The guru was giving a discourse before a group of attentive students. Suddenly, the assembly was interrupted by a woman rushing to the feet of the sage. Holding her lifeless child, she announced between sobs that her only baby was now dead. She declared her faith in God and the great sages and implored the […]
Turn your hand so your palm is facing towards you. Now spread your fingers wide. See the distance between the tip of your thumb and the tip of your pinky? That’s about the size of the Philadelphia phone book when I was growing up there some 25 years ago. At that time, in that enormous
An American Yoga Odyssey Read More »
Three men see a homeless little girl, and each is moved by her plight. The first recognizes the social and political influences that result in her fate. He sees the pain of the child but is so consumed with his own life and burdens that he cannot find a way to help. The second man
Yoga has only been in this country for about 100 years, and the transmission of this spiritual art from India is still taking place. American yoga will, and should, be different than the yoga of India. The essential teachings and practices must retain their integrity if they are to be effective. However, the manner in
Yoga American Style Read More »
The first of the great yoga masters to publicly travel to the West was Swami Vivekananda, who came to America in 1893 at the invitation of the Congress of Religious Liberals. He had accepted an invitation to speak at the Parliament of World Religions being held in Chicago as part of the World’s Fair. At
There are several branches of yoga traditionally cited as valid approaches to the goal of Self-realization. Yoga, in its fullest sense, however, is not so much a tree with different branches, as it is a comprehensive spiritual art that takes into account the varied needs of different individuals, and even the same individual at different
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Someone said something interesting to me the other day. She said she wasn’t interested in yoga because it is too “eastern.” Certainly, she should be respected for her opinion and orientation. At the same time, however, it is obvious she doesn’t understand the scientific nature of spirituality. From a practical point of view, yoga, which
Oh Ma,Your beautiful soft folds of lightdraw me from my cave.My eyes open and my legs unfold —your call is just too great.How could I withstand your siren musicdrowning my soul in love?The fire of your beautyburns throughthe shell of who I wish to be,leaving me nakedand alonewith you.Each morningyou pull me from sleepto chant
A man goes to a spiritual teacher who has a reputation for being able to perform miracles. The teacher tells the man that the miracles are irrelevant, what is important is the faith and devotion which makes miracles possible. As had happened so many times before, however, the man insists that his devotion can blossom
In virtually all meditative traditions, one finds instructions to “release” thoughts, “let go” of attachments, and “cease clinging” to likes and dislikes. These verbs imply that a quiet mind is not so much something gained or accomplished, but something already existing, underlying our present chaotic condition. The quiet mind is revealed when we lose ourselves
