Photo by Mat Reding courtesy of Pexels.

Many people I know are searching for ways to actively respond to the chaotic events unfolding in the U.S. and a world filled with violence, suffering, and injustice. We don’t want to see our Yoga practice as a retreat from the world, nor do we want to simply shake our heads and shrug our shoulders at the turmoil around us.

Often, we think of spiritual awakening as a passive practice—something that involves withdrawing the senses and quieting the mind to experience the spiritual presence within. While this is an important aspect of spiritual growth, it is equally vital to consider how we engage with the world. Both approaches are necessary, as we want our responses to the challenges we face to be guided by the source of spiritual wisdom we all share.

We may need to reconnect with this inner spiritual light repeatedly, awakening to it fully so that it clearly shines in our hearts and minds as we go about our days. However, we need not wait for a certain level of awakening before we take our Yoga practice off the cushion or mat and into the world. We can intentionally practice moving, speaking, and thinking with peace and compassion in our hearts.

This intention remains vague unless we find specific ways to cultivate it. We bring compassion into conversations when we listen deeply to others, making a real effort to understand and respect their needs. Even when we disagree, we can approach others with an open heart, focusing on common ground rather than our differences. We can speak out against injustice when we witness it and strive to be peacemakers in moments of conflict.

Above all, we can maintain our equanimity in the face of unjust or violent words or actions. By keeping our balance, we sustain a connection to an inner well of peace and bring that energy into the situation. Mindfulness allows us to pause and make conscious choices that consider the well-being of everyone involved.

We can also bring more compassion into the world by serving our local communities. Whether it’s offering Yoga classes, volunteering at a soup kitchen, becoming politically active, or reaching out to those in need, serving locally connects us to the needs and disharmony in our own neighborhoods, where we can truly make a difference. It compels us to look beyond our own worlds and reminds us that, beneath our differences, we all seek the same happiness. A grateful heart is naturally inclined to uplift others.

On a subtler level, Sri Swami Satchidananda strongly affirmed that each time we pray for peace in the world—such as we do at the end of each Integral Yoga class—we send subtle yet profound energies into our world. Even though we may not see the effects, each time we visualize peace in our hearts and intentionally send it outwards, our intentions have a real impact on those who are ready to receive them.

Every choice we make, every action we take, can be guided by either a ‘me’-centered or ‘we’-centered mindset. Understanding that our daily actions are an expression of our beliefs can transform our lives, giving meaning to every aspect of it. May we all learn to see how bringing spiritual values into everyday life is both a vital response to a violent world and an essential part of awakening to our inner Light.

About the Author:

Swami Ramananda is the Executive Director of Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco, a certified Yoga therapist, and a founding board member of the Yoga Alliance. He leads beginner, intermediate and advanced-level Yoga teacher training programs in San Francisco and teaches throughout the world. Having dedicated his life to teaching Yoga for nearly 50 years, Swami Ramananda is highly-respected senior teacher in the Integral Yoga tradition in Yoga communities worldwide. Swami Ramananda co-developed the Stress Management Teacher Training program with Swami Vidyananda, has trained many teachers to bring Yoga into corporate, hospital and medical settings, and has taught mind/body wellness programs throughout the US and abroad. He is also a co-founder of The Spiritual Action Initiative (SAI) which brings together individuals committed to working for social justice for all beings and for the care and healing of our natural world.

The post A Spiritual Response to a Troubled World appeared first on Integral Yoga® Magazine.

Photo by Thalia Ruiz via Unsplash.

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 placed on sacrifice in Judeo-Christian faiths and the yogic teaching of selfless service.

Depending on the mental mood, we may find ourselves dwelling in unhealthy thoughts like, “Why should I have to do this? It’s not fair.” Or, the opposite thought, “I should do this. I’ll show them how good I am.” Both are based on judging and comparing ourselves to others, and are products of the ego—that persona we have unconsciously developed that compels us to look good in the eyes of others.

Of course, selfless service is a key element of Yoga in action and can be a tremendous source of joy and fulfillment. But it is meant to consider the well-being of everyone—including ourselves, not a form of self-denial. We can be so focused on promoting a successful image to sustain a reputation that we ignore our own needs. After periods of self-denial, we may feel resentful and needy, and react to that by making selfish choices.

Even when we do think about our needs in a healthy way, it may feel self-indulgent. Contrast that with a baby—an infant never hesitates for a second to express their needs, and quite convincingly. It is so important to remember that taking good care of ourselves is not in conflict with service. It makes it possible to serve with sustained energy, a focused mind and an open heart.

Sri Swami Satchidananda articulates this clearly in his book, The Golden Present: “You yourself should know how much you can give. You cannot give beyond your capacity. If you have done a lot of service that day, and if you are really tired, you should say no. Otherwise you are saying no to your own body or mind.”

We can all practice finding a balance between service and self-care so that we don’t go overboard by either giving too much or too little. And, of course, this discernment is aided by a daily meditative practice that builds enough clarity and awareness to catch ourselves falling into overdoing or being self-centered.

By observing our habitual tendencies we can learn to see when we need to show more compassion for ourselves or could reach out more often to lend a hand. Fortunately, we have countless opportunities to practice service and self-care every day, whether we are driving, listening to a friend, checking out at the grocery store, or working with others.

