t h e o f

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VO L U M E 1 ,

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“Remember that great love andgreat achievements involvegreat risk”

— The Dalai Lama

DRIVING WITH AWARENESS — SUBTLE ENERGIES

Brad Werner

I recently sold a car which I had only hadfor nine months. The most valuable thingabout this car was the directness of thedriving experience. It was a very imprac-tical car, being a two-seater convertiblewith a manual transmission with a five-speed stick-shift. It taught me manyvaluable lessons. One of these relates tosubtle energies.

The title of this article, Driving withAwareness should not be misconstrued.Driving without awareness would tend tobe a bad thing. Quite often while drivingin traffic, several drivers can be seen eat-ing, shaving, putting on make-up, talkingon the phone, talking with their hands, oreven reading a map or book or writing.These activities can not only take one orboth hands from the steering wheel, butalso a significant amount of attention.But I’m not going to delve into all of thatin this artcle — I’ve got another focus.

Assume that at least three neurons ofyour attention are focused on driving. Insome cars this may be easier than others.The suspension of a roadster allows you

to feel every bump in the road. The vibra-tion of the gearshift in your hand with thevisual cues of the tachometer and soundof the engine help tune you into the feelof the machine.

Beyond this, it is critically important todrive with bare feet — just kick off yourBirkenstocks and drive. Then you cannot only feel the vibration of the acceler-ator and brake pedals, but also somethingdeeper — the feel of the clutch. Evenwhen not shifting, just resting your footgently on the clutch pedal gives a mar-velous sensation. How can you drivewith passion if the wind isn’t in yourhair, hands on the wheel (always a goodidea) and feet bare on the pedals?

Diving Driving Deeper

But this is only the beginning — the pre-lude to the dance which draws you intothat sensitive space. Once you becomeaware of the relationship between yourbody and the machine, you can sink into,or expand into the car as your body. Justas your skin feels the wind and your earsand eyes take in the wind in their ownway, the wind on the body of the car hasa distinctive feel. You feel the road andthe wind with your car-body — sense itwith your car-body-mind.

And then you expand further. This takesa bit of practice, but is very very real.Your awareness expands to parts of theroad other than just the current waves ofthe road vibration. This goes beyondwhat you can see and hear — althoughthese are included.

Then awareness of the other car-driversand their intentions starts to be includedin the sensitive space. Again, this goeswell beyond what you see and hear. Icould go on into greater detail, but fornow, I just wanted to introduce the con-cept.

If any of this sounds at all odd, just divein and try it the next time you drive. Itworks in a station wagon with an auto-matic transmission too — such as mynew car. But above all — drive safelyand use your own judgement. Forinstance, I wouldn’t recommend medi-tating with your eyes closed while driv-ing. Besides, the candle might blow outin the wind.

Note: Neither the author nor publisher ofthis article can be held responsible foryour driving. Please follow all local lawsand use your best judgement.

CONTENTS

Driving with Awareness

Self-Discovery Through Meditation

Working with Dreams

Energy Healing

God of Love? God of Fear?

Sweet Sensitivity

Magnificent Mangoes

“My words nourish even thesun’s body. Look at the smile onthe earth’s lips this morning,she laid with me again lastnight.”

— Hafiz

SELF-DISCOVERY THROUGH MEDITATION: REMINISCENCES WITH A MEDITATION TEACHER

Hema Senapati

Jim Manning (Kikoji) was my first med-itation teacher. I met Jim about elevenyears ago at the Gentle Strength Co-opcafé, soon after I had discovered the Co-op. We chatted for a while. He told meabout his reading group that meets onSunday evenings, about the books theywere reading and that the first book theyhad read was the Bhagavata Gita. I wasinstantly fascinated. Finding a group thatwas interested in the Gita so far awayfrom my home country was like findingan intellectual oasis. Hearing somebeloved Sanskrit names and phrases rolleffortlessly off Jim’s tongue was likenectar to my ears. Soon I joined the read-ing group, and by and by, the meditationclass.

Attending Jim’s Self-Discovery ThroughMeditation class was an inspiring experi-ence; an experience of peace, love,acceptance and a little taste of the bliss ofself-discovery. It was like opening thedoorway to the mystery and magic ofgetting to know myself and the Self.

