by Swami Ramananda

If we pay attention to the world news, I think we can agree that our world is in dire need of more mindfulness, justice, and compassion. ​On an individual level, a deeply– entrenched sense of separation—​and the resulting insecurity—has given rise to so much mistrust and greed ​that we fail to experience the ground of being that we all share. This dynamic, on the large scale of the world stage, has translated into tremendous suffering and great injustice​.

It’s understandable that many feel powerless to bring light into this foreboding darkness that overshadows our world today. Yet the spiritual teachings of many traditions inspire us to engage in the world rather than retreat from it. Many great beings have served as role models for us by taking one step at a time, with compassion and mindfulness, guided by the deeper understanding of our interdependence.

Some of our Integral Yoga Institute of San Francisco community members have decided to focus our energies in this direction as one way to practice compassionate communication. Communicating with genuine care for the well-being of another person is both practical and immediately applicable to our daily lives.

We were inspired by a recent satsang offered by Reverend Kamala Itzel Hayward, who offered a number of concrete steps that we feel can open the doors to deep listening, and problem-solving with open hearts. Here are a few of the principles that we are practicing, some of which come directly from Marshall Rosenberg‘s teachings on Nonviolent Communication.

First, observe the tendency to interpret the facts, which can easily give rise to judgment, anger, or irrational conclusions. For example, we may find ourselves concluding that someone dislikes us when they give us critical feedback. In reality, such remarks may be a way of showing care and a genuine desire for us to grow. Instead of jumping to conclusions, a much better approach is to separate the actual facts from the assumptions we might make based on our past experience.

One thing to be aware of: the mind loves to create stories. The multi-billion dollar per year entertainment industry certainly supports what Yoga science has long known. If you really are unsure what someone’s motives might be, and you feel they would be open to speaking with you about your concerns, you could try the following:

1. Ask the person if they would have time to talk to you.
2. If they agree, you could frame your concerns in the following way: “I hope you can help me navigate an issue that’s arisen. I find that I’m telling myself the following story.” Then, proceed to describe what that story is in as neutral a way as possible adding, “And, before I jump to any conclusions I was hoping you could share your perspective with me about what I just shared.” This leaves the door open to hearing a different perspective or having your interpretation of events verified.

Secondly, when we disagree with someone, there can be a great benefit to reflecting on the needs that this person has. Instead of just focusing on their outward actions, it might make a considerable difference to be curious about the needs behind their point of view. One immediate benefit is that if we show genuine interest in their needs, we may quickly defuse a charged conversation with our intention to understand them in a deeper way. Then, if they can feel we are communicating with compassion in our hearts, they might also open their minds to hearing about our needs and perspectives.

Rev. Kamala told us about a friend of hers who had a potentially charged argument with someone who was in support of building a wall at the US-Mexican border. When Kamala‘s friend asked with compassion and curiosity about the need that this person had behind their support of the wall, the conversation shifted and the two found common ground in the basic need of wanting to protect their families. Once we can understand the need behind someone’s assertions, we are capable of relating to them from the heart instead of simply judging their point of view as wrong. We may be able to dialogue instead about alternative ways to fulfill that need instead of simply deciding they are wrong.

Thirdly, if we approach a disagreement with someone dead set on changing them or showing them where they are wrong, we are unlikely to succeed. Whereas if we can show a genuine concern and respect for their perspective, our dialogue is much more likely to find common ground.

It might sound much simpler and safer to simply avoid conflict and difficult conversations. But doing so may also mean compromising our commitment to practicing ahimsa (non-violence) and satya (truthfulness), as well as the intention to stand up for social justice.

Bringing compassion into a dialogue over polarized points of view has proven to be very powerful, especially when we look at the non-violent activism of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and Thich Nhat Hanh. Every one of us can make an effort to embark upon a pathway of mindful and open communication rather than judging someone’s point of view without understanding what’s behind it.

Rev. Kamala’s friend, Kathy Simons, suggests approaching potentially charged conversations by saying something like, “I think about this a little differently than you. I’d like to hear more about what you’re thinking and if you’re open to it, tell you more about my perspective.” Along with this kind of effort, it’s equally important that we have compassion for ourselves and discern when we are ready to engage in a difficult conversation or when we may be too upset to speak skillfully.

Each aspect of compassionate communication is supported and enhanced by a regular meditative practice that brings clarity and equanimity to the mind. A committed practice will gradually enable us to disengage from the ways our minds construct stories, leading us to define ourselves as separate, thus clinging to narrow perspectives. As we quiet the habitual thoughts that cloud our vision, we can experience a quiet Presence at the core of our being. As our understanding expands, we begin to experience the spiritual truth that each of us has th that same essence-nature. Then, a natural flow of compassion for ourselves and each other can fully blossom.

