Elizabeth Elson

When New York City went dark in 1977, something deeper than the power grid collapsed. From a Hare Krishna rooftop in Midtown, I watched tamo-guṇa descend over the city. Yoga has a name for that kind of darkness—and a way through it.

Star Trek imagined a future where technology ended scarcity and freed humanity to evolve. Yoga imagines the reverse: inner evolution creating outer abundance. Which vision gets cause and effect right?

I first visited the Washington Monument as a kid. This week, I returned as part of a “No Kings” protest—and started thinking about the yogic idea of the philosopher king. What would truly sattvic leadership actually look like today?

A ridiculous anti-drug film turned cult classic—and a case study in misinformation. What it reveals about truth, expertise, and the stories we choose to believe is still playing out today. Yoga has something to say about that.

“Modern yoga is inauthentic.” It sounds airtight—until you inspect the premises. Here’s a cleaner, more accurate argument that honors yoga’s roots without collapsing into bad logic.

What if “do unto others” isn’t advice—but physics? Yoga reframes the Golden Rule through karma: what we do comes back, sooner or later. Here’s why nonviolence is less about virtue—and more about intelligence.

Can yoga philosophy shape a government that resists tyranny? The varna-dharma model offers a surprising blueprint—built on duty, balance, and shared purpose. Here’s how ancient wisdom speaks to modern power.

Explaining karma-yoga is tricky. Explaining bhakti-yoga can feel even trickier. Put them together, though, and the Gita reveals a simple way to act in the world without generating karma.

An Instagram comment dismissed spiritual equality as “complete and utter nonsense.” Fair question. Here’s the rational case yoga makes for consciousness—and why it matters for justice.

“Can’t Buy Me Love” meets the Yoga Sutras. If money doesn’t buy happiness, why do we keep chasing it? The three gunas explain the trap—and the way out.