487. Yogacharya Ellen Grace O’Brian

Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'BrianYogacharya Ellen Grace O’Brian is a meditation teacher, an award-winning poet, writer, and the spiritual director of the Center for Spiritual Enlightenment—a Kriya Yoga Meditation Center with headquarters in San Jose, California. She has taught Kriya Yoga nationally and internationally for more than three decades and has received many service awards, including the Mahatma Gandhi Award for the Promotion of Religious Pluralism. Ordained to teach in 1982 by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda, her message is “engaged enlightenment” – an invitation to live an awakened, creatively inspired, and fulfilled life, now.

Along with her service as a meditation teacher and esteemed Yogacharya, Ellen Grace O’Brian is the Founder of Carry the Vision, a community nonviolence education project bringing meditation instruction to staff and children in schools, the prison population, and other segments of society. She is the founder and President of Meru Institute, providing healthy lifestyle education and leadership training in yoga studies, Ayurveda, and community service. She is host of The Yoga Hour, a weekly podcast with listeners in over 130 countries. Her latest book, The Jewel of Abundance: Finding Prosperity through the Ancient Wisdom of Yoga, was recently published by New World Library.

Other books:

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Transcript of this interview

Interview recorded January 21, 2019.

Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast.

YouTube Video Chapters:

  • 00:00:00 – Introduction and Overview of the Guest
  • 00:03:50 – The Connection Between Material Existence and Spiritual Life
  • 00:07:32 – Finding a Happy Medium and Being Awake in the World
  • 00:11:24 – Living in an Ashram vs. Awakening in the World
  • 00:15:11 – Discovering Your Unique Path
  • 00:19:12 – Discovering a Subtle Dharma
  • 00:23:13 – The Importance of Homo Consciousness
  • 00:26:53 – Exploring the Goal of Artha
  • 00:31:07 – Ethics in Spiritual Communities
  • 00:34:42 – Ahimsa and the Journey of Non-Stealing
  • 00:38:52 – Changing Our Mind for Abundance
  • 00:42:44 – The Power of Speech and Thought
  • 00:46:44 – Divine Grace and the Mechanics of Life
  • 00:50:48 – Receptivity to Opportunities
  • 00:55:44 – The Beauty of Life and the Nature of Reality
  • 00:59:58 – The Importance of Enjoyment in Living a Spiritually Conscious Life
  • 01:04:06 – Finding Happiness and Bliss
  • 01:08:00 – Unhooking from External Sources of Happiness
  • 01:11:27 – Living Beyond Our Means and Stealing
  • 01:15:21 – Awakening to Higher Consciousness
  • 01:19:34 – Stages of Life and Dharma
  • 01:23:10 – Serving without Attachment
  • 01:27:29 – Finding Joy in the Present Moment
  • 01:31:42 – Being an Ocean and the Middle Way
  • 01:36:00 – The Evolutionary Crucible of Close Relationships
  • 01:40:17 – Awakening and Self-Reflection
  • 01:44:43 – The Mechanics of Yoga
  • 01:48:23 – The Body and Karma
  • 01:52:21 – Reincarnation and the Mind
  • 01:56:18 – The Power of Faith and Belief in the Universe
  • 02:00:29 – Keeping Your Attention on Interview Preparation

463. Kosi, 2nd Interview

Kosi SunyataKosi is a Direct Path Advaita Vedanta Satsang Teacher in the Śiva Kaśyapa Lineage. This teaching is powerful support for a dynamic shift in your consciousness from the fear, sadness, anger, anxiety, and frustration of your mind to the indescribable peace and happiness of your heart. Satsang with Kosi is an extremely potent initiation and transmission of the non-dual teaching of Sri Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi and her holiness Sri Amma Karunamayi.

Websites:

She is the author of:

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Transcript of this interview

Interview recorded July 21, 2018.

Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast.

