Awaken to Our Underlying Unity Through the Perennial Philosophy

The Perennial Philosophy stresses that the experience of Oneness is available to all. Author and professor, Dana Sawyer, shares how this philosophy supports our quest for Self-realization and our experience of the unity that lies beneath the apparent diversity of the world.
#kriyayoga, #perennialphilosophy #consciousness #mysticalexperience #mysticism

Dana Sawyer

Dana Sawyer has an academic background in Hindu and Buddhist philosophy, but has been writing on comparative mysticism, noetic experiences, and theories of the perennial philosophy for more than 20 years. He is professor emeritus of philosophy and world religions at Maine College of Art and Design and has written biographies of Aldous Huxley and Huston Smith, two famous perennialists. His most recent books are an analysis of The Transcendental Meditation Movement and the book we are discussing today The Perennial Philosophy Reloaded: A Guide for the Mystically Inclined. 
WEBSITE: danasawyer.com

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: I really enjoyed this deep conversation about the perennial philosophy, a philosophy which is in alignment with the teachings of Yoga. Dana Sawyer's own study and practice of Transcendental Meditation and study with other yogic teachers, his experience with some of the great perennialists from the 60's as well as his study of those who taught and wrote in the late 19th and early 20th century such as Ralph Waldo Emerson has informed his ability to share how this philosophy is relevant to today's seekers. I really appreciated the discussion of what is the enlightenment or unitive experience and why we want it. Basically we want it so that we understand the meaning of this life and how we are a part of the wholeness of the universe. This experience is available to all of us when we let go of our perception of our small self. He quoted Rumi who said "we are not a drop in the ocean, we are the ocean in one drop". I highly recommend this program. As the subtitle of the book says, it is "A Guide for the Mystically Inclined."

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: I really appreciated Dana Sawyer’s depth of knowledge about the Perennial Philosophy and the mystical experiences and writings from so many different religions and spiritual traditions.  He described episodes of “unitive mystical experience” that we can access through various means as one of the central aspects of the perennial philosophy, and that we can take the understanding gained from these episodes into our lives. I loved the Rumi quote he shared: “You are not a drop in the ocean; you are the entire ocean in a drop."  I enjoyed our discussion of consciousness as not just being “on” when we are awake, and “off” when we are asleep, but rather having a rheostat that can be turned up to make it brighter.  We also discussed that there is no one spiritual path for everyone, but that there are many different paths and we must each find one that works best for us.

Celebrate the Unity of Life

In this time of divisiveness, recognition and celebration of our underlying unity is even more important. Rev. Paul John Roach discusses the unity of the world’s religions and how various spiritual traditions celebrate the return of the light at this time of year.
#kriya yoga #oneness #unity #winter solstice #mysticism #grief

Rev. Paul John Roach

A native of Wales, UK, Paul John Roach is an ordained Unity minister from the Unity Ministerial School, Kansas City. He served as the Senior Minister at Unity Fort Worth (1988-2018). Paul has widely served the Unity ministry including serving on the board of Unity World Headquarters. The podcast he hosts, World Spirituality and through social media sites, Paul explores themes of connectedness, oneness and remembering wholeness. He is the author of the book, Unity and the World Religions that we discuss on The Yoga Hour.
WEBSITE: .pauljohnroach.com

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: I enjoyed this rich conversation with Dr. Trujillo and Rev. Paul John Roach that touches into the heart of this time and season. A potent time of year when we observe the signs all around—in nature, in the darkness and letting go into silence, mystery and wonder. It’s deeply supportive to embrace the many connections we have to each other and to those that came before us, to connect with the Source in and around us. This conversation affirmed for me that yoga practice is the way into this sacred time, and how grief and letting go is surrender into the light of conscious awareness.

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: I really enjoyed our discussion of Oneness, the unity that is present at the mystical core of the world’s religions. It's is so important for us to remember that we are all connected, and to live from that viewpoint.  I also enjoyed our conversation about the special celebrations that occur in many religions at this darkest time of the year as we prepare for the returning of the light.  I was inspired by Rev. Roach’s description of the first principle of the Unity spiritual community; that “God is absolute good, everywhere present, the one presence and power in the universe”, which leads to the second Unity principle, that "Human beings have a spark of divinity within them.”  His advice to take a fast from panic was helpful in this divisive time, as was his advice to remember that all is in Divine Order, even when we cannot see it.  The wisdom that Paul John Roach brought to our interview will be helpful to our listeners.

