If you get divinely and miraculously healed, is this part of your karma? Yes. Miraculously you are healed. Maybe you deserved it. God helped you to heal. You have done some good karma to receive that kind of healing energy. But if you haven't healed and if you want to...
Service and Self–Care
We all probably struggle sometimes to make wise choices when deciding between taking care of others and taking care of ourselves. Many of us were raised with a strong work ethic that is reinforced by the “gotta get ahead” mentality of American culture, the value...
Embarking on a Spiritual Odyssey, Part 12: Sacred Discipline Continues
In our last installment, Ramaswamy (Swami Satchidananda’s birth name) realized that the next step in deepening his spiritual practices would be to travel sixty miles from his birthplace of Chettipalayam to the ashram of the family Guru, Sri Sadhu Swamigal, in Palani....
Ahimsa As a Gift
Ahimsa is a Sanskrit word that translates as “without injury” or “nonviolence” in English. It’s a principle in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jainist philosophy that involves causing the least amount of harm possible to all beings. It’s the first ethical principle given as a...
Life’s Pendulum: Balance Amid Change
When you watch the thoughts passing through your mind by being the witness rather than getting caught up in them, is this the same as what is meant by the expression, “Offering it up to God?” Yes, you can look at it in this way. One approach is what we can call the...
Resolutions That Last: The Art of Sustainable Spiritual Practice
For many years, I’ve given a talk on New Year’s resolutions at our annual Integral Yoga New Year’s Retreat. I focus mainly on setting achievable goals for a regular spiritual practice of poses, breathing, relaxation and meditation. Here’s a few suggestions from that...
Practice and Non-Attachment: A Two Pronged Approach to Liberation
If you want to see well through a window, you have to clean both sides. Practice (abhyasa) and non-attachment (vairagya) work much the same way. They are the complimentary practices given in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras as a means to quiet the movement of thought in the...
Ishvara Pranidhana: The Psychology of Surrender
On the journey of self-growth, one of the central concepts in yogic philosophy is Ishvara Pranidhana, or the act of surrendering to a Higher Power. Patanjali, in the Yoga Sutras, describes it as a foundational practice that leads us toward liberation and inner peace....
Embarking on a Spiritual Odyssey, Part 11: A Hidden Devotion–Swami Satchidananda and the Divine Mother’s Grace
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...
Tasting the Spiritual Fruit
Every year on his birthday, as we gathered to honor Sri Swami Satchidananda, the tables would turn in the most profound way. Rather than our offerings of gratitude and celebration taking center stage, Gurudev would bless us with a birthday message brimming with wisdom...
Yogic Preparation for the End of Life
From time-to-time, Integral Yoga teachers ask how to address yogic practices, traditions, and advice on preparing for death. Here are some tips, from our own expert in the field, that may be helpful in preparing for your or anyone’s journey—starting with some basic...
Challenging the Norms: A Journey into Yoga’s Heart
In this enlightening episode of the Integral Yoga Podcast, hosted by Avi Gordon (director, Integral Yoga Teachers Association), Michelle Jacobi shares her captivating journey into the world of Yoga. Starting as a professional dancer in New York with a keen interest in...
Santosha – Making Peace with the Present
Contentment is a deceptively simple concept that offers tremendous benefit if we fully embrace its practice. It is referred to as santosha in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and is not so easy to master because the habit of wanting and achieving is so deeply ingrained in...
Seeking the Kingdom Within: A Journey to True Contentment
We try to use our limited, finite intelligence to understand, grasp things, and make our lives happy, aiming to achieve and acquire this or that. Yet, in the end, nothing seems to truly help. Sometimes, it may feel like we’re finding peace or happiness, but all these...
Embarking on a Spiritual Odyssey, Part 10: The Inspirational Influence of Sri Ramalinga Swamigal
Sri Ramalinga Swamigal, a great Tamil Siddhar, left an indelible mark on South Indian spirituality, inspiring future generations through his profound compassion, universal outlook, and commitment to social justice. His teachings continue to resonate, particularly...
The Antidote to Fear
The only way to deal with fear is to face it. The more you try to run, the more it will haunt you. Face it and ask yourself questions: “Who are you? Where are you coming from? Why are you coming to me? What am I afraid of?” When you ask these questions, you will find...