What Got Me To This Place That I Am At Right Now?

What has been on my mind for several weeks now is...

Why have I chosen Kundalini Yoga as a direction that I would spend my time and energy.

Kundalini Yoga has fundamentally changed my life within a year's time.

> I am able to access and utilize all of the innate skills, talents, and interests that I harbor
> I am able to be calm in situations that use to cause me great emotional and physical distress and/or anxiety
> I am able to juggle more activities, and enjoy taking part in them with minimal anxiety
> I am more secure in my place in the world
> I am able to set and reach my goals in a more timely fashion
> I am able to enjoy and appreciate things in my life more than I was before I started my daily practice of Kundalini Yoga
> my physicality and health has improved

The list above are elements in my life that I have been working on for years to improve within myself. Anxiety has been a driving force in my life. In the past when friends, acquaintances, and family members suggested that I "find God" or to "just breath through situations," that I now have a tool in my tool chest that I am able to do that.

I can talk for days about the benefits, aspects, and subtleties of Kundalini Yoga but:

1) it is an experiential practice, you really have to experience it
2) the more that you do the practice, the more that you will see life change for you
3) Each person is different, so each person has their own life changing experience that they will uncover through this practice

This practice assists me on my personal spiritual path to be me, to minimize my duality in life, to live with fullness, contentedness, and joy.

Everyday to is new day, with a new challenge. I am working on myself to be more accepting, more forgiving, living my bliss, and being there with and for others who are walking that same path.

Everyone is a blessed being.

Know your path in this life, live it, and uplift others to do the same.

Sat Nam!!!

Chronological History to this Point:
> August 25th, 2009: A girlfriend of mine, Lorien, took me to Chaucer's Bookstore for a Book Signing by Jaimal Yogis' (is that really his real name?) book 'Saltwater Buddha: A Surfer's Quest to Find Zen on the Sea,' A book she had been suggesting that I read (and I finally did...big smiley face).

On a side note: The event was really fun and the band who played during the signing was super awesome (though off the top of my head I can not remember their name...small sad face).

> January 2010: I encouraged my family to attend The Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara in to provide an outlet for my children to find their own spiritual path.

The result: My husband really enjoys the services and feels embraced by the community, and my children look forward to attending the services every Sunday.

Currently, we are active members of The Unitarian Society. My husband is on the Board and I sing in the Women's Chorale.

> April of 2010: my husband and I went to Esalen, for a meditation/natural hot spring retreat, to celebrate our 5 year wedding anniversary. The meditation portion of our experience opened my eyes to a calm, introspective, and embracing side of myself that I wanted to find a way to hold onto after I left the retreat.

> October 2010: I started attending a Kundalini Yoga class at Yoga Soup with Siddhi Ellinghoven. At the time, for the most part, I felt light, bright, and joyful every time I left one of her classes. It was exactly what I was looking for during that time in my life.

> November 2010:
- Siddhi: "Have you thought about teaching?"
- Me: "What?"
- Siddhi: "Kundalini Yoga?"
- Me: "???"

> December 2010: While attending a service at The Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara by Reverend Aaron McEmrys in the winter of last year of 2010, he requested of his congregants to find their own spiritual path. I remember chuckling to myself, "Yeah, okay, really !? Who is going to do that? and what does that mean anyway?"

> January 2011: I begin my 9 month Kundalini Teacher Training with Siddhi Ellinghoven and Guru Meher.

> November 2011: Teaching Kundalini Yoga at Santa Barbara Yoga Center