Yasodhara Ashram

In this episode of Ask A Swami, Swami Lalitananda reflects on what it means to walk the path as a disciple and the role that devotion plays in spiritual life.Drawing from her experience as Swami Radha's disciple, she shares insights into trust, discipline and the deep heart-longing that keeps one grounded on a chosen spiritual path.

In this episode of Ask A Swami, Swami Matananda, Ashram teacher and resident, reflects on the deeper spiritual dimensions of Love and Attachment. Drawing on her lived experiences, she speaks about how she has navigated attachment, emotions and competition within relationships.Inspired by the spiritual teachings of her guru, Swami Radha, Swami Matananda invites us to look more closely at our emotional reactions and the ways they can become opportunities for awareness and inner work:"Whenever I've had an emotional reaction and it kinda jumps on me like a snake, that is my warning that I'm heading to ego-land or attachment-land, and I want to investigate that. What is that? Where did it come from? And how do I work with it?" - Swami Matananda

In this new episode of Ask A Swami, Swami Samayananda discusses life inside and outside of the Ashram, and how Karma Yoga can be woven into everyday living.Reflecting on her own experience of working in the world, she shares the powerful teaching that "Yoga Is Now," emphasizing the importance of living the practice and integrating the teachings into each moment of daily life.

In this podcast episode of Ask A Swami, Swami RadhaTarananda, a disciple of Swami Radha, reflects on the advice she would give to her younger self at the beginning of her spiritual journey. She speaks about what faith means to her and the power of reflection, emphasizing her guru's example of living on faith as she built the Ashram.Swami RadhaTarananda invites Katie to reflect on the advice she would give to her younger self, and together they explore the "sparks" and "threads" that have guided them to where they are today.

n this episode of Ask A Swami, Katie sits down with Swami Matananda to explore how to be in a relationship while nurturing spiritual life and practice. Drawing on her lived experience, Swami Matananda reflects on being in a partnership, living at the Ashram and Swami Radha's guidance.Swami Matananda shares practices she's explored with her partner as ways to become more aware of attachments and patterns of dependence. She further highlights the importance of emotional independence and mutual support in any relationship. This conversation is insightful and warm, offering gentle guidance for anyone navigating relationships in spiritual life.

In this episode of Ask A Swami, Katie sits down with Swami Satyananda to explore how we can move through moments of crisis - both our own and those of our loved ones. They speak from lived experience, reflecting on the importance of acceptance and presence in navigating a crisis and supporting loved ones. Swami Satyananda shares insights into the first three cakras of the Kundalini System and discusses the importance of foundational spiritual practices, like breath and mantra, in offering steady support when life feels uncertain. This heartfelt conversation holds space for the vulnerability that comes with facing the unknown, and offers gentle reminders for anyone walking through difficulty.

In this podcast episode of Ask A Swami, Swami Padmananda, Ashram teacher and resident, responds to questions asked by our listeners: How can a spiritual perspective help us face rejection, self-doubt and disappointment? How can I stop overthinking and move forward with confidence? Swami Padmananda reflects on the power of choice in how we respond to life’s challenges and the life-long journey of building a relationship with the Divine. Drawing from her own life, she emphasizes the role of curiosity as a guiding force - one that helps her reflect on experiences and uncover the hidden gifts in rejection and disappointment.

In this podcast episode of Ask A Swami, Swami Samayananda, long term teacher and disciple of Swami Radha, explores the themes of happiness and hope, responding to questions asked by listeners: What does happiness mean from a spiritual perspective? How can we carry hope in difficult times?Drawing from her own experience, Swami Samayananda reflects on the importance of cultivating a rich inner life through daily spiritual practice, which provides something to lean into when outer circumstances fall short. She shares insights on the power of gratitude, mantra and faith, exploring how spiritual practices can be an active force for transformation in challenging times.

