Om, one of the beautiful daily mandalas of fresh flowers at our yoga retreat in Bali.
It took one week of yoga retreat for me to finally experience for a sustained period what I have have long 'believed' but had only experienced in short bursts or glimpses. I discovered that when you practice regularly, consistently and appropriately the distractions of thoughts and feelings really do begin to fall away and you settle down into the simple but profound experience of the universal peace and love that is your essential nature.
It was such a wonderful experience that I knew immediately what I needed to do. So yesterday I resigned from my day job. From here on in (well, once I work out my notice and pull everything together into fabulous hand-over notes so that the great causes I've been working on can be seamlessly continued) I'll be dedicating my time to writing, practicing, studying and teaching yoga and to building a social profit company the aim of which will be to bring opportunities to experience that peace to people working in places of conflict. Yoga and meditation courses in Kabul? I think so.
Stay tuned for more! For now I'm putting my head down to write while I can since the office awaits with a mammoth to do list tomorrow.
Namaste!
namaste to you. your light is beaming. the peace transcendent. and i can smell that frangipani.
thanks for the reminder and the brilliant example.
much love, lisa
Posted by: doorways traveler | June 30, 2009 at 02:55 PM
Jubilations beautiful woman! I salute your courage in taking a leap into the unknown, and am totally keen to get involved with the whole meditation in Kabul scenario. Let me know how I can best be of service. You're an inspiration. Much love xxx
Posted by: Lindsay | June 30, 2009 at 03:43 PM
So proud of you. Congratulations. Life is about to go beyond your wildest dreams. :)
K.
Posted by: Chookooloonks | June 30, 2009 at 04:26 PM
Good for you. When you know, you just know.
Posted by: Jennifer | June 30, 2009 at 04:58 PM
Wow, that's amazing. I've been reading for a while...lurking mostly...
Best of luck with your new/shifted course!
Makes me think about trying yoga again...
Posted by: claire | June 30, 2009 at 05:34 PM
you are a pioneer and a visionary. i believe in you. enjoy the ride that is about to happen.
xo
Posted by: stacy | June 30, 2009 at 06:06 PM
wow, congratulations on your leap. i have no doubt that you and the people you work with will make wonderful, important things happen.
Posted by: amy | June 30, 2009 at 06:26 PM
Great. Great. Great. Meditation and yoga courses in Congo? I think so too! We have a lockdown day today and I will be doing a little yoga myself later on. So excited about this! Count me in.....
Posted by: Imohena | June 30, 2009 at 09:21 PM
oh YEAHHHH! bravo!!!!! so proud of you :) xoxx
Posted by: Susannah | June 30, 2009 at 09:47 PM
Have you heard of Robina Courtin from the Liberation Prison Project?
She's definitely someone you should check out, an absolute powerhouse of an Aussie Buddhist nun, who I came into contact with at the Kopan course in Nepal couple years back, and who significantly altered my vision about getting my ass off the meditation cushion and actively participating in service to the world. She's fierce, brilliant, funny as hell and firing on all cylinders.
Robina's responsible for bringing Buddhist practices into some of the toughest prisons around the world, and the Project’s teachers are all Buddhists – monks, nuns and lay people – who volunteer for the project, helping to look after the spiritual needs of over 15,000 prisoners, mainly in the US and Australia.
You can learn more at:
http://www.liberationprisonproject.org/
And to hear some of Robina's awesome teachings check here:
http://www.robinacourtin.com/do.php?fct=teaching&op=showTeachingPage&pageId=5
And watch her in action here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nasIq4E9nNg
Posted by: Lindsay | June 30, 2009 at 10:10 PM
Wow, Marianne, this is amazing, fantastic news. I'm glad the retreat ended up being so good for you! I'm looking forward to reading more about your plans.
Posted by: Anne-Marie | June 30, 2009 at 10:33 PM
This post gave me chills, as I woke up yesterday with a vision of quitting my own job to move forward with yoga and forge a career in human rights and peacekeeping. Thank you for being a source of so much courage - I've been reading for a month or so, and your strength, eloquence, inner and outer peace is really an inspiration.
Posted by: Jennifer Lynn | June 30, 2009 at 11:48 PM
Oh my gosh! Good for you, Marianne! I love your go-for-it, how-can-I-help-others attitude. Thank god our world has people like you in it. You are truly an inspiration. :)
Posted by: susanna | July 01, 2009 at 01:16 AM
This is so, so exciting and I am cheering you on every step of the way!
Posted by: Swirly | July 01, 2009 at 07:21 AM
Your news made me cry.
Thank you thank you thank you.
Juliana
Posted by: Juliana Gerber-Miller | July 01, 2009 at 08:55 AM
Marianne,
I just starting following your blog and am very glad to have found it. Stepping out and into your truest self is always risky, but you have taken the great leap and all will be well. Thank you for your shining example. I look forward to supporting you in any way I can.
May you be peaceful and at ease, now that you have made this momentous decision. Your Buddha nature is shining through!
Posted by: Jan Lundy | July 01, 2009 at 10:45 AM
Congratulations!
Posted by: Emma | July 01, 2009 at 01:05 PM
Wow, what a major decision. CONGRATS on taking such a big step in life and doing it with confidence!!! That mandala is stunning. I love the concept of mandalas...letting completely go of something so beautiful. Best wishes with EVERYTHING. :)
Posted by: Andi | July 03, 2009 at 10:47 AM
M,that all sounds perfect. Can't wait to hear more. Congrats on making this step.
Posted by: maryam in Kashmir | July 03, 2009 at 11:28 PM
Congratulations and all the very best!
xo
Posted by: Di | July 05, 2009 at 08:18 PM