Please rate and review The Yoga Hour on your favorite podcast player. It really helps us to be discovered by more listeners and we appreciate the feedback.
Explore the Inner Path: Kriya Yoga for Turbulent Times
Can peace be found amidst chaos? Senior Kriya Yoga teacher Ann Hayes discusses the inner path of Kriya Yoga as a refuge of light, steadiness, and soul guidance. Return to the center where true clarity and strength reside.
Rev. Ann Hayes is an ordained minister, meditation teacher, and spiritual counselor. She offers classes and retreats focusing on spiritual awakening. Ann has been studying in the Kriya Yoga tradition since 1998 and was ordained to teach in 2007 by her guru, Yogacharya Ellen Grace O’Brian. Ann serves on the Center for Spiritual Enlightenment board of directors, is a retired nurse and former executive director and COO of several health-related nonprofit organizations. With her husband Rev. Jeff Collins, she is the co-founder of the CSE affiliate center, Santa Rosa Kriya Yoga Meditation Group which offers weekly online meditation to people locally, nationally, and internationally. The group was established in 2014. Ann also served as an assistant producer of The Yoga Hour from 2016 until earlier this year.
🧘 Meditate with Ann and learn more: https://www.santarosameditation.org/
🔗 Discover the upcoming Kriya Yoga retreat with Yogacharya O’Brian at Center for Spiritual Enlightenment (in-person or online)
Dr. Trujillo’s Comments
“My conversation with Rev. Ann Hayes is an excellent overview of the teachings of Kriya Yoga and how they can be helpful to us in turbulent times. We introduced listeners to the long history of Kriya Yoga as a spiritual path that is experiential, time-tested, and effective in helping us to experience our true nature. Our conversation focused on essential practices of Kriya Yoga as set forth in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, such as meditation, self-discipline, self-study, and self-surrender. We also gave an overview of the four F’s of meditation: Foster, Focus, Flow, and Finish. This is an episode that will be helpful to all in understanding more about Kriya Yoga and the peace that it can bring to us in challenging times.”
The Yoga Hour Listener Comments
“I really appreciated this episode for the clarity it brings about Kriya Yoga to seekers of an inner path. The dialogue with Rev. Ann Sarasvati Hayes begins by clarifying that Kriya Yoga is not a religion but a deeper knowing of God or Supreme Consciousness as our center, a guide in life. Kriya = actions. Yoga = Wholeness/Union. Kriya Yoga = Conscious Living. This is a perfect episode to share with those curious about Kriya Yoga and/or contemplating joining a Kriya Yoga retreat. It is also a wonderful reminder for those of us on the path for many years of how these ancient teachings are still relevant today.”
Rev. Ann Hayes
OM and Beyond: Explore The Science of Sound and Mantra
See how ancient Vedic wisdom meets modern science. Explore with Dr. Stella Wuttke how sound vibration heals energy blockages, restores balance, and transforms the body, mind, and spirit through mantra practice, tuning forks, and the fascinating science of sound therapy.
About Dr. Stella Wuttke
Raised in Vienna and now based in Santa Barbara, Dr. Stella Wuttke brings together a background in psychology, cognitive neuroscience, meditation, and sound-based practices in her work supporting nervous-system regulation, emotional balance, and personal transformation. She studied psychology at the University of Vienna and the University of Bamberg and spent roughly fifteen years in academia researching neuroplasticity, perception, and EEG-based brainwave dynamics, including postdoctoral research and teaching at the University of Jena.
Alongside her scientific career, decades of meditation practice, Kriya Yoga, and extensive travel through Asia gradually shaped a more contemplative and integrative approach to healing and consciousness. Today, her work combines neuroscience-informed sound healing, meditation, neurofeedback, and contemplative practice, with a particular focus on stress, anxiety, trauma-related symptoms, sleep difficulties, and heightened sensitivity. She is the co-founder of the Infinite Potential Institute and the founder of AwakeningStillpoint.
Stella is a long-term meditator, meditation teacher in the Kriya Yoga tradition of Paramahansa Yogananda and Roy Eugene Davis, and is a minister of the Center for Spiritual Awareness, Lakemont, GA.
Dr. Stella Wuttke
Show Notes
Video: Quantum Fields: The Real Building Blocks of the Universe - with David Tong
According to our best theories of physics, the fundamental building blocks of matter are not particles, but continuous fluid-like substances known as 'quantum fields'. David Tong explains what we know about these fields, and how they fit into our understanding of the Universe.
