Ellen Grace O'Brian - Kriya Yoga Teacher and Author

Yogacharya Ellen Grace O’Brian is a teacher in the tradition of Kriya Yoga who makes this ancient philosophy and practice accessible to the modern mind. Through her many books, events, and programs, she inspires both newcomers and experienced practitioners to create lives of abundant wholeness, purpose, and wisdom. She is the founder and spiritual director of the Center for Spiritual Enlightenment (CSE) with headquarters in San Jose, California. CSE is a meditation center and spiritual community in the tradition of Kriya Yoga, based on the teachings Paramahansa Yogananda brought to the U.S. in 1920.

Yogacharya travels internationally as a sought after teacher, speaker, and retreat leader. She leads two successful nonprofit organizations and has been the recipient of several awards for community service, including the Mahatma Gandhi Award for the Promotion of Religious Pluralism from the Hindu American Foundation. Just as important, she is a wife, mother, and grandmother. Her life in all of its fullness brings the timeless Vedic teachings out of ancient India and into the modern lifestyle of seekers of all faiths who yearn for a more spiritually conscious, fulfilled way to live.

Learn More about Yogacharya O’Brian ‣

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Yoga Wisdom and Practice is Relevant to Everyday Life

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Yoga Wisdom and Practice is Relevant to Everyday Life

This May, Yogacharya O’Brian will offer a Kriya Yoga meditation retreat at the renowned Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Recently, Yogacharya spoke with Kripalu’s Stephen Cope on her The Yoga Hour […]

how to practice meditation

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How to Practice Meditation

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How to Practice Meditation

There are four basic stages to meditation practice — like the four movements in a beautiful symphony, they flow together in a great concert of higher awareness. Within these four general stages, Patanjali’s eight limbs […]

Connection Between Yoga and Prosperity

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In Her Latest Book, ‘The Jewel of Abundance’, Yogacharya Sheds Light on the Connection Between Yoga and Prosperity

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In Her Latest Book, ‘The Jewel of Abundance’, Yogacharya Sheds Light on the Connection Between Yoga and Prosperity

In her award-winning book, The Jewel of Abundance: Finding Prosperity through the Ancient Wisdom of Yoga, Yogacharya O’Brian discusses the connection between yoga and prosperity. The concept sometimes surprises spiritual seekers who may think of […]

what is prosperity

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What is Prosperity? – Yoga Teachings on Prosperous Living

Artha, Highlight, Prosperity

What is Prosperity? – Yoga Teachings on Prosperous Living

Yoga Teachings on Prosperous Living, Pt. 1 - Go Ahead, Shine. "We are born to thrive. Life’s prosperity imperative continually supports our awakening and our fulfillment." What is Prosperity? What is prosperity? How can we […]

self-awareness

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Self-Awareness: Realize Your True Self

Higher Purpose, Highlight, Spiritual Practice

Self-Awareness: Realize Your True Self

How do we handle the pressure when an important work deadline appears to be looming? What can we do when we feel there’s not enough time? In this video, Yogacharya O’Brian demonstrates how to change […]

uncertain times

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Finding Stability and Joy in Uncertain Times

Conscious Living, Dharma, Highlight, Spiritual Practice

Finding Stability and Joy in Uncertain Times

Lessons for Living Your Higher Purpose with Heart and Meaning: Finding Stability and Joy in Uncertain Times Confronted by the many tensions of our world, many of us ask the question, “How do we live […]

prosperous living

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Luminous Mind, Radiant Heart: Five Teachings on Prosperous Living

Artha, Highlight, Prosperity

Luminous Mind, Radiant Heart: Five Teachings on Prosperous Living

Yoga Teachings on Prosperous Living There is a candle in your heart, ready to be kindled. You feel it, don't you? - Rumi The inner light of the divine Self within is ever luminous, serene, […]

higher purpose

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Higher Purpose: Your Extraordinary Life

Conscious Living, Dharma, Higher Purpose, Highlight

Higher Purpose: Your Extraordinary Life

Lessons for Living Your Higher Purpose with Heart and Meaning: Your Extraordinary Life “Show me what is real.” Yogacharya O’Brian penetrates the heart of the ancient Vedic prayer of awakening in the video below. It […]

affirmation

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A Mother’s Affirmation

Conscious Living, Highlight, Spiritual Poetry

A Mother’s Affirmation

After my Father died, my Mother came to live near us. She had suffered a massive stroke some years before and though her mind remained sharp as a tack, her body required constant care. At […]

When the Heart Speaks: Meeting the Guru

The Role of the Spiritual Teacher in Kriya Yoga Meeting the guru (spiritual teacher) is the way to meet one’s own Self—the key to our highest happiness. The Sanskrit word Guru means “the light that […]