When I left to teach yoga yesterday I was a mess. I hadn’t paid attention to the time, I was spilling my water all down my shirt, and I was worrying about getting there in time.

Time.

As I was driving, the road was filled with cars. 5 o’clock traffic. I dodged in and out of cars, looking at the time. But then I realized what my energy looked like from the outside. I felt the tension of my body and I knew…I couldn’t teach yoga like this.

Instinctively I put on the song that had been stuck in my head all day. It was a song I heard about a year ago and never really paid attention to. But today, it showed back up on my playlist and I really listened to it this time.

Aham Prema by Donna De Lory

The words “Aham Prema” in Sanskrit mean “I Am Divine Love.” Today when walking the dog, I sang along to this beautiful song and I felt a shift in myself. As I glanced at the trees, the sky, the dog wagging her tail, the beautiful baby growing inside me…I understood this divine love. The kind you don’t have to seek, the kind that is seeking you.

So sitting in my car in traffic, I listened again and let the divine love wash over me. I watched as the road cleared. It was as though all the cars suddenly lifted and I was alone on the highway. In fact I’ve never got to the yoga studio faster than I did yesterday.

Chanting Aham Prema, hallelujah, the whole way there.

When I got to class, the studio was full. I felt blessed. I always feel that love when I see the smiling faces of my students.

Through the class I mentioned the inner wisdom. The guiding light. The necessity of silent contemplation. But most importantly the love within…the type of love that is unconditional and blissful and true. It exists within all of us and it is a small fragment of the universal divine love that exists everywhere in everything – every living thing carries this divine love.

When we tap into that kind of love, how can we feel empty? How can we feel alone? How can we feel scared?

The divine is with us. Within us. Surrounding us.

It is said that chanting Aham Prema opens up the sacred power within.

“The mantra affirms one’s divine love energy within. A grand inner transformation is invoked, creating one’s highest essence of love. This emanation enhances all situations, everyday, creating a wonderful foundation for whatever one desires to manifest.”

After class, we sat in divine bliss. Feeling the transformation of the evening.

I was about to leave when a lady I knew said she had some things for my baby. She brought me two beautiful baby bouncers and a bopper pillow. It was so lovely filling my car with gifts. I felt so full of love and gratitude.

The studio was having a special event for my teacher’s Guru, Swami Suddhavaita, so I decided to stay.

We chanted Hare Krishna and half way through as we were clapping and singing and banging the drums, I looked around at the pure joy in the room. The kind of joy you can’t ignore. And I started laughing because I understood. I felt it all. The flooding of divine love in my heart. Even the Swami spoke of divine love and that it was the greatest love of all- the one we seek in every relationship and every connection here on earth. But it can never be replicated.

As I left, my friend gave me some home cooked food his mother had made and a bottle of water. I blessed the food and thanked him for such a sweet gift.

Walking to my car I was just overwhelmed with love. And I had attracted it! I had called upon it today.

Aham Prema.

Time is short. You have to live your life in alignment with the divine love that lies inside you. The subtle, the beautiful, the pure, the ever-rewarding, the protector, the type of love that is always there, has been there from the second you arrived and will travel with you when you transition.

My heart and my belly were full on the way home. My cup was full.

And I kept repeating..

Thank you, thank you, thank you.