Lord Chaitanya appeared 500 years ago in present India, and just like Jesus came to spread love for God. Today we discuss his life and teachings; an example of how we can all achieve spiritual perfection and happiness. You’ll hear us discuss the difficulties we face in the modern times of wide spread materialism and irreligion. For these times, Chaitanya made it clear that chanting God’s names, known as mantras in the yoga tradition, is the highest worship. We humbly ask all of our...

"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.” - Matthew 5:10-12 Today we delve into the stark contrast between the darkness and light in the world. We share the extraordinary accounts of Jesus’ apostles, who held on to their faith despite the most horrendous persecutions. And you’ll hear us differentiate between their...

“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves” - Matthew 7:15 Today we delve into the essence of spiritual teachings, namely the importance of finding a true spiritual teacher. And how you practically can tell the real ones from the false ones. We stress the significance of assessing the genuineness of spiritual teachers based on their actions and teachings. We discuss the role of a spiritual master as a connection to the Supreme...

Reincarnation (and thus, karma) was taught by Jesus as well as the early fathers of Christianity. When that concept was removed, several strange concepts were put into place - that are still being taught. For example, the eternal damnation that follows if you don’t take the one and only chance you have in this lifetime, the creation of the soul at the time of conception, and the idea that our suffering is not really due to our past actions - but due to the original sin committed by Adam and...

Today we delve into the Vedic story of Bilva Mangala, who was deeply attached to a prostitute by the name Chintamani. You’ll hear how, after a sudden turn of events, he accepted her as his spiritual master. We discuss the importance of redirecting ones materialistic passions towards spiritual pursuits, and touch upon the Vedic concept of intelligence for attaining a true perspective. Balakhilya also shares biblical narratives comparing Mary Magdalene and Chintamani. We discuss themes of...

What is real prayer, and what has that got to do with meditation? In fact, Jesus was meditating constantly; immersed in service to the Supreme Lord.  Today, we explore the concept of uncovering one’s love for the Supreme Lord and the process of cultivating it through meditation. We discuss the purpose of the religious processes; namely to enhance individuals' devotion to God, beyond sectarian differences. We also read from and expand upon Jesus’ famous ‘Lord's Prayer’: ‘Our Father, Who...

Learn the basics of mantra meditation

We see two extremes in today’s world. On one hand we see states ruled by some religious sect which are often characterised by violence, fanaticism, and intolerance.  On the other we have highly secular states that outwardly seem more peaceful, but where the erosion of the spiritual foundation means there is no longer any moral standard for the people to follow. In today’s talk you’ll hear how America was originally founded trying to go beyond these two extremes. Its founders were...

Being a submissive servant of the Absolute Whole is really where the topmost happiness is at. And Jesus was a perfect example of that: "During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the One who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission" (Hebrews 5:7) Today we reflect on the profound significance of recognizing our true spiritual nature and serving a higher power. We clarify the...

Are you real? Yes. And God is just as real as we are. And He has a real, eternal personality, just like us. So what is God really like?  The Song of Solomon, for example, gives us a detailed description of His eyes, limbs, hair, and mouth. He is described as “altogether lovely”, and our “beloved and friend”. And if we accept His true, loving nature, we open ourselves up to a most wonderful connection and relationship. Highlights: (2:56) The “big thing”: God. His reality and...

Phew, so we’re done with Christmas. If you think you’re spiritually advanced, go spend a week with your family. So why all the anger and hard feelings that many experience? And how come 66% of us feel lonely during Christmas?  As you’ll hear, there is a clear link between having a Merry Christmas and then having a Happy New Year. And that link is gratitude for the reason for the whole season, making Christmas a spiritual celebration instead of the peak of materialism. Today we highlight...

Being thankful is absolutely essential to be happy and experience spiritual growth. As it says in the Bible,  “Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind. For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.” Psalms 107:8-9 So why is thankfulness so powerful? And if I’m not very thankful, how do I move towards that?  Today we discuss all about thankfulness. We reflect on the historical origins of Thanksgiving. We...

