Relationships are essential for a good life; that is biology

In my lectures on wellbeing and yoga, I often speak of the influence of evolution. Evolution is the ground upon which our biology is designed. Billions of years of evolution have created the conditions in which our cells function. That ground also influences our behavior. Among the various impacts… ...

Wellbeing is not a short-term achievement. It is earned and supported by our longstanding habits. For example, consider the risk of developing cancer. There are broadly three categories of risk factors. One: inherited genetics. This accounts for around 5-10% of the risk. Two: modifiable risk factors. This is estimated to account for… ...

Posts The Rg Veda is ancient, dated to over 3000 years ago. It contains a beautiful passage, called the Nāsadīya Sūkta. That section ponders the fundamental question, “How did this universe arise?” It does not reference any particular god or deity. It does not even come to any definitive conclusion,… ...

Decades ago, to understand any topic on health and wellbeing you had to seek out a professional or a library, to discover the materials you needed. Sometimes, you would not be able to locate the specific information you were looking for, at all. Contrast that with the situation now. On… ...

When starting to learn ayurveda, the student is introduced to a key verse early on from the ancient text, the Sushruta Samhita. It defines the state of “svastha,” a state of health that is the goal of the treatment. The endpoint of ayurvedic treatment is not merely diminishing the symptoms… ...

Early on in my father’s studies with Sri Krishnamacharya, during a class on the topic of meditation, the master once told him: “Consider a photo of an image that you are familiar with. It could be even your own face. If that photo is pasted on a wall, it… ...

Among the key teachings of the ancient Upanishads is this. For effective personal transformation, we need: The right knowledge Conscious personal effort Mindfulness Guided study from sound sources is key to developing the knowledge we need. Without knowing what to do, we are not likely to be successful in any sphere of life…. ...

Forty-one years ago, in 1984, in one of my personal classes with Sri Krishnamacharya, he spoke about how yoga and ayurveda complement each other in restoring wellbeing and balance. He noted that the support to health and healing that arises from the practices of yoga is different from the effect… ...

We all need a steady mind. Whether we are looking for successful engagement with the world or inner calm away from the distractions around us, we need a stable mind to make that happen. The heart of yoga is exactly that: mental strength, a steady mind. Our mind is repeatedly… ...

As humans, self-awareness is our most important strength. We have the capacity to watch over ourselves. If we do this with a neutral mind, looking at our body, breath, mind, and senses, we can term that as “mindfulness.” This is an important practice in ancient meditation pathways. It is… ...