Veganism and the Yamas: A Yogic Call to Compassion Yoga is a path of transformation—one that extends far beyond the mat. It is a way of living that aligns our thoughts, words, and actions with our highest ideals. The eight limbs of Raja Yoga, as outlined by Patanjali,...
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...
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...
In our last installment, we journeyed back to 1942, when Ramaswamy (later known as Swami Satchidananda) traveled to Palani, a sacred pilgrimage site steeped in centuries of spiritual significance. This holy place in Tamil Nadu has long been a sanctuary for saints and...
The profound Nirvana Shatakam stotra (hymn of praise) was composed by Adi Shankaracharya, the great 8th-century philosopher and sage, who stands as one of the most profound spiritual figures in India’s history. His teachings revitalized the understanding of Advaita...
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...
The focus of an Integral Yoga Hatha class isn’t on obtaining a buff body, but in some ways it can be a harder workout. Integral Yoga teachers aren’t interested in their students working up a sweat, but instead create an environment in which students can disengage from...
Beginning in the 1960s, there was a tremendous wave of enlightened masters who came to the West to impart the teachings of Yoga. Their coming was heralded by singular great souls who taught in the early 1900s, like Paramahansa Yogananda and Swami Vivekananda. Most of...
Students who come to learn from you are teaching you to become a good teacher. When you teach but don’t live a yogic lifestyle, you will feel guilty about it and that is how you learn. You will feel, “I’m telling them what to do but I’m not doing it myself. I have to...