4/23/15 - Breathe Easy with Pranayama    
Amy Wheeler, Ph.D.  

Breathing is essential to life, and unique in that breathing can either happen unconsciously or be controlled deliberately. Pranayama, or conscious breath regulation, is one of the eight limbs of yoga described in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, the primary text of classical yoga. Amy Wheeler, Ph.D., Professor of Kinesiology at California State University at San Bernardino, yoga therapist, and yoga teacher trainer, joins The Yoga Hour’s co-host, Dr. Laurel Trujillo, for a conversation about pranayama.

• Find out about the proven health benefits of pranayama
• Learn how pranayama can help you adjust your moods • Explore the effects of pranayama to calm and steady the mind
• Tune in and begin to breathe easier!

Amy Wheeler, Ph.D., is on the Board of Directors for the International Association of Yoga Therapists. Over the last 25 years, Amy’s life purpose has been to educate people in yoga, psychology and wellness. Amy has studied yoga and yoga therapy in India, Europe and the United States. During the past 15 years, Amy studied extensively in the T. Krishnamacharya Tradition. Amy has been certified as a yoga teacher, yoga teacher trainer and yoga therapist in this tradition. Prior to this, Amy completed teacher training certifications in several internationally popular styles of yoga and yoga therapy. Amy teaches Yoga Therapy at the Loyola Marymount University Yoga Rx Program, and is on the LMU Faculty offering one of the first Masters Degree Programs in Yoga in the United States. Visit amywheeler.com.

9/18/14 - Spiritual Practice in the Kriya Yoga Tradition: Insights from Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra (Part 2) 
Roy Eugene Davis

Intentional living supports our complete well-being and spiritual fulfillment. Find out why self-discipline, study of higher realities, and surrender of the illusional sense of self are essential for spiritual progress and realization. Roy Eugene Davis, a direct disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda and author of The Science of Self-Realization, a commentary on the Yoga Sutra, joins Yogacharya O’Brian for this second conversation in a two part series on spiritual practice for enlightened living.

Roy Eugene Davis was born in 1931 in Ohio and grew up in a farming community. When he was 18 years of age, he read Paramahansa Yogananda's Autobiography of a Yogi and immediately sensed a spiritual connection with Yogananda and the kriya yoga tradition. In December 1949, he traveled to Los Angeles, California, to meet his guru (teacher) and was accepted for monastic discipleship training. Mr. Davis was ordained by Paramahansa Yogananda in 1951 and was appointed as the minister of the Phoenix, Arizona, Self-Realization Fellowship Center in March 1952. In late 1953, aware of a need to learn to live effectively in the secular world, he withdrew from the organization--but not from his relationship with the kriya yoga tradition or his commitment to serve. After 2 years in the U.S. Army Medical Corps at Fort Riley, Kansas, he began his mission as an independent teacher. Since then, he has taught in more than 100 cities in North America and in Japan, Brazil, Europe, West Africa, and India. Some of his books are published in 10 languages and in 11 countries. He is also the publisher of Truth Journal magazine and writes monthly lessons for CSA members around the world.

9/11/14 - Spiritual Practice in the Kriya Yoga Tradition: Insights from Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra (Part 1) 
Roy Eugene Davis

Learn about superconscious states—what they are, why they are important, the various ways they can be realized, and how to overcome obstacles that may impede your progress in meditation. Roy Eugene Davis, a direct disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda and author of The Science of Self-Realization, a commentary on the Yoga Sutra, joins Yogacharya O’Brian for a two part series on spiritual practice for enlightened living.

Roy Eugene Davis was born in 1931 in Ohio and grew up in a farming community. When he was 18 years of age, he read Paramahansa Yogananda's Autobiography of a Yogi and immediately sensed a spiritual connection with Yogananda and the kriya yoga tradition. In December 1949, he traveled to Los Angeles, California, to meet his guru (teacher) and was accepted for monastic discipleship training. Mr. Davis was ordained by Paramahansa Yogananda in 1951 and was appointed as the minister of the Phoenix, Arizona, Self-Realization Fellowship Center in March 1952. In late 1953, aware of a need to learn to live effectively in the secular world, he withdrew from the organization--but not from his relationship with the kriya yoga tradition or his commitment to serve. After 2 years in the U.S. Army Medical Corps at Fort Riley, Kansas, he began his mission as an independent teacher. Since then, he has taught in more than 100 cities in North America and in Japan, Brazil, Europe, West Africa, and India. Some of his books are published in 10 languages and in 11 countries. He is also the publisher of Truth Journal magazine and writes monthly lessons for CSA members around the world.

