Greetings Reader - Last Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem went to the city of Portland, Oregon to get a firsthand look at what President Trump called a “very serious left-wing terror threat in our country.” What she saw was a handful of non-violent protesters playing music from The Benny Hill Show to make the point that Trump’s characterization of the situation, and her appearance to survey it, was absurd and foolish. As Portland City Council member Angelita Morillo put...
2 days ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader, I’m inviting you to a new 8-week live series that asks a simple question with big implications: What does a truly devotional response to today’s political and cultural realities look like? The Dharma Rebellion: Resistance and Renewal Starts Wednesday, October 22nd at 7:00 pm EDT Live on Zoom - recordings available for replay Suggested donation $10-$15 per class (no one turned away) CLICK HERE TO ENROLL Across eight sessions, we’ll explore bhakti-yoga as both a spiritual practice...
5 days ago • 1 min read
Greetings Reader - A lot of people are talking . . . a lot. People in power who are saying scary, weird, and wildly inappropriate things. People out of power (and past their expiration dates) who are trying to sound defiant yet reasonable. People talking about the what’s going to happen, what won't happen, what might happen, what should happen, . . . Talking heads talking about what all the talking means. Talk, talk, talk: is it only talk? A lot of it is, but not all of it. I'm hearing some...
9 days ago • 3 min read
Greetings Reader - Our free monthly series, Community Conversations, continues next week. This month, we're going to explore the difference between being apolitical and being non-partisan. People sometimes say: “Religion and politics don’t mix.” But that’s never been true, and it's certainly not true right now: there has probably never been a time in American history when religion and politics have been so intertwined.. And it's not just a matter of religious or spiritual values informing...
12 days ago • 1 min read
Greetings Reader - Free DC is a movement dedicated to protecting our city’s “Home Rule” — our governmental autonomy in view of the fact that Washington D.C. is not a state (yet). I’m an active participant and, this weekend, I’m taking Free DC's advanced training intensive on the key skills of effective non-cooperation. Part of the training includes learning how other movements, usually in countries where people have more experience standing up to authoritarianism than we do here in the United...
16 days ago • 3 min read
Greetings Reader - One of my favorite experiences in India was a visit to Vasistha’s cave. Vasistha is one of the seven great sages of antiquity in the Vedic yoga tradition. His cave is located up along the banks of the Ganges River a short distance from Rishikesh. Whether or not Vasistha ever actually sat in that cave is beside the point. Vasistha’s cave is super dark. Taking just a few steps in and then stopping so that your eyes can adjust is good idea. I definitely would have tripped over...
23 days ago • 3 min read
Greetings Reader - Millions of hands grip millions of weapons as millions of warriors, bristling in a rush of adrenaline, press into the balls of their feet, ready to hurl themselves into mortal combat. The fate of an empire is about to be decided. Everyone is in position. The battle is about to begin. It’s at this precise moment that the wondrous and sacred dialogue of the Bhagavad-gita begins. Arjuna, the hero of the Gita, hesitates. Instead of signaling for the battle to commence, tells...
30 days ago • 4 min read
Greetings Reader - Every night for the past couple of weeks, I’ve been going out to a major intersection near the end of our street to bang on pots and pans for 5 minutes with my neighbors. It may sound like a random act of lunacy, but it’s actually a style of protest with a long and storied history. Beginning as mock serenades, noise casseroles became a popular form of protest in France in the 1830s, re-emerged in Algeria in 1961, and has since spread around the world, from South America to...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Greetings Reader - Our free monthly series, Community Conversations, continues next week. This month, again by popular request, we’re going to extend and deepen our conversation from last month and talk about "Karma, Consciousness, and Healing." We’ll explore issues that revolve around our responsibility for the choices we make in this life—and the choices we made in past lives, personal growth, and the many things that have an impact on us that are beyond our control. What does yoga wisdom...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Just a quick note to let you know that early bird pricing for Finding Your Dharma has been extended - but not by much. Don't blink or you'll miss it! Special Early Bird Price: $197 - use the discount code EARLYBIRD to save $50. (expires Thursday, September 4th—regular price: $247) Enrollment is limited to 20 people to ensure a highly interactive experience where you’ll receive personal guidance, meaningful discussion, and direct support on your journey. Finding Your Dharma is a...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read