During her visit last summer, the sage Jivanjili said to me, "Do not make a separation between your spiritual life and your personal life. There is no separation!" My experiences as a student and teacher at Willow Street have been an opportunity to awaken to that truth and express my spirit through the practice of yoga.
Nine years ago, while traveling in India on a Buddhist pilgrimage, I became enamored with the images of the Deities. The depictions of the Divine incarnate and the intensity with which they are adored delighted me. In Indian culture, everything is in the realm of Divine. Nothing is separate; nothing is excluded. I have become a lover of the Supreme as Everything! Since becoming a student of Anusara Yoga, and Tantric philosophy, I have awakened to a truth more complete and connected than I had ever imagined.
When I look back now, I see that I had a strong foundation in the teachings of yoga. My American Indian heritage and matriarchal family taught me spiritual reverence for Nature and Her authority. And my upbringing in the Episcopal Church nurtured my relationship with the Divine in my actions and deeds. My yoga practice has shown me how to honor and truly celebrate my Divine Self.
The more yoga I do, the more I'm doing what we are all born to do: I am practicing connection, I'm practicing love.
In 2002, when Grace was ready for me to find a teacher and a tradition to fall in love with, Pandit Rajmani Tigunait gave satsang at Willow Street. His wisdom and the love of his teacher, Swami Rama, led me to the Himalayan Institute, which has become my spiritual home.
I see now that every action, every encounter, every extraordinary and mundane occurrence is a step on the path. In my classes, I aim to bring us into connection so we can feel divinely at home in ourselves and with everyone else. I hope to remind us of our innate truth: that we are divine, infinitely good, powerful and intelligent. The practice, the yoga, is to be present and act from that truth.
My awakenings and my devotion to the path are gifts of the grace of my teachers, especially Diane, Jai, Jivanjili, Rod, Rolfji, and Panditji. From my inner teacher, I know this for certain: You are always on the path. You cannot get lost. Where you see the tracks of love, follow.
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