Clearly, the best motivation for serving others comes from experiencing for ourselves the feeling of compassion flowing through our hearts, and the natural sense of joy that arises from giving freely. Ultimately, we are all learning, one act of kindness at a time, that loving each other and loving ourselves are actually the same thing.

About the Author:

Swami Ramananda is the Executive Director of Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco, a certified Yoga therapist, and a founding board member of the Yoga Alliance. He leads beginner, intermediate and advanced-level Yoga teacher training programs in San Francisco and teaches throughout the world. Having dedicated his life to teaching Yoga for nearly 50 years, Swami Ramananda is highly-respected senior teacher in the Integral Yoga tradition in Yoga communities worldwide. Swami Ramananda co-developed the Stress Management Teacher Training program with Swami Vidyananda, has trained many teachers to bring Yoga into corporate, hospital and medical settings, and has taught mind/body wellness programs throughout the US and abroad. He is also a co-founder of The Spiritual Action Initiative (SAI) which brings together individuals committed to working for social justice for all beings and for the care and healing of our natural world.

The post Service and Self–Care appeared first on Integral Yoga® Magazine.

Photo by Juno Jo via Unsplash.

Ahimsa is a Sanskrit word that translates as “without injury” or “nonviolence” in English. It’s a principle in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jainist philosophy that involves causing the least amount of harm possible to all beings. It’s the first ethical principle given as a practice in the eight-limbed path described in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. There are endless ways for us to incorporate this intention into our lives—I’ll share some of my reflections and efforts here.

One of the first ways I began to practice ahimsa was with my diet. I embraced a vegetarian diet as a young person, wanting to avoid causing unnecessary harm to any living creature. More recently, I began to eat a vegan diet after learning in detail how the dairy industry causes so much suffering to cows. But I see that when it is inconvenient for me, I too easily give up that commitment and consume some dairy product—case in point, pie at Thanksgiving. Reflecting on this makes clear how limited my commitment has been, and how easy it is to rationalize disregarding a spiritual principle for a little pleasure. I am determined to remember this principle of non-harming that I value and do better with this.

Another important way that I am trying to practice ahimsa is in communication. I have found the teachings of Non-Violent Communication especially helpful in practicing mindful listening and speech. I really appreciate the idea of listening carefully without interpreting the facts and jumping to conclusions. I also believe an important aspect of this practice is to not take to heart the comments that are spoken when someone is upset. If I can remain neutral and refrain from being triggered, I can better ascertain what timing and response will bring the most benefit to a relationship.

In the last 6 or 7 years, my vision of how ahimsa can be observed has been enlarged. I began to think more about the subtler energies that we all bring into being through even our thoughts, as well as our words and actions. I have been considering how the feelings of compassion or ill-will that I cultivate become my contribution to the collective consciousness of our world. This understanding makes me feel that I am responsible, first of all, for making peace in my heart by regularly practicing Hatha Yoga and meditation. These practices have made it possible for me to calm and clear my mind, and give me at least a chance to carry compassion in my heart as I go about my day.

In meditation, I have been cultivating an awareness of the ego — the me-centered thoughts that seem to identify me as a separate entity with beliefs and desires that pertain only to me. I am attempting to see how these habitual ways of seeing myself as separate pervade the way I interact with others, making it easy to identify them as either allies that support my personal desires, or obstacles to those desires. I am beginning to see how even in very small ways I end up being friendly and loving to those whose behavior is supportive, and indifferent or even unfriendly to those whose behavior is not aligned with my desires. Catching myself and interrupting that tendency is another form of this practice.

I do believe that regular meditation practice and the glimpses of freedom I experience are supporting the subconscious mind in a new way of seeing things, and that new values and beliefs can emerge from experiencing a sense of connection with all.

I hope this evolution in my relationship with my own mind is laying the foundation for practicing ahimsa as a gift, not just a way of feeling good about myself or building a spiritual identity. I envision that my efforts are integrating precepts like ahimsa more and more fully into my awareness in a way that will one day make them a natural response to life, implying a concurrent freedom from needing something from outside myself to feel secure and at peace.

At this point, one of the most difficult places for me to practice ahimsa, and even to recognize when I am not practicing, is with myself. I readily push myself to my limits in my service and always feel compelled to do more. This tendency is so familiar and feels so natural that it’s hard to catch it until I really suffer from it. I have improved from the days when I would go for long stretches sleep deprived and stressed, but I still struggle to remember that I can serve from a much deeper place, be more fully present, when I am rested and clear.

Clearly I have not yet learned to value my state of being, staying grounded in the source of connection and peace within, as much as keeping the to-do list down to some imaginary place that seems manageable. At least becoming aware of this is a start and it helps me to remember that those around me that I wish to serve as a leader and teacher, don’t need to see another example of a stressed-out person trying to do more instead of being fully present.

One last intention is to see the practice of ahimsa as a gift. I see all the yogic teachings as gifts in the form of principles that initiate the process of awakening, that bring ever subtler awareness of my behavior and its effects. In this same way, I see the suffering as a gift, the teachings and teachers as gifts, and even the changes in this body/mind as a gift. My prayer is to make good use of these gifts and offer as little resistance as possible to the process of realizing the truth.

