Murali Venkatrao

Our ability to think makes us uniquely human; logical thinking, in the form of science, has made our lives highly comfortable, and increased our longevity. It has helped us understand the universe we live in. But does it make us happy?

Christmas is behind us, and a New Year beckons us. What is the intent we set for this new year? We could resolve to run faster, eat better, be thinner, anger less, be more disciplined, or strive for any one of a myriad of such goals. At the heart of all these pursuits lies humanity’s fundamental drive: all to avoid … Read More

6 weeks ago, about 24 of us went on a pilgrimage to India. We visited the ancient city of Benares, which is said to have existed from before Creation – talk about being timeless – and were blessed by the extraordinary spiritual magnetism of this place. It was also to home of Lahiri Mahashaya. From there, we went to the … Read More

When someone close to us — a partner, child, or friend — follows a different faith, it can feel deeply personal. Our times are full of sharp divisions, with many insisting that their way alone is right. Yet Jesus offers another perspective in the Gospel of Luke: “He that is not against us is for us.” His teaching reminds us that … Read More

The common notion of being a Christian is for one to admit that he or she is a sinner; and that the only way to be saved to accept that Christ died on the cross to pay for our sins. But can one really be saved by a passive declaration of a belief? Jesus himself counseled a more dynamic approach that emphasizes … Read More

It is said that God never gives us more than we can handle. Yet, the challenges in life can sometimes become overwhelming, to the extent that we begin to think that God is unfair, or that He doesn’t exist, or is impossible to attain, or that we are sinners who somehow deserve to suffer, or some other variation of this. … Read More

Bad moods are self-perpetuating. The trick, Swami Kriyananda writes, is to refuse to accept negativity as your reality. Even when in throes of fear, anger, melancholy, or grief, insist on seeing yourself as something greater. There is a deep spiritual reason why one should try to do this. The Bhagavad Gita says that the real cause of all suffering is … Read More

The teachings of India affirm that our true potential is to be Divine. All saints testify unanimously to the Joy that is hidden behind the ups and downs of worldly life – if only we can “be still and know”. While the scriptures and saints say that we are the “children of the light”, the pull of delusion is very … Read More

Celebrating the Mahasamadhi (conscious exit from the body) of Paramhansa Yogananda and Sri Yukteshwar “What happens when we die?” is one of those “ultimate” questions that all religions and philosophies seek to answer. Answers range from you go to hell (or, on the off chance that you did everything right, to heaven), to you dissolve into nothingness. But Paramhansa Yogananda … Read More

Did God create the universe or become it (ft. Murali Venkatrao) Good morning, everyone. I have two pages of notes today because the topic is a pretty heady one. Did God create the universe or become it? I’ll speak a little bit about it because it’s a very interesting topic and it’s kind of fun to stay in the headspace … Read More

We acquire skillfulness in action through the use of prayers in divisive times, operating under the assumption that a soul is praying for another soul so that God can be in both of us. Today’s topic, as you saw, is prayer. Prayer is a power that, when used and deployed in the right way, can be immensely impactful. I want … Read More

Diwali, which literally means festival of light is among the most important and beloved spiritual celebrations in India. Celebrated on the darkest hour of the darkest night of Indian lunar calendar, devotees light hundreds of lamps and place them on every wall, windowsill, threshold and lintel. These little lights, it is believed, serve as beacons to welcome Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity. … Read More

Is Spirituality Practical? with Murali Venkatrao Good morning, everyone. So, today’s topic is practical spirituality. Is it possible to be practical in your spirituality? Should we even try or should we separate the two? There is a very good friend of mine who loves money. I got the reaction I expected, but let me refine his character a little bit. … Read More



What is the best New Year’s Resolution?  Watch and find out!

We live in times of deeply divided opinions, and an insistence that our way is the right way. Yet, Jesus says in the gospel of Luke, that he that is not against us, is for us – stressing the importance of broadmindedness and tolerance. This is because when talking about Truth – with a capital T – there are many … Read More

Ego – Friend or Foe? with Murali Venkatrao

Murali relates how finding God’s Truth in our lives is like Arjuna’s Mahabharata search for magical weapons; things are not always as they appear!

Sit in the co-pilot’s seat as Murali takes off into the Inner Kingdom. Borne on wings of Contentment, supported by spiritual practices and powered by Grace, ride along as we soar toward ever-new Joy!

Murali’s talk has DNA, creation myths, salad and personal reflections all strung together and leading to higher consciousness!

Enjoy this inspiring talk on how to make your new years resolutions lasting!

The Vedas declare that a million lifetimes are needed to achieve enlightenment. Why not then a single lifetime millions of years long? That might sense to an engineer, but God planned it differently! Murali’s entertaining & enlightening talk explains why.

Murali’s insightful and well-crafted talk charts a course through spiritual confusion to the wisdom that frees us from our karma. Essential tools are self-control, satsang (the uplifting company of other truthseekers) devotion and receptivity to open the heart and self-less service to help us see God everywhere.

In a talk sprinkled with insight into the human condition and esoteric yogic, Murali quotes Michelangelo description of the sculptor “freeing the angel within” as an analogy to our own work on the spiritual path.

What do head stands, kingly austerities, hunters and elephants have to do with the topic of “Why Do Devotees Fall”? Murali’s talk entertains, educates and inspires; you’ll be glad you watched!

Expanding on this week’s topic, Murali unpacks a wonderous assortment of scripture, wisdom, and personal experience, plus a tale or two!

Effortlessly weaving together the Ramayana, Bhagavad Gita, Patanjali and the Prodigal Son, Murali hones in on the role of Smriti, or memory, in taking us toward or away from God. The “Three S’s”, Seva (service), Sadhana (spiriual practices) and Satsanga (the company of spiritual seekers) help us cultivate the types of memory that help us, like the Prodigal Son, return … Read More

Murali’s insightful talk on the occasion of Lahiri Mahasaya’s Mahasamadhi weaves together Sanskrit, scripture and yoga. Exploring pathways to God, and our own question of “How do I know what my path is?”, the talk entertains and inspires with story and nuggets of wisdom.

Murali explores remarkably similar statements by Christ and by Krishna to show us how to have “eyes to see and ears to hear”, and the self-control and receptivity to listen for the answer.

With yoga jokes, insight and quotations from the original Sanskrit, Murali illustrates that yoga helps us know that God simply is.

 Murali gives an inspiring talk about New Year’s resolutions, the sound of AUM and a long-distance runner growing into effortless performance.

Murali relates the joyful festival of Diwali to the Biblical tale of the Prodigal Son.

Murali speaks on the many pathways to God, and how to recognize our own.

Do we pray so that we can get God’s attention and make Him aware of our troubles? This is obviously unnecessary since, as Jesus says, Your Father knoweth what things you have need of, before ye ask Him. Rather, by praying we affirm our intention to be guided by divine will alone; and in doing so, we become receptive to … Read More