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namaskar<br />
A VOICE FOR THE YOGA COMMUNITY OF ASIA<br />
A VOICE FOR THE YOGA COMMUNITY OF ASIA APRIL 2009<br />
Brahmacarya<br />
Widows in India<br />
Garbha Pindasana
Pure Yoga<br />
Bringing you the best of the global yoga community<br />
Diverse yoga styles. Comprehensive programmes.<br />
Renowned teachers.<br />
A wealth of practices and opportunities to learn<br />
from internationally recognised yoga masters.<br />
Upcoming Events:<br />
April Pre-Natal Programme<br />
April Yoga Sutra Book 1 Course<br />
April Baptiste Power Vinyasa Workshop<br />
April - May Kids Yoga Programme (Spring)<br />
May 20-Day Detox Programme<br />
May Personal Revolution – Yoga Surf Retreat<br />
May - June Kids Yoga Programme (Summer)<br />
May - Dec Neti Pots Workshop<br />
July Bryan Kest<br />
Sep Indian Dance Programme<br />
Sep Pre-Natal Programme 2<br />
Sep Yoga Sutra Book 2 Course<br />
Sep - Oct 40-Day Personal Revolution Programme<br />
For enquiries or to be on our mailing list,<br />
please email events@pure-yoga.com<br />
2<br />
www.pure-yoga.com
Inside<br />
APRIL 2009<br />
Special Features<br />
My Widowed Aunt, 13 As if it’s not<br />
enough to lose your husband, then in the<br />
midst of your mourning you are also<br />
scorned by your society.<br />
Changing Beliefs, 15 Helene breaks<br />
down how our beliefs can be identified then<br />
altered to serve us better.<br />
Digestive Remedies, 16 Deva’s<br />
third article on how yoga helps digestion.<br />
Garbha Pindasana, 19 For Ashtanga<br />
vinyasa yogis, the oddly-named womb<br />
embryo pose is difficult as it is funny.<br />
Valerie’s practical suggestions.<br />
The Silence, 20 A yoga poem.<br />
Yogis Chant, 21 Wai Ling recounts her<br />
participation at a Gayatri Homa.<br />
Friendship, 23 What Julia learned<br />
about life while teaching in Hong Kong.<br />
Music Heals , 26 Michele talks to two<br />
artists who’ll be at BaliSpirit Festival.<br />
Being Green, 28 Self-confessed<br />
environmentalist Leah shares her top tips<br />
for the three Rs.<br />
Jet Lag, 32 Sarah’s nine steps for<br />
avoiding jet lag.<br />
Tantra, 40 Tantrik yogi Dileep clears up<br />
the confusion on this subject.<br />
Dristi Brahmacarya<br />
Chastit<br />
tity, , Celib<br />
elibac<br />
acy &<br />
Sexual responsibilit<br />
sponsibility, , 7<br />
Frank Jude Boccio’s explains the similarities<br />
between this fourth yama of Patanjali’s yoga<br />
and Third Precept of Buddhism.<br />
Vie<br />
iew, , Method & Fruit<br />
ruit, , 9<br />
You have to consider where what you’re<br />
studying or learning is coming from, says<br />
Yogasvara Sarasvati.<br />
A place in our Modern<br />
World, 12<br />
Paul Dallaghan gives some background into<br />
this often misunderstood topic.<br />
About <strong>Namaskar</strong><br />
<strong>Namaskar</strong> provides a voice for the yoga<br />
community around Asia. The publication is a<br />
vehicle for practitioners on a yogic path to share<br />
their own knowledge, learnings and experiences<br />
with others.<br />
<strong>Namaskar</strong>, is published by Yoga Services Ltd,<br />
quarterly in January, April, July and October.<br />
We welcome unsolicited submissions, therefore<br />
the opinions expressed within these pages are<br />
not necessarily those of Yoga Services Ltd.<br />
<strong>Namaskar</strong> is distributed at no charge through<br />
yoga studios, fitness centres, retail outlets, food &<br />
beverage outlets and other yoga friendly<br />
locations throughout Hong Kong and elsewhere<br />
in Asia.<br />
For more information, to contribute or to order<br />
<strong>Namaskar</strong>, please contact:<br />
Frances, Editor at fgairns@netvigator.com /+ 852<br />
9460 1967<br />
Jenny, Deputy Editor at<br />
jenthomas@netvigator.com /+852 9889 2022<br />
Deadline for July 2009 issue:<br />
June 15, 2009<br />
