Shows
Swami Ji, the OGIs Yoga Cultural Appropriation?What is cultural appropriation? Cultural appropriation is defined as the process by which Intellectual property, artifacts, dance, clothing/fashion, language, music, food, religious symbols, medicine, wellness practices and more are used for purposes that were unintended by the original culture and may even be offensive to that culture. With yoga, this can often be seen through the adaptation of practices in ways that sterilize them for the West by stripping the spiritual aspects of the philosophy, by refusal to use Sanskrit words, or by removing the symbols or stories that exemplify the teaching. Another example of cultural a...2022-04-2015 minSwami Ji, the OGJourney Into Your Being Plus a Meditation PracticeToday we are going to discuss the components of who you are, and then you will be guided through a short meditation. Feel free to listen to the discussion portion, but then stop the recording before doing the meditation if you are not in a location where you can sit quietly and still with the eyes closed. You may have heard the common definition of yoga is “union” and it comes from the Sanskrit word ‘yug’ meaning to yoke. If we think about how buffalo are yoked together or horses or sled dogs are joined together...2022-04-0621 minSwami Ji, the OGMaking Life Simple and EasyIs your life simple and easy? I believe it can be and for the last couple of years, I’ve challenged myself to create a life that is becoming simpler and easier. Prior to this time my life was so full it was overflowing, and it often left me drained to the point where I felt so weighted down that I could barely keep moving forward. In 2019, I was in the twenty second year of running a yoga center that employed about 16 staff members and served several hundred students per week. I was also the education director an...2022-03-3019 minSwami Ji, the OG3 Steps to Healthy BoundariesA boundary is a limit or space between you and another person. It is a clear place where you begin and the other person ends, physically, mentally, energetically and spiritually. The purpose of setting a healthy boundary is, of course, to protect and take good care of yourself at all levels of being. Do you have unhealthy boundaries? Unhealthy boundaries involve a disregard for your own and/or others' values, wants, needs, and limits. Unhealthy boundaries can also lead to dysfunctional and potentially abusive relationships. I’m going to ask a few questions that...2022-03-1619 minSwami Ji, the OGLetting Go To Find BalanceWhen we feel we are losing our balance we grab hold of something to feel secure and to prevent falling. This is a normal reaction to be able to maintain our physical balance and hopefully prevent pain. At that moment of uncertainty, that moment of being out of balance, we would think it strange if someone told us to “just let go.” But what about our mental balance? What are we grabbing hold of to feel secure? And are we holding on to hopefully prevent the mental and emotional pains? In the ancient text, the Yoga...2022-03-0917 minSwami Ji, the OGStill Body - Still MindSometimes we keep busy moving from one thing to another and believe this will keep us from thinking too much. However, we are only creating a distracted mind, the part that is overdeveloped to start with, and all this busy-ness keeps feeding this part of the mind that is processing sensory information and tries to make sense of the world. We need to develop the part of the mind that connects us with our higher self. When we go to bed at night, we become still and gradually the mind slows down and we fall asleep. Wouldn’t i...2022-02-2321 minSwami Ji, the OG5 Keys To Improve DisciplineWhen you think or hear about the word discipline what comes up for you? “Oh, I wish I had more of it,” or “I don’t have time for discipline,” or even “did I do something wrong?” The last implying that the word discipline is a form of punishment. Today we are going to discuss our misperceptions about discipline, its importance, and how we can improve our discipline to be more successful in our lives. Let’s start with the dictionary definitions. 1) the practice of training people to obey rules using punishment to correct disobedience or 2) a branch of...2022-02-1625 minSwami Ji, the OGFrom Change Comes GrowthToday I will discuss the inevitability of change, why we find it difficult, how change and growth go hand in hand, the importance of having goals, and to welcome change! WHEW! That’s a lot to think about! And all of those thoughts are also part of the mechanism that keeps us “stuck” where we are and resisting changes. It has often been said that the only constant is life is change! Yet most of us find it difficult to change, especially when it takes us away from our routine, our conditioned ways of thinking. In actu...2022-02-0220 minSwami Ji, the OGJust Relax!Just relax! I’m sure someone has said this to you at some point in your life! As if the ability to relax is like flipping a switch and something so easy you can just do it spontaneously at any time. When