28 - Sunday, June 9, 1991 ~ North Shore News Sahaja yoga provides a fresh spiritual breeze ! AM sitting at seven o’clock in the evening with my feet in a bowl of warm salt water, left hand open on my lap, right hand crossing over my head and back again. I do this seven times. No, it has nothing to do with mosquitoes. 1 am protecting my chakras, getting ready to meditate, doing Sahaja Yoga. Let me backtrack a bit. In this age of false gurus, TV prophets and commercialized spirituality, Sahaja Yoga comes across like a fresh breeze. Its guru is Mataji Nirmala Devi, a woman whose spiritual gifts were ac- knowledged by Mahatma Gandhi and who studied medicine and psychology before devoting her life to teaching Sahaja Yoga all over the world. Shri Mataji accepts no payment for her appearances and solicits no funds for what she offers. And what she offers is self-realization. On the North Shore a Sahaja meeting is held on Monday even- ings at Queen Mary School in North Vancouver. A modest group of people gathers to medi- tate and listen to the words of Shri Mataji, including my skep- tical self. _. At first the thought of receiving enlightenment from a video image of a guru seemed eerily post- modern. And sitting with my hands open on my lap made me feel exposed. The urge to close off the body to new experience and unknown people was overwhelm- THE FOLLOWING is a selection of many volunteer opportunities available from North Shore Community Services (NSCS). A SUMMER day camp for children five to 12 years old needs high school or university students to help counsellors with arts, crafts, field trips and other fun activities. A one week commit- ment is required. The hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday. READ the Financial Times and discuss current affairs with a senior whose vision is impaired. The volunceer will be required to visit the senior once per week in West Vancouver. A VOLUNTEER is needed to enjoy bowling and other activities with a group of mentally handi- capped people on Saturdays from Ito 3 p.m. AN ASSISTANT is needed to help prepare mea! trays for seniors in a fast paced kitchen. The vol- unteer will be working with a fun group of people. A VOLUNTEER is needed to THE BEST RESULTS COME FROM TEAM WORK ANN and ROBERT VAN OEVEREN We know how to get your home — Sov | FEsex ais Call 985-8233 or 925-9486 By Barbara Black News Reporter ing, and the analytical brain, still in high gear from work, indulged in its usual nit-picking. People around me settled down for a session of spiritual refresh- ment. My back and neck were killing me. I watched as Shri Mataji ex- plained her system of meditation. Sahaja Yoga means spontaneous union with the divine, which is accomplished through the process of self-realization, which itself is brought about by the awakening of the Kundalini. (The Kundalini was explained earlier. It’s a dormant energy that sits like a coiled up snake in the base of the spine. The goal of meditation is to awaken the Kun- dalini or latent power. As_ it moves upward it passes through the six centres or chakras in the body.) 1 was skeptical that after fol- lowing Shri Mataji’s instructions | might, as she suggested, feel a cool breeze on the top of my head or on my hands. But I knew it was impossible as long as I was in “reporter mode.” So I let go. help with weeding and = small carpentry jobs for an association that is planting a natural garden to attract wildlife at their Burnaby Lake location. WATER plants, take out gar- bage, do dishes and dust in a busy office each morning. This position ©, SET THE CORPORATION I went through the series of ac- tions to achieve ‘‘thoughtless awareness,’’ repeating in my mind the various phrases Mataji sug- gested. Afterwards, amazingly, I felt the cool breeze, on my hands, on my head. No windows were open. I had no questions — | was deliciously vacant, beyond think- ing. Thus I ended up with my feet in salt water. This is one of the aids to meditation suggested after the meeting. They also suggest you light a candle or incense and, if you prefer, to focus on Shri Mataji’s picture as an aid to meditation. You do not ‘‘wor- ship’’ her, however. By arcing over your body with your right hand seven times you are said to be ‘‘focusing your at- tention, helping to protect your chakra,’’ explains Ailan Mor- rissey, a North Shore Sahaja yoga follower. “It balances out the system, and by doing it at the end also it protects your chakra from the in- fluence of others.’’ He adds that it also helps to remove negative blockages in the chakra system. After the seven arcings you raise your energy up through the chakras three times, tying it in a knot above your head and then settle in to meditate. It is sug- gested you meditate early in the morning and once in the evening. is for a mentally handicapped per- son. The hours are flexible from Tuesdays to Fridays. If you are interested in volun- teering call Dru at $85-7138. NSCS is a member agency of the United Way. eh se ie tyes OF THE CITY OF NORTH VANCOUVER NOTICE POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING The Members of City Council will be considering the following item at a meeting of the Policy Committee, scheduled for: JUNE 17, 1991 in the COUNCIL CHAMBER, CITY HALL 141 WEST 14TH STREET, NORTH VANCOUVER B.C. at 7:30 P.M. “BALCONY ENCLOSURES - STRATA PROPERTIES” Chairman — Alderman P.W. Perrault invites all interested persons to attend the Policy Committee Meeting and to make comments on the above issue. BRUCE A. HAWKSHAW CITY CLERK (Although [ appreciate the wonders of the wee hours, my body couldn't be convinced and adhered rigidly to its inner alarm clock of 7:30 a.m.) Why do it? 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