3/26/15 - The Dynamic Balance of Ayurveda and Yoga
Felicia Tomasko

Change is a constant element in life. Learn about essential tools that allow us to live in peace, harmony, and joy despite the ever-changing world. In Yoga, balance extends beyond the physical skill we build doing postures to our mind, emotions, and spiritual life. Through Ayurveda, diet and lifestyle practices help us to harmonize our innate constitution so that we experience optimum wellbeing. Felicia Tomasko, Editor-in-chief of LA Yoga Magazine, joins Yogacharya Ellen Grace O’Brian for a conversation about the unique tools and perspectives that Yoga and Ayurveda provide to help balance our lives.

Felicia Tomasko,  RN, E-RYT 500, has been studying and practicing Ayurveda since 1993, and teaching yoga since 1997. In addition to her work in yoga and Ayurveda, Felicia has degrees in nursing and environmental biology and has worked in cognitive neuropsychology and plant biochemistry research at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Felicia’s passion is the integration of yoga and Ayurveda with modern medicine and daily life. She has edited and contributed to numerous books and articles on health, yoga and Ayurveda and medicine. Since 2002, Felicia has worked at LA YOGA Ayurveda and Health magazine where she is currently the editor in chief. Felicia is on the editorial board of Light on Ayurveda Journal, on the board of directors of the California Association of Ayurvedic Medicine, maintains a private Ayurveda and Yoga therapy practice in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, California and teaches Ayurveda and yoga therapy in teacher training programs across the U.S.

3/24/16 - Inner, Outer, and Lasting Beauty
Dr. Manisha Kshirsagar

What is truly beautiful?  How can we each enhance our beauty by being more true to who we really are?  The beauty of all creation is a manifestation of the Divine. Ayurveda and Yoga offer many practices that help us get in touch with our own inner beauty and enhance it on all levels. Tune in for a conversation between our regular guest host Dr. Laurel Trujillo and Dr. Manisha Kshirsagar, an Ayurvedic physician, yoga teacher, and esthetician whose specialties include skin care and natural beauty treatments. Learn how Yoga and Ayurveda can help us express more of our inner beauty to the outer world. We can all experience lasting beauty that is more than skin deep!

Dr. Manisha Kshirsagar, BAMS, LMT, DYA (INDIA), specializes in women and infant health, skin care and natural beauty treatments. She offers regular workshops on Ayurvedic nutrition and cooking, Panchakarma and Herbology.

3/03/16 - Ayurveda for Radiant Health & Spiritual Awakening
Acharya Shunya Pratichi Mathur

Yoga and Ayurveda, sister sciences arising from the Vedas, each offer an entire way of life. Their practices enhance health in a holistic fashion, affecting body, mind, and spirit. Tune in as Acharya Shunya Pratichi Mathur joins Yogacharya Ellen Grace O’Brian from the Center for Spiritual Enlightenment for a discussion of the potential for radiant health and spiritual awakening offered by these ancient systems. Simple, profound, practical. Three key words that describe what we can learn about how to live optimally with Yoga and Ayurveda.

Acharya Shunya Pratichi Mathur, who is the founder of Vedika Global, has dedicated her life to the dissemination of Vedic knowledge for the spiritual upliftment of all beings. She is a distinguished Vedic Scholar, and the living custodian of an eminent Vedic lineage from Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India that has been imparting Ayurveda, Yoga, and Vedanta teaching for generations, in the tradition of classical gurukulam education.

12/03/15 - Healthy Holidays: Flourishing Festivity        
Dr. Vivek Shanbhag     

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!

Dr. Vivek Shanbhag is a Licensed Naturopathic Doctor, Ayurvedic Practitioner, Professor, and Author. He is the Founder & Director of YogaAyurveda.org -Natural Medicine Clinic, Academy & Wellness Spa in San Jose, Mountain View & Los Gatos.  Dr. Shanbhag teaches both nationally and internationally.  He serves on the Board of Directors for the California Association of Ayurvedic Medicine, and is on the Advisory Boards of the Association of Ayurvedic Professionals of North America, Light on Ayurveda Journal and Japan Ayurveda Association. His practice integrates Ayurveda, Naturopathic Medicine, and Yoga Therapy to treat both acute and chronic disorders. Visit www.yogaayurveda.org. 

11/05/15 - Good Sense, Good Science, and Good Practices for Health and Well-being        
Diana Lurie, PhD.

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, PhD., Professor of Neuropharmacology at the University of Montana, joins regular guest host Dr. Laurel Trujillo for a conversation about scientific studies relating to Ayurveda’s food guidelines. Tune in and discover the science behind healthy eating!

