Flight to India

My flight to New Delhi was long but with no surprises! Everything went smooth and I had two seats for myself to stretch my legs. Always more than enough to eat or drink. I arrived in New Delhi at 2am early Wednesday morning. The taxi ride was an adventure and really crazy. There seams to be no rules at all on those streets. Everybody ignores the white marked lanes and out of two lanes the cars form four. At one point my taxi driver squeezed himself between two trucks as they got closer to each other. We just made it with me in the backseat holding my breath! There is no police on the roads, nobody to check speed or cars crossing over three lanes. Also I believe all the cars have defected turning signals!
Today was a short day for me because I slept until 11am, then I got a cab to go to one of the oldest markets in town. Kahn Market, where I found some Indian clothes to wear to be appropriately dressed. Men are staring at all the tourists woman and there are hundreds of men sitting or standing everywhere I went today. In each little tiny store,even woman's clothing stores,I could see four to five men. All of them have a cell phone wherever they are. The woman are very nice and helpful. It was a bit difficult for me to find my cabdriver Kapur again, because all the little roads on the market look the same. One can easily get lost.
The embassy is like a fort with beautiful green grass, trees and flowers. The only green i saw today. It is a true sanctuary! The school is amazing and it looks similar to Stuart school in Richmond! They have about one thousand seven hundred students from all over the world here! Just outside of the walls are the slumps starting and I can see them when I stand on the balcony! Two completely different worlds next to each other.

Countdown to my journey to India

 " The aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware, joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware"

~Henry Miller~

The Map drawn by Stephanie

I learned very early on in my life, that if I want something I have to work for it and keep my focus and faith. Going to India was a dream or rather a wish for thirty years. A good friend of mine traveled to India. This sparked a flame, as she came home and told me all her stories and adventures. Thirty years is a long time to dream and keep your focus though I got sidetracked many times. I had to learn many life lessons and most of all to believe in myself and the divine. Life is a big exercise and the messages which are presented are divine gifts. It is those challenges and the opportunities they present that help us to grow! After being married and having two beautiful children who have both gone on to fulfill their destiny, the opportunity came for me to go on my adventure and fulfill my dream.

The Countdown from Mimi

As I prepared for this journey many emotions were flooding through me, like joy and excitement, uncertainty, happiness, sadness, love and fear! I let it all in and then allowed myself to become still and have faith. I read intensely, learned from the internet, studied and continued to gain knowledge about the amazing country of India. The countdown to step on this journey has almost ended and there is only 1 day left before I leave. The backpack is packed, today I have taught my last class and said goodbye to my family and friends.

A big thank you to my husband, children, friends, yogis and yoginies, teachers, for all of your support, cards, gifts, posters, balloons, hugs, kisses and endless tips and advises! You are all wonderful. I will miss you all and send you always love and light!

Jennifer made an Indian flag!

Paula hang up balloons!



Sticky notes by Marck and sweet Caroline!



De



Barbara made a good luck charm poster!



Debbie and Tim stuck Flamingos in the yard!







The Mandala journey from Beverly!



Mandala Workshop "Healing the Heart"

My true religion, my simple faith is in love and compassion.

There is no need for complicated philosophy, doctrine, or dogma.

Our own heart, our own mind, is the temple. The doctrine is

compassion. Love for others and respect for their rights and dignity,

no matter who or what they are - these are ultimately all we need.”    

                  ~His Holiness Dalai Lama~

Opening the heart to a higher consciousness was the mission we set for the Mandala Workshop “Healing the Heart”. In silence and meditation we found a way deep inside to connect and see what is holding us back, to set us free. In this meditation and contemplation we were able to let go of some old pain, practice forgiveness and open up our hearts to a higher self, to love and compassion. In stillness, we found the healing. The energy the

women radiated was very powerful and
healing started to take place.

As we walk on our path there are many obstacles, which keep us back, prevent us from developing, or hinder us from becoming better human beings. There may be denial, fear, sadness, anger, hatred, jealousy, blame, judgment and frustration with which we have to deal. It clouds our minds and breeds more feelings of aggression. It feels like a turning wheel and at times it seems there is no way out. There can be so much poison in our minds that we might get sick or even terminally ill. The slightest anger affects our physical bodies as does every thought we think. How do we react when somebody brings blame or hatred towards us? Are we reacting towards that the same way? Or do we acknowledge their frustration and then respond in a kind and gentle way? Or do we just ignore the fact that they are angry? Mindfulness can put us in touch with the toxicity of the anger towards ourselves and others. With this mindfulness we are able to experience infinite joy and boundless freedom, which means we don’t have to react the same way. We are able to feel the joy in our hearts even while suffering.

