General Articles 
From Gurukulam Student to Pandit
6 March, 2015 @ 2:44 am
Pierre Lefebvre was conferred the title of Pandit by Swami Veda Bharati and will now be known to his spiritual family as Pandit Priyadarshan. The term ‘Pandit’ denotes someone who is esteemed for his learning and wisdom and is proficient in Sanskrit. ‘Pandit’ may also be used to refer to one who is proficient in Vedic scriptures. The title Pandit is traditionally conferred on one by the Guru.
What is the best way to handle the grief?
3 February, 2015 @ 12:52 am
Death and the fear of dying is a close friend in our lives. The best way to deal with all the emotions in this period of life is from my experience to be close with the dying person and to concentrate on all the especially difficult issues, as intense as the person can dare it.
2015 Yoga Youth and Children’s Retreat, 22nd – 31st December 2015
25 January, 2015 @ 5:04 pm
All parents like to have their children grow up with spiritual values but do not always have the opportunity to make their wish fulfilled. So far we have had two children’s retreats at Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama. It had children of all ages; there was even one 82 year old child by the name of Swami Veda Bharati!
What is there in the hands of a human?
25 January, 2015 @ 12:56 am
Our biggest problem is that we don’t make use of these powers. With these capacities, we could see that allurements of the world (possessions, sense-gratification and social status), are limited, transitory and not capable of ultimate happiness and peace – and yet we chase after them and cling to them. We’ve been given the greatest of gifts, a very spark of the Divine intelligence, but how can we hope move forward if we won’t let go of what we know is holding us back?
Breath & Prana Intensive Seminar, 1st – 7th November 2015
6 January, 2015 @ 8:55 pm
"An intensive practice of Pranayama's 3 times a day! It is a true gift to yourself...Complete breath, kapalabati (different levels for beginners and advanced), bhastrika (different levels for beginners and advanced), brahmari (different levels and beginners or advanced), ujjayi, nadi shodhanam (different types). This seminar can be done while remaining in silence to deepen your personal inner journey. Beginners and advanced practitioners are all welcome and will be guided according to their level."
Unfortunately, I always have thoughts during meditation. Do you have any advice on this?
15 December, 2014 @ 1:05 am
The problem with uncontrolled thoughts is a common one shared by all who are starting (and continuing) a practice. The control of meditation or the consistent lack of having wandering thoughts distracting the mind is actually one of the highest goals in our practice of meditation.
Yoga and Martial Arts
8 December, 2014 @ 9:52 pm
This is an interview that was done with Ingo Beardi in 1997. Between 1997 and today, he has continued his sadhana. He was initiated into Sanyasa in 2005 by Swami Veda Bharati and is now Swami Tat Sat Bharati. He is also an initiator and a member of the AHYMSIN Adhyatma Samiti, or Spiritual Committee. Swami Tat Sat lives in the Berlin, Germany, area. He is the founder and director of Institut für Yoga & Aikido where yoga is taught in the tradition of Swami Rama.
Are You Prepared?
8 December, 2014 @ 9:46 pm
One time, many years ago, I was visiting the Himalayan Institute, in Honesdale, Pennsylvania, and encountered Swami Rama, surrounded by several people. He was so big, so confident; such a mystery. Screwing up my courage, I walked up to him, and asked, “Will you teach me to meditate?” He looked at me gently, and said, “Yes.” My body relaxed a little. Then, still looking at me, he said, “Are you prepared?” Prepared? “I don’t know if I’m prepared, Swamiji.” “Get prepared and I will teach you!” he said forcefully. Our dialogue ended.
Learning to Forgive
8 December, 2014 @ 9:40 pm
The practice of non-harming begins with forgiving yourself. Before you can feel compassion toward others, it is necessary to forgive yourself. Resentment and grudges we hold against ourselves are every bit as destructive as those we harbor toward others. When we treat ourselves with love and compassion, we become nicer to everyone else. In the words of Thich Nhat Hanh, Buddhist author and monk, “To truly practice forgiveness, we must first forgive ourselves for not being perfect.”
Is it ok to be initiated in two different traditions?
26 November, 2014 @ 6:11 pm
The Path of Yoga has many branches - according to one's inclination, personality, karma etc one maybe attracted to one specific path. However, this does not entirely exclude "other" paths as Yoga when fully understood is ONE.