On Being Kind To All Beings Everywhere

When I was sixteen years old and I read a book by John Robbins: May All Be Fed: A Diet For A New World and was impacted to core of my being.  It changed my life to say the least, and inspired me to become vegan, which at that time in history was almost unheard of and mostly a very strange idea.  For several years I adhered to a strictly vegan diet; but as time went on I didn't keep to it.

 Some years later, during my first year of University, I was introduced to the Philosophy of applied ethics and the work of the Australian Humanist Peter Singer.  I became aware of the horrors afflicted on many animals in the name of scientific testing and particularly the hideous things done to the chimpanzees used for biomedical research, and as a result their intense suffering the undeniable signs of trauma they displayed both during and after this torture.  I learned about a organization called the Fauna Foundation in Quebec, which is the only chimpanzee Sanctuary and rescue centre in Canada, and became a fierce advocate for these helpless victims.  Once again a fire was sparked within, and I began to re-examine my beliefs and whether or not I was supporting what I knew to be true through my actions.

About a year later, I was introduced to the practices and philosophies of both Buddhism and Yoga.  I resonated with them deeply, and wanted to integrate them more fully into my life. During this time of exploration it became apparent to me that to uphold the values of ahimsa (non-harming) and satya (truthfulness) I would need to look more deeply at the impact of my dietary choices on the welfare of all sentient beings.  Although I had never returned to eating land animals or birds, I had gone back to eating fish, dairy and eggs from time to time.  It was around this time I once again shifted my lifestyle towards primarily a vegan diet.  

I don't want to get all preachy, and I will be the first to tell you that I am not always 100% dairy-free; when we are in India, where the cows are still treated with love and respect, I am not rigid about following a strictly vegan diet; and we still use honey sometimes, and I still own some leather.  However, in my heart of hearts I feel that the treatment of animals is an important issue that cannot be easily dismissed or overlooked for anyone who cares about our planet and the beings we share it with.

Ignorance is an easy defence to shroud our carelessness; but these days it is not very difficult to find out the truth.  Mostly it is not an inability to find out what is really going on, as much as individuals have a desire to keep their eyes and hearts closed.  Mainly, we do not want to know the tragic truths of how some of our own treat those of another species, simply because it will sit heavily on our conscience; thus, we would rather live cheerfully unaware.

The time has come that we can no longer deny the facts that animals feel and experience pain and suffering, just like us; and like us they express degrees of emotion, and seek their own comfort to avoid pain or discomfort.  Pain, like all our other senses, is conveyed to the brain by nerves.  Just as we respond to external stimuli through the senses of sight, touch, taste, smell, or hearing, animals do as well.  In many cases animals are more sensitive to these stimuli, and much more developed in a particular areas of receiving information through a specific sense organ then humans are, which potentially might make their suffering more acute in some instances.

When the Yoga Sutras talk about ahimsa (non-harming) and satya (truthfulness) it states that they are maha-vratam (supreme vows) and that these virtues are to be practised in relation to all creatures, in all places, times, and circumstances. (Patanjali Yoga Sutras: II:31)

It all comes down to reducing our tendency to cause harm, either directly or indirectly, regardless of intelligence, strength, social class, civil rights, race, sex, or species.  It takes nothing away from a human to be kind to animals, or other humans, and it is within our power to take care not only of each other, but of the all beings everywhere, as well as our planet.

So let us be both bold and kind, as we go forth and create a New World together.

If you haven't watched this show already.  I ask you to take the time and do so.
Commit to watching at least the first 40 minutes.  
It is so worth it, and it just might save your life.

As long as there are slaughter houses there will be battlefields.
Leo Tolstoy

For as long as men massacre animals, they will kill each other.  
Indeed, he who sows the seeds of murder and pain cannot reap joy and love. 
Pythagoras

Eagle Boy

Some of you know our son Jediah Om, so you will know I'm not exaggerating (like all good mother's should) when I say that he is a magical magician, and one of the most imaginative and creative people I have ever met.  If he meets you and connects with you, he will not stop talking or telling you stories.  Your will be introduced to a new world that is both a wonderful and wacky place of bizarre and lovely possibilities mixed with interesting "facts" that you never knew existed.

While we were in Mysore India last year, he renamed himself "Eagle Boy".  This is something he came up with all on his own, and completely out of the blue.  We thought it would be just for a day, or a week, or maybe a month; however, the legacy of "Eagle Boy" continues on, and he reminds us of his true identity whenever we forget (which pretty much happens on a daily basis).  He is quite admit that he is NOT "Superman" nor "Superboy" or any typical Super Hero at all, but he is Eagle Boy!

