Ancient teachings still exist today because the wisdom they carry is timeless. Modern interpretations are made by philosophers and teachers so that we can understand the books better using familiar language and context. In this unprecedented time of COVID-19, life goes on, and these lessons are more relevant than ever to apply to our daily practices.
In today's episode, Richard Freeman and Mary Taylor will provide insights on the Bhagavad Gita—a text widely considered to have influenced yoga, especially in Eastern philosophy. Richard and Mary are eminent yogic teachers who will discuss what it means to wake up to your intelligence to live a balanced life. They will also share their travel experiences as a manifestation of how it feels to be radically loved.
If you feel stuck in your mindfulness practice and want to bring wisdom into it, this episode is for you!
[14:07] “It’s a way of learning to look at context. You see things and to look at all the different religious manifestations and to see through them, to what they’re actually trying to accomplish rather than let your ego buy into some formula that makes you superior to others.”
[28:01] “Life is a wave pattern. If you can ride those waves with the ability at any instant to engage, that would be amazing.”
[34:55] “It's an important time to be kind to yourself and to be really careful. And not to be so dogmatic that you become more tight or tuned out from the Other.”
[35:48] “When there’s this genuine sense of connectedness and a genuine concern for the world, the environment, etc, then that’s when it starts to stabilize enough that we take the context of what’s going on and we help see each other see what we can do.”
[38:07] “If you feel like you've been injured by someone else or by a situation and you respond, take the moment, even in just a flash, to really see if your motivation for your action is in line with bigger intentions in life, say, the intention to relieve suffering. Are your motivations self-serving more than they are truly in line with your intention?”
Richard Freeman and Mary Taylor are yoga teachers based in Boulder, Colorado. They teach public classes and frequently travel as guest instructors at studios worldwide.
Richard has produced many instructional videos on yoga asana, philosophy, breathing, and chanting. Mary has written three cookbooks. She also teaches within the caregiver and hospital setting as a member of the core faculty of the Being with Dying program at the Upaya Zen Center.
Richard and Mary have written two books together, namely The Art of Vinyasa and, most recently, When Love Comes to Light, both under Shambala Publications. They also appear in online communities that teach yoga, meditation, and wellness practice to help students navigate challenging life experiences.
If you want to connect with Richard and Mary, visit their website.
If you felt radically loved from listening to this podcast, subscribe and share it with the people you love!
Love to give us five stars? If you do, we'd love a review from you. Help us reach more people and make them feel loved.
Do you want to help other people bring wisdom to their mindfulness? A simple way is to share what you've learned today on social media.
Don't forget to send us messages on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Thanks for listening!
To feeling radically loved,
Rosie