Dharma Yoga New York Center: LOAY 800-Hour, Day 8

The Life of a Yogi

“It’s like that movie I like, Men in Black. There is someone with a marble ball, and inside that there is millions of galaxies... Who knows, maybe we are just in a piece of sand somewhere on a beach!” ~Dharma

We just finished the Satsang and Aarti and Oh! The magnitude of what just happened to us here is still whirling about, and probably won’t sink in until the months and years following this training. Of course, the best parts were the internal, subtle things that happened, and even though blogging is a cool way of getting the information across, it is is in no way comparable to actually being here and doing it. So if you can come, COME! I probably will never look back at time spent with Dharma and think, “Meh. I was young.” NO! This time spent with him is the process that has turned my life around.

I have mixed emotions about today being the last day. Of course I want to stay for the rest of my life, sitting around on a cushion and Om-ing. But the reality is that I miss my children, and that my dharma is to go out into the world and spread the knowledge, keep a household, etc. Sometimes I find myself wishing that I was around Sri Dharma’s physical form, but he summed up that notion in the following quote:

“How to overcome distance? When you are everywhere, there is no distance.” ~Dharma

Usually I give myself a buffer time zone after a training of two or three days, but tomorrow morning I am doing a 4 a.m. trip to the airport, so I can be back in time to pick my daughter up from school. Three months of personal practice starts tomorrow and I have a vegan cafe opening next week. Love, duty, devotion and service are going to be the fuel in this tank!

“It is our DUTY.” ~Melissa Capezzuto (regarding teaching Dharma Yoga)

Today was a really fun partner yoga workshop with Kim and Yoshio (see pictures below). We also reviewed the 800-hour internship guidelines and had a one hour Om japa followed by Yoga Nidra. I was floating around like that genie head from the show Pee-Wee’s Playhouse from many years ago. The return to the “real world” will hopefully not be a rude awakening, but rather a thrust into everyday life charged with shakti and inspired to help others.

Here are some quotes that I found scribbled in my notebook:

“For savasana, make sure they have all the props together so there’s not a big kafuffle at the end.” ~Andrew Jones (Speaking about preparing students for meditation followed by relaxation. FYI apparently the word “kafuffle” means fuss... I never knew that!)

“For the last two minutes, you can do whatever poses you want...except nothing.” ~Dharma

“You have to find God in your silent meditation.” ~Dharma

~Olivia Foss

Dharma Partner Yoga with Kim and Yoshio

Myself and fellow trainee Nicole Sopoko

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The last day… The photos below document the activities that took place today. I just want to briefly express gratitude to first and foremost Sri Dharma for sharing his knowledge both verbally and psychically; this high knowledge that we all will respectfully cherish and absorb, the phenomenal and dedicated teachers; Adam, Andrew, Bernadette, Kim, Melissa, and Yoshio… Joann, for being such a wonderful
and sweet host, and Enid for maintaining organization and being such an accessible and friendly contact, and the other 21 trainees, who were all so kind, knowledgeable, and full of love. Words really cannot describe the feelings that not only I have, but the others as well. It was an honor to have been a part of this inaugural 800-hour teacher training group. Thank you all.

I am having a difficult time expressing myself tonight… The feeling is very overwhelming, but hopefully the pictures below will say more!

~Cindy Ley-Sepe