8/14/14 - Wisdom of the Yoga Sutra: Radiant Living Is Your Birthright! 
Pandit Rajmani Tigunait
Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra is the primary text of classical yoga. Written over 2,000 years ago, it offers timeless teachings of Truth— the truth of our inner divinity and innate luminosity. Yogacharya O’Brian is joined by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, for an enlightening conversation about the wisdom of the Yoga Sutra: how to be free here & now, and experience our everlasting self-luminous joy. This episode will focus on “Samadhi Pada,” the first chapter of the Sutra, which explains the goal of Yoga and the essentials of spiritual practice.

• What is the nature of the mind and how can we use it wisely?
• How can we eliminate acquired & self-defeating tendencies?
• How can we live life to our fullest potential?
• Listen and learn how you can benefit from the time-honored answers contained in the Yoga Sutra. 

Spiritual head of the Himalayan Institute, Pandit Rajmani Tigunait is the successor of Swami Rama of the Himalayas and a regular contributor to Yoga International magazine. He has been lecturing and teaching worldwide for more than a quarter of a century and is the author of fourteen books, including his autobiography Touched by Fire and At the Eleventh Hour: The Biography of Swami Rama of the Himalayas. Pandit Tigunait holds two doctorates: one in Sanskrit from the University of Allahabad in India, and another in Oriental Studies from the University of Pennsylvania. Family tradition gave Pandit Tigunait access to a vast range of spiritual wisdom preserved in both the written and oral traditions. In 1976, Swami Rama ordained Pandit Tigunait into the 5,000-year-old lineage of the Himalayan Masters.

7/24/14 - Refresh Your Mind with Pratyahara   
Pandit Vamadeva Shastri and Yogini Shambhavi 

Are you suffering from sensory overload? Do you yearn for more inner peace? Tune in and learn how pratyahara can help. Pratyahara, often translated as withdrawal of the senses, is that and much more. Pandit Vamadeva Shastri and Yogini Shambhavi of the American Institute of Vedic Studies join Yogacharya O’Brian to share insights and practices from pratyahara, the fifth limb of Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga.

• Discover how you can use pratyahara to take better control of your life and open up to your own inner being.
• Find out why some great yogis consider this neglected limb of yoga to be the most important limb of all.
• Learn techniques for nourishing and protecting the mind including mantra.
• Less stress and more joy are ours as we make conscious choices to direct our mind and our senses in ways that support our peace, clarity, and complete wellbeing.
  

Vedacharya David Frawley (Pandit Vamadeva Shastri) is a western born teacher in the Vedic tradition. In India, Vamadeva is recognized as a Vedacharya (Vedic teacher), and includes in his scope of studies Ayurveda, Yoga, Vedanta and Vedic astrology, as well as the ancient Vedic texts. Vamadeva is the author of more than thirty books available in twenty languages worldwide, including Yoga & Ayurveda: Self-Healing and Self-Realization--the first book published in the West on the interface between Yoga and Ayurveda.

Yogini Shambhavi is a mystic Yogini, guide and teacher rooted in the ancient teachings and traditions of Shakti worship. As an important woman teacher in the Shakti tradition of India and the Himalayas, she aims to draw one to the deeper ‘Yogic Reality’, helping to awaken the universal power of nurturing within us. Yogini Shambhavi has authored two books on the Mother Goddess in India as well as two powerful Mantra chanting CDs in the traditional style. 

6/12/14 - Cultivate Contentment and Change Your Brain
Rick Hanson, Ph.D.

Join Yogacharya Ellen Grace O’Brian from the Center for Spiritual Enlightenment and guest neuropsychologist Rick Hanson, Ph.D., for a conversation about practical ways to cultivate contentment that result in hardwiring happiness in our brains.

• Learn about developments in neuroscience that show how repetitive thoughts and emotions create new brain structure.
• Build a new practice to cultivate contentment in a way that can change your brain.
• Discover a practical technique that will help you “take in the good.” 

When we develop a practice of “taking in the good,” the negativity bias of our brains can be overcome as we increase our contentment, calm, and self-confidence.

Rick Hanson, Ph.D., is a neuropsychologist and author of Buddha's Brain, Just One Thing, Mother Nature, and the recently published bestseller Hardwiring Happiness. Founder of the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom and an Affiliate of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley. Rick has been an invited speaker at Oxford, Stanford, and Harvard universities and has taught at meditation centers worldwide. He has a popular free newsletter, Just One Thing, and a regular blog, Your Wise Brain, at Psychology Today & Huffington Post. Visit www.rickhanson.net.

10/24/13 - Yamas: The Yogic Keys to Enlightened Leadership
Rev. Lakshmi Barsel, Ph.D.

