awakening....and jung

it seems that life is brining me all my teachers at once. intense learning is transpiring and while the information is coming from what seems like different paths all the information is the same. timelines, lessons, direction and guidance....for those who have an understanding or who want to know what awakening can feel like...it's explosive, kind, sweet, hot, intense, happy, sad, up, down, all around....it can FEEL like you are going crazy but you are not. what is feeling crazy is the poor little ego dying while the ultimate Self blooms. the sweet smell of life and spirit from within glows. i seem to be transferring the energy without knowing it. people are experiencing kundalini rising heat when with me. talking about it seems odd, but we have to share this stuff so those of us who get it know that we are not alone in it. the energy of the planet is shifting faster than i can keep up with. crystal necklaces pop and explode off of my body....i can't seem to "keep" anything on for too long...total non-attachment is being forced on me and it feels great. (big smile). letting go, seeing things clearly, sharing what is happening, not caring who gets it, just becoming more authentic and alive with each breath. it's magical. the word "love" has been used so much it has lost it's meaning. what i am feeling is beyond "love". but Love is in every part of it. learning to witness the balance of dark and light while it happens paradoxically and simultaneously....what jung calls "reconsiliation" is really the key. it's lovely to find the similarities in all schools of thought. each takes me deeper and deeper into an awareness of the simpliest concept - that's how you know it's Truth. i am going to india soon. the calling finally came. i was wondering when it would happen. all of life's answers are falling into my lap. i have no worries of tomorrow or of the mondane questions in life. who cares anymore. i am awakening. get me - don't get me - who cares. be happy with who you are. find your authentic self and just be that. please don't stay asleep with the day to day activities or think that we are not free. freedom is a state of mind. i can run around naked in my mind without having to physically have the experience of it. it's all a state of mind. a state of grace within. someone said to me the other day "we are not free" - how sad. of course we are (big smile). such a statement is disempowering and allows them to stay stuck and not change or be any more than a householder. that's okay if that's why you think you came into this life. i know otherwise. we came here to have a spiritual expereince and remember who we are...some of us anyway. people say the spiritual path never ends...of course....spirit is timeless, endless and without definition. it's only the human mind that feels safe when it feels it has defined something so it can exhale and be in "control". the more i know the less i know. the more awake i become the more asleep everyone else seems...that's okay too! ;0) those who are showing up in my life..."strangers" who know me almost as deeply as i know myself...it's awesome. they look at me with a knowing....and see my hunger for Truth....they get me better than anyone else ever has. i don't expect them to stay around too long either - that's not why they are here. they have come to give me information and support so i don't think i am going crazy. it's wack and bliss. living a paradox is the best possible place for me to exist. watching it all happen without attachment is even better. i wish i could bottle this. i have a photo of myself that i will post shortly. a tunnel of light beings FLOODING my being. i call it my light possie. it was caught on camera in 97 and it makes sense to me NOW. thank god it does not happen all at once. it's just so sweet that i want to take it in slowly and savor each experience. it's new and deeper each time. i want you all to remember it too. never stop living out loud. never give up. never think you are not free. never believe the maya that we call this life. it's happening everywhere...all the time....even at 230am in Canter's deli on a saturday night. i felt and saw It all around me while i was feasting on my chopped salad and pickles just as much as in the silence, just a much in the Kodak theatre watching the Elevate Film Festival. It's everywhere and it always has been. this is a fun ride. my cats are enjoying me dancing around naked every time It wants to show up through me in dance or song. i feel like a witch sometimes, a goddess, God itself, humbled to a point where i literally must fall to my knees and prostrate while tears of joy stream from my soul to the earth. how great is this life! i wish you could all feel this. it's more real than anything else i have never known because it never leaves me and only gets deeper. even in the darkness It finds a way to reveal Itself to me. i don't have to be in a yoga mudra, india, standing on my head, a vegan, sober, none of that matters. It just is because It always has been, always will be, forever, endless. it's in each of us...the saint, the abuser, the murderer, the new born baby. everywhere. what's next? sleep for now......until then...love to all...peace to all...joy to all souls. sat naam.

