Sex Scandals Surround Yoga Practices

by Linda Franklin

The New York TImes had an eye-opening article about the relationship between yoga and sex.  Here’s the gist of the article but it’s an interesting read so here’s the link. Times article. 

The wholesome image of yoga has taken a hit as a rising star of the discipline came tumbling back to earth. After accusations of sexual impropriety with female students, John Friend, the founder of Anusara, one of the world’s fastest-growing styles, told followers that he was stepping down for an indefinite period of “self-reflection, therapy and personal retreat.”

But this is hardly the first time that yoga’s enlightened facade has been cracked by sexual scandal. Why does yoga produce so many philanderers? And why do the resulting uproars leave so many people shocked and distraught?

One factor is ignorance. Yoga teachers and how-to books seldom mention that the discipline began as a sex cult — an omission that leaves many practitioners open to libidinal surprise.

Hatha yoga — the parent of the styles now practiced around the globe — began as a branch of Tantra. In medieval India, Tantra devotees sought to fuse the male and female aspects of the cosmos into a blissful state of consciousness.

The rites of Tantric cults, while often steeped in symbolism, could also include group and individual sex. One text advised devotees to revere the female sex organ and enjoy vigorous intercourse. Candidates for worship included actresses and prostitutes, as well as the sisters of practitioners.

Hatha originated as a way to speed the Tantric agenda. It used poses, deep breathing and stimulating acts — including intercourse — to hasten rapturous bliss. In time, Tantra and Hatha developed bad reputations. The main charge was that practitioners indulged in sexual debauchery under the pretext of spirituality.

The drama with Mr. Friend is still unfolding. So far, at least 50 Anusara teachers have resigned, and the fate of his enterprise remains unclear. In his letter to followers, he promised to make “a full public statement that will transparently address the entirety of this situation.”

Knowledge is power so just be aware of the underlying intentions of some so-called spiritual yoga masters.

The Real Cougar Woman is a 5-carat diamond who knows the importance of taking care of her health, beauty, relationships, finances and spirituality. Linda Franklin says,”there is no stopping a woman who has a strong belief system, passion and a dream. All things are possible”. Linda’s book, Don’t Ever Call Me Ma’am helps women of all ages tap into their power and live life to the fullest.

Money & Spirit – Crossing The Great Divide

Money and Spirit is there really a connection between the two?  Many who might not have thought so in the past are beginning to change their minds.  After you have experienced extreme economic stress it can cause you to revamp your thinking around money. 

During times of financial challenge it is very easy to fall out of alignment with your true spirit.  That's where Diamond Alignment comes in.  When you are in "Diamond Alignment" consciousness everything is part of the Divine Energy … including money.  When you think about it, how can money – the most powerful physical influence on the plant not be Divine Energy? 

I talk about the effects of this financial downturn from firsthand experience. For the past past 2 1/2 years I have been in the trenches with everyone else – my own home has been in foreclosure. I know that my Soul is experiencing this challenge because I, through the use of the Diamond Technology, am called to bring light and truth into this challenging time. My mission, as I see it, is to mend the split in consciousness between Spiritual and Material Wealth.

Cougars Starting Their Day In A Spiritual Way

Every morning I wake up and without thinking automatically start my daily routine. I make my bed, weigh myself, have a yummy pot of black tea (recently switched from coffee to tea) imported by my friend and tea guru Gail Baral of www.algabar.com. I eat a healthy breakfast and then, like a mad woman, head directly for the computer.

Today, I woke up and decided to “Start My Day in a Spiritual Way”,  like I have done many times before. I remember not being on automatic pilot was so much more fulfilling and it gave me richer clarity and focus.  That wonderful feeling of well being is what I want to experience again. 

I invite you to join me in changing your morning routine and create your own morning ritual.

Here are a few suggestions that you could help you find your clarity and inspiration: 

Cougars Honor Their Spiritual Connection

Here's a question I get asked all the time.  How do I transition back into the workplace to make money, and at the same time, maintain the integrity of my heart, soul and body?  Many Real Cougars have left corporate jobs to spend time connecting with their spiritual foundation. Of course, the reasons for leaving a career path vary, but for so many it was the "empty feeling" they felt inside.

Now,this question haunts them … can I maintain the high frequency/consciousness that I have worked to attain when I re-enter the world of business? And, is there anything I can do that is "soul full" and fulfilling and not about just making money?

After 20 + years of being the "model of success" in the outer world – financially and other wise – and then turning within (after a major collapse) to focus on developing my inner world and the embodiment of my Diamond Consciousness … I was ultimately called to merge all of my aspects, talents and development to bring Diamond Alignment into the world as a Sacred Business.