Regular Contributions<br />
NEWS, WORKSHOPS, RETREATS & TEACHER<br />
TRAININGS, 5<br />
BOOK REVIEW, 29<br />
YOGA GEAR, 33<br />
WORKSHOP REVIEW, 35 & 43<br />
RECIPE, 36<br />
CROSSWORD, 45<br />
TEACHER & STUDIO LISTINGS, 46<br />
cover photograph courtesy of Nigel Gregory ngstudio!mac.com<br />
3
Brahmacarya has long been on the list of dristi subjects, but not until now have we had the guts to<br />
actually present it. Probably because I, like many others, didn’t understand what it was all about.<br />
Fortunately our eloquent contributors: Frank, Paul and Yogesvara, do. And I trust you will too after<br />
reading their articles.<br />
namaskar<br />
You’ll find a truly diverse offering in this issue: from workshop reviews, practical tips for being<br />
Greener, how to get into that crazy Garbha Pindasana, combating jet lag, to the terrible plight of<br />
widows in India. Thanks to the generosity of these and the other writers, <strong>Namaskar</strong> continues to<br />
grow.<br />
Thanks in advance also to our new, talented and enthusiastic bunch of volunteers: Rob Ferguson<br />
(publishing and advertising guru), Joanna Pearce (editor extraordinaire), Wai Ling Tse (thoughtful<br />
scribe), Carol Adams (administrative queen), Jyothi Fong (free-spirited columnist) and Ken Wong<br />
(ready, willing and very able). They will be helping with writing, editing, advertising, photography and<br />
administration to make this publication more informative and interesting to you all. If you know<br />
them or meet them, please don’t hesitate to let them know what you’d like to read more of in these<br />
pages.<br />
They are stepping off their mats to share and spread their love of yoga. And I hope you will too by<br />
attending Evolution 11 - 14 June in Hong Kong. Even if you only have time for one workshop or<br />
lecture, please do show your support for this important event. And if you’re in a belt-tightening phase,<br />
there are loads of free events as well.<br />
And if you are able to travel to Bali, consider attending the multi-dimensional BaliSpirit Festival later<br />
this month. Looks like a great few months of yoga coming up!<br />
FRANCES GAIRNS<br />
Editor<br />
EDITOR EXTRAORDINAIRE JOANNA ADVERTISING GURU ROB ADMIN QUEEN CAROL<br />
4<br />
SOMETHING TO SHARE?<br />
IF THERE IS SOMETHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH THE YOGA COMMUNITY IN HONG KONG AND ELSEWHERE (WE<br />
DISTRIBUTE AROUND ASIA AND EVEN FURTHER AFIELD), PLEASE EMAIL FGAIRNS@NETVIGATOR.COM
NEWS<br />
BALISPIRIT FESTIVAL<br />
A fusion and immersion of<br />
yoga, dance and music in Bali,<br />
28 th April – 2 nd May. This truly<br />
international event brings<br />
together Indonesian masters of<br />
spirituality and healing,<br />
musicians from Lebanon, Africa,<br />
Malaysia and the US, and yogis<br />
from Russia, New Zealand and<br />
Bali. For more information visit<br />
www.balispiritfestival.com<br />
EVOLUTION, HONG KONG<br />
The third Asia Yoga Conference<br />
takes place in Hong Kong 11 th –<br />
14 th June at the Hong Kong<br />
Convention and Exhibition<br />
Centre.<br />
Western yoga teachers, including<br />
Ana Forrest, David Life, David<br />
Swenson, are as much<br />
represented as Indian teachers<br />
such as O.P. Tiwari, Yogi<br />
Vishveketu, Ganesh Mohan.<br />
There are also quite a few local<br />
Hong Kong teachers like Planet<br />
Yoga’s Master Kamal, Pure<br />
Yoga’s Patrick Creelman and<br />
Yogasana’s Michel Besnard.<br />
In addition to a full range of<br />
asana sessions, there are loads<br />
of philosophy, therapy,<br />
pranayama and other non-asana<br />
workshops to choose from.<br />
There are also complimentary<br />
classes and lectures open to all.<br />
For more information visit<br />
www.asiayogaconference.com<br />
HONG KONG STUDENTS COMPETE<br />
IN PONDICHERRY<br />
Pure Yoga’s Sudhakar led a team<br />
