פודקאסטדליה

Gate Seven: The Art of Intention and Awakening
My contract with Myself
I swear to be engaged with you with my full intention 
So that you will be set free
So that you keep your soul safe
So that you harbor the belief that your spirit is unconditionally free
So that you find the tiny morsel that enables you to carry on
To carry on living for that ray of light, that smile, that stone, or that flower
 
I swear that I will think of you in everything I do.
how I might transmit to you that there is a light at the end of the tunnel,
And that you are here with me and with us.
That every day, every moment, I will transmit love and strength to you.
I will tell you: I am here for you. I am here with you.
I hear you
You will soon be free.
 I…we… will embrace you physically and hold you in our hearts
 
I vow that I will never stop being with you
I hereby sign that I will never stop transmitting my love to you. Never. 
Dedicated to Carmel Gat, held hostage in Gaza as of October 7th, 2023
Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi
Dharana is the practice of intention, of deep focus, and the awesome power of paying attention. 
I focus on my breathing. How is it today? Is it quick? Is it calm? Is it deep? Is it relaxed?
I look into the depths of my gut; I turn inward to my heart; I listen intently to its beating; I feel the earth beneath my feet, as they touch the ground. 
I reside in the question of “Who am I?” I search with no intent to find the answer.
I lived on borrowed time, caught in the rat race of life, asking myself: “Where am I running to? Which direction am I running? Am I running toward vitality?”
I reside in the frequency of Yoga known as Dharana—intention and deep focus. Suddenly, new knowledge and insights are revealed to me. I connect with the spirit of life, with the spirit of Dharma, as opposed to Karma, to my habits and preconceived notions that hold me back, and to my fears and anxieties.
All my life, I have done what I was taught to do. I was always the good girl, never the rebel, never asked questions. I toed the line. I was the good girl. I wanted to please them all, so that they would love me: the pretty girl, the nice girl, the good girl.
In those moments when I am brave, I can follow my heart and connect to my Dharma. I realize that I possess wisdom. I have ascended to a higher frequency. I have chosen vitality. I am connected. I am still. I am Yoga. Life flows through me. I am alive. Good bubbles up from within me and overflows to you. 
I discovered the power of my continuous, lifelong attention, consistency, devotion, and discipline. I realized the strength of ongoing research into the why behind each question of what: why do I do what it is that I do?
I pay attention to my garden so I can grow vegetables that will nourish my love. 
 I build a big house so I can open a wellness center for body and soul, so that I can provide a space for artists and craftspeople to find self-actualization.
I write a book to help every one of you find your life purpose. 
The power of my attention, combined with my intrigue as to why I do what I do, is the wind beneath my wings. It is the engine that fuels me to create, to give, and to live a life of passion. 
To live a life of joy and happiness, through love and connection with all of you.
Therefore, the art of Dharana, of intention, is an art I must practice every day, in every encounter, event, and on every possible occasion. 
I give you this tool as a gift, a tool of the art of life. Take full advantage of this gift. Use it. And see what happens. Each time you give your full attention to a child, a flower, your body, or a friend, the magic unfolds. The space blooms. 
 
The power of my attention, along with my intrigue as to why I do what I do, is the wind beneath my wings. It is the engine that drives me to create, to give, and to live a good and joyful life, full of connection and love with all of you.
Dhyana
When I give my full attention to a child, a flower, my food, or am completely present in whatever I do, I enter a state of nirvana. It is beyond my thinking mind. I stop asking, “Why am I here?” I am present. I am here. I am. Then, I can enter the magical state of Dhyana. My conscious mind is emptied of all content. I have nothing specific to focus on, and there is no object of my observation. My thoughts and emotions have ceased. I am not in the past or the future. I am not even in the present. I have left the realm of time and space. Everything flows through me and from me. I am eternal. I face the everlasting. This taste of the everlasting fuels me, as if I have attached myself to a generator. I become clear, like a window so spotless you cannot tell the inside from the outside. Everything is sparkling clean. I have achieved quiet. Stillness. A sense of joy and calm. I have awakened to life.
It’s like a surgeon walking into the operating room to save a patient’s sight. This doctor is completely focused on the task. S/he is focused on bringing light, life, and healing. During the procedure, his or her thoughts have ceased. S/he is fully present with the patient and attentively engaged in what they are doing. S/he has no story, no thoughts of why they are here, what happened yesterday, or what they are doing afterward. S/he is not even intentional. S/he is beyond that. S/he is 100% engaged in the healing process. This is the state of Dhyana, a state of complete unity, a state of Yoga. There are no thoughts and no emotions. There is only life.
Samadhi
Samadhi is the ultimate state a person can reach in their lifetime. Trying to explain its limits, its essence, is complex. When I am in Samadhi, I feel released from my shackles. I can experience moments of this during my practice of Yoga poses, when something inside me that felt shackled, blocked, downtrodden, or lifeless suddenly comes alive and is set free. This can happen during any activity. I might be creating something, out in nature, or feeling love. I am in a state beyond awareness. I am clear-headed, awake, sharp, fully present, and free, and I become one with the universe. I wish I could stay in that state all the time. I wish I could attain that level of enlightenment. 
Yoga guides me along a wise path. If I pay full attention and intend to bring healing, goodwill, love, and compassion to the world, the journey will gradually lead me to a place where my actions are fully aligned, with no need to question why. My actions will bring me to a state of oneness with everything around me. I have transcended into evermore. I am not tired. I don’t rush. I have no agenda. I have no expectations. This is a place of exaltation where life is illuminated.
Ishvara Pranidhana: Complete Release, Surrender to the Flow of Life
Ishvara Pranidhana is the summit of the tools of Yoga. It is a state of consciousness that transcends time, place, and form. It is surrender to good and unity with eternity. It is the understanding that life includes pain, sickness, death, suffering, and separation, and that the choice lies with us. In every situation, I choose how I show up and how I handle that situation. All of my choices lead me to a place of total and complete surrender and letting go of my desires. I release my inner Karma and my cravings. They no longer have power over me. 
I understand that truth lies within me, in the here and now. I no longer stumble over my ego, and I discover the power of choice that resides within me. I have the ability to choose my self, my soul, my essence.
I am still. I surrender to being in service. I am freedom. This is my essence: to be involved with connection, unification, and Yoga.  
 
The Search
In order to deepen my research, I must question. In Yoga, this is called Swadhyaya- research and exploration of self. This is an ongoing process of self-evaluations, to understand the points in my life that prevent me from being in a place of true joy and freedom, points I need to focus on and work on daily. This is lifelong work. This is the work of life.
 
Think of a moment in your daily life when you were on autopilot and not acting with intention. Try to imagine how that situation might have been different if you had approached it deliberately.
 
Choose a task from your daily life today and use it as an opportunity to bring light into the world and as a prayer for healing.
 
Tell me how it felt to perform the same task while focused on bringing light to the world.
 
Snacks for the Way
 With every task I do, I will ask myself why I do what I do.
Does this action, this thought, this word, facilitate connection or divisiveness?
I will take upon myself to do every task, even the most mundane task, with the best intentions of goodwill.
 
What are you taking in your backpack?
 
“The practice becomes rooted within you when it is executed with intention, consistency, and throughout your life.”
Sutra I.14
 
As we conclude this gate, please take a moment to journal some reflections of gratitude. 

בפרק זה, חיה בן יעקב מציגה שיח פתוח והרחבה מחשבתית סביב למצוא חן בסוף החיים. פרק זה מציעה למאזינים לבחון את תקופת סוף החיים מנקודות מבט שונות, ומזמינה לחשיבה מחודשת על הנושא.

Gateway 6: The Art of Passion
 
My contract with myself
I promise myself not to lose my joy in life, the burning fire that enables me to live in connection with body, soul, and spirit.
I will make sure to cleanse the noise that disturbs my burning passion.
I will wake up each morning and cleanse my solar plexus with the practice of the Kriya.
I will wake up each morning, practice breathing and a sun salutation, and go outside to get some fresh air.
I will stay away from people and places that drain my energy, and I will surround myself with those who energize and uplift me. 
I will continue to research and learn the languages of movement that open new channels and allow the flow of infinite energy; frequencies that extend beyond my body.
I will relinquish those habits and mindsets that no longer serve me, and I will choose new ones that ignite my inner light and passion.
__________________________________
I hereby sign that I will not lose my joy for life, my internal burning fire.
 
