by Swami Ramananda

As we enter this new year, we can make good use of this landmark in time to reflect on the way we make decisions and choices in our lives. Is there an overarching purpose or intention behind the way we use our time and energy, or are we “going with the flow?” Are we acting on the persuasive words of friends or the mob mentality at work? Are we succumbing to the incessant marketing messages of our culture or are we standing firm in our own commitment to live by our spiritual values?

Visualize a ship setting off on a long voyage and how it must point itself in the right direction to reach the intended destination. Then, imagine that the course it sets is slightly off target. By the time it travels a great distance, it will be far from its goal.

The same thing can happen to us if we are not clear about the direction we really want to go in our lives. There are so many influences that can throw us off course, so many diversions that vie for our attention, like diamonds made of glass—shiny but of little value.

This life is a precious gift and most of us are blessed with the luxury of many choices. Do we really want to look back and wonder if we made good use of it? I like to ask myself the question, “Is the way I am using my time and energy in harmony with what I truly value in my life?” It’s a poignant question, but how do we really decide what is most important to us?

If we want our lives to be centered on spiritual values, we must consciously make time for the teachings and practices that attune our hearts and minds to Spirit. Since we are so strongly influenced by the culture around us, most of us need to touch that spiritual Light within again and again to override the old messages imprinted in our subconscious minds, and stay grounded in the spiritual truths we deeply value.

For this reason, I believe it is essential to build into our lives some regular meditative practice that enables us to experience the Spiritual presence that dwells beneath all the busyness of thought. There is also tremendous benefit in studying sources of sacred wisdom that guide us back to that unchanging presence as we navigate the challenges of life and bring our vision clearly into focus.

It may take some effort to put into words our aspirations or overall purpose for this lifetime. But once our vision is clear, it becomes a beacon, a burning yes, that guides our way forward and enables us to say no to the myriad distractions that can drain our energy.

We may have many goals during our lives, like earning a degree, raising children, or buying property. Having an overall intention influences both the formation of these goals and how we pursue them. We can reflect on all our major decisions—the ones we really want to feel sure about before going forward—by making sure they align with our primary purpose.

This intention also becomes a useful tool for evaluating the many daily choices we must make. There are now a zillion online learning opportunities for us to choose from. Which shall I pursue? What sources of information, entertainment, and recreation are in harmony with the life I want to create for myself? What social and spiritual groups share my values? Our dietary choices, living arrangements, and relationships can also reflect our intention.

Ultimately, defining an overall purpose for this lifetime will support us in creating a lifestyle that supports our vision. Our spiritual growth will thrive when we create a holistic environment and support system based on values that dwell in the heart of our being. Then our daily lives will be guided by a clear, steady focus that sidesteps the pitfalls of self-doubt and confusion, making our lives much more meaningful and enjoyable.

Please join Swami Ramananda online & in-person for Satsang: Creating a Spiritual Vision on Sat. January 7 @ 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm PT.

Swami Ramananda is the Executive Director of the Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco and a greatly respected senior teacher in the Integral Yoga tradition, who has been practicing Yoga for over 45 years. Ramananda offers practical methods of integrating the timeless teachings and practices of Yoga into daily life, and transforming the painful aspects of human experience into steps toward realizing one’s full potential.
He leads beginner, intermediate and advanced level Yoga teacher training programs in San Francisco, and offers a variety of programs in many locations in the U.S., Europe and South America. Ramananda co-developed the Stress Management Teacher Training program with Swami Vidyananda, has trained many teachers to bring Yoga into corporate, hospital and medical settings, and has taught mind/body wellness programs in many locations. He is a certified Yoga therapist and founding board member of the Yoga Alliance, a national registry that supports and promotes yoga teachers as professionals. He is a co-founder of The Spiritual Action Initiative (SAI) which brings together individuals committed to working for social justice for all beings and for the care and healing of our natural world. His warmth, wisdom and sense of humor have endeared him to many.

by Prajna Piper

Appreciation in a spiritual sense is often talked about as a practice of cultivating happiness and joy in the good qualities of something, or of someone, or of taking joy in the happiness of others, of cherishing the wholesome. It’s a lovely quality on its own, and it’s part of a path that leads to a collectedness of mind.

