Oh Joy!

I loved my practice today, another practice of being in the moment with Govinda Kai. We will miss this Lunatic Monk for a few weeks. See you again, dear Govinda...

 Today, he spoke of Joyfulness and Gratitude and so we opened with a mantra for dear Krishna (who happens to also be called Govinda*)

OM Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya

Prostrations to Lord God, Vasudeva

Bhagavan means Lord, referring to Vishnu. Vasudeva, meaning, “He Who abides in all things and in Whom all things abide,” is a name of Krishna. Krishna is one of the most loved of all deities. He is considered to be a world teacher for he is the source f the Bhagavad-Gita Gita, one of the most popular of all the Eastern religious texts. People are drawn to Krishna because of his playfulness and joyful nature.

Source: http://www.rudraksha-ratna.com/saguna_mantra.php

The whole purpose of yoga practice is to LOOK WITHIN, to know the essence of the self and be in the present.

It is not about changing yourself but being intimate with what is already there.

ULTIMATE JOY is its nature. There is no change that is needed.

UNCONDITIONAL JOY AND GRATITUDE is not dependent on any external condition, not subject to external modification.

The more we look inside, the more we are familiar with this sense of self.

Suffering happens when we "mis-identify" the source of ourselves, when we forget who we are.

How do we connect to that source from where all good things spring - real and everlasting love, kindness and compassion?
We know when we are in that place - where we sense timelessness (like looking into the eyes of your child...)

Yoga Practice provides the context for remembering that part of ourselves.

It is the mind that interferes - with its patterns and identification with form.

The forms we identify with are such a small part of who we are.

You are not who you think you are. You are not your name, age, or bank account.

When we express great love, courage, patience, we step out of our limits.

We must STOP IDENTIFYING WITH FORM.

There is a part of us that is transcendent, beyond form.

Begin to remember who you are, where you came from - then joy happens.

This is the nature of the self - Never taking anything seriously - it's all small stuff.

Nothing with form should upset us. Become aware when you identify with form and when you don't.

Nothing that comes from the mind, ego and personality can bring change.

The solution comes from a place with no form -love, forgiveness, kindness, understanding, acceptance

These are parts of you already. They are EXPRESSIONS of BEING.

(and with joyfulness and gratitude)

After the lecture, I somehow found myself in front of the yoga towel mats. I pulled one out and here's what I got. A sign of joyful events.

*According to the great wiki...(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Govinda)

• Govinda is a name of Krishna and also appears as the 187th and 539th names in the Vishnu Sahasranama, the 1000 names of Vishnu. [3]
• According to Adi Sankara's commentary on the Vishnu Sahasranama, translated by Swami Tapasyananda, Govinda has four meanings:[4]
• The sages call Krishna "Govinda" as He pervades all the worlds, giving them power.
• The Shanti Parva of the Mahabharata states that Vishnu restored the earth that had sunk into the netherword, or Patala, so all the devas praised Him as Govinda (Protector of the Land).
• Alternatively, it means "He who is known by Vedic words alone".
• In the Harivamsa, Indra praised Krishna for having attained loving leadership of the cows which Krishna tended as a cowherd, by saying, "So men too shall praise Him as Govinda." 
• Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, in his commentary on the Bhagavad-Gita, states that Govinda means "master of the senses".[5]