Riding the last 6 months ripple effects from the total solar eclipse in Aries1, I have cultivated the mindset of “if it is not a ‘hell yes’ then it is a ‘hell no’ ”.
One of my crystal clear “ yes” came in May with an invitation to apply for a summer spiritual intensive in India at my spiritual teacher’s ashram2. Lead by Master Hector3, the retreat promised to be both hard core and expansive for the soul.
A divinely guided and irresistible offer, I jumped in with high expectations to return revitalised, strengthened in my capacity to practice Arhatic yoga and meditation.
Seekers are life long learners of the mysteries.
India being the mother land of spirituality, the devotional heart cannot hold back.
The yogic purification and accompanying monsoon cleared the grit, leading to the luminous self even if momentarily; humbly sharing what was illuminated for me during this special week..
Lessons from the Ashram
The ashram is a very special place located two hours drive from Pune, in the Maharashtra state of India. Our teachers MCKS, chose this place through the guidance of his own spiritual teacher, who provided special instructions on how it was to be built and the ashram’s higher purpose.
Perhaps one of the most remarkable aspects is that the ground has been filled with certain crystals and everything has been activated for the ashram to serve as a portal to the kingdom of heaven (otherwise known as the spiritual realm). It is truly magical and the people who work there exude loving-kindness and devotion.
Here are some sacred reminders and lessons from the intensive that re-invigorated my practice, purpose and desire to be in service:
✨Develop an honest spiritual practice- make time for your soul ✨
When Master H, opened up the retreat with the theme of developing an “honest practice”, it was an invitation to establish a practice that reflects our unique journey and current capacity. This wasn’t a move away from the discipline required for a spiritual practice but rather an intelligent evaluation of how and when to engage.
It felt empowering and resonated completely with my understanding of a feminine approach to spirituality: devotional, loving, and flexible. We are not living in ashrams or temples or caves; modern life is demanding, so I loved that we were encouraged to fine tune how to make our practice work for us.
☽ what does an honest spiritual practice look like for you?
✨The body needs to evolve alongside the soul - take care of your body.✨
During the intensive, we also practiced morning yoga, in a self guided, honest manner, using the amazing book: A Light on Yoga by B.K.S Iyengar. The practice of asanas (the yoga postures) is a preparatory step to entering meditation. The series of postures opens the body, clear the channels, the spine and the chakras. They help to cultivate an open mind and resilience.
This part of our morning routine was a sacred reminder to take good care of the body with loving kindness and acceptance of its current capacity. I have always had a love for yoga, but now I balance it with weight training to strength myself through peri/ menopause. I also love Qigong because it is easier to practice at any age and very gentle on the body.
A less well-known fact, is that spiritual practices over time will lead to an increase in the flow of spiritual energy through the body. This means that the body needs to evolve alongside the soul to be able to handle the ‘increased voltage’- just like we upgrade the iPhone to use faster broadband.
☽ How do you like to care for your body ? Can your relationship with your body be more loving?✨ Your spiritual practice is an act of service for the earth and humanity✨
The week at the ashram enlivened my sense of purpose and service as I listened to Master H’s stories and witnessed his devotion to the work of his teacher. Love in action is inspiring. I was also surrounded by kindred souls, keen to see the world evolve into a more peaceful place with less materialism and more focus on service, love and community. All of this reminded me that the deeper goals of having a spiritual practice is to become a better human, with a clear mind, compassionate heart, engaged in helping others release their suffering.
We often hear the phrase “ we are walking each other home” - which encapsulates the idea. Ultimately we cannot fully thrive whilst others are suffering- just like a mother cannot fully be happy while her child is suffering.
This reflects the underlying spiritual truth of oneness and interconnectivity.
It is the antidote to war and hatred.
In Master Choa’s lineage, we practice a meditation for peace and illumination called the Twin Hearts Meditation which is incredibly accessible yet masterful in opening the heart and crown centres. I will share it in our Refuge gathering. You can find groups practicing Twin Hearts all over the world. It is that powerful.
☽ What does it mean to you to be a better human? or to serve humanity?
✨ Inner reflections : the gifts of self- awareness ✨
Every morning, we practiced self inquiry or inner reflections with prompts from Master H. These were connected to the virtues emphasised in all spiritual teachings as necessary for self-mastery and true healing to happen. Whilst it may not be possible in moments of acute traumas, long term healing requires self-awareness. This awareness helps us to grow in compassion, in wisdom, in love, in resilience.
During the week, I became more aware of my inner self talk- the ways that I continue to hold myself back and block my light. I needed the silence, the deep introspection to uncover the subtle layers of self-criticism and self-abandonment, stemming from my past. Through practising loving kindness, I released new layers of guilt and shame. This process felt fully liberating. This kind of awareness is reached through silence not through rumination. It is easy to confuse inner work with overthinking or mental processes.
☽ Are you able to make time for stillness and inner reflections? How could you lean in more and see what lies at the bottom of the pond?✨We are here on earth to learn all about LOVE ✨
The time at the ashram was spent between practices and esoteric studies from the book from Alice Bailey’s A Treatise on Cosmic Fire-. Bailey’s series of esoteric books contains channeled teachings from the Ascended Master Djwhal Kuhl also known as the Tibetan Master. These are challenging books to read, which is why we needed the guidance of Master H who studied them intensely under MCKS. It feels like taking your PhD level Astro-Physics class when you ‘re in kindergarten.
Two important lessons emerged from these spiritual studies: the first one as Socrates said “I know that I know nothing”. The mysteries of life and the universe are vast ; our mind are not able to comprehend it. Thus humility felt like a good place to be in. The second lesson was that our solar system, is evolving and focused on LOVE. This is what we know intuitively to be true and this is what we are here to learn, do, embody and express.☽ If you are leaning into LOVE, what is being asked of you?
I hope this longer post, will have inspired or re-affirmed your commitment to your spiritual practice and your desire to serve LOVE in your unique, beautiful and magical way. I cherish our humanity and divinity. Namaste my heart to yours.🙏🤍🙏
total solar eclipse conjunct Chiron was on the 8th of April 2024
Master Choa Kok Sui- the founder of Modern Pranic Healing and Arhatic Yoga
Pranic Healing Global website for the Institute of Pranic Healing Worldwide.
Master Hector is a life long disciple of Grand Master Choa Kok Sui and one of the eight Masters of Pranic healing in the world.
Master Hector Ramos
Thank you Delphine for your very insightful words. The transition through peri-menopause and menopause is really something that changes one deep within. The emotional roller coaster, days of feeling really wise and days with anxiety and insecurities. But through all that, there is this voice from deep within that somehow manages to calm me and make me see the transition I'm going through and the "new" me being born from it.
Lots of love to you Delphine 🌸💜
thank you for this, dear Delphine. your words are full of wisdom and clarity.