HERSHA’S YOGA BLOG

The Power of Mantra Initiation

Sat, 4 May 2013 08:42:46 +0800

Finding the one yoga lineage is not easy. There are many beautiful teachers and traditions to learn from, each offering something unique. Finding unity with your spirit is like finding a life partner. After all, it is a lifelong union you plan to make. Until you find it, you need to experience "dating" other yoga traditions. Dating yoga traditions is great fun. It will help you find one that suits your personality, your lifestyle, your temperament, and your purpose in life. You will know you have found "The One" when your soul resonates with it and you feel complete. Your heart opens. You feel at home. Once you have found it, stick to it. Dig deep. Get initiated into that tradition.

Initiation is a ceremony where a spiritual teacher gives the student a specific mantra to use for Japa meditation. A mantra is a cosmic sound vibration. This vibration hums, creating sounds like OM, Amen, or Ameen. A mantra allows the mind to tune into a higher wavelength, creating a connection with the Guru's spiritual energy -- something like a weak battery receiving current from a fully charged battery, in order to run again. The student makes a commitment to repeat the mantra, which allows the energy to set in physically and mentally, deepening the nature of one's spiritual practice and taking it to the next level.

I received a mantra from my Yoga Master, Sri Swami Satchidananda (Sri Gurudev), when I was just eight years old. He personally gave me, along with my parents and sisters, a particular mantra. His only instruction was to chant it as often as possible inside my head. Needless to say, as a child, I took those words of wisdom lightly. I had absolutely no idea what just happened.

A year and a half later, my nanny, who arrived into my life when I was just ten days old, passed away with stomach cancer. I felt like I had lost a mother. Out of nowhere, the mantra entered my head. When I felt completely beside myself with emotion, I would hide under the blankets or in a closet and say the mantra to myself. It was the only thing I could do to escape the overwhelming grief I was feeling. Still no idea why I was using it or what the benefit of it was. All I knew was that my Gurudev gave it to me, so it must have had some value.

Fast forward to age 22 years, and I was at Yogaville, a young adult living a fast paced corporate life in New York. I went on one of my regular trips to Sri Gurudev's ashram, Yogaville in Virgina, USA. I went for a walk with one of my mentors, Swami Dayananda, around the tranquil setting of the Blue Ridge mountains and the Saint James river. During our walk, Swami Dayananda asked me if I ever received mantra initiation. I had absolutely no idea what that was and told her so. We spent the entire walk trying to figure out if I had been initiated. I wasn't even sure what the meaning of it was, but all of the sudden, I wanted it. I desperately wanted to be initiated by my beloved Sri Gurudev.

So as luck would have it, I had the opportunity to see Sri Gurudev that evening. He was sitting in a large arm chair as I walked in, not quite sure what I was asking for. He asked me why I wanted to see him. I awkwardly murmured that I wanted to be initiated. He scowled and said, "Didn't I already give you a mantra? What's wrong with that mantra? Why do you want another one?"
I panicked, "Actually, I don't want another mantra. I've been using the one you gave me all this time. I love my mantra, I don't need another one."
"So then why are you here?"
Now I felt like a complete idiot for wasting Sri Gurudev's time. "Um…Okay, actually I have no idea about initiation or whether I've been initiated. All I know is that I want it."
"Why do you want it?"
"I can't explain it. I just really want it. I want full confirmation that I am yours."
He was silent, then smiled his empowering, radiant smile and said, "Okay, if that's what you want."

Then came the most beautiful experience of my life. I was initiated. I cannot begin to explain its wonder with words. It wasn't a ceremony (like it often is with many yoga traditions). I didn't prepare, nor did I fast, nor did I bring anything to offer. I just received it. I consider myself extremely blessed and I've never looked back.

The goal of all traditional yoga lineages is the same; to know the Universal Spirit. This Universal Spirit has various names and forms. A lineage will always guide you to rise above the limitations of the body and mind and realize the Self. Trendy yoga classes using acrobatics and hula hoops are challenging and exciting, however they may not have the highest goal in mind. Dedicating yourself to one yoga lineage allows you to go deep within, helping you transcend your limitations and overcome challenges with complete guidance.