About the Author:

Swami Ramananda is the Executive Director of Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco, a certified Yoga therapist, and a founding board member of the Yoga Alliance. He leads beginner, intermediate and advanced-level Yoga teacher training programs in San Francisco and teaches throughout the world. Having dedicated his life to teaching Yoga for nearly 50 years, Swami Ramananda is highly-respected senior teacher in the Integral Yoga tradition in Yoga communities worldwide. Swami Ramananda co-developed the Stress Management Teacher Training program with Swami Vidyananda, has trained many teachers to bring Yoga into corporate, hospital and medical settings, and has taught mind/body wellness programs throughout the US and abroad. He is also a co-founder of The Spiritual Action Initiative (SAI) which brings together individuals committed to working for social justice for all beings and for the care and healing of our natural world.

The post Ahimsa As a Gift appeared first on Integral Yoga® Magazine.

Photo: Swami Ramananda tends to the weeds in the San Francisco IYI garden.

If you want to see well through a window, you have to clean both sides. Practice (abhyasa) and non-attachment (vairagya) work much the same way. They are the complimentary practices given in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras as a means to quiet the movement of thought in the mind so that we can experience our true nature — a source of unchanging peace within.

In order to see clearly, we must remove anything that would cloud or color our vision. Practice implies a steady effort to calm any thoughts, emotions or prejudices that might prevent clear, neutral perception. For example, if you shake a snow globe with imitation snowflakes inside, and then hold it still, the snowflakes will gradually settle, leaving an unobstructed view. We may think primarily of sitting meditation as a means to still the mind, but practice can include anything done with meditative focus or mindfulness, creating a steady flow of attention.

But only learning to calm the disturbances in the mind does not insure our vision stays clear since we are so often disturbed by the difficulties that we encounter in daily life.  Non-attachment works perfectly as a compliment to practice by preventing disturbances from arising. While practice may be pursued by pausing from activity to meditate or quietly focus the mind, non-attachment is meant to help us relate in healthy ways to all the activity in which we engage.

Non-attachment guides us to learn that we cannot depend on anything outside of ourselves for our peace of mind. Non-attachment toward our goals means not depending on the results for that peace. We work with less tension and more clarity when we are not anxious about the outcome. Non-attachment toward the things we enjoy simply means that we can remain at peace even when those things are not available to us. In relationships, we can love more freely if we are not afraid of losing someone’s love or approval.

These two approaches to creating and maintaining a clear and focused mind support each other perfectly. Any effort to develop non-attachment becomes much easier if we begin to experience a natural sense of internal contentment as a result of a regular practice. Feeling this innate peace within, we more readily let go of desires and expectations as the source of our happiness. And if we learn to let go of attachment to the results of our meditative practices, we can pursue them steadily without becoming discouraged or disappointed.

­­­­­­­­­We can develop our practice by meditating regularly with sincere effort and by performing any action with one-pointed attention. Non-attachment can be a little trickier to cultivate. If we look deeply into any situation that causes us to suffer, we can usually find that we are wanting something so much (recognition, admiration, or some experience that we enjoy) that we become disturbed by not getting it. We unintentionally make our peace of mind dependent on acquiring or achieving something.

It can be difficult to observe and analyze our struggles with the clarity and neutrality to see the underlying motives that give rise to suffering. Here again, practice compliments the effort to free ourselves from attachment by calming and strengthening the mind sufficiently to look deeply and objectively at our desires. When we are able to see clearly what we are holding onto in an unhealthy way, we then have the choice to let go.

These two elements of spiritual life empower us to free ourselves from the illusion that we can gain happiness by arranging the people and events around us make our lives happy. It is ultimately our choice. We can all gradually build the mental strength to focus our minds in selfless ways that align our behavior with the Cosmic Will and reveal the natural peace that has always been there.

About the Author:

Swami Ramananda is the Executive Director of Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco, a certified Yoga therapist, and a founding board member of the Yoga Alliance. He leads beginner, intermediate and advanced-level Yoga teacher training programs in San Francisco and teaches throughout the world. Having dedicated his life to teaching Yoga for nearly 50 years, Swami Ramananda is highly-respected senior teacher in the Integral Yoga tradition in Yoga communities worldwide. Swami Ramananda co-developed the Stress Management Teacher Training program with Swami Vidyananda, has trained many teachers to bring Yoga into corporate, hospital and medical settings, and has taught mind/body wellness programs throughout the US and abroad. He is also a co-founder of The Spiritual Action Initiative (SAI) which brings together individuals committed to working for social justice for all beings and for the care and healing of our natural world.

The post Practice and Non-Attachment:  A Two Pronged Approach to Liberation appeared first on Integral Yoga® Magazine.

Photo by Abhijeet Singh via Pexels.

Contentment is a deceptively simple concept that offers tremendous benefit if we fully embrace its practice. It is referred to as santosha in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and is not so easy to master because the habit of wanting and achieving is so deeply ingrained in us. It does not mean that we give up having goals and striving for them, or give up enjoying sensory experiences.

But it does imply that we reflect on the prevailing messages of our culture that tell us that something pleasurable is a means to happiness. This can become an unconscious belief that distorts the present moment with anticipation over the next thing to do or get, and is never enough as it is.