Kama
The tools of Yoga explain to me that concepts such as love, generosity, and compassion are an art. Just as a sculptor studies, trains, and practices his craft for years under the guidance of teachers, and just as a pianist practices for hours every day, so too with passion. Passion does not come naturally to us.
In Sanskrit, the language of Yoga, this lust for life, this passion, is called Kama. Kama is the fire within me that feels like a child’s joy. It is the essence of creating life. When that pure, refined fire inside awakens, my creativity is unleashed, and my inner uniqueness shines brightly. The gift I have to offer the world will be revealed. I will find my life’s true calling and why I was put on this Earth. Still, I need to be careful to distinguish between passion and craving.
Cravings stem from a desire for more, a feeling of insatiability, as if there's never enough. I want more – more luxury vacations, more money, more clothes in my closet, more diplomas to gain more respect, more youth, more beauty, more slices of chocolate cake. I want to get married, then have children, a house with a yard, and a bicycle. These are all external, temporary things. In the end, I will be left empty; they will never fill my void.
Passion comes from a different realm, from the spirit, from my life-force. It originates from within me. It is free and does not depend on time or place, or the conditions of my life. It does not rely on any of the temporary material things I own. It is mine unconditionally, and no one can take it away from me. 
Therefore, I stay constantly careful and aware of my actions. Am I acting out of passion or driven by craving? If I act on a craving, I will ultimately remain unfulfilled. If I am driven by passion, my life will be filled with happiness. 
This teaching of Kama, the tool of true passion, is a gift of Yoga and the foundation of life and of life's joy. This genuine joy erupts and sustains everything I do. It is the fire, the flame that allows my light to reach the world through the uniqueness within me.
In addition, I make a point to check in with myself: which people, places, situations, or thoughts enlighten and energize me, and which ones extinguish me? I am the protector of my fire. I must ensure it stays lit. 
Check in with yourself: what fulfills you and what drains you? What is driven by craving, and what is driven by inner passion? We want to protect our inner fire and keep it burning, so that we can all bring infinite and eternal light, peace, freedom, love, and passion to the world.
Ajna
The Chakra of intuition – the “third eye”
This is the area of the body above the nose and between the eyebrows. I can pinch it with my fingers.
I close my eyes and see the color purple, or ultraviolet, like a flashlight. The sound I hear is kas-hem. I connect to a space beyond time that feels like infinity. I sense I have transcended into an alternative realm that is neither taste, nor smell, nor color, nor sound. It is the sense of intuition. I feel intense healing power from this part of my body. I connect to my eyes, my ears, and my nose so I can see, smell, and hear into the beyond. All my senses are heightened. I communicate and listen from an alternative space. 
As I cleanse all my energy centers through the flute within my body, I ascend to a higher plane. I begin on a lower plane, in the area of my hips, igniting my primal, basic survival instincts. I then move up to the area of my stomach, my source of creativity, which, like a newborn baby, also represents my natural, basic instincts. Next, I ascend to my solar plexus, beneath my ribcage, cleansing my ego, my desires marked by “I want,” as well as my fears, anxieties, and cravings, so I can relax. I reach the area of my heart, inhaling deeply and opening my heart to love, compassion, and generosity. From there, I move up to the communication center in my neck—my throat—focusing on my relationships, verbal communication, and words. I cleanse all the ways I communicate with myself and with other people. Once I have done that, I am ready to rise beyond my senses into the realm of the supernatural, beyond smell, taste, hearing, sight, and touch. This is my sense of spirit, where I can feel the energy of other frequencies—people around me, even those from my past or far away—emitting powerful signals that I can detect. My sense of intuition is very keen.
When my intuition is purified and sharpened, it functions like a flashlight, illuminating the way. Suddenly, everything becomes clearer. Even when I am unaware of my destination, I can confidently embark on the journey into the unknown because I trust my flashlight. I know that this flashlight, made up of a good heart, a keen eye, and good deeds, will guide me on my way. I believe in the journey. I know I am following my calling, a calling of good will. Therefore, I have no reason to worry, even if I don’t know what the task ahead is. I can simply begin my journey with my flashlight to guide me. I am confident I am heading in the right direction. 
I must always be mindful to uphold my intentions. I believe that once I have cleansed properly, my flashlight will guide me. Therefore, I ask fewer questions and seek less advice or guidance from others. This is the path to Dharma, to a life of fulfillment, light, calm, and quiet. Let’s set out together with this ultraviolet light. Each of you, follow your own path. Listen to your intuition. 
Sanga
Creating atmosphere, forcefields, and supportive spaces
All human beings, including you and me, have a unique innate ability to create energy, atmosphere, force fields, and wavelengths. In this way, we differ from animals. I can generate an unlimited number of vibes. Certain experiences can only happen within specific force fields. Only this unique energy plane can produce those particular events. For example, a house of mourning creates a very distinct atmosphere that helps mourners process their loss. This energy frequency does not occur in everyday life; it is essential in the grief process. When I enter a house in the middle of a party, the atmosphere is equally contagious. I am influenced by the energy; I start to move differently as I groove to the music.
When I participate in a marathon, the energy around me is contagious, and I’m influenced by it. I feel the runners, the support staff, the volunteers, and the cheering squads on the sidelines. It creates a powerful, living energy field. It’s infectious, and I can’t help but join in! This shared energy lifts me and gives me strength I wouldn’t normally have. Even if I ran the same route the next day, that force field of energy wouldn’t be there, and I couldn’t replicate that same feeling. 
Like all of us, I, too, am on a journey in search of freedom and liberation. I can create a space where, the moment you enter, you and I will be filled with a sense of inner peace that facilitates self-exploration simply by being there. We all have the ability within us to create a supportive, energetic environment. This is one of the greatest gifts we can offer one another. In Sanskrit, this is called Sanga, or community—the gathering of positive energy forces that influence everyone involved.
In the scriptures of Yoga, there is a saying that nothing is more destructive than a community that brings you down, and nothing is more important than a community that lifts you up. Even when I feel low or weak, entering the supportive forcefield loosens something within me and sets me free. I can rediscover myself in a way that would not have happened if I were alone.
So, how significant is this? How can I contribute to this atmosphere? Am I entering a space that supports my practice, my desire, and my aspirations?
It is worthwhile to seek out places that provide me with the energy field most conducive to the work I want to do, and to the people and locations where I learn best. 
How do I then create Sanga as a daily practice when I am with myself? How do I create a supportive home within myself: a place filled with love and free of self-criticism? How do I create a space where I can be my most authentic self, a place where I can rest and simply... be?
I form the Sanga within myself as I read the scriptures and recite the words. I listen as the words generate a wavelength. This is my internal Sanga. I cultivate an atmosphere within me that will support my practice and me.
In this space, I am alone, but I am never lonely. I enjoy my own presence and my own company.
Tapasya: Enthusiasm and Vows
Tapasya is one of the ten fundamental tools of Yoga. It involves heat, passion, and enthusiasm through the process of cleansing and purification. It is the burning effort to achieve a particular goal through focus and intention. It is the commitment, or vow, to dedicate oneself to realizing this goal. No matter what.
Through my physical practice of yoga poses, I allow my body to burn with the heated energy of movement. I lovingly accept my sweat as it detoxifies my body and soul. I lovingly embrace the burn in my muscles as they cleanse and purify me spiritually. Tapasya is that challenge, that inner spark that accompanies my consciousness and my body throughout my practice and throughout my life. 
I reflect on this spark, this heat, this enthusiasm, this drive, this Tapasya, and this energy that both contain and support me. I do this to maintain a space of calm meditation, to handle the challenges, difficulties, and stresses in my life, and to understand pain. Tapasya supports all I create, my Yoga practice, and my life’s work. It’s the fire that allows me to live and be present. My life vow, to which I direct all my heat and enthusiasm, is to do good, to bring good, to see good, and to engage in connection and unity: Yoga.
The Search:    
In order to deepen my research, I must question. In Yoga, this is called Swadhyaya, the research and exploration of self. This is an ongoing process of self-evaluation to understand the points in my life that prevent me from being in a place of true joy and freedom, points I need to focus on and work on daily. This is lifelong work. This is the work of life.
Now would be a good time to pause, grab a pen and paper, and after each question, take a moment to listen to your heart and write down what you discover there. 
 
Describe a person, place, or situation that ignites your life passion.
 
Describe a person, place, or situation that drains you of your life passion.
 
What do I need to clear out, move, or cleanse to keep my passion, energy, and spark alive and recharge myself?
 
Snacks for the Way
I will pay close attention to my supernatural senses: the feelings in the pit of my stomach, my heart, and my neck.
I will pay careful attention to what is transmitted beyond what is said or seen, like an animal.
I will venture into the unknown and let my intuition lead the way.
I will believe in my intention to do good, to see good, and to bring good into the world
Will illuminate the way
And enable me to bring light into the world
And to live a life of urethral joy and peace
Together with you.
 
This is also a good place to pause for a minute and write down my reflections. 
What do I want to take along with me in my backpack?
 
The essence of Yoga is liberation from craving,
And the connection to true passion
As we conclude this gate, please take a moment to journal some reflections of gratitude. 

