UPDATE: At the time I first listened to this podcast, I knew nothing of Vedanta, and Its teachings, and believed this to overall, being a great podcast, to learn Meditation. Fast-forward 6 years, of studying Advaita Vedanta, in the Tradition of Shankacharya, from a different guru, and ashram, and I can tell this podcast is in fact A DISSERVICE to these Traditions.
Her Ashram was a split from the SRF Ashram, founded by Her Guru, Sri Paramanansa Yogananda, whose famous book "The Autobiography of a Yogi" was nearly universally read by a segment of seekers, wanting different answers from what Western Religion and Philosophy could ever give. (I've read it several times, myself). Upon his oassing, a split and acrimonious lawsuit occurred between the splinter ashram, and the SRF-SF, CA, regarding their teachings, copyrights, and much more. It lasted 12 years, traumatizing the entirety of both communities.
Eventually though, as I became exposed to, and a pupil of a less traumatized Guru, (a direct student from Pujya Swamiji Dayananda Sarasvati), I came to realize the level of disservice to these teachings, these classes, at this Podcast were doing to that entire tradition.
Swamini Asha Nayaswami though intelligent, and a good speaker, is here contradicting all the teachings she professes to teach. The 12-year-long trauma she and her colleagues underwent, during that lawsuit, between Paramanansa Yogananda's original Ashram (the SRF-San Francisco), versus her newly-founded (Palo Alto, CA) Ashram (whose name I now forget), colored her teachings, in the extreme, making her classes be only partially about Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, and a great portion of it, be the obviously traumatized gossip..., err discussion, of what happened between the two ashrams. Eventually I had to stop listening to it.
One of the basic tenets od]f Vedanta is "viveka" (discernment), and "vairagya", (non-attachment), or the capacity to let go of what is unecessary, (of the worldly things), in order to concentrate in learning the nature of who and what we truly are. Practicing "vairagya" concerning the pain, and loss of the past, would be a major step towards this understanding. Dwelling in the oast trauma woukd certainly color the teacher's capacity to not only teach, but also, by one's own actions, and focus in attitude, be an example, a role model to the student.
In 2019, myself, becoming a student of (advaita, non-duality) Vedanta, I came to realize how wrong it was, for any teacher to (in their Vedanta) classes, insert so much of the unecessary pain one had undergone during that Lawsuit.
This is unfortunate, and (when listened to) this Podcast should be seen NOT as Vedanta Studies but pure gossip, in the context of an excuse for a class, on "The Yoga Sutras" of Patanjali, which really, have only to do, as an expanded teaching of the reality, purpose, and techniques for learning to Meditate properly, particularly, in the Light of Vedanta.
NOTE: Patañjali's The Yoga Sutras are NOT considered to be part of Vedanta, but in fact, (since its subject matter is meditation), it is practically a how-to manual on Meditation best practices. Since the whole purpose of Vedanta is the discovery of one's true Self/true Identity, (and--since Vedanta to be applied in Life--requires developing the ability to quiet the mind, i.e,: in Meditation, the Patañjali book DOES have everything to do with Vedanta.
Unhappily, I CANNOT Reccommend this podcast (except for its passionately-personal history-gone-wrong, entertainment/gossip value).
As for the actual teachings of Sri Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, it is best to find a well-taught guru, which as in the words of (another) Vedanta textbook ("vivekacudamani"). Should be one... "... the seeker after the reality of Atman, who possesses the above mentioned qualifications, should approach an illumined teacher..." (Vivekacudamani, chapter 1, vs 32, through vs 41; book "Vivekacudamani, of Sri Sankaracharya," translated by Swami Turiananda, First Edition, (c) 1991, twelvth print 2016 2M3C).
In other words, the teacher to be sought is one who, as in the descriptions of such, in this same text, is:..."...deeply versed in the scriptures, pure, free from lust, and a perfect knower of Brahman..." (ibid, vs. 33).
Unhappily, I see in Swamini Asha, a Brahmacharya who still has a long way to become as one, described in this text, and as I said earlier, her continually, class after class, dwelling in the trauma of past events, is ill-suited to be that teacher (acharya), to impart the beauty of not only Sri Patañjali's text, but also all things related to the Vedas.
Having taken 6 years'-worth of Vedanta classes, by an excellent guru, from a different Ashram, (and tradition), I can say with total clarity, her courses do not reflect the true purpose of Patañjali's, nor any other Teacher/Author of the auxilliary texts, which comprise the totality of what the Vedas are all about.
I thusly, CANNOT recommend this Podcast, to anyone who is serious about the pursuit of the Reality of our true nature: "a'ham brahmasmi", (I am Brahman).
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(01/23/2026- Retracting this comment/review): Great, Clear, Understandable Discussions.
