Photo: Original page from the Pratyabhijñā-hṛdayam.

The Pratyabhijñā-hṛdayam is one of the most profound sacred texts that illuminates a tradition that teaches that every human being is lacking nothing but the recognition of their Divine essence-nature. Christopher Hareesh Wallis, PhD, one of the foremost scholar/practitioners in this field wrote what is perhaps the most accessible translation and commentary on this text. The text is just 18 sutras that offer a direct path to the nondual understanding and practices to help with recognition of the nondual. An excerpt from a blog by Hareesh Wallis is below as well as a sample sutra, sutra 1:

SUTRA 1. citiḥ svatantrā viśva-siddhi-hetuḥ
Awareness, free and independent, is the cause of the performance of everything. (from The Recognition Sutras: Illuminating a 1,000-Year-Old Spiritual Masterpiece)

“One thousand years ago in the valley of Kashmīr, a great tāntrika, Rājānaka Kṣhemarāja, wrote his masterpiece: the Pratyabhijñā-hṛdayam [referred to as The Recognition Sutras, in English] which means ‘the essence of the Recognition philosophy’ or ‘the heart of the teachings on Recognition’—recognition, that is, of oneself as an expression of the universal divine Consciousness.

“The Recognition philosophy is the most fully developed body of teachings in nondual Śaiva Tantra. It arose in Kashmīr in the early 900s and eventually traversed the whole length of India, being especially well studied in the far South as well as the far North. Even back then, it was considered an intellectually challenging philosophy—I think it’s amongst the most intellectually challenging in any language—and so to make the teachings accessible to a wider public, Rājānaka Kshemarāja composed this short work, about fifty pages in the original Sanskrit. It was a concise primer, written, he said, to introduce spiritual seekers to the Recognition philosophy in more approachable, less formally philosophical, language. What he created turned out to be one of the great spiritual masterpieces, breathtaking in its brevity but stunning in its power. It came to be considered equivalent to scripture itself by later generations, because of its undeniable inspiration. Since the text is anchored by twenty key sūtras (aphorisms), my translation of it is called The Recognition Sutras. 

“The text itself is extraordinary, but the fact that we’re able to read The Recognition Sūtras today—that it exists at all, in any language, let alone in English—is nothing short of a miracle.” [Read more here.]

Interestingly, this text and many others from the Kashmir Valley, were thankfully preserved by King Pratāp Singh, who was aware of the treasure trove of scriptures that were in decay and would disappear without preservation efforts. This tradition of preserving sacred texts continues with the efforts of the King’s grandnephew, Dr. Karan Singh. Dr. Singh is  a close friend and interfaith colleague of Integral Yoga founder Swami Satchidananda. Dr. Singh donated the magnificent Nataraja murti that is enshrined at Kailash, at Satchidananda Ashram–Yogaville in Virginia.

Hareesh Wallis teaches a wonderful course on The Recognition Sutras via The Sutra Project and his book is available in bookstores and Audible.

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Decorations for Swami Satchidananda’s Birthday at the San Francisco IYI, 1970s.

For thirty-two years, I had the great good fortune to sit at the feet of Sri Swami Satchidananda (Gurudev). There were happy times and sad times, countless comings and goings, many ups and downs, but through it all, he remained the same: peaceful, patient, balanced, loving. He was always ready to forgive and forget; ever there to comfort and guide.

When I think back on those days, I feel that there are no words big enough, deep enough, strong enough or sweet enough to really describe those times. But I will do my best to describe a little of what it was like to be with him, to learn from him, to be trained by him, to and to grow under his guidance. I remember at one point he said: “I gave you the name ‘Karunananda,’ which means bliss of mercy.” And he said: “I’m going to have to watch you now, all the time, every moment, to see if you are merciful.”

Knowing that he was watching helped me to develop my own inner witness, observing my thoughts, feelings, words and deeds as I moved through all sorts of interactions and situations. It opened up an inner space where I could pause and reflect before acting or reacting.

During the 1970s, I was serving as treasurer at the San Francisco Integral Yoga Institute (IYI) and Swami Hamsananda (Sister Hamsa, at that time) was serving as executive secretary. We shared an office and often chatted as we worked. One day I turned to her and said: “Hamsa, I really need a push now to expand my capacity to serve.” Almost immediately, the phone rang and it was Gurudev, calling from Connecticut. He rarely called us in San Francisco. Hamsa answered the phone and Gurudev said: “I want to make a change. Let Sister Parvati (my name at the time) be the executive director. And Hamsa, I want you to work full-time transcribing my talks.”

It was like he was sitting in the room with us. He heard my sincere aspiration to grow and immediately opened a pathway so that could happen. And the transcriptions that Hamsanandaji proceeded to do for many years became invaluable for our learning, research, and for the production of books.