Gate five – The Art of Generosity
My contract with Myself
With each and every deed, word, glance, and touch, I come to give, to heal, to ease, and to support.
Each time I start to think, “I gave but received nothing in return,” I will remind myself, “In giving, I received.”
I will remind myself to constantly look for ways to see the spirit and soul of those around me, rather than their external wrappings.
My generosity will awaken you and enable you to see that all those fleeting, dynamic things around you—your body, your house, your thoughts, and your emotions—are not actually you. This realization allows you to recognize your own infinity, the spirit within you, and the soul within you that endures. 
My signature that in every deed, word, glance, and touch, I have come only to give, heal, ease, and support.
Dana
The Sanskrit word Dana refers to the concept of donation.
When I am in the mindset of giving with no motivation to receive, and I give out of the goodness of my heart, I am filled with purity. My conscience is calm.
When I am in the mode of generosity, with no ulterior motive of personal gain, my heart is open.
I stop worrying about my own needs: what’s hard for me, what hurts me, or what bothers me. 
I stop thinking about “What’s in it for me?”
I am filled with emotion; I am moved by your happiness and by the good I have done.
Generosity, the act of giving, is a tool that balances me and enables me to live a life of joy. 
Giving of myself, from what I have and what I can share with others, is both the most important and the most moving purpose of my life. It must be practiced by all of us so that we may live in peace and freedom with ourselves. We should teach those around us—our friends, our children, our students, and our work colleagues—to live in this state of consciousness. 
In sports, for example, we should be non-competitive. We should support one another and be there for each other. This way, we all grow, and we reduce injuries by focusing less on personal achievement and more on mutual support. This approach should be applied in all areas of life. At work, we should operate as a team. We should collaborate, share profits, enjoy the benefits of our efforts and successes, and even face failures together as a team. Because this is what we remember—the togetherness, the cohesion, and the support. And this is how we build lifelong friendships. 
Our generosity, our outpouring from our own abundance, is the key to living a joyful and balanced life. This is an intrinsic part of our human existence as free, enlightened people. So be generous. Give as much as you can. Be generous with your talents, your time, your money, your nourishment, your touch, and your love. Give.
Vishuddha
The Chakra of communication and purity.
I gently place my fingers on my neck, my eyes fill with the color sky blue, the color of the morning sky—a soft, light blue—and I hum the sound of ha-am. I connect to the area of my body responsible for communication. I breathe deeply, and my throat opens its gates to the world, as if I've created a hole in the middle of my throat that allows energy to flow freely like a fresh breeze that blows straight into my throat through the hole in my neck, blowing out all the waste with it. I picture fresh, translucent white air coming in, while grey air leaves, repeating this cycle until the outgoing air is as clean and white as the incoming air.
I am connected to my throat, my mouth, my lips, my vocal cords, and my lungs as they fill with clean air.
I deeply explore my communication chakra. I check in on my relationships, my connections with others, and how I communicate with people around the world. Does my relationship with you come from a loving heart? Is it compassionate and giving, rather than motivated by ulterior motives or personal gain, even if those are hidden? I examine my relationships.
When my generosity is pure, my Chakra is open, my throat is open, and my words are clear. I think carefully about every word I speak. Is the word I am about to speak one that will connect us? Is it soothing? Supportive? Healing? If not, I should refrain from saying it. Do I speak to myself with words that evoke love and compassion, or am I down on myself, angry with myself, criticizing myself, or judging myself? What is my relationship and communication with myself?
The tradition of Yoga has taught me that first and foremost, I need to communicate with myself in a way that is filled with love, compassion, and generosity. I should treat myself as if I were my own best friend. I ask myself, how would I treat my best friend if she were me? Would I hug that best friend and support her? Would I see her light and champion her? What words would I choose when speaking to her?
And so, I pay close attention to the purity of the words I use. I have a duty to speak to myself and others with words of love, inspiration, and positivity. I do not choose words that might cause pain or weaken you, or words that create distance between us. All my relationships require ongoing conscious clarity and purity. The area of my throat and mouth must be clean and pure, while my eyes see the color sky blue. I look to the sky and practice this purity. 
When my communication is clean, my life is pure. I operate on an elevated plane, free from pain and suffering. My life becomes lighter and more fluid as it flows through me. I gain greater clarity, and love radiates all around me. This energy force field wraps around everyone connected to me. A new world is created where we can all live in clarity. The masks and barriers have fallen, the internal and external become one, the noise ceases, and joy blooms.
Please note—love of self is not selfish. Don’t burden yourselves with worry, and don’t abuse yourselves. Live in a relationship of clear, supportive communication with yourself, because this is the most fundamental relationship. All other relationships originate from it.
Satya:  Eternal Truth
Satya, one of the ten core tools of Yoga, means honesty or truth. Truth is not something to be assumed. As I practice Yoga poses, I must listen intently to stay fully present in the here and now with all my senses. I must be like a child or an animal, free of thoughts and feelings, so I can experience things as they truly are.
What, essentially, is the pursuit of truth in my life?
I have many stories to tell you about my life, my biography, and my perspective on the world. I could also invent stories about my life. Maybe the things I remember didn't happen exactly as I recall. Truth exists on an alternative plane, a plane that is eternal, timeless, and limitless.  It is both the here and now and independent of linear time.  It is infinity. I have freed myself from the “movie reel” I created in my mind, and now I see things clearly. When I live in truth, the result is already built into the act. If my intention was honest, the outcome is what was meant to happen. For example, if I decide to run a marathon for a hospital charity, even if I don’t end up running the marathon, I have still “traveled the road”: I have trained, fallen, and gotten back up, and raised awareness for that charity. So, the outcome happened as it was meant to happen in that particular moment. If someone is in medical school and works as a waiter, each time they serve a customer and show genuine interest, they are already demonstrating qualities of a healing manner, befitting a doctor. The meaning of Satya is to always be in a state of clarity, truth, and complete sensory presence. The rest is just a story, just a movie.
The Search
To deepen my understanding, I must question. In Yoga, this is called Swadhyaya—research and exploration of the self. It's an ongoing process of self-evaluation to identify the points in my life that prevent me from experiencing true joy and freedom, and to focus on and work on them daily. This is lifelong work. This is the work of life.
Now would be a good time to stop, pause, grab a pen and paper, and take a moment after each question to listen to your heart and write down what you discover there. 
Describe a time when you gave your all and loved it so much that your body felt joyful and energized.
Think about the small things in life that you enjoy receiving from others, and the little actions you could do for someone else.
Snacks For the Way
What is my practice of generosity today?
What could I do today to bring a smile to your face?
What will I take in my backpack?
At the end of the day, you’ll take with you only what you give away
As we conclude this gate, please take a minute to journal some reflections of gratitude. 
 

פודקאסט העוסק בתזונה מאוזנת ואורח חיים בריא, עם דגש על חיזוק מערכת החיסון באמצעות הרגלי אכילה נכונים. בכל פרק נדבר על תזונה תומכת גוף ונפש, טיפים מעשיים לשגרת חיים בריאה וכלים פשוטים לשיפור הבריאות ביום־יום.

Gate 4
The Art of Creativity, Purpose, and Livelihood
My contract with Myself
I promise myself to gaze with wonder at all things, as if I were seeing them for the first time.
I will not define anything, not even a flower; I will not say to myself, “that is an apple blossom; it belongs to this species.” Rather, I will see it as an illumination of nature.
I will refrain from defining you, even if we have known each other for a long time. I will see you as an ever-emerging creation, revealing itself to me, with infinite possibilities that are your spirit.
I promise myself that I will eradicate all fear that keeps the creation within me from coming into the light, because I know that I have a gift within me, and I will find a creative way to gift it to the world.
I will continue to see my purpose as uncovering the true purpose within each and every one of you, as you peel away the layers, the fears, the prejudices, and the labels you have applied to yourself, so that your uniqueness can come to light; that way, each of us can offer our unique gift to the world.
We are one great big human tapestry. Together, we will bring about peace, stillness, and camaraderie. We will find an alternative way to be close to one another.
My signature that I will look at all things through the eyes of wonder.
Creativity, Purpose, Livelihood, and the Connection Between Them
I will sincerely try, from the bottom of my heart, to explain the deep-seated Yoga concepts that have given me life tools, so I can help you connect your uniqueness and creativity to your purpose. This is the path to freedom and joy. These are the tools: Kama, Karma, Dharma, Artha, and Moksha.
Kama
The foundation of life is passion - the Kama, the fire burning within me. It is primal, childlike, pure, and the primary source of creation. When I have passion, my creativity awakens, my uniqueness emerges, and my gift to the world appears. This is the ultimate purpose of my life and the reason I am here.   
Karma
Creativity is the space where I can let go of the Karma: my patterns, my fears, my apprehensions, my habits, and my assumptions about who I am. 
Dharma
As I emerge into the light and follow the Dharma, the wisdom, the godliness, and the spirit of life, I am led to the creation already within me that has, until now, been shrouded in darkness. I have within me the imagination to fulfill my dreams. I have infinite abundance, and I can influence you to bring you into the light along with me. You and I can create the world. I have a responsibility to show you your unique gift to the world because no one else can offer it. Therefore, you have a responsibility to fulfill your potential and share your gift with the world. This is your destiny. If it is not fulfilled, we have missed out on the opportunity to live life.
Artha
According to the tradition of Yoga, only once I have fulfilled and actualized my destiny and turned it into my livelihood, into Artha, and I can provide for myself from within my unique creative gift to the world, then, and only then, can I be one with Dharma, spirit, and godliness.
Moksha
You might ask, “Can I fulfill my creativity separately, alongside my work that provides my livelihood?” The Yoga answer is – no. I must leave my other pursuits and live in Bhakti, in devotion to my purpose and destiny, with no fear of economic scarcity or of the ropes that might pull me down with messages like – “Don’t do that! Stay where you are, stay where it’s safe!” There will always be inner voices telling us this is a bad idea. However, there is another inner voice, however small, telling us this is a good idea. This voice opens the door to endless and infinite possibilities. When this happens, we can shift from merely existing, from the grind of work, from simply functioning and rolling from one day to the next, to truly living. This is a place devoid of time and space, a place where I never feel like I have worked a day in my life, where I could be in my studio until 1 a.m. because I am filled with joy and exalted freedom that is Moksha.
Each one of us has a unique gift that is unlike that of any other person. It is your obligation to realize and fulfill your special potential and offer it to the world. This is our life purpose. If this does not occur, we miss out on the opportunity to live life.
Life and Livelihood – Two separate Worlds?
Modern life tends to separate work and personal life, as if we exist in two separate worlds: our professional world and our personal world. We wake up, go to the office, earn a living, and then go home to relax, pursue hobbies, spend time with friends, or care for our children. The philosophy of Yoga suggests that they are not disconnected—that we are one with our essence. We don’t “come home from work.” We are who we are, no matter where or when we are.  
Whether you are with your children, your friends, or traveling around the world, you will always be yourself. For example, if you are a doctor, you are a doctor in every situation and at all times. You do not stop being a doctor just because you are not in your clinic at the moment. I feel this way about my work. 
For years, I tried to separate my studio, where I worked and supported myself, from my personal life. It was a lifelong struggle. Since my studio was in my house, I looked for ways to keep them apart. I set up a separate entrance. I served my clients coffee in the studio rather than in my kitchen. I had a separate bathroom. I worried that my life partner might feel uncomfortable with people dropping by at any hour of the day or night. 
After a long battle, I finally realized that my house, my livelihood, my self, my friends, and my neighbors are all one. The struggle to separate them only caused me pain and suffering. Today, I am thrilled that you, my students, drink coffee in my kitchen. I love it when someone wants to have a birthday party or even a wedding in my garden. I am happy when my students become my friends and my neighbors become my students. If I happen to meet one of you at the mall or after a run and you tell me your back hurts, I will never tell you to schedule a consultation. I’ll discuss it with you on the spot and see what can be done.  
My home is my studio, and my essence encompasses all the things I do: my home and my time. I have no separation, even though some might say this invades my privacy. I disagree. If I lie in bed at night, unable to sleep because I am thinking about you, my students, I accept that lovingly. That’s okay with me because my purpose, my destiny, is to be your coach and Yoga teacher. That is my essence, my mission, regardless of time or place. This is my joy. 
I believe my work is part of my essence. If someone works in a place that doesn't suit them, they aren't truly living. Every moment of life is precious and irreplaceable, so we have a responsibility to infuse our essence into each and every moment. There is no separation between work and life—life is every moment, every hour. It doesn't start after we “punch out” of work. 
 
