RELISHING THE JOURNEY AND LIFE'S VINYASAS

Every now and then when you slow down from moving between jobs, teaching gigs, sleeping, waking, eating, etc. you experience an upwelling of happiness, love for life, gratitude, and empowerment from a well lived life. This is also matched by other experiences of confusion or stagnation, and emotions of anger or sadness.

Almost three seasons have past since my last Thanksgiving post on Gratitude. I've had many adventures and experiences. Life has been full and I've been blessed with many lovely, beautiful people.

My apologies to anyone I've left out but I enjoyed a sweet ringing in of the New Year with my Uhuru Afrika family at their party at the All Asia Bar. Then, I celebrated my 40th Birthday on January 16th with some very wonder-full people, Lucy, Sarah, Erin, Shiva Kumar, Erin, Dani, Bonnie, Bonnie A, Nicoline, Amber, Jay, Gretchen, Sarah, Alice, Charles, et al.

In March, I visited magical India for the first time by assisting my teacher Shiva Rea on her India retreat at Manaltheram Resort in Kerala. By the end of this retreat, the one word that resonated so loudly for my was integration. The teachings that I've been hearing seemed to have finally sunk in.

The other blessing of the trip was meeting some amazing yogis from all over the world and getting invited to teach the practice that I love - Prana Flow - in Copenhagen, Denmark, Florence, Italy and Beirut, Lebanon. Thank you so much to Charlotte Bruun of ZenSensation, Debora Cutolo of Florence, and Mira Siblini for hosting me this November 12-21.

In May, I found myself following adventure to New York City and spending time with Taoin and getting to know the Soulitious Crew. What a great cast of characters, Skye, Nikki, Liz, Todd, Fryske, Eric Tucker, Ella, Perry, Annelies, Heather, et al. The party continued over the July 4th weekend at the Philadelphia Experiment, a grand Burning Man-like experiment organized by a crew of dreamers and lovers of life from Philadelphia. So many late nights and some parties with dancing and laughing lasting well past day break. I was experiencing life to one of its many extremes.

As we know in vinyasa yoga, there are cycles and in between these peaks were regular days of getting up, meditating, going to work, going to yoga, returning home, meditating, sleeping, and starting over.

Starting over is a another great yogic teaching that I intend to channel into "A Great Flame Follows a Spark" blog.

Jaya Jaya Karunabdhe Shri Mahadeva Shambo