Build Community by Seeing the Divine in Yourself and Others

Using Namaste, “I bow to the divine in you,” as a touchstone, Jeremy David Engels shows how recognizing the divine in ourselves and others is a powerful principle for building connection and community.

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Dr. Jeremy David Engels is Liberal Arts Professor of Communication and Ethics at Pennsylvania State University. He is also a longtime teacher of mindfulness, meditation, and yoga, having studied in both India and the United States. He is an award-winning scholar, and has published numerous books and articles about democracy, community building, deliberation, and peace, including including On Mindful Democracy: A Declaration of Interdependence to Mend a Fractured World, and the book we are discussing today, Living Namaste: A Practical Guide to Mindfulness, Yoga, and Building Community.

🔗 Learn more about Jeremy and his work: JeremyDavidEngels.com

🎧 Listen to Jeremy’s recent episode on The Yoga Hour: Mindful Democracy: Declaring Our Interdependence

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Dr. Trujillo’s Comments

“This episode with Jeremy David Engels focused on Namaste, the Sanskrit word that means ‘I bow to the divine in you’ in a discussion that explored how to live Namaste rather than just have it as a saying in a yoga class. We discussed Namaste as a practice: how to recognize the divine within ourselves; how to also recognize it in others, even those who are not part of our tribe; and how to bring this practice forward to build community and connection. Our conversation ranged from mindfulness meditation, cultural appropriation, and appreciating the miracles of life to how to build beloved community. I recommend this episode for those who are looking to bring their yoga practice off the mat and into the world.”

The Yoga Hour Team Comments

“I feel this podcast with Jeremy David Engels and Dr. Laurel Trujillo is very timely in the climate of the world today. Jeremy begins with the concept of living Namaste as a practice of honor. Seeing the divine in ourselves and others builds community and connection. The discussion continues exploring how yoga is a practice of mindfulness – being into any moment in your life. I love the vision Jeremy presented of Miracle Gazing: noticing the miracle of this existence and waking up to the large and small miracles in our lives. This is definitely a podcast listeners won’t want to miss. It promises hope through our connections with other people and community.”

Jeremy David Engels