Contentment does mean that we are at peace with what we have now and with ourselves as we are, even as we strive to learn and grow. It does mean that we can enjoy the process of pursuing our goals, giving ourselves fully to them, without fear of failure.

I really am drawn to this idea and teaching but I struggle to practice it when my to-do list gets too big for my comfort, or when some challenging issue remains unresolved. At such times, I can’t seem to help feeling that I’ll be happier after I finish a project or after this issue is resolved. I find myself pushing my limits, working longer hours, ignoring my resolves for getting exercise and enough sleep, and or doing everything with a simmering stew of anxiety on the back-burner of my mind.

It has really helped me to make a conscious effort to practice contentment. One way is to start my day, after my morning meditation, affirming that my essential nature is joy, and this joy is independent of anything that happens. It feels so good to assert this truth and really try to feel it, reminding my mind that nothing can make me happy or sad.

I encourage everyone to use this month to experiment with santosha by pausing and reflecting, “Can I be at peace with this moment as it is?” “Do I really have to have (fill in the blank) before I can be happy?”

This will certainly be challenging in some situations, but when we do succeed to feel moments of a natural inner contentment, we’ll be inspired to keep practicing.

About the Author:

Swami Ramananda is the Executive Director of Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco, a certified Yoga therapist, and a founding board member of the Yoga Alliance. He leads beginner, intermediate and advanced-level Yoga teacher training programs in San Francisco and teaches throughout the world. Having dedicated his life to teaching Yoga for nearly 50 years, Swami Ramananda is highly-respected senior teacher in the Integral Yoga tradition in Yoga communities worldwide. Swami Ramananda co-developed the Stress Management Teacher Training program with Swami Vidyananda, has trained many teachers to bring Yoga into corporate, hospital and medical settings, and has taught mind/body wellness programs throughout the US and abroad. He is also a co-founder of The Spiritual Action Initiative (SAI) which brings together individuals committed to working for social justice for all beings and for the care and healing of our natural world.

The post Santosha – Making Peace with the Present appeared first on Integral Yoga® Magazine.

The Serenity Prayer

While humility is the hallmark of a sincere spiritual aspirant, we may rarely think of practicing it. In an age where self-empowerment is synonymous with personal growth, the idea of humbling oneself is decidedly unpopular. It can easily be dismissed as a sign of weakness or allowing oneself to be pushed around.

Understood and practiced correctly, humility is an essential part of spiritual growth. It is letting go of the need to be right, the effort to defend ourselves, and making space for the truth, whether or not the truth is in agreement with what we want. For example, no real communication can happen without accepting the possible validity of another person’s point of view. Then even when we disagree, we have allowed ourselves to be touched by another person’s perspective.

We humans, like all animals, make an instinctual effort to achieve some mastery over our lives in order to survive. Things like securing a home and a livelihood depend upon asserting ourselves enough to achieve success. A healthy self-esteem serves us in accomplishing these basic goals, but will lead us astray if we then identify our success in life completely with this ability to control the world around us.

It is just as important to realize that there are ways in which we cannot control the outcomes of our efforts, and that our happiness does not have to depend on events conforming to our plans. We can put tremendous effort into building our dream house or getting the perfect job, only to have a hurricane or a stormy boss take it away in a matter of minutes.

Real mastery requires not only the courage to try, but also the courage to accept being unsuccessful, without losing the ability to learn and adjust. This is where humility comes in — it is exactly the virtue that allows us to accept what comes or to see that we are making a mistake. Then, instead of being lost in disappointment over that mistake, we can move onward with a new lesson to guide future efforts.

The serenity prayer of St. Francis beautifully expresses this need for a balance of courage and humility: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” This serenity is born from humility – the ability to know that we (our bodies and minds) have limitations, and that we are powerless over some things. A posture of humility then opens the door for wisdom, that truth that is available when our hearts and minds become quiet enough to listen, allowing them to be guided by spiritual principles that reside in the depths of our being.

We can develop humility in a number of ways. In a Yoga class, we can practice with the clear intention to listen and accept the body’s capacity in each asana, without wanting it to be better or to impress others. When we meditate, we consciously affirm an effort to quiet the mind, so that deeper wisdom can express itself. Thus, we acknowledge the limitations of the mind and the need to keep it in its place. During daily life, we can cultivate the belief that each challenge that befalls us is an opportunity to learn. Even when we feel hurt by someone else, we can learn to focus more on our own part in the problem.

Sri Swami Satchidananda often taught that when we make fist and point a finger at someone, blaming them, there are three fingers pointing back at us. It can be a powerful experience to apologize and see how the other person’s heart also softens and caring communication can take place. Some people will not respond to our efforts, but we can be at peace in our own hearts knowing we did all we could.

Of course, we will struggle with this practice and get lost in our pride numerous times. But even a small success with accepting the truth comes as great relief from the pain and tension of trying to live up to a false image, and closing our hearts in defense of that image.

When we begin to live with a little more humility, everything we experience becomes an opportunity to learn, to discover something. Like in the well-known Buddhist story, we become an empty cup that is ready to receive. All the saints and sages tell us that there is much more to receive than we can imagine.

