Mindful Democracy: Declaring Our Interdependence

Professor Jeremy David Engels, scholar, longtime student of Thich Nhat Hanh and author of On Mindful Democracy, shares how mindfulness is not only a path to personal peace, but it also opens us to vital practices for renewing interconnection and democracy itself.
#kriyayoga #mindfulness #democracy #oneness #karmayoga #interconnection #interdependence 

Jeremy David Engels

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 the book we are discussing today, On Mindful Democracy: A Declaration of Interdependence to Mend a Fractured World. 
WEBSITE: JeremyDavidEngels.com

THE YOGA HOUR LISTENER COMMENTS: If you are a student of "Eastern" philosophy and have wondered how the teachings of Buddhism and Kriya Yoga can guide us in maintaining a healthy democracy, you will love this discussion.  As the United States celebrates 250 years of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, this is an auspicious time to remember that democracy is a practice too. I really enjoyed how Jeremy used the technique of mindfulness to help us during a time when people seem so divided. 

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: I found this conversation with Jeremy Engels to be very inspiring and hopeful, as is his book On Mindful Democracy.  I love his definition of democracy as a practice, and one that we do together to care for each other and the life we share.  Jeremy stresses the importance of an embodied experience of our interconnection, which can be accessed through many pathways including meditation, yoga, and religion. This interconnection, our recognition of our interdependence, is both the root of yoga and the basis for this new Declaration. His book includes 27 insights, including "There is no way to Democracy, Democracy is the way”, which describes democracy as a spiritual power.  Another insight is “Changing your mind is not a weakness, it is the work of a brave soul”.  In this, the year is the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, this new declaration based on our interdependence is very needed and welcome.

Healing the Earth with Ancient Wisdom

Explore how the spiritual principles of yoga offer hope for our ecological crisis. Dr. Christopher Chapple reveals ancient wisdom for healing ourselves and our planet—inner and outer—through Earth-awareness, mindful living, and inspiring eco-activism.
#kriyayoga #ecology #yamas #niyamas #bhagavadgita

Christopher Key Chapple

Christopher Key Chapple is Doshi Professor of Indic and Comparative Theology and founding director of the Master of Arts in Yoga Studies at Loyola Marymount University. He has written more than twenty books, including the book we are discussing today Embodied Ecology: Yoga and the Environment. He serves on the advisory boards for the Forum on Religion and Ecology (Yale), the Jaina Studies Centre (London), the Dharma Academy of North America (Berkeley), and the International School for Jain Studies (Delhi)

WEBSITE: bellarmine.lmu.edu/yoga

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: This was a delightful conversation helping the listener understand how the teachings of yoga can help us live a life that better cares for the self, the earth and all of its inhabitants.  Christopher Chapple has a conversational storytelling style that you could listen to all day. 

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: This discussion with Christopher Chapple about his new book Embodied Ecology encourages us all to pair our contemplative practices of yoga and meditation with action on behalf of the environment.  We discussed how the yogic ethical principles of nonviolence, non-possession, and purity all lead us to concrete action in the outer world: to minimize harm to animals, to consume only necessities, and to be mindful of pollution and avoid it.  This episode also includes Chris reading some passages from the Bhagavad Gita that describe the qualities of a yogi that are inspirational.  

Lift Your Heart with Sacred Poetry

Ivan Granger

Ivan Granger is a poet and editor of The Longing In Between: An Anthology of Sacred Poetry from Around the World. He shares sacred poetry that can lift us up, inspire our days and take us to a deeper understanding of the Divine—a beautiful way to enter the holiday season.
#KriyaYoga #SacredPoetry #Oneness #meditiation #TurningInward
WEBSITE: Poetry-Chaikhana.com

Ivan Granger is 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 and edited the book This Dance of Bliss: Ecstatic Poetry from Around the World, as well as being the editor of The Longing in Between: A Poetry Chaikhana Anthology, which we will be discussing today. His poetry and translations have been included in several magazines and anthologies.

