my chakra journey continues

Today, we had our last in an annual series of yoga classes devoted to each of the seven chakras, the distinct energy centers of the human body. We focused our meditation and practice on the crown chakra, which extends up from our head and connects us with the consciousness of the universe. That may sound strange, pretentious or even ridiculous to some people who are not familiar with the idea, but because I have been reading, thinking, sitting and walking with this very concept for some time now, I arrived at Shine this morning eager to embrace it fully and with gratitude.

Wendy did not let me down. She led a beautiful class - I almost called it a service - encouraging us to increase our awareness of this universal connection we all have with the energy outside us, and also, the divine energy within each of us. It is all the same, really. That which connect us to one another is ultimately the one energy from which we emanate and to which we return. We are each a repository of that energy. Everything we do is a manifestation of energy - whether it is holding a yoga pose, making love, baking a cake or playing a concerto. Because each individual is unique, each thing we do expresses our individuality, our selfhood. And just as we can look around the yoga studio and see that everyone's triangle pose is different from everyone else's, we can (or could, until recently, perhaps)recognize every recording artist by their distinctive singing voice. But the pose and song are made possible by connecting with and channeling the univeral energy that begins coursing through us some time shortly before we are born into our bodies.

I became really aware of being surrounded by universal energy when I "did" The Artist's Way (by Julia Cameron) a couple of years ago. I had bought the book many years ago, but never committed to following the 13 week program; it sat on a series of bookshelves as I moved from Mt. Lookout to Clifton to Detroit to Williamsburg to Symmes Township to Wyoming, Ohio. But my friend, Maggie, noticed that I was getting a bit off course creatively during the recession and suggested I grab the book, dust it off and give it a go. Immediately, I began noticing synchronocities - one of the ways the universe sends us messages to guide us in using our gifts and learning our lessons. We see things clearly by using our third eye - the sixth chakra - but we "get it", as in "aha!" by activating our seventh chakra. This happens for me when I sit down and record my observations in writing. Through the practice of writing daily "morning pages" before we are even fully awake, as Ms. Cameron prescribes in her book, the seventh chakra is engaged. We may suddenly realize that what happened yesterday happened for a reason. Hopefully, after some meditation, some more writing, and perhaps, some further experience and observation, we may figure out what that reason is.

So, as I complete this beautiful and enriching series of yoga classes, I find myself just double digit hours away from beginning my course in reiki training. I am so eager to explore the chakras in a way that may enable me to heal others, as I myself was healed about 13 years ago, before I even knew what a chakra was. I didn't need to know what it was then, nor to understand the process. But because my friend, Andrea, sent a gifted energy healer to me, a woman who survived a near death accident and emerged from a coma with a new ability to heal, I was able to reclaim my musical life, my romantic life, my creativity, my happiness. I was able to let go of much of my anger, bitterness, regret and resentment. It was as close to beginning my life over again as anything I have ever experienced, before or since. Two days later, I met my husband, after we had lived in the same neighborhood and frequented the same coffee shop for well over a year. I know that because of the healing I had just experienced, I was just then ready to connect with the energy emanating from Paul, and he was receptive to the energy emanating from me. The thought that I might be able to do anything that powerful for someone is too overwhelming to process. It is my intention simply to enter this training Monday without expectations, but with an open mind and a willing heart. Naturally, I will let you know how it goes.

Namaste
(meaning, most sincerely, that the divine light and energy within me recognizes the same within you)