Cougar Women Love Diamond Alignment

At 38, I was the model of success by society’s standards — a pillar of the community, mother of four children, running a multi-million dollar business and in perfect health.  Sounds good right?  I thought so until something happened that changed my life forever. 

In 1987, I experienced a sudden physical collapse that came from out of the blue. My “fall” was the beginning of a spiritual awakening that initiated a complete dismantling of my “ideal” life. Over the next 9 years, in a daily ritual of hikes in the forest behind my home, my call for Divine help to guide me through the "dark night of the Soul”, was answered by an intimate and wordless phenomenon.  It can in the form of Divine Energy Transmissions.

Soul Mates Are Not Who You Think

Soul mate, what's that??? When I was a young woman growing up my friends were busy experimenting with drugs, sex and rock and roll and I can assure you we weren't out looking for a soul mate. Today, of course, all that's changed.  Soul mate is a term that's used all the time, but I think the meaning is all wrong.

The romanticized interpretation of a soul mate is the perfect person who really understands you because you think alike, you act alike, you love the same things and that person completes you. The perfect ying to your yang.  Well, I don't think that's what a soul mate is at all.  I believe a soul mate is someone who drives you nuts.  A person who is the complete opposite of you.  A person who is constantly pushing your buttons.

See if this makes sense to you.  Our soul constantly is pushing us to learn new things. In other words, finding out what really makes us tick. In order to do that, we need to be challenged.  Now, who has the ability to challenge you more – someone who is exactly the same as you, or, someone completely different?  Who forces you to look in the mirror and see your limitations?  Who gets you to try new things?  Who helps you recognize the difference between feeling good and feeling bad?.  Your soul mate.  

I love constantly learning more about who I am really am, and I have many soul mates who help me by constantly pushing my buttons. The biggest button pusher of them all is my hubbie.  We are very different in many ways, but dig deep enough and we share lot of the same raw nerve endings.  I don't think it's an accident we're together.  Together we are learning lessons that help make us more conscious, which translates into a richer life for both of us. 

So, the next time your button pusher in driving you crazy, stop for a moment and ask yourself what should I be learning from them?  Once you figure that out – that button won't be pushable any more.

Eat Pray Love – A Look Inside Your Soul

Eat Pray Love, the book, was an instant best seller.  It had women all over the world examining their own lives and re-evaluating the importance of happiness.  This Friday the movie version will arrive at your local theaters, and I for one, am eager to see this story come to life on the big screen.  The hype started back in May, and of course, having Julia Roberts in the lead role, makes it that much more tantalizing. 

What I liked most about this little book was Elizabeth Gilbert's' honesty and her courage. Here's a woman who turned her life inside out in order to explore the deepest recesses of her soul.  Anyone who traveled with Ms. Gilbert on this heart felt journey connected to their own passions and longings through her superbly written stories.

Elizabeth's soul transformation began after enduring a nasty divorce. She made a conscious decision to take off for one year to see if she could rediscover who she really was.  How many of us have longed to do exactly the same thing?

Ms. Gilbert documents her journey to Italy, India and Bali – countries she chose to fulfill a specific need. Italy to rediscover earthly delights, India to spark her spiritual connection and Bali to learn to combine the pleasures of the flesh with those of the soul.

Here in her own words is what Elizabeth believes is important for all of us. "I think one of the most important beginning steps is to find some tiny corner of space in your life, some 15-minute window of silence, some little area that you can put a circle around and call sacred, and say, "This is the time and this is the space, and this is the moment where I'm going to let all this stuff go for a minute and just sit here and petition the universe, ask for peace, or just watch my breathing." And then you begin to give yourself that tiny bit of leave to ask the really dangerous, scary question of life, which is "What do I really want, and what am I here for?" I think everyone has access to that question at any moment. I have to think that. That's what all the great saints have always taught us."

The book, and now the movie, is a gift that you need to unwrap for yourself.  If it inspires you to start looking inside for answers then it's done it's job.

Linda Franklin Shares The Things She Knows For Sure

Recently I was interviewed by a writer from Psychology Today. She had a long laundry list of questions about Real Cougar Women. She wanted to know how we are different from the media's shabby portrayal of women in general.  I told this 27 year old woman to hold on tight because she was about to get a crash course on living as a powerful woman. In my opinion, you are never too young to tap into these gifts.

