The Namaste Principle: Relationships as a Path to the Divine

As a practitioner of yoga, I have commonly used the sanskrit greeting namaste, meaning "the God in me sees the God in you." Although I have always figured it to be a profound reminder of enlightened consciousness, I rarely thought to look at the person that I was greeting as a reflection of higher power. Similarly, it was hard for me to imagine myself as the divine. The flowery language felt appropriate in a yoga context, but had little application to my daily life.

After recent meditations on oneness -- the elimination of duality in our perception of reality -- I have discovered relevant meaning to the namaste principle. I have spent the last several years living an ideal yogini lifestyle; I spend several hours of each day in sadhana (spiritual work) while living at a yoga ashram and teaching the visual and holistic arts. During this sanctuary of solitude, I have discovered spiritual union within myself and an abundance of joy. 

Though I continued to thrive in my relationship with myself, my relationships with others were stagnant. I failed to look at my relationships as an opportunity to practice my spiritual development. I saw people as separate from my life lessons. I saw their flaws before I saw their beauty. 

I couldn't understand the essence of namaste, that every being possesses enlightened consciousness, because I wouldn't allow myself to feel such vulnerability. If I believed that everyone is ultimately God, then I would be forced to love and respect everyone unconditionally. I would then forgive them for their egos and their earthly ways. My fear is a sign that my own ego feels threatened, as it sees its transcendence so that I may emerge into higher consciousness. I now realize that honoring relationships is a spiritual practice. The very thing that I had been dismissing would be a gateway into divine awareness.

I now revere all relationships with others as a tool for my own growth and development. I search for the spark of light in every person I encounter daily, from a store clerk to a family member to my best friend. When I see another, it is my goal to see them as whole and complete, a reflection of how I imagine God. In this way, I am honoring their ability to ascend into greatness and am not focusing on their egos, personalities, or faults. When I look at myself in the mirror, it is my responsibility to see that same wholeness and completion. I, too, possess infinite potential and shine with radiant light.

The bridge between the heavens and the earthly world lies in the heart chakra (an energy center located in the middle of the chest). The heart chakra governs unbounded love and transcends all fears. In order to master our own lives and gain full consciousness, we must recognize the divinity that exists through pure unconditional love. In this way, we are discovering namaste on a tangible level. We are willing to be open, vulnerable, and trusting. We are recognizing oneness in our relationships and are ultimately discovering true union with God.

Namaste.



Helina Metaferia is a holistic practitioner, visual artist, and long time learner of Enlightenment. She teaches classes in Light Consciousness, Meditation, and Intuitive Painting. Visit the website: www.themetaexperience.com.

The Present Moment: A Gateway Into Enlightenment

"When you have one foot in the past and one foot in the future you are peeing on today."
-- author unknown

Many people have minds filled with distraction and chaos. Our heads are so filled with mental consumption that even our thoughts have thoughts. We are generally overtaken by memories from the past or anticipation of the future, which thus leads to stress and unease. However, it is only through the present moment that we can experience any true peace and tranquility.

The present moment brings power. Through present awareness, we are fully engaged in living and are in a state of timeless calm. In the present moment there lies a threshold, a gateway into total liberation from the burdens of time and space. This is the place where originality derives from, such as innovative ideas or the creative arts.

Within the sacred now, there is a divine current that offers the spiritual completion that many of us long for. The fluctuations of a distracted mind is the ego's attempt at resolving a distorted perception of division from the universe. Many of us busy our minds with desires, the quest for relationships, or material things to fulfill a natural desire for wholeness. True recognition of our natural state of oneness can only be experienced by engaging fully in the present moment. In presence, one can realize our true essence and separate the false illusions of the ego-driven mind.