we were growing up, did anyone ever teach us how to relax? Do you know how even now? From my experience teaching yoga since 1995 and practicing yoga since the early 1980’s, I know that relaxation can be difficult to achieve, and few people have a method that supports them to become deeply relaxed. Today this podc...2022-01-2621 minSwami Ji, the OGWhat Is Resilience and Why Do You Need It?Some think of it as endurance, but when I think of endurance, I think it means the power of enduring an unpleasant or difficult process without giving up. Or fortitude? Fortitude is courage in the face of pain or adversity. Indeed, both of these words can be a part of resilience, but don’t thoroughly encompass the whole concept. Resilience is the ability to bounce back quickly from difficult situations and actually thrive when faced with challenging circumstances! Some ways of thinking about resilience includes being tough, quick to recover, buoyant, irrepressible, adaptable, flexible and can’t be k...2022-01-1919 minSwami Ji, the OGMoving Forward in the New YearWelcome to Season 3 of SwamiJi the OG. It’s the beginning of a New Year and today I’ll discuss how to move forward into 2022 with a sense of purpose and potentiality. I keep hearing so many people wishing each other a Happy New Year with a thin layer of hope but often with an undercurrent of dread, adding, “After all it can’t get any worse!” Yes, we are still immersed in the Covid pandemic, but rather than continually talking about things “getting back to normal” it’s time to realize that the concept of what is “norma...2022-01-1216 minSwami Ji, the OG5 Steps To Living With IntentionThis year has been filled with challenges! Never one to turn my back on challenges, I have used this time to sort out many feelings, many less than optimal relationships, and many goals. It has made me stronger. It has made me more intentional. And it has allowed me to have more space to find the person I want to become moving forward. Over the past couple of decades, my whole focus was creating a yoga studio and a nonprofit yoga academy. To create more options for people to incorporate the healing practices of yoga into their lives, I...2020-12-3011 minSwami Ji, the OGThe Need for KindnessOn New Year’s Day of 2020, I taught a yoga workshop called Perfecting Your Vision in 2020! And yes, the pun of perfect vision being 2020 was intentional! In this workshop I talked about the necessity of self-study. In the yoga sutras, self-study is called swadyaya and is one of the 5 codes of personal conduct. It is through self-study that we experience the nature of the self, who we are, what we are, what we are trying to do, how we are trying to do it. Not as an intellectual concept, but as an understanding at a cellular, primal level. ...2020-12-0924 minSwami Ji, the OGBecoming Who I AmYou may think that I am going to talk about becoming a swami, but I’m not. If you want to know that story, then look back through previous podcast to “What it means to be a swami and the journey I took to become one.” Today I’m going to talk about who I am as a person, approaching 70 years of age, and share some of my life challenges that shaped my life. When we have life challenges, especially as a child, they form what we call “samskaras” in yoga. Samskaras are patterns of thinking and behaving tha...2020-11-2517 minSwami Ji, the OGForgiveness and RespectIn this podcast I will be talking briefly about the classical codes of conduct prescribed by the Yoga Sutras and then we will delve into more modern lifestyle practices that are greatly needed in our world today. In Classical Yoga, we study the Yoga Sutras and the eight limbs of Patanjali’s yoga or Raja yoga, the royal yoga! These are: Yamas – codes of social conduct Niyamas – codes of personal conduct Asanas – the poses of yoga Pranayama – the breathing practices that enhance our life force Pratyahara...2020-11-1119 minSwami Ji, the OGA Meditation for Modern LivingThere have been so many studies in recent years advocating meditation for managing stress, improving mental functioning and overall health and wellbeing. But in the 25 years that I’ve been teaching yoga, very few people really understand meditation or make it a regular part of their lives. Why is this so? Well, most often what I have heard is, “I’m too busy. I don’t have time.” Or “I tried it a couple of times, but I couldn’t stop thinking?’ Or “I can’t sit on the floor cross-legged like that.” These are all excuses. A regular practi...2020-10-2818 minSwami Ji, the OGChanting for Life & DeathI have a confession. I love chanting. The chanting of mantras resonates in my soul. I often feel when I am chanting that I have been chanting for endless lifetimes. There is such a feeling of connectedness to some primal power that allows me to get out of my head. To let go of my intellect and bathe in the vibration of sound. Today I will tell you what mantras are and tell you about one of my favorites. The word mantra comes from the root words “man” meaning mind and “tra” meaning liberation. Mantra then means “to liberat...2020-10-1422 minSwami Ji, the OGTransforming NegativityI don’t know about you, but I feel like there is far too much negativity these days. Don’t get me wrong, there are many things to be negative about. After all, we are in the middle of a pandemic that is poorly managed in this country and we are dealing with all of the associated issues. There’s political unrest and demonstrations related to current politics and the elections. Conspiracy theories have moved from the fringes to the mainstream. It seems endless. How do we manage? How can we bring more positivity into our lives and the lives...2020-10-0716 minSwami Ji, the OGThe Happiness ChakraLast week I talked about your comfort zone and the need to re-examine it based on the philosophy and psychology of yoga in relation to the sense of security mediated via mooladhara, the root chakra. Today, I will be talking about the chakra of happiness. Just to remind you that the chakras are energy centers within us. They are not a part of the anatomy that can be seen with the eyes. You can’t dissect out a chakra and examine it. However, it’s interesting to note that each of the chakras is located in the physical body near...2020-09-3014 minSwami Ji, the OGRe-Examining Your Comfort ZoneWe are creatures of comfort. When we feel comfortable, a feeling of security and contentment is engendered. Because we like feeling this way, we spend an inordinate amount of energy trying to stay in that comfort zone and feel threatened when we are pushed out of it as is happening during this time when we are living through a pandemic, with a layer of political and social unrest on top of it all. Today, I will discuss why we feel so threatened based on the yoga perspective of chakra theory. ……. Let me take a fe...2020-09-2319 minSwami Ji, the OGCan You Be Like A Swan?Can you live in the world like a swan? Even though a swan lives in water, the water does not penetrate and it remains dry. Wouldn't it be wonderful to live in this world and let our troubles roll off without being soaked by them? - In this episode I will discuss the yogic process of self-study to better understand what makes you tick, and how to you can become more balanced in life. Yoga is classically a means to evolve your consciousness to be the best possible version of yourself. It is...2020-09-1619 minSwami Ji, the OGBreathe and HealThe breath is important. We all know that if you stop breathing for more than a few minutes you will not survive! Our breath keeps us alive. But did you know that the breath is just the more familiar aspect of a more subtle, yet complex force that not only animates you but upholds the world? Upholds the universe? In this episode you will learn more about the breath and how it not only keeps you alive but can heal both physical and mental disturbances. Let’s start with the basics. The average person breathes mo...2020-09-1020 minSwami Ji, the OGGot Anxiety? Yoga Can Help!There’s a lot going on these days that can trigger significant anxiety! We have an ongoing pandemic. We have an upcoming presidential election that is often feeding cultural divisiveness. Our cities are experiencing protests and riots. Our forests are on fire. Our oceans are producing more hurricanes and bigger ones than normal. It’s no wonder we are experiencing stress and anxiety! These are unprecedented times. How can yoga help? Classical, integrative yoga is meant to support you, to give you inner strength and the ability to remain calm and centered in turbulent situations. In t...2020-09-0221 minSwami Ji, the OGAwaken Your Potential with Yoga NidraHow do we still the mind? How do we go beyond the surface thoughts and emotions and reach that unchanging, pure consciousness that lies within? How do we access that potentiality? One way is through the practice of Yoga Nidra. Key Concept In deep relaxation, receptivity increases. During fully conscious state, intellect and senses are engaged. Information being processed is related to external world. In yoga nidra, we are taking the awareness away from the external world and the senses to access the subconscious and unconscious states mind. I teach Satyananda Yoga Nidra...2020-08-2621 minSwami Ji, the OGCan You Manage Your Thoughts Or Do They Manage You?This episode will explore how yoga defines the mind and provide you with information to help you believe that you can manage the mind. To do this Understand our thought patterns called samskaras Develop and focus our awareness Observe where our response is coming from – the root of the pattern Use yoga techniques such as meditation, yoga nidra, breathing techniques, slow & mindful asanas Practice, practice, practice What are samskaras? A conditioned and automatic way of responding to the events of life around us, eg. anger, guilt or indecisiveness Subconscious process Samskaras decide your thoughts, be...2020-08-1919 minSwami Ji, the OGNormal is Not Always What it is Cracked Up to BeWe are experiencing a pandemic that has disrupted our way of life. We are yearning for normalcy! Today I will discuss how we can use this time to make a mental shift that will allow us to move from our yearnings to be able to see new opportunities. For much of my life, I did not feel normal. This feeling was rooted in childhood circumstances that resulted in patterns that kept me wishing I was different. Wishing that I was what I thought was normal. Normal meant that I would fit in. Have lots of friends. Be s...2020-08-1218 min
