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“Pure Awareness”
“Through silence you can realize the quiet witness within you. That silence is the spirit or awareness. Your awareness is silent. It never tells you anything. It is just there simply watching you. Whether you do good or bad, right or wrong, it just witnesses. A witness never gets involved in the case and never joins one of the sides. It is pure awareness, watching everything.
“God bless you. Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti.” —Sri Swami Satchidananda
(Photo: Swami Satchidananda meditating at Sivananda Ashram, Rishikesh, India, 1968.)
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Shanti. I see God as Shanti. Shanti is the nature of God. My God is Shanti and has no form no other name. God is all peaceful, all serenity—the peace that cannot be expressed by words. Even to say the word “peace,” in a way limits, the expression of that very peace. It is to be felt, to be experienced within oneself. Fortunate are such people who see God as peace in themselves. Those who have seen God as the peace within can see God everywhere as peace: in the midst of calamities, even in the midst of terrible wars. In all circumstances they feel peace everywhere. Because when you are in peace, you are in God, you are with God. That is why, knowingly or unknowingly, the whole world is now after peace. Everywhere you see people waiting for peace, hurting for peace, in a way, hunting for peace. Through everything they want peace. Some people want peace through fighting and wars, some through music, some through art, some through learning. Maybe some through sleeping. The ultimate quest of the entire world is peace, peace, peace. Only in peace do we have joy. (Note: This is the first article by Swami Satchidananda that appeared in the very first issue of Integral Yoga Magazine, December 1969.) MORE
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It was the Spring of 1969 when Swami Satchidananda gathered together a group of the very people who first hosted him when he arrived in America in 1966: Peter Max, Victor Zurbel, Peter Petronio, and several others. These were mostly artists and designers, who were friends with poets and writers like Allen Ginsberg and William Burroughs—all who, in 1966, were becoming deeply interested in Yoga, meditation, Eastern philosophy, and Swami Satchidananda’s teachings. They began the Integral Yoga Institute (IYI) in New York City, which now by 1969 was growing in popularity with young people. Parameshwari Dinsmoor, one of Swami Satchidananda’s first assistants recalls: “Discussions and planning sessions about a possible launch of a magazine took place in the main room of the IYI (500 West End Avenue). Lengthy discussions on the concept, design, focus began. As far as I can recall, more IYIs were springing up all over the country at that time—some big others medium or small (San Francisco, Los Angeles, Paris, Brussels, Detroit, New Jersey, among others). Gurudev wanted to keep all of them informed about our activities in New York, as well as have the other Institutes share information about their activities. That original purpose soon grew into the idea that the magazine include, not just news of the Integral Yoga Institutes, but other articles.” MORE
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Since 1948, December 10th is celebrated as Human Rights Day in honor of the United Nations General Assembly's adoption and proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the first global enunciation of human rights and one of the first major achievements of the new United Nations. In this spirit of this day, we'd like to share this short film. In 2015 and 2016, as tourists from across Europe arrive on the sunny Greek island of Lesvos for a holiday, so too do thousands of refugees as they cross the waters from Turkey, seeking a safe haven in the European Union. In this idyllic setting, refugees and tourists alike are brought together in pairs to talk. What they discover about each other is an ode to humanism and shows us what can happen when we take the time to sit down and truly connect, heart to heart.
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In this monthly series on the Yamas and Niyamas, senior Integral Yoga teachers offer wisdom and reflections on applying these foundational principles of Yoga in daily life from the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. This month's focus is on santosha, contentment.
For Reflection:
1) Swami Satchidananda suggested: “To get a taste of contentment, try this for one week: Make the entire week a ‘Don’t Want Week.’ Think, ‘This week I don’t want anything. If anything comes, I accept it. If anything goes, I accept that, too.’”
2) When a desire arises in the mind, ask yourself: “Will the fulfillment of this desire bring benefit to someone, harm to no one, and leave the mind in tranquility?” If your tranquility could be disturbed, overcome the desire by repeating the phrase, “Contentment is golden.” Go for the gold!
