Namaste,

Today I feel like celebrating.

It’s not something we do very often, experience pure awakened celebration.  At least I don’t. I am great with daily practice of gratitudes, meditation, and heart centred sadhana, but there is something different about the feeling of pure unadulterated celebration, basking in the beauty of what is around us, and experiencing the essence of that beauty and energy. Today I celebrate the sunshine on my face, the freshness of the air (it smells like an early spring here on Vancouver Island, and the sweetness, and strength of my body.  It feels good to just relish these things, to feel them bright and open in the moment.  Today I celebrate.  It feels good.

Transitions

I also wanted to share a little bit about transition.  I don’t know about you, but my life has been full of transition these past few months.  In fact there is so much that is moving, or being put into place to move, yet things have also been at a standstill, with no apparent growth at all. It has been an interesting space to be, knowing that big changes are happening and feeling them on both an internal and external level, yet being in a space of surrender to the timing of the universe, waiting for it to offer the first wave of exalted movement.

As I sit with this, I sense that part of this holding period that many of us are in is the beginning of great change. As we have been marinating in the space of stillness, the layers have been shed and the new beginnings are calling us forth.  Yet it has been winter, and in alignment with the elemental energy, it really hasn’t been time to move, to take big steps.  Like seeds we are being held in a space of suspension until the light calls us forth. We have been feeling the need for jumping in, for flowing in the waves of change we sense on such a big level, yet the internal work has been so important and we have needed this stillness to fully occur.

A reminder to myself that instead of me moving outwardly, or waiting for the right time and place to arrive on my timeline, that the gift of this “stalled” transition has been exactly as it needs to be. And as the wheel turns, as spring comes, the sunshine and rain can nourish and water us, propelling us forward ready and excited to make the steps into what is to come. A reminder of surrender, allowing, deep rest and overall immense trust in the life we are here to live.

Recipe- My Favourite Dal

This is one of my favourite recipes. It’s light, yet nourishing and incredibly tasty.  I never get tired of the mix of coconut and lime.  As we start to head into Kapha session the lentils bring a lightness, the pepper a spiciness to bring balance, yet there is still a feeling of grounded sweetness in this beautiful and sacred simple dish.

Dal

• 1 cup red lentils
• 3.5 cup water
• 2 Tbs Ghee (or olive oil)
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• A pinch of hing (asafoetida)
• 1 tsp grated or chopped ginger
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 Roma tomato finely chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 Tbs dry unsweetened shredded coconut
• Juice of 1 lime
• 4 Tbs cilantro

Wash the lentils in 3 changes of water. Place the lentils and water in a medium sized pot and bring to a boil. Skim the froth as it rises to the surface and discard. Cook on medium heat til the lentils are soft and fully cooked, about 15 minutes.  While the lentils are cooking in a small pan, heat the oil and add the mustard seeds and allow them to pop. Next add the cumin seeds and ginger and sauce about 45 seconds. Add the hing and turmeric and saute for 10 seconds. Add this to the cooked dal along with salt and pepper.  Bring the dal to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.  Add cilantro, coconut and lime juice and serve hot.

From Happy Belly, Happy Soul a guide to Vedic Cooking- by Aparna Khanolkar

Upcoming Events

Looking ahead the next few months there are some amazing opportunities for expansion and growth.  If you feel called to join into any of them, I would love to have you with us.  In group work, I am always reminded of its power, in community we reflect the energy and multiply it 10 fold (or more), an as we embrace the light together- there is nothing we can do but to shine.

Healing Light Yoga- Nourishing Your Sacred Self

A Six Week Journey Into The Awakened Heart

Starting Saturday, February 2, 2019.

8:00-9:30 PST/11-12:30 EST.

$108 USD + tax

Online Via Zoom

All classes are recorded if you can’t be there live.

Register Here-

We invite you to join us for this beautiful journey into the awakened heart.

This course offers a powerful opportunity to awaken to the innate joy and sweetness of your being. In connecting to and nourishing our sacred heart centre we can expand into the awakened heart. In this journey will will embrace both the lightness and the darkness, connect with deep nourishment, and sacred ancient practices, honouring what is held in our anahata chakra.

We will also open to your own potential to heal and to connect with your subtle energy body. We will embrace and work with the cellular, emotional and energetic layers, opening the doors to a clear and potent awareness. At the same time you will explore and experience a deepening of your intuition and expanded self.

Enjoy this video that shares more with you about this upcoming journey-

The Elemental Woman

Tuesday Feb 19- Tuesday March 29

4:30-5:30 PST/ 7:30-8:30 EST

$99 USD per person

$150 USD for two- We believe that it’s even more powerful and exciting to share in the journey with someone else, so we invite you to come with a friend and to save $25 a person.

Aparna Khanolkar and I are excited to be sharing another sweet and powerful offering for you all.

Nature is the first Mother – the life-giver. Through fire, water, earth, space and air, she creates us. So many of us have lost connection to this powerful nourishment that is all around and within us.

Having lost connection to her, we have forgotten the glory of creation itself and move through life in a hypnotic, robotic state of emptiness and sadness. Yet when we sit quietly by a flowing river or gaze at a campfire, something is soothed inside us.

Join Aparna and Asrael as they share ancient rituals to re-align with the Panch mhabhutas or five great elements – the very foundational blocks of life.

One hour once a week for each element. Practical, spiritual and beautiful!

Link for more information:
http://blessedfeminine.com/the-elemental-woman/

A FIVE-WEEK CIRCLE FOR WOMEN, WHERE WE WILL CONNECT WITH THE POWER OF THE ELEMENTS AND ACTIVATE THEM IN OUR BODIES FOR GREATER PEACE, ENERGY, DIGESTION, FLOW AND STABILITY IN OUR LIVES.

LET’S TUNE IN TOGETHER.

Introduction To Ayurveda

Saturday, February 9 at Harmony Yoga

1-4 pm

$60 + GST

Are you interested in connecting with true health and wellness for your unique body and being? Do you feel that your life would benefit from whole body/mind/spirit connection? Are you drawn to yoga or an inner spiritual practice?

Ayurveda holds the key to all of this and more. The wisdom of this ancient practice unlocks the doorway to our true potential of vibrant energy, emotional flow, and connected consciousness. In this workshop, we will explore the nature of this ancient healing system and leave with the tools to begin to integrate it into our daily lives.

We will discover:
– The three doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha: discover your “type” and learn how you can bring balance to your own unique constitution.
– Daily practices that support health and harmony in your being.
– The importance of consciousness, subtle energy, and emotional flow to our physical health and well-being.

Register Here-

Awakening Into The Energy Body

Saturday March 2 at Harmony Yoga

1-4 pm

$60 +GST

Monthly Online Moon Circles

Monday, February 4
6-7 pm PST/ 9-10 pm EST
By Donation

Thank you all so much for your presence in my life- however big or small.

I wish you a beautiful and wonderful day- and look forward to sharing with you again soon!

In light and love

Asrael