This weekend it’s Canadian Thanksgiving. There are many things I am thankful for – my awesome boys and family, that I get the chance to pursue my interests (like  stepdancing and cognitive science),  the beautiful sunny morning and of course my yoga practice.  Yoga has kept me healthy and sane and made me see the world in different ways – really things look different when you are in a headstand

My friends over at @Carleton_U are running a contest encouraging students to share why they think Carleton is a great university. I thought it would fun to do the same with yoga.

If you would like to share some of the reasons why  you love  yoga, leave a comment here or tweet them using the hastag #iLuvYoga. You will be entered in a draw for a set of downloadable yoga pose drawings.  On Sunday, October 9, I will compile the comments and tweets and randomly select the winner!

Happy Thanksgiving!

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photo credit: Symic

Tuesday morning dawned wet and overcast – a perfect day to solve the occasional writer’s block I am prone to.  Usually I am just putting the final touches on an article by this time…not still trying to figure out what to write; but as it turned out, the subject of this article was already waiting in my email inbox.

We’ve discussed teaching, and what it means to be a great teacher – of Yoga or otherwise; but what makes a good student?  Life is a classroom – and there are some general guidelines that apply to all facets of our existence, as well as some amazing help along the journey.  Think of these guidelines as a student handbook given on your first day of school, except this school is lifetime enrollment – and its motto is too funny (forgive my warped sense of humor): “Graduation ceremonies held as required at the local funeral home.”

The Inbox

It has been over thirty years (gulp) since I attended grade three, and to be honest most of those memories are dim, shadowy remnants hiding in dark corners; but in a moment of Life’s curious synchronicity a light has been lit.  I received an email from a reader who recognized a reference to an amazing teacher during my third grade year – and as it turns out, we not only shared the classroom, but we both were influenced by this person at critical times in our existence…and so begins lesson one of life’s student handbook.

The First Lesson

Open up the student’s handbook to Life and you will find two words under lesson one:  “Don’t Panic.”  There is more wisdom hidden within these two simple words than I have room to write – which is probably why only these words are used.  Another way of saying “don’t panic” is instead to say “cultivate peace.”  When we keep centered within ourselves with a clear mind, the answers to life’s problems can be seen.  Clouded by fear and panic, we often fail to see what is right in front of us and instead make poor choices that can negatively impact our lives.  Learning not to panic and how to remain calm and focused in any situation is the most valuable lesson we can learn.  Both Yoga and meditation help to build this centeredness…

Lesson Two

As a good student of any sort, absorbing the material is a must.  On the second page of the student’s handbook to Life is lesson two.  Lesson two states, again, very simply:  “You have help.”  As with the grade three teacher who was there for not only myself, but at least one other (my heart tells me many), we all have help.  When we look back at our lives, it is easy to see in retrospect those who mysteriously entered our lives at a time we needed them, and then vanished almost as mysteriously when the time was past.

Not all the help we receive is easy to recognize, but as a good student, we should be aware of it.  The partner you angrily argue with over a trivial matter, a loud and obnoxious neighbor, or a loved one you feel more like strangling…all these people too are in our lives to help us along our way.  The help we receive does not have to be asked for – it is a natural part of Life’s University; but it is more effective when as a good student you come to recognize it in your daily life.  This help extends beyond our encounters with other people and into our environment as well.  A spectacular sunset watched in solitude can dispel a miserable day at the office more effectively than any medication – and with no harmful side effects!

Lesson Three

Lesson three comprises four words:  “Pay attention in class.”  A good student listens to the teacher, asks questions when confused, and pays attention to what is being taught.  Sadly, the majority of Life’s students pay very little attention at all in class.  We can get so wrapped up in work, bills, possessions…and then we stop listening in the classroom.  Paying attention can be as simple as stopping to notice roses on your way to work, or more importantly, learning to recognize the signs around the class pointing you in the right direction.

Learning to pay attention is a way of recognizing the sanctity of each moment and giving it the respect it deserves.  On a more physical level, our bodies give us many signs as things slowly begin to go wrong due to stress, disease, misuse, poor nutrition, and many other reasons.  Being aware of the subtle shifts in your health can give indicators that can save your life in some cases – as in the case of someone who begins to experience minor chest pains on occasion and rather than shrug them off, sees a doctor for tests and makes lifestyle changes to prevent a major attack.

Lesson Four

Lesson four in the handbook of what makes a good student is also straightforward:  “Lessons are repeated until learned.”  In life, a good student sees the lesson the first time it is being taught, and absorbs its teachings.  Our Teacher is a kind and loving sort – giving lessons that are easy and cause us little upheaval in our lives.  It is only when we fail to understand or absorb the lesson that they slowly become more and more intrusive – until we are forced to face what it is we must learn in this life.

Lesson Five

No wonder this handbook is not available in published form – six pages and less than a few dozen words…but it would be worth a fortune.  Lesson five is just as short and to the point:  “Nobody fails.”  That’s right.  You cannot possibly fail.  As a student, this means just a little more than receiving a passing grade at the end of your days; it also means that you should remain unattached from the results of your efforts.  Do the work in your life to the best of your ability and creativity, and let it go.  When we set all these expectations on ourselves and what we are trying to accomplish, we are setting ourselves up for failure instead of remaining open to the way we need to go.

