I have arrived. After spending two weeks at the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Ashram where i completed my Yoga Teacher Training twenty-one years ago, I feel refreshed and purified. Within the first day of being in the ashram, an unusual and frightening experience transpired. Seconds after I passed a glass panel (that I remember tapping with my shoulder) where Swami Vishnu was depicted, the glass shattered into a thousand pieces right before our eyes, all over the table where the travel agent sat, aghast; picking up his computer, shaking the shards of glass from his laptop, he carried on, conducting business as usual. I could not have done this myself, though I felt was a conduit for the action somehow. All eyes were on me. I was in shock. We all were. Swami Vishnu Devananda was the founder and spiritual teacher of this ashram in Kerala where I was. As well, he is responsible for hundreds of other Sivananda ashrams throughout the world. This was Swami's sadhana, his wish to bring true world order and peace as far-reaching as he could. He was obviously not happy at that particular moment. We all felt this extraordinary power. Change was needed. The glass shattered illusions, expectations, ego, karmic actions and much more. There was a yoga teacher training in completion. With over 180 students participating from around the world, within a few days they would complete their course. This scary, very scary incident commenced not only the beginning of my transformation, but it had also opened the flood gates for all of us at the ashram to transform. The rain came down in a torrent later, out of the blue to purify our actions. That was Wednesday. By Friday, there was a puja to celebrate and to pay reverence to the divine mother (mata gi), a ceremony that took place at the Durga temple. There are a number of temples at the ashram where pujas took place depending on the day. Friday, we invoked the divine mother and honored her shakti power. We chant the one hundred thousand names of the mother. There were fragrant flowers, saffron and oil to offer our respects to bring forth the pure potential of the mother's love for us and for all of humanity. By Saturday, I was puking, and called upon Ganesha, the half-man, half-elephant deity to support me through this energy of purification. I chant the mantra OM GAN GANAPATAYE NAMAHA throughout the night. It passed quickly. The next day, I felt empty and ready to deepen my experience. I have come to India to purify, to grow and to transform, to come home to more deeply serve others on their path to whole health and wholeness. The following week, we awoke early to the sounds of bells ringing and a Hindu priest (a Brahmin) chanting, making ready for the preparations for a new puja, a fire puja to honor Ganesha once again. Ganesha removes obstacles; we chanted the Ganesha mantra all morning to remove the obstacles in our way, in any way, for ourselves and others, and specifically for a group of new students who had arrived at the ashram to begin their Ayurvedic Wellness Course. My journey here closed with a big party, and with yet another puja to honor Shiva. Shivaratri is celebrated throughout India with the first new moon in February, to purify the activities of our past year and to bring forth much good energy and new beginnings. Shiva represents the energy of destruction, so we can, indeed, transform. We danced and chanted OM NAMAH SHIVAYA the entire night. By dawn, we closed our ceremony with prasad, a sweet plate of more than fifteen items to enjoy, and to show our gratitude and thanks. I showered and prepared for the train I was to take up the western coast of India, to Gokarna in Karnataka, where I am now, close to Goa. I shall wander here and rest for 10 days, and then take an overnight trip to Hampi where there are other sacred temples to observe and mystery. There is also a Tibetan Buddhist monastery I wish to visit while in the South. In one world, there are many paths to find the truth. The yogic principles are simply yet another way. May we be free and happy. May we end all suffering. OM OM OM NAMAH SHIVAYA ~ peace peace. OM