YouTube Video Chapters:

  • 00:00:00 – Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump
  • 00:04:44 – The Journey to Arunachala and the Mystical Experience with Ramana Maharshi
  • 00:09:49 – A Mystical Encounter with Ramana Maharshi
  • 00:14:35 – The Visceral Experience of the Mountain
  • 00:19:36 – Kosi-Sunyata: The Spiritual Practice of Taking on an Indian Name
  • 00:24:38 – Meeting Gangaji and the Dalai Lama
  • 00:29:39 – The Confusion of Mystical Experiences
  • 00:34:10 – Turning Within for Fulfillment
  • 00:38:49 – The Lineage of Ramana Maharshi and the Divine Feminine
  • 00:43:39 – Awakening, Liberation, and Self-Realization
  • 00:48:15 – The Genetic Mind and Self-Inquiry
  • 00:51:52 – The Challenge of Staying in the Self
  • 00:55:18 – The Danger of Placing Teachers on Pedestals
  • 00:58:53 – Betrayal and Transition
  • 01:02:23 – The Sacred Cow Shed and Ramana’s Prophecy
  • 01:06:15 – The Manifestation of Shiva
  • 01:10:00 – The Power of Mantra
  • 01:13:35 – The Science Behind Mantras and Practices
  • 01:17:02 – The Variety of Spiritual Practices and Techniques
  • 01:20:22 – The Awakening Experience
  • 01:23:53 – The Integration of Activity and Awakening
  • 01:27:15 – The quest for maintaining realization
  • 01:30:39 – The Drawing of the Self in 3D
  • 01:33:59 – The Tariya State and the Seed Letters of OM
  • 01:37:46 – The Power of the AUM Sound and Mantras
  • 01:41:56 – The Radical Return to Effort and Perseverance
  • 01:45:28 – Falling through the trap door of reflective consciousness
  • 01:48:35 – Ramana Maharshi’s Genius Drawing
  • 01:51:47 – Culturing the Habit of Liberation
  • 01:55:05 – The importance of consistency and application
  • 01:58:20 – Concluding Remarks

445. Swami Sarvapriyananda

Swami SarvapriyanandaSwami Sarvapriyananda has been  Minister and Spiritual Leader of the Vedanta Society of New York since January 6, 2017.

Prior to this, he served as assistant minister of the Vedanta Society of Southern California for 13 months, beginning on December 3, 2015.

Swami joined the Ramakrishna Math and Mission in 1994 and received Sannyas in 2004. Before being posted to the VSSC’s Hollywood Temple, Swami served as an acharya (teacher) of the monastic probationers’ training center at Belur Math. He has served the Ramakrishna Math and Mission in various capacities including being the Vice Principal of the Deoghar Vidyapith Higher Secondary School, Principal of the Shikshana Mandira Teacher Education College at Belur Math, and the first Registrar of the Vivekananda University at Belur Math.

Website: vedantany.org

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Transcripts of this interview:

Swami Sarvapriyananda on the Ethical Foundations of Nondual Spirituality

Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast.

Interview recorded March 3, 2018.

YouTube Video Chapters:

  • 00:00:00 – Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump
  • 00:03:51 – Upanishads and Vedanta
  • 00:07:54 – The Philosophy of Non-Duality
  • 00:12:07 – The Expression of Ultimate Truth in Hinduism
  • 00:16:27 – The Duality of Bliss and Reality
  • 00:20:21 – The Comparison between Vedanta and Particle Physics
  • 00:24:43 – Panentheism and the Nature of Reality
  • 00:28:51 – Advaita Vedanta as Maximally Supporting Religion
  • 00:33:04 – Two distinct approaches to religion
  • 00:37:34 – Overcoming Limitations with Advaita Philosophy
  • 00:41:09 – The Cyclical Nature of Knowledge
  • 00:44:39 – The Value of Sharing Between Science and Religion
  • 00:48:36 – The Conflict Between Science and Religion
  • 00:52:49 – Contributions of Advaita and Madhyamaka Buddhism
  • 00:57:07 – The Complexity of Standardizing Instrumental Procedures
  • 01:01:24 – Path to Enlightenment through Different Religions
  • 01:04:55 – The Realization of Pure Essential Nature
  • 01:08:56 – Serving Society in Vedantic Philosophy
  • 01:12:37 – The Perspectives of Enlightened Beings
  • 01:16:44 – The Three Stages of Spiritual Awakening
  • 01:20:38 – The Importance of Practices and Ethical Life in Advaita Vedanta
  • 01:25:08 – The Importance of Bhakti Yoga and Meditation
  • 01:28:45 – The Bliss Amidst Suffering
  • 01:32:52 – The Conduits of Spiritual Wisdom
  • 01:36:45 – The Truth about Enlightenment and Past Karma
  • 01:40:42 – The Three Tiers of Reality
  • 01:44:33 – Experiencing World and Brahman Together
  • 01:48:07 – The Differences between Kashmir Shaivism and Advaita Vedanta
  • 01:52:24 – The Beauty and Intricacy of the World
  • 01:56:21 – Divine Presence in You
  • 01:59:46 – Farewell