The Modern Yogi Podcast: Recent Episodes
Modern Yogi Podcast
Yoga is WAY more than Lululemon and downward dogs. In the Modern Yogi podcast, we dive deep into the spiritual side of yoga! So if you’ve ever pondered the meaning of life or wondered what your purpose is— this podcast is for you! Join three friends (your book club buddies) as they take you verse by verse through ancient yoga scriptures starting with the world famous Bhagavad Gita!
Krishna describes the components of the field (the body), including the senses, mind, ego, and elements like earth and water, as well as qualities like desire and aversion. He emphasizes the cultivation of virtues such as humility, non-attachment, and devotion to knowledge as essential for self-realization. #bhagavadgita #gita #krishna
Krishna explains that the soul is present in all bodies, and He Himself is the supreme Knower in all fields. He also introduces the concept of knowledge and its components, which include the understanding of the field, the knower, and the ultimate purpose of life, as elaborated by various sages and scriptures. #bhagavadgita #gita #krishna
Welcome to Chapter 13 of the Bhagavad Gita! In these beginning verses, Krishna describes the body as the “field” and the soul as the “knower of the field,” emphasizing that true knowledge comes from understanding the difference between these two.
In the final episode of Chapter 12, Krishna describes the qualities of a devotee who is equally disposed to friends and enemies, free from honor and dishonor, heat and cold, happiness and distress. Those who possess these qualities and faithfully follow the path of devotion are especially dear to Krishna.
Krishna continues to outline the characteristics of a devotee who is dear to Him. Such a person does not disturb others, remains unaffected by external circumstances, and is free envy, fear, and anxiety.
What kind of person is very dear to Krishna? Well, God himself, lets us know! This devotee is free from malice, friendly, compassionate, and without ego or possessiveness. They remain calm in both pain and pleasure, are forgiving, and steadfast in their devotion to God.
Loophole Alert: Krishna provides a hierarchy of devotional practices. He first advises Arjuna to fix his mind and intellect on Him to attain unity with the Divine. If that is too difficult, Krishna suggests practicing regular meditation on Him, and if meditation is too challenging, performing selfless actions dedicated to Him. For those who find even this difficult, Krishna recommends acts of charity and service, assuring that any sincere effort in devotion leads to spiritual growth. What a flexible God!
Krishna explains that worshiping the formless aspect of the Divine is difficult and fraught with challenges because it involves intense discipline and abstract meditation. He assures Arjuna that those who worship His personal form with unwavering devotion and surrender, focusing their minds on Him, are rescued swiftly from the ocean of birth and death aka the rat race of life after life!
Welcome to Chapter 12! Arjuna inquires about the better path: worshiping the formless Brahman or the personal form of Krishna. Which one is better? Krishna responds that those who focus their minds on His personal form with steadfast devotion are considered most perfect.
As we close out this chapter, Krishna emphasizes that those who engage in pure devotion, free from selfish motives, and perform their duties with love, faith, and dedication can attain Him.
Krishna reassures a trembling Arjuna, who is overwhelmed by the divine vision of Krishna's universal form. Krishna encourages Arjuna to be free from fear and confusion, and instead, return to a state of composure, seeing His more familiar, human-like form.
It’s been a whirlwind for Arjuna! Arjuna, overwhelmed by the divine vision of Krishna's universal form, humbly bows down and seeks forgiveness for any offenses he may have committed in ignorance. He acknowledges Krishna's supreme, infinite nature and requests to see his familiar, more approachable human form.
Despite his initial fear and confusion, Arjuna surrenders himself completely to Krishna, seeking refuge. He addresses Krishna as the Supreme Creator and sustainer of the universe, acknowledging his limitless power and glory. He admits his inability to fully comprehend or understand Krishna's divine manifestations and asks for forgiveness.
Krishna helps Arjuna realize that all beings (except the Pandavas) are already destined for destruction by His will. Arjuna seeks refuge in Krishna's mercy and guidance, feeling humbled and overwhelmed by the revelation of Krishna's universal form!
Arjuna sees the grandeur and vastness of the universal form of Krishna, filled with divine radiance and adorned with countless divine weapons. Feeling a bit bewildered, Arjuna seeks reassurance and guidance from Krishna, recognizing him as the Supreme Lord of the universe.
This chapter keeps getting better and better! These verses vividly depict the majestic vision of Krishna's universal form that Arjuna witnesses, highlighting the boundless and all-encompassing nature of the Supreme Being, which leaves Arjuna in a state of profound awe and reverence.
