SharedBliss: Interview with Kundalini Yoga Teacher from 3HO Brasil

Entrance to the yoga studio in Brasil.

Listening to: Something for Subagh Kaur

Today's Bliss Formula: Oh, this most perfect summer weather! I wilt in extreme heat and this summer has been so mild. As I type this, it is sunny and 65. The birds are singing outside my dormer window. I can just see the top of our willow tree.

As I have mentioned before, the response to my interview requests from the Kundalini yoga community have been beyond generous. And today, we are privileged to have a teacher all the way from Brasil.

Subagh Kaur was born in Pennsylvania, discovered yoga in Maine, married a Brazilian healer/yogi, and moved to Brasil with him to found 3Ho Brasil on the advice of Yogi Bhajan. They had 3 children, all of whom are now yoga teachers.

At 3HO Brasil, they have a healing center, welcome visiting yogis, can provide personalized tours, and can house up to 20 yogis ashram style. They offer levels 1 and 2 Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training. They have massage therapy and, a personal favorite, gong therapy. What an amazing trip that would be -- just think of the birds you would see! (Said the bird nerd.)

Describe the PrimaryBliss of your life. How did you come to know that this was your PrimaryBliss?

My inner world is my PrimaryBliss. I came to discover it through yoga/meditation practice.

I'd like to include here that the births of my 3 children rank as transformative events in my life. They were at home without any medications to block the natural high of the endorphin rush that comes with the victory and ecstasy of the birth.

What types of choices and sacrifices did you make to be able to craft this bliss-filled life?

I have made many lifestyle changes over the years to support my yogic practice....like following a vegetarian diet, practicing applied consciousness in my day to day life, living in intimate contact with nature.

How does your PrimaryBliss radiate out into the rest of your life?

I call it GLOW.....internally it feels like a deep satisfaction of being in the right place at the right time, it is being 100% present in the ebb and flow of each of life’s "surprises.”

What are some other activities that also give you this sense of bliss? Things that make you lose track of time?

It revolves around practicing consciousness, being in the flow of a deep and full breath, sharing belly laughs with friends, flying along on my bike when breath and movement are in sync and the endorphins are flowing, moments of deep connection with another human that go beyond words, teaching yoga especially when I am following divine inspiration, when gratitude bubbles out of each pore.

I already mentioned my kids births, but I'd like to include here my husband's passing. In 2004 after having received a "terminal" prognosis 4 years before, he breathed his last breath. My sons and I were at his side. The energy was unbelievably the same as the birth. It was somehow unexpected and at the other end of the spectrum of the joy that comes with a successful birth. However the intensity can throw you into a "time spin" outside of "normal" awareness and be a portal for unbelievable leaps.

What is your daily or weekly spiritual practice?

Kundalini yoga, meditation, awareness, applied consciousness/applied kindness in the day to day events.

What music is your bliss?

For introspection -music of silence, gurbani kirtan, music that takes me to deeper relaxation (like David and Steve Gordon). For energy - Earth, Wind and Fire, reggae.

Name books or authors/poets or people who are your bliss, who influenced your bliss.

Most of my personal bliss companions are not famous.

What advice would you give to someone who feels they have not yet discovered their PrimaryBliss?

Keep opening, you're almost there!

Do you have a favorite quote you would like to share?

"Eat light,
travel light,
spread the light
be the LIGHT"
--Yogi Bhajan

The way Subagh Kaur describes being present for her husband's death really resonated with me. Being present at the passing of a beloved cat, I felt the same way -- I felt privileged to be there and I felt like it changed me in some very fundamental way. I like her explanation -- that it provides a "portal for unbelievable leaps." Exactly.

And her optimism is beautiful. "Keep opening, you're almost there" would be a perfect daily mantra for anyone at any stage of their development.

I also want to point out how she emphasizes a couple of times the idea that compassion, consciousness, and kindness are practices. Every day they must be, to use her word, applied. They are active -- not some state that you attain and then exist within but choices that you make from moment to moment, day to day.

Thank you, Subagh Kaur.

SharedBliss: Link to Marcy Hall Interview

I'll be posting later about the power of saying no to whatever does not feed your bliss, but for now I wanted to point you all in the direction of an interview with my partner, Frog. I hope you enjoy it!

SharedBliss: Interview with Donna Davidge, Yogi & Retreat Owner

Donna "Amrita" Davidge, Yogi
& Owner of Sewall House

Listening to: The painterly images in this video seemed appropriate to Donna.

Today's Bliss Formula: For some reason, this summer has been quieter than others. I am grateful for this. Normally by early afternoon, there are so many children and so much noise. Perhaps this year, they all have camps they are attending?

This photo of Donna allows me to explain a bit about the Sikh connections within the Kundalini yoga community.