Dr. Trujillo’s Comments
“Dr. Stella Wuttke brought an enormous amount of scientific background as well as personal experience using sound healing to our conversation. With the advances in quantum field theory, where everything in the universe including our bodies is made up of ripples in a vibrational field, it’s not hard to imagine that sound can have an effect on the body. The Vedic description of Om as the fundamental vibration of all creation is describing this same reality. We discussed how individuals can pay more attention to what they “resonate” with, and use mantras and other forms of sound for self-healing.“
The Yoga Hour Listener Comments
“In this illuminating conversation, Dr. Laurel Trujillo and Dr. Stella Wuttke, PhD, explore the science of sound healing — and how quantum physics is catching up to what ancient Vedic tradition has long understood about the power of vibrational frequencies. They discuss how sound waves move through the body's energy pathways — known as the nadis — to clear blockages and restore balance. For me the most striking is the reminder that we don't just hear sound — we feel it. As anyone who has stood near a speaker at a live concert knows, sound vibrations are absorbed through the skin just as much as through the ears, making the body itself a resonant instrument.”
Explore Yoga Therapy for Addiction Recovery
Bring forth healing from the body’s own intelligence.
Yoga Therapist Thomas Klepper shares yoga therapy tools to support healing in addiction recovery. Learn how nervous system dysregulation drives cravings—and practices to restore health, wellness, and mind-body balance.
Thomas Klepper has had advanced training in somatic therapy, yoga therapy, and addiction treatment. He is an experienced yoga teacher, Holistic Addiction Treatment Professional, Embodied Regulation Therapist and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner Candidate.
Thomas teaches about Yoga Therapy for Addiction Recovery in the Loyola Marymount University Yoga Studies Program. He has worked as an independent contractor across multiple mental health and addiction treatment settings in Los Angeles while building his private practice. Additionally, Thomas is a sitarist studying Indian classical music. His interest in raga, musicology, and the relationship between sound and nervous system states informs his sound healing work.
🔗 Learn more about Thomas Klepper: https://thomasklepperhealing.com/
🌅 Discover West LA Somatic Addiction Treatment: https://www.westlasomatic.com/somatic-therapy-addiction-west-la
Dr. Trujillo’s Comments
“I enjoyed this conversation with yoga therapist Thomas Klepper about yoga therapy’s tools that help those recovering from addiction. This includes all forms of addiction: to drugs, alcohol, social media, gambling, and others. Thomas has a thorough understanding of the effects of addiction in the brain and the impact of yoga therapy to reverse these brain changes. We discussed the effects of yoga asana (postures) on rebuilding portions of the brain that have been damaged, as well as helpful concepts from yoga philosophy including the importance of vairagya, dispassionate non-attachment. Thomas’ final message was hopeful and uplifting: change is possible.”
The Yoga Hour Listener Comments
“This was a helpful and inspiring conversation between Thomas Klepper and Dr. Trujillo about how yoga therapy can aid in addiction recovery. I appreciated learning the distinction between yoga therapy and other forms of treatment, as well as how the tools of yoga philosophy can be used in recovery. Their discussion of brain function, behavior patterns, and underlying dual diagnoses was especially informative for me as a layperson. Most of all, the conversation offered a hopeful message: that the brain can heal from addiction for mind and body balance.”
Thomas Klepper
Invite the Yoga Sutras into Your Life
Join us as we discuss the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali, Book One, with author and ordained minister David McGrath, based on his new commentary and exercises to integrate these teachings into your life.
David McGrath is a psychoanalytical psychotherapist and Kriya Yoga minister dedicated to exploring what it means to be human through both psychological inquiry and spiritual practice. Ordained in 2011 by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda, David integrates the philosophical and practical teachings of yoga with a deep understanding of the unconscious mind.
His work bridges ancient wisdom and modern psychotherapy, helping individuals develop self-awareness, navigate inner conflict, and live with greater clarity and authenticity. Alongside his clinical practice, David offers one-to-one consultations, retreats, online programmes, and workshops.
Through his work, David invites people to engage directly with life—exploring consciousness, embracing transformation, and discovering a deeper sense of connection and meaning.