of seven Hong Kong students<br />
to the 16 th International Yoga<br />
Competition on 4 th – 7 th January<br />
in Pondicherry, India. They<br />
brought home six prizes,<br />
including the champion’s prize<br />
which was won by Madoka<br />
Nakajima for the second year.<br />
ROCKY DAWUNI WILL BE AT<br />
BALISPIRIT FESTIVAL<br />
Other team members included<br />
Jenny Cheung, Sue Ling Chu,<br />
Elaine Lam , Selina Mak, Vikki<br />
Ng and Jennifer Tu. They<br />
competed against nearly 900<br />
other competitors, aged between<br />
5 and 95, from around the<br />
world. The team attributed their<br />
success to their teacher Sudhakar.<br />
SECOND-HAND YOGA PROPS FOR<br />
SALE FROM FLEX, HONG KONG<br />
Flex Studio is focusing on its<br />
Pilates practice and so are selling<br />
all their props for Iyengar yoga<br />
including: blocks, belts,<br />
blankets, mats, bolsters,<br />
sandbags and wall ropes.<br />
Everything is in excellent<br />
condition and prices are<br />
reasonable; some items were<br />
custom made for the studio<br />
such as the bolsters, sandbags<br />
and blocks, and all others were<br />
sourced from high-quality<br />
suppliers. Wall ropes are sold in<br />
pairs (short and long sets) and<br />
can pass on the contractor details<br />
for proper installation. For<br />
more information email<br />
info@flexhk.com or call (852)<br />
2813 2212.<br />
SUDHAKAR (BACK CENTRE) AND HIS TEAM OF HONG KONG YOGINIS<br />
NEW YOGA CLOTHING LINE AT<br />
FLEX, HONG KONG<br />
Flex is pleased to introduce tulaa<br />
yoga wear to the Hong Kong<br />
community. Meaning ‘balance’<br />
in Sanskrit, tulaa is designed to<br />
complement the body in<br />
motion. Made in Bali from<br />
breathable fabric in a range of<br />
colours, tulaa is perfect for yoga<br />
and Pilates, traveling, or for<br />
simply running around town.<br />
The line includes a range of tops<br />
in short and long sleeves, bras<br />
and tanks, as well as capri and<br />
long pants, skirts, shorts and<br />
hoodies. Visit the tulaa<br />
boutique at Flex during<br />
business hours or call the studio<br />
on 2813-2212 to arrange a<br />
private viewing. Flex is at 1 st<br />
Floor Woodleigh House, 80<br />
Stanley Village Road in Stanley.<br />
RETREATS<br />
KUNDALINI RETREAT, PULAU<br />
MACAN<br />
Yoga@42 Bikram Yoga Jakarta<br />
is organizing a Kundalini retreat<br />
on the Indonesian island of<br />
Macan, 27 th -28 th June. For more<br />
information<br />
www.bikramyogajakarta.com or<br />
email<br />
hotyogajakarta@yahoo.com<br />
YOGA TREK TO NEPAL AND INDIA<br />
At the beginning of July, a<br />
group of low-budgetadventurers<br />
will travel overland<br />
to Nepal and finish in India by<br />
6 th August. The journey will<br />
bring them to yoga places such<br />
as Muktinath (Nepal), Risikesh<br />
(North-India) and Vrindavan<br />
(near Delhi). Throughout the<br />
journey participants will follow<br />
sadhana (yogic disciplines) which<br />
ensures purity, realizations and<br />
harmony. Expenses are<br />
minimal, basic day-to-day living<br />
costs plus transportation. For<br />
more information email<br />
sankirtana.lok@pamho.net<br />
5
WORKSHOPS<br />
INTRODUCTION TO ASHTANGA<br />
YOGA AT YOGAMALA, HONG KONG<br />
Starting 19 th April, Cheuk Na<br />
will lead a bilingual introductory<br />
workshop every Sunday for 10<br />
consecutive Sundays from 3 –<br />
4:30 pm. The cost is $1,450. For<br />
more information visit<br />
www.yogamala.com.hk<br />
ACROYOGA AT YOGA CENTRAL,<br />
HONG KONG<br />
Minhee Cha will be leading an<br />
AcroYoga workshop in May and<br />
June at Yoga Central in Hong<br />
Kong. For more information<br />
email yogacentralhk@yahoo.com<br />
MICHEL BESNARD IN HONG KONG<br />
Yogasana’s Michel Besnard and<br />
the Asian Academy of Sports<br />
and Fitness Professionals are<br />
teaming up to offer a 100 hour<br />
