Embarking on a Spiritual Odyssey, Part 5: Guided by the Thirukkural

As a young boy, Ramu (Swami Satchidananda’s birthname was Ramaswamy, Ramu for short) was deeply immersed in Tamil culture and spirituality. One of the most significant influences in his life was the Thirukkural, a revered Tamil text written by the celebrated poet and...

Embarking on a Spiritual Odyssey, Part 3: Roots of Devotion

Devotion and worship were part and parcel of Ramu’s (Swami Satchidananda’s birthname was Ramaswamy, Ramu for short) upbringing and shaped him, his daily life and worldview. His parents were extremely devout and raised Ramu to participate fully in traditional spiritual...

Sri Swami Sivananda: A Spiritual Giant

Sri Swami Sivanandaji was a great spiritual giant. India had four great spiritual giants at one time. These saints represent the four different Yogas. Papa Ramdas of South India represented the path of Bhakti Yoga. He was a great devotee of Lord Rama. Papa Ramdas...

Integral Yoga: Looking Back, Going Forward

In October 2020, Swami Karunananda gave the following talk—during the San Francisco Integral Yoga Institute’s 50th anniversary celebration—on the future of the Integral Yoga teachings and organization. A reporter once asked me to describe Swami Satchidananda’s legacy,...