Receiving initiation from a lineage means that you have accepted that spiritual guide as your Guru. You become committed to the teachings of your lineage. If you already have a mantra, stick to it. There is no need to collect mantras from different traditions, as it will not serve you. Your mantra is all you need to tap into your inner Guru. The mantra is your tool to steady your mind with the Guru's guidance and energy. Initiation is a very subtle but effective spiritual technique, which is why it is only for those who are serious on the path and very interested to know the benefit of it. My beloved Gurudev used to say, "There's no value in digging shallow wells in a hundred places. Decide on one place and dig deep. Even if you encounter a rock, use dynamite and keep going down. If you leave that to dig another well, all the effort is wasted and there is no proof you won't hit rock again."

My mantra has been my dynamite. It has helped me through the most challenging and most beautiful moments of my life. It reminds me to keep my heart wide open even though it's completely frightening to do so.

It gives me strength when I feel I have none. When I am filled with doubt, it reminds me to keep the faith. I have dug deep and reached the water that quenches my spiritual thirst. For that, I am forever grateful.

Yoga Teachers Burnt out?

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 19:31:22 +0800

Yes... it can happen to the best of us at times. While it is a positive thing to be popular, many times, yoga teachers try to please their clients by offering more classes, however there runs a danger of getting too tired.

Yoga isn’t just about teaching an exercise class. Energy is transmitted. The way I was taught, the yoga teacher becomes a hollow vessel to transmit the teachings. However, when you really give everything of yourself to your students, you need time and space to recover. A sadhana or spiritual practice is exactly that. It’s a time for you to personally recharge your batteries.

Finding balance in work and in life is a constant refinement. It’s not a static thing. Sometimes an extended time off (without travel) is needed to sort out administration, accounting, update address books and basically clean up shop. It allows you the time and space to reevaluate personal and professional goals. Thing is, we don’t always have the luxury of doing just that.

I’ve got six weeks that I’ve given myself to take a break from teaching and finish that book that I promise myself I’ll get to, and to sort out the mountain of papers in my office, and to develop new trainings and programs. I hope to come out refreshed and reinspired to give my absolute best to all my clients, students and friends.

I’ll keep you posted on how I progress. Today (Easter Sunday) was a day of cleaning out my children’s toy box! It’s quite crazy to see stuff that absolutely shouldn’t be in there... quite amusing. Tomorrow, I’m cleaning them, putting the pieces together so that I have complete sets of educational toys and donating it to organizations that could use gently used toys and books.

Yoga for Special Needs in Hong Kong

Fri, 8 Feb 2013 09:45:49 +0800

I truly believe that children who have special needs are here to teach us to be more kind and compassionate. When my niece Talia came into my life, she changed me. She actually saved me! I was grieving the sudden loss of my father and a few months later, she was born. I was instantly in love. I was no longer grieving, I was blessed. Since then, I have embarked on a journey that has given me more than I could ever imagine.

All children are special! All children have different abilities. For some, their abilities are very different and sometimes challenging, but they are all children with the same basic needs. The truth is, we are all different in that sense. I personally believe that children with special needs are highly intelligent beings, with a purity of heart, and an understanding of life that many of us long for.

My mother-in-law and spiritual guide, Nalanie Chellaram says that although Talia struggles with physical disabilities, she has inspired so many to do good and help others with their struggle. Talia’s mother, has set up an online community connecting parents of special needs children together. I got trained to teach yoga for children with special needs. This little girl has been the seed for some major changes not only in the lives of her family, but has rippled out to our communities around us.

As a yoga teacher for kids with different abilities, it’s up to me to find out their point of connection. Be it through music, singing, rhythm, or colour, once the connection is made, the yoga journey begins in a profound way. The practice no longer becomes about working with a disability, but about a connection of the heart. As Sonia Sumar, my respected teacher and mentor says, “When you work from soul to soul, there is no disability.”

Sonia Sumar and Kathy Randolf are coming to Hong Kong this July 2013, to conduct the Yoga for the Special Child®: The Sonia Sumar Method Certification Programs:
Basic Part 1 for children aged 0-12 years (July 8-14, 2013)
Basic Part 2 for children aged 12 years and older (July 15-21, 2013)

It is an amazing training that uses classical yoga as an effective tool for transformation. The Sonia Sumar Method doesn’t cut off any of yoga’s roots, and this is truly what makes the practice quite remarkable. For more information, please contact me at: info@hershayoga.com.

Service & Volunteering in Hong Kong

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 20:48:23 +0800

SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY OR ENVIRONMENT is this year’s theme for my blog. Not only will I find and share stories of Hong Kong’s angels and silent saints, but am I dedicating myself to community service as well.