Yoga Alliance registered teacher<br />
training 25 th April – 7 th June.<br />
The course will cover asana,<br />
pranayama, anatomy and<br />
Ayurveda. For more<br />
information visit<br />
www.yogasana.com.hk<br />
THE LIVING YOGA TEACHER<br />
TRAINING, CHIANG MAI<br />
Sara Avant Stover, Bo Srey,<br />
Carlos Pomeda and Ellen Heed<br />
will be offering a 200 hour Yoga<br />
Alliance registered teacher<br />
training 31 st May – 27 th June at<br />
Tai Garden Resort, Chiang Mai,<br />
Thailand. This residential course<br />
will allow participants to live<br />
their yoga on and off the mat in<br />
a serene environment. They will<br />
learn how to practice and teach<br />
hatha yoga, meditation,<br />
philosophy and Ayurveda. For<br />
more information visit<br />
www.teachyogathailand.com<br />
PRENATAL TEACHER TRAINING,<br />
JAKARTA<br />
Yoga@42 Bikram Yoga Jakarta<br />
is organizing a 40-hour Prenatal<br />
Yoga Teacher Training 22 nd – 25 th<br />
June. For more information<br />
www.bikramyogajakarta.com or<br />
email<br />
hotyogajakarta@yahoo.com<br />
6<br />
TEACHER TRAININGS<br />
PATRICK CREELMAN AT PURE<br />
YOGA, HONG KONG<br />
Anusara teacher Patrick<br />
Creelman will be leading The<br />
Foundation – Preparing to<br />
Teach, a 20-day, full-time teacher<br />
training programme in Hong<br />
Kong 27 th June – 17 th July. The<br />
programme aims to help<br />
participants develop the<br />
fundamental skills necessary to<br />
teach, as well as provide them<br />
with the opportunities for<br />
growth and life transformation.<br />
The course will cover asana, yoga<br />
philosophy, Sanskrit and<br />
Ayurveda. For more<br />
information visit www.pureyoga.com<br />
KIDS TEACHER TRAINING, JAKARTA<br />
Yoga@42 Bikram Yoga Jakarta<br />
is offering a Sun Yoga Kids<br />
Teacher Training 29 th – 30 th June.<br />
For more information<br />
www.bikramyogajakarta.com or<br />
email<br />
hotyogajakarta@yahoo.com<br />
Clayton Horton in San Francisco<br />
Director of Greenpath Yoga,<br />
Clayton Horton will be leading a<br />
200 hour residential and nonresidential<br />
teacher training at the<br />
Yoga Society of San Francisco<br />
Brahmananda Ashram, 18 th July<br />
– 15 th August. The Yoga<br />
Alliance certified programme<br />
aims to give participants the<br />
opportunity to experience<br />
transformation and yogic<br />
education in an unique ashram<br />
setting. The residential rate for a<br />
shared room is US$2,995. For<br />
more information,<br />
info@greenpathyoga.org<br />
THE KNOWLEDGE OF LIFE<br />
AYURVEDA WORKSHOP AT<br />
YOGAMALA, HONG KONG<br />
Rachel Tsai introduces the<br />
concepts of Ayurveda and<br />
explains how the timeless<br />
wisdom and knowledge of<br />
Ayurveda is relevant to our life,<br />
yoga practice and personal<br />
growth. The workshop takes<br />
place on Sunday, 10 th May, 10:30<br />
am – 1 pm, and costs $420. For<br />
more information visit<br />
www.yogamala.com.hk<br />
IYENGAR WORKSHOP, SINGAPORE<br />
Devki is a very senior teacher<br />
from the Ramamani Iyengar<br />
Memorial Yoga Institute in<br />
Pune, India. He has been<br />
teaching there for over 20 years<br />
and is one of the few teachers<br />
entrusted to teach the advanced<br />
class there. He will be at the<br />
Iyengar Yoga Centre Singapore<br />
17 th – 20 th May. The workshop<br />
costs S$300. For more<br />
information, email<br />
info@iyengaryogasingapore.com<br />
KUNDALINI WORKSHOP, JAKARTA<br />
Yoga@42 Bikram Yoga Jakarta<br />
is organizing a Kundalini Yoga<br />
workshop 26 th June. For more<br />
information<br />
www.bikramyogajakarta.com or<br />
email<br />
hotyogajakarta@yahoo.com<br />
BASIC HATHA, JAKARTA<br />
There will be a 10-credit hours<br />
workshop of basic Hatha<br />
postures at Yoga@42 Bikram<br />
Yoga Jakarta on Sunday, 21 st<br />
June. For more information<br />
www.bikramyogajakarta.com or<br />
