Reflections on Early Days – Swami Sukhananda/Jayne Boys in Canterbury
A Sacred Beginning (1988)I first met Swami Sukhananda in the summer of 1988. It was long before we both became Swamis. We were Jayne Boys and Susan Oughtred in those days. She had just spent 11 months at Yasodhara Ashram, having taken part in the YDC, then staying on to offer Karma Yoga. She came […]
When Grief is Born of Love: A Spiritual Reflection on Impermanence and Community
There is the old Buddhist parable about Kisa Gotami, a grieving mother whose only son has died. In her anguish, she asks the Buddha to restore him to life. He instructs her to bring him a single mustard seed from a household untouched by death. As she goes from door to door, she discovers that […]
Yoga Is Now: Reconciling Spiritual Longing with Everyday Life
In this new episode of Ask A Swami, Swami Samayananda discusses life inside and outside of the Ashram, and how Karma Yoga can be woven into everyday living. Reflecting on her own experience of working in the world, she shares the powerful teaching that “Yoga Is Now,” emphasizing the importance of living the practice and integrating the […]
Courage to Change: Weaving Qualities of the Heart
Dear Reader: Shortly after writing this blog, two amazingly courageous women of the East Shore community in which the Ashram is situated, passed away. Janet Wallace, creator of Barefoot Handweaving and community organizer for artisans, businesses and non-profits alike, died peacefully Jan. 3 after living valiantly with ALS. Sadly, our dear friend Megan Rokeby-Thomas died […]
Karma Yoga: Walking the Path to Wisdom
At the Ashram we are in a transition time, which the season of fall is mirroring. Each day there is change—the snowline creeps down from mountain tops, a cool wind stirs up waves on the lake, the golden and flame coloured leaves fall from trees, vibrant against the billowing dark blue grey clouds. Reflecting about […]
A Swami’s Advice to Younger Self
In this podcast episode of Ask A Swami, Swami RadhaTarananda, a disciple of Swami Radha, reflects on the advice she would give to her younger self at the beginning of her spiritual journey. She speaks about what faith means to her and the power of reflection, emphasizing her guru’s example of living on faith as she […]
Abundance and Gratitude: The Gifts of a Spiritual Life
It’s autumn now at the Ashram. A few days after the Equinox the seasons suddenly shifted from a summery warmth to cool crisp days. And now the sun is setting at 6:30 so that by the time I walk to the Temple for satsang it’s dark. Yet, it seems that this change is balanced by […]
How do you navigate a relationship while nurturing spiritual life and practice?
In this episode of Ask A Swami, Katie sits down with Swami Matananda to explore how to be in a relationship while nurturing spiritual life and practice. Drawing on her lived experience, Swami Matananda reflects on being in a partnership, living at the Ashram and Swami Radha’s guidance. Swami Matananda shares practices she’s explored with […]
Not Alone: Finding Connection Together in Live Online Yoga
As I settle into September, the days are getting shorter and the morning air carries a little more crispness. This season invites deep reflection, a sense of focus and a reassessment of what it means to be in the world while nurturing my spiritual practice. Seasonal transitions remind me of the changes happening all around, […]
Inner Peace and World Peace: Reaching for a World of Peace and Harmony
“If we can experience the world as Light and vibration, can we then accept all paths and religions as unique expressions of that oneness? If we first understand ourselves – our inner world and the impact of our own thoughts and choices on the world – can we then create the kind of world we […]