June 19, 2014
Dear friends,
It is about 6am here in Mani as the new day is just about to break through. The cool breeze makes the olive branches dance and sway, and the haze over the sea blends the watery grey and sky blue in an endless misty expanse. I sat up in bed, with our Shakti cat purring on my chest and grabbed my computer as I wanted to share some good news with you. Earlier, about 5am, the dogs woke me up with excitable yelps. Five playful puppies and an energetic mother, even hungrier for love than her little ones. I let them wake me up and jump all over me in bittersweet surrender: it is probably the last day all six of them will rise up and engage in this playful extravaganza. A friend is coming to pick up the last two puppies for adoption. I am thinking, "may they go to good loving homes," and secretly feel the sadness of missing them. The joy of seeing this family of 11 happy puppies growing and playing together since their birth on April 11--the number 11 being an auspicious spiritual number--is now coming to a close. The morning light changes fast, reminding me of the transience of life. "What is left behind the fast flow of events?", I wonder. Life changes so fast and everything just keeps on passing. I sit quietly in wonder and meditation.
The events of this year now pass like a movie on the screen of the grey horizon.
At NYSY we just ended our Spring season with all of you joining us for yoga and pilates practice with teachers who cared, encouraged by your intention to practice despite the demands of your lives, your many obligations, and difficulties of our times. Seeing how you all came in, with the spirit of trust, friendship, and the intention to benefit your body and mind, made our NYSY team happy, and fulfilled our purpose of being there to meet you, serve your needs and the needs of our community.
Another cycle that came to completion was our NYSY academic year. This spring the BASI Pilates Teacher Training team completed their training with nearly every student passing their difficult exams with flying colors at all locations: NYSY, Holmes Place, and Anima Studio in Thessaloniki. We had some very dedicated teams this year who practiced extremely hard under the tutelage of Georgia Kissa, Maria Sylla, Alexandra Rossopoulou, and our visiting BASI instructors, Ed Botha, and Brandon Gamble.
Our 200 Hour Abhaya Yoga Teacher Training program also came to completion with our retreat in Platystomo, a truly magical retreat that contained everything: yoga practice, teaching skills & adjustments, great macrobiotic food, walks in nature, warm mineral baths, and a feeling of closeness that brought our team together in such intimacy that was surprising.
My main intention for leading this program, (a training packed with information on history, and philosophy and the asana/meditation practice), is exactly this transfusion of shakti/energy, that I know to be life-changing for people. During these months I give to the group everything I can: what I know to be useful and pertinent. Like the mother bird, passing food from her beak to the mouths of her hungry offspring, I pass every morsel that I gathered from my years of studentship to my group of enthusiastic students. I see every one of the students changing bit by bit in the course of these few months, becoming stronger, softer, less closed and defensive and more courageous and fearless in their lives. That's why we call our path of yoga Abhaya, from the hand mudra of the raised palm that means: NO FEAR. As a group, as a community we learn to live with less fear in our lives, and to move forward in life despite our many fears and inhibitions. We learn to live and act from the place of a fearless heart!
Which brings me to the 5th Athens Symposium, which also just came to completion. What an experience that was. This year it was so difficult to organize and finance that at times I thought it would be impossible to pull off. But that we did and the outcome was a spectacular experience of fullness-PURNA. The whole program came together in a seamless transition of events that perfectly flowed together. Attendees said that our Pilates program was flawless: well organized and presented seminars packed with great opportunities for practice and information by teachers who shared enormous expertise on a variety of subjects related to Pilates, physiotherapy, and health.
A great big thanks to our Pilates presenters-kudos for all your preparation and excellent presentations!