email<br />
hotyogajakarta@yahoo.com<br />
TWIST AND SHOUT AT YOGA<br />
CENTRAL, HONG KONG<br />
Australian yogis Peter and Sue<br />
Scott will host a workshop<br />
entitled Twists, Inversions &<br />
Women’s Yoga in June and July<br />
at Yoga Central in Hong Kong.<br />
For more information email<br />
yogacentralhk@yahoo.com
Dristi Brahmacarya<br />
Chastit<br />
tity,<br />
Celib<br />
elibac<br />
acy &<br />
Sexual<br />
Responsibilit<br />
sponsibility<br />
Poep Sa Frank Jude Boccio<br />
most teachers ... are<br />
more moderate in<br />
allowing sex between<br />
married ... – committed<br />
partners<br />
Brahmacarya is an ancient yogic ideal the<br />
Buddha taught as his Third Precept<br />
and which is found fourth among the<br />
yamas in Patanjali’s Yoga-Sutra. The word<br />
“brahmacarya” has been variously translated<br />
as “brahmic conduct” or “to move in or<br />
with Brahman,” with Brahman understood<br />
as the “ultimate reality.” In a general way,<br />
one can see this as walking/living in<br />
harmony with the Tao, Rita, Dharma or<br />
God’s Will. It has come to refer to the right<br />
or appropriate relationship to kama or<br />
sensual pleasure, for the dedicated yogi/ni.<br />
It might come as disheartening news to<br />
contemporary yoga practitioners, but the<br />
traditional understanding of brahmacarya<br />
has tended towards celibacy. That “Brahmic<br />
conduct” should be seen as celibacy is<br />
probably related to the notion that Brahman<br />
transcends all gender distinctions. The<br />
spiritual aspirant is asked to emulate that<br />
genderless (sexless) condition to preserve<br />
and cultivate sexual energy for spiritual<br />
awakening. Thus, the Yoga-Sutra says (2.38)<br />
the ‘yogin who is firmly grounded in this<br />
virtue gains great vitality (virya).<br />
The Bhagavad-Gita (17.14) asserts that<br />
brahmacarya forms part of the practice of<br />
tapas. The Kurma-Purana (2.11.18) defines<br />
brahmacarya as the abstinence from sexual<br />
intercourse in deed, mind, and speech at all<br />
times and in all circumstances. The Agni-<br />
Purana (372.9) says it is the renunciation of<br />
the eight degrees of sexual activity:<br />
fantasizing; glorifying the sex act or the<br />
opposite gender; dalliance; eyeing the<br />
opposite gender; love-talk; longing; the<br />
resolution to break one’s vow of celibacy;<br />
and consummation of the sex act! Perhaps<br />
thankfully, the Linga-Purana (1.8.17) says<br />
that this strict definition applies only to<br />
hermits, forest dwelling yogis, and<br />
widowers, whereas householders are<br />
allowed sexual intercourse with their<br />
spouse, but must practice chastity with<br />
regard to all others.<br />
This distinction between chastity and<br />
celibacy has become of great importance to<br />
contemporary practitioners of yoga. While<br />
some hard-core purists (mostly in India)<br />
still assert that to practice yoga authentically,<br />
one must refrain from all sexual activity<br />
(celibacy) most teachers in most traditions<br />
are more moderate in allowing sex between<br />
married – or more liberally – committed<br />
partners, with restraint in regard to all others<br />
(chastity). That is generally understood as<br />
sexual relations free of manipulation,<br />
oppression, exploitation, and offensiveness.<br />
It is the practice of “pure sex” or sexual<br />
responsibility. It is conscious sexuality.<br />
In the Order of Interbeing, established by<br />
Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh, the vows taken by<br />
lay-members and monastics are all the same<br />
except for the one relating to brahmacarya.<br />
Whereas the version for monastics is one of<br />
celibacy, the one for lay-members states:<br />
Aware that sexual relations motivated by<br />
craving cannot dissipate the felling of<br />
