Black Lives Matter

It is unfortunate that we still live in a world where the essence of the person is not recognised and celebrated but the form - status, race, gender, sexual preference, colour, power and position - takes precedence. May we appreciate the beauty in all!

“Black lives matter” does not mean other lives do not matter. It is not a competition around who matters most. Just as when women's movements say, “women matter,” it does not mean men do not matter or children or animals do not matter.

Pushing Things Under The Carpet

When old mistreatment comes to the surface, then the present representatives may not have the presence to take ownership. Pushing things under the carpet only increases the growing rage. As we push things under the carpet in our personal lives we see it festers and creates a stench.

Apologising And Making Amends

It was so beautiful to read the article about the Miami Police kneeling down in solidarity with those protesting George Floyds death. They were kneeling down to make a public apology for police brutality. I felt my eyes well up with tears as I saw that visual. However I learned that that gesture was only a media stunt and the police proceeded to tear gas protestors. Why did they not have the courage to truly take responsibility and apologise?

There is great power in taking responsibility for and apologising for aggression. It immediately brings down the iron walls that stand between hearts. Even if we, personally, are not the ones who perpetrated a crime in the past, the power of apologising on their behalf has the power to heal those who have inherited that trauma.

In the Arkaya sessions we work with aggressive patterns within ourselves. We learn about the amazing power of taking responsibility for our actions and apologising. Along with empathy training, this one paradigm shift, or rule to follow, can bring tremendous positive changes to our behaviour. This does not mean we are a doormat to another’s aggression.

Standing Up For What Is Right

It is unfortunate that many do not stand up for another who is wronged. It also takes discernment to know who is actually the one who is wronged. In some situations a lot of insight is required to see who the aggressor is. In other situations, it is crystal clear. If we do nothing about it, then we cast a shadow across the light of our own soul. By standing up for what we know is right, we are empowered by the force of life itself - which is what weaves together our interconnected reality. By denying our interconnection and not standing up, we are repressing that life-force within us. We are not just allowing another to be harmed. We are, in fact, harming ourselves as well.

Lineage And A Legacy Of Oppression

We may not know where the shame and fear within us arises from. It might have its roots in our ancestors who have collectively felt oppressed. Or there may be grief that has not been resolved over generations. There are many unhealthy family patterns that hook their insidious energy into us. This ancestral trauma can express itself as low self-esteem and rage which could be self-directed or mis-directed if we are not careful. When we take the time and have the courage to heal our own trauma and wounding, we are also healing the generations of the past and the future. We are the meeting point of all that came before us and all that will come after us. We have the power to shift the course of history and re-write the stories of the future.

Embracing Our True Nature, LOVE

I wrote this poem in my late twenties as I started travelling the world and teaching across many countries. It is dedicated to my grandfather, my gurus, students and everyone on the evolutionary path to allow them to see and embrace the worlds within and without.

The Eternal Embrace

There is a space

Where I’m neither man nor woman,

Young nor old

No colour, no race, not even a face

All I feel is my heart bursting with love

Holding the divine and you in a long, warm embrace

Yogacharini Maitreyi

You Matter

You matter

Even though you think

You are a speck

In this universal mess

You matter

Even though you find

Power centres may not respect

Your kind

You matter

More than you see

You are a precious peg

In this grandiosity

You matter

You deserve to celebrate

Who you are

You deserve to be free

Yogacharini Maitreyi