I have started my Sanskrit and Vedic Chanting lessons last month. My new teacher is amazing and has been in the lineage for many, many years. She has pictures of Krishnamacharya and Desikachar from many years ago with the old time students. It is very inspiring to me to see such dedication and commitment over time to a practice.

I find myself wanting to chant at each moment when I have free time. The latest chant I am learning is is "Puspum", a chant for abudance and fertility- a great one for Springtime. It talks about the earth, fire, the rain, the water, the starts and the constellations, Basically it says that fire cleanses, water comes to create life with perfect timing. This is such a metaphor for all of the goals which we have in life. There is a krama to each goal, moving step by step, until the perfect time when the goal is achieved. Just like nature, we must live within the seasons. I find that many Vedic chants follow the patterns of nature. This, combined with the vibrations that are created in the body when one chants makes the experience especially rich and rewarding. I think I will go chant!

My latest lessons on Friday nights with my teacher, Kausthub, (via Skype) have all centered around Chapter 3 of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. Many of these sutras are about exploring where my issues are as a healer and making sure that I do not project them onto my students. Additionally, the ability to recognize when a student is triggered and is projecting onto me. The interesting thing is that my life is bringing up these issues for me to see exactly what the Yoga Sutras are referring to. I am amazed at the synchronicity of it all. This has been a month of learning and growing for me.

Sri Desikachar says that our relationships tell us how we are doing with our yoga practice. The Yoga Sutras say that good communication is one of the keys to obtaining a sattvic mind. The NVC (non-violent communication) crowd says that by studying our communication style we can transform our thoughts, word and behaviors in the world. I think it boils down to knowing yourself, communicating with satyam in the present moment and then reflecting on how each situation plays out over time. Sometimes we do not see the seeds that we have planted until many months or years later. All I can say is that this yoga thing is really hard work!