The Ocean of the Heart
Last night, as I made my long trek to the studio where I study for the third time this week to observe a master teacher's class, I listened to a lecture by John Friend, the founder of Anusara Yoga, on my ipod.
He spoke of the Kularnava Tantra, a Tantric scripture that gave Anusara Yoga it's name. Anusara received its name on the 50th anniversary of Swami Muktananda receiving Shaktipat from his guru on August 15th, 1997.
August 15th is also the Feast of the Assumption of Mary, always a very special day. I also thought of spending this feast years ago, at the Trappist Monastery at Genesee, and having the pleasure of speaking to Abbot John Eudes, who was a scholastic under Thomas Merton, one of the most gifted and prolific spiritual writers of the 20th century, whose writings I have devoured for decades. (The Abbot also wrote a very esoteric and obscure text on Evagrius Ponticus - which I happened to have read, much to the amazement of those present at the time!)
John said that the title of this scripture - Kularnava Tantra - means: "the ocean of the heart." Hearing this, warmed my own heart. On my web site I have this explanation:
"Anusara is a Sanskrit word from the Kularnava Tantra (14:36) inviting us to step into the rich current of Divine Grace. Pulsating within us and seeking self expression, Divine Grace flows in and out of our hearts, bringing our bodies, our minds, and our souls into greater alignment."
The meaning of this word was brought to life once again as I marveled at a master teacher working her magic as she deftly instructed a full class of beginning students in the beauty of the Anusara method. She invited them to go into their hearts and connect with their inner wisdom. It was especially amazing to me that this full class started at 8 PM and went until about 9:45 PM. Normally, during summer sessions, classes are not this full - and certainly not during such a time slot!
I thought of these things this morning as I sat on my rock surveying my river - my constant friend - watching three kayakers launch off mere feet away from me.
I did my meditations and stepped into the energy of a new month and new ventures and opportunities unfolding, letting go of my past once again...
I also smiled at these words, written to me by a former colleague who ran the Admissions Department years ago, when we both worked at Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, in Georgetown, DC. She is now a young member of the Board of Trustees:
"I love seeing where you are now - on your own, grace in motion, so very YOU - I keep thinking back to our couch conversation 18 months ago - kind of seems like we were both at the mouth of the river ready to let it take us where it flows..."
Yes - I smiled, even in the midst of heart strings still tugging, now staring at the mouth of the river, watching kayakers paddle upstream, wanting to join them, my heart so full of longing on so many different levels, yet always ready to flow wherever I may go...
He spoke of the Kularnava Tantra, a Tantric scripture that gave Anusara Yoga it's name. Anusara received its name on the 50th anniversary of Swami Muktananda receiving Shaktipat from his guru on August 15th, 1997.
August 15th is also the Feast of the Assumption of Mary, always a very special day. I also thought of spending this feast years ago, at the Trappist Monastery at Genesee, and having the pleasure of speaking to Abbot John Eudes, who was a scholastic under Thomas Merton, one of the most gifted and prolific spiritual writers of the 20th century, whose writings I have devoured for decades. (The Abbot also wrote a very esoteric and obscure text on Evagrius Ponticus - which I happened to have read, much to the amazement of those present at the time!)
John said that the title of this scripture - Kularnava Tantra - means: "the ocean of the heart." Hearing this, warmed my own heart. On my web site I have this explanation:
"Anusara is a Sanskrit word from the Kularnava Tantra (14:36) inviting us to step into the rich current of Divine Grace. Pulsating within us and seeking self expression, Divine Grace flows in and out of our hearts, bringing our bodies, our minds, and our souls into greater alignment."
The meaning of this word was brought to life once again as I marveled at a master teacher working her magic as she deftly instructed a full class of beginning students in the beauty of the Anusara method. She invited them to go into their hearts and connect with their inner wisdom. It was especially amazing to me that this full class started at 8 PM and went until about 9:45 PM. Normally, during summer sessions, classes are not this full - and certainly not during such a time slot!
I thought of these things this morning as I sat on my rock surveying my river - my constant friend - watching three kayakers launch off mere feet away from me.
I did my meditations and stepped into the energy of a new month and new ventures and opportunities unfolding, letting go of my past once again...
I also smiled at these words, written to me by a former colleague who ran the Admissions Department years ago, when we both worked at Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, in Georgetown, DC. She is now a young member of the Board of Trustees:
"I love seeing where you are now - on your own, grace in motion, so very YOU - I keep thinking back to our couch conversation 18 months ago - kind of seems like we were both at the mouth of the river ready to let it take us where it flows..."
Yes - I smiled, even in the midst of heart strings still tugging, now staring at the mouth of the river, watching kayakers paddle upstream, wanting to join them, my heart so full of longing on so many different levels, yet always ready to flow wherever I may go...
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