• Table of Contents
  • Non-Violence and Spiritual Strength by Swami Veda Bharati
  • Discipline by Swami Rama
  • AHYMSIN Board Meeting June 2020
  • A New Book from Daniel Hertz
  • Republic of Croatia by Patricija Kos Pešut
  • Orissa, India by Sudhir Chaitanya
  • Pune, India by Dr. Shirin Venkatramani
  • Florence, Italy by Ilaria Sarra
  • Milan, Italy by Daniele Belloni and Susi Stefanini
  • Republic of Korea (South Korea) by Heejung Lee
  • Thailand by Little student
  • Trinidad and Tobago by Tricia Lai Tan
  • United Kingdom by Rajini Prakash
  • Palatine Center by Anil Saigal
  • Dear Yoga Mentor, My Question Is
  • 2020 Events and Beyond
  • Full Moon Meditation Dates
  • Location of our SRSG ashram
• AHYMSIN Newsletter Archive

A New Book from Daniel Hertz

by Randall Krause (Mokshadeva)

Everything is A Little Bit Alright—Yoga, Meditation, and a Dog Named Roy by Daniel Hertz

Swami Hariharananda Bharati (Swami Hari) lived for more than a decade in the holy shrine of Tarkeshwara, high in the Garhwal mountains. He had received a rare advanced initiation by Swami Rama and was a fount of spiritual wisdom. When I first came across him, Swami Hari could barely speak English, and yet he joked and laughed incessantly. It was infectious. He had a way of relating deep spiritual truths in simple and usually funny ways. Swami Hari often spoke of Daniel Hertz with great affection. It was clear that they were very close. Reading Daniel’s book brought back memories of that wonderful time.

The book opens with a harrowing experience Daniel and his wife Nikki had in Panama when there for Nikki’s work as a researcher. The clarity of Daniel’s descriptions brought me right into the scenes with him. I felt the intensity and danger they encountered and had great admiration for Nikki when she handled the situation with calm courage.

Daniel went to Panama with Nikki without a plan for his time, but that didn’t stop him from making himself useful. He got busy helping others. Daniel’s uncanny ability to improve situations he encountered is a recurrent theme throughout this book.

After the story of their time in Panama, Daniel takes the reader on a delightful journey through key points in his life. This is a memoir, with intimate accounts of experiences, written with honesty, humility and wisdom. I enjoyed joining Daniel on his adventures.

I especially liked how Daniel pays attention to life; he is awake, and in that way, he is a good model for how to live well. I found this gentle book to be inspiring.

Early in the book, Daniel tells how he discovered that, as a teacher, he could help people change their lives. Having had that realization, he went on to get qualified to be a professional teacher. When met with challenges that may well have defeated many people, Daniel found ways to overcome them and, in the process, help those he was guiding. Daniel continuously develops his methods and effectiveness, and he did the same when he, later, shifted from teaching to counseling.

Throughout the book, Daniel sprinkles insights from the Himalayan Yoga Tradition.

My favorite part of the book was where Daniel related his experiences with Swami Hari. The title, “Everything is a little bit alright,” was something Swami Hari often said. Once again, through Daniel’s masterful descriptions, I felt I was right there with Swami Hari, and it was the Swami Hari I personally knew. How wonderful to re-live those days!

Editor’s Note:

100% of the ongoing book royalties from Everything Is a Little Bit Alright: Yoga, Meditation, and a Dog Named Roy will go to The Meditation Center (a non-profit) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. The book is available world-wide on Amazon in Kindle or paperback. The Meditation Center was founded Dr. Usharbudh Arya, who later became Swami Veda Bharati, and is an affiliate AHYMSIN center.

Here is a YouTube link of Daniel reading a short passage from this book: Book Reading Part 1

Daniel Hertz (MS, BCB, E-RYT 500) has been on the faculty of The Meditation Center in Minneapolis since 1995 and has been offering individual Biofeedback sessions since 2007. He is internationally certified as a Biofeedback practitioner through BCIA.org. Daniel is also the author of Swami Hari: I am a simple forest monk and We Are Only Visitors, both of which benefit the charity SRIVERM, INC., a non-profit organization with the mission of communicating yoga instruction including meditation, breathing and relaxation practices in the Himalayan tradition and uplifting the poor especially through education.