Last Sunday at the Rooted in Spirit Level One Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training, I taught two topics: Kundalini Yoga and its relationship with Sikh Dharma, and the Cosmic Law of Manifestation and Being. Somewhere in preparing and teaching these subjects, I found myself remembering Kirantana Khalsa (George McMillian).
And then Facebook brought up this memory with him from exactly ten years ago.
With Kirantana Khalsa and his “handler” team in the Philippines, September 21, 2016.
Kir lived in the Philippines for about two years, and in 2016 I became part of what he jokingly called his “handler” team. I attended his classes and immersions and helped while he was here.
I knew I was learning from an extraordinary teacher, but I don’t think I had enough years of practice behind me to fully appreciate the depth of what he was teaching.
In November 2016, The Philippine Star interviewed me about Kir. I said: “We are blessed to have him in the country for some time since most international teachers just come and go. A lot of people will benefit from his training considering he has extensive experience in handling persons with addictions and trauma.”
Ten years later, what stays with me is a fundamental question Kir asked in a 2012 lecture on Guru Nanak and Kundalini Yoga: Why do we do this?
Kir, a former Sikh, spoke about Kundalini Yoga, Naad and the sound current, and Seva (selfless service). He said: “You don’t have to be a Sikh, you don’t have to be a Khalsa; but you have to know the attitude, you have to know the philosophy, you have to know the spirit of that because this yoga came out of that… It’s the path of Service, you don’t just do this for you, you do this to become an open channel… so something beautiful can come into society… you’re doing it for everybody… you’re here to serve, not rule.”
Why we practice Kundalini Yoga
Perhaps this is why Kir came back to me. Ten years after sitting in his classes, I am beginning to understand something he was telling us then: the work we do within ourselves isn’t meant to end with ourselves.
We practice to clear what gets in the way and strengthen our capacity to remain steady and conscious. But ultimately, what we cultivate within ourselves has to find expression in how we live, how we treat others, and how we serve.
Maybe that’s part of what manifestation really asks of us: not simply What can I create for myself? But what am I allowing to move through me and into the world?
I wish I could sit in one of Kir’s classes again, now with the capacity to hear what I wasn’t yet able to hear then. Some teachings take years before we truly understand what we were given. Remembering Kir with deep gratitude.
In loving service,
Rosan