"What exactly IS The Divine Feminie?"

Within the collective soul of humanity: the era of The Divine Feminine has returned. This is not just a statement to be appreciated for it's symbolic significance: the emergence of the feminine tells us that an ascension in consciousness is in progress within the collective soul of humanity, penetrating every endeavor on this earth. We can feel the presence of the feminine awakening in every facet of life, from eruptions in nature, to the vast social changes sweeping across the global community. The Divine Feminine does not enter into our lives softly or silently. She tends to make her presence known as she focuses her love, her fury, her compassion, her beauty, her creativity and her sensuality to ignite yet another cycle of human evolution. The Divine Feminine has always been a presence in the human experience, to be sure, but she has kept to the background until her cycle of evolution returned. That time is now.

The Wholeness Foundation - serving women and children

The Wholeness Foundation is a philanthropic venture.

Hands 2 Help/whole kids camps/women's empowerment workshops

Mission
Hands 2 Help provides fresh food, daily, to women and children affected by domestic violence who reside in shelters throughout the city of Los Angeles. Local grocers provide free daily donations of produce, dairy, baked goods and condiments that are delivered to one main shelter. Food is then distributed to individual shelters throughout the city. By providing proper nutrition and a safe shelter women and children are able to recreate their lives from a place of wholeness.


Hands 2 Help provides food delivery, Whole Kids Camps are youth empowerment camps, Divine Feminine Workshops provide trauma and energy release breathing method that serve mind, body & spirit.

INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING? if you have an INNATE passion for this kind of service please contact me. the program is already in place and we are in the process of building the 501c3 (non-profit) paperwork to take the business to a level where it will continue to grow and be replicated in any city in the US or abroad. i welcome you comments, interests, donations and suggestions.
"if i am not in service i am not living." ~ i just quoted myself ;0D

never as good as the first time and twice was not enough...

www.ashesandsnow.org/

the art of kissing the goddess - borrowed from heart expressions - thank you!

Never forget, sweet beloved,
your tongue has all the sensitivity
of your fingers…
The senses at play here
are taste And touch.
I don’t suppose you can taste with your fingers,
but you can touch with your tongue…
and taste as well.
Take your sweet time with the Goddess,
beloved One,
Taste first her lips
with your soft and gently questing tongue,
closing your eyes
to concentrate the sensations.
Without hurry or impatience,
ask permission
to enter the mystery of the cave,
using your sense of taste and touch
to ask the question.
Listen carefully with your tongue
for the answer!
I know it goes against your nature, Shiva,
asking you not to possess her
upon the first demanding touch of your tongue;
therefore,
may you hear the words from the Goddess Herself:
Taking these moments to kiss Me well and slowly
will enflame My desire beyond your wildest imaginings.
Place your hands within My hair,
be it short or long,
red or blonde,
coarse or baby fine,
and caress Me upon My head and face
as you bestow and receive these kisses
of which I speak.
there can be no distractions…
only the sacred task before you:
a shared journey into the temple of the breath,
the life-blood of our human existence on Earth,
the place of power
from which we express ourselves verbally,
or sometimes silently
such as with kisses.
The lips of the Goddess
hold the promise of untold bliss,
intimacy,
and affection.
As She opens to you,
the exchange of breath becomes merged
with the exchange of energy
in a balanced rhythm of
yin and yang,
giving and receiving.
Blessed are those
who practice the art of kissing the Goddess!

The first song I wrote - 8/17/07

it's interesting how life brings us just who and what we need when we need it. if i pay close attention i can see myself in everything....past, present and future. i allowed myself to open up today in a new way and as a result was moved to write my first song. thanks for the inspiration.

Title: begin, again

how can you make start and not open up your heart.
how can you see love from a place so cold and dark.
and how can you take a chance with one foot out the door.
it's time to begin, begin again.

the phases of the moon
the tides that come and go
the sun can always shine in your heart

love is always at the door
choose to open up for more
the love you give grows with each breath
the love you give is what you get

and how can you take a chance with one foot out the door.
it's time to begin, begin again.

love can be a mirror of fear
the call to love is forever near
open your heart and eyes and see
love is everywhere in you and me

and it's time to take a chance and open up to more
it's time to begin
now, it's time to begin
yes, it's time to begin....
begin, again.

