This beautiful image is of my Guru, Swami Shankarananda and my spiritual Mother and Mother of the Ashram, (The Mt Eliza Ashram), Devi Ma Saraswati, chanting during a summer program in Mt Eliza Victoria Australia.

Prayer to Shri Gurudev

May everyone’s life be a paradise

May the trivial feeling of “I and mine” disappear

and the knowledge of Chiti arise in our hearts.

May all beings always worship you with love and equanimity,

and the movement of our breath ever repeat

the mantra So’ham.

Bless me, that I may worship you

with awareness of the Self of all.

May I abandon distinctions of race, religion, and language,

and keep my mind in purity.

May I behold you, Gurunath, in the great and small,

the suffering and poor, the noble and foolish.

Give me simplicity of mind, a humble spirit,

and a generous heart.

May I be the bestower of true knowledge.

Grant me this boon, Gurudev:

May I always meditate on you in the temple of my heart.

O Self of all! May I always love the all-pervasive light.

May I be devoted to you, O Guru.

Let my awareness be steadfast in knowledge,

Yoga and meditation.

Baba Muktananda. book📙 Play of Consciousness

I met Swamiji and received Shaktipat awakening a divine transmission of Shakti from him, in 1999.

Paving the way for the Shakti or spiritual energy to open or unfold in my life in loving, creative, powerful and sometimes revolutionary ways. Since that moment my relationship with the divine has felt rich, alive, colourful, interesting and full of purpose.

Then on the 16th of January 2019, I was offered Lineage Holder Initiation in India connecting me to the lineage of Bhagavan Nityananda of Ganeshpuri.

As part of my Initiation, I received the beautiful name of Yogini Rabia which means poet-saint, a mantra and asked to wear white clothing.

This was particularly meaningful in my sadhana (spiritual practice) as I had up until this point struggled with commitment and staying put. I was familiar with what nurtured and fostered my energy but I would often fly off on a whim at any moment, like a feather in the wind.

Receiving lineage holder initiation created a shift in my inner and outer life and deepened my sadhana, it was really significant and truly a gift from Swamiji who is an enlightened spiritual master.

Becoming a Yoga and Trauma - Informed Yoga Teacher


Hatha Yoga Teacher Training Graduation with my teacher, Swami Durgananda Saraswati

Yoga Teacher & Philosophy Training Graduation with Nataraj Chaitanya

Nataraj Chaitanya and Yogini Rabia (me) at one of Nataraja’s trainings.

Ayurveda

I studied Trauma-informed Yoga with Sarah Ball

My primary Ayurveda Teacher is Katie Rose but I’ve also studied with Lorien Waldron, Katie Silcox and Chasca Summerville.

And deeply honour teachers and authors such as Mother Maya Tiwari, Dr Claudia Welch, Dr Robert Svaboda, Dr Vasant Lad, and David Frawley.

And to the many many kitchens I have visited that have offered me an opportunity to learn with my hands and heart the true meaning of what Ayurveda means to me, I bow my head to my heart with deep gratitude for the teachings you have offered me. I am so grateful and honoured to be studying in an ongoing manner with these teachers today - a lifelong pursuit.

And to my lineage, the lineage of Bhagavan Nityananda of Ganeshpuri, with full heart do I offer my salutations, Jai Nityananda, Jai Gurudev. I bow at the lotus feet of Shri Gurudev Swami Shankarananda, a universe of divine Shakti, Grace and Love.

‘The upgoing breath is like the wheels inside a clock. Its movement is inside. When the movement of the breath is internal, one will see the world in himself.’ Bhagavan Nityananda

RESOURCES:

The Ashram: https://www.theashram.com.au/

https://www.nityanandatradition.org/

Nataraj Chaitanya:https://natarajchaitanya.com/

Katie Rose: https://www.bhaktirose.com.au/

Sarah Ball: https://www.sarahball.com.au/

Mother Maya Tiwari: https://www.wiseearth.com/education/course-description/

David Frawley: https://www.vedanet.com/about/about-acharya-david-frawley-pandit-vamadeva-shastri/

 
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