My OHMazing™ Journey: Self-Discovery Through Art

by Kristina Hilliard

Seated Buddha on a Lotus

China Ming Dynasty, 15^th century

Bronze, gilding, and pigment

Trammell and Margaret Crow Collection of Asian Art

1976.3

I have always been fascinated with art-- making it, studying it, and teaching it. Works of art have the ability to take us on journeys of self discovery as we examine them, and act as catalysts towards learning about culture. When we examine a beautiful Buddha sculpture from the Crow Collection of Asian Art, we can journey back to the time of its creation, to the place, time, and events. As I look over the image, I find symbols, mudras (hand gestures), and an immediate emotional reaction--all indicators of what this work of art means, how it was experienced, and why it was and is important. 

Buddha’s journeys are evident in all of the symbols and mudras found in Buddhist imagery. Here, Buddha sits upon a large golden lotus flower, a symbol of purity as it grows from the muddiest of waters into a beautiful flower gently floating above the waters’ surface. Buddha sits in the yoga asana known as lotus pose, and the soles of Buddha’s feet are imprinted with auspicious symbols representing the wheel of the law. His hands are clasped in a mudra of pure enlightenment, as he gazes downward with a calm, gentle face. 

Long ago, visitors would walk up to this life-size image of reassurance and calm bestowed by the Buddha in a candlelit temple, in which the flickering flames must have glistened and danced across the gilded statue, offering an awe-inspiring sight. For some, this may have been a final stop on a pilgrimage to the temple, and for others, perhaps a daily visit for meditation and offering. 

I can only imagine what it would have been like to witness this OHMazing™ sight in 15^th century China, however, even though the statue is now on display inside a beautiful museum, its message remains the same.  I am still reminded by this gentle and wise figure that we are all on our own journey toward compassion and happiness.

Yogiños drawing their self-portraits
near the Buddha sculpture as part of
their own journeys of self-discovery.

Just by looking at works of art, I am inspired to learn from the journeys represented within them to find my own ways of bringing compassion into the world. One of those is sharing these inspirational artworks with others--so that they can learn about the cultures represented in each work, thereby enabling them to understand their own place in the world, and ultimately more about themselves. 

We can look to works of art as well as to yoga to help us find compassion, and to reflect on how to bring more kindness and understanding into the world. What OHMazing™ choices will you make this week to show your compassion to others? 

Comment on this blog post below and be entered in a drawing for a free copy of the new Yogiños: Yoga for Youth® DVD: Vishnu's OHMazing™ Journeys.

Kristina Hilliard (second from left) is the Director of Interpretation and Community Engagement at the Crow Collection of Asian Art in Dallas and is currently pursuing her doctoral degree in art education in addition to her 200 hour yoga certification.

  

My OHMazing™ Journey: Hey Maa!

 by Ahila Gulasekaram

Hey Maa!

Finally, my most favorite time of the year is here…BEAUTIFUL, WONDERFUL FALL!! 

Tree pose celebrating the return of fall!

What’s not to like about the cooler weather, field trips to the pumpkin patch, and homemade Halloween costumes? It’s the time of year that always makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside! Besides the steamy apple cider and yummy pumpkin pie, I’m most excited about this time of year because of the festival of Navaratri. I have the fondest childhood memories of this colorful, joyous festival which celebrates the Divine Mother in her glorious forms. 

The word Navaratri literally means nine nights in Sanskrit, nava meaning nine and ratri meaning nights. During these nine nights, three powerful forms of Shakti (Female Energy) are worshiped and celebrated. 

The first three nights are dedicated to the mother goddess in her primal force called Durga also known as Kali, in order to destroy all our impurities. 

On the second three nights, the Mother is adored as the goddess of spiritual wealth, Lakshmi, who is considered to have the power of bestowing inexhaustible prosperity on her devotees.

With my mother

The final three nights are spent honoring the goddess of wisdom, Saraswati, who is also known as the goddess of knowledge, music, and arts. We seek the blessings of all three aspects of the divine Shakti, hence the nine nights of celebration!

I am so blessed to have an amazing mother who truly embodies the essence of Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati. Her love is instinctual, unconditional, and forever. When I spend time with my mom I’m constantly reminded of the Jewish proverb,” God could not be everywhere and, therefore, He made mothers.” 

 

Five months ago I began my sweet journey into motherhood. If I can be half the mother that my mom is, I know that I’ve succeeded!

