The Yoga Hour

Awakening Through Kriya Yoga: In the Presence of Paramahansa Yogananda

What was it like to study with the great yoga master Paramahansa Yogananda? Roy Eugene Davis, one of Paramahansa Yogananda’s last living direct disciples, joins Yogacharya O’Brian for an inspiring conversation about his years with his guru. Learn what Yogananda emphasized as essential for spiritual awakening, how he advised his disciples, and some of the ways he inspired others to live in the highest way. Discover why the Kriya Yoga taught by Yoganandaji is a path of Self- and God-realization especially relevant to truth seekers today.

Calm and Focused: How Meditation Changes Your Brain

Decades ago, Paramahansa Yogananda taught that the practice of meditation made positive changes in the brain as well as the mind. Now science can show what this meditation master knew from his own experience before there were instruments to measure such changes. Neuroscience research today has shown many differences in the brains of long-term meditators. How does meditation change our brain structure and function? What do these changes mean? Anyone who practices meditation is soon aware of the benefits of increased calm, peacefulness, and improved ability to focus. Tune in as Martin Wuttke, Neurofeedback practitioner and researcher, joins Yogacharya Ellen Grace O’Brian and find out more about how these beneficial changes can change our life for good.
 

The Times of Your Life: Exploring Vedic Astrology

Jyotish, or Vedic astrology, helps us comprehend how the macrocosm of the universe impacts the microcosm of our individual lives. Jyotish gives us a map of our lives and allows us to understand the tools we have been given. How can we use this knowledge for personal growth and greater spiritual awareness? Tune in for a conversation between Vedic Astrologer Komilla Sutton and Yogacharya Ellen Grace O’Brian. Discover how Jyotish can help you in your life today.

One Truth Known by Many Names: The Interspiritual Imperative of Yoga and Vedanta

What do yoga and Vedanta have to teach us about honoring all spiritual traditions and the roles diverse religions can play in building peace in our world? Swami Vivekananda and Paramahansa Yogananda both modeled an interspiritual approach. How have the seeds they planted helped to build the Interspiritual movement that is growing today? What practices do yoga and Vedanta offer that allow us to find the common ground at the mystical core of all religions? Swami Mahayogananda, from the Vedanta Society of Southern California, joins Yogacharya O’Brian to explore the interspiritual imperative of yoga and Vedanta. Tune in to discover how yoga and Vedanta are building bridges that contribute to our awakening world.

Healthy Holidays: Flourishing Festivity

Would you like to stay healthy during the busy winter holiday season? Are there tips to keep our inner light shining while we shop and travel? Both Ayurveda and yoga include practices that help us maintain our health and balance, despite seasonal changes and regardless of the activities we need to perform. Tune in for a conversation with Dr. Vivek Shanbhag, naturopathic physician and Ayurvedic practitioner, and Dr. Laurel Trujillo, regular guest host, about flourishing throughout the holiday season and into the new year. Learn to thrive with festivity! 

Discover Happiness on Your Spiritual Journey

What is it that makes us truly happy? How do we find happiness that lasts? The traditions of Taoism and yoga each describe life as a spiritual journey, full of meaning and undertaken with specific purpose. Along the way we discover peace, joy, well-being, and lasting happiness. Derek Lin, author of The Tao of Happiness: Stories From Chuang Tzu for Your Spiritual Journey, joins regular guest host Dr. Laurel Trujillo for a conversation that draws from the insights and practices of yoga and Taoism to guide us on our journey. Tune in and explore how you can experience lasting happiness along the way. 

The Yoga Sutra and You: A Look at What Patanjali Offers Us Today

Where did Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras come from? How are they being used today? What is their potential in the future? Students of yoga now encounter Patanjali's Yoga Sutras in a variety of contexts, including yoga teacher training programs, university classes, yoga studios, meditation centers, and bookshops. There are many translations of these sutras, as well as commentaries; some from long ago, and some written recently. How can we respect tradition while applying this ancient wisdom to our lives today? Edwin Bryant, Ph.D., professor of Hinduism at Rutgers University and author of a new translation and commentary on Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, joins Yogacharya Ellen Grace O’Brian for a conversation about the sutras’ relevance in today’s world. Tune in to discover how this classic text can help you on your quest to meditate more skillfully and live a spiritually conscious life.
 

Good Sense, Good Science, and Good Practices for Health and Well-Being

Have you ever wondered if some of the practices recommended for a yogic and Ayurvedic way of life make practical sense or agree with science? Should you have ice in your water or not? Does it really matter? What does science actually say about eating food that is frozen, microwaved, or processed with chemical additives? Diana Lurie, Ph.D., professor of neuropharmacology at the University of Montana, joins regular guest host Dr. Laurel Trujillo for a conversation about scientific studies related to Ayurveda’s food guidelines. Tune in and discover the science behind healthy eating!

Sublime Attitudes That Work for All

How can we get along better with other people? How should we treat ourselves? What practices will improve our relationship with all of creation? How can we cultivate attitudes that will ultimately lead to a more satisfying life? Join Yogacharya O’Brian and Tim Olmsted, president of the Pema Chodron Foundation, as they explore four sublime attitudes found in the wisdom traditions of Buddhism and yoga: friendliness, compassion, gladness, and equanimity. Learn how you can put these practices to work in your own life for more happiness and less suffering for all.  

Three Steps Into the Temple of Bliss

Superconscious meditation is meditation that frees us from suffering and allows us to experience the natural bliss of our own soul. The secret to success in superconscious meditation is found in the last three limbs of yoga’s eight-limbed path. Those interior limbs, concentration (dharana), meditation (dhyana), and oneness (samadhi), help us to experience and realize the superconsciousness that is natural to us all. Tune in to the conversation between Yogacharya Ellen Grace O’Brian and Stephen Sturgess, author of Raja and Kriya Yoga, and learn how you can enter into your own temple of bliss.