Inspiration, Volume 2-Issue 6

YOGA. Connect. Integrate. Become one.

As International Day of Yoga is approaching on the 21 June, KAMLESH PATEL explains to us what Yoga really is, and challenges us all to reflect on whether the practices we are doing really lead us to the state of Yoga. THE SCIENCE OF SPIRITUALITY Evolution of Consciousness Series ARE YOU CONNECTED? There are so many Yoga schools and classes springing up everywhere around the world these days, and in December 2014 the United Nations proclaimed 21 June as International Day of Yoga, recognizing its universal appeal. International Day of Yoga aims to raise awareness worldwide of the many benefits of practicing Yoga. Yoga provides a way to nourish and refine our body, mind and soul, the purpose being to expand consciousness to its ultimate potential so that we become one with the source of all existence. Yoga is all about uniting, about connecting. It comes from the Sanskrit ‘yadhjyuti ithi yogah’ meaning ‘one that joins’. Religion also has the same purpose, as the Latin root word re-ligare means ‘to re-join’. So if Yoga means ‘one that joins’, what is to be joined? Actually so many things are joined and integrated through Yoga – body, mind and soul; worldly and spiritual – but in particular our soul becomes one with its original state of balance. That is the purpose of yogic practice. And the soul, in its own wisdom, is carrying that memory of its original homeland, which is absolute balance. So unless and until we regain the balance that prevailed before the universe was created, we remain restless. Even in the most luxurious life, the heart will still be yearning for something better. Our soul is the carrier of the original memory of perfect balance. Hence, nothing of this world can satisfy us until we attain that state of…

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Children, Volume 2-Issue 6

The great stories of Pure Generous Heart

Pure Generous Heart. You may be thinking, “Now that’s an odd name.” Well, I must admit it is, but in these stories you will see his big heart, which is beautiful, pristine, generous, compassionate, loving … Ah! The list never ends. It is our heart that is our best friend. In times of sorrow it comforts us, in times of joy it radiates love, and when it comes to making a decision it guides us in the right direction. The stories of Pure Generous Heart resonate with our deepest feelings of love, compassion and purity. The adventures of Pure Generous Heart are never boring, as you will soon find out yourself. Happy reading! SHEER BRUTE STRENGTH WINS THE DAY “Hi, Pure Generous Heart.” “Why hello there Sheer Brute Strength.” You see, one fine day, Sheer Brute Strength set off on to find his colleague Pure Generous Heart. Now, Sheer Brute Strength was very strong; you could tell that just from his name. His muscles rippled with pure energy as he moved, and his Herculean strength was the talk of the town. So, Sheer Brute Strength approached Pure Generous Heart inquiringly and said, “I was told you could help me. After all you are generous, no?” Pure Generous Heart smiled, “Go ahead and tell. I will definitely help you.” “Well,” said Sheer Brute Strength, “I have signed up for this big sporting event next week. The challenge is to swim down the great river in the valley. The first to reach the finish line will win many wonderful prizes, especially a magnificent state-of-the-art racing bike. What a bike! It beggars description in terms of performance, and when you ride it, it practically flies. I am telling you … ” “And what do you want me to do for you Sheer Brute…

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Self, Volume 2-Issue 6

Call of the depths

CORALIE IMBERT shares her love of both meditation and freediving, and how both have helped her to interiorize and live an inner journey, as well as manage her emotions. FREE DIVING , MEDITATION AND PERFORMANCE IN CONVERSATION WITH CORALIE IMBERT   Q: What attracted you to breath-holding diving, and what led you to attain great depths? CI: I was born by the Mediterranean Sea in the South of France, and was practically brought up on the beach, but the reasons for that call of the depths is difficult to explain. I think it has always been within me, since nobody ever steered me in that direction. When I was a teenager, in class I used to watch the palm trees swaying and I thought only about going back to the sea and the surf, kitesurfing, in order to be still closer to the water. Actually, the relationship I have with the sea has developed in the same direction as my approach to life. To start with, I tried more extreme sports, such as free high jumping and skimming the surface of the water. Over time, it calmed down and I would rather swim, until I decided to try diving deeper. And that is how I attempted to hold my breath while I dived. In the adventure of my life, when I was younger I was very impulsive, with an explosive temper. As time passed, I started interiorizing, and I learnt how to live an inner journey, through meditation in particular. In deep water, I can look for sensations, for experiences, but I can also surpass myself since I keep trying to go further down, deeper down. But what really attracts me is that feeling of peace, of wellbeing and the state of total relaxation I can attain while I am diving….

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Nature, Volume 2-Issue 6

Chickweed – part 1

LESSONS FROM THE GARDEN ALANDA GREENE shares her experiences of weeding her garden and her inner garden of tendencies and character traits, and makes peace with herself in the process. It’s late spring – the time of year when garden growth is prolific, determined, persistent.  Sometimes overwhelming. Especially the weeds. They require attention that is also determined and persistent, but in spite of my efforts there are always weeds that escape my notice and grow too big, too much. Removing them now causes disturbance or harm to the other plants. The behavior of weeds is no different from that of humans and other creatures. The weeds want to survive and have evolved ways to maximize that chance. My own ways of being in the world are the same. Those tendencies, habits and attitudes I try to eradicate are no different. They have developed skills for endurance. It’s their nature, like the weeds. I recognize tendencies in me that want to survive, ideas about who I am and who I should be, and how I need to be in order to lead an effective life. Some of those ideas are like the healthy plants I have planted and some are like the weeds that arrived from who knows where. But in dealing with weeds, I learn about me. Chickweed, for example, has developed clever ways to thrive and survive. When it shows only two tiny leaves above the ground, hardly visible at all and apparently posing no threat, it has already grown a substantial long root. It’s easy to remove at this point, if it is noticed, but it is often overlooked. I pull one tiny plant and see the fine rootlets already branching from the long white central root stem. When I miss removing the plants when they are small…

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Inspiration, Volume 2-Issue 6

The Bhagavad Gita

AN ART ESSAY One of the greatest texts for studying Yoga is the Bhagavad Gita. The text consists of 18 chapters and progressively guides us to apply its essence to our lives in order to explore the union between the Self and the Absolute. During my forty odd years of spiritual practice, I was guided by my Masters in their remarks countless times towards the Gita. It resulted in me studying it again and again. I also created visualizations, born out of the wish to support and enhance the experience of reading the verses. The work grew into 85 pictures, each trying to translate a verse for the eye and feelings of the reader. After that work, I noticed that I was not finished with the Gita by far. So I created twenty collages – another visual approach. The content of these collages is intended to be a signal, to call us to face ourselves. I chose excerpts from the Gita that could stand alone as guiding symbols. The prints on the paper used in these collages come from Indian miniatures in order to set the mood for the eye. Now I am planning yet another exhibition on the Gita using a new approach, with a contemplative flow. The truth is timelessly modern and the longing in us to reach beyond our limits is eternal.       Collages and text by BRIGITTE SMITH