Not everyone who practices Kundalini is a Sikh. I'm not. Ravi Singh and Ana Brett do not wear turbans and I get the impression that they do not solely associate themselves with Sikhism. Kundalini, like all yoga, is open to anyone and helpful to anyone, regardless of your "official" religious affiliation. At a Kundalini yoga event, like White Tantric Yoga, you are asked to wear white (because it combines all colors) and to cover your head -- but you don't have to wear a turban.
Sikhism itself is only 500 years old. I find it a tolerant and loving mystical tradition. Their concept of God is not at all anthropomorphic and they see yoga and meditation as a way to God. They follow the traditions of ten gurus. For more, go here.

Yogi Bhajan, the man responsible for bringing the secrets of Kundalini yoga to the west, was a Sikh, and he was also Donna Davidge's first teacher. She has been teaching Kundalini yoga since 1985 but has not stopped her learning there. Her teaching now integrates other forms of yoga.

You can see the integration in her DVD's, which were my first experience of her. A friend of mine had gone to Donna's retreat in Maine and brought the DVD's home; they are beautifully produced and challenging (and her husband, Swedish singer and songwriter, Kent Bonham, provides music).

Yogi Bhajan gave Donna her spiritual name, Amrita, which in Sanskrit means "nectar of immortality."

A side note about Kundalini yoga and Sikhism: everyone I have encountered in this community exemplifies the principles of this tradition. They are open minded and caring and helpful. They walk their talk. And Donna had been one more wonderful example of this.

Describe the PrimeBliss of your life. How did you come to know that this was your PrimeBliss?

My prime bliss was getting on to a spiritual path that felt helpful and loving instead of a religious path I had known in my childhood that had made me feel fearful and not good (the original sin concept). In yoga and related philosophies, the idea is that we are a reflection of God, all inherently good and pure and powerfully connected to the infinite.

What types of choices and sacrifices did you make to be able to craft this bliss-filled life?

I gave up a wonderful marriage and career in my mid 20's to run off to Europe to "find myself." It was veiled in a pseudo-modeling career, but the things that happened to me and the growth I needed in order to be happy started with this tumultuous time and choice in my life. So I guess you could say I sacrificed security and the "American dream." It was rather selfish at the time, but we are often selfish in a destructive way until we learn to undo some of our past hurts, to love ourselves and others and to learn the importance of serving from a healed and more whole place.

How does your PrimeBliss radiate out into the rest of your life?

I became a teacher because my first teacher, Ravi Singh, told me to! When I started there were not all these teacher trainings and yoga was still quite odd and non-mainstream. I did it primarily because I knew it had already begun to spin the tapestry of my life in a better direction and I knew that if I could radiate to others the healing and joy it had given me then I could serve a positive purpose in other people's lives, no matter if it was just one person. Ravi once told me "If one person shows up, teach." Yogi Bhajan said "If you want to master something, teach it" so I knew I wanted to keep studying and practicing and evolving as I became a teacher quite early into my studies.

What are some other activities that also give you this sense of bliss? Things that make you lose track of time?

I love being with my cats: one is old and blind and hyperthryoid, and the other had been in a shelter for over 7 months and is big and black and fluffy and the sweetest cat I have ever owned. Animals teach us SO much. I also love to be in nature, whether in New Mexico at the Kundalini Summer Solstice or on the porch of our retreat home in Maine, which holds special significance to me because my great grandfather built it and I have heard amazing things about him as a "metaphysician" so I aspire to carry on his work. The most special place, though, is my mother's 60 year old lake cabin that I inherited (with my older sister) when my mother passed. It is absolutely isolated on a lake and all you hear are loons and the occasional fishing boat. You cannot even get there by car! I also love writing, which I did as a child a lot. When I studied acting with Michael Moriarty in NY City, he urged us to write a one woman show. I wrote one about my great grandmother's life in Maine. When I shared my writing in class, he called me Donna Davidge Throeau! So I guess my love of nature showed through. I am also blessed with a lovely husband from Sweden, whom I met through Kundalini Yoga and married at age 48. He has whole-heartedly embraced my yoga retreat adventure, and we are a great team, enjoying each other's company even when we are wallpapering(!) and he is now the chef serving the guests, so I think it important that even when working, we are happy and grateful! (Like the Buddhists say, our work and play should be the same!) This is not to say there are not challenges, all of us have them!

What is your daily or weekly spiritual practice?

Most days, I have some physical asana practice. When I am in NY City, it is primarily a Mysore Ashtanga practice at a studio owned by Eddie Stern, who is a wonderful teacher. It is a quiet and sacred space, really a world apart from NYC for me energetically. I also study some with Dharma Mittra. He is amazing. For years, I have done many Kundalini sets, meditations and sometime practices that either Yogi Bhajan or Guru Dev have given me from the many manuals. In Maine, we have 30 minutes just sitting in silence every morning. For about 10 years, I did the 2 and a half hour Kundalini Sadhana at 4 in the morning as much as I could, but frankly, I got very tired during the day as I teach A LOT so I have sort of created my own practice since then as suggested above, it sort of evolved that way! I think Sadhana is important! I love chanting and breathing and asana practice as all part of my sadhana.