Rev. Lakshmi Barsel, teacher of Integral Yoga in the tradition of Sri Swami Satchidananda, joins Yogacharya O’Brian for this exploration of how the universal spiritual disciplines of the yamas—harmlessness, truthfulness, non-stealing, right use of vital force, and non-acquiring or nonattachment—provide an unshakable foundation for enlightened leadership. In this Centennial Year honoring Sri Swami Satchidananda, we will look at how his life and work exemplified the virtues of the yamas and contributed to his influence as a spiritual leader. 

Rev. Lakshmi Barsel, has taught Integral Yoga to people of all ages and walks of life for over 30 years. Besides teaching classes in Gentle Yoga, Hatha Yoga I & II, meditation and pranayama, and serving as spiritual director for silent retreats, Lakshmi teaches specialized teacher trainings, such as Raja Yoga and meditation, and ongoing scripture classes. She has a Ph.D. in Linguistic Anthropology and presently serves as the Yogaville Director of Program Development and Advertising.

11/15/12 - One with the One: Superconscious Meditation for Spiritual Realization and Enlightened Living
Swami Atmavidyananda

Swami Atmavidyananda from the Kriya Yoga Institute joins Rev. O’Brian for an in-depth exploration of the practice of Samadhi, or Superconscious Meditation.  Samadhi is the culmination of Patanjali’s Eight Limbed Path and the beginning of a life of liberation and unconditional joy. It is for every person who would walk the path of enlightened living. 

Swami Atmavidyananda, a senior monk in the lineage of Paramahamsa Hariharananda and Paramahamsa Prajnanananda, is currently Vice President of the Kriya Yoga Institute. He met Paramahamsa Hariharanand and was initiated into Kriya Yoga in 1994. After completing his professional responsibilities, in 2002, he dedicated his life fulltime to the cause of spiritual practice and joined the Hariharananda Gurukulam under the auspices of Paramahamsa Prajnanananda. Since 2006 Swami Atmavidyananda has travelled extensively in North America, South America, Europe and Asia to guide seekers on the path of Kriya Yoga.  

11/08/12 - Meditation: The Royal Path of Awakening
Swami Bodhananda Sarasvati

Meditation connects us with our inner power--it is a gateway to joy, peace and spiritual realization. Swami Bodhananda Sarasvati, Spiritual Director of the Sambodh Society, joins Rev. O'Brian for an inspiring and instructive conversation about this essential spiritual practice. Discover why it is so important and how you can begin, or enhance, your practice right away.

Swami Bodhananda Saraswati is an accomplished teacher of Vedanta, meditation, and management.  He is the founder and spiritual director of the Sambodh Society with its ashram and headquarters in Kalamazoo, Michigan.  He also directs several other ashrams and organizations, including the Bodhananda Research Foundation for Management and Leadership Studies in India.  He is the author of twenty books. Among his widely read books are Meditation: The Awakening of Inner Powers; Self Unfoldment in an Interactive World; Seven Hindu Spiritual Laws of Success; The Gita and Management; Indian Management and Leadership; Management and the Mahabharata; and Rishi Vision.    

11/01/12 - Learn to Let Go and Live Fully: The Practice of Nonattachment
Dr. Kusumita Pedersen

Dr. Kusumita Pedersen, Professor of Religious Studies, returns to the Yoga Hour for an in-depth conversation with Rev. O’Brian about nonattachment, one of the essential practices of the spiritual life. Aparigraha, often translated as nonattachment also means nonpossession, nongrasping and nondesiring. How is it possible to find such freedom in a culture that stimulates desire and greed at every turn? Discovering the answer to that question holds a key to our highest happiness.

Dr. Pedersen is Professor of Religious Studies at St. Francis College in New York. She received her Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies from Columbia University. She was previously Executive Director of the Project on Religion and Human Rights; Joint Secretary for Religious Affairs of the Global Forum of Spiritual and Parliamentary Leaders on Human Survival; and Executive Director of the Temple of Understanding.  She served for several years on the board of trustees of the Parliament of the World’s Religions and is currently Co-Chair of the Interfaith Center of New York. Kusumita  is a disciple of the great yoga master, Sri Chinmoy, and has been on this path for several decades.

10/25/12 - Self-discipline, Willpower, and Positive Change
Kelly McGonigal

Who doesn’t want more self-discipline or willpower? Kelly McGonigal, author of The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of It, shares research from her Stanford University course, “The Science of Willpower” as she and Rev. O’Brian consider what factors are really involved with our ability to manage stress and make positive changes.

