#204: Dharma Talk: The Grace of the Guru
Yoga Inspiration
In the sacred journey of yoga, the figure of the guru—the teacher, the revealer—is not merely someone who instructs us in techniques. The guru is the light that removes darkness, the presence that dispels confusion, and the voice that calls us back to the Self. The Sanskrit word guru itself is formed from gu, meaning darkness, and ru, meaning remover. The guru is not the source of light—but the one who points us toward it, until we recognize it within. Grace, or kṛpā, is not a transaction. It’s not earned. It flows freely, when the heart becomes soft enough to receive it. The...
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#203: An Ocean of Grace, Saumanasya - The Cheerful Disposition of the Yogi's Mind
Yoga Inspiration
Many of us come to yoga seeking relief. Relief from pain, from restlessness, from uncertainty. And sometimes we find it. But over time, what we discover is more lasting than relief. We discover presence. We discover steadiness. We discover a kind of joy that doesn’t have to shout. It only has to be. So we practice. Not to get rid of pain, but to know it. To meet it with clarity and care. And in that meeting, we find something remarkable: joy is still possible. It is a joy that knows sorrow. A happiness that is not threatened by difficulty. This is the depth of saumanasya. Saumanasya...
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#202: How Yoga Grows a Heart of Unconditional Compassion
Yoga Inspiration
In the closing prayer of the Ashtanga practice, we chant: svasti prajābhyaḥ pari-pālayantāṁ, nyāyena mārgena mahīṁ mahīśāḥ, gobrāhmaṇebhyaḥ śubham astu nityaṁ, lokāḥ samastāḥ sukhino bhavantu. These ancient words are an offering — a prayer for all beings to be protected, for the rulers of the earth to walk the path of righteousness, for all sacred beings to be blessed, and for every living soul across all worlds to experience happiness and freedom. The final invocation, Oṁ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ, repeats the call for peace three times — for peace...
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#201: Tears of the Path: Saṁvega and the Ocean Within — A Reflection on Feeling Deeply, Seeing Clearly, and Walking the Path with Urgency
Yoga Inspiration
As we go deeper on the spiritual path—whether through yoga, meditation, or self-inquiry—we often discover a paradox: We feel more peace… but we also feel more pain. The highs become transcendent. The lows, unbearable. We start to feel everything more intensely. This intensity is not a mistake. It is the heart of the path. The Buddha says: you have felt more grief than the ocean holds water. This isn’t just poetry. It’s a spiritual earthquake. This is not to depress us, but to awaken us—to stir our hearts. This stirring is known in Buddhism as saṁvega. This...
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#200: The Benefits of Strong Practice in Cultivating Tapas
Yoga Inspiration
Sometimes we may not understand why it is necessary to engage in strong practice. This talk dives into how the effects we put into asana practice cultivate a powerful internal fire of purification. This was a talk given after a 4 day immersion with Kino and Tim in Bangkok. Practice LIVE with me exclusively on Omstars! Start your journey today with a 7-day free trial at . Limited time Offer: Sign up for an Omstars+ membership and Get my FREE course: Ashtanga Mechanics. ! Stay connected with us on social @omstarsofficial and @kinoyoga Practice with me in person for...
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#199: Honoring the Lineage and Understanding Merit in Ashtanga Yoga
Yoga Inspiration
Kino and Tim discuss how to honor the lineage in the absence of our teachers. They further dive into the definition of what constitutes merit in the practice of Yoga. Ending with a Q&A that captures the spirit of the conclusion of their first week of teaching in Bali Practice LIVE with me exclusively on Omstars! Start your journey today with a 7-day free trial at . Limited time Offer: Sign up for an Omstars+ membership and Get my FREE course: Ashtanga Mechanics. ! Stay connected with us on social @omstarsofficial and @kinoyoga Practice with me in person for workshops,...
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#198: The Lifelong Path of Yoga: Kino MacGregor on Insightful Self-Discovery
Yoga Inspiration
Why yoga? Anyone who has practiced for a decade, two decades, or even a lifetime knows that the answer to this question is anything but simple—or perhaps so simple that words fail to capture it. Some truths can only be understood through embodied knowledge, a form of wisdom that arises not from intellectual effort but from deep receptivity. Yoga is a path of insight, not just the accumulation of facts or information, though it does not reject them. It is a path of Vijñāna—a deeper knowing, an awakened consciousness, a means of direct realization. There are realms beyond...