What music is your bliss?

Of course, I love my husband's music; he is just starting his own mantra project after composing and performing the music for our 2 Kundalini Yoga DVDs. I love a lot of the music from 3HO and Kundalini Yoga - Snatam, Sat Kartar, Guru Ganesha, Sat Kirin and many others. I also like Krishna Das and many of the non-Kundalini yoga artists as well. I used to incorporate non-yoga music, even Barbara Streisand, but I don't so much any more into my teaching and life.

Name books or authors/poets or people who are your bliss, who influenced your bliss.

Yogi Bhajan for sure is my biggest influence and I can thank Ravi Singh, again, for leading me to him. I had the chance to be around him a lot and get a spiritual name from him in person and his teachings have really transformed my life. I love Deepak Chopra's 7 Spiritual Laws for Success. We have lots of other great related books at Sewall House. I have devoured many of these books over the years. In general, I find people's lives inspiring so I have read a lot of biographies over the years on people from all walks of life, latest being Obama's "Dreams For My Father," which he wrote in 1994 and is wonderful. I also loved Tolstoy's War & Peace, which I read years ago. As a yoga person, I have studied the Sutras some as well.

What advice would you give to someone who feels they have not yet discovered their PrimeBliss?

I would suggest that no one ever give up on finding their happiness. Sometimes we have to take a really true, hard look at our lives and ourselves, and change is not easy but it is the gift life gives us. Some changes we can choose and some choose us but we can constantly work on our emotions, old ingrained patterns, and our inner life to become a happier more inspiring person. We may not "have" everything we would like, but what we can chose is how to "be." I have been through a lot of "stuff" in my life, and one thing I never did was give up; many things did not turn out the way I would have liked or hoped, but I can honestly say I am a happy person, and every day, I have my physical and mental health without the crutch of drugs or addictive relationships and all the things that can destroy a sensitive, wounded human being. I am thankful for life. Yogi Bhajan taught us to be aware and then to make choices from that place, choices that were constructive rather than destructive, to ourselves and to others. If you find something that seems to be good for you in a healthy way, stay committed!

Do you have a favorite quote you would like to share?

I think it was Helen Keller "Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all."

Thanks, Christine, for giving me this opportunity to share a little of my life experience on this humble path of learning.

And thank you, Donna, for being so open and candid.

SharedBliss: Interview with Artist Leonie Allan

Lovely & Luminous Leonie

Listening to: One of Leonie's favorites with a little cello in the arrangement. In my mind, cello added in is always good.

Today's Bliss Formula: I will ride my bike today to purchase organic vanilla ice cream to eat this evening with just-picked strawberries from our yard. This is only the second year for our strawberry patch and I can't get over how much it is producing -- and will continue to do so all summer as they are an heirloom variety named, aptly, "summer long."

Some of my favorite films are Australian (like this, this, and this) and now one of my favorite artists also hails from the land of one of my favorite writers and one of my favorite groups. To be specific, Leonie Allan comes from Canberra, Australia and creates art that inspires the viewer to a more joyful and creative and authentic life.

We are lucky to have her thoughts and words with us today.

I can't remember how or where I first came across her art, but you don't forget it once you see it. I love the way she combines painting and writing -- she reminds me a bit of SARK and I know she'd take that as a compliment!And though she doesn't say this directly, I think you can see that part of her prime bliss -- the main thing underlying everything -- is to spread an awareness of your own individual joy as mirrored through her own.

(To visit her blog, go here, and to see her etsy store, go here.)

Describe the PrimeBliss of your life. How did you come to know that this was your PrimeBliss?

I have many blisses in my life... art, writing, photography, creating sacred space for women with circles and retreats... I create art prints that celebrate the Goddess in each of us. My intention is to create rainbow, joyful artworks that encourage and support us on every part of our life journeys. When I have moments of feeling alone or lost, I create a Goddess to remind me that I am not alone, I am loved, that life is full of possibility, joy and healing. Writing is also an important way to share about joy, spirit and the journey for me. When I was 22, I wrote and self published a book called "Today I grew like a wildflower." I have also written a couple of book proposals that I am now working to get published about being a Goddess. Writing is definitely an interesting and challenging form of creative expression... so much to learn about the process of getting books published or self-published! (For anyone who is an artist or a writer, you might be interested in some Resources I put together on my website that have helped me along my creative journeys right here.)