The Karma of Money
What are My Patterns, Values and Fears Regarding Money?
I understand that money can be a source of prosperity, liberation, and abundance for me. It can also lead to a life of worry, fear, and inner conflict with myself as well as with my friends, students, or life partner. The Yoga tradition teaches me that money is a means to an end, not an end in itself. Money can help me realize my potential and bring my unique gifts to the world. As I explore money through the lens of the Yoga tradition, I also examine my inner sources and the external messages I've received about money, my relationship to it, and how I make a living. The important question I find myself asking is, “How can I turn money into a pure and sacred tool?” 
My Karma, which includes my preconceived patterns and values about money, is strongly shaped by the behaviors I observed in my childhood home and by my personal experiences. Many of my fears and concerns stem from watching my mother, who lived in constant fear of not being able to make a living and pay our mortgage or the bills that arrived in the mail. Conversely, my father was a painter, a photographer, and a bohemian who loved life passionately. He never stressed about money— “Today, I sold a painting, so we have food. If I don’t sell one tomorrow, we’ll manage. The main thing is that we are okay. Let’s enjoy this moment! Who cares about tomorrow!”
These conflicting perceptions are ingrained in me and have become part of my Karma. On the one hand, I am passionate about fulfilling my dreams and living in the moment. On the other hand, financial stresses and worries weigh heavily on me, influencing my financial decisions as well as the fulfillment of my dreams. I explore those fears deeply within my soul, so they no longer hold me back. 
My fear of financial scarcity can prevent me from taking certain financial risks. For example, I want to open an additional space in my house for my studio so I can teach dance movement, but this fear is keeping me from moving forward. I can immediately recognize behavior patterns stemming from my individual Karma. I realize that these patterns are disempowering my growth and my ability to reach my full potential. The tradition of Yoga invites us, you and me, to examine those patterns, dig deeply into the root, and try to understand the source, so we can free ourselves from them and move forward toward our personal and professional self-actualization. 
The beauty of money is that when used wisely, it will transform into a sacred vessel for spiritual enlightenment.
And so, I would like to ask myself the following question, and I invite you to ask yourself the same: where does my money come from? Does it come from work that adds good to the world? Do I use my money to help others reach their full potential? Yoga teaches us to see money as a tool that, beyond covering our basic needs, also allows us to support those around us on their spiritual journeys and to give generously to their growth.
We must recognize that our Karma related to money extends beyond our interactions with ourselves. It also affects our relationships with others. Money can cause conflicts between us, especially since each of us carries our own Karma into the relationship. For example, one partner might strongly prefer to save money, while the other might want to “live for the moment” without worrying about tomorrow. My friends might feel uncomfortable if I buy them gifts or pay for dinner at a restaurant and insist on splitting the bill. Therefore, it is important to listen with sensitivity to others’ Karma regarding money issues, using understanding and compassion. This approach will help us, you and I, build healthier relationships.   
When I apply the principles of Yoga to my relationship with money, I transform the idea of money into a tool for a better life. Therefore, I must continually reflect and ask myself, “Does the money I earn make the world a better place? Could I free myself from financial insecurities that are holding me back from reaching my potential?”
Yoga helps me to develop a healthy, sacred relationship with money and frees me from the financial insecurities of scarcity that suffocate me, weigh me down, and keep me awake at night. 
When I am freed from the fear of scarcity, I merit a life of harmony as well as the ability to support you in your Art of Life. 
The Karma of money is built into our Yoga journey.
When we understand the source of this Karma and how it influences us, we can start to free ourselves from the anxieties and fears that accompany us. Yoga teaches us to see money as a tool that can be used for good, and as a means to support ourselves and others on our spiritual paths.
When money comes from a place of love, compassion, and good intentions, it transforms into a sacred energy that allows us to share our gifts with the world.
 
Svadhisthana
The Chakra of Creativity and Sexuality
This Chakra is located above the pelvic floor and below the belly button. This part of the body holds a special energy, as it is from this energy that man is created. It's easy to see how the tradition of Yoga identified this location as the source of creativity; the basic, animal instinct that is less a space of logical thinking, and more a source of primal survival and sexuality. In life, I like to ask those around me, the wise people in my life, for advice, and I tend to gather many opinions. I rarely stop to ask myself – how does that feel in my gut? When I do… when I pause and check in with my stomach, with my gut, and ask – what do I sense? What’s making noise? Do I find stillness? Is it pleasant? Do I feel like I’ve been stabbed in the gut with a knife? Butterflies? Indigestion? Or is it pleasant? Is it right for me? If so, then I have made the right decision.
When creativity stems from the pit of my stomach, rather than from fear, anxiety, or delays, and creates something unique and special within me, I know I am working on the right frequency. This happens when I am in a state of calm and quiet. When I keep my thoughts and feelings from clouding my gut intuition, creativity will rise within me.
The element that connects to this Chakra is water: clean, clear, and pure, like a spring flowing from within me. The color of the chakra is orange. Whenever I wear an orange dress, I feel a certain energy—open, lit up... very different from the energy I might feel in a black dress. This Chakra is connected to the sense of taste, which is very important. When I taste something delicious, like chocolate or a piece of fruit that I love, the taste spreads throughout my body and makes me feel happy. When I taste something rotten, I react immediately with objection: “Oh no! That’s rotten!” Through my sense of taste, I can tell if my food contains the energy of life, if it has soaked up sunrays, water, fresh air, and love. Different flavors evoke memories, inspiration, and joy, allowing me to express my own creativity.  
I am obligated to bring my unique, individual gifts to the world. When these gifts are revealed and brought into the light, I become one with the Creator, because the Creator creates the world, and I create as well. I study, research, and practice the things that wise people before me have said and done. When I bring my own uniqueness, in my own way, with my own voice, I step into the light, and I live my purpose. Often, I wonder, “What talent or special, unique quality do I have? It’s all been done before. Everyone knows that.” You are probably also thinking to yourselves, “What is special or unique about me?” One might say, " What is the big deal about baking a cake, writing a book, opening a store, or starting a business? Anyone could do that!”  But…not really. Anyone could not. Everyone has their own gift that is uniquely theirs, or mine. Everyone has a different way of doing things that reflects their own expression.
When it happens, when I express myself and my intentions accurately, it becomes part of the tapestry that connects us all to each other, as we come together on the same wavelength, feeling in sync with each other, without the need for words or explanations.  
On the eve of the Jewish holiday of Passover, I taught a class without saying a word. My students said the class felt sacred. There was a certain wavelength in the air that was hard to describe or define. It came from within. It arose from me and reached them. Each of us has the ability to do this—to create our own frequency.
It's crucial to pay attention to your intention. I might have a talent, such as a gift for scientific learning, and then ask myself, “What will I do with this talent?” I could build war machines or develop a cure for a disease. I need to ensure I use my talent to bring goodness into the world. That is my calling. This is where I break away from feelings of “this is so difficult,” “this is so uncomfortable,” and “this is no good for me.” I am no longer dependent on pleasure or pain; a different force guides me. Herein lies true happiness.
Pay attention. Have intention. 100% intention will lead you to your unique talent, whether that talent is cooking, painting, math, or writing. Add this focused intention to your talent, and creativity and purpose will unite.
My wish for you is that, through the foundations of this Chakra of Svadhisthana, which include the color orange, the sense of taste, and the flow of water, you will discover how to express your unique gift and bring it into the world. Together, we will weave a new world. We will reach a new Earth where we can rest peacefully and stop fighting.
 
