Reconnect With Our Planet and Each Other

LaUra Schmidt, co-author of How to Live in a Chaotic Climate: 10 Steps To Reconnect with Ourselves, Our Communities, and Our Planet shares practical steps that allow us to build momentum for healing and action in this time of climate crisis. She shares how we can embrace ‘Good Grief’ and embody the necessary actions to cool the rising temperatures in our politics, in our families, and within ourselves..

LAURA SCHMIDT is the founder (with Aimee Lewis Reau) of  Good Grief Network, one of the first peer-to-peer support groups for eco-anxiety and climate grief. GGN has grown quickly in the United States and has branched out internationally, with trained facilitators in over 15 countries.
GGN has been covered in Time, NPR, USA Today, CBS, NBC News, NY Times, and The LA Times. LaUra graduated with a BS in Environmental Studies, Biology, and Religious Studies. Her MS is in Environmental Humanities. LaUra has earned certificates in “Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy” and “Climate Psychology.” She is the co-author of the newly released How to Live in a Chaotic Climate: 10 Steps to Reconnect with Ourselves, Our Communities, and Our Planet.

WEBSITE: GOODGRIEFNETWORK.ORG
Social Media: @goodgriefnetwork, Instagram and LinkedIn: @howtoliveinachaoticclimate
#chaoticclimatebook, #heartcenteredrevolution, #kriyayoga, #meditation, #climatechange, #nonattachment

COMMENTS FROM OUR GUEST: It was a joy to be on the podcast and speak with Laurel. I’m looking forward to learning more about the Center for Spiritual Enlightenment.

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: This was an important conversation with LaUra Schmidt about her book, which she co-authored with Aimee Lewis Reau, How to Live in a Chaotic Climate: Ten Steps to Reconnect with Ourselves, Our Communities and Our Planet.  The ten steps include meditation, not being attached to outcomes and embracing our feelings, even those that are painful. She says this work requires courage. I was inspired and came away hopeful after listening to this conversation. These steps can support us as individuals to participate in healing the despair, fear and overwhelm that many of us are experiencing because of what is happening in our world, especially with climate change. LaUra says that "change is happening and when we embrace the unknown and work cooperatively, we plant seeds that may grow into new ways of being for future generations". I really appreciated how Dr. Trujillo pointed out that these ten steps are in alignment with the Kriya Yoga teachings. LaUra says that only by doing the inner work of facing our fears and our emotions can we then move into right action and do whatever it is that is ours to do.  I feel we can include this conversation in our list of best programs this year. 

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: I really appreciated LaUra’s focus on reconnection to ourselves, our communities, and our world, both in her book and in our conversation.  Experiencing ourselves as a part of the One Reality is central to yoga philosophy.  As she wrote in her book, “Reconnecting is arguably the most important thing that you can do for our planet.” 

One of the 10 steps she recommend is “Do Inner Work”.  I agree with LaUra’s perspective that doing inner work is so important because it can change our consciousness, which can then change the type of outer work that we feel called to do.  As part of this focus on inner work I share her awareness that meditation is a valuable practice for all of the proven physical, mental, and spiritual benefits that it brings.  As she wrote: “practicing meditation is one of the most radical self-care tools available to us."

Meditation: It's Simple and Natural

How can we have a successful and enjoyable meditation experience? Yogacharya O'Brian shares what a successful practice is as well as easy and practical techniques to prepare our minds, our bodies and consciousness to create the conditions for meditation to occur.

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 thirty 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
FaceBook and Instagram @EllenGraceOBrian

#ellengraceobrian, #kriyayoga, #yoga, #meditation, #yogasutras

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: As a person who has meditated for many years, I still learned some things that are useful for my meditation practice. For a beginning meditator, I felt that Yogacharya O’Brian’s teaching was very clear, simply put and very supportive. She says that the mind wanders, that is its nature. Our meditation tools for focus help to settle it down. New meditators can use this program to greatly support their new practice.  I appreciated her explanation that we are taught to meditate superconsciously because superconsciousness is beyond the ordinary states of consciousness, beyond the identification with the body and mind. This is what brings us Self-realization. Yogacharya shared that the experience of meditation is a combination of our self-effort and then the shift into meditation occurs due to divine grace. Hearing this was very supportive for me. There is so much to learn about meditation, just in this one hour program. 

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: In this episode Yogacharya O’Brian and I discussed the benefits of meditation and the four essential steps of meditation: Foster, Focus, Flow, and Finish.  We started with the question: how does this one practice of meditation help us with so many things?  It calms our anxiety, decreases our stress, increases our clarity of thought, helps us feel happier, and makes us feel more peaceful.  Meditation does all this because it increases our connection with our Self, our essence of being, which has peace, clarity, and joy as part of its nature. I found her description of the four steps of meditation to be helpful and clear, both for beginning meditators and those who are looking to reestablish their meditation practice. 

