Showing posts with label prayer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label prayer. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

An Autumn Blessed with Many Life Lessons

This month has been one of many many lessons.
Through grief and sorrow, pain, stress, caring, sharing, loving, many a tear, hugs, goodbyes, prayers, loneliness and togetherness; I have made it through.
The sky has been much grey, of late. The sky weeps many tears down to earth.
The trees are naked, all unclothed.
Fall has always been majestic, dreamy, eerie, and even dark.



Looking back:

My grandmother gets progressively ill, and makes no sense on the phone. The sound in her voice says she was crying out for help and mercy. My Father leaves to India, fearing it may be too late. She holds on and he gets there, and she barely recognizes him. He takes care of her and spends much needed time with her, as I balance spending time with my mother who is a little ill due to a cold, and with my boyfriend, who has some health issues himself. After a few days, my dad gets burnt out, and needs back up, as he is at a loss when it comes to geriatric care, however he is managing and is so humbled to be doing so. He emails my sister and I often with notes on how he feels, and the entirety of the experience.

It is the weekend of Durga Puja, the celebration of the Divine Feminine and we celebrate it reluctantly with cousins here. Durga Puja is the main reason my father decided to go to India, to spend it with his mother and celebrate with her.She is unable to celebrate, but he find time to go back to our remote village of Kudra, to observe the festivities there. He tells us in an email, that the people there have so little, but have the biggest hearts, and their warmth is overwhelming. That's the best type of people right?

My mother departs for India and reaches their safely. She is strong and gets on top of things, but the conditions are harsh, and one can get burnt out quickly. I have health issues of my own, which I had been putting off for a long time, and finally I get my appointment after a month of waiting. This doctor is amazing, thorough and personal. She goes over everything with me, my entire history of health to get to the bottom of this problem, this pain, once and for all.

I speak to my uncle, my sister, my grandparents in New York everyday. I don't realize how often I call my mom and dad, until now. Facing these health issues alone, really suck, but it is something we learn to do, or don't. Hurricane Sandy comes and blows through the East Coast... I lose touch for two days from my sis, uncle and grandparents. Anxiety levels rise. I really miss them, and I am in utter pain, it is rather crappy. Who do I reach out to? I have no energy to laugh, love or even pray... I finally was able to cry myself to sleep last night, and what a relief it was to let go. oh what a heavy burden was lifted. I realize that happiness and satisfaction is not through material things or wealth... but the decisions we make in life regarding, loved ones (family and friends), health, awareness and growth in spirituality and truly caring and sharing.

Today I sang some lovely songs to myself and I felt much better, and I was finally able to pray. Praying is something new, I been learning to accept the possibility of a Higher Power, thanks to "The Artist's Way". It is slow but steady progress, and it's so good to be able to love again. There was a drought due to the sadness I feel through empathizing for my my grandmother in India, my dad's feelings as he is present for her, my mother's feelings as she goes to make peace and forgive a demented little old lady, and ask for her forgiveness in return.

A deep reminder that Karma does exist... the decisions you make today weather big or small, will come back to haunt you later in life. Be mindful, be patient, and value the people in your life, more than anything else in the world.




Tuesday, October 02, 2012

Namaste - Prana Workshop

This past weekend my sister visited. She and I held a workshop, for meditation, yoga, art, song, and healing. Piyali has been holding such gatherings and workshops in central park, New York for the entire of summer. I was lucky to be a part of one such workshop during the celebration of her graduation. We did this under the mind tree in central park. She was visiting Ohio on business, and meeting with the co-founder of her organization Kevin (More information about their non-profit can be found at this link Conscious Culture). She asked me to organize one of these so I invited almost everyone I knew in Cleveland area. Sorry if I left someone out, it was a rushed project and wish we could have found a bigger place. About 15 people were present and we bonded through the following activities:

We began by introducing ourselves and sharing how we felt at this moment in one word. Everyone said their name, and expressed how they felt right then - examples nervous, calm, excited, open, curious, energetic, anxious. This helped us make ourselves aware of us NOW, making us present.

Next we prepared for the rest of the session by calming our minds and energies through meditation. We sat straight at a place we felt comfortable and closed our eyes for ten minutes, as Piyali led us in meditation, guiding our thoughts, and breathing.

This was followed by Yoga, particularly the Surya Namaskar (sun salutation). My mother, who teaches yoga out of that very basement, led us in one of the many variations of the Surya Namaskar. This variation incorporated the warrior poses, trikonasana, downward dog, plank, cobra and stretching. It was very relaxing, a work out, some people felt loosened up, lighter, meditative.

Forgiveness and introspection was the next activity by means of art and horse stance. We began by forgiving ourselves and through forgiving ourselves, forgiving someone we are in conflict with at this time. We had to recognize what we were upset with the other person about, and make sure our side of the street was clean. We then wrote a loving letter to ourself, or to that person we were in conflict with.

