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Become the Ocean
“If you want to know God, become That. If a drop wants to know the depth of the ocean, it should become the ocean. Ultimately you must realize you’re not the one tossed by the waves of life. Rather you are a permanent entity, an image of God. If your mind is tranquil, it will be like a beautiful mirror that reflects the image of God in you.
God bless you. Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti.” —Sri Swami Satchidananda
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The mother is everyone’s first guru, or teacher. The universe itself is the feminine aspect and all mothers are expressions of the Goddess energy. If you are a mother-to-be, you have the great responsibility and joyful prospect of preparing yourself to give birth to a beautiful soul. This is your great gift to humanity and that is why it is wonderful to see your interest in preparing well for this momentous occasion. Many of the modern day problems of body and mind, difficulties in childbirth, and childhood illness, are caused by wrong habits and mental stress. Yoga provides a remedy for many of these ills. The postures help to keep the body in good health. And through the breathing practices, relaxation, and meditation, nerve centers are energized and blockages released. Vital energy is brought into every cell of the body and toxins are released and removed. Particularly during pregnancy, but really throughout one’s life, I recommend eating a healthy, vegetarian diet that can be easily digested and the nutrients well-absorbed by your system and your baby’s. It is important for pregnant women to keep their bodies relaxed, without stiffness or tension. MORE
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Swami Satchidananda gives a talk on the selfless, loving, and compassionate qualities of mothers. He also describes how Mother Nature is so sacred and the debt of gratitude we owe to her and to all mothers.
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Recently, Dr. Dean Ornish, a senior student of Swami Satchidananda and a pioneer in lifestyle medicine, was interviewed by plant-based diet guru John Robbins. The interview highlights Dr. Ornish’s most recent research in relation to reversing Alzehimer’s Disease and turning on good vs. bad genes.
John Robbins: Most physicians today are still trained to think of heart disease and diabetes and prostate cancer and other chronic illnesses as being fundamentally different from each other. They entail different diagnostic categories. They’re thought of as distinctly different diseases. They’re treated by different specialists. It seems to me that one of the most important implications of your work is that it’s suggesting that we should stop seeing chronic diseases as being fundamentally different from each other. Dean, should we begin instead to see them as diverse manifestations and expressions of similar underlying biological mechanisms, all of which are powerfully affected by the lifestyle choices we make every day?
Dean Ornish: Yes. That’s really the theory in a nutshell, and it seems so obvious now, although to be honest, the best theories are those that people say, “Yeah, that’s obvious..." MORE
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Summer travel season is almost here and Integral Yoga teacher and Ayurveda expert, Yogi Cameron, has some great tips for staying healthy and glowing whenever and wherever you fly.
It’s good to know there are some practices to support flying in the most healthy and pleasant ways that strengthen our immune systems, maintain the health and hydration of our skin, and can even help avert major jetlag. While most people think the solution is to drink more water and stay hydrated when flying, and hydration is a key practice, there is much more to healthy travel than water alone. The main culprit in the air isn’t dehydration—it’s the microbial buildup and recycled polluted air which compromises our immune and nervous systems.... In order to enjoy my flight and support my skin and overall health, I employ the following Ayurvedic techniques: I always use a face mask when I fly. I started doing this 25 years ago even before it became a trending Instagram practice. Pro tip: Use a thick cotton reusable mask that you can wash, and change for every five hours of flying. Spray disinfectant oils of tee tree or lemongrass on the outside of the mask. MORE
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The Namaste Effect
By Nischala Joy Devi
Nischala Joy Devi's new book: The Namaste Effect: Expressing Universal Love through the Chakras was just published. In this article, she shares what inspired her to write this book and her vision for the true impact of the Namaste Effect.
