About: Ramesh Bjonnes
Posts by Ramesh Bjonnes:
The Dalai Lama’s Message to Bad Buddhist Teachers.by Ramesh Bjonnes on May 11, 2012 A controversial teacher’s lifestyle is brought to the attention of the Dali Lama… 3,222 views |
Using our Imperfections for Spiritual Growth.by Ramesh Bjonnes on May 10, 2012 “There’s a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.” –Leonard Cohen 791 views |
Sex & Yoga (Again!): A Broad, Distorted View of Yoga History.by Ramesh Bjonnes on Feb 28, 2012 It is not correct, as science writer for the New York Times William J. Broad recently claimed in an article, that yoga “began as a sex cult.” That statement is as inflamed as Mr. Broad’s own yoga-induced back injury once was. 4,540 views |
11 Reasons Why We (Still) Need Great Gurus, Teachers & Yoga Communities.by Ramesh Bjonnes on Feb 24, 2012 A true guru is only a fake guru, they say. But the logic of that argument is quite misplaced. You don’t go searching for a real guru among the fakes and the charlatans anymore than you look for a new car in a wrecking yard. 1,169 views |
Flirting with Shakti: The End or a New Beginning for Anusara?by Ramesh Bjonnes on Feb 13, 2012 It is precisely when in a position of power and domination we teachers need to tame Shakti through our practice and our ethics of yama and niyama. But sometimes, we are overpowered by the secretive allure of Shakti. We are lead astray by her sensual attraction, and we end up in relationships resulting in dysfunctional, unethical, or unprofessional alliances. 1,553 views |
Sex, Bliss, Tantra & the Anusara Revolution.by Ramesh Bjonnes on Feb 8, 2012 How true is Anusara’s philosophy to the philosophy of Tantra? Does the following paragraph from John Friend’s Shiva Shakti Tantra philosophy reflect the inner essence of Tantra? 4,348 views |
Religion, Dharma, Yoga, Science, Spirituality. What’s the difference?by Ramesh Bjonnes on Jan 18, 2012 Objective science can never fully explain subjective truth. That’s why even scientists resort to poetry, to myth, to explain certain objective truths. 1,541 views |
NY Times: “Yoga Can Wreck Your Health.” (Here Are 7 Ways To Avoid It)by Ramesh Bjonnes on Jan 16, 2012 “Today many schools of yoga are just about pushing people,” Black said. “You can’t believe what’s going on — teachers jumping on people, pushing and pulling and saying, ‘You should be able to do this by now.’ It has to do with their egos.” 6,062 views |
Yoga as Meditation: The Power Of Sitting Now.by Ramesh Bjonnes on Nov 28, 2011 As an angry and very articulate Zen monk perceptively wrote in an article in Buddhadharma magazine: Spiritual practice is “transformative, and this kind of transformation can get messy. The Sanskrit term for this is clusterf*ck.” 1,524 views |
Yoga & Activism: Are You Ready to Occupy the World from Within?by Ramesh Bjonnes on Nov 22, 2011 “A mysticism that is only private and self-absorbed leaves the evils of the world intact and does little to halt the suicidal juggernaut of history; an activism that is not purified by profound spiritual and psychological self-awareness and rooted in divine truth, wisdom, and compassion will only perpetuate the problem it is trying to [...] 771 views |
Tantra & Kundalini: Uncoiling the Sacred Snake of Sex & Liberation.by Ramesh Bjonnes on Oct 19, 2011 Are we humans hardwired for sex, sadness and liberation? According to Tantric yoga, yes we are! 1,687 views |
Tantric Love: Why is the Male Blue & the Female Golden?by Ramesh Bjonnes on Oct 6, 2011 Without dancing, moving, expressing in the form of a human body; we cannot experience the ethereal and Divine. Thus the body too is Divine. 2,088 views |
Can We Be Spiritual Without Inner Transformation? A Tantric Perspective.by Ramesh Bjonnes on Oct 3, 2011 But also according to Tantra, there is a changeless Self, which never changes, to which the changing self wakes up, discovers, embraces, and is absorbed into through transformative expansion. Thus there is both transformation and no-transformation. Change and no-change. 2,161 views |
Tantra Practice: 3 Steps to Meaningful Mindfulness Meditation.by Ramesh Bjonnes on Sep 5, 2011 The effort itself, even the process of forgetting and then returning, is part of the practice, is Meaningful, is Divine. Always. 2,465 views |
The Secrets of Tantra in 86 Words.by Ramesh Bjonnes on Aug 28, 2011 tantra is not the yoga of sex 2,844 views |
3 Ways to View the Ancient History of Yoga.by Ramesh Bjonnes on Aug 20, 2011 Recent research into this important period of history has revealed that India was, in so many ways, also the cradle of human civilization, not just geographically and culturally, but also spiritually. 2,341 views |