Silence and meditation is necessary to see our true self, to accept who we are and to let go of fears, anger and sadness. It helps us to better focus, strengthens our concentration and keeps our attention on one single thing or object. In silence we find peace, harmony and a deep freedom. It connects us to our higher self, to our love and light and opens us up to our spirituality on the path to oneness. It is a return to our being, to the deepest roots, to the light, it is a return to God.

So there are no obstacles on our path, it is only the path, our journey back home.

With lots of love Sonja

Mandala Retreat in St. Louis, Garondelet

In the world of religion and philosophy the practice of silenc plays

a most vital part. It creates an atmosphere and enables the seeker

to find access to an inner sanctuary entirely hidden from the restless and turbulent material world.” – Swami Paramanada

I am overwhelmed by the love, kindness and gentleness I received from all the participants and the team at the St.Louis Mandala Facilitation Retreat. As I reflect, bits and pieces stand out and my heart glows with gladness from this great gift.

I gained renewed spiritual growth on my path to oneness. It is as if my sail gained wind and I was pushed forward in the direction of renewal without noticing the speed with which I grew. I let myself be pushed along this course with an open mind and wind in my face.

The retreat was held at the convent Carondelet. I did not know what to expect, I thought it would be a building enclosed by a stonewall, just as convents in Switzerland are. It is a, beautiful majestic building. It is made out of bricks and one can see many windows from the outside walls. Upon my arrival at Carondelet I had to pause for just a moment, take a deep breath, observe and take it all in. The beauty, charm and construction were impressive. The convent was initially built in 1836 and was added on as the convent grew, until it became what it is now, with a beautiful backyard and a spectacular courtyard. The courtyard provides a safe haven for meditation, prayer and contemplation. Carondelet was the perfect mystical and spiritual location for the retreat. I felt welcome from all the members and the sisters!



Sand Mandala



The retreat was based on Christian Mystics and I was motivated to learn about them all. As I prepared and studied the Mystics, I created Mandalas and attained knowledge about Hildegard von Bingen, Francis de Sales, Meister Eckhart, Bede Griffiths, Anthony de Mello, Therese von Lisieux, Henri Nouwen, Thomas Merton, Mother Teresa, Catherine of Sienna, Teresa of Avila. Lisa Lazio, our leader, taught us something remarkable about their lives every day. I felt the connection we all have to each other and the Mystics. Together in silence and in stillness we created Mandalas. I was able to stay in touch with my center and growth happened in a very subtle way. I allowed myself to focus on God and spreading the love, joy and light to everyone around me. I kept myself in the present with all the things that bring me simple joy and ensured myself that I am in charge of my mind. I eradicated negativity, stress, worries and emotional pain.

The participants were very open to receive the yoga classes in the morning and it was a good start for a long day to bring balance to everybody’s center. There was a transformation from wonder to joy and trust as we were breathing and moving together. Unity was created not only in our minds and bodies but as a group of Mandala friends.

Namaste Sonja

Burning Ritual

What lies behind us and what lies before us

are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.

Walt Emerson

There is no effort to go into silence at the shore. I listen to the sounds around me… the waves crashing against the beach in a continuous rhythm, the rhythm of the ocean, the rhythm of life and the rhythm of my heart.

The rhythm of the heart is the way of life and courage. It is to live in insecurity, love and trust. It is to move into the unknown. It is leaving the past and allowing the future to be.

I reflect on my life at this moment, this time and this age. Sometimes in life we are presented with a piece of information or knowledge and we don’t accept it or don’t understand it until much later. This was for me so, as I got introduced to the Sacred Mandalas 30 years ago. I did not recognize or fathom how extremely powerful and transforming it is creating a Mandala until much later. That is the beauty of our journey, to listen, to trust, to keep working hard, and to learn, stepping forward and asking for help. This has provided me with wonder, beauty and happiness.

Starting to teach yoga and Sacred Mandalas was for me the beginning of myself developing and finding the seed first, in the darkest of moments and then building outward. It was the beginning of my journey into the unknown.

I’m all about spreading the love and light to others. That to me means spreading and celebrating our lives in the form of creativity, happiness, community, sharing and expanding our special strength as woman and people. That is truly the beauty in all of this to open up and listen to our own heart.

The woman who attended the series of the Sacred Mandala Workshops at the Life Long Learning Institute blossomed with their own love, light and great energy for life as they created their Mandalas. Before we started the process of the Mandalas we each wrote down on a piece of paper what we like to let go of. Maybe we needed to get rid of old pain, fear, envy, anger, resentment or other past experiences. We all put the little papers in a bowl and set it on fire as we chanted OM’s. I was the fire marshal to make sure nothing else got burned in the process! The whole energy was changing as the white smoke slowly proceeded to make its way towards the heavens, together with the eternal sound of OM. The burning ritual gave them the possibility to let go of past events and step lighter into the present moment to find the love they so longed for and to see their own beauty and light inside.

Let the lights shine!