Jai Shri Maa!

How has your mother or other women in your life influenced your personal journey? Comment below for a chance to win the new Yogiños: Yoga for Youth® DVD, Vishnu's OHMazing™ Journeys.

Ahila Gulasekaram is a Yogiños:Yoga for Youth®-Inspired instructor at the Crow Collection of Asian Art Museum.  Ahila’s classes are uniquely influenced by her background and passion for Indian classical dance.  She is committed to helping kids make OHMazing™choices for themselves, others, and the environment!

 

My OHMazing™ Journey: Meredith Paterson

by Meredith Paterson

On Tuesdays throughout the fall, we will be blogging about our journeys in celebration of the release of our new DVD Vishnu's Ohmazing™ Journeys, created in partnership with Yogiños: Yoga for Youth® and the Crow Collection of Asian Art in Dallas.

Share your thoughts on your own journey in the comments below and you will be entered to win one of the new DVDs. We will choose one person at random each week.

*****
When Beth first asked me to write about my journey, I panicked more than a little. Journeys are slippery things, and I don't quite feel like I have my head wrapped around what my own journey means. But I guess that is kind of the point. We keep on moving.

My sister, Jennifer Seibel, Sara (my niece), and me doing
yoga at the Crow Collection of Asian Art

Right now, the word that most resonates with me in respect to my journey is flow. I can be a word hater sometimes, and flow is not my favorite-sounding word. I had trouble even writing it. Flow is hard for me. I like to resist and analyze and edit and squirm. But life is funny. Resistance is futile.

On my journey right now, I am learning to be more fluid. Fluidity, that sounds better. I am learning to be like water. And learning is the operative word here because still I resist like crazy.

I started my journey with yoga about 11 years ago. I was in grad school, struggling through a break-up, and like many people who walk into a yoga studio for the first time, in pain. Yoga became home for me, a time to move and sweat and get out of my brain. And the good news is that it never ends there. I have learned over and over again that yoga meets you where you are, embraces you, and before you're aware of it consciously, asks more of you.

Fast forward several years and I started wanting more than to sweat and get out of my brain. I wanted to get back into my brain and understand how yoga was working. I started yoga to disconnect from myself in some ways, and yoga taught me that what I really needed was to reconnect. The deeper I dove in, the more I realized just how powerful these practices can be. So powerful that it's often easier to shy away from them than to really feel them.

I was working in education at the time. I had always been deeply fascinated by brain development and learning, and my career was focused on helping struggling readers. As I experienced yoga, though, I began to understand in my body what we now know through research. Learning is a full-body experience. We do not learn very well when we're locked in chairs and lectured at, and unfortunately, our educational system (the system not teachers) willfully denies what science and our own experiences confirm.

Beth and Meredith at a training in Park City, UT

It became clearer and clearer to me that my path was to help children integrate movement, breath, mindfulness, and connection with their bodies into their daily lives.  Just as this dawned on me, I met Beth Reese, founder of Yogiños: Yoga for Youth®. Here was my calling, my dharma, a yoga program for children and families that incorporated language-learning (classes are taught in English, Spanish, and Sanskrit), art, music, social skills, environmental responsibility, and more into each class. She has created a brilliant program that helps children connect. To themselves, to others, to their planet. Through Yogiños, children learn how to learn.

I have met so many incredible, talented people through Yogiños. Each training that we do fills me up with excitement and hope for the future because all of the participants care so deeply about the health and well-being of our children. My heart swells with gratitude and love as I hear about how each teacher helps the children and families in their communities. To me, this is what it feels like to be tuned in to the flow.

with Sara at the Dallas
Aquarium

I'll finish with this, the thing that makes every struggle, every fumble worthwhile. Wisdom from my 4-year-old niece, a dedicated yogi who is always game to create new yoga poses with me and help me refine my skills.

[On the playground last week]

Sara (my niece): Aunt Mere, we have to jump and move like this.
Aunt Mere: Why, Sara?
Sara: Because it makes our brains grow.





I dedicate this to my husband, Steve. There aren't enough words to express how supportive he has been as I move down this path. He understands intuitively what it means to flow with life, and I learn from him every day. He reminds me to laugh and move and dance and not take it all so seriously. Love.


Meredith Blanks Paterson is the Director of Yoga Trainings for Yogiños: Yoga for Youth® as well as the Director of Yogiños: Yoga for Youth® Austin.