Although the power of the present moment is profound, it is rare when people can experience it for any substantial period of time. The average mind lacks the clarity and attention span to stay centered in present awareness. Mental relaxation exercises, such as meditation, tai chi, qi gong, and yoga can train the body for such an experience. But training alone may not help the mind cross the threshold into presence. People who engage in activities that release their perception of time, such as sewing, gardening, the arts, or jogging may come in contact with presence. However, concentrated activities alone may not create sustained present awareness.

The way into complete presence, and ultimately enlightenment, comes from a surrender into the now. Once the mind, body, and spirit surrenders the ego and releases the need to jump into the past or future, the timeless attention into the present moment sustains. The present moment can only be discovered by a total submersion in the present moment. You must simply decide if you are ready to dive in. Enjoy the dive.

Helina Metaferia is a visual artist, holistic practitioner, and founding director of The Meta Experience, a visual and healing arts business. She enjoys writing about the practices that help her develop in mind, body, and spirit. Visit the website: http://www.themetaexperience.com

A New Reality - Complete Awareness

I feel a shift occurring in my being. My paradigm is changing and I am in between two worlds. One world is that of the first 27 years of my existence in this lifetime. It is complicated with illusion - the illusion of material, emotional, and mental things. The other world has been revealing itself to me with rapid speed. This world is rich with pure oneness and clarity.

As I leave the illusion of a three dimensional world and ascend into awareness, I leave behind the following: an ego that has grown accustomed to identification; a tangled obsession with love and companionship; a previous interest in healing and being a healer. I also leave behind a reality that has been consumed with worry, desire, and a quest for improvement. All of this is meaningless in my new world.

My new existence is liberating in mind, body, and consciousness. There is no division from one person to the next, from light or darkness, from night or day.

This profound transformation has been evolving rapidly over the last few months. I feel like I am graduating into a new reality, but my old ways of being won't leave without a tantrum. Shedding skin like a python, I've had a good share of upsets in the process. However, the only thing I know for certain is that the vortex is wide open and I'd be playing myself not to step in.

Here's what I am discovering about the new reality:

* There is only one thing. That thing has been named so many names but still remains nameless. It just is.

* There are many people that are opening up to this new world. The ascension is growing faster and faster. More people have a purpose that is speaking to them than ever before.

* It is insane to live in the old reality any longer, because the new way of being offers so much more clarity.

* Judge and have opinions of no one. Everyone is growing at their own pace.

* If you have a gift or a talent, use it. The new reality appreciates those that are true to themselves.

* Nothing is outside of yourself. The power, light, love and God is within you. The more we ask that the illusion fulfills us, the more we will grow disappointed.

As I continue to grow and transcend in my journey, I send love and light to all those that are experiencing similar things. It is a difficult process, but a necessary one. May all those that are feeling the ins and outs of ascension be blessed. May those that have no clue as to what I am referring to be blessed. May we all give each other a chance to simply be.

Love,

Helina Metaferia

http://www.metaartist.com

Seven Sadhanas for the Soul

Sadhana is a sanskrit term for systematized practices that bring spiritual development and liberation of the soul. Through the sadhana one can gain understanding of Self and find enlightenment. Proper sadhana is performed with pure intention and precise action. If you are considering this path, you will learn that each moment of each day requires proper sadhana. Though the practice may seem rigorous, the rewards of the sadhana is many.

There are many disciplines that are considered sadhana. Yoga offers plenty of practices that, with great focus, can lead to spiritual enlightenment. As a yogini and learner of Spirit, I have discovered some sadhanas that bring peace and wellness into lives. These practices offer evolution to the soul, create focus in your dharma (life purpose), and releases karmic ties. Each sadhana serves as a gateway to spiritual evolution. Practice them individually or collectively. Be sure to be in joy while performing your sadhanas and live consciously in the moment. 

Seven Sadhanas for the Soul:

1) Let your food be your medicine. The yogi knows that diet is the foundation for a healthy physical, mental and emotional body. This is the prerequisite for spiritual evolution. We incarnated into our bodies, our temples, so that it can transport us in the world. We must be good to our bodies by treating it with love. Balanced and healthy foods, pure water, and respectful prayer while cooking and eating helps transform the simple and mundane task of food consumption into a spiritual experience. Finding God through practices that heal our physical body is the path of Hatha Yoga. 