About the Author:

Swami Ramananda is the Executive Director of Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco, a certified Yoga therapist, and a founding board member of the Yoga Alliance. He leads beginner, intermediate and advanced-level Yoga teacher training programs in San Francisco and teaches throughout the world. Having dedicated his life to teaching Yoga for nearly 50 years, Swami Ramananda is highly-respected senior teacher in the Integral Yoga tradition in Yoga communities worldwide. Swami Ramananda co-developed the Stress Management Teacher Training program with Swami Vidyananda, has trained many teachers to bring Yoga into corporate, hospital and medical settings, and has taught mind/body wellness programs throughout the US and abroad. He is also a co-founder of The Spiritual Action Initiative (SAI) which brings together individuals committed to working for social justice for all beings and for the care and healing of our natural world.

The post Humility: Access to Deeper Wisdom appeared first on Integral Yoga® Magazine.

Photo: Nina Uhlikova via Pexels.

The beginning of a new year is a natural time to reflect on and re-envision our lives. The tradition of New Year’s resolutions can be life-changing or it can be a temporary way of fooling ourselves with lofty ideas that fade when reality hits. Clarifying our intentions for this life is useful, but really makes an impact when we translate the vision into committed actions.

For example, I may be clear that I want to be more rested and energized as I embark on each day. I may want to make time for spiritual practices or participate in workshops that support my personal growth. But for those ideas to bear fruit, I need to break them down into specific goals. I have to commit to a specific bedtime to feel more rested each morning, and determine how many meditation sessions per week are optimal for me to adequately develop my practice.

In addition to translating our vision into specific steps, it behooves us to reflect honestly on our other responsibilities, our physical and mental capacity and our willpower. It’s easy to set an admirable goal in a moment of inspiration that proves unreachable when we are stressed or struggling—a recipe for frustration and/or failure. A good goal challenges us in small ways, building confidence with each success.

Success also requires enthusiasm and thoughtfulness. It’s unrealistic to assume that we can muscle our way into new habits without planning ways to support them. We can consider what other adjustments or changes are needed to make a goal doable. For example, we may not be able to make time for some new activity in our lives without letting go of something else. Finding a practice partner or sharing our vision with friends are other great ways to support our intention.

Whenever we are trying to create positive changes in our lives, we can expect difficulty. Unwanted thoughts and behaviors are usually a product of impressions embedded in the subconscious mind, and it takes time and repetition of a new pattern to replace them.

With a combination of determination and willingness to persevere, we can override unhealthy inclinations. Perhaps even more powerful is a prayer for strength and guidance, opening our hearts to the grace of a Higher Power in whatever way we understand it.

Carrying a meaningful intention in our hearts breathes spiritual life into our days. Remembering again and again a higher purpose frees us from being captive to the consumer-oriented messages of our culture. I pray that by practicing this way, we all grow more aware of the source of deep peace and love that is ever-present within.

About the Author:

Swami Ramananda is the Executive Director of Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco, a certified Yoga therapist, and a founding board member of the Yoga Alliance. He leads beginner, intermediate and advanced-level Yoga teacher training programs in San Francisco and teaches throughout the world. Having dedicated his life to teaching Yoga for nearly 50 years, Swami Ramananda is highly-respected senior teacher in the Integral Yoga tradition in Yoga communities worldwide. Swami Ramananda co-developed the Stress Management Teacher Training program with Swami Vidyananda, has trained many teachers to bring Yoga into corporate, hospital and medical settings, and has taught mind/body wellness programs throughout the US and abroad. He is also a co-founder of The Spiritual Action Initiative (SAI) which brings together individuals committed to working for social justice for all beings and for the care and healing of our natural world.

The post Breathing Spiritual Life into Each Day appeared first on Integral Yoga® Magazine.

iStock photo

Do we still believe that the sun travels across the sky while we stand stationary on a flat piece of earth? No, these once held beliefs were dispelled long ago. But how many other things do we accept as true simply because our limited senses tell us so, or that is what everyone else believes? For example, we see ourselves as separate from one another, and we assume our security and happiness come from acquiring or arranging things well enough.

Yoga teaches us how to experience for ourselves that this normal perspective is an illusion. Sri Swami Satchidananda used to ask us, “Who made your very first food? Your mother?” Then he would remind us that even she watched, probably in wonderment, as her breasts created that nourishment. For that matter, who arranged that the plants around us absorb carbon dioxide and give off oxygen? And who arranged for the body to breathe without even a thought from us?

Clearly, the universe and all its forms are created and guided by an unseen hand, a Supreme Intelligence. Each particle is a miraculous world of infinite detail and interconnected so fully that even prayers offered from a great distance can generate measurable benefits. How is it that we manage to watch our bodies self-regulate minute by minute, the planets orbit, and the march of the penguins and fail to be in awe? Can we just as easily observe, if we pay close attention, how we are being steadily guided to realize our innate condition of peace and compassion for each other?

For those of us who do not suffer from a lack of basic needs, gratitude is the most natural response to even a small effort to acknowledge all that we are given. If we pause to really see the magnitude of these gifts, we will not fail to humbly offer thanks, to let the fullness in our hearts spill out in service to those in need. May we in some small way earn this blessed life by making peace in our hearts and bringing peace to those around us.

