Let me start by offering my heartfelt gratitude to my student and supporter Alan. Alan has suggested, urged, and nudged me repeatedly to...

I visited what I understand to be the newest temple in Varanasi. It was breathtaking! Resplendent with white marble, I was immediately struck by the number of Shiva Lingams. This one greets you upon entering. Lingams to the left Lingams to the right Lingams all around! Then there was this separate room of white Lingams. It reminded me of a nursery. In addition, there were several beautiful murtis (sacred statues) of the Gods and Goddesses. Annapurna is the Goddess of food, no

As much as I would like to eat the street food (I would really like to eat the street food!), I heed the doctors advice and do not partake. However, my native friends do, and indulge my requests for photos. Lucky me! The makings for Bhel Puri Chaat is a broad category of snacks that contain a combination of foods, flavors and textures. Bhel Puri is one of those chaats. Bhel Puri stands lined the Ghats along the Ganges. We stopped every night for a Bhel Puri snack. One night,

One of the biggest events in Varanasi is the evening Ganga Arti. It's a flame ceremony honoring the Ganges every night at 6pm. The time may change as the days grow longer. It's 6pm now. It is a spectacular ceremony that draws quite a crowd! There is a festival atmosphere, with vendors walking around selling trinkets. There are toys for the children. People come by land and by boat All to honor Ma Ganga, represented in this murti (sacred statue). I had different seats each nig

I arrived in Varanasi (called Kashi by the locals) yesterday afternoon. It's just over an hour's drive from the airport. And then it's about a ten minute walk through the alleyways leading to the river. That walk is quite an experience! I made videos of most of it so you would feel like you were here with me. Enjoy! The view from my room 😍 My quarters at Nirmala Ganga View Bear with me if there's radio silence for a couple of days. I am being kept very busy! Lots of sacred s

I started the new year off right, with a sacred ceremony beginning at 6:30am. These particular sacred ceremonies are called havans, and I do them every time I come to India. Gurudevi tells us that what you do on the first day of the year sets the tone for your year. I like the tone I've set for 2026! Taking some selfies while the priests finish setting up The view from my seat before we got started This is an Abishek, or ritual bath. The murti (sacred statue) gets bathed with

I encountered a cacophony of devotion at the temple last night. I walked through the arched entrance and left my shoes on the rack. I passed the small room that houses the Krishna statue, and saw a priest chanting mantras and waving a candle flame to him. I paused to watch, unnoticed. The priests, especially this one, ooze devotion when they are doing these ceremonies. I continued on to Bhimeshwar, the Shiva temple on the grounds. That is my favorite place in all of Ganeshpu

When I arrived in India, the customs official asked me what I liked about India. Without a second thought, I said the devotion. I see it everywhere: in the many temples and sacred sites; in the offerings of flowers, food, and sacred greenery at the temples, and to the cows, trees, and holy sites.  They start early here. I've seen infants handed off to priests so their head can be touched to a holy statue. I've seen older babies squirming as their parents push their head down

It's so good to be back in my Ganeshpuri home, at Yogini's house. I've got my same room, and every time I return, there's improvements. The living room on my floor ( called the first floor here - we'd call it the second floor) is one of the best parts of this place. It's rare in Ganeshpuri to find common space indoors. Most guest houses have rooms, bathrooms, a kitchen and eating space. I value having a place to visit with others that is not my bedroom! My bedroom is pretty

Here's a quick update - I'm in a very different place than my last post. I arrived in Ganeshpuri around 10am. My wait at the airport wasn't as bad as my mind wanted me to believe it would be. Isn't that always the way? It sure is with my mind! It was a joyful arrival and I had eaten, showered and was tucked into bed within an hour. That was a great sleep. When I awoke, I headed down the hill to say hello to Nityananda and my friends. It was a joyful reunion. I'm so happy to b

I made it to India! Hooray! It is such a long trip to get here. Well worth it, and a very long trip. My flight was an hour late arriving and my driver is nowhere to be found. I've been wandering around the outside of the airport looking for him for 45 minutes. I've also been on the phone with Sanjeev, Yogini's son and the one who runs her house now. They don't know what happened to Jagan. He's supposed to be here to pick me up. He's not answering his phone. Sanjeev's solution

In less than 24 hours, I'll be on my plane heading to Mumbai. I'm excited! I'm going to the airport by way of Swami Sunday tomorrow. I'm catching a ride with Rajni to the Ashram in the morning. There's someone from North Jersey that's bringing me to the airport after satsang. I love that the last thing I'll be doing in the US is Swami Sunday. It's perfect. I'll be riding the river of Grace all the way to Ganeshpuri!

This video... it melts my heart every time. You know how I know my heart is melting? It runs out the sides of my eyes.

I found myself reflecting on the fact that we have been in isolation for less than a month, and sometimes it feels like forever. And I...

I don't know about you, but I've had a lot of feelings of being alone in the last 24 hours. Not lonely, just alone. Sometimes that is a...

I write a daily email on behalf of Rehoboth Beach Yoga Center, where I teach yoga and see clients privately. I call that email the daily...

The Saturday before I left, I scored an invitation to lunch at my friend Mohini's house. It's too bad I didn't get any pictures of the...

This is my friend Mohini, and she always brings me on the best adventures! She's the one that brought me to the yoga class at the school...

Ganeshpuri revolves around Nityananda's Samadhi Shrine. Here is a closer look at the temple grounds. Nityananda's Samadhi Shrine The...

Ganeshpuri centers around Nityananda's Samadhi Shrine, which is the primary structure on the temple grounds. For holidays, they go all...