Your greatness...

“Your greatness is measured by your gifts, not your possessions.”
Yogi Bhajan

I still recall my first meeting, nearly two decades ago, with my spiritual teacher, Yogi Bhajan. In that powerful encounter, I felt myself to be at once in the presence of my teacher, my destiny, my future, and my Self. Over the years he would teach me to serve and uplift others without ego, judgment or attachment, and never to waste one morsel of the grace of God and Guru.
Even in that first meeting, I felt in his presence his love and devotion for my soul, and his healing energy and sacred intention. At one point he asked me in his thick Punjabi accent, “ Do you know the sacred secret of success in this lifetime?”
I offered several excellent answers to his question…the remembrance of God, the repetition of mantra, good hygiene, etc. When I finished, he looked at me and said,

“Son, be the Altar not the alternative.” And again he repeated, “Be the Altar, not the alternative.”

I felt the perfection and completeness of his words. Over time, I have savored and contemplated this simple statement, which had a deep and lasting impact on me.

“Be the Altar, not the alternative.”

What does it mean? What does it mean to you? It keeps meaning something to me as, over time, it evolves and gains more traction in my heart. Much of its meaning is embedded in the pages of this book, in the text, the photographs, and the designs.

For me, being the Altar, not the alternative, means being, living, acting and projecting from a point of neutrality and awareness, wholeness and transcendence. It is about experiencing everything, appreciating all perspectives, being connected to what is before you, without attachment to any one thing or point of view. To me, the Altar is a symbol of this very place, your own center and Self, where you find peace, balance, harmony and grace amidst the dueling polarities of life.

When you live your life as the Altar, and not the alternative, you will live a life that is, in the words of my teacher, “happy, healthy and holy,” and each day will be rich with the blessings of life, of your Soul, of God. Each breath will restore and replenish you. Each action will emerge from a state of consciousness that is balanced, neutral and aware, and from a heart that is prayerful, graceful and grateful.

“Altar Your Space” is about applying these perspectives to your life, starting with your home environment. It is about designing a sacred living space that embodies the architecture of your soul, and connects your consciousness to infinity. It is about making your home the Altar, and not the alternative.

What do you want to experience and feel in your home? Beauty, calmness, grace, radiance, joy? What do you want your home to enhance in your life, and provide for you and your family? Stability, prosperity, opportunity, creativity, spirituality? An Altared home is a sanctuary for the body, heart and soul of you and your family.

In our essence, we are already whole, complete and perfect, and we can create a living environment that reflects and supports this. It is our birthright to be surrounded by beauty, to know peace and joy, to live royally and happily in a sacred home that elevates our life, uplifts our spirit, restores our soul, and connects us with the flow of love and prosperity of the universe.

Lets begin our journey together.