From time to time I run Goddess Gatherings - 3 day retreats for women to experience the Goddess inside them. It is a blissful and transformative experience, filled with dawn meditations, drumming, laughing, circling, creating, healing, walking on Mama Earth, dancing and sacred space. I hold the retreats on a beautiful property filled with purple mountains, wide rivers, golden fields and misty mornings. In one word, heaven on earth! For me, it is the most profound experience to watch women open and blossom into themselves... and to witness them remembering their divinity and beauty. I am also passionate about using photography to document the Goddess in every woman, the soul beauty inside every person, and the beauty all around us. The deep abiding passion behind all these creative offerings is remembering the Great Spirit inside me and inside everyone in this world. When I get that sweet moment of a shiver up my spine and a swelling in my heart, I know I'm in the right place. So my Prime Bliss is really to live a sacred, joyful life, and sharing that in many mediums. What types of choices and sacrifices did you make to be able to craft this bliss-filled life?

I think I am always making choices for me. Sometimes they are totally awesome choices, sometimes they are not, and I'm getting a lot better at loving myself no matter what those choices are. Byron Katie says a beautiful thing - that we do the best we can ALL the time, because we are doing the only thing we know how to do. If we knew how to make enlightened choices all the time, that's what we'd do. And if we don't, well, that's okay too. It's really all good no matter what. So I can procrastinate, get stuck, be frustrated and be lost with the best of them. I make the choices I need to make for what I need to learn at the time. As for choices that feel totally awesome from the get-go: I decided to move from full-time work to part-time work so I could give more energy to my creative & soulful dreams. Two years in, I still have tremors occasionally about wondering if I should go back to working full-time, but as my partner reminds me: You're never going to regret taking more time off at the end of your life, so enjoy it now! I also make the choice to follow the flow of my energy when it takes me. Throughout the month, year and the whole of my life journey, my energy will ebb, flow, grow, seek and hide. Sometimes I will want to be really out there in the world shining, sometimes I really just want to savour my life for myself and be quiet about it. Sometimes I will have a strong calling to lead circles and retreats, and there will also be times when I need to just heal myself for a while. Sometimes I want to paint, other times I only want to write, sometimes photography calls me, sometimes I don't want to create at all, and just want to Be. It's a new thing for me to choose to follow my energy, but I feel that new and even more beautiful things will blossom in my soul and into the world when I trust where my spirit is calling me.

How does your PrimeBliss radiate out into the rest of your life?

I designate myself as a Joy-Bringer wherever I go.
Finding my creative and soul's dream also means my life is deeper, wider, more precious and more sacred to me.

What are some other activities that also give you this sense of bliss? Things that make you lose track of time?

Connecting with special friends deeply. Picnics in the park under the trees. Cuddling my healer dog Charlie. Going on road trips. Swimming in rivers in the afternoon sunlight. Being "out bush" as we Australians call it - out on the land. On horseback. In the desert. Adventuring. Laughing.

What is your daily or weekly spiritual practice?

Mama Earth is my temple and I try to get my feet and hands bare on the Earth once a day. As soon as I put bare feet on Mama Earth, I feel grounded and healed. There's just something so potent about having moments spent with wind tumbling through my hair, reminding me that I'm a goddess and a part of this earth. I am also a part of regular healing and meditation circles. To be in circle is to be at home.

What music is your bliss?

Oh so many! I'm into rootsy, earthy, acoustic music, 60's folksy music and ethereal, soulful music. Think James Taylor, Saritah, the Dawson's Creek soundtracks, the Andi and George band, Fleetwood Mac, Deva Premal, Jewel, India Arie, Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, Yulara, Willie Nelson, Sheila Chandra, Sarah McLachlan, Nick Hanlon and the Goddesses, R. Carlos Nakai and Jimmy Little.

Name books or authors/poets or people who are your bliss, who influenced your bliss.

SARK is a goddess in my pantheon of inspiration. Byron Katie and The Work has had a profound influence on my life. So has Julia Cameron, Denise Linn and Doreen Virtue. My family, best friends, spiritual mentors and circle sisters are all also deeply important inspirations to me. My partner especially is a very grounded, wise support for me.

What advice would you give to someone who feels they have not yet discovered their PrimeBliss?

This one is from my beautiful partner when I had a moment of no-faith last night: Just enjoy yourself. Don't worry too much. Don't be too serious. Go where your heart calls you. And if it doesn't call you right now, then be where you are right now and enjoy it. It will come when it needs to. You don't need to change to be any better than what you already are.

Do you have a favorite quote you would like to share?

"Joy is an option"

I made that my own little slogan when I was 20, and I've been reminding myself ever since. Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, joy really is an option.

Thank you so deeply for being here, and for being you. I am so glad I had this opportunity to share with you.

Bright and deep blessings, Leonie

All of that wisdom from someone in her mid-twenties. It takes some of us a lot longer to figure this stuff out!

SharedBliss: Interview with Yoga Therapist Diane Cesa

Diane in a lovely backbend!

Listening to: Persian, Rumi-inspired music for Diane.