Were the poet Rumi and Shams gay lovers? (or was it simply Bhakti love?)by Ramesh Bjonnes on Aug 8, 2011 Personally, I think the idea of Rumi and Shams being gay is one big contemporary projection. Not, of course, that being gay itself is a problem, but in this case I think it is unlikely. In the West, we don’t really have a tradition of the guru/disciple relationship we see in Sufism, Tantra and other ecstatic traditions of the East. Hence we tend to be overly skeptical, distrustful. 1,357 views |
3 ways to practice Yoga: for the body, the soul, or both?by Ramesh Bjonnes on Aug 5, 2011 Do you practice yoga to get a flexible body, a bendable brain, an enlightened spirit, or to achieve a little bit of everything? Either way, you are not the first. Yoga has experimented with all these paths and expressions for centuries. 1,488 views |
From Norway With Love (and Roses).by Ramesh Bjonnes on Jul 25, 2011 His views are, however, shared by a growing number of conservative extremists across Europe. They are alarmed by Eurabia—the idea that Europe is being taken over by Muslims, a fact which, they claim, is supported by national and international politicians. Hence, Breivik’s need to kill the Prime Minister and his young followers, all those who are polluting the purity of European culture. 1,087 views |
The Secret about Tantra and Sex.by Ramesh Bjonnes on Jul 24, 2011 In actuality, the spirit of Tantra implies that ordinary activities and enjoyments such as eating, playing, writing, and sex are seen as relative expressions of the Absolute. They are thus imbued with sacredness and spirituality. 3,245 views |
You Are Already Enlightened! True or False?by Ramesh Bjonnes on Jun 14, 2011 You have heard it many times. You have heard it from New Age gurus. You have heard it from contemporary nondual teachers on the popular lecture circuit. You have heard it from Indian gurus. You have also heard it from some Indian anti-guru gurus. You have heard that you already are enlightened. You have heard [...] 1,255 views |
My Love-affair With Tantra (And It’s not Just About Sex)by Ramesh Bjonnes on Jun 7, 2011 I love Tantra because when you practice your asana in harmony with your breath, you are the whole universe moving in one Tantric flow. I love Tantra because it’s about walking your spiritual talk. 1,840 views |
Before Buddha became a Buddha, he was a Yogi.by Ramesh Bjonnes on May 29, 2011 I am quite familiar with the story about Buddha’s enlightenment under that fateful banyan tree in Bodh Gaya. But until recently, I was much less familiar with his wandering ways before he became Sakyamuni Buddha. Here’s a brief history about yoga in context of the life and time of Buddhism’s founder. But first a few [...] 2,696 views |
The Yoga of Tantric Love: 7 Reasons why it’s not just about Sex.by Ramesh Bjonnes on May 23, 2011 Tantra is not the yoga of sex. Tantra is the yoga of everything. On some yogic and spiritual paths, the attitude to life is via negativa, and the world is seen as a cause for suffering, as giving us a sense of false identity when we are attached to it. So the yogi’s task becomes [...] 7,020 views |
3 Ways to Enlightenment.by Ramesh Bjonnes on May 15, 2011 There are at least 3 ways to enlightenment according to yoga philosophy. In reality, there are many more, perhaps as many as there are yogis, but just for the sake of limited space and the topic of this essay, I will introduce three distinct and influential philosophical paths within traditional yoga philosophy. While doing so, [...] 1,870 views |
Why Yoga Means Union: The Spiritual, Historical and Psychological Reasons (And Why Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras Had nothing To Do With It)by Ramesh Bjonnes on May 9, 2011 It is commonly understood that yoga means union, oneness, bliss. It is not so commonly understood, however, that Patanjali, the so-called originator of Classical Yoga, had nothing to do with it. Patanjali, who’s philosophy of the Yoga Sutras is becoming increasingly influential in Western yoga circles, never emphasized yoga as union, but rather described yoga [...] 1,450 views |
Yoga and Your Body: Did Patanjali Really Say That Your Body Is Disgusting?by Ramesh Bjonnes on May 2, 2011 Our interpretation of yoga philosophy matters. It may even have severe historical consequences. Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras are a case in point. In a recent debate on Elephant Journal, prolific blogger Matthew Remski wrote: “that ‘yoga philosophy is always imperfect’ is proven by 2:40, which proposes that bodily disgust is a virtue. this is certainly a [...] 1,029 views |
Yoga, Truth, and Dogma: 5 Ways of Knowing What’s Real.by Ramesh Bjonnes on Apr 22, 2011 Traditional yoga makes certain truth claims that rubs Matthew Remski the wrong way. He plants his feet firmly on the intellectual mat and reserves the right to be both philosophically and scientifically cynical. Very cynical. For cynicism, he claims, is the new yoga, the yoga that looks at reality with openness, freshness, accuracy, a yoga [...] 3,037 views |
