MY TEACHER'S BIRTHDAY

MY TEACHER'S BIRTHDAY

December 17, 2009

In this newsletter:
December 17: Today is my teacher’s birthday
Christmas in the Bahamas: Symposium
Dec 09: Yoga Journal Review of Jesus in the Lotus
Christmas Message: All Children of the Most High
Love the earth this season: Ways to give on a $0 budget

Dear friends,

TODAY IS MY TEACHER'S BIRTHDAY
First, I want to share with you that today, December 17th , is my mentor Bede Griffiths’ birthday. Bede was truly an extraordinary man. His Indian swami name was Dayananda, the bliss of compassion, and he truly embodied compassion every moment of his life that I knew him. I am not exaggerating here. Bede had other limitations: he could be annoyed and irritable and, at times, terribly impractical. He was never, ever upset with a person, only with an action in itself and he was always compassionate in the most profound way. It was the way he would look at you, with such transparency, that it would immediately melt any negative thoughts or emotions that were circulating in the mind or heart. At the same time, he was very human and I will admit that he had an ego. In fact, I do not know of any spiritual teacher without an ego. Good spiritual teachers, and evolved humans (who are the best spiritual teachers though they don't officially teach) know how to manage their egos well: that’s the difference. Authentic spirituality expresses itself best in the ability to keep one's ego transparent, most of the time at least. This transparency allows us to see the deep Self through their eyes, which are rarely clouded by judgement, critisism or evaluation of any kind, only total acceptance and unconditional love. Bede maintained this abysmal depth in his deep blue eyes and they provided me with an active window that opened into divinity. Whatever I am today, whatever I have realized spiritually, I owe a great deal to him. Just for today, I will share with you a picture of these extraordinary eyes.

PLEASE USE THIS LINK TO VIEW THEM: www.russillpaul.com/bede.html

CHRISTMAS IN THE BAHAMAS
I am pleased to invite you to spend Christmas with me and a number of other spiritual teachers from traditions around the world at the Sivananda Yoga Retreat in Nassau, Bahamas. What better way to usher in the sense of Emmanuel (God is with us) and to celebrate the cycle of new birth this winter than to affirm the coming together of traditions, a need that must happen repeatedly so that we can forge the archetype of the world soul that is hallmark of the new millennium. It is, I hear, the best time of the year to be in the Bahamas. Additionally, my ecstatic brothers, Ajay and Pankaj Sharma will be presenting along with me.

THIS DECEMBER ON PARADISE ISLAND, NASSAU
CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR SYMPOSIUM AND CELEBRATION
UNITY IN DIVERSITY: MERGING IN THE ONE, REJOICING IN THE MANY

FOR MORE INFORMATION, USE THIS LINK:
http://www.sivanandabahamas.org/index.php?page_id=1001

Mystics and saints of all religions and spiritual traditions know that despite our apparent differences, in our very essence we are one. This holiday season the Sivananda Retreat in Nassau Bahamas continues their tradition of bringing together spiritual leaders, mystics and musicians from the world’s major spiritual traditions to celebrate the unity within our diversity and the common wish to bring peace, love and harmony to the world.

Dec 23rd evening: "The Ecstatic Heart of Bhava" (Kirtan Concert with the Bhakti Boys)

Dec 25th morning workshop: "The Yoga of Sound: Applications of Music and Mantra in Yogic Spirituality"

Dec 25th evening: "Anandajaya: Joy to the World" (Kirtan Concert with the Bhakti Boys)

I will be back at the Sivananda Retreat in March 2010, presenting workshops and concerts as part of their yoga teacher training programs. The Sivananda Yoga retreat specializes in yoga teacher training programs. My own introduction to yoga was through the Sivananda lineage in India. Their approach is well rounded, for not only are they strong on yoga philosophy and meditation, but also the practice of mantra. In addition, there is their strong interfaith and interspiritual efforts that began with Swami Sivananda himself and which continues with all of his direct disciples and the communities they in turn inspired. Nassau is one of these powerful hot spots for the richness of this lineage.

