Serve, love, give, purify, meditate, realize…these are the words of one of the greatest Karma Yogis this world will ever know, Sri Swami Sivananda, father of Rishikesh. If there were ever any additional words one could include in this phrase, to offer more insight into the progression of ‘the enlightened path’, they would be in my opinion transformation and expansion.
The essence of this truth was initially deeply rooted in Rishikesh which had become the world’s gateway to spiritual enlightenment, however there is a great lack of understanding and practise of this yogic art.
My first journey to India in June/July 2013 defined my purpose and gave me belief in something far greater than ‘I’, my authentic version of ‘Self’. I was 37 years old, weighing 78 kilograms, on anti-depressants. Using the words ‘unhappy with my life and my looks’ was an understatement. During this time I experienced the worst monsoon floods in over 88 years which caused devastating effects in the northern region leaving many, including already homeless sadhus, in dire circumstances. I was compelled with the skills I had to begin working on the streets providing specialist foot care, first aid, and health and hygiene education. Since then my humanitarian efforts have extended towards various animal, social and environmental initiatives. In a natural motherly role I became a carer and friend for many, and am assured of a much deeper soul connection to those I have touched.
Ten years later, looking back on the accomplishments, the many challenges and personal sacrifices, there is real evidence that Karma Yoga and its application is a solution to the dilemma many yogis are facing in a saturated and competitive industry.
Karma Yoga can inspire, unleash creative potential, change attitudes and become an important tool for growth and development in anyone’s life. And, it can bring in a new perspective, clarity and abundance, for yoga teachers struggling to find their individuality and true purpose.
In these impressionable beginning years I experienced an evolution of my own consciousness, a spiritual awakening and sincere desire to fulfil a calling to serve. I have also repeatedly felt a burning desire to ‘return home’ and have ultimately realized it is loving and nurturing a relationship with one’s ‘self’ that connects us to Spirit, God. Understanding how to apply the techniques offers one an opportunity to become reacquainted, remembering how infinite we are, an ability to heal the different aspects of mind, body and spirit to bring one into union, a high vibrational love frequency.
Living this way, my true essence, has helped me to overcome the many obstacles I have faced doing such intense humanitarian work. The phrase ‘the truth will set you free’, as cliché as it may sound, is apt when one openly receives this knowledge, applies and practises it with conviction, renouncing all action in service without expectation or control of the outcome.
Receiving some basic knowledge during my first two hundred hour yoga teacher training was a catalyst to an extraordinary sequence of events which gave my life new meaning. As I began to absorb into the experiences of giving and letting go, using these moments of magic and synchronicity to propel me, I began to renounce past versions of myself.
I have been the administrator of Rishikesh Yogis Community Facebook page since December 2018 and have seen the decline of connection, sharing, transparency and collaboration between yoga schools and ashrams. I have been witness to many idiosyncrasies and competitive hypocritical behaviour. It is with a deep sense of sorrow that I feel the imbalance of Rishikesh, and hope my role as Karma Yogi will serve to inspire and motivate others within the yoga community. My opinion in these matters are messages I am being guided to share at this time with the utmost sincerity. I am only sharing these messages with you as they are being revealed to me through my own experiences and realizations in Divine timing.
In April 2018 I began working remotely with Doon Animal Welfare and later in the year I was compelled to start Rishikesh Animal Welfare, an online resource centre facilitating emergencies. I have always invited open communication between NGO’s, non-profit organisations and like-minded individuals, but here in Rishikesh there seems to be an ongoing competition between resources fighting for foreign investments, instead of working together. I receive first hand messages and information pertaining to the poor state of animals, specifically dogs and cows, pollution, infrastructure and municipal services as well as the ongoing problem of poverty, starvation and even domestic violence as alcohol abuse is on the increase. I am always hopeful that my efforts will inspire positive forward thinking, communication, bring in trust and a way for us to combine services and resources to make the necessary long term impact and change to this region. Various Hindi news articles were syndicated during this time about my service to India and the importance of Karma Yoga according to The Bhagavad Gita. I could never have imagined in ‘my old life’ that I was capable of such miracles.
It has been impressed upon me by my spirit to share my experiences, to bring some clarity to the things we need to do for healing and liberation of the self. In my belief the most sustainable way to live is to love.
We are living in one of the most essential time periods of the awakening and evolution of this planet. Earth changes are a call to action. I am encouraging you to let go of things that no longer serve you and to learn more about your true purpose and potential, gifts and hidden abilities. It is vitally important to be incorporating our actions and work towards a collective intention, ‘the need of the hour’ – to heal. It is also important to acknowledge the call, to work together towards comm-unity. A life of service, in honour of the collective will make the world a better place just by the energy of the intention alone, sustainable abundance as nature intended.
“What we ‘do’ and who we ‘touch’ has a rippling effect” – mission statement