Infinite Possibilities

Thursday afternoon, Lama Christie and Geshe Michael began teaching us the series. It is partner yoga. We began with a visualization of our central channel and chakras. As she explained, the chakras are not only knots in the central channel, but also doorways to the greater consciousness. Then we partnered with someone and did beautiful sequences trying to open these portals while trying to tune into each other's breath and chakras. It was just gorgeous and I can't wait to share it when I return.

Most of the students met the dharma many years ago, and have been studying with Lama Christie and Geshe Michael for a while. So many of them have studied at Diamond Mountain, or did the 300 hour teacher training with the Yoga Studies Institute. Most of them have also completed the 7 other THY Series certifications. The love among them is beautiful. The warmth and genuine caring they have for each other, and the openness towards and embrace of those of us (like me) who are not as familiar, is a great thing to behold. This all exudes from Geshe Michael and Lama Christie, who are so genuine, warm and loving to all. It is inspiring to be around so many people who have made their life mission nothing short of removing the suffering of all living beings, and helping people have a sense of wonder about their lives. As my teacher asked me yesterday, do you want to see yourself as ordinary, or extraordinary? Do you want to see your life as usual, or full of miracles?

A beautiful quote from class:

"You are as vast as the sky, full of infinite possibilities. Because of this, you have infinite potential, and an endless capacity for love and compassion. Believe that in an instant, you could fall in love with every living being in the entire universe, while at the same time realizing that the entire universe is coming from you." Kelly Roadhouse

Change Myself, Change the World

Today is the first day of Tibetan Heart Yoga Series ("THYS") 8 retreat in San Pancho, Mexico. We are about an hour outside of Puerto Vallarta, and the village of San Pancho is far removed from tourism. The resort is beautiful however, and the staff are grateful for our presence. This is especially so since September is the start of monsoon season and they are usually empty! Here is the daily schedule: Breakfast from 8 - 9AMl meditation from 9 - 9:45; Asana class from 10 - 11:30 (reviewing the principles of THYS 1-7); lunch; service work from 12:30 - 3PM; study groups from 3 - 3:30; THYS 8 training from 3:30 - 5:30; Dinner from 6:30 - 7:30; Kirtan from 8 - 8:30; Philosophy from 8:30 - 10PM. This morning we had an orientation about the two types of service work - one is helping to build a compost latrine for a local school, and the other is helping to finish building a community center for a wonderful organization called Entre Amigos that is trying to help give the community the skills to survive in a technological world. Both the school and Entre Amigos were founded by people who left their jobs and lives in other parts of the world to come to San Pancho. They are very passionate and inspired, and it is exciting to that we can help them.

So that schedule is intense! I don't know if my body is up for all the Asana practice but I will pace myself and treat my joints gently. The participants - about 75 - are a mix of Yoga Studies Institute practitioners who have been studying with Geshe Michael and Lama Christie for a long time, and some, like me, who are relatively new to karma and emptiness. There is much joyful reverence for the holy lamas, and the holy teachings. I am optimistic that by eradicating the kleshas of ignorant desire, pride, jealousy and grasping, from my own life, I will change the world.