The music--meditation--yoga program was a journey on itself. It started with the day ofWomen's Spirituality and Activism. We heard stories that touched our hearts about every day women, like Myrto Lemou, taking it upon herself to invite kids who were begging on the streets to come to a make-shift center where they would get dressed and be taught how to read, how to transition into schools and see their lives unexpectedly change forever. Our Symposium Yoga Journey was full, ranging from healing and harmonious partner yoga with Elysabeth Williamson, yoga that came from the depths of our primordial bodies moving as a "Cobra Rising" with Angela Farmer, dancing/flowing yoga with Anastasis, meditative yoga with Vedamurti, Nancy Hitzanidou, Anastasia, and dynamic Yoga with Petros Haffenrichter, Elena Mouratidou, and myself, breathing yoga with Alessandro, and an interesting style of classical yoga by the Venkatesh couple from Mysore. Not to mention the exhilarating Spiral Dance with Natasa Zarafoniti.
We heard beautiful music and saw Indian, Japanese, and Afro-Caribbean dances from the school of Πangea. The music and uplifting kirtan songs from Petros, the new melliferous kirtan group Adi Shakti, and the lively Mayapuris from the U.S. lifted the vibrations to the sky-so much so that by Sunday evening during our closing mala practice, the skies just exploded with rain, while thunder and lightening announced the formidable Shiva Rea. She led us into a practice that guided us to an even deeper and higher place with a clear message: "Choose how to Live! Live with Respect for our Planet." The circle culminated with the Mayapuris drums and songs lifting us higher and higher, till we were right there all together, touching the highest, happiest chords of our hearts. Gratitude and joy -that's what we all felt at the end: The Athens Symposium had fulfilled its mission and unique journey. Its message now echoes clearly to me: "Somehow, even amidst this harsh economic crisis we find the courage to continue, to go on and live a life of togetherness, a life based on generosity and hope, not on fear. "
The event would not be as yummy or as complete without the food tastes and consciousness that Stavros and his team from One Project brought to the table. The technical team of the Hub, and our sound engineer Yannis Malatandis and equipment transportation expert Yannis Agrimanis worked harmoniously and made it all work seamlessly, as did our brilliant team of volunteers. Did you see them all smiling and dressed in white? A million great heartfelt thanks to all. I am also very deeply touched by the presence of all of you who participated at the Symposium. Your presence gave life to our intention and realized our intention of togetherness: THANK YOU! I bow to you each one of you who worked and participated in our 2014 NYSY events, THANK YOU, MAY THIS JOY WE SHARE CONTINUE!!!
Sitting now in Mani with the sun just about to rise from behind Taygetos mountain, I feel that I am still not close to the answers that concern our current world condition: the problems of our dysfunctional socio-economic system, the ineptitude and short-sightedness of our governments, and the greediness of our financial institutions, but I get a whiff of an inspiration that tells me to trust the way we come together, as we do through our NYSY and Avocado community.
I am surrounded by all of you, special friends, students, clients, and our really amazing hard working team--Alexandra, Efi, Nadia, Maria Foundou, Mary--, plus our family of teachers who are not just good in teaching yoga and pilates, but are true and caring human beings, not to mention my extraordinary husband, Eraj, and his stellar Avocado team. I cannot help but feel the immensity of all these blessings. Thanks to you I feel hopeful for our world: Yes, there is a good way to live and shape our reality! You are all showing me this way! Gradually, I am starting to see what remains from the passing flow of events: This sweet aftertaste after it is all said and done. The words of my teacher, Reb Anderson, come to mind: "Enlightenment is the way we are interconnected. It is the way we support each other."
This morning my body is tired from the year's activities, but my heart is brimming with joy, gratitude, and bright hope. I will take a few days to rest here in Mani. Next week I will join Angela Farmer in Lesbos to attend her healing yoga retreat. I think her inner, subtle form of inner yoga is just what I need right now in order to rest my mind and replenish my body with energy, so I can come back to NYSY rested, renewed, and ready to offer everyone in the community my best support. Thank you for being an amazing sangha of friends and practitioners.
Please continue your practice this summer. (I will be around on and off.) As the venerable teacher Pattabhi Jois used to say: "Practice and all is coming."
Be well, happy, and healthy! And always stay optimistic! May the bright light of hope enliven your days and fill them with joy!
Vivi on behalf of our beautiful NYSY Team!
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