So I decided to do a little research into what the eagle represents, and I found that the eagle has been revered in every culture pretty much from the beginning of time.  It has a bright and deeply spiritual message to share.  The eagle symbolizes the Great Spirit.  It is thought to be the king of the skies and a messenger to the gods.  It has been honoured throughout the ages as an embodiment of penetrating discernment, courage, strength, higher wisdom, knowledge of magic, and immortality.

It represents our fundamental connection to the Divine, an ability to see hidden spiritual truths and rise above the material world to merge with the Eye of the Sun, the essence of all life, freedom, and creation.

All I can say is Wow!  When you hear that your child will be your greatest teacher, you don't expect it to appear before you so literally!  

Obviously my interest in eagles has increased quite significantly since my own little Eagle Boy manifested right before my eyes.   Recently I have become more inspired by this apparition, and have been finding new ways to harness my own inner Eagle Girl power.   

Come to think of it, I believe there is something we can all learn from immersing ourselves more deeply in the essence of our natural world, and meditating on how to embody its energy with conscious awareness in our lives.  Mother Nature is filled with metaphors and powerful examples to motivate us to discover our inner strengths, expand our vision, and find victory in our individual Soul Quest as we walk along this path together.  

Is this not what the practice of Yoga is really all about?  
To move us back towards a more natural state of being, returning us to ourselves, and in doing so, creating more harmony between ourselves and the entire planet.

So, I encourage to you to get outside today, breathe deep, and awaken that Ancient Timeless Child that resides within.  

Go find the secret key, hidden away just for you, inside the vast expansiveness that surrounds, and unlock your purpose for being born here on this earth, at this precise time.  Now is the moment where we must reach for the sky, soar like an eagle, and start living a life more intimately aligned with the Great Spirit.  

"But those who trust in the LORD will find renewed strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint."  

Isaiah 40:31

May - A Month of Reflection

So I decided to challenge myself for the the month of May, and write something every day.
I'm giving myself a personal challenge to share something each day in writing, which is a pretty big challenge for me considering all the other responsibilities on my plate these days.  In any case, I thought it would be a good way to get into a habit of writing more and creating a short and hopefully interesting little something for others to think about or integrate into their day.  Thus, with only two hours left in the first day of May, let's see how it all goes!

I'm not promising it will be amazing or insightful or particularly relevant to you as a reader, but I hope it will be honest and real, and that if you are open you might find a little gem hidden within whatever comes out each day.

I just returned home from the lululemon Ambassador Summit.  It was an incredible 3 days of connecting with inspiring individuals from all over the globe.   I was amazed at how open and warm complete strangers could be, and how quickly I found enriching friendships with certain people whom I never expected.  I was in awe at how willingly we all were to be vulnerable and honest in confronting and sharing some very personal issues in effort to release old beliefs and breakthrough into new uncharted futures; and between making bold requests, and visualizing futures without fear and doubt holding us back from what we really want to manifest, it was a very full and exciting retreat.

With so many surprising gifts, moments of great joy, compassion, and inspiration, coupled with a multiplicity of insightful tools to help take us to the next level in our own personal journey of transformation, I find myself still digesting it all, and sitting here with a deep sense of gratitude for everyone who was there and all the other individuals who were not physically present, but without their support it would not have been possible me to be there at all (and hopefully you know who you are).

The whole experience got me thinking more about how I approach the strangers in my world, and how many judgements I make about people I don't even know before they even open their mouth.  It made me wonder in what ways my experience of others, and the experience I have of myself in relationship to others would change if I approached everyone (from the beggar on the street to the lady at the bank) with the same quality of openness I approach the people whom I respect or admire.

How can I create the space within these brief encounters to truly see someone for who they are deep down inside: a beautiful embodied being with so much to offer - a person with the same insecurities, fears, hopes and desires as my very own inner self.

What if I took the time to really hear them, to hold a space for them to feel seen, to feel special, to feel safe?

How would that change them?

How would that change me?

How would that change the world?

Our actions can make all the difference. 

Depart Without Regret - Be One With God

   As my mind starts to turn towards preparing to leave, I've been struggling to find the words to express all that this trip has brought for me.

I wanted to say something about reconnecting with many deeply loved friends, some whom I haven't seen for many years.  Those kinds of friendships where words are not needed, and sitting in silence side by side with someone while they let it all unravel, connects you in a way much deeper then years of superficial chatter.
I wanted to acknowledge the many new friends I have been blessed to meet here, but I'm not sure there are words to express the joy of witnessing new seeds of fellowship sprouting up, and the wonderment of meeting someone for the first time and feeling like you've known them for years.

