Anusara Yoga, the method, has given each of us the capacity to harness the power of the Universe.

The top five Tattvas are mirrored in the Maha Bhutas, the five elements. The five elements are the template for the five Universal Principles of Alignment. The five UPA offer any sincere seeker a “map” that can bring into the body, heart and mind, the beauty, power and grace of the natural world. We can, in turn, take this power and refine it into the affirmation of who we are. These Universal Principles are beyond the confines of “ownership.” Anusara Yoga belongs to the sky and to the earth. It is the sweet compassion of water, the fire of the heart and the breath of the wind.

Anusara is each of us, whether we are aware of it or not. We are the essence that flows with the Essence. How could any one individual “taint” such a powerful word? To be Anusara, we open to what the world is offering and ask how we might align to bring more beauty, more joy, love and compassion. To be Anusara, we choose to create meaningful boundaries and take responsibility for how we expand those boundaries. As our skills grow, so does our capacity to be of service, serve ourselves or both. We are free to choose.

There is no “stepping away” from this method. It is a part of each of us who has endeavored to embrace and learn the grand pattern of the manifesting current of the Supreme. The teachings that a student receives from a teacher, and takes to heart, become a part of the student and belong to the student. Anusara is bigger than all of us, just as the universe is bigger than all of us. Anusara offers us the opportunity to live more authentic and potent lives, if we choose.

I have little concern for corporations, licensing agreements or who did what to whom. Embodiment is fleeting and fragile. I have compassion for any and all who were hurt, but ultimately we are responsible for our own experiences.

The “yoga drama” pales by comparison to the vast expanse of the night sky or the first light of day reaching out to caress the earth. My connection to the universe, to eternality, is rich and deep. I see Her in the ripening of the earth, the luster of the moon, the unfurling of flower petals and the soulful gaze of a deer. I am closer to the miraculous offerings of this world because of the insights I have gained through my study of the Universal Principles of Alignment of Anusara Yoga.

Nature is my teacher. She is all around me and inside of me. She is the beginning-less beginning and the never ending story of possibilities waiting to unfold. She is found in the Universal Principles of Alignment and made pragmatic and accessible by their clarity.

In the form of the Universal Principles of Alignment, nature has given me the opportunity to expand what is possible, honor and refine myself, heal myself and offer healing guidance and inspiration to others. Through balanced action of contrary complements, I have found a tangible way to be anchored in eternity while savoring this ephemeral existence. To be Anusara is to be skillful at living, to cherish each moment and to be dressed for dancing. To be the essence that flows with the essence is to align with the breath of the eternal and the heartbeat of life. It is how I choose to live and I choose to live deeply.

Jai me Allison has been described as a woman who has, “little propensity for small talk and bullshit” This is true. Superficiality holds fleeting interest in a world filled with wonder hiding in plain sight. Life is a precious gift, a treasure waiting to unfold, a story longing to be told.

Jai me has studied with both John Friend and Dr. Douglas Brooks since 1994 and 1998 respectively. She received her certification in Anusara Yoga in 1999. Over the last 18 years Jai me has made the Universal Principles of Alignment her own. She has taken them to heart and offers them in a way designed to educate and empower her students. The two greatest gifts a teacher can offer students are a rekindled desire to learn and the tools for self-empowerment.

You won’t find her at the latest “circus tent” of yoga. She and her husband Justin reside on 10 acres in the Arkansas River Valley of Colorado at their retreat center, Ananda Tandava. While endeavoring to live with the land, grow food and pursue perma-culture and biodiversity, Jai me offers retreats and trainings that invite each student into the wonder of their life, the treasure of their existence and the telling of their story.

For more about Jai me, please visit www.jamieallisonyoga.com

To invite Jai me to teach in your area, please e-mail, [email protected]

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Editor: Kate Bartolotta