Along with my 3 brothers Raleigh jr, Axel and Chris. These guys are super serious but so kind sweet. We chillaxed, swam read, slept. Relaxation Therapy baby ~*~

This was just a short moment in time for me to reflect and turn into this force I feel inside. Just a little bit of sun, water, fresh juice yummy foods and good company can go a long way!

Ah but the Vaca has long been over my friends. I’ve been again swept int the NY whirlwind. It’s time to center, tune in and feel this union. I’m riding the wave.. embracing the Universe and Praying that we will all serve our purpose. We will awaken, we will save the world! I’m a dreamer but it keeps me Vivacious and alive.

Peace out MEXICO you are in my Heart and I will be back soon! AUUM ~*~

Figuratively, in the “real” world, there is no time to waste. Things are moving so quickly that over thinking the problem will surely be a waste of time. Better to slow down and Meditate. No time to think.

From the Literal stand-point, however, as our teachers tell us, “There is no time.” Meaning our “material” life or what we know as the “real” world, is only but a dream. When we awake, beyond the body and mind, time and space do not exist.

How will we really ever know what is to come of our lives? All we can do now is remain still, calm, and embrace the force that we have inside us all. The Universe is intelligent and calling out to us. It is now time to Listen.

Our world is in a crucial economic state. Almost 98% of our Human Population is in utter and complete poverty, We are and have been at War since the beginning of Human culture, and now more than ever, Humanity is facing extinction within as soon as 100 years.

Am I way out in left field? How about this BP oil spill dumping millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico and onto the coast of Louisiana? My family is there now. They have seen New Orleans through good and bad. Now it seems that all the sea life in the area has been devastated.

I was born in New Orleans in ’79 and moved to Mexico City until age 7, returning to N.O. for middle school. My grandparents and mother now live there. Even after Katrina they are still in limbo as to what to do next.

“Dear God, please make me rich so that I can house my family and those in suffering.” I used to think this way when I graduated college and moved to NYC. Now, I know you cannot pray to God only when you are in need. You must pray to God everyday all day. Thank him when you open your eyes, thank him before you sleep, thank him for this meal, this yoga class, this mother and father, this life in which we live thinking that we are NOT suffering. Friends and loved ones? It’s really time to wake up and thank God to be alive. I forget too, how lucky I am… I forget but I remind myself that I am here to serve Humanity, to become realized and find out what life REALLY is about. I never thought this would be my mission. I always thought I’d be a professional dancer, or music performer. Now I teach Yoga and make music with my spiritual brothers, I am blessed.

I think for the past couple of months I’ve had minor waves of depression, just feeling low and de-energized. Working the NYC hustle tends to tire the body and mind, but when I love and nurture myself and others I become revitalized. It really is true!! Sometimes the gloomy NY days have an effect on the emotions. But when I eat Live, healthy organic food, when I practice yoga asana and meditation amongst others, I awaken that side of myself that is powerful and real. I feel connected again to all beings and things.

Monday marked the first day of Summer welcoming in the Solstice. Tuesday an estimated 12,500 people gathered in Central Park for Yoga with Elena Brower, owner of Virayoga NYC, local musical guests, and a pleasantly surprising appearance of Sri Dharma Mittra and clan! The energy was simply explosive and people from all walks of Life came together with passion and integrity in celebration of Yoga, Union! I assisted along with about 100 other NY teachers as we led the students to their space, filling the park with thousands of New Yorkers.

By the completion of one Surya Namaskar, yes ONE Salutation to the Sun ~*~ the Gods opened up the sky and flooded the park. We were officially rained out and Elena sent us bustling away in the downpour… :0( I was sad at first, but realized that our life is a script written by God, or our very own Self. Life is a Play that we have cultivated through our past karma, action. So, as I shifted along with thousands out of the park and onto the avenue, I realized that this moment was perfect. It was exactly as it was meant to be, no more, no less: perfect. I couldn’t help but wish for a sunny day and simply wish that my clothes were not soaked against my skin as I sat in the air-conditioned cab. But I bowed my head in gratitude for this moment, for this cab, for heading home safely, for my warm apt and a yummy kale salad with millet for dinner. I couldn’t help but feel grateful for this life I have been given to help others become realized and happy. I am grateful for this life. Thank You OMMM