One year, Gurudev visited us in San Francisco during his birthday. We had a beautiful puja in the morning at the IYI. That evening, we had an unforgettable program at the Scottish Rite Auditorium. We had been searching for venues all over the city. I would always inquire as to the capacity. When I called the Scottish Rite Auditorium, they said that the capacity was 770 people. I immediately replied: “I’ll come right down and sign the contract.” I knew that it was the right place, because the address of the IYI was 770 Dolores Street. It seemed like some sort of divine synchronicity. We went on to use that venue numerous times in the coming years.

Photo: LOTUS Fundraising Dinner at Gaylord’s, mid-1980s.

The evening culminated in a magnificent and inspiring slide show celebrating Gurudev’s life and Integral Yoga. At the end of this slide show, the whole audience jumped to their feet in a standing ovation. It was around 11 pm when we left the auditorium. We had arranged to go for an Indian dinner at Gaylord’s restaurant in San Francisco after the program for a LOTUS fundraising dinner. Many people had signed up and traveled from all over California to attend.

After dinner, the guests came up to greet and visit with Gurudev. This went on until about 2 am. Then, we left the restaurant and entered the elevator to go down to the main level. Gurudev went in and started beckoning specific people to join him. At this point, I noticed a little sign that stated “Twelve people maximum occupancy.”

Soon, there were over two dozen people in the elevator. And then Gurudev invited a few more in, including me. We were shoulder to shoulder when he pushed the button. The door closed, the elevator started moving, and then, with a lurch, it stopped between floors. My first thought was: “Oh, no, there are too many people. It’s 2 am on a Saturday night, who is going to be available to help us?” Those who hadn’t gotten into the elevator started making calls all over the city. Some people stayed on the floor above us, others went to the floor below. They all started praying and chanting, because we didn’t know if, all of a sudden, the elevator might drop and crash down.

It began getting very hot and stuffy in the elevator. My logical conclusion was that we should all be as still as possible to conserve oxygen. As if in response to my thought, Gurudev immediately said: “Let’s all start chanting Rama Rama Rama Rama Rama.” So not only would we be using up a lot of oxygen on the physical level, but on a subtle level, we would also be increasing the heat by chanting a fire mantra.

People started acting out in different ways. Some were just trying to stay cool on all levels; others began to panic. People would jump up every few minutes and try pushing buttons. One person got on someone’s shoulders and tried to crawl out the top of the compartment. I trusted that Gurudev knew what was happening. At the same time, my mind was wondering: What’s going on here and how is this finally going to play out?

After about forty-five minutes, Gurudev leaned forward, pushed a button, and the elevator started. We found ourselves at ground level and everyone dispersed. I happened to be in the car with him as we were returning to the IYI. We asked him to please explain what had occurred. He said, “God wanted to make a test. When all the information was in, there was no need for the test to continue. So, the elevator easily started up again.” It was a good lesson and provided a way to understand challenges that could arise in life.

Photo: Karma Yoga gardening day in Santa Barbara with Gurudev, 1970s.

One time, I had the opportunity to watch Gurudev prune a bougainvillea plant at his residence in Santa Barbara. Bougainvillea plants are very beautiful and colorful. Gurudev took some garden shears and started chopping and pruning away. When he was done, all that was left was a small stump. I wondered what would become of this ugly little stump? It grew back quickly into an even more beautiful bush. This was the occasion of another good lesson. Sometimes losses in life can make room for something more beautiful to manifest. For gold to shine, the dross has to first be removed.

Another time, a Swami who was the head of an ashram in Hawaii, came to visit Gurudev and the Santa Barbara ashram. The main house at the ashram had originally been a pony express stop. We gathered in the small living room to enjoy the darshan of the two Yoga masters. At one point, the Swami looked around the room, tenderly gazing at each one of us. He then turned to Gurudev and said: “Swamiji, I can tell that these people are your disciples. They all have your eyes.” I thought it was the most beautiful compliment a disciple could ever receive.

Another revered Swami once visited the ashram in Virginia. He spent a week, getting to know us and participating in the ashram life. At his final satsang, he shared his experience with us. He said he had visited many ashrams and had never seen what he observed here. What struck him most was the love that united us all — the love of Gurudev for all of us, and of us for him and for one another. He described how special and unique that was.

After Gurudev’s passing, I visited the homes of many students and disciples of his. Everywhere I went, I saw photos of Gurudev at family weddings, graduations, dance recitals, baby blessings, and other meaningful events. He didn’t simply sit on a stage and deliver lectures. He drove a bulldozer, involved himself in every aspect of the building of LOTUS, oversaw the development of a school for the children, created a Fine Arts Society, was the master planner for Satchidananda Ashram–Yogaville, established an international Yoga organization, trained us how to teach all aspects of Yoga, and so much more. He participated in our lives, in our joys and sorrows. He worked with us and played with us. He celebrated and mourned with us. His very presence uplifted and transformed us.

