Illuminated Rose

Today is a special day: Mother’s Day. Today I am filled with so many wonderful feelings.

I remember hearing Baba Ram Dass speak of the first time he realized that his guru had unconditional love for him and what an impression that had on him. As I listened to him, it made me realize that I was a truly blessed child, born to an amazing, loving woman with unconditional love for her children. I was not always the easiest child but my mother was always loving and understanding. Even when I did something wrong, she was able to talk to me and explain how to be a better person. She was able to get her points across without ever resorting to hitting me or yelling and I had total respect for her. She taught us love and compassion for others. She taught us to never judge others who were different from us. She taught us it was okay to talk to strangers and make new friends. (It was a different world then, but I still do that even now.)

My mom loved to tell jokes and it was her own laughter before she said the anticipated punch line that made her delivery so precious. She taught me the wonderful lesson that laughter was the greatest medicine and it kept my family sane during tough times. I think one of her greatest gifts was her wonderful hugs; it was like being wrapped in the arms of the Goddess of Love and Compassion. She could comfort any pains a child could experience with those hugs. Whenever I have a rough day, before I go to bed,I close my eyes and imagine being a child in her loving arms.

Have you even been hugged by a Saint? Every year a living saint Mata Amritanaandamayi (known throughout the world  as “Ammachi” or “Amma” which means mother) comes to New York as part of her worldwide tour, this year in July. She will hug 100’s of people a day, spreading love and compassion. People are so taken by her love that they often break down crying from just one hug. Her entire life has been dedicated to alleviating the pain and suffering (both physical and emotional) of all. In this incarnation, Amma has hugged over 34 million people and raises money for charity. I try to make it my business to take family and friends along with me to get hugged by her. When asked where she gets the energy to help so many people, she answers: “Where there is true love, anything is effortless.”

Today, as we celebrate and honor mothers, I wanted to share a quote by Ammach from a speech at the Global Peace Initiative of Women’s Religious and Spiritual Leaders (October 7, 2002):

“The essence of motherhood is not restricted to women who have given birth: it is a principle inherent in both women and men. It is an attitude of the mind. It is love – and that love is the very breath of life. No one would say, ‘I will breath only when I am with my family and friends; I won’t breathe in front of my enemies.’ Similarly, for those in whom motherhood has awakened, love and compassion for everyone are as much part of their being as breathing.

So to all the men and women, today and everyday, in the spirit of motherhood, I hope you will practice the attitude of compassion. Say out loud (or silently) “I love you” to every soul you come across… yes, even your enemies… and with this love, we can change the world for the better.

I wish you all a wonderful day… may Divine Love and light surround you and give you peace, strength and joy and may your day be filled with blessings.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Today I Remember Rajita Sivananda

May 8th, 1941 – May 18th, 2010

May 8th is the day of the birth of my mentor and dear friend, Rajita Sivananda, formally known as Judith Cornell. She is the award-winning author of Mandala: Luminous Symbols for Healing, The Mandala Healing Kit, Drawing the Light From Within, and many other wonderful books. I think of Rajita often but yesterday and today I am filled with thoughts and memories, and joys of our times together and the wonderful phone conversations we shared.

It was over 20 years ago that I took my first mandala class with Judith at Omega Institute. It was such a spiritual opening and joy for me that I continued to study with her, soon becoming one of her assistants and eventually, her co-facilitator.
In 1979, Rajita, had a spiritual awakening and her art changed dramatically. She started to teach mandala classes that helped participants to use mandalas as a tool for self-discovery and spiritual awakening.

The picture I have attached is one that I took at the last mandala training she presented. We were in the middle of our sand mandala dissolution, and I remember thinking that this would probably be our last training together. Judith had confided in me about the condition of her health, stage 4 cancer and yet, she looked radiant and beautiful and I recall how even until the very last day of this life, she looked beautiful.

At her last teleconference, she relayed to her beloved students that she would not be in this body for much longer, and that if we were feeling loss and suffering, that we should work through that, because we are seeing it from the ego. “If you remember me from the heart and love, we will be together. I will be with you.”

Rajita is remembered as a bringer of light on the planet and we, her facilitators, are working to spreadi that light to others.
Rajita had a good passing. She was surrounded the whole week with friends and family. We chanted the Mahamrityunjaya chant in the room adjacent to her bedroom. We read to her and the apartment was filed with feelings of love and light. She passed in peace and with presence.

I learned so much from Rajita. Some of the many gifts I received from her were :

• The gift of silence.
• The importance of holding strong intentions for everything you do or want to create.
• How to create and hold sacred space.
• When in a state of worry, to take the mountain view… from perspective your problems don’t often seem so great.
• Remember to create and speak from the HEART not the head.
• Never label anyone in a negative role. That only holds them there. See everyone as a reflection of God.
• Before you teach a class, hold in your heart the soul of every participant and assistant, even before they show up, even if you haven’t met them before. Hold that their highest good be supported and their soul will flower and flourish.
• We are reflecting and transmitting light in our drawings and remember that we are not the doers , we are receiving this Divine light and expressing it.

I am very grateful that our lives have so beautifully intertwined. Fly on with the Great Masters and until we meet again, know that I love you.

Om Shanti, Shanti Shanti

As September 11th approaches, I hear people say “Never Forget”. I lost a friend, the father of a former student as well as my neighbor’s brother. I freaked when I saw the new and smoking skyline from the Whitestone bridge the following week. I will never forget the fear, the pain, the anger, but I will not blame any one group for the act of a few. What I will never forget is that our country was founded on freedom and liberty and justice for all. What I will try to forget is the bigotry and separation that propaganda and the press create. On this 9/11 I will hold the highest intention that we are one and that only though love can we create PEACE and change. Love and blessings of peace and brother/sister-hood to all, especially those personally touched by this tragic day.