In this debut episode of our new series Ask A Swami, Swami Lalitananda, spiritual director and president of Yasodhara Ashram, explores questions asked from our Yasodhara community and beyond: What is a lineage? and What is ananda? Swami Lalitananda reflects on the steps of initiation, the diversity within her tradition, including the initiation of Western women, the presence of Divine Mother and the significance of her name. Got questions? Submit them to the link below and they will be considered for our podcast. Submit here: https://forms.gle/LhMkYnKVRsMLP5Ag7

In this podcast, Katie Taher interviews Alicia Pace, a long-time teacher with the Ashram. They dive into Alicia's experiences growing up in the Ashram, living there with her parents, and what it meant to be part of that unique community and knowing Swami Radha during her formative years. Today, Alicia is driven by a passion for bridging worlds, combining her spiritual roots with organizational development and coaching to guide and support others.

In this episode of My Time with Radha, Katie Taher dives into a conversation with Clea McDougall, daughter of Swami Radhananda, former editor of Ascent Magazine and now a freelance editor. Growing up at the Ashram alongside Swami Radha, Clea offers a unique perspective on what it was like to be a child in such an extraordinary environment. Join us as she shares her intimate experiences of living at the Ashram, her memories of Swami Radha, the impact it all had on her life and what growth means to her.

In this satsang talk, Swami RadhaTarananda discusses learning the essence of selfless service. Swami Radha emphasized the importance of giving back to life, a challenging yet rewarding process when one lets go of the expectation of receiving something in return. With guidance from Swami Radhananda, she embraced selfless service, even during travel, fostering personal transformation and deeper self-reflection - discovering the gift and grace of heartfelt giving.

Selfless service (karma yoga) is a practice deeply rooted in compassion, humility, and a genuine desire to help others. Engaging in selfless service not only benefits those receiving assistance but also nurtures a sense of interconnectedness and fulfillment in ourselves. Chuck McNab, a long-time resident and teacher, shares in his satsang how karma yoga enriches his daily life with a sense of fulfillment and joy. He draws parallels between the essence of karma yoga, his intuitive wisdom and the Indigenous cultural values of giving back.

We are excited to introduce a new 'minicast' series featuring satsang talks recorded live in the Temple of Light during our evening satsangs. These talks explore various aspects of everyday life, discussing how spiritual practices can help us navigate challenges and create meaning in our lives. In this episode, listen to Swami Padmananda share her insights on the wisdom of simplicity and the transformative power of letting go of complaints.

In this episode of My Time with Radha, Katie Taher engages in a conversation with Draupadi, a devoted follower of Swami Radha. They explore the power of curiosity and the strength found in embracing life with an open mind. (Apologies for any sound quality issues) Draupadi found Swami Radha's directness and fierce demeanor admirable. Swami Radha challenged her students to face the facts and direct their imagination to a higher purpose. Drapaudi recognized its importance for spiritual advancement. A bond of mutual respect and understanding blossomed between them, enabling Draupadi to confront her own fears in the presence of such a formidable woman.

In this episode of My Time with Radha, Katie Taher speaks with Praksha, a longtime devotee of Swami Radha and a physicist. He intersects science and spirituality as they explore the theme of Light. Swami Radha encouraged humility in Prakasha to balance the intellect and spirituality. He manifested this in his life by writing a book about the connection between science and yoga - a promise to Swami Radha. He is now finishing that book many years later as the teachings have led him back to following the mystery and the thread of Light.

In this episode Swami Lalitananda interviews Natasa Sljuka, an employment counsellor with Immigrant Services Society in Nelson, BC. Natasa lived through the Bosnian war and immigrated to Canada in 1997. She describes the emotional and physical upheaval of being immersed in a war and leaving her country to start a new life in Canada. She now supports newcomers to Canada.

In this episode of My Time with Radha, Katie Taher speaks with Swami Matananda and Swami Premananda. They discuss the theme of love and the importance of care, consideration and independence in relationships. Swami Radha played an essential role not only in their individual growth but within their own spiritual relationship with one another.

In our first podcast of 2024, Katie Taher sits down with Swami RadhaTarananda, long-time Ashram teacher and resident. They discuss the power of movement and dance as well as Swami RadhaTarananda's moments with Swami Radha. Swami RadhaTarananda reflects on what dance means to her and how it lifts the spirit, allows for the expression of emotion and provides stability.