Or I could write about reconnecting again and again with this deep and transformative practice, and the awe I feel each morning as I surrender to what IS.  This practice opens my heart, and touches my spirit in ways I cannot explain.  It is like beholding a miracle that takes place each morning as I watch the peeling layers of myself falling away.

I could talk about many things... the magic of India, the beauty of this practice, finding peace within the chaos, and a little space within a small corner of time where I can breathe freely and connect more deeply to myself, and to God.

I'm not sure that there are the words for me to convey the depth of gratitude I feel whenever I reflect on my time here in India.  This focused period of practice has been both intense and refreshing, and from it I will be forever changed.

I read something recently that I feel expresses more completely some of what India has been teaching me over the past three months in numerous and inexplicable ways...  

Relax without laziness

Focus without tension

Perceive without projecting

Witness without judging

Enjoy without craving

Reflect without imagining

Love without condition

Give without demanding

Receive without possessing

Serve without self-seeking

Challenge without dominating

Meditate without identity

Correct without blaming

Overcome without pride

Laugh without cynicism

Cry without pity

Confront without hatred

Guide without superiority

Be without self-defining

Live without arrogance

Enter without self-importance

Depart without regret

Be one with God

Mooji

February 2014

One More Month in Mysore...

Jeff has arrived back in Canada, meanwhile I'm starting the first week of a full month of single-parenting in Mysore, India!  This is certainly a new frontier for me!

If you are in Calgary you can practice with Jeff for a full week of Mysore classes straight from the Source!  - there is still a little space if you want to register or drop-in - please get in touch with us directly.  After this week he will be back in Victoria... so be on the look out islanders!

The longer you stay and practice here in Mysore, you realize that each month carries with it a very different feeling, and it is impossible to predict what each period of time will hold.  It's only when you look back that you can observe an occurring  theme.  Like many things, it is a strange phenomena that seems to happen here in this little microcosm more acutely then at home.

In many ways these changes are very quick and obvious with old friends leaving and new people arriving, and in other ways this change is much more subtle, and yet more significant overall - it is the hint of something deeply internal transforming within you.  

Sharath gave conference yesterday, as he does most Sundays, and it was again a very sweet gathering.  I will share some of the highlights I enjoyed with you.  My friend Nea Ferrier also has shared a lovely summary in her blog: New Memories: Home Cooking and Sharath's Conference 9.2.14

My Favourite Bits & Pieces from Sharath's Conference: Feb.2/2014

He touched upon the importance of Parampara (the direct lineage of teachers), "Yoga has to come from the Parampara.  You can't learn by watching a video or going to a conference or a workshop. A conference or video is like entertainment, but it cannot be an education in spirituality.  A real experience of yoga is different then entertainment.

Ashtanga yoga is about the transformation that happens within us.  Our perception of life changes.  It gives our life a new meaning.  Trying to realize what we are - that journey is called spirituality."

He used a great metaphor: "In life we are always running behind something... something that is ultimately unnecessary.  Everyone is running off to somewhere or running to do some training or workshop.  What are you searching for?  Where are you going?
Is it a new posture you are after?  Getting a new posture doesn't make you a good yogi.
Go to the Source which is within you.
Realize What You Are and Why You Are Here!'

"Don't run behind Yoga.  Yoga is within you."

He reinforced that Yoga is to create mental fitness through spirituality, but this must arise from within each person.   How you change and transform yourself through your practice - that is Yoga.
It takes time for the body to change.  We must be patient in our practice.
These days there is very little respect for Yoga and the power of it as a spiritual practice, and the power that is inherent within your own body and mind.

He reminded us about "samsara halahala mohashantyai" saying, Samsara is full of poison, but yoga teaches us how to bring peace to our mind through all different experiences. It helps us to manage the stress of daily life, and is like a "terrain management system" in a car.  (I'm not great with the whole car metaphor, but I get the general idea!)   

"Yoga is the only tool we have to spiritually transform yourself.  This Yoga is Not only an asana practice.  Asana is not the final stages of Yoga.  Yoga is Not just a physical practice."
 
Ultimately, Yoga is the realization of the Oneness of all.
 
To realize this Oneness you have to give up many things - anger, greed, fear, desire, and realize you are the same as everyone - you are not different.

"You are Prakriti - nature.  From the earth you came up and at death you will go back to the earth. Birth and death are a mystery, but what you do with the years you have living here on earth is the important part.  The effects of your actions here will remain."