I surrender to this moment and gently bathe in the refreshing pool of my own essence. I embrace the changing beauty within my self and become the keeper of my own sacred fire. I unfold my petals to the sun and reveal my joy to the light of a brand new day. I play games in the sand and allow the child within to gently blow bubbles of delight into my heart. I allow the practice to blossom from within the depths of my being and accept with bliss the truth of my own divinity. -Shannon Caraccia
I first became aware of Shannon last month when she wrote a very beautiful poem on her experience of attending an Inner Engineering Program in Tampa. One month later I met Shannon and her husband Ken, when they attended their first Sathsang. They related this remarkable story. I asked if they would send it along to me for inclusion in our Tampa Newsletter.
My husband, Ken, and I finished the recent “Inner Engineering” program in Clearwater, on September 9, 2008. We knew the program would be amazing and we were not disappointed.
We did not know that the practice would save my husband’s life.
During the program, Ken was a little frustrated, because he was having some difficulty with the Shambhavi. Ken was new to yoga, and he has a demanding and pressure filled job. But he is healthy, fit and 54 years old. We did not attribute his physical discomfort to anything except a normal adjustment period for the body. The program ended Tuesday night. On Wednesday morning, Ken could not complete the practice. By this time we suspected that something more serious was going on. I urged him to go to the emergency room, but he said he really thought he had only severely pulled some muscles and needed a chiropractic adjustment. He assured me he would be fine.
On Thursday morning he completed a short version of the practice, and went to work. I promised I would make him an appointment with the chiropractor, and he was scheduled to go at 7:00 pm that evening. That afternoon, Ken was out in the field in Citrus County (he is an environmental scientist) and he collapsed. He was able to make it back to his truck, and he felt better after resting. He drove back to Tampa, and while unloading the vehicle, once again could not continue. While all this was going on, he was entirely aware and present. He became very still and connected to his Divine Energy - consciously slowing his heart and controlling the pain so that he was able to make it home.
When he finally made it home (and after he insisted upon showering and shaving!!) I drove him to the emergency room, where, after an evaluation, he was immediately whisked away to the cath lab.
Ken was having a heart attack.
It turns out that Ken had a 100% blockage of his LAD (main artery to the heart). They had given him a heparin drip and the doctor told me that the medication in the ER was enough to allow the artery to open to where it was 99.6 % blocked, which slight blood flow allowed the doctors just enough time to perform an angioplasty and put a stent in his artery and save his life. The doctor told me that this type of blockage in this artery is called the “widow maker”. He says that Ken came to the emergency room literally at the last moment he could have come. He was minutes away from a major heart attack and it is very likely he would have died. They marveled at how he was able to get around the last few days & of course scolded him for waiting so long to come in.
Later that evening, in the intensive care unit,
Ken looked up at me and flatly stated
“Isha Yoga saved my life”.
He told me what he had experienced during the day, and he said he kept reminding himself of what he learned in the IE program. This allowed Ken to do what was needed. He says he would not have been able to make it back to his vehicle in the field, if it were not for what he learned in the IE program.
While Ken was in the hospital, several nurses remarked at how calm he was, and how pleasant and peaceful he was. He says he reminded himself of the story that our teacher, Gomathy, told us during the program - of how Sadhguru had severely cut his leg, and that Sadhguru said that pain happens to a body - but suffering is a choice. I brought him a couple of Sadghuru’s books to the hospital, and he continued his AUM chanting and alternate nostril breathing while in the hospital. Because of the puncture to his femoral artery in his groin, he had to forego the asanas for a week or so. He was discharged from the hospital 3 days later.
On a follow up visit to the cardiologist, there was more good news - Ken does not have coronary artery disease. His LAD has more of a curve to it than normal, and just like a bend in a river, this allowed for the accumulation of plaque precisely at that spot. He is perfectly healthy other than he now has a stent in his artery. With the new vegetarian/raw diet, and with our continuation of the Shambhavi, we are confident in a full and complete recovery.
So….Isha Yoga has changed our lives.
Ken is convinced it saved his life.
We are grateful that we went to Tampa that night in August,
and sat in the presence of Sadhguru.
His brilliance and intelligent spirituality inspired us to take the IE program.
During the program, we were fortunate to have Gomathy for our teacher. She gently led us to an understanding deeper than we have ever experienced. We met many wonderful people - we are looking forward to meeting more meditators and becoming more involved. Ken feels reborn. We both feel as if our lives are beginning anew….or more accurately, that our real lives are now just beginning.
We are telling everyone we know about the Isha Foundation and the Inner Engineering program and urging everyone to see for themselves how it will change their lives - and of course Ken is “living” proof of its benefits!
Thank you ~
Shannon and Ken Caraccia
Hudson, Florida
Isha Foundation - Inner Engineering Video
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