Our old friend Sanjaya comes back for this episode! He describes the reaction of Arjuna upon witnessing Krishna's universal form…and the goosebumps that arise!
Arjuna requests and then is granted the divine vision to see Krishna's universal form. HOLY COW! Krishna responds to Arjuna, inviting him to behold His hundreds and thousands of divine forms, varied in their expressions and grandeur!
Welcome to Chapter 11, we made it! In this episode, Arjuna expresses his gratitude to Krishna for enlightening him with profound spiritual truths, especially regarding the supreme mystery of the Self. This knowledge has dispelled his delusions and helped with his initial meltdown!
As we conclude Chapter 10, we see that Krishna has given us a plethora of opportunities to remember Him — in various forms and in various situations. What is YOUR favorite way to remember the beauty and magnanimity of God?
How can God be associated with gambling? Of the four seasons, which one represents Krishna? And what does Krishna mean when He says He is silence?! All will be revealed in this episode!
Of beasts, Krishna is the lion. Of fishes, Krishna is the shark. Of rivers, Krishna is the Ganges. Arjuna is encouraged to recognize and worship Krishna in all aspects of existence. As we all should!
Continuing with the theme of the chapter, Krishna is giving Arjuna a list of the things that He is! Fun fact: There are lot of cool connections in this episode!
What do the Himalayas, fire, the ocean, and the chanting of the Holy Name all have in common? They are all Krishna! In this episode, the Lord continues to remind us of everything He is.
Wahoo! Arjuna is starting to ask for Krishna’s love languages! How does God like to be loved? And in what form would Krishna like to be remembered? Krishna answers so beautifully! (P.S. This episode has fun homework!)
Arjuna finally speaks! In this episode, Arjuna acknowledges Krishna as the “God of Gods” and truly declares his eternal position as the original and greatest person. It’s giving…authority.
Continuing the four most important verses of the entire Gita, this episodes showcases how Krishna reciprocates our love and gives us the address to come to His eternal Home.
How were humans created? From the mind of Krishna! This episode dives deeper into the origins of mankind and how Krishna is the source of everything spiritual and material in this crazy world!
Finishing off the list of qualities that are created by Krishna, this episode also reflects on the historical significance of the first humans to ever exist and how Krishna actually created them from His mind.
In this special episode, we dive deeper into the various qualities that are created only by Krishna like intelligence, knowledge, freedom from doubt, forgiveness and truthfulness.
Welcome to Chapter 10! In this episode, we ask the big question: Who really is Krishna? We start off with understanding that no one truly no knows Krishna as He is the beginning and also the source of everything (including demigods!)
The final episode of chapter 9 includes a little bit of controversy. Krishna states that even those of lower birth can find their way back to God. But what does that mean? Aren’t we all equal in Krishna’s eyes? Krishna explains and declares boldly that His devotees never perish.
What are the perks of being a devotee of God? Well, in these verses, Krishna points out many! Krishna reveals that He is a friend to his devotees and so very forgiving and kind to all of them.
How many times a day do you think of God? Ten? Five? Zero times? What if thinking about God became second nature? In this episode, we discuss how you can make yourself more conscious of Krishna on a daily basis.
What do you think God wants from us? Is it money? Is it love? Is it to be a good person? Spoiler alert: It’s just 4 things; fruit, flower, leaf, water. And best of all, all of these things are FREE!
To be truly self aware, we need to know our strengths and weaknesses. The great thing about Krishna is that He knows exactly what we lack and He preserves what we have. God has your back!
Who is the mother and father and grandfather of the universe? Who is the goal of life? Who is death? Who is rain? Who is the heat from the sun? Who is the most dear friend of ours? Krishna answers all of these questions in an episode that is the most poetic of them all!
Ever pick up someone you love at the airport? It’s easy to recognize them because you know them. You love them. Truly great souls can recognize God instantly because they have taken the time to get to know Him. To love Him.
What does Krishna call His enemies who never recognize his Divinity when He is in human form? Fools! The truth is that people who are attracted towards atheism will never know the beauty of uncovering a personal relationship with God.
The cosmic order of the universe is truly miraculous. But how does it all function? Who creates everything? Who destroys everything? In this episode, Krishna explains how He does all of this whilst still remaining neutral.
What is the best secret you were ever told? Was it pure? Was it joyful? Did it help you become a better version of yourself? Krishna is hinting at the biggest secrets that He will reveal in this sacred book.
