The Wisdom of Yoga in Everyday Parenting

How does the wisdom of Yoga inform the unpredictable, sometimes chaotic life of a parent?  Sarah Ezrin, author of The Yoga of Parenting: 10 Yoga-Based Practices to Help You Stay Grounded, Connect with Your Kids, and Be Kind to Yourself offers wise and practical strategies for understanding how the many challenges of parenting can be better managed with Yoga.

Sarah Ezrin is a freelance writer, yoga educator, and mama based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Sarah is author of the book we will be discussing today, The Yoga of Parenting: 10 Yoga-Based Practices to Help You Stay Grounded, Connect with Your Kids, and Be Kind to Yourself.  Sarah is a frequent contributor to Yoga Journal, Yoga International and LA Yoga. She has been interviewed in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and Bustle.com, and she has appeared on NBC news. She also writes for parenting outlets, including Healthline-Parenthood, Scary Mommy, Motherly, Healthline, and Mind Body Green. Sarah leads teacher trainings, workshops, and retreats locally in California and across the globe. 

Sarah Ezrin’s website is: sarahezrinyoga.com
#yoga #parenting #prana #sthira #sukha #empathicparenting

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: Sarah was an inspiration as she shared her knowledge of Yoga principals, child development and some of the newest information about parenting. Sarah advocates that parents keep their own energy strong along with the idea of increasing our ability as parents to stay present to our children using Yoga poses and principals. Sarah's use of the Yoga principals of Sthira, which means steady and strong and Sukha, which means soft and sweet are perfect for describing what is now considered in Child Development research the best parenting style. Sarah Ezrin offered a very strong case for staying present for our children using Yoga poses, breath or pauses along with the idea of filling our own energy needs in order to provide quality time over quantity of time with our children. 

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: I love how Sarah wove together information about child development, yogic wisdom, and parenting information in both her book and in our conversation.  Our discussion began with questioning the idea of what it means to be a “perfect” parent, stressing the importance of being present with our children and with ourselves as one of the critical factors. Applying the yogic concepts of steady practice (abhyasa) and non-attachment (vairagya) to parenting encourages parents to keep trying while avoiding grasping too tightly at a desired outcome, leaving our children with the opportunity to explore and develop competence without us stepping in immediately to show them the “right” way to do things.

Kriya Yoga: A Roadmap for Life

Kriya Yoga is an intentional, universal approach to Self-realization and spiritual enlightenment. This is accomplished by removing obstacles to the realization of our divine nature. Author and teacher, Nayaswami Devarshi shares how Kriya Yoga can support us in reaching this ultimate goal. Devarshi’s book that is discussed on this program is Kriya Yoga - Spiritual Awakening for the New Age

Nayaswami Devarshi is a longtime Ananda minister and Kriyacharya (authorized Kriya Yoga teacher). He lives in India, leading Ananda's monastery and serves as the director of Ananda's global Kriya Yoga Sangha. Devarshi works with those taking Kriya Yoga for the first time, and counsels experienced practitioners.

 Devarshi’s website is:  anandaindia.org

#kriyayoga #meditation #pranayam #rajayoga #bhaktiyoga #karmayoga

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: It was a pleasure to experience the insightful interactions between Dr. Laura Trujillo and Nayaswami Devarshi discussing Kriya Yoga and its importance as the planet transitions from Kali Yuga, the age of materialism to Dwapara Yuga, an age of energy, a more enlightened age when souls will awaken spiritually. Nayaswami Devarshi shared that over the years he has seen how Kriya Yoga can positively transform anyone and everyone who practices it. He says that every kriya (action) should be an action of selfless devotion. It is important to practice every day to gain control over and lift-up inner energies of thoughts and feelings. This program was very inspirational for those who already practice in this tradition or want to find a spiritual practice that is life changing.

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS:  I enjoyed our discussion of Kriya Yoga as more than a breathing or meditation technique, but rather as an approach to life.  We discussed Kriya Yoga as both an art and a science: Kriya is a science since it is built in the laboratory of our life through our own experience as we apply the teachings with results that are universal and replicable.  We make it an art by bringing our hearts and devotion to our practice.  I also appreciated how Nayaswami shared the Hong-Sau mantra with our listeners, which I am sure will be valuable to many.

