Yoga Wisdom with Acharya das

About Yoga Wisdom with Acharya das

Become happier, more peaceful and fulfilled through Yoga Wisdom. Gain a new look at life through a more spiritual lens. Acharya Das has taught yoga wisdom to appreciative audiences for over 40 years. He has an uncommonly deep understanding of yoga philosophy and practices, conveying that message in a clear and simple way while encouraging everyone to develop a daily meditation practice.

Publisher

Acharya das

Category

religion & spirituality

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

14 Mar 2022

Latest episode

29 Aug 2026

Latest episodes

356 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   29 Aug 2026

   #308 Bhagavad-Gita: A Guide for Life — Part 6 of 6

   The Path of Surrender What does it really mean to surrender? To many people, surrender sounds like defeat—giving up control, becoming passive, or allowing someone else to dictate your life. But the Bhagavad-gita presents something very different. At the conclusion of His teachings to Arjuna, Krishna gives perhaps His most famous and far-reaching instruction: “Abandon all varieties of dharma and simply surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.” But surrender doesn't mean running away from life. Arjuna surrendered—and then acted. The change was not simply in what he did, but in why he did it and whom he was living for. This brings us to the culmination of the Bhagavad-gita's teaching. We begin by understanding: I am not this temporary body or mind. I am an eternal spiritual being. We learn that action is unavoidable, but that selfishly motivated action binds us. We learn that the restless mind can become either our friend or our enemy. And we discover that spiritual realization ultimately means awakening our forgotten relationship with Krishna. Then comes the question: How do we actually live this understanding? The answer is śaraṇāgati—the path of surrender. Accept what nourishes our spiritual life. Reject what obstructs it. Trust in Krishna's protection. Depend upon Him as our maintainer. Offer ourselves in His service. Cultivate genuine humility. This isn't passive surrender. It is an active reorientation of our life away from: “How can everything serve me?” toward: “How can my life become an offering?” It is a conscious change in the center of your life: From “What can I get?” to “What can I give?” From living primarily for ourselves to making our work, relationships, abilities and daily activities an offering to the Supreme. And this is where the Bhagavad-gita moves from philosophy to practice. Hearing. Chanting. Remembering Krishna. Serving. Seeking spiritual association. Offering our work and daily activities. Cultivating humility. Learning to live for something greater than ourselves. Ultimately, Krishna does not force Arjuna to accept any of it. After giving His instruction, He tells Arjuna to consider what he has heard—and then freely choose what he will do. Because genuine love requires freedom. The Bhagavad-gita begins with a man who doesn't know what to do. It ends with a man who knows who he is, whom he belongs to, and what he wants to live for. Perhaps that is what it really means to have a guide for life. Chapters 00:00:00 Spiritual Identity, Action, and the Foundation of Gita Practice ‎ 00:04:06 Krishna’s Final Teaching: Change the Purpose of Action ‎ 00:08:35 Saranagati: Surrender as Taking Refuge‎ 00:11:36 The Six Practices of Surrender ‎ 00:20:00 Active Devotion Through Sadhana Bhakti ‎ 00:22:52 Association, Social Pressure, and Spiritual Community ‎ 00:27:10 A Daily Example of Sadhana and the Value of Service ‎ 00:34:02 Free Will, Gratitude, and Humble Chanting ‎ #BhagavadGita #GuideForLife #Krishna #Surrender #Saranagati #BhaktiYoga #SpiritualWisdom #SpiritualLife #SelfRealization

2. 

