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Laurel Trujillo 6/12/25 Laurel Trujillo 6/12/25

Awake in the World: Kriya Yoga for These Times

What does it mean to stay spiritually awake in turbulent times? Senior Kriya Yoga teacher Acharya Sundari Jensen discusses how Kriya Yoga supports presence, peace, and purposeful action. Explore how daily practice deepens inner awareness.
#kriyayoga #meditation #attachments #nonattachment #kriyainitiation #divineself #ego

Acharya Sundari Jensen is the Senior Kriya Acharya and Executive Director at Center for Spiritual Enlightenment Headquarters in San Jose, CA, where she has studied with her teacher and the founder of this podcast, Yogacharya Ellen Grace O’Brian, since 1992. In addition to leading retreats, classes, and satsangs at CSE, she leads programs on yoga philosophy and meditation at universities and conferences. A certified Hatha Yoga teacher, Vedic Counselor, and IAYT-certified Yoga Therapist, she integrates the science of prana into her teachings, supporting individuals in attuning to their innate vitality and divine essence. Acharya Sundari has also created the on-demand course Introduction to Samkhya Philosophy, providing accessible wisdom on the foundational principles of Yoga.
WEBSITE: The Center for Spiritual Enlightenment FB: CSE Community Group or Center for Spiritual Enlightenment. IG: CSECenter

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: This podcast, Awake in the World: Kriya Yoga for These Times, with Acharya Sundari Jenson is a dynamic free flowing conversation on the importance of Kriya Yoga in the awakening world. I particularly resonated with the fact that even with the chaos happening in the world around us, the practice of nonattachment allows events to be seen in a broader perspective. Acharya shares that Kriya Yoga practices help bring body, mind and spirit into alignment allowing the direct experience of the Divine Self. This spark of Divine presence is what is needed now to be a force for healing, harmony and peace. The discussion of initiation as a blessing of transmission into the teachings of the lineage as opposed to discipleship as the connection to a specific teacher presents a clear distinction of the two different steps on the Kriya Yoga path. I think this is helpful for listeners especially those new to Kriya Yoga. I highly recommend this podcast.

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: The topic of attachment and the downstream effects of attachment being desire and anger is a very useful one for me, and I suspect for many of our listeners. We discussed how non-attachment isn’t disengagement, but rather trying our best to accomplish worthwhile goals, and then releasing any tendency to hold onto the outcome. I hope our discussion of the Bhagavad Gita’s helpfulness in troubling times will inspire listeners to look into this wonderful resource.
Our discussion of Kriya Yoga initiation answered many common questions that we hear about, which will be helpful for listeners.

Laurel Trujillo 6/4/25 Laurel Trujillo 6/4/25

Find Peace Amid the Storm of Serious Illness

How can we embrace tenderness and self-compassion when we or those we love face serious illness? Susan Bauer-Wu, author of Leaves Falling Gently, shares how existential health challenges can be catalysts for growth, resilience, and becoming more human.
#KriyaYoga #LivingFully #Mindfulness #Compassion #Connection

Susan Bauer-Wu is an organizational leader, clinical scientist, and mindfulness teacher, who has held leadership and academic roles in nonprofits, universities, and health care. From 2015 to 2023 she served as President of the Mind & Life Institute, an organization co-founded by the Dalai Lama to bring science and contemplative wisdom together to better understand the mind, foster dialogue, and create positive change in the world. With a foundation as a registered nurse working in oncology and palliative care, PhD and post-doctoral training in psychoneuroimmunology, psycho-oncology and behavioral medicine, and long-time teaching of mindfulness-based stress reduction, Susan has held teaching and leadership positions in health care, higher education, and non-profits. Susan works with individuals and groups to guide them in purpose-full living while facing illness and aging and preparing for dying.
Susan is the author of several books including the book we are discussing in this program, Leaves Falling Gently.

WEBSITE: SusanBauer-Wu.com

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: In this episode, Dr. Trujillo and Susan Bauer-Wu had a thoughtful conversation about how to live a full life while dealing with illness through mindfulness, compassion and connectedness. The conversation focused on Susan's revised edition of Leaves Falling Gently. Susan ended on a powerful idea: when we talk about having a "quality of life" just remember that life is made up of "quality moments." Make every moment count.

