Yasodhara Ashram

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.