Happiness is our moral duty. By Gaby

Happiness is our moral duty

The Universality of the quest for Happiness.

This article is based on the assumption that everyone is looking for Happiness, hence we recognize “the universality of the search for happiness”. If you do subscribe to that prior hypothesis, just send me an email. I have failed to find anyone yet who is not looking for Happiness, even if it is in some crooked ways.

General confusion about Happiness

Obviously a corollary to the first assumption is that only a few people succeed in the search, since there seems to be so much misery on the world. Which lead me to believe that many do not know where to search, as if one searches earnestly, one finds!

Where to find Happiness

Happiness comes from inside, from a place beyond fear and desire. Fear is the past, desire the future, forget about these two impostors and look just now. It is there. Just quiet your talking mind and look inside you’ll end up finding it. Of course there may be some mess to clean if you have not gone to that place in a long time, but no-one placed that mess there but you, so you’ll be able to get rid of it quickly.

What does Happiness look like (how do you recognize when you find it)

Happiness is free, no one to pay, nothing to buy. It has a lifetime guarantee (and even more), it is infinite in quantity and stable in quality. If your happiness is flickering, coming on and off, that’s not the right one yet. You may be getting close but have not reached yet. Keep searching.

How to get help on the way

Meet happy people it helps because happiness is contagious. How do you know happy people? Easy: when un-happy people are still looking for happiness (and would rush to grab it they’d see a drop of it), happy people are not looking anymore. On the contrary, they exude happiness, because they’ve also realized that happiness is eternal and infinite, so they can’t run out of stock. These people are also very simple and straight forward. They do not need stuff around them nor pretend to be anything. On the contrary, for them stuff around is risky, this is how we may lose Happiness it in the first place. Some people say to find happiness you have to renounce material stuff, they may be right but even if you don’t, the day you find Happiness you renounce anyway. Why would you need anything else in life?

Benefits of finding Happiness I you doubt that it is worth to start the search ;-)

One of the good news, since Happiness comes from inside, you do not depend on any one or anything to be find, keep and maintain Happiness. Nothing to do, nothing to buy, and in our individualistic prone world, that is priceless: you have a total autonomy and independence of your source of Happiness.

Another good news, is that as soon as you will find Happiness you will notice people around will find it too. They will start by wondering were did you get it, and when they discover they’ll go get their share. In turn people around will be Happy. And since all these people revolve in your near universe, from Happiness you will start to experience bliss.

Beyond your friends, Happiness impact your health, by connecting you with some deep source of healing energy. You will hardly need a doctor and you may even be able to heal other people too.

Happiness is our moral duty

Now why is it a moral duty? Quite simple too. If you have ever met a happy person, you would know that they are incapable of any wrong doing. They are generosity incarnated. Happiness feeds Happiness. Happy people suddenly have so much Happiness that you can’t do anything else than distribute some around you, in whatever form. So this is when we will realize that if every body was happy, there would not be much trouble in this world. Because even the worse dictator, the worse assassin in the world is looking for that one thing: happiness, but they are just looking the wrong way. Would everyone be happy, then non one would hurt anyone. Hence we must find that source of happiness in ourselves so we can start spreading the news around, dispensing loads of Happiness for everyone to share. That is the only way we can change the world.

Wishing All tons of Happiness!

Sarva Mangalam

Kathmandu, half way to heaven? By Gaby

One remarkable particularity of Tantra is to propose the view that the "micro" aspect of the universe reflects the "macro" aspect and vice-versa. More than that, there is a "continuum universe" from micro to macro that we are somewhere in between.

Gokarna, a yajna at the Shiva Temple

This view is expressed in various ways like the famous "So above, so below" but you can also find it in the not less famous "Samsara equals Nirvarna", meaning, there is no duality between the "here and now" and the "heavens" or the looked after state of union (yoked) with the Absolute. No need to run away from the world to find an illusory Nirvana.

We can also find similar meaning in the message of Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita, (not a usual reference Tantric scripture though):

BG III- 11  With this (sacrifice) may you sustain the deities so that the deities may sustain you. Sustaining one another, you shall obtain the supreme good.

BG III- 12  For, sustained by sacrifice, the deities will give you the desired “food”. He who enjoys their gifts without giving something in return is but a thief.

BG III- 13  Good men, consuming the sacrificial leavings, are released from all guilt, but those who cook for their own sake are evil and “eat” the karmic fruits of wickedness.

Like always in eastern philosophy, without a practical application, it would be considered futile or simply a "brain" exercise. WIthout even attempting a religious or spiritual explanation, taking Nature or Earth as an example of our macro universe, the above verses becomes quite clear: we need to sustain our environment so it can sustain us, and those who are just taking (without giving back) are called "thieves" and will end up eating the karmic fruits of their responsibility.