Kelly McGonigal is a health psychologist and lecturer at Stanford University where she teaches for the School of Medicine’s Health Improvement Program and is a senior teacher/consultant for the Stanford Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education. She is the author of Yoga for Pain Relief: Simple Practices to Calm Your Mind and Heal Your Pain and The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of It.   http://kellymcgonigal.com/

10/18/12 - Enough is Enough! How to Unclutter Your Life and Find Time for What Really Matters
Andrew Mellen

The yoga practice of asteya, or nonstealing, gets right to the heart of the clutter problem that is pervasive to many people in the developed world today. Andrew Mellen, professional organizer and author of the book Unstuff Your Life! Joins Rev. O’Brian for a look at how to bring order to our lives and free up our time and energy in practical ways—a quick course on how to avoid accumulating more than we need, use, or appreciate.
  
Andrew Mellen is a professional organizer, speaker and best-selling author of Unstuff Your Life!, and has been featured widely in the media, including The New York Times, The Nate Berkus Show, O, The Oprah Magazine, Martha Stewart Living Today, HGTV, ABC, NBC, CBS, and NPR. With a nationwide roster of clients, he leads workshops throughout the U.S., helping people to unclutter their lives and gain time for the things that are really important. www.andrewmellen.com

10/11/12 - The Practice of Satya: Realizing the Power of Thoughts, Words, and Deeds That Are Anchored in Truth
Judith Hanson Lasater

Judith Hanson Lasater, Yoga teacher and author of many books on yoga and co-author of What We Say Matters: Practicing Nonviolent Communication,  brings a wealth of insight and practical guidance to this conversation with Rev. O’Brian about the power of satya, or truthfulness.  Truthfulness is practiced on many levels, from understanding our viewpoints as relative truth to developing the willingness to live in harmony with universal Truth.

Judith Hanson Lasater has taught yoga since 1971 and holds a doctorate in East-West psychology. She is president of the California Yoga Teachers Association and serves on the advisory board of Yoga Journal. Judith teaches yoga classes and trains yoga teachers in kinesiology, yoga therapeutics, and the Yoga Sutra in the San Francisco Bay Area. She also gives workshops throughout the United States, and has taught in several countries around the world. Judith is the author of several books on yoga, including Yoga for Pregnancy, A Year of Living Your Yoga, and YogaBody. She is also co-author of What We Say Matters: Practicing Nonviolent Communication.

9/27/12 - Ahimsa 101: Insights and Practices for Nonviolent Living Today
Michael Nagler & Stephanie Van Hook      

The inspiring legacies of Mahatma Gandhi, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Cesar Chavez have shown us the power of nonviolence to bring forth positive change. Michael Nagler and Stephanie Van Hook from the Metta Center for Nonviolence Education join Rev. O’Brian to explore how each of us can begin right away to harness this power for a better life and a peaceful world.

Michael Nagler is Professor emeritus of Classics and Comparative Literature at UC, Berkeley, where he co‐founded the Peace and Conflict Studies Program. His publications include The Search for a Nonviolent Future, Our Spiritual Crisis: Recovering Human Wisdom in a Time of Violence; and The Upanishads (with Sri Eknath Easwaran). Michael has consulted for the U.S. Institute of Peace and is the founder and President of the board of the Metta Center for Nonviolence Education. Michael has worked on nonviolent intervention since the 1970’s and is a student of Sri Eknath Easwaran, Founder of the Blue Mountain Center of Meditation.

Stephanie Van Hook has served as the Executive Director of the Metta Center for Nonviolence Education since 2011, as co-director from 2010-2011, and as a volunteer for Metta since 2007. She is an earnest student of principled nonviolence, meditation and Gandhian thought (and action). She is on the board of the Peace and Justice Studies Association for issues relating to women and gender. Publications include chapters in Beyond Forgiveness: Reflections on Atonement and articles on alternative news sites.

8/16/12 - Deciding to Be Free: The Mystery and Delight of Surrender
Rabbi Rami Shapiro

Surrender of the illusion that we are separate from the Source of all and that the ego is in control of our lives is essential to the experience of real freedom. Surrender is a spiritual practice found in every mystical tradition and a cornerstone to 12 Step recovery programs as well. Rabbi Rami Shapiro and Rev. O’Brian explore the nature of surrender as a practice and offer some surprising insights needed to enter the way of surrender.

An award winning author, poet, essayist, and educator, Rabbi Rami Shapiro is widely recognized as one of the most creative figures in contemporary American Judaism.  In addition to writing books, Rami writes a regular column for Spirituality and Health magazine called Roadside Assistance for the Spiritual Traveler, and blogs at rabbirami.blogspot.com.  His most recently published book is Writing, the Sacred Art: Beyond the Page to Spiritual Practice.

7/12/12 - Breath: The Key to Consciousness, Vitality, and Liberation
Richard Rosen

Join Yogacharya O’Brian and Richard Rosen, yoga teacher and pranayama expert, for an insightful exploration of how yogic breathing practices can break up ineffective breathing patterns, return you to your authentic breath and open the door to expanded energy and awareness.