   29 Aug 2026

   #307 Bhagavad-Gita: A Guide for Life — Part 5 of 6

   The Supreme Person: Who is Krishna? What if the friend we have been searching for has been with us all along? An ancient Vedic analogy describes two birds sitting together in the same tree. One bird is constantly trying to enjoy the fruits of the tree—sometimes sweet, sometimes bitter. It represents each of us, moving through life searching for happiness, struggling with disappointment, and continually hoping the next experience will finally satisfy us. The other bird simply waits. This is Paramātmā—the Supreme Soul, accompanying us within the heart, patiently waiting for us to turn toward Him. In this fifth talk from The Bhagavad-gita — A Guide for Life, we move beyond the question “Who am I?” to another profound question: “Who is God—and what is my relationship with Him?” The Vedic teachings describe three features of the one Absolute Truth: Brahman, the all-pervading spiritual reality; Paramātmā, the Supreme Soul accompanying every living being; and Bhagavān, the Supreme Person—the ultimate object of love. And at the heart of these teachings is Krishna. The Bhagavad-gita presents Krishna not as a distant God disconnected from our lives, but as the source of both the material and spiritual energies—and the eternal friend of every living being. We may experience loneliness even while surrounded by people. We may continually search for someone or something that will make us feel complete. But perhaps part of that longing comes from having forgotten our deepest relationship. The spiritual journey is therefore not simply about discovering what we are. It is about discovering Whom we belong with. And remembrance of Krishna doesn't have to be confined to meditation, temples or religious rituals. Krishna says: “I am the taste of water.” Even something as simple as drinking a glass of water can become an opportunity to remember the Supreme. The eternal friend we are searching for may have been beside us all along. Chapters 00:00:00 Arjuna’s surrender and the foundation of spiritual knowledge ‎ 00:01:53 Krishna consciousness as the highest form of yoga ‎ 00:04:37 The three features of the Absolute Truth: Brahman, Paramatma, and Bhagavan ‎ 00:08:43 Paramatma and the two birds in the tree analogy ‎ 00:12:58 Bhagavan, the soul’s servant identity, and divine love ‎ 00:16:30 Krishna’s avatar, transcendental form, and liberation ‎ 00:22:02 Free will, perception of Krishna, and divine reciprocation ‎ 00:26:38 Illusion, impersonalism, and Krishna as the basis of Brahman ‎ 00:31:46 Ishvara, Purusha, and Krishna’s material and spiritual energies ‎ 00:38:09 Loneliness, eternal relationship, and Krishna as the origin of all ‎ 00:41:06 Vedic creation, material elements, and remembering Krishna in daily life ‎ 00:45:59 Devotion, surrender, chanting, and the accessibility of spiritual life ‎ 00:52:33 Invitation to questions and final encouragement‎ #BhagavadGita #GuideForLife #Krishna #Paramatma #BhaktiYoga #SpiritualWisdom #SelfRealization #GodRealization #YogaWisdom

3. 

   29 Aug 2026

   #306 Bhagavad-Gita: A Guide for Life — Part 4 of 6

   The Mind: Friend or Enemy Who is actually running your life—you, or your mind? The mind is constantly talking to us. I want this. I don't like that. I'm worried about this. I need to do that. What will people think of me? And very often, we simply follow where it leads. And we're often told: “Follow your dreams.” But should every desire that enters our mind really be followed? The Bhagavad-gita presents a sobering truth: “For one who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends; but for one who has failed to do so, the mind will remain the greatest enemy.” Our desires, choices, words and actions are profoundly influenced by what is happening within the mind. And those actions, in turn, shape the direction of our lives. So should we really “follow our dreams” simply because the mind produces them? Or should we first ask: Where is this desire taking me? Even Arjuna tells Krishna that controlling the restless mind seems as difficult as controlling the wind. Krishna acknowledges the difficulty—but says it can be done through practice and detachment. The yogic understanding goes even deeper. You are not your mind. Thoughts come and go. Desires arise and disappear. Emotions change. Memories surface and fade. Yet behind them is the conscious person who observes and experiences them—the eternal spiritual self. The challenge, therefore, is not to allow the mind to become the master. Through bhakti-yoga—hearing spiritual wisdom, chanting sacred names and offering our activities to Krishna—the mind itself can gradually become transformed. Like an iron rod placed repeatedly into fire eventually becoming red-hot and taking on the qualities of fire, the mind immersed in spiritual sound and spiritual activity can gradually become purified. The mind doesn't have to be our enemy. It can become one of our greatest spiritual assets—but we shouldn't let it drive the bus. Chapters 00:00:00 Invocation and the Mind as the Subject of the Lecture ‎ 00:01:42 Perception, the Senses, and the Mind as the Inner Screen ‎ 00:07:53 Modes of Material Nature and Mental Conditioning ‎ 00:13:09 Karma, the Restless Mind, and Krishna’s Guidance ‎ 00:19:42 The Mind as Enemy: Harmful Choices and Modern Influences ‎ 00:31:34 Practice, Detachment, and a Case of Mental Recovery ‎ 00:38:33 Bhakti-Yoga and the Spiritualization of Mind and Body ‎ 00:49:01 Sense Desire, Mental Concoction, and Spiritual Happiness ‎ 00:57:17 Core Takeaway: Identity, Responsibility, and Direction ‎ 00:59:54 Human Life, Rebirth, and the Value of Spiritual Opportunity ‎ 01:07:14 Spiritual Form, Svarupa, and Siddha Svarupa‎ #BhagavadGita #GuideForLife #MindControl #BhaktiYoga #Krishna #SpiritualWisdom #SelfRealization #YogaWisdom #SpiritualLife

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

7 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

28 ratings

Contact Yoga Wisdom with Acharya das

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.