The Age of Aquarius is Here: What’s on Your Calendar for 11/11/11?

Do you have plans for 11/11/11? I do. I plan to be at the Grand Opening of AquarianYoga Center (the first Kundalini yoga center in all of New Jersey) on Bloomfield Avenue (http://www.aquarianyogacenter.com). Doing what? Celebrating the entry into the Age of Aquarius, of course! The final cusp ends on Friday; we will then be officially out of the Piscean Age.

          So what does this mean? On a local level, at AquarianYoga, it means a day of fun and festivity. The center’s founder and director, Akalsukh Singh (also my teacher) has planned a full day of events, including Kundalini Yoga classes, meditations, lectures by guest speakers, Butoh dance performances, delicious vegan food prepared by professional chef Trish Sebben-Krupka (http://www.localgirlmakesfood.blogspot.com), and a beautiful Sacred Chant Concert by Spirit Fest artist Harnam Singh. There will be something for everyone, including kids. Visitors are encouraged (though certainly not required!) to wear white and gold (or white and blue/purple, the colors of the center’s logo). Door prizes will be awarded (free yoga class passes, acupuncture passes, cooking or dance class passes, etc.).

         AquarianYoga Center is already rolling and classes are offered daily. In addition to Kundalini yoga (a wonderful combo of mantra, meditation, pranayama, music, and asana) other styles of yoga will be available (Vinyasa/Hatha teachers include Mary Paige Snell and Lena Ang-Silverman). Chair Yoga will be taught by Carissa Olivi (you may know her from Mia family yoga) for individuals who may have weight issues, injuries, or other concerns that prevent them from doing yoga on a mat on the floor. Another unique offering will be Butoh Dance class--a beautiful, improvisatory dance form originated in Japan-- taught by Lena. The Center will also offer acupuncture with Michelle Kawecki, a retail shop, yummy vegan delights prepared by Trish, poetry readings, book signings, music and other events. “More than a yoga center,” says Akalsukh, “AquarianYoga is a spiritual home.”

           But what does the Aquarian Age mean in a broader sense, and why should we all be aware of the shift that is happening? According to 3HO.org, Kundalini Yoga’s parent organization, the Aquarian Age will call upon us to go beyond intellect, to develop a new relationship to intuition, emotion, and instinct. Information and knowledge will not be enough, for even though we have plenty of information, wisdom is what we will need. In the Aquarian Age, our world will continue to grow more and more complex, and humanity will be required to develop the skills to deal with the rapid speed of change and the intricacies of our lives. “Everything will be faster and we will have less time.” Some other points: “We need far more love and unity for we have more fear and tremendous insecurity; we require a reconciliation and integration of the spiritual side of life with the technological and material sides – a spiritual fitness to sense values and meaning. There is no isolation. Each action we take must be considered ecologically and globally because each person does affect, directly or indirectly, vast networks of people and other living beings and places.” You can find out more about the Aquarian Age online; entire websites are devoted to this intriguing subject.           

            Recently I listened to a radio show about the Aquarian Age featuring Gurmukh (a well-known and highly respected Kundalini yoga teacher). She said it is a time when we must all pull together and help each other out. Many of us already feel the shift happening. We know for sure now that whatever we do affects others—what we put in our soil, our water, our air, and what we feel in our hearts has a ripple effect on our own physical and spiritual health, and on the health of the planet. We now have the knowledge, the power, and the awareness to make significant changes.

            So! It’s a time to celebrate, and AquarianYoga Center on 11/11/11 is a good place to start (festivities begin with an 11 am class and won’t end until 10 pm or later).  Celebrations are going on all over the world as we move into this new and exciting time, an age in which we have the opportunity to join hands, hearts, and minds and uplift the planet together!