Swami Ji, the OG5 Simple Yoga Techniques to Find Calmness in MinutesThe holidays are a fun and exciting time but it’s also a time that becomes stressful for a lot of people. So this week we are talking about how you can stay calm. I am going to discuss five different yoga techniques that are also quite simple. You’ll be able to take a few moments everyday to practice any of these at home, at work, at the grocery store, or even in your car! Tune in to find out what they are. FIVE SIMPLE YOGA TECHNIQUES TO FIND CALMNESS IN MINUTES Take one d...2019-12-0417 min
Swami Ji, the OGBONUS - Antar Mouna In this bonus episode, we are going to practice a technique called Antar Mouna. It is a technique to start cultivating the witness. Cultivation of the witness allows us to be less reactive to what we are experiencing. This is a practice episode so if you are driving, please pause and tune in when you are in a safe place. Enjoy! If you enjoyed this practice episode, head to Atma Center’s website to check out our class schedule. We would love to help you further your practice even more! To follow along, fi...2019-11-2223 min
Swami Ji, the OGYoga Practices For PositivityThis week on Swami Ji, the OG we are talking about how the various types of yoga practices can help change the current state of the mind and emotions to free yourself from negative thoughts and actions. Yoga isn’t just about bending into unusual shapes-it helps you lead a more positive life! So in this episode we will touch on what practices you can implement in your life to experience more positivity. Some of these practices include asana, pranayama and meditation but that’s not it. Tune into find out more! To follow along on social medi...2019-11-2021 min
Swami Ji, the OGThe Codes of JoyToday I am taking the time to discuss the Codes of Joy. The yoga sutras is one of the classic writings of yoga and covers the philosophy of Raja Yoga. In Raja yoga one learns how to rule the mind. To govern the emotions. It is a path whereby we can achieve Self-realization but for most of us it is managing the mind! There are eight limbs to Raja yoga and today we will be discussing the first 2, the yamas and niyamas. These are often referred to as codes of conduct for social interactions and p...2019-11-0732 minSwami Ji, the OGRealizing Your Potential by Overcoming ResistanceWe all have a vision of the person we want to be, so why aren’t we that person yet? It’s because of resistance. On Episode 9 of Swami Ji, the OG we are going to talk about overcoming resistance so you can move towards becoming that person you see in your vision. I’m going to talk to you about what this type of resistance looks like, how to gain the energy, strength and discipline to overcome this resistance, and how our subconscious thoughts are the thing that are holding us back. The key to being able to overco...2019-10-3017 min
Swami Ji, the OGChakras, and Koshas, and Gunas...Oh My!In this episode of Swami Ji, the OG we talk through the seven chakras. We will discuss where they are located and the main qualities of each. We will also learn about what the gunas are and how they play a role in the chakras. On Episode 8 we are talking about the seven chakras and how the three gunas influence each one. To listen to the full episode, click here. The word chakra means “wheel”. In yoga it is believed to be a vortex of energy within the psychic body – a place where the physical, energet...2019-10-2322 min
Swami Ji, the OGBONUS | Yoga NapIF YOU ARE DRIVING SAVE THIS EPISODE FOR LATER. This week we released an episode about balancing our autonomic nervous sytems. One of the ways we can do that is through yoga nidra which we also talked about in that episode. So today, on our bonus episode we are giving you practice where you can try out yoga nidra for yourself. To follow along on social media, find me on Instagram and Facebook. If you enjoyed this practice please share the episode with a friend. You can simply copy the episode link from...2019-10-1813 min
Swami Ji, the OGMake Space For PeaceDo you ever get into a mode of “rest and digest” or are you always in the “fight or flight” mode? Those are the two branches of the autonomic nervous system and I have a feeling that for many people, the “fight or flight” mode is more prominent. Sure, it’s important to activate that in moments where you need to get into action but you don’t want to be in that space constantly. It’s important to find balance. How do we find that balance? Well, you could try practicing yoga nidra. A 30 minutes yoga nidra session is s...2019-10-1615 min