About the Author:

Swami Ramananda is the Executive Director of Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco, a certified Yoga therapist, and a founding board member of the Yoga Alliance. He leads beginner, intermediate and advanced-level Yoga teacher training programs in San Francisco and teaches throughout the world. Having dedicated his life to teaching Yoga for nearly 50 years, Swami Ramananda is highly-respected senior teacher in the Integral Yoga tradition in Yoga communities worldwide. Swami Ramananda co-developed the Stress Management Teacher Training program with Swami Vidyananda, has trained many teachers to bring Yoga into corporate, hospital and medical settings, and has taught mind/body wellness programs throughout the US and abroad. He is also a co-founder of The Spiritual Action Initiative (SAI) which brings together individuals committed to working for social justice for all beings and for the care and healing of our natural world.

The post Seeing Through the Illusion of “Normal” appeared first on Integral Yoga® Magazine.

Photo by Iunia Vinersar

It seems like any birthday that ushers us into a new decade​ brings with it a whole spectrum of feelings, and that is what happened for me recently. Turning 70 gave rise to that culturally influenced feeling​, “OMG​! I’m getting old.” But I’m grateful that I also found it easy to ignore that thinking by marveling how I feel so much the same. Isn’t it true that ​in some core place inside​, we sense ​something, maybe just vaguely, that​ is unchanging even as we acknowledge the passing of time. I plan to keep tuning into that timeless presence within as I explore this next decade.

The other major theme that has emerged for me in these past few weeks, is a feeling of profound gratitude for all the blessings I have received in these 70 years. First of all, I think of the transformative teachings of Yoga that completely changed my life, and my Guru, Sri Swami Satchidananda, for the way he made those teachings accessible and practical. Then, there is the opportunity I have had to meet and share these precious teachings with so many fellow teachers and students of Yoga all over the world. In this past week, I have received so much love and support from the vast network of our international spiritual family.

Reflecting back, I was fortunate to have the support of my loving family that I’m still very close to. At a very young age, I had the opportunity to live at Yogaville in the years that Satchidananda Ashram and the LOTUS were first being built. The 20 years I spent at the Integral Yoga Institute in New York taught me so much about the importance of regular spiritual practice and a supportive community to keep one’s spiritual life in focus when surrounded by all the temptations of modern life. The past 12 years living and serving at the Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco have equally contributed to my personal growth, giving me a tremendous opportunity to experience the joy of serving with a loving and dedicated spiritual family.

I am also grateful for the teachings and practices of Integral Yoga that have gradually transformed the way I understand myself and interact with the world around me. Gradually and organically, I have deepened my connection to an internal source of contentment and peace. By looking deeply within with compassionate and accepting awareness, I have been able to shine light into the dark corners of my psyche where old, unconscious beliefs have compelled me to seek happiness in unhealthy ways. Exposed, these old mental patterns that were etched into my mind have dissipated, leaving me much freer to experience joy and rest in an inner sense of oneness with the whole web of life.

Getting older has also inspired me to refocus on what is really important—how best to use my time and energy since they obviously are limited. It’s become clearer to me that I want to dedicate myself to that which is of utmost importance to me—sharing the teachings of Yoga in any way that I can. For example, it’s been suggested to me for some years now that I write a book about one of my favorite topics—how to integrate the teachings of Yoga into daily life. In the past, it has never felt like the right time. But now, a few things have fallen into place and I feel inspired to undertake this effort, sharing as best I can how Yoga can become a way of life.

One of the most fulfilling aspects of my life over the last 30 years has been to travel and share the profound teachings of Yoga to spiritual aspirants all over the world. By reducing the time I spend on administration and running the day-to-day operation of the Institute, I hope to be more available to lead graduate level teacher training programs, workshops and satsangs, and to support Yoga centers and sanghas wherever there is a need. While I am not adept at navigating the ever changing technology that we are compelled to employ these days, I feel it is my dharma to share the timeless teachings that have the potential to transform our daily lives. This is how I intend to focus my energies for the remainder of my life.

About the Author:

Swami Ramananda is the Executive Director of Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco, a certified Yoga therapist, and a founding board member of the Yoga Alliance. He leads beginner, intermediate and advanced-level Yoga teacher training programs in San Francisco and teaches throughout the world. Having dedicated his life to teaching Yoga for nearly 50 years, Swami Ramananda is highly-respected senior teacher in the Integral Yoga tradition in Yoga communities worldwide. Swami Ramananda co-developed the Stress Management Teacher Training program with Swami Vidyananda, has trained many teachers to bring Yoga into corporate, hospital and medical settings, and has taught mind/body wellness programs throughout the US and abroad. He is also a co-founder of The Spiritual Action Initiative (SAI) which brings together individuals committed to working for social justice for all beings and for the care and healing of our natural world.

The post The Unchanging Amid the Changing appeared first on Integral Yoga® Magazine.

Photo by Alex Shute on Unsplash

The month of September contains two of the most important holy days in the Jewish tradition, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Rosh Hashanah begins a 10 day period of introspection and repentance that culminates in Yom Kippur, known as the Day of Atonement. These holy days remind us that seeking forgiveness from and offering forgiveness to those that have offended us, are two of the most important ways to free our hearts from the past and the psychic knots that can restrict our ability to give and receive love. With this in mind, forgiveness is the teaching of the month for September.

