117 – A Perfect Gift

Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “The only gift is a portion of thyself…The poet brings his poem… the farmer corn… the painter his picture; the girl, a handkerchief of her own sewing. This is right and pleasing, for it restores society in so far to its primary basis, when a man’s biography is conveyed in his gift.” Continue reading

116 – Why is worship of God in a form important

Swamiji has given a wonderful explanation of worship of God as either formless or with a form. Nirakaar is formless and nobody can dispute the statement as no one has seen God. So an individual can say anything about God. He gives an example of three disciples quarrelling over the exact colour of a chameleon. They had all seen the chameleon changing his colours, so they could not agree. Continue reading

012 – Baby Krishna the butter thief

Who does not love butter? My grandchildren love it.
Our association with butter is Baby Krishna, and he is called a butter thief. Today is his Birthday, Janam Mashtmi.

Baby Krishna and even as an adult would drink the milk, eat the yoghurt and polish off the butter. The gopis and gopas were ecstatic when he did this. He would sometimes break the pots and would share his booty with the monkey brigade. Continue reading

James Swartz – Karma Yoga and Dharma – Talk 7

Recap of the last session. Freedom as the number one priority
in life. Nondual bhakti is exclusive love of the self. To progress
spiritually you have to commit yourself to the vedic tradition:
work through all stages. Skipping of the purification by karma
yoga is not useful. Understand the progression. Take care of
all instruments. Dual love is there to qualify for nondual love.
Nondual relationship. Samsara is a zero-sum-reality. You can’t
win and you can’t loose. Karma yoga is suitable to get out of
samsara: prepares you for jnana yoga, jnana yoga gives you
knowledge and knowledge sets you free. You need a noble
idea for your life. All beings are a set of rules by Isvara that
form their nature. Svabhava and svadharma of a human
being. Nature of animals. Karma yoga dharma. Example of
Arjuna. Karma yogis honor samanya dharma or universal
values. Vishesha dharma or situational ethics have no simple
formula. Dharma yoga. React appropriately in relation to
dharma in every situation to avoid bad karma. Krishna: I am
the desire that is not opposed to dharma. Adharma: Going
against your nature or to go against universal values.
Adharmic action creates mental and emotional agitation.
Pollute the environment and living in it is adharmic.
Svadharma of someone commited to Vedanta: be a karma
yogi, develop discipline. Karma yoga is build into the indian
society, that is a dharmic society. Svadharma and profession.
Karma yoga makes less stressful. You start thinking: who is
this Isvara? 4. Upasana. Listening, reasoning (reflecting and
getting rid of opinions that are not in harmony with the
teaching), actualize the knowledge “I am the self”. Getting rid
of obstacles to perfect satisfaction: by continuing the sadhana.
Total sense of confidence.

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Karma Yoga and Devotion – Vedanta, Self Growth and Self Discovery with Swami Nityabodhananda

Talk 2 of Swami Nityabodhananda at Yoga Vidya Center in Cologne, Sept 2019.
Subject: Karma Yoga and results of actions. Prasadam. Attitude of Devotion to Ishvara. Roles in life. Vers 2:51 Bhagavad Gita. Clarity of purpose. Atma and body. Substance and form.

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One gramm of praxis is more than tons of theory. Practice Yoga.

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Great spiritual Teachers

Who are Jesus, Swami Vivekananda, Swami Yogananda, Shankaracharya, Rama, Krishna and Paramahamsa? Sukadev explains that these are all great spiritual teachers, who have done a lot to spread spiritual knowledge.

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The Meaning of Jaya Ekadashi – from Sivananda Ashram Rishikesh

In India, Ekadashi is celebrated, especially in the Vaishnava Tradition. What is the Meaning of Ekadashi? How to celebrate it? And especially: What is the meaning of Jaya Ekadasi? Live Recording of a Talk in the evening Satsang at Sivananda Ashram Rishikesh  .

This Yoga Podcast is the sound track of a Yoga Vidya

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