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| AHYMSIN Newsletter, Issue - September 2013 | |||||
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Swami Nitya on the USA’s West Coastby Maryon Maass The weather was PERFECT everywhere Swami Nitya landed on the west coast this summer. Swami Nityamuktananda Saraswati arrived in Portland, Oregon, and lived in the hinterland of the town in a beautiful wooded area, a sylvan setting which reminded her of Lamorna, at the magic coastline in the UK, where she resided for decades. I had the pleasure of visiting her in this land infused in Celtic spirituality, before she moved closer to London… Amongst the tree tops of Oregon, she rested up and met with Chuck Linke and Phyllis Newmark and others to share meditation and teachings.  After her lovely stay in Oregon, she came for a couple of weeks to California, first to Sonoma where she lectured and led mediations at Lisa Murray’s studio for the teachers in training there. The response was most welcome, and wami’s buzz is still vibrating. Our good friend Janet Brown brought Swamiji and me to live in her house in Marin County with amazing views directly over the bay for a week. Janet invited her friends to the Full Moon Meditation to sit with Swami Veda. It was great to share with our Sangha family; Jan and Dave Semling, Amy and John Gage came and a couple of my friends from Marin. It was fun to find that they knew some of others already: an unplanned meeting of two groups … a small world indeed – a divine meeting. A smashing pot luck with organic everything added to the celebration!   Swamiji was a tourist for some days and saw the sites of San Francisco and all its amazing changes from moment to moment with the famous summer fog and sunsets. We met up with a couple of longstanding friends of Swami Nitya from Ireland that happened to be in SF and had breakfast with them in “Land’s End” which was followed by a visit to the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park; Twin Peaks graced the day with great vistas – and of course I had to drive “the tourists” down the “crookedest street” , Lombard Street. …Once over the Golden Gate , we went to Sausalito….for a stroll by the sea and yummy ice cream. On another occasion we went to Berkeley Rose Garden after a delicious lunch with another friend of the tradition STOPPING TO SMELL THE ROSES. Finding colors that match our saffron cloaked swami and my fuchsia frock amongst the garden of hundreds of varieties of the fragrant botanicals. After the intoxicated rose garden, we made a stop at the Siddha Yoga Center in Emeryville. There is a Temple to Bhagavan Nityananda, Swamiji’s original inspiration for the Yogic path. In the quiet courtyard temple we listened to the Aarati and meditated, an important stop to pranam to the Guru-principal. We had a visit with the manager and enjoyed a lovely vegetarian dinner there too.  On August 24th and 25th, Swamiji taught two workshops. One was in Oakland at Gabi and Jumbe Allen’s house with a delightful group of 14 – contemplating the Divine Feminine Principle….All remarked how valuable it was to hear Swamiji weave the streams of thoughts and concepts to new realizations.  In Brentwood, California, we stayed with Mary Mohs and Ron Valle, long time initiates of the tradition that go back to Swami Rama… There at the Awakening Center another group gathered to hear Swamiji speak on “Spiritual Life in the Mundane World” which reminded us of the impermanence of nature.  We enjoyed the changing sun on the “Golden Hills” of California, the dryer side of Mount Diablo. Long shadows and brilliant sunrises were captured forever in the eye of the mind. Our last trip together brought Swamiji to Soquel, the hills behind the crashing oceans of St. Cruz. The host family, the Troderman’s, lived surrounded by redwood trees. So a “life-long” ambition of Swamiji could be fulfilled: to hug an ancient redwood tree and “sit with it”. There was Satsang in the family’s home, and in the wellness center of the little town Swamiji spoke on yoga as a perspective to see the Oneness in all existence. She seems to manage to inspire people wherever she goes. Being with Swami Nitya was wonderful...meditation with her was quite deep and still. Many commented it was the quietest they had ever been. All felt her love and joy. She is also a really good navigator too; she makes a great co-pilot for the driver , keeping the driver calm and secure in all situations that were potentially frustrating in busy traffic...Thanks, Swami ji, for all your patience and support. “Thank you” to all the hosts of Oregon and California for the lovely gatherings and hospitality given from the depths of your hearts. Editor’s Notes:Swami Nityamuktananda Saraswati is a senior teacher and a mantra initiator. She is a member of the AHYMSIN Adhyatma Samiti. Swami Nityamuktananda Saraswati’s website: http://www.athayoga.info/ Gabriele (Gabi) Lorf-Allen organizes events for the Himalayan Yoga Meditation Society of Northern California, an AHYMSIN affiliate group. If you would like to be on their mailing list, please write to gabrielelorfallen@gmail.com Ron Valle and Mary Mohs are the centre leaders for the Awakening Centre in Brentwood, California, USA. This is an AHYMSIN affiliate. Their website: http://www.awakeningonline.com/ Contact: awakeningctr@aol.com Gabi, Ron, and Mary work together to communicate with initiates in northern California and organize programs. Maryon Maass is office manager, teacher, mentor, and student in the Himalayan Yoga Tradition Teacher Training Programme (HYT-TTP).
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