The Yoga Hour

The Language of the Gods: What Sanskrit Can Offer Us Today

Sanskrit, the original language of yoga, is frequently encountered today by students of yoga philosophy, meditation, asana, and pranayama. Indira and Shanta Bulkin, founders of the East West Sanskrit Institute, join Yogacharya O’Brian in a conversation about the many benefits of studying Sanskrit.
·      Learn about Sanskrit as the “science of vibration”
·      Find out how chanting Sanskrit can calm the mind and facilitate meditation
·      Discover how to pronounce commonly mispronounced Sanskrit words in yoga and Ayurveda
Tune in and find out what the study of Sanskrit can bring to your yoga and meditation practice!    

Ageless Wisdom, Lifelong Yoga Practice

What does yoga offer us through all of our life stages? Yoga’s highest goal is ageless: self-realization, realizing our essential spiritual nature. Regardless of our age, physical ability, or level of flexibility, yoga has so much to offer us! Tune in as Lilias Folan, pioneering yoga teacher and author of Lilias! Yoga: Your Guide to Enhancing Body, Mind, and Spirit in Midlife and Beyond, joins regular guest host Dr. Laurel Trujillo for a conversation about how yoga gets better with age, and aging is better with yoga.
 

Mudra for Healing, Rejuvenation, and Transformation

Is there a simple tool that can help us improve our health, strengthen our energy, and deepen our spiritual practice? The ancient science of mudra, including hand gestures, offers us a rich opportunity to bring our body, mind, and spirit into harmony. Based on the theory of five elements, the hands contain a map of the body and mind. Because the hands are a microcosm that reflect the macrocosm of creation and its Source, the practice of mudras can help us balance, harmonize, and heal. Tune in as Indu Arora, author of Mudra: The Sacred Secret, joins Dr. Laurel Trujillo, regular guest host of The Yoga Hour, for a conversation about mudra and what this ancient practice offers us today.

Natural and Effortless: Meditation for Everyone

Meditating can be as natural as water flowing downhill or a leaf gently floating to the ground. Are you being held back from a regular meditation practice because you think meditation is too difficult or requires too much discipline? Tune in for a conversation between regular guest host Dr. Laurel Trujillo and Dean Sluyter, author of Natural Meditation: A Guide to Effortless Meditative Practice, and learn how simple meditation can be. 
•           Find out how anyone can settle naturally into meditation, where there is no “trying,” just being
•           Explore several natural meditation techniques and see which ones suit you best
•           Discover practical tips for adapting meditation to your daily life
•           Learn how to access the peace that lies at the depth of your being, regardless or external circumstances

Experience Prosperity by Balancing Your Environment

What makes a room or a building feel uplifting? Is there anything we can do to make our environment more supportive? The ancient science of Vastu Shastra shows us how to align our buildings with the forces of nature to reduce stress in our bodies, and increase our contentment and abundance. It’s yoga for your home and office! Tune in as Yogacharya Ellen Grace O’Brian speaks with Robin and Michael Mastro, leaders in Vastu Shastra, the sacred Vedic science of architectural alignment. Learn economical tips you can put into place for a stress-free, prosperous life.

Invitation to Authenticity: The Way of Mindful Education

What is the greatest gift we can give ourselves and our children? What if there were a very simple process that would help kids have enhanced well-being, higher test scores, and reduced impulsivity? What are we waiting for? Let’s dive right in and explore the wonderful new field of mindful education with Yogacharya Ellen Grace O’Brian and special guest Daniel Rechtschaffen, author of The Way of Mindful Education: Cultivating Well-Being in Teachers and Students.  
• What are the qualities of a mindful teacher?
• How can mindfulness be used to cultivate greater compassion?
• How can we learn to focus our attention and relax at the same time?
Tune in for the answers to these questions and many more as we learn simple awareness practices for self-care for all ages. 

The Yoga of Sacred Conversation

Yoga means "union, coming together, connecting with the sacred nature of life." Each heartfelt conversation opens the door to experiencing and expressing our authentic self as we allow others the same opportunity to reveal their own truth. When we join together in sacred conversation, transformation becomes possible for individual lives, for our community, and for the world. Regular guest host Dr. Laurel Trujillo is joined by special guest Cecile Andrews, community educator and author of Living Room Revolution, for a conversation about coming together to create a new culture of caring and collaboration. Learn practical tips and concrete strategies for creating a joyful community through the ancient art of conversation. Discover how conscious communication can help us to enrich our own lives at the same time as making the world a better place. 
 

Karma Yoga: Serving the One in All

Swami Sri Yukteswar cautioned students that self-realization is not selfish realization. The awakened life naturally unfolds as selfless service. Through her own trauma-informed yoga workshops for service providers and the nonprofit organization Off the Mat, Into the World, Hala Khouri inspires and encourages others to be conscious leaders of change. If you have wondered how your yoga practice can support making a positive difference in the lives of others, tune in for a conversation between Hala Khouri and regular guest host Dr. Laurel Trujillo, and be inspired to express your yoga as service in the world. Learn why, if you want to heal the world, you have to start with healing yourself.  

Live the Eternal Way and Awaken to Your Full Potential

Within each of us lies a vast inheritance: our connection to unlimited joy, unshakable peace, lasting happiness, and abundant creativity. The Eternal Way refers to a set of principles that can show us who we are and how to live a life in harmony with our essential spiritual nature in a sacred world. Through the tools of yoga we can go beyond studying our inner potential to experiencing it directly. Join Yogacharya Ellen Grace O’Brian and regular guest host Dr. Laurel Trujillo for a conversation about finding your true purpose and prospering in all areas of your life. Tune in and learn about the steps you can take to live well and awaken to your full potential.

Stronger and Wiser: The Yoga of Blossoming Through Adversity

What life skills does yoga help us develop that allow us to not only survive life’s challenging times, but to grow stronger and wiser? Mark Matousek’s book When You’re Falling, Dive: Lessons in the Art of Living presents many examples of how people use viriditas, the power of drawing passion, beauty, and wisdom from the unlikeliest places, to face difficult times. Mark will join Yogacharya Ellen Grace O’Brian for a conversation about how yoga and viriditas can help us to get back up when we fall and plumb adversity for its transformative potential.