Welcome to the (very secret) Chapter 9: The Most Confidential Knowledge. Here we dive deeper into what devotional service actually means and the 9 ways to get closer to Krishna: 1) Hearing 2) Chanting 3) Remembering 4) Serving 5) Worshiping 6) Praying 7) Obeying 8)Maintaining Friendship 9) Surrendering Everything — that’s how you make friends with Krishna!
In these final verses of chapter 8, Krishna explains the various ways one can depart from this earth. But the true devotee doesn’t care about how they die, but only how they can keep their consciousness fixed on the Supreme Lord.
What happens when you transcend the cycle of birth and death? Do you come back down to the material world? Krishna explains the what happens when you finally meet Him.
If liberation is achieved, do we take birth again on planet Earth? Where do we go? What is it like there? Krishna answers these vital questions and also begins to explain what’s a typical day like for Brahma.
How does one remember God at the time of death? How does one concentrate on Krishna during one of the hardest moments in life? Understanding the answer to these questions will help us all understand the path to liberation.
Death. Let’s talk about it. According to Bhakti Yoga philosophy, death is one of the most important times in one’s life. It’s the ultimate exam in life. Krishna explains what happens at this critical time and how much power it has to determine your next life.
Arjuna starts off Chapter 8 by asking all the big questions we have all been wondering about. Krishna, the great active listener that He is, starts to tackle Arjuna’s inquires one by one.
What if you were a really nice person in a past life? You did everything right, you donated, you were spiritual, you even helped old ladies cross the street! Krishna explains how the next lifetime might look for you. Also, hooray that’s the end of Chapter 7!
Imagine knowing all that happened in the past, all that is happening now and all that will happen in the future. Who can do that? Krishna can! He truly knows all, but who truly knows Him?
Doubling down on atheists and those who don’t really know who God is, Krishna now explains why these folks will never truly understand His Supreme nature.
Demigods are givers! They give wealth (Goddess Laxmi), they give education (Goddess Saraswati), they remove obstacles (Lord Ganesha), etc. But for our spiritual growth, which God/Goddess is best to pray to? In this episode, Krishna explains the role that demigods play in our lives.
Do parents have a favorite child? Does God have a favorite discipline? If so, how does one get to be Krishna’s favorite? In this episode, things get a little heated as we debate whether or not Krishna plays favorites!
Krishna has a great therapist and is VERY self aware. In this episode, He entails the four types of people that will never turn to Him and the four types of people that will.
We are all affected by the three modes of goodness, passion, and ignorance. But, is Krishna also affected by these? We get to dive deeper in this episode!
Let’s talk about sex, baby. That’s right, Krishna talks about how He is sex life. I mean, if God is everything, then everything is in Him. So that includes EVERYTHING! We hope you enjoy this 50th episode! Woo-hoo!
What if God had a Tinder profile where He listed all the cool things about himself? Chapter 7 is essentially that profile! Krishna begins to slowly unravel who and what He is. He is the taste in water and the light from the sun and the moon…how incredible to fathom!
You know when you’re on a date with someone and have an immediate crush on them and want to know EVERYTHING about them? And then they proceed to tell you that They are the start and finish of everything that is material and spiritual in this world? That’s what Krishna says in this episode! #whoa
Welcome to Chapter 7! One of the biggest existential questions that one can ask is, Who is God? Well, to know someone is to love someone. Thus, this is the chapter where we learn all about who Krishna truly is.
Spiritual loophole ALERT! Krishna tells Arjuna that whatever spiritual credit you put in your spiritual bank account, you never lose it, lifetime after lifetime. As we close out chapter 6, Krishna explains what type of birth a wannabe modern yogi (all of us!) can expect to have in their next lifetime.
Arjuna is like ‘no bueno, I can’t still my mind’ and Krishna is like, with practice, you can do anything, even meditate! But then Arjuna asks a very important question, what if one starts on their journey to become a modern yogi but…fails?
The tiny bit of Krishna that resides inside all of us is called Paramatma, or the Supersoul. The fun part is that a modern yogi realizes that the Supersoul and Krishna are both the same. Krishna explains this and Arjuna finally speaks — all in this riveting episode!
Have you ever felt the presence of the Divine in nature? When swimming in the ocean? When hiking a mountain? How about at a coffee shop? Or while doing your laundry? Learn how a true modern yogi can see Krishna in everything!
What type of mood does a modern yogi have? A mood of determination and faith. Once a modern yogi can control the mind and senses, and bring them back to focus whenever they wander, then they can achieve the highest stage of perfect happiness…loving service to Krishna.
Are you an over-thinker? Do you find your mind wandering all over the place? Krishna lays out the mood and consequential joy that be attained through learning to steady our minds through meditation.
