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“Yoga is not an Olympic contest—we’re not here to prove what we can do, we’re here to improve what we can’t do.”
Guru Singh
Inspiration. We crave it. We need it. We love it.
But inspiration alone is a salve that does not cure. Because it rarely translates into positive lifestyle adaptations sustained over time.
For that you need something called purpose.
Purpose derives from a keen awareness of self. An awareness that cannot be found in externalities but instead emanates from the deep recesses of your soul — a place far removed from the dopamine-inducing inspiration hits we restlessly seek outside ourselves.
Indeed, purpose is an inside job.
So this week, we turn inward. A conversation designed to cultivate that awareness, amplify intuition, and enliven the soul so that we can more deeply connect with our unique purpose and awaken to our highest, most authentic selves.
I can think of no better steward to ignite this process than master spiritual teacher and celebrated Kundalini yoga wizard Guru Singh (@gurusinghyogi).
Imagine a modern-day rock star Gandalf dropping mad guitar licks between pearls of timeless wisdom that beautifully fuse of Eastern mysticism with Western pragmatism and you start to get the picture.
Named “Best Guru in LA” by Los Angeles magazine, for the last 40 years Guru Singh has been studying and teaching Kundalini Yoga – a 5,000 year old ancient science and school of yoga focused on awakening the primal energy known as shakti for the purpose of spiritual enlightenment. He is the author of several books (enumerated below) and a powerful lecturer uplifting thousands worldwide. An extraordinary teacher, he also serves as a behind-the-scenes guide to many a luminary, including Fortune 500 CEOs, athletes, artists and even Tony Robbins.
A peer of rock legends like Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and the Grateful Dead, Guru Singh is also a supremely talented musician who began his recording career on Warner Bros’ Sire label in the 1960s. When he isn’t recording tracks with people like Seal, he’s bringing down the house on the daily at Yoga West, his Los Angeles home base.
Simply put, Guru Singh is one of the coolest people I have ever met — a huge, beautiful consciousness I’m proud to call friend.
It’s an honor to share his story and wisdom with you today.
My hope is that that this conversation will catalyze your desire to peer more deeply inward. That it will spark a yearning to more thoroughly cultivate your latent intuition. And ultimately that it helps set a trajectory for your journey towards the ultimate superpower — unlimited awareness.
To rise up, you gotta lay down. It is there that you will find purpose.
Peace + Plants,
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SHOW NOTES
Miri Piri Academy’s mission is to train the future leaders, teachers and healers of the world through rigorous discipline, quality academics and a strong sense of self—learn more by visiting miripiriacademy.org.
Background, Context & Reference
- Connect With Guru Singh: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
- Guru Singh Podcast on iTunes
- Guru Singh on YouTube
- Guru Singh’s Los Angeles-based Yoga center Yoga West
- Book: Autobiography of a Yogi* by Paramahansa Yogananda
- HuffPost: Introduction to Kundalini: The Yoga of Awareness by James McCrae
- Film: True Cost* dir. Andrew Morgan
- PositivelyPositive: Guru Singh On How To Stay Young [VIDEO]
Books By Guru Singh
- Infinite Zero: Everything Comes from Nothing* by Guru Singh
- Buried Treasures: The Journey From Where You Are to Who You Are* by Guru Singh
- 108 Ways to Great Days: A Journey Through Journaling* by Guru Singh
- Angels Gather Here: Nine Angelic Aspects of Human Life on Planet Earth* by Guru Singh & Kevin Hutchings
- A Year of Prayer: 365 Inspirational Days (Volume 1)* by Guru Singh & Gurperkarma Khalsa
- Spiritual Pavement: Simple wisdom for the enlightened road (Volume 1)* by Guru Singh
- Spiritual Pavement: Volume Two: Simple wisdom for the enlightened road (Volume 2)* by Guru Singh
Notable People Discussed
- Tony Robbins: American businessman, author, and philanthropist best known from his infomercials and self-help books
- Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri: a Kriya yogi, a Jyotisha (Vedic astrologer), a scholar of the Bhagavad Gita and the Bible, an educator and an astronomer
- Paramahansa Yogananda: author of the best-selling spiritual classic Autobiography of a Yogi*, widely recognized as the Father of Yoga in the West
- Yogi Bhajan: a yogi, spiritual teacher, and entrepreneur, who introduced Kundalini Yoga to the United States
- Swami Muktananda: the founder of Siddha Yoga
- Satchidananda Saraswati: an Indian religious teacher, spiritual master and yoga adept, who gained fame and following in the West
- Swami Vivekananda: an Indian Hindu monk & key figure in the introduction of the Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world
- Dr. Vandana Shiva: an Indian scholar, environmental activist and anti-globalization author
- Lao-Tze: ancient Chinese philosopher and writer known as the reputed author of the Tao Te Ching* and the founder of philosophical Taoism
- Janis Joplin: an influential American singer of the 1960s
- Jimi Hendrix: an American rock guitarist, singer, and songwriter widely regarded as one of the most celebrated musicians of the 20th century
- Jim Morrison: an American singer, songwriter, and poet, regarded by critics and fans as one of the most iconic and influential frontmen in rock music history
Related Podcasts You Might Enjoy
- RRP #179: From A Life Of Matter To A Life That Matters: Jason Garner’s Journey From Music Industry CEO To Spiritual Warrior
- RRP #151: The Zen of WuDe — Meditations on Buddhist Philosophy, Gratitude & The Art of Being
- RRP #87: WuDe On Zen & The Art & Importance of Living Tea
Thanks to Jason Camiolo for production, interstitial music and audio engineering; Chris Swan for production assistance & show notes; Shawn Patterson for graphics. Theme music by Ana Leimma.
*Disclosure:Books and products denoted with an asterisk are hyperlinked to an affiliate program. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
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