On this auspicious occasion of his 108^th birth anniversary, I offer my profound gratitude for his blessings and grace in my life and in the lives of the many thousands of souls who have experienced comfort, inspiration, guidance and healing from his presence and teachings. Jai Gurudev! Jai Integral Yoga! Peace, peace, peace be unto all.

About the Author:

Photo: Swami Karunananda with Sri Gurudev, Santa Barbara, 1980s.

Swami Karunananda is a senior disciple of Sri Swami Satchidananda. In 1975, she was ordained as a monk into the Holy Order of Sannyas. She has had almost 50 years experience teaching all aspects of Yoga and specializes now in workshops, retreats, and teacher training programs that focus on the science of meditation, the philosophy of Yoga, personal transformation, and Yoga breathing techniques for better health and well-being. She developed, and for 30 years has taught, the Integral Yoga Teacher Training programs in Raja Yoga and in Meditation.

Swami Karunananda served as president of Satchidananda Ashram–Yogaville in Virginia and in California, as well as director of the Integral Yoga Institutes in San Francisco and in Santa Barbara. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees, and as the chairperson of the Spiritual Life Board at Satchidananda Ashram–Yogaville, Virginia. Interested in fostering interfaith understanding and harmony, she is featured in the interfaith documentary entitled, “With One Voice.” She also compiled and edited the Lotus Prayer Book, a collection of prayers from various faith traditions, and Enlightening Tales as told by Sri Swami Satchidananda. She served as contributing editor for The Breath of Life: Integral Yoga Pranayama, as well as a senior writer for the Integral Yoga Magazine. In her book, Awakening: Aspiration to Realization Through Integral Yoga, she describes the spiritual path and provides guidance for the journey.

The post Remembrances of My Guru on His 108th Birth Anniversary appeared first on Integral Yoga® Magazine.

How can we approach this yama in today’s modern world and as it would apply to anyone, whether cisgender, transgender, non-binary, gender-fluid, etc.? Swami Satchidananda highlighted the benefits for yogis today when he explained, “Brahmacarya is the control or regulation of one’s own vital energy. Without much prana, you can never give anything to anybody, just as only a fully-charged battery can give power, never a weak one. In observing brahmacarya, you build up conserved sexual energy, which is of great benefit in being of service and on the spiritual path.” Thus, he recommended celibacy for monastically-included or single people and moderation in sexual activity for householders.

Viewing brahmacarya through a non-dual Yoga lens, we can also put our focus on the “carrying oneself as God” meaning and then ask, “How does God carries Itself?” Reverently, I submit. With reverence. Treating all things—people, animal, plant, mineral—as holy, as the extension of God they are, as the divinity they are, as Reverence. Perhaps even reciting as a mantra, “I am Reverence.” As the nondual Yoga teacher Joan Ruvinsky reminds us, “Walk in your God shoes.” Can you begin to hear the melody of brahmacarya pick out the notes that point to essential nature? The One? The Whole? The All?

A second non-dual rendering of brahmacarya roots itself in theology. Let’s start with the basics. Brahmacarya is a compound composed of two words: brahma (God) and carya. I must admit I did not list all the possible meaning of carya at the outset. It does mean to move about, etc. And that’s exactly what Patanjali meant, only restricted to sexual activity. With an elongation of the final “a,” caryā becomes a feminine noun that means “in music a kind of composition.” Thus brahmacaryā is a feminine noun that could mean “the Song of God.” Imagine that. Not just trying to be God’s song, but being God’s song. The song that God sings through you your entire life. Because each of us is a mini-me of God and what is true for each is true for all. What a difference it could make were we to listen for the Song of God in all, to sing with it, to sing the song into hearing!

About the Author:

Rev. Dale Ann Gray, PhD is a Yoga, pranayama and meditation, and Level 2 iRest teacher. She leads workshops, offering private classes and teaching in studios, churches, and online. She is also an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and holds a Ph.D. in Theology.

The post Light on the Yamas and Niyamas—Brahmacharya, More than Celibacy appeared first on Integral Yoga® Magazine.

(Photo: Swami Sivananda garlands his new disciple whom he names “Radha.”)

Yoga is a path of liberation, and liberation has to begin in the here and now of our daily lives. We have to liberate ourselves from our own self-made prisons. These are prisons of attachments, concepts and habits, and the compelling forces of mechanical reactions and untested beliefs.

Where are you imprisoned? You may feel there are areas, such as your work situation, where you didn’t create the prison—the eight-hour workday five days a week, the tough boss, the lack of recognition, the low salary, or whatever the situation is. But do you have to stay in that prison? No. Sometimes it is your own lack of courage that keeps you prisoner.

Many people feel comfortable in the security they’ve created and yet are angry at themselves for needing such security because it prevents them from trying something new. They also may have spent whatever they’ve earned, leaving no money to pay for additional training or education. Or they may have become lazy in their thinking and blame life or destiny for circumstances that they themselves have created.

