Today, the quiet hot afternoon on the Mediterranean beach, somehow I remembered the old event of my life. In 1995, I was already a student of the Faculty of Philosophy , went into one of the first esoteric shops in Moscow, «Inward Path», when it was still a couple of blocks from the Belorusskaya metro station, opposite of some factory. I bought Castaneda`s books there before. I stood in thought before the rack of books and then passing by a man, 50 years old in appearance, wearing a red windbreaker, like rock climbers, with a tail of white long hair, leaned over and whispered in my ear : » The path of Shiva «, and then went from the store. I had no idea who it is — never before and after did not meet him. Again examined the shelves, I saw a paperback book «The path of Shiva — an anthology of ancient Indian classical texts,» which was published in Kiev in the 1994.
There were Hatha Yoga Pradipika , Gheranda Samhita, Shiva Samhita, Vijnana Bhairava Tantra, Ananda Lahari by Sankaracharya and a few more texts. Translations were mediocre, probably from English, not Sanscrit, but at least something . I took it , and Swami Vishnudevananda`s » The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga » printed as an album at some wrapping paper with drawings instead of the original photos, I already had . Soon the lecturer of Indian philosophy from our Faculty invited me to my first yoga class at the Indian Embassy . He wanted to try hatha yoga and impress his girlfriend, but finally attended only one class, and I stayed. So I started hatha yoga ( asana, pranayama, mantra) with Jayakumar Swamishri from Mysore, very quickly became a vegetarian, stopped drinking alcohol (I was fun of punk rock bands and we drank a lot).
And after University, in 1999, due to friendship with yogateachers Denis Zaenchkovsky and Olga Bulanova, somehow hatha-yoga became my vocation and profession. In 2001 the first time I came to India. From the first visit was the feeling like a second home. Practiced yoga in Delhi, Mysore, Rishikesh. Since I spent in India few months every year, no one missed
Now, when I learn a new and deeply important to me practice — past life regression therapy, and could explore new approach to doctrine of karma and rebirth, not only from classical scriptures but from experience of modern regression therapysts (and my own clients too), i have an impression that the script of our life is known in advance (by ourselves before the incarnation, and by those beings who have higher level of development of their consciousness), but there is always a «choice points ,» «turning points «, «signs on the way» , following which you can choose the best option for you of the possible . Do not miss your signs, folks!
12 may 2014, Cirali