It’s been a whirlwind of losses in the past year: from the several million deaths due to the pandemic and to the many luminaries who have left the earth, including most recently sports legends Hank Aaron and Kobe Bryant; actors Chadwick Boseman, Cloris Leachman; and...
Our world lost a broadcasting icon and legend on January 23, 2021: Larry King. He was called "the most remarkable talk-show host on TV ever" by TV Guide and "master of the mike" by Time magazine. But, why would this magazine, focused on Yoga and wellness make mention...
In Episode 12 of the "Two Old Fogey Yogis" podcast, our two yogis discuss the 5 kleshas (obstacles presented in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali). In a deep and encouraging way, they share how we can work with these and other challenges more skillfully, that transforming...
Those who are realized beings, who have become enlightened, always must act responsibly. But, their only responsibility is to allow things to happen to them because they realize they are instruments of the Divine. As such, they are no longer creating any new karma....
The recent political drama, on top of the continued devastation wreaked by the COVID virus, has many of us holding our breath in a state of hypervigilance or steeling ourselves against the next assault on our values. While it is important to be aware of the events...
The ego should either become nothing or everything. When it comes to the ego, I don’t believe in the proverb that says that something is better than nothing. You should either become nothing or become everything, but not something. Nothing is better than something. We...
We live in challenging times and don't need more confusion in our lives by misunderstanding spiritual precepts and teachings. While it is true that in the time of Sri Patanjali (whose systematization of Yoga provides Yoga with its classical text, The Yoga Sutras of...
U.S. News & World Report recently ranked 39 diets based on input from a panel of health experts and declared The Ornish Diet #1 in healthy heart diets and #9 for best diet overall! The Ornish Diet was created in 1977 by Dr. Dean Ornish who noted: "Swami...
A new year often means making resolutions and setting goals. In this video from an annual New Year's Silent Yoga Retreat at Satchidananda Ashram–Yogaville (Virginia) several years ago, Swami Karunananda (senior monk and chair of the Integral Yoga Spiritual Life Board)...
What drew you to your spiritual path? Does modern Yoga throw out the “baby with the bathwater” when it goes post-lineage? In Ep 10 of the “Two Old Fogey Yogis” podcast, our hosts explore the relevance of a traditional spiritual path in today’s world and what drew each...
Students often ask me questions like, “Why am I here on this earth?“ “What am I to do here?“ and “What is the purpose of life?“ The answer is that we are here to fulfill our part of the work in the great universal mission. There is one universal plan, a cosmic plan,...
We tend to identify with the body-mind because it is concrete, easily experienced and appears to be permanent, thus dependable, giving us a sense of security and control. Yoga teaches us that we are much more and that to center our lives around body-mind will be...
During these challenging times, the stresses and strains on our relationships can take a toll. What does Yoga have to say about this? Swami Asokananda and Rev. Prem discuss relationships (with oneself & others), communication, and how to respond vs. react....
In this conversation, Heike Farkas (director, Integral Yoga Germany) and Avi Gordon (director, IYTA) discuss how to shift our attitude toward challenges, the practice of humility, and the importance of having fun. Heike Amma Farkas has been practicing Yoga since the...
Once you become the master of your body, mind, and senses, you truly become the master of everything. If you are unable to curb a negative thought, at least try not to speak the thought. And if you can’t control the thought or the speaking of the thought, control the...
One can appreciate Yoga, and be a yogi, without disturbing one’s own faith. There are Yoga centers all over the world. Often, students begin with Hatha Yoga, the physical side. Gradually, when they understand the true essence of Yoga, they want to go more deeply into...