Divine Selves: Namastey! I have a few moments of time “empty” and as is my wont , I thought I would put “pen to paper” (yes , some of us dinosaurs do still exist) and reach out to a few near and dear souls, of which you are one! We have just passed through a week end- Friday, Saturday and Sunday – of incredibly intense activity – especially for Ananda. He has proven again he has imbibed Lord Krishna’s dictum – Yoga Karmasu Khaushalam – Yoga is skill in action – and has organized and –pulled off successfully a national level conference on Medicine and Yoga at his medical college for 250 delegates and another 50 guest delegates on Friday, Nov-22, Simultaneously he organized the 28th Annual Pondicherry State Yoga Asana competition Nov 23 and 24th for 1,300 competitors, and took a side trip to near Mahabalipuram (about two hours drive) from 6 am – 11 am, Saturday Nov 23rd morning to give a lecture at a national conference and receive a national award – Best School Pyshology permoance 2013 Wow! It made my hair stand on end and now – on the brink of Monday – we can look back with relief – and say – “what great successes” but I admit there was plenty of doubt the week before. I told him: “This is too much for any mortal man!” But – events just conspired to challenge his “Sthithi Prajna.” (even mindedness) in this way! All this plus his full time work at the medical college, driving two hours daily, giving Mantra 4:30 to 6 pm daily – helping Dhivya with her homework –pacifying his mother… so, I simply record all this to share it with you. We are also, by the way , in the midst of monsoon and cyclone weather. So disaster loomed in the clouds – heavy winds and rains would have played spoil sport for any or all of the three events! God is great! Ganapathy watches over us, and though we were teased and tested from 4 am to 7 am on Friday Nov 22, the day of the conference at the Medical College , the rain stopped and enough sunshine came out to warm our shivering spirits and hearts. Photos and reports will appear on Face Book and Yoga Life . But this is the behind – the scenes – report for the inner circle! Dhivya got second prizes in both her categories in the Yoga Asana competition out of about 50 competitors. Anandraj got third out of 60 in his category. That is sufficient for me! I have told them: you don’t have to be “top”, but you should be “at the top!” All the kids love the carnival atmosphere of the Asana competitions! The snack bar there also has a great appeal ! Anandraj told me today, “I wish yesterday would come again!” I am sure all of us have felt that way on occasion! Wasn’t there an old Beatle song that went something like, “Yesterday, seems so far away … “ I have started four days ago taking wheat grass in powdered form .I felt some effects today , like something was shifting… but what was shifting where I do not know … stay tuned. If Ananda was running a marathon, I was also in my own marathon, albeit at a lower speed! Trying to make sure kids got to school, also to competition venue, organizing Yoga Asana uniforms, correlating six month students movement, to the medical conference (35 Km distance) and then to Asana competition venue, keeping Ashram food schedule and then on Saturday, getting everyone to Asana competition venue by 10 am for inauguration. It is held in a marriage hall which has an entrance of about 30 steep steps – then ten more steps to the stage – standing about ½ hour for lighting lamp, giving welcome speech, sitting 4 hours in highly uncomfortable plastic moulded chairs – back to ICYER for a few hours – back to venue – Sunday – Veledictory at same marriage hall – the steps look like Mount Everest from my present perspective. 3: 30 to 5 pm giving prizes and awards on stage! It was a great exercise – to quote an old American Negro spiritual ballad “Old Man River,” at the end of each day I could sing “Body all wracked and filled with pain.” Today , Monday, I feel amazingly good! I think I needed the exercise ! Perhaps I do not walk enough in the normal days! Ah Life! You are full of mysteries! Our seven students in Team 45 were wonderfully cooperative as they went through their “Indian experiences” of the Medical Conference and Yoga Asana Competition . They also served as judges. Cathy Davis the great Team Leader, guided them well and they all had huge grins on their faces this morning, remembering the amazing “body feats” of our young Indian kids in the Yoga Asana competition! Many of you have shared this experience of the fun of the joy of our Indian kids! So, my time with you has ended! It’s back to Dharma! Be as happy as you can be and enjoy your life as much as you can! Affectionately Yours in Yoga, AMMA.
Posted on: Tue, 26 Nov 2013 09:39:28 +0000