Writings
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Author
PREM PRAKASH
Ram Upanishad (Excerpted from an upcoming book)
Ram (rhymes with “mom”) is a classic mantra. Mantra means that which nurtures the mind. Mind, in this context, is the activity of the individual consciousness. When the mind wanders, its tendency is toward negativity and fear. Then the natural, spontaneous flow of conscious energy becomes contracted, and the individual
“Discipline Isn’t Enough”
A guy goes to a psychiatrist to help him deal with some emotional problems. The doctor shows the patient several Rorschach prints, splotches of ink with no discernible form, designed to help reveal the workings of a person’s mind. After being shown the first blot and asked what he sees,
“No One, Someone, Everyone”
The king called the yogi to his court and asked for a blessing. The yogi said, “What have I to do with blessings? I teach people how to end their own suffering so they can bless themselves. Regardless, since you asked, here is my blessing: May your father die, then
Arise, Awake, Walk the Authentic Path
It was easy to be friends with Jack and Kathy. Just married, they had recently moved to Vermont, along with their two playful dogs. They were healthy and young, strong, meditators, and worked with people with developmental disabilities They were all-around good folks and fine neighbors. Their future looked bright
The Integrity of Stupidity
Joe was walking along the street when he saw his friend, Nasruddin, on his hands and knees. Joe asked, “Hey, Nasruddin, what are you doing?” Nasruddin replied, “I’m looking for my lost iPod.” “Let me help you,” said Joe, and he also got down on his hands and knees to
Experiences
Surpassing Understanding When I sit for meditation, I generally light a candle and an incense stick. It’s a common way that yogis create a pleasant atmosphere for sadhana, spiritual practice. One time, I lit my customary incense stick, but when I opened my eyes after meditation there were two incense
Yoga Will Ruin Your Life
When my first book was about to be published, I was very excited. I fancied myself a successful author and a soon-to-be popular yoga teacher. Even more exhilarating, Yoga Journal was dedicating a two-page spread to the book, complete with an enthusiastic review. Not only was I destined to become
Skinny Dipping with God
In one of the classic yoga stories, it is written that several thousand years ago the people in the Earth world had gotten themselves into a mess. The forces of selfishness and fear had taken over, with epidemics of stress and self-doubt infecting much of humanity. To heal the situation,
A few Lessons
My First Prayer I grew up in a Jewish household that was not religious in the least. Our Judaism involved cheering for the Israeli contestant in the Miss Universe contest and screwing in electric light bulbs in a Hanukkah menorah. We didn’t believe in religion and no one ever prayed,