Asteya - Non-Stealing
Asteya is one of the core tools of Yoga. It means not to steal or take what isn't yours. Yoga is a tradition of giving rather than taking. When I practice Yoga, I don't force movement; instead, I allow it to unfold and emerge from within me. I don’t siphon energy from others or drain them. I also avoid adopting others’ thoughts or ideas.
I recognize that I possess within myself all the precious stones of life. All I need to do is peel away the layers, not add layers. Yoga is the practice of peeling away the layers to reveal the diamond within. So, there is no need to covet or be jealous— not of someone else’s body, or their home, or their life partner, or their lifestyle. It's about cleaning, not claiming. 
As soon as I set myself free from taking what isn’t mine, all of life’s good rains down on me like droplets of pearls from the sky.
The Search:
To deepen my practice, I ask myself questions. In Yoga, this questioning is known as Svadhyaya - the exploration and internal research. It involves ongoing self-exploration so I can identify energy points that may be blocked and, thereby, prevent me from accessing true freedom and true joy. These are the points I need to work on every day. This daily research is my life’s work.  
Now would be a good time to stop, pause, grab a pen and paper, and take a moment after each question to listen to your heart and write down what you discover there. 
Describe a situation in which you felt creative. Where did you feel that creativity in your body?
What is your special, unique gift to offer the world?
What do you need to liberate, peel away, move out of the way, or part ways with in order to set out on your journey and strengthen the creativity and uniqueness within you?
Do you like your job? Would you work there for no pay?
If you suddenly inherited a large sum of money, meaning you no longer need to work to earn a living, what would you do with your life?
How could you turn your dreams into a livelihood?
 
Snacks for the Way
I will make sure to cleanse my body and soul each morning, and channel living energy into myself every day.
I will make sure to meet new people, visit new places, and experience new things, as this ignites a spark that lights my inner fire.
I will avoid things that diminish my inner light, with no fear of letting go of old, worn-out ideas or opinions that no longer serve me, and I will embrace new ones that suit me now. 
 
This is also a good place to pause a minute and write down my reflections. 
What will you take along in your backpack/ what will you pack for the ride?
Creativity is the art of recognizing that what you consider natural and obvious is uniquely so for you.
Gift it out into the world.
As we conclude this gate, please take a minute to journal some reflections of gratitude. 
 
 
 
   
 

Gate 3
The Art of Freedom and Discipline
My contract with myself
I promise myself to fulfill the dreams of every person I encounter.
I promise to refrain from being driven by my own personal considerations.
I promise to consider my actions, making sure they enhance those around me.
I promise to support each and every one of you so you can reveal the good within you and proliferate it into the world.
I promise myself not to let the seesaw between pain and pleasure determine my happiness.
My signature that I have come to fulfill the dreams of every person I encounter.
 I Understood the Truth about Myself; I Understood the Meaning of Freedom
I went looking for freedom, for that Big Brass Ring of Joy, in the wrong place. The key to true happiness, to infinite freedom, is not about getting what I want. Rather, it is about wanting what I have.
I thought I wanted to be finished with high school, and then with my military service, and then I wanted to get married, to have children, to own a beautiful house with a yard, and to have my own health and wellness studio, an endless list of things I wanted. Things that, once accomplished, would signal to me that I would (finally) be a free, happy person. 
I understood that I was living under the misguided illusion that happiness would reside in my list of accomplishments. I used to believe that feeling gratitude for all I have would make me happy. 
I liked to say that I was happy, because I have a house with a beautiful yard, a bicycle, and three healthy children. I was wrong. That’s not it! True freedom rests on the freedom from the material. 
All material objects are, by definition, temporary. Freedom and joy reside on a different plane, on a spiritual plane. The spirit of life, of the being, of my essence. This alternative plane is permanent, infinite, and everlasting.
No one, under any circumstances, can take away my freedom. I embody the spirit of freedom, and this liberty allows me to connect with my essence and choose the kind of person I want to be: a person of love and compassion, someone sensitive and generous, or… someone focused only on my own foolishness and self-interest.
The choice is mine. I can connect to my essence and fulfill my unique gift to the world – and enhance myself and make the world a better place. 
I understand that when I am happy and free, I need nothing. I have everything. I have infinite joy and freedom. I have the freedom to choose to fulfill my higher essence. This freedom is mine. 
To understand and give you the wondrous tools of Yoga, I will explain several essential tools in this section. These practices will serve as milestones along our journey through life, making it easier, lighter, and more joyous. So, let's set out on the journey to acquire the tools for freedom. 
My goal on the journey of my Yogi life is to be happy. How do I make that happen? Yoga opens the door by releasing me from  my ego, my self-image, my patterns, and my preconceived notions, otherwise known as Karma.
What is Karma?
I was born in a Karmatic birth. Every one of you is born in a Karmatic birth: to a specific family, in a particular place, at a specific time, with cultural norms that accompany us, you and I, throughout our lives. Each of these elements determines the conditions of our lives. They shape our perceptions, reactions, and responses. They bind us like chains to a prison. I am imprisoned. When I choose to follow the road of spirit, which is Yoga, I gradually realize that all the choices I thought I was making were not truly choices made by me. I had no real choice. I was driven by my biased learned patterns, my conditioning, my habits, and my formed images of myself that I identified with as if they were me. These preconceived notions informed my decisions. 
What is Dharma?  
 Dharma is our eternal wisdom, our inner voice that guides us on our path. Dharma is indescribable.   I can only attempt to describe Dharma as my life spirit, as godliness, as the energy of life without which the body would be merely a lifeless corpse. With it, I am alive. I am life. When I am cleansed, the Dharma can flow through me, as the breath flows through a flute, creating music. 
What is Moksha? What is the essence of this freedom that I strive to achieve?
Moksha is a primary tool that enables me to liberate myself from my ego, which, in turn, allows me to free myself from the image I build of myself. It enables me to be open to the endless possibilities. Moksha breaks apart the loop of cause and effect, the loop of Karma. I am no longer concerned with why something happened or the reason behind the event. There is no connection between the catalyst and the result. I am set free from the cage of loneliness and separateness. I am led, instead, by a life of love and generosity that generates my true joy. 
Discipline
So how do I do this? What is the tool that enables me to be in a state of true freedom?
Discipline. I utilize every moment as an opportunity to practice. I learn in every moment to set aside my ego and image, executing every task, big or small, not to seek self-growth or self-actualization but from a genuine goal of generosity that springs forth from my heart. When I release my Karma, my patterns, and my ego, I can become a vessel to hold space for Dharma and spirit. 
How do I accomplish this through my practice?
As I practice the poses of Yoga, or the movements of dance, or of any sport, I remove my ego. I practice without ambition, without a goal, and without a desire to achieve a specific outcome. Instead, I listen to my inner senses. I look inward, relinquishing my thoughts, my expectations, and my feelings. My movements flow from a place of not-doing, a place of “un”-doing. Through the physical practice, I liberate my emotional body. I practice this skill in Yoga so that I can then transfer it to every aspect of my life, so that everything I do bubbles forth through me the way water bubbles forth from a spring, the way song emits from a bird. Effortlessly.
I maintain an iron discipline. I wake up every morning and practice Kriya – the poses that cleanse the stomach, as the stomach is the energy source that contains anxiety, noise, and the ego. I clear out past contents and face forward. I have the discipline to choose to nourish myself with vibrant, fresh food that contains life. I choose to avoid ingesting criticism, judgmental comments, or gossip. I go outside to the open air, to walk or to hike, to cycle, to swim, to breathe fresh air, and to soak up nature. I use my body and mind to practice in order to be open to life: present, available, alive.
The freedom from the ego and the liberation from the predetermined image open infinite possibilities for me. I have left the circles of Karma; I am no longer chained to my actions and their results. I live a life of love and generosity, and I have become a person who is truly happy.
Manipura
The Chakra of the Solar Plexus
This chakra is located in the “solar plexus,” between the diaphragm and the navel. When I place my fingers on the area, I can feel tension. It feels hard and blocked. The color of the chakra is yellow. The sound is “rahem”,” and the element is fire. It is connected to our sense of sight, and the physical connection includes the digestive system, the liver, the pancreas, the spleen, the gall bladder, the small intestine, and the stomach area. 
I understand how sensitive this area is. I often say that I have “butterflies in my stomach,” that something “stabs me like a knife in my stomach”, “I feel that in the pit of my stomach,” or that “I feel I have a knot in my stomach that I cannot digest.” This is the area that holds the energies of worry, ego, repression, fear, anxiety, disturbing thoughts, restlessness, and all the things that take up so much space and block my flow. 
Therefore, I make sure to cleanse this area during my Yoga practice. My thoughts, feelings, troubles, and other expressions take up so much room inside me, and I find it essential to separate my spirit, my self, from my ego. It’s as if, when I talk to myself, I am speaking to a good friend, telling her, “You have got to take a break from yourself for a minute! You have got to lay yourself down. You have got to love yourself and take care of yourself.” This conversation needs to happen between my self and me to relax and cleanse my solar plexus. That’s why the practice of Yoga starts with the solar plexus. 
I practice the Kriya, using movements that cleanse this area. I practice Pranayama, the breathing exercises, to help me enter a meditative stillness and connect with the spirit. I practice Yoga to clear my thoughts and feelings and to allow energy to flow through my body so that spirit can pass through me. This is my personal discipline, my personal hygiene. No one can do it for me or instead of me. I know that when my solar plexus is clean, I feel courageous, unstoppable, and fearless. I feel open because I have made space. Something has expanded. I connect to the frequency of the color yellow, as if I have been wrapped in yellow material, as if yellow sunrays inside my body are cleansing me. The element of the burning fire cleans and gleams with light, warmth, and life.
The sensory connection is the sense of sight. This is so natural: when I am angry, I have “fire burning in my eyes,” and I cannot see clearly. I am irrational, and I cannot see “eye to eye” with the person standing in front of me. I might behave in a way that imbues “temporary insanity” because I cannot see clearly. However, when my sight is clear, when I have insight, when I have cleaned the camera's lenses, when I have shone the windowpane so that what is inside is indistinguishable from what is outside; then, all is united. All is one. All is clear. 
The solar plexus holds a large amount of energy, and I want to ensure it gets cleansed and that nothing remains stuck there. This is the digestive system of life, and things need to metabolize and digest to promote a flow of energy and allow the light, the Dharma, to pass through me.
Manipura Chakra, be clean, be illuminated!
What are the Yamas and the Niyamas?
I will try to understand the concept of the ten tools of Yoga with you, similar to how we try to understand the Ten Commandments of the Bible. I see many similarities because the concepts of Truth are universal. Before I delve into the movements, breathing, and stillness of Yoga, I need to first grasp the broader ideas of Yoga. Yoga is a way of life, an art form that covers all aspects of life. Everything in life requires physical action, knowledge, understanding, and consistent practice throughout life. 
Before I start my physical practice, I prepare the space. I praise myself through understanding the meaning of the Yamas and the Niyamas. This study, this deepening of my understanding, helps me access higher spirituality both personally and socially. 
Can someone perform a yoga pose, like a headstand, for example, without understanding the Yamas and Niyamas? Technically, they could, but does this create the same energy pattern that I intend to generate within myself and within you? Perhaps this would be called “gymnastics,” “stretching,” or “strength training.” 
The Yamas and the Niyamas help me take the pose to a new level of awareness, bringing each movement to a new level of awareness. So, when I study or teach the ten tools of Yoga, applying the Yamas and the Niyamas becomes essential for both myself and for you, as people who aim to live in peace, stay connected, and foster a positive community atmosphere, both externally and within ourselves.
What are the Yamas? 
There are five tools that shape how I relate to myself and to those around me. These are the first steps, the basics, similar to cleaning and straightening up my house. I want to make sure that any guest who comes over will feel at home. Whether I host a seminar, a music concert, or an art festival, it’s important to me that attendees sense the unique energy of my home and the magic that happens inside. The first step is to tidy up, to clean, and to fill the space with candles and fresh flowers. This makes everything feel new. The word Yama in Sanskrit also means “death.” When I follow the Yamas, I am distancing all things connected to death—removing them from my space, in order to create life.
What are the Niyamas?
These tools support self-discipline —the things I should and must do for and with myself—things no one else can do for me —and the commitments I make to myself. The Niyamas elevate my life to one of spirit, peace, harmony, and vitality. 
I invite you to join me in the movements and vitality of these ten tools. The dance begins now. Come dance with me. 
Aparigraha – Non-grasping
Aparigraha is one of the ten tools of Yoga. It means non-grasping, letting go, releasing. As long as I hold on, I cannot open myself to rebirth or rejuvenation. Therefore, I must learn to let go of things—material objects, a job that no longer fits, or concerns and thoughts that no longer serve me. I release expectations for situations and for those around me. The freedom is in letting go, in setting free, in the release I make from a place of love. I set them all free: my spouse, my children, my students. I release them all: my concerns, fears, worries, and anxieties. I look them in the eye, call them by name, and let them go. 
When I practice this in Yoga poses, I surrender myself to the movement, letting go of any fear, thoughts, or desires related to it. The practice becomes a dance of meditation and freedom. I discover new areas in my body I didn't know existed, and I find myself in a world of transformation, change, and rebirth. Through this physical practice, I explore the tool of Aparigraha and realize that non-ownership applies not only to material things (more house, more stuff, more money) but also to my desires: craving more experiences that only heighten my urgency and anxiety, never leaving me with a sense of satisfaction or fulfillment. I used to think I possessed things. In actuality, they possess me. I am a prisoner to all the possessions I once desired—buying a big house makes me enslaved to the mortgage and the upkeep. I get promoted to my dream position and become a slave to my boss, long hours, and travel. I am involved in a constant process of learning the difference between passion and craving.
Craving comes from the world of “I want”. I want more; it is never enough. 
Passion comes from the burning fire of desire within each of us. As I cleanse my cravings, I release, I give over, I give up my hold over, I liberate. This creates the oxygen that enables the passion of life to burn within me.
The Search
To deepen my practice, I ask myself questions. In Yoga, this questioning is known as Svadhyaya - the exploration and internal research. It involves ongoing self-exploration so I can identify energy points that may be blocked and, thereby, prevent me from accessing true freedom and true joy. These are the points I need to work on every day. This daily research is my life’s work.  
Now would be a good time to stop, pause, grab a pen and paper, and take a moment after each question to listen to your heart and write down what you discover there. 
 