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: I thought our conversation was full of information and advice which would be relevant for everyone, those with serious illness as well as for the rest of us. I enjoyed our discussion of what it means to live fully, and how to deal with unhelpful thoughts and overwhelming emotions. Susan discussed three approaches: simply observing; redirecting; and non-judging. We also covered some of the current neuroscience, including neuroplasticity. This conversation will be an excellent resource for our listeners who are caregivers as well as those with a serious illness.

Laurel Trujillo 5/22/25 Laurel Trujillo 5/22/25

Oneness, Interconnection and the Healing Wisdom of the Hive

What spiritual lessons can bees teach us about being aware, present and seeing the One in all? Today we are going to be discussing what spiritual lessons that bees can teach us about being aware, present and seeing the One in all.

#kriyayoga #oneness #meditation #receptivity #beekeeping #interconnectedness #honeybees #skillinaction

Michelle Cassandra Johnson is the co-author of the book that we discussed titled: The Wisdom of the Hive: What Honeybees Can Teach Us about Collective Wellbeing as well as many books on yoga philosophy and social justice. Michelle is an activist, social justice warrior, author, anti-racism consultant and trainer, intuitive healer, yoga teacher and practitioner. She has led dismantling racism work in many settings for over two decades and has two decades of practice as a clinical social worker. Michelle’s work centers on healing from individual and collective trauma, coming back into wholeness and aligning the mind, body, spirit, and heart.

WEBSITE: MichelleCJohnson.com FB: @Michelle C. Johnson InstaGram: @skillinaction

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: I am so grateful for this conversation with Dr. Trujillo and her guest, Michelle Cassandra Johnson, the co-author of The Wisdom of the Hive: What Honeybees Can Teach Us about Collective Wellbeing. As I move in the world, I can remember to take time to slow down and be amazed by something bigger than me. I can show up differently in life and consider how bees can teach us about communal interdependence and attunement to nature. I can connect with what's amazing and enlivening. I can hum with the bees and imagine their dance. We all can hum and dance with the bees! Through the practice of yoga, we can be in attunement with the One in all. Paying attention to the teaching of the bees helps us on our path of awakening and healing.

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: I so enjoyed discussing the many ways that studying honeybees has overlapped with Michelle Cassandra Johnson’s teaching on yoga. Looking at the honeybees as an example of both Karma Yoga, selfless service, and Bhakti yoga, the yoga of devotion, was inspiring. I enjoyed our discussion of the “more than human” world, and the seamlessness with which honeybees integrate with the outer environment. Their focus on the collective, and action as a superorganism, are beautiful examples of the Oneness that is at the heart of yoga.

Laurel Trujillo 5/19/25 Laurel Trujillo 5/19/25

Cook Simply, Eat Well, Enjoy more

Gena Hamshaw, author of the cookbook A Grain, A Green, A Bean, dietician and nutritionist, offers a formula that we can all use to put together delicious, simple vegan meals that are nutritionally balanced, and energy sustaining even if you are not vegan or vegetarian. We can all eat better and enjoy more.
#kriyayoga #vegan #plantbased #harmlessness #ahimsa #consciouseating #genahamshaw #theyogahour

Gena is a registered dietitian nutritionist, recipe developer, and the author of Food52 Vegan, Power Plates, and The Vegan Week. She shares vegan recipes on her blog, The Full Helping. Gena is also offers nutrition counseling services. Gena lives in New York City, where she can frequently be found scouting out the best vegan pomodoro pastas and tomato pies in town. In this episode we are discussing her latest book, A Grain, A Green, A Bean, which is focused on this nourishing and economical trio as a formula to bring us simple and delicious recipes for anyone can enjoy.

WEBSITE: TheFullHelping.com SOCIAL MEDIA: @thefullhelping

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: This is a dynamic conversation with Gena Hamshaw. It is lively, interactive and filled with great information on vegan and plant-based diets. Gena’s formula “Grain, Bean, Green” provides an easy to follow blueprint to use when you stand in front of your refrigerator and ask yourself, “What’s for dinner tonight?”. She uses accessible foods in her recipes and keeps them simple. I particularly like that she bases her dietary information on up to date scientific studies. This is a podcast I will listen to again.

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: I really enjoyed our conversation as we discussed the health, ecological, and spiritual reasons to eat more meatless meals, as well as some of the barriers some people find to eating a more plant-based diet.. Her formula of including a grain, a green vegetable, and a bean to make easy, delicious meals is really helpful. Our discussion of how we get can enough protein in a vegetarian diet, the benefits of fiber, and even the controversy about seed oils and the evolving nature of scientific research on nutrition was a rich one, and will be valuable to listeners.

