Narayanan Krishnan ~ CNN Hero and True Devotee of God

It was Lalita Panchami, the fifth night of Navaratri and a night drenched in the glory of Mother Lalita’s love and bliss. I had walked back to my hotel after the Panchami festivities at Amma’s Devi temple. As I was lying in bed waiting to drift off into the arms of Nidra Devi, the Goddess of Sleep, I began to feel a little strange, and I was totally unprepared for what happened next…

Jai Sri Ganesha! Well, I finally used my adorable Snowball microphone and recorded a very simple little baby video about the short but powerful Ganesha mantra, “Om gam ganapataye namaha.” This mantra attracts the energy of Sri Ganesha, who helps us develop our discrimination, willpower and intuitive awareness. Sri Ganesha helps us enter the path of true spirituality and guards our well-being as we make each step towards higher states of divine consciousness.

I have a confession to make. Though I’ve been coming to India for fifteen years, can chant up a storm, and can wrap a sari blindfolded in a minute flat, I don’t “do yoga.” But recently, I’ve been feeling the urge to include my physical body on the spiritual path by starting a yoga asana practice. Here’s why…

No, not the cold, slushy kind…a Snowball microphone is on its way! Why, you ask? Well, over the years, I’ve found myself involved in teaching seekers how to chant and pronounce mantras and prayers in Sanskrit. I’ve done this through one-on-one tutoring and also through chanting booklets that I created for Amma Sri Karunamayi’s bookstore. I consider it a great honor and blessing to do this, and have felt very gratified by people’s sincere appreciation for my help.

Obama’s choice of Rick Warren to give the invocation at his Inauguration caused a minor uproar among many liberal progressives, but after some thought I find myself truly inspired by Obama’s choice. There is a beautiful saying in the Vedas, the ancient spiritual scriptures of India — “Vasudhaiva kutumbakam.” In this short and sweet sentence, the enlightened Vedic rishis, or seers, have given us a profound truth as well as a lofty standard for our conduct.

Our food choices have a tremendous effect on our physical and mental health, the quality of our subtle energy, our meditation practice, our karmic balance, the economy of the nation and the world, and the ecological health of Mother Earth. By becoming more mindful and aware of our food choices, we can help to address many issues facing humanity today. My approach to diet has always been to find the common thread and look for general principles that simplify matters and allow me to fulfill multiple goals at once. There is a way to improve health, heighten spiritual consciousness, reduce karma, reduce water pollution, reduce animal suffering, reduce rainforest destruction, AND reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.

Over the past few years, I have felt called to create a life of balance, one that allows me to seek enlightenment while also doing something for the planet. A life in which I seek to serve others without losing my health and my sanity. In which I meditate and purify my subtle body but also take care of my physical body and mental balance. In which I listen to both my heart and my head, and in which I balance faith and tradition with my God-given reason and intelligence.

When I first entered the spiritual path, I was not interested primarily in meditation. Oh, meditation was nice as an idea, a kind of delightful fantasy of yogis and yoginis meditating peacefully in the forest. But my main interest was in things like devotion, chanting, or selfless service. Because I had read about the importance of meditation, I did try half-heartedly to meditate, but I never was able to achieve any kind of concentration, peace or bliss. I ended up deciding that meditation simply wasn’t for me, and that I would reach the ultimate state in some other way, like devotion or service. Then I met Amma.

The sacred element of fire has probably always fascinated people, and lightning has certainly always been a source of terror and awe. I’ll never forget one of my earliest experiences with Amma, when a sacred fire ceremony seemed to call forth an incredible response from Mother Nature. My inner and outer worlds seemed to merge as lightning flashed without and subtle energy flashed within.