Today's Bliss Formula: Having a post done very early in the morning means a free day when I can spend lots of time writing with a pen and paper or perhaps getting out the Olivetti for some clicking and clacking!

Diane Cesa is a perfect example of someone following her bliss -- no matter where it takes her and with utter willingness and abandon.

She describes herself as a refugee from the 9 to 5 world, having walked away from a lucrative career in marketing copywriting. Many people dream of taking such risks, but Diane did it. And in listening to her heart, she is an amazing roll model for the rest of us.

Now her whole life revolves around yoga.

Diane writes one of the most popular blogs about yoga -- Everything Yoga -- and that title is accurate. There is nothing this fearless spiritual warrior won't try, and we are lucky to witness her struggles and her growth vicariously through her writing.

She has even completed the five levels of Shambhala Warrior training. (Blisschick is thoroughly impressed by this! And, yes, I just wrote about myself in third person.)

After years of exploring, Diane considers herself, first and foremost, a yoga therapist. She works one on one with people, believing that there is no such thing as "one yoga for all." And thanks to her intrepid search for knowledge, she has a variety of trainings from a variety of traditions to draw from in her sessions.

You can also find Diane here.

(PrimeBliss (n): that which everything else is connected to, comes from, is affected by; that which you wish to share with the world; your driving passion in life; the thing that makes you you.)

Describe the PrimeBliss of your life. How did you come to know that this was your PrimeBliss?

I have a lot of bliss in my life, so this question actually gives me pause for thought. Being that I write a yoga blog this probably won’t come as a shock – yoga is my PrimeBliss. I came to yoga at a time when I was confused about where I was going in life and I was suffering from a big-time case of “is this all there is?!?!?” I knew yoga was my PrimeBliss at first glance, like when you find that one special person with whom you know you’ll have a deep and lasting link. I didn’t know it with my head – I knew it with my heart. I immediately wanted to immerse myself in the practice, go deeper and learn more. I felt as though I had stumbled upon something big and something that was going to transform me and my life. Turns out my inner compass was right – it was and it did.

What types of choices and sacrifices did you make to be able to craft this bliss-filled life?

To boil it down – I had to make a commitment to being awake. I’d been running on autopilot for quite some time at that time and I was so anesthetized that I didn’t even realize that I was sleeping (or more aptly, in a coma). In order to wake up, I had to get quiet so that I could actually listen to myself. I also had to push against my boundaries, which had been pretty solidly constructed up until that point. In one of my yoga trainings we called this “pushing your edges.” I’ve done a lot of pushing over the past 7 or 8 years. Basically, I had to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. I gave up the type of career I thought that I “should” have and the one that others expected me to have. When you do that, a lot of things you formerly identified with fly out the window. It was scary – and sometimes still is – but letting go was very freeing for me. I remember one time I let the doubt rear its ugly head and I started to second-guess myself and my decisions. The very next day I was receiving a yoga therapy session from a fellow student and I had this amazing sense of clarity around my new choices. I was overwhelmed by a sense of “surety” knowing that I was on the right path and that I would follow it no matter how many obstacles or potholes showed up. To this day, I can still remember the feeling. And it banishes any doubts that may come up – every time.

How does your PrimeBliss radiate out into the rest of your life?

My bliss IS my life and I am bliss – it’s all intertwined with me. It was my desire to live a passionate, juicey, joy-filled life that gave me the courage to break free from my old thoughts about work and live and move in the direction of my bliss. Once I woke up and shifted my perspective, amazing things starting happening. Opportunities presented themselves. I recognized them for what they were and said “thank you” rather than wonder why all of these wonderful things were happening to me. I’d always wanted day-to-day life to be integrated with my passions/bliss – it just took some self-reflection to figure out how to do it. For a long time I got stuck on the how. When I let go of that struggle, things seemed to click into place. I’ve been very lucky and I’m incredibly grateful for all that’s been provided for me.

What are some other activities that also give you this sense of bliss? Things that make you lose track of time?

Being out in nature, participating in a kirtan, reading a good book, spending time with a loved one, learning something new (I’m addicted to learning – I can’t get enough – and I’m always attending workshops, teleclasses, and online courses. Learning turns me on!), driving, kayaking, listening to music.

What is your daily or weekly spiritual practice?

I practice yoga every day and I try (I have weeks when I meditate every day and others when I only meditate a few times a week) to meditate every day as well. Every day I take numerous breathing breaks to get back in touch with my body and get centered. I use breathing techniques and pranayama all the time. In fact, these practices are so interwoven into my day that I don’t even realize that they’re such a huge part of my day-to-day. Recently I’ve added Qigong to the mix. I also try to get out in nature a few times a week for a hike.

What music is your bliss?