Do you sleep too much? Sleep too little? Do you eat too much? Eat too little? Odd questions to ask but Krishna actually talks about how to regulate your everyday habits so you can become a successful modern yogi.
What should we think of when we meditate? Should we even be thinking at all? Krishna lays out the groundwork for the mood of meditation in these verses.
With all the distractions in this world, how does one even begin to concentrate?! Krishna lays out the foundation on how to breathe, meditate, and be a true modern yogi.
How do you conquer the mind and find lasting happiness? That is one of the biggest questions and one that takes many lifetimes to figure out. But Krishna explains how one who has the right knowledge can view anything whether it be gold or pebbles, hot or cold weather, or friends and enemies -- all with equal vision.
BIG QUESTION: What defines the quality of our lives? Answer: It's the quality of our thoughts. Krishna explains how our mind can be a source of misery and be our greatest enemy or it can be a source of great happiness and be our best friend -- depending on how you train it!
We made it to Chapter 6! Here we begin with the importance of renunciation. What is renunciation? It means to give something up. Uh-uh. What do we have to give up? It's the need for gratifying our senses. This episode discusses what that is and how we can work on this very important practice in bhakti yoga.
As we close out chapter 5, Krishna talks about happiness. What two things keep us from happiness in this world? It's desire and anger. So how do we combat these two and try to find our happiness inwardly instead of outwardly? Krishna drops some knowledge bombs in this episode and even teaches us how to meditate!
Treat everyone equally. Easier said than done, right? As humans, we have the tendency to make snap judgements when we first meet people! In these verses, Krishna explains how important it is to see everyone equally and to not be disturbed in good and bad times.
In this episode, Krishna explains the 4 critical ingredients needed for liberation and how knowledge help us advance and grow spiritually.
How does one be happy in this material body of ours? And does God control all of our actions and results? This episode answers these two very important life questions!
What if we just gave up all possessions and ran away to the forest? Would that makes us happy? Krishna says, “nope!” He didn’t exactly say ‘nope’ but he did start to clarify what a person with divine consciousness is like and how they behave and what we can all learn from them.
Welcome to Chapter 5: Karma Yoga - Action in Krishna Consciousness! Right off the bat, Arjuna is trying to clarifying some things to truly understand what he needs to do now. A little clarification never hurt anyone, right? Then Krishna breaks it all down for Arjuna…and for the reader!
We're almost at the end of Chapter 4! In these final verses, Krishna is emphasizing the importance of transcendental knowledge and how powerful it truly is to understand it. Krishna is telling Arjuna that his excuses and doubts should now "be slashed by the weapon of knowledge" and he should now stand and fight. Dun dun dun!
Ever wondered about finding a spiritual teacher who could guide you? In this episode, the three ladies of the podcast dive deeper into their personal stories of how they all found their spiritual teacher or "guru".
The definition of sacrifice is "To give up one thing for another thing considered to be of greater value." Ever heard of those mystics in India that know how to control their bodies and breath to achieve supernatural powers? It's a type of sacrifice! In these verses, Krishna explains the various sacrifices that can be performed.
There are so many different kinds of people in the world -- all offering different types of sacrifices to different people, places, things, and demigods. But the lucky souls who are on the path of bhakti yoga, they know that the ultimate sacrifice is for Krishna.
If you ever asked yourself, 'how do I be more spiritual?', these verses can help guide you. During these important verses in Chapter 4, Krishna essentially provides a checklist for life to his dear friend Arjuna.
Krishna is starting to explain he is God and the creator of everything. These verses also start to get into the concept of karma or action -- which, even Krishna says, is very complicated. Krishna begins to explain what action is, what forbidden action is and what inaction is and how all three affect our lives.
If Krishna first spoke the Gita to the Sun God, and the Sun God is a lot older than Krishna, how did that work? Krishna is now starting to let us in on some details about Him and spoiler alert...he's no ordinary man.
Welcome to chapter 4 where we dive deeper into Transcendental Knowledge! In the beginning of this chapter, Krishna gives a little history lesson on the knowledge of the Gita and when and where it has come from.
As we close out chapter 3, things get a little lusty! Krishna talks about how dangerous and powerful lust is -- otherwise known as desire. If we can conquer the senses, mind, and intelligence then only we can conquer the enemy of lust.
What is attachment and sense gratification? These concepts come up many times in the Gita because these are the things that bind us to the rat race that is this material world. But what happens when we surrender all our work to Krishna? Is that when we find the ultimate cheat code to life?