"Faith can be cultivated and increased by practicing devotion because devotion gives purification. Devotion is a selfless act. It cultivates the emotions towards sincerity, true giving and selflessness." - Swami Radha In this episode, Katie Taher interviews Swami Lalitananda, current president and spiritual director of the Ashram. She discusses her intuitive connection and love for Swami Radha and how she was challenged, supported and encouraged by Swami Radha to pursue her devotion towards the Divine. Swami Lalitananda reflects on the question, What is devotion? and how holding the Light is a joy and a pleasure.

In this episode, Katie Taher interviews Swami Sukhananda, a long-time resident and teacher at the Ashram. She discusses what is to have peace of mind in turbulent times and how to develop self-mastery in order to achieve an inner world that matches the outer world you want to live in. She reflects back on the unseen forces that guided her to come to Canada from England and eventually brought her to the Ashram where she met Swami Radha.

In this episode Katie Taher interviews Swami Samayananda on the theme of wisdom. She discusses the difference between knowledge and wisdom and how to cultivate our inner wisdom. She reflects back on her relationship with Swami Radha and her implicit trust she had in Swami Radha's wisdom - she knew what to nurture or challenge in her and in it she continually learned more about herself and to grow her own wisdom.

In this episode Swami Lalitananda interviews Candace Batycki, a conservation advocate for more than 30 years, specializing in protecting ecosystems for threatened and endangered wildlife, and caribou in particular. She served as the BC and Yukon Program Director for the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y). She lives in Nelson, BC. and is now retired. She reflects back on her work and where she is evolving in her environmentalism and discusses how she weaves buddhism and deep ecology together seeking justice for all beings - flora, fauna and human.

In this episode Katie Taher and guest, Swami Sivananda, long-time Ashram teacher and Swami Radha's personal driver and student, discuss how personal familial and societal expectations We discuss how personal familial and societal expectations are challenged on the path of yoga and the value of surrender during difficult times.

Welcome to our new podcast series hosted by Swami Lalitananda, Meaningful Lives. Over the next months, she will be talking with people from diverse backgrounds who are driven by an inner calling and give back to life in various rich ways. In this episode, she is in conversation with Ksxan, also known as Stevey Seymour. She is a Sinixt poet and a member of the Colville Confederated Tribes in Washington state. She has dedicated her life to the revitalization of the Sinixt language and culture. She participated in the 2022 Yoga Development Course. Listen to her struggles and triumphs within this process and the evolution of her only spirituality and bringing meaning into her own life.

Katie Taher sits down with Devi and discusses her time with Swami Radha and the theme of commitment. Devi reflects on how Swami Radha challenged her and was able to break down her defences - knowing exactly what she needed. Even if it meant an emotionally difficult experience, Devi committed to learning and expanding through the practices. The commitment she made to herself during her time at the Ashram influenced the rest of her life. “There is no life that does not include commitment in one way or another and we often don't really know what we are committed to. The commitment to your own development cannot be replaced by a commitment to another person and it cannot be imposed on you by someone else. You have to exercise your own free will about commitment and then put your will behind that commitment.” --Swami Radha, Time to Be Holy

In the 70s, Tara, a long-time Ashram teacher, and several other women (names you will know) started a women's centre in Lethbridge, Alberta. She was introduced to the Ashram through members of this group and embarked upon her spiritual journey with Swami Radha. Tara reflects on the difference between being nice and being compassionate. She relates accounts of Swami Radha's fierce compassion and her intuitive understanding of what each individual needs at any given moment to grow and expand.

Our second podcast is another wonderful conversation hosted by Katie Taher, this time with senior Ashram teacher Swami Satyananda.They discuss Swami Satyananda's beginnings at the Ashram and her interactions with Swami Radha who she remembers as a fierce yet compassionate teacher who guided her to contemplate her life deeply.The theme of harmony is reflected upon as Swami Satyananda reveals what harmony means in her life and how a state of balance can be achieved.

In our podcast launch and debut episode, Katie Taher interviews Swami Jyotihananda, a long time teacher and resident of Yasodhara Ashram. Listen as they discuss her relationship with her Guru, spiritual teacher Swami Sivananda Radha. Jyotihananda talks about creativity, how she first got involved with the Ashram and discusses how the teachings can help others reach their Highest Potential.