Weekly Newsletter

A Message From Sara

Hello Friends,

Harlan and I had a filled 4 days at the Omega conference. We were lucky enough that it was in our back yard in Florida so we didn’t have to travel too far.

It was a wonderful weekend. My highlights were a one day workshop with Seane Corn on spiritual activism, a chakra balancing class where we chanted the bija mantras with Sharon Gannon, chanting kirtan with Jai Uttal …wow (talk about invoking spirit - his voice is beautiful), classes with Shiva Rea which are always fantastic and creatively different, an all day workshop with Duncan Wong -he has a unique teaching style and he shared detailed information on anatomy, bhandas, and the principle of floating out of crow. Not to mention he gave us some delicious adjustments.

The conference drew in about 900 participants. Even though the classes were packed, there was a unity of energy and a deep sense of togetherness of community.

The growing consciousness of yoga is spreading and people are continuing to be drawn deeper into every aspect of yoga. Going to these yoga events is also a nice way to connect with like minded people and open your circle of friends.

For all of the people who recognized Harlan and I from our site, we so much appreciate you coming up and introducing yourselves.

It is even more of an emotional reward when we get to meet you in person and hear your positive feedback. I enjoyed your hugs and smiles. Thank you for being a part of our online community.

Awakening to Love

When we feel inner bliss, compassion, a generous spirit, and an integrated alignment to our inner divineness, we know love is fully awake in our spirits. To share love, we must first seek it in the very core of our own self.

When we take care of ourselves and practice the love of self, then the love in side of us is like a ripe fruit. It falls from our tree and we offer the fruits of ourselves to others to receive the sweetness of our individual love.

Love is in everything and lives everywhere. It is when we are not in tune with a divine energy that we may disconnect from universal love. The more extend your loving thoughts and energy, in a way that feels organic to you, the more love will appear colorfully in your life.

Life is full of surprises: some are wonderful, fulfilling and exciting but some are drastically devastating and difficult. However underneath anything there is love to be found, expressed and shared.

How do we activate this love on a regular basis? I believe it is through yoga. Live your yoga. Take your yoga off your mat and share all that you gain through your practice. Through a daily yoga practice, your self love will leap to new ground. Yoga is not just about doing asanas and breathing techniques, it is your confidence and ability to make change outside of you, sharing your yoga beyond your mat.

Today, make someone else smile or uplift their confidence or give someone a big, warm hug and observe how it makes you feel. It can make all the difference in a moment to show someone else a little love. We all need it, crave it and often desperately look for it.

Continue to learn about yourself through your sadhana. Awaken to all of your unique greatness. Find your well of love in your center and freely offer your love in your actions and words.

I believe this is how our yoga can begin to harmonize and change what is going on in the world around us. It all begins with us individually, doing the inner work and then being courageous enough to want to make a difference and connect to the universal divine consciousness.

Small or large, every action springing from love is one step closer to peace.

Seize this very minute:

"What you do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. –Goethe’s Faust, Translated By John Anster

May the love of spirit rain down upon you, may the light of God illuminate your confidence, may you live daily inside of love and radiant bliss.

Om Shanti,

Sara

My Problem With Yoga

Just about a year ago, Sara presented me with a gift - a small statue of Ganesh. Although I was taken aback, and Sara noticed, I accepted the present and put in my office in a spot where it wasn't likely to be noticed.

You see my background as an orthodox rabbi didn't mix very well with "idols" and I was uncomfortable. Last summer, as I was rearranging my office, another rabbi came into my office and spotted Ganesh. In outrage, he grabbed and smashed Ganesh convinced he was saving me from having an idol in my possession.

As my study of yoga has deepened, I've been amazed to see how deeply yoga is intertwined with Hinduism and possibly Buddhism as well.

As recently as the recent Omega conference, one person stood up and announced everyone should come forward and do an asana as an offering to "Lord Shiva". All the while, the crowd chanted Hare Krishna.

Is it possible to separate yoga from its religious sources? I'm not convinced. What you have is asana but that is only one aspect of the 8 limbs of yoga. And in the United States, asana has become identified as synonymous with yoga.

The more I study the philosophy behind yoga, the more I am convinced of the universality of religion. And yet...

There is this lingering discomfort.

Now the yoga teachers I've met are some of the most wonderful and spiritual people in the world and some of the people reading this are going to wonder, "what could be wrong with Ganesh?"