The Yoga of Fierce Awakening: Why Your Dogma Cannot Crush My Dharma.by Ramesh Bjonnes on Apr 18, 2011 When I was living in Nepal, one of my best friends, a Nepali shopkeeper, was initiated on the tantric path of yoga by my teacher. In order to receive the teachings, as per customs in some tantric traditions, he had to cut his sacred Brahmin tread. This simple act, it turns out, was a kind [...] 1,219 views |
What The @#%^ is Rajadhiraja Yoga?by Ramesh Bjonnes on Apr 4, 2011 Never heard of Rajadhiraja Yoga before? You are not alone. Up until a few years ago, I had not heard of it either, even though I had been practicing it for quite a while. If you’ve heard of Raja Yoga—Vivekananda and many other great yogis’ term for the Asthanga Yoga of Patanjali—you are half way [...] 965 views |
Ready for Real Yoga Love?by Ramesh Bjonnes on Feb 15, 2011 The ecstatic poetry of Mirabai and Kabir have been sung in India since the Middle Ages. Even long before their contemporaries, St. Theresa in Europe and Rumi in the Middle East, mystic lovers have known that their Divine affair with the Beloved comes and goes. Still, they can’t stop loving the Divine, even when no [...] 622 views |
Yoga: Multiple Pathways to the Path of One!by Ramesh Bjonnes on Feb 6, 2011 Is this headline a contradiction, a misunderstanding, a philosophically incorrect statement? Perhaps not. As I have written many times before, yoga is not an either/or lifestyle. Yoga is a yes/and lifestyle. In the West, yoga is often synonymous with posture practice, with various forms of hatha yoga. In its homeland India, a yogi can be [...] 717 views |
Are Traditional Yogis Pretentious Preachers?by Ramesh Bjonnes on Jan 28, 2011 Yoga is whatever you make it, right? This is a line I often hear from people who also often call me—first a traditionalist, then a pretentious preacher. Or a purist. You have no right, they say, to tell us what to think yoga is or should mean. Of course not. Only those who believe “yoga [...] 2,036 views |
 Yoga Will Never Make You Enlightened (Unless You Become a Buddhist!)by Ramesh Bjonnes on Jan 22, 2011 …or start putting as much energy into a daily meditation practice as you put into your posture yoga practice. Period. Why does yoga superstar Rodney Yee call himself a yogi yet encourages people to practice Buddhist meditation? Why do so few yogis practice yogic meditation? The simple reason is that the renaissance men of modern [...] 2,440 views |
10 Secrets to a Great Meditation.by Ramesh Bjonnes on Jan 15, 2011 A cool body is the secret to a cool mind. There are many more such simple secrets to a great meditation practice. Here are 10 secrets, especially designed for those who practice yogic or tantric meditation the way the ancient masters intended it. 1. Cool body, cool mind. Loose clothing, open soul. Before meditation, clean [...] 2,426 views |
Yoga and Dairy: An Alliance of Holy or Unholy Cows?by Ramesh Bjonnes on Jan 5, 2011 Great yogis have considered dairy products to be an exceptional nutrition for body, mind and spirit for thousands of years. Warm milk, according to the yoga tradition, is a wonderful drink to build up energy for the practice of pranayama, or breathing exercises. Indeed, when I started my practice of closing and opening my nostrils [...] 1,603 views |
What the #$*! is Dharma? Is My Yoga the Same as Your Dharma?by Ramesh Bjonnes on Dec 25, 2010 You’ve heard this hip, spiritual term thrown around by yogis for a while. You’ve heard it thrown around by Buddhists the likes of Jack Kerouac, who wrote that ultimate hipster book The Dharma Bums. You’ve likely even used it yourself. But what really is the inner, spiritual meaning and significance of this ancient Sanskrit word? [...] 1,120 views |
Is Yoga an Art, a Science, or a Religion?by Ramesh Bjonnes on Dec 18, 2010 On John Friend’s website, you will find the following sentence describing the Anusara Yoga Teacher Traning manual: “The most clear and comprehensive book on the art and science of teaching yoga available.” IS YOGA A SCIENCE? Let us take a look at the meaning of the word science. Many people who argue that yoga is [...] 2,056 views |
Who Owns Yoga? Not Bikram!by Ramesh Bjonnes on Dec 7, 2010 In a recent article in the New York times, a Hindu group asserted that yoga owes a great debt to Hinduism. According to The New York Times, “The campaign, labeled ‘Take Back Yoga,’ does not ask yoga devotees to become Hindu, or instructors to teach more about Hinduism. The small but increasingly influential group behind [...] 4,176 views |