Rumi and the Essence of Being Human

What is the secret that connects the individual soul to spiritual Reality? Author, esteemed spiritual teacher and longtime translator of Rumi, Kabir Helminski, shares how the sacred poetry of Rumi can be viewed through a contemporary lens to illuminate universal truths.

Kabir Helminski

Kabir Helminski is an author of several books including the book we are discussing in this program, The Mysterion: Rumi and the Secret of Becoming Fully Human.  He is also the translator of numerous books of Sufi literature and especially Rumi and the co-director, with his wife, Camille Helminski, of the Threshold Society, a nonprofit organization dedicated to sharing the knowledge and practice of Sufism. As the publisher of Threshold Books for some twenty years, he was largely responsible for making Rumi the most widely read poet of our time. Kabir’s translations of Rumi are among the most popular and respected for their literary faithfulness and beauty. Kabir Helminski is a respected teacher, a Shaikh of the Mevlevi Order, which traces back to Rumi.
website:Sufism.org
#kriyayoga  #meditation  #rumi  #essentialself  #oneness  #sufism

COMMENTS FROM OUR GUEST: It’s very meaningful for me to hear what touched you. Thank you all for your diligent preparations that helped to deepen our conversation.

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: I was moved by the depth of the conversation with Kabir Helminski on his book The Mysterion: Rumi and the Secret of Becoming Fully Human. He considers Rumi a genius of spirituality and was easily able to recite poems by memory illustrating topics throughout the discussion.  Kabir began by sharing Rumi's message that the most important truth of the human being is to realize the connection to the Divine within us, the essential Self. The teachings of Yoga tell us the same. We live in a unified reality in the vibration of Divine Love. The Rumi poem that resonated strongest with me was the sun's transformation of the stone into a ruby. I highly recommend this podcast.

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS:  I found the language in Kabir Helminski’s book, as well as in our conversation, to be really beautiful. This is illustrated when he discussed Rumi’s message that we live in a unified reality with Divine mercy, generosity, beauty, and love as the bottom line of that reality.  We are given individuality in order to discover this Oneness.  He also described a human being as the ripened fruit on the tree of existence, the culmination of conscious love expressing itself within the world.  The way that he incorporated Rumi’s prose and poetry into our discussion was very moving. 

Autobiography of A yogi for the 21st century

What lessons can a modern seeker draw from Autobiography of a Yogi? Rizwan Virk discusses how universal principles such as karma, meditation, and yoga can be used to address issues and challenges of the present, such as the diversions of social media and the quick pace of contemporary life.

Rizwan Virk, a graduate of MIT and Stanford, is a successful entrepreneur, investor, futurist, video game industry pioneer, indie film producer and bestselling author. Rizwan writes on the intersection of science, science fiction, business and spirituality. His latest book is Wisdom of a Yogi.

Website: zenentrepreneur.com

Facebook: @zenentrepreneur; X (Twitter): @rizstanford

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: This interview with Rizwan Virk was dynamic. His knowledge of karma, meditation and yoga flowed throughout the dialogue. I was particularly drawn to the way Rizwan related stories in Autobiography of a Yogi to illustrate how we can recognize and follow the clues that show up in our life to discover life's treasure - our svadharma. Yogananda often used the metaphor of moving pictures to illustrate how this life is maya, an illusion. Rizwan, a video game developer himself, takes Yoganands's metaphor into the 21st century by viewing life as a multi-player video game where we exist independently (our Real Self) outside of the game, but descend into the game of life to play a character (avatar) in a simulated world. "The key to a good game is one that is easy to play, but difficult to master. This makes the treasure hunt much more interesting." I highly recommend this podcast!

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS:  I enjoyed my discussion with Rizwan Virk, looking at lessons from Paramahansa Yogananda’s Autobiography of A Yogi to see how they apply to modern seekers in today’s world.  Riz described the importance of following the “clues” we get, both externally in the world and internally from our intuition, using Yogananda’s journey to bring yoga to the West as an example.  I was struck by how Riz updated Yogananda’s metaphor of life as a motion picture to describe life as a multiplayer video game.  I particularly appreciate his efforts to make Autobiography of a Yogi interesting and accessible to a new generation of seekers. 

Our Quest for Wholeness

How can we remove filters--thoughts, feelings, and other reactions—that keep us weaving the same old patterns? Author Sky Nelson-Isaacs shares how we can open ourselves up to endless possibilities by aligning with life circumstances rather than fighting them.

