Live Life to the Fullest: Thriving in The Third Stage of Life

How can our later years be the most vital time of life? Yogacharya Ellen Grace O’Brian shares how Yoga philosophy and practice light the path for healthy, vital, and purposeful living at every stage of life. Learn how these spiritual teachings can inspire your life journey and help you prepare for and navigate your later years.

Yogacharya O’Brian is a western woman who teaches the riches of Indian philosophy in a fully accessible and inspiring way for newcomers and longtime practitioners alike. Ordained by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda, she has been teaching Kriya Yoga philosophy and practice, and leading meditation retreats for more than four decades. On her author website EllenGraceOBrian.com she offers many online learning programs. You will also find many inspirational blog posts and other resources for your study. She is also the founder and spiritual director of The Center for Spiritual Enlightenment, a meditation center in the Kriya Yoga tradition.

The Third Stage of Life Retreat Online or In-Person October 6 through 8, 2022.

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: I thoroughly enjoyed the program and learned so much from Yogacharya about the stages of life as described in the Vedas and especially the third stage, that can be described in English as the retirement stage. She shared that these stages in life are related to archetypes that are within us all—at all times we have some level of all these stages within; the student stage, the householder stage, the retirement/hermit stage and the renunciant stage. All these stages are related to dharmic living, living our lives in the highest way with the higher purpose of Self- and God-realization. Yogacharya said that despite what our culture tells us about getting older, she sees it as an exciting time. It is a time to simplify and discover what is important in life; a time to let go and discover what connects me with my soul's joy and do that. This topic is so important to not only those of us in that third stage of life, but to everyone, no matter what age and stage they are in.

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: It was wonderful to have Yogacharya O’Brian as a guest on The Yoga Hour to discuss the four Vedic stages of life, and how to thrive in the third stage. She says that the anchor of all four stages is living a dharmic life, living with higher purpose. I appreciated her comments that the four Asramas can also be viewed as separate life paths as well as sequential stages of life: student, householder, hermit or forest dweller, and renunciate. Our conversation about how these four stages of life tie-in with the four life goals was illuminating: student with dharma(living with higher purpose), householder with artha (prosperity), forest dweller with kama (pleasure) and renunciate with moksha (liberation). Her final advice to listeners, that it is imperative to fall in love with your life, regardless of the stage, was inspiring.

EMBRACE THE POWERFUL, PEACEFUL AND PROSPEROUS GODDESS WITHIN - PART Two

Acharya Shunya is a renowned Vedic teacher and the first female head of her family teaching lineage. Join us as she shares that by learning about the goddess qualities within, women can step into their innate divinity and lead powerful, abundant, and wise lives.

Acharya Shunya is an award-winning and internationally renowned spiritual teacher and scholar of Advaita (nondual wisdom) and is a classically-trained master of Yoga and Ayurveda. She offers many courses and retreats and she is author of numerous books. Her new book, that is being discussed on this program is Roar Like a Goddess: Every Woman’s Guide To Becoming Unapologetically Powerful, Prosperous and Peaceful.

WEBSITE: AcharyaShunya.com AwakenedSelf.com social media @acharyashunya

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: In Part Two of this interview with Acharya Shunya, we learned more about the Goddess Durga and how Durga’s goddess powers apply to our own lives today. I loved how Acharya teaches us that the Goddess Lakshmi is said to bestow grace on us that makes our lives so much easier. She says Lakshmi bears auspicious tidings with a wealth of cheerfulness and a sense of peace with what we have and with our relationships. The Goddess Sarasvati represents the freeing of knowledge, feminine intuition, artistic inspiration, music and spiritual insights. There is so much more to learn about how we can embrace these goddess qualities in our life and live a life that is worthy of us.

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: I really appreciate Acharya Shunya’s deep knowledge of the Vedas and how she tells us that qualties of the goddesses are who we are as women. We just need to recognize these strengths in ourselves. In Part 2, Acharya Shunya shared the importance of understanding and embodying the goddesses within, particularly at this complex time in our world as we come out of the pandemic and face challenges of climate change, concerns about racial equality and other conflicts. We discussed Rosa Parks as displaying Durga energy when she refused to give up her seat on the bus. We also discussed Lakshmi, goddess of prosperity, and Sarasvati, goddess of wisdom.