Since then my voyage of self-discoveryhas been an odyssey of intellectual andexperiential adventures. It has lead me totai chi and yoga, to the portals of the SelfRealization Fellowship, to the teachingsof Patanjali, Yogananda, Ram Dass, andseveral other contemporary authors andhealers like Deepak Chopra and WayneDyer. However, all these pathways seemto me to point the way to

meditation

asthe means of getting to know my higherself. So I kept coming back to Jim’s med-itation class. And each class was aunique experience. Each time I would

come away with some little gem to beremembered in a crisis, a few words ofwisdom to be treasured and ponderedover.

During this time, Jim has been on life’sgrand voyage of adventures, challengesand celebrations. A few years ago whenJim was on the verge of leaving Tempeand his beloved Self-Discovery ThroughMeditation class, we sat down to sharesome memories and thoughts.

How did this class, Self-Discovery Through Meditation, get started?

Kikoji

: When I joined the GentleStrength Co-op in 1989, I read an articlein the Co-op newsletter that said theywere looking for some people to teachclasses in lieu of core work. So I made aproposal to teach a meditation class. Theperson who was coordinating theseclasses at that time was very familiarwith meditation, and asked me “Whatmakes you think you can teach a class onmeditation?” So we sat down and talkedfor about an hour, and afterwards sheheld my hand and said, “It would reallybe an honor for us to have you teachmeditation at the Co-op.”

Why Meditate?

Kikoji

: The greatest benefit of meditationis that it allows one to be present in thismoment and speak from one’s heart.

Anytime one can achieve that place ofpresence, when one’s heart opens up andwe touch someone else, it really doesn’tmatter what words are expressed, a feel-ing of connectedness, not only betweenthe two people, but also to the entire uni-verse, is shared.

Why do you call this Self-Discovery Through Meditation?

Kikoji

: The concept of self-discoverythrough meditation really speaks to thedeeper issue of who we are and the pro-cess of transformation. The entire classwas originated with this purpose and allthe classes we have had in these nineyears have spoken to this same principle.There is a transformation that must occurbefore the truths of all the scriptures canactually become present within our lives,and that transformation is moving fromone who considers himself as separatefrom all things to one that experienceshimself as “one” with all things. That iswhy we meditate; that is why we hold theclass. Everyone who comes to the classarrives there because they seek that expe-rience of the transformation of spirit thatmakes the proof of all the scriptures realin each of our lives.

What kind of meditation do you teach in this class?

Kikoji

: My spiritual background is quiteeclectic in that I have studied Hinduism,

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Journey Into Awareness

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wwwwiiiitttthhhh HHHHeeeemmmmaaaa SSSSeeeennnnaaaappppaaaattttiiii

Saturday June 16th: 1.00 - 4.00 p.m.

Meditation Workshop at the Gentle Strength Co-op Activity Center

234 W. University Drive, Tempe, Arizona

Cost $15, reserve your place by email at hemajasmine@yahoo.comor by phone at 480.967.3957, or drop in and just be.

Hema Senapati is a scientist, teacher, and a seeker. She has been studying andpracticing various forms of meditation for the past nine years and is exploring therole of meditation in mind body healing.

Buddhism, Taoism, Sufiism, someIslamic scripture, and much Christianmysticism, besides being born into theJewish religion. Somehow a little bit ofall of these teachings come into eachclass. One class might lean more towardsquotations from the Bible, and how theywould be helpful during ones meditation.Another class might be about taking amantra — like the name of “Rama” andsynchronizing your breath with repeat-ing that name. Most of the time we usemindful meditation, where we are payingattention to thoughts and feelings andwatching them come and go. Of course,not to forget, one of the most powerfulinfluences for me has been a saint fromIndia, named Ramana Maharishi. Hetaught a meditational practice called“vichara” — which means the practice ofself inquiry. So one or two classes a yearwe devote to the process of self inquiry.That has been a very important experi-ence for the class.

How has this meditation class evolved over the past nine years?

Kikoji: When the class first began Ibrought over some students with mefrom my Scottsdale class. Soon the classcaught on at the xCo-op and there havebeen an average of eight to ten peoplecoming to the class ever since. (In all ofthe years that I’ve taught this class, therewas only one day that no one showed up.That was the Wednesday the Gulf Waybroke out!) There have been days whenthere were only two people in the class,and days when there were nearly 30.We’ve had people from the ArizonaRepublic come and take pictures andinterview us. This class has been a joy tobe a part of. Many, many people havecome over the years and it has been mypleasure to share the process of self-dis-covery with them.