Always remember you are the doer, and you can undo. You have the power of choice, which is often not recognized. Take responsibility for the choices you have made in your life—for your job, your education, your marriage partner, your desire for spiritual life. The power of choice is yours. You even have the power to make changes if you discover that your original choices did not meet your expectations.

How can new decisions be made? First, get all of the facts together about what you want to do. Generate options. Pay attention to your emotional responses to the various possibilities because where your joy is the greatest, there you will succeed—even if you think you have little to offer or you have little capital to enter into any new business or professional venture.

We learn by trial and error, and all great things in life have been achieved by trial and error. So we have to try. Your past mistakes are also not important. We have all made our mistakes. I have made my own, therefore I would never be in a position to judge others. But what is it you want to do now? Where do you want to go from here? If you step onto the royal highway towards a spiritual goal—which you have to define and lay out for yourself because it is your path and it is your life—then you have to take responsibility for what you do. And you must try your very best not to repeat past mistakes, even if you occasionally slip. If you do slip, forgive yourself but carry on. It is important to make a clear decision of will. If you can turn your stubbornness into properly directed willpower, you will be successful in reaching your spiritual goal because perseverance is needed.

Spiritual liberation is not possible unless you lay a good, solid foundation in your daily life— building character and taking responsibility for yourself. Daydreaming will not lead to liberation. You can’t just think about it. You have to take action. You have to take your life very firmly into your own hands.

How can we become aware? Where shall we begin? Again, we want to be practical. Look into your habits. Look into those mechanical reactions, things that you do over and over again with little change. Keep a daily diary in which you write your reflections on your daily actions and become aware of how mechanical, almost robot-like you can be. Observe how difficult it is to drop your grudges and negative thinking. Not only do we have to undo the selfishness from this life, but we also have an accumulation of karma from many lives. Life is the battleground of the Gita. Wherever you are, you battle your own selfishness, you battle your own many personality aspects and you battle your illusions.

As you work on yourself ask, Have I changed? What have I accomplished in my attempts towards self-mastery? When you begin to clearly see your self-made prisons and limitations, then you will slowly start to understand what the word “liberation” means. Usually we have a theoretical understanding. We intellectualize very cleverly about all these things but haven’t necessarily accomplished anything.

So we have to be clear. Tell yourself the truth about yourself—that you are just starting out on the path. The liberation that you’re aiming for will come by degrees, and so will meditation. Without the ability to concentrate, there is very little possibility of results. Making the mind a blank is not meditation. Triggering yourself into a state of trance is not meditation. Meditation comes when the mind is calm, and that calmness comes only when you stop scheming to fulfill selfish desires.

There is no sudden miracle where all of your negative characteristics just drop away. It is a Western misconception that if you meditate eight hours a day like the yogis in India all your shortcomings will disappear. They won’t. We have to work on ourselves. God will not do it for us. No true teacher will do it for you. You must take responsibility for yourself. You are the doer of the wrong actions in the past, so you are also the one who can undo them.

It is my prayer that you all have the courage, the determination, and the persistence to undo your self-made prisons. Awareness is the key. Recognize the key. Find the door, put the key in the lock, and open the door. Courageously step into that new freedom.

In his farewell address to me when I left India, Swami Sivananda said, “Don’t worry about the absolute and the ultimate. Selfless service alone will make you divine.”

Selfless service means doing work without self-gratification, not just because you like it. You work without waiting for approval, without praise. You do the work that needs to be done simply because it needs to be done, putting high quality into your efforts and expecting nothing in return. Even my words imply it is difficult, but if you can do it you will grow very strong inwardly. Selfless service brings very good results.

You should not object even if you are taken for granted because if you sit down and look at your entire life, you’ll see how much you have taken for granted. If you had to pay a dollar for every time you took something for granted, you would owe a lot of dollars. In other words, there’s a lot to be repaid. Selfless service helps us repay our debts.

Besides making a living, everybody should do some kind of selfless service. There’s no limit to the opportunities. Even if you are in an office from 9 to 5, when you hear the siren of a fire truck or an ambulance, you can think Om Namah Sivaya or repeat the Lord’s Prayer—it doesn’t really matter which—for anybody who is in danger and for whatever help they may need. It takes only a minute and then you can continue your work. The problem is that we are so wrapped up in ourselves that when we hear a siren we think, What a disturbing noise! But we have the power of choice. We can choose to send a blessing. Cultivating concern is a very important thing. It helps to counteract all the criticism that we usually generate.

About the Author:

Swami Sivananda Radha was one of the first Western disciples of Sri Swami Sivananda, he initiated her into monkhood as, Swami Sivananda Radha in 1956. She was a pioneer in bringing Yoga to the West, establishing the Yasodhara Ashram in Canada and later, branches around the world. Swami Sivananda Radha is the author of 10 classic books on Yoga, including Kundalini Yoga for the West and Hatha Yoga: The Hidden Language. Her teachings focus on developing awareness and quality in life. For more information: www.yasodhara.org.

