by Rev. Greta Sesheta, Minister at Agape Intl Spiritual Center

(excerpt from interview for the documentary)

To awaken to your life’s purpose is an opportunity. to awaken, to listen, to do what we call lowly listening.  To get still, to get quiet, to move into a place of serenity, and actually, listen. Sometimes this involves asking a question.  And it’s important to ask the right question; the questions that will get you the results that you’re hoping for.

So the questions would not be for example, “Why is this happening to me?”, which then just brings up all of the justifications, the excuses, and keeps me in the place of a victim, but the question might be, “What is it that’s happening now?  What is it that’s wanting to be experienced by me?  What is it that’s wanting to express itself as me?”

And then having asked the question, listen, and be aware of the ways that the question might be answered.  It might be something that I hear, it might be just a sense that I have about things.  There might be a sign or a symbol somewhere, even in a bumper sticker.  The signs are all around us.  Listening, asking the questions, being aware, being open, being receptive to the answers that you get.

To move out of judgement about what the answers might be, or my preconceived ideas about what a good answer is, or what the answer wasn’t that I was looking for, but to be open to the divine wisdom, guidance, and direction that is within me and is all around.

I think that meditation, having a time of quiet reflection and contemplation is like it’s a requirement for the day.  Start the day with it, end the day with it. Take a couple of moments, it doesn’t have to be hours and hours.  It can just be, on the breath, an inhalation, and exhalation, breathing in the breath of god, a meditation.

And reflective reading, reading things that inspire and uplift me and support my ideas and stretch my imagination in terms of what is possible for my life.

I think that being of service is very importaint in the community.  Wherever it is that I am, where I can support someone, that I can offer, that I can give a smile, that I can share something of myself, that I can volunteer my time.  Any way of being in service to some greater good, within community is the idea of come unity, people coming together.  Like minded people coming together to grow and to share together.  Those are very important tools.

Greta Sesheta is one of 24 experts featured in the inspiring documentary Beyond Belief.  To see the trailer and get the DVD go to:  www.beyondbeliefthemovie.com

By Becky Hays, Producer

One of the tools presented in the film, Beyond Belief, is “present moment awareness’ or ‘being present’, being in the moment.  There are many ways to do this, but my favorite is yoga.

Last summer when Jim and I were in the midst of producing the film Beyond Belief we made a pact to ‘do yoga everyday’ until the film was complete.  This daily yoga practice helped us to stay centered and focused throughout the production.  And now yoga is a part of my life.

I LOVE Ashtanga Yoga!  Stepping up to the edge of my mat, bringing my hands into prayer position against my chest, might be compared to a diver stepping up to the edge of the board on a high dive, or a runner putting a foot on the starting block, bending to put hands on the ground before a race.

There is a brief glimpse into the future, of what is about to come, and then, you become present in the moment, allowing the outside world to fade into the distance, as you bring the focus to the breath.

Ashtanga is an intense form of yoga that is physically demanding.  The primary series leads you through a sequence of about 75 postures, combining a sweaty workout with a meditative focus, synchronizing movement and  breath.

Moving through the sequence of 75 postures can be both frustrating and  enlightening, as you become aware of the endless thoughts roaming through your head, even as you attempt to ‘quiet the mind’.

Why do people spend a good 90 minutes of their day sweating from head to toe, doing the same physically demanding postures, over and over again, twisting and contorting their bodies like a corkscrew, and then come back for more?

Perhaps at least part of the answer lies in the experience, which I now call “The Ashtanga Zap!!”

One day when I least expected it, I had this experience.  In the middle of my practice, moving and breathing, and trying to remember which posture came next, my mind just suddenly went “blank…”    Simply, completely, totally…..blank

Tabula Rasa…

There was no thought about what posture I just completed, or which posture came next.  This was different from times in the past, when I simply had trouble remembering the next posture.  This felt more like…

Silence.  Stillness.  Calm.

I took a step back and looked with amazement at the space where I had just been standing, wondering what just happened?!   It was like an ‘energy source’ had zapped my mind, and all the noise was gone.  Stillness.

It lasted only a moment, before my mind kicked in:

“What just happened?”

“What’s the next posture?  Keep moving!’”

Then I was moving again, breathing, twisting, sweating, thoughts roaming in and out and through my head:

“Focus on the count, focus on the breath, inhale, exhale, focus… focus….”

This Ashtanga Zap is what I imagine the ultimate feeling of being present must be like.  No longer lingering in the past, no longer looking to the future, but simply ‘BE-ing’ in the present moment.

I would encourage you to find your own way to take a moment and be present, each and everyday.  Of course, I highly recommend YOGA:)

But you will find the method that works best for you, and when you do, it will transform your life.

Namasté

Becky

To see the trailer and get the DVD Beyond Belief go to:  www.beyondbeliefthemovie.com

Scott Sherman interviews filmmakers  Jim Holzknecht and Becky Hays about the innovative documentary Beyond Belief.

Scott Sherman has been a leader for over 30 years with the Association of Unity Churches International, and currently travels North America presenting ‘Sacred Meditation Healing Experiences’.

Scott continues to research the latest cutting edge discoveries.  His colleagues inlcude some of the most noted leaders in spiritual healing and energy medicine, and share their accumulated wisdom in his  program.

To listen click here to download mp3 file. File size 28mb