I am going to write here about the process of forgiving others, which can be very difficult, but can also be very healing. If we have been deeply hurt, we may have no interest in forgiving someone or it may seem impossible. But an inability to forgive usually means carrying inside a toxic energy of anger and ill-will that darkens the heart and keeps us connected to the very person from whom we may wish to be free.

Correctly understood, forgiveness is a conscious process of releasing resentful feelings. It frees us from being emotional victims of others, allows our hearts to breathe, and moves us one step closer to experiencing the natural flow of compassion that arises when blockages are removed.

Yoga teaches us to love everyone simply because we share our essence-nature with all beings. However, we don’t have to like everyone and forgiveness does not mean condoning someone’s behavior. We don’t have to allow anyone to be irresponsible or abusive, or let them back into our lives. Because it’s primarily an inner process, we can practice forgiveness and still take appropriate action to correct someone, set boundaries, and do whatever is necessary to protect ourselves.

A significant obstacle to forgiveness is the presence of anger, rage, grief, or fear that may prevent us from acting skillfully. We may be more comfortable directing our fury toward someone rather than facing those painful feelings within ourselves. Inflicting suffering on others may feel good or justifiable temporarily, but it won’t heal our wounds or offer real peace to our hearts.

Resolving painful emotions requires that we acknowledge them without shame or self-judgment. Emotions are meant to move through us. In order to feel safe enough to experience them, we may need support, particularly if our own mindfulness is not strong enough to be fully present to our pain without getting lost in it. As we untie these emotional knots, we recover our perspective and clarity, and often see the hard lessons that our suffering has taught us.

This effort to reflect on and release painful feelings lays a foundation for the process of forgiveness. As we learn to face our own impulses and reactions, it becomes easier to understand the actions of others. Forgiveness then becomes a practice of looking beneath the surface of a person’s behavior to acknowledge the deeper spiritual essence that is worthy of our respect.

Looking deeply, we may recognize that many of our interactions with each other are unconsciously based on protecting our self-image, trying to control the ever-changing world around us, or win the acceptance of others. We can practice having compassion for the ways that we all suffer from our attempts to arrange for happiness, reminding ourselves of the innate goodness within, like the light beneath a lampshade. We can also acknowledge the ways we may have hurt others when we’ve been preoccupied with our own safety and desires, and in this spirit of compassion, forgive ourselves for these mistakes.

Forgiving ourselves is a significant step toward understanding the actions of others that have hurt us. We can practice looking with eyes of compassion and releasing bitterness from our hearts, seeing both someone’s behavior and their true nature. It may help to envision such a person as a child, full of hopes and dreams, yet shaped by the various traumas of human life.

Forgiveness might become easier when we understand that those who hurt us are no doubt suffering themselves. And we may need to practice breathing numerous times into our hearts, letting go of our anger, and trusting that their own suffering will bring them the lessons they need to heal and be whole.

As we make this effort to forgive, we move from responding to another person’s ego-identity to acknowledging their true nature. We begin to erode the confines of our own ego and release the armor around our hearts, accepting ourselves and others as we are.  We begin to experience a deeper source of happiness—one that comes from knowing our oneness and connection with all of life—and to feel the natural impulse to love and give that engenders a profound peace.

About the Author:

Swami Ramananda is the Executive Director of Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco, a certified Yoga therapist, and a founding board member of the Yoga Alliance. He leads beginner, intermediate and advanced-level Yoga teacher training programs in San Francisco and teaches throughout the world. Having dedicated his life to teaching Yoga for nearly 50 years, Swami Ramananda is highly-respected senior teacher in the Integral Yoga tradition in Yoga communities worldwide. Swami Ramananda co-developed the Stress Management Teacher Training program with Swami Vidyananda, has trained many teachers to bring Yoga into corporate, hospital and medical settings, and has taught mind/body wellness programs throughout the US and abroad. He is also a co-founder of The Spiritual Action Initiative (SAI) which brings together individuals committed to working for social justice for all beings and for the care and healing of our natural world.

The post Forgiveness: Freeing the Heart from the Past appeared first on Integral Yoga® Magazine.

From a spiritual perspective, cleanliness applies to all levels of our being, from the environment that we inhabit and our physical bodies, to the inner recesses of our hearts and minds. Spring is an ideal time to de-clutter our homes and cleanse our bodies in preparation for the renewing energies of the season. Thus, Spring cleaning may mean ridding both our outer environment and our bodies of the unwanted accumulations of the past that encumber our lives and hinder our health.

Fasting is an excellent way to eliminate toxins that inhibit vitality and our potential to thrive. There are many ways of doing this to make it physically and emotionally suitable, each supporting the body’s natural ability to heal and grow. Even skipping an evening meal gives our systems a chance to cleanse themselves during the night.

Spring cleaning for our hearts and minds takes place on a much deeper level. Selfish thinking and behavior leave a psychic residue in the energy body that constricts the heart and diminishes our ability to experience love. Living with the anxiety of trying to make happiness happen, prove ourselves “worthy,” or win affection, makes for a stressful and dis-eased life.

In this deeper context, Spring cleaning means recommitting ourselves to practices that calm and quiet our overactive minds and attune us to a natural sense of inner peace. This kind of quieting can free us from grasping for happiness and, in the stillness this can bring, the heart has room to stretch out in all directions, revealing our connection to all of life. Thus, a regular practice of meditation enables us to realign with our spiritual values, and to let those values inform our motives and guide our actions.