Next we sang songs! Kevin shared a Yiddish song with us which his grandmother would sing to him and his brother when they would fight. It was about non-violence. Piyali taught us a few songs, "All I ask of you is to forever remember me as loving you", "Deep in my heart I've got this everlasting light" and the "Circle Song" which we sang at the end with the angel walk. Sarah shared a song with the group, where we went around in a circle and opened our eyes and hearts to each other it was lovely!

The Angel Walk (in this case Angel Circle) was last and it was emotional, overwhelming, and so much love! This was how everyone finally bonded. We stood in a circle, and a person would go to the center and spin themselves with their eyes closed. This person in the center would receive love from everyone around them. Each person would go up to them and share love, from a pat on the shoulder, a whisper in the ear, a hug, a kiss on the cheek. I was the first to go to the center, at first it felt awkward, but then everyone was singing "Oh Priyanka we love you so, Oh Priyanka we want you to know, there's a circle of love around you, there's a circle of love in your heart. there's a circle of family around you. There's a circle of love in your heart..." Hearing my name and the word "love" over and over really dug deep. I kept getting hugs, kisses, and people touching my face in caring, and whispering "I love you Pree" in my ear - touched me deep in my heart. And i let myself receive this love and began crying. It was very powerful, moving, overwhelming, and one of the best experiences ever. I will draw my strength from this lovely cathartic moment. As of that moment we opened up to each other, and we became a family!

After everyone had a chance to go in the middle - Indira, Eric, Nikki, Sarah, Pedro, Justin, Shelby, Stuey, Kevin, Summer, Nino, Debbie, Gina, Jala, Ryan and Piyali; we proceeded upstairs to have a delicious snack. And snack we did, everyone had brought such lovely healthy snacks, and my mother and sister had prepared Quinoa as a Kichudi (indian rice dish). There was salads, fruits, veggie chips, angel fruit cake, apples with caramel dipping sauce, and chocolate covered popcorn!

People began leaving however Piyali began her fabulous face painting and hoped to spin some fire. I had a crash course in safety and had to be her safety! It was my honor! There was a small music malfunction. Jala, Shelby, Justin, Sanjay and Ryan were lucky to stay for dinner cooked by Kevin, my mom and I. Which was Kale chips, fish cooked in vodka, wheat spaghetti and sauce. There was also lovely salad again. Justin helped out in the kitchen as well! This was mighty lovely.

Lastly Sanjay ended the night for all of us with a lovely Carnatic Raga. He explained to us about how Carnatic music, is different from north Indian- Hindustani music, and from Western Classical music as well! It was lovely and educational.

We all said good night and left as Piyali and Kevin had 5am flights the next morning. It was all quite a wonderful time, and I hope everyone learnt from it, received from it, and gained from it as much as I did!

I hope to host more of these soon. Let me know if you are in Cleveland and would like me to host one of these! Just invite the people, and set a venue.




Baby Buddha

Thursday, September 20, 2012

I Pray

I ask to be filled with unconditional eternal love
I wish to share this love with the world.

I ask for an open mind, a receiving soul, and a warm heart
I wish to share these gifts with the world.

I ask to be able to let go of my grudges, to forget the past, and share my sorrows
I ask to be able to teach this ability to those who suffer.

I ask for the armory of tolerance and barrels of peace
I wish to share these with the world.

I ask to be forgiven for mistakes I committed in my blind rage, my blissful ignorance, and my immaturity
I pray for others who have done the same and realized it after.

I pray for those who can not feel love, who can not let go of their anger and hate, those who do not see the light.
I ask that they see this, in time.

OM!

Breathe.



Raise Your Vibrations!

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

11 Years Later - A Prayer On 911


As we gather here to share time, and bond as a family, let's take a moment of silence in remembrance of those who passed on this day, 11 years ago.

Let us all take a moment to close our eyes, and send healing living light to all those who passed, families that suffered a loss, people at war, people surviving discrimination, as well as the perpetrators of this event. Let us send out our love and light to them, touch their hearts, love them hard. Love their sadness, anger, pain, and tears away!

Let this congregation represent the family hood we wish to share with the world, our truth, the oneness of this all.

We hope to better understand that Everything needs a balance. Where there is light there are dark shadows. We need to learn from those shadows, and bring our living light to the center, in all our affairs.

Thank you for sharing this prayer, this moment, and the essence of your being! Instead of grieving the horrors that took place on this anniversary of 9/11, let us send love and healing light to all those affected, everyone in the world suffering, hurting, and in pain.

Lastly, i honor that light in you, that shines at the light within me, Namaste.

- By Piyali and Priyanka
9/11/2012