Science and the Spiritual Life

Does science need to be separate from spirituality? Scientist and author Dr. Paul Mills shares stories from some of the world’s foremost scientists about mystical experiences that have transformed them and their work. Science, as a method, can be used to pursue spiritual goals.

Paul Mills Ph.D. is a Professor of Public Health and Family Medicine at the University of California San Diego. Dr. Mills has over 400 scientific publications in the fields of pharmacology, oncology, cardiology, psychoneuroimmunology, behavioral medicine and integrative health. Today we are discussing his new book, Science, Being and Becoming: The Spiritual Lives of Scientists. This book just won the 2023 Gold Nautilus Award for the best book in Science and Cosmology.
His website is PaulJMills.com

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: This program focusing on Dr. Mills book Science, Being and Becoming: The Spiritual Lives of Scientists I found to be very encouraging. Dr. Mills is a scientist and a long time meditator who's deep meditation experiences inspired him up to talk to other foremost scientists who have had these meditation experiences and open up a connection, so that they can, as he said, come out of the closet and not feel so isolated. Traditional science has looked on the spiritual as not relevant and "woo woo". What these scientists are saying now is that traditional science, by not seeing the spiritual as relevant, is impeding the forward movement of discovery, the forward movement of science. One of the scientists that Dr. Mills interviewed said "Science is a mystical path. The spiritual is the final frontier of science." By listening to this program and reading his book, I feel encouraged and positive with the evidence that shows that we are in and moving forward to a more enlightened age.  

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS:  It was a joy to speak with Dr. Paul Mills and to discuss his book Science, Being, and Becoming. We discussed a few of the many stories in the book about the spiritual experiences of some of the worlds top scientists, and how these experiences transformed both them and their scientific work. Our discussion about the materialistic view of the world promoted by science, and the resulting dismissal of spiritual and mystical experiences was an important one for me.  We discussed how this materialistic world view that only includes those objects that can be experienced through our senses does not incorporate many developments that have happened in other fields such as physics, which now views matter as energy.  Paul’s view of science as a mystical path was inspiring.

The Spark of Becoming: Poetry That Connects

Renowned poet, author, and spiritual teacher, Mark Nepo shares poetry from his book The Half Life of Angels. Poetry that touches the soul and reminds us of what it means to be fully alive, to be surrounded by what is sacred. 
#sacredpoetry #poetry #oneness #kriyayoga #indrasnet

Mark Nepo is a poet and spiritual teacher who has taught in the fields of poetry and spirituality for over 50 years. With over a million copies sold, Mark has moved and inspired readers and seekers all over the world with his #1 New York Times bestseller The Book of Awakening. A beloved poet, teacher, and storyteller, Mark has been called “one of the finest spiritual guides of our time,” “a consummate storyteller,” and “an eloquent spiritual teacher.” His work is widely accessible and his books have been translated into more than twenty languages.
A bestselling-author, Mark has published twenty-four books and recorded fifteen audio projects. His most recent, The Half-Life of Angels: Three Books of Poems contains poems written in his fifties and sixties, is the first in a series of volumes to be published in limited editions. In September 2023 his twenty-fifth book, Falling Down and Getting Up is being published by St. Martin's Essentials

WEBSITE: MarkNepo.com ThreeIntentions.com
Social Media: @MarkNepo

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: Mark says "Poetry isn’t the arrangement of words on the page. It's not about stanzas and meters. It is the unexpected utterance of words from the soul." I loved Laurel and Mark’s conversation of the title of his new book of poetry, The Half Life of Angels. This book is a compilation of three books of poetry. Laurel talked about how she understands the term half-life in scientific terms. When she read the title she thought about how angels are infinite and the half life of infinity is infinity. Mark said: “I see it as the spark, that moment in nature, when love touches us”. He used the visual example of Michaelangelo's painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and God touching his finger to man. He also described how going through the many poems that he has written over these past decades opened him up to a greater understanding of himself and it was important to him not to change the way he wrote the earlier poems because of his deeper insights now, but to let them be. I also enjoyed how Laurel shared Yogacharya's poetry as well as Paramahansa Yogananda's. It was a very rich and meaningingful program. I would highly recommend it. 

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: It was a treat to focus on sacred poetry and on Mark Nepo’s new book The Half-Life of Angels.  I appreciated his description of darkness as something we can’t yet see, and that through personal growth we can make darkness visible.  His description of the rhythm between periods of harshness and beauty, between bareness and fullness in our lives as the inhalation and exhalation of the universe was very beautiful and touching to me.  I always enjoy Mark Nepo’s focus on our essential Oneness and our connection with each other and with the sacred Universe.  