What is freedom for me?
Am I truly free? What prohibits me from hearing or listening to my inner calling? Why do I find excuses that keep me trapped in my current situation?
What boundaries have I placed upon myself that helped to free me?  What forms of discipline enable me to set myself free?
What is the voice calling me to set out on my way? Do I hear it? Do I listen to it?
Lady Liberty
Kaivalya – the Liberation from Suffering
Yoga introduces us to the concept of Kaivalya, absolute freedom, and absolute independence. It is the freedom to be myself and to stop suffering in this world. 
What is This Tool?
As an average person, I define myself by external factors, and when they shift, I suffer. These are things that will never truly satisfy me. When I seek safety and security outside of myself, I notice that the world around me is in constant flux and unrest. When I pursue pleasure externally, I realize it is fleeting; it lasts only for a moment before it’s gone. When I seek love outside of myself, I see that it is unpredictable: sometimes it appears, and sometimes it doesn’t. When I rely on my body to provide me with pleasure, I find that it is also fleeting: sometimes it's healthy, and other times it is sick or injured. It cannot give me true freedom. 
Only when I stopped looking outward and turned inward to my body, soul, and spirit, did I realize there was no purpose in looking outside, as the external world had nothing to offer my true self or me. Only then did I reconnect with my inner quiet; nature could rest, since everything had found its resting place and source, and I could return to my source.  
This is my journey to freedom—freedom from the rat race and freedom from chasing new experiences. The journey involves letting go of all unnecessary things, everything that is not essential.
Nature can rest. I can rest. We rest, and there is freedom.
The best gift I can give to you and to myself is this knowledge, and so I hold onto it. As long as I practice non-grasping, I can achieve the “small wins," the small doses of freedom, until I ultimately ascend to the place of Kaivalya, total freedom. I no longer suffer. Suffering has been erased from my life. I walk the path, led by Dharma. I can hear it calling out to me. I am free from the ropes of Karma, as they no longer pull me down. I am on my way up. I walk away from Karma and my ego, and become a vessel of godliness, of spirit. Something new has been born.
“Snacks for the Way”
Each time I have a thought that brings me down,
I will eradicate it
Each time I think, “I gave but got nothing in return”,
I will remind myself, “I received through the act of giving”
Each time I become afraid of economic scarcity, I will eradicate that thought
Each time I become afraid of gaining weight, I will eradicate that thought
Each time I become afraid of getting sick or injured, I will eradicate that thought
I will begin each day by connecting to my body, my soul, and to nature
365 days a year, I will commit to being in motion
Every day, I will choose to nourish my body with food that contains water, sun, and light
Every day, I will choose to see the light and the good in you
This is also a good place to pause a minute and write down my reflections. 
What will you take along in your backpack/ what will you pack for the ride?
 
Freedom is the right to be,
With no need to ask permission from anyone else
 
As we conclude this gate, please take a minute to journal some reflections of gratitude. 
 
 
 
 
 
 

שיעור מכתביה של ימימה אביטל לפסח, בשילוב יסודות מגישת הטיפול cbt.

