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REAL YOGA
A PODCAST WITH ERIC WAL
Join me for a meditative exploration of the inner dimension of yoga, meditation, and mindfulness and the surprising ways they can help you live a happier, healthier life starting today.
You'll discover how you can use ancient wisdom to elevate your moods, increase your energy, reduce stress and heal from past traumas.
Have a question or idea for a future episode? I'd love to hear from you! CLICK HERE to send me a note.
EPISODE 28
The PROBLEM WITH SURRENDER
Episode 28: In yoga we call surrender Ishvara Pranidhana. In the Christian, tradition they say "Thy will be done." But no matter what term you'd like to use, it's inarguable: the practice of surrender can be a powerful tool to support us on our spiritual journeys—and in our daily lives. Although that's true only if we use it right.
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EPISODE 27
The END OF SEPARATION
Episode 27: "It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see." These words from the American poet and philosopher Henry David Thoreau reveal an open secret to accessing the state of wholeness, ease, and fulfillment we yearn for. Join me in this episode for an exploration of that secret together with a custom meditation experience to open the door to your own fullness of being.
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EPISODE 26
Concealing Contentment
Episode 26: "Rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you." This verse from the Tao Te Ching reminds us of the importance of one of yoga's key practices: Santosha or contentment. Join me in this episode and learn why this nectar of spiritual development remains so elusive for many—and how to invite it into your life.
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EPISODE 25
Spiritual calories
Episode 25: The old Swami had blessed me with some of the most powerful spiritual advice I had ever been given—and since that time, it's changed my life. Join me for a surprising exploration of the power of yoga's practice of Saucha, or purity and I'll share that advice with you too.
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EPISODE 24
Sabotaging Your Yoga
Episode 24: "To the keep and intent practitioner, spiritual success comes quickly." These are the words of the great sage Patanjali. In this episode, we'll be exploring this Sutra and how it subtly points to one of the many ways modern yoga practitioners unwittingly sabotage their yoga practices and their spiritual progress.
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EPISODE 23
THE BEAUTY OF EXTINCTION
Episode 23: "To study the Way is to study the self. To study the self is to forget the self. To forget the self is to be enlightened by the 10,000 things." Could these words from the great Zen Master Eihei Dogen be the key to your shortcut to freedom and everlasting joy? In this episode we find out.
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EPISODE 22
The Spiritual Booby PRIZE
Episode 22: Spiritual wisdom and practices are designed to bring us to the experience of our truest, Divine Selves. Sadly, so many of us stop short of that most precious of gifts owing to an invisible force that lies only in our minds. Thankfully, it's one that can be easily conquered.
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EPISODE 21
HOW ADDICTION AFFECTS US ALL
Episode 21: So many are quick to dismiss addiction as something that only affects other people. But, truly, could more subtle forms of addiction be keeping millions of us trapped in habits and behaviors that have devastating consequences for ourselves as well as those we love? You might be surprised.
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EPISODE 20
YOGA'S SECRET TO SELF CONTROL
Episode 20: Self-control. It's a precious skill that can help us in every area of life. From leaving behind unhealthy habits to being more loving toward our children, and even breaking free from addiction. In this episode, we'll be exploring a little-known secret to taking back our power from cravings and urges and emotions of all kinds.
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EPISODE 19
THE TERRORIST INSIDE YOU
Episode 19: Everyone knows: Negotiate with terrorists and you're only ensuring you'll be subject to more terrorism. Even so, most of us give into the demands of the never-satisfied mind, the terrorist within, without considering the dangerous consequences. Join me to explore the dangers of giving our power to the terrorizing mind, and how to enjoy more calm, joy, and freedom in life.
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EPISODE 18
THE POWER OF DESIRE
Episode 18: Desire. It's one of the most powerful forces on the planet. And yet, so few of us truly understand what it is—or how to control it. In this episode, we'll be taking our first steps to taming desires of all kinds: from subtle impulses to the out-of-control cravings of addiction.
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EPISODE 17
UNREASONABLE HAPPINESS
Episode 17: There's a reason so many struggle to find deep and lasting happiness in their lives—and it's one that hardly anyone is talking about. In this episode, we'll explore the reason lasting happiness can seem so elusive and discover the secret to inviting it effortlessly into our lives.
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EPISODE 16
PERVERTING SCRIPTURE
Episode 16: Scripture from the world's great spiritual traditions contains powerful guidance to help lift us to the lives of freedom we were meant to live—but only if we are able to interpret its sometimes obscure and dense wisdom. In this episode, we'll be exploring how to avoid the top three mistakes that hold us back from enjoying the true power scripture has to fill our lives with joy and wonder—regardless of tradition.