When we surpass the illusions regarding our identity, we can experience that we are actually wonderful sparks of the Supreme Soul. We are spiritual, eternal beings, but we are also subordinate servants. So what is the covering that makes us unable to reallize this deeply comforting truth in our lives? Is it possible that this covering is why we came to this material world in the first place? Today we dive into the concept of false ego, illusion and misguidance, and we discuss how Jesus...

“But we know that if the earthly tent, which is our house, is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Indeed, in this house, we groan, longing to be in our heavenly house.” 2 Corinthians 5:1 Today we explore the distinction between the material and spiritual worlds. We delve into the concept of false ego and the eternal nature of the spiritual self, contrasting it with the temporary nature of material existence.  Drawing from...

The essence of spiritual life is understanding that I am not made of flesh and blood. I am not my body; I am the spirit soul inside. The Bible makes this very clear in verses such as “though our outer body is decaying, yet our inner body is being renewed day by day” and “flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God”.  Unfortunately, many times these verses are not fully appreciated and understood. Today we look closer at these verses in the light of the yoga wisdom. We explore our...

Maybe you see yourself as a Christian, but struggle to find satisfying answers to your doubts? Or maybe you’re curious on understanding the concept of God and religion through a non-sectarian perspective? In our new podcast series “The Heart of Jesus”, we help those whose hearts are ready to get a deeper understanding of Jesus’ life and teachings. As Jesus himself put it, “I have much more to say to you, but right now it would be more than you could understand.” (John 16-12) Through...

Today we explore the essence of Christianity and what it truly means to be a Christian. Going to church every Sunday does not really make us religious, and being religious is not a denominational label or a cause for division.  We are all children of the same Father, and acting upon that fact is rather what makes a person religious. As you’ll hear us discuss, Jesus didn't try to convert anyone but just spoke the truth to anyone who would listen.  Following in his footsteps, we explore...

He is probably the most known person in the world. We hear a lot about his death, but know little about his life and what he actually taught. Some say he was a Christian, others that he was a yogi. Some claim he was God, others that he was a lover of God. And some even see his life as mere fairy tales. Who was Jesus? And what was the heart of his teachings?  We explore the many misconceptions surrounding Jesus’ life and teachings and reflect upon the commercialization of Christmas and...

In average, the first exposure our kids have to pornography is when they are 10 years old. This is one of the consequences of a a culture that promotes sexualization and indulgence. And the fact is that sexual addiction is one of the hardest to overcome—physically changing the functioning of the brain—which is probably why the pornography industry is valued at over 100$ billion dollars per year worldwide.  From addiction to exploitation, today we peel back the layers to uncover...

Drawing inspiration from the book "Deep Work" by Cal Newport, we explore how our modern society's constant distractions and focus on surface-level engagement hinder us from experiencing meaningful introspection and genuine growth.  We reflect on the impact of technology, social media, and the lack of solitude in our daily lives, preventing us from immersing ourselves in focused, uninterrupted thought. You’ll hear about an interesting encounter during one of Balakhilya’s mountain hikes and...

In the US there has been average 2 mass shootings per day this year, and more than 25000 deaths from gun violence. What can be done to stop this escalation?  In this episode we look at the phenomenon of mass shooting on an individual level, and get to the root cause of what it is that actually creates a mass shooter. As you’ll hear, the problem isn’t simply the guns. Mass shootings were not occurring as frequently in the past even when more households owned guns. The problem lies rather...

Many people with a spiritual inclination feel that there is something dirty about money. Like money in itself is bad. But is that always true? Today we explore the complex topic of money; its role in society and its impact on individuals' lives. Through verses and teachings from ancient yoga scriptures, we highlight the significance of serving a higher purpose and transcending material desires associated with money. As you’ll hear, money is just “green energy”. What we do with that...

Today we have a very special guest with us: Phenop das, an old-time friend of Balakhilya. He shares an incredible story that takes us from living of jungle fruits on the island of Kauai to finding spiritual guidance and discovering the true path to happiness. Phenop recounts the challenges and encounters that finally led him to meet his spiritual teacher. And as you’ll hear, his journey is filled with unexpected twists and turns. He shares in a heartfelt way the teachings that resonated...