Somewhere along the way, Yoga became something we do – 60 minutes on a mat, a few breaths, a few shapes. But Yoga was never meant to fit neatly into an hour of your day. It was meant to shape your day and your way of being. The asanas (poses) are only one small...
Many people come to meditation believing that a settled mind is the sign of a “good” practice. When restlessness appears instead—wandering thoughts, resistance, agitation—it can feel like failure. Over time, I’ve come to see this differently. A restless mind is not a...
“Possession are okay, as long as you possess them, and you don’t allow them to possess you.” ~Sri Swami Satchidananda It’s ironic how as youngsters all we want to do is play with our toys. As children, we must learn to share at home with our siblings and at school...
"God knows your breaking point. You simply don't know your own strength." –Swami Satchidananda How many times have you been a safe container for those you care about? What did it look like? What did it feel like? Challenging oneself to be disciplined or to attain a...
“Contentment is golden. A contented mind is a golden mind.” –Swami Satchidananda It’s funny how children enjoy the simplest of toys and teenagers relish in their relationships with their best friends, while a quiet transition commences during adulthood and suddenly...
Independence implies a freedom from being controlled or unduly influenced by an outside source. Spiritual independence suggests the freedom to live in harmony with the spiritual truth at the heart of our being. It implies freedom from depending on any outside source...
We’ve come to the final yama (in the five yamas of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali) and the last occurrence of Patanjali’s “via negativa” approach. Aparigraha, commonly referred to as “non-grasping,” is composed of graha (seizing) with two prefixes attached: a (not) and...
In this new column, Dale Ann Gray offers reflections on the yamas and niyamas of the Yoga Sutras, incorporating insights from classical Nondual Yoga. In this article, she offers an overview on the distinctions between the dualistic philosophy of Patanjali’s Yoga and...
In this episode of the "Two Old Fogey Yogis" podcast, our two yogis continue their discussion of aparigraha, the fifth and final yama, with an examination of two of its very subtle aspects: the teaching of not receiving gifts, and of one’s relationship to the physical...
How do we integrate Sri Patanjali’s teachings about sex/celibacy/continence in today’s world? What does brahmacharya really mean? Swami Asokananda and Rev. Prem (the two yogis of the "Two Old Fogey Yogis" podcast) consider various aspects of this yama (ethical...
Asteya is one of the five yamas, or ethical precepts that are at the foundation of the Yoga system presented by Sri Patanjali, in the Yoga Sutras. Simply put, asteya means to not steal. But, was Patanjali talking about not robbing a bank or more subtle aspects of this...
With his unique humor and enormous depth of wisdom, Swami Asokananda is a master in presenting the great teachings of Yoga in ways that are deeply relevant to key issues in modern life. In this article, he shares the benefit of his experience from his personal journey...
Interpersonal relationships can be challenging to navigate especially when trying to live our Yoga. Yoga’s first foundational limb is yama, which has five practices–the first being ahimsa or non-violence. In Episode 15 of the "Two Old Fogey Yogis" podcast, our two...
Ahimsa is one of the most fundamental principles from the original scriptures of Yoga and serves as a foundation for the practice of Yoga, on and off the mat. This practice is especially important now since our world desperately needs a grassroots movement to end...
Michael Rhadeya Plasha (Yoga, Ayurvedic and meditation educator and an addiction, trauma and chronic disease specialist) has spent two decades refining his practice and teaching of Hatha Yoga while integrating Raja Yoga into the class. In this article he shares what...
There is a village proverb in South India: “It doesn’t matter who pounds the rice; as long as I get the rice, it’s fine.” I think this also could be the motto for health and wellness providers. It doesn’t matter what approach you take, what “pathy” you use: allopathy,...