Divine Play: The AcroYoga Festival

Several years ago, a vision was born for a grand gathering in the spirit of AcroYoga.  The community had expanded to the furthest reaches of the global, and it was clear that such a gathering would serve as a beautiful expression of the way this practice has transcended cultural and geographic boundaries in the spirit of human connection and divine play.

The gathering would include AcroYoga teachers and key teachers from each of the disciplines that form the lineage of AcroYoga... Yoga, Thai Massage and Acrobatics.  The vision was born for an AcroYoga festival... a grand celebration in honor of all three lineages and a divine playground for AcroYogis from around the world to share their vision of the practice.

Nine months ago, Jenny announced that she had secured a space and set dates... and from that first sprout, the magic began to unfold in a most serendipitous way.  Esteemed teachers from each lineage offered to present those disciplines in their pure form.  AcroYoga teachers from all over the world offered a broad spectrum of classes that demonstrate the infinitely expansive range and breadth of AcroYoga while maintaining its essence with the utmost of integrity.

The aspect about the festival that impressed me most was the unparalleled degree of studentship.  The students were incredibly attentive, receptive, dedicated and skillful.  After speaking with many who attended the festival, it was clear the the environment was conducive to radically expanding boundaries and embracing the potential to take giant leaps of faith.  Several of our guest teachers spoke to Jenny & Jason's studentship, and acknowledged them both as supremely dedicated and genuinely humble students on the path.

I was honored to invoke blessings at the opening ceremony by leading us in a chant.  We invoked blessings from Durga, the female aspect of Lord Shiva, and brought to light the symbolism of pure potential that is represented by the Shiva aspect as both the end and simultaneously the beginning of a new cycle.  As we gaze towards the future, it is clear that this festival has created a tremendous momentum to dream big, and keep expanding the boundaries of what is possible!

Anusara Teacher Training: Maha Download

The seat of the teacher is a noble seat.  This is the contemplation that came to the forefront of my mind as I assimilated the journey of 5 weeks over the course of 14 months.  This period, which began in August 2009, represents the completion of a cycle through the Anusara curriculum of immersions and teacher training and a culmination of the momentum in the great company of those who came along for the whole ride.

I reflect on my teachers, Darren Rhodes and Christina Sell, who paved the way by their example and held the container for my deeply transformative process with gratitude, reverence and humility.  I am honored to call them my teachers, and am eternally grateful for the wisdom that has revealed itself in their presence.

The immersions brought me on a soul adventure deep into the core of my being to reveal the essence of who I am.  It shed light on my path through many transformations over the course of 3 decades, and helped me to see that through each transformation of self, I shed one layer of myself only to put on a new layer... and never fully revealing the deeper aspects of myself.

During the immersions, my intention was to fall apart and to reveal what remains at the core of my being.  I felt safe in that environment to reveal my deepest vulnerabilities and took refuge in my teachers, my kula and the practice that we shared.  I contemplated my heart's deepest longing, my wildest dreams, my highest visions and my sacred purpose... these questions could only be answered after taking the long journey into the core of my heart... the essence of my being.

The immersions culminated in December of 2009 with a tremendous finale... as a result of my dedication and unwavering commitment to roam the space of my heart, I felt a dramatic shift at subtle layers of my consciousness that resulted in a complete reorganization of everything at the surface level.  I found myself at a loss for words in translating this experience to those who had not been on the magic bus.  The wisdom and story remained with the kula.

Seven months later, I began the teacher training cycle.  My intention remained to speak boldly from my heart.  By the second week of teacher training, I had a profound realization that over the 7 months passed, I had kept secret the wisdom that I had gained through the course of my immersions.  I had not shared what I had learned with my colleagues or students but rather let the wisdom evolve within my practice as a gift to myself.

The teacher training reminded me that my duty in the process of teacher training would be to share the treasures that I have received by the grace of my teachers.  During that second week, I made a promise to myself, with the Kula as my witness, to share the treasures that I have received in homage to the lineage and in gratitude to my teachers.

What I offer is my personal story... my direct perception of the auspicious nature of life unfolding from moment to moment, with a deeply rooted connection to the philosophy of Anusara yoga and a direct relationship to the grand purpose of Yoga... to know the essence of who I am at the core of my being and to express my full potential with integrity and radical authenticity as an example to inspire others to shine!