My Commitment:
1) I’ll be offering community classes to charitable organizations, bringing gentle yoga to those that really need it, but can’t afford it.
2) I will donate proceeds from all my earnings to the Service in Satchidananda Project: (www.sisproject.org). It’s an organization run by a group of like-minded individuals, who are dedicated to community service one good deed at a time.
3) I will share my journey with you; not because I care about what you think of me but because I hope that it will inspire you to do the same.

I am reaching out to all of you. Do a good deed, or find me a silent saint and tell me their story. Or simply, open your eyes to what’s around you.

Hong Kong is a thriving city. Just walk around Central and you can see just how rich and bountiful the city is -- not a luxury brand missing from the scenes. But just below the lights, in the corners of the street are the needy, the volunteers collecting donations to service their respective charitable organizations, the street walkers, the buskers, the list is endless all of them represent our community.

They are just a tiny tiny sample of the real Hong Kong -- on the other side of the harbour. Many HK-island dwellers call it “the dark side.” And for some, it really is:
- Orphans with special needs
- Elderly living in poverty
- Families and single parents living in cage homes (with their children)
- Families with children who have terminal illnesses
- Asylum seekers who have come here with nothing, in the hopes of gaining everything

If you’re with me, it’s the best resolution you’ve made. Here are some ideas to help you start.
Paying it forward
Good deeds for friends, families, your church or temple
Looking after the poor, the sick, the elderly
Looking after your lonely neighbour
Raising money for a cause close to your heart
Calling your lonely grandparents once a week
Picking up litter off the streets
Donating HK$1 each day
Tithing - (giving 10% of your net income to a charitable cause)

Please share your stories with me or post them on http://facebook/hershayoga

If you come to my classes or book me for a private session, please know that you are part of this as well, so for that, I truly thank you!

Deal with Anger & Forgiveness Follows

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 23:11:52 +0800

Unlike the majority of children, Marie had her childhood cut abruptly short. Prior to the death of her grandparents, the inconsistent nature of Marie’s mother’s presence had forced Marie to shoulder the responsibilities of raising her younger siblings at the age of nine. Ill-equipped, confused and not given the chance to gather a semblance of emotional calm, Marie was forced to put aside her childhood, whilst her mother engaged in numerous extra-marital affairs.
From attending parent-teacher meetings for siblings to managing the domestic affairs of the house, Marie was forced to grow up very quickly. As she entered her teenage years, unresolved grief and anger began to coalesce within, which led to her straying onto the path of truancy. All this resulted in Marie becoming the focal point for a tirade of anger, guilt and frustration. Soon, her desire to escape began to affect her siblings, who in turn blamed her since there was no one else around. All of this and much more resulted in Marie running away from home for nine months at the age of 17.
After being tracked down by her family and eventually brought back and re-enrolled in school, Marie began to slowly come to terms with deep-set emotional issues that she had not had the chance to resolve. Although she was still in charge of the welfare of her siblings, her mother began to make attempts to enter their lives and gradually take on responsibility.
The common concern for her siblings signaled that the fragile nature of her family was not beyond salvation. Marie plainly stated, “I had no intention of forgiving my mother after running away. I needed to decide what was important in my life. I could continue on a path of self-destruction, harming my family, or realize whilst my situation wasn’t ideal, it was at least something that was always there for me.” Marie focused on raising her brother and sister effectively. She gained a lot of perspective by seeing the good that she was able to effect in their lives.
“Over a period of around three or four years, my anger slowly receded into the background until I realized that I didn’t need it to define me. I had had something better, more valuable and positive in front of me the whole time – my siblings. In the end, things between my mother and I just became less hostile and aggressive. Sometimes you have to grit your teeth and take it on the chin. Hopefully, when you come out the other side, you’ll still have what’s important with you. If you’re lucky that is, which I consider myself to be.”
When asked what advice she would give to people trying to control their anger, she responded, “Try and think about what’s important in your life. I knew my anger was destroying my life but [at the time] I didn’t care because I didn’t stop to think what I could be losing. Just try and remind yourself of what you could lose. A lot.”
By forgiving her mother, Marie says she no longer suffers from bouts of depression, guilt and anger, and is now a passionate, dedicated and caring early childhood educator, which is something she assures me would never have been possible before, and is something that she wouldn’t trade for anything.