Laurel Trujillo 5/8/25 Laurel Trujillo 5/8/25

Revitalize Your Health with Ayurveda

How does the ancient healing science of Ayurveda help us to stay healthy, energetic, and balanced? Kate O’Donnell, author of The Everyday Ayurveda Cookbook explores how we can use Ayurvedic wisdom to stay healthy and vital in every season.
#kriyayoga #ayurveda #balance #doshas #vata #pitta #kapha

Kate O’Donnell is a nationally certified Ayurvedic Practitioner and the founder of the Ayurvedic Living Institute which is an online school for Ayurveda education and resources. Kate began to travel in South India at age 20. More than a dozen extended trips to India and twenty years studying the wisdom traditions of the sub-continent support Kate’s practice of Ayurveda. Kate specializes in Ayurvedic education, cooking skills, and cleansing programs, offering on-line programs, occasional in-person workshops on the road, and professional trainings. Her offerings aim to help others come closer to their true nature.

WEBSITE: HealWithKate.org FB: Ayurveda Boston with Kate O’Donnell Instagram: @kateodonnell.ayurveda

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: I really enjoyed and learned a lot of practical information from the interview with Kate O’Donnell. I’ve been drawn toward Ayurveda, a sister science to Yoga, for many years and she helped to simplify it for everyday use. I particularly resonated with the idea that Ayurveda is an expression of life’s flow. It helps to identify the signs of imbalance enabling us to make changes which can bring the trajectory of the energy flow into balance. Kate said even small changes in the matrix can create lasting change of that trajectory. In conversation Dr. Trujillo and Kate talked about the 3 key causes of imbalance, the 3 body types with their corresponding elements, and the importance of seasonal changes. It was a dynamic interactive discussion that should not be missed.

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: I enjoyed discussing Ayurvedic principles with Kate O’Donnell including the importance of balance; the uniqueness of each individual; and how we are all affected by changes in the outer world necessitating that we change our lifestyle practices with the change of seasons. We also discussed how we can notice the qualities of our food and our activities, such as heavy or light, and hot or cool, which can help us to choose foods and activities that return us to balance. This conversation is a great resource for our listeners who want to understand more about Ayurveda and incorporate some Ayurvedic wisdom into their lives.

Laurel Trujillo 4/24/25 Laurel Trujillo 4/24/25

Find Peace and Resilience in Challenging Times Through the Creative Power of Prana

How do we find peace and resiliance in challenging times? Prana is the aliveness of the universe, from the flow of a river to the movement of planets. Listen in to this conversation with senior Kriya Yoga teacher Acharya Sundari Jensen and explore how to increase your prana to bring inner peace and to boost your vitality, creativity, and resilience.
#kriyayoga #prana #meditation #yogananda #resilience #om

Acharya Sundari Jensen is the Senior Kriya Acharya and Executive Director at Center for Spiritual Enlightenment Headquarters in San Jose, CA. In addition to leading retreats, classes, and satsangs at CSE, she leads programs on yoga philosophy and meditation at universities and conferences. A certified Hatha Yoga teacher, Vedic Counselor, and IAYT-certified Yoga Therapist, she integrates the science of prana into her teachings, supporting individuals in attuning to their innate vitality and divine essence. Acharya Sundari has also created the on-demand course Introduction to Samkhya Philosophy, providing accessible wisdom on the foundational principles of Yoga.
WEBSITE: CSEcenter.org SOCIAL MEDIA: Center for Spiritual Enlightenment

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: This was a very informative conversation on prana with Acharya Jensen. Knowing all the things that prana is- it is life force, energy and the divine itself everywhere, in and around us- we have a deeper understanding of the “why” and the “how” of spiritual practice taught through Kriya Yoga. What stood out for me was that we can learn how to observe what enhances or what depletes our prana and make that a part of our spiritual practice of self-study. Inward turning, just noticing the stillness that comes from meditation, chanting, mantra, journaling or a walk nature. And I also appreciated the Yoga Philosophy teaching on Om, its connection to prana and its part in calming the mind for connecting to the higher truth of our being and awakening. Balanced prana brings us joy and peace to all that we do.