The Healing Power of Writing Your Life Story

How does writing about life events bring magic and healing? Nancy Slonim Aronie, author of Memoir as Medicine, says that everyone has a story to tell. Join us as she shares how writing through where we have been provides a pathway to deep understanding, profound healing, and unexpected joy.

Nancy Slonim Aronie is the author of Writing from the Heart and the book we are discussing in this program, Memoir as Medicine. She has been a regular contributor to National Public Radio's All Things Considered. She was recognized for excellence in teaching all three years she taught at Harvard University for Robert Coles. Aronie has joined with physicians and writers from Columbia University's program in narrative medicine to lead workshops using her Writing from the Heart.

Website: ChilmarkWritingWorkshop.com

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: This conversation with Nancy Slonim Aronie about writing is extremely motivational. She acknowledges that while everybody has every excuse in the world on why there isn’t time to write, we need to get stuff out of our system. “Get the rage on the page.” We all have secrets, mysteries that no one has seen before. Nancy says write it down without worrying what other people think. Be honest with yourself. Writing can acknowledge what hurts. Truth heals. Her book, Memoir as Medicine, has short chapters each with a prompt at the end to help start the process. The chapters that are discussed here (Why Write, Insights, Solitude) definitely wet my appetite to pull out my pen and start journaling. There was a comfortable free flow to this conversation with the many “aha” moments.

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: It was intriguing to me to discuss how writing about the events of our lives can be healing, and can allow us to see things in a new way. We talked about the importance of writing through our emotions, even those that are challenging to us. As she write in her book; "But the biggest healing and the biggest teaching, the most surprising thing: I would not have known how exquisitely beautiful the whole trip was. That’s how I know writing is medicine.” Writing helps us with the Kriya Yoga practice of Self-Study. Nancy and I discuss several prompts for listeners to write about that I hope will be inspiring to them.

Embrace the Powerful, Peaceful and Prosperous Goddess Within - Part One

Acharya Shunya is a renowned Vedic teacher and the first female head of her family teaching lineage. Join us as she shares that by learning about the goddess qualities within, women can step into their innate divinity and lead powerful, abundant, and wise lives. Acharya Shunya is an award-winning and internationally renowned spiritual teacher and scholar of Advaita (nondual wisdom) and is a classically-trained master of Yoga and Ayurveda. She offers many courses and retreats and she is author of numerous books. Her new book, that is being discussed on this program is Roar Like a Goddess: Every Woman’s Guide To Becoming Unapologetically Powerful, Prosperous and Peaceful.

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: In Part One of this two part interview, Acharya Shunya's shares about the tools of the mythology of the Divine Goddess in the forms of Durga, Lakshmi and Sarasvati. She wants to encourage women and all those who identify as feminine to embrace their divine power unapologetically. Dr. Trujillo shared that Yogacharya O'Brian wrote a review for the book saying “the book is not about the Goddess; it is the voice of the Goddess, bold and clear, with a message ancient and ever new: You are That.” As Acharya Shunya explained, we have these qualities of power, abundance and peace within us, but we allow outside forces and traditions to tell us that we are not worthy. Most of this first program focuses on the Goddess Durga. She is the one who exemplifies power and who protects us from our own negative thinking, addictions and limitations that we feel have been placed on us or that we place upon ourselves. I really enjoy Acharya's outspoken style and how she brings the example of the attributes of these goddesses to us so we can learn about and embrace these qualities in ourselves. I am looking forward to tuning in to Part Two.

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: In this program I appreciated Acharya’s comments about the need to be unapologetic in claiming the goddess power within. We discussed several of the goddess qualities: being bold rather than fearful, abundant rather than scarce, and joyful rather than sorrowful. It is helpful to me to think about the different goddesses as all being facets of the One goddess Shakti, different aspects of the One. In this program we discussed the Goddess Durga as being powerful, not for power’s sake, but in the service of the greater good for all.