Dissolve Self-Criticism with Wisdom and Compassion

How can we transform our inner voice to offer ourselves more self-compassion and less self-criticism? Dr. Rachel Turow, author of The Self-Talk Workout shares scientifically based strategies that support us in building healthier habits of relating to ourselves.

Website: RachelTurow.com
LinkedIn: @rachelturow

#selfcriticism #selfesteem #kriyayoga #meditationandthebrain #nonjudgment

Dr. Rachel Goldsmith Turow

Dr. Rachel Goldsmith Turow is a psychotherapist and research scientist who has trained hundreds of individuals in the use of mindfulness, self-compassion, and cognitive behavioral skills. She is a frequent speaker at national and international conferences. Dr. Turow is the author of several books including Mindfulness Skills for Trauma and PTSD and the book we are speaking about today,  The Self-Talk Workout: Six Scientific Backed Strategies to Dissolve Self-Criticism and Transform the Voice in Your Head.

COMMENT FROM RACHEL TUROW: Thank you so much for the invitation and conversation. I had a wonderful time speaking with Laurel and our talk inspired me to read more about yoga philosophy. I’m sure there are lots of treasures there.

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: I feel that this is a powerful and important Yoga Hour program. There is so much about Kriya Yoga that is in alignment with her work. Self-criticism is so endemic and is a real core problem for many of us. Dr. Turow has been working in this field as a psychotherapist and research scientist for many years. She has discovered that self-criticism is connected to a whole range of mental conditions including depression, PTSD, addiction and self-harm. Through her research and also through her regular meditation and mindfulness practices she has come up with six strategies to overcome self-criticism. She says that self-criticism has become such an ingrained habit for most of us that we can't just decide to stop. I appreciated how science has discovered what is happening in the brain with self-criticism and what strategies can physically rewire our brains to redirect our thoughts to self-compassion. We need tools and then we need to practice those tools to strengthen our "self-compassion muscles". Dr. Turow says that we can challenge the assumption that we are the way we are. Being our own worst critic is not a fixed characteristic. We can become our own best friend. 

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: I really enjoyed our conversation about how to transform our self-talk to include more self-compassion and kindness.  I was interested to learn that anxiety, depression, PTSD, and stress all have a component of negative self-talk, and that it’s not enough just to want to be kinder to ourselves.  Dr. Turow pointed out that changing our inner dialog requires practice which can include meditation or taking a few moments each day to write down ten things that we did to improve something for ourselves, our families, friends, and acquaintances, from sending a text to taking out the trash.   

It’s Time for a Change!

Do you feel there is just not enough time in the day? Andrew Mellen, author of Calling BS on Busy, combines cutting-edge neuroscience with common sense to change the way we think and act about time, bringing us into the present moment with clear intention, gratitude and abundance.

Andrew Mellen is the Wall Street Journal and Audible best-selling author of Unstuff Your Life!, and Calling BS on Busy. He has appeared on Oprah, Martha Stewart and CBS Sunday Morning. Andrew speaks nationally and internationally. Some of his corporate clients include American Express, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the New York Mets baseball team. He is long-time practitioner of meditation and mindfulness.

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: This is a great interview with Andrew Mellen. The tools he shares to bring mindfulness into our lives are simple and straightforward. He discusses how having an “unconscious relationship with time” brings the stressful feeling of not having enough time to do what we think we should do.  The key he says is to realize there are 24 hours in the day, period. Andrew shared that prioritizing those hours based on core values can bring fullness into your life. Once behaviors are aligned to core values you are not so easily pulled off balance. We then prioritize doing the things that are important to us. His description of the “golf ball” exercise and the “80/20 Rule” really help put time scheduling in perspective. Don’t miss this podcast if you feel overwhelmingly busy.

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: I found our conversation to be particularly valuable to me personally and I believe it will be for our listeners as well.  Being conscious of how we spend our time is part of the practice of Right Use of Vital Force, one of the Yamas or ethical principles of yoga. As Andrew points out, none of us know when we will be “kicked off the island” so we don’t know how much time we each have and we need to use it wisely.  I appreciate his approach of starting by being conscious of what is most valuable to us as we consider how we spend our time.  I love that he recommends using very simple tools (a stopwatch, timer, and calendar) that are easily accessible and inexpensive.  The episode is filled with lots of down-to-earth tips about how to change our relationship with time.