Laurel Trujillo 4/17/25 Laurel Trujillo 4/17/25

Find The Extraordinary in the Everyday

We can choose to walk the path of the mystic. The mundane will show up as miraculous, the boring becomes fascinating and our shortcomings become our greatest gifts. Join our guest Mirabai Starr as she shares that embracing mysticism in our lives is a way of being alive in the world.
#kriyayoga #mysticism #ordinarymysticism #brotherlawrence #meditation

Mirabai Starr is an award-winning author, internationally acclaimed speaker, and interspiritual teacher. In 2020, she was honored on Watkins’ list of the 100 Most Spiritually Influential Living People. Drawing from 20 years of teaching Philosophy and World Religions and a lifetime of practice, Mirabai shares her wisdom worldwide on contemplative living, writing as a spiritual practice, and the transformational power of grief and loss. She has authored over a dozen books including renowned translations of sacred literature. In this program her book Ordinary Mysticism: Your Life As Sacred Ground was discussed. Mirabai lives with her extended family in the mountains of Northern New Mexico.

WEBSITE: MirabaiStarr.com SOCIAL MEDIA: @Mirabai Starr

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: The idea of being a mystic has always sounded so exotic to me and it’s only a select few such as Theresa of Avila or Julian of Norwich who are privileged to have this designation. Mirabai Starr says “You do not need to trek to a remote shrine in the Himalayas, enroll in expensive seminars, or convert to a new religion to connect with spirit. Your life is holy ground. And you are a mystic. I know you are because all it means to be a mystic is to have a direct experience of the sacred.” She also says ““Mysticism is a way of seeing—beyond the turmoil, the rights and wrongs, the good guys and villains—to the radiant heart of things. The mystical gaze reveals the miracle in the summer thunderstorm and the bowl of ramen…A mystic gazes through the eyes of love, and love reveals itself as the only true thing.” Listening to Mirabai has opened my eyes and my heart to the possibility that as we become open to the present moment, we can all be a mystic, seeing the presence of God in all that we do, see and experience—the good and the difficult.

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: I so enjoyed the conversation with Mirabai Starr about experiencing the sacred in our life and as our life, everyday. I appreciated our discussion about setting an intention, and developing our loving awareness as important steps in seeing our lives as holy ground. I loved the story she told about Brother Lawrence, and how he coped with his depression by remembering a leafless tree in winter, knowing that the tree would again burst into blossom and eventually bear fruit. I find this image to be helpful in remaining hopeful even in challenging times.

Laurel Trujillo 4/2/25 Laurel Trujillo 4/2/25

Live Your Yoga Moment To Moment

Say "yes" to yoga as a vehicle for personal, social, and collective liberation with Susanna Barkataki, author of Ignite Your Yoga. Join us as she shares how to go beyond the physical practices of Yoga to discover how to bring all aspects of Yoga into your daily life.
#kriyayoga #liveyouryoga #spiritualchangemaker #lifestages #Ahimsa#Truthfulness

Susanna Barkataki, is a Certified Yoga Therapist, teacher, inclusivity promoter, and yoga culture advocate. As an Indian yoga practitioner in the Shankaracharya tradition, her passion is to help others bridge the gap between yoga as an exercise and yoga as a lifestyle. She is founder of Ignite Yoga and Wellness Institute and runs 200/500 Yoga Teacher Training programs. Susanna has an honors degree in Philosophy from UC Berkeley and a Masters in Education from Cambridge College. She is also a certified diversity, accessibility, inclusivity, and equity educator.

WEBSITE: SusannaBarkataki.com SOCIAL MEDIA: Susanna Barkataki

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: I really enjoyed this conversation between Dr. Trujillo and Susanna Barkataki. Susanna is a natural teacher, making the ancient knowledge of Yoga accessible to a new modern day audience. I appreciated the way she brought relatable examples to the four stages of life, especially the one about parenting during the "householder" stage, which I could relate to. While the podcast is only a glimpse into the book content, I hope those who are interested will explore it fully to get some great techniques of how to live Yoga

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: I enjoyed my conversation with Susanna Barkataki discussing how to bring our yoga practice fully into our lives. We discussed how practicing the ethical principles of yoga, including harmlessness (or love), truthfulness, and devotion can be the ground that supports our ability to be spiritual changemakers, whether those changes are large or small. The review of the four life stages of studentship, householder, forest dweller, and renunciate was illuminating, including the questions for reflection that we mentioned for each stage. Thank you, Susanna.