Gate Two:  The Art of Love
My Contract with Myself:
I have come to love
I have come to move my ego aside
I am moving to an alternative space:
A space that encompasses only love.
Love of the universe, of friends, of nature, of the sounds all around me, and of all living things.
I love my whole self.
I love me just the way I am; I would not want to change a thing.
My signature that I have come to love
What is love?
Is love the act of being in love? Is it losing track of time and space, of day and night? Is it the feeling of being neither hungry nor tired? Of wanting nothing more than to be with the person who is the object of your love, to give up everything else, to be unconscious of time? Is that love?
What tools have I learned from Yoga to understand what love is?
According to Yoga tradition, love is not a feeling. I will never stop loving you, because love is a way of consciousness.Therefore, I don’t change my mind. I don’t love you today and stop loving you tomorrow. Love, according to the wonderous world of Yoga, is… love. Love is its own entity, its own essence, its own language. Love is unconditional. Love in Yoga is likemy love for my children: it does not cease and does not change. It is constant and evermore. It is not an emotion that shifts withcircumstances. That same unconditional love translates into my love of all things in the world.
If that is so, how is it that I may feel that love has ended?
How can we quantify love? How can love end? After the initial falling in love, I find myself shifting into routines, commitments, schedules, and habits that override the wondrous feeling of falling in love. That drunken feeling of all-encompassing falling in love disappears or wanes a bit. At that point, I begin to account, to criticize, to judge, to make demands, to take ownership, and to feel entitled to my acquisition. I am no longer in the same presence of love. 
What tool does Yoga provide me so I can live a life that transmits love?
Yoga teaches me that staying in a state of love involves a complete lack of power struggle. Love, according to Yoga,professes no demands, no expectations, and no disappointments. The wavelength that transmits love involves only love, enlightenment, quiet, comfort, and freedom. I have nothing to acquire or gain from you, and no criticism of you. There is nothing about you that I wish to change or alter. I love you just the way you are. I release you.
How is this state of love even possible?
How can I separate my ego from its need to acquire, take ownership, or possess? How do I set it free? This is the art of love. If I cannot master this, all my relationships with myself, with my life partner, with my children, with my friends, and with my students will be complicated and complex.
Therefore, my greatest wish for myself, and for you, is that we make use of the tools of Yoga that teach us what love is and how to fall in love anew every moment of every day: with each flower, each person, each animal, and with ourselves, as we progress towards the wavelength of Yoga. Because Yoga is love. Yoga is connection. Yoga is oneness. The daily practice oflearning to love according to Yoga is one of the greatest tools available to us. Therefore, it must be practiced daily. Once the shift occurs and is achieved, once we transmit on this alternative frequency of Yoga, life flows through an alternative pathway:  the frequency that is love.  
I promise to be intently aware, in every moment, of any attempt I might have to alter, acquire, take over, criticize, or pass judgment. Instead, I will see only the spiritual essencewithin you, rather than your external being. I will reside in the open passageways of an alternative pathway. This requires constant practice. Love is an art that must be practiced and learned.   
Anahata
The Chakra of the heart
The Chakra of Anahata is located in the middle of my chest. It is physically connected with my heart, my vascular system, and my immune system. I recognize that certain things affect me,causing my chest to tighten or shrink in capacity and my breathing to become shallow and labored. Other things, however, open my heart and make me feel that I have more room to breathe and that my breathing is lighter; my chest feels comfortable, freed, and soft.
If someone hurts my feelings, it feels like a stab to my heart. My heart aches and clenches. When I am happy, my heart feels relaxed. I might draw hearts, string a chain of hearts, or send someone a heart. Cardiologists explain that heart health and the shape of the human heart can be affected by our emotions.  I can therefore understand that when someone experiences profound anguish, it might be said that that person “died of a broken heart”: they took so much into their heart that it was literally under attack. They died of a heart attack. 
This area of the body is so much more than flesh and blood. It is a major energy center. When the energy center is open, it is available to be filled with unconditional love: love that is not dependent on external factors. I don’t love you today and cut myself off from you tomorrow.  Rather, I live in an alternative state of consciousness, in which I have left my ego, my self. I am no longer concerned with my self: what hurts me, what’s hard for me, what’s wrong. I love my self enough to take good care of it, so that that worry will not weigh me down, as if I am my own best friend. I care about my self. I indulge my self. I love my self. This same wavelength of self-love connects me to everyone and everything around me. I live life within this wavelength, with an open heart, seeing each person around me in terms of their internal essence, not their external being. I ask for nothing. I expect nothing. I do not harbor disappointment. Suddenly, I can walk erect; I can open my heart and my chest. I have more room to breathe. 
The chakra of the heart is connected to our sense of touch. Whatever I touch, even my eye contact with someone else, transmits my energy. 
The element of this chakra is air, as it connects to my breathing. As I breathe more lightly and more effortlessly, I access a more spiritual wavelength. The color of this chakra is green. It expands to fill my chest with cleanliness, freshness, and infinite abundance. 
For me, the chakra of the heart represents all the compassion, the love, the generosity, the balance, the softness, the empathy,the caring, the devotion, the sensitivity, the forgiveness and the absolution of those around me.  I practice diligently so that this energy source from my heart will maintain its open status. I want to ensure that my heart stays open to the transmission of love, and that my hands are outstretched to give as much as possible: 100%, 110%, with as much devotion as I can muster. I am a lighthouse, shining light that bursts forth and communicates with the ship far off in the distance. My body has no walls, no barriers. The light bursts forth.   
So, let your chakra of Anahata be in a state of openness. Give it love. Give it a place to love. Remember: Yoga is love. In all relationships, the most important ongoing question is: whatfacilitates connection? What creates more love? Nothing else is of consequence, not power, not acquisition. Be open. Be air. Be love. Be Yoga.
Yoga.
Ahimsa- nonviolence
Ahimsa, nonviolence, is one of the core tools of Yoga.  I must refrain from causing harm through my thoughts, my actions, or my words. When I am in a state of consciousness towards nonviolence, I can access ephemeral stillness. During my physical practice, as I connect with a movement, I learn to relax into that movement. I don’t force the movement, and I am not violent towards myself. The practice becomes a self-exploration, with no goal to achieve.  Similarly, when I ride my bike, run, or swim, I explore how the movement in the sport can flow through me, effortlessly and nonviolently. Pressure, stress, and force lead to injury. It is said that when a person resides in a state of nonviolence, that energy creates a force field of peace and love that is both felt and contagious. We all want to enter that space because it is so inviting and pleasant.
The Search
To deepen my practice, I ask myself questions. In Yoga, this questioning is known as Svadhyaya - the exploration and internal research. It involves an ongoing self-exploration, so that I can identify those energy points that might be blocked and therefore prohibit me from accessing true freedom and true joy. These are the points I need to work on every day. This daily research is my life’s work.  
Now is a good time to stop, pause, grab a pen and paper, and take a moment after each question to listen to your heart and write down what you discover there. 
• What is the “weather” in my heart right now? Are the skies blue? Is it rainy? Partly cloudy? Clear? Foggy? Stormy? Describe the weather in your heart at this moment.• Are you willing to compromise and give in your relationships, or do you feel the need to always be right? • Are you willing to give up control? to release the need for ownership?  To give up power for the benefit of finding a balance?• Describe a relationship that feels safe, secure, and like home for you. As you contemplate that relationship, describe how it feels inside your body. 
Snacks for the Way
I accept you as you are,
Without trying to change you.
Without trying to mold you to fit me.
Without trying to acquire or own you.
I will support you so your light shines through.
I will accept me as I am,
Without criticism.
Without judgement.
I will see the light within me.
I will refrain from complaining today.
I will seek the good in everything.
I will see every detail in life as a source of love.
This is also a good place to pause a minute and write down some reflections. 
What will you take in your backpack?
“I give you rice so you can live.
I give you a flower, so you have a reason to live.”
As we conclude this gate, please take a minute to journal some reflections of gratitude.