Is time passing fast or what? My days fly with AM Meditation, Green Juice, Yoga Asana and Teaching. It’s obvious that we are what we eat right? I mean, I know this and still sometimes will have some cheese in the salad. It’s like our splurge. “Should we do the cheese?” he says first I say “No”, then ummm wait “Yes!” HMM I go back and forth between want and need and it’s beyond obvious that milk, cheese, or any animal product does not do the body good. I immediately feel drained after having anything heavily cooked, pasta, bread or cheese. A grogginess comes over me and mental sluggishness that leads to agitation and indigestion. Hey! I’m not saying it’s like this for everyone, but in my experience what I eat affects me mentally, physically and spiritually! Lately my diet has been this: 9am Large green Juice (celery, apple, parsley, lemon, ginger), 3pm Lemon, Ginger juice followed by an arugula, avocado salad.
8pm Soup, or tea or juice of some sort followed by a hearty salad
I also love berry smoothies, black, raspberries, blueberries. While sometime it’s not good for me to combine all my fruits in a smoothie, I’ll splurge and do some berries every once in a while! MMM

When I eat Raw i feel physically light, flexible and mentally sharp. I feel connected to everything as if I could feel vibration coming from people and things. I am grateful that NY is finally seeing some sun and warming up for a summer! Fasting and Juicing takes your Yoga practice to an unbelievable level needless to say you feel clean, at ease and mentally pure!
Bottoms up Ya’ll!

OM ~*~

In my short but sweet tribute to COLOMBIA, one of the most beautiful places I have ever encountered, it is evident that something has shifted inside of me. For me, being in the Sun is a profound healing component but the kindness of the people of Colombia are what truly moved me! Luckily I’m naturally brown and speak the language because I felt right at home. Entering customs the military guys were smiling and practically accommodating us right in! Thank You! We arrived in Bogota and took a small plane to Santa Marta, a beautiful city along the coast of gorgeous Colombia. Upon arriving in Santa Marta you could feel the humid tropical air in comparison to Bogota’s cool mist. The drive was about an hour of green vegetation, bright sun and dark beautiful people riding on motorcycles, selling goods and living the life of a generally poor country. I felt the pangs of sadness for seeing people living in absolute poverty but at the same time stricken by their beauty and strength. The people of Colombia are beautiful, loving and generous beings that even amidst their economic state, still thrive.

Andrei Ram, disciple of Sri Dharma Mittra, brought us to perfect Paradise just a 5 minute drive down a long dirt road. We flew in from NY with friends Stacy and Sebastian, Zara,The Russians; Oleg, Joe and Lana, dreadlocked TJ and Spicy Paullette from Mexico! We all got along quite well and bonded with the other disciples Colombian Sebastian , Christina from Kali, Tanzy from England living in Bogota, Valeria and her daughter Gaia and most lovely of all Tatiana and Andrei! Upon arrival he introduced us to Yos and Claudia, the owners of this fabulous hidden place.

Andrei led about 15 of us in the practices of Pranayama, Yoga Asana and Meditation right by the ocean every morning for 3 hours.
In the evenings, Psychic meditation.

The food was cooked daily, all vegetarian, healthy, yummy and fresh. We had access to the kitchen all day for fruit, ginger tea, fresh juices and water.

We never wanted to leave this place! While we did take a couple of days trips our absolute fave was to wake up to Yoga, yummy food and swimming in this gorgeous ocean. I was thanking God everyday for the sun, the water and the lovely rest we received.
The week flew by like a few days and it was time to leave… fully sunbathed, rested with tummies full of yummies! MMM Colombia thank you for your Love and hospitality. We will be back OH Yes you bet your cold ass NY day we will! xx00

List goes on, but for now let’s lock it in and I’ll check back in asap with more details

MMMWUAH HELOOO NY and MISS YOU COLOMBIA!

While 2010 is just flying by, I’m trying to have my hands in every Pot there is! I teach and practice Yoga by day, make Music at night and every moment between I’m working with Adam Bucko and others forming a Spiritual Initiative to make a real change in the world! Adam Bucko is the founder of The Reciprocity Foundation This man, for years, has been keeping teens off the street all around the Globe and now here in NYC provides a program to get kids a proper education. We have been working together to bring Yoga Asana into his program, making the Spiritual Teachings more available to the kids. These teens are receptive, ready and are taking these tools and applying them to their daily lives. I am amazed by the power of love and how much these kids really need Conscious beings in there lives that truly care!

