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Live with Joy
“We are all happiness personified, noble and beautiful souls, each with a unique gift to offer in service. Let us discover who we are essentially and live that, with all joy.
“God bless you. Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti.” —Sri Swami Satchidananda
(photo: Interfaith program, Cathedral of St. John the Divine, New York, mid-1980s. L-R: Swami Satchidananda, the Very Rev. James P. Morton, Roshi Bernie Glassman.)
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The Key to Loving Relationships
By Sri Swami Satchidananda
Love is a feeling. You cannot even put it in words. You will know what love is if you really want to know. Wanting to love itself is the beginning. And then if you want to love you should know how to love. Now, what is the meaning of love? It’s not just attachment. Real love means you think of the welfare of the beloved; you do everything for the sake of the others. You keep on doing things for others. If others do something for you in return, it’s all right, accept it gratefully. But don’t look for it or have the expectation that you should be getting something. Because if you look for it you are not loving unconditionally. You have put a condition: “Only if you love me in return or only if you do this and this and that and that I will love you. Otherwise I will not.” That is conditional love. All that we ever need to know about unconditional love can be learned from observing the nature. Everything in nature truly loves you. It doesn’t look even for a thank you or a thank-you note from you. Sometimes we exploit Mother Nature and yet she still loves us. Look at what we are doing to the earth when we cut down all the trees and forests. Even when we dig underground and explode bombs, the earth continues to support us. MORE
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In this monthly series on the Yamas and Niyamas, Swami Karunananda offers wisdom and reflections on applying these foundational principles of Yoga in daily life. This month’s focus is on Brahmacharya, moderation.
Sutra 2.38: By one established in continence, vigor is gained. —from The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
Reflections for the Practice of Brahmacharya:
1. Are there any areas in my life where I don’t practice moderation? Does this cause harm to myself or to others? Are there ways I could do better?
2. Do my entertainment choices support purity in thought, word and deed?
3. Do my dietary preferences tend to be sattvic, rajasic or tamasic? Can I observe the effect of food on my body, mind and energy?
4. Does my lifestyle, in general, support my spiritual aspirations?
5. If in an intimate relationship, do I always consider the needs, health, energy and circumstances of my partner as well as myself, so as to nurture the relationship and support both of our wellbeing? MORE
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In this vintage video from 1975, Baba Ram Dass—America's first American-born Guru—blazed onto the scene with his 1971 groundbreaking book Be Here Now, and has guided a generation (and now a new one!) on the timeless teachings of the East. From Harvard professor, to LSD experimenter, to devotee of Neem Karoli Baba, and now as stroke survivor and thriver, Ram Dass has always been a wayshower. Want more of Ram Dass? The Shift Network is offering "Relaxing into Aging—a free online event, with Ram Dass, this weekend. More info and sign up here.
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We get the spooky references to this past Friday the 13th! Plus, this was the first full moon on a Friday the 13th in 13 years (January 2006)—a harvest moon! This was a period where everything was illuminated by the Full Moon’s light enabling farmers to bring in the harvest. This is a Full Moon in the Pisces, and unlike other Full Moons, September’s specifically relates to the Autumn (Northern Hemisphere) or Spring (Southern Hemisphere) Equinoxes on September 23. According to the Washington Post, the next time we’ll have a moon approaching fullness on Friday the 13th will be in a little over 13 years, in May 2033. As Sam Geppi pointed out in his Vedic astrology forecast: "On this Full Moon, notice the consensus opinion that comes back to you from the others in your world. This Full Moon happens in Purva Bhadra Nakshatra which is ruled by the image of the one-footed goat, and related to lightning striking the Earth. This is the lightning strike that gives us the spark of inspiration from beyond. It offers us an important glimpse of our true nature and provides a catalyst for our emerging spiritual development."
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In this series of short talks, Swami Asokananda (Integral Yoga) shares his insights from years of study and contemplation on the great Indian scripture, the Bhagavad Gita. In Part 18, we continue on to Chapter 2, verse 5. Arjuna now says that perhaps the best thing would be for him to walk away from the battlefield that he's been placed on by Sri Krishna. Asokanandaji notes that many times, each of us has probably faced a difficult situation that we may be inclined to just walk away from. Yet, often, these challenges are placed in front of us to help us see our weaknesses and to put us in touch with our inner strength. Could that be Sri Krishna's strategy with Arjuna?
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In the summer of 1969, I lay in a field in Franconia, New Hampshire as I looked up at the soft clouds in the sky, with a deep awareness that I felt a separation between myself and the clouds. The feeling was very real and must have reflected my deep yearning for meaning. A wish rose in my heart and reached my lips, “I need someone to show me the way.” “The way?" I knew almost nothing of Eastern thought, but I was aware that my ambitions were different than my friends. I was familiar with the I Ching, but my attempt to read the Bhagavad Gita ended in puzzlement. That winter found me back in New York City as a substitute teacher. Though even Hatha Yoga wasn't well known at the time, I decided to try a Yoga class. Sita, the instructor, mentioned that the center's Guru, Swami Satchidananda, would be speaking at the Universalist Church on Central Park West on Friday. Curiosity overrode my fatigue from a day of teaching and I went to the Universalist Church. I sat near the back of the packed church, and saw someone on stage whose image and voice seemed familiar. It was a cold winter and I had bought an inexpensive fur coat for warmth. MORE
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In this short video, the fourth in a Yoga teaching series under the title "Love of Life, Life of Love," Nalanie Chellaram (director of Integral Yoga Gibraltar & Sotogrande) offers some practical advice on turning negative thoughts into positive ones. The music is "Dreamer" courtesy, and with the kind permission, of Terry Oldfield and Soraya Saraswati.
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In this webinar series, Avi Gordon (director of the Integral Yoga Teachers Association) interviews senior Integral Yoga teachers and teacher trainers, as well as visiting program presenters at Satchidananda Ashram–Yogaville in Virginia (the headquarters of Integral Yoga International). In this interview, he has a conversation with Loren Fishman, MD—the man who wrote the book (literally!) on Yoga and osteoporosis—on what drew him to Yoga, to becoming a doctor, to living in India for three years, and much more. Dr. Fishman is medical director of Manhattan Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in New York City, author of ten books and a world-recognized pioneer in the use of Yoga in medical conditions. He has used Yoga to reverse the deficits of rotator cuff syndrome, straighten the scoliotic spine, actually strengthen osteoporotic bones, and to retard the progress of arthritis and multiple sclerosis.
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Just another day of joy on the Yogaville Quad as recorded by Jeff Ananda Kamen, who reports: "As I parked my truck behind Sivananda Hall, I imagined that I heard the sweet sound of angels singing. Turns out I was correct. Please enjoy a three minute journey into your own precious heart, featuring Bhuvaneswari Pipitone and JC Jones."
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Inspiring Meme of the Week
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