3) Control desire by reflecting on the impermanence of all things. For example, King Solomon had this etched on the ring he wore: "And this too shall pass." George Harrison famously sang: "All things must pass, all things must fade away. MORE
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On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Integral Yoga Magazine, we asked Rev. Prakasha Shakti Capen (Editor, 1979 – 1991) to reflect on her role:
“I first lived and taught at the Washington, DC and, then, Boston IYIs. I remember how excited we all were when a new issue of the magazine arrived. We’d stop, open the box and read our issues on the spot. For those of us, and the many others around the globe, who weren’t living at the ashram or who didn’t have the chance to see Sri Gurudev (Swami Satchidananda) on a regular basis, the magazine was a lifeline. In addition to the articles by Gurudev and Swami Sivananda, the magazine contained the “Day by Day with Gurudev” column. To a certain extent it felt like we were traveling the world with Gurudev—able to read about his activities, as well as excerpts from his talks. The magazine also contained news from the Integral Yoga centers; so it connected us as a global Integral Yoga community. When Gurudev asked me to move to the ashram (in Connecticut) from Boston, I became the magazine’s editor and, soon after that, editor of Integral Yoga Publications. At that time, Gurudev was very involved with the magazine.” MORE
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Impermanence is a central teaching in Yoga (anitya) and Buddhism (anikka), among other wisdom traditions. Though there may be differences in how each wisdom tradition approaches this concept, they all fundamentally agree that the impermanent nature of life can be both the cause of suffering (continual change, illness, dying, and so on) and a gateway to liberation. In this short video, the beloved Buddhist teacher Pema Chödrön talks about how to relax into impermanence as a spiritual practice and a path to fearlessness.
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On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Integral Yoga Magazine, we also asked Rev. Kumari de Sachy (Editor, 1991 – 2002) to reflect on how she became the editor and on her role:
“I was in grad school in early 1981 when I first met Swami Satchidananda (Gurudev). It was my first visit to the Connecticut Ashram; and after the Saturday evening satsang, I introduced myself, told Gurudev a little about myself, and then said to him, ‘If you can use my skills (as a writer and a writing teacher) in any way, please call on me.’ Little did I know then that several years later, he would remember my offer.... In 1991, after having served in various Ashram areas, I was asked to become the editor of our Integral Yoga Magazine and manager of Integral Yoga Publications.... During the time that I served in this capacity, I worked alone in the large office located at the rear of the Light Of Truth Universal Shrine’s (LOTUS) All Faiths Hall. What a boon it was to be able to spend each day at the LOTUS. I was responsible for curating and editing articles, writing articles, and even mailing the magazines to hundreds of subscribers, so there was always lots to do. But I’ll never forget how sometimes, in the midst of the busyness, I would suddenly have a strong feeling that Gurudev was inside the building or simply that I had to take a break and leave the office. MORE
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Swami Vidyananda, Integral Yoga senior monk and teacher trainer, was a contributor to the latest addition to the Chicken Soup for the Soul popular series of books. Her story ("Caroling Yoga," chapter 24) appears in the new book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas, edited by Amy Newmark, with royalties benefiting Toys for Tots! Swami Vidyananda's chapter is a story about Yogaville members Christmas caroling several years ago to Yogaville's native Virginia neighbors. Congratulations and kudos!
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This past week, Satchidananda Ashram and the greater Yogaville community celebrated the life and service of Sam Eberle. Sam has lived and served the Ashram, community, and Integral Yoga at large since he was a teenager. Now 34, Sam and his wife Lilavati, along with their children are moving to Colorado. They will be deeply missed, yet Sam will continue to serve as webmaster and digital guru from afar. "Yogi Rising: The Sam Eberle Story," is a beautiful tribute by filmmaker and journalist (also Yogaville resident) Jeff Ananda Kamen, with Br. Arjavan. Enjoy the video! Jai Eberle family!
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Inspiring Meme of the Week
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