WEBSITE: synchronicityinstitute.com

Instagram: skynelsonisaacs FB: skynelsonisaacs

Sky Nelson-Isaacs is a theoretical physicist, speaker, author, and musician. He has a masters degree in physics from San Francisco State University, with a thesis in String Theory, and a BS in physics from UC Berkeley. Nelson-Isaacs has dedicated his life to finding his own sense of purpose, beginning as a student of the Yogic master Sri Swami Satchidananda when he was less than five years old. His most recent research has been published in the scientific journal Quantum Reports. An educator with nine years of classroom experience, Sky is also a multi-instrumentalist and professional performer of award-winning original musical compositions. He is the author of several books including the book we are discussing today, Leap to Wholeness: How the World is Programmed to Help Us Grow, Heal and Adapt.

#synchronicity #wholeness #leaptowholeness #dowhatyoulove #simulationhypothesis #virtualrealitvworld #kriyayoga #livinginflow

COMMENTS FROM SKY NELSON-ISAACS: Thank you, Laurel, for the great conversation today! I  really enjoyed it. Yoga is my home and it's really nice to come back to home base.

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: I really enjoyed hearing Sky Nelson-Isaacs talk about the inter-connectedness of all life and how it is programmed to help us heal, grow and adapt through the synchronicities of our life. Sky encourages us to ask, 'How do we get something from everything?" rather than “How do I get something from nothing.” This is based on the idea that all possibilities already exist. He says we simply need to identify thoughts, ideas and feelings we hold onto that limit our choices. Sky's new question may sound familiar to spiritual seekers as it aligns with a statement that Roy Eugene Davis passed on to his disciples, "There is an enlivening power nurturing the Universe and we can learn to cooperate with it." Mahatma Gandhi put it this way, "There is a force in the universe, which if we permit it, will flow through us and produce miraculous results." These statements are the foundation of Yoga philosophy. Sky's comments reminds us of how true this is and how it works.

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: I really enjoyed my discussion with Sky Nelson Isaacs about his book Leap to Wholeness, particularly the question that started the episode: How do we get something out of everything?  This contrasts with the question that underlies the Big Bang Theory: how do we get everything out of nothing?  Sky’s perspective on the multiverse was quite valuable, that out of the infinite possibilities that exist there is one that can resolve a difficult situation.  I also appreciated our discussion of holistic systems, in which the whole is more than the sum of the parts, and that one of their properties is that they have meaning.  

Stay Healthy in the Fall with Ayurveda

How can we use Ayurveda’s ancient principles to stay resilient and healthy as we move from the heat of summer into fall and prepare for winter? Kate O’Donnell, author of The Everyday Ayurveda Cookbook, shares the importance of shifting our diet and routines with the seasons.
#ayurveda #fiveelements #doshas #seasonaldoshas #yoga #dinacharya #pita #vata #kapha #kriyayoga

Kate O’Donnell is a nationally certified Ayurvedic Practitioner and the founder of the Ayurvedic Living Institute. Kate is a nationally certified Ayurvedic Practitioner, senior yoga teacher, and the author of multiple Ayurvedic books including The Everyday Ayurveda Guide to Self-Care and The Everyday Ayurveda Cookbook: A Seasonal Guide to Eating and Living Well. She studied in India for twenty years and continues to travel there annually for study. She is a contributor to many publications including Yoga Journal, Women’s Health Magazine, and NPR. She teaches trainings, cooking classes, seasonal cleanses, retreats, and online programs.

Website: Ayurvedic Living Institute

FB: AyurvedaBoston Instagram: kateodonnell.ayurveda

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: Kate O’Donnell’s explanation of doshas (the energies that define each individual person’s make up) and their relation to the five elements clearly explains how our health is dependent on keeping all these in balance. She shared the idea that we become the five elements of the universe through the foods that we take into our body. The discussion on changing our diet and our daily routines as we move from summer through fall into winter made it easier to see how we can use the Kriya Yoga practice of self-study to comprehend how food and routines effect our body. She also emphasizes that we don’t have to be perfect and “do it all”. Any amount of self-care that works in the direction of balance will change the trajectory towards our health and wellness.

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: I found our conversation very engaging and informative.  Kate O’Donnell makes Ayurveda easy to understand and her enthusiasm is contagious. I love her focus on the whole, how we are each made up of the same elements that are in everything in nature.  Therefore, any changes in the world such as seasonal differences also impact us, the macrocosm affecting the microcosm since we are all part of the same whole. I especially appreciated her advice to choose one behavior or food to change, and then do it, since any shift toward balance counts and helps us to change the trajectory that might otherwise result in an imbalance that affects our health. 

