Speaking from the heart

Sat Nam is a Gurmukhi mantra used frequently in Kundalini Yoga (one of two styles of yoga that participants in this May's Earth, Water, Fire Yoga Retreat on the Big Island of Hawaii will enjoy). It means "my identity is the truth" or "I am the truth." The mantra is traditionally repeated internally with each breath during Kundalini classes, and often chanted aloud with certain exercises or meditations. As a student in a Kundalini Yoga teacher training -- part of my 500-hour yoga teacher credential -- it seems as though I have chanted Sat Nam hundreds of thousands of times in the past three weeks.

So, I was reminded of Mansur al-Hallaj, the Persian Sufi mystic and poet, who was martyred in 922 CE for saying "Ana al-Haqq": which also means "I am the truth" or "I am God." He was killed for saying something that my entire teacher training group, and millions of Kundalini Yoga students worldwide chant daily. Yet, we all have certain beautiful expressions in our hearts that we stop ourselves from saying, for such small insignificant reasons. The next time I feel myself holding back something true and filled with love, I hope to remember al-Hallaj and that the worst thing that could happen to me from speaking truth is a bruised ego.

Compared to martyrdom, a bit of embarrassment doesn't seem so bad! Besides, my ego could always use more humility.

Sat Nam.

Week 1 of Kundalini Teacher Training

You may have noticed that this May's retreat in Hawaii will include both Hatha and Kundalini Yoga practices. I have been practicing Kundalini Yoga for about three years now, and find that it really enhances my more established Hatha practices. It's also great for clearing the mind of self-imposed limitations, shifting energy levels, and -- in my experience -- occasionally invoking states of bliss. So, when one of my teachers (Sraddhasagar of 7 Centers Yoga Arts in Sedona) told me her center would be hosting an intensive Kundalini Teacher Training as part of a 500-hour Yoga Instructor credential, I was thrilled, and of course registered as a student. Having completed our first week of training, I have had some time to reflect upon a small portion of the wisdom inherent in the teachings of Yogi Bhajan (who brought Kundalini Yoga to the West in the 1960s and founded the Kundalini Yoga organization 3HO) and Swami Saraswati Satyananda (founder of the Bihar School of Yoga in Munger India, and author of one of our course texts: Kundalini Tantra). I have been inspired by both their teachings daily and hope that this quote from Yogi Bhajan will help to uplift you as well:

"If you are not beautiful and graceful, there is nothing beautiful or graceful. This is a truth, for you are the universe and the universe is you." (Sermon on Two Cushions, October 14, 1971)

We all have times in which our minds engage in negative self-talk, about all the ways we are not quite 'good enough'. Seeing this quote helped me quickly remind myself that when these thoughts arise, it is merely my perception that needs to change. When looking at the world, I can choose to focus on the positive (love, beauty, nature, grace) or the negative (hate, war, famine), and this will impact my experience. The same is true of looking at myself. Thinking of myself as a 'work in progress' feels much better than seeing only the flaws!

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