Abraham-Hicks - Excerpted from a workshop in Portland, OR on Saturday, July 12th, 2003

Everything you do is for the purpose of the joy that it is giving you. And so, when you don’t see something through, it means that it stopped producing the joy that you were hoping to receive. Of course, it is always better if you have anticipated something and you’ve stayed lined up with it. If you’re lined up with it, then it’s joy when you’re thinking about it even before you start, and it’s joyful as you start, and it’s intoxicating as you’re going, and it’s fulfilling as you do it, and it’s satisfying as you finish it—and you’re in alignment the whole way on that.

All Is Well

Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji: The Path of Love

There is something about Swami that calls to my soul. Being in his presence speaks to my Spirit with feelings beyond words. Seeing him again this evening was magical. He carries with him a presence of pure Divine Grace and compassion. He is said to be a Saint. When in his presence I feel calmness, peace, excitement and my heart expands and deepens with a feeling of love, compassion and a sensation of Lightness lifts my soul. He is the first Saint from India I have ever received darshan (divine blessings) from and this was my second opportunity to be in the Divine presence of Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji. The following are my notes - as he spoke – from his soul - without filters – and with great humor. I share them with you in service and support of finding the path of love.
Love is the answer…
In-Joy, Lisa Sahakian


Beginning of Lecture Notes:
Finding the path of love…..through meditation…the greatest healer…love is the greatest healer and most affective tool. When everything fails, love works. People try to achieve everything but when love is not there all will not make you happy. Married couples ask me to bless them – that their love is forever. “What do we need from each other?” “I don’t need jewels, fancy clothing – I need you – everything is there but you and that is not enough.” Another way is to practice connection to the Divine. You will have everything but true happiness when He is not there. #1) love yourself, #2) love your family, #3) love the world. How to achieve these three things? Only when you love God and see the same Divinity in all – all life will have meaning. Especially in the west – I meet people everyday. When people love themselves they become focused on the body. It’s not just love of the body…it’s “I had a great manicure, pedicure, face lift, flat stomach.” This is not the only way to love your self. Don’t condemn or criticize your self. Accept yourself as God has made you. Every one of you is unique. How can you be the gift of God & His creation? How can you become the gift when you only love yourself for your sake – which you only live for yourself? Animals do this also. They also eat, drink, we also eat, drink. They have fear – we have fear. Nobody wants to die – 100 years – nobody wants to die. They sleep – we sleep – have sense of pleasures. What’s the difference between them and us? You can love for the sake of others – animals cannot. You can walk the path in such a beautiful way not just for “me” but also for sake of others. When you cannot see the Divinity in others you cannot serve. Even the family – you need love from them – you love them. Duty to your family. Give to them the values. Gurmukh was explaining to me 20 years ago. Gurmukh was pregnant and started this kind of yoga center. A great thing. But more important – let them grow with more than a sense of the “I-ness” and “My-ness” so they can love others - when this union happens between you and the Divine – it happens in you – it happens in all creation.

Sometimes we assess and condemn others. Even when we walk on the path we hate ourselves. Sometimes we walk the path of wrong not right – even then – God has given you the power to look up, wake up, wake up, get up, look up, never give up! Because you are the part of the puzzle Divine. Because of that connection you are not a sinner. “We are born sinners”, when we believe we are sinners we keep feeling bad about ourselves. We have to go beyond this idea. You are Divine you are not born as sinners. You are born as Divine. When you are Divine sin happens through you – never give up on you – stand up to it – have faith – give them to God – move forward. Whenever you do something wrong give it to God. God will never raiser the fire again. Give it to God. In God’s computer once erased there is no trace. Have this faith once it is erased. There is a new me and walk a new path.