What message would you like to share with people who might be considering attending this class or any other meditation class?

Kikoji: If you get a sense that there issomething out there that attracts you, anintuitive feeling that this might be some-thing that you would like to explore,

please, please go for it. Take that firststep. To be able to begin your path with astep like going to a meditation class isvery powerful because you will meetother people who have taken that step.Whether or not this particular meditationclass is going to work for you is notimportant. The important thing is thatyou are beginning to open up to somenew ideas and experiences. Or you cango to the bookstore and grab a bookabout meditation and if you don’t findanything in there that seems to be for youexcept this one little quote, then trackdown the author of the quote and get abook by him. But please, just beginsomewhere, whether it be the meditationclass or a tai chi or yoga class. Once youbegin you will be lead to where you aresupposed to be.

What does meditation do for you in your daily life?

Kikoji: The practice of doing meditationevery morning allows me to take the timeto find a place of quietness. It is as if thediscipline of meditation allows that placeof quiet within me to come out into mylife and be something that I can sharethroughout my day with everyone I comeinto contact with. It almost feels like Ichoose not to leave my house until I havefound that place inside me.Otherwise Ido not feel like I am being who I reallyam; I am not expressing my true self.

Any special memories that you would like to share?

Kikoji: When I reflect back upon mymemories of this class, what I most trea-sure is the feeling that I personally getfrom being witness to a wonderful flowof energy that seems to come through meand out to the rest of the people in theclass and from them back to me. Thisexchange of energy is really what keepspeople coming back; it is not really any-thing that I say.

Secondly, when someone comes up tome during the week and says, “Oh thatthing you said in class the other day wasso powerful and so important to me. Doyou remember when you said this?” Andoften I do not have any memory of it. Ionly vaguely remember anything thatever gets said in the class. Perhaps it’snot me who is owning the knowledge. Iam just sharing it.

Hema: Thank you, Jim. Thank you forthis beautiful gift of meditation that youhave shared with love and grace with somany people for these many years. Themeditation group will miss your wonder-ful presence. We will miss the enchant-ing stories and life experiences that youshared with us, and the spontaneouswords of wisdom that flow through you.Yet when we meet to meditate in thatroom we will feel your presence in ourhearts. We wish you good luck andhappy trails. May the present moment bewith you.

Hema Senapati, Ph.D. is a freelancewriter, editor and teacher. She is cur-rently on the instructor’s path to anAyurvedic healing program and isexploring the role of meditation in mindbody healing.

“The greatest benefit ofmeditation is that it allowsone to be present in thismoment and speak from one’sheart.”

— Kikoji

Kikoji conducted the Self-Discovery Through Meditation class on Wednesdaynights at the Gentle Strength Co-op in Tempe for almost a decade. Kikoji now livesin Chicago with his wife. For recent news, wisdom stories, quotes, and poemsplease visit Kikoji's website at:

http://kikoji.homestead.com/Sanctuary.html

The meditation class continues to meet on Wednesdays and is now facilitated byGretchen Andelora. Kikoji visits the class from time to time.

WORKING WITH DREAMS

Michael R. Patton

When people ask me if I interpret mydreams, I tell them “No, I work with mydreams.” To me, “interpret” connotes amental exercise. I want to do more thandecode the dream’s symbology. I want adirect route to the real thrust of thedream. Why did I have this particulardream? Is there a problem in the dream?If so, how can I solve it? What is thedream telling me to do?

I began working on a dream by treating itas though it is a waking life scenario.This way, even if the dream’s key sym-bology remains a mystery, I can still getinformation that is useful to me in themost practical sense.

Here’s an example:

In a recent dream, I’m sitting at an out-door table with an acquaintance, havingdinner — not really thinking or feeling orsaying anything. Just having dinner.Then later in the dream, when I’m walk-ing down the street by myself, I realizethat, during the entire meal, I never oncelooked at the other person.

There was more to the dream, but it wasthis first part that really bothered me.

I wasn’t concerned about what havingdinner represented or what being out-doors symbolized. Why didn’t I look at

this person? That was the problem. Thatwas what I wanted to work on. Whatwould this mean if it happened in mywaking life? And how could I best dealwith it as a waking life situation?