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: This conversation with Ivan Granger beautifully highlights poems that reveal the sacred unity of human experience across cultures worldwide.  A wonderful contemplation for the depths of winter.

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: As the days grow shorter, and the nights lengthen, our attention is naturally drawn inward toward the sacred.  In this conversation with Ivan Granger, poet and editor of the book The Longing in Between,  we shared sacred poetry from the Christian, Sufi, Hindu, and Buddhist traditions.  The poems speak of gratitude, deep inner joy and love, liberation from obstructions, mindfulness and non-attachment.  I found our conversation uplifting and nourishing in this holiday time of busyness.  I encourage you to take time to listen and fill up your inner wellspring.  

Optimize Health and Well-Being Through Restorative Sleep

By integrating cutting-edge science with the ancient wisdom tradition of Ayurveda, Dr. Suhas Kshirsagar and Dr. Sheila Patel, authors of Awakened Sleep: An Ayurvedic Approach to Getting Deep Rest and Unlocking Optimal Health, share how we can have a balanced, restorative sleep that can unlock our full human potential.
#kriyayoga #ayurveda #insomnia #sleep #awakenedsleep

WEBSITE FOR THE BOOK: Awakened-Sleep.com

Dr. Suhas Kshirsagar

Dr. Suhas Kshirsagar (BAMS, MD, Ayurveda) is one of the most prominent Ayurvedic physicians in the United States with over 35 years of clinical experience. He is the director of Ayurvedic Healing, an integrative wellness clinic in Santa Cruz, CA. Dr. Suhas is also the author of several books including The Hot Belly Diet and Change Your Schedule, Change Your Life and is a sought-after speaker at Ayurvedic and wellness conferences both nationally and internationally. He is an advisor and consultant at Chopra Global and Chopra Foundation and has chaired and designed curriculums for several Ayurvedic schools. You can find out more about Dr. Suhas at his website AyurvedicHealing.net

Dr. Sheila Patel

Dr. Sheila Patel, MD, FA, AFP is a board-certified family physician and former Chief Medical Officer for Chopra Global. For more than a decade she practiced full-spectrum family medicine in rural communities, and currently maintains an outpatient primary care practice in Southern California where she combines the wisdom of Ayurveda with the tools of modern medicine to help patients heal from a variety of acute and chronic conditions.  Dr. Patel is certified as an instructor of Ayurveda, yoga, and meditation and is current Chief Medical Officer for the Gaja Collective where she is lead educator for the Chopra Ayurvedic Health certification program. She also served as the clinical research director for the Chopra Foundation and has co-authored multiple published research papers on the benefits of meditation and Ayurveda. You can find out more about Dr. Patel at her website DrSheilaPatel.com

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: Through their understanding and practice of Ayurveda, both Dr. Suhas and Dr. Sheila offer a unique perspective on the issue of sleep that is a problem for so much of our western population.  What I really appreciated is their discussion of how good, restful, restorative sleep is not only important for our physical bodies but is deeply connected to our experiences of spiritual enlightenment. Dr. Suhas quoted the Bhagavad Gita and the Yoga Sutras saying that deep restorative sleep can bring us, each night, closest to the highest state of consciousness-nirvikalpa samadhi and we shouldn't waste the opportunity. Dr. Patel shared that these sleep rhythms are natural to us and the techniques they share in their book let us get in touch with the natural part of our self. She says that these small practices reconnect us to who we really are. I highly recommend this conversation. 

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: I appreciate how Drs. Suhas Kshirsagar and Sheila Patel include all three aspects of ourselves in their discussion about the importance of sleep: physical, mental/emotional, and spiritual.  This conversation illumined the importance of our dosha, or Ayurvedic mind-body constitution, on our ability for restorative sleep. Advice for improving our sleep was discussed, including a brief bedtime ritual where we can settle our thoughts from the day, plant positive intentions for the night and next day, and end with gratitude. Listeners will benefit from this conversations framing of how to make our sleep part of our spiritual practice.

