the snow leopard

"Just as a white summer cloud, in harmony with heaven and earth freely floats in the blue sky from horizon to horizon following the breath of the atmosphere - in the same way the pilgrim abandons himself to the breath of the greater life that ... leads him beyond the farthest horizons to an aim which is already present within him, though yet hidden from his sight." -Lama Govinda (quote from The Snow Leopard, by Peter Matthiessen) Each day, I wake up and am immediately met with thoughts and questions surrounding a subject that has become my life - yoga. How can I live this practice more authentically? How can I get over myself long enough to feel the presence of the Divine more fully? How can I get past my fears, my insecurities, how can I just be? and allow and open? How can I love more fully? How can I completely accept what is .. right now? Then I take a deep breath ... and watch as the answers to these questions come - I watch with awe the beauty of life unfolding. Today, it is my choice to abandon myself to the breath of the greater life that leads me beyond the farthest horizon .. to an aim which is already within me but yet hidden from my sight (sometimes). 

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classes | see schedule private sessions | contact yogakatbend@mac.com upcoming special classes | workshops | events Friday Nov 13 | 6-8:30pm | VasuDeva details/register Friday Dec 11 | 6-8pm | VasuDeva (during Cross Culture) details/register Sunday Dec 13 | 7am-1pm | Morning of Silence details/register Sunday Dec 20 | 6-9pm | Candle-light Bhakti Flow & Community Dinner details/register 

Sadhana

I really like the word "sadhana" to describe a yoga class. It is a term for "a means of accomplishing something" or more specifically "spiritual practice." Sādhana is a discipline undertaken in the pursuit of a goal. Abhyāsa is repeated practice performed with devotion, observation and reflection. Kriyā, or action, also implies perfect execution with study and investigation. Therefore, sādhana, abhyāsa, and kriyā all mean one and the same thing. A sādhaka, or practitioner, is one who skillfully applies...mind and intelligence in practice towards a spiritual goal.

My teacher, Shiva Rea describes sadhana as, a groove to one's self, and I like this defination. The idea of combining practice, skill, and action with intelligence as a devotional act really appeals to me. Perfection is not the goal, but the act of refining through dedication and practice. Its like a jewlery maker that leans over her art for hours upon hours a day to produce something beautiful that will be given away. To me, this is the essence of a yoga practice; a continual refinement; an act of devotion.

The Journey by Mary Oliver

One day you finally knewwhat you had to do, and began, though the voices around you kept shouting their bad advice - though the whole house began to tremble and you felt the old tug at your ankles.

"Mend me life!" each voice cried. but you didn't stop. you know what you had to do, though the wind pried with it's stiff finger at the very foundations; though their melancholy was terrible. it was already late enough, and a wild night, and the road full of fallen branches and stones.

But little by little, as you left their voices behind, the starts began to burn through the sheets of clouds;

and there was a new voice which you slowly  recognized as

your own,

that kept you company as you strode deeper and deeper into the world; determined to do the only thing you could do - determined to save the only life you could save.

Put it Inside Them

Matt Bade, the extraordinary drum kit master of Vasudeva, came across this Siox Indian story on his travels that resonates with me deeply. I would like to share it with you ...

 

The Creator gathered all of Creation and said, "I want to hide something from the humans until they are ready for it. It is the realization that they create their own reality."

 

The eagle said, "Give it to me. I will take it to the moon."

 

The Creator said, "No, one day they will go there and find it."

 

The salmon said, "I will bury it on the bottom of the ocean."

 

"No," said the Creator, "they will go there too."

 

The buffalo said, "I will bury it on the Great Plains."

 

The Creator said, "They will cut into the skin of the Earth and find it even there!"

 

Grandmother Mole, who lives in the breast of Mother Earth and who has no physical eyes, but sees with spiritual eyes, said, "Put it inside of them."

 

And the Creator said, "It is done."

Honored

A few days ago, one of yoga's great contemporary teachers left his body. Sri K Pattahbi Jois was recently featured in the documentary "Enlighten Up" currently playing at Pilot Butte Cinema. I remember thinking while watching the film ".. I really need to get to India while these teachers are still alive .." On Monday I found out that one of these great teachers had died and I can't help to feel saddness in my heart. Along with several other yogis in Bend, I attended a memorial service for him at the Ashtanga Studio. I was moved by the depth of sincerity of love that David, who received permission from GuruGi to teach Ashtanga (thats a big deal), showed. I loved the stories David told about his love of chocolate and his disappointment when David brought chocolates for him shortly after he was diagnosed with Diabetes and how one time David caught GuruGi in the act of opening a forbidden wrapper, quickly trying to hide the evidence like a child. David also talked about a sort of "quickening" of intense brilliance in his eyes as he got on in age, as if the body knew what was ahead and was preparing the soul - the water in David's eyes beginning to rise. There was such a depth of sincerity in the whole place and I felt extremely honored to be a small part of this tradition. I have the opportunity to come to the mat daily and share what I am learning and I get see so many beautiful people do the same. There is a deep, innate wisdom in the practice of Yoga. A wisdom that truly transcends and creates an intense brilliance in the eyes of those who catch a glimpse. Peace.

Your faithful friend, Kat