Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Importance of Teachers
Lineage Holders What does it mean to hold the teachings of past masters? Links in a chain that stretches back in time,we walk the fine line between honoring what came before and birthing a new vision as vast as the dance of the deities. What keeps a lineage vibrant,enlivens practices with the energy of truth and transformation? What weaves individual souls into the whole cloth of tradition, and a great work moving forward through the ages?It is remembrance and the willingness to let go of form. It is bold dreams and fearless action. It is taking the teachings into the fray of everyday life,saying yes to what the moment holds. It is intractable chaos and creative commitment. It is blazing a trail,bushwhacking in the dark without a flashlight. It is riding a wave of truth with the power to change the landscape and the lives of all it touches. Whether we chose the path or it chose us,we can shake the dust from our feet and walk forward - each step a part of the lineage unfolding. -Danna Faulds
Monday, June 21, 2010
Listening to my heart
It has been three weeks since I came back from an amazing Yoga training in Florida and each weekend has been full of unexpected surprises. On the flight back I saw an ad for a Cd release party of the chanting husband and wife team, Govindas and Rada, happening at their studio in Santa Monica. I had heard of them a couple of years ago in passing from someone at the Yoga school, but forgot until I saw the ad. So I called a friend who lives in Venice and sure enough she wanted to go. They were beautiful and their studio was so inspiring. I never know so much love could exist in L.A. It was a magical night of song, dancing and beautiful singing and a good friend.
The following week my friend Ann Marie, also from the Yoga school surprised me with a visit to California to take me to another chanter, Bhagavan Das. We had an amazing experience which I blogged about in Mystical Menagerie.
Then this week I randomly went to a mediation my friend Jennifer was teaching and she said she was going to see the living saint Amma in L.A. on Friday and would I want to go. Sure enough, Ann Marie and I had seen her poster the week before in San Diego and I had pondered if that would be the third weekend of chanting for me since all things happen in threes.
Jennifer and I met up almost two hours later than we were supposed to because of a turn of events. My friends were already there at the hotel where Amma was and let me know that it was full and everyone just showing up were going into an overflow room and would not get to see her live until much later. Somehow Jennifer had no traffic on the 405 and flew there in what seemed like a time warp. Five p.m. and no traffic on the highway, weird. We arrived at the hotel and my friend told me what room they were in but that we probably could not get in. We tried anyway and sure enough, they let us in with our friends. We got into the main room with Amma and even were sat a section in front of our friends. It was an amazing and fully realized evening. Two days later and I am still buzzing thinking about it. I got three hugs from Amma, which is amazing in its self too. She hugs you and it feels like you are being wrapped up in the arms of the universe. She radiates love from her pores and seems to glow blue. To cap it all off, as I was leaving, in walked Govindas and Rada. I approached them to say hi and compliment them on their Cd, especially track nine that does something magic to me every time I hear it. I talked to Rada for awhile while Govindas was talking to other people. I had only met him for the first time, the three weeks before at his studio, and only for about five minutes. He shook my hand and said hi Troy. I could not believe he would remember my name. All I can do is surrender to Prana and follow its divine light.
I am practicing the teaching that I have tried to absorb of leaving it all up to the universe and it will guide me to where I need to be. It is important to be open to these possibilities as the mind will want to interpret or desire will want to cling to ideas. Being open to me means standing in witness to these events without attachment to or choosing for and against. My teacher's teacher is said to have worshiped Prana. He didn't practice it. He worshiped it. For me the promptings of Prana lead me on these fantastic journeys. As soon as I begin to make choices or take actions against the promptings I feel a shift away from the path. The difference for me is between following a well worn path a light is guiding me down that is smooth and has many wonders, or me going into the bushes by choice and hacking my way out a new path I insist on creating. I choose the less struggle of following the light. The challenge for me is the path is so subtle and the light is flickering. I guess that is why I have this heart, if I listen closely inside my heart is attuned to the flickering light and will tell me if I m on the path or pushing my way through the thicket.
The following week my friend Ann Marie, also from the Yoga school surprised me with a visit to California to take me to another chanter, Bhagavan Das. We had an amazing experience which I blogged about in Mystical Menagerie.
Then this week I randomly went to a mediation my friend Jennifer was teaching and she said she was going to see the living saint Amma in L.A. on Friday and would I want to go. Sure enough, Ann Marie and I had seen her poster the week before in San Diego and I had pondered if that would be the third weekend of chanting for me since all things happen in threes.
Jennifer and I met up almost two hours later than we were supposed to because of a turn of events. My friends were already there at the hotel where Amma was and let me know that it was full and everyone just showing up were going into an overflow room and would not get to see her live until much later. Somehow Jennifer had no traffic on the 405 and flew there in what seemed like a time warp. Five p.m. and no traffic on the highway, weird. We arrived at the hotel and my friend told me what room they were in but that we probably could not get in. We tried anyway and sure enough, they let us in with our friends. We got into the main room with Amma and even were sat a section in front of our friends. It was an amazing and fully realized evening. Two days later and I am still buzzing thinking about it. I got three hugs from Amma, which is amazing in its self too. She hugs you and it feels like you are being wrapped up in the arms of the universe. She radiates love from her pores and seems to glow blue. To cap it all off, as I was leaving, in walked Govindas and Rada. I approached them to say hi and compliment them on their Cd, especially track nine that does something magic to me every time I hear it. I talked to Rada for awhile while Govindas was talking to other people. I had only met him for the first time, the three weeks before at his studio, and only for about five minutes. He shook my hand and said hi Troy. I could not believe he would remember my name. All I can do is surrender to Prana and follow its divine light.
I am practicing the teaching that I have tried to absorb of leaving it all up to the universe and it will guide me to where I need to be. It is important to be open to these possibilities as the mind will want to interpret or desire will want to cling to ideas. Being open to me means standing in witness to these events without attachment to or choosing for and against. My teacher's teacher is said to have worshiped Prana. He didn't practice it. He worshiped it. For me the promptings of Prana lead me on these fantastic journeys. As soon as I begin to make choices or take actions against the promptings I feel a shift away from the path. The difference for me is between following a well worn path a light is guiding me down that is smooth and has many wonders, or me going into the bushes by choice and hacking my way out a new path I insist on creating. I choose the less struggle of following the light. The challenge for me is the path is so subtle and the light is flickering. I guess that is why I have this heart, if I listen closely inside my heart is attuned to the flickering light and will tell me if I m on the path or pushing my way through the thicket.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Mystical Managerie
As I recommit myself to this blog to replace my daily diary I am in awe of the life I am being lead into. Such peace and bliss filled with love and life. I am engulfed in love and learning beyond my comprehension. The arms of knowledge and understanding enfold me like a great hug from Amma. People, places and happenings arise in my field as I listen to the inner promptings of prana, that leave me in awe of the greatness of the universe. I am seeing God as alive and in the fiber of everything that moves and exists. Glimpses of his greatness shimmering through the fabric of reality, reminding me of where I am headed.
Listening to Prana guide us, my life and soul partner Ann Marie and I walked what seemed to be a random path down a street we knew nothing about having been guided to what seemed like the wrong spot by Sprint Navigation. We 'decided' to stop for coffee and sit by a fountain watching a family with small children play in a fountain that a homeless man was picking coins out of. Ann Marie and I spoke of great things, lives passed, lessons learned. Prana guided me to ask us to walk down the street towards the great beacon of the SRF gate. Arriving at the locked gate on the wrong side of the gardens at the same time as two nuns. They glanced at us staring at the gate and proceeded to unlock the lock to let themselves in. From somewhere inside a voice rose up and I heard either myself or Ann Marie asking where the entrance to the gardens were. With a great smile one of the nuns turned and offered to meet us on the other side of the street and show us the garden. What unfolded was awe inspiring. She met us and let us in after hours and graciously let us on a private tour of the gardens and up to the house, introducing us to other nuns and telling us of the life of Paramahansa Yogananda. At one point, making a silly joke as I often do, she giggled what can only be called the sound of an angel laughing, the sweetest sound of joy and called me a 'divine child'. Ahh, sweet love of God. His light is everywhere. Never could we have planned such a special moment, never could this have 'happened' by chance.
As I begin to re read the Autobiography of a Yoga and The Second Coming of Christ by Paramahansa I am reminded of when I first was guided to his book so many years ago in a sad time of my life, when I needed guidance, long before I was guided to the path of a Yogi. Many full circles have been completed in this year so far. I am inspired to listen to inner promptings and enjoy the ride for the rest of the year.
Jai Guru
TrainerTroy@gmail.com
http://www.trainertroy.com
(818) 415-9554
Sign up for my fitness newsletter on my site!
Listening to Prana guide us, my life and soul partner Ann Marie and I walked what seemed to be a random path down a street we knew nothing about having been guided to what seemed like the wrong spot by Sprint Navigation. We 'decided' to stop for coffee and sit by a fountain watching a family with small children play in a fountain that a homeless man was picking coins out of. Ann Marie and I spoke of great things, lives passed, lessons learned. Prana guided me to ask us to walk down the street towards the great beacon of the SRF gate. Arriving at the locked gate on the wrong side of the gardens at the same time as two nuns. They glanced at us staring at the gate and proceeded to unlock the lock to let themselves in. From somewhere inside a voice rose up and I heard either myself or Ann Marie asking where the entrance to the gardens were. With a great smile one of the nuns turned and offered to meet us on the other side of the street and show us the garden. What unfolded was awe inspiring. She met us and let us in after hours and graciously let us on a private tour of the gardens and up to the house, introducing us to other nuns and telling us of the life of Paramahansa Yogananda. At one point, making a silly joke as I often do, she giggled what can only be called the sound of an angel laughing, the sweetest sound of joy and called me a 'divine child'. Ahh, sweet love of God. His light is everywhere. Never could we have planned such a special moment, never could this have 'happened' by chance.
As I begin to re read the Autobiography of a Yoga and The Second Coming of Christ by Paramahansa I am reminded of when I first was guided to his book so many years ago in a sad time of my life, when I needed guidance, long before I was guided to the path of a Yogi. Many full circles have been completed in this year so far. I am inspired to listen to inner promptings and enjoy the ride for the rest of the year.
Jai Guru
TrainerTroy@gmail.com
http://www.trainertroy.com
(818) 415-9554
Sign up for my fitness newsletter on my site!
Monday, June 14, 2010
Friday, June 11, 2010
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Monday, June 7, 2010
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