As the daylight hours shorten in the northern hemisphere this time of year, it’s natural to spend more time indoors. Plant and animal life alike pause from growing and withdraw from activity. We too benefit from periods of rest and reflection as a preparation for the...
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...
Many people think that anything involving poses and stretches is Yoga, but Hatha Yoga is a far deeper practice with very specific goals. These goals include bringing health, wellbeing, ease and steadiness to the body so that we can function happily in the world and...
Mother Nature, in the role of a stern mother, has sent us to our rooms! The government may call it “shelter in place,” but from another angle you can see that we are being asked to quit running around and do some serious thinking: How are we treating Mother Earth? How...
Get the newly re-edited downloadable version here for the discounted price of $6.95 This pricing is time-limited so order now! LIVING YOGA: The life and teachings of Swami Satchidananda, a documentary film, tells the story of the birth of the modern Yoga movement and...
As some of us were discussing the strange feel of this life with social distancing, we expressed both a sense of gratitude for being safe and healthy, and a deep pang of sorrow for those many souls who are suffering. Those in my immediate circle of friends are...
As we gather for various events celebrating the 50 year anniversary of Integral Yoga in San Francisco, we are reminded again and again of the importance of spiritual community. We have committed ourselves this month to making good use of the support and inspiration...
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....
In the northern hemisphere, autumn is a season known for harvesting all that one has grown and for giving thanks for the abundance of the earth. Celebrating the fruits of our labors with gratitude is a beautiful practice. But as spiritual aspirants, we want to take a...
Many of us think of joy as an experience we have when something special happens. We may plan specific activities, such as a vacation, some entertainment or dining out, that we think will bring us joy. This thinking is so prevalent in our culture that we don’t realize...
Swami Ramananda, president of the Integral Yoga Institute of San Francisco and co-director of the Integral Yoga Global Network, is in the midst of a very full tour of Brazil's Integral Yoga centers. At Jai Vida in Belo Horizonte, (which is now housed in a new location...
The 7th Integral Yoga European Reunion was held in Montpellier, France from April 20-24, 2019, at L’Hameau de les étoiles. The theme of the reunion was: Re-enchantment: Gaining the Wonder of our Practice Again. Each year Integral Yogis—teachers and students—gather for...
Most of us spend a lot of time planning for or anticipating the future. Though it is natural to make plans that support our well-being, we tend to constantly look ahead thinking about what we need to be happy. In doing so, we often miss the opportunity to fully...
Our spiritual dilemmas often revolve around deciding how to act in a difficult situation, when none of the choices feel quite right. A variation of this occurs when we struggle to distinguish between a higher, or divine, will and the will of our ego-mind. This can be...
Applying the teachings of Yoga to our relationships can be a potent way to learn and grow on the spiritual path. Yoga teaches us that there is a natural, unchanging peace within us all. When we experience that internal source of deep contentment, we also feel our...
While the practice of Yoga has spread all over the world, it is generally understood to be movements done on a mat, which greatly limits how it is practiced. A more complete understanding of Yoga is to see it as a way of life rather than just a set of movements....