To learn more about the Sivananda Retreat in Nassau and the various programs they offer, please visit www.sivanandabahamas.org

YOGA JOURNAL REVIEW: DECEMBER 2009 ISSUE

Russill Paul, a former Benedictine monk and current yogi, sets out to delineate how contemporary Christianity can open itself up to the divine union that is the ultimate goal of yoga practice. He expands the definition of what it means to practice yoga, arguing that true Christianity, free of the “institutional superstructure” of the modern church that preaches estrangement from the body, has much in common with yogic spirituality.” Yoga can help Christians realize the body is an essential vehicle for spiritual realization,” he writes, adding that this can be done without worshiping the massive Hindu pantheon. Instead, when a person practices asana, Paul writes, the body opens up, as does the mind, leaving the practitioner to ponder Christianity's grander mysteries. Paul's passion for the topic and his deep scholarly knowledge definitely help build a bridge to understanding the still-nascent and ever evolving spiritual life of Western yoga culture.

Read the complete review at: www.russillpaul.com/articles/article/1174815/135809.htm

CHRISTMAS MESSAGE: WE ARE ALL CHILDREN OF THE MOST HIGH

Each year, Christians around the world celebrate Christmas as the starting point of their tradition, the moment in time (and space) in which God enters the world in a very special and particular way, as the Son of God. It is uncomfortable for non-Christians to hear Christians declare that Jesus was and remains the only Son of God. “How is this possible?” they ask, “Are we not all children of God?” In what way is Jesus different or special? The first comparison is that of Avatars; however, avatars (in most cases) do not claim to be sons (or daughters) of God but the Divine itself. Ramakrishna, however, is a glorious example of a child of the divine mother.

Perhaps we shall never know the answer to this question about how unique is Jesus’ relationship to God, at least not in any way that makes sense to our rational minds. However, here below are a number of quotations from Bible that should help make us all feel special this Christmas season: no one is excluded. Have a very, merry Christmas and don’t forget to appreciate the Mother of God this holiday season. Jai Ma.

Deuteronomy 14:1
"Ye are the children of the Lord your God”

Matthew 7:9-11 (New International Version)
"If you, then, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”

Matthew 5:47
“Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your father in heaven is perfect. “

Psalm 82:6
"I have said, you are gods [and goddesses]; and all of you are children of the most high."

Matthew 5:45
“So that you may be sons [and daughters] of your father who is in heaven.”

Hosea 1:10
"You are the sons [and daughters] of the living God."

Matthew 6:9
"So pray: our father in heaven, holy is your name."

John 20:17
"I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God."

Romans 8:16-17
"The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God”

LOVE THE EARTH THIS SEASON: WAYS TO GIVE ON A $0 BUDGET

Donate empties: Instead of contributing to a landfill, give ink and toner cartridges a purpose. Hundreds of nonprofits, including Habitat for Humanity (habitat.org), Meals on Wheels (mowaa.org), and the Humane Society (humanesociety.org), collect and resell empty cartridges to companies that sell empty cartridges to companies that I cartridge can fetch up to $5 for the charity. (Your cost: $0)

Surf for the Earth: Powered by Google, ecosearch.org :urns the same search results 1 It with an environmental kick: The site donates 100 percent of search revenues - created by ads displayed alongside query results - to nonprofits, such as Rainforest Alliance and Sierra Club. Simply go to ecosearch.org, or make it your computer’s default search engine. (Your cost: $0)

LEARN MORE: Nicole Bouchard Boles, author of How to be an Everyday Philanthropist (Workman, 2009), has hundreds of ideas for low- and no-cost ways to make a difference. Visit her at www.nicolebouchardboles.com

The word philanthropy may conjure up images of wealthy donors who build entire hospital wings and endow foundations, but you don’t have to be a Rockefeller to make an impact. Nowadays, the lean economy is forcing charities to meet a higher demand with lower supply, so the adage “every little bit helps” has never rung truer. And according to a recent report by World Vision, 84 percent of adults would prefer to receive a gift that helps someone else. Spread goodwill this season, one small act of giving at a time …
Source: http://deliciouslivingmag.com/11-25-give-on-budget/index.html

Wishing you a blessed holiday season,

In One Spirit,

Russill

Christmas, 2009

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