Hospitality & Generosity of Spirit

I am inspired by some great extensions of hospitality that are emanating from our the Garden Street Yoga Kula. Some "out-of-town Immersion students asked me if there were any home stays available. This can a be little tricky. I always feel awkward making a request for home stays. I hate to impose. I know that peoples' lives are so busy and even though their hearts are big, often their houses are small.

Anyway, I put out a tentative and sort of apologetic e-mail to a few people who I thought might be able to take in a home stay student or two. Wow - I was blown away by the radical generosity and spirit of true kula that came back.

Without even asking for any information about the incoming students, Beth McGibbon, in her characteristically hospitable way, opened her doors wide. She will host two students and said she would gladly take the whole gang if they didn't mind futons.

Patty in her little house is hosting. And Olive and Ed sent a welcoming e-mail to their 2 home-stay students. Their e-mail was so warm that it makes me think that their guests might get adopted if they play their cards right.

These people have very busy lives with tons of commitments so I am all the more inspired by their generous hospitality. Anusara Yoga is all about recognizing and cultivating generosity of spirit, since it is based on the Tantric philosophy which holds that life and people are intrinsically good and generous. Anusara Yoga is also a perfect form for the expression of hospitality with it's first alignment principle being "Open to Grace " and say "Yes" first. And finally, Anusara Yoga hones the practice of hospitality since it promotes a focus on Kula - community of practice.....generosity......good company.

I am so grateful for these hosts and hostesses being so completely demonstrative and representative of the generous spirit of Anusara. Truly, in our local Anusara Yoga community, this type of behavior is the norm. I feel so lucky. No wait, let me say it more clearly: I feel Bliss.......the Bliss of the Heart - Ananda Hrdaya. According to Paul Muller Ortega, practices and rituals (hospitality is both) prove their efficacy and necessity if they usher us into Ananda Hrdaya.