Sometimes you’re fortunate enough to cross paths with someone who reminds you of the inner joy and happiness which is already present within you. I was beaming after completing a ‘Yoga with Sacred Chants’ class at last week’s Bali Spirit Festival, led by Akasha Chaitanya , A.k.a. Sky. A slow determined Yoga sequence accompanied by Sacred Chants. For me, Sky’s class reflected the true essence of Yoga; expect postures with chanting,hand mudras, Pranayama and verses from the Yoga Sutras or Vedas.
Roll back twenty years and Sky, born in Canada, was living at the foot of Whistler and earning a living as a Ski Instructor. Sounds like a perfect life right? Yet he felt incomplete (familiar anyone?). His first introduction to Yoga was by a sixty six year old English woman who held a class for older local ladies. Although he felt a little awkward at first (being a 20yr old man!) his teacher’s genuine warmth and affection shone through and remains with him to this day.
Fast forward to a trip to Koh Phangan in Thailand where Sky continued his journey, unfolding the nature of himself. He met there with his first teacher and began on a path of removing ignorance, a path towards finding permanent happiness in this life. It was at this point that Sky was introduced to the teachings of The Vedas. The Vedas are one of the most ancient religious texts in existence. They are thought to reflect in human speech divine teachings and form the basis of Hinduism but also heavily influenced Buddhism too.
Quite a task to undertake for such a young man! I asked Sky how he felt setting out on this spiritual path ” ..it feels like you’re paddling upstream while everybody else is whooshing downstream past you with the flow of the tide. But you can’t climb on your Guru’s back and have him swim you upstream, you have to put in the effort yourself.” He looked daily into the sacred words and listened to wise teachings via MP3.
Sky’s inner peace and wealth of happiness shone through the entire time I sat with him. Let us all find the inner strength to swim ourselves upstream and reach for the Sky! Honor and thanks goes to Sky for introducing himself to us.
For more information on Sky or Sama Yoga Retreats email yogasky108@me.com
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Namaste
Asian Healing 