First love myself then others. Love me then others. Accept me then others. Embrace me then others. This is your sadana. When we look and judge others for the same things we have also done. When you are dealing with others – deal with the heart be loving, compassionate, caring. When dealing with yourself be hard on yourself. Check yourself. After checking if there is something wrong – don’t give up – immediately close your eyes and offer to the Divine Mother what happened. You will feel the strength that it is done and start a new from there. Before it takes the ego form in you – the ego seed – before that – offer to God. You will be free from both bad and good. This is the way you can walk this path of love.

Mediation with the Divine - the science of healing. Meditation heals us form the physical and mental ailments. Takes you closer and closer to the Divine – also it helps you with silence. “So and so” was in silence for 20 years. He went to India for years and was in silence. The power of silence. The mind becomes powerful. I once went in the jungle 10am-10pm and was silent. If you have every day, 1 hour, 20 min, 10 min, He will begin talking to you. People ask, “Don’t you get bored?” Your boredom will be over. You will love to be calm, love to be silent. With this silence you can walk calmly and beautifully the path of love.

The other thing…self study. Studying scripture is good too. Every day before you sleep - everyday – vacations included – if you ask me your whole vacation will be beautiful. You will learn the art to talk to each other. You are not learning anything when you speak. Communicate by learning with your silence. That will be your success. A beautiful beautiful path – every day. Watch yourself. No one else is watching you – honestly – “where am I going, what am I achieving?” Watch yourself in the evening…you will see the whole day will flash back at you. Watch that movie of introspection and you will see the real you. Passion/compassion. Lust/love. Passion can never take a person to peace. “That was great! That was heaven!!!” It’s part of lust – when lust is over - relationship is over. We keep looking for someone else – then someone else – it’s not there. My request to you – watch your own digital movie. Which path are you walking? Only you and the “Divine Insurance Company” will know. Before anyone else comes to know – know yourself. Lust divides you. Love dissolves you. You can become one soul – that can happen. “I love my flat stomach – 120 lbs over the past 20 years.” Getting here to LA, I go to the airports and see how many big people there are. Too much lust and no self control. Watch your movie and find where you are. Wake up and get up, look up and start your day. Don’t do anything which you have to look down. Do no karma for yourself where you have to look down. Before it goes to the Supreme Court – don’t – you be the Supreme Court – take your time. You don’t have to take the wrong turn. Listen to your own GPS system – not the lady in the box! “You have taken the wrong turn.” Take the Right turn! You don’t have to go to the church, synagogue, temple. These centers help you. Follow your GPS system and you will never go wrong. This GPS system will find the short cuts – it’s the best GPS system – it never fails. The moment you do something wrong – listen – there is always a Right turn. Listen to the voice daily. Mediation is the way you can have the connection/darshan every day. You can use that connection. Close your eyes every day. That Divinity should always stay there.

God bless you. God bless these two bodies (Gurmukh & Gurushabd) and one Divine soul. Golden Bridge is only golden through the connection to the Divine. May God bless you. I give you the invite to make a plan know – come to Rishikesh – Himalayas – one ticket you are set.
End of Lecture Notes

(I hope you enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed listening and transcribing it. Blessings to you on your path of love.
Love is the answer…Lisa Sahakian)

Taking Personal Responsibility: A Path to a Powerful Life

The concept of personal responsibility became much more attractive to me when I realized it meant exercising my freedom of choice. The way I experience life is a direct result of the choices I have made. Recently, I was given the chance to review how often I responded with “yes” when it would have served me better to say “no” or visa versa. Think about it, how many times have you said “yes” knowing that you were going to say “no” at a later time while lamenting the hours, days, weeks or months, until that day came when you actually had to speak your truth? My personal “favorite” is when I say yes to too many things, stress myself out, don’t really enjoy the activity and ultimately drain my energy due to my own lack of setting healthy boundaries for myself. Does this sound familiar? I have found that saying “no” is just as important as saying “yes” and the more I exercise choice from an honest perspective the easier it is to ask for what I want and actually receive it!

