In the realm of the mind, three afflictions reside, Kama, Krodha, Lobha – in darkness they hide, Born of desire, passion’s fiery embrace, They weave their illusions, a treacherous chase. Kama, the first, desires uncontrolled, A thirst for pleasures, a tale so old, Chained to cravings, seeking endless gain, Lost in the mirage, true peace
By Rudra Shivananda Yoga is not a religion. It is an experiential movement towards higher states of consciousness. Yoga is more of a way of being and living than about beliefs or practices. Yoga is about personal experience and not about scriptures or the teachings of others. Yoga is not a philosophy. There are many
Rudra Shivananda It is tempting especially in times of great upheavals, natural disasters or even personal challenges to try to think about them instead of persevering in one’s own spiritual practice. There is a sense of guilt among some spiritual seekers to sit and meditate while there is turmoil about them. This is a fallacious
By Rudra Shivananda It is required of the yogic classics to point out the goal of the spiritual discipline, explain the method of practice and the observable result. These three parts usually take up most of the text. The same three parts are given completely in just one famous verse of the Ishavasya Upanishad which
By Rudra Shivananda As we approach the prime decision point on November 6th in a major political process to elect a new president, it helpful to re-examine the impact of fear on our minds. Politicians are adept in pressing the fear button and clouding the judgement of the voters. The truth and our good sense
By Rudra Shivananda There is one advice that I give to all sincere seekers irrespective of their path or progress and that is to persevere and never give up. The spiritual path is long and arduous and has many pitfalls and obstacles. We are often befuddled by our delusions and fall prey to illusions, thinking
By Rudra Shivananda The 2nd energy center or swadhisthana chakra is the center for attraction and aversions. We are attracted to certain things and people and have an aversion for others. The specifics are governed by our present and past karmic patterns – our urges and compulsions. The 2nd center is responsible for the instinct
By Rudra Shivananda Mantra Yoga is that discipline by means of which one can attain Self-realization through the repetition of sounds or words that bridge the gap between our normal consciousness and super-conscious states of awareness. It said to be a powerful and effective means especially during the eras when the average human consciousness is
By Rudra Shivananda Too often I hear from sincere seekers that they are trying their best and putting in persistent effort but nothing seems to be happening with their meditation. It gets very boring and they are tempted to give up. Doubts arise that maybe the meditation is not right for them or maybe they
By Rudra Shivananda There are many different types of yoga systems and according to their proponents, each must be the best. This can be very confusing to sincere seekers but there may be no easy solution to differentiate these various paths in their minds. It is the nature of the mind to be confused due