loneliness, but will create more suffering,<br />
frustration and isolation, I am determined<br />
not to engage in sexual relations without<br />
mutual understanding, love and a longterm<br />
commitment. In sexual relations, I<br />
must be aware of future suffering that may<br />
be caused. I know that to preserve the<br />
happiness of myself and others, I must<br />
respect the rights and commitments of<br />
myself and others. I will do everything in<br />
my power to protect children from sexual<br />
abuse and to protect couples and families<br />
from being broken by sexual misconduct. I<br />
will treat my body with respect and preserve<br />
my vital energies (sexual, breath, spirit) for<br />
the realization of my bodhisattva ideal. I<br />
will be fully aware of the responsibility for<br />
bringing new lives into the world and will<br />
meditate on the world into which we are<br />
bringing new beings.<br />
As you can see, this vow of the lay<br />
practitioner asks us to refrain from sexual<br />
relations motivated by craving, loneliness or<br />
anger; to do so treats the other as an object,<br />
and will ultimately lead to further suffering.<br />
This precept also reminds us that to practice<br />
brahmacarya means to respect the<br />
commitments of others. I remember a<br />
student who had rationalized her affair with<br />
a married man because she herself wasn’t<br />
married. When she looked deeply into this<br />
precept, she realized that she was, in fact,<br />
responsible to a degree for helping break the<br />
commitment that existed between the man<br />
and his wife. She decided to break off the<br />
7
elationship until – and only if – the man<br />
honorably told his wife the truth and<br />
divorced her.<br />
Speaking for myself, I find myself<br />
depending upon the Sangha to support me<br />
in my practice of sexual responsibility, as<br />
nowhere else do I truly feel supported in my<br />
own commitment to my wife. Everywhere I<br />
turn, I find myself bombarded by sexual<br />
images in advertising; in countless movies,<br />
novels and songs I hear the message that<br />
adultery is exciting, full of passion and<br />
energy. Think about it. We are manipulated<br />
to root for couples to find fulfillment<br />
I will be fully aware of the responsibility for<br />
bringing new lives into the world and will<br />
meditate on the world into which we are bringing<br />
new beings.<br />
outside committed relationships in so many<br />
movies and novels. In comparison, there are<br />
very few that show loving, passionate<br />
marriages or committed relationships. I<br />
cannot help but think about the message we<br />
are sending our youth about the nonseriousness<br />
of our commitments.<br />
The wording of the above vow also points<br />
to an engagement with the social reality of<br />
sexual abuse and asks us to not only refrain<br />
from contributing to it, but to act positively<br />
in whatever way we can to lessen and<br />
prevent it. This is also a teaching in line with<br />
Patanjali who tells us the yamas are the “great<br />
vow” of the yogi. (2.31) He says a yama is<br />
transgressed through any one of three ways:<br />
(1) we act harmfully ourselves; (2) we<br />
encourage another to act harmfully for us;<br />
(3) we silently sit back and thus passively<br />
condone any act of harm we witness. (2.34)<br />
“energy management.” We are asked to<br />
conserve energy – by using it skillfully,<br />
sparingly, and consciously in order to align<br />
our balanced use of energy for our deeper<br />
and ultimate purpose of awakening for the<br />
sake of the world.<br />
Which brings us to the final sentence: “I will<br />
be fully aware of the responsibility for<br />
bringing new lives into the world and will<br />
meditate on the world into which we are<br />
bringing new beings.” This is a powerful<br />
statement about consciousness. Too many<br />