Join Swami Ramananda, in-person on Friday, May 16 @ 6:30 – 8:00 pm for Yoga for the Soul, Body, and Mind, a 90 minute practice that evenly combines mixed level asana with extended guided meditation and spiritual awareness explorations through a group discussion on yogic topics.

Swami Ramananda, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500, is the Executive Director of the Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco, C-IAYT, and a greatly respected senior teacher in the Integral Yoga tradition who has been practicing Yoga for over 45 years. Ramananda offers practical methods of integrating the timeless teachings and practices of Yoga into daily life and transforming the painful aspects of human experience into steps toward realizing one’s full potential.
He leads beginner, intermediate and advanced-level Yoga teacher training programs in San Francisco and offers a variety of programs in many locations in the U.S., Europe and South America. Ramananda co-developed the Stress Management Teacher Training program with Swami Vidyananda, has trained many teachers to bring Yoga into corporate, hospital and medical settings, and has taught mind/body wellness programs in many locations. He is a certified Yoga therapist and founding board member of the Yoga Alliance, a national registry that supports and promotes yoga teachers as professionals. He co-founded The Spiritual Action Initiative (SAI), which brings together individuals committed to working for social justice for all beings and for the care and healing of our natural world. His warmth, wisdom and sense of humor have endeared him to many.

by Swami Vidyananda

For many years, I’ve given a talk on New Year’s resolutions at our annual Integral Yoga New Year’s Retreat. I focus mainly on setting achievable goals for a regular spiritual practice of poses, breathing, relaxation and meditation. Here’s a few suggestions from that talk:

1. Set a small, reasonable goal for a certain amount of time for each practice you want to do daily. Then immediately cut it in half. That becomes your daily minimum. Try that. If you don’t succeed at that, then cut that time in half. Keep cutting until you find how much you really will do, even if it’s one minute for each practice. Then stick to that as your daily minimum.

For example, Swami Satchidananda recommends meditating a minimum of 15 minutes twice a day for meditation. So, when I started my regular practice, I set a minimum of 15 minutes once a day (which equaled half the time I wanted to do). That’s been my rock solid minimum for many years. Most days I’ll do far more, but if I’m very sick in bed, I lie there and do 15 minutes of japa. Even if the meditation is unfocused, I’ve still met my goal.

Setting a small goal and accomplishing it daily develops will power and gives you confidence in your own power to meet your goals in life, not just in spiritual practice.

2. Have a chart where you check your practice off daily. Studies have shown tracking your progress is one important key to success.
3. Make some small change to your environment to make it easy to do your practice. For example, if you want to do Hatha Yoga daily, leave a mat out in a corner of a room and don’t put it away. Then you can take a few minutes to do Hatha Yoga with no need for any preparation. Researchers found that as little as five minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity a day may have a positive effect on health in the long term.
4. Make your Yoga as yummy as possible. Make it feel as good as you can. You’re more likely to stick with it if you enjoy it while you do it. Challenge yourself for the fun of it.
5. Have a purpose partner, a supportive friend with whom you check in about your progress toward keeping your goals. This is another technique studies have shown to help you meet your goals. It’s best to set it up so you tell them how you did and they don’t express a negative judgment. They don’t offer advice, or chide you, unless you ask them to do so that day. They can offer a gentle word of support.
6. Don’t expect bliss in your practices every day, especially meditation. You’re often just cleaning out what will keep you from being focused and relaxed the rest of the day.

We often make the mistake of giving up if the meditation is unfocused or if painful thoughts come up. We underestimate the immense benefit of getting to know the mind on every level. Carl Jung said, “Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” Our undigested past conditioning leads to knee-jerk reactions that cause so much pain and misunderstanding in our lives. Sitting with your mind for a given amount time, no matter what comes up, is a powerful, life-changing practice. You want to use some self-soothing technique like mantra repetition or simple breath awareness so that the mind knows it is loved and accepted exactly like it is, and it’s safe to let you see what’s going on. When you know your unconscious patterns, you can use the tools of Yoga skillfully to help you change them.

7. Prepare for backsliding. If you remind yourself that most people slip sometimes before they succeed, you’ll be less likely to give up when you do miss a day or a few. You’ll think, “Yes, that’s normal” and get back on the routine vs. telling yourself “I can’t do this!”

All these hints can be summarized in a saying I heard from our Ashram comedian Swami Murugananda: “Start slow, and then taper off.” To which I add: After you taper off, stick with your brief yummy Yoga. If you make it feel good, your minimum will gently, automatically get longer because you’re feeling joy and seeing your good habit build every day.