Richard Rosen is a co-founder and the director of Piedmont Yoga Studio in Oakland, CA, where has taught continuously since it opened in 1987. Richard is the author The Yoga of Breath, Pranayama Beyond the Fundamentals, the audio series The Practice of Pranayama, and Original Yoga: Rediscovering Traditional Practices of Hatha Yoga. Richard Rosen sits on the board of directors of the California Yoga Teachers Association.

7/05/12 - Meditation, Science and Your Brain : Insights from Neuroscience That Can Change Your Life
Richard J. Davidson, PhD 

Visionary and world renowned neuroscientist Richard Davidson joins Rev. O’Brian for this fascinating and illuminating conversation about the mind, the brain, and our emotional nature that will change the way you see yourself and inspire your ability to make positive changes. A pioneer in researching the effects of meditation, Dr. Davidson was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine. He has co-authored a new book with Sharon Begley entitled, The Emotional Life of Your Brain: How its Unique Patterns Affect the Way You Think, Feel, and Live—and How You can Change Them.

Richard Davidson is Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Director of the Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior and the Laboratory for Affective Neuroscience. He is also Founder and Chair of the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds and a member of the Mind and Life Institute’s Board of Directors.
He is the recipient of numerous awards for his research. In 2006, he was awarded the first Mani Bhaumik Award by UCLA for advancing the understanding of the brain and conscious mind in healing and was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine. Richard is the co-author (with Sharon Begley) of the book The Emotional Life of Your Brain. www.RichardJDavidson.com

6/28/12 - Stable and Conducive to Bliss: Insights into Asana
Meta Chaya Hirshl

Asana, the posture or seat that prepares us for meditation is an intentional meeting place for the body, mind, and the essential Self. Meta Chaya Hirschl, author of Vital Yoga: A Sourcebook for Students and Teachers joins Yogacharya O’Brian for a deep look at how yoga philosophy and practice can help us transcend fear and experience bliss.

Meta Chaya Hirshl, originator of the YogaNow Teacher Training Apprentice Program, has studied yoga for decades and been teaching for ten years. Before opening her yoga studio in Albuquerque, New Mexico, she received a bachelor of science degree in Food Science, took a job as a brewing supervisor, then earned a master of business administration degree in Information Systems and worked as a computer systems consultant, technical software writer, and university lecturer. Meta took her first yoga class in 1978. Years later, after working in business, teaching in academia, and writing software books, she was drawn back to yoga following the development of a serious illness. Her passion for yoga led her to eventually open a studio and later establish the YogaNow Teacher Training Apprentice Program, a nationally accredited curriculum incorporating a variety of traditions and styles.

6/21/12 - Patience, Contentment and the Key to Unconditional Happiness and Peace
Allan Lokos

Allan Lokos, founder of the Community Meditation Center in New York and author of the book Patience: The Art of Peaceful Living, joins Yogacharya O’Brian for an insightful conversation about the powerful role that patience plays in our lives every day. Is it possible that many mistakes we have made, or unkind words we have spoken could have been avoided if we had been more patient? What does being patient require of us? What does it make possible?

Allan Lokos is the founder and guiding teacher of The Community Meditation Center in New York. Allan has practiced meditation since the mid-nineties and has studied with renowned Buddhist teachers such as Sharon Salzberg, Thich Nhat Hanh, and Joseph Goldstein. Among the places Allan has taught are Columbia University Teachers College, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Marymount College, NY Insight Meditation Center, and Tibet House USA. Allan’s writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Huffington Post, and Tricycle Magazine. He is the author of Pocket Peace: Effective Practices for Enlightened Living, and his new book is Patience: The Art of Peaceful Living.

6/14/12 - The Way of Spiritually Conscious Living 
Roy Eugene Davis

Roy Eugene Davis, a direct disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda, offers spiritual insights and practical tools from the tradition of Kriya Yoga to facilitate spiritually conscious living every day. Yogacharya O’Brian welcomes her spiritual teacher back to the Yoga Hour with this conversation that explores the pure simplicity of spiritual enlightenment and its accessibility for spiritual seekers today.

Roy Eugene Davis read Paramahansa Yogananda's Autobiography of a Yogi and immediately sensed a spiritual connection with Yogananda and the Kriya Yoga tradition. In December 1949, he traveled to Los Angeles, California, to meet his guru (teacher) and was accepted for monastic discipleship training. Mr. Davis was ordained by Paramahansa Yogananda in 1951. He is the founder and spiritual director of the Center for Spiritual Awareness, nestled in the mountains of Northern Georgia. Mr. Davis has taught in more than 100 cities in North America and in Japan, Brazil, Europe, West Africa, and India. Some of his books are published in 10 languages and in 11 countries. He is also the publisher of Truth Journal.

