Retreat to Vrindavan, India

The March 2012 retreat to Vrindavan was one that I had been dreaming of for years and I feel so glad that it happened. Vrindavan, is a spiritual oasis disguised within a sea of chaos. An extremely holy city, Vrindavan is the location of many of the pastimes of Lord Krishna, who's stories we heard much of while there. We stayed at the very comfortable and accommodating Jiva Institute, where we had our meals, relaxation, ayurvedic massages, space for daily yoga classes, and an unlimited supply of filtered water. Satyanarayana Dasa (Babaji), Jaya, Arun, Kamela, and the rest of the staff and residents of Jiva made us feel so at home. We couldn't have been better taken care of (or fed!).

During our days in Vrindavan and visiting the surrounding areas (Mathura - the birthplace of Lord Krishna, Radha Kund, Agra - to see the Taj Mahal, and other small villages not even found on a map) we saw so much! Please enjoy the photos below for a small taste of what we experienced in India.

Visting a small village outside of Vrindavan. The whole town came out to see Babaji for a meeting in the small, open air temple and to show us around. You can see here how the cow dung is dried and then stored to be used in a variety of ways.

At Care for Cows, truly one of the most beautiful places on Earth. These rescued cows are all so well cared for and loving.

Everyone is happy after a visit with the cows.

We make the long drive to visit the Taj Mahal. Truly beautiful.

Giving donated clothing to local children, who were thrilled to be getting these items. They would run in joyfully to each pick out something special.

Yoga every morning in Babaji's beautiful library.

Celebrating at the Durga temple in a small village.

Visting the Giriraj diety at Govardhan Hill. Giriraj was sheltering his most humble devotee from the intense sun.

Meeting and honoring friends everywhere we went.

Eating dinner at night in the small, mosquito-free indoor space that we began calling "the cafe."

Many many rickshaw trips began with intense negotiation about the fees.

Our last night was celebrated with an amazing Odissi performance in Babaji's library, turned stage.

Bye, Jiva Institute! See you again soon!

If you are interested in coming along on the next trip to Vrindavan, scheduled for March of 2014, please get in touch!

Getting Better

I once heard my teacher Dharma say that during childhood/adolescence/teenage years, we work off a lot of old karma. Those years can be full of frustration as a result of inability to express ourselves, make our own decisions, or be fully understood by those around us. This perspective gave me a newfound compassion for the young and understanding of their sometimes questionable choices. It also gave me the opportunity to look back at my own youthful transgressions with less judgement. And who knows, maybe in 15 years, I'll be looking back on my life now wondering what the heck I was thinking, but I am trying to get better. ;)

Shakin'

I recently watched a Ken Burns documentary on The Shakers, a 200+ year old Christian sect that is known for their exquisite (but unadorned) craftsmanship, humble devotion, and their "wild" dancing (which gave them their commonly-used name over the actual "United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing"). The Shaker religion was founded by a woman and worship a God that was equal parts male and female. Men and women play an equal role in the church and in society. The Shakers were celibate, acquiring members through conversion or adoption (though adoption of orphans by religious groups was banned in the 1960s and this practice ended). At their height, there were over 6,000 members in the US and now there are only 3. "The Last Shakers" live in Maine. People drawn to this way of life were truly devotional. Their hard work was for God and others. Bhakti and Karma.

Karma Yoga - November Newsletter

Here's a little something that was written up for the November Newsletter. Enjoy!

Karma Yoga, the action of giving back, is one of the many paths to liberation and is discussed flawlessly in the eternal classic, The Bhagavad Gita. In this text, Krishna (as a manifestation of the divine) explains that our attachment to our actions keeps us bound to an unending cycle of karma creating repeated births, deaths, and misery as we reap the seeds of our previously selfish actions. The only way for us to end this suffering is to end these attachments.

Our attachments are many. We're attached to comforts, to our families, to our possessions, to our titles, our ideas about ourself, and even to our spiritual practices (including yoga). A yoga practice based exclusively on the physical aspects can lead towards self-indulgence as we fixate on our newfound skills, our abilities, and other related obsessions. Resist the urge to pamper the ego and instead, try to exchange these thoughts for others - a mantra, a prayer, something devotional (this can be a non-secular devotion). It requires a concentrated effort to adjust the workings of the mind, but it is not impossible. Shifts come little by little and stick with us if we make the effort to catch ourselves "in the act" and redirect to something that is deeper and ultimately more rewarding.

It is for this reason that work without expectation is so beneficial. If we can do for others, without reservation or hesitation, and without the expectation of any reward whatsoever (this is a hard one - no thank you, no feeling of personal satisfaction, nothing!), then we are performing Karma Yoga. Even as we lessen these attachments (this is not an over night practice), we begin to see the true benefit and purpose of our work. We are a part of the bigger picture. We see something that needs doing and we do it. Tough, but ultimately, a practice that can be rewarding on the deepest levels imaginable (or currently unimaginable) as we explore below the surface of our Selves.

"But verily, the man who rejoices in the Self and is satisfied with the Self and is content with the Self alone--he has nothing for which he should work. He has no object to gain by what he does in this world, nor any to lose by what he leaves undone; nor is there anyone, among all beings, on whom he needs to depend for any object. Therefore always do without attachment the work you have to do; for a man who does his work without attachment attains the Supreme." - Krishna speaks to Arjuna in The Bhagavad Gita

EZ 2B Anti

Every day we hear of people who are doing "good." They dedicate their lives to a passionate, bitter fight against this world's evils. This is a wonderful thing... or is it? It's truly a small issue of our own motivation that determines whether our paths as activists are sustainable.


When we direct our energy towards fighting against something, no matter how wrong we perceive it to be, we're draining ourselves. We're maintaining a negative focus. We see the world as "us vs. them", as full of evil, or as something that needs to be fixed. We risk becoming immersed in this negative worldview and our reaction against this perceived evil becomes the driving force behind our actions. We become overwhelmed by the mounting injustices that we struggle against and we burn out.


As hard as the negative and unjust can be to ignore, a shift in perspective can greatly improve our motivation to bring about change. Do things FOR others. Instead of fighting against the oppressor, be the voice of the oppressed. Share your gifts and see the changes that come about in the lives of those who are touched. We cannot help everyone in the ways we envision, but those that we do help are forever changed and that change affects us all. A shift in the global attitude starts with one individual. Perform your service for the good of all, without attachment or desire, and see how your flame burns brighter as a result.


Though it may not appear that way, everything is already perfect. The wheels of karma are spinning and things are playing themselves out exactly as they should be in order to balance out all deeds from the past. Your karma may or may not be to make great changes in the lives of others in the way you've imagined, but continue on your righteous path knowing that your thoughts, attitude, and actions influence change all around you in ways that are both subtle and monumental.


“If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.” Dalai Lama XIV