Dear Kobi and Pazit, you were the two guides I needed to receive insights about my professional path and to deepen my spiritual practice. You helped me to dissolve some little gray zones by replacing them with your contagious glowing white light. You know how to radiate your inner wisdom to make us shine.  “אנשים טובים באמצע הדרך”  (good people in the middle of the path). May our paths cross again. With all of my love and gratitude.

It’s been almost two months since I have written. I don’t know for you, but I did miss sharing my reflexions.

In the last article I published from Laos I was talking about my plan to “give myself a month without any decision to make … A month to learn, clear my head, nourish my heart, re-energize my body and let life unfold before my eyes”. A birthday month I would spent at the Vagabond Temple, a center of yoga and meditation in Cambodia run by Kobi & Pazit, an inspirational Israeli couple that put all of their hearts into it.

Such as traveling, an experience of a month in a yoga and meditation center is very personal. I read my notes and I told myself that there were some reflections and lessons learned worth to be shared.

“We are our own guru. Our own light. Our own compass. ”
Kobi, co-owner of the Vagabond Temple

A busy schedule
When I arrived at the Vagabond Temple, I was so happy to settle down at the same place for an entire month. But I didn’t expect to feel that trapped by the schedule. I felt I had not enough free time to read about Buddhism nor to write.

To give you a better idea, a regular day at the temple was as follow:

• 6 am: Wake up in silence
• 6:30 am: Self-practice – meditation or yoga
• 7 am to 9 am: Hatha Yoga
• 9 am: Breakfast
• 10 am: Karma Yoga – This is the yoga of conscious action. Each participant receives a small chore to do (sweeping the floor, cleaning the yoga hall, feeding the fish, collecting the mangoes that felt from the trees.)
• 12 pm: Dhamma Talk: Teachings on Buddhism followed sometimes by a meditation practice
• 1 pm: Lunch
• 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm: Free time. Coaching sessions or other energy treatments
• 4:30 pm to 6 pm: Yoga (yin, kundalini, with a partner)
• 6 pm: Dinner
• 7 pm to 7:30 pm: Meditation
• 8 pm to 9:30 pm: Free Time
• 9:30 pm: Silence & Bedtime

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The first days, I was surprised to be annoyed by the constant noise. The noise of the conversations after a practice, of the same questions and of the loud music playing during the karma yoga.

I also felt intimidated by the group of 30 people I had to share my daily life with. Many of them arrived all at the same time two months ago. I felt like a black butterfly wanting to return into its cocoon, far away from civilisation. I needed so much silence … and depth.

My other challenge involved my sleep. My energy is very sensitive to others. So whenever I share my bed or a room with others my sleep gets very light, interrupted or worse absent.

Of course after a few days I wondered if I had made the right choice by coming back to the Vagabond Temple. There was a reason that brought me back here and I needed to trust the process to found out what it was.

“Learn to let go the quest in order to find it.
Answers will come in silence with meditation.“, Kobi

I applied Buddhist principles learned in the past. I observed my emotions by being fully aware of them so I could let them go. It didn’t happen in a single day, trust me. Thanks to the program and the community I learned and healed.

I also understood core issues thanks to my life coaching with Kobi. His soft angelic presence reassured me in so many ways. He listened to my story with such compassion while being able to bring together the missing and broken connections between my past, my present and my future.

Each part of your life,

Each experience,
Each person you meet,
Each “accident” that happens to you,

Are all part of the divine picture of your life.

All God-created lessons you need to learn
for the sole and single purpose
of finding your own way in your life.

Learn to recognize every single life puzzle of your life
and learn to become fully aware of the meaning of every single piece of your life puzzle.
And be grateful for it all!

(from the blog mygratitudelife.wordpress.com)

Fasting on coconut water
This was my second experience of fasting and both took place at the Vagabond Temple. This time for a 7-day program comparing to 5 days in January. Our daily menu consisted of unlimited coconut water rich in minerals and sugar cane juice known as a high-energy drink with a low glycemic index.

Every day our group of 6 brave souls gathered with Kobi for a period of exchange and discussions about nutrition, detox and ayurvedic approaches. We also had a daily massage from a blind Cambodian masseur or a reiki session while following the regular schedule of the yoga and meditation classes.

It is important to say that fasting is not about losing weight. The purpose of fasting is to give a break to the digestive system so that the body can take time to heal, regenerate and remove toxins. After two or three days of fasting, hunger is replaced by a sense of well-being and serenity. To have a coach and to be part of a group make all the difference. Everyone went through similar emotions at various times and we could all count on each other.