Taking personal responsibility for your life means learning to know what you want from life, asking for it, and then allowing it. A few years ago I had to learn how to say, “yes” to life. During this transition into a new habit my mind would swing from one extreme to another until I found an emotional equilibrium inside of me where authenticity lives and thrives. Consequently, there were times when all I could do was say no until I finally became secure enough with my choices to actually ask for and commit to what I truly wanted. Cultivating this habit has allowed me to accept personal responsibility in my life for everything I do. This is not an easy task to take on. It means being responsible for each and every action I take and word I speak. It means taking personal responsibility for the people that show up in my life and how I allow those relationships to unfold. It means being honest with myself. It means not blaming others for how my life looks. It means sometimes feeling very “alone” or “not being liked”. It means apologizing when necessary. Moreover, it means not feeling I have to apologize because the person I have said no to is not accepting my “no” and ultimately not respecting my need to care for myself. Which bring up a great point. Be aware of who is, or is not, supporting you during this transition. You will be surprised. It’s actually a very large part of the process. Therefore, be sure to surround yourself with supportive people who honor your personal growth. The following are some guidelines I followed on the road to gaining more personal power and responsibility in my life:


1) Be honest with yourself. Listen to your inner guide/intuition. When you are faced with a decision or situation your intuition (or gut response) will always tell you what is best. It has been said that a TRUE and most authentic choice is made within the first 9 seconds in any given situation. Even if I feel I have to “sleep on it”, the inner voice that spoke to me within those first 9 seconds ends up being the best choice.

2) Stop playing the blame game. The blame game is the absolute anti-thesis of taking personal responsibility and one of the most toxic behaviors in our culture. What’s the blame game? In blame game we blame the entire world when we don’t experience the life we ultimately desire. Suggestion: Take responsibility for your life as it looks today. Forgive yourself, and everyone else, and move on to higher grounds. You deserve it!

3) Ask yourself what it is you really want out of life. Not what your parents, society or friends tell you. We are talking about Y.O.U. here. Get in touch with the REAL YOU. In each of us, there is a dream life, hobby, job, relationship, etc. that we have always wanted to experience. I suggest you make a list of EVERYTHING you want and make this list as long as possible! Write it in present tense. For example, “I have a fulfilling career.” “I have a loving and evolving relationship.” Include EVERYTHING you have every wanted to ask for in life – EVERYTHING! Don’t be shy or modest. It is true that we live in an Infinite Universe – I am living proof of this – and since we know there is more than enough for everyone – why not ASK FOR IT ALL-ONCE AND FOR ALL!!! What are you waiting for? Go for it! Ask and it is truly given.

4) Say “yes” when you really mean it. Only say yes to the things in life that bring you joy or serve your highest good. Sacrifice comes when relationships are honoring enough to warrant you giving of yourself beyond usual (please repeat this aloud several times). Until a great deal of trust is cultivated within a relationship, only say yes when you mean it. When used for personal gain, sacrifice can turn into martyrdom. So, do not say yes if you are going to use it as ammunition to get what you want at a later time (martyrs and manipulators – this means you!). Ask yourself, “Do I REALLY mean yes or am I saying yes with attachment to an outcome or ulterior motives?” “Am I trying to please someone by saying yes?” Practice saying the word “yes” in a mirror. It’s hard to speak an emphatic “YES!” without smiling. Try it! If you are not smiling when you say yes what do you think the real answer is?

5) Say “no” when you really mean it (without feeling the need to apologize). Say no to the things that do not ultimately bring you joy or serve your highest good. If there is any doubt of a definite yes – stand in your power and say no! Remember, people don’t like hearing “no”. However, when I am in my power and say “no” from a self-respecting, non-arrogant or non-confrontational place the “no” is more often acknowledged and received with respect.

6) When all else fails say “I don’t know”. Most of us have a hard time admitting that we don’t know something. Learning to say this out loud is one of the most empowering things I have learned to do. “I don’t know” does not mean you are not smart, or any of the negative beliefs you may have associated with it. “I don’t know” simply means that you need more time before you can make a decision.

7) Cultivate a group of people who honor the way you live your life. Taking personal responsibility for my life means cultivating a common-unity of friends who are on a similar path. We are all at different stages of development at any given point in time. Respectfully. I enjoy having friends from all walks of life. Ultimately, the deepest and most satisfying relationships involve congruent and innate values, mores, and sense of personal responsibility. Hopefully, people will trust and respect your honesty. If they don’t, this is a big clue folks. They are not in a position to have authentic and honest dialog – don’t take their response personally. Not everyone is capable of living with this degree of personal integrity.


