A teacher is many things to many people. One of those things that teachers do is that they either show you or lead you to the light from darkness. (Friends do that too:) And they will contribute in some ways to make you want to make a positive change – think and act in a different way…see another perspective… SO… this morning, I unconsciously poured milk in my cup of coffee and then… was hearing “her” impassioned voice … dumped the coffee out to the sink; then poured myself another cup – this time with almond milk and here I am… to enjoy my first and only hot cup of coffee this morning.
NO, as much as I admire them for their conviction backed up by their will and action, I am not Vegan. I will have Vegan days or weeks but it’s not a permanent lifestyle choice …yet. Perhaps some day – today, I do what I can and experiment. I am sure people would agree, there are certain foods you grew up with that holds a special emotional significance – a connection whether it be nostalgia or sweet remembrance… My late father used to take me out to rather fancy sushi place on my birthdays so invariably, whenever I sit at a sushi bar (with sake!:), I feel as though I am making a tribute to the memories I hold for the times we shared together, a pocket of time in the past, where he taught me so much. So with such attachments, I am not enlightened by any stretch of the imagination…I just make the small modest changes…I seldom eat meat but I love seafood, especially in sushi…even then, only on occasion of course as it is a delicacy as it should be. But in every bite I take, as directed by Dr. Michio Kushi’s teachings, I try to really savor the flavors; engage in mindful eating with gratitude for what is to nourish me. I do think about where these foods enticing me to eat, in front of me, came from – I question where they were sourced from as most curious diners would. As much as I am selective, if the food is prepared with a lot of care, effort and love, I also would not be so heartless as to reject it – I shall eat with gratitude whatever is served – No radical changes now – just making small steps rather than giant strides. Without judgement of others- just open mind for understanding why people do what they do as any “Empath” would.
The take-away …to quote her – as I did not record the talk, not confident if this is word for word – so some of these quotes may not be exactly but nearly so:
“The choice is yours: which do you choose to be, a victim? Or enlightened?”
“To become an enlightened being, your karma, kindness and goodness has to come into alignment.”
” Do you choose to be kind or… cruel?”
“Don’t try to change the world; Change yourself – Change yourself first, and the world will follow to transform.”
Sharon Gannon (quoted here at age 58; today at 63…She looked great on Saturday – She could have looked to be in her 40’s except that she spoke with so much wisdom and history, that is what gave away her age – the erudite words – not her voice nor poise with which she carries herself. The grace of an enlightened being, who walks the talk with purpose. Her faith and devotion is unmistakable.
David Life and Sharon Gannon were performers and artists in New York City who discovered yoga and became deeply committed to practice. They created the Jivamukti Yoga method in 1984.
My teacher, Sri Brahmananda Sarasvati, said, “Yoga is that state where you are missing nothing.” I like the sound of that. Yoga practices should help you to get over otherness and become more connected to life. I have come to realize that I am more than my physical body and mind. I have come to realize my eternalness, and that, I suppose, is related to youth or agelessness. This has occurred for me, more or less, because the yoga practices have helped me to realize what my body and mind are actually made of. They are made of unresolved issues that I have had with others.
When you get an understanding of how karmas have shaped your body, you begin to act in a new way toward others and yourself. Your daily life becomes exciting, and like a child, you can hardly wait for the next opportunity to encounter an aspect of your past that needs to be resolved back into the emptiness of your own heart. I feel like this. The nature of a body is to change. All bodies start out young and then get older as the years pass.
I am committed to the practices that Patanjali outlines as the ashtanga system, which includes the five yamas. The fourth yama is brahmacharya, and it is the most important aspect of my daily yoga practice in regards to health and aging. The practice of brahmacharya means to respect the creative power of sex and not abuse it by manipulating others sexually.
I have been a vegan for 26 years now (add 5 years!), and so have not been involved with the sexual abuse of animals as practiced in the breeding of animals by the industrial livestock industry. That seems to have accelerated the benefits of being established in the practice of brahmacharya for me.
According to Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, when you practice brahmacharya, you obtain enduring vitality, resulting in good health. I am in pretty good health, and I am blessed with lots of energy and vitality, so something is working.”
– excerpt from Diane Anderson’s article in Yoga Journal Nov. 2009
entitled “How to Stay Young”.
These first generation of American yoga teachers, learning directly from their source in the East, then re-integrating what they learned into their life experience here, have found American students hungry for their wisdom – their teachings, their interpretations; Sharon comes from the Ashtanga-style; the vigorous vinyasa style with lovely sounds; but what she is saying is connected to Judith Lasater’s devotion to yoga as well – Judith, also a first generation of American yoga teacher, coming from the Iyengar tradition, learning directly from late Master Iyengar himself. Their styles are seemingly far-apart on the surface coming from different lineages – Sharon, the creative, artistic, “Poetic Priestess”; Judith, the literary, erudite and “Profound Professor”…(with the 2x capital P’s) both with incredible presence -aura – the charisma & essentially, they are saying the same thing about yoga. Sharon finding yoga to serve as a platform for activism; Judith finding the sparkles of yoga in the everyday – that’s why yoga is so fascinating. Yoga serving the needs of so many different kinds of teachers/students with their own unique essence, approaches…service.
Beginning students cling to the teacher, more experienced students cling to the teaching, but the wise student sees the clinging and lets go.
– Judith Hanson Lasater