Looking at our bodies and all its functions as an example of our micro universe, here again it is clear that without providing the body with sacred sacrificial food (activity, equanimity, clean air/water, organic food etc) we are just robing ourself of health and I am sure you can figure out for yourselves what the karmic fruits can be.

Like in Varanasi (India) the ancient inhabitants of the Kathmandu Valley wanted to embeb this ideal in their daily life.

Bhaktapur, Durbar Square

Since we are the middle cosmos, (between the micro and the macrocosm), they organized the environment in a way that would  constantly remind of our middle position, just like building a city-size Mandala (or Yantra) in which we would evolve; a spiritual landscape (some use the word faith-scape).

A place where Gods, (as representant of the macrocosmos) and humans live together in harmony. Each corner or angle representing a power point where to place a specific deity with a specific function to energize, protect, fertilize etc.

In this way you will find around the cities of Patan, Bhakatapur and Katmandu, 4 holy hills, 4 main Vishnu temple, 4 main Ganesh temple etc and by drawing imaginary lines between these power, you would draw a sort of Mandala with the city at the center. Each power point you will find a lingam, a pool of water (kund) a large tree (usualy a ficus religiosa) a temple, a fountain etc.

Obviously this goes along with a well organized calendar of festivals during which all respective deities would be worshipped to make sure none is neglected, and routes to allow pilgrims to go around, perform "yatra", along these imaginary mandala lines, stopping in each power point to pay respect making sacrifices (yajna).

Shanku, VajraYogini Temple

Each angle or corner of the mandala is considered Thirtha, a passage, a gate, a ford, a connection with the other world (the Ultimate or Absolute). Doing a Yatra along the lines of the mandala is a powerful way to connect with the Absolute.

Doing a yoga training in Kathmandu today still allows to benefit of that unfortunately vanishing energy and to refuel at the source of the yogic science and the reason why Nepal is called Sadhana Bhumi. See previous blog article in this respect. When practicing in Nepal, the mighty Himalayas will remind you of the macro by their majestic aspect and mere size. The meso-cosmos, as seen here is everywhere. The micro-cosmos will be the subject of our study and inquiry through our sadhana. Of course the spirit of all the enlightened master who have chosen to reside in the Himalaya will be helping us on our path.

Today's modern urban imperatives are unfortunately ignorant of the macro and micro cosmos.  And despite the economic model is falling apart everywhere, only the eco-cosmos is to be maintained at all price and our gods are called automobiles, supermarkets, petrol stations, airport etc.

In Kathmandu, despite being the most polluted city in Asia, projects are cutting trees to increase the size of the roads to allow more cars to travel (and only the rich have cars here), and it seems the brand-new car show room receive more attention than the temples.

Nowadays, everybody takes, but no one gives, as it is the major tenet of capitalism. We take all our resources from nature but do not give back anything, except pollution, because it would destabilize the eco-cosmos.

Let see what karmic fruits we will have to eat. My feel is that they will be very bitter, if not poisonous.

And now, Yoga begins *. By Ana Paula Martinez

 by Ana Paula Martinez

GANESH - KATHMANDU

It has been one month since I came back to Mexico, after the most magical and transforming trip of my life. The return has not been easy, as the changes in me are very profound. And it is interesting to see, once again, how we create our reality according to how much we let our mind participate. But there are many layers. As my yoga teacher Neera told me recently: Now the real Yoga begins.

It is not easy to describe the experience of a Yoga Teacher Training. I haven’t even understood yet how deep the inner transformation goes, and even more, how to manage to stay there while living in a society in which distractions are everywhere and darkness is present.

So when somebody asks me about my experience in the Yogi Nomad Teacher Training in Nepal, my feeling is that as hard as I try to explain it, my words will remain in a superficial level. It is like trying to describe what is impossible to say. In a Yoga Teacher Training we are exposed to a huge amount of information, which is hard to digest in such a short time; a very intense physical challenge; a deep exploration of the mind, going to indescribable places; and a strong energetic management that is hard to understand with our logic. In the Yogi Nomad teacher training, we also learn Thai Massage and Ayurveda. All these practices require absolute awareness, constant observing and discipline. Fortunately, the result from these six intensive weeks is equally positive in all levels: physical, mental, emotional and energetic. In terms of my yoga practice, I feel that it was greatly enriched. I learned that an advanced yoga level is proportionally related to the ability to be present and fully aware during the practice, instead of just being capable of doing complicated postures. I also realized that my practice is always different, it changes everyday, just like my body, and therefore, the experience of my yoga practice is always a new challenge.

HIMALAYAS VIEW FROM BANDIPUR

 My trip to Nepal was not only to the Yoga Teacher Training, but it was extended to traveling around in this wonderful country, around this sacred land that has magic in the air. Moreover, I was able to see directly many of the matters studied during the course, in the Nepalese culture daily life.