A student’s point of view

Boy, there are days that class can really suck.  Too much homework or you think the Teacher is mad at you, or you just can’t seem to get it…That is where the final three words of our student handbook help.  On page six is written not a lesson, but a reminder:  “I love you.”  When you take a moment to realize how many events, people and situations are created for the sole purpose of teaching you what you need to learn, how can you not feel loved?  When you see the sun shining down upon you in the morning, remember that it shines for you too.  As children of The Creator, we are always loved, never abandoned, and never lost…

Namaste, my friends.

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I confess it has been a difficult couple of weeks – to the point where I found it necessary to take five days off work, retreat from the world – and regain balance.  Even my Yoga has suffered – too tired, too much on my plate, can’t focus… The day to day hustle, the mental and emotional stress of the work environment, bills, personality conflicts, and sometimes just plain old nasty people; they all contribute to this ‘yoke’ that modern culture has become.

When we are not engaged in our daily affairs, we stereotypically turn to TV or the Internet for what most call “down time.”  Little time is reserved for actively strengthening our commitments to higher ideals, spending time in nature (a healing place), or communing with ourselves…and our Higher Self.  Why does our own ‘inner voice’ seem so subdued, if audible at all, in today’s world?  Where is the Divine Nature of our existence in our day to day activities and especially, our thoughts?

The Bhagavad Gita

Yes, I have spoken of this tome before…although this incarnation is by far the most readable, understandable, and valuable of any read to date.  I have read this book over and over again in the last few weeks, and draw strength and faith from its pages.  The Bhagavad Gita is a love song sung by God to His friend man.  The Gita is a statement of the core truths which many of us already believe in our deepest hearts – making these truths clearer, and offering practical application in our daily lives.  More than just a book, the Bhagavad Gita has an ‘accumulated potency’ – full of the ancient but ever current breath of spiritual energy and strength.

Dr. Jack Hawley

In the course of writing The Bhagavad Gita: A Walkthrough for Westerners, Jack Hawley consulted over thirty different texts, and in doing so has synthesized the original languages into English in such a way that has preserved in ancient within the new.  The recently of late Sathya Sai Baba and many other contributors served as sounding boards and advisors during the creation of this English translation – rigorously testing the translations and their meanings to insure the heart of the Gita remained intact.  Jack Hawley is a student, teacher, consultant, and lecturer who works to instill new energy, heart, and spirit into large organizations and groups.  Over the last fourteen years, Hawley has spent half of each year in India learning, teaching, and living by the principles in the Gita.

What I needed

As I had said, it has been a rough while as of late.  There is a real downside to losing balance in life – once you start down the dark side… (Sorry, watched Star Wars on the weekend!)  It’s true, though.  Once my Yoga fell to the wayside, I of course began to beat myself up about it.  This eventually turned to becoming angry with myself, and then angry at others.  When my anger at myself spread outward, my meditations started to falter, and then I noticed my appetite changing, sleep changing…STOP THE BUS!  I’ve learned the hard way that there is a point we all reach at some time or another affectionately known as “The breaking point.”  Going past the breaking point is a one way ticket to the dark side, and I was teetering on the edge. (I know, enough with the Star Wars references…)

I took Jack Hawley’s advice and buried myself in the Bhagavad Gita…too unfocused to meditate or contemplate on it for any length of time; I read it.  I read it slowly, against my ingrained ‘research skim’ I treat most books with; stopping to go back and re-read when the end of a stanza forgot the beginning.  Over and over – no TV (well, except for Star Wars – again, sorry), no music, just the Bhagavad Gita and an intense hope that the accumulated energy of this work would somehow just seep into me.

Where I Got It…

Miserable use of language, I know…but it fit the time.  Chapter Eighteen of Jack Hawley’s the Bhagavad Gita is entitled:  “Liberation Through Knowing, Acting, and Loving (Moksha Sanyasa Yoga), with a simple yet profound subtitle – “Give Me your whole heart.”  I think I reread the subtitle four or five times, as if stuck on it the first time I read the book.  A subtle little bell was beginning to chime softly in the distance of my soul…no nearer or farther than I imagined it, I suppose.

Years of searching, years of education in religious studies and ancient philosophies, thousands of books, and tens of versions of the Gita – none spoke to me as this did.  My heart has belonged to the Creator always.  Meditations and my day begin with prayer to be an instrument of The Divine, see that Divinity in all things, and act accordingly.  What part of my whole heart was I failing to give?  I realized that once I had been liberated from narrow-minded “it’s our way to heaven or you will go to hell” philosophies (no offence to anyone), I have been lacking something:  A practice I was totally comfortable with and could follow.

How one becomes Perfect

Stanza fifty as The Divine speaks yet again to Arjuna:

50   So learn from Me now, friend, as I briefly profile the qualities that make the loving Yogi one with Me.¹ There is no higher achievement.

51   Cultivate a pure intellect.  Free your mind and heart from delusion.  Be self-restrained.  Give up the ego.  Subdue your senses through steady will.  Abandon the sight, tastes, and noises of the world.  Put aside with no regret the likes and dislikes so burdensome in life.

52   Seek solitude; eat but little, lead a simple, self-reliant life, curbing your thoughts, speech, and actions.  Be detached, impersonal.  Engage your mind always in concentration, contemplation, and meditation on the Godhead.

