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...

For you, maybe it comes out as frustration, irritation, self-pity or just anger at the universe itself. But in any form, anger completely disconnects us from our true spiritual nature. And as long as we hold on to it, we are hindered from making any spiritual advancement.  So what can I do about my anger? And why is it there in the first place? As you’ll hear, because anger actually stems from the heart, the solution is to purify the heart. We need to convert lust back into its real...

It’s hard to overestimate the value of a supportive upbringing. An upbringing that teaches children the essential value of respect. When missing, as generally we see in today’s society, the consequences are disastrous - for generations to come. In this episode we explore the impact of upbringing on a personal and societal level, and reflect on the effect that the technological revolution has had on our kids. Balakhilya looks back at his own childhood, a time when life was simpler, without...

They call old age the “golden years”. A time to rest and enjoy all the things you never had time to enjoy before. The only problem then is that your body is too old to enjoy all the worldly pleasures, and there is an increasing amount of pain and discomfort associated with living in this world. We have the same desires as always but a body that is unable to fulfill those desires. This podcast is from we sat down for a reality check on old age. Because after all, if you know the truth, the...

How do I know what to really do with my life? And how can I discern between material and spiritual desires when I try to follow my heart? Tune in for a heartfelt and personal podcast, where Balakhilya tells the story of his finding deeper purpose and direction in life. We discuss the analogy of scuba diving: when we go beyond the shallow reef to greater depths, a hidden world is revealed to us which is not visible from the surface. Just like that, we need to dive deeper to discover the...

Imagine choosing between coca cola and freshly pressed sugarcane juice; just like our tastes differ, so do our spiritual paths. Some prefer to relate to the ocean of light or the impersonal path, while others embrace the personal form of the Supreme Lord. While at first the paths run parallel to each other—recognizing our true identity beyond the physical body and caring for the welfare of all—as we progress, a crucial decision awaits. Will we accept the existence of a Supreme Person or...

“I was in a concrete bunker when the world outside exploded in a huge nuclear holocaust. I was watching my relatives and friends melting into the ground around me, and I was completely helpless” Reflecting on a dream Ruben just had, we dive into the topic of how to actually help others—and how to deal with feelings of insecurity in relation to this world. Many spiritual seekers think that non-attachment is the goal, while Balakhilya explains that it’s quite the opposite. Yes, material...

Yoga has become increasingly popular in recent years, with people of all ages and backgrounds seeking its numerous benefits, such as reduced stress and anxiety, increased flexibility and strength, and improved overall health. But what is the essence of yoga, and its ultimate goal? In this episode of Breaking Trail, Balakhilya shares his journey towards discovering his true self and finding true happiness through Bhakti yoga. Or more specifically, how he met his spiritual guide and how...

You’ve come to realise that you want to live a more spiritually oriented life. Now what? This episode is centred around a question a friend of Ruben had for him, namely what the next step is if one wants to develop spiritually. What practices are important, and if I’d like to make some form of plan; how should it look? Answering the question, we discuss the danger of relying on our senses to come to understand the Absolute Truth. We need to rely on authentic knowledge and perfect...

“Treat others the way you want them to treat you” - a simple and powerful philosophy, but also just an empty philosophy if we fail to actually implement it. In this episode, we discuss the decline of morality in modern society through the example of Balakhilya’s father, who lived by the golden rule and always upheld a high standard of moral living. Through this perspective we delve into topics such as forgiveness, false ego, and the importance of practice in implementing a spiritual...

You’ve just been caught by an avalanche, and you're now rock stuck underneath a deep layer of hard-packed snow. You're helpless. You're stuck. There is nothing you can do materially. And thinking positively will not change the reality of the situation you’re in. But you're still you; the spirit soul inside the body. You are still feeling and longing. So what CAN you do? You, the spirit soul, can find spiritual shelter and comfort through meditating on transcendental sound. This supreme...

We have a choice to make in life. I can be immersed in meditation upon the things I don’t have - I can meditate upon how difficult my life is, how I don’t deserve the hardships that come my way - and fuel the fire of anger. Or I can meditate upon the things I do have, and be thankful for that: we have a human body to use for spiritual realization, we have arms and legs with which we can serve others, and since you are reading this you have been given the opportunity to dive into the...

500 years ago in India lived a spiritual personality of extraordinary character and devotion, called Haridas Thakur. Due to their unfortunate team-spirit, both the Muslims and Hindus rejected him as he failed to abide to any particular process or religion. Joined by their envy of Haridas, they planned to send a prostitute to his home and defame him by catching him in the act of engaging in sexual activity with her. Needless to say, their plan completely backfired. In the end, Haridas...

