Love Serve Meditate Realize

Saturday, Jan 30, 2016 More Than Meets the Eyes

 

After working at Param Yoga for five years, I shouldn’t be surprised by the extraordinary synchronicities that happen in and around the studio on a regular basis, but I’m still amazed when events come together as if they’ve been orchestrated by design.

Gorillas in the Midst

Kerry Morris had several close encounters with mountain gorillas on her trip to Uganda.

When Kerry Morris took her dream trip to Uganda and assembled a wonderful slideshow of her adventures to share with our community, students wanted to know how they could get involved with helping the people of Uganda. Kerry had said they needed school supplies, but the cost to ship a box of notebooks and writing implements to Africa was almost as much as the supplies themselves.

One morning in her meditation, Marydale received a message that we needed to send eyeglasses to Uganda. She mentioned this to me and asked me to put it in the January newsletter to let our community know that this would be an ongoing project for 2016.

On my way to the studio one morning in late December, I was contemplating the newsletter and wondering about the logistics involved in sending glasses to Uganda. While waiting at a light, I happened to glance over at an SUV in the lane next to me and saw a decal on its back window featuring a pair of glasses and the words “Eyes on Africa.” You have got to be kidding me!

 

Eyes on Africa Logo

 

As soon as I arrived at the studio, I went on the computer and looked up Eyes on Africa. It is a charity that donates eyeglasses to communities in Africa with no access to vision care—and it’s located less than four miles from Param Yoga! I emailed the founder, Sherry Grigsby, and she responded right away to say that she’d love to work with us. In fact, most of her contacts in Africa are in…you guessed it…Uganda.

Sherry Grigsby

Sherry Grigsby with a grateful recipient of donated glasses through Eyes on Africa.

We met with Sherry at the studio and learned of her own incredible journey with Eyes on Africa, from spontaneously giving of pair of reading glasses to a lady she met while on a trip to South Africa more than a decade ago to partnering with companies like Diff Eyewear and Y&R apparel, which donate a pair of glasses to Eyes on Africa for each pair sold.

Although Sherry’s focus is on Africa, Marydale’s heart lies with Kriya Yoga and India, so she asked if it would be possible to send eyeglasses to the Prajnana Mission run by Kriya Yoga International in Odisha, India. Within days, Sherry had delivered a box of 279 pairs of glasses prepared for shipment to India.

Given this auspicious beginning to our relationship with Eyes on Africa, we anticipate many interesting developments in the months ahead, starting with a special event at the studio on Friday, February 12th. Our new neighbor, Martina with My Creative Outlet, is having her Grand Opening celebration and Param Yoga will be open from 7:00 – 9:30 pm selling authentic, handmade African arts and crafts to raise funds for Eyes on Africa. There will be an encore presentation of Kerry’s slideshow, a Q&A, entertainment, food and fun. Our next door neighbor, Rhennie Viloria with Go Build Business, will also be open to showcase products and services that assist entrepreneurs on the path to success, so be sure to join us on the 12th to support women in business and promote a worthy cause.

 

posted by Kirsten K.


Friday, Jan 01, 2016 A Message from Marydale – January 2016

 

Feet of the GuruIt is with great faith and anticipation of all good things that together we step across the threshold of a New Year filled with promise and fulfillment. Through the standards of numerology, 2016 is a (number) nine year signifying completion and the culmination of all that you have put forth in the last eight years. It takes us above and beyond the small-minded, self-centered “I” into the all-encompassing, Universal “I”. For this very reason, it is time to step up into your ability to engage life to its fullest, anchored on a strong practice based on love, prayer and daily meditation.

This year, the focus of our Param Yoga community is to make a concerted effort to truly understand who you are through constant self-inquiry and introspection. This soul searching study, when done with sincere enthusiasm and focus, will reveal to you a depth and breadth of living that is incredibly rewarding. Paramahamsa Prajnanananda encourages all of us to use this inquiry as the foundation for all other spiritual practices that we engage in daily to assist us into recognizing eternal love, peace and great joy.

Through the last five years we, as a community, have studied and implemented the essence of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra to bring yoga to life on all levels. In response to many of you wanting to learn more, we are very excited to offer an in-depth video study with Prajnananadaji every Wednesday evening at 7:00 PM at the studio led by Yogacharya Richard Peterson. This will be an ongoing class offered on a donation basis (recommended donation $7 per week). You are encouraged to join us as often as possible. Reservations are not required.

It is my sincere hope that this year will be filled with Grace for you and yours. It is my joy to be sharing the path with you!

All Love, all the time,

Marydale Signature

 

“As sincere seekers of Truth, we should be like a burning lamp and live in light and help others by showing light, thereby kindling the flame of knowledge and love in others.” – Paramahamsa Prajnananada