“Come, come, whoever you are
Wanderer, worshiper, lover of leaving.
It doesn’t matter
Ours is not a caravan of despair.
Come, even if you have broken your vows a thousand times.
Come, yet again, come, come.”
~Rumi

Swami Vidyananda, E-RYT 500, C-IAYT has been practicing Yoga since 1969 and teaching Integral Yoga internationally since 1973. For many years she traveled with Sri Swami Satchidananda serving as his translator into French. She has taught in many therapeutic programs, including for people with cancer, Yoga for university students with eating disorders, and Yoga for children with learning disabilities. She has taught Yoga for Stress Relief around the world. She has served as a Yoga Therapist since 1979. She co-developed the Integral Yoga Stress Management Teacher Training program with Swami Ramananda and has taught it for over 25 years. Swami Vidyananda lives in Yogaville, Virginia, where she teaches meditation, Raja Yoga, and all branches of Integral Yoga. She also serves as chairperson of the Integral Yoga teachers Council, and as director of the Integral Yoga Therapy Training Program.

by Swami Ramananda

As the first signs of spring emerged, I invited a group of sincere seekers to embark on a journey of inner cultivation through a 3-part series called Keys to Sustainable Growth. Just as the earth awakens in spring, offering fertile ground for new life, I encouraged everyone to reflect on the seeds they wished to plant—not only for the season ahead but for the years to come.

We began by envisioning the growth we longed for in our spiritual lives, asking ourselves: What do we hope to cultivate? What experiences do we wish to nurture? I reminded the group that, like any good gardener, we must also take stock of the soil before planting. Only when we honestly assess the current state of our physical, emotional, and intellectual condition can we take meaningful and sustainable steps toward realizing our vision.

Through a guided process of reflection and inquiry, we explored where we stood on our spiritual journey and how best to move forward with clarity and purpose. Each reflection was an opportunity to align our aspirations with reality, ensuring that the seeds we planted would have the strength to take root and flourish in the seasons ahead.

This exploration was not about striving for quick results but about fostering growth that is steady, authentic, and enduring—growth that unfolds in harmony with the natural rhythm of life and leads us ever closer to the fullness of our spiritual potential.

An Invitation to Cultivate Your Vision

These reflections are not merely intellectual exercises—they are seeds that, when nurtured, can lead to lasting transformation. I invite you to take this same journey of inquiry and contemplation. Set aside a quiet moment to reflect on these five guiding steps and allow them to shape your path toward sustainable spiritual growth:

1) Create a vision of how you want to grow, what you want to experience or how you want to feel as you go through your days. Think seriously about what you want to do with the time left in this lifetime.

2) Do an honest assessment of where you are now in relationship to that vision. Where do you feel stuck or struggle to live by what you believe in and your spiritual values? Without judgement or shame, consider your strengths and challenges.

3) Consider one or two small healthy steps you can take right now toward that vision, keeping in mind the obstacles you will face.

4) Find creative ways to support your small steps with some form of reminder or by linking a new habit to an existing habit. Support your efforts with a checklist, a practice partner or someone to share your efforts with. Celebrate your successes.

5) Alongside whatever steps you take, do your best to create a daily meditative practice of some kind, even if it’s very brief. If you pursue this practice with enthusiasm, you can free yourself from all the limiting mental ideas about who you are and what you can experience.

I recommend backing away from ambitious resolves that might make you look good, and instead, searching your heart for goals that are both meaningful and feel healthy. Starting small is a great way to build confidence and will power by being successful.

Just as you would protect a fragile new seedling, it is equally important to protect and support the measurable steps to which you have committed. Attending group scripture study classes, like the ones we offer at most of our Integral Yoga centers, can be a great way to share your efforts and derive support from the personal connections you make there. Attending a weekly Yoga class or group meditation session can be a great way of reinforcing your intention and staying inspired.

Having both an overall intention and specific ways of carrying it in your heart breathes spiritual life into the day. Remembering again and again a higher purpose frees you from being captive to the consumer-oriented messages of our culture. Each step taken in harmony with that higher purpose will strengthen your resolve to progress on the spiritual path. I pray that by practicing this way, all of us will grow more aware of the deep peace and love that is ever-present within as our true nature.

