This newly released CD, part of the "Sacred Mantra" series was recently released. The invocation is a hymn of praise to Goddess Durga and is the first part of the Devi Stuti—a collection of sacred Sanskrit mantras and stotras in the Devi Mahatmyam (Glory of the...
Integral Yoga Media is happy to announce the release of "Songs of Grace: Kirtan with a Master," Chanted by Sri Swami Satchidananda & Students "Songs of Grace," first recorded in 1980 in California, was only available on cassette years ago. The album master was...
Swami Satchidananda always cared deeply about serving men and women in prison. When he was serving in Sri Lanka, he and the members of his ashram built temples for both minimum and maximum security facilities and conducted regular prayer meetings for the prisoners....
Question: I don’t understand what it means when Patanjali talks about "Isvara pranidhana" or self-surrender and why that is necessary. Can you shed some light on this concept? Swami Satchidananda: The attitude of humility and surrendering comes only when you realize...
In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali speaks of the different stages of samadhi. The mere understanding of these different states is very little compared to the experience, but still, for the sake of understanding, Patanjali describes them. The first stage of samadhi is the...
The aim of Patanjali’s Yoga system is to keep the mind one-pointed on any object or idea which would remind you of a higher idea that will broaden your outlook, elevate your mental attitude and, ultimately, your life. He encourages the student to take up any object...
Sometimes we talk a lot about God, about faith. We say we have faith, but our own life should prove that. If you have complete, absolute faith you will always be happy and joyful—even under severe suffering and severe handicaps. One of the four well-known Saiva saints...
Swami Satchidananda: We all have a witness in our own system. That’s what you call the Self. It is a constant witness. What is it witnessing? It witnesses the play of the mind. The mind constantly creates drama. When you go to a movie theater, what do you do? You sit...
At one time, there were four great holy sages who were living in different parts of India. They must have had some sort of communication between themselves because they all said goodbye, one after the other, within the same period. Swami Ramdas, who was a great Bhakti...
Thavathiru Santhalinga Ramasamy Adigalar, the 97-year-old Pontiff of Perur Adheenam (Coimbatore, India) entered Mahasamadhi on Friday, August 31st. Affectionately and respectfully known as “Periyaswamiji,” Thavathiru Santhalinga Ramasamy Adigalar was a close and...
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...
Alice Coltrane (Swamini Turiyasangitananda) is the widow of jazz legend John Coltrane. After her husband’s passing she continued their shared exploration of Eastern music and spirituality. In 1970 she recorded Journey in Satchidananda and explained: “Direct...
When you are healthy and happy, you are at ease. But, you don’t remain that way always; you disturb it and then you call that dis-eased. There is meaning in your words, in your beautiful language. Diseased means you have disturbed your ease. That means you were...
Bo and Sita Lozoff founded, with Ram Dass, the largest prison interfaith ministry in the world. It is now in 60 countries with 50,000 prisoners on the mailing list. Bo’s book, We’re All Doing Time, now in its 17th printing, with half a million copies distributed, is...
In a new collaboration between Integral Yoga Media & Publications and the Integral Yoga Global Network, more of Swami Satchidananda's books and talks are being translated into different languages. The latest offerings include the small book, Gems of Wisdom, which...
Those who are interested in making gold should be silent. There is even a saying, “Silence is golden.” In Sanskrit there is a proverb. Silence in Sanskrit is “mouna.” And the proverb goes, “Mouna kalakanasti.” Kalakam means: problems or quarrels. Nasti means: don’t...