📚 This episode discusses David McGrath’s book: Yoga Sūtra of Patañjali: Book One: Samādhi Pāda — Concentrated Absorption
🔗 Learn more about David on his website, watch his videos on YouTube, and find him on Facebook
DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: “I found David McGrath to be a delightful guest in his deep knowledge about yoga and Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra. We discussed his definition of Samadhi as “effortless concentration”, the importance of the teachings of the yoga Sutras in guiding our meditation and yoga practice, and some concepts of Samkhya philosophy which help ground our understanding of yoga philosophy. I particularly enjoyed his closing comments that the aim of yoga is to “soften our grip”, to allow us to practice non-attachment to our own ideas. This conversation is a wonderful place to start if you’d like to deepen your understanding of yoga.”
THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: "I really enjoyed this conversation because both guest David McGrath and our host Laurel Trujillo have such a wonderful way of explaining essential concepts. I enjoyed the discussion about Samadhi (effortless concentration), Atha (now), and about neutralizing our thoughts rather than suppressing them during meditation. David is clearly a skilled and thoughful teacher."
David McGrath
Journey into the Heart of Bhakti Yoga
Edwin Bryant, author of Bhakti Yoga, returns to discuss this classical path of yoga centered around love and devotion for the Divine. Through stories from the Bhagavata Purana, the practices of Bhakti yoga engage us and open our heart.
Edwin Bryant received his Ph.D in Indic languages and Cultures from Columbia University, where his thesis culminated in his first book: The Quest for the Origins of Vedic Culture (Oxford University Press, 2001). He taught Hinduism at Harvard University for three years, and is presently the professor of Hinduism at Rutgers University where he teaches courses on Hindu philosophy and religion. He has published eight books, and authored a number of articles on the earliest origins of the Vedic culture, yoga philosophy, and the Krishna tradition.
📚 Find the book discussed in this episode: Bhakti Yoga: Tales and Teachings from the Bhagavata Purana
🔗 Edwin has a series of recorded classes and ongoing courses, all for free, on edwinbryant.org
DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: If you are someone who enjoys attending kirtan or chanting the names of God, this conversation with Edwin Bryant about his book Bhakti Yoga will help you deepen your understanding of this sacred yogic path of devotion to God. We discussed the many practices of bhakti yoga, including hearing (or reading) about God, kirtan as a communal practice, japa as an individual practice, serving God and surrendering to God. Listen in and allow your heart to open.
THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: This is an engaging conversation with Edwin Bryant on Bhakti yoga and I learned many new things to take into my practice. There are many "flavors" of bhakti as there are infinite forms for God or Bhagavan. Bhakti is service or seva that is aimed at developing love. Take the name of God, whatever that is for you and listen intently to know God above all other desires.
Edwin Bryant
Welcome the Abundance of the Sacred Feminine
Erica Bassani takes us on a journey into the sacred through the voices of women across spiritual traditions. Through these intimate conversations we explore devotion, resilience, and the balance of strength and surrender in modern life.
Erica Bassani is a writer based in Italy. A graduate of the Academy of Storytelling in Turin, she spent a year living in a Theravadan Buddhist monastery at the age of 23. Since then, she has turned to female spiritual teachers from diverse traditions to help her navigate her inner journey. She created the Women Awakening Project—an initiative that highlights the wisdom of female spiritual role models and explores spiritual practice through the lens of women’s experiences—to share their wisdom and create a bridge between generations of seekers.
📚 Read the book discussed in this episode: Women in Love with the Divine
🔗 Learn more about Erica: https://www.womenawakeningproject.com/
✨ Discover Erica’s work on Facebook and Instagram
DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: This conversation with Erica Bassani about her book Women in Love with the Divine will enrich listeners understanding of the divine feminine and bring wisdom to all, regardless of gender. We discussed her interviews with women leaders from Tibetan Buddhism, Taoism, and Jewish traditions, illuminating the importance of balance between our masculine and feminine sides as illustrated by the Taoist symbol for the balance between yin and yang. We discussed that in Buddhism, wisdom is feminine, and that there can be real strength in softness. I found this conversation to be rich and thought provoking, and recommend it to listeners.
THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: This conversation really flowed well and allowed Dr. Trujillo and Erica Bassani to discuss a number of beliefs and practices related to the role of the feminine in spiritual wisdom and awakening. So many great takeaways for any gender.