You can join Swami Ramananda this month for any of the events/workshops that he is leading or co-leading:

• Spring into Action: A BIPOC Wellness Retreat and Fundraiser IN-PERSON with with Mia Velez, Celeste Fa’ai’uaso, Dominique dela Cola & April Leung • Sun. APR 6 @ 12:00 – 7:00 pm
• Scripture Study: Raja Yoga – Keys to Sustainable Growth, 3 of 3-part ONLINE • Mon. APR 7 @ 6:00 – 7:00 pm
• Passover Seder IN-PERSON with Jackie Barshak • Sat. APR 12 @ 4:30 – 6:00 pm

Swami Ramananda, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500, is the Executive Director of the Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco, C-IAYT, and a greatly respected senior teacher in the Integral Yoga tradition who has been practicing Yoga for over 45 years. Ramananda offers practical methods of integrating the timeless teachings and practices of Yoga into daily life and transforming the painful aspects of human experience into steps toward realizing one’s full potential.
He leads beginner, intermediate and advanced-level Yoga teacher training programs in San Francisco and offers a variety of programs in many locations in the U.S., Europe and South America. Ramananda co-developed the Stress Management Teacher Training program with Swami Vidyananda, has trained many teachers to bring Yoga into corporate, hospital and medical settings, and has taught mind/body wellness programs in many locations. He is a certified Yoga therapist and founding board member of the Yoga Alliance, a national registry that supports and promotes yoga teachers as professionals. He co-founded The Spiritual Action Initiative (SAI), which brings together individuals committed to working for social justice for all beings and for the care and healing of our natural world. His warmth, wisdom and sense of humor have endeared him to many.

by Kealoha DeLuz

Aloha!

As I delve deeper into my spiritual journey, I’ve come to realize the profound impact of purpose. It’s like having a compass guiding me through the sometimes-turbulent waters of life. You see, I used to feel a bit lost on this path, my efforts feeling scattered and unfocused. My yoga practice felt like a chore, my meditations fleeting and unfulfilling. I was going through the motions, but without a clear direction, my progress felt stagnant.

Then I started to ask myself the crucial question: “Kealoha, why are you on this journey? What are you hoping to achieve?” This simple inquiry opened a door to deeper self-reflection. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali provided valuable guidance. Sutra 1.13 emphasizes the importance of consistent practice (abhyasa). But what fuels this consistency? For me, it’s the deep understanding of my “why.”

I realized that I wasn’t just seeking physical flexibility or stress relief. I yearned for inner peace, a deeper connection to myself and the world around me. I wanted to cultivate compassion and cultivate a sense of gratitude. This clarity of purpose transformed my practice. Each yoga class became an opportunity to cultivate inner strength and connect with my breath. Each meditation became a sacred space for introspection and self-discovery. Every act of kindness, no matter how small, felt like a meaningful step towards my spiritual goals.

Life, as we know, throws curveballs. There are days when doubt creeps in, and the practice feels like a heavy burden. This is where Sutra 1.14 comes in. It reminds me of the importance of sustained effort, with sincerity and without interruptions. My “why” becomes my anchor during these times. It reminds me of the profound sense of peace I experience when I connect with my inner self. It reminds me of the joy of helping others. These reminders give me the strength to overcome obstacles and continue on my path, even when the going gets tough.

Sutra 1.15 speaks of vairagya, or non-attachment. Letting go of distractions and desires that don’t serve my spiritual growth has become easier as I’ve clarified my purpose. My practice has become more meaningful and fulfilling. It’s like I’ve tuned into a higher frequency, where everything I do aligns with my spiritual goals. This deep connection brings me a sense of joy and a profound sense of peace. I find myself less attached to the outcome of my practice and more focused on the journey itself.

So, I encourage you to reflect on your own “why.” What truly drives you on this spiritual journey? What are you hoping to achieve? Take some time to journal, meditate, or simply contemplate what truly matters to you.

Understanding your purpose is not about achieving perfection, but rather cultivating awareness and embracing the present moment. Let your “why” be your guiding light, illuminating your path and empowering you to connect with your true self.

Mahalo and blessings on your journey!

You can join Kealoha DeLuz Ph.D. for Sunday Spiritual Talk: The Power of Purpose in Spiritual Practice happening ONLINE this Sunday, March 16 from 11:00 am – 12:00 pm PDT. $5-$20 or enroll for free, use promo code FREE.

Kealoha Deluz, Ph.D, has been a holistic health practitioner for 30 years, holds a Master of Divinity, Ph.D. in Holistic Studies, and is currently working towards a degree in transpersonal counseling. He has been an Integral Yoga Teacher since 2006 and is a Raja Yoga trainer, advanced level Hatha Yoga, meditation and stress management instructor. Kealoha is a licensed massage therapist, skin care practitioner, and holistic life coach. Kealoha was born and raised on the Big Island of Hawaii, and currently lives and works in San Francisco, California.