Why Study About Death and Dying?
One of the most important things we can do to prepare for death is to think about it. Bring it into your life, and as Don Juan said, “Use death as an advisor.” What would you do if you had six months to live? What would you cut out of your life? What would you do if you had one month, one week, one day? The Indian master Atisha said: If you do not contemplate death in the morning, the morning is wasted. If you do not contemplate death in the afternoon, the afternoon is wasted. If you do not contemplate death in the evening, the evening is wasted. One of the best ways to prepare for death is to acknowledge that we really are going to die. We are falling in the dark and have no idea when we will hit the ground. Buddhist scholar Anne Klein says: Life is a party on death row. Recognizing mortality means we are willing to see what is true. Seeing what is true is grounding. It brings us into the present. We all know that we’re going to die. But we don’t know it in our guts. If we did, we...
Sacred Sounds, Healing Sounds
The use of sacred sounds for healing dates back to ancient civilizations worldwide. From chanting and mantra in Eastern cultures to the shamanic songs of Icaro in the Amazon Rain Forest, The effects of sound have been used to balance the mind, calm emotional...
Healing PTSD: Yoga for Stress Management
When deadly floods and mudslides devastated communities across southwestern Japan in 2018, many survivors were afflicted with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They had lived through complete devastation and the loss of home, family, friends, and all sense of...
More Recent Articles
Meditation with a Master
In any pursuit, the advice of a master is incredibly valuable for advancing one's craft and avoiding common mistakes. Yoga master Swami Satchidananda shares practical teachings about one of the most important pursuits we may ever undertake—realizing one's Self through...
Healthy Eating for the Holidays
The holidays are a joyous time for coming together with family, expressing love and gratitude, and enjoying delicious, homemade meals. In the midst of these festive, social gatherings, mindful eating is sometimes forgotten. Just the thought of the dining table laden...
The Secret of Silence
Know that you are That. Be silent and find such inner knowledge for yourself...In that silence, realize your true nature. There are no words to describe it.—Swami Satchidananda The wealth of hearing is above all wealth. Always listen. You were made to listen. You were...
Yama and Niyama: The Foundation of Spiritual Life
The first two limbs of Raja Yoga are called yama and niyama. They consist of five precepts each and constitute the ethical foundation of Yoga. Sri Swami Satchidananda said: “All spiritual life should be based on these principles. They are the foundation stones without...
Ahimsa in the Workplace: Finding Harmony
The yamas and niyamas of the Yoga Sutras form the ethical and moral guidelines for yogis and yoginis who aim to practice Yoga in all aspects of their lives. In the following article, Madhavan Mark Wolz explores the first yama, ahimsa, and how to practice it in the...
Personalizing Your Meditation Practice
Most people don't have the introduction to meditation that Sumati Govinda Steinberg had. Sumati's incredible meditation journey started with her first meditation experience at 2-years-old learning from her father. Sumati answered our questions about how to make...
Traditional Yoga: More than Fitness
The following is an excerpt from Michael Rhadeya Plasha's memoir, The Amazing Adventures of a Yogi in America. In it, he attempts to find the most accurate definitions of traditional Yoga, shares his personal journey of teaching Yoga, and describes his experience of...
Knowing: A Poem by Becky Eschenroeder
Becky 'Tara' Eschenroeder offers a poetic exploration about what it means to tap into intuition and cultivate trust in the Self. Read this poem and more like it on her blog. Knowing Something deep within me knows. Knows where I have been and where I am going. It is...
Gluten-Free Bread Recipe
Nothing beats the aroma of freshly baked bread. At least, that's what we discovered when we snuck into the Yogaville Kitchen to learn the secret of making delicious, gluten-free bread! Karen's Gluten-Free French Bread 2 cups + 2 Tbsp of Gluten-Free All Purpose Baking...
Recognizing the Self in All
In 1967, Sri Gurudev Swami Satchidananda was one among the new immigrants whose exotic garb, customs, and cuisines would add color and spice to the diversity, the so-called “melting pot” of American culture. He arrived in New York City on May 24, 1967, and, according...
The Key to Unlocking the Present Moment
How many times have we been encouraged, in the name of mindfulness, to live in the present moment? With the pace of modern life steadily quickening and the distractions multiplying, being present is seemingly easier said than done. Thankfully, in the following...
How I Became a Disciple of Sri Swami Satchidananda
An Interview with Swami Asokananda Originally published in Namaste (The New York IYI Teachers Newsletter), October, 2012. Namaste: How did you first come into contact with Gurudev? Swami Asokananda: Well, the first time I saw Swami Satchidananda—though I don’t know if...