Discover the Gift of Presence

How can we live life fully, with presence and reverence?  Author and teacher Elena Brower helps us explore the many aspects of ourselves to get to the heart of who we are.  She invites us to come home to ourselves with love. 
#KriyaYoga #HoldNothing #BeginnersMind #Mindfulness #meditation

Elena Brower

Elena Brower is a mother, mentor, artist, teacher, best-selling author of several books including the book we are discussing today, Hold Nothing: An Invitation to Let Go and Come Home to Yourself. She is also the host of the Practice You podcast. Elena has taught yoga and meditation since 1999. After graduating Cornell University in 1992, she designed textiles and apparel for almost a decade before focusing on yoga, meditation, art, and writing. 

WEBSITE: ElenaBrower.com SOCIAL MEDIA: @elenabrower

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: The thing that stood out most to me about this conversation with Elena Brower was the way she embodied the teachings of her new book, Hold Nothing.  She was thoughtful, reflective and honest.  It was reassuring to hear that we can "empty ourselves out and start again!"  And, Dr. Trujillo added that emptiness is full of potentials.  A thought provoking conversation to fuel your day, for sureThe thing that stood out most to me about this conversation with Elena Brower was the way she embodied the teachings of her new book, Hold Nothing.  She was thoughtful, reflective and honest.  It was reassuring to hear that we can "empty ourselves out and start again!"  And, Dr. Trujillo added that emptiness is full of potentials.  A thought provoking conversation to fuel your day, for sure

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: I enjoyed this conversation with yoga and meditation teacher Elena Brower about her book Hold Nothing.  Elena’s presence and honesty about herself and her spiritual path was engaging.  We discussed the importance of practice, respect, presence, and listening, and explored the idea of Beginner’s Mind.  We close the episode with a discussion of some of the benefits of a steady meditation practice which were inspiring.  

Awaken The Calm Center

Psychologist and author Steve Taylor invites us into The Calm Center—a space of stillness and presence within. In this conversation with Dr. Trujillo, he shares reflections and meditations that can guide us toward spiritual awakening and peace, amid life’s turbulence.
#kriyayoga #meditation #mindfulness #presence #silence

Steve Taylor

Steve Taylor, PhD, is the author of The Calm Center and many other bestselling books. He’s senior lecturer in psychology at Leeds Beckett University and the author of many best-selling books on spirituality and psychology. Eckhart Tolle has referred to his work as 'an important contribution to the shift in consciousness that is happening on our planet. He has just published a new book of spiritual poetry, Back to Stillness.  Visit him online at www.StevenMTaylor.com. FB: SteveTaylorAuthor IG: @SteveTaylorAuthor

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: Steve Taylor’s poetry is perfect for this time and season, and hearing the poetry read in this episode was beneficial for coming into the calm center. Just listening, I felt drawn inwardly and was touched by the way Steve expresses the things that pull us away from being in stillness and what takes us away from being mindful—this poetry is so honest. And his poetry reminds us of what is important: space is spirit, empty of time…. meditation creates space in our being, the universal space. This poetry is an embodiment of spirit and why we practice gratitude. 

Karma Yoga: The Path of Selfless Action

How can we transform our lives through our everyday actions? Acharya Shunya, esteemed Vedic teacher and scholar shares timeless teachings from the Bhagavad Gita revealing that, with intention, every act can be a sacred offering. Let your life be your prayer.