A relative to a friend of Ruben is right now on his deathbed, in the later stages of cancer. And sooner or later, you and me might also be in a similar situation—facing the reality that at any time, one of our loved ones will leave this world. We might feel confused, uncertain, uncomfortable, or simply overwhelmed by emotions. But when this time comes, it’s time for us to lift ourselves above all of that and be of real service as that person is leaving this world. This episode is a...

We learned from the previous episodes how we are actually an eternal spark of life, a spirit soul. Now what? Do we just kind of float around and exist, that’s it? No - we have an eternal function, an activity in which we align with our true selves and find true happiness. And that is to serve others, and serve the Supreme. Like Bob Dylan sang back in 85: “You may be a preacher with your spiritual pride You may be a city councilman taking bribes on the side You may be workin’ in a...

We learned last week that we are not our bodies; neither our gross physical body or our subtle mental body. This time we dive deeper into the truth that we don’t stop existing at the time of death. You, me, and everyone else - indeed everything around you that shows the symptoms of a life particle being present (including animals & trees) - are the life of the body. And live never ceases to be. “Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings, nor in the...

“Perfection starts with the perfect understanding that I’m not the body. That’s a perfect truth, a perfect realization.” If you don’t know who you are, how could it ever be possible to know where to go and what to do with your life? Without knowing you you are, you cannot solve any of the problems you’ll face in life; not feeling complete satisfied, struggling with the temporary material body, feeling like you don’t fit in, and so on. This is the first part of a 3-part series on “Who...

Losing a loved one is one of the hardest things we go through in life. A few months ago we recorded episode #29 with Madhavendra Puri dasi as our guest, where she spoke about living with the terminal disease of ALS and facing death without fear. This time we’re joined by a family who suddenly lost a wife, mother and grandmother, as Madhavendra very recently passed away. We feel very fortunate and humbled to be let into the inner world and feelings of a family that all live a yoga...

There is really no hope—for the material body. Nor for the material utopia we sometimes dream about. But there is real hope for you, the spirit soul. What is that hope? Coming to know about and gradually realize your true nature as eternally joyful, vibrant, and youthful. And we can move forward in that direction—if we choose to do so. Highlights: (2:14) Ruben shares story of how he and his family went for a concert tour for nursing homes, sharing the message of “There is...

We can always find excuses to not do what we should do. But if we’re wishy washy, we are not going to be successful in life. Building internal strength and determination is an absolute necessity, and we do that by following the time-proven and scientific Bhakti Yoga process. Highlights: (1:47) If we make a focused effort to apply the process of Bhakti Yoga, that will keep us in the mode of goodness and keep lethargy and sluggishness away. Some tips from Balakhilya: exercise, spend time...

“The wind picked up more and more. And snow is one thing, because it doesn't hurt your face, but this was ice-water-snow. So it hurt your face that much you had to cover it all, and when that ice slush hits your glasses that gets totally covered as well. But just that feeling of having the GPS-watch… I had the direction of the cabin, but for three hours all you could see was two meters in front of you at best, and we had to put our ski poles in front of us to feel what was up and...

We are all hungry for real love, but nothing but the real thing will ever satisfy that hunger. In that way, lust is not bad, it’s just a manifestation of an inner spiritual hunger, a desire that comes out in a perverted or distorted way. The good news is that all we need to do is to come out of the influence of the current of lust, and place ourselves under the influence of spiritual love. But that requires a decision from us to listen to and repeat the Absolute Truth - and thus remember...

Real love has become so rare that we barely even know what it means any more. What we think is love is often just lust in disguise; that is, based on mutual exploitation and sense enjoyment. Consequently, instead of living the life we are meant to live—a life of inner satisfaction, contentment and harmony—we suffer from jealousy, anger, bitterness and anxiety in our relationships toward others. Regardless if it’s our partner, family, friends or colleagues. “Therefore, lust and are quite...

If we want to feel good and be happy, what we eat is one of the most important factors to consider. We all know that some foods are healthier than others, but fewer know that different foods will impact our mental condition in a specific direction. Depending on what food we eat, we come under the influence of one of the 3 modes of material nature (psychological forces); goodness, passion, or ignorance. As a consequence of this choice, we may experience agitation, anxiety, depression,...

All genuine spiritual processes are based on discipline. And even if you strive for material success, you will still need to apply the spiritual principles of hard work, respect, discipline, and a higher goal. This episode was inspired by Emma Raducanu, the 18-year old tennis star who won the US Open in September 2021, who explained that her success was due to her hard training and discipline at home, inspired by a grandmother who had such a determination that nothing could bring her down....