6/07/12 - Ashtanga: Patanjali’s Step by Step Guide for Spiritual Realization and Fulfilled Living
Nicolai Bachman

Ashtanga Yoga, or the Eight-Limbed Path, offers eight essential steps for spiritual realization and fulfilled living. This path is identified in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, the classic text for meditation and spiritual practice. Author and Yoga Philosophy teacher Nicolai Bachman joins Yogacharya O’Brian for a profound and practical look at how living these steps each day can positively transform our lives. Discover how these steps work from the inside out and the outside in to purify our hearts, minds, bodies, and our relationships in order to awaken our deepest wisdom.

Nicolai Bachman has been teaching Sanskrit, chanting, yoga philosophy and Ayurveda since 1994. Nicolai studied extensively at the American Sanskrit Institute, the Ayurvedic Institute, the American Institute of Vedic Studies and the Vedic Chant Center. He holds an M.A. in Eastern Philosophy, an M.S. in Nutrition, and is eRYT500 certified.

Nicolai has authored several Sanskrit book/CD learning tools including 108 Sanskrit Flash Cards, The Language of Yoga (Sounds True 2005); The Language of Ayurveda; The Yoga Sutras: An Essential Guide to the Heart of Yoga Philosophy (Sounds True 2010), and The Path of the Yoga Sutras: A Practical Guide to the Core of Yoga.

4/05/12 - The Core of Yoga: Essential Ideas for Spiritually Conscious Living from the Yoga Sutra 
Nicolai Bachman 

Sanskrit teacher Nicolai Bachman, author of the new guide to Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, “The Path of the Yoga Sutras; A Practical Guide to the Core of Yoga” joins Rev. Ellen Grace O’Brian from the Center for Spiritual Enlightenment on The Yoga Hour online broadcast for this exploration of several key concepts of Yoga Philosophy and Practice that bring yoga’s deepest wisdom into our everyday lives. This conversation will illumine the Sanskrit terms for these essential ideas and yield a richer harvest of meaning than a simple English translation can provide.

Nicolai Bachman has been teaching Sanskrit, chanting, yoga philosophy and Ayurveda since 1994. Nicolai studied extensively at the American Sanskrit Institute, the Ayurvedic Institute, the American Institute of Vedic Studies and the Vedic Chant Center. He holds an M.A. in Eastern Philosophy, an M.S. in Nutrition, and is eRYT500 certified.

Nicolai has authored several Sanskrit book/CD learning tools including 108 Sanskrit Flash Cards, The Language of Yoga (Sounds True 2005); The Language of Ayurveda; The Yoga Sutras: An Essential Guide to the Heart of Yoga Philosophy (Sounds True 2010), and The Path of the Yoga Sutras: A Practical Guide to the Core of Yoga.

11/10/11 - Surrender : How to Let Go and Live Fully  
Emmet Miller  

Dr. Emmett Miller, medical doctor, author, and pioneer in mind-body medicine, joins Rev. Ellen Grace O’Brian from the Center for Spiritual Enlightenment on The Yoga Hour online broadcast for an inspiring look at the power of letting go. The ability to surrender is an essential skill for joyful, fulfilled living. What is surrender, why should we practice it, and how can we really let go? Some confuse surrender with defeat; those who are awake know it is the sure way to win.

Dr. Emmett Miller is best known for his revolutionary work in creating the holistic approach to healing and the field of Mind-Body Medicine. After graduating from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine (1967) he quickly realized that mainstream medicine was missing the boat. Most of our illnesses were clearly due to lifestyle, stress, and our lack of ability to use the power of our minds to heal our bodies, emotions, and behaviors (e.g., addictions).
Dr. Miller has served as lecturer or preceptor at the University of California and Stanford Medical School, as well as other universities and medical schools. Currently, he maintains a private practice in the San Francisco Bay Area and in Nevada City, California where he sees patients/clients in his office and consults by telephone and Skype.

11/03/11 - Svadhyaya: The Heart of Study 
Dr. Kusumita Pedersen

Dr. Kusumita Pedersen, Religious Studies professor and longtime practitioner of yoga, joins Rev. Ellen Grace O’Brian from the Center for Spiritual Enlightenment on The Yoga Hour online broadcast for an in-depth look and some surprising insights about the role of study on our spiritual journey. Study, in the spiritual tradition of yoga, is more than reading books or gathering information. Although the study of scripture is important, the key to study is the practice of self-inquiry, applying and testing out in our own experience what we are exploring.