If I don’t look at someone, I simply can’tsee that person. And he or she can’t seeme, or maybe can see only one side ofme.

In my previous waking-life dealings withthis person, I’d felt that she had not reallyshown herself to me. But this dream wastelling me that the problem was of myown making. I wasn’t showing myself. Iwasn’t seeing her. Yet according to mythoughts and feelings while walkingdown the street, I did want to showmyself to her, I did want to see her.

Obviously, fear was in the way. But toget over this fear, I had to be aware of itin the moment — not wait until after-wards, when I’m walking down thestreet.

Ironically, by treating the dream as awaking-life scenario, I had also decodedpart of the symbology. In the dream, Iwas not “facing” the situation. But with-out even trying to interpret the othersymbols, I had obtained information thatI needed to change my behavior. Thissimple dream contained instructions thatI could use to change my entire way ofrelating — not just to this person, but tothe world, and to myself.

Michael Patton is the author of “TheRaven’s Way” which details a Shaman’sjourney through Native American mythand folklore. He is working on courses invideo production and web design. In hismeditations, he is aware of the landbetween dreams, image, and conscious-ness. email: dreamstudent@excite.com

COSMIC CONNECTIONS CORNERHema Senapati, Editor

“There is an endless net ofthreads throughout the uni-verse. The horizontal threadsare in space. The verticalthreads are in time. At verycrossing of the threads there isan individual. And every individ-ual is a crystal bead. And everycrystal bead reflects not onlythe light from every othercrystal in the net, but alsoevery other reflection through-out the entire universe.”

— The Rig Veda

Share a brief story relating to synchro-nicity. We will print one or two of thesein our next issue. Please submit via emailto seeds@ajnapress.com.

at the Gentle Strength Co-op234 W. University Drive, Tempe

culinary creations foryour heart and soul

TTTTaaaaiiii CCCChhhhiiii CCCChhhhuuuuaaaannnnTai Chi Chuan promotes Relaxation, Flexibility,

Concentration, and Coordination

Monday Evenings: 7.00 - 8.30 p.m.

Tai Chi Chuan Class at the Gentle Strength Cooperative Activity Center

234 W. University Drive, Tempe, Arizona

Drop-in class, Beginners Welcome

Instructor: Bill Rose has been teaching Tai Chi Chuan for thirteen years, andenjoys working with beginners.

ENERGY HEALING

Gretchen Andelora

What is energy healing? What does itdo? How does it work?

As an energy body worker, these aresome of the most common questions thatI am asked. I am a practitioner of Cran-ioSacral Therapy, Somato EmotionalRelease and certified in Jin Shin Jyutsu.My experience has shown me how emo-tions affect our physical health. We haveall heard how stress can adversely affectus. In the Oriental energy healing pro-cess, the belief is that dis-ease is causedby blocked energy in the body resultingfrom stress. Much of my practice isfocused on helping my clients becomeaware of, work on, and heal the emo-tional issues affecting their health.

During a CranioSacral therapy sessionon a fully clothed person, the therapist’shands gently touch various accupressurepoints as taught in Jin Shin Jyutsu, a Jap-anese healing art. This type of sessionbrings about a profound feeling of relax-ation, which in itself is healing. In thisstate of deep relaxation the body is moreresponsive to self-healing.

A body is made up of energy pathwaysthat flow unobstructed when we arehappy and in good emotional and physi-cal health. However, life, with its con-flicts and challenges, often interfereswith this idyllic state causing obstruc-tions in our energy flow, which, ifignored and/or buried, over time canresult in physical problems. Changingour thinking, therefore, can change ourbody energy. Optimism and a sense ofwell-being can help us escape destruc-tive thinking and guide us back to cheer-fulness and enthusiasm. Mankind’sgoodness creates joy, as does forgivenessand patience, which help to keep theenergy flowing and the pathways open.

Unhappiness, on the other hand, causesblocks to the flow of energy. It dams upthe energy flow and causes congestion inthe energy pathways. For example, when

we let unhappiness creep into our con-sciousness, the flow of energy is blocked,causing our behavior and outlook to bestuck in the lowest “instinctive” levels ofbehavior. Loving ourselves, as well asothers, is our right and our responsibility.This love removes the obstacles to directhealing.