Jai Uttal: Best Kirtan Video Ever?by Ramesh Bjonnes on Nov 29, 2010 I just love this incredibly creative and inspiring video with Jai Uttal, his wife Nubia, and his son Ezra. What do you think? Does it make you want to go down on your knees and pray? And then dance? If you are new to Jai’s music, please check out his website: www.jaiutttal.com 625 views |
Yoga Sutras: If Patanjali Had Been a Woman…by Ramesh Bjonnes on Nov 23, 2010 …He would have sounded a lot like Nischala Joy Devi. An internationally renowned yoga teacher, she is also the author of The Secret Power of Yoga, a book in which she uncovers the “heart and spirit” of the Yoga Sutras. Devi’s translation of Patanjali’s most famous sutra—Yogah Citta Vritti Nirodahah— is so sweet, Tantric and [...] 1,311 views |
Yoga for Lovers: Tantra-love or Oprah-love?by Ramesh Bjonnes on Nov 19, 2010 The ecstatic poetry of Mirabai and Kabir have been sung in India since the Middle Ages. Even long before their contemporaries, St. Theresa in Europe and Rumi in the Middle East, mystic lovers have known that their Divine affair with the Beloved comes and goes. Still, they can’t stop loving the Divine, even when no [...] 520 views |
Yoga and Reincarnation: To Believe or Not to Believe?by Ramesh Bjonnes on Nov 10, 2010 Like Krishna, I’m a born-again-and-again kind of guy! The belief in reincarnation—that souls migrate from life to life, body to body—is not, as many believe, just yogic, Buddhist and Eastern. It’s also been part of the Greek neo-platonic tradition and is also an integral aspect of Judaism, even the Viking tradition. “According to his deeds, [...] 5,890 views |
The Yoga Of Loving Kindness To All (Except Bigots & Fundamentalists?)by Ramesh Bjonnes on Oct 30, 2010 “You are going to hell,” my grandmother said, after she found me meditating in front of a photo of my guru. Her fundamentalist outburst made me mad—as hell! So, I hated in return, hated my Christian grandmother for being such a narrow-minded person. Then I realized I was just like her: a bigot. Sitting high [...] 1,076 views |
The Naked Truth: Yoga Journal Speaks Out.by Ramesh Bjonnes on Oct 22, 2010 Many yoga teachers are asking: where is yoga heading? According to the article, “What happened to yoga?” by Linda Matchen in the Boston Globe, several nationally known Boston-based yoga teachers, including Patricia Walden, were part of the recent summit “Balancing Acts: Poses, Products, and the Future of Yoga in America.” “Everyone is afraid to talk [...] 1,373 views |
Fat, Naked, and Enlightened: The Crazy Yogis of Loveby Ramesh Bjonnes on Oct 17, 2010 There’s been numerous crazy yogis of love and radical spirituality throughout the history of yoga. The Buddhist tradition is of course well known for its crazy wisdom teachers. Marpa, Milarepa and Drukpa are some of the more famous of the wild ones from the past, while Chögyam Trungpa was contemporary. But the yoga tradition also [...] 1,239 views |
Yoga Body, Yoga Spirit: How Can We Have Both? ~ Ramesh Bjonnesby Ramesh Bjonnes on Oct 14, 2010 It’s easy to understand why John Friend highly recommends the book Yoga Body: The Origins of Modern Posture Yoga “for all sincere students of yoga.” Because, Mark Singleton’s thesis is a well researched expose of how modern hatha yoga, or “posture practice,” as he terms it, has changed within and after the practice left India. [...] 1,074 views |
 Women and Yoga: Dispelling A Myth. ~ Ramesh Bjonnesby Ramesh Bjonnes on Oct 11, 2010 Some contemporary yogis in America claim that women were not allowed to practice yoga until about 50 years ago. I think that’s a bunch of yogi baloney. One reason such myths are popular here in the West, I think, is that the mythmakers often proclaim that yoga is mainly the practice of hatha yoga, mainly [...] 1,619 views |
The Power Of Sitting Now (On Your Ass Meditating). ~ Ramesh Bjonnesby Ramesh Bjonnes on Oct 8, 2010 Spiritual practice is transformative! Like so many other spiritual seekers, I love the legendary little book by the famous, contemporary German-Canadian spiritual teacher, Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now. But I love my daily meditation practice even more than the beautiful and wise words in Tolle’s book. What’s missing in Tolle’s book, for me, is [...] 640 views |
Diet for a Yogi Planet. ~ Ramesh Bjonnesby Ramesh Bjonnes on Oct 2, 2010 “Ask any number of yogis to describe their diets and you’ll likely get responses as varied as the styles they practice. Many traditionalists see yoga as being inextricably linked with the meatless path, citing numerous ancient Indian texts to prove their conviction. Others put less stock in centuries-old warnings like “the slaughter of animals obstructs [...] 451 views |
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