The Accidental Private

I am teaching a relatively new class at Yoga on Main, in Manayunk. Its Friday at noon. For the past several weeks, this calss has presented itself as private class. One student shows up, and we really have a delightful time working very deeply. Every week, I have been blessed with a very special student; an old friend, a fellow yoga teacher, a mother/daughter combo. It's been rewarding. So, I'd like to encourage you to stop by, and take your chances, perhaps it will just be us, and it can be all about you.

Alchemical Prayers

As we know, the work of yoga is an alchemical work. We cultivate our Shakti in order to dissolve the gross substance of our mind and ego into the nectar of blissful consciousness. For the most part, I enjoy sticking close to the teachings of the eastern yogis, and meditate on their approach to this process, and contemplate their metaphors. Occasionally, I come a little closer to home, and explore what the western occultists, and Hermetic Alchemists have to say. Usually, I find some Jewels.
I would first like to introduce you to the term 'Hermetic', in case you are not familiar with it already. Hermetic refers to a school that traces its lineage to a great master, The Great Master, named Hermes Trismegistus. (Trismegistus = Thrice Blessed, or SHRI SHRI SHRI!) Hermes, as most of us know, was the Scribe of the Gods. He is considered to be the God of Language, Writing, Wisdom, and Alchemy. Many legends place him all over Greece, Egypt, and surrounding areas, and he is said to have instructed the Great Patriarch, Abraham. From then until now, countless practitioners have poured over his teachings and put them into practice in their lives. These mystics refer to themselves, and their lineage, as Hermetic.

Recently, it was my karma to come across a text, outlining the seven major hermetic principles. It is called "The Kybalion", and it is only 8 bucks, and if you like, you can order it here: The Kybalion. The first of these principles, is that there is a Universal 'ALL'. This all is considered to be Universal Living Mind. This All, of course, is in All, right? Universal Mind permeates all reality, and all the contents of reality, all the laws of reality, and every cell of our body. Here is a neat quote:

"While All is in THE ALL, it is equally true that THE ALL is in All. To one who truly understands this has come great knowledge."-The Kybalion

Although, i wouldn't say that this is an exact parallel of the Vedic ideas of Brahman (universal soul) and Atman (Individual soul), it calls them to mind. It brings forth the memory of our connection to something great, and that indeed, universes reside within us. To sit and feel both; that I exist within a great universal consciousness, and that a great universal consciousness is available within me, this creates a great sense of peace, happiness, and clarity. I recommend it, highly.

Digging around the internet produced a beautiful treasure, "The Secret Song of Hermes Trimegistus". This song, illustrates this idea, and also empowers us to feel our own divine qualities (Atman) while praising these divine qualities in THE ALL(Brahman). I'll post a short quote from it, but perhaps read the entire thing: here The Secret Song sit with it for a time, and let it reveal itself to you.

"O all ye Powers that are in me, praise the One, and All.

Sing together with my Will, all you Powers that are in me.

O Holy knowledge, being enlightened by thee, I magnify the intelligible Light, and rejoice in the joy of the Mind."

Please Enjoy Responsibly.

A good weekend for music

It was an excellent weekend for music, of all kinds.

on Saturday night I went to see my ole Baba, Bhagavan Das, and chant the night away at Yoga on Main



Baba's main message, which I really appreciate, is the preciousness of human life. How easy to lose and how difficult to obtain. The importance of making the most of it, when you have it.
It was powerful times, as energy swirled, and subtle channels opened, and knots untied, and karmic residue came to the surface to find acceptance and release. Of course, as the fates would have it, Sally ended up two cushions away, and although there wasn't any eye contact or communication, the proximity added an extra electric charge to jolt my system. Challenging, but healing.
The next day, I came back to YOM to do Baba's Nada Yoga Workshop. Really it was a 3.5 hour Bhutta Shuddhi practice, chanting and purifying the chakras with mantras and visualization. I experienced some wonderful insights, and energetic openings. I wished it went on all day, and has inspired me to practice Bhutta Shuddi more on my own.

Sunday night, I was invited to see a guy named Grayson Capps.


His wife is producing David's new CD, and I got a text asking me would I let him crash the night at my place. I hauled myself down to olde city, and climbed the stairs to the tin angel, was really, really happy to watch and listen to this guy. Gritty Country Blues always moved me deep in my soul, and mad me proud to be an American. Grayson, indeed, made me proud to be an American. His songs told the story of an America untouched by time, pure and true, stories that sound like they were left to age in an old mason jar that still has a little moonshine in the bottom. And so many songs of heartbreak and loss, songs that made me feel less alone in my own secret pain. "There are some scars that just never heal," he told me after the show, "not much you can do except have a sense of humor about it." And speaking of which, this one is hilarious. He makes a good case.


And just because good things come in threes, I was gifted this really nice Jazz CD in the local book store today. Philadelphia is home to Hip Cinema's Nadine Patterson. Nadine is working on a film featuring a local Jazz musican, Warren Oree. The soundtrack is really enjoyable, and here is a clip and the description of the film.

Ancestral echoes of the Middle Passage reverberate through the upright bass handed down through three generations of the Montgomery family. Each generation deals with conflicts between dreams deferred, and the unfinished business of the past. Grandmom Mozelle was a pioneer in an all women’s band in the 1940’s, but she gave up her musical passion to raise her family in a segregated America. Her son Casey became a revolutionary of the 60’s and 70’s and used music to voice the ideals of the Black Power Movement. Upon his passing his daughter Zera finds herself ill at ease, struggling with her own issues of family, career and music, but also being pulled by something else. Where does this music come from? What is this music really about? Whose cries do we hear across time and space? Do we dare to listen? Do we dare to be healed?

So, that's the week in music, Enjoy!