thanks giving for yoga gratitude: tales from the mat & beyond

I love this picture taken today after our morning practice. I wish the entire class would of been in the picture because we are a tribe. A tribe of people giving gratitude to our ancestors before us who show us this path of gratitude for our bodies health & well being. It's even more than that. Collectively as a group of yoga practitioners we shared feelings and good vibrations for 2 hours & that works on a synergistic level & penetrates our physical entities. Such goodness emitting from a dedicated group of people has to make a change. It has to matter on such a profound level. It just has to. I know it to be truth. To top it off I met 2 new people in class: Bob & Tane. What is interesting is that Bob heard me talking to Diana about possibilities in American Samoa & he looked at me & said, I lived there for 6 years... Then he looked to Tane, another yoga teacher new to the Islands, and said, "She's thinking about moving to AS" & then he looked back at me & said, "Tane is Samoan". So 2 people new to my life are connected to Samoa & I'm becoming connected to Samoa in my researches. It's just funny how this game of life works...I am being lured to Samoa... I like it.

After a 2 1/2 hour class I cruised back to Bamboo Mountain- where I live to attend a community `awa ceremony. `Awa or Kava Kava was brought to Hawaii with the ancient Polynesian voyagers. "It is valued as an intoxicating drink and as a medicine. `Awa is also a sedative, used as a sacred plant for prayer, as well as appreciated for pleasure, especially in the south Pacific islands. It assists in opening communication channels with others and with the elements."

http://www.canoeplants.com/awa.html



We sat up on the hill where the forest opens up to the sky & brilliant sunlight flooded our ceremony through the majestic palm trees swaying in rhythm with the trade winds. A light rain squall rolled in at the end of the ceremony & it was just pure gratitude. As each participant takes the `awa cup in the hand & gives an offering to our ancestors, or future generations & to present existence they drink from the cup and with cup in hand have a platform to speak. I have participated in these ceremonies before- both in Hawaii and in Fiji & well... the sense of ritual and communicating with & receiving direct ancient spiritual knowledge from direct descendants of ancient Polynesian voyagers... unexplainable. We shared an amazing Thanksgiving meal  & wine & conversation. I am so grateful for what I have. I might not have much in the way of material possessions, but I know love. I know I am loved.