The instructions go on, but at stanza fifty-five The Divine ‘stops’ to drive a point home.  In the midst of profiling the qualities one should develop, Krishna (The Divine) gives a ‘sacred shortcut’ to Arjuna:

55   Be very clear about the crucial importance of love.  To love is to know Me. The act of loving itself is indeed the experience of really knowing Me, for I am Love, Arjuna!  To love is to know My innermost nature, the Truth that I am.  It is through this sacred and deep knowing that you gain access to Me and become one with My own Self.  Loving is knowing God!  As a deep knower of the Godhead, you actually become the Godhead.

Give Me your whole heart

I have always loved God – in all the variations I have considered.  I understand that all our views on the subject are going to differ, and they will probably all turn out to be incorrect and inconsequential in the presence of The Divine once we have shuffled off this mortal coil.  My love for Allah is not whole, however.  I find it easy to see Brahman in the flowers and trees, and all of nature’s creatures and sublime beauty.  I confess that I have a lot of difficulty with seeing Krishna in others still.  Thanks to Jack Hawley’s the Bhagavad Gita, I have a practice to follow as Krishna drives home again and again:  The Divine is inside you and all around you.  Nothing exists outside The Divine, and all that exists within God has at its core Divine Consciousness.

To give God your whole heart is to realize that God is in everyone and everything.  You cannot give your whole heart if you are not willing to love all of Divine Creation as you love God.  That means the person stealing your purse, the beggar asking for money or food…even those who would do you harm, as Krishna speaks of in the Gita.  The only practice we need to follow is Love.

Before I leave you with something to ponder for a few minutes when you have nothing pressing, I wish to extol the love and power inherent within Hawley’s the Bhagavad Gita one last time.  Buy it from Amazon, loan it from the library…heck – go to Chapters with a Starbuck’s and plant yourself in an armchair if you have to.  Read the Gita over and over again, slowly, reverently; the spiritual power in the Truths contained in the Gita will seep into you and begin to resonate.  All Truth has this capacity, and you will quickly notice it working in your own life.

The end

Finally!  For those of you who have remained conscious through this entire article, I salute you!  Back to my ‘problem’ with seeing The Divine in others – here is a thought for both of us to consider:  Imagine that just one person you will run into today is someone God sent your way out of love and curiosity to see how you are progressing in your journey…and God decided he was going to go along for the ride to be there personally.  It could be a beggar, a thief, a close friend, a co-worker, an angry customer – anybody.  Now imagine God is doing that already, in everyone you meet every day…

Namaste

Dr. Jack Hawley

In the course of writing The Bhagavad Gita: A Walkthrough for Westerners, Jack Hawley consulted over thirty different texts, and in doing so has synthesized the original languages into English in such a way that has preserved in ancient within the new.  The recently of late Sathya Sai Baba and many other contributors served as sounding boards and advisors during the creation of this English translation – rigorously testing the translations and their meanings to ensure the heart of the Gita remained intact.  Jack Hawley is a student, teacher, consultant, and lecturer who works to instill new energy, heart, and spirit into large organizations and groups.  Over the last fourteen years, Hawley has spent half of each year in India learning, teaching, and living by the principles in the Gita.

No related posts.

I lost someone special recently, and as with most things in our lives, it is not until it or they are gone that we realize what an integral part of our existence they have become.  I volunteer some of my spare time cleaning homes/apartments for the elderly who can no longer afford it or are unable to clean for themselves.  Most are shut-ins by nature of either physical impairment or mental difficulties that can manifest in later life.  I admit, at first I would become a little frustrated at the need for tea, coffee, juice and snacks before cleaning – but I soon came to understand it was really the companionship I had volunteered, not my cleaning skills.

Tea and biscuits

The sweet lady that passed away was the worst of the bunch, consuming roughly an hour of time early Monday mornings just to get by the food and tea before I could get to the cleaning…I arrived this Monday to be greeted not by her wizened smile, but by the sombre faces of her family instead.  I felt shell-shocked, she was so alive last week…frail, but alive.  I travelled to the funeral at the behest of her family Tuesday, and cried alongside her brother and children.  The tea I had first resented, and then looked forward to every Monday – was no more.

Life is not about lasting forever – nothing in this physical existence does, and for good reason.  Each year the old gives way to the new and in doing so imparts wisdom and growth to the next generation.  Live for the moment, feel every nuance and value every second of sharing with one another we are given.  Thank you, Loretta.  Thank you for teaching me that tea and hot biscuits are worth stopping for no matter how hurried our lives seem to be.

The depths of winter and the death it brings is not to be feared, for winter speaks of making room for the spring – where new birth and life rise from the remains of the old.  The lesson is in how we manage and use time in relation to our priorities, before our own winter comes.  The lesson is in the understanding that all must come to its end in its time.  Below are a few inspirational stories from around the fire to give you pause and thought to what you consider important, how to accomplish it, and how to live.

Find your big rocks

One day, an expert in time management was speaking to a group of business students and, to drive home a point, used an illustration those students will never forget. As he stood in front of the group of high-powered overachievers he said, “Okay, time for a quiz” and he pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouth jar and set it on the table in front of him. He also produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar. When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, “Is this jar full?” Everyone in the class yelled, “Yes.”

The time management expert replied, “Really?” He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. He dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks. He then asked the group once more, “Is the jar full?” By this time the class was on to him. “Probably not,” one of them answered. “Good!” he replied. He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in the jar and it went into all of the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, “Is this jar full?” “No!” the class shouted. Once again he said, “Good.” Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim. Then he looked at the class and asked, “What is the point of this illustration?” One eager beaver raised his hand and said, “The point is no matter how full your schedule – if you try really hard you can always fit some more things in it!”  ”No,” the speaker replied, “that’s not the point.

