Scott Anderson, Ph.D.

It has been about 16 years since I last crossed paths with BKS Iyengar. So much has changed since then – what would it be like to see my old teacher? The opportunity arose at the twenty-second meeting of the Mind and Life Institute in New Delhi, India. I had the great fortune of receiving an invitation (a big bow of gratitude to my friend, RD) and I eagerly added another week to my already-planned trip to India. "Building a scientific understanding of the mind to reduce suffering and promote well-being ." Quite a mission, isn’t it?! The Mind and Life Institute is a marvelous organization that brings masters of the contemplative traditions and scientists together to share their experiences and findings. With His Holiness the Dalai Lama as the catalyst, these meetings demonstrate how the techniques of various contemplative traditions can change lives for the better. In the here and now, and in means compatible with our secular cultures, there are techniques that have been pro...

Perhaps, like me, some of you read The Onion ? The Onion claims to be America’s greatest news source, though I’m not entirely sure their criteria. Regardless of whether The Onion is the ultimate or penultimate news source, its columnists rarely fail to deliver a unique worldview. A case in point is Jim Anchower. Anchower’s column rarely graces the pages of The Onion these days, though it’s not for lack of good intentions. In fact, the majority of Anchower’s columns describe the myriad reasons why he’s been unavailable. A broken car and/or job loss are almost always factors, though eviction and girlfriend trouble certainly are known to contribute, too. After a long hiatus from this blog, I am feeling vaguely Anchower-like. Thankfully none of the aforementioned distractions have been a factor, though it has been a long time since I’ve shouted out to y’all. I’ve been busy. I’d hoped to see my book released sometime last Winter. Daffodils came and went – no book. A warm Summer passe...

The Boeing 777 infotainment center invited me to any number of diversions. I could play games, watch movies and even shop (duty-free, no less). That all seemed a million miles removed from the apartment in Delhi (Dwarka, Sector 6) where the barriers of geography and language kept us focused on the countdown to our flight to Ahmedabad. Each time I visit India I experience days that seem to stretch out infinitely to the horizon. Generally they’re days spent in a huge city, and usually, language barriers create a feeling of confinement. This trip hewed to the pattern, as our hosts tended to our every need (some real, some imagined) while our furtive attempts at gesticulating our desires (transport to the Lodi Gardens and the Red Fort) brought fresh chapattis to the table. India’s capacity to catalyze growth most assuredly is not confined to the practices of yoga and meditation. After our de facto retreat, the journey to Mahuva began. It had been two years since I’d visited Morari Bapu at ...