All types of music bliss me out. I absolutely, positively love drumming – and live drumming catapults me into ecstasy. I listen to everything from chants/new age/yoga music to country to pop to rock to classical to big band. My iPod has an eclectic mix of music. One day I’ll be listening to Sufi music, the next day it’s a smooth tantra groove, the day after that I’m dancing along to Bhangra or Indian dance music, and the next day I’m chanting Hindu mantras. I’m a mixed bag.

Name books or authors/poets or people who are your bliss, who influenced your bliss.

That would be a loooong list. So many people that I’ve met and experiences that I’ve had have influenced me in one significant way or another. Off the top of my head, I’d have to say that some of my favorite authors/poets are Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Rumi, Rainer Maria Rilke, Mary Oliver, Hafiz, David Whyte, Jack Kornfield, Pema Chodron, Osho, Roger Housden, Elizabeth Gilbert, Michael Singer, Mark Whitwell and those are just the “big names.” There are a lot of folks that could be on this list – and many of them have never written a book nor do they have a well-known moniker. Those folks are the ones that have been in my life (some have been constant while others have passed in and out) – like loved ones, friends, teachers, business associates, soul mates – and taught me many valuable lessons. They have all challenged me and inspired me to be a better person and remind me that the divine lies in the gross as well as the subtle.

What advice would you give to someone who feels they have not yet discovered their PrimeBliss?

Stop and listen to you – not what’s swirling around in your head but what’s deep inside of you. In other words – wake up! You can’t “just get by” or go along on autopilot or live a life built on the expectations of others. You have to commit to being awake, which comes down to getting out of your head and into your heart and being in the present. My advice is to stop doing and start being. It’s so easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of the daily grind or get distracted by the static of life. You need to slow down, take some quiet time, and breathe. When you do, you tap into your true self, the true core of you – the you beyond the static of the mind and the world. That’s where the road map to your bliss lies.

Do you have a favorite quote you would like to share?

I have quite a large selection of favorite quotes that I turn to for inspiration (I get some fabulous messages delivered to my inbox daily from Tut’s Adventurers Club, Esther and Jerry Hicks, and Daily G), but I’d have to say that my ultimate favorite is more like a Bliss Lover’s Anthem. I found it in an unlikely way – on the pin of a self-proclaimed “wild woman.” It says it all as far as I’m concerned:

“To hell with happiness – I want ecstasy!”

See what I mean? Diane faced the fears, looked expectations in the face, dared to be different, and forged her own path. Because of this, she can say she is bliss.

Thanks, Diane.

SharedBliss: Interview with Artist Kelli Bickman

"Lotus Bliss" by Kelli Bickman

Listening to: This song comes to mind as summer approaches.

Today's Bliss Formula: 39 years old and I get to say things like this: "Today I go to get my rubber bands changed on my braces! Perhaps pink?" (Right now, they are ocean blue.)

I think I have mentioned before that my introduction to the idea of blogging came about because I looked up Neil Gaiman a few years back, after having read and been blown away by American Gods.

And it was through reading his blog that I discovered the art of Kelli Bickman.

Bickman's art was a revelation for a couple of reasons. First of all, because it is. Much like Gaiman, Bickman dares to mix -- color, theme, mythology -- and she does so with respect and humor at the same time. A difficult feat.

Secondly, it was a personal revelation. My partner had been painting for a few years at this point and what she was doing did not look like what people thought of as "serious art," and yet she was not interested in producing "serious art." She wanted to make people think, yes, but more importantly to look at a painting and feel good -- even if just for that one moment.



"Green Tara" by Bickman

Kelli Bickman, a serious artist to be sure, does just that and proved to my partner and to me that art produced from a sense of joy could lead to an artist's life -- you know, the kind we all dream of, where our art is our living and our living is our art.

I think art such as Bickman's is actually the most "serious" of all in that it expresses something joyful and ecstatic about being human. I think, too, that art like this can only come from a certain kind of soul -- a happy, broad-minded, and delighted-with-life soul.

(Besides her own website, you can find her here and here.)

Describe the PrimeBliss of your life. How did you come to know that this was your PrimeBliss?

My PrimeBliss is the act of creating art. There are moments when everything of this earthly existence falls away and becoming one with creation envelopes me, time stands still and everything is perfect in that moment...from what I understand, this is what most creators search for. Mostly I am a painter but I explore many mediums. I prefer to work on large scale works, murals especially, but finding bliss can be in the simple act of making a line drawing as well...no matter what medium, it is the act of creation itself that thrills me. There are times when I am doing a commercial job and I literally laugh out loud because it is so wonderful to make money doing what I love. I've always been an artist but I guess I KNEW it when every job I had felt like I was 'doing time' for a paycheck unless I was creating...and I've had many jobs from receptionist to waiting tables in a jazz club to dressing windows at Saks Fifth Ave. I would always come home after my 'job' and make collages (early works) or paintings. When things started selling, it was very encouraging and I dedicated more time to creating and then somewhere around 2001 I made the leap of faith to paint full time. It hasn't always been easy but I remain steadfast in my intention to make a living as a fine artist and, God willing, my career keeps getting better every day.