We talked for well over an hour and I knew by the time we finished she got it. Her attitude had shifted and she actually said, " I want to be a Real Cougar".  After I hung up the phone I sat quietly and thought about all of the things I know for sure.  The lessons I have learned that have molded me into the Real Cougar Woman I am today.

One thing I know for sure is that our world is speeding up.  Changes are happening more quickly today than every before.  I used to think I was imagining this accelerated speed because I was getting older, but that's not it.  People of all ages are feeling the same ramp up in energy. So now, more than ever, we have to slow down and focus on what's important to us. 

Keeping my spiritual reservoir full is essential to my overall happiness.  Listening to my gut has saved my ass on numerous occasions.  Society wants you to believe that the only road to success is hard work and sacrifice.  I have not found that to be true and I have experienced much success in my life.  The key is to create consciously. That means learning to create the things that you want – the things you are excited and passionate about.  You get to choose how you want to live your life and just knowing that changes the entire ballgame. 

Here are a few more things I know for sure:- 

• at the core of who we are is spirit
• we are very powerful and when we learn to tap into that power – all things are possible
• we are artists who every day sit in front of blank canvas and create our reality  
• when we learn to detach from outcomes – we attach more fully to our natural power
• there is no right or wrong – just life experiences designed to make us more aware
• when you rise up from fear and pursue passion you go from living your life in black & white to living it in  technicolor   
• that each and every one of us is a unique and magnificent creation

One more thing all Real Cougar Women know for sure. We are the perfect blend of masculine and feminine energy.  Our masculine energy helps us get things done but our feminine is where our real power lies. We have the power and are not afraid to use it. 

Real Cougars Understand The Value of Intimacy

Intimacy is a word that has many different interpretations, depending on who you talk to.  Lovers might say it's the special connection they have while making love.  Good friends might say it's the bond between two people who love each other unconditionally.  And, then of course, there are those who might say it's the deep personal connection you have with yourself as you delve deeper into who you really are.  

However you define it, intimacy can be just like the elusive butterfly. One minute you think you have captured it – and then somehow it's gone.  While it's present in your life you feel safe & protected but when it flies away you are left feeling betrayed and lonely.  

In my opinion, the biggest factor that causes problems around  intimacy is fear.  Fear of everything that could possibly go wrong to make it fly away. The more times you have been hurt, the less likely you are to feel safe enough to be intimate.  Unfortunately, when that happens, you become your own worst enemy – yearning for a state of being that you're deathly afraid of trusting in.

But, don't despair, there is a constructive way to find the intimacy you are looking for.  First, understand that it's you keeping intimacy at arm's length.  Next dig deep in your soul for the reasons why.  By doing this you will see clearly how these fears are sabatoging your relationships. When you are consciously aware of what you do and the reasons behind that behavior then you are in a position to change it. 

Once you begin to realize that you are the captain of your ship you can change direction to get exactly where you want to go.

Real Cougars Are Ripping Up Their New Years Resolutions

Aren't you tired of making New Years Resolutions that you never follow through on?  Aren't you tired of all the coulda-shoulda-woulda’s-but-didn’ts. This year don't do it.  In 2010,"The Year Women Soar Like Never Before", do things differently so that you can finally get what you really want.

Let this be the year that you tap into your feminine power and discover what truly makes you happy.  Start by asking yourself this life changing question – "do you want to satisfy your ego or your soul"?  Satisfying your ego is temporary.  Satisfying your soul provides eternal gratification. The soul is a tough taskmaster and when it doesn't get what it wants you always feel like something is missing.  No matter how much you achieve the good feeling drains away quickly leaving you empty and unhappy. 

There are 3 steps to satisfying your soul and here they are:

1.  Stop Setting Goals.  Developing those goals was a good move for you at the time. It took thought, effort and courage. I commend you. You, however, are no longer bound to your goals. Close your eyes and say goodbye to them.

2.  Rip Up Your Goals.  Sit down, take a deep breath and then take all your resolutions, rip them into small pieces and toss them, burn them or bury them.  You won't need them ever again.

3.  Replace Your Goals With Desires.   What YOU want. What makes YOU happy. What pleases YOU.  Writing down your desires is infinitely more pleasing, woman-friendly and motivating than a list of  icy, hard and stony goals, resolutions or, even worse, objectives. Just let yourself go!  Want something totally extravagant? Write it down!  Size doesn't matter!

Replacing your goals with desires is a win-win proposition.  When you are happy, then your happiness radiates to the other people who matter most in your life. That helps them be happier, too.

Give it a try won't you? And let me know how focusing on your desires makes a difference in your life.