Practical Steps to Transform Stress into Strength

Stress has become a normal part of our lives. Join us for this conversation with Dr. Elissa Epel, author of the Stress Prescription: Seven Days to More Joy and Ease, as she shares practical ways to navigate adversity to live a happier and healthier life. We can’t avoid stress but we can embrace it and transform it.

Elissa Epel Ph.D

Elissa Epel, PhD is an international expert on stress, well-being, and optimal aging and a best-selling author of The Telomere Effect, and now The Stress Prescription.  She is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, at The University of California, San Francisco, where she is Vice Chair of Psychology and directs the UCSF Aging Metabolism Emotions Center. She studies how psychosocial and behavioral factors, such as meditation and positive stress, can slow aging and focuses on climate wellness.

WEBSITE: ElissaEpel.com Social Media: Elissa Epel
#KriyaYoga #stress #stressresponse #meditiaton #selfreflection #relaxation

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: Elissa Epel brings together decades of research on stress for us to live happier and healthier lives in her book, The Stress Prescription. Listeners will appreciate learning about the different types of stress, the four different mind states, and some practical tools to lessen chronic stress.  Her research even shows how effective meditation is reducing stress, as we know from our own practice through Kriya Yoga. I am confident this conversation will get listeners thinking more about how stress impacts their lives and the simple steps they can take to turn stress into strength. 

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: I really appreciated the way that Dr. Epel integrates science along with helpful techniques to allow us to better deal with stress and live a happier and healthier life.  Her view that stress can be positive in that it prepares our mind and body for what we need to do is helpful.  I appreciated that she suggested questions to ask ourselves as a way of reducing stress when we have too many balls in the air.  I found Dr. Epel’s depictions of the four states of mind in response to stress can be useful: Red Mind (acute stress), Yellow Mind (baseline cognitive mode), Green Mind (rest), and Blue Mind (deep rest). She points out that in our chronically stressful world, we often don’t get beyond Red Mind and Yellow Mind.  This conversation can help us to change that.  

Connect to Divine Energy for Healthy Relationships and Successful Living

How can we attune ourselves to the subtle Divine energy that brings spiritual awakening, improves relationships and brings what we need for successful living? Shivani Lucki, internationally known Kriya Yoga meditation teacher and author of Healing with Life Force, shares Paramahansa Yogananda’s teachings for vitality, healing and Self-realization.

Shivani Lucki

Shivani Lucki dedicated her life to the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda in 1969 when she met Swami Kriyananda, the founder of the Ananda community. Her passion has always been the self-healing techniques of Yogananda, taking on as her unique mission to find and share these mostly out-of-print or never published teachings. She helped to establish two Ananda communities-one in California and one in Assisi, Italy as well as the Yogananda Academy of Europe. She is also the founder of  Life Therapy School for Self-Healing. Since 1985 she and her husband have lived at the Ananda Assisi Community in Italy. Shivani is the author of a trilogy of books entitled, Healing with Life Force: Teachings and Techniques of Paramahansa Yogananda
WEBSITE: HealingLifeForces.com
#kriyayoga #spiritualmagnetism #prosperity #healingrelationships #clarityofpurpose

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: In Shivani Lucki’s third book in this trilogy focusing on magnetism she quoted her teacher, Swami Kriyananda, who said "Divine love...is in fact the most powerful—indeed, in the last analysis the only force in the universe.” Roy Eugene Davis said something similar "There is an enlivening power that is nurturing the universe and we can learn to cooperate with it.”  When Shivani described spiritual magnetism she referenced Yogananda who said that our spiritual evolution is dependent on 25% of our own effort, 25% of support from our spiritual teacher and 50% is dependent on God’s love. She said that when our thoughts and energy are all focused on our spiritual evolution we create a magnetism that draws God to us. She compared it to the gravity of the sun. When something gets to a certain point near the sun, its gravity pulls it in. There is no choice.  It is that way with our one-pointed attention to our spiritual awakening. Our own effort with help from the guru gets us close enough for God's grace to take over. In tumultuous times it is important to be reminded what our purpose in life is and how we are supported when we turn our attention to God. For me this conversation with Shivani Lucki was a supportive reminder.

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: I particularly appreciated the view that Shivani Lucki shared of the magnetic power of Divine Love as the force behind magnetism.  I enjoyed our discussion of the components of magnetism that bring prosperity and success such as clarity of purpose and conviction that we are capable of achieving our goal.  As we discussed, meditation and going into our inner calm can help us access our intuition and discernment and guide us on our way.  Our conversation about how God comes to us through our relationships with others was illuminating.  Listeners will enjoy this discussion of success in our efforts and in our relationships.  