When seeking energy healing, be surethe therapist you choose understandsthese concepts well enough to help youbecome aware of what is causingobstruction in your energy.

Your instincts and intuition guide thetherapist so that with your cooperation,healing is accomplished on an energeticlevel. Let the therapist relax you andguide you to your inner self as a way toself-forgiveness and self-love. Thisopens the door to healing, to creatinglaughter and relaxation in place of con-flict and tension.

We choose our reactions to life experi-ences through learned and inheritedbehaviors. Energy work offers us an ave-nue to new awareness, relaxation and apath to more abundant energetic health.

Gretchen Andelora has been practicingenergy healing for over five years. Shealso facilitates a meditation class at theGentle Strength Co-op.

BE A SEEDBrad Werner

earthcovers meeverythinggoes dark

waterseeps inall aroundgets damp

warm wet soilinspires mesparksthe triggerin my soul

warm wet soilinspires meto grow

break outof this shell

strive todwell in the sun

it’s inmy natureto growfrom darknessto light

GOD OF LOVE? GOD OF FEAR?

Charlie Freer

On March 22nd, 1998, Tuyetlan Nguyenwalked into the water of San FranciscoBay and chose to end her life. We weretogether for seven and a half years. Thegrief and guilt of her passing wereincredibly overwhelming. Soon after thepain and guilt began rampaging throughmy body and soul, fear emerged. Shewas raised in the Buddhist faith. Suicideis unacceptable in her faith. There areterrible consequences for taking yourown life.

Tuyetlan was the most gentle, loving,compassionate human being I have everknown. I couldn’t believe that Godwould hurt her wonderful spirit becauseshe chose to end her own life. I beganreaching out for anything to help meunderstand how to deal with this fear ofher spirit being destroyed.

The first web site I opened shouted inlarge print, “The End Result of UntreatedDepression is Suicide!” As I read thearticle and recognized the symptoms ofdepression, I realized that Tuyetlan hadbeen battling this brain disease for mostof her life. Depression is a disease thatstops or slows the neurotransmitters thatmake us all feel good. It is not a mentalstate. It is a disease of the body, as arecancer and diabetes. We don’t believethat God punishes people with cancer ordiabetes, but why do we believe that Godpunishes suicide victims?

My life became consumed with figuringout what kind of God I truly believed in— a God of Love or a God of Fear. I wasraised as a Methodist and had heard allthe stories of how God loved us with onehand and penalized us with the other.Hell is the supreme punishment and ifyou take any life, another’s or your own,that is where you spend eternity — withall the criminals of the past. Fear of Hellkept us on the straight and narrow. Icouldn’t believe that God would commitTuyetlan to eternity with these people.

But what if God is a God of Love? A Godof Love cannot also be a God of Fear. IfGod loves us unconditionally, then alldiscretions are understood and forgiven.all discretions! If my mind can under-stand that depression is a physical dis-ease and caused Tuyetlan’s passing, thenthe Creator with all the wisdom and com-passion of the universe knows this also.Tuyetlan is not paying for her “sins.”She is healing in universal love.

Now I believe God does not punish. Godheals. God does not need a “Hell” tothreaten us. God has a “Heaven” toaccept us. God does not need a “Devil”to rule the underworld. Religions andsociety need him for threats and control.If we give in to our fears and believe thatGod has abandoned or forsaken us, wecan remember the joys in life. Watch achild smile. Play with a squirmingpuppy. Hold a hug a little longer. Feel thewonder of your heart. Loudly sing yourfavorite song. Dance your favorite dance.Let a sunset touch your soul. Believe thatGod is Love.

Charlie Freer, BSW, is a life skills trainer,speaker, facilitator, tennis instructor andavid reader and experiencer on a contin-uous path of learning, growing and lov-ing. He facilitates an anger managementgroup at a half way house and works at alocal community college. email: booder99@earthlink.net

Imagine there's no heaven,It's easy if you try,No hell below us,Above us only sky,Imagine all the peopleliving for today...Imagine there's no countries,It isn’t hard to do,Nothing to kill or die for,No religion too,Imagine all the peopleliving life in peace...

— John Lennon

Gentle Strength Coop234 E. University Dr.

Tempe, AZ 85281

We werenaturalbeforenaturalwas cool.

