ONE SPIRIT COMMUNITY

By Erika Faith

Yamas – Restraints (Written as Affirmations)

Yamas are about our actions toward people and things:

a) I am kind and loving to all living things, including myself. (Ahimsa – non-violence)

b) I am truthful in thought, word, and deed. (Satya – dedication to Truth)

c) I am self-reliant and have boundless energy to create wealth. (Asteya – non-stealing)

d) I honor my sexuality as a sacred part of me. (Brahmacharya – sexual consciousness)

e) I am free from attachments and expectations. (Aparigraha – non attachment)

Niyamas – Observances (Written as Affirmations)

Niyamas are about nurturing yourself:

a) I keep myself and my environment pure. (Shauca – purity)

b) I am content, accepting and learning from events in my life. (Santosha – contentment)

c) I live simply, free from unnecessary distractions. (Tapas – focused enthusiasm)

d) I study my Self with inquisition and non-judgement. (Svadhyaya – self inquiry)

e) I unite myself with God and God merges with me. (Ishvara-Pranidhana – oneness with Spirit)

Asana

“The spinal column must be held straight and the body firm, in a comfortable position for meditation.” Patanjali doesn’t happen to mention the thousands of other asanas we have been learning in Hatha Yoga Classes. Yoga, as you have probably assumed by now, is not just the asanas and physical movements we have focused on practicing here in the West. But, steady poses help us to concentrate, become ultra aware of our physical body and move us into a meditative state.

Pranayama

Pranayama means breath control. In yoga practice, this is our intimate relationship with our life force (prana). The breath carries vital energy through our system and gives every cell oxygen. Breathing exercises and breath focus have a great purpose in Hatha Yoga practice: It helps us pay close attention to our body and ourselves, it brings relaxation by creating mental serenity, it builds physical heat within the body allowing us to stretch deeply without injury, and it rejuvenates through the releasing of dormant energy. Without proper breathing, yoga postures are incomplete and benefits won’t be attained.

Pratyahara

Pratyahara means “withdrawal of the senses”. To relax deeply and have a clear head, we sometimes need to detach ourselves from the external world. This doesn’t mean that we completely lose contact with outer reality, we just don’t let ourselves be disturbed by it. It is the feeling of hearing a sound, but it being far enough from us that it doesn’t cause us to react. The practice of pratyahara can be done in relaxation poses such as Savasana (the corpse pose), in asana practice, and even in daily life situations. Pratyahara teaches us that we have the power to choose how we respond to the external world.

Dharana

Dharana is the act of focusing our attention on a single thing. The goal is to become aware of nothing but the object in which you are concentrating. This is often done by fixating on a divine form (such as a picture of a spiritual master). As we hold our mind within a center of spiritual consciousness, we are connecting to the Truth within us. Other focal points are: a candle’s flame, the nose (which is also cleansing for the eyes), the “third eye” chakra, a mantra, and the breath. The practice of Dharana trains the mind to eliminate any excess thought or junk from our consciousness.

Dhyana

Dhyana is the state of meditation. It is the state in which uncluttered mind and heightened awareness lead to complete stillness. The focus is clear and vast – awareness resting on the All in the moment – without preferences. Meditation can be achieved through practice of Dharana and Pratyahara, Pranayama, and even Asana.

Samadhi

Samadhi means “to merge”. It is the ultimate goal of yoga. It is defined as a state of super consciousness where one has achieved, for any amount of time, oneness with the universe. This integration, or union of the All, is wonderfully blissful and is believed to be the true expression of our Eternal Self.

May all beings be peaceful.

May all beings be happy.

May all beings be safe.

May all beings awaken to the light of their true nature.

May all beings be free.

Erika Faith is a movement facilitator at One Spirit Weekend.  Her school, Cloud Nine Yoga, prides itself in being a community based, non dogmatic Yoga Education entity with a history of facilitating the awakening of many hearts and teaching freedom of the mind and body.  For more information about Erika please visit http://www.cloudnineyoga.com/

By Erika Faith

Yoga is Creativity.

Creativity is a divine gift from God to humanity which anyone can access. Whether it is painting, ritual, music or movement we can all receive some type of benefit from creative expression. My on-going creative project is Yoga. How? Well…the simplest way for me to put it is: There are over 14,000 different postures (Asanas) and 50 different styles (Disciplines). A person can put together any routine for their own schedule or liking. Most styles involve some sort of relaxation. Whether a person is moving, breathing, or meditating, eventually there comes a time when the mind opens up and thoughts quiet down. This is where real insight and creativity happens. I don’t know HOW it happens. It just does. An exquisite mystery.

Yoga is Healing.

The ultimate goal of yoga is union with the All; it is to become completely aware of the Self or soul. The natural progression of practicing yoga leads one to: peace of mind and heart; power of will, love, and intellect; direct influence of the mind upon the body and the world outside the body; psychic abilities of various kinds; control of mind and better concentration; control of the emotions (removal of worry, pride, anger, fear, lust, and greed); bodily health, suppleness, beauty and longevity; and the prevention and removal of psychosomatic dangers and troubles. The Yoga Sutra’s Yamas (things to avoid) and Niyamas (things to do) are guidelines for living a life of integrity and truth. It is not necessary to obey these rules because these are just suggestions to live a happier, more fulfilled life. Yoga heals by allowing us to experience life in the continuous unfolding moment.

Yoga is Community.