2) Live life in love. Love is a powerful conduit. It is a channel for Spirit that emits from the heart. It is a discipline that requires non-attachment, devotion, compassion and forgiveness. Through loving a neighbor as close as your family or a stranger as close as a friend, you are submitting to the highest force of the universe and surrendering your ego. Pure love is unconditional. It is not dependant on a person, a situation, or a thing. The reward for loving is its own reward. It opens you up to the bliss inside yourself. Devoting your practice to love is the way of Bhakti Yoga. 

3) Conscious communication. While we may have the ability to use words, we don't always use them effectively. Affirmations and positive self-talk are forms of conscious communication. Honesty, integrity, and clarity are other ways to speak from your highest Self. Choose to watch your speech, and pay attention to how your world shifts. You will eventually be able to discern and monitor the thoughts in your head. This will allow you to consciously create your reality, as everything in your world is a manifestation of what you think and speak. It will also bring you closer to God. This is the practice of Mantra Yoga. 

4) Release the chitta (mental chatter). Our minds are overstimulated, overcrowded, and way too intense. While we only use a small part of our brains, we manage to busy it up with a whole lot of nonsense! Stress, disease, and unhappiness is the result of an overactive mind. By practicing meditation and discernment of thoughts, we can release the blockages caused by mental haphazard. A silent mind is the most enlightened because it is able to hear the pulse of the universe. This is the path of Kriya Yoga. 

5) Laugh, and laugh often!!! Laughter is an exercise for optimism (and, if I may add, a nice exercise for the gut).  When we are laughing we are bringing freedom to our spirits and creating oneness in our soul. True laughter can only remedy our lives and bring us to wholeness. It brings us into a state of surrender. You don't need to hear a joke to laugh. Practice making laughter an all-day activity and watch your perspective shift. This is the way of the Buddha. 

6) Self study as a spiritual practice. How much do we know of ourselves? It doesn't matter if you are a loner or always around company, if you are young or old, if you are independent or not, self-reflection is an important gateway into ourselves. By learning ourselves on a profound level, we are able to make the best decisions and live on purpose. We would be doing what is for our highest good. We would be lead to selfless service. We would be full of vitality and love. This requires us confronting our shadow side and knowing our light. This is the practice of Jnana Yoga. 

7) Pay attention to subtle energy. All things are made of energy, and by opening yourself up to the energy in yourself and the universe, you are opening yourself up to God. By learning how to move and manipulate the breath, heal through energy, and expand your prana, you are learning how to engage fully in the universe. A sensitivity to energy can develop into a deep understanding of God and an appreciation for life. This is the way of Tantra Yoga and Kundalini Yoga. 

Choose the sadhana practices that resonate with you and allow them to lead you into wellness. While continuous efforts is key to the full results, you may notice a great difference at the start of your sadhanas. Enjoy the path.

Helina Metaferia is a visual artist and holistic practitioner of Yoga, Meditation and Thai Massage, and is a Reiki Master. She is the founder of The Meta Experience, a visual and healing arts company. Visit http://www.themetaexperience.com for more information on her work. 

Befriending Our Fears: A Journey Into Oneness

Recently I, like many others, have been feeling pulled toward a sense of oneness; an indescribable state of supreme intelligence where nothing is separate and all is God. In oneness, there is no difference between you or I, a tree or my arm, a car or a cat. There is only the divine omnipresence. This causes the elimination of polar opposites, of good or bad, right or wrong, negative and positive. Everything that separates us is an illusion, a perception of a void that does not exist.

