‘Invoking the Mother – Hold the Inner Flame’ was a deeply meditative and profoundly immersive programme with ninety minutes online sessions over three days. This workshop was organised by NAMAH and facilitated by James Anderson. 30 people registered for this event. Every session revolved around a central practice of connecting with our breath and invoking and inwardly calling the Mother’s name and Presence on inhalation and on exhalation. A single syllable: ‘Maa’. This foundational practice had been introduced by James during his workshop ‘Feeling the Mother's Presence Always’ in November, 2023. He also shared additional potent techniques to anchor the Divine within our body and engage with our daily activities.

Session 1 – ‘The Fire of Aspiration’: James explained the process and benefits of the foundational practice and how it could become a core practice for Integral Yoga. The practice was shared and experienced at the beginning of each day. He reminded us that the Mother always presides over our being. The participants were asked to go back in time and re-live the occasion when the Fire of Aspiration had ignited in their life; when they knew for sure, they wanted to call the Divine into their life. The Mother places this flame subtly within our heart and it radiates Light from our psychic centre. But it is up to each one of us to tend to and keep this flame burning! That is our work. James reviewed how to identify and develop mental aspiration, vital aspiration and spiritual aspiration through the messages of the Mother. Participants were asked to recite prayers and feel the vibration and power in them. A practice to maintain a simultaneous balance between active aspiration and passive receptivity was conducted, to cultivate a poise that combines active calling with inner immobility and stillness. James read affirmations, all a truth waiting to manifest in our being. In another practice, the body’s Aspiration and Receptivity was conducted, where the participants were asked to connect with their body, identify with the concealed Divine within and feel the Mother’s Presence throughout the body.

Session 2 – ‘The Fire of Purification: The focus during this session was on feeding the Inner Flame, nourishing the inner Fire. As that happens, the aspiration grows. We threw all negativities, errors and defects of our nature onto the Fire. We learnt to offer our defects onto the inner flame or connect with the Mother’s photograph and lay down everything at her feet. Most of us spend time within the clutches of the surface mind. Offer all the frictions, limitations and encumbrances of the surface mind onto the inner Fire or to the Mother. Offer all the desires from the vital plane. Offer all desires – whether for food, comfort, money, sex, company, or fame – to the Inner Fire. Witness the Fire growing as you add the fuel. The body also holds lassitude, stubbornness, inertia andthat has to be offered to the inner Fire. Finally, offer the subconscious. It holds hidden negativities, habits, and impulses. Surrender it all for transformation.

Session 3 – Applying the Will: James shared multiple practices for aligning our will with the Divine. By complete surrendering and self-giving to the Mother, offering every part of our being, including your will with its defects and wrong movements and asking her to transform our will. Currently, our will is dispersed because our being is not unified. The will is sabotaged by lower impulses, mental preferences and consists of various conflicts. Only when we unify our being can we unify our will. We have to make our will single-pointed. To unify our will, we must integrate our entire being by harmonising it around the psychic centre. James shared this practice of unifying the being by invoking the Mother’s 

presence and going within the body, observing every body-part from within without any judgment. Wherever disharmony was sensed, friction or pain, we held our consciousness there, inwardly repeating Mother’s name. It left an imprint of peace, calmness and stillness in each part of the body. Our knowledge and will must be aligned too with the Universal Will. James shared a practice by focusing on the Ajna Chakra between the eyebrows and to align with the cosmic consciousness.

All practices mentioned and many more are more fully described in James' book A Torch in the Dark. For those of us who resonated with the foundational practice, James suggested making it a part of our daily sadhana as it will deepen Mother’s Presence and guidance in our heart and life.

Feedback:

“James's sessions come from the Psychic and the heart. You resonate so much with them.”

“Three wonderful sessions. Thank you, James.”

“There was a deep sense of calm and gratitude I experienced throughout and at the end. The prayers and the affirmations resonated a lot with me. Especially when you were calling Ma, it moved me so much I had tears in my eyes. May we continue to hold the inner flame for the Divine Mother as we purify ourselves further.”

“I experienced the Inner flame in my heart & getting the warmth.”

“This is a joyful & my most favourite sessions. Very helpful to progress my Sadhana. I lovingly practise these methods daily. Thank you, dear James.”

Experience gained?

“Clarity, knowledge, one to one guidance”

“Surrender and offer.”

“To love the Mother, to feel the Mother, to stay with Mother through deep Aspirations & Prayers. “

Atmosphere/presence at the workshop?

“WONDERFUL”

“Divine.”

“Serene atmosphere.”

Closer to the Mother’s Presence?

“Yes, absolutely”

“Of course…. very very close.”

“Of course…. very very close.”

“Yes, truly did.”

Benefit from most?

“Guide for further progress.”

“Learnt to stay with The Mother each moment.”

What resonated?

“It’s helping me with my “Maa” japa more and more. I’m able to surrender to The Mother more and more.”

“Prayers - constant calling 'MA.”