Together, when people do yoga, something magical happens. There’s a wonderful feeling of togetherness, love, and camaraderie. This may manifest because each person starts to take responsibility for their life, beliefs, and experience. Yoga teaches that when the flow of the universe treats you kindly or harshly, you have control of your own attitude and outlook.The community of people studying and practicing yoga quickly becomes tight. I believe yoga brings people together in a magnetic sense; we want to share the bounty of its blessings with one another. A big group, focusing on transcending themselves, is a pretty incredible force of energy! As a teacher, I am excited to be able to share some of yoga’s power with my community.

Yoga is Committment.

Practice meditation (Dyana), breathing techniques (Pranayama), yoga postures (Asanas), and a deep relaxation (Savasana) at least three times a week. To really feel the essence of yoga, it is important to declare that yoga become part of your daily life. This is a committment that is only bound by your own will. Once you see the magic that yoga creates in your life, you will only want to continue with it.

May all beings be peaceful.

May all beings be happy.

May all beings be safe.

May all beings awaken to the light of their true nature.

May all beings be free.

~ Metta Prayer

Erika Faith is a movement facilitator at One Spirit Weekend.  Her school, Cloud Nine Yoga, prides itself in being a community based, non dogmatic Yoga Education entity with a history of facilitating the awakening of many hearts and teaching freedom of the mind and body.  For more information about Erika please visit http://www.cloudnineyoga.com/

By Samantha Sweetwater

Creation Dances. The universe dances. When existence was born out of the great, undifferentiated field of the One, the dance was born. Since the beginning of time and the beginning of existence, being has been dancing with essence. Our souls are dancing the space where our spirit and our bodies meet.

The dance is the great unifier. Dance invites us into union with the masculine and feminine, seen and unseen, being and doing, spiritual and physical aspects of ourselves. Gently, fiercely moving us in the tides of our own bodies and emotions, it brings us right to the center of soul. To dance is to celebrate being human – being a spirit in the body living on this miraculous planet called Gaia.

Dancing Freedom is my spiritual practice. It is not a religion. It has no dogmas, no boundaries. It welcomes all bodies, all gestures, all gods. It invites diversity, and through embrace of the wild multiplicity of expression, teaches the truths of Unity. Dancing is spiritual because it is a way of joy. Joy means saying a divine yes to life – to the movement that IS life – all of IT – and, to our divine creatorship. When we move and just keep moving, we become one with all parts of ourselves and with the great cosmic dance.

I believe the dance can set us free. Freedom means that we are at home in our bodies and in our spirits. It means that we have fluidity between our inner connectivity and outer expressivity. When these two parts of ourselves are in dynamic flow, we live with soul. WE dance in the fire of love that is at the center of hearts. Freedom means embracing that fire – being ok with the full spectrum of our experience, at home in all of our stuff AND in our exaltation. I call this divine OK-ness. It is a place where there is no separation between the sacred and the mundane – a place where we KNOW that THIS is the true essence of sacredness. When we live here, we are free. Incredible magic happens. The world opens before us as a place of wonder, color, authenticity and beauty. Our instinctive, intuitive and worldly aspects reconnect. We stop going through the motions of life, and instead really feel the vibrancy and joy of existence pulsing through us.

No true freedom can emerge from resistance. What we resist persists. We are learning how to really love what is, how to embrace. The path of liberation asks us to surrender everything while we simultaneously hold the mother wisdom of creating safe space. What does this look like in the dance? It looks like working within a clear container of practice where we can really let go to explore. It means developing the clarity of our own sense of yes and no. It means exploring how our physical and emotional experiences are holographic reflections of all dimensions of our experience. Our skin is a sacred boundary. Our hearts have boundaries and borders that can be contained, entered, held, opened, surrendered, tuned. It is through naked dialogue with the bounded aspect of experience that we come to the blissful experience of boundlessness. It is through the existence of a contained self and a distinct other that we give and receive. When the flow is open in both directions, we can open to the infinity loop of creation.  Now, we are one with the universe dancing.  Now, we are Dancing Freedom.

Samantha Sweetwater, founder of Dancing Freedom, soul coach and priestess, empowers embodied leaders in seminars and trainings internationally.  Learn more: http://www.dancingfreedom.com or http://samanthasweetwater.wordpress.com.  Samantha is a movement facilitator at One Spirit Weekend.

By Morgan Langan
 
What is the intention behind One Spirit Weekend? I allow Confucius to be my spokesperson for this question:

-What I hear, I forget.
-What I see, I remember.
-What I experience, I understand!
 
One Spirit Weekend is about experiencing to understand!
 
During these rapidly changing times, it is vital that each of us clearly understands our role and how to best fulfill that role. It is also imperative that we are aware of the transformations currently taking place and what effect they will have upon the earth as well as you and your family. When you experience yourself as an awakened leader in the presence of hundreds of other like minded leaders, you will understand your unique role.

The experience of dancing together under starlit sky; the joy of sampling the best food available on the planet; the vibration of the Sedona energy; the feeling of community; receiving the latest  information from experts who are living the life they are talking about–these are the experiences we all long for. This is why Puma & I have attended so many festivals–why we have gone to so many conferences–why we are drawn to seminars and retreats.

One Spirit Weekend takes all the successful elements from each of these and combines them into one cohesive experience, with the intention of awakening the leader within each of us, so that when we return to our families, communities and jobs, we do so empowered; knowing that we have a network supporting us in our designated role.
 
The team we have assembled to present this One Spirit Weekend has been guiding and supporting people through the transformational process for decades. As leaders, we too are being called to reach our highest potential. This is our opportunity to step into our roles as leaders.

Please join us as we experience this awakening together as One family.