"White Tara" by Bickman

What types of choices and sacrifices did you make to be able to craft this bliss-filled life?

I guess the biggest sacrifice in my life right now is space. I have a decent sized apartment in the West Village of NYC, but it is always full of visitors and family and seems to get smaller every day. My challenge is to find a space to paint large scale works in and store the hundreds of paintings I've made in a place other then my bedroom (one never gets away from the art when confronted with it first thing in the morning and last thing at night) and then find the time and energy to make the art.

How does your PrimeBliss radiate out into the rest of your life?

Creating works of art is only 50% of the job. The other 50% comes from an audience receiving the work. Sharing is a fundamental part of the exchange between the artist and viewer. So, my PrimeBliss is really to share my creations with other people all over the world. My work doesn't serve me or anyone when it is stacked up in my studio, so I love having shows or publishing images so the creative exchange exists. And, of course, when I sell work, I tend to be much happier and like to share my abundance with the people closest to me!

What are some other activities that also give you this sense of bliss? Things that make you lose track of time?

I live in Manhattan but grew up in a very small town in Minnesota. My nearest neighbor was a mile away and we had almost 400 acres of land. My father was a farmer, and although I was never much of a help to him on the farm (other than cooking meals), I do love to get my hands into the earth. We have an 800 sq foot deck on the back of my apartment (another rarity in NYC), so I have started an urban garden...very blissful to watch things grow and know that in a few months I will be able to go out back and pick strawberries, lettuce, kale, swiss chard, and many various herbs from our little garden (we even compost our organic waste to make soil for next year's crops). I also love camping, swimming, hiking, traveling, biking, and just generally being in nature. I appreciate Mother Earth so much more after living in a big city.

What is your daily or weekly spiritual practice?

Most important for me is to try to be mindful in every waking moment. I also do dream therapy before and after sleeping. Being grateful for everything is key to any spiritual practice. I also read tarot cards for myself as a guide. I practice yoga and do my best to sit in meditation, but in all honesty, I sometimes get lazy with practice even though I know it can help me move mountains.

What music is your bliss?

I love Krishna Das, George Harrison, Fredo Viola (www.fredoviola.com), Kid Loco, Brett Dennon, Bob Marley, and a billion others...depends on my mood at the moment. I did Live Painting at Seed Gallery in Newark last week and the DJ was really amazing...turned me on to a bunch of new electronica that was so inspiring to create to.

Name books or authors/poets or people who are your bliss, who influenced your bliss.

The biggest life changing books for me were: "Autobiography of a Yogi" by Yogananda Parasambava, "Conversations with God" by Neale Donald Walsh, "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho, and "The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying" by Soygal Rinpoche. And, of course, one of my all time favorite writers is Neil Gaiman. I used to work for him, and he taught me so much about the world and has inspired me enormously. He has also been one of my greatest patrons.

What advice would you give to someone who feels they have not yet discovered their PrimeBliss?

Sit quietly and ask for guidance. The answer is always there if you can quiet your mind enough to listen to the voices in your head. Angels really do walk among us and are here to guide us towards our life purpose...all we have to do is be present in our lives and let the magic of the universe work through us and be clear in our intention. There are many great teachers on finding Bliss...Wayne Dyer is a great teacher to help people work with the power of intention and shift consciousness to a higher way of being. Another great teacher is Eckhart Tolle...he teaches stillness and is really amazing. Our planet is in a time of crisis, and each individual person needs to work to stay balanced to deal with the changes that are happening. I tend to listen to the audio versions of their books while I am painting or driving...it keeps me focused and in touch with what is 'real' amidst the chaos of existence as we know it on planet earth.

Do you have a favorite quote you would like to share?

Thoughts create reality.

And don't we all wish our reality
looked a lot more
like Bickman's thoughts?

"Mother of Love II" by Bickman

PrimeBliss: Interview with Kundalini Yogi Ana Brett

Cat in Bridge by Marcy Hall

Listening to right now: Cowboy Junkies

Today's Bliss Formula: Inspired by this interview, my own yoga is wonderful right now. It feels good to be back on track, to be consciously breathing, to be chanting and feeling my heart and throat open.

The first Ravi Singh and Ana Brett yoga DVD I ever did was their 90 minute Journey through the Chakras. I was already somewhat familiar with Kundalini and felt certain it was the right yoga for me. (For more on that, go here.)

Yet Singh and Brett still completely surprised me. The sequencing of the movements, the speed of them, the pauses between...it all felt amazing and rhythmic, like poetry.

And then there was the giggling -- on my part, that is. I kept giggling. Which felt strange while I was doing yoga. It was supposed to be serious and slow and methodical, wasn't it?