In daily life, appreciation of the very small things, of a pleasant interaction, a beautiful sky or a breath of fresh air can bring a sense of satisfaction, of connection. A long time ago one of my teachers told me that when something lovely registered with me, to stop and rest with it for a moment and say to myself ‘this is enough.’ It’s a stop and smell the roses approach, but something in saying those words, this is enough, lets me take it in deeply. Instead of brushing it off before it’s even passed, and then letting the mind return to busyness or problem solving, I can pause to acknowledge and rest in an appreciation of the lovely. In the moment, this is enough.

It didn’t occur to me for a long time that this was something to cultivate in meditation as well, but in the last few years of my meditation practice, I’ve been purposely giving more attention to the pleasant moments as they arise, to appreciating them and resting in them. It turns out that there are a lot of them, right in there along with the aching body and the wandering mind. They’re often subtle, and that’s one of the reasons we need to train in appreciation. Because we’re survival oriented, the unpleasant will be louder, more attention grabbing than the pleasant. The itch or ache will feel more important than the pleasantness of the breath rising and falling. Just as we don’t have to believe every thought, we don’t have to trust every feeling. Because the unpleasant may feel more important than the pleasant doesn’t necessarily make it so. Long ago, I heard someone say that in meditation practice, first we learn to sit with the unpleasant and then we learn to sit with the pleasant.

Appreciation, in the dictionary, has a second meaning, which is “a full appreciation of a situation.” Interestingly enough, I think it’s this second meaning that allows us to be equanimous with both the pleasant and the unpleasant. This second type of appreciation supports the arising of compassion. For example, we don’t have to stretch our understanding far to appreciate the difficulty of sustaining attention in meditation. The Buddha called it swimming against the stream. We set out to do something that’s not usual and when we find ourselves not succeeding in the moment, we can appreciate the difficulty, regard ourselves with some compassion and start over. When we find ourselves thrown off in the difficult moments of daily life, it’s much the same. A full appreciation of a situation asks us to open our hearts and minds in understanding, a compassionate understanding that this is how it is now.

A full appreciation of the situation may not always be within our grasp, but we can appreciate that everything arises out of causes and conditions, myriad and complex, bringing both the lovely and the difficult into our lives. When appreciation of the lovely is cultivated, we have some ballast in facing life’s less than lovely situations. It’s a foundation for equanimity.

Recently I heard Christina Feldman, who was quoting the Buddha on appreciation (and I am paraphrasing here, since I was unable to find the quote itself.) “The quality of appreciation brings about joy, joy brings calm, calm brings happiness and in happiness the mind gathers in Samadhi.”

It’s quite a string of association. Appreciation brings joy. I think we can all get that. When we open to something in appreciation, there is a quiet joy that does, indeed, seem to lead to calm, to the peacefulness of a joyful heart. And the kind of happiness that flows out of calm is something else, something bigger than joy, it’s the kind of happiness that we meet in quiet moments of intimacy, in the natural world or in our sitting practice.

Last Sunday, we had the yearly teacher appreciation dinner at IYI. It was the first teachers’ dinner in two years and being together was a blessing for us all. It was a joy to see the people who came in person and a joy to see those who dropped in on zoom. The winter holidays are upon us, with all the annual joys and possible difficulties. This life, with its ten thousand joys and ten thousand sorrows, continues to unfold in mystery. If we can cultivate appreciation of the lovely it will help balance the difficult and bring us the kind of calm happiness where the mind gathers in Samadhi.

Prajna lives and practices at San Francisco IYI

by Tangela London-Henderson

“The Original Magic Mat is the innovative, game-changing product your die cutting has been missing. Swap out one of your plastic cutting pads for this sturdy self-healing pad and you’ll be amazed by the cleanest cuts you’ve ever achieved. Try the affordable, long-lasting Magic Mat today.”

As someone who enjoys crafting, the Magic Mat advertisement suddenly took on an entirely new meaning after experiencing yoga teacher training. I’ve seen this ad before, but I’ve never thought about anything more than crafting. The words began to resonate on a cellular level as I read and re-read this advertisement. The words like, innovative, game-changing, sturdy, self-healing, amazed, and cleanest cuts you’ve ever achieved all seemed to speak to how my mat  has become a key component to my transformation and self awareness……The Magic Mat.

Early April 2022, slowly coming out of the pandemic, with frustrations of the new normal setting in, I thought to myself, “Now is the time to do something “soul-y” for me.” I began to scour the internet looking for a yoga teacher training that resonated.

