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...
It would be easy to dismiss the question by saying: "Yes, after a prolonged period of intense austerities and meditation while I was living in Swarg Ashram, during which I had the darshan of a number of maharishis and their blessings, the Lord appeared before me in...
It has been easy for me to stay on the spiritual path for thirty-four years; but finding an attitude that sustains my joy and compassion is the challenge. A dogmatic seeker is dangerous. I could easily become rigid, controlling, or just an annoying know-it-all. It’s...
We live in an age where information is available in abundance; perhaps even in excess. Be it through books, documentaries, or a quick Google search, we have centuries, maybe even millennia, of spiritual teachings at our fingertips. In some ways this is, of course,...
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....
On a beautiful and sunny late morning in Hawaii and a sunny (though perhaps less balmy) late afternoon in Virginia, Integral Yoga Magazine editor Rev. Prem Anjali had the opportunity to interview Ram Dass via Skype. Ram Dass’ latest book, Be Love Now, is the third in...
Like a single warrior facing a king’s army, the spiritual seeker tries to subdue the army—one’s own ego. Armed with only a monkey mind, unrestrained sense organs, and a body subjected to nature's control of the physical body, the spiritual warrior is left virtually...
In the summer of 1969, I lay in a field in Franconia, New Hampshire as I looked up at the soft clouds in the sky, with a deep awareness that I felt a separation between myself and the clouds. The feeling was very real and must have reflected my deep yearning for...