today's meditation is a no-brainer. i'm already in a wonderful and marvelous state before i even sit down. all because of the spectacular celebration yesterday.
in fact i am sure i am there right now.
as clara and i are about to open the front door to shivaa's shining abode i can hear the bright and joyous power of yogis singing sacred syllables from a 5000 year old scripture.
it's a huge turnout so i overflow into the kitchen and get to marvel at the spread of pastries and chai, all fresh. bless the golden heart of that mighty shivaa. i can't help it. i just have to scoop out some caramelized pineapple from the upside down cake. and some of shivaa's aromatic and rich chai. hey, i've got to get ready for three rounds of rudram.
there's something, shall i say magical and miraculous, about doing rudram with a bunch of dedicated yogis. a whopping thirteen. how so? shrileka says, during the brief pause before the second round begins, we let our own voice merge into the group voice. she's a serious yogi of 30 plus years. i take her words very seriously. and then leanne, who is into studying scriptures and always straightforward, says, don't shout the sacred syllables. i love a straight-shooter yogi.
really, this is excellent advice for me because, in the words of hwubby, i can be loud.
and so it is in the second round i make an inner effort to pay attention to the group voice while tuning into mine. soon something wonderful and marvelous happens. i have the experience of having my gaze inward while keenly aware of the physical world around me. it's a state i've been struggling to have but unable to do so on my own. now, being lifted by my fellow yogis i get to have it. what a priceless gift. absolutely presidential.
the wisdom of singing a piece of sacred text repeatedly with a group of yogis comes through in the third round. someone, i think it's laura, says, the first two rounds are warm up. yeah, the final round is like the olympic final. it is evident that we are giving our all. my tongue dances through the rolls and archs, double consonants, nasal consonants, all those subtle moves that usually trip me up. no more. before i know it, sanskrit feel relevant and fresh. i am surfing and swirling in ocean waves of vibrant vibrations. we make quite a choir. a yogic one no less.
and then... we eat. i don't know how shivaa does it after chanting for three hours but she just gets on her feet and whip up a brunch fit for a president and enough for an army. so, a toast of sparkling peach and cranberry to shivaa. it's a major blessing to have a sister in her to make sure my eye is on the spiritual ball.
a huge and grand toast to vito for whom this celebration is dedicated to. happy birthday vito. may you walk the tiger year in joy and health. may you continue to be this steady presence exuding devotion, that you already are.
i gobble the home fries. it is satisfying but not greasy, goes really well with the indian styled scrambled tofu. the orange bits and cranberry in the salad complement the sumptuous meal with a tart note.
as i take in the delightful stories, all direct experiences from being on the spiritual path, my fellow yogis generously share with one another i am all busy with dipping into shivaa's guac. she has this way of striking the right season and texture of smooth with a bite.
when the bowl of fresh cream comes into my hands i am already full. but i really don't know how to say no to fresh cream on lemon curd sprinkled with blueberries. so i ladle out two generous measures and then watch, in utter amazement, claire marie, take a look at it, pause a moment, and pass it on. her mastery of senses is truly exemplary. way to go, claire-marie. me? i have a long way to go.
i cannot think of a more befitting way to spend the second day of the tiger year. as roger says, it's the metal tiger, shaking things up. that's right. let's all strive to shake free of all that which hold us back from being our higher self. may it be so.
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