"Congratulations, Abby! You are a fully Certified Anusara Yoga Teacher!" said Anusara Founder John Friend. "I really love what you wrote for your Grand Finale exam question. You're a part of the grand vision of this method. You have a voice in it, and you can help manifest it."
and in that one phone call, I became Anusara Certified Teacher #146. Years of practice, years of training, years of teaching, and now . . . the future. Manifesting the grand vision: Day 1.
August 15, 2011
Today is Anusara's 14th Birthday! Part of my personal celebration was to go back and read that Vision I had during my Certification process. Here's what I wrote in the winter of 2005. I have to say, it's all unfolding just the way I envisioned it.
Grand Finale Question: What is your dream and vision for Anusara Yoga? How do you intend to help make that dream manifest?
"I was blessed last summer [August 15, 2004] to be on retreat with John Friend at Inner Harmony on the 7th birthday of Anusara Yoga. I have often contemplated my vision of Anusara, as well as my role within the Anusara community since then.
I envision Anusara as a dynamnic, ever-changing, yet centered organization and community. This vision will mean that there will be times when it draws in and then expands back out again. I dream that as members of the community, we will not allow ourselves to become attached to any particular moment or form that Anusara embodies, and that we will remain open-hearted and open-minded to the flow of Anusara while being ever-aware and rooted in the philosophy and foundational tenets of the practice. My role in this vision is to be vigilant in remaining fresh, studied and curious, as well as to continue to ask myself if I am serving at my highest capacity. By keeping my view, my authentic language, my practice, and my service percolating and expanding, it will remain as dynamic and changing as the organization itself. Allowing spanda, not only withing myself, but within an entire organization takes courage and softenss.
I dream that as Anusara continues to grow, holding strong to its core, we as Anusara teachers and students will actively seek the Teacher Within and to rise to new heights. I see a unifed organization that is built around integrity and a desire to serve each other. I dream that from our practices, we will grow an inner strength that teaches us to be less demanding of John Friend and senior teachers. I can help this manifest by continually deepening my own practice. It is within our own expereince that we become who we are and rise up to offer our unique role within the growing Anusara community.
Finally I envision that Anusara will bcome more than a hatha yoga style. I see Anusara as a spiritual culture and lifestyle. Anusara philosophy transforms lives by completely changing how life is viewed. Today, we are pioneers in a new era as yoga has come West. Anusara will play a key role by making a broad-based tantric vision of ourselves, the world, and the Divine accessibile to people in all walks of life, from all cultrues and backgrounds. People will raise their children with a belief in the intrinsic goodness of life in all its manifestations. People will run their businesses based on Anusara's Universal Principles of Alignment. I can make this vision manifest by living in a life-affirming way that does not deny the beliefs, religions, or choices of those around me. I can share my spiritual life in a way that is non-thretening and non-judgemental. I can "first, see the beauty" in all situations. As we live our lives in this way, it grows exponentially, because it is all inclusive, life affirming, and a rich experience of life of this earth."