For example, instead of trying to win someone’s love or acquire happiness, we can experience great fulfillment from giving and serving others with compassion. We can practice forgiveness toward those who may have harmed us, releasing from our hearts the poisonous feelings of ill-will or bitterness that may otherwise dwell there. We can experience extraordinary moments of wonder by being fully present to the miracles of human life, and profound gratitude for the many blessings we normally take for granted.

All of these efforts contribute to shedding the physical, emotional, and mental weight that can unnecessarily burden us. With this intention, we can cultivate awareness of the habits and thought patterns that no longer serve us, and make a conscious choice to release them, opening the door to new ways of living that bring greater peace to the mind and joy to the heart.

About the Author:

Swami Ramananda is the Executive Director of Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco, a certified Yoga therapist, and a founding board member of the Yoga Alliance. He leads beginner, intermediate and advanced-level Yoga teacher training programs in San Francisco and teaches throughout the world. Having dedicated his life to teaching Yoga for nearly 50 years, Swami Ramananda is highly-respected senior teacher in the Integral Yoga tradition in Yoga communities worldwide. Swami Ramananda co-developed the Stress Management Teacher Training program with Swami Vidyananda, has trained many teachers to bring Yoga into corporate, hospital and medical settings, and has taught mind/body wellness programs throughout the US and abroad. He is also a co-founder of The Spiritual Action Initiative (SAI) which brings together individuals committed to working for social justice for all beings and for the care and healing of our natural world.

The post A Yogic Approach to Spring Cleaning appeared first on Integral Yoga® Magazine.

Photo: Jamie Street on Unsplash.

As we enter a new year, we can make good use of this landmark in time to reflect on the way we make decisions and choices in our lives. Is there an overarching purpose behind the way we use our time and energy, or are we “going with the flow?” Are we acting on the persuasive words of friends or the mob mentality at work? Are we succumbing to the marketing messages of our culture that constantly assail us or are we standing firm in our own commitment to live by our spiritual values?

Visualize a ship setting off on a long voyage and how it must point itself in the right direction to reach the intended destination. Then, imagine that the course it sets is slightly off target. By the time it travels a great distance, it will be far from its goal.

The same thing can happen to us if we are not clear about the direction we really want to go. There are so many influences that can throw us off course, so many diversions that vie for our attention, like diamonds made out of glass—shiny but of little value.

This life is a precious gift and most of us are blessed with the luxury of many choices. Do we really want to look back and wonder if we made good use of it? I like to ask myself the question, “Is the way I am using my time and energy in harmony with what I really value in this life?” It’s a poignant question, but how do we really decide what is most important to us?

If we want our lives to be centered on spiritual values, we must consciously make time for the teachings and practices that attune our hearts and minds to Spirit. Since we are so strongly influenced by the culture around us, most of us need to touch that spiritual Light within again and again to override the old messages imprinted in our subconscious minds, and stay connected to the spiritual truths we deeply value.

For this reason, I believe it is essential to build into our lives some regular meditative practice that enables us to experience that spiritual presence that lies beneath all the busyness of thought. There is also tremendous benefit in studying sources of sacred wisdom that guide us back to that unchanging presence as we navigate the challenges of life and bring our vision clearly into focus.

It may take some effort to put into words our aspirations or overall purpose for this lifetime. But once our vision is clear, it becomes a beacon, a burning yes, that guides our way forward and enables us to say no to the distractions that can drain our energy.

We may have many goals during our lives, like earning a degree, raising children, or buying property. But naming an overall intention influences both the formation of our goals and how we pursue them. We can reflect on all our major decisions—the ones we really want to feel sure about before going forward—by making sure they align with our primary purpose.

This intention also becomes a useful tool for evaluating the many daily choices we must make. There are now a zillion online learning opportunities for us to choose from. Which shall I pursue? What sources of information, entertainment, and recreation are in harmony with the life I want to create for myself? What social and spiritual groups share my values? Our dietary choices, living arrangements, and relationships can also reflect our intention.

Ultimately, defining an overall purpose for this lifetime will assist in creating a lifestyle that supports our vision. Our spiritual growth will thrive when we create a holistic environment and support system based on values that dwell in the heart of our being. Then our daily lives are guided by a clear, steady focus that sidesteps the pitfalls of self-doubt and confusion, making our lives much more meaningful and enjoyable.

About the Author:

Swami Ramananda is the president of the Integral Yoga Institute of San Francisco and a greatly respected master teacher in the Integral Yoga tradition, who has been practicing Yoga for more than 35 years. He offers practical methods for integrating the timeless teachings and practices of Yoga into daily life. He leads beginner, intermediate, and advanced-level Yoga Teacher Training programs in San Francisco and a variety of programs in many locations in the United States, Europe, and South America. Swami Ramananda trains Yoga teachers to carry Yoga into corporate, hospital, and medical settings and has taught mind/body wellness programs in many places. He is a founding board member of the Yoga Alliance, a national registry that supports and promotes Yoga teachers as professionals.

The post Living On Purpose appeared first on Integral Yoga® Magazine.