I love this statement. It reminds me to be open to giving and open to receiving.
Giving
An open palm asks, “What can I offer up?” ” How can I be of service?”
If you want to find enlightenment, peace and a sense of purpose ask yourself these very questions. Ask the Divine to literally make you an instrument of thy peace. Often we are focused on what we can get for ourselves out of the fear that if we don’t get all we can then someone else will get it and we will be missing out. We clench our fist and hold on tight. The Open Palm knows that there is much for everyone and that the universe rewards those in service.
Being in service is also a wonderful way to transcend the victim mentality that can be easy to fall into. When we offer up an Open Palm we become sacred activists – those who act in the service to life on the planet and to the flow of the Universe within them. I have a good friend whose father is very ill with cancer. Instead of falling into the trap of self-pity she committed herself to spending quality time with her family and offering her help to her Mom, she re-examined what she wanted in her own life and organized a dayof Yoga for the Cure to raise money for cancer research. Rather than succumbing to anger, resentment or sadness she used this time to open herself to be of service even more. A closed fist shakes its hand at God and an open palm says show me the way.
Receiving
Being of service to others may come easily to you but receiving in return may be the challenge.
During a recent Yoga teacher training class students talked about the challenge of receiving. They said they felt selfish when others were doing for them. This may feel familiar to you. The wisdom of the Open Palm is that we are open to welcoming the service of others and in fact we have an open heart toward others. When we are open to receiving we allow others and the Divine to offer up their open palms to us and in turn be of service. Remember how great you feel when a gift you give delights another. Why would we want to rob others of this experience?
It took me some time to learn to receive in my marriage. My husband was always offering to pick things up or drive me when the weather was bad and I always said no thanks. One day he told me how happy it made him to be able to help me. I had not thought of it this way – that I was actually taking something away from him by NOT taking his offerings. From then on I accepted the offers which not only made my life easier but also our relationship. We all truly want to be in service. Are you stopping someone from offering their services up?
The Open Palm knows that receiving is a powerful gesture of love and abundance. The universe is waiting to give you all you seek and desire most deeply. Do you feel worthy? Are your fists clenched or open?
All of life is a flowing out and flowing inward. Like your own breath there is a flow outward that sustains the world and a flow inward that sustains yourSelf. Coming truly into balance means finding an easy, open relationship with both. You are worthy!
Wishing you all love.
Namaste,
Shasta
Fill up your heart and join us at Balanced Life Yoga Ajax for an afternoon of heartfelt practice with chanting goddess Brenda McMorrow.
“True Being Through Chanting” An Introduction to the Art and Practice of Kirtan – with Special Guest Brenda McMorrow
Saturday, February 5, 2011 2-4pm
Join devotional chant artist Brenda McMorrow in this special workshop where we will explore the healing, sacred sounds of ancient mantra and the joyous singing of kirtan (a practice of devotional or Bhakti Yoga). A special focus will be put on how this powerful practice serves to remind, awaken and enliven the truth of Who We Are! Open to people interested in singing, meditation, yoga, sound healing and anyone wanting to try something heart-opening and new! No experience necessary! Brenda McMorrow shares her special brand of heart-opening Kirtan chant with people far and wide. Her highly anticipated 2′nd album of Devotional songs “Love Abounds” was released by White Swan Records (Deva Premal/MC Yogi) in September ‘10. Brenda calls beautiful Guelph, Ontario home. www.brendamcmorrow.com $30
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Shasta Townsend
A celebrated transformational leader and a leading pioneer in embodied spirituality and Yoga, Shasta has inspired hundreds of people through her breakthrough methods for awakening and empowering your inner voice and divine power. Director, founder and senior teacher with Balanced Life Yoga, she delivers public talks, seminars and trainings on evolution and empowerment. She draws on a wide variety of techniques including Yoga, Shamanis, meditation, energy healing, coaching and the Law of Attraction. She is especially appreciated for her passionate way of allowing individuals to make sense of their world and embodied, holistic means to become the change they wish to see.
As early as in her teenage years, Shasta embarked on her journey as a spiritual explorer which led her to India, where she studied yoga, meditation and energy healing. She has studied with many remarkable mentors and she has undergone thousands of hour’s intense practice of meditation and spiritual studies. Shasta has taken every opportunity to become adept in her field through her own practice as well as through extensive training in yoga, group dynamics, meditation and spiritual counselling.
Written by Shasta
Shasta loves to see women of all ages recognize, access, and utilize the greatness within them, and to be a small part of it. She is skilled at cracking the lockbox of limitation and revealing one’s inner gifts. She is a feisty champion of creating an unlimited life where ease, joy, and freedom reign, regardless of the circumstances. Shasta’s expertise in these matters does not come from a few letters behind her name, but from her own investigation, learning, and journey. Thanks to this, her offerings are not regurgitated from another’s textbook, but from her own personal evolution and inner guidance. Shasta shares her passion for living well as a Featured Columnist at Elephant Journal, The Good Men Project, Rebelle Society and Vivid Life. Shasta leads retreats, workshops and talks around the world. She lives in Canada with her husband, cat and creative impulse. Her debut book, Happy, Sexy, Shameless – What Our Mother’s Didn’t Know About the Birds and the Bees is available through amazon.com