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EPISODE 15
THE YOGA PROBLEM
Episode 15: With 36 million Americans practicing yoga, this ancient science of transformation is more popular today than ever before. But is what so many people are practicing really yoga? And should you care? Join me for an exploration of why millions of people are practicing yoga and falling spectacularly short of getting the amazing benefits they deserve.
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EPISODE 14
IN PRAISE OF SELFISHNESS
Episode 14: It is said that "In giving, it is that we receive." And while there may be much truth in that, there is also a hidden danger that awaits those who give too much. Join me for an exploration of the magic of service—and just as importantly, how you can avoid the trap that leads millions to lives of exhaustion and overwhelm.
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EPISODE 13
THE POWER INSIDE YOU
Episode 13: "Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it." Join me to explore Goethe's words and how we can use them to tap the great power that lives dormant within us all; a power that can literally to change the trajectory of our lives and deliver us the joy and abundance and freedom we yearn for.
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EPISODE 12
BLESSINGS IN DISGUISE
Episode 12: "The purpose of a spiritual friend is to insult you." In this episode, we use Trungpa Rinpoche's words to explore the hidden gift that lives embedded in all of life's difficulties and how we can use a specific type of practice to create ever greater measures of inner peace and joy, despite what life brings our way.
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EPISODE 11
THE UNIVERSE INSIDE
Episode 11: "Don't be lonely, the entire universe is inside you." These words, written by the poet and Sufi mystic Rumi, point to an overlooked truth about the nature of who we are. It's a truth that can bring great joy and freedom into our lives. Join me as we explore.
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EPISODE 10
NOTHING OUTSIDE YOU
Episode 10: What if nothing outside of you could ever disturb you? No matter what you saw, what you heard, or how you were treated? This alluring fantasy might be closer than you think. In this episode, we'll explore the true source of the disturbing feelings we call emotions, and the simple steps we can take to live with more ease, clarity, and joy.
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EPISODE 9
THE TRUTH OF THINGS
Episode 9: "I see only what you see, it's just that I notice what I see." With these words from the enlightened master Ramana Maharshi, we explore how quite often, things are not as they seem, and we'll learn how, with the right effort, we can pierce through the illusion to find ever greater clarity, joy, and our most essential identity.
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EPISODE 8
YOU ARE NOT BROKEN
Episode 8: "Let come what comes, let go what goes, see what remains." In this episode we use Ramana Maharshi's sage advice to explore our most essential nature and consider how we may already be free, whole, and perfect without even noticing it.
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EPISODE 7
WHAT IS LACkING?
Episode 7: "What in this moment is lacking? And to answer, look, don't think." The words of my Zen Master spoken to me some 30 years ago continue to serve me and my students in profound ways. Join me in this episode and learn how they can help you reconnect with the nourishing simplicity present in each moment of your life.
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EPISODE 6
MASTERING DESIRE
Episode 6: Desire is a powerful force in our lives, and it's one that can too often lead us down a path that damages our health, our relationships, and and even career success. In this episode, we'll be exploring how cravings and desires are able to exert such control over us, and we'll learn how ancient wisdom can help us take back control once and for all.
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EPISODE 5
RESISTANCE IS FUTILE
Episode 5: "You thank God for the good things that happen to you, but not for the bad. This is where you go wrong." These words were spoken by a great sage, Ramana Maharshi. In this episode, we'll be using them to investigating the invisible habit of psychological resistance that can overwhelm our lives with unnecessary suffering, and then look at how to skillfully use the practice of surrender to enjoy more calm, more joy, more often.
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EPISODE 4
YOGA, THE BIBLE, & HAPPINESS
Episode 4: In this Q&A episode, we'll be exploring the answers to three listener questions. You'll about how enlightenment relates to happiness, how yoga relates to Biblical teachings, and how you can find peace and happiness right in this moment—even if you have a full and busy life.
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EPISODE 3
THE PATH TO WHOLENESs
Episode 3: The Taoist Master, Chuang Tzu, invited us home to wholeness with his words "Come with me to the palace of nowhere, where all the many things are one." In this episode, we'll explore why the fullness of being can seem so elusive and look at techniques from yoga, meditation, and other traditions you can use to relax into the experience of your truest essence.
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EPISODE 2
THE INNER SOLUTION
Episode 2: The Buddha taught that "your worst enemy cannot hurt you as much as your mind unguarded." In this episode, we'll explore how it is that your mind can work against you, and more importantly, how you can win it over to your side making it our greatest ally for creating a life of happiness, clarity, and ease.
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EPISODE 1
WHAT ABOUT NOW?
Episode 1: The great Zen Master Eihei Dogen taught "if you cannot find the truth where you are now, you will never find it." In this episode, we'll explore this teaching to understand how these century-old words can have a dramatic impact on our lives today.
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