Chamatkara is a Sanskrit word that means magical mystery, charming, wondrous, full of scintillating awe. Imagine the moment a multifaceted diamond becomes aware of its own splendor and lustrous beauty… This is chamatkara.

First century Kashmiri tantric philosopher, Abhinavagupta, describes chamatkara as the felt sense of wonder and joy that our awareness expresses when it first becomes aware of itself. This curiosity and awe naturally soften back into the present, peaceful bliss of being ourselves, being aware (sat:chit:ananda).

Awareness is the vast ground of our beingness according to yogic philosophies of the Indian subcontinent. It is the spacious field from which our deepest ways of resting, knowing, caring, and relating blossom. We cultivate a relationship to our innate presence of awareness through mindful practices and self+collective caring rituals, like Yoga. At the heart of all schools of Yoga are contemplative practices of meditation.

There are no “right” or “wrong” ways of meditating. There are only infinite ways to meet ourselves and our naturally wise awareness. Join Rashmi to explore some of the possibilities, purely for the wonder and joy of it.

This program is a year-long series where we will be exploring a variety of practices in a supportive environment. Each month will be devoted to a practice, and explorations will build upon each other.

While consistent practice is encouraged, we recognize that circumstances may not always allow weekly attendance. So, we have organized the series as drop-in classes suitable for beginners and experienced practitioners alike.

About Rashmi

Rashmi Bismark, MD, MPH is a resident of Sherrill and a VVS grad (class of ‘95). Her relationship with yoga began at home with her parents, Rema & Sid, who moved to Sherrill in the 1970’s from Kerala, India. Yoga philosophy was embedded into their ways of living. Rashmi and her sister were encouraged to sit in meditation every morning and evening, even if just for one minute. These small moments of connection blossomed into a lifelong, loving exploration of life and awareness.

Rashmi is a certified yoga teacher and teaches meditation practice, theory, and scientific evidence for Yoga MeditationⓇ yoga teacher trainings across the world. She is a certified mindfulness meditation teacher who has completed a two-year professional training program with Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach, along with multiple mediation trainings and retreats from a variety of contemplative traditions like Vipassana, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, Yoga Nidra, Vedanta, Sri Vidya Tantra and more.

Rashmi has been formally facilitating mindfulness in clinical and community settings for over a decade. Her teaching style is rooted in the wisdom traditions of her ancestors, informed by her medical background in Preventive Medicine, and inspired by her experiences as a daughter, sister, wife, and mom. Rashmi loves sitting on her porch and writing. She is the author of a kids book, Finding Om, and continues to pursue writing for kids and their families.

Website: www.rsbismarkmd.com

Instagram: @rashmi.bismark