Challenge, Purification and Heroism

Sri Swami Sivananda (the Guru of Integral Yoga founder Sri Swami Satchidananda) said that our suffering brings out the essence in us, just as an herb releases its fragrance when crushed. Gold is exposed only by removing a mountain of soil. Diamonds are formed through...

Spiritual Practice for Crazy Times

The truth is, when the world gets chaotic and confounding, we need spiritual practice more than ever. That’s when our souls need sustenance. That’s when we need to recharge and ground ourselves to take on the challenge. Phil Goldberg’s new book, Spiritual Practice for...

Yoga is Not Limited to Postures and Breathing

People often ask me to explain Integral Yoga. I tell them that if you keep certain things in mind, whatever you do becomes a yogic action. Even your eating and sleeping can be a Yoga practice if you do them in a way that creates health and harmony. Chew your food...

Why I Hate Meditation

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,...

Bringing Our Intentions to Life

We’ve all probably experienced times when we felt bounced around by too many stressors and we struggled just to keep our balance. In stressful times, we may be happy just to make it through the day, have something nice to eat, and a little entertainment to relax with....