The Life Changing Inspiration of Autobiography of a Yogi

Why has reading Paramahansa Yogananda’s book Autobiography of a Yogi changed so many lives? Join author Philip Goldberg as he discusses this important book, which he calls “An iconic memoir of an authentic yogi.”

Philip Goldberg has been studying the world’s spiritual traditions for more than 50 years.  He is an illuminating and entertaining public speaker and workshop leader, a spiritual counselor, meditation teacher, and an ordained Interfaith Minister. Phil is the author or co-author of numerous books, including America Veda, Roadsigns on the Spiritual Path, The Life of Yogananda, and Spiritual Practice for Crazy Times.  He contributes regularly to Spirituality & Health magazine online. Phil is the host of the popular Spirit Matters podcast

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: What a delightful conversation with Phil Goldberg on the Yoga Hour.  I could have listened for hours. Philip Goldberg so easily and richly shares his knowledge of Paramahansa Yogananda, the book 'The Autobiography of a Yogi' and Yoga philosophy in general. I found his explanation especially enlightening of why The Autobiography of a Yogi is such a classic book and so influential in America. Phil talked about how few Yogi's write about their own life and that it is a compelling story about Yogananda's life. He went on to state that Yogananda also includes stories of other people, yogis and mystics from India and America as well as a discourse on Yoga that is good, concise and informative. Phil shared that the majority of people that he has talked with over the decades that have chosen to explore or teach Eastern spirituality and Yoga state that 'The Autobiography of a Yogi' was the most influential book in getting them started. He encourages people "...to read the book if they haven't read it and to re-read it if they have because there is always something new to learn".

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: It is always such a pleasure to have Phil as a guest on The Yoga Hour, and to discuss Paramahansa Yogananda with him in this program.  He is so knowledgeable about the spread of yoga philosophy in America as well as the life of Yogananda, and he makes these topics so accessible.  I really enjoyed how our conversation wove back and forth between Yogananda’s book Autobiography of a Yogi, and Phil’s book The Life of Yogananda, as the two books are so complementary.  I appreciated our focus on the experiential nature of the philosophy of yoga practice and meditation, how the yoga approach doesn’t rely on blind faith, but is rather an encouragement to try these techniques out for oneself and to see the results in our own life.  I agree with Phil’s encouragement to listeners to read the Autobiography if they haven’t yet done so, or to re-read it if they have read it in the past.  There is always something new and inspiring to find there. 

Sacred Poetry: Insight and Inspiration

Listening to and reading sacred poetry can lift us up, inspire our days and take us to a deeper understanding of the Divine. Ivan Granger is a poet and editor of The Longing In Between: An Anthology of Sacred Poetry from Around the World.  Listen in and be inspired!

Ivan Granger, the founder and editor of the Poetry Chaikhana, a publishing house and online resource for sacred poetry from around the world. He is the author of Real Thirst: Poetry of the Spiritual Journey. He is also the editor of The Longing in Between: A Poetry Chaikhana Anthology, and This Dance of Bliss: Ecstatic Poetry from Around the World. His poetry and translations have been included in several magazines and anthologies.

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: This program with poet Ivan Granger and Dr. Laurel Trujillo was thought provoking. It started with the poem by Gabriel Rosenstock that inspired the title of his anthology of spiritual poetry, The Longing in Between.

A star
A tree
And the longing in between

 This began an insightful conversation about the significance of poetry as inspiration on our spiritual path. Ivan talked about poetry being a verbal art. When the poem is read out loud the breath affects consciousness. The reader shares the breath rhythm of the author. Ivan’s last thought was his conviction that inspiration is something essential and fundamental in the flow of life and should be a daily practice.

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: I really enjoyed our conversation about sacred poetry, including the poems that Ivan Granger and I each read aloud.  I appreciated his description of the relationship between longing and union in sacred poetry, that it is a spectrum where these two aspects are connected.  I think this was demonstrated by several of the poems that we shared.  We discussed how the words “yoga” and “religion” both mean union.   I so enjoyed his description of poetry as a magnetic pole, one that allows meaning to gather as we continue to reflect on the poem over time.