Swami Ji, the OG5 Steps of HappinessIn this bonus episode, I am giving you five simple ways to feel happy every morning. Stay tuned for a meditation practice towards the end of the episode. To follow on on social media, find me on Instagram. Want to engage in more practices like the one in this episode? Come take a class at the Atma Center! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it on social. Take a screen shot on whatever podcast player you are listening on, share on your IG stories and tag us! Thank you for your support.2019-10-1109 min
Swami Ji, the OGWhy Do We Suffer?In today’s episode we will look at the mental afflictions known as kleshas or afflictions. These afflictions permeate our existence and prevent us from making that connection with our higher self. The physical practice of yoga does help us feel better in our bodies and this can indeed help us feel better mentally. But does it completely solve our suffering? We still bump up against ourselves and our habits that prevent us from going further. The mind is continuously under the influence of the kleshas, the 5 afflictions that are at the root of our suffering. Tune into Episode 6 to...2019-10-0919 min
Swami Ji, the OGWhat it Means to Be a Swami, and the Journey I Took to Become OneIn Episode 5 of Swami Ji, the OG, I am discussing what a Swami actually is. I will walk you through what it means to be a Swami, and the journey that I took to becoming one. Topics in the episode include: -What the word Swami means -The origin of the word -What it means to be one -The process one must go through to become one -My own personal journey of becoming a Swami In today’s episode I will discuss what it means to be...2019-10-0218 min
Swami Ji, the OGWhat do Bees Have to do With Yoga?What do Bees have to do with yoga? Anxiety is the most commonly diagnosed mental disorder in the US, with 20% of people actually being diagnosed. Now, we all have moments of anxiety, but learning how to manage these moments can take us from a frazzled, dissipated state of mind that saps our energy, to a more consolidated place of purpose in life. In yoga there is a breathing practice called Bhramari, or bee breath that can be a ‘go to’ technique for helping with anxiety. This bonus episode will teach you how to use...2019-09-2508 min
Swami Ji, the OGRelationships...Ugh!Did you know the Yoga Sutras gives advice about relationships? The Yoga Sutras is one of the classic texts studied in yoga and was written over 2000 years ago. It contains 196 short phrases that summarize what is known as Raja Yoga. How could it still be relevant in this day and age? Because yoga is the science of life! Today’s episode will discuss relationships and guidelines from the Yoga Sutras regarding relationships. Notes from the show: Neurological thought loops are called samkaras. Planned action In the Yoga Sutras, Chapter 1, Su...2019-09-1825 min
Swami Ji, the OGChanting is WeirdDo you think chanting is weird? Well, I used to think chanting was weird too. When I first came to yoga, like many people, I came for the more physical practices, but at some point I was introduced to chanting and even though it seemed odd to add my voice to a group who were chanting, it was a certain resonance and calming effect that happened with chanting. In today’s episode I am going to demystify chanting. If you have ever been curious about chanting, let’s dive in together on Episode 2, Swami Ji, the OG. In c...2019-09-1117 min
Swami Ji, the OGBONUS | Natural Breath AwarenessThis bonus episode is a practice episode. We will be practicing natural breath awareness. This guided practice should be done in an environment that is not distracting and should not be done while driving. Want to learn more? Come take a class at the Atma Center to delve even deeper. Check out our website to learn about the classes that we offer. Want to connect with me? Follow me on Instagram @atmarupasaraswati. If this bonus episode was valuable to you, please share with your friends! Take a screen shot of the episode, share...2019-09-0607 min
Swami Ji, the OGHow We React in the Face of StormsWelcome to Episode ONE of Swami Ji, the OG. I am so glad you are here. Today we are exploring what it means to become a witness, rather than a reactor. There are bright days, and there are dark days. How do we react to them? It is easy to react positively when everything is going your way. But how do you react when there’s a big storm? What about when life becomes uncomfortable? Notes from the show: Have you heard of the yoga sutras? They are phrases in Sanskrit. One of the...2019-09-0423 min
Swami Ji, the OGSwami Ji, the OG | Coming Soon!Hello fellow yogis! Get ready for a new podcast, hosted by me, Atmarupa Saraswati. I am the Founder of Atma Center, a yoga studio that serves as s safe space for you to connect, move, relax, collaborate and engage. I have been teaching yoga for twenty five years, so I wanted to share all of the knowledge that I’ve collected in a new podcast, called Swami Ji, the OG. I believe that yoga is so much more than headstands and splits. Yoga heals the body. Yoga heals the mind. On Swami Ji, the OG, we are exploring what th...2019-08-1603 min