Give Me Love, George Harrison

George Harrison, Give Me Love is my mantra today.  Hope it lifts your spirits too. 

Turn up the Volume of Love

Image Source:  NDTV

Its been 50 years since The Beatles made their world famous trip to an ashram in Rishikesh, India.

Here are two short-but-sweet videos from UPLIFT TV highlighting the power of Love and the influence The Beatles had on Yoga in the west.

All You Need is Love

The Beatles and Mantra with Miten

Saint Soldier: Namaste

Namaste, Yogis and Yoginis!  Have you heard of Saint Soldier, Canada's own Sikh rapper taking on gang violence and other weighty social issues here and in India?

"Do you feel it? Love's the realest..." Saint Soldier, Namaste

Love Love Love

My heart-felt Valentine for YOU!

Happy Valentine's Day, Yogis and Yoginis!

Wishing everyone a day overflowing with love of all descriptions, for the world, for those you care about, and for you, my dear friends and teachers!

Thank you!  I love you!

May the long time sun shine upon you!

All LOVE surround you!

And the pure light within you,
guide your way on!

Snatam Kaur at the Sivananda Ashram, Bahamas

Earth Day Love Stories

Beautiful Blossoms in the Bahamas

Do you love a good love story?

Here are three true tales of presence and passion to warm your heart:

First, this story about Will and Joan, a husband and wife eco-tourism team, founders of the Earth Preservation Fund, who helped make the very first Earth Day in 1970 a success.  They protect natural and cultural resources around the world, and this year's campaign helps endangered elephants in India.

Next, Alaffia is a skin and hair care company with the motto "Equality, Empowerment, Beauty".  They founded fair-trade coconut and shea butter co-operatives in West Africa to maintain traditional, natural methods of processing these raw ingredients and support the lives of the women who harvest them.

The story begins with Rose, an ethno-botanist from the United States and Olowo-n'djo, one of 42 children from a family in Togo who fell in love, and together they... well, its amazing!  Just watch the video.

Finally, Swami Kashi just shared a sweet and poetic essay titled "The Spiritual Path of Hope" by Peter Head reminding us to slow down and appreciate the glorious natural beauty around and within us.

By the way, the registration for Swamiji's second Himalayan Yatra is now open if you'd like to check out that magnificent sacred scenery for yourself.

Thank you yet again for visiting my blog, and for being my noble companions on this journey!

Lots and lots of love,
Tara

The Five Bhavas; Expressions of Love

Sanskrit Valentines, Introduction to Sanskrit Workshop

When we think of how we relate to the Divine, most of us in the west think of just one form of love, something akin to the love of a parent or respected authority figure.

In Yoga there are five very distinct ways of embodying and expressing this love.  They are known as the Five Bhavas.

According to Swami Sivananda:



"There are five kinds of Bhava in Bhakti. They are Shanta, Dasya, Sakhya, Vatsalya and Madhurya Bhavas. These Bhavas or feelings are natural to human beings and so these are easy to practice. Practice whichever Bhava suits your temperament.

In Shanta Bhava, the devotee is Shanta or peaceful. He does not jump and dance. He is not highly emotional. His heart is filled with love and joy. Bhishma was a Shanta Bhakta.

Sri Hanuman was a Dasya Bhakta. He had Dasya Bhava, servant attitude. He served Lord Rama whole-heartedly. He pleased his Master in all possible ways. He found joy and bliss in the service of his Master.

In Sakhya Bhava, God is a friend of the devotee. Arjuna had this Bhava towards Lord Krishna. The devotee moves with the Lord on equal terms. Arjuna and Krishna used to sit, eat, talk and walk together as intimate friends.

In Vatsalya Bhava, the devotee looks upon God as his child. Yasoda had this Bhava with Lord Krishna. There is no fear in this Bhava, because God is your pet child. The devotee serves, feeds, and looks upon God as a mother does in the case of her child.

The last is Madhurya Bhava or Kanta Bhava. This is the highest form of Bhakti. The devotee regards the Lord as his Lover. This was the relation between Radha and Krishna. This is Atma-Samarpana. The lover and the beloved become one. The devotee and God feel one with each other and still maintain a separateness in order to enjoy the bliss of the play of love between them. This is oneness in separation and separation in oneness."

So, which type of Divine Lover are you? 

Opening the Anahata Chakra





Rose, Candice's Garden Tour, Raja Yoga Summer Camp, 2013



"Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it."

- Rumi, Sufi Mystic

The Heart Centre, or Anahata Chakra, is the main portal through which we relate to and accept ourselves and the world.  It is also considered the main knot in our energetic bodies.

Here are a few simple suggestions for opening the heart:

- Volunteer!  Karma Yoga or helping others, feels good for everyone and breaks down perceived barriers between "us" and "them".

- Sing!  Bhakti Yoga, chanting, singing, dancing, ceremony, arts, crafts and cultivating an connection with the Divine are wonderful ways to release and express pent-up emotions.

- Practice Yoga!  Hatha Yoga moves prana or energy, and shifts feelings of stagnation or contraction.  Energetic vinyasas like Surya Namaskar are great for strengthening the physical heart, and backward bends like Bhujangasana (Cobra), Dhanurasana (Bow), and Chakrasana (Wheel) are considered excellent "heart openers".

- Breathe!  Connecting with your breath is calming for the mind and the nervous system.

- Study the lives of those who live love!  Read the poems of Mirabai, Rumi, and Hafez.  Celebrate the lives of Jesus, St. Francis of Assissi, Mother Teresa, Mata Amritanandamayi, The 14th Dalai Lama and so many others who live loving-kindness or make a habit of doing small things with great love.

- Stop and smell the roses!  Roses have an exceptionally high vibrational frequency.  Even if you don't have a bottle of precious rose essential oil at home, you can visit your favorite Middle-Eastern grocer and buy some rose water to use instead of commercial facial toner, spread rose jam on your toast, and infuse dried rose petals in your tea.  Or take a trip to your local florist or greenhouse and bury your nose in the most fragrant blossom you can find!

For more inspiration about the Anahata Chakra and more suggestions for exploring your heart, check out this lovely post on the Free People blog.

Love is About Appreciation



Pet Appreciation Week, June 1-8

In addition to love, sweet love, animals friends offer us some tremendous health benefits!

• lower blood pressure
• reduced anxiety
• enhanced immunity
• pain and stress management
• longer life expectancy
• better heart health
• improved intelligence and reading scores

And so much more!  Check out these articles:

The Vancouver Sun, The Top 10 Benefits of Pet Ownership

WebMD Article, 5 Ways Pets Can Improve Your Health

Lessons from the Tiger Buddhas

And this beautiful website by my Reiki Teacher, Marci Burgess:

Reiki for Pets and People, Healing for All Beings