Dr. Pedersen is Professor of Religious Studies at St. Francis College in New York. She received her Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies from Columbia University. She was previously Executive Director of the Project on Religion and Human Rights; Joint Secretary for Religious Affairs of the Global Forum of Spiritual and Parliamentary Leaders on Human Survival; and Executive Director of the Temple of Understanding.  She served for several years on the board of trustees of the Parliament of the World’s Religions and is currently Co-Chair of the Interfaith Center of New York. Kusumita  is a disciple of the great yoga master, Sri Chinmoy, and has been on this path for several decades. 

10/27/11 - Self-Discipline: The Key to Abiding Joy  
Br. Prabodh Chaitanya 

Br. Prabodh Chaitanya, resident Acharya of Chinmaya Mission in San Jose, joins Rev. Ellen Grace O’Brian from the Center for Spiritual Enlightenment on The Yoga Hour online broadcast for an exploration of what self discipline really is, how we can accomplish it, and how it will help us fulfill our divine destiny. Self-discipline is the commitment we make and the actions we take to live a higher way by choosing that which pleases the soul and supports the expression of our innate divine qualities.

Br. Prabodh Chaitanya is the resident Acharya of Chinmaya Mission San Jose. Prabodhji's spiritual call came when he read Swami Chinmayananda’s commentary on the Bhagavad Gita. He served for six years at Chinmaya Mission Orlando in various capacities and subsequently went to India to participate in celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Chinmaya Mission. He studied Vedanta for the next two years under the grace and guidance of Swami Tejomayananda and tutelage of Swami Ishwarananda. Since his appointment as Acharya of Chinmaya Mission San Jose, Prabodhji has been conducting Vedanta discourses in and around the San Francisco Bay Area. He has also conducted Jnana Yagnas, camps, and retreats all over the United States and Canada. Visit www.chinmaya‐sanjose.org

9/29/11 - Patanjali’s Step by Step Approach to Spiritual Realization and Conscious Living 
Dr. Christopher Key Chapple

Dr. Christopher Key Chapple, author of Yoga and the Luminous: Patanjali’s Spiritual Path to Freedom, joins Rev. Ellen Grace O’Brian from the Center for Spiritual Enlightenment on The Yoga Hour online broadcast for an engaging exploration of spiritual realization in daily life. Discover how the inward journey of yoga practice can transform how we live. The eight limbs of yoga outlined in the Yoga Sutra, the classic text by the sage Patanjali, offer profound insights that support spiritually conscious living in every area of our lives.

Dr. Christopher Key Chapple is the Navin and Pratima Doshi Professor of Indic and Comparative Theology at Loyola Marymount University. He served as Assistant Director of the Institute for Advanced Studies of World Religions and taught Sanskrit, Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism for five years at the State University of New York at Stony Brook before joining the faculty at LMU. He has published several books, including Yoga and the Luminous: Patanjali’s Spiritual Path to Freedom, Reconciling Yogas, Jainism and Ecology: Nonviolence in the Web of Life, and In Praise of Mother Earth. 

8/25/11 - You Can Change Your Life: Insights From the Yoga Sutra for Purifying the Heart-Mind 
Nicolai Bachman 

Nicolai Bachman, Sanskrit scholar and author of the commentary, The Yoga Sutra: An Essential Guide to the Heart of Yoga Philosophy, joins Rev. Ellen Grace O’Brian from the Center for Spiritual Enlightenment on The Yoga Hour online broadcast for a penetrating look into the nature of suffering and how it presents opportunities that orient us toward true freedom. Be prepared to embrace your highest good. 

Nicolai Bachman has been teaching Sanskrit, chanting, yoga philosophy and Ayurveda since 1994. Nicolai studied extensively at the American Sanskrit Institute, the Ayurvedic Institute, the American Institute of Vedic Studies and the Vedic Chant Center. He holds an M.A. in Eastern Philosophy, an M.S. in Nutrition, and is eRYT500 certified.

Nicolai has authored several Sanskrit book/CD learning tools including 108 Sanskrit Flash Cards, The Language of Yoga (Sounds True 2005); The Language of Ayurveda; The Yoga Sutras: An Essential Guide to the Heart of Yoga Philosophy (Sounds True 2010), and The Path of the Yoga Sutras: A Practical Guide to the Core of Yoga.

7/21/11 - Embodied Virtue: Hatha Yoga Insights into the Yamas and Niyamas
Carol Parvati Knight

The Buddha is quoted as saying, “the mind thinks but the body knows". Yoga honors the way that wisdom is revealed in the body as well as the mind. Discover the power of consciously embodying spiritual principles on all levels of your being, including the physical, and experience the profound support available to you right where you are.