Adam and I have now formed a small Alliance of young Spiritual Seekers coming together to really make a change. We are inviting people from all walks of life to come together under one roof and put our heads together on what it’s going to take to create a massive shift! We are calling the group MÖBIUS

“Mobilizing Urban Seekers”

The Möbius strip has been a powerful symbol of the interconnectedness of all things, the merging of spirit and matter, masculine and feminine, God and humankind, the ultimate expression of non-duality, balance and union creating a state of Oneness – all this by taking a simple strip of paper, twisting it and taping the ends.

From this simple and profound concept has emerged MÖBIUS, a community of youthful urban seekers, committed to translating spirituality to modern culture through experiential means. At this challenging and crucial time in our world, we are transforming time-tested ancient spiritual wisdom into practical modern wisdom. By harnessing youthful energy to be engaged in a community, we hope to make a positive impact on our lives by helping others – primarily by infusing everyday activities of urban dwellers with a higher purpose.

We seek to accomplish this by:
◊ Gatherings :: weekly sessions to practice our shared spiritual traditions through meditation, prayer, shared meals and lively discussion on modern issues with guest speakers
◊ Happenings :: planned ‘spontaneous’ events that shake people out of their normal existence to realize our shared spiritual values. For example: Life Tags – graffitti tagging spiritual messages around the city using sidewalk chalk. Flash Möbs – engaging in random acts of compassion and handing out donated flowers throughout the city. One Voice – Multi-spiritual Musical Jam Sessions. Seekers Quest – urban scavenger hunt engaging seekers in spiritual acts throughout the city
◊ Urban Pilgrimage :: Visiting different Places of Worship to learn more about other traditions
◊ Higher Taste :: using sacred meals to celebrate the foods and meal ceremonies of different traditions
◊ Spiritual Training :: explore different physical practices of spirituality – yoga, martial arts, skateboarding, surfing, dance, running, etc.
Who’s Down? Who’s in? We have a group of about 5 people as of now and the ideas are flowing like water. Come join us this SUNDAY at the 3 Jewels on Astor Place. 5-7pm. We’re inviting all that feel the calling to make a change to get on Board!
OM ~*~

Ok where did February go? Already inching toward March with about 50, 000 things to do. So I’ve realized that when it comes to practicing on my own, I lack the discipline that I have when I am with a teacher. Like clock work I go to him daily to kick my you know what into shape. My mind spins with thoughts, ideas sometimes angry sometimes annoyed, but I know that when I go before my teacher I take that moment to practice spaciousness. I can become one with the breath and the asana and feel myself let go of unnecessary thoughts. A strong, healthy, supple body, is the temple for a calm serene mind. When the body and mind is receptive then you can feel the power of your own soul! This takes practice thus the necessity to practice every single day! Even if it’s just waking up and thanking God for all that we have been given. Just whisper the words “Thank You God” (or whatever your higher power may be) Start NOW to become aware that we are something beyond just the body and mind, that there is a higher power witnessing our daily life. This simple awareness gives you Power beyond belief. First, You must find your teacher, your guide on this journey, without a teacher, we are lost without Focus. Ask for your teacher… Just ask and he or she will appear before you.

OM ~*~

Lot’s happening in a short period of time. Sharon Gannon and David Life were here for the Gracing of NYC with an Auspicious NEW YEAR! Staring the evening off with silence from 9pm- 12 am then ringing it in with 108 “Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantus”. Chanting this Mantra 108 times with 200 + people is quite a powerful vibration along with it’s meaning, “May all beings everywhere be happy and free and may every thought, every word and every action of my life contribute to the happiness and freedom of all beings.” WHOA BABY! This is the real work now and these two human beings are living examples of putting your nose to the Grindstone and making your dream a reality! These teachers have embraced me and continue to carve the path for all of us to become leaders in this time of need!

