Access the Course: The Yoga of Heartfulness 4-Week Course • Ram Dass
How are your intentions coming along? What has been getting in your way? What kind of support might you need to get back on track?
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Hello and apologies to all… I missed most of the first week joining the sessions and connecting with others, but I am doing my best to catch up with peoples posts and the teaching videos etc. Thankfully Ram Dass is not new to me, so although I’m a bit behind on this ‘course’, the journey into ‘Heartfulness’ is not unfamiliar, so I’m already somewhat up to speed. I had a few technical issues and I hadn’t realised initially the timing was focused on living in the US. Many of the session were just too late for me to attend at 1am here in the UK, especially as I have a sleep disability. I would appreciate if someone can direct me to where I can find the course videos I’ve missed please. Namaste 
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I would say that the course has kept me honest and true to my intentions thus far. Again and again it’s revealed that the true key of this whole game is not only to have intention but also to listen to the heart when those intentions are clouded and forgotten. I have learned to love when my heart closes just as much of not more, than when I’m able to keep it wide open for this closing is the insight to the work I’ve yet to do.
I find myself, through my puja and practices throughout the day, reflecting in the witness the things that I was not able to hear while busy being somebody doing something and this is a new level of the game for me. I’ve been cultivating the witness for some time and now it seems to have really taken root as the basis for all experience.
As for dealing with difficult people, again it’s become so much more a prompt for me to go in and just be in the witness, with the negativity and closing heart, and come back to ‘I am loving awareness’. And that too. And that too. Ah, so.
This is one of the fiercest games I’ve played next to l, ‘You want the tea? Don’t take it.’
namaste.
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The course videos are in your teachable curriculum. It is under the section that says “zoom link” - Monday Night Dharma Talk.
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This is inspiring to me! Thank you for sharing!
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I am filled with love and gratitude to know that my share inspires! Ram Ram!
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I’m pretty much on track and learning a lot from the audio and video offerings. I’m definitely trying harder! lol…which I’m not sure is good versus just letting things flow as they are. The morning meditations are helping set the intention and awareness for the day. I try to remember that I have all I need already, and grounding/noticing my breath keeps my heart open (when I remember!). 
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As the novelty of a new practice, routine and intention starts to fade, I have felt myself become more distracted. I then grasp and yearn for the moments of loving bliss I have felt previously - further pushing me away from loving awareness.
The other thing I have been struggling with is encounters with other beings who don’t respond to me in the way that I want them to. This causes all manner of reactions, taking me away from the heart space.
The start of a new week is a good time to reset and reinvigorate my intentions and practice in these regards. I look forward to seeing you all again on Thursday.
Peace and Love.
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I’ve been steadily plugging away at the Hanuman Chalisa, thank you again @Annie_Watson, Flow of Grace has been a game changer! And thank you @Dana_G I’ve had that page of lyrics you linked sitting ready to go for reference on my desktop and mobile this entire past week, it’s been super handy! 
Everything’s coming along nicely, and it’s been a lot of fun interacting with the Discourse community here 
Grateful to be here with you all! 
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I loved today’s talk. I got a lot from it. I love the normal human vulnerable and honest chats. We are all walking home together and we may need to pull some people with us and at other times be pulled. Thank you all
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I am keeping up (barely!) and that is going pretty well. What gets in the way is that I have had to be away twice and going away again overnight in a few days. Also I am behind at home on various things so It’s hard to keep up with the teachings. What falls by the wayside is participating in the community.
While I was away I was with the family member I have the most difficulty with and that was really hard, taking me out of the heart or at least leaving me back in triggered mode, from where it is tough to connect with my heart. However, during the event we were at, I walked away and sat and paid attention to my breath for a while. At least I am able to witness rather than be swallowed up by it all.
Now I’m home and about to do a meditation for this week. I have to go away in a few days and there will again be a challenge of a person who expects a lot of attention from me and in a situation where my little child inside is lost and feeling at the mercy of other people’s wants. I will prepare by thinking about what boundaries I will need to set.
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Hi Annie…all we can do is our best. Sounds like this course is just what you need at this moment in time. Take care, and please share how you are navigating this family connection.
Dana
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Thank you Dana. Yes, this course is helpful… and I always feel that when we sign up for spiritual growth, the opportunities come flooding in! I was with my other spiritual group this morning and I realized that the weekend events triggered deep old childhood wounds. So then I can go to that wounded kid and bring her love and reassurance and begin to heal it.
Thank you for listening! 
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As I go through this course, one quote or thought keeps creeping up in my mind. It seems to sum up the story of the process we all go through. I feel like if I had to sum up the GIta in one line, it would be this idea as well. It came from a Father Olaire from the BatGap podcast. It was said by a community leader from Kenya.
This leader (sorry, I don’t believe his name was offered) pointed out that solving any problem isn’t the point of any problem. The point of a problem is for people to transcend themselves while solving the problem. That is the Gita in a nutshell, and that is everything in a nutshell (I think?). Our entire transactional Universe might essentially be a tool to continually transcend who we think we are. I tend to believe the heart is an incredibly valuable tool for accomplishing this task. When we see the everything coming at us as nothing more than tools for enlightenment, the heart has to take the place of the logic we once thought was our guru.
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I think my intentions are finding themselves to be messy. I’m in a situation that isn’t supportive of me having my Self so practicing loving awareness in a space where my heart and having the time to do this course when I’m alone or when I’m “free” is most difficult. I do wish this course had an automatic email when these posts were put up since the teachable app isn’t useful. The forced notification might encourage me to make sure I put the time aside.
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For me I find its easier if I create a rhythm. Unfortunately, or not, this rhythm isn’t always obvious. I experiment. Switch it up a bit. Remind myself, when done mindfully, everything is the practice. Not setting too many goals. Not lingering in judgment when I miss an opportunity/event to practice. Being mindful of my intentions has been helpful, including being mindful that I’m not being mindful of my intentions. Not being intentional. Not everything fits my schedule, which is fine. I prefer to keep pace with the course schedule, but have found myself lagging behind a bit. The content and group discussions are super cool.
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My intention was and is to plow through my “garden of grief” and buff up my will to till my seeds. Hopefully, flowers are on the way.
In synchronicity, I just realized I started a tray of giant sunflower seeds in pods when the class started. As of today, some are sprouting, some not and others are struggling. Same water. Same sun. Same dirt. That sums up the progress of my intention.
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