Why do we follow the influencers that we follow? Are they good leaders? In these verses, Krishna talks about divine leadership. He encourages Arjuna to be a good role model, for if he does, common men will follow in his footsteps.
Why is sacrifice (yajna) so important? Krishna dives deeper into this concept of sacrifice and why it's critical in our lives. Truth be told, we are all sacrificing in different ways for various people already -- so why not make our sacrifices 'spiritual-ized'?
We can't just sit around Netflix and Chilling all day! Thus, Krishna explains in these verses that we all need to do something in this life, and the best thing to do is work in the consciousness of God. The notion of demigods is also brought up in these verses!
Arjuna is really good student so he’d like to know exactly what to do now! Thus, welcome to the wonderful chapter 3 where Krishna introduces the idea of karma-yoga. What is that? And how can it be used to better your life? We’ll answer this question and many more during the first few verses of this new chapter!
How do we have peace and happiness in our lives? Krishna answers this million dollar question now. If we can remain steady during good days and bad days, we are practicing true yoga. However, our senses are so strong and they pull us in so many directions, making us agitated and stressed out! So what can we do?! The summary of the major points of the Gita are laid out here!
What is devotion? What is service? Why is devotional service to Krishna the purpose of our lives? Arjuna begins to ask these questions as well as the big one: how do I become a better and more spiritual person?
Bhagavad Gita > Vedas. But wait, what are the Vedas? The Vedas are a HUGE body of spiritual texts originating in ancient India. Krishna is saying that understanding the main purpose of the Bhagavad Gita trumps everything written in the Vedas. Also, huge lesson in this chapter: Do your duty, but don’t be attached to the rewards that may come with it.
What do we take with us when we die? Our cars? Our iPhones? Our family? Nope, none of it. But we do take the amount of spiritual progress we make in this lifetime. Those who are trying to figure out the true goal of life are the wisest people in town.
Krishna now begins to poke at Arjuna. He is basically saying: If we are all immortal souls, why are you so sad, Arjuna? Now that you know how the whole reincarnation thing works, don’t lose your reputation as a powerful soldier. Go do your duty, protect the citizens, and fight for justice!
So the soul is like Wolverine, no one can kill it! Which means, if we are the soul and not this body, we must be immortal, right? Right. During these verses, Krishna explains how powerful and indestructible the soul truly is.
What is the soul? Do we have one? Do hamsters have souls? During these verses we dive deeper into the nature and characteristics of the soul.
Ever heard of reincarnation? This is where it starts to get interesting! Krishna begins to explain what happens to our body and soul at the moment of death.
Arjuna thinks that this war is a lose/lose situation. He has grown tired of arguing and has now told Krishna the famous words, “Govinda, I shall not fight.” This is where we see the transformation of Arjuna finally becoming Krishna’s disciple and student.
Arjuna is NOT ready to kill his family members on the battlefield. He’s throwing arguments at Krishna left, right and center! But Krishna has some good points up His sleeve as well. In this episode we’ll see Arjuna transform from a fearful solider to eager to learn disciple.
Ooh! Things are getting heated here towards the second half of Chapter 1! Everyone is getting ready for battle but Arjuna asks Krishna to pull the chariot toward the middle of the battlefield so he can see his enemies better. Plot twist -- his enemies are his family members! His cousins, uncles, and even his grandfather are all fighting on the side of evil. What will Arjuna do next?
Chapter one is perhaps one of the hardest chapters in the Bhagavad Gita to understand. The first time you read it, you'll have questions like: Who is this person? Who is that person? Why is everyone blowing a conch shell? What's this guy's name again? And how is he related to this guy? And why does everyone's conch shell have a name?! We'll help break down the first part of Chapter 1 so all of this makes a little more sense!
What mood should one read the Gita in? What are the main themes? What do I need to know before I dive into this sacred book head first? In this episode we will take you through the main points of the official introduction. The version of the Gita that we will be discussing is 'Bhagavad Gita As It Is' by His Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Hope you follow along and join us on this wild ride!
The Bhagavad Gita is one of the most revered and sacred books in the world. This ancient text is as relevant and helpful now as it was when it was spoken 5000 years ago on a battlefield in India. BUT WHY IS EVERYONE ON A BATTLEFIELD? Join the ladies of the Modern Yogi podcast as they set the scene for you!
Ever wondered about the meaning of life? Ever wondered about your purpose? Are you interested in Eastern spirituality? If you answered yes to any of those questions, the Modern Yogi podcast is for you! Join your book club buddies (Shyamali, Priyadarshani, and Syama Sangita) as they take you verse by verse through ancient scriptures starting with the world famous Bhagavad Gita!