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."

Saturday is Oil Bath Day…

We've been in Mysore 6 weeks now.  It is usually around this point in the trip that my body starts to reach what feels like might be a breaking point; more over, my mind starts to really dive in upon itself and all sorts of buried thoughts and emotions start to bubble up to the surface and express themselves quite loudly in my body through what one might call "pain"!  Not to mention there is an underlying feeling of irritation and discomfort that never seems to go away.   

I'm reminded of the power of the practice.  Bringing yourself fully to your mat day after day without letting yourself off the hook, or taking the easy route out.  It's like undergoing a deep operation of your mind, whilst restructuring your entire body!  

Not to be too dramatic, but it is a very raw and profound experience to undergo and witness this subtle process taking place, not only in yourself, but in those around you as well.  It is difficult to explain, and until you've been practising in Mysore India for a period of time, I'm not sure you would really understand how intense this process of unraveling can be.  

It reminds me of a poem by Leunig that Dena Kingsberg, an incredibly gifted yoga teacher & practitioner, whom I feel blessed to consider both a friend and mentor, introduced me to five years ago: 

Let it go. Let it out. 

Let it all unravel. 

Let it free and it can be

A path on which to travel.

As a side note: Dena and Jack are here in Mysore right now practicing, along with their two kids, each morning with Saraswathi - How Inspiring! - the whole family practicing Ashtanga Yoga together - a new generation of practitioners here in Mysore!  It is so wonderful to have people like them here to share their wisdom and experience in both the practice and life.  It really makes our time here very special, graced with their energy and expertise, as an added highlight to our own personal practice.

So, what helps to sooth the aches and pains that start to manifest in oneself on various different levels? 

A Saturday Oil Bath! 

This is a very old tradition in South India.  Guruji always used to prescribe a weekly castor oil bath to his students to help rejuvenate the body and release excess "heat" that arises as inflammation.  It also has many other added benefits...      

Thus, today, being Saturday, to help soften our minds and eliminate the stiffness arising in our old bodies… we awoke early and landed in a traditional Castor Oil Bath - in a manner of speaking.  

For those of you who are interested I have posted a couple of funny videos made by our friend and fellow Ashtanga teacher Kimberly Flynn that show the correct method for giving yourself an Oil Bath (in case anyone wants to give it a try!)

Guruji always said to use Castor Oil, but it is very thick and can be difficult to find in some areas of the world.  Almond Oil, Coconut Oil, or Sesame Oil are also great to use and more widely available, not to mention a little less gooey!

Anyway, that's what we're doing this fine Saturday morning.  

Well that, and chasing our child around the house... maybe not what Guruji had in mind when he suggested "resting" after the oil bath.   

However, it's the very full and action-packed life of a householder for us, which means we've got to keep up with an almost-three-year-old who had endless energy and doesn't stop going from dawn to dusk.  Now that's the other part of the practice here for us… keeping a steady mind and having an infinite patience while running non-stop after a little monkey-man who is into everything!  

We are very grateful that Sharath has both compassion and an experiential understanding of this phase of life as well.  We are so blessed to have him as our teacher, to be practicing with him here, and to  witness his ongoing care and attention to each individual student and to his family.  He is truly inspirational! 

Om Sri Gurubhyo Namah 

FOR MORE ON OIL BATH: