Yoga Sutra 2: Q&A
After the Yoga Sutra talk, I did a Q&A with students. These were on the broader implications of Yoga philosophy. To simplify the permissions process for making this public, I’ve placed a graphic over everyone …
Category: Vedic
Yoga Sutra Talk
Dr. Shelley Thomas, a language professor at Middle Tennessee State University, offers a class on awakening. They cover some of the primary world literature on the topic. Previously, they’ve invited academics to speak on the …
The Pranava
I’ve written on the pranava or cosmic sound before. Pra means cosmic or primary. Nava has a few meanings including the number nine and more pertinently, new or fresh. It is the sound of our …
Krishna Consciousness
Krishna is a famous avatar of Vishnu the sustainer; a living embodiment of God in an apparently physical form. Unlike some other avatars of history, he was born aware of his Divine nature. In the …
What is Nature?
On this blog, I write about nature and use terms like nature’s support and true nature. The question came up – what do I mean by “nature”? “Nature” is a big picture word. It refers …
Philosophy
Readers of the blog know I’ve studied world philosophies, particularly Vedic. If you study to higher degrees, you usually end up with a Doctor of Philosophy in your field. The roots of “philosophy” are interesting. …
Shadows and Truth
The key to living a life of peace and bliss is truth, of seeing reality as it is. Truth is the first leg of dharma and one that is being assailed at the moment. There …
The Person
There was a time in India when the householders approach had become universal. The sage Shankara revived the path of renunciation for that small percent who are naturally monks. But then the pendulum swung to …
The Consequences of Attachment
In the Bhagavad Gita, dharma has dropped and 2 opposing sides have drawn up for battle on the Kurukshetra plains of India. Many of the warriors are siddhas, able to hit their targets without fail. …
Huston’s Yogas
I’ve been reading Huston Smith’s World Religions for ordination studies. The book is well-written but dominated by recent academic perspectives of the topic. It offers a general overview of the larger faiths, but I wouldn’t …
What is Devotion?
In this conversation, Kavitha Chinnaiyan speaks with Jacob Kyle of Embodied Philosophy on true devotion. You may recognize his voice from my interview. At first I disagreed with her statements about devotion being required for …
Soma and Agni
Agni is the cosmic fire described in the ancient Rig Veda. It is the first word of the first verse, the force that causes the world to come into being, the outward stroke. Agni has …