Because a break is given to the digestive system that otherwise works up to 17 hours a day, the nervous system occupies a greater role. Emotions are more present, as well as dreams and nightmares. Senses are more developed, the smell of the food is improved and so is the taste when we start to eat again. It is quite fascinating.

Past illness that were not completely healed may also resurface. In my case, I had a crisis of insomnia and pain in the neck, shoulder blade and-lower back. I was physically in a very bad condition, but surprisingly radiant at the end of the fast.

My first night of insomnia brought me back to Mexico two years ago when I suffered of the same feeling. At that time, I was intensively looking for a way to realize my dream of living abroad … the cycle is now completed. The pain in my neck and shoulder blade is recurring. I learned that the pain in the neck can be related to forgiveness toward others or yourself (yes, indeed!). The shoulders carry responsibilities. It may indicates that one is carrying too many burdens.

These ailments were treated by reiki, a Japanese healing technique “that uses simple hands-on, no-touch, and visualization techniques, with the goal of improving the flow of life energy in a person.” (from the Medical dictionary). Thank you Mihal for your soft energy and your powerful hands.

Meditation and Buddhism
Did you know that every day our brain produces about 60,000 thoughts? About 95% of them are identical to the one we had the day before not to mention that 80% of them are negative. Unbelievable! This example alone is worth talking about meditation!

Meditation is a state of mind rather than a practice, was telling us Kobi. “A way to develop the habit of observing your thoughts by not being attached to what is happening. To accept what is going on instead of trying to find reasons. By letting it be, you are letting it go.”

Meditation allows us to reduce our negative thoughts by replacing them with beneficial intentions. By meditating, we are gaining control over our thoughts instead of letting them control us. For every negative thoughts that arises erase them conscientiously by saying it mentally or by imagining yourself doing so (with an eraser for exemple).

I was listening to a Buddhist monk talking about happiness. She said that in order to be happy we need to do two things:

1. We need to stop outsourcing our happiness and unhappiness on the people and circumstances.
   We need to stop attributing our happiness to what’s going on externally.
   We need to stop blaming others for our unhappiness.
2. Actively cultivate a source of peace and happiness inside our mind.
   Happiness and unhappiness are states of mind. Therefore the real causes cannot be found outside the mind. It’s not what’s happening that makes us happy or not. It’s how we are responding to those things.

This is the kind of teachings we were receiving during the “Dhamma Talk” (in Pali language) or “Dharma Talk” (in Sanskrit language), the old name attributed to discourse on Buddhism.

Meditations in practice
What I liked about the Vagabond Temple is that we explored various meditation techniques. A great way to find out which ones suit you best.

Here are a few ones I particularly enjoyed

Traditional. In silence in a sitting position (demi lotus or on a chair) you are watching your breath while acknowledging your thoughts. Once a thought arise simply inwardly nod at it by saying “thinking” three times to yourself and the thought will disappear. You will then be able to return your full attention to your breath.

Alternate nostril breathing. This technique is an excellent starting point for meditation. It soothes, cleanses and strengthens the nervous system. It’s thought to harmonize the two hemispheres of the brain.

Walking Meditation. This technique is about cultivating mindfulness as you walk. With each step you need to feel the sensations of lifting your foot and leg off the ground then mindfully place your foot back down. This is a great alternative to those who have difficulties to stay still or to sit in a meditation position. I recommend to do it in nature whenever possible.

Kundalini – With the mantra SA-TA-NA-MA. This powerful mantra means: (SA) Infinity, (TA) Life /Creativity,  (Na) Death / Transformation and (Ma) Rebirth. This meditation opens the mind to the possibility of transformation and change.

Osho Active or dynamic meditations. Another world! Born in India, Osho was saying that people of the 21^st century are too stressed to sit quietly and meditate. He created active meditations to release blocages, repressed feelings and tensions in our body and mind that prevent us from thinking clearly. Each meditation begins with an intense physical stage of activity such as dancing, followed by a relaxation stage and a moment of stillness. All stages are accompanied by a specific music. It will get you out of your comfort zone!

Full Moon Meditations on a solstice evening
On June 20, I understood why I came back to the Vagabond Temple. A few days earlier, I asked Kobi what was planned for the full moon. After a brief exchange, he looked at me with his big smile and said: “I want you to do it!”.

Under a full moon hidden by clouds, with my white dress on, sitting peacefully in front of a group of 30 people, I was about to guide my first meditation ritual. A delicate music was playing to set the tone. Everyone was laying down in a full moon circle surrounded by fuchsia petals and jasmine flowers.

Here’s what I told them.

