At the core of everyone is a Self which is the seat of consciousness. This is our source of empowerment. From birth, this Self has all the necessary qualities of compassion, perspective, curiosity, acceptance and confidence to lead through life.

Ishvara pranidhana, or surrender, presupposes that we are part of something larger – call it God, spiritual energy, or life. It is believed this force is greater than us and wants us to thrive. If you think of this “energy” as nature, it’s easy to…

Mindfulness brings vivid awareness to your behavior, your being and your past. It give you a chance to rework the beliefs, feelings and images that help determine who you are and provides a grounded yet spacious container for deeper self-understanding.

Self-study, or svadhyana, is about knowing our true identity. It requires us to look at what’s happening inside. The world and others reflect back to us what we are seeing, not what is actually there. In other words, people and events don’t disappoint us, our…

Certain individuals and groups are engaged in the struggle to rediscover our world. They are struggling against terror, politics, despair, loss, limitations, disease, cruelty, and loneliness. To some the struggle is to find God, to others it is to deny God. Eyes open or closed, those who are searching can still see the light.

The discipline of Tapas molds us into someone of great depth and profoundness. Can we stand the heat of being dismantled and changed forever? Can we prepare ourselves daily through our practice, our staying power, and our choices? Our choices will decide.

As a child, you were pure, wide-eyed and open to the world. Slowly, over time, you internalized both the positive and negative voices around you. As we get older, the negative voices echo the loudest. So your first step is to reconnect with the kid in you who felt confident early on.

Westerners are always on the move. We’re often on the lookout for the next thing. When we’re small, we can’t wait to be big. When we’re at work, we can’t wait for vacation. Our minds are usually anywhere but the present moment. We consume, covet and control continually and it’s draining us, which only perpetuates the cycle of seeking THE thing to bring us joy.

Nothing about human life is simple.  Our character styles, or ways of being, are influenced by many factors that are embodied, being shaped by, and in turn shaping the body structure.

Meditation might be your prescription for a happier mind and kinder heart, a new University of Wisconsin-Madison study shows. Scientists worked with 16 Tibetan monks and 16 meditation novices, giving the beginners lessons on compassion meditation two weeks prior to a series of brain scan experiments.