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| AHYMSIN NEWSLETTER, ISSUE - May 2014 | ||||||||
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The Desire for Something Higherby Sabina Cesaroni A Haven for the Spirit; Florence House, UK Silently walking, contemplating the beautiful coastal path leading to the "Seven Sisters Country Park". We are all enchanted by the power of Nature and the marvelous unspoiled beach. Welcome to Seaford, on the south coast, UK!  Definitely "the Desire for Something Higher "inspired us to come here, to Florence House, for a week long intensive seminar, sharing seven days of physical, spiritual practice, teachings, meditation and silence. Swami Nityamuktananda opens each session, each day, with her smile introducing the various topics: "Longing for Something Higher", "Udana prana", "Hindrances arising from emotions", "Contemplation as a tool towards Something Higher", "The final goal: Oneness", "Stillness", "Silence and meditation in daily life", "Silence". The Florence House, where we are lodged, is set in five acres of beautiful maintained grounds. It is a wonderful place, making one to feel at home and to be inclined to withdraw the senses into a natural Pratyahara. Even if, to be sincere... the food here is so creative and delicious... I dare say a real temptation!  The Desire for Something Higher... desire is a function of the energy flow moving forward, following an intention, pushing our senses and our capacity of Sankalpa to taste and experience life using emotions as perfect tools of inner investigation. Improving our awareness, empowering knowledge and discrimination. Purifying emotions then becomes a "must" if we really aspire to that Higher we are. Watching the ego interfering, defending that sense of "I am" at any cost!! ...Being creative, expanding our energy field Space Element using Viveka. That power of discrimination will enable us to face the truth of our Self. That longing connects us back to that origin, that cosmic birth. Spiritually progressing, learning to know the mechanisms of our mind, recognizing our conditionings and becoming free.  Dissolving the ego, going beyond… Para. Raise the energy with any tools: the art of breathing, the sacred mantra, the use of Japa, Contemplation, Yoga Nidra, contemplative walking, prayer and - especially meditation. Yoga becomes then pure awareness, flowing smoothly, deeply and silently with that energy field we all are, no separation, no gender, just Oneness. The core, centre of the whole Universe is us: let's reach that Bindu. Like Arjuna, let’s shoot the arrow centering the goal. Words and practice gently swim into the river of Saraswati’s wisdom, creativity, knowledge, during this retreat at Florence House, inside all participants.  And outside...? We all enjoyed the sacred presence of Nature, so wild in its many manifestations. Alternation of clouds, rain, sun, wind blowing, blossoming cherry trees and the many rabbits jumping here and there...quite a contemplation and - Silence! That silence we experienced from movement to stillness. The physical practices: yoga asanas, Makka-ho exercises and dancing, helped us to feel the silent presence of Shakti’s power! The seminar and Silence days ended with a debriefing Satsang; a true sharing. Next time? October 2014... same place, same teachers. Hari Om Editor’s Note:Photos from the recent English Seaside Retreat in Seaford West Sussex, with Swami Nityamuktananda Saraswati and Sabina Cesaroni can be seen at http://vimeo.com/93090680 The next retreat at Florence House, UK, with Swami Nityamuktananda will be 17th – 22nd October 2014. Topic: “Emotions, friend or foe?” There will be a weekend workshop followed by silence. Please see: http://www.5elementsglobalproductions.com/emotions-friend-or-foe/ Swami Nityamuktananda Saraswati’s website: http://www.athayoga.info/
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