Diana Lurie, PhD., is a Professor of Neuropharmacology at The University of Montana, where she directs a research laboratory focusing on central nervous system injury, and the response of the nervous system to natural products, including Ayurvedic herbs. Dr, Lurie maintains active collaborations with other research groups at the University of Washington, the University of Kansas Medical Center, and Laila Pharma, Vijayawada India. Dr. Lurie is an Ayurvedic Practitioner and teaches neuroscience, Anatomy and Physiology, and courses in Ayurveda. She is the editor-in-chief of the Ayurveda Journal of Health. 

3/12/15 - Enjoy Your Life: Lessons from Ayurveda and Yoga
Gwen Nagano  

Among the many benefits of Ayurveda and Yoga is increased enjoyment of life.  Expanding from our awareness that all of life is connected, we develop an increased appreciation of the bounty of life from moment to moment.  Join Yogacharya Ellen Grace O’Brian and Gwen Nagano, President of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association, for a conversation about what Ayurveda and Yoga teach us about the importance of enjoying life. Discover the practical steps you can take right away to experience greater well-being and abundant joy every day.

Gwen Nagano is an Ayurvedic Wellness Practitioner and Educator. Firsthand experience with the day-to-day challenges of practicing the Ayurvedic profession has led Gwen to focus on initiatives to improve Ayurveda standards and availability in the United States. Gwen has been a member of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association since 2008 and currently serves as President and board member, in addition to heading up the steering committee for the Washington Ayurvedic Medical Association.

2/19/15 - Ayurveda, Yoga, and the Power of Community
Devi Mueller

Join co-host Laurel Trujillo and Devi Mueller of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association and for a look at the role of community in Yoga and Ayurveda. Even though Yoga and Ayurveda offer inward-turning practices, they also recognize that the community has an important role to play in supporting our own health, healing, and well-being. As we experience our own wholeness, our communities grow stronger, more resilient, and better able to support others in expressing their own divine potential.

• Learn how Ayurveda views the power of the community in a creating optimal health
• Explore the impact that the Yoga principles of Harmlessness and Non-stealing have when expanded into caring for our community and environment
• Be part of the excitement around the emerging Ayurveda and Yoga communities!

Devi Mueller is an Ayurvedic practitioner with degrees as a Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist and a Master of Ayurveda. A member of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association (NAMA) since 2003, Devi served for several years as a NAMA board member and conference manager. She currently serves as membership manager and is on the conference committee team preparing NAMA’s upcoming 2015 Ayurveda Today Conference

10/09/14 - Expanding the Circle of Caring: Compassion in Yoga & Ayurveda 
Acharya Shunya Pratichi Mathur

Yogacharya O’Brian and Acharya Shunya Pratichi Mathur, founder of Vedika Global, explore the nature of compassion, how yoga and Ayurveda support the evolution of compassion, and what compassion looks like in action. Learn how yoga and Ayurveda are inherently compassionate as they provide ways to alleviate suffering. Open your heart to being peace in our world as we consider these questions:

• What is compassion and why is it important?
• What are some practical ways to show compassion for oneself?
• What are healthy ways to cultivate compassion as a virtue?
• How is compassion based on understanding Truth? 

Acharya Shunya Pratichi Mathur is a tradition-based, classically trained scholar, healer, and teacher of Ayurveda and Vedic sciences. She is the Founder of Vedika Global, Inc., a California-based non-profit Vedic foundation that supports an awarded international School of Ayurveda and Vedic Studies, sponsors community welfare initiatives, and delivers charitable wellness through global projects. She is also the current President of the California Association of Ayurvedic Medicine (CAAM). Acharya Shunya is Advisor to internationally known Mind Body Soul Magazine, Tathaastu Magazine, and Yoga Bharati, and a host of other like-minded organizations that support Vedic sciences. Acharya Shunya’s work has been featured in the San Francisco Chronicle, Yoga Journal, and Tathaastu Magazine. She teaches year-round to medical students and lectures in classrooms, conferences, and seminars worldwide.

9/25/14 - Rekindle Your Life: Stoke Your Digestive Fire 
Dr. Suhas Kshirsagar

How good do you want to feel? How well do you want to be? Join Yogacharya O’Brian and by Dr. Suhas Kshirsagar for an enlivening discussion about Ayurvedic principles for a healthy diet and a clear mind. Learn how a spiritually conscious approach to eating can support radiant health and your ideal weight for the long run.
Rekindle your metabolism & keep your digestive engine burning brightly

• Feel lighter, more energetic, able to accomplish more throughout the day
• Experience fewer cravings and improve your mood and overall attitude
• Establish a new relationship not only with food and eating, but also with yourself!
  

