Knowledge is an important component of our spiritual growth.
Over the period of some 30 years, I have written these articles to illustrate a variety of spiritual ideas and principles.
Knowledge can guide us in our practices, let us know what to expect along the way and support us in times of doubt. However, knowledge alone can only take us so far. Direct experience is equally as important so I encourage you to choose the practices which resonate with you and make them part of your daily life.
These articles have been grouped by categories to help you select the ones that may be of greater interest to you.
Edited versions of some of these articles have been published in other places, including the Chopra Center Lifestyles Newsletters.
I have always tried to fully research each topic and apologize for any inaccuracies. Unlike scientific “facts”, spiritual wisdom is open to interpretation. These articles reflect my understanding of the subjects. Please read them with an open mind and find the path that best suits you.
Vedic Philosophy
What You Need To Know About the Yoga Sutras
The true meaning of Yoga is the union of body, mind, soul and spirit. According to Yoga, we suffer because of not knowing our true Self and because of the illusion of separation of our individual consciousness from Universal Consciousness or Brahman. The Yoga Sutras are a practical textbook to guide our spiritual journey of remembering. The Yoga Sutras were composed by someone called Patanjali. However, we know very little about him, except that he
Non-dualism in the Modern World
Most of us live in a dualistic world. We see everything, including ourselves, as different from everything else, “I am here and the rest of the world is out there somewhere”. However, the Advaita Vedanta tradition, propounded by the seventh century sage Adi Shankara, tells us that all of the Universe is One Essential Reality, and that all facets and aspects of the Universe are ultimately an expression or appearance of that One Reality. According
Levels of Samadhi
In his illuminating text, The Yoga Sutras, the sage Patanjali introduces us to a systematic path to regain Higher Consciousness. This has since been called Raja Yoga or The Royal Path, a journey of techniques and lifestyle guidelines to awaken the mind to its true Self. Within the text, Patanjali gives us a concentrated set of instructions known as the Eight Limbs of Yoga, culminating in a state of freedom, liberation, ecstasy and enlightenment -
What is Vedanta?
“What is that which, by being known, everything else becomes known”. This is the message of Vedanta. We often hear the word Vedanta in yoga classes, meditation groups and spiritual gatherings but what is Vedanta, where does it come from? ‘Veda’ means ‘complete knowledge’, ‘anta' means ‘end’ so simply put, Vedanta means the culmination of Vedic wisdom or the final step on our spiritual journey. We don’t know how old the Vedas are or who
Harnessing the Power of Vedic Rituals
India pulsates with rituals and sacred ceremonies, many dating back thousands of years into Vedic times. The Vedas themselves are filled with mantras, chants and rituals for just about any purpose you can imagine. Before any new undertaking, to mark rites of passage, to change a situation, to give thanks or merely to honor the beginning or ending of the day, sacred rituals are an integral part of Indian life. I remember Deepak Chopra once
Regaining Higher Consciousness
The good news is that we are all already Enlightened, all perfect in every way - perfectly happy, perfectly healthy and all our desires are instantly fulfilled. Unfortunately, the bad news is that we’ve forgotten it and so live these less than perfect lives, where we get sick, depressed and frustrated by unfulfilled desires. Our spiritual journey to Higher States of Consciousness, isn’t about learning anything new, it’s about remembering what’s already here, remembering who