children are brought into this world<br />
irresponsibly, without so much as a<br />
thought. Think of all the suffering these<br />
poor innocents are made to live with out<br />
of their parents’ thoughtlessness. To<br />
practice sexual responsibility is to think<br />
about the responsibility that comes with<br />
giving birth to a new being. It includes an<br />
awareness of the world into which we<br />
bring new beings, and thus our<br />
responsibility to provide a better world for<br />
them, and for all beings.<br />
One way of engaging with this practice is to<br />
really look deeply at the motivation of your<br />
sexual behavior. Are you looking for sexual<br />
relations to assuage loneliness? Or anger?<br />
You might like to engage this precept by<br />
resolving for the next week or so to<br />
meticulously observe how often sexual<br />
feelings arise in your consciousness. Note<br />
which mind states are associated with them,<br />
such as love, tension, compulsion, concern,<br />
craving, loneliness, the desire for<br />
communication or connection, pleasure,<br />
aggression and so forth. This is the practice<br />
of conscious sexuality. And it can be<br />
amazingly transformative.<br />
Frank is an interfaith<br />
minister, Yoga-Dharma<br />
teacher and author of<br />
Mindfulness Yoga: The<br />
Awakened Breath, Body<br />
and Mind.<br />
frankjude@mindfulnessyoga.net<br />
Also of interest is the phrase “I will treat<br />
my body with respect and preserve my vital<br />
energies (sexual, breath, spirit) for the<br />
realization of my bodhisattva ideal.” This<br />
points out that the ideal of brahmacarya can<br />
be greatly expanded to mean a kind of<br />
8
Dristi Brahmacarya<br />
Vie<br />
iew, , Method & Fruit<br />
Yogesvara Sarasvati<br />
Whenever one considers performing any form of spiritual practice we must<br />
understand the philosophy or view from which this practice comes because the<br />
View informs the Methods, which create the Fruits. It is important to properly<br />
revere the ways in which these practices have evolved and to know that they actually do have<br />
a tangible, real world result. For example, if one sincerely and ardently prays to a spirit – or<br />
does practices that access the powers of that spirit – then one will actually get that result. If<br />
the spirit happens to be malevolent then one might get “special” powers, but one might<br />
also get a bond with a force that will ultimately wreak havoc in their person’s life. Of course<br />
many Westerners think this is all impossible - and that the methods and fruits of these<br />
ancient traditions are merely symbolic or psychological. I think this is a naïve and juvenile<br />
view. Generations of wise and dedicated women and men have looked deep within<br />
themselves and the mysteries of the Universe in order to reveal and refine the myriad of<br />
methods of spiritual transformation. Quite simply, they work. The practice of<br />
brahmacharya is powerful and effective. But, it means different things in different traditions;<br />
therefore, there will be different results. Thus, it is vital to know the View that births these<br />
Methods, so as to achieve the intended Fruit.<br />
The most common held beliefs of brahmacharya come from Views that are decidedly<br />
transcendental in leaning. The vast majority of yoga that has come to the West has been<br />
brought by the Brahmins, scholars and upper castes of India with the time, opportunity<br />
and resources to travel and spread their teachings. These groups, which constitute a very<br />
small percentage of the population of India, have shaped the majority of the Views,<br />
Methods and Fruits of what has come to be known as yoga and brahmacharya. In short, the<br />
gist of these traditions is that they are dualistic. The philosophies of Samkhya-Patanjali<br />
