I don’t believe in coincidences. You’re meant to be here right now, looking at this post. If you weren’t you just wouldn’t be. Whatever your reason’s for being here, whether you want to want to learn yoga, want to find out more, or just found something on the site interesting, if it resonates, i urge you to take the plunge and go for it. Because if you’re on here chances are you’re on your way to doing something constructive and tangible to try and improve your life. So good on you!
This website was an accident. Well, actually a lot of thought and planning went into it - a whoooolllleee lot of thought (some could say too much) but ironically it was published by accident. I hit the wrong button. It wanted it to be published only once it was perfect, the time was right, everything was in order blah blah but of course that’s not how life works. Perfection is always a ways away, and as we expand and seem to move closer to it, it edges away like some elusive mirage. Things can always be more perfect.
So it was a blessing that I published my website too early, when there were still a few errors and empty pages. It was great, because I finally got it done. And the initial steps are often the hardest. Funnily enough that accident was the push I needed to get going and it’s been ticking along nicely ever since. Yes there are still lots of things to do, but just like that elusive concept of perfection of mine, things are never going to be done with this website (and the classes of course) as long as I want to keep it alive because thats what existing in this world is all about. Moving, growing, discovering and all that other fun stuff. It’s like housework, it’ll never get done for good, because of, well, life.
Anyway, the ‘coincidences’ didn’t stop there. The last blog post I wrote yesterday (I was on a roll after that accidental publishing and in a fit of inspiration wrote three) was about choosing to have a Guru. The word guru means one who dispels darkness, or in other words helps you see things you couldn’t before, and lifts the veil of ignorance, experientially. It’s more than a teacher in our conventional sense, of a different dimension. Don’t worry about it too much if it sounds far fetched, I believe when you need one, you’ll know. I posted a picture of a lit lightbulb encircled by some unlit ones. I then checked the Tamil lunar calendar and discovered it was a huge festival of light called ‘Karthigai Deepam’.
Some of you familiar with the great 20th Century sage Ramana Maharishi. He influenced a generation, including one of my favourite English Authors and writer of Brave New World Aldous Huxley. His ashram is in a town called Arunachala in South India, where there is a famous hill of the same name, and an ancient temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and the element of fire. Thousands upon thousands of people flock to the temple on this day to watch them burn a huge lamp through the night.
Its a huge day for light as a symbol - a symbol of knowledge over ignorance, clarity over a lack of perception and also good over evil, which in the Hindu tradition is not so much an innate characteristic but intrinsically linked to ignorance. We are all trying to do what we deem to be best in our understanding after all. This is where the Guru comes in, to give us light, clarity, perception. Shiva is also called the Adi-Guru, or first Guru. And the other major function of light, and the Guru if you are fortunate enough to have a good one, is the removal of fear and anxiety. I mentioned in the article yesterday how many people mistrust Gurus. To me it’s like someone petrified of the dark not ever leaving the confines of their home, because they didn’t believe in the existence torches. Of course torches exist. They have been used to great effect by people for thousands of years.
Whether you believe in signs from the universe or just think they’re silly superstitions and omens don’t exist, you can make this one work in your favour. There must be something you’ve been dreaming about doing for a while now, something that could inspire you, challenge you, make you feel alive, just like all the best things in life. Go for it. Chances are what’s holding you back is a little fear. But I say, if you dreamt it, it’s possible. Grab that torch and the way will become clear. You only live this lifetime once, don’t waste it.
Kartthigai Deepam lamp festival. Fire was a game changer for humans, when we discovered more about it we stopped fearing it.
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