#kriyayoga #karmayoga #BhagavadGita #SelflessService #Godisthedoer #Nonattachment

Acharya Shunya

Acharya Shunya is a visionary author, speaker, lineage holder from India and the spiritual head of Vedika Global, an international spiritual organization. She is committed to sharing the light of Vedic wisdom with modern seekers worldwide.  Born into a family of inner yogis and sadhus, Acharya Shunya is a distinguished teacher of nondual wisdom (Advaita Vedanta), spiritual Ayurveda, and the classical paths of Bhakti, Karma, Upasana, and Jnana Yoga. Deeply rooted in the Vedic tradition, she reinterprets these ancient teachings to create a path of learning and awakening that is both accessible and transformative for modern seekers.
AcharyaShunya.com VedikaGlobal.com Social Media: @AcharyaShunya

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: I so appreciated this conversation with Acharya Shunya on the topic of Karma Yoga-The Yoga of Action and how it is taught to us in the Bhagavad Gita. It is a continuation of Dr. Trujillo's conversation with her on the paths of Yoga that was discussed in a previous episode. There are so many aspects of Karma Yoga that were discussed that made this a very rich and meaningful conversation. As Karma Yoga is the way of selfless service, we offer all that we do in a way that serves the One in All and then we let go of the results of our actions. Acharya ji reminds us that we are the instrument and God works through us and to "be humbled by the recognition of what we are. We hold that with reverence and mindfulness" We all act in the world. It is impossible not to, but it is how we act and how we offer our actions as a sacred act that brings us joy, peace and that affects all those around us and the world. I highly recommend this program.

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: What a joy to have a divinely inspired conversation with Acharya Shunya about one of the four paths of classical yoga, Karma Yoga, the yoga of action or the yoga of selfless service.  As always, I found Acharya ji to be very clear, wise, and down-to-earth in her teaching.  In our discussion about surrendering the fruits of our actions, I enjoyed her advice to give the “self’ a holiday and to let the “Self" dance through you.  I loved her mantra of “Idam Na Mama”, or “this is not mine”, which we can chant as we complete a task to remind ourselves that we are not the doer.  I recommend this episode to all who would like more clarity and inspiration in their understanding of Karma yoga. 

Awaken to The Path of Healing, Happiness, and Inner Peace

Do you yearn to deepen your connection to your true Self? Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati shares profound wisdom and tools that help us to rediscover the peace, joy, and clarity already within us.
#kriyayoga #oneness #meditaiton #netineti #womeninspirituality

Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati

Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati is the author of the book we are discussing today, Come Home to Yourself: Simple Answers to Life’s Essential Questions.  Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati is a renowned spiritual leader, motivational speaker, author, and social activist based in Rishikesh, India. She is a graduate of Stanford University and holds a PhD in psychology. Sadhvi serves as the international director of Parmarth Niketan, one of India’s largest spiritual institutes, as well as on the United Nations Multi-faith advisory Council and several other international bodies. She has received numerous national and international awards for her leadership and humanitarian service, including the United States President’s Lifetime Achievement Award for her lifelong commitment to volunteer services.
WEBSITE: Sadhviji.org IG: Sadviji

THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: So many pearls of spiritual wisdom in this conversation with Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati about the ways to come home to yourself. Sadhviji explains the Himalayan way--as opposed to the American-- is to know that we are not the body: we are whole, eternal, infinite beings. When we connect to the eternal you and me, the result is we are kinder and gentler to the planet and others. Sadhviji says to come back into Oneness connection, “tie experience with the you that is experiencing the felt-sense-- anchored, vibrant and alive.” Tie in quick moments of remembrance during the day and remembrance of thanks. I appreciated the many ways that Sadhviji expressed coming back to myself through many practices to be used in everyday living. This is a special conversation that I’m sure our listeners will benefit from.

DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: The focus for my conversation with Sadhvi Bhagawati Sarasvati was our true Self, the unchanging reality at the center of our being, which is the focus of her new book, Come Home to Yourself.   We are not the mistaken identification that we can have with our changing body and mind, which in the yoga tradition is called avidya.  We also discussed the challenges and rewards she has found as an American woman leading a spiritual community in India.  I particularly enjoyed Sadhvi ji’s explanation of the “neti, neti” meditation technique, and her advice to tie remembrance of our connection to Supreme Consciousness to activities we perform throughout our day.  I appreciated having Sadhvi ji as a guest on the show