What a confusing paradox to be in! Once my awakening into oneness began, I started questioning everything. So if there is only one, and all of reality is an illusion, why do I work? Why do I eat? Why do I sleep? Why do we experience duality? The only answer I could find within myself is that our incarnation into physical earthbound form is a total experience, an opportunity, for individual and collective growth. Our existence in a multifaceted world of polarities is so that we may transcend, grow, and evolve our universe.

Although I am beginning to feel one with everything, a big part of the duality I feel is my fears. My fears offer stark contrast to love and joy, the more pleasant part of my existence. Once I realized that my fears are a large part of the illusion of separation, I decided to confront them.

"Keep thy friends close and your enemies even closer" goes a wise saying. The best way to release our fears is to befriend them. By being a friend to what scares us the most, we are releasing the power it has over us. If our fears do not have power over us, then the negative energy has no place to hide and will have to leave our aura altogether. It is hard for the boogie man under the bed to haunt you if you are crouching next to him with a flashlight and offering him tea and cookies. Either you will find comfort in your fears or they won't have a reason to stay.

Follow these steps to befriending your fears in a simple active meditation:

1) Create sacred space: Any type of soul work you do should be honored. Find some peaceful alone time in an uncluttered, safe environment, such as in front of an alter, by a quiet lake, or in a calm restful area. Avoid doing this type of work in a messy room or in a space that is distracting.

2) Make a list of all of the things you are afraid of. It helps to put it all on paper. Start with the most obvious, such as "I am afraid of death" or "I am afraid that there is never enough money." After you've feel like you've got the obvious fears out the way, start to scan yourself for fears that are not as immediately obvious. Notice what clues your body gives when it is acting from fear and notice when you get those reactions. For example, if you get a knot in your stomach when you see someone accomplish something wonderful, you may realize that you feel fear when you see others successful because you are afraid that everyone will be successful but you. Write all your fears on your list until you are confident there is nothing left to write.

3) Read over your list and spend a moment with each fear. This can feel unnerving, but do not hold back any emotion or sensation during this process. As you come across each fear, shift your response so that you are smiling and laughing as if it was an old friend being silly. Approach the fear as if it had the innocence of a child and as if it meant no harm. Treat it like a well-meaning sister or brother. Personify it until you can see a being that you love and can forgive. As you are doing this you are taking away the fears power. You are treating it as if it has no negative intentions. You are allowing the fear to melt into a friend.

4) After you have spent time with each individual fear, visualize yourself at a tea party (or having a few beers, whatever you prefer) with all of your fears in one room. With your minds eye, imagine them all at a long table with you at the head. Give all your fears silly faces and have them stare back with innocence at you. If you have listed twelve fears, make sure all twelve of them are invited to your party. Now imagine yourself kickin' it with your fears, having a great time. Imagine "fear of death" telling jokes and you patting "there is never enough money" on the back.

5) Now that all of your fears are your friends, you really have nothing overpowering you. Send love and light to all the areas where there was once tension, where the fears used to hide. You no longer have resistance. You no longer are ashamed and scared because even that which scares you is freed. You now have the chance to move into oneness.

It may be strange not to have any fears. Sometimes, we are addicted to our fears and cling to them because we have grown comfortable using them as excuses. We may find it easier to cover them up and create a false sense of victory then to confront them, bring them into the light and make them our friends. Whatever path you choose, realize that we will never move past pain, suffering, and turmoil until we let them go. We are holding our fears prisoners in our lives, not the other way around.

Helina Metaferia is a visual artist and holistic practitioner of Thai Massage, Yoga, Meditation, and Reiki. She is also the founder of The Meta Experience, a visual and healing arts company. This technique, and others like it, are taught in her Light Consciousness workshop. The next class begins May 22 at The Baltimore Yoga Village. Visit http://www.themetaexperience.com for more information. 

How to Love Yourself

Loving is the process of radiating with the energy of higher consciousness and directing it to a living or non-living thing. Loving is medicinal. It is a powerful transmitter for good. It is the savior for humanity.