The road to personal responsibility may sound daunting, however, on the contrary, I guarantee you a greater sense of freedom and enJOYment when personal ownership and accountability lead your way. Like any habit, this will take time to cultivate. Consider the seed you plant in the earth. With the right balance of water and sunlight you faithfully wait for the growth of something new to gently find it’s way through the soil as new life emerges. From this tree of life grows sweet fruit…. freedom, joy, integrity, and a highly attractive sense of confidence and authenticity. Everyone will notice something different about you. Delight in your fresh crop of your consciousness and show the world they can do it too!



BIO
Lisa Sahakian is an entrepreneur-philanthropist, yoga practitioner, health educator and forever student of life. She is dedicated to empowering women and creating a self-actualized sisterhood of support while facilitating access to greater authenticity and absolute bliss from within for all. Lisa began teaching health and fitness when she was 16. While Lisa focuses on women's health she is also celebrates and supports the balance and necessity of the masculine. For more information on classes, workshops and collaboration, please contact Lisa at lisasahakian@earthlink.net

One Women’s Journey to Kundalini Yoga: The Yoga of Transformation & Awareness

About 7 years ago in Santa Monica, Ca I was introduced to the concept of Kundalini yoga. I had no idea it would one day save my life. Many years and several “J.O.B’s” later I found myself shoved out of corporate America for the last time. Due to on the job stress, I had a severe case of post traumatic stress disorder, acute anxiety, depression, hives, chronic kidney problems, walking pneumonia and bronchitis (to only name a few aliments). I was at the end of my rope. I was living my life “trying to make things happen” and nothing was working. I became a human doing rather than a human BEING. I had exhausted myself to the point where my body actually shut down in order for me to finally stop, listen and most importantly, BREATHE!

During that time it seemed that everywhere I looked, and every one I spoke with kept repeating the words “Kundalini yoga.” I finally listened to the signs and I took myself to yoga studio where began my journey of magical transformation from within. I am now a yoga practitioner because of the tremendous healing that took place as a result of my yoga practice. Today, I am 100% aliment free and living the blissful life that I once dreamed of. Thankfully, the permanence of impermanence (also known a change) happens no matter what we do. We live in a Universe that is constantly changing – thank goodness. Because of Kundalini yoga my entire life has changed for the better.

Kundalini yoga is considered the yoga of awareness. It is a 5,000 year old science that uses, mantra (sound), mudra (hand poses) and kryia (posture) with specific intentions for each yoga set. There are sets specifically for weight loss, prosperity, sexuality & creativity and so many more. At the beginning of each class we chant the mantra “Ong Name Guru Dev Namo” which simply means, “I bow to the teacher within.” With this mantra, we are reminded that we are our own best teachers and that all the answers to life’s questions are within us. While other yoga practices are considered yoga’s of posture (a “perfect pose” is the goal), Kundalini yoga meets you where you are at – today. I often remind my students that over time, with the use of breath, their bodies will naturally find the posture. Breath is one of the most powerful tools known to human kind.

As my students learn to bow the teacher within, they eventually learn to accept themselves exactly where they are – just as I did. In addition, as we take our practice off the yoga mat and into the world we find we can better understand, accept and appreciate the world around us. I invite you to experience the magic of Kundalini yoga. I guarantee you will feel results by the end of your first session.



Lisa Sahakian teaches yoga privately, for groups, and at hospitals. She believes that bringing yoga to the individual and making it as accessible as possible is vital in our society today. Lisa’s teaching philosophy, “I believe that every moment is a new opportunity to live life in its fullest expression. The ability to experience and accept each moment with a balance of spontaneity and stability provides great freedom of expression. As we learn to move freely from this space we find our authentic self and live in our natural state of grace. Through breath, yoga, meditation, and mantra we can shift paradigms, free ourselves from thought patterns and remember the joyous state of our being - awake, aligned and alive.” Contact Lisa at: lisasahakian@earthlink.net