Explore the TriYoga Lineage
By Theresa Shay
This is the last in a series about the relationship with the guru. Read Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.
The TriYoga lineage is a story of a family, and as with family, belonging comes with the lineage. According to Yogapedia, “In yoga terminology, lineage refers to the historical succession of knowledge passed from teacher to teacher. With the foundation of lineage, a disciple of yoga gains insight not only from his/her own teacher, but from all the teachers that came before.”
In 1980, Yogini Kaliji experienced spontaneous mudra and posture flows that eventually gave rise to the physical and subtle practices we know as TriYoga®. This awakening of kundalini, known in the Yoga Sutras as “kundalini siddhi,” delivered at the same time ancient yoga wisdom, which Kaliji teaches to this day. Kaliji had never studied hatha yoga nor been schooled in yoga philosophy Yet after kriyavati began, complete yoga knowledge was present.
If you’ve ever seen a trinity of pictures displayed at a TriYoga center, the bright-eyed, light-faced, blond-haired woman smiling out at you is Kaliji. She is the founder of TriYoga International, an inspiration for students across the globe, and the presence that helped establish TriYoga of Central Pennsylvania.
In the trinity of pictures found at TriYoga centers, the other two people are bright-eyed, dark-faced, dark-haired beings beaming with love. These two Indians are fully connected to TriYoga, and an important part of the TriYoga lineage.
Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji and Kaliji are often together at Sri Swamiji’s events. Kaliji has attended the majority of his programs in the USA this summer. Sri Swamiji, from Mysore, India, is the Founding Pontiff of Avadhooota Datta Peetham at Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Ashrama. He is renowned in India and around the world as a musician, and oversees the Mysore ashrama, its humanitarian work, and many temples throughout the world including numerous ones in the USA.
Kaliji met Sri Swamiji through a magical, serendipitous, and completely guided series of events in 1990, when Sri Swamiji came to San Jose, California. After seeing a flyer announcing his program, Kaliji immediately knew they were destined to connect, though she had not known of him before. This began, or actually continued, a relationship that crosses lifetimes.
In time, Sri Swamiji revealed to Kaliji her connection to Mata Jaya Lakshmi, the India woman in the trinity of photos. Mataji, as she can be called, was Sri Swamiji’s guru and birth mother. Deeply connected to her own spiritual path, she transmitted her energy and divine powers to Sri Swamiji before she left her body when Sri Swamiji was young.
Sri Swamiji explained to Kaliji that Mata Jaya Lakshmi was also Kaliji’s guru and more, though the two never met physically in this lifetime.
The Devi side of the family lineage is led by Kaliji, and the Datta side of the lineage by Sri Swamiji. While those who practice TriYoga greet each other with the phrase, “Jaya Guru Devi,” Sri Swamiji’s community uses, “Jaya Guru Datta.” In some circumstances, “Jaya Guru Devi Datta” is heard. Like sister and brother, Kaliji and Sri Swamiji deliver Universal Truth through their teachings across the planet, uplifting the vibration that is infinite and eternal.
Theresa Shay is the founding director of TriYoga of Central Pennsylvania, where she teaches weekly yoga and meditation online and trains others to teach TriYoga®. Each week, she shares wisdom cultivated from decades of TriYoga study and practice.
Learn more about her here. Theresa can be reached at Theresa@PennsylvaniaYoga.com. Find her on Instagram @theresa_of_triyoga for more inspiration and light.