Experience the joy in aging

How do we find joy even in the impermanence of our lives?  Join Susan Moon, Zen teacher and author of Alive Until You’re Dead as she discusses death as part of living and the journey of aging. With humor and wisdom she encourages us to expect enlightening discoveries in our later years.

Susan Moon is a writer and Buddhist teacher in the Soto Zen tradition. She is the author of several books, including This is Getting Old , The Hidden Lamp and the book we are discussing in this podcast, Alive Until You’re Dead. She is a contributor to Lion’s Roar, Tricycle and other publications. She leads retreats in California and internationally.

Her website is susanmoon.wordpress.com

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: Susan Moon offered many wonderful perspectives on aging. I particularly enjoyed her lighthearted acceptance of her age as she said, “There is a relief in accepting myself as an old person. There’s a sense of accomplishment even.” One of the perspectives she offers is that of Virya, a Sanskrit word that she translates as joyful effort, which doesn’t involve the effort of strength, rather an alive and joyful vitality. She also offers specific supportive practices for contemplating death, one of which is realizing that the ability to love doesn't end as we age.

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: I really enjoyed our conversation about experiencing the joy in aging. I loved her comment in the book “I see now that doing battle against aging is not a good use of my time and so letting go of that fight is a big relief. I have a wider view, and it’s not because of my lens implants.” I found our discussion of the importance of virya, or joyful effort to be reassuring, as we are never too old to make an effort and to be joyful. I appreciated her comments about the importance of being triggered into feeling curious when we are faced with challenges, and that we can cultivate the attitude, “Can I be curious about this?”

Enhance Your Recovery with Yoga and Ayurveda

How can Yoga and Ayurveda empower recovery from addiction? Join Durga Leela, author of Yoga of Recovery, as she shares how tools from these ancient sciences enhance traditional recovery pathways and offer healing, hope, and transformation for those on the path of recovery.

Durga Leela is a person in long-term recovery, a certified Ayurveda Practitioner, yoga teacher and yoga therapist (IAYT certified) from the UK and now based in the US.  She has shared Yoga as a recovery pathway in several recovery conferences over the last 20 years.  She has also served as the Director of the Ayurveda Programs at the Sivananda Ashram in California since 2003 and is a professional member of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association (NAMA). Durga is author of the book Yoga of Recovery.

Her website is YogaOfRecovery.com

Facebook and Instagram: @YogaofRecovery

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: This is an excellent program for not only those in addiction recovery but also those who want to understand healing, using Yoga and Ayurveda. Durga Leela's experience of recovery along with her deep study of Yoga philosophy and Ayurveda offers the integration of these two sister sciences to help people shift their life trajectory. Her discussion of the gunas, the qualities that imbue all of nature, gives us a real understanding of how addiction comes about and also how we can deal with addictions in a positive way. I appreciated her quote from David Frawley, the renowned teacher of Yoga and Ayurveda — “Addictions are a [another] form of psychological disorder. They occur from too much Tamas or inertia in the mind. This is often caused by excess Rajas, or mental disturbance, which is compensated for by providing an artificial calm." Durga Leela says, "Get off the addiction roller coaster and become a master of your life." I highly recommend this program.

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: I really appreciated our conversation about how yoga and Ayurveda can enhance the recovery journey. I was particularly struck by the first sentence of her book Yoga of Recovery: “Our understanding of our suffering defines the nature of our solution.” This begins by realizing that the root of all disease is spiritual (as she has titled the first chapter of her book), and that it arises when we forget our true nature as spirit. I enjoyed our conversation about the three gunas, sattva (luminosity), rajas (motion), and tamas (inertia), and their effects on the mind. Durga’s inclusion of David Frawley’s definition of addiction, that it arises from an excess of rajas in the mind that we compensate for by providing an external calm offered insight into the cause of addiction.

