Pratyāhāra, the fifth limb of Patanjali’s eight limbs, is commonly described as ‘withdrawal’—to be able to withdraw
December, 2025
Deep thoughts to ponder
Focus of the month
December, 2026
Shiva. The Destruction of Illusion and the Transformation of Consciousness
by Anna Lunegova
In Indian tradition, Shiva holds a central place as one of the Trimurti — the trinity of cosmic forces: Brahma the creator, Vishnu the sustainer, and Shiva the destroyer. Yet destruction, in the Shaivite understanding, is not chaos or senseless ruin. I …
Being born and raised in a country where Catholicism is the main religion, it is no surprise that that was the environment in which I grew in. It was by attending the traditional Sunday ceremony with my family that a sense of “faith” was cultivated wit …
This mantra does not ask Tara to remove our suffering. Rather, it asks her to teach us how to release what binds us. That distinction makes all the difference. In the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, Tara embodies absolute compassion. She extends her hand w …
Śatākṣī, ‘the hundred-eyed’ form of Durga appeared to earth during a desolate era – she cried from every one of her eyes, her tears filled the rivers and oceans. Grass, grains, vegetation grew and with that the fish, birds, insects, and animals flouris …
Growing up in Lebanon, the abundance of the Levantine land and sea was overshadowed by the constant paradoxical threat of everything being taken away from us at any time. This environment made it easy to confuse abundance with accumulation, layering up …
When we chant this mantra, we call upon Sarasvatī, the Goddess of wisdom, creativity, and speech. She is a deity, seated on a white lotus, blessing us with clarity of thought and purity of expression. She is also a symbol, a mythic personification of t …
When we chant this mantra to Gaṇapati also known as Gaṇeśa the elephant headed God, it is believed that obstacles will be removed from our path, wisdom and success will be granted. That is why Gaṇeśa is the God of prosperity and new beginnings. He spen …
Pratyāhāra, the fifth limb of Patanjali’s eight limbs, is commonly described as ‘withdrawal’—to be able to withdraw your mind and senses from the external world. For many this has been interpreted as avoiding, ignoring or denying the senses. This inter …
When a seed germinates, the first thing it does is not send up shoots but send down roots. This movement toward the center of the Earth reminds us that, in nature, stability precedes expansion. The young sprout seeks the Earth’s core, anchoring itself …
The fluctuating mind also becomes calm by practicing the expulsion and retention of breath. The news came utterly unexpected: someone close to me had died very suddenly. I couldn’t breathe as the tears flowed and emotions of shock, grief, and disbelief …
The verse, lovingly known as the Guru Chant, comes from the Guru Stotram, a beautiful collection of shlokas drawn from the Guru Gita—a heartfelt song of devotion to the Guru. In recent times, the word “Guru” has sadly taken on some negative association …
“It is too difficult to be just what we are. The thinking mind cannot remain still when holding an image, imagination or picture. Our body and mind are constantly changing with different images” excerpt from Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati’s Essay ‘World of …
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