The Bridge Between Time and Eternity

The soul bridges time and eternity. Yogacharya O’Brian discusses how, even in our busy lives, the practices of meditation, prayer, devotion, and contemplation, gather our attention and open space for the soul to stretch out.

Yogacharya Ellen Grace O’Brian

Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian is an acclaimed teacher, award-winning author, and minister who has served seekers of spiritual enlightenment from all walks of life for over forty years. She has published several books and audio programs about meditation, mindfulness and spiritual living, offering a refreshing and authentic voice that makes timeless wisdom accessible to the modern mind. As a teacher in the tradition of Kriya Yoga, Yogacharya O’Brian serves people from all faith backgrounds who are seeking what is known as Self- or God-realization or awakening. She is the spiritual director of the Center for Spiritual Enlightenment, a meditation center in San Jose, California as well as the founder of this podcast

WEBSITE: EllenGraceOBrian.com CSECenter.org Social Media and YouTube: Ellen Grace O’Brian
#kriyayoga #meditation #rightuseofvitalforce #soulwisdom #transformation

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: This episode with Yogacharya O’Brian is what I needed for this moment in time. Give yourself the opportunity to absorb the teaching and the spiritual resources available to us to relax and calm our body, mind and emotions. With the steady guidance and reassurance of Yogacharya O’Brian, we are reminded to turn away from distractions to connect with the deepest soul within.

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: I found this episode to be particularly helpful at this time of rapid change. I was moved by Yogacharya’s quote of the African proverb that says: “Times are urgent, let us slow down.”  We discussed that slowing down enables us to listen to our own inner guidance, and reminds us of who we really are. Ela Gandhi’s reply to Yogacharya’s question about how to make it through difficult times is a good one for us to contemplate.  Ms. Gandhi said that we make it through difficult times by remembering that we have spiritual resources. Yogacharya shared, in this program, that slowing down enables us to access those resources. This program is supportive, inspiring and uplifting for these difficult times.

The Inspiring Life of a Modern Christian Mystic, Father Thomas Keating

Thomas Keating

Father Thomas Keating is one of great Christian mystics and contemplative giants of our time. Spiritual teacher, Cynthia Bourgeault, a long time student and colleague of Fr. Keating, offers insight into this master’s journey from cloistered monk to world-renowned spiritual leader.

Cynthia Bourgeault

Cynthia Bourgeault is a Episcopal priest, and theologian. She divides her time between solitude at her seaside hermitage in Maine and traveling globally to promote the rediscovery of the Christian contemplative path. She is a core faculty emerita of the Center for Action and Contemplation and founding director of an international network of Wisdom Schools. She was a long-time student and colleague of Fr. Thomas Keating. Cynthia’s articles and essays have appeared in many journals and publications, and she is the author of numerous books, including the book we are discussing today, Thomas Keating: The Making of a Modern Christian Mystic.

WEBSITE: CynthiaBourgeault.org WisdomWaypoints.org Facebook: Cynthia Bourgeault
#kriyayoga #centeringprayer #thomaskeating #unityconsciousness #Oneness #interspiritual #interfaith

The documentary on the life of Father Keating that is mentioned in this program is The Rising Tide of Silence. It is available on several streaming platforms.

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: Cynthia Bourgeault’s relationship, deep study with Fr. Keating and her own deep practice gives us a greater understanding of his work, especially in the latter half of his life. She equates Fr. Keating to one of maybe 5 Christian mystics in history who have attained a highest level of understanding of Reality. She shared that for many Christian practitioners his teachings have been received as a “lifeline”. For those of us on the yogic path of spiritual awakening, the teachings of Fr. Keating resonate deeply. He came to these realizations just as the ancient rishis and rishikas came to them, by spending time in profound silence. I really appreciated Cynthia’s closing statement “Whatever stage you are in the journey, bless that stage and know that it opens into something else.” I would highly recommend this program.

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: In this conversation we learned about Father Keating who was was key to re-establishing the process of Centering Prayer, a form of meditation, in the Christian tradition.  I appreciated his description of meditation as “taking a brief vacation from yourself”. As Cynthia Bourgeault pointed out, his teachings over the last 30 years of his life focused on unity consciousness and having a direct relationship with the Infinite.  He realized that all spiritual traditions have a way to “speak the language of silence” and connect in their depths.  It was a pleasure to learn more about Father Keating in our discussion, and to find so many areas where his teachings touch on the teachings of Kriya Yoga.

