Dear Elie

Dear Elie,

I cried over Night.  And cried and cried. 

Thinking of myself in the dirt, in the darkness, watching the smoke rise and know it is not just smoke but hatred and indifference and all things evil. 

It could have been me.

In the smoke.

In the fear.

It could have been me

Orphaned

Alone surrounded by

Six million other “others”

I want to thank you for reminding us not to forget

For remembering that love is a super power

And so is protest.

I stood staring as the tower fell and then the other

Vanished before my eyes into a puff of dust and loss

I was surrounded by neighbors

I wasn’t afraid

Until someone and then someone else took hold of a van

With a driver who wore a turban and had a beard

And then shook it and shook it

I did not hear what they said for I could not hear

But the fear in his eyes

I did not stay to see what they did for I wanted to be nowhere near

Then I vacuumed

God help me, that’s what I did

I vacuumed and vacuumed

Into the night.

I want you to know that in honor of your return to your parents, to your family, to the source

That I want to be more like you

That I want to be the one who does not stay silent no more

I will summon the courage to stop the hate

To be of service

To be what others need

In time of their need

No matter who, no matter what they believe

No more silence

I choose light.

With love,

Karuna Lynne

Jewish American Teacher/Author/Yogi

Last weekend Stephanie Delmanto taught us how to Eat and Cook Mindfully at the Rejuvenation Retreat and last night at Satsang Guruji reminded us why the children at Yogaville Ashram (alum including actor Liev Schreiber, musician Rivers Cuomo (Weezer) & Stefan Lessard (Dave Matthews Band) were nurtured in the right environment so that the ego can be curbed and kids stayed "Focused like arrows," Rev. Janaki said.

1. They are being fed from their environment harmony, collaboration, loving and giving they are being fed; 2. Food was simple, vegetarian non-violent, non-angry vibrations being absorbed - no junk food, loving vegetables. 

At 1:36 Guruji gets so passionate about this issue of healthy food just like me! 

Watch and listen at 1:36:31-- effect of broccoli on lung cancer!

All our food should be taken with an "Attitude of Gratitude!"
Bless you Guruji Rev. Jaganath Carrera.

May you be easeful and peaceful.  Thank you for already being so useful.

Om Shanti!

-- Yoga Girl 

Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays and New Year!

-- Peace, love, light and laughter from the cat who can purr, do a headstand and purr-suade others to stay paw-sitive!

2016 is going to be a great year.

This year's goals...

A Swami Cat CD of songs and stories.

         Swami Cat's Cookbook for Little Yogis

               Swami Cat videos that teach lessons on Yoga, Life and Staying Calm while Growing Up

                         More books by Swami Cat including a Coloring Book and the Origin of Swami                                    Cat & Yoga Girl

Here's a sweet little video my Yogi friends helped me put together this holiday season.

Enjoy & remember Yoga is a Practice not a Purr-fect!

Three Lessons From Puppy Love

1

I almost started Yoga class tonight with a thought about how my heart has expanded in ways I could never imagine.  When I think of my two furry babies, my heart glows and I get a bit giddy.  I was going to mention that could be a state of joy that we all live in all the time.  If we could only see the love and joy around us at all times-- let go of our judgement, misperceptions, fear, anger...okay there's a lot, as Patanjali states in The Yoga Sutras that we have to clean the mirror of, but it is not impossible.  Have you seen the Dalai Lama?  He looks as if he is in a constant state of giddy, bubbling over joy.  Maybe he has a puppy?  Just kidding, I know it comes from a daily practice of meditation and focus on love instead of hate.  Did you see the short video of Guruji Rev. Jaganath Carrera laughing while teaching about the philosophy of Yoga?  I am so grateful for my meditation practice for I get to feel this state of pure bliss for at least a few minutes a day.  And now to get that feeling to bubble to the surface all I have to do is think of my sweet girl and boy snuggling on a doggie bed made for one.

2

J and I just adopted the sweetest 3 legged fuzzball.  We named her Karmella (Karma for short.)  She nips all over Harrison, the Yoga Dog, to get him to play.  Harrison just takes it with a gentlemanly sigh of knowledge, patience and compassion.  Don't worry he plays, wrestles and runs with her -- he's never been so happy to have another dog, 24-7 to play with.  I watch them and can't help but smile. They live in a state of now.  They wake up with wonder of what this moment will bring, not the whole day, just the next moment.  They jump in the car with total surrender to wherever the driver is driving and enjoy the ride, not expecting anything.  Witnessing dogginess is witnessing Yoga in action.

3

This little girl stole my heart when I first met her.  I was worried about adopting a 3 legged dog. Would she be able to go up and down stairs?  Would she be able to play outside? Run?  All of the fear melted away once she put her warm soft head in my lap and licked my hand.  She is pure love.  She doesn't worry about not having a 4th leg.  She doesn't waste anytime feeling sorry for herself.  She just gets up and plays because it is fun.  She snuggles with anyone human, animal that she sees-- enjoying life fully.  She does take her time going down stairs, knowing her limits, but to watch her outside running full speed toward a tennis ball, you wouldn't know she was handicapped.