(Adapted from a talk given in 1974)

The post Liberation appeared first on Integral Yoga® Magazine.

(Yogaville West, Seigler Springs, California.)

In the early 1970s, Seigler Hot Springs, California was the site of the first Integral Yoga Ashram. It was called Yogaville West and it was inhabited by a ragtag motley group—including me—who became the first ashram residents there. Some folks were pretty grounded (and I would put myself in that category). Others had certain specific skill sets like carpentry or welding, but had emotional issues that were incomprehensible. I came to realize that our Guru, Swami Satchidananda, would often look forward to pair people up on projects who totally did not get along. He would call it, “Rubbing and scrubbing.” This was how you would learn to get along and resolve your issues.

I remember once standing between the blade of a machete and an argument with one of the ashramites. Another time, during a silent retreat, I had four karma yogis stirring a huge pot of stew from burning and one such mad man came bursting into the kitchen screaming and yielding a machete. I don’t even remember how I quelled that situation.  It could have ended in 3^rd degree burns and lawsuits as well as an arrest! Thankfully, it all ended peacefully.

When I showed up at Seigler Springs, I had a smorgasbord of skills. I had studied general and polarity massage, I was a trained para-therapist, I was an exceptional baker and cook, and married to Ranjani who was even better than me in the baking and cooking skill set. I had been the director of the Integral Yoga Institute in Berkeley and was a trained Yoga teacher and meditator. I felt Ranjani and I had a lot to offer the community.

As soon as we got to Seigler Springs, it was my strong feeling that we are moving into a very conservative community. So, we would need to be very discreet with our hippie and Yoga ways. We considered various ways to do this: be part of the volunteer fire department and Elks Lodge, etc. We could have a public open house and invite the community. We should start small, so as not to overwhelm the local residents—perhaps begin with just a few carpenters, plumbers and electricians and a few cooks. We could slowly build up the infrastructure and as we gradually bring in more and more people.

The ashram was on a 64-acre hot springs resort with 13 private hot baths, an indoor marble pool fed by the spring as well as an outdoor pool, a lithium bath, a bath at the mouth of the spring, two building we used as dormitories for monks and nuns, a main hotel building, and cabins for families. This was in Lake County, California above the wine country of Napa Sonoma. You would have to be out of your mind not to want to live in such a paradise. Well, we completely overtaxed the system.

How were we going to make money to support this new ashram? How were the bills going to be paid? I had an idea. I had a friend who owned a bakery and that seemed to do pretty well. So, I negotiated a great price for a pizza oven, a mixer, a pie maker (which we never used), cooling racks, and other assorted equipment. I went through some of my friend’s recipes—all of which I thought were horrible. Ranjani and I experimented. She used to make these amazing things called Rama Rocks, with nuts, coconut, and chocolate. George Harrison had a recent song called “Apple Scruffs,” and since we were living in apple country, apple orchards abounded. Jeevakan (another ashramite) and I would make contacts at various orchards and I went to work making these Apple Scruffs bars, and they were incredible. Either Paraman (another ashramites) or I would drive them to health food stores up and down California. They were a huge hit. One thing lead to another. There were no decent bagels in any health food store. There was not a single taker at Yogaville that backed up my bagel idea. Yet, as I was madly baking and tossing these gems of golden brown on the cooling table behind me, all they could do it complain while I worked and worked. I knew the bagel business was going to be a  success, when I turned to the cooling table to bag these wonders to take to the stores to sample—there was not a single bagel on the table. The ashramites had eaten our profits! I started over but locked the bakery door from then on!

(Some of the original ashramites of Yogaville West.)

The bagels were a wild success! Narayana had a great idea: buy a truck and start a distribution company. We brined olives and sold oils, the bagels, Apple Scruffs, nut butters, and more. The early days of our bakery was like baking in the gulag. It was so awful cold, we were unprepared for the weather. I would have two of my starter mix in giant mixing bowls next to the fire barrel, turning them constantly and keeping a wet towel over them so they would not dry out. Then punching them down, and starting the process until they were ready. We would cool them, pinch them boil and bake them. They all always sold out. But, after our oven blew up, we moved our kitchen to the nearby Seventh Day Adventist College.

We were all extremely poor. Most of whatever money that we made went into renovations on the ashram property. We were living on oatmeal and nettles. After a few meals it was getting very old. One weekend, Mr. Bernie, the manager of the College, invited us for a meal. Since they were completely vegetarian we had an idea: Load up on food and take doggie bags back home. We could live on this for several days. Plates were piled high with lasagna, veggie burgers and tofu hot dogs, potato salad—you name it.

(The author with Swami Satchidananda, 1970s.)

