B.K.S Iyengar, a beloved and inspired teacher, and credited by many as the person who brought yoga to this country, died last week in India at the age of ninety-five. According to my teacher, Annie Hoffman, Iyengar’s first East Coast yoga “novitiate” was Patricia Walden—my first teacher. And who has studied—and continues to study—with Patricia? Annie.
So, maybe not surprisingly, I’ve been thinking about lines. About how my connection to a present-day spiritual leader has been elegantly straight and simple. And about how the line between me and, say, Jesus, ain’t. (More a “tangled web,” I’m afraid.) And about how blessed we are whenever we can experience the depth and the wisdom and the Truths of another person in person. Soul Time, not “facetime.” A straight and direct line.
Namaste.
*An ancient Sanskrit greeting still in everyday use in India and especially on the trail in the Nepal Himalaya. Translated roughly, it means “I bow to the God within you”, or “The Spirit within me salutes the Spirit in you” – a knowing that we are all made from the same One Divine Consciousness.
Dear Patricia,
Hi, there, Patricia! Wow, what a wondrously wonderful and spiritually attuned and powerful blog post article in which you have so, so very brilliantly composed and so graciously shared with your readers, as well as your other magnificent blog post articles and other great writings! B.K. S Iyengar sounds like he was a spectacular person! I wish that I could do yoga. With my physical disabilities I cannot, and I am a full-bodied woman who is not in the best of physical fitness shape (I am a true couch potato-SMILE!). Like you my dear and precious white sister, Patricia, many of my other dearest and darling white women sisterfriends who I love so, so very much and cherish and who are my very heart and are family to me do yoga as well! They love yoga, like you do, Patricia! It is so cool and exciting that your first yoga teacher was Iyengar’s first East Coast novitiate! You have been taught yoga well from the finest of teachers, Patricia! It is so great that Annie continues to learn from Patricia Walden as well.
I know what you mean about the line between Jesus and you is not always straight but can be likened to a tangled web! I can sure relate, my sister Christian woman who you are, Patricia! We love our Jesus so, so very much yet it can be difficult to understand Jesus’ Ways and the timing of Jesus. I have learned to have faith without yet having the understanding to understand Spirit’s Perfect Will. I try really hard to just have faith and to live in faith without the Perfect Understanding and Wisdom which Spirit has for each and every one of us as God’s Beautiful Inside and Out Creation as children of God. It can be a challenge at times, though! I am so, so very eternally blessed to have you, Patricia, and other fantastic and fabulous sisters and brothers as our God’s children to have a God who has skin! Other people like you and the others truly help in my spiritual walk and journey!
You are such a great blessing to me, Patricia, with your very Spirit-filled and soulful writings! I feel so uplifted and inspired by you and your superbly super writings! I am blessed toward my evening and nightfall in a spiritual manner by your great writings, and by having joyfully visited your splendid blog post website again! I am eagerly anticipating when your other new great book, “Welling Up,” will come out! I am sure going to buy this very fine and excellent book as soon as it comes out! I so love your spiritual and courageous book, “Way Opens,” so, so very much! I so loved reading about your journey! You were so honest and loving in what you so graciously shared in this fine book! I love your other books and writing so, so very much as well, sister!
Patricia, you are such a dear and precious white sister and ally in solidarity to me and to other women and people of color! You please have a very nice and a blessed rest of your day! And to you my white sister, I say to you a very prayerful with positive thoughts and energy your way, “Namaste.”
Very Sincerely Always,
Your lesbian black sister in solidarity, Sherry Gordon
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