Gate One: The Art of the Here and Now
My contract with Myself
I have come here to be.
I have come here to experience every individual smell, taste, vision,
sound, and touch
 In every moment.
Simultaneously.
I have committed to leave behind all worries, fears, and anxieties.
I have come to be.
I have nothing to accomplish.
I have no agenda, no plans,
no expectations, and no ambitions.
I will refrain from any attempt to understand, catalog or explain.
_______________________
My signature and commitment that I have come to be.
To Miss Out on Life
I find it extremely difficult to just…be. My mind is busy with all the things on my to-do list, and I constantly want to do more, to accomplish more, to be sure I haven’t missed anything or missed out on anything. Sometimes, I find myself longing for what was, while other times I desperately want to “get on with it”, and get to the next phase. Rarely, do I find myself in the here and now.
The greatest loss in life comes when I am so caught up in my thoughts and feelings that I miss out on the opportunity to be with you. To connect and be fully present with you, you who are so dear to me.
I want to be with you. I want to be here for you, as you are important to me. We spend a lot of time together, you and I, but I am not present.
It might appear from the outside that I am present with you, but I know that I am not. Rather, I am imprisoned in my never-ending to-do list, in my fears and anxieties, and in my hopes for the future. And so, I am not present with you; you, who are so dear to me.
The good news is that Yoga has a solution, a way out, an exit ramp.
Yoga supplies a means to practice the art of “Not Missing Out”.
This practice in Yoga of “not missing out”, enables me to pay more attention when I am with a loved one; to really hear what you are saying, to really listen without answering, without formulating my response in my head. I can be present, holding your hand, and listening.
When my thoughts start to stray, I can recognize that and gently coax myself back to the present space; I can take note when that happens. I can look inside, peering into my thoughts, observing them from the outside, and return to the space which is you.  This immediately enables me to become closer to you, to be even more present, even more connected to life.
 Alive.
What Is It to Be Truly Present in the Here and Now?
Hatha Yoga Anushasanam – Yoga, as a way of life, begins with this phrase. It is the secret to life. What exactly does it mean to be in the here and now?
The first part of the phrase is the Sanskrit word, Hatha. Ha- meaning sun, and Tha- the moon.
The sun and the moon are currently in a specific point in space in the universe, for this one moment. They will never again return to this specific point. Therefore, the word Hatha refers to this moment, this pinpoint that contains depth, bliss and mystery. It is the moment something previously hidden or unclear reveals itself. It is the moment I see Truth. The moment I become.  
The second word is Yoga, which means connection. Unity. The oneness of the universe and my unity with the universe. I connect to a tree. I connect to a stone.  I connect to you by gazing deep into your eyes. I connect to my spirit.  And as I connect, I am Spirit.
Anushasanam, the third word, can be translated as “experiencing”, pulling back the curtain, so even the most mundane habit can be revealed as a new experience. When I make myself a cup of coffee in the morning, that’s a habit. When I approach the same cup of coffee and am able to erase all my prior knowledge, and all the narrative in my head telling me, “The story of this cup of coffee”, I can meet and connect with it as if this was my first encounter, my discovery of coffee. I can take a sip and feel the notes of the taste. I can see the shades of rich colors of my coffee. I can smell the distinct aroma of this cup of coffee. It is as if this is my first encounter with coffee.
After I having lived with you for many years, I have a script, a story in my mind, of who you are and what you represent. And so, when I meet you, I am not really meeting you, I am meeting my story of you, my knowledge of what I expect you to be. Only when I am able to erase that story, and approach you from a new, fresh perspective, do we really meet. It’s as if, every time we meet, we have the potential to meet for the first time.
The physical movements and positions of Yoga are a manifestation of this experiencing. I don’t perform Yoga. I don’t do Yoga.  I am Yoga.  I experience each movement, each inhale and exhale, and I experience the sensations in my body. I experience my senses, my heartbeat, my sweat, my skin, my bones, my flesh. This experiencing is also a form of uniting with me. It is an intimate moment with myself that creates inner peace and profound, unconditional joy. There are no elements of comparison and no expectations that something will happen, or that something will be achieved. I have nowhere to run to, nowhere to get to. As I sit still, doing nothing, I am calm and I am joy.
This key adage of wisdom, Hatha Yoga Anushasanam, is not merely a philosophy to be read in a book. Rather, it is a practical piece of my life, like a tried-and-true recipe that hangs on my kitchen wall; it can only be understood once I have prepared the dish. So too, this adage can only be understood once I have begun to live it and incorporate it in my daily life. Therefore, I try to apply it to every moment of my life. I try to be in the here and now, recognizing that this rare, exquisite moment will never happen again. As such, I approach each moment with curiosity, joy and humility.
This state of mind of the here and now can occur within any moment, even when I am washing the dishes! If I find my mind wandering off, I hone myself back in by paying attention to the sensory - the feeling of the soap bubbles, or the feel of the dishes, because life is made up of these small moments.  When I reside fully within each of these moments, I can connect to my spirit. When I listen, my conscious can find stillness.
 
My brain wants to understand, to catalog, to explain.  That is the nature of the brain. When I connect to this moment, I relinquish the need to look for explanations and reasons, I am in the here and now. The abundance that is revealed to me is infinite and I am filled with gratitude and an appreciation for every joyous moment of precious life. I am then able to find the joy that resides within each and every moment.
What Are the Chakras?
How does this story of my life relate to the energy centers in my body?
In general, I process through my mind, my brain, and through the world of material possibilities. I seek to find within myself something that represents the beyond, something that is the spirit that lies within me.
Yoga enables me to use my flesh and bones and the source within my body as a power plant, an electric power station accessible to me whenever I connect to the correct frequency. It enables me to connect to a vast network of cables that are the energies flowing both to and from me. These energies can flow in and out as long as the system is connected seamlessly. When I make a change within my spirit, I create a change in the universe. It is all interconnected.  
The ancient map of Yoga practice and philosophy teaches me that my body inhabits numerous centers that contain, create and transmit energy. These energy sources run through my spine, and from my pelvic floor to my head, like a flute, a pipeline with points of entry that allow a flow of entry and exit of energy.
At first glance, this sounds a bit preposterous; what do energy and flow have to do with me? However, as I delve more deeply into this idea, I understand that I speak volumes with no words; I connect through a different mode of communication. The chakras, the energy sources, guide me in their teachings, in order to enhance my connection to myself and to the world.
 As I delve into the story of the chakras, I discover a deep curiosity. I begin to understand how a specific energy center within me might connect to a point of mind, body and spirit and create a certain energy flow. As I deepen my research of my body, I create certain energies and frequencies that cause things to happen to me. Nothing is happenstance. Everything that happens is facilitated and caused by me.  when I am imprisoned, lowly, or underground, I transmit a signal that is repulsive, depressing or uninviting. When I am enlightened, open, available, present, and in the here and now, abundant goodness gravitates towards me.
 
The physical practice of Yoga poses and movement, breathing, and cleansing, is done with the intent to release and open energy sources that have become blocked in my daily life.
Muladhara
the root chakra
I have chosen the root chakra of Muladhara to compliment this chapter of the art of the here and now. This chakra resides in the lower pelvis, in the base of the spine. It invites me into the basic, primal, primitive energy center.  It represents basic survival. Through this chakra, I experience the life force that pounds and beats within me. I transmit a frequency that represents basic love of the world.  I receive this chakra’s energy from the ground, from life, from the energy force of primal passion, and from fire.
Sometimes, I feel tired and downtrodden, because my energy is being wasted on worry, anxiety and disturbing thoughts.  My chakra is blocked; the flow of energy is blocked, and growth, hope, faith, and connection cannot get through.  To access being in the here and now, I simply reconnect to the basic passion of life, so as not to be entrapped, depressed, or disconnected, and instead to be wholly encompassed in Yoga, in connection and in life. I open my base chakra and realign with the lifeforce that pumps within me.
The base chakra is located in the base of the spine, like a lighthouse that rises tall in the horizon.
The color of the base chakra is red. The sound it evokes is laham. Its element is the ground, the Earth. It is connected to the sense of smell, similar to that of the animal world, as animals follow and rely on their sense of smell. The bodily manifestations of this chakra are blood, bones and the spinal cord.
This base chakra represents our basic, primal needs, our survival instinct, our vitality that goes beyond merely existing. It represents the root, the core, and the connection to reality, stability, safety, home base, and continuity.
I strive constantly, each and every moment of each and every day, to open this energy source so that this specific passion and fire will burn within me and enable my presence in the here and now. This will enable me to bring the joy of life into the world.
 
Svadhyaya: internal research and exploration
Svadhyaya, one of the ten tools of research of Yoga, teaches us to delve frequently into self-study and self-research. The heart and soul of Yoga, the infinite art of life, is the ongoing research as to why I choose to behave the way I do: am I bringing good into the world, or am I choosing to behave in a way that is self-serving? Why was I  hurt by someone else’s criticism of me? Why was I hurt when someone abandoned me? Why was I disappointed with you because I expected something that did not occur?  Why did I get angry with myself because I fell and got hurt? Was it my ego that got hurt? During the physical practice, I research the parts of my body that are blocked, or numb, as well as the relationship between my various organs, bones, muscles and tendons. With each practice, I discover a place in my body that has been overlooked or ignored lately, a place in need of awakening. And so, I practice this internal research with each session. I commit to the ongoing research involved in exploring my internal topography, as a way to facilitate change and to be reborn. I have left the old, worn-out pieces that no longer serve me, and I have chosen to align with the new.
The Search
In order to deepen my research, I must question. In Yoga, this is called Swadhyaya- research and exploration of self. This is an ongoing process of self-evaluation, to understand the points in my life that prevent me from being in a place of true joy and freedom, points I need to focus on and work on daily. this is lifelong work. This is the work of life.
Now would be a good time to stop, pause, get a pen and paper, and pause after each question and step inside your own heart to write down what you might discover there.
 
What aspect of my life - emotional, behavioral, or fear driven; anxiety, guilt, worry, anger, lack of boundaries, or disturbing thoughts- have I come here to explore and research?
 
Describe a time or situation in your life when you were physically present, but not actually present. How did that make you feel?
 
Describe a time or situation in your life when you were fully present in the here and now. How did that make you feel?
 
Snacks for the Way…
To be one with all you taste
To be one with every color
To be one with every smell
To be one with all you see
To be one with every breath
To be one with every person
To linger
To gaze intently
To take time
To have nothing to accomplish
To waste time
 
What do I want to take along with me in my backpack?
 This is also a good place to pause a minute and write down my reflections.
 
I have no agenda
I have no plans
I have no expectations
I have come to be.
 
 As we conclude this gate, please take a minute to journal some reflections of gratitude.