The Ones Who Came Before

There is a full moon in pisces tonight and thought it was a good time to start writing emails again. I know it has been a while. Yesterday we just finished the ten day celebration of Lord Ganeśa, the remover of obstacles. Tonight we have the full moon. Tomorrow, in the tradition that I follow, we start a two week period of remembrance called Pitru Paksha. During this time we remember our ancestors.

Traditionally parents, grandparents, great-grandparents that passed away are remembered during this time. Today the remembrance extends to relatives, friends, teachers, and pets. We remember them by praying, sending blessings, chanting, meditating, etc and offering all these things to them as a way to express our gratitude.

This two week period to me is also a reminder that nothing happens in isolation. We are the product of so many beings that came before us. Beings that affected us in so many ways and whose love, effort, and work supported us.

I would like to invite you to remember all the beings that are not with us on earth right now and that in some way large and small made a difference in your life. You can offer your gratitude and anything else that you would like. I decided to post stories and pictures of the beings in social media and in class that I was lucky to come across and that touch my life in so many wonderful ways.

I look forward to seeing you in class

Blessings

Jorge Nihal