That same day, Swami Satchidananda (Gurudev) made a surprise appearance at lunchtime. He was with Felix Cavaliere from the famed group, The Rascals. I introduced them to Mr. Bernie. I mentioned how Mr. Bernie had invited us all to lunch and we could help ourselves to whatever we wanted and as much as we wanted. Mr. Bernie told Gurudev how proud he was of us and what a wonderful job we were doing.

I asked Gurudev what he wanted to eat. He said, “I will have a peach and some cottage cheese.” I carelessly announced, “Oh no, Gurudev, you can have whatever you’d like.” He sternly replied, “I just told you to get me a peach and cottage cheese.” He then looked at Mr. Bernie and said something to this effect. “Mr. Bernie, I want to thank you for taking care of my children with such loving kindness and to show their appreciation for your generosity they will eat every morsel of food from their plate and I will see to it that they do.” He stood there purposefully staring at us as we forced the mountain of food we had piled up to eat—and take back with us to the ashram for our upcoming meals—down our gullets. We all were sick as stuffed pigs before slaughter. Gurudev concluded his visit with these words: “Let this be a lesson to you. Never take advantage of another person’s hospitality. Never!”

(Konchog Pema giving a talk at Satchidananda Ashram, 2019.)

About the Author:

Ralph Ramanan Schultz was an Integral Yoga teacher and Integral Yoga center head for many years. He later became an ordained Tibetan Buddhist monk and given the name: Kongchog Pema. He lives in central Virginia and is a frequent speaker at Satchidananda Ashram–Yogaville.

The post Early Days at Yogaville West: Adventures in “Rubbing & Scrubbing” appeared first on Integral Yoga® Magazine.

The Sanskrit term Yoga, or “union,” and the Western religious term “communion” are one and the same in meaning. One is English and the other is Sanskrit, that’s all the difference. Some people have doubts about Yoga because they think it is limited to the Eastern culture and cannot be adaptable to Western culture. To those people I would suggest that instead of practicing Yoga they can practice communion, because it is only the terminology that differs. After all, what is the meaning of “love thy neighbor as thy own self?” Is it not Yoga? In that one sentence alone you will find the entire meaning of Yoga. Without even understanding the principles or philosophy of Yoga, you can just follow this one commandment from the Bible: “Love thy neighbor as thy self.”

What does it mean when you are asked to love your neighbor as your own self? The Bible doesn’t ask you to love your neighbor as your neighbor. That’s very easy. If somebody asks you who your neighbor is, you would answer something like, “Well their name is this or that and they do this job or that job.” I doubt you would answer this question by replying, “Oh, they are my own self.” Why? Because you don’t see yourself in that person. You see them as a different self. So to see your own self in another, you should know what your own self is.

It’s very simple logic. To see yourself as them, you should first know who you are. To see a dog or a cat you should know what a dog or cat looks like. Without knowing what a dog is, how can you see a dog? So when you want to see your own self in your neighbor, you should know your own self. Therefore, according to scriptures, the first and foremost thing to do is to know thyself. Before you know everything else, know thy self and with that vision you then possess the capacity to see that self in others and in everything. It’s almost like if you were to acquire a pair of glasses, which were made of the self, so that with those glasses you would then see everything as your own self. It’s something like when you wear yellow glasses, you see everything as yellow.

This knowledge is called the eye of self, which is sometimes called the third eye. That third eye is the eye of wisdom—the unlimited eye, not the limited, little physical eye. Once you know that, you are that capital “I,” not the little “i,” you see everybody as that capital “I.” So then what is the difference between the little “i” and capital “I?” Every schoolchild knows the answer. They will immediately say that the little “I” has a dot over it. Take the dot away, it becomes capital “I.”

So what makes the “I” little? A dot. Or, you can say a dark spot, an ugly spot, or in other words an egoistic spot is what makes the capital “I” small. So all that is necessary to do is just to take the dot away; not that you are going to create the new “I.” The big “I” is already there; you are made in the image of that “I.” That’s why the scriptures say that God made man in his own image. The capital “I” is the image of God.

But we project our own ego onto things and that makes the great Self, that divine Self, or image of God—or whatever way you want to call it—small. With that vision of a small “i” or egoistic “i,” or little “i,” you see everybody as different because your vision is colored, limited. So the need is to get out of this limited condition, get out of this egoistic limitation, this self-centered attitude. To do that we have to work on the ego.

And what is an ego? It is the basis of every mind. It’s a large root of a big tree. And as you know, as a tree grows up, it develops branches, flowers, and finally fruit. But because the tree is rooted in ego, it is an egoistic tree and so it wants its own fruits. It wants to enjoy all its own fruits and it never wants to share the fruits. The ordinary tree which we see in the garden is much better than this egoistic tree. Have you ever seen a garden tree eating its own fruit? Go and ask an apple tree, “Hey, how many fruits have you given this season?”