I filled out several applications, applied for multiple scholarships, had two interviews, and attended one open house. Funny thing, I was completely apprehensive about attending the Integral Yoga Institute Open House which was over 2,000 miles away from me. Little to my knowledge, this open house would be the beginning of an open heart, an open mind, and boundless connections. After meeting the instructors virtually, I immediately felt their authenticity and sense of commitment. I was glad I could attend virtually.

I can honestly say I had limited expectations going into this new chapter of life. I thought, “Well, I’ve done yoga before, like a ga-zillion times, so I know what to expect.” I had been introduced to yoga in 2015, when my son was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. During that time, yoga was an opportunity to decompress from the stresses experienced as a full time caregiver of an ill child.

I decided I wanted to teach yoga in 2018,  after he had completed treatment.  I had no idea this training would push me far beyond my expectations and comfort zone(s). Just a little background about me – I’ve always been one to start new and exciting things but as soon as adversity becomes a real thing, I would flee without as much as a question of WHY? So, back to this push now known as yoga teacher training, it began like any other “classroom class”. You read the material, show up at the scheduled times, and discuss the previous and current readings. It wasn’t in the classroom where the action was happening, it was on my trusted turquoise mat, the one I bought four years prior, when the thought of yoga teacher training first became a thought. Life as I knew it, was transitioning into the life I longed for: dealing with emotions properly, removing the modifications of the mind, and seeing myself and others in the most positive light. I was starting to understand that yoga is not about self-improvement or changing others.  Yoga is about knowledge of self, self acceptance and accepting how people were able to show up in the world. With a beginner’s understanding of Jnana Yoga, I experienced a situation during yoga teacher training that left me trying to figure out how to truly and authentically accept people and their different ideologies. I couldn’t wrap my mind around others not viewing the training as I did: a journey of self knowledge and self awareness.

I realized through the teachings that it  isn’t about the people or others, it’s about my journey, my self awareness, and knowledge of self. It is not about forcing someone to accept, deal with, enjoy, or be a part of what I deemed knowledgeable, acceptable, or right. It is simply about navigating my path of knowledge….My own practice.

I not only learned how to breathe through situations and begin to heal but I learned so much about myself: how to trust me, to lean into my power within, and to be comfortable in transition. BIPOC training has provided me room to be my authentic self and has supported me when I wanted to quit, jump off the cliff, and give up. “Jumping off the cliff” became an inside joke whenever I decided not to stop, think, and breathe through a situation.

My reaction would often be the result of actions that took place in the past. There were multiple times I still reacted without awareness, but when I  truly embraced the teachings, things began to change. I was learning through the teachings of Bhakti Yoga that yoga is a constant devotion. On those days when I reverted to things of old, I slowly began to practice leaning on my faith and my relationship to the Creator to hold myself accountable for the right and wrong things I said or did and use that connection to transform my personal limitations. I was starting to understand that my everyday actions and words should be as a service to the Creator and not me. Yoga teacher training has given me so much more than asanas and breathwork. This training has given me daily living practices. These daily practices allow me an opportunity to remove “myself” from my daily activities or actions, and take away the “me first” aspect. I’m learning to simply do because I’m able, and not because I want the props, Karma Yoga in action.

I was able to practice and meditate on these exercises on what I now call my “magic mat.”  My mat was where I found innovation while meditating. The information and material covered in class became a game-changer while in silence on my mat. My mat has been a sturdy constant in my transformation. My mat has allowed self-healing to begin to take place. I truly have been amazed by the yoga teacher training, trusting the process, and staying the course. I used to joke with people and say, “You’ll never understand me because I’m cut from a different cloth.” Being able to experience my True Nature has allowed me to realize it’s not a joke, and my vitality is cut from a cloth with the cleanest cut you’ve ever achieved. I’m so thankful and grateful for the BIPOC Yoga Teacher Training, the awesome and well-versed instructors of the training, my new community of cohorts, and the way the universe showed me some LOVE and favor. I have learned that being pushed and bending but not breaking is actually one of my strongest assets. I’ve also learned that I can accomplish whatever I set my mind to, by being able to combat each negative thought with a positive one……..Pratipaksha Bhavana in action daily!

Forever Grateful.