The truth this illustration teaches us:  If you don’t put the big rocks in first, you’ll never get them to all fit.  What are the ‘big rocks’ in your life – time with your loved ones, your faith, your education, your dreams, Yoga, a worthy cause, teaching or mentoring others? Remember to put these big rocks in first or you’ll never get them in.  So tonight or in the morning when you are reflecting on this short story, ask yourself this question: What are the ‘big rocks’ in my life? Then, put those in your jar first.

Making sandcastles

Hot sun, salty air, rhythmic waves…

A little boy is on his knees scooping and packing the sand with plastic shovels into a bright blue bucket.  Then he upends the bucket on the surface and lifts it and, to the delight of the little architect, a castle tower is created. All afternoon he will work, spooning out the moat, packing the walls. Bottle tops will be sentries. Popsicle sticks will be bridges. A sandcastle will be built.

Big city, busy streets, rumbling traffic…

A man is in his office.  At his desk he shuffles papers into stacks and delegates assignments.  He cradles the phone on his shoulder and punches the keyboard with his fingers.  Numbers are juggled and contracts are signed and much to the delight of the man, a profit is made.

All his life he will work, formulating the plans, forecasting the future. Annuities will be sentries. Capital gains will be bridges. An empire will be built.

Two builders of two castles… They have much in common. They shape granules into grandeurs. They see nothing and make something. They are diligent and determined, and for both the tide will rise and the end will come. Yet that is where the similarities cease, for the boy sees the end while the man ignores it.

Watch the boy as night approaches…

As the waves near, the wise child jumps to his feet and begins to clap. There is no sorrow. No fear.  No regret.  He knew this would happen.  He is not surprised, and when the great breaker crashes into his castle and his masterpiece is sucked into the sea, he smiles.  He smiles, picks up his tools, takes his father’s hand, and goes home.

The man however, is not so wise.  As the wave of year’s collapses on his castle he is terrified.  He hovers over the sandy monument to protect it.  He blocks the waves from the walls he has made.  Salt-water soaked and shivering he snarls at the incoming tide.  “It’s my castle,” he rages.   The ocean need not respond, both know to whom the sand belongs…
I don’t know much about sandcastles, but children do. Watch them and learn. Go ahead and build, but build with a child’s heart. When the sun sets and the tides take it all from you – applaud.  Salute the process of life and go home with a joyful heart.

A joyful heart

Now, I write this with a joyful heart.  The sandcastles that were built for all those years by Loretta are all gone, washed back to from whence they came.  She took her Father’s hand, smiled, and went home. The memories of the sandcastles she so painstakingly built last in the hearts of her family and at least one other person – never to be forgotten.  The beach is clean again – smooth, just wet enough – perfect for starting new sandcastles in the morning sun…with tea and biscuits.

Related posts:

1. Spring into Yoga

Photo by: Tony George

The New Year has arrived, and the ‘dog-days of winter’ are truly upon us.  For many, this is a difficult month to survive with sanity intact.  Bills from our holiday excesses begin to materialize, as does the extra layer of padding we’ve added from an abundance of good food.  In my humble opinion, January is probably the worst possible month in which to make resolutions we intend to keep, but it is a New Year’s tradition for roughly sixty-seven percent of the North American population.

In keeping with this time-honored custom of setting resolutions for the New Year, here are ten tips to help you keep those commitments with yourself and keep you on the road to success.

Plan ahead

Even if you are just considering New Year’s resolutions now, plan ahead before starting.  Plans or commitments we make with ourselves at the last minute or based on the way we are feeling at that particular moment rarely last, so give yourself a week to ‘psyche yourself up’ and insure your resolutions are what you really want for yourself.

Have a strategy

Sun Tzu wrote that battle without strategy is the slowest road to victory.  In our battle with ourselves to either overcome a bad habit or create new positive habits, it is a good idea to put some forethought into how we plan to combat roadblocks in our path to keeping our resolutions.  This can include such things as asking yourself what you can do to keep yourself busy when the urge for a cigarette tempts your resolve, or perhaps how you will motivate yourself to attend the Yoga class you signed up to for the New Year.

Pro’s and Con’s

Make a list in point form of the positive benefits and negative consequences for each of your resolutions and post them in a prominent spot – on the fridge, the bathroom mirror – wherever you can be reminded of your commitment to yourself and easily find it when you need to reaffirm the reasons why you chose this resolution to begin with.

Keep your goals realistic

The easiest way to fail in our promises to ourselves is to make our goals unattainable to begin with.  Let’s say you intend to lose fifty pounds by the spring as one of your New Year’s resolutions.  Is this a reasonable goal?  Is it a safe, attainable goal?  In this case, no it is not.  Planning to lose two to three pounds a week is not only safer for your physical health, but it offers short term results to keep you motivated.  Keep your goals or resolutions fair and honest, and remember you will have days when your motivation will seem to all but disappear in the face of your stressors and bustle.

Keep track and set milestones

In some way, even if it means red “X’s” on a calendar, make yourself a visual record of your progress and post it in an often visited spot in your home.  Take your resolutions and break them down into milestones you can gain strength and positive reinforcement from as you reach these milestones you are creating.  Get creative!  Resolutions are in essence a battle cry that ignites a small war within us, and it takes creative solutions to win the battle.