“Well, in one season, I gave at least a few thousands fruits.”

“Okay, having given all these thousands of fruits, have you ever tasted at least one of your fruits?”

The apple tree will laugh at you and say, “Do you think that I am a human? Do you think I am a human being who eats its own fruit?”

It knows that we humans want to eat our own fruit, even though nature or God has forbidden us to do so. The entire world is the garden of Eden. Our very life is the tree. All our actions bring forth results, or fruits, and we are not supposed to eat the forbidden fruit. The garden of Eden is not just something from long ago. It is always here. It’s not just an old story. We have to control the ego so that it doesn’t project itself and try to eat its own fruit. Anybody who wants to eat his own fruit is called a selfish person because they are always fishing for something for themselves. In the absence of that fish, we are selfless. Otherwise it’s a fishy business! We should not indulge in that kind of business. Instead, become selfless and then you are a yogi. Then there is nothing to limit you. You are the divine, capital “I.”

Our Yoga practice is to help us control the ego so that it doesn’t run after its own fruit. We learn to keep control over own thoughts and to have thoughts that are selfless. Such thoughts and actions will ultimately bring benefit to all of humanity. When we have selfless thoughts we think of the other person first. The main thing is to have control over our own thinking. That is why Patanjali, in his Yoga Sutras, began with this line: “Yogah citta vrtti nirodhah.” This translates as: The restraint of the modifications of the mind-stuff is Yoga. So we began with “Love thy neighbor as thy own self” and we ended with Yoga or communion. Without that, loving our neighbor as our own self, is not possible.

By Sri Swami Satchidananda

The post The Eye of the Self appeared first on Integral Yoga® Magazine.

“The Three Swamis” program is an Integral Yoga special event sponsored by the Integral Yoga Institute of San Francisco. Part of its 50th anniversary special programming, “The Three Swamis” will benefit the fund to replace the roof on the historical building that houses the Integral Yoga Institute of San Francisco. The program features three senior IY monks Swamis Asokananda, Ramananda and Divyananda and will be held on Aug. 9th. Join them as they share stories of their spiritual journeys. Come with some of your deep, heartfelt questions. Each Swami will share a message and take questions.

The post “The Three Swamis” – August 9th Special Online Event appeared first on Integral Yoga® Magazine.

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With yama, or restraint, the Yoga Sutras outline the first step on the path to spiritual liberation through five ethical principles that help guide our relationships with the world around us: Ahimsa teaches us how to avoid personal suffering through not harming others, while satya reveals how telling the truth allows us to be better listened to. Through asteya, or nonstealing, we learn the secret of wealth. Brahmacharya reveals how the balanced and right use of our energies leads to health and vitality, and finally, aparigraha opens our eyes to the ways in which greed holds us back from true happiness and is destroying the planet.

Yoga and Veganism shines a light on these five guiding principles, demonstrating how the practice of Yoga is tied to an ethical vegan lifestyle, which opens the path to both physical wellness and spiritual enlightenment. Featuring a selection of delicious recipes from the author along with personal essays from individuals whose lives have been transformed by veganism—including filmmaker Kip Andersen (Cowspiracy) and activist Ingrid Newkirk (president of PETA) — Yoga and Veganism provides a framework for Yoga students and teachers looking to bring their asana practice into alignment with the philosophy at the heart of the discipline, as well as with the Earth around them and all of the beings within it.

The post BOOK: Yoga and Veganism: The Diet of Enlightenment appeared first on Integral Yoga® Magazine.

Pema Chödrön

“I became a Buddhist because I hated my husband.” These were the words of Pema Chödrön that hooked me, after accidentally discovering an interview she gave about why she became a Buddhist nun. Until then, I was only vaguely familiar with her. Buddhism represented the ultimate in spirituality, something I struggled mightily to find in myself. While she embodied enlightenment, I was wrapped in dysfunction. What she offered seemed too far out of reach for me.

Truth is, I had one of her books, When Things Fall Apart. My therapist thought it would be helpful and had loaned me her copy, which sat untouched on my shelf for months. I walked by it hundreds of times but never gave it a thought. But then her interview changed my perspective—she spoke about her multiple divorces and her struggles with anger and negativity. She talked about how unmanageable her life had become. It blew my mind. Her life sounded an awful lot like mine.

Perhaps what she had to teach wasn’t out of reach after all. She’d been through the same dysfunction that so many of us struggle with and found her own fulfilling path to enlightenment. I decided to read her book, and I found it both moving and immensely helpful.

Her new book, Welcoming the Unwelcome: Wholehearted Living in a Brokenhearted World, invites us to embrace suffering and strengthen our resilience—to build wholehearted lives out of our broken, tender hearts.

1. “Learning how to fail will help us more than anything else in life.”

2. “Protecting ourselves from pain—our own and that of others—has never worked. Everybody wants to be free from their suffering, but the majority of us go about it in ways that only make things worse.”

