The Sivana Podcast

Join us for a thrilling three part conversation with author, scholar and yogi, Douglas Brooks, who is currently Professor of Religion at the University of Rochester, NY. His work with yoga communities has impacted countless numbers of yogis and yoginis all over the world, and particularly here in the United States.

Join us for a thrilling three part conversation with author, scholar and yogi, Douglas Brooks, who is currently Professor of Religion at the University of Rochester, NY. His work with yoga communities has impacted countless numbers of yogis and yoginis all over the world, and particularly here in the United States.

What does the latest scientific research say about reality and consciousness? As it turns out, scientists are starting to sound a lot more like the ancient yogis when they answer. In this episode, one of the worlds most well read and widely known astronomers, Bob Berman, joins us to chat about reality, time, consciousness, life and death.

The story of Narasimha and the Demon King, that many associate with the holiday of Holi, is typically understood as a story that demonstrates the fierce grace of the Hindu god, Vishnu. It's also an opportunity to explore the importance of staying connected to something larger than one-self. Offering an alternative to attempts at subduing or controlling life, the story encourages us to deepen the connection to our highest self to help navigate the difficulties of life.

In this episode we explore ideas of service and the "why" behind our every day actions, as well as discuss success, struggle, what can hold us back in life, and much more. Our guest is Jake Ducey, who at only 24 years old, is a two-time published author with Penguin/Random-House), a leading speaker for his generation having been featured in TEDx Youth, and has already inspired countless thousands of young people to seek meaningful career success and to make a difference in the world.

Is there a place for anger on the spiritual path? In this episode, we dive into the story of the Warrior, Virabhadra, a ferocious aspect of the deity Shiva, and learn about our own anger. If you've been to a yoga class, chances are you've done a posture named after the Warrior, Virabhadra, but the story of Virabhadra goes much deeper.

Stories have the ability to inspire us through the ages, no matter how old or young we might be. In this episode we share three stories, spoken for children, but enjoyable by all! Our three stories, Story of the Rabbit (Native American), the Frog in the Well (Chinese) and Zhuang Zi and the Butterfly (Chinese), teach us to follow our heart, have perspective in life, and appreciate the beauty of everything around us.

Would you love to grow your own organic herbs or veggies but lack the space or know how? In this episode we talk with Master Gardener and Founder of the Society of Garden Goddesses, Susan Gouveia, as she explains some simple things you can do to create your own garden, no matter what your space concerns, inside or out. We'll also talk about edible weeds, worm composting in your house, and more!

Something often happens in our youth. From young, vibrant beings, alive with energy and potential, we are molded and shaped by society, family, and media. That loss of uniqueness can often diminish our radiance as beings. Especially in the western world, where education can often just mean creating a better consumer, we often lose touch with our inner most being in our race to adulthood.

How important is the breath in yoga and what does a breath centered practice look like? Join us with yoga anatomy expert, Leslie Kaminoff, co-author of the wildly successful Yoga Anatomy book, as he explains the importance of breath as well as talks about many relevant topics with modern postural yoga.

Can you picture that futuristic moment in a Sci-Fi film where the character walks up to a machine and requests a meal that is instantly grown and presented to them? What if that dish included meat that didn't harm any animal? Well, the future is closer than you think! Our guest, Shir Friedman, works for a company that is creating chicken meat without harming animals.

The heat of the summer can effect our health in a number of different ways. Join us with Trudy Collings, an ayurvedic practitioner, herbalist and co-owner of Paavani Ayurveda, as she explains some helpful tips you can use to help beat the heat! Find out which herbs and foods can keep your body cool and skin glowing, no matter what the temperature gauge reads. 

Michael Katz is a master storyteller and the host of the radio storytelling program Katz Pajamas on NPR Station KCBX for the last thirty years. He joins us to talk about the art of storytelling and to share two of his favorite stories from the Far East. The Story of the Stone Cutter and the Magic of Patience are engaging, simple stories with a great message and are appropriate for all ages!

Join us with Dr. Kulreet Chaudhary, an Integrative Neurologist and author of the book The Prime, as she explains how the science of Ayurveda can help you optimize your health, increase your brain power and naturally shed excess pounds. Dr. Chaudhary discovered an interesting side effect to the eating and lifestyle tools she was giving her brain patients - they began to shed excess pounds. She offers easy tips and guidelines to help you feel great and lose weight without dieting.

The way we think has a huge impact on how we receive each moment of life. A story originally found in the Mahabarata, the story of Utanka takes us on a journey of self exploration. We follow Utanka from student to wise man, from the protection of his teacher's home, out into the world and even down into the underworld.