11 May, 2006
Dearest yogi friends, near and far,

The last month has been truly magical here at our center on Koh Phangan, in lovely Thailand. Rains come daily, but briefly, to refresh us from the spring heat. Sunsets continue to be so stunning as to remind us we are truly living in a paradise on Earth.

And in the midst of all this beauty, to multiply beauty, in the third week of April we held an Anahata Week, consecrated to the manifesting of pure love. For the purpose of increasing not only our collective capacity for love as a group in this world, but also to help us each individually surpass obstacles related to ego, we began the week’s events on Friday evening, with an Anahata Meditation. The weekend brought a Saturday night meditation to commemorate the Resurrection of Christ according to the Eastern Orthodox Christian rites of Easter, and the following afternoon, a subsequent meditation on the sphere of Christ Consciousness and the Divine manifestation of Jesus. Monday, we watched together the beautiful story of timeless love, "The Bridges of Madison County." Tuesday we held an Angel Walk, an enchanting opportunity to give and receive love with the purest heart. Wednesday at Ananda, we held our first-ever Community Potluck Dinner – with prizes awarded for all the incredible and delicious dishes that were shared – followed by the inspirational film "Brother Sun, Sister Moon" about the life of St. Francis of Assissi. Thursday we shared heart-felt poetry on Divine Love in between silent periods of meditation on anahata chakra. And this open-hearted week ended Friday with a blissful evening of bhajans and chanting, to celebrate love with the enthusiasm of bhakti!

Now we are in the full swing of May’s workshop schedule. Tantra 2 was as always an eye- and soul-opening occasion, with its presentation of the deeper mysteries of Tantra. Swami’s uplifting talks on the real nature of love and transcendence of love over possessiveness elevated the exquisite and erotic workshop themes. Participants relished sweet meditations of transfiguration as well as learned transformational methods to assist the victory of the couple relationship. A highlight of the week was a ritual presentation representing maithuna, the sublime Tantric ritual union.

Saturday night, following Tantra 2, Monika organized the last of her fabulous parties this season before departing for India. The Bollywood Bash, complete with turbaned viras and sensually draped deva dasis, reprised the exotic ambience of Rajasthani grandeur. To set the atmosphere, there were aphrodisiacs, Vedic astrological readings, a kissing corner, foot massages, and contortionists. Then a gorgeous belly dance was presented, followed by a Bollywood dancing line, sword swallowing (with bananas), a dance of the infinite faces of Shakti for the viras, and meditation on the sincerity of love in twos.

At this moment, our community is polarized into camps as the women embrace the secrets of goddesses in Complete Femininity, presented by Mihaiela, and the men are coached toward an amplified, enhanced masculine ideal with Vira Training, under the leadership of Swami. There is an electricity of delight and discovery in both groups. The women report being challenged to open themselves in bold and new ways to the energy of Shakti in a group dynamic. The men are being drawn into intensified levels of Shiva Consciousness and heroic exemplification.

These workshops culminate Saturday with the May full moon Yang Spiral, followed by the astrological celebration of Taurus. So many of our current students are born under the sign of the Bull that this month’s party under the stars at Bovy Beach promises to be a robust celebration! Next week we will continue with the Invoking Angels workshop and the week following, Parapsychology 1, both new workshops offered by Swami for the first time.

In the meantime, advanced courses are running concurrently and until the end of June, when Swami will leave for Europe to holiday for a month before beginning teaching again, first at workshops in Switzerland and then across the North American continent on tour beginning 1 September. See www.shantiretreat.ca for Ontario events, and stay tuned to www.agamayoga.com for complete details as they become finalized. Beginner course levels will continue until August or September, and possibly throughout the year.

Please join us if you are in the vicinity of Thailand! If you are somewhere else in the world at home, know that we are thinking of you and wishing you Grace and success in your spiritual evolution.

Much love and many blessings,
Lori for Agama Yoga