Kumaré Directed by Vikram Gandhi Most of us want to believe in something larger than ourselves, something that connects us to God, the Great Beyond or whatever we might call it. But do we want to belong so badly that, given the right trappings, we’ll believe anything or anyone? Vikram Gandhi was born in New […]
By Nicole Pajer Do you “Have the nerve to serve?” That’s the theme behind this year’s 19th Annual Sacred Service Saturday, a day on which more than 700 volunteers will fan out throughout the LA metropolitan area to perform a multitude of service projects. The June 23 day of giving back includes such diverse opportunities […]
By Swami Kriyananda One evening, at Carnegie Hall in New York, Yogananda inspired a full house to chant Guru Nanak’s song, “He Hari Sundara” (O God beautiful). For one hour and a half they chanted that song, uplifted by Yogananda’s magnetism to a state that verged on ecstasy. Later, streaming out into the streets, their […]
SWAMI KRIYANANDA TURNS 86 At a time when youth seems more glorified than ever in our culture, it’s comforting to know that deep, meaningful connections to our past are still in our midst in such venerable individuals as Swami Kriyananda. A renowned spiritual leader in his own right for the last 60 years, Swamiji, who just turned […]
In this excerpt from his book, “A Mindful Nation: How a Simple Practice can Help us Reduce Stress, Improve Performance, and Recapture the American Spirit,” Congressman Tim Ryanreflects on a recent retreat. “Throughout the retreat, we were reminded to come back to our breath and surf on it without working too hard to pay attention […]
A film by Austin Vickers Review by Abigail Lewis If you’re wondering why you sometimes feel overwhelmed, it might be that each one of us receives an estimated 4 billion bits of sensory information a day. These are transmitted to the brain, which then filters them into an internal representation, or experience of events based […]
“Green” used to mean inexperienced. Now it can describe the ultimate life experience. By Katie Sandberg Angelenos intrigued with living lightly on the planet are accustomed to confronting challenges. Whether it’s buying Fair Trade products or consuming less animal protein to reduce our environmental impact, we’re willing to go that extra step—to think about not […]
Whether it’s beach, lake or forest, “To be present in the natural world has an effect. We really need this now, more than ever.”
Transparency and accountability in community
Directed by Jon Fitzgerald The path to deeper self-understanding and spiritual fulfillment can take many forms. So why not on a white-knuckle motorcycle trip at an elevation of 18,000 feet? The Highest Pass follows the journey of seven people, each on his own spiritual quest. Their guide—a 27-year-old bike-riding, iPhone-wielding yogi named Anand Mehrotra, whose […]