Working togethersince 1971

MMMMeeeeddddiiiittttaaaattttiiiioooonnnn ffffoooorrrr SSSSeeeellllffff----RRRReeeeaaaalllliiiizzzzaaaattttiiiioooonnnn

“Let the waters settle and you will see the moon and the starsmirrored in your own being.”

— Rumi

Sunday Evenings: 6.30 - 8.00 p.m.

Meditation Class at the Gentle Strength Cooperative Activity Center

234 W. University Drive, Tempe, Arizona

Drop-in class, Beginners Welcome

Hema Senapati, is a scientist, teacher, and a seeker. She has been studying andpracticing various forms of meditation for the past seven years. She is currently onthe instructor’s path to an Ayurvedic healing program and is exploring the role ofmeditation in mind body healing.

SWEET SENSITIVITY

Brad Werner

In my travels as a spiritual seeker, I haverun across some interesting experiences.Many of these experiences are by theirvery nature subtle and esoteric. Pleaseallow me to attempt to convey a bit of myexperiences with Sat Nam Rasayan. I ambut a novice, yet perhaps I can introduceyou as a novice and we can learntogether.

Sat Nam Rasayan could be roughlytranslated to English as “true identityrays of the sun.” The true name or iden-tity of you, or your spirit is what isinvolved here. Also involved is energywhich is as pervasive as the rays of thesun, and which is divine and sustains life,like the rays of the sun. When I firstheard the term Sat Nam Rasayan, Inaively thought that it sounded like aKundalini yoga version of Reiki. I havelearned one or two things since then.

DualityThe rays of the sun shine on all heavenlybodies in our solar system. Now that I’vementioned that, your mind may be find-ing exceptions to that rule. What of thedark side of the moon? What about nighttime on Earth? What of shadows beneatha tree or on the shady side of a mountain?

Sat Nam Rasayan deals with the dualityof darkness and light. The intention ofthe Sat Nam Rasayan practictioner is toremove resistances which occlude orblock the flow of divine light.

HealingBy dissolving resistances to the flow oflight, the practitioner allows the nature ofthe light to shine on the subject. The sub-ject of this intent is usually a client whoseeks the practitioner’s assistance infinding the divine light for the purposesof healing.

We all can learn to find the light. Some-times in life we could use the assistanceof a guide. A practitioner of Sat Nam

Rasayan acts as a guide to help you dis-solve your resistances to the light.

Why Learn Sat Nam Rasayan?Are people who dedicate themselves ashealing professionals the only ones whocan benefit from learning this divinetool? No. Yet those who do learn itsmethods to help others benefit directly.Practitioners of Sat Nam Rasayan dis-solve resistances within themselves dur-ing the practice.

In the general sense, Sat Nam Rasayan isa form of meditation which enhancesawareness and sensitivity. When youopen the sensitive space about you andthe subject/client, you become aware ofresistances. These resistances may betendencies or other blocks which limitthe true health of the client. We createblocks within our lives to limit our view,to create shadows from the light so thatthe world seems simple, less scary, andmore comfortable. But by hiding fromthe light we limit our vision of the wholeworld of existence as well — we limitour possibilities to be and live well.

What’s Beyond the Sensitive?Reaching the sensitive space may takeseveral minutes of focused meditation.Yet the sensitive space is but a tool in thequest for the divine. Beyond the sensitivespace lies the more subtle sacred space.It could take months or years of practicein the sensitive space before a practitio-ner reaches the sacred space, and yet itmay still be elusive with each session.Using deep meditation to transcend the

duality of the sensitive space, the sacredspace unfolds like a beautiful flower. Youare not separate from it, nor is the clientseparate from you or the space. Thesacred space is not separate from the sen-sitive space — just more subtle, over-looked, forgotten. Open your heart, openyour mind, and let the light shine.

Sat Nam Rasayan is an ancient art whichis being rediscovered and explored. Itwas traditionally passed down from gen-eration to generation to select Kundaliniyoga teachers. Yogi Bhajan, the MahanTantric, asked one of his students, GuruDev Singh, to spread the message of SatNam Rasayan throughout the world.

For More InformationSeveral Sat Nam Rasayan centers andresource groups are now available. Agood book on Sat Nam Rasayan that Ihave come across is one by AmbrosioEspinosa, with more hopefully comingsoon.