9/04/14 - Regain Balance in Your Life by Overcoming Stress 
Dr. Claudia Welch

Our stress response helps our bodies to respond to perceived threats. However, when stress becomes chronic it can result in an imbalance in our bodies and affect our well-being. Join guest host Dr. Laurel Trujillo in a conversation with Dr. Claudia Welch to discuss ways to regain balance in your life. Dr. Welch has training in both Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine, and wrote the book Balance Your Hormones, Balance Your Life: Achieving Optimal Health and Wellness through Ayurveda, Chinese Medicine, and Western Science.

• Explore the importance of balance in getting and staying healthy
• Learn practices that you can put into place now to rebuild your energy and health
• Discover what foods you should and shouldn't eat when under stress
• Find out the importance of meditation and spiritual practice for regaining balance 

Dr. Claudia Welch is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, an Ayurvedic practitioner and educator, and the author of Balance Your Hormones, Balance Your Life: Achieving Optimal Health and Wellness Through Ayurveda, Chinese Medicine and Western Science. Dr. Welch lectures internationally on Oriental and Ayurvedic medicines and Women’s Health, bringing a depth of knowledge and a sense of joy to her presentations. She has served on the teaching faculty of The Ayurvedic Institute, Kripalu School of Ayurveda, Southwest Acupuncture College, and Acupractice Seminars. Visit drclaudiawelch.com

8/07/14 - Health, Harmony, and Awakening through Ayurveda   
Vishnu Dass 

Ayurveda and Yoga are sister sciences with Vedic roots in ancient India. Yoga recognizes that our body/mind is our vehicle for awakening, and Ayurveda instructs us in the proper maintenance of that vehicle. When we live in harmony with nature, we thrive on all levels. Ayurvedic practitioner Vishnu Dass joins guest-host Dr. Laurel Trujillo for an exploration of how Ayurveda can support our complete well-being, paving the way for natural, radiant health and removing unnecessary obstacles from our own awakening process.

• What is the spiritual and holistic foundation of Ayurveda?
• What is the Ayurvedic approach to health?
• How does an Ayurvedic lifestyle help to heal the world?
• Join us as we explore these questions and dive deeply into Ayurveda as an art of daily living and a science of self-understanding.
  

Vishnu Dass is an Ayurvedic practitioner and herbalist and the owner and director of Blue Lotus Ayurveda. He received his training under the guidance of Dr. Vasant Lad and is a graduate of the Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque, NM. Having served on the board of directors for the National Ayurvedic Medical Association, he remains an honorary lifetime practitioner member. He teaches extensively on Ayurveda and Yoga philosophy for schools of clinical herbalism as well as Yoga retreat centers and teacher training programs. His knowledge in both Eastern and Western herbal traditions combined with years of clinical practice comes together in his practical and inspired new book Ayurvedic Herbology—East & West.

6/06/13 - Rasayana: Elixirs of Rejuvenation for Women’s Wellness 
Acharya Pratichi Mathur

Acharya Pratichi Mathur, Founder and Director of Vedika Global, joins Yogacharya O’Brian for an inspiring exploration of the timeless wisdom, lifestyle practices and spiritual contemplations that are particularly supportive of women’s wellness. Ayurveda offers a comprehensive system for a woman’s well-being through all the seasons and stages of life. Additionally, it offers women Rasayanas, which are special rejuvenating elixirs. By partaking certain divinely-charged Rasayanas, women of all ages can reclaim balance, beauty, and sexual power. 

Acharya Pratichi Mathur is the Founder and Acharya of Vedika Global, dedicated to teaching, living and sharing the spiritually energized science of Ayurveda. Pratichi is the inheritor and documenter of wisdom from a long lineage of Sadhus and scholars devoted to serving humanity through the Vedic Vidyas, significantly Vedanta, Yoga and Ayurveda. Pratichi also serves as Director on the Board of Tathaastu So Be It magazine and also on the Board of Directors of California Association of Ayurvedic Medicine 

1/31/13 - Ayurveda: Principles and Practice For Spiritual Growth 
Cynthia Ambika Copple

Generally understood as a path to healing and wellness, Ayurveda which means “life knowledge” is actually a comprehensive approach to well-being that includes our spiritual development. Cynthia Ambika Copple, Dean of Mt. Madonna Institute College of Ayurveda, joins Yogacharya O’Brian to share some of the essential principles and practices of Ayurveda that support spiritual growth. Learn what you can do that will quicken your spiritual awakening. 

Cynthia Ambika Copple, Dean of Mount Madonna Insititute College of Ayurveda and Director of Lotus Holistic Health Institute, is one of the earliest American-trained practitioners of Ayurveda (since 1982). Trained by renowned 8th generation Vaidya Dr. R. P. Trivedi in over 2,000 hours in the US and India, and a Practitioner since 1982, she is a compassionate and skillful master of pulse reading, holistic ssessment, Ayurvedic herbal remedies and nutritional counseling. She is a founding Board Member and Past President of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association.