Self-love is a beautiful thing. It is the ability to revere all parts of yourself, even the shadow. By channeling deep affection and directing it inward, you are allowing a sacred connection to cultivate inside yourself. In this way, you are allowing supreme forgiveness, respect, honor, and care to be a part of your system. Through self-acceptance and value, you can open your heart to others and release your fears.

I hear people all the time declaring that they needed to "love themselves". They are searching for something greater - perhaps a purpose, the meaning of life, or God. They are most likely going through a change - maybe a job, relationship, or health issue. They are in need of their soul's medicine. And although they are ready to take an internal journey, often times they don't know where to begin.

Just as there are many paths to God, there are many paths in loving yourself. Here is a heart-filled suggestion on ways to develop healthy self-love.

* Taking Care of the Body - Part of loving yourself is honoring your physical temple. Find ways to feel good about your exterior and interior body. Take good care of it by giving it healthy diet, exercise, and plenty of rest. Adorn it with clothing that is comfortable and makes you happy. Find ways to connect with your body, perhaps through yoga, meditation, or holistic practices.

* Create Sacred Time - In our busy world, we must reserve time for peaceful contemplation. Centering your mind, body, and spirit is vital in loving yourself. Gift yourself time and space to relax and focus on you. Consider it a date with yourself.

* Do What Makes You Happy - Follow your heart when it comes to your occupation and leisure activities. Discover what is meaningful to you and integrate it into your lifestyle. Part of loving yourself is feeling free to do exactly who you want to. Make sure that you are playing and laughing as easily as you did in your youth.

* Let Go of Your Fears - Our fears keep us from opening our heart completely. Release the illusions that our mind projects on us so that we can enter a higher state of love and awareness. Take courage and let go.

* Honor Your Reflections - Everyone around you is a reflection of some aspect of yourself. Each person is your personal teacher. By choosing to honor others you are choosing to humble yourself to their lessons. In this way, you are then loving and respect yourself.

By doing the above suggestions, you are choosing to value yourself and live a life full of self-love. In this process, you may feel tested and challenged. This just means you are growing. As your reality begins to shift, loving yourself becomes as natural as breathing. Continue loving and gift someone else with a lesson in self-love.

Helina Metaferia is a visual artist, holistic practitioner, and founding director of The Meta Experience. She is the founder of The Love MySelf Program, a set of workshops in Meditation, Light Consciousness, and Intuitive Painting, all designed to create wellness in the participant. The next Love MySelf Program classes begin May 20, 2010 in Baltimore, MD. For more information on The Love MySelf Program or her private holistic services, visit http://www.themetaexperience.com.

Yoga -- From an Ethiopian Yogini's Perspective

With the success of commercial advertisements and offerings at local gyms, the term yoga has become common language. To some it is a fashionable way to tuck that tummy. To others it is an obscure image of foreign figures sitting with their legs crossed neatly next to their ears. And to some, it is perceived as a religion, a cult, or a thing that requires a new god or goddess.

Let’s put all of those misconceptions to rest. Yoga (which is the Sanskrit root of the word “yoke,” meaning to unite) is the union of mind, body, and spirit through the practice of an ancient science and art. Yoga brings the body to wholeness on all levels through postures, breath exercises, moral codes, concentration, withdrawal of the senses, and meditation. It is a humbling practice that may incorporate mantras (sound vibrations), mudras (hand gestures), and diet to bring a person into balance with the universe.

Yoga’s roots lay in ancient African culture, and it was notably practiced by the Nubians and people of Kemet (ancient Egypt). According to Caroline Shola Arewa’s book Opening to Spirit, Opening to Spirit, the Dravidians, the early settlers of India who are descendents of Ethiopia, introduced the practice of yoga to pre-Aryan India. Yoga is strongly affiliated with India, and most of the yoga taught in the West stems from the Indian schools of yoga. Yoga is independent of religion and may be practiced by anyone regardless of religious affiliation. It is, however, a spiritual path of Healing.

