Spring!
Bulbs brewing beneath the earth emerge as juicy green shoots. Buds awaken from darkness to light urgently eager to blossom. Sap surges in cottonwoods fragrant with sticky healing. Potent nettles poke through. Light extends. Life stirs. Spring again!
Gratitude is tangible here at the Ashram as the 53rd Yoga Development Course (YDC) wraps up with 23 aspirants breaking through limitations, victorious after a winter's intensity of inquiry, reflection and devotion.
We complete with ceremony - rose petals of love, fire of wisdom under a full moon, grace of new beginnings.
In this fullness of new life, I am pleased to introduce you to voices from our extended community - wise friends, associates, teachers and students - whose words can inspire us to understand and to act.
We honour their voices here with gratitude:
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Shelly Boyd, cultural representative of the Sinixt people, speaking
of what it means to rise up from extinction to acknowledgment.
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Tracy White, a YDC participant, describing how her outer activism is uniting with her spiritual aspirations.
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Lesley Neilson, a long time Ashram associate and conservationist, seeing beneath the surface of her Victoria cityscape to what was here before.
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Maya Skalinska, our Kootenay Master Herbalist, conveying the healing power of spring nettles.
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And five beautiful young people sincerely expressing their gratitude for all they have gained from the YDC thanks to your generous bursary donations.
So much dedication, knowledge and vision. I hope you enjoy this new format of our quarterly newsletter.
And I am delighted to invite you to come visit the Ashram again for on-site workshops, Restorative Retreats and Karma Yoga.
Join with us in community and practice.
Warm blessings and Light!