Great thread Liberation!

It caused me to think about how Openhand itself came into being - ie how I heard about Openhand!

I'd practiced martial arts since a young boy and my favourite became Karate. In my forties, I started to get arthritis in my knee and elbow joints from all the snapping exercises.

Consequently I started going to sessions earlier than the planned start time to warm up more thoroughly (I still couldn't bring myself to give it up because I loved it!).

When I had my awakening, I was guided to work with the Kriya yogi Paramahansa Prajnanananda who is the current incumbent in the long line of Kriya yogis stretching back to the 'deathless saint' Babaji.

The key thing I learnt from him was a sequence of powerful breathing techniques for releasing energetic compressions and bringing higher consciousness into all parts of the body.

Then one day, synchronicity guided to incorporate these into the Karate warm up routine - so the breathing got synchronised with the movements.

I practiced this for several months and then and started having major spiritual experiences - on one such occasion Kundalini was released up my spine, I felt the whole top of my head 'lift off' and my consciousness united with universal consciousness. It left me in a state of absolute bliss for hours.

Friends began to notice the radical change in my state of beingness and were very interested to know what was going on. It was suggested I begin to teach it to others but to do so required a name.

A facilitator friend suggested we meditate together on it and in the meditation she asked me what the art form really stood for. The words 'open mind, open heart, receiving hand and giving hand' arose from within. Then she asked me if I could encapsulate it in one word and 'Openhand' just popped out of my mouth.

I continued to practice the new Openhand meditation and found increasingly that it helped me feel better and better. My arthritis disappeared and it occurred to me that I should give up martial arts.

It was with great sadness that I finaly accepted this realisation but on that day, synchronistically, after I had performed my last move at the very end of the last session, I was caused to look downwards and as I did so, I noticed my treasured black belt unfold and fall off! Clearly I'd been attached to it - an inner distortion had kept me going.

From that point, I never looked back.

But the story doesn't end there. A short while later, I was clearing out some old books and one fell off the shelf called "The Way of the Warrior". It opened to a page detailing the history of how Karate had been founded.

Interestingly after all the years I'd studied it, I'd still not come across the history of its creation. I read that in 500 AD, a Buddhist monk called 'Bodhidharma' took Indian yogic breathing techniques to the Shaolin priests in South China where they incorporated them with movements they had observed in animals. The combined art form became Kung Fu.

Kung Fu spread eastwards and many off-shoots were created including Tai Chi, Kick boxing, Judo etc etc. Eventually, it found its way onto the Island of Okinawa where it was combined with the art 'Te' to form Karate which means the 'way of the empty hand'.

As I read this my jaw fell open and tears came to my eyes. The art form I had been guided to create had mirrored exactly the route taken by the foundation of the martial arts all those centuries ago.

It felt like Openhand was a new evolution designed not for self defence but for self realisation.

Chris

Many things have led me to Openhand, but the most direct link occurred during summer. At a festival on the beautiful Isle of Wight, I had a shamanic healing session with a very special practitioner, who lived with his partner in a tepee – a very simple and deeply spiritual life, close to nature.
I talked to him of my longing to find a place to live a similarly deeply spiritual life, in the face of many people around me who have trouble trusting my desire without judgement. He conducted a profound sacred practice with me, known as “calling back the indigenous soul,” and suggested I look for an ashram in the UK.
I found Shekinashram at Glastonbury through a Google search for ashrams, and there on the site was a link to Openhand web and a description of The Way of the Heart course taking place at the ashram.
Incredibly, the course description spoke to me of absolutely everything I was searching for at that moment, in following the path of my heart to a deeply spiritual life. I could not have put it better myself, and it was such a wonderfully exciting discovery.
I faced a major issue in taking time off work, but as I kept reading and re-reading the course description I knew I had to do everything I could to come. I managed to get special allowance to take two days leave from next year (virtually unheard of!), and also to miss an important meeting. I was on the way.
And it was wonderful. The Openhand philosophy tunes in very well with my interests in Theosophy and the philosophy of Dr Edward Bach, who developed Bach flower remedies and had very strong views on following our true heart’s path above all else. I am so glad and so thankful I was led to discover Openhand…
Thank you to Chris, Trinity, Lesley and the whole Openhand community for making it possible.

Thank you for such a beautiful sharing Ally. It's amazing what we find ourselves able to overcome when we follow the true destined pathway of the heart.

When we commit to doing anything with every cell of of being, the universe will open up a pathway, and doors that could never have been conceived before.

During the recent course I sensed your deep and true commitment to flowing with higher heartfelt guidance. It was a joy to meet you and offer witness to your dedication and commitment to the way of the heart. I look forward to sharing with you again.

In Love and Light
Trinity

Welcome to the forums Ally, and may I also echo what Trin said about what a delight it was to share with you on the recent Way of the Heart course. Your enthusiasm and complete committment made a deep impression on all of us.

It's fascinating to read of the challenges you faced in getting time off to attend, and I honour your willingness to take that first step into the unknown: from what you say, I think it has been repaid in great abundance.

Also it's great to hear of your interest in Theosophy: from what I've read about it, I feel that model of the world does correlate very well with Openhand's one. I'm sure we can have most interesting discussions here on these issues if and when you care to post.

Lots of love, and thanks again, Lib.