From the Association's April 2009 Email Newsletter

Special Announcment from Jennifer Buergermeister, the President

In the beginning there was only a pinprick of pulsating light. Let's call it the point of singularity. Some of you may even remember it or have experienced it in your meditations. And some of you may have read about it in science books and journals. Everything that we now see in the universe came from this pinprick of light, including us - human beings and the world that we know.

It has been studied that one can slice and dice a particle of light and send the parts a great distance away from its partner, yet the particles of light still communicate and respond to each other simultaneously. Seemingly time does not exist in the quantum world of light particles. The twin particle experiment repeatedly proves that light cannot be separated. It is always one light.

In the beginning, we were one in the light. And now, we are one as a universe. We are now at a tipping point of understanding this truth.

Separation or duality- the great illusion of all time-is no longer an acceptable way to perceive the world. It simply does not work, as we are so aware in the yoga community. Why? Because separation, discontinuity, and fragmentation prevent us from the truth of unity. Any time that we step away from this truth, we fragment ourselves as an individual and as a community, which then leads to the conflict of destructive emotions and irresponsible behaviors.

It has never been fashionable to be an elitist, except for the small minority of elitists, who preach one way or not way. It is no longer energetically acceptable to shop until you drop, to consume material goods, and to feed your broken spirit the junk food of a capitalistic world driven by greed and corporate manipulation. However, it is time for us to learn to cooperate with each other and to remember that this is the only planet that we have. To destroy it and ourselves does not make sense; it will ruin our chance of survival as a human species.

Consciousness must change. It is not about the "I" anymore, it must become the "we."

Rumi, the great 13th century Persian Sufi poet, said:

"Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing
and right-doing there is a field.
I'll meet you there.

When the soul lies down in that grass
the world is too full to talk about."

Now is the time for action. When your heart calls you forth to the mission of service, should you not respond with a resounding, Yes!? There comes a point in your yoga practice when you will realize that we are all sharing and breathing in one universal consciousness. If we are not cooperating to spread the love of service and the commitment to change, then are we really practicing yoga? How can we practice the art of yoga, which means to yoke and to unify, without action? Teaching yoga is important, but being yoga is vital.

Join us! We are calling on all yogis and teachers to stand together, to be peaceful warriors, and to become yoga rather than just practice and teach yoga. It is the dawn of a new day and a new way- the way of the peaceful warrior, who stands in truth and love with courage in their heart. From this place, fear cannot touch you. And one of the detriments to achieving the way of the peaceful warrior is separation.

As Mahatma Gandhi said, "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." I echo his wisdom and say, "We must be the love we wish to feel in the world."

Our inclination toward service comes from our hearts, where the service is selfless, authentic, and loving. I hope that we, as a community, will join our hearts as one and transform the city of Houston into a thriving, pulsing, yogic community. And if you are feeling alone or blue, I ask that you envision the om symbol shining brightly against the dark sky of your heart to allow the sense of community and connection to replenish your spirit. Thank You for your contribution in making Houston a future mecca for yoga enthusiasts! Let's keep our integrity high and be the change!

Namaste' and om shanti,

Jennifer Buergermeister
President, YTAH 2009