Have a Hero cookie!

Reward yourself for reaching your milestones.  For example, if your intent was to attend exercise class three times a week from January forward and you went three times as you had resolved this week; treat yourself in some way to reinforce the positive response.  Be careful – this does not mean you go the largest buffet in town and celebrate by downing four plates of food and dessert.

Stick to it

The old saying is that it takes thirty days to make a habit and thirty days to break one too.  In reality, it is a little less – and a little more…Within twenty-one to twenty-three days of beginning a new activity or lifestyle change it becomes a habit.  It takes a full six months for this new habit to become an integrated part of your personality.  It is at this point that the activity or lifestyle change ceases to be a conscious discipline and becomes a natural part of who you are.

Failure is not an option

There is a good chance that we will all slip up more than a few times in our quest to make our New Year’s resolutions an integral part of our lives for 2011.  Don’t beat yourself up over it when it happens!  Instead, look at the triggers that caused the slip-up and modify your response to them so you will be prepared for the next time a similar stressor appears.  We are only human after all.

Keep trying

Making a resolution to better ourselves mentally, spiritually, or in physical health need not occur only at the New Year.  You can make these pacts or commitments with yourself at any time.  If January proves to be too difficult a month to stay focused on your resolutions, plan your own “New Year’s” for February instead and begin again.

Positive reinforcement

Don’t keep your resolution a secret. Let your friends and family know your intent and your goals for better health or whatever the case may be and bring them into your support circle.  If at all possible, sharing the same resolution with a close friend will give you active support and even more motivation to achieve your goals.

May your New Year be a happy, joyful and peaceful one – filled with success at a deep personal level that brings contentment of mind, body, and Spirit.  Have a Yoga-filled New Year!

Related posts:

1. A Reflection on Resolutions
2. Yoga – A Holistic Approach to Staying Healthy this Holiday Season and Throughout the Year

A Child’s Christmas Eve Dream

Last night I had a lovely dream,
but strange as it could be,
for on the hill beside our house
stood a great Christmas tree.

It glowed with lighted candles,
High at the top, a star,
And ’round it, dancing in a ring,
Children from lands afar.

There were polite, little English girls,
Swiss boys with funny skis,
Dutch children in queer wooden shoes,
Joined hands with shy Chinese.

Turkish lads is tussled fez,
Tots from France and Greece and Poland,
Laughing as the children do
in the safety of a free land.

Perhaps my dream’s a prophecy
Of Christmases to be,
when little children everywhere
can sing because they’re free.

I surely wish with all my heart,
this day of Jesus’ birth,
that peace and love and happiness
soon cover all the earth.

New Delhi, India

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to one and all!  My Christmas gift to you this year is a reminder that Christmas is only a word – it is the feeling and emotion of this time of year that truly define the season.  We give gifts out of love for each other, prepare good food, and spend time together as family and neighbours – all attributed to the season or this one special day.  My Christmas gift to you is the knowledge that we can choose to hold this feeling for as long as we wish, for the whole year even.

In order to hold onto this state of love and harmony, peace, kindness and unity – I offer a Hindu Christmas as a guide to making your Christmas a happy, spiritual and memorable one.

A Hindu Christmas

“Daddy, why don’t we have Christmas?” That question was heard in so many Hindu homes we visited that, some years ago in cooperation with scholars and elders, an alternative for Christmas was conceived. Our own Pancha Ganapati is a festival to the five-faced elephant God. It is five days of gift-giving and festivities within the home, especially for the children.

Those who have taken up this home festival from December 21^st through the 25^th have enjoyed it year after year. It can include outings, picnics, feasts, exchange of cards and gifts with relatives, friends and business associates. Each day a tray of sweets, fruits and incense is offered to Pancha Ganapati, often prepared and presented by the children. Chants, songs and bhajanas are sung in His praise. After puja, sweets are shared as prasada. Each day gifts are given to the children, who place them before Pancha Ganapati to open only on the fifth day. Greeting cards are exchanged, always offering Hindu wisdom or verse from scripture.

During each of the five days the entire family focuses upon a different sadhana. Because of the importance of this festival as a new beginning and mending of all mistakes of the past, a festive shrine is created in the main living room of the home. At the center is placed a large wooden or bronze five-faced statue of Lord Pancha Ganapati. If this is not available, a large picture of Lord Ganesha will do. Each morning the children dress or decorate Ganesha anew in a different color: golden yellow on December 21^st, then ruby red, royal blue, emerald green and finally brilliant orange. These are the colors of His five powers, or shaktis, adored by all.

Day One:

The sadhana for the first day is to create a vibration of love and harmony among the immediate family. The day begins early as all work to design and decorate the shrine with traditional symbols, rangoli, lamps and more. After a grand puja invoking the spirit of Pancha Ganapati, the family sits together to share their love. If strained relationships have arisen during the year, they make amends for misdeeds performed, insults misspoken, mental pain and injuries caused and suffered. Gifts are then exchanged and placed unopened before Pancha Ganapati.

Day Two:

The second day is devoted to creating a vibration of love and harmony among neighbours, relatives and close friends, giving gifts and offering apologies to clear up any misunderstandings. Those living far off are written to or called, forgiveness is sought and tensions released.