7/19/12 - Divine Fitness: The Path of Optimal Health, Peace of Mind, and Joyful Living
Dr. Marc Halpern  

Dr. Marc Halpern, teacher of Ayurvedic medicine, joins Rev. O’Brian for a look at how to unlock our healing potential through self-awareness and conscious living. Discover how the sciences of Ayurveda and Yoga come together to provide a comprehensive map for optimal well-being—physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. 

Dr. Marc Halpern is the founder and president of the California College of Ayurveda. One of the pioneers of Ayurveda in the West, he is a co-founder of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association and also a co-founder of the California Association of Ayurvedic Medicine. Dr. Halpern has written extensively on Ayurveda, including two textbooks, numerous articles, and the recently published book Healing Your Life: Lessons on the Path of Ayurveda. In addition to his work with the California College of Ayurveda, Dr. Halpern is a certified yoga instructor and a regular teacher of Ayurveda at International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers worldwide. www.ayurvedacollege.com 

12/15/11 - Thrive in Winter: Principles and Practices for Complete Well-Being 
Vishnu Dass 

Vishnu Dass, Ayurvedic practitioner, joins Rev. Ellen Grace O’Brian from the Center for Spiritual Enlightenment on The Yoga Hour online broadcast for a timely conversation on how to thrive in winter. Conscious living includes tuning into the changing of the seasons and learning how to cooperate with nature in ways that contribute to complete well-being. The ancient science of Ayurveda offers lifestyle routines for diet, exercise, rest, and self-care appropriate to the seasons. 

Vishnu Dass (NTS, LMT, CAyu) started studying Ayurveda in 1992 under the guidance of Dr. Vasant Lad, world renowned Ayurvedic physician and teacher at the Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque, NM. 

Vishnu is also a graduate of the New Mexico School of Natural Therapeutics in Albuquerque, NM. He had previously studied with herbalist Michael Tierra at the American School of Herbalism in Santa Cruz, CA. He is a former Board Member of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association (NAMA) and was granted a Lifetime Professional Membership for his service to that Board. 

He has been in clinical practice for over 12 years, treating people of all ages. He is a highly skilled herbalist who specializes in both the treatment and prevention of disease, including digestive disorders, skin diseases, allergies, arthritis, auto immune diseases, liver disorders, diabetes, hypertension, and many other chronic and severe conditions. 

Vishnu has published several articles on Ayurveda and yoga, both on local and national publications, including Light on Ayurveda Journal, New Life Journal, and Integrative Health and Healing, amongst others. 

7/14/11 - Ojas: The Key to Radiance and Vitality
Cynthia Ambika Copple

Ojas is the physical counterpart to subtle energy. As the pure essence of our bodies’ tissues, it supports and maintains the immune system and enhances our strength and vitality. It is an essential part of our experience of bliss and shines forth as radiance. Join Yogacharya O’Brian and Cynthia Ambika Copple, Ayurvedic practitioner and Director of Lotus Holistic Health Institute, to learn how to increase ojas.

Cynthia Ambika Copple, B.A., C.M.P, Dean of Mount Madonna Insititute College of Ayurveda and Director of Lotus Holistic Health Institute, is one of the earliest American-trained practitioners of Ayurveda (since 1982). Trained by renowned 8th generation Vaidya Dr. R. P. Trivedi in over 2,000 hours in the US and India, and a Practitioner since 1982, she is a compassionate and skillful master of pulse reading, holistic assessment, Ayurvedic herbal remedies and nutritional counseling. She is Dean of Mount Madonna Institute College of Ayurveda and a Founding Board Member of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association.

11/04/10 - Actualize Your Full Potential: The Place Where Yoga and Ayurveda Meet
Cynthia Ambika Copple

Learn how the traditions of Yoga and Ayurveda work together for optimum health, spiritual knowledge and ultimate freedom. Ayurveda’s practical focus on healthy living shares the same philosophical underpinnings as Yoga’s system for spiritual realization.

Cynthia Ambika Copple, B.A., C.M.P, Dean of Mount Madonna Insititute College of Ayurveda and Director of Lotus Holistic Health Institute, is one of the earliest American-trained practitioners of Ayurveda (since 1982). Trained by renowned 8th generation Vaidya Dr. R. P. Trivedi in over 2,000 hours in the US and India, and a Practitioner since 1982, she is a compassionate and skillful master of pulse reading, holistic assessment, Ayurvedic herbal remedies and nutritional counseling. She is Dean of Mount Madonna Institute College of Ayurveda and a Founding Board Member of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association.