For more information, contact the SatNam Rasayan group at the 3HO (Happy,Healthy, Holy Organization) center inPhoenix. On the web, please visit GuruDev Singh’s Sat Nam Rasayan site athttp://gurudevsnr.com.

Rev. Brad Werner, is a Reiki Master/Teacher who also practices severalforms of yoga and meditation. As ateacher, he focuses on taking seeminglycomplex or esoteric concepts and mak-ing them accessible.

IIIInnnnnnnneeeerrrr PPPPeeeeaaaassss MMMMiiiinnnniiiissssttttrrrryyyy PPPPrrrreeeesssseeeennnnttttssss

Let the Light ShineRRRReeeeiiiikkkkiiii WWWWoooorrrrkkkksssshhhhoooopppp

wwwwiiiitttthhhh RRRReeeevvvv.... BBBBrrrraaaadddd WWWWeeeerrrrnnnneeeerrrrExperience and discuss the nature and applications of this healing art.

Saturday July 14th: 1.00 - 4.00 p.m.

Reiki Workshop at the Gentle Strength Co-op Activity Center

234 W. University Drive, Tempe, Arizona

Cost $15, reserve your place by email at seeds@ajnapress.comor by phone at 480.706.1767, or drop in.

The Seeds of Awareness

Editor: Hema Senapati

Design: Brad Werner

Publisher: Ajna Press, Inc.

P.O. Box 93128

Phoenix, Arizona 85070-3128

seeds@ajnapress.com

FAX: +1.480.706.1144

The Seeds of Awareness is a communitynewsletter dedicated to nurturing personal transformation and conscious evolution.

AJNA PRESS, INC.P.O. Box 93128PHOENIX, ARIZONA 85070

MAGNIFICENT MANGOES

Hema Senapati

We were at Changing Hands for a booksigning when I came across Sark’s latestbook “Eat Mangoes Naked.”

The title reminded me of a video takenyears ago: my diaper-clad nine-month-old son sucking on a lucious goldenmango pit with great gusto. Ten minutesinto the clip: there is mango on the chair,and mango in his hair — down to themere fuzz on the pit and he is still suck-ing on that precious pit as if sucking onthe marrow of life itself. I thought “Oh tothe bliss of eating mangoes (or anythingelse) with such complete presentmoment awareness!”

I still remember the sheer thrill ofdiscovering golden yellow ripe redmangoes at the Gentle Strength Co-op onmoving to Arizona after four aridsummers in the mid-west with neitherscent nor sight of mangoes.

I grew up in a country where mangoes (adozen varieties thereof) are sold in heapson street corners all summer long, andpeople buy them by the basket. Mangolassi stands crop up everywhere like lem-onade stands. And then there are sweetand tangy delicacies like mango chutney,mango pickles, mango marmalade, andmango candy. So needless to say, themere mention of mangoes evokes sweetnostalgic memories. So the other day

Brad sent me this poem called “SweetScent of Mangoes” which I’d like toshare here.

Now that another red-hot summer isupon us, searching for the perfect mangoto eat has become an almost daily sacredquest. So how about celebrating summersolstice with a Mango Eating Festival,outdoors — with kids, fountains, andsprinklers, surrendering to the sweetsucculent sensations of eating mangoes.

Look for freshmangoes at the Gentle

Strength Co-op

Organically Grown People

(and Produce)

SWEET SCENT OF MANGOES Brad Werner

sweet scent of mangoesfills my nosethat slippery texturecurls my toes

sweet scent of mangoeswafts through the airits sticky sweetnessgets in my hair

sweet scent of mangoesi cannot wait to tastenot one drop or bit or strandshall go to waste

sweet taste of mangoesdancing with my tonguewhose beauty must bespoken played and sung

VVVVeeeeggggeeeettttaaaarrrriiiiaaaannnn SSSSoooocccciiiieeeettttyyyy ooooffff PPPPhhhhooooeeeennnniiiixxxx

Potluck Meeting

Sunday July 8th: 5.00 - 6.30 p.m.

The Vegetarian Society of Phoenix will be holding their monthly potluck meetingin the Activity Center at the Gentle Strength Co-op on Sunday July 8th, beginningat 5 p.m. Everyone is welcome. Please bring 4-6 servings of vegan food (no meat,dairy, or eggs) to share with everyone.

Potluck Meeting at the Gentle Strength Co-op Activity Center

234 W. University Drive, Tempe, Arizona