Since the first day that I arrived to Kathmandu, I felt it. I knew that nothing would ever be the same after Nepal. And it isn’t. Describing this experience is not easy either. In this journey I witnessed the most evidently strong peace that I have ever felt as 

I was approaching to the Vajrayogini Temple in Sankhu and its mystery. I spent many hours 

SANKHU – STEPS TO THE VAJRAYOGINI TEMPLE

observing life’s impermanence in the beautiful Pashupatinath, and was overwhelmed when I found myself in front of the Himalayas in Bandipur. I spent almost three weeks in Boudhanath, embracing the sense of ‘being home’ and feeling deeply grateful at every step I took in that beautiful place with such a powerful gravitational center.

ASPHODEL SCHOOL - KATHMANDU

Thanks to Shannon, a friend I met during the training, I spent one week painting a mural with the kids at an orphan school in Kathmandu, where I was deeply inspired by those beautiful little human beings.

This trip was not only to another country, to another culture, to the other side of the world, but it was also a journey inside myself. The Yogi Nomad team offered me this amazing opportunity through the Scholarship that they gave me,  and I will always be profoundly grateful with Gaby and Val for their generosity. Thanks to them, today I can tell this story.

Namaste.

Mexico, January 2012

BOUDHANATH, KATHMANDU

* Athayoganusasanam, Patanjali Yoga Sutra I-1

Sail to places you never imagined! By Leah Levinton.

Recommendation to a friend

by Leah Levinton

Hi Elaine!

Very happy to hear from you! Thank you for your patience with my reply...holidays!

Leah

I hope you don't mind that I cc'd Val in this email, I just wanted her to know that I got in touch with you. I was in the same boat last year when I decided to sign up for Yogi-Nomad. The website was incredibly helpful because it's a huge leap to commit to a program that takes place across the world and having not spoken to a past participant or to the program directors.

To be honest, I didn't get in touch with anyone to find out more about the program, the thing that tipped my decision to attend Yogi-Nomad TTC was Gaby's goofy fish/kissy face on the website! (click People, then Teachers, under Gaby) I just got a strong feeling that this was where I needed to be.

The program was utterly transformational. Well, 6 weeks with a full schedule, constant learning and education, intense personal insight, physical and at times emotional demand -- transformation, in my opinion is inevitable. 

This is a special program. This TTC is different from others for many reasons; an obvious one being the additional two weeks they offer for free. (of course, you don't have to attend if your schedule doesn't allow, but I highly recommend it!!) During the first 4 weeks of the training, there was SO much information given that having two more weeks for extra practice hours to teach classes was when I actually began the process of assimilating and digesting what I had just learned. And not to mention learning THAI MASSAGE!! A beautiful complimentary healing modality to yoga!! 

Avril, Leah, Tara, Kayla and friends...

Spending 6 weeks with a small group of people is an amazing experience. You will always feel a deep connection to those people, even if you don't see any of them again after the training. It is also possible that you will experience emotional "ups and downs" during such an intense training. Val and Gaby are beautiful facilitators to help you process and grow from these moments, to truly develop as a human being and understand a deeper connection that we can have with ourselves, other people, and our surrounding environment.

The structure of the program is terrific. When I went, the hours were very long (start the day with 5:30 am meditation and finish around 7 or sometimes 8:30 pm). They did this so we had two days off which was nice because we could explore Nepal over the weekends. It was an opportunity to see how you responded to an intense schedule and it showed me that I am capable of much more than I thought I could handle! I'm not sure what the program outline will be like this year. Yogi-Nomad does a wonderful job incorporating all of the Yoga Alliance requirements for a 200-hr TTC. 

Himalayas...

And not to mention NEPAL!! Last year's program was held in a facility that overlooked the Himalayas, so we gazed at breathtaking, marvelous and humbling mountains every single day. The people are so beautiful, spiritual and warm. (Their hello/goodbye/how are you/I see you/ greeting is Namaste!) Gaby and Val encourage exploration and have connections and tons of information about Nepal, so you can really see and feel the country for yourself.

I could probably go on for quite some time about this program, so let me end on this note: the Yogi-Nomad TTC, Gaby and Val literally changed my life. I absolutely HIGHLY encourage you to jump on this magnificent ship and sail to places you never imagined. Please email me as much as you'd like with more specific questions as they come to you. I'd love to be a support and connection. You shall have an amazing journey, you're already on it!

Leah, Mandy and more friends...

Love, light, sun, and cinnamon

Anchorage, Alaska

January 2012

Published by Elephant Journal: Some Like It Hot. By Gaby

Click here to view the article on Elephant Journal: Some Like It Hot. ~ Gaby Tezier

Here there was no performance, no fluorescent yoga mat, no Lululemon clothing, the class was free, everyone was smiling and lighthearted, no one complained.

Please like and comment (if you feel like) it will give us more chances to share...