27 Nov The Magic Cosmos Inside of Love and Heart
WHEN WAS THE MOMENT WHEN YOU FELT AWAKEN TO LOVE?
That’s quite a question. Hmmm. I believe the first moment was in the 70’s when I was a child and my mother took me to a Tibetan Buddhist commune in Scotland called, Samye Ling. There I found myself in the company of Tibetan monks, many of whom didn’t speak any English. This made for a profound experience because without words, I discovered much more was exchanged in the silence. I felt their sincere presence. I felt their compassion. I felt their love. This was a different experience than ‘mothers love’. For me, this was a magical and mystical experience, especially for a young child. I couldn’t identify or name what it was but I knew I was drawn to them. They held a particular way of being that I had never seen before and I remember feeling so much love and gentleness from them; for a child coming from London it was an awakening experience. Aside from my mothers love, this was my first experience of feeling unconditional love and acceptance for who I was. A gift I have treasured ever since
HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO ARRIVE TO THIS POINT OF AWAKENING?
I don’t feel I have arrived to a point of awakening. I feel like Life keeps teaching us many lessons along the way and we are continuously learning. So, the best I can say is that I’m bringing more and more awareness to what separates me from this awakening.
WHAT DID YOU FIND AT THE END OF THE ROAD AND AS CONCLUSION OF YOUR (RE) SEARCH?
I have by no means reached a place at the end of the road. I feel that this life experience is a continued journey and for some of us, maybe many of us, we will go on discovering until our last breath. One of the jewels I have found along the way is self-compassion. Being gentle with ourselves. We are so hard on ourselves. The voice inside our head sometimes feels so loud and can be so crippling to our joy and happiness. When we are compassionate with ourselves, we are then kinder to ourselves even when we make mistakes. This has been a precious learning. It’s a simple one, though, not enough people apply it to their daily lives. But when remembered, it can transform your day.
WHEN YOU CAME TO THE END OF ROAD, WAS THE RESULT SOMETHING YOU EXPECTED OR SOMETHING ABSOLUTELY SURPRISING FOR YOU?
My personal experience so far has been one of opening doors. In my workshops I always use the metaphor of an “internal-house”. The house represents the individual and each room in the house represents a feeling, or state of being. So, for example, we have a room for frustration, a room for stress, a room for anxiety, a room for joy, a room for happiness, and so on. Some of us know these rooms very well. Some people live in the room of anxiety or the room of depression, but their door is closed off to other rooms, such as the room for joy, or the room for love. This is just a metaphor to explain how people live with themselves. Some people are scared to open doors inside because they are scared to feel too much, and yet, once we become more familiar with our house (ourselves) and how we feel inside, we start to feel more connected to ourselves, and thus, more willing to open up to those we love. So, I am opening up more and more doors in myself, and learning to be more comfortable with myself. Each room presents a new challenge, like the room for vulnerability, where many people don’t want to go. But as I have discovered, it’s actually not that bad, and much healing can be done if I am willing to embrace each part in myself.
DO YOU THINK THAT THIS WAY OF AWAKENING OF LOVE IS FOR EVERYBODY?
The Awakening of Love workshop is not for everyone. I always say, it’s only for people who really want to make a genuine shift in their lives. For those who are really ready to reevaluate their lives and how they ended up where they are today. How much they are ready for something to change will make a significant difference in any workshop they do. When people reach a place inside themselves where they just need something to happen, then they are ready for the Awakening of Love.
CAN YOU TELL US IF THIS THERAPY IS WELL KNOWN IN THE WORLD?
Each facilitator of an Awakening of Love will bring different skill sets to how they work with people. My primary approach is in Somatic Experiencing™, Essence Work, NVC, NLP and Hypnosis. My life experience has been with a mystical & philosophical teacher. For over 40 years he was my biggest influence. His teachings and meditations have shaped who I am today and how I work with both individuals and groups of people.
THE TOPIC FOR THIS ISSUE OF RYL E-MAGAZINE IS “THE COSMOS IN YOUR HEART”. WHAT IS THE COSMOS FOR YOU? DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU HAVE A COSMOS IN YOUR HEART?
Yes, why not, after all we are all made of stars!
The cosmos is spacious and has a big capacity to hold a lot and so does the heart. When we begin to open our hearts again, just like when we were little children, wide-eyed with wonderment, our hearts grow big and spacious and we are able to hold a lot…a lot of joy, happiness, gratitude and compassion.
Rupda is a Path of Love Leader, and has produced a broad range of events and gatherings worldwide since 1983. She has been with Path of Love since 2000, is the founder of Divine Meetings, and has lived in Europe, India, USA and Australia. Her passion is in inspiring people to reconnect with themselves and reclaim their joy in life.
Rupda has studied Hypnosis Mastery with Stephan Gilligan, Life Mastery with Tony Robbins, NVC with Dorset Campbell-Ross, and is an NLP Practitioner studying under John Grinder. She has earned numerous working with people certifications, has studied the Enneagram & Essence work, is a certified Holistic Counsellor through S.I.A.F. and a certified Somatic Experiencing Practitioner from Peter Levine’s SE® Institute of Trauma Healing.
Interview first published in RYL – Refresh Your Life e-Magazine, on June 25. Interview by Anima Mundi.