Sacred Full Moon
During the full moon everything is magnified. Many spiritual practitioners use this special energy to deepen their practice and to meditate. It is a powerful time to gather so the entire world can feel the benefits of the radiant energy of the full moon.

In Buddhism, all of the outstanding events in the life of Buddha took place on full moon days. The day he was born, his enlightenment… Full moon days are public holidays in many Buddhist countries and people usually respect a vegetarian diet on Buddha days.

In India, ancient belief says the moon is the controller of the water and is circulating through the universe.

In Bali, Hindus visit the family temple dressed in white and loaded with baskets of offerings to honour their ancestors. Rituals of purification in the water are also popular.

Why white clothes?
As I asked them to wear white clothes if possible, some asked me why. There are several meanings. White is supposed to help to connect with the divine source. In Bali, priests are always dressed in white only. It is said to bring clarity, to cleanse, to purify and to give a sense of strength and expansion to the aura. In Sri Lanka, Buddhists go to the temple dressed in white only. Practitioners of Kundalini also wear white.

Releasing and letting go
The energetic action of a full moon is to release and to let go. It is an act of closure. Comparing to the energy of a new moon (black moon) when it is the time to send our intentions to the universe.

Full moon is the moment to shed light on our habits, blockages and subconscious patterns that are no longer serving us.

A time to reflect, evaluate yourself and your life and to let go.  Time to burn down what’s no longer working in your life to make space for new beginnings for that internal flame to glow.

After a guided meditation under a heavy rain, we finished the ceremony by writing down what we wanted to release and we burned the paper afterwards.

There was a beautiful and serene energy after the ceremony. Most of the people stayed to exchange with others, to take pictures of the angel card they drew containing a divine message for them. Some came to tell me how much they appreciated the ritual and how happy they were for me. Their smiles and their big hugs encompassed my entire being with such a warm and wonderful feeling. A new path had just opened…

The card I drew at the end of the ceremony tells it all!

“Life is like an echo. What you send out comes back to you many, many times! ”
Master Choa Kok Sui

Powerful Mantras
Singing mantras in the morning after a yoga or a meditation practice is something I enjoy and highly recommend.

The origin of mantras goes back to sacred texts called “Vedas”. A mantra is a sacred hymn whose vibration of sound has a beneficial effect on the listener or who recites silently within or out loud. Each mantra has its own rhythm, a specific vibration and a special effects. There are mantras in Sanskrit as well as in many other Asian languages. The word OM is a mantra unto itself and perhaps the most well-known.

The power of mantras does not lie in their meaning but in their vibratory effects created by each syllable. A complete cycle involves to repeat the mantra 108 times, a powerful number with countless explanations that you can find on the Web. But a mantra can also be repeated for a shorter period of time. I was reading that the normal number of times a mantra can be recited is 3, 11, 21, 27, 54 or 108 times or more. Pazit would tell you, what matters is that you sing it with all your heart.

You can start by familiarizing yourself with the mantras by listening to them. Deva Premal sings many mantras arranged with a beautiful music.

Here are two of my favorite at the moment:

• Gayatri Mantra – is considered one of the most powerful mantras. This prayer is known for its transforming power and liberating effect. In Hinduism, Gayatri is the Divine Mother, the mother of all gods. It embodies the unconditional love that transcends all and heals all. It symbolizes spiritual healing, the sacred feminine force and inner peace.

The Vedas say: “To chant the Gayatri Mantra purifies the chanter. To listen to the Gayatri Mantra purifies the listener.”

• Ganesha Mantra – Ganesha is the Hindu God with the elephant head. He is the remover of all kinds of obstacles, external as internal and he can open the doors to success. This mantra develops creative intelligence, clarity of mind and helps us to let go.

And about the little black butterfly
Yes, you guessed it. The little black butterfly learned how to create its external and inner space, its balance and its harmony within the Vagabond Temple. Thanks to all I mentioned above and between the lines:). And to the precious souls I connected with.

I wish you a summer full of sweetness … and to treat yourself with a few minutes of daily meditation and chanting during your holidays!

 

To find out more

Meditations

• SaTa Na Ma Guided Meditation 
• Osho Active Meditations
• New Moon Guided Meditation 
• Full Moon Guided Meditation

Mantras

• Gayatri Mantra – long version by Deva Premal 
• Gayatri Mantra – version with words to chant

• Ganesha Mantra – by Ajeet Kaur 
• Ganesha Mantra– version with words to chant

P. S.: Do not hesitate to share your meditation experiences or other spiritual approaches you undertake. I would be happy to hear from you and to get to know you better!