Sharon and David are the founders of the Jivamukti Method since 1984 . Jivamukti Yoga
I was blessed to find Jivamukti in 04′. I was a dancer working as a personal trainer here in NYC. My loved one passed away after fighting cancer for 2 miserable years. When he left his body I was devastated and took on the guilt of all my years of wrong action. My body and mind came over me and I needed to know Who I was!!!… The Soul the Everpresent self I needed to know if it really existed.
I fell in love with Narayani, Nicole Nichols on Lafayette St. She was my first Jivamukti teacher, and has inspired me in profound ways on various levels. She is a very High teacher and practitioner. From cleaning mats, to the front desk I was soon sponsored by Russell Simmons for the Jivamukti TT at the Omega Institute in 07′.
It’s by the Grace of God that I am able to teach and practice yoga with some of the best in NYC and around the globe and Jivamukti is the earth from which the seed has grown.

For a flashforward… The first week in January Sharon and David taught seamless 2 hour daily workshops along with Satsang and finally ending with Advanced Certification Exams! I took the advanced certification exam last year after the completion of a 500 hour apprenticeship with Yogesawri, a Love story of it’s own, and failed. I was riveted by the intensity and simply didn’t feel ready to go before them until my practice has been more perfected.

To perfect my practice God has granted me a Guru. This man has been the light of my life for one year now. I continue to study with him daily until… until the day he is no longer in the flesh. Sri Dharma Mittra has gifted me with the love and discipline to cultivate a truly healthy vessel for this mind to find serenity. In that serenity I have begun to understand what I really am, a spiritual Being.

These past few weeks I have been under the weather and healing an old shoulder and Back injury. Sometimes we don’t realize the intrinsic necessity to turn inward until we are in sheer Pain. Acupuncture with Nana Has been an absolute savior. Inside this hardcore martial arts gym is a quiet peaceful room filled with the sounds of running water and the sweet smell of hot Ginger Tea. Nana has been studying Eastern Medicine for over 20 years, so if you’re injured or simply need to release tension… She’s your Gal.

Also Green Juice, Grapefruit Lemon and Orange Juice, and Hot Lemon Ginger Tea have kept me alive and energized on these cold NY days. Buy a Juicer now! Breville Juicer

I’ve also taken this time to focus on Music and recently started a band called Sanga. We play live Bhakti Style rhythms with Keys (Harmonium), Drums (Mrdunga), Symbols, (Kartals) and some sick singers and rappers. We’re starting a new Hip hop movement through traditional Kirtan. Inspired by Gaura Vani I’ve realized the power of sound and how making music, singing and dancing is the path of ecstasy. Making Music, singing dancing even doing asana with others puts your body in a trance of absolute bliss.

Check out this link: Gaura Vani & AKS singing in my class at Jivamukti! Gaura Vani Asana.

Sanga will be singing with Gaura Vani this Saturday Jan 30th at the Bhakti Center on 1st street and 1st Ave. They will be chanting from 9am-9pm. We will be on at 6pm.

Well, I think that's a mouthful eh? My Love to you, sweet ones. Until Next time! OM OM OMMMMMM ~*~

Happy New Year New York! T’ is the Season of sweaters, leg warmers and rain boots with thick socks! OY!
Don’t forget your gloves and hat like I did, you might catch a sniffle. If you do be sure to make yourself hot teas and super Shakti juices. A great juice to stop a cold in it’s tracks or at least infuse you with Vitamin C and essential nutrients is Lemon/Apple Juice!
All you need is 2 Lemons, 3 Apples, Honey or Agave and a good amount of Ginger. (Can make hot or cold YUM)
Add about a cup of water and blend with a bit of Cayenne pepper!
Delicious and oh so clean from the inside out. If you don’t already have a juicer… Breville Juicers are top of the line and affordable at around $200. It’s the best investment you can make toward a healthy Lifestyle. You can also have a green juice every morning to start the day and take it from there.
4 Celery Stalks, 1 Lemon, 2 apples and a touch of Parsley or any other dark green you may like. Cayenne is optional but gives everything a warm kick. Yawoza!!!
Well, sweet holy beings, I wish you a healthy happy New Year. I’m here in the city teaching and practicing with some of the best.
You know where to find me and if you need anything be sure to shoot me an email: illuminahdi@mac.com.
Until next time OM OM OMMMM ~*~

PS Sunday Jan 17th I’ll be doing a Kirtan Tour through out NY. Our Band, Sanga, will be traveling to your home and others playing dope Devotional Music. Let me know if you want us to come you!

Sharon will be here Dec 31st-Jan 8th at Jivamukti NYC. Please come join this empowering expereince of ONENESS. YOGA!

More to write… I think we just hit an iceburg. LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU!

OM ~*~