Yoga is embedded in our way of life. From our first yawns and stretches when we get out of bed, to the deep breaths we may take before making a public speech, to uttering the sound “um” (similar to the yogi’s sound OM) when trying to clear our mind. It is when the Muslim makes salat, the artist looses sense of time while painting, and the jogger feels that “runner’s high.” Yoga is our natural state of being.

Ethiopia has its share of dedicated yogis. Committed to a path of self-realization and enlightenment, the modest nuns, monks, and priests of Lalibella and other monasteries spend their lives in spiritual development. They use postures, mantras, meditation, moral codes, holistic teachings, and life force building techniques to discover themselves and their connection to the Creator. Their devotion to life service fulfills karma yoga, and their goal of Christ-compassion is the practice of bhakti yoga. The hermits in the hills are known for sporting their long locks, standing on their head for lengths of time, standing on one leg, and engaging in hours of meditation and prayer (tselot).

Yoga practices are not far from the common people as well. Ethiopian culture pays particular attention to sound and movement, both components of the state of yoga. The rapid movements of the neck, shoulders, and upper torso in the eskista dance release old prana (life force energy) and restore health to the areas of the thyroid, thymus gland, respiratory system, and breasts. The conscious alignment of the country woman’s spine as she gracefully carries baskets on her head and the meditative state of trance guided by traditional drum playing are more examples of yoga practice.

The benefits of yoga are numerous. On the physical level, yoga is an excellent way of reducing stress, and assisting with issues such as diabetes, obesity, hypertension, heart disease, and osteoporosis. Yoga is key in balancing emotions and reducing mental chatter in the mind. It promotes a healthy diet, vitality, inner strength, wisdom, and spiritual bliss.

Here are some yoga practices you may try at home:

Technique 1: Cat and Cow Stretch - An exercise for opening the chest, heart, and massaging the spine. Come to a comfortable table position, with your hands directly underneath your shoulders, your knees under your hips, and your spine neutral. Make sure the back is flat and the arms are not over extended. Upon inhalation, slowly drop the belly toward the floor and gaze up toward the ceiling, creating a natural curve in the spine. Upon exhalation, round the spine and let the head drop toward the floor, gazing toward the navel. Moving with the breath, repeat the Cat and Cow stretch for five to ten breaths.

Technique 2: Alternate Nostril Breathing - An exercise that promotes clarity and relaxation by balancing the left and right hemisphere of the brain. Sit in a comfortable seated position; make sure your posture is straight. Form the fingers on your right hand into a mudra by releasing the index and middle finger to the palm, placing the right thumb on the outside of the right nostril and the right ring finger on the left side of the nostril. Pinch the right nostril closed with the right thumb, and take a slow and deep inhalation through the left nostril. Release the breath through the left nostril. Close off the left nostril with the right ring finger, release the thumb, and take a slow, deep inhalation through the right nostril. Exhale through the right nostril. Repeat this exercise for five to ten breaths, making sure that there has been an even amount of breaths from the left and right nostrils.

Technique 3: Mantra Meditation - An exercise for whole body balance and relaxation through sound vibration healing. Sit in a comfortable seated position; make sure the posture is straight. Place the hands on the knees with the palms up if you need an energy boost or the palms facing the knees if you need to feel more grounded. Closing the eyes and focus on the area between the brows, known as the third eye center. Repeat the sound for universal union, OM continuously for two minutes out loud, elongating the “m” sound. Next, repeat the sound OM internally for two minutes. Next, allow the sound OM to float on the mind, feeling the essence of the mantra for several minutes.



Helina teaches hot vinyasa flow yoga at Spiritual Essence Yoga in Upper Marlboro, Maryland on Wednesdays at 8:15pm. She also sees clients for private yoga therapy. For more information, visit http://www.themetaexperience.com.