While in seclusion (in the early 1940s) undergoing intensive sadhana, Ramaswamy’s (Swami Satchidananda’s birth name) diet was austere, limited to one meal a day at noon consisting of kitcheree, a mixture of rice and dhal. His mother, Srimati Velammai, would prepare it...
Embarking on a Spiritual Odyssey, Part 8: Surrender and Grace–The Mystical Poetry that Transformed a Seeker
In Part 7 of this series, Ramaswamy (Swami Satchidananda’s birth name) had expressed his deepening spiritual yearnings to his parents and they agreed to not pressure him into remarriage. Instead, they gave him time to devote himself to religious study and meditation...
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...
Nataraja
In 1961, the great writer Aldous Huxley (Brave New World, The Perennial Philosophy, The Doors of Perception, Island) was interviewed in London. This beautiful video includes the audio from that interview during which Huxley describes the "Dancing Shiva" image...