Day Three:

On the third day the family works to create a vibration of love and harmony among business associates, casual merchants and even the public. This is the day for presenting gifts and showing appreciation to merchants, customers, employers and employees. The sadhana today is to settle debts and disputes.

Day Four:

The sadhana for day four is to draw forth the vibration of joy and harmony that comes from music, art, drama and the dance. Family, relatives and friends gather for satsanga to share and enjoy everyone’s artistic gifts. Then all sit together before Ganesha, Patron of Arts and Guardian of Culture, discussing Hindu Dharma and making plans to bring more of cultural refinements into the home.

Day Five:

The sadhana for the final day is to bring forth love and harmony within all three worlds. Because of sadhanas well performed during the first four days, everyone is now intensely aware of Ganesha’s grace and their love for Him is overflowing. On this day the entire family experiences an outpouring of fondness and tranquility from the God Himself. His blessings fill the home and hearts of everyone within it, inspiring them anew for the coming year. This exchange of affection between all members of the family and the Lord is invoked and perpetuated through the day by performing five special pujas. These pujas to Pancha Ganapati solicit help from His devas in the home and establish the patterns for improvement in family life.

The overflowing love felt today will inspire generosity in the year to come, bringing abundance and good fortune. The first puja is at six am, after which each one present gives verbal testimony about prayers answered during the past year. Hearing testimony strengthens the faith of everyone. Then vows of sacrifice can be verbally made to improve the quality of life, such as giving up smoking or other harmful habits. The second puja is at nine am, the third at noon, and the fourth at three pm. The last puja, held at six pm, is the long-awaited time. The five sadhanas have been completed. Peace, love and harmony among everyone have been restored. After the puja and before the great feast that follows, Panchamukha Ganapati gives His final darshana and prasada to one and all. Gifts are distributed and joyously opened. Happy children, happy parents, happy God…

May Love and Harmony fill your homes and your hearts this Christmas season, and may this Love and Harmony grow to fill every day of your lives.

Merry Christmas, my friends…

Parts excerpted and modified from an article in Hinduism Today by the late Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami.

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I remember a world where doors were never locked
and your neighbour was your friend.
Where war was something we swore
never, ever again.
I remember young men and women
able to grow old.
And no need for sombre standing
in Death’s bitter cold.

I remember that war makes no heroes
under God’s infinite skies.
And no victor is there in battle
to widely open eyes.
I remember the children crying
upon hearing such sad news.
When a father or mother in dying
renders pointless win or lose.

I remember those who have fought and died
and those who still live on.
I remember a sense of freedom
rising with the dawn.
I remember now, that little thing
I really wanted to say:
Pray for peace, if you truly want to honor
this Remembrance Day.

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All pictures by Sean Rogders, November 02, 2010

Only a week ago, I started a “part-time” job working at a department store in our small downtown core, only four blocks from my residence.  I did not apply for this job – I was stopped on the sidewalk by the store manager and asked if I would like it, not odd at all in my world of synchronicity…

Meant to be

The department store changes stock rapidly, so weekly trips are fun just to see what’s new – and through these visits as a customer, I somehow gave the store staff  the impression I would make an excellent employee (never crossed my mind).   Two weeks ago as I made my way for my weekly visit, I spotted the store manager and the assistant manager standing at the corner out in front of the store having coffee.  I said “Hi” as I walked by, and was called back by the store manager and offered the job.  It seemed natural, meant to be even.

Nearly two months ago, I began to have minor money troubles between running a non-profit Yoga society, living expenses, etc…  I was sitting under the tree in our backyard at the picnic table with two of my roommates discussing the situation, when one of them suggested I get a part time job.  I agreed, and in that moment knew that when the time was right, the job would find me.  I went so far as to ‘warn’ my two companions that by simply thinking on it, I would set into motion events that would lead to my employment.

The “part-time” job has been forty hours so far last week, and forty more coming this week.  Apparently “part-time” only applies after Christmas…  The good news is that by then, the extra money will allow me to bring much more Christmas cheer to those who need it most.  So far, the job has been great.  The people I work with are funny, hard-working folks; the atmosphere is relaxed and cheerful, and I have had the opportunity to talk with so many people.  Again, I expected nothing less when I decided part-time work was necessary and felt that thought or intention expand outward from my core.

Harmony

What is synchronicity?  It is a word.  I say this because it is so important to see beyond the words and listen to your intuition, or Spirit, which you may think of as your Universal Communicator.  The word synchronicity tries to describe a natural state that we all have available to us at all times.  This natural state is one of harmony between our perceived wants and needs and our true desires and needs as known by the Universe, or God.  How do we achieve this harmony?

Let Go

Let go.  Let go of worry.  Let go of fear, frustration, anxiety…let it all go.  When we worry, we actually assist in compounding our own difficulties.  The waves of negativity and worries about things usually yet to occur in some possible future only serve to increase the chances that they will materialize.  Instead, rest in the knowledge that everything that is occurring in your life right now is there for a reason.  Don’t pray for your troubles to disappear, or meditate and contemplate what to do.  Instead, find a sense of calm and peace within you through the understanding that if you keep your eyes open, no problem is ever given without a solution as well.

Play!