Why Swami Vivekananda Matters

Swami Vivekananda was a key figure in the introduction of Vedanta and Yoga philosophies to the western world. Pravrajika Brahmaprana, editor of Swami Vivekenada’s writings Volume 9 shares how the impact of this great spiritual teacher contributes to the spiritual awakening of our world.

Our guest Pravrajika Brahmaprana is a member of the Sarada Convent in Southern California since 1973 and an ordained nun or sannyasini of the Vedanta Society of Southern California. Brahmaprana has been a Vedanta representative of the Hindu-Catholic Dialog sponsored by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles as well as interfaith councils and initiatives in Dallas-Fort Worth, a frequent guest lecturer at schools and colleges in America and has participated in interfaith and scholastic seminars in America and abroad. She is currently the Resident Minister of the Ramakrishna Vedanta Society of North Texas. She has compiled and edited several books on Vedanta, including The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Volume 9. Find out more about her and the Vedanta Society of North Texas atvedantaDFW.org.

#vivekananda #yoga #ramakrishna #swamivivekananda #karmayoga #vedanta #vedantasociety @ramakrishnavedantasocietyofnorthtexas

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: Pravrajika Brahmaprana offered such a deep knowledge of what Swami Vivekananda offered to the world in the way of honoring the deep spiritual teachings of each religion, teaching that we are all divine spiritual beings capable of enlightenment. Vivekananda also encouraged interreligious conversations and was the first Swami from India to bring the teachings of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western World. Swami Vivekenananda important teachings on Karma Yoga (service as spiritual practice) as a path to spiritual enlightenment was also discussed. Pravrajika Bhahmaprana brought Vivekananda to life with her beautiful spirit, and her deep understanding of his teachings.

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: I appreciated anew that Vivekananda was a founder of the interfaith movement, and was particularly interested in the quote Brahmaprana shared from Vivekananda at the close of the Parliament of World’s Religions in 1893: “Do I wish that the Christian would become Hindu? God forbid.  Do I wish that the Hindu or Buddhist would become Christian? God forbid.”  I enjoyed her discussion of how Karma Yoga, the yoga of selfless service, plays a role in the other 3 forms of yoga: Bhakti Yoga (yoga of devotion), Raja Yoga (8 limbs of yoga), and Jyana Yoga (yoga of wisdom).  It was a joy to become more familiar with Vivekananda’s writings, particular his book Karma-Yoga.  

The Wisdom of Yoga in Everyday Parenting

How does the wisdom of Yoga inform the unpredictable, sometimes chaotic life of a parent?  Sarah Ezrin, author of The Yoga of Parenting: 10 Yoga-Based Practices to Help You Stay Grounded, Connect with Your Kids, and Be Kind to Yourself offers wise and practical strategies for understanding how the many challenges of parenting can be better managed with Yoga.

Sarah Ezrin is a freelance writer, yoga educator, and mama based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Sarah is author of the book we will be discussing today, The Yoga of Parenting: 10 Yoga-Based Practices to Help You Stay Grounded, Connect with Your Kids, and Be Kind to Yourself.  Sarah is a frequent contributor to Yoga Journal, Yoga International and LA Yoga. She has been interviewed in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and Bustle.com, and she has appeared on NBC news. She also writes for parenting outlets, including Healthline-Parenthood, Scary Mommy, Motherly, Healthline, and Mind Body Green. Sarah leads teacher trainings, workshops, and retreats locally in California and across the globe. 

Sarah Ezrin’s website is: sarahezrinyoga.com
#yoga #parenting #prana #sthira #sukha #empathicparenting

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: Sarah was an inspiration as she shared her knowledge of Yoga principals, child development and some of the newest information about parenting. Sarah advocates that parents keep their own energy strong along with the idea of increasing our ability as parents to stay present to our children using Yoga poses and principals. Sarah's use of the Yoga principals of Sthira, which means steady and strong and Sukha, which means soft and sweet are perfect for describing what is now considered in Child Development research the best parenting style. Sarah Ezrin offered a very strong case for staying present for our children using Yoga poses, breath or pauses along with the idea of filling our own energy needs in order to provide quality time over quantity of time with our children. 

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: I love how Sarah wove together information about child development, yogic wisdom, and parenting information in both her book and in our conversation.  Our discussion began with questioning the idea of what it means to be a “perfect” parent, stressing the importance of being present with our children and with ourselves as one of the critical factors. Applying the yogic concepts of steady practice (abhyasa) and non-attachment (vairagya) to parenting encourages parents to keep trying while avoiding grasping too tightly at a desired outcome, leaving our children with the opportunity to explore and develop competence without us stepping in immediately to show them the “right” way to do things.