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#197: Tristhana Unveiled: Breath, Body, and Mind in Ashtanga Yoga with Kino & Tim
Yoga Inspiration
Join Kino and Tim as they explore Tristhana, the foundational framework of Ashtanga Yoga that unites breath, body, and mind. Whether you are new to the practice or have been teaching for years, this episode offers a deeper look at how these three elements work together to cultivate presence, focus, and transformation. Breath serves as the bridge between body and mind, asana creates embodiment and healing, and focused awareness sharpens the mind, leading to profound inner growth. Through years of dedicated practice, these principles become the gateway to peace and awakening. Kino...
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#196: Astrology Talk with Kino MacGregor and Gahl Sasson
Yoga Inspiration
Astrology is more than just predictions. Join Kino and Gahl for a conversation about spirituality, past lives, and how astrology can help guide us along our journey Gahl Sasson makes Kabbalah, astrology and psychology engaging, illuminating, and fun. His book, , (published by Simon & Schuster and co-written with Steve Weinstein), blends wisdom and metaphors from cultures across history and the entire world into an innovative blueprint for personal transformation and material enrichment. His second work, , is the essential reference guide to understanding your astrological makeup. He...
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#195: Discipline, Method and Studentship in Ashtanga Yoga
Yoga Inspiration
With set sequences, rules, and repetitions, Ashtanga is often seen as a devotion to discipline. But if you look closely, it is a delicate orchestration where breath, movement, and focus unite to reveal the clarity within. In today’s episode, we reflect on the purpose behind the method, exploring how every inhale, every exhale, and every asana carries intention. Ashtanga challenges us to set aside rebellion, ego, and the need to control, humbling us and inviting trust in the wisdom of the practice rather than forcing outcomes. Through this lens, Ashtanga becomes more than a physical...
info_outlineIn the sacred journey of yoga, the figure of the guru—the teacher, the revealer—is not merely someone who instructs us in techniques. The guru is the light that removes darkness, the presence that dispels confusion, and the voice that calls us back to the Self. The Sanskrit word guru itself is formed from gu, meaning darkness, and ru, meaning remover. The guru is not the source of light—but the one who points us toward it, until we recognize it within.
Grace, or kṛpā, is not a transaction. It’s not earned. It flows freely, when the heart becomes soft enough to receive it. The final verse of the Guru Stotram offers this reflection:
dhyānamūlaṁ guror mūrtiḥ pūjāmūlaṁ guror padam
mantramūlaṁ guror vākyam mokṣamūlaṁ guror kṛpā
The root of meditation is the Guru’s form. The root of worship is the Guru’s feet. The root of mantra is the Guru’s words. And the root of mokṣa, liberation itself—is the Guru’s grace.
This grace isn’t limited to moments of instruction or dramatic realization. It flows in silence. It is in the way the teacher holds space. It is in the presence that awakens something long forgotten. It is in the unspoken transmission of śakti—spiritual energy—that begins to shift the very axis of the student’s life.
This is the dance of grace and effort. The student bows, asks, serves—and the guru, moved by love, offers the truth that sets us free.
So what is our work as students, as seekers on this path? It is to recognize grace, to receive it with reverence, and to never forget that the true guru is not limited to any form. The ultimate guru-tattva lives in the heart of all beings—as śraddhā (faith), as viveka (discernment), as that subtle inner pull toward the light.
In honoring the guru, we honor the light of wisdom itself—formless, eternal, and infinitely compassionate.
Tasmai śrī gurave namaḥ — Salutations to that glorious Guru.
Practice LIVE with me exclusively on Omstars! Start your journey today with a 7-day free trial at omstars.com.
Limited time Offer: Sign up for an Omstars+ membership and Get my FREE course: Ashtanga Mechanics.
Stay connected with us on social @omstarsofficial and @kinoyoga
Practice with me in person for workshops, classes, retreats, trainings and Mysore seasons. Find out more about where I’m teaching at kinoyoga.com and sign up for our Mysore season in Miami at www.miamilifecenter.com