3. “When our main goals are to gain comfort and avoid discomfort, we begin to feel disconnected from, and even threatened by, others. We enclose ourselves in a mesh of fear.”

4. “Some people work hard, day and night, in the field of helping others, but their strongest motivation is to stay busy so they can avoid feeling their own pain.”

5. “It’s said that if we want to learn about our past, we should look at our present circumstances, for they are the result of our past actions. If we want to learn about our future, we should look at what we’re doing now.”

6. “Though we can’t predict or control what will come up next or how we will feel about it, we can do something about how we react. We can work on how we relate to whatever comes up.”

7. “Every time we catch ourselves going down the rut of a habitual reaction, we have a chance to interrupt the momentum and discover a whole new direction and depth to our life.”

8. “To the degree that we can open to our own discomfort, we can open to others’ as well, and vice versa. This is so because in reality there’s no difference between our pain and that of others.”

9. “When you become conscious, the first thing you discover is why you stayed unconscious all those years. Being conscious means you really have to feel what you feel, which is frequently very vulnerable and raw.”

10. “The interesting thing is that the more willing you are to step out of your comfort zone, the more comfortable you feel in your life. Situations that used to arouse fear and nausea become easier to relax.”

11. “Accepting something, by the way, isn’t the same as liking it. To accept a feeling that we habitually associate with discomfort doesn’t mean we immediately turn around and start enjoying it. It means being okay with it as part of the texture of human life.”

Pema Chödrön suffered a life full of anger and fear until she found the courage to risk it all for a better life. How many of us play it safe, held back by a fear of the unknown? Protecting myself from pain and suffering has been a priority, and I’ve paid dearly for it. But these quotes are inspiring me to change. If we can be brave enough to step outside our comfort zones, we just might find the lives we’ve been searching for.

About the Author:

David Baumrind is a paramedic from Long Island, New York and a single parent to an amazing 12-year-old boy. He is an avid paddle boarder and outdoorsman. He is currently traveling his path to self-awareness, and is passionate about sharing his healing journey through his writing. Connect with David on Facebook and Instagram.

(Source: Elephant Journal)

The post Reading These Pema Chödrön Quotes Won’t Change Your Life—Living Them Will appeared first on Integral Yoga® Magazine.

But behind those changes there is one basic essence, one true state, which is real. According to the scientists, all of what you see is nothing but atomic dust. And on that we all agree. We don’t need to go and read scriptures for that. They say that ultimately, if everything was put into one big pounding machine, there would be nothing but one pile of atomic dust. So from that dust we came. That’s probably what is meant in the Bible: From dust we come and back to dust we go. That is the atomic dust. And when that dust comes together, it expresses itself in different shapes, just as the clouds take various shapes, but they’re all just clouds.

So a spiritual seeker’s purpose is to keep the truth always in mind and to deal with the superficial changes. Keep your eye on the reality, and then deal with unreality. Don’t think the unreality is not good. You have to deal with the unreal, because you are in an unreal body, in an unreal changing world. If you don’t change with the changing things, you are not fit to be in this world. So change with the changing world. Is there not a saying, “When in Rome, behave as the Romans”? A person who has this knowledge, and knows the reality, will also behave like anybody else. He or she won’t be behaving in any way different from others, but will always keep an eye on the reality—like an actor on the stage.

Actors know their reality and at the same time, know their unreality. Not only are they aware of their reality, they know the reality of every actor there. If a group of classmates put on an annual play, in reality they are just one classroom of friends. But, Susan will put on the costume and makeup of a woman and John will dress as the husband named Jacob. A third student will become the child. If the child gets hurt and cries during the drama, and if John just stands there like a rock, not crying for the child’s pain, the play is ruined and the audience will throw tomatoes at him.

At the same time, if he forgets that he’s really John, and if he identifies himself with the part of the father that he plays, then again, the story is ruined. So he has to cry within the unreal drama, but within himself he is not crying. We’re all like that—in one sense, you don’t need to cry. But because we are on the stage, enacting our parts, we cry. We do many things. We become different people and have different relationships.

Ultimately, in reality, we all have the same one relationship to one another: we are spiritual brothers and sisters. We’re all one. But we’re just playing. If we could remember this, we can save ourselves from many worries, calamities, and troubles. And, at same time, we will act our parts very well so that the world drama can be a success. Yes, it’s all just fun, so enjoy the fun.

By Sri Swami Satchidananda

The post How to Know the Real from the Unreal appeared first on Integral Yoga® Magazine.

The theme chosen for the oratorical and essay writing contests was a central teaching that was close to Sri Swamiji’s heart: “Charity begins at home.” The drawing competition’s theme was: “Save Water and Trees for a Better Tomorrow.”

Also held, was a Hatha Yoga demonstration by students. What a beautiful way to honor these occasions.

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