My intention in writing this book is to offer a way to live in this world, expressing love and compassion as a primary action. I often wonder, Could the message of love be too soft a whisper over the loud and boisterous threats in today’s world? Even in the midst of a major crisis, if we are able to encourage the heart toward openness and love, we are then prepared when, at a future time, a valiant act is the perfect remedy. As a small child I would frequently enter into a semi-trance state and find myself, on the return, seeing colors and feeling love for all. My sweet mother would even comment “You cannot love everyone!” and my innocent reply was “Why not?” My experience could not be expressed through any normal rationalization. As much as I asked and searched sources, I was unable to define the vastness of what I was feeling. When I revealed that I was able to see color surrounding an object or person, the condescending smiles would relegate the experience to child’s imagination. MORE
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We're delighted to bring you a new series of short video blogs by Swami Asokananda as he shares his insights from years of study and contemplation on the great Indian scripture, the Bhagavad Gita. In part 1, he gives a brief introduction to the text and what inspired the writing of the Gita. (Note: The video quality is not ideal, but will be improved over the coming weeks.) If you would like to submit questions to Swami Asokananda to answer during the series, please email them to us.
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Rev. Jaganath, Integral Yoga Minister and Raja Yoga master teacher, has spent a lifetime delving into the deepest layers of meaning in Patanjali’s words within the Yoga Sutras. Our series continues with sutras: 2.12 and 2.15 – 2.17. In sutra 2.12, Patanjali highlights the relationship between karma and the klesas. In sutras 2.15 – 2.17, he focuses on the relationship between duhkha (suffering) and viveka (discrimination leading to the removal of suffering).
By knowing that life experiences are caused by our own thoughts, words, and deeds, our struggle for happiness and fulfillment becomes an internal one, largely independent of external circumstances. This also means that we always have and have had the keys to peace, harmony, and happiness within us. In Yoga theory, the fruits of previous acts are stored in the mind in the form of subconscious seeds of merit or demerit. They remain there, inactive, until the appropriate circumstances allow them to ripen and bloom as experiences of social status, length of life, and enjoyment. (See sutra 2.13) The most important lesson taught by karma is that our fate is ultimately in our own hands. This knowledge neutralizes mindsets of victimhood, resentment, and hatred. MORE
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Integral Yoga Publications is pleased to announce the newest addition to its eBook multilingual series of translations of Swami Satchidananda's books: The Golden Present in Russian! The Golden Present is a book of daily inspirational readings compiled by Swami Hamsananda, from 25 years of Swami Satchidananda's talks to spiritual seekers. The readings are expressed with the simplicity and wisdom of one who speaks from his own experience. For each day of the year there is a new message that offers spiritual guidance for that day. Now, thanks to Integral Yoga teacher Sevika Tamara Dobrow who translated the text, Russian readers will be able to enjoy the book! Thank you so much Sevika (whose name itself means selfless servant of the divine) for this beautiful offering! Jai!
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As a computer programmer she is part of corporate America during the day and, the rest of the time, Anamaya is a constant Yoga student and evening and weekend Yoga instructor. She started Yoga in 2000 to strengthen her back muscles, as suggested by her chiropractor. In 2006 she came to the Integral Yoga Institute of New York for Teacher Training and since then has been in a process of discovery and endless awe of Yoga...
What is your definition of Yoga? Yoga is a guided tour of the beautiful reality of peace and union of one with all. The eight limbs of Ashtanga Yoga describe it step by step: start with being good and doing good (yama and niyama), tone and cleanse the body (asana), discover inner energy (pranayama), control the senses (pratyahara), control the mind (dharana), transcend the mind (dhyana), and reunite with yourself (samadhi). That’s all! Easy to say, hard to do, but once you’ve signed up for this tour, you gain awareness of your actions, your body, your breath, and your mind at every step of the way. My shortcut to Yoga is the breath: common and miraculous at the same time. Just start watching your breath, and you’ll find yourself in a state of Yoga: reunited with yourself and the world. MORE
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Recently, award-winning journalist, author, media producer, and Yogaville news reporter, Jeff Ananda Kamen, made a short video in honor of Earth Day that highlights the ecological stewardship that has been blossoming in Yogaville. Through the service of Yogaville Environmental Solutions, solar initiatives, environmental justice activism, organic farming, recycling, and so much more, Yogaville and its residents are rising to the call to take good care of Mother Earth.
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Inspiring Meme of the Week
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