Namaste and Holiday(s) Greetings!
Well my dear friends, it is that time of year again (Solstice – Dec 21) when much of our planet passes through the dark initiation of winter, and Mother Matter shows us Her infinite longing for the return of the Light. (Especially up in Canada where we are!)
As the Upanishad says: “Asato ma sad gamaya, tamaso ma jyotir gamaya, mrityor ma amritam gamaya -From the temporary lead me to the eternal, from darkness lead me to light, from death lead me to immortality.” May you never lose sight of the eternal light of Transcendental Beauty that forever shines into this flickering world. May the light without light your way, may the light within enlighten you in every way.
As I was contemplating this great cosmic dance swirling about me, this poem emerged. I hope you enjoy it.
Both Sandi and I wish you a bright and joyous 2010.
Now go out there and light up the world!
With Blessings, Kavindra – Jeffrey Armstrong
Kriya Yoga Aha!
In order to remember
The secret of your existence,
You must burn like an ember
Through the darkness and resistance.
In order to excavate
The treasure buried within,
You must not meditate
On the images made of skin.
If you would like to learn
The purpose for which we exist,
That fire is where we yearn
And fight without a fist.
The journey begins with questions
Alone in the dark at night,
The answers improve your digestion,
The lamp in your heart starts to light.
The toys that used to amuse you,
Sit unused on the shelf,
Now excitement is finding a clue,
In the search for your permanent self.
In order to see you must focus
One pointed, your eyes on the goal,
Beyond the world’s hocus pocus,
That has had you in its control.
To regain your vision, distractions
Must not cause your purpose to waver
And thought must be turned into actions,
So Truth starts to rule your behaviour.
Then bowing before what is greater,
Shows that the ego has cracked,
This allows you to become a creator
And quickly absorb what you lacked.
Then a rush of deep feelings,
Will flood the desert inside,
Whose blooming will soon be revealing
The beauty within that you hide.
That inner world so enchanting,
Will quickly become your new home,
As your tongue gets addicted to chanting,
The opium of yogis is Aum-
A drug that will heal the distortions,
The thorn will give way to the rose,
As your body regains it’s proportion
And the life force leads to each pose.
Your now steady mind, will not waver,
When the winds of change shake the world,
Your atma will seek a new flavour,
Stretching below where she’s curled.
Awakening now from her slumber,
Your kundalini will rise,
With flashes of lightning and thunder,
Shedding all mortal disguise-
She’ll dance in the joy of arising,
Dropping the eight veils of matter,
At last your true self realizing,
While climbing the cosmic ladder.
This Yoga will lead you toward union,
While unity holds the design,
Your eagerness for a reunion
Will lead you to the Divine,
Past the shining realms of the Devas,
Beyond Indra’s net of the Stars,
Now dreaming of Bhakti and Seva,
Old habits and vrittis and scars-
Burn up like a comet’s tail,
In the blazing fire Transcendental,
Far up the shushumna trail,
Way up but unable to fall.
Samadhi, the now waiting Lover,
Nirvana-no matter is mine,
Amrita the drink you discovered,
The nectar that saves you from wine.
The portals now open to Brahman,
Bright home of all yogis in sight,
There the gardens of sweet Bhagavan,
Are waiting to share their delights.
Tapasya, Svadyaya, Pranidhan,
O Ishvara, I long to return,
To walk in the fields of Vrindavan,
To dance with You when it’s my turn.
I hunger to taste from Your hands,
The ambrosia of sweet Loving Grace,
To rejoin Your eternal band,
And again see Your smiling face.
Vancouver Director Pete McCormack’s “Facing Ali” a Knock-Out
Vancouver director Pete McCormack’s feature-length documentary Facing Ali is among 15 docs on the short list for this year’s best documentary Oscar….more.
Article courtesy of the Reel Man with Province film critic Glen Schaefer.
