And so, we have almost come to the end of the Yoga Teacher Training at Northern Light. 8 journeys to Oslo. 8 steps on the road.
A journey we didn't take by ourselves, but as a group. A memory that we are never alone. If we open our eyes, we see that we are many on the road.
Before us, next to us an after us.
Whatever we are going through, deeply painful life experiences and existential questions. Believe that this is the road for all of us, even though it might look different.
And as with everything on earth, we have to accept and embody the duality of it all. We are never alone. And yet, we are always.
Do you dare to take that? Being alone in all our experiences. In all our actions and reactions. In all consequences we bear.
Do you dare to straighten your back and claim responsibility? Do you dare to step forward and shoulder your life, proudly?
I stand here. I am here. I am.
A good spiritual practise cannot happen without a sturdy grounding in life, and sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is to plant your feet into the earth and work hard in this human world.
Our 8 assembly embodied the theme of authority. Self-authority.
What a fitting end of our journey together.
What a fitting beginning of our own journey still ahead.
Do we stand straight in life?
Roots deep in the earth.
Spine straight to carry the weight.
Branches bending in the wind so they don't break.
What does that look like for you?
It is a journey about deep care for ourselves. About setting healthy boundaries but keeping an open heart.
And with that open heart we step out into the world. A brave thing it is.
Many of us will become teachers. And receiving the certificate from KRI, The Kundalini Research Institute, comes with a code of ethics to sign and a lifestyle recommendation. It is a pledge of holding to a certain standard, while bringing the teachings into the world.
Luckily, we had a healthy class discussion about the items on these lists. And even more interesting, we were encouraged to write our own code of ethics.
It is something all of us already have, but maybe never tried to put into words.
By which standards do you live your live? And even more important: Why?
Have a look at how you do things the way you do. Is it equal? Or do you expect more from others then from yourself?
You can only receive what you give.
Especially as a teacher, you have a function as mirror and a gateway. What do you want to bring forward? One of the items on my list?
“If I want to live in a better world, then I have to bring it.”
A beautiful last session in the heart of Oslo.
And even though this part of the journey has come to an end, it never really will. The lessons will spiral back into our lives and bring us deeper and higher from the centre point.
I heard someone say recently:
“The finish line is for the ego, but the journey is for the soul.”
It is the surrendering to the spiral of life, while being in the present moment, for that is all there ever is.
So let us shoulder life and carry a mirror for those who have forgotten that they can too.