On knowledge

Dear all,

It’s a very delighted Linda that his writing to you. On the 26 of this month (February) I am going back to India for one whole month. I am planning go to Varanasi and also spend two weeks at Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram in Chennai.

What! Said a friend a mine. Don’t you ever take a break from Yoga? What can I say? I am amazed how I never have enough of yoga. Yoga has no finality. The more I learn, the more there is to learn. My life is dedicated to yoga. Yoga is my passion.

I once came across a quote of Krishnamacarya, who was himself quoting the Katopanishad/Mudakopanishad, that I had a big impact on me :

“Steeped in ignorance and confusion “avidya” yet thinking themselves wise and learned the ignorant wander about, like a blind man leading another blind man.“(I am paraphrasing)

This quote really had a big imprint on my consciousness and made me realized my responsibility as a yoga teacher. For this reason, I keep studying, improving my knowledge and skills. As yoga teachers our outmost responsibility is to ensure the transmission of true knowledge “pramana” that has comes to us from the ancient seers. We must not allow ourselves to transvestite the truth and perpetrate the veil of illusion.

Patanjali in the first eight yoga sutras warned us. He cautions us against, among others, of “Viparyaya” in English translated by false or wrong knowledge. Viparyaya in yogic philosophy is the equivalent to ignorance “avidya” and is caused by illusion “bhranti”. It is often explain in the commentaries as knowledge born out of misapprehension such as: mistaking a rope for a snake and vice versa.

Just as the written and verbal testimonies of the ancient seers have come through them, our teachings have to come through our own personal experience. We have to be honest with our selves and not be in denial in our practice.Honesty is acquired by connecting with the witness within and by observing oneself with detachment and truthfulness. Mastering the ancient art of yoga is not done through conceptualization or abstract thinking. Yoga is freedom of the mind: yogash chitta vritti nirodhah. These skills are acquired with lots of practice of meditation, kriya, pranayama and asana.

In The Heart of Yoga, Desikashar says that at the end of his life Krishnamacarya was teaching is his sleep. He had so much knowledge to share and felt there was not enough time. He probably felt a sense of urgency.

So let’s soak up the knowledge from the ancient masters, let’s be diligent and put it in practice in our lives and once we master it, lets share it.

In peace and light,

Linda Madani

Healing one self

Broken heart I can help, heart broken go to the hospital.
~Tjokorda Gede Rai

Many years ago, when I got diagnosed with a cyst on my ovary, the doctor recommended that have surgery. I was fortunate to have consulted an open-minded doctor because when I told him I wanted to try to heal myself he said he was willing to give me a few months. There was no sense of urgency so I decided to take my time and try to understand the source of my condition. With the good doctor’s blessings I was able to start my healing journey. The truth is if he had said I needed surgery right away; I probably would have had surgery.

In the new age more and more people recognize and understand the relationship between emotion and illness. We know that failure to deal with spiritual, emotional, mental, challenges frequently results in the manifestation of illness in the body. Instead of denying, burying and avoiding uncomfortable feeling more and more people attempt and often succeed to heal them self by connecting to emotional pain that have been suppressed and by opening up to a higher spiritual power.

Sadly, some people choose to heal them self and not use conventional medicine because they want to remain in denial over the seriousness of their illness. Others take pride in healing themselves without weighing the consequences of their decision.

When people come to me for healing and they have a serious condition, I always tell them, “ why not put all the chances on your side. We are lucky to live in these days and age when we have access to both conventional medicine and alternative medicine.” If they are resolute in their decision to not use western medicine, I recommend they consult a proper Ayurvedic or Chinese doctor, or a naturopath, someone that is properly trained, someone that has medical training.

Conventional medicine focuses on treating the symptoms while spiritual healers address the source of the illness. In my healing practice, I assist people to heal their emotional and spiritual body before the illness has sunk deeply into the physical body. Illness is usually born in the emotional and spiritual body so when the disease is still sitting in the emotional or spiritual body I can help.

In my personal opinion, if the illness is too aggressive and developing too quickly, it is better to first work on the symptoms of an illness before working on the source. When illness is completely anchored in the physical body, I recommend my clients to seek the help of a health professional while I still can assist them during or after treatment.

Of course, I believe in the freedom of choosing what is right for oneself. Nothing is black and white and each story is different. That is why in yoga we practice witnessing with detachment so when life challenges us we can make enlighten decisions based on the guidance of our higher self.

Namaste

Linda Madani

Psychic deaths

When I review the last 25 years of my life, I mostly remember blissful years. I must admit that until now I have had an amazing life. I have done everything I always wanted to do. Nevertheless, they were episodes, now and then, that were challenging, when my soul was deeply stirred, when I was broken into pieces, physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Now, looking back at my journey, I understand that transformational forces were at work and that each time I was going through a new level of intense initiation orchestrated by a power bigger than myself. The universe and my own soul were challenging me to grow.

My greatest weakness was my stubbornness. I was trapped between what I thought I knew and what I believed was my truth. My great will and determination, which had been my greatest allied until then, were preventing spirit to flow through me. I had to learn to let go and allow God to flow through me.

To heal my mind, body and spirit I needed to empty myself. My psyche needed to break free from the roles I had played, my self-image, attachments, old habits, bad relationships, self-imposed limitations, family’s expectations and deep-rooted cultural patterns. Essentially, I needed to rip away the fabric of what I had previously known as my own reality.

Every time, I experienced the dark night of the soul, I was able to chip away a little more of the wall of illusion. It was always a slow and long process onset by a crisis, a difficult passage or a troubled emotional state. I would become more and more upset, confused and depressed until I could not contain my pain and intense emotions would arise. I would fall apart until I picked my self up again.

What followed was always a feeling of relief. Like a big cosmic sigh! All of sudden I felt at peace and understood what I had refused to see. Each time, a part of me would die. At the point of greatest darkness, I was able to see the light within myself.

Between each episode there would be an extended period of respite promoting the integration of what I needed to learn until a new seed of possibility would be planted and I would become pregnant of my self again, pregnant and empty at the same time.

This process may happen one or several times in one lifetime. Each time we go through a psychic death followed by a rebirth that leads us to a higher level of consciousness.

If you are going through a similar crisis, know that this too shall pass. Do not be afraid to go within by practicing meditation and yoga. Remember that surrendering is to display courage. Know that every thing waxes and wanes and that all conditions whether positive or negative are temporary. Above all, trust your own process and watch for signs of springs. Know that what is happening is the will of heaven!

In peace and light,

Linda Madani

Raising our vibrational frequency

Have you received last month a newsletter from Dr Masaru Emoto inviting you to send healing energy to the Fukushima plant, on the 31^st of March, at 12:00? Chances are you have as the message was forwarded via Internet throughout the world and touched millions of us.  It went as follows:

“Please send your prayers of love and gratitude to all waters at the nuclear plants in Fukushima”

For those of you who are not familiar with the work of Dr Masaru Emoto, in a nutshell, he is a Japanese scientist who has conducted research and published many books on how words, ideas and music affect the vibration of molecules of water.

I find this extraordinary that so many people from all around the world were sending healing energy to the waters of the Fukushima plant.  Humankind took on that day a spiritual approach and responded to this crisis by raising its level of vibration.  We were united together to change the vibration of the waters Fukushima plant.

It seems to me that this is a huge leap forward in consciousness.  More people than ever in history understand that we are indeed vibrational beings.  We are now finally learning new skills on how to live in this vibrational universe both as a receiver and as well as a transmitter of energy.

What is a vibrational being?

Everything in the universe is in motion; nothing ever rests.  Energy moves, vibrates and circles.  Animate and inanimate objects have their own frequency of vibration.  Human beings encompass body, mind and spirit.  Each of these parts vibrates at a different level of frequency.

The physical body comprises of the gross material energies vibrating in the material world.  Within this gross energy body are the emotional, mental and spiritual bodies that vibrate at a higher level. Our thoughts, emotions, mental states or physical conditions create vibrations, just as a musical tone causes an instrument to vibrate at a certain rate.

Our frequency of vibration depends on the amount of prana “life force energy” that is channeled through us emanating from the Source. The highest is our frequency of vibration, the more life force energy flows throughout our body and mind.

Prana is the foundation and essence of all life; the energy and vitality that pervades the entire universe. It flows in everything that exists. It is the connection between the material world, consciousness and mind.

Prana is distributed in the body through a network of the nadis “meridians” to every part of body. It is said there are 72,000 nadis in the human body.  Among them are three important nadis:

Ida, the “Moon”, connected with the left nostril

Pingala, the “Sun”, connected with the right nostril

Sushumna, the “Central Nadi”, within the spinal

Ida and pingala criss-cross each other at seven chakras along sushumna nadi creating energy vortexes. Each one is vibrating at a different frequency of vibration and is associated to an element. As we move up along sushumna nadi the elements become lighter and lighter, starting with the five physical elements of earth, water, fire, air, and ether, and then moving up through the spiritual elements of sound and light.

How can we raise our vibration?

They are many ways of raising our vibration some excellent some less efficient. I only can tell you about my own experience.

• Love your self: The first ingredient for raising your vibration is to love yourself.  Until you have done the inner work required, the attempt to raise your vibration will be in vain.
• Avoid spiritual pride and remain humble.
• Be discipline: Just as children are happy when they have parameters in their life, so do adults.  I find solace in my discipline. It’s a foundation that supports me when life challenges me.
• Be and think positive:  The universe operates as vibrational frequency. Positive thinking is lighter than negative thinking. Only say positive things about people.
• Connect with nature: Nurture your relationship with the spirit of plants and animals.  Connect with their frequency of vibration.
• Eat well: Eat food that is light, satvic and well balanced. Heavy food brings you down.
• Laugh as much as possible: Don’t take yourself seriously. In order to raise your vibration you have to be light and laughter makes you lighter.  When you are too serious, you get caught into the mental plane and that energy is  heavy. So have fun as much as possible.
• Help other people:  Helping other people makes you feel better and raise your vibration.
• Be compassionate to yourself. You can only have compassion for others if you have compassion for yourself.
• Practice meditation and yoga.

In my yogic practice, I have integrated the “art of pranala” transmitted to me by my dearest teacher Tjokorda Rai.  The purpose of yoga pranala is spiritual development to heal and transform our being.  Those of you who come to my classes understand that our aim is to raise our vibration through practices of asana, pranala, pranayama, chanting, japa and meditation.

The first principle in yoga pranala is centering.  We start by focusing on our heart center. We also use japa mantra repetition, such as ajapa japa to deepen our meditations and lead us to a deeper spiritual experience. Meditation stills the mind so we can witness and experience the energy body and its vibration

The second principle is rooting: Before we attempt to raise our vibration we really need to establish the right foundation.  Hence, in yoga pranala we ground our selves into the energy into the earth.  Otherwise we are like a balloon without a tread bouncing around. Our asana practice roots us while opening our body and releasing core tensions.

The third principle is to connect to the energy of the universe, to a power greatest then us.  We need to be open and receptive to the guidance from above.

The fourth principle is the fusion of both energies within us.  One of yoga pranala’s main focuses is on breathing both in stillness and in movement. Pranayama “breathing” balances and purifies ida and pingala nadis along with improving the energy flow in sushumna.

We also observe the energy movement in the body and learn how to move and nurture the flow of prana in the nadis. The flow of prana in sushumna is essential for raising vibration. When spiritual energy begins to flow in sushumna, our chakras are activated expending our consciousness to higher spiritual levels.

As we develop the ability to move prana and experience an expansion of consciousness, we improve mental clarity, develop discipline and personal power and gain harmony and health in both body and mind. Raising our frequency of vibration helps us to have direct and clear guidance from our higher self and realize our highest potential as well as unleash our self-healing powers to heal our self and others.

This is the journey that we undertake daily at Intuitive Flow, Sanctuary for Yoga and Healing.  You are very welcome to join us.

Intuitive Flow has a teacher training coming up in August. If you interested please check the following link: http://www.intuitiveflow.com/training/index.html

In peace and light,

Linda Madani

Understanding the power of forgiveness

During my last holiday, while I was traveling in India, I had the great pleasure of reading a fabulous novel called Shantaram, written by Gregory David Roberts.  The opening paragraph of that book had a powerful effect on me.

“It took me a long time and most of the world to learn what I know about love and fate and the choices we make, but the heart of it came to me in an instant, while I was chained to a wall and being tortured. I realized, somehow, through the screaming in my mind, that even in that shackled, bloody helplessness, I was still free: free to hate the men who were torturing me, or to forgive them. It doesn’t sound like much, I know. But in the flinch and bite of the chain, when it’s all you have got, that freedom is a universe of possibility. And the choice you make, between hating and forgiving, can become the story of your life.”

I thought it was such a compelling statement, because by forgiving he was able to find peace and be liberated even though he was still in prison.  And more importantly, it was a choice he had made and it came from within.

Grudges and resentments are powerful emotions that cause physical discomforts and ill health.  The more I understand about the interdependence between the physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and energy bodies, the more I appreciate the power of forgiveness as a crucial healing tool.

In 1931 Dr. Edward Bach wrote in his book Heal Thyself that “Dis-ease is in essence the result of conflict between Soul and Mind and will never be eradicated except by spiritual and mental effort.”

Physical illnesses are often brought on as a result of an emotional issue.  They often start in our mind with a thought, which affects our emotions and by extension our physical body. The mind thinks and then, an emotion is born that is felt in the body. Emotions are energy in motion.

According to my concept, there are three types of emotions, namely, releasing, depleting and toxic:

Releasing emotions are important for our mental state.  They give us pleasure in our life and help us to release energy.  For a healthy life we need a good daily dose of these emotions.  They are important for our mental state. Among others there are, joy, enthusiasm, laughter, empathy, love, peace, tolerance, contentment.

Depleting emotions are stronger emotions such as sadness, shame, hopelessness, fear, and worries.  This type of emotions creates a very thick and heavy prana and often gets stuck in and around the body. These emotions are part our human experience.  I cannot imagine a mother not worrying about her child. They come and go, according the different seasons of our life.  However, when we become obsessive the energy created by this type of emotion can sink deeper in the physical body and cause illness.

A good way to release depleting emotions is using positive affirmations and prayers.   Having a spiritual practice and connecting with the spirit within, taking the position of the observer, developing a better understanding of the bigger picture help us to be detached from depleting emotions and when all fails, surrender.

Toxic emotions are what the Hindus call the six enemies (shadripu): namely anger, hate, jealousy, pride and greed, guilt.  These emotions are very toxic for the body and poison our inner organs.  They thigh us to our past and usually linger on forever and it is very hard to get rid them.  They come back to the surface when we least expect it.  It is what Eckhart Tolle calls the pain body. Each moment you cling to toxic emotions due to past trauma, you create a new sequence of thoughts and emotions. It’s a vicious circle.

In order to heal this kind of emotion you need to make peace with the past.  Until you give up your attachment to a past incident you cannot be liberated.  For this kind of emotions, forgiveness is the best medicine.  Forgiveness is the only way to attain freedom and peace and go on with your life.  When you are willing to forgive, you give up resentment, revenge and obsession and you become free from the bitterness and pain.

Forgiving yourself is much harder than forgiving someone else. And yet, forgiving yourself is imperative for your health and to find peace.

What is often misunderstood about forgiveness is that you can forgive the other without excusing their action.  Forgiveness does not release the other from their responsibility nor does it minimize or justify the wrong that was done to you.

I once read an article about a couple that had forgiven the murderer of their only daughter. I was young at that time and did not understand. How could they do it? I remember what the father had said. He had done it for himself so he could continue to live.

Forgiveness is a decision to let go and diminish the grip that these powerful emotions have on you.  It is not something you do for the other. It is a gift that you give to yourself.  Forgiveness is a way of opening yourself up to the potential of true healing when done sincerely.

What has worked for me is surrendering to a power greater than me.  This is the affirmation I use when I go through a trying time.

I release you to the Universe (name of the person)*

I am free, you are free and I bless you with all my love.

I repeat this affirmation just this like mantra over and over. Every time the situation comes to mind, in my yoga practice, meditation, etc, until I feel closure.  It’s quite powerful and you will be surprise of the result.  It often feels like a miracle.

I hope this helps, in peace and light,

Linda Madani

* You can also release a situation

Spiritual Muscles

Dear all,

Embracing a yogic lifestyle and a meditation practice doesn’t mean that your will be happy ever after… Sadly there are some modern yogis and seekers who cling to their practice to provide them with a false sense of security, a guarantee that they will look good, feel young, and have a slender and a healthy body forever.

The healing power of Yoga is recognized widely nowadays. There is little doubt that our life changes considerably when we embrace a yogic lifestyle and spiritual practice. As Yoga works in a holistic way, it addresses the whole body and improves the entire system.

Just as we go to school and refine our intellectual skills, while we practice of yoga and meditation, we sensitize ourselves to the subtler aspects of the mind, psyche and energy. Acquiring a yoga and a spiritual practice allows us to live consciously. It teaches us how to harness our mental, emotional and physical energies and consequently affects not only the physical body but the mental, emotional and spiritual bodies. Yoga is a form a spiritual development that teaches us how to connect with the spirit within and that consciousness exists in every cell of our body.

The purpose of spiritual development is not to shield us from life’s disruption. Doing asanas, practicing meditation, being a vegetarian, chanting japas, etc, will not spare us from suffering. Life is as such, sometimes it flows like a quiet river and at other times we sustain loss, damages, a relationship comes to an end, our plans go wrong, our source of supply is cut off or we get sick. This is the ebb and flow of life.

There is a Zen saying that I like that goes: “Before enlightenment, chop wood and carry water, after enlightenment: chop wood and carry water.” Yes, life just goes on.

In my work, I sometimes meet yogis and spiritual seekers that are or have been challenged by illness. Sometimes, in their suffering, they isolate themselves because they feel ashamed. There is no shame of being sick. Being sick is not a sign of weakness and lack of spirituality. There is absolutely no connection between our physical and mental health and our spirituality.

While going through trying times do not get embarrassed. Embrace your spiritual challenges not as punishment but as a necessary passage for your growth and a rerouting opportunity. Changes will occur in the divine timing. Trust your own process.

As a young yogini, I use to practice yoga and meditation only when I was going through a difficult patch. When I was feeling happy I would forget all about. I know now that I need to train my physical muscles as well as my spiritual muscles to be at peace even in eye of the storm. I am very grateful to my spiritual muscles especially when life challenges me. It is when I go through hardships that I truly appreciate having a practice.

My yogic and spiritual practices have taught me how to cultivate a state of detachment from my mind and my senses. I have learned to not identify myself with my mind and I now recognize that my mind is just an instrument that processes information received through the prism of my senses. As the witness of my thoughts and emotions, I understand that my emotions always begin in my mind. Being conscious of my mind allows me to observe my responses to people and situations. I understand that the sensation in my body and the emotions within me are created by my mind.

I use my yoga and meditation practice to prevent the waves of emotions arising in my mind to overwhelm me. When life challenges me, I put my trust in spirit as my source, my supply, support and success. I know that I am not my body, my emotions, my senses nor am I my mind. I am consciousness. Soham. I am that.

Be discipline and practice yoga and meditation to train your physical as well as spiritual muscles. Cultivate the witness within that will guide you. But above all be compassionate for yourself and don’t put too much high expectation on your self, the rest will follow.

Be blessed,

Linda

I am not Intuitive Flow

“I am not my body, my sexuality, my money, my profession, my material possessions, my social status, my emotions, my relationships, my thoughts, my intellect, my mind, etc.” I am consciousness. I am a unity of spirit; I am a unity of light.”

I have you noticed that when you put something out in the universe, it gets back to you.  It always happens to me.

If you come to my yoga classes you know that the focus of my studies is inner exploration.  One of my sources of inspiration is Eckhart Tolle’s A New Earth, in which he advises us to use “inner body awareness” to feel our connection to the non-physical world.

I have learned through my studies that if my consciousness is strictly focused on the outer world the energy that I will manifest will be conditioned by human experiences but if my consciousness is principally spiritual, it is the spirit of God that will manifest in my life. I know that the agenda of the universe/God is not always mine and that I have no choice but submit to the divine plane.

In my personal practice I use yogic and tantric techniques to explore my inner world and my attachment to the material world, which as I understand is tight to my senses.  I strongly believe that we only can move beyond our 5-sense mind after we have relinquished our attachment to our material body and emotions.

My goal is to have the awareness that my true identity is my connection with the source of creation and to experience oneness. The yogic texts teach us to be aware of our real nature; our higher self.   Our identity is not our body, not our emotions, not our mind nor it is our name.  We are pure consciousness.  Everything else is transitory and illusory.

The last couple months before my holiday a young man came to my yoga studio over and over again, attending many classes, etc.  He loved being at the sanctuary and often hung out there, spending time alone in the studio.

One day to my surprise he asked if he could use the name Intuitive flow for his own business.  I was taken aback but I told him that I didn’t own the name.  I felt it was disrespectful but you cannot force someone to respect you.  You can only inspire respect.  I could only hope that he would change his mind.

By the time I got back he had already a website, business cards, logos and a full-blown marketing plan in motion for his own Intuitive-Flow Center.  I was disappointed but was prepared to accept. I reminded my self that I wasn’t Intuitive Flow.  Just before he went back to his own country, I was told, he had placarded on his driver’s car with a big poster of his Intuitive-Flow logo as if the universe wanted to really check if I really didn’t care but by that time I had totally accepted the situation. I know that Intuitive Flow, Sanctuary for yoga and healing is not who I am.

Luckily, the spirit of God touched the heart of the young man and in the end, out of the blue, he wrote to me and told me he decided to use another name.  He said he had decided to change his mind out of respect for me.

The moral of this story is not that because I surrendered, he changed his mind.  He could possibly have never changed his mind.  The moral of this story is that if he had not, it would have been all right because I am not Intuitive Flow.  I am more than that.  I wasn’t happy about this situation to be honest with you but I knew that it was just a name and it didn’t matter.  I am glad that he changed his mind because it showed me that the teachings of yoga had worked. I bet there was a whisper in his heart that was getting bigger and bigger.  In the end, he listens to his heart and I know that for him that is big.  He was touched by the grace of yoga. In the end we both learn something from this experience.

In peace and light,

Linda Madani

Announcement

We have opened new classes at Intuitive Flow.  Made Sumantra has left us as he is too busy.  Sajaj will be taking over his class Monday evening class and will teach a new class on Friday evening

New classes Hatha Yoga with Sahaj Yogi.  Monday and Friday from 17:30 – 19:00.

We are very pleased to have him teach at the Sanctuary.

About Sahaj

Sahaj applies many yoga techniques from many teachers and masters from different styles and traditions. His motivation is to help the student optimize their vitality and to reconnect with their source of relaxation and spiritual inspiration by establishing a daily practice. He started his spiritual journey 26 years ago after a spontaneous awakening experience. He taught for many years in Byron Bay, Australia and is now teaching in Asia and Europe.

Sahaj’s main Hatha yoga teacher was Sri K Pattabhi Jois of Mysore, India. He traveled to India over a period of 8 years to study ashtanga yoga with him from the mid nineties. Other important teachers he has directly learned from include: T.K.V. Desikachar, Chennai, India son of the great yoga master Krishnamacharya . Lama Zopa Renpoche, Vajrayana Buddhist master Nepal and India. S.N Goenka, Vipassana Meditation master.  Zen Master Hogen, Japanese Zen meditation. Dr. Vagesh Shashtri, Varanasi India, sanskrit/tantra and kundalini yoga master.  Santiago Dobles, qi gong, kundalini and Tibetan Bon Po shamanic techniques, and many others who have given their precious knowledge including recently the Balinese Priestess Maha Rsi Alit who is guiding him in the Tantric Yoga of Avadhuta Mukti

News from Goa

Hello Everyone,

I am currently in India and will be back on Bali on the 27 of January. Eka and Sky are covering for me. Just before leaving for India, I have tried to integrate a blog on my website and in the process I have encountered some technical challenges:  Hence the delay in posting this newsletter.

Still…  may I wish you a belated Happy New Year!

Many news things will happen in 2011.

I will be leading my first teacher training my friend Savitri. Yoga Pranala Intensive from August 18 – September 9, 2011 Check the following link if you want to know more: http://www.intuitiveflow.com/training/index.html.

Also during the year 2011, I will lead two retreats one from April 24 – 30, 2011 and one from December 18 – 24 2011 if you want to know more please click the following link: http://www.intuitiveflow.com/retreat/index.htm.

Notice that there is a new tab on the top menu called boutique.  I am happy to announce that you may purchase one-line my Yoga Pranala I and Yoga Nidra cds.  I also have two new cds of Tantric Meditations Vol 1 and 2.  For more information please click the following link. http://www.intuitiveflow.com/boutique/index.html.

Enough of announcements.  Here is the topic of this newsletter:

“You have the architect, which is God/Universe; the contractor, which is your mind; the material, which is body.”

Tjokorda Gede Rai, Balinese Shaman

When I was a kid, my grandmother, who lived up to the age of 107, used to tell me: “You will not live as old as me if you keep worrying like this”.  I was too young to understand her, but it imprinted deeply in my psyche.

My grandmother didn’t waist her time worrying about things.  If things were out of control in her life she would go to church and pray.  She had 9 children and she wasn’t willing to allow life to overwhelm her.  She would always say: “things would work out somehow”.  When she turned 100, the doctors said that her internal organs where those of a young woman and that she could probably live for many more years. She did live seven more years and died peacefully in her sleep.   That was her destiny but she is certainly an inspiration.

Like my grandmother, I put my trust in the divine but it is a quality I have developed later in life. Until my mid30s, I was always sad and worried.  I thought the trick was to learn to live with my pain.  The future seemed bleak.

We all have different ways of dealing with pain and mine was to work hard. I was a fighter and I worked hard to prove to the world that I was lovable. I thought: if I had a successful carrier, if I had good grades, if had a university diploma, if I learn a new language, if I got a perfect job, if I had my own business, if I could accomplish something very big– people would notice that I am lovable and my life would get better.

I did accomplish all these things but peace wasn’t still there. So I continued fighting, I read books on self-help and did many programs diligently. I tackled all my problems like a battle, a battle to reach peace and harmony. I thought if I kept working hard, happiness and peace would be around the corner.  Still it didn’t work and one day, I crashed down.  I was so tired to fight. I just couldn’t do it anymore. And I started praying to God, “Please help me! I cannot do this any more.” I surrendered to God, embraced yoga and things started to get better.  I met along the way the right people and resources to improve my life.

What I have learned is that our yoga mat is a microcosm of our world.  What we learn on our mat, we start to apply it to our life.  In yogasana, we take a yoga position mindfully with the right foundation and then we let energy flow through us.

I have learned that in life like in yoga we need to create the right foundation, connect with spirit and then surrender, to relinquish control and to go with the Intuitive Flow.

If you received this newsletter via an email, please be advised that it is the last time you will be receiving an email from me unless you fill the box below on the right hand side of this page to join my new mailing list.  I do not want to spam you and I want to make sure that people who receive my newsletters really want to read them. So make sure that join my mailing list if you want to receive my future news.

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