Carol Parvati Knight, RYT, is a full time faculty member at West Valley College where she teaches Hatha Yoga. Carol has been teaching since 1974. She has been practicing and studying yoga since 1991 and sharing the teachings of hatha yoga since 1999. She is a Yoga Alliance certified instructor at the 500 hour level.

4/28/11 - The Clear Jewel: The Yoga Sutra, Part 3 
Dr. Christopher Key Chapple

Understanding the nature of the mind holds the key to successful meditation practice and conscious living. Join Dr. Christopher Key Chapple and Yogacharya O’Brian for this dynamic dialog about how to use the mind to support our highest achievements, fulfill our life purpose and reach its ultimate goal. 

Dr. Christopher Key Chapple is the Navin and Pratima Doshi Professor of Indic and Comparative Theology at Loyola Marymount University. He served as Assistant Director of the Institute for Advanced Studies of World Religions and taught Sanskrit, Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism for five years at the State University of New York at Stony Brook before joining the faculty at LMU. He has published several books, including Yoga and the Luminous: Patanjali’s Spiritual Path to Freedom, Reconciling Yogas, Jainism and Ecology: Nonviolence in the Web of Life, and In Praise of Mother Earth. 

4/21/11 - Living Liberation: The Yoga Sutra, Part 2 
Dr. Christopher Key Chapple

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, the foundational text for yoga philosophy and practice, offers a model for living fully and freely in this world. Discover its timeless wisdom with Dr. Christopher Key Chapple, Doshi Professor of Indic and Comparative Theology at Loyola Marymount University and Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian on this week’s Yoga Hour.

Dr. Christopher Key Chapple is the Navin and Pratima Doshi Professor of Indic and Comparative Theology at Loyola Marymount University. He served as Assistant Director of the Institute for Advanced Studies of World Religions and taught Sanskrit, Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism for five years at the State University of New York at Stony Brook before joining the faculty at LMU. He has published several books, including Yoga and the Luminous: Patanjali’s Spiritual Path to Freedom, Reconciling Yogas, Jainism and Ecology: Nonviolence in the Web of Life, and In Praise of Mother Earth. 

4/14/11 - The Yoga Sutra Part One: Gems of Wisdom 
Nicolai Bachman

Enter the stream of Yoga’s ancient wisdom with this three part series on the Yoga Sutra. The first segment, Part One: Gems of Wisdom, offers insights and practices for ethical and spiritually awakened living with Sanskrit scholar, yoga philosophy instructor and author, Nicolai Bachman and Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian.

Nicolai Bachman has been teaching Sanskrit, chanting, yoga philosophy, Ayurveda, and other related topics since 1994. Nicolai has authored several Sanskrit book/CD learning tools including 108 Sanskrit Flash Cards, The Language of Yoga (Sounds True 2005), The Language of Ayurveda, and The Yoga Sutras: An Essential Guide to the Heart of Yoga Philosophy (Sounds True 2010). 

2/03/11 - Superconscious Meditation: Portal to the Infinite
Swami Jaidev Bharati 

Spiritually conscious living requires understanding the dynamic function of mind and how to go beyond it to realize our essential true Self—the source of that power. Yogacharya Ellen Grace O’Brian from the Center for Spiritual Enlightenment is joined by Swami Jaidev Bharati on the Yoga Hour radio program as two master teachers of meditation offer strategies and inspiration to support your practice.

Swami Jaidev Bharati (Dr. Justin O’Brien), a leading disciple of Swami Rama of the Himalayas, is a pioneer in the exploration of consciousness. A former Catholic monk who studied in Israel, Jordan, and the Netherlands, he was a major lecturer as his ground-breaking theology took thousands to deep insights in their spiritual quests. Visit http://www.ihtyoga.org.

10/21/10 - Meditation and Your Brain 
Marty Wuttke

Ancient scriptures of yoga and the testimonies of self-realized masters describe higher states of consciousness and enhanced functionality that the new field of scientific study called Neurotheology is now able to examine, explain and quantify. Join Yogacharya O'Brian and Marty Wuttke, founder and director of Neurotherapy Centers International, for the latest scientific insights into the benefits of meditation practice for health, overall well-being and spiritual development.

The founder & clinical director of NeuroTherapy Centers International, Marty Wuttke is a pioneer in combining multiple protocols of Neurofeedback therapy as an intervention for depression, traumatic brain injury, addiction, eating disorders, chronic pain, and anxiety. In 2003 new advanced whole body neuro/biofeedback technology hardware and software was developed under Wuttke's guidance. With over 30 years of research and application of yogic science of consciousness, ayurvedic medicine, holistic nutrition and meditation, Wuttke is uniquely qualified in combining the wisdom and methods of ancient traditions with advanced technologies of today as a way to facilitate healing, personal growth and the awakening process. Visit wuttkeinstitute.com.