Namaste Sonja

Mandala Workshop to surrender to the Divine

I’m inspired by the wonderful group of woman who attended the Mandala workshop. There was a lot of excited creativity and connectedness to each other and the divine. Thank you all for the peace, compassion, harmony and joy you brought into this circle!

In Sanskrit surrendering to God or the Divine means Ishvara Pranidhana and it is the last Niyama of the observances of the eight limbs of yoga Patanjali. It brings all the Yamas, the moral disciplines and restrictions and Niyamas together and into the light. To surrender means to love with devotion and to let go of ego driven activities, honoring the divine spirit within.

To truly understand my path of yoga and transformation is to find unity, truth and healing within. I start each day by getting up in gratitude, then reminding myself to practice the Yamas and Niyamas. I aspire to approach myself lovingly, at every moment. I try to accept, take responsibility for my actions, forgive and ask for forgiveness, then continue to serve and manifest. I approach my meditations with great energy, to surrender to the Divine within.

Our work begins by practicing the Yamas on and off the mat. They are broken down into five insightful understandings: Ahimsa - non harming and compassion for all living things, satya – commitment for truthfulness, astaya – non stealing, brahmacharya – moderation and sense control, aparigraha - non possessiveness. The Niyamas are the suggestions of how we treat ourselves and how we approach other people. They are saucha - purity, santosha – contentment, tapas – passion and zeal, svadhyaya – self study and then ishvara pranidhana – surrender and celebration of the spiritual. Bringing awareness to all these devotions, we are able to transform ourselves to positive human beings. We notice the spark and energy flow within and around us to also help other people to achieve a state of being with devotion to God, Buddha, Jesus, the divine spirit or nature itself.

If we practice surrendering to the divine, we will experience a transformation to peace, clarity, truth and true love.
Love Sonja

I feel my oneness with you, Father.

With your grace, o God, I perfect my body and mind,
that in their harmonious instrumentality,
I feel your presence within me. The glory of spirit abides within me.
Dear Lord, your energy charges my body and mind
and your spirit abides within my soul
I feel your glory registering your infinite immortality in my body,
mind and soul.
Paramhansa Yogananda

Santosha - Contentment

The real meaning of santosha is to accept what is.

Here in the west we are faced everyday with material things. It creates desires, greed, jealousy, and unhappiness. We have a tendency to give in to cravings for material goods to fulfill our desires. There is fear among us that we are not good enough for each other and there is competition between people which limits the love to live in harmony.

How are we able to be truly happy and feeling content if we are suffering, in the mind and body? How is it possible to practice santosha if we are faced with challenges like abuse, illness or death?

Practicing contentment brings us in the very moment of our being. Feeling content in beautiful moments is easy and brings us closer to our own light. But we still struggle and face setbacks in moments of fear, hatred, jealousy, pain. If we start accepting life as it is and not comparing ourselves with others we can find inner peace and true happiness. Contentment comes from the inside out and not from the outside in. Being on the mat everyday helps me to practice awareness and find santosha. Knowing that just the way I am, being grateful, accepting me as whole, is enough. Seeing myself as a spiritual being and finding gratitude for my life, is enough. This does not mean that I don’t struggle and it is the practice which keeps me in the moment of my being. If I am grateful for each brief time period, I will be able to accept life as it is. I am giving grace for each moment even the one’s which seem impossible for me to withstand. It allows me to find and see the light inside myself as well as in others.


The greatest inner tranquility comes from developing love and compassion. The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater our own sense of well-being. Cultivating a close, warm-hearted feeling for others automatically puts our mind at ease. It helps remove our own fears and insecurities and gives us strength to face obstacles - it is the ultimate source of success in life."

~His Holiness the Dalai Lama

A NEW BEGINNING

“When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look at the closed door, that we don’t see the one that has opened for us.”

Helen Keller

I love to listen to the sounds of birds in the morning…it is such a gentle and beautiful way to wake up. I go outside with bare feet and walk through the moist grass and am able to take in the beauty of this small portion of the world. Everything seems to be perfect, the sun is shining through the woods and is slightly caressing my shoulders, the flowers are opening their eyes, the leaves on the trees still have little droplets of water on them. I am able to close my eyes and sit still for a while…listening to the outside sounds and to my mind. Practicing Shaucha, purity of mind and body is once again my intention this week. Letting go of self criticism, fear, anger and judgment is my desire. To be able to heal, to be free and accept what is.

Teacher training is over and it is a good feeling. I will miss all the beautiful weekends with my friends. On this part of our path together we experienced a great transformation and a unity as a group. Though we are pulled in different directions and there is diversity among us, we have the same goal. We wish to see our light, our truth, the love, peace and wisdom within. As one door closes another will open. It is a new beginning and we have to take the knowledge and wisdom we have gained and impart it to those that will share our journey with us.

Love to all Sonja