No. Not if by "serious" I meant the denial of fun and spontaneity and joy -- three of the main ingredients in any Singh and Brett DVD.

Take a moment in time to be sublime.

It took me many times doing that DVD before I wouldn't laugh out loud when Singh said this line. It seemed so silly, so "sacrilege," so perfect.

Ana Brett is a beautiful yogi, filled with light. She practically glitters on the videos. And in the last few DVD's, we've started to hear her voice too.

Literally. She does quite a bit of the talking lately, but my favorite way to hear her voice is chanting. There is nothing pretentious or trained about it; it is innocent and ebullient, and even when I'm supposed to be focusing on my breath-work, I can barely stop myself from joining her.

Singh and Brett have, happily, told me they are putting together a CD of their mantras, which is to be released later this year.

For now, we'll have to settle for her spoken/written words:

1. Describe the PrimeBliss of your life, including how you came to discover it.

Movement. Using my energy through moving, whether its dance or yoga, connects me to the earth, to life, and to myself. My earliest memories all involve movement. Even when I was 5 and growing up in Australia, I was fascinated by traditional dance forms performed by the aboriginal people in my area and had to learn all I could about their movement rituals. I love to watch people move whether its babies or professional athletes to glean the primal source of movement and encode it in my body.

I love to figure out ways to pass along this information. I want everyone to experience joy in moving!

2. What types of choices and sacrifices did you make to be able to craft this bliss-filled life?

Since movement is something you can do anywhere anytime (you can even choreograph dance in your head) I feel I have not had to sacrifice. I do miss my friends and family when traveling but I make it up with extra calls and emails. A choice would, of course, be a larger living space so I can dance. We don't have this yet because we've been too busy traveling and teaching to build a house! Also, I guess I had to "sacrifice" my modeling career, because it wasn't inspiring me. I remember how, on shoots, I felt tired all the time. Sometimes our bodies aren't so subtle when letting us know we're on the wrong track. (emphasis blisschick)

3. How does your PrimeBliss radiate out into the rest of your life?

Our DVDs hopefully give others the same joy I feel when I am moving my energy through Kundalini Yoga and Dance. I also feel when you are doing what you love you inspire other people to find the joy in their lives. Some people need to see what is possible through someone else before they can believe it is a possibility for themselves. (emphasis blisschick)

4. What are some of your secondary bliss activities? Things that make you lose your sense of time?

Meditating and hiking with Ravi (Singh). We tend to get lost in more ways than one!

5. What is your daily or weekly spiritual practice?

Every day I do a yoga practice. I mix it up according to my mood so it is always different, although I always work "Kundalini" style from the ground up. No matter what else is happening, we meditate every evening for 31 minutes. Right now the meditation we are doing is a Kundalini one for brain balance and joy (and much more). On a practical level it is helping me sleep like a bump on a log and when I am well rested I seem to be in a constant state of bliss!

6. What music is your bliss?

I like everything from "I Am So Open" by the Cowboy Junkies and Led Zepplin, to Madonna. Fun dancy stuff or soulful. We've compiled some amazing music for our upcoming DVD's.

7. Name books or authors/poets or people who are your bliss, who influenced your bliss.

All the books I read as a child, especially fairy tales essentially taught me to be prepared for life's surprises and how to make the bliss last! Right now I'm reading a book called Bones of the Master. We like poetry. It represents to us spirit in evidence. Some of our favorites are: Pablo Neruda, Walt Whitman, Cesar Vallejo, and the list goes on!

8. What advice would you give to someone who feels they have not yet discovered their PrimeBliss?

Do what you love everyday. Don't get lazy, push through the fear, and never stop believing in yourself. Always keep moving forward and remember when one door closes another opens. Create a relationship with energy. Save some for great efforts. Do Kundalini Yoga and meditate so you stay open to life and its endless possibilities. That technology is designed to help one live one's potential.

9. Do you have a favorite quote you would like to share?

There are so many great quotes, unfortunately I have no memory for them. I feel this is a good one by Yogi Bhajan:

It's not the life you lead; it's the courage you bring to it.

I could read this interview over and over and probably will! Brett points out so many essential elements to living a bliss-filled life -- both on and off the mat. And her Yogi Bhajan quote is one of my favorites.

Next week, I'll be posting an interview with artist Kelli Bickman.

PrimeBliss: Interview with Storyteller, Artist, & Messenger Jen Lemen

"The air, blowing everywhere, serves all creatures."--Hildegarde of Bingen
(Painting by Marcy Hall)

Listening to right now: The Littlest Bird by the Be Good Tanyas

Today's Happiness Formula: This second, wonderful interview with a truly inspiring woman.

Following My Bliss by: Working on novel, initiating conversations with more potential interviews, and generally appreciating this beautiful day.

If hope is a thing with feathers, then Jen Lemen mus