Play…  Play with the falling leaves, climb a tree, splash in a puddle – anything – as long as you consider it carefree, child-like play.  Our Universe is one of playfulness and spontaneity, and we are a part of that playfulness.  Find joy and joyful expression in the simplest of life’s gifts, and the Universe will laugh and play with you.  Smile, and smile some more.  Laugh at things funny – most importantly – laugh at yourself.  Remember, nothing scares away our own internal demons better than laughter.

Be Aware

Practice awareness, especially awareness of your Intuition or Spirit.  Our reality is only defined by our viewpoint – and much of that viewpoint comes from our level of awareness.  When I first learned of awareness, I thought it meant only with the five senses – but true awareness emanates from our sixth sense:  Intuition, or Spirit.

In order to become more aware of our pathway and the Universe’s desire to see us have a fun-filled and joyful journey, we have to become less aware – sort of.  The next time you have what seems to be a chance encounter, or a sudden change of environment, job, or friendship…let it all go, don’t worry, have fun, and ask only one question:  “How am I to serve?”  Don’t worry about the physical aspects at all, listen with your Soul.  See past the obvious and allow yourself to really feel what the other person or situation you are in is saying to you.  Don’t think of the right answer – pay attention to the situation and then speak or act from your heart.  In serving others and the Universe, we serve ourselves.

I wish I had…

When objects, money or situations are needed in order to remedy a current bind we are in, we tend to start wishing for them, even getting a little demanding in the process.  It is easy to forget that the physical trials and problems we see blocking our paths are only there to teach a deeper truth, or perhaps we are to be the teacher to someone else.  If you absolutely know for certain that which you need, focus your mind, state your need clearly, and then let it go without regard for the result – go back to playing and having fun.  If you are unsure of what you need to take care of a perceived problem, ask for guidance in whatever form it may take, let go of the result – and still go back to playing and having fun.

A synchronous life

Leading a synchronous life means putting our money where our mouths are when it comes to our faith in God, the Universe, or whatever you choose to call The All.  These ten steps may help you start down the path to peace, acceptance, and harmony in your day to day affairs:

Sean’s ten steps to freedom

1.  Realize that money is just like the waters of the ocean – it flows in and it flows out.  This occurs naturally with or without your effort or concern.

2.  No perceived problem can exist in our world without the solution sitting there right alongside it.  Focusing on the problem helps the solution hide even more so.

3.  Our needs are meant to be fulfilled instantaneously as they are required; only we can prevent that from happening.

4.  Harmony begins with Trust.  Trust that the Universe – or God, if you will – has only the best in store for you.

5.  Stop thinking so ‘one-dimensional!’  Most of our perceived problems are materialized by our own Ego, and can be dematerialized through calming the mind.

6.  Have fun – no matter what you are doing.  The best way to have fun is to give whatever task you are engaged in all of your attention.

7.  Take nothing personally.  It is easy to think we are the target of abuse, pain, or suffering at the hands of another, but realize that it would have happened to whomever was there at the time – you or otherwise.

8.  Keep your own word with yourself.  How can you expect the Universe to deliver on your expectations when you are not willing to act in kind?

9.  Practice peace and calmness from within at all times.

10.  Let go of all worry and fear.  None of it is truly real to start with.

Until next week, may your journey be one of harmony and synchronicity with Life and all Creation.

Namaste

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A story…

Long ago, before the birth of “intelligent man,” we lived in harmony with all of Creation. Our body’s followed the natural rhythms of the Earth, the Sun, and the Universe. Our minds were quiet; for there was only the barest glimmer of Ego living deep within. We used only what was needed; we had no concept of greed, ownership, mine…ours was a harmonious existence with the world around us. There was no need to practice Yoga in those days; we were the Yoga.

We stood tall with perfect posture as we met the morning sun. Our legs were strong, with firm foundation. Closing our eyes , we rooted ourselves immoveable as a mountain. No wind would sway us; the strength of the Earth flowed through us and kept us firm.

Inhaling, we step our feet apart and spread our arms to the side, our bodies expanding in all five directions. Growing taller, a deep breath opens our chest and energizes our whole being. We smile; rooted in the Earth, the crown of our head floating skyward.

We turn and bend to touch the ground with our hand, paying respect to the moon’s departing path. Stress quits us, and we are balanced and serene. We gaze skyward past the plane of our outstretched hand and feel our body stretching and relaxing in the early morning sun.

In preparation for our loving attention to our gardens and crops, we stretch the front of our bodies and the back. Gazing downward, we smile at Life growing green at our feet. Our bellies are energized, and we look forward to Nature’s bounty and harvest.

We turn again and bend to touch the ground with our other hand, paying respect again to the moon’s departing path. Balanced and at peace, we gaze into the azure sky and feel our connection with all things. There is no “I” here, only harmony, wholeness…togetherness.

At a ‘dog’s eye view’ of our world, we drink in the sweet smell of the Earth herself. Our minds grow calmer still; our arms and legs gain strength and length for our play ahead. For in our world, no word exists that equates to work – all is playful. Any left-over fatigue disappears, the back relaxes…woof!

We flow over our toes, and allow our head to roll upward as we stretch our stomachs. From here, the view is much different. Our backs arch in splendid relaxation as we survey the majesty of the trees. We know they are the lungs of the Earth Herself…

We flow backwards, and feel our hearts soften, and then begin to expand in loving warmth. Vibrations of pure love enter our hands and our feet; we bow to Creation and all we see around us that has been given into our care. We our stewards, not dominators…

We sit…Aum Mani Padme Hum…The Jewel at the Heart of the Lotus. We are freed from all disease and feel a surge of energy in the base of our spine awaken – speeding upwards, illuminating our entire form and radiating out through the crown of our head. We are one!

