Saturday, July 20, 2013

Weekend Edition #15 Guru Purnima

Me and Guruji at his birthday celebration on my first trip to India

अज्ञानतिमिरान्धस्य ज्ञानाञ्जनशलाकया ।
चक्षुरुन्मीलितं येन तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥
ajñānatimirāndhasya jñānāñjanaśalākayā |
cakṣurunmīlitaṁ yena tasmai śrīgurave namaḥ ||
I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance, with the torchlight of knowledge.
This year Guruji's birthday is on Monday which is also a moon day and Guru Purnima.  I remember that we were trying to learn to the Gurustotram (below) so we could chant it for him at the celebration but we were too nervous to make mistakes and didn't do it.  Jayashree schooled us after by explaining that we should want and be grateful that our teacher corrects our mistakes because that means he cares and he is teaching us and then we can learn.  The photo above was taken by Elena De Martin of La Yoga Shala, Milano...


   

In honor of Guruji, here is a sweet video by Barry Silver of Ashtanga Yoyogi...

Still from Barry Silver's tribute video http://www.ashtangayoyogi.com/images/guruji.swf


And gratitude to my teacher R. Sharath Jois.  Ashtanga yoga changed my life.

Sharath helping me with back bends.  Photo by Tom Rosenthal lightonashtangayoga.com



My painting/drawing of Ganesh
I recently opened an online shop featuring my artwork in hopes of raising funds for India.  50% goes to the work being done to help the people in Uttarakhand. The other 50% helps fund my trip to India to study with my teacher Sharath in the fall.  Please check it out and support!  http://artbyelise.storenvy.com/

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