Jai Gurudev!
At the beginning of last week, the Atma Kriya Yoga Teacher Training of 2014 concluded. It was a whirlwind of two weeks - lots early mornings and long evenings of study and practice. We wanted to share a bit about what happened, and what experiences the new teachers have gone back into the world with.
The new teachers came from all around the planet:
European countries like Germany, Switzerland, France, Croatia, Slovenia, Portugal, Great Britain, Spain, and Italy;
African countries like Kenya, South Africa, and Mauritius.
Both eastern and western United States: Hawaii, New England, and Alaska,
Many new teachers came from Russia, even a young doctor from Malaysia!
From the beginning, the training was intense but enjoyable - the trainers really knew the topics deeply, and they taught us about all things Atma Kriya Yoga.
They taught also about how to teach, so that not only would we as new teachers be able to know all about Atma Kriya Yoga, but that we also would be able to explain why we love to practice it to people who've not yet heard about it.
Many practice sessions later, the teacher-trainers gave their okay for all attendants to participate in a three-day initiation yagna with Guruji. It was a very amazing experience.
To get a deeper benefit from doing the yagna, all new teachers were asked to stay in silence for all three days, and to avoid touching anyone - not even family members!
During the days of silence, one teacher-trainer noticed that everyone was getting a bit stiff from sitting every day for so long. They suggested that we all go outside and have a walk after lunch. It was very nice. The whole group was in quietly walking, chanting Om Namo Narayanaya internally, and we followed the "parikrama" path (the path going around a holy place) around Shree Peetha Nilaya.
The new teachers, from the beginning of the course, connected very well with each other. There was a great energy in the room, day after day, and lots of new friends were made.
It was clear that everyone's lives had been touched in deep ways through practice of Atma Kriya Yoga and through contact with Guruji. Through this training, we now have tools to share this Love in powerful ways.
Many stories and experiences arose about the closeness of the Masters and of the Divine Mother to all people. Throughout the training, we got to experience that closeness, time and time again. We got the gift to spend time remembering how much Love is made available to us by Atma Kriya Yoga and by the presence of the Masters.
One of the more enjoyable parts for me was getting the chance to practice speaking about what Atma Kriya Yoga can mean to people's lives, and about how great a blessing has been given to me and to so many people through having Guruji in our lives. As a new Atma Kriya Yoga teacher, I really look forward to share these life-changing gifts with those who are ready to give time and energy to meet Love within themselves.
Big thanks to Guruji and to Mahavatar Babaji for giving us Atma Kriya Yoga. This gift is unimaginably valuable. To be able to share this gift with people is beyond anything I dreamed about.
Secondly, big thanks to our teacher trainers. They were amazing, and raised our standards as devotees in a really great way.
Much love, and,... this cannot be said enough: Jai Gurudev!
Sanjayananda, Atma Kriya Yoga teacher