aging and death: a path to light

Last weekend, Molinos de Maestrazgo, a small village craddled between river cliffs, in the heart of Teruel, Spain, was welcoming spiritual masters around the world to elaborate on aging and death. 8 intense conferences and a closure debate were on the menu. But besides the organised program, other elements came into play…something that Ammaji sensed from the very moment she got there. And so the magic circle started…

The Himalayan Nun captured everyone’s attention and hearts at once as she began her speech with a beautiful sanskrit prayer for the dead souls: “The Ganga Goddess has been embracing millions of Indian souls for thousands of years. The prayer whispers to them the way back to the light, leading them back to the source, back to the Oneness.”

Dialoguing through prayer with those souls, allows them to recognise their path, it removes their confusion and helps them follow the trail to higher dimensions. Ammaji continued: “We are of the nature of Light, to the Light we shall return, for it is the eternal in us…death is the transition to Light. If you know your true nature, what is there to fear? Relax, and enjoy!”

Many people deLighted with the truth in Vedanta approached her later on…On Monday, an intimate Satsang on the different phases and experiences of life took place in the main square of the small town. What began as a tiny group gained momentum and ended up gathering a crowd craving for Ammaji's wisdom. “When you are old, you learn to let go. Be generous and helpful, as much as you can, so that you cultivate Peace in your Heart.“ For it is Inner Peace which develops Inner Strength so that we gracefully carry our wise wrinkles through old age. Inner Peace leads to a peaceful death. 

Be aware and conscious, be generous and kind, be responsible towards Dharma. And fear not, for death is deLight. Care for the living, care for the dead. Care for all the dimensions of existence.

So much for the magic? Not quite, for something was still in the air. Both Roy Littlesun (a Hopi chaman, or rather showman, as he likes to mention) and Ammaji knew. Now the circle was opened: Roy led a ritual in a cave; we all took part. “Many souls are trapped in this village. Many of them suffered a violent death, so they are restless. Let’s help them out.” He said. The aftermath of a devastating civil war could still be perceived, and the area needed healing. Precisely on July the 18th, exactly 80 years ago, had the war broken off. That very day, a warm, sunny sunday, the cave was turned sacred in a daylight ritual. Water, stones and chants. The circle went on: Ammaji offered a ritual at dusk. Carrying Ganga’s waters, chanting the Ganga mantra, sacred waters were poured into Molino’s river, to foster purification and reunion. Little fires of lit candles, comforting chanting voices… the magic arose and the energy shifted. 

Grateful, nature spoke: through Roy’s hand, Molino’s river gave a heart-shaped stone to Ammaji: an earthly heart back to India, back to Ganga. The circle closed. And the sun set. 

In Oneness.

your children

Your children 
are not your children.

They are the sons and daughters 

of Life's longing for itself.

They come through you 

but not from you,

And though they are with you 

yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love 

but not your thoughts, 

For they have their own thoughts.

You may house their bodies 

but not their souls,

For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, 

which you cannot visit, 

not even in your dreams.

You may strive to be like them, 

but seek not to make them like you.

For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which 

your children

as living arrows 

are sent forth.

The archer sees the mark 

upon the path of the infinite, 

and He bends you with His might 

that His arrows may go swift and far.

Let your bending in the archer's hand 

be for gladness;

For even as He loves the arrow that flies, 

so He loves also the bow that is stable.

Khalil Gibran The Prophet

'heart on earth' savasana time

listening to yoga stories

beautiful session

with the people of tomorrow
honored by their awareness
and full attention
may we learn from them
now and ever

thanks to helen doron's team 
for concocting the magic potion
that made it happen

<3

grateful 

for being at the heart 

of human transformation 

and evolution. 

as martin viniecki puts it:

'evolution does not advance gradually, but in leaps- 

once a pattern of organization is no longer functional, 

living systems undergo a period of turbulence 

until they suddenly leap into a more complex pattern of organization. 

this is the process we are undergoing as a species right now, 

the process we are participating in and co-creating. 

the clearer our vision, 

the more we can help birth the future we want. 

we cannot leave this up to some president, institution or guru; 

nobody else will do it for us. 

now is the moment 

to start building 

a new humane culture 

and it begins by seeing its actual possibility.'

a new humane culture,

not simply human.

let's start now,

let's care for and foster childhood.

for everybody's sake,

because

as saint-éxupery once said:

 'all grown-ups were once children-- although few of them remember it.'

infinite sadness

violent world

outrageously so

beyond comprehension

such intimidation

but not a surprise:

a logical outcome.

wrath and hate arise

resulting from actions

we everyday do

we everyday say

everyday condone

and think everyday

what dwells in your heart?

your hate towards what?

your anger that burns?

relieved through the guns?

mass murder and war

the end of a thread

continuosly woven

as a daily threat.




(senda, 15.06.2016)

chronos and kairós

chronos

is 

encapsulated time

chopped

sliced

compressed

organized

planned

minimized

reduced 

to the max

digestable 

to the mind

fits in a clock

size of a watch

ticking hastily

pressure cooker

of life

after all

chronos

ate 

his children

chronos

devours

his beloved

creation

whereas

kairós

is

pure

free

time 

roaming

still

breath

waves

growth

space

heartbeats

steps

birth

awareness

and

death

kairós

 is 

what it takes

for a flower to bloom

for a bird to fly

for a heart to open

for a human to grasp

may kairós 

lead your trail

time and learning: the afterglow of effort

for more than 3 years now 

(not that chronos* matters much to me anyway, 

i am more a kairós* woman, must admit)

m&a and me have been sharing yoga.

allegedly i am their teacher,

but i'd question that as well:

for every lesson i 'teach'

i reap heaps of learning myself...

(a win-win situation?)

time and learning

both the axis of the post

take me to the core of what i want to say:

they have been here

far longer than me

so they treasure

more time and experience

for sure

nevertheless

they keep coming back to the yoga sessions

how come?

i tried to find out

asking them

what does yoga do for you?

what keeps your bond to the practice?

what is the most enjoyable about a yoga lesson?

their answers follow

(fully inedited!).

m&a, as we always say:

long life to health,

 peace of mind and gratitude...

for many more lessons to come!

*********

M: I have always been an active person, 

and  I feel that yoga is necessary 

to keep me from getting stiff, to stay flexible, and to be able to continue to enjoy Life. 

A: As a beginner, 

it has enabled me to try to keep supple and therefore mobile and active. 

M: Yoga gives me a sense of wellbeing, 

and when I don’t do it, something is missing.  

If I neglect doing yoga, I am neglecting my body and soul 

which I hope to have working well together for quite a long time to come, 

so we try to practice most days.

A: Marla keeps me bonded to it.

M:The most enjoyable part of yoga for me 

is a good stretch which spreads through my whole body, 

giving me a wonderful sensation of freedom from any sort of confinement 

and results in the warm afterglow of effort.

A: The most enjoyable part is knowing 

that each session contributes to the process mentioned above.

M: I believe yoga to be an essential part of good health and wellbeing, 

and the some of the most vibrant and  alive people I have ever known

 who still have  sparkle in their eyes even in old age have been practitioners of yoga. 

A: It has been very helpful to have been introduced to it by such a good teacher.

********

(*and what about chronos and kairós? too much stuff for this post. next time, i'll elaborate on that...)