A few days ago, on Memorial Day, I happened to attend an amazing concert in one of the more open minded and true spiritual churches in town. The concert was conducted by a very special conductor who together with the choir and the various musicians created a magical fusion of sounds, voices and visual images, combining different styles of sacred and world music. I was floating with joy and bliss above the wooden bench.  Then out of the blue (for me ;-)) and I guess in direct relation to Memorial Day, a young woman walked on the stage and with powerful voice and shining eyes read from a list the names of all the Canadian soldiers who died in Afghanistan, all in their twenties, and I thought: if we are dealing with the memories of the dead, why are the young Canadian soldiers the only ones on the list? What about all the people who were killed in car accidents? Are they not the victims of the war taking over the highways, where we often fight with each other while competing with the speed of light?  What about the ones who died of a disease? Are they not the victims of the war with pollution and stress? What about the ones who committed suicide? Are they not the victims of the war we have with an overwhelming, high-speed, demanding reality? What about the ones who got murdered? Are they not the victims of our war with our ego, our fears and greediness? Why the deaths of soldiers are more significant than other victims’? And what the hell did these Canadian soldiers die for in Afghanistan, a country so far away from Canada? Did they die while defending Canada? Afghanistan does not even have imaginary borders with Canada, never mind real borders.

And if after all we do elevate the death of these young soldiers above the “ordinary” death of other Canadians, wouldn’t it be appropriate to not only read the names of the ones who died in the faraway war, but also the names of those who sent them to their Death?

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A few days ago I received the following email:

What is new that is Shakti telling? Everything is stolen from Hindu scriptures. Why I need certification for Yoga teaching. Well, it is me family business from generations. We do not go to learn it from so called “thief” who steals from the other religion and publish as if it were invented by themselves. Wow, hummm, good business (of making people fool and loot) you and your Canadian government doing …If a farmer’s guy want to grow in his farm, does he needs to have certification from Canadian government?

WOW quite an angry letter for a calm yogi. ;-)

What is new that is Shakti telling?

No teacher teaches anything new under the sun. The teacher is a reminder… she reminds the student about what the student already knows. We are all teachers and students at the same time. For example, you taught me a great lesson about how one can call himself a yogi while still swimming deep in an ocean of ignorance and fears.

“thief” who steals from the other religion

A thief is a person who steals something that somebody else owns. No one owns the yoga teaching, or any of the spiritual teachings. I suggest that you go back to the yoga scriptures to refresh your memory about what the yoga scriptures say about non-attachment!!!

Your words to me, based on fears, attachment and identification, the three pillars for self-suffering as opposed to self realization, that is exactly what the yoga teaching warns the seeker about identifying with.

you and your Canadian government doing…

If beyond the form we are all one, if in essence we are all Brahman, the absolute, what is the difference between you and me? Why a Hindu person deserves to remove suffering from his own existence more then another person from another culture or religion? If yoga is a union and you are a yogi, how come you allow your religion, your history and your nationality to come between us and separate us?

Well, it is my family business from generations

What use /good is it to the world that your family is in the business of yoga for generations, if you use this fact as a weapon to turn people like me into your imaginary enemy?

Why I need certification for Yoga teaching

You may not need certification for Yoga teaching, but unfortunately my students need it, as they live in the west and there are strict rules about teaching in Canada. Go and argue with the western government. I myself have better things to do with my time, for example, sharing with others what brought light and love to my life … in other words: the wisdom of yoga. ;-)

If a farmer’s guy want to grow in his farm, does he needs to have certification from Canadian government?

Well every government has its own highs and lows unfortunately. The Canadian government requires a certificate from a farmer to grow in his own farm but you may be happy to learn (as a yogi) that the Canadian government won’t allow people to form castes and treat some as if they were a low form of life. We for example do not have people who officially fall under the category of outcast, or as they are often known: untouchables. It is against the law in Canada. Here we call it racism and discrimination. Now you tell me what is worse: to certify people so they teach yoga safely, or to treat people as if they were less than animals?

To discuss this posting or to comment, please visit the forum topic dedicated to this article.