wake up!

awakening....and jung

Lisa — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 05:17:06 GMT

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?"

Lisa — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 17:46:52 GMT

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

Lisa — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 17:10:29 GMT

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...

Lisa — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 07:38:19 GMT

http://www.ashesandsnow.org/

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

Lisa — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 06:15:41 GMT

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

Lisa — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 03:38:23 GMT

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

Lisa — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 05:06:13 GMT

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

Lisa — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 05:01:29 GMT

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

Lisa — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 03:07:32 GMT

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

Lisa — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 03:05:55 GMT

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

The Dawning of The Age of Aquarius

Lisa — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 03:01:11 GMT

For those of us that can remember the movie “Hair” – we can recall an emergence and renaissance of the soul, government and society overall. Remember the lyrics, “This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius…..Harmony and understanding sympathy and trust abounding, No more falsehoods or derisions, Golden living dreams of visions, Mystic crystal revelation, And the mind's true liberation Aquarius! Aquarius!” When I was a young girl I would listen to the words of this song and my soul would resonate with excitement at the thought of a world such as this. On many levels I thought I missed my generation and was born a few years too late to really enjoy the “tune in and drop out” liberation of the 60’s. Who would have thought that the 60’s were only the beginning and that the era of “golden living dreams of visions” was something I could actually participate in as an adult? It’s true….allow me to explain. We are living in the dawn of a new age. Prophets, astrologers, the Mayan calendar and mystics have spoken of the Age of Aquarius as an age of peace, humanity and brotherhood. We are currently emerging from the Piscean age that gave birth to many great religions, technology and massive amounts of information. With the touch of our keypads we have the ability to access anything through computers and the Internet. Along with the many triumphs of the Piscean age we experienced tremendous discord through holy wars, and extreme selfishness and cruelty. His-story was created to denote the victims and victors of societies driven by a more masculine point of view to divide and concur; all necessary to the cycles of life. With the Aquarian Age we move forward, and back, into a time of Goddess worship where the Divine Feminine thrives. In the past, Celtic societies embraced the feminine just before the Catholic Church made its presence known. The last Age of the Goddess was known as The Age of Taurus and the beginnings of civilization. People were freed from a hunter-gatherer existence to a more domesticated way of life. Art, poetry, dance, music, painting, weaving, metal work, mathematics and astronomy all became apparent. Societies without rulers, class distinctions, economic differences, and wars were the norm. Moreover, there were no weapons or deaths attributed to violence. Graves and dwellings were all the same size and there was no word for “paternity”. Creation itself was honored and attributed to the divine, creative and powerful female. It was thought that these people must have been intuitive, sensitive and beings with highly telepathic abilities. And here we are again. As we move toward 2012, the Age of Aquarius, we will continue to experience great shifts within our lives and in our society. Take a moment to look at the momentum of the feminine today. A woman has never been closer to becoming President. It’s important to remember that transition from one extreme (masculine) to another (feminine) will not necessarily come easily. The Master of Kundalini Yoga, Yogi Bhajan, prophesized there will be three distinctive categories of people as we move into the Aquarian Age; those who will adjust well and successfully, those who will suffer greatly during their transition, and those who will die due to their own absolute resistance. Take a look around you today and notice how our entire world is changing so drastically. Mother Earth is erupting and awakening with great vengeance and destruction and making room for new life to emerge. Once politicians are now campaigning for Mother Earth and turning toward the preservation of the feminine in nature. The Aquarian Age operates along the lines of Will, meaning that it resonates most harmoniously with the energies of reason, logic, order and Love, fostering the development of individualized consciousness, deeply subjective values, discrimination and spiritual aspiration. The Age of Aquarius is correctly associated with the enrichment of human spirituality, but the Age of Pisces laid the foundation supporting that expansion. Entry into the Aquarian Age is accentuating the general tendency towards synthesis, grouping of interests, collaboration in all spheres, and moving away from the separatist attitudes, which so often characterized human relationships in the past. The Piscean era thought of "Do as I say" is over and the new Aquarian thought of "leadership by example" is upon us. This is a time of spiritual evolution for humanity. A time of a personal god, fellowship and peace. Gandhi put it best, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” The time in now to live, be and experience the highest and most authentic expression of the Self. The entire Universe supports this momentum. I do believe that, ultimately, we are all innately peaceful, and caring humanitarians. We came into this world as infants with the experience of bliss already within us. Over time, society taught us the notions of hate, fear, greed and violence. Such attributes caused the decline of society, as we are experiencing today. Consider a world moving towards peace. Imagine your part in this new world. The time is now. There is no need to wait, no thing to question. Dare to live your dreams and be the change you wish to see in the world. Live out loud, boldly and joyfully. You may say that I'm a dreamer but I'm not the only one I hope someday you'll join us and the world will be as one. ~John Lennon BIO Lisa Sahakian is a 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 or 310-508-3303.

What Is Tantra? The Path to Absolute Self Love

Lisa — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 02:59:58 GMT

When people hear the word Tantra they automatically think of SEX when sexuality is only one aspect of the Tantric philosophy or lifestyle. Over the past two years I have personally experienced a great personal awakening through tantric breath work. And, while it certainly has enhanced my awareness and experience around my own sensuality, ultimately tranta has brought me to a splendor of self-love that is beyond any love I have ever experienced. Tantra is a lifestyle-philosophy where one learns to embrace all aspects of the self by clearing the mind and letting go of all fears and inhibitions. It is the path to total self-liberation and freedom of expression. It is an ancient teaching brought to us thousands of years ago (approximately forth century A.D.) in Kasmir. Great tantric initiators (also know as tantrikas) brought the practice throughout the rest of India, Nepal, China and Tibet. A trantrika is one who performs an initiation into the tantric life. Both women and men are considered tantrika’s because it is a genderless expression. Tantra embraces the Great Goddess without reversing the power between women and men. Great male masters have often maintained the custom of initiating female disciples as a way to draw from the very source of power – the divine feminine itself. In Tantrism, there is no Temple, God, dogma or belief system. In fact, once any kind of “system” is established it is said that the Tantric spirit is lost. The tantrika must learn to let go of all teachings once they have been learned them. Because everything is always changing a tantrika must learn to rest only in the Divine. This is when the awakening occurs. In the west, some claim they can “certify you as a tantra teacher”. However, I subscribe to a more purist point of view believing that no one person can “teach” you how to find absolute love for the self within a given framework of time. The path of finding absolute self-love happens in it’s own unique way and time within each of us. One must absolutely shed all aspects of the old self that contain judgments expressed commonly as fears. This can take a lifetime or one moment in time. One can participate in a series of rituals that are somewhat similar to a self-improvement workshop that include sexuality – but ultimately when an awakening happens it is an experience that transcends academic description & western limitations. Imagine being in a state of oneness with anything and everything around you. Imagine seeing and feeling pure love and bliss with everything. Imagine feeling strong, soft, vulnerable and invincible – yet without ego. All scenes heightened, every pore of your body open, every aspect of your being at one with everything around you…..and then beyond. Some call this enlightenment, God, oneness, etc…but I feel it is beyond description and trying to describe it almost minimizes it. A book I highly recommend is “Tantic Quest” by Daniel Odier. Odier humbly shares his journey to quench his curiosity while he makes his way through India seeking a Tantrika. He beautifully describes his quest and how he faced and released his fears. Eventually, the tantric lifestyle allows you to step out of every box that you or society has ever imposed. You may ask yourself, “Is it possible to live in the world in this state of pure bliss?” Absolutely. I invite you find the purest and greatest love you will ever know. You. Lisa Sahakian, Yoga Practitioner teaches Transformation Tantric & Energy Release workshops weekly as well as private sessions. The Divine Feminine are designed specifically for women, and at her Co-Ed Tantic classes both genders may attend. It is her intention to facilitate freedom of expression through the magnificence of the body temple. Lisa believes that as of us is liberated - we automatically liberate all. 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

The Mind Of Love

Lisa — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 02:58:09 GMT

Sunday, July 2, 2006 3:30 PM Traga Rinpoche: The Mind of Love Notes from Lecture on Bodhicitta Golden Bridge Yoga, Los Angeles, Ca On achieving Bodhicitta (LOVE) is cultivating the mind of enlightenment in oneself in order to liberate all beings into a state of full awakening. This relative wish to bring all sentient beings to enlightenment is accompanied by the ultimate aspect of Bodhicitta, which is seeing the transparency of everyday life. Traga Rinpoche will talk on the two-fold aspect of Bodhicitta and how one can apply it in everyday life to overcome the limitations of self-centeredness. BEGINNING OF LECTURE NOTES Purify the mind. Pure motivation. Pure attitude. Pure mind. Pure motivation and heart = pure mind. As a result one will achieve accomplishment. If not, one will continue to fall. Stay equally aligned and pureness will manifest. One will suffer if they choose an impure life. "If you eat poison you will suffer." Therefore, choose thoughts, actions, etc...that will not poison the mind. Practice Virtue and Happiness Develop relative love and compassion. You cannot develop this without a pure mind. One must have pure motivation and attitude. First, you must know why you want to generate love and compassion for all being. After this, we must put this desire into practice. First wish to benefit, then put the wish into action. Desire and then actually walk the path. Cultivate Bodhicitta - love and compassion for sentient beings. When emotions arise (anger, jealousy) we become very weak and we diminish our capacity for love and compassion. Decisions have their own power and they only arise when certain conditions arise. When we practice Bodhicitta those other emotions cannot arise. They have no strength over us. Relative Bodhicitta is cultivating the meaning of love and compassion. Ultimate Bodhicitta (vs. Relative) is the actual practice. One needs to continually train ones mind against suffering. Grasp the self - the "I" (I believe he meant ego) - we protect this very strongly - when we do this we become jealous and angry - this only harms ourselves. As soon as this emotion arises - notice it and try to control over it - see that it is working against you. If we do not look at it and let it go - our pride becomes hurt, we want to harm that other person. If we let this happen, we immediately exhaust all our previous accumulated virtues in our minds. Immediately begin to practice love and compassion for this other beings. when we begin to retrain our minds towards love and compassion we begin to equalize all sentient beings. Even strangers. Even when someone who harms us - know that it is not always going to stay like this. The same applies to our dear ones. Everything changes and they, too, may become our enemy one day. In our life if a person is dear to us - perhaps in a previous life they were our enemy. When one is truly trying to equalize all beings we bring everyone much closer because one is no longer motivated by attachment and virtue. Because ones mind is open - we are constantly decreasing the negative emotion (improves life condition-my note). Do not perceive anyone as different and do not become indifferent or stay in seclusion. One must bring all these qualities and people together (friends and enemies) and deal with them in the same way. Each being at some point has been our kind parent (in another lifetime). Not one being has not fed, cared for us. Because they have been our kind mothers we must think of them being free from their suffering. Everything we enjoy is because of the hard work of other sentient beings that have provided this for us (we are all connected-my note). We must wish to make them happy. Equanimity. We must wish the same for all. When we can regenerate our minds for all sentient beings - we must want all to be liberated from their sufferings. We must generate compassion. We need to know, what IS suffering. Cold, hunger, thirst, ignorance, jealousy, human incarnation (because the nature of change), birth, old age, sickness, death, change, nothing in the nature of happiness even though it appears to be (happiness), wish for gain (not getting what you want), getting what one does not want. Meditate on....Joy, Compassion and immeasurable equanimity.(the neutral mind) When we have a pure mind and see other sentient beings we can see others happy - when our mind is not pure they become jealous. When we have happiness in our mind we can rejoice. There are boundless sentient beings - therefore our compassion and liberation from suffering must be boundless. Equalize oneself and ultimately put others before oneself. What ever oneself desires also makes others happy - what ever we desire we will desire for all. If we think we do not have power to benefit all sentient beings - we must realize that we do. If we think we are the only one - we are not - we are all connected. It is inappropriate to think that only you want happiness. All sentient beings want happiness. We need to train and develop Bodhicitta. It is important now to generate pure mind, compassion, pure attitude. One cannot say they cannot do this. It's doable for everybody. It may be difficult, but it is not impossible. Everyone must have a compassionate heart. Purify the heart, aspirations and emotions.

Divine Feminie & Co-Ed Trantra & Energy Release Classes

Lisa — Sun, 17 Sep 2006 19:51:54 GMT

Course Description: Every moment is an opportunity to live and move freely in all areas of your life with the simple awareness of your breath. Our bodies are divine instruments of perfection. Releasing stored energy in the first chakra transmutes and elevates the being to higher states of awareness resulting in non-attachment, absolute freedom, happiness - bliss. The Divine Feminine & Co-Ed Tantric Energy Release Workshop is based on Lisa's academic education of Kashmir Shavaic Tanantrism (IV Century A.D.), Daniel Odier and the experiential learning methods of Yoga. Powerful breathing techniques open, heal and transform your entire being to greater life-force energy and joy by opening avenues of personal power, freedom and authentic expression of the Self. Remember the Beauty, Power and Grace that is already within you....You are Divine Feminine Lisa Sahakian, TeachingPhilosophy 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.