Sacred Chants—A Divine Connection

How does sacred music deepen our connection to the Divine? Swami Nirvanananda, musician and spiritual teacher, shares how sacred chants and music can quiet our minds, bringing us to a deeper connection with the Divine.
#kriya yoga #yogananda # kirtan #sacred chants #bhakti #pratyahara

Swami Nirvanananda

Giorgio Kriegsch was born to devout parents, a Catholic mother and a Lutheran father in Trieste, Italy. In 1975 his life was changed after reading Paramahana Yogananda’s book, Autobiography of a Yogi. He was initiated into Kriya Yoga by Swami Hariharananda—a direct disciple of Yogananda’s guru, Swami Sri Yukteswar. During one of his early trips to India, Giorgio discovered the inspiring work of Father Marian Zelazek, who was helping the children of lepers in Puri, a city in eastern India. He asked Fr. Zelazek how he could help and was asked to seek sponsors to support this work. Giorgio began performing Kirtan (sacred chanting concerts) to raise funds. In 1992, in the holy city of Jagannath Puri in India, Giorgio took the final monastic vows of a sannyas and became Swami Nirvanananda Saraswati, meaning “the bliss of freedom from suffering.” He continues to travel the world, inspiring audiences withdevotional music and raising funds to help others.
WEBSITE: nirvanananda.org FB: Swami Nirvanananda

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: Listening to this podcast was a supportive experience with the comforting presence of Swami Nirvanananda. In an hour filled with sacred chanting, he shared his heart, love and joy through his beautiful voice, guitar and harmonium playing. Step into this time with Dr.Trujillo and Swami Nirvanananda as they discuss how to deepen our connection to the Divine through sacred chanting. The mind becomes still through the attention to the breath and sound vibration. This was such a joyful time and so helpful in this moment in history.

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: Experiencing Swami ji’s music and chanting was a joy.  We discussed chanting as part of the practice of Bhakti Yoga, the yoga of devotion.  He shared chants in both English and Sanskrit, and I particularly was touched by his chant of the 23rd Psalm.  It was so moving that it brought tears to my eyes. Chanting is also a part of Interiorization, or Pratyahara, one of the eight limbs of yoga.  I believe listeners will experience both the joy and turning within that chanting brings by listening to this episode.

Take Action on Climate Change with Heart and Mind

How do we respond to the urgency of climate change yet act effectively with hope? Join the conversation with our guest, author Susan Bauer-Wu as we discuss the challenges of this moment, to channel our inner awareness and wisdom, and to re-orient our thinking toward hopeful action.
#yoga #climate crisis #wonderment #contemplation #raising consciousness

Susan Bauer-Wu

SUSAN BAUER-WU is an organizational leader, clinical scientist, and mindfulness teacher, who has held leadership and academic roles in nonprofits, universities, and health care. From 2015 to 2023 she served as President of the Mind & Life Institute, an organization co-founded by the Dalai Lama to bring science and contemplative wisdom together to better understand the mind, foster dialogue, and create positive change in the world. Susan is the author of several books including, A Future We Can Love: Effective Approaches to the Climate Crisis That Begin with Us
The short films about climate feedback loops, which were the genesis for the book, are available for free online with subtitles in 32 languages at feedbackloopsclimate.com.

WEBSITE: MindAndLife.org

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: In this impactful podcast, Susan Bauer-Wu discusses important information related to the climate crisis, as presented in her book, A Future We Can Love: Effective Approaches to the Climate Crisis That Begin With Us. While sobering, there are choices we can make for the future that we can love. Look for the interconnected nature of all things. Take time in nature and wonder. Ground yourself, breathe--be with the grief. And we can create positive feedback loops when we meditate, plant a tree, live more simply, or be in community--- as these actions strengthen us spiritually, they also contribute to the healing of the planet.

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: I really enjoyed speaking with Susan Bauer-Wu about her book A Future We Can Love: Effective Approaches to the Climate Crisis that Begin with Us.  The four part plan that she presents is so helpful: we begin with knowledge about where we are in the climate crisis; acknowledgement of our capacity; willingness to change; and then take action.  At times the climate crisis feels overwhelming, yet you discuss ways that each of us can approach it with both mind and heart.  We can learn about what is happening (mind) yet remain hopeful as we make changes in our lives (heart).  We discussed the role of expanding our viewpoint, recognizing our connection with the earth and all living things, and the role of connecting with others to make changes.