...
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...
When people think about meditation, often an image of a blissed-out figure sitting cross-legged on a soft pillow comes to mind... Ahh, total peace, quiet, and comfort. Wouldn’t that be nice! While meditating in a quiet place without distraction is an amazing...
Recently, Dr. Dean Ornish, a senior student of Swami Satchidananda and a pioneer in lifestyle medicine, was interviewed by plant-based diet guru John Robbins as part of the 2019 Food Revolution Summit sponsored by the Food Revolution Network. Here is a transcript of...
Rev. Jaganath, Integral Yoga Minister and Raja Yoga master teacher, has spent a lifetime delving into the deepest layers of meaning in Patanjali’s words within the Yoga Sutras. Our series continues with sutras: 2.9 through 2.11. In these sutras, Patanjali addresses...
It’s nearly impossible to calm the waves of the mind completely, but we can learn to dive under them. You don’t have to make all the waves calm. The Bhagavad Gita says that the mind gets tossed like a boat on the surface of wavy water. It’s very hard to keep the mind...
In children, the mind is pure. It is the world that goes in and contaminates our mind, otherwise, the mind is always plain and pure, like a crystal. No mind is bad, no mind is dirty; it’s always crystal clear. But it is the proximity of the mind to other things that...
Introduction I was inspired to write this article after reading Tracy Cooley’s excellent Integral Yoga Magazine article. She describes running a 108 kilometer distance. Certainly, an incredible accomplishment, particularly as a Yoga meditation. I love to swim....
Journalist Maria Shriver has created an important interview series she's calling: "Architects of Change." In this episode, she sits down with Dr. Dean Ornish, author of Undo It! to discuss his new book and what he learned from his teacher, Swami Satchidananda, who...
Meditation can be like watching a movie—if you simply observe or witness the thoughts, without any judgment, you will enjoy the show. Watching the thoughts is different from analyzing and judging them. A judge in the court is analyzing the case and judging who is...
Take a deep breath at 23,000 feet, and breath out turbulence. Or at least your fear of turbulence. That's the goal of Virgin Australia, which is introducing meditation as part of its focus on well-being for travelers who are stressed out by flying. "Integrating...
The aim of Patanjali’s Yoga system is to keep the mind one-pointed on any object or idea which would remind you of a higher idea that will broaden your outlook, elevate your mental attitude and, ultimately, your life. He encourages the student to take up any object...
Sometimes we talk a lot about God, about faith. We say we have faith, but our own life should prove that. If you have complete, absolute faith you will always be happy and joyful—even under severe suffering and severe handicaps. One of the four well-known Saiva saints...
Swami Satchidananda: We all have a witness in our own system. That’s what you call the Self. It is a constant witness. What is it witnessing? It witnesses the play of the mind. The mind constantly creates drama. When you go to a movie theater, what do you do? You sit...
A disciplined mind is your beautiful friend and a fantastic instrument. You’ll not only win God, you win everything, because when you automatically win God, you win the whole universe. An undisciplined mind can cause you to run here and there, chasing desire after...