and Advaita-Vedanta are at least indirectly responsible for 99% of the yoga that is practiced<br />
in the West (including Westerners now living in the East!) In fact, the popularity of these<br />
Views have also taken over much of India where the dualistic lens of the Brahmins has<br />
infected the masses with doubt that their millennia old ways of worshiping the imminence<br />
of God is less superior to the transcendental way of renunciation and “brahmacharya.”<br />
Though an entire course of study could be filled by looking into each of these systematic<br />
views, please allow me to try to summarize them for the reader. In Patanjali’s theories there<br />
is a Parusa (individual soul) that is bound in the world of Prakriti (matter). This binding is<br />
a result of negative karma, and gives rise to the physical body, the world and our gross<br />
experience of it. This bondage is paramount to suffering. Thus, the body, which is<br />
inherently “bad” in this view, must be purified to the extent that the Parusa is freed,<br />
extricated or released from Prakriti so that it can fly free in the heavenly realm of the<br />
Mahaparusa. In Advaita-Vedanta the world of matter is considered to be entirely unreal.<br />
The experience that you are having right now is 100% illusion, or “maya.” Enlightenment<br />
is conferred on the one who knows that everything they experience is total illusion. The<br />
Advaitans claim to be non-dualistic in that they say that everything is Brahmin, or God (to<br />
them God is inert, passive and unconscious). But, they also say that “maya” is projected<br />
onto Brahmin. This is an untenable position because they say that Brahmin is all and inactive,<br />
but yet something, some force, which must be active, projects the experience of<br />
“maya” onto this one reality. This is clearly a dualistic View, let alone an illogical<br />
philosophy, from which comes the idea that everything about the world of maya is actually<br />
not happening - one’s belief in the reality of their experience is the result of impurity.<br />
Samkhya-Patanjali and<br />
Advaita-Vedanta are<br />
indirectly responsible<br />
for 99% of yoga<br />
practiced in the West<br />
Basically, both of these Views share in common the notion that energies of this world and<br />
life, of the body and all its desires and complexities, are inherently the result karma (usually<br />
9
Everything is bristling<br />
with divinity and we<br />
experience God in all<br />
her forms via our body<br />
and its senses<br />
negative) that must be burned off via intense austerities. Any View that sees the world in<br />
this way is going to have practices that are geared towards purifying, denying, and even<br />
punishing the body in order to transcend the base desires and instincts that keep one stuck<br />
in the realm of sin. Many of these practices have come to be known as brahmacharya or<br />
that which must be done to experience the state of brahmacharya. It is ironic to this author<br />
that so many Westerners that seek to throw down the shackles of the dualistic and guiltridden<br />
religions of their youth have simply adopted the same View in the different clothing<br />
of yogas like Iyengar, Ashtanga, Bikhram’s, Baptiste’s, Power-Vinyassa, etc. All of these<br />
practices, whether it be known or not, stem from the Views of Patanjali, Advaita-Vedanta<br />
or both. And, all of them are wrought the same problems that are created when one is<br />
taught that something is inherently wrong with the base desires of their very own being.<br />
In short, these Views are almost equivalent to that of Catholicism’s “Original Sin.”<br />
It is fine if one believes these Views. In fact, the transcendental practices of brahmacharya are<br />
extremely effective at getting one out of the body and into the sleep-like, “heavenly”<br />
experience of samadhi described by the likes of Patanