I do miss our plays at Ananda Ashram - we would put on the most wonderful shows directed by Dr. Jayanti Patel, our dear friend. And somehow Andree Stolte put on a character that said:
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I do miss our plays at Ananda Ashram - we would put on the most wonderful shows directed by Dr. Jayanti Patel, our dear friend. And somehow Andree Stolte put on a character that said:
From Marvin Suval's e-mail. Wish I could bilocate --- be both here in Texas and NYC for things like this: By now, you already know that we have put together an historic celebration, "A Cosmic Event – Music and Dramatic Readings of the Mystic Poets!” Right now, tickets are available only to close friends of Ananda Ashram. But, within one week, tickets will be open to the public viaFacebook and other networking. We expect to sell out. Don’t be late; don’t be disappointed! Today, right now, go to www.tabla.org/events.html , scroll down to November 21 and reserve your tickets. Admission is on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations are $50 and $40 for students & seniors with valid ID. Bring your confirmation email printout with you to the performance as your proof of reservation. Again, the date is Saturday, November 21, at 7:30 pm. Presented by Chhandayan Center for Indian Music, this one-time only performance will take place at 4 West 43rd Street, New York City (between 5th & 6th avenues, closer to 5th) in the Ballroom on the ground floor. Gather your friends and reserve your space today. Come and be inspired by the musical range and brilliance of our world-renowned guest artists! Don’t miss what is certain to be a most extraordinary evening. Remember, advanced purchase of admission is highly recommended, www.tabla.org/events.html Hope to see you on November 21st, Jeanne Gilbert Event Coordinator, 646-924-8845, gilbert.jm@gmail.com
bam dee dee bum bum bum dee dee bum bum bum
is that music sounds better in between the rests.
I got home from an illumined evening of chat with Babaji at Omkari's (Anita Stoll Gottfried) house. Babaji is her Guru and every Thursday evening he gets online and chats with his sangha (community) throughout the U.S. It's incredibly powerful to sit with an enlightened being who is embodied (in a human body).
Lauran and I are writing up the YOGALife curriculum - or more appropriately, channeling, breathing, opening, dancing, singing, feeling, grooving the YOGALife curriculum -
and as I meditate on the practical uses of YOGA, I think about when I channeled this huge bout of anger that erupted inside into a perfect handstand that lasted for a while in the middle of the room.
Yoga and Anger Management - there's another class. I can see so many of my friends who have dealt with my rages laugh at this one coming from me. And then the other half who have never ever seen me erupt go - but I've never seen you angry - all I ever see you do is laugh. That's the beauty. My buddy Damien Davis calls my little eruptions "sacred rage." And really, they are never unwarranted. Damien always helps me understand this emotion. But truly, I mostly channel this stuff into creating more beauty. So much anger just comes from "frustration." So you take the frustration and make ART out of it and voila!
BEAUTY. BEAUTY. BEAUTY of a Handstand held in static time as the fires cooled down in the body. And I can't even remember what set off the anger in the first place.
And my Dad - my first therapist. Who usually sings and plays golf when he has an inkling of a tantrum coming on.
And then Mom - who is the opposite. She just rants when she wants. She's such a Pitta dosha (fire constitution). And I can see how powerful this is too. She called me today and basically figured out my life as she helped save the lives of others. I asked her what she was doing when I was talking to her and she said, "looking at slides, multi-tasking, thinking about a thousand things." And she somehow managed to get in the wee conversation what I was focusing my energy on - YOGALife - and have my dad and I eaten enough? "why can't you work both in Houston and Austin?" "why do you need to pay for an apartment in Austin when you could live with us?" And then she just releases it all when I say, "ummm, Mom, I live and work in Austin now." Oh okay.
Yoga and Witnessing the Multi-tasking Mind
There's another class. Hare OM tat sat.
Love Yoga Co-Op has been selected to be a FEATURED STUDIO on Yogamates.com! We will be a FEATURED STUDIO from Sept. 28th to Oct 4th, 2009.
This one's for Sheilagh who asked...
Starting this past Saturday, it has been Navaratri - 9 days of Devi (goddess) honoring. At Ananda Ashram, we chant the Devi Mahatmyam. And I like to always be in tune with my spiritual home, Ananda Ashram - and in tune with Guruji. So I chant this on my own and know that everyone is in the Cosmic Temple also chanting this. I can see Radha ma blowing the conch shell and Bharati devi leading with Guruji on CD. And I'll have to say, the nadam is so loud after each chapter that I chant - that I get inebriated with love and honor.
Anita Stoll (Omkari) and our friends celebrated the first day of Navaratri this past Saturday at her house - (the mini Ashram in Clarksville). My Devi pictures are over there (Sarasvati and Laksmi) along with Anita's Devi murtis. And we began with Durga. Durga is all mighty - and helps you move through any difficulty. Durge Durge Durge Jai Jai Ma. Jagatambe Jai Jai Ma. "There are nine forms of Durga which Brahma himself declared..."
So who are these Devis? What is their significance?
They are all aspects of the Devi known as Mahamaya - this is where it's great to know some Sanskrit. Maha means "great" and "maya" is illusion/delusion. Fantastic news, everyone! We are all deluded into thinking that the way we see the world is "right." Mahamaya, though, has created this world - and can help you transcend it. Very abstract really. There's no straight answer to "how Kali came to be" - it's like asking how God came to be, but we look at what's written and meditate.
Here is Mahamaya described in the Devi Mahatmyam by Swami Jagadiswarananda of Sri Ramakrishna Math in Mylapore, Chennai in India:
"She is eternal, embodied as the universe. By her all this is pervaded. Nevertheless she incarnates in manifold ways; hear it from me. When she incarnates herself in order to accomplish the purposes of the devas, she is said to be born in the world, though she is eternal."
"All powers of good and evil belong to her."
"According to the three gunas of Nature, Mahamaya takes three forms, Mahakali, Mahalaksmi, and Mahasarasvati, being her tamasika, rajasika and sattvika forms."
Tamas = darkness = Kali (the goddess of darkness between each star in the sky, as Ramakrishna explains)
Rajas = active, powerful energy = Laksmi (goddess of abundance)
Sattva = meditative sweetness = Sarasvati (goddess of communication and arts)
In Chapter VII -
Ambika (Durga) became "terribly angry" at her foes, "and in her anger her countenance then became as dark as ink."
"6. Out from the surface of her forehead, fierce with frown, issued suddenly Kali of terrible countenance, armed with sword and noose."
And this is where the Devi Mahatmyam is just so wonderfully outrageously amazing - and a bit bloody - the asura (demon) Raktabija came forth to battle and from each drop of his blood that fell on the ground, arose another asura of his stature.
But this just made the devi Candika laugh. And she said to Kali (Camunda you know how I love to chant to Camunda - om aim hrim klim camundayai vicce svaha) - open your mouth wide and swallow all the blood that issues forth from everyone she bludgeons. And Kali drank Raktabija's blood.
Cool babes huh?
The deal is this: these Devis (babes) were beauty and love personified itself. But this beauty and love did not keep the demons from striking at them. And so the babes fought back. And the message is very clear. "We ladies created you, entire world of forms, humans, beings, demons, men and women alike, so we can swallow you back up."
And you can see that it is explained that even the demons are slain by the Devis so that they can be placed in a higher more auspicious realm. That there is great compassion for them.
Only when you are high from chanting do you come up with a name like "Bhakti Loveflow" for an event you are co-leading with Joshua Param Sevak Adair.
Every Saturday night, 8:30 pm - http://www.blackswanyoga.com
Kirtan leaders will take turns leading. Sumukhi will be up there conducting while she sings. I often like to conduct - but in a more abstract way than usually prescribed.
I like to conduct insects and animals - and sometimes human beings in yoga class....
I'm sort of paraphrasing my dad - who would never say the above. but would say it in a mix of 4 languages and sounds of which I am very familiar. He sang "when you wish upon a star" to us today. Me, toby the dog, Circe the cat and God in all his/her myriad forms floating around the Sugar Land house. Which my mother gave me the permission to turn into a yoga studio. ah be careful what you say mama, I always take you up on your offers. but then, what are good mamas and papas for? You can turn our houses into any playland you want. My favorite room growing up in the Philippines being the "music room" with its oxblood cool floors.