Erica Bassani
Invite the Light: Healing, Wholeness, and Awakened Living
Health and healing begin with a spiritual foundation. Yogacharya Ellen Grace O’Brian explores how prayer, spiritual awareness, and divine intelligence guide the healing process, helping us move through challenges and discover the deeper wholeness already present within life.
Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian is an acclaimed Kriya Yoga teacher, award-winning author, poet and minister who has served seekers of spiritual enlightenment from all walks of life and religions for over forty years. She has published several books and programs about meditation, mindfulness, and spiritual living. Her published works include the award-winning the Jewel of Abundance, Living the Eternal Way, and Living for the Sake of the Soul, as well as a volume of spiritual poetry The Moon Reminded Me. She is the founder of The Yoga Hour podcast and also hosts Kriya Yoga Today podcast. She is the founder and spiritual director of The Center for Spiritual Enlightenment, a Kriya Yoga meditation center with world headquarters in San Jose, California.
Learn more about Yogacharya O’Brian: ellengraceobrian.com
Listen to Yogacharya O’Brian’s Satsang series: “Health, Healing, and Awakened Living” (remaining dates are April 12th, May 3rd, and June 7th)
DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: My conversation with Yogacharya Ellen Grace O’Brian about the spiritual basis of healing is wonderfully timely as there is so much need in this moment for healing ourselves, our communities, and our world. I appreciated Yogacharya’s framing that healing is returning ourselves to an awareness of our original wholeness which extends beyond the physical body to encompass mind, heart, and soul. We discussed three steps of healing: intending to heal, believing that it is possible to heal, and having a practice that quiets the mind and allows our inner light to shine. Also included is a 5 step prayer for healing that listeners will find useful for healing at all levels. I highly recommend this episode.
THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: I really enjoyed the discussion Yogacharya Ellen Grace O’Brian had with Dr. Laurel Trujillo on how health and healing begin with a spiritual foundation. The key concept that resonated with me is that having a practice that quiets the mind allows connection to intuition/discernment. Look at how nature does it. The actual guidance comes from within. It was particularly powerful to view healing not as a cure, but as bringing us into our innate wholeness. This episode is powerful, giving actual steps to take toward the healing process of self, relationships, the world. A great thanks to Yogacharya O’Brian for sharing her insights to actualize the healing process through steady spiritual practice and the belief that healing is possible.
Yogacharya Ellen Grace O’Brian
Discover the Vast Ocean of Yoga
Amy Landry, author of The Ocean of Yoga, shares how the teachings of Yoga are much more than sequences of postures. With insight and compassion, she honors the sacred, ancient philosophy while opening up the living wisdom of Yoga.
Amy Landry is a registered senior yoga teacher, ayurvedic practitioner, mentor, podcast host, and founder of Shruti School of Yoga. She is known for her sold-out international retreats and has contributed extensively to Australian Yoga Journal, OM Yoga & Lifestyle magazine, YOGA magazine UK, and Nature & Health magazine. Amy has presented across Australia at Wanderlust, Evolve Yoga festival, Byron Spirit Fest, and Ekam Yoga festival.
Learn more about Amy Landry at her website: amylandry.com
Follow Amy Landry on social media: Facebook and Instagram
Find the book discussed in this episode: The Ocean of Yoga
DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: My conversation with Amy Landry, author of the new book The Ocean of Yoga: A Complete Guide to Living the Teachings, Tradition, and Practice dove deeply into the ocean that is yoga. We discussed some history of yoga, the importance of prana, the five maya koshas, and how we can deepen our practice through our understanding of these more subtle aspects of ourselves. As Amy writes in her book: “Yoga can teach us to constantly experience an awe toward life, both the physical and subtle.” I particularly appreciated Amy’s advice to have patience, and to approach our practice lovingly. Listen in to this episode, and dive more deeply into your practice of yoga.
THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: This conversation with Amy Landry highlighted for me the depth of yoga that is more than the physical asana yoga practice. Yoga is so much more and the clarity about practices are helpful. The pancha koshas are discussed in detail, and for me, one of the helpful topics was on sadhana or daily spiritual practice. We can incorporate meditation, mantra, japa, puja and pranayama to daily practice while honoring the seasons of the year, the elements and the vedic calendar for festivities and worship. The encouragement to practice, whether you are new to yoga or a long time practitioner, will inspire.
Amy Landry