Yoga for Skillful, Joyful Living

What does it mean to live skillfully? Join Molly McManus, yoga therapist and Ayurvedic chef, as she discusses the chemistry of joy and yoga. Discover how yoga therapy can help to promote healing of mind, body, and spirit through movement, postures, breathwork and meditation.

Molly McManus is an IAYT-certified yoga therapist, E-RYT 500, somatic educator, Ayurvedic health counselor, and Ayurvedic chef offering private instruction, training and continuing education opportunities. Molly is the President of the Board for the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT), co-owns Yoga North International SomaYoga Institute, and is co-founder of the methodology SomaYoga. 

 WEBSITE: YogaNorthDuluth.com

FaceBook and Instagram: @MollyYogaNorth

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: This is a podcast you won't want to miss. Molly McManus shares a rich, broad and deep kmowledge of Yoga philosophy and Yoga therapy. I so appreciate how Molly continually frames the various practices of Yoga and Ayurveda as both self-care and self-knowledge. She beautifully outlines skillful living as living for her highest good and the highest good of others. The discussion about the Yamas and Niyamas which focused on contentment and non-attachment is so supportive to understanding how to live joyfully as well.

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: I really enjoyed our conversation about how yoga can help us to live more skillfully and joyfully. As I mentioned, skillful action is one definition of the Sanskrit word yoga that is given in the Bhagavad Gita (2.50). I liked her definition of skillful living as living in accordance with dharma—living in harmony with oneself, and living in ways that move us towards the greater good. We discussed harmlessness (ahimsa), one of the Yamas or yoga practices that help us to live ethically with others, also translated as kindness and nonviolence. I appreciated that she began her comments on ahimsa with the need for us to be kind to ourselves. We also discussed the practice of contentment as a way to live more skillfully and joyfully. Given that she is an Ayurvedic chef, her discussion of using food as spiritual practice was inspiring along with some tips that can help listeners begin this journey.

Be Calm and Steady During Times of Change

How can we create equanimity and awareness that will support us in riding the ebbs and flows of life? Join author and yoga teacher Nina Zolotow, as she offers ancient and modern yogic tools that return balance, calmness and contentment when we experience challenging times.

NINA ZOLOTOW is the author of Yoga for Times of Change. She is a certified yoga teacher as well as a longtime yoga writer. Zolotow teaches workshops and series classes on yoga for emotional well-being, stress, better sleep, cultivating equanimity, and healthy aging. She is also the editor-in-chief of the Yoga for Healthy Aging Blog and is the coauthor of Yoga for Healthy Aging (with Baxter Bell) and Yoga and Moving toward Balance (both with Rodney Yee).

WEBSITE: YogaForTimesofChange.com

GUEST COMMENTS: Laurel was such an excellent host, and she made me feel very supported and at ease. It was wonderful talking with her. The Yoga Hour team seems like a very lovely group of people. I’m glad you’re sharing so much valuable information about yoga with the world.

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: This is a very timely interview on how yoga practices can help us in times of change. Any change puts our nervous system on alert in order to face the new challenge whether it is a desired or undesired change. Nina and Laurel discuss a huge range of choices of yoga practices for listeners to be able to explore and experiment with when faced with anxiety, depression, unbalance and uneasiness. Yoga asana routines, supported inverted poses, breathing techniques, numerous types of meditation, and universal kindness are just a few. Nina is clear and descriptive which will enable the listener to try out some of these techniques to see what works for them. This interview and the book, Yoga for Times of Change, are not to be missed.

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: It was great to discuss all the tools that yoga has to offer us in dealing with the change that is part of all the manifest universe including our minds and bodies. I appreciated Nina Zolotow’s insight that each of us needs to use self-study to see if a particular practice, such as a relaxing breathing exercise, is working for us, and to change it is it is not. I loved the instructions she shared about the supported inverted yoga poses and the physiologic reason that they help us to relax. She made this very accessible for listeners with several options that they can try. I also appreciated her instructions about how to adapt yoga poses so that everyone can do them.