Yoga is not something we do, nor is it something that truly exists. What exists is found in the realization that we are the Yoga, Life is Yoga – Yoga is Life. Our practice is a simple exercise in letting go enough to remember who we are and why we are here. If you enjoy these Asana figures as much as I do, Charlotte (our beautiful website’s owner) has the complete package of these magnificent and peaceful drawings right here.

Namaste, my friends.

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Photo by: Sean Rogders

I’m willing to admit it; I’ve been procrastinating on this wonderful website’s kind and thoughtful owner when it comes to her request for me to post a profile or “about me” page.  In fact, it has been nearly two months if I remember correctly.  The reason why it is happening now as opposed to then lies in the weather we’ve been having in our little town here in the British Columbia foothills – it is a balmy twenty six degrees Celsius again today as it has been for the last three days and will be until the weekend at least.

For the beginning of October, the lake is surprisingly warm (cool and refreshing as opposed to mid-summer soup), and I find myself drawn to the beach to take in this final blessing of warmth and sunshine.  In my laziness, I have decided to write my profile and this Wednesday’s article into one story.  With the weather the way it has been, soaking up the sun and spending my days on the beach is all I can think of; I confess I am also fresh out of ideas…too much sun!

Xing Li

Who am I?  I am Sean Rogders…according to my birth certificate, driver’s license, and all the other ‘forms of identification’ we typically carry around or have safely snuggled away somewhere.  Then again, I have also been given the name Xing Li; which means “awake” in Mandarin…Am I either of these two names?  It is interesting to me that we use such terms as “form of identification” without taking the time to realize what it really means.

“God” is a form or way of identifying that infinite something we cannot possibly understand on an intellectual level.  So are “Allah,” “Jehovah,” “Linda,” “George,” “Sean…”  Do you get the point?  You can say I am Sean, but Sean doesn’t stay the same from moment to moment, mood to mood.  The very cellular structure of Sean will be different a day from now, as will Sean’s ideas, emotional state, and physical appearance.  We remain hung up on names and descriptions instead of the deeper understanding that names and descriptions are meaningless and limiting, if not downright dangerous.

Sorry, I died…

Who am I?  I am a poet, a writer, a monk, a yogi, a friend…I’ve been a soldier, an enemy, a Buddhist, a Daoist, a Christian, and an Atheist.  Are any of these descriptions or “forms of identification” really me?  Nope, can’t be.  They all change too – from time to time, day to day, and moment to moment.  To satisfy the basic needs of most to classify, identify, label and box all things into neat little packages, I offer the following before we return to who I really am.  Please keep in mind that everything I mention here is by someone else who died immediately after…not me.

To label is to…

My education includes more degrees than a typical thermometer, but I struggle constantly to forget everything I was ever taught.

You can tell me your name if you want, but I am going to forget it within less than five seconds (again, on purpose) so please do not be offended.  What was your name again?  It doesn’t matter.

I’ve studied every major (and most minor) religion and spiritual philosophies, plumbed the depths of the Kabbalah, Crowley, Alchemy and Occultism, always looking for common threads.  When I found them, I spun myself a shirt of knowledge and gave it to the first person who was dumb enough to take it.

When I shower, I am thinking about time travel, null space, Quantum Physics applied to Spirituality, reincarnation and multiple dimensions…I was once asked why I always shower with freezing cold water – obviously to keep my brain from cooking itself!

In my good fortune, I have studied with great masters in too many temples, ashrams, synagogues, monasteries, and caves to keep track.  Thankfully, I have managed to throw most of that out too.

I practice or have practiced many forms of peaceful martial art, but currently seem devoted to two styles of Yoga.

All of nature’s creatures appear to know me.  I have never been bitten, scratched, or harmed by any animal.  I attract birds, butterfly’s, cats, dogs, deer, and smaller furry creatures such as raccoons.  There are days when a wild animal will look at me with such knowing that every fibre of my being feels it, and I rejoice in the knowledge that I am on a good path.

People naturally look to me as a leader and counsellor, yet I try to avoid both at all costs.

I have been reasonably wealthy, but live now as what I call “a reasonable ascetic.”

Fifty-one countries on this wonderful little world bear my footprints, as I bear theirs.

I am at home in nature, and walk, hike, or bike daily to remind myself of this.

Oops!  Died again…

Of course, this is a very short list, but it doesn’t really matter because that guy is long dead.  Even the Sean that started this article went and died off a short time ago and left me to finish it, except I’m going to be gone right away too and someone else will have to carry on.  The point is this:  Nothing I could tell you of who I am will really tell you who I am.  I am you, and you are me.  I am the universe itself, and also the tiniest mote of dust floating on a soft breeze…

I AM

I AM.  Nothing more, nothing less…I will never die, never grow old, and never feel pain.  My nature is to play, to dance to the music ears do not hear, revel in the majesty of Creation that the eyes cannot see, and feel the constant presence that is both me and all around me at the same time.  I AM.

Peace to you, my family.  I hold all of you in my hands as I am held in yours.  See past names, descriptions, and labels – come to see the Divine Essence in all things; then you will truly understand not only who I am, but who you are too – who we all are…

This is who I am.

Namaste.

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