Episodes

  • #7: Addictions, Drugs and Spirituality

    #7: Addictions, Drugs and Spirituality
    Jul 30 2021
    In today’s world, so many things pass as ‘spiritual’. But what does real spirituality actually mean, and what is the result of engaging in psychedelics, kundalini yoga, or thinking ‘I am everything’? In today’s talk we start off by discussing something Balakhilya’s dad told him in regards to intoxication, namely ‘If you don’t start anything you don’t have to quit’. Actually, all bona-fide spiritual processes teach refraining from intoxication as a prerequisite for spiritual development. We speak about what can be the result of using psychedelics, how kundalini yoga can help us experience our true spiritual nature, and how we inherently and eternally need a loving relationship. From there Balakhilya explains the 2 ways to acquire knowledge, how self-satisfaction is the solution to the environmental crisis, and the path to get the ultimate, natural ‘high’. You’ll also hear Balakhilya explain the meaning of the mantras we are using and why we use those. Highlights: (3:10) If you
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    1 hr and 46 mins
  • #15: Career, Motivation & Spiritual Life | Jonathan Amantea

    #15: Career, Motivation & Spiritual Life | Jonathan Amantea
    Sep 28 2021
    In his younger years he was known as Firebird, a well-known personality in the nightclub hosting community in Toronto, Canada. At the time his life was seeking pleasure through late nights, intoxication and partying but when his health started to decline he figured that something had to change. He wasn’t happy and realized that the lifestyle he was leading wasn’t the answer. In this episode we sit down for a chat with Jonathan who is currently a highly successful real estate sales person in Toronto, an outstanding long-distance mountain biker, a father - but first and foremost, someone who is leading and promoting a lifestyle of yoga meditation. We discuss the importance of having determination for achieving anything in life, how Jonathan and Balakhilya were and are still pleasure-seekers (the method to achieve it has changed though), and how to balance meditation practice with a busy career. Jonathan reveals his intriguing secret to a healthy back and shares the story of a six day
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    1 hr and 12 mins
  • #21: How to Prepare for Death

    #21: How to Prepare for Death
    Oct 26 2021
    “For one who is born, death is certain” - Bhagavad-gita 2.27 A few months ago, a friend of ours started having a minor headache. The day afterwards, it got a lot worse with vomiting and extreme pain. She went into a coma. The doctors diagnosed her with brain cancer. The day after, they operated and found out that the brain was already dead. From perfectly healthy to leaving her body - it was all over in 4 days. Death is probably one of the most painful and scary experiences in life. We are usually trying to run away from this uncomfortable subject, so much so that we don’t want to talk or even think about it. We are not only afraid of our own death, but more so - we do not want to lose the ones we love. We know that this will break our heart and bring painful separation. But the truth is; we all have a terminal illness, and every second brings us closer to death. And death is the final exam of our life. In this episode we share the story of our friend, and how she passed this
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    1 hr and 25 mins
  • #12: The 3 Psychological Influences that Control Us | Part 1

    #12: The 3 Psychological Influences that Control Us | Part 1
    Aug 24 2021
    Have you ever heard about three modes of material nature? Probably not, because most of the western people do not even know about its existence and influence upon us. Sattva-guna - mode of goodness, Raja-guna - mode of passion and Tama-guna - mode of ignorance — these are three different forces of material nature, that are influencing us every day. The food that we eat, the way that we interact with others, our likes and dislikes, our tendencies and desires are all under influence of these three modes of nature. Sometimes we are under the influence of the mode of goodness, sometimes passion takes over and sometimes ignorance creeps into our life. But can have a control over the influence of these modes upon ourselves. By learning about the characteristics of each mode of nature you will be able to find out which mode is currently covering you and work against its negative influence. The knowledge of yoga is not only giving us complete information on this subject of three gunas, but
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    1 hr and 53 mins
  • #6: Food, Lifestyle & Vitality

    #6: Food, Lifestyle & Vitality
    Jul 23 2021
    Health and vitality — who doesn’t want to have good health? We all do. So let’s talk about how to balance our bodies and minds simply through our food and lifestyle choices. It’s actually simple and easy to start a healthy lifestyle. The ancient Vedic wisdom gives us amazing insights into how the body actually works, and how we can live our lives to achieve real balance and vitality. It’s possible for us all. Balakhilya explains this and more in this podcast. Tune in to find out more about vegetarian food, the body as a machine, organic food, mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing and more. Highlights: (4:18) Ayurveda — The number 1 health system(8:42) Balakhilya's healthy life story (being a vegetarian)(20:21) Food and diet, stress, physical & mental health, exercise, walking and nature(40:40) Nature's timer — When to exercise, meditate, work and sleep? And what happens when we don't follow this system?(54:57) Balakhilya's daily routines(1:04:40) Good health — for wha
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    1 hr and 38 mins
  • #20: How Alcohol Affects Us & Society

    #20: How Alcohol Affects Us & Society
    Oct 22 2021
    We all know that alcohol abuse causes tremendous negative impacts for individuals and society. The cost of excessive alcohol use in the US alone reaches around $249 billion every year. And the aggression and violence that comes from such an abuse has tremendous impacts through broken families, traumatised children, etc. But a recent scientific study of 25 000 individuals point to the fact that there is no safe amount, that all alcohol consumption is harmful to the brain - something the Vedas have made clear since time immemorial. In this episode we take a closer look at the most wide-spread drug of all. We speak about the idea that ‘everything that exists in nature is meant for humans to consume’ - actually, the reality is that we need to be selective, because different substances that we take in to our bodies bring us into different states of consciousness. You’ll also hear us talk about how people use intoxicants like alcohol as a way to escape pain and misery, and why this ne
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    1 hr and 30 mins
  • #88 – Simple Living, High Thinking

    #88 – Simple Living, High Thinking
    Aug 24 2024
    'For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?' (Mark 8:36) For spiritual wellness, we need to embrace simplicity. We need to consider what benefits the spirit soul. And this episode will hopefully inspire you to do just that. We discuss how moving through the modes of nature—ignorance, passion, and goodness—is much like climbing a ladder to reach higher states of thought and living. Balakhilya contrasts materialistic life, driven by false promises of satisfaction, with a simpler, spiritually focused life. Highlights: (5:35) Enlightening story about an ascetic who got entangled in material life (12:51) Getting stuck in the system through student loans (21:23) Be more in nature and implement a healthier diet (34:36) The pleasure of material life is always limited (45:44) We need to put ourselves in a conducive situation (53:47) What “higher thinking” really means Recorded on July 13, 2022. https://linktr.ee/breaki
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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • #87 – Understanding Near-Death Experiences

    #87 – Understanding Near-Death Experiences
    Jun 23 2024
    In the Netflix docu-series Surviving Death, a ‘non-believer’ film-maker explores the possibility that consciousness continues beyond life as we know it. The documentary is intriguing and gives an important glimpse of the truth. But there are also a lot of misunderstandings, often based on speculation. In today’s episode we look closer at the real facts of death and dying, through the light of the Vedic teachings. We emphasize how one should have a practical approach toward spirituality, and not get caught up focusing on extraordinary experiences. And we stress the need for expert guidance from spiritual teachers. The discussion extends to karma, the subtle laws governing behaviour, and making conscious choices based on future consequences. Highlights: (2:47) How to bridge the gap between traditional science and spirituality (13:18) Attachments bring a person back from near-death experiences (19:18) Ghosts explained; even when we leave our gross physical body, we sti
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    1 hr and 4 mins