It is nearly five am when I leave my room and walk across the ashram to the yoga hall. Even this early in the morning, weather in south India is comfortable, no need for an extra layer of clothes. The predawn light is just enough to help me avoid the muddy monsoon puddles and slippery clay roadway.
At the Anandeshwari Temple in the distance, smoke is filling the sky. Workers are preparing the fires to create hot coals for the daily Pancha Tapas session. Paramahamsa Nithyananda and his disciples each sit in the middle of a fire ring, meditating and radiating healing energy for all beings and for our planet. This powerful practice is one of the subtle and arduous techniques developed by spiritual masters over many thousand years in the Vedic culture of India. Fortunate visitors to the ashram usually sit nearby, also meditating and tuning in to the vibrant silence that radiates from Swamiji and the group.
On my first morning here, I had the chance to sit, observe and take it all in. As I watched my breath for a few minutes to settle down, one word came to mind - gentleness. The whole space was filled with gentleness. Wow! As the minutes passed, that gentleness bubbled up in me, rapidly melting away any strain and fatigue from the four flights and forty + hours of travel from Washington state to the Nithyananda Dhyanapeetam ashram near Bengaluru, India.
Back home is my lovely son, the cozy king size bed, and the hectic western routine. I’m here for two weeks and an intense meditation program conducted directly by Nithyananda. I am here to learn how to bring myself into alignment with Spirit. I am being guided and beautifully watched over by the greatest living spiritual master available to humanity today.
I feel like the luckiest person on earth! No, I AM!
