October has been a special month for the Himalayan Yoga Institute of Florence, rich in events and initiatives to reconnect, to gather together, to share in the joy of kalyana mitras’ presence, and “to receive”, with deep gratitude, the guidance and the teachings of our International Teachers in the Himalayan Tradition: Rabindra Sahu and Stoma Parker.

As part of the initiatives dedicated to the celebration of the centenary of Swami Rama’s birthday, the month began with an online workshop with Rabindra Sahu, dedicated to the sacred theme of the “Divine Feminine”: with great surprise, more than 90 people attended the workshop, that was projected at the Institute for those who could meet in person.

Rabindra introduced us to the many possible ways to reconnect with the Shakti force, a welcoming, nurturing and transformative force of kindness, compassion, and love that each of us should learn to rediscover and to cultivate within: a non physical force, the union of the masculine and the feminine force inside each of us, the life force, an intangible and subtle force that resides within each of us. Rabindra invited us to contemplate on the importance to learn to reconnect with Her and to live our lives under Her Divine guidance. Stoma Parker opened the beginning of second year of the Italian TTP with an online session on the topic of mind and emotions: he went deep into the explanation of the connections between mind and emotions according to the Yoga Philosophy, talking also about the four primary fountains and how the awareness of their profound interconnections could help us in deepening emotional purification.

Even if online, the presence of Stoma Ji contributed to let all the entire Italian Sangha feel closer and more unite than ever: all the TTP students and the Italian teachers had the perception a special energy was circulating among us.

On Saturday October 25th the Institute organized a six hours akhanda japa to celebrate Swami Rama’s birthday and to reconnect with the ashram Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama, our spiritual home, where it had been organised a 28 hours akhanda japa. Teachers, students of the current TTP and members of the Institute joined the practice with enthusiasm and a sentiment of love, discovering the joy of deepening the practice and the feeling of a more profound connection to the Lineage.
At the end of the day the Institute was like a sacred cave, filled of silent prayers.

Our profound Gratitude goes to Rabindra and Stoma, to the entire Italian Sangha and to our Beloved Masters.

May our hearts continue to be filled with this sacred sentiment of Love.

In Loving Service,

Ilaria Sarri

Editor’s Note:

Ilaria Sarri is one of the center leaders of Himalayan Yoga Institute Italia – Centro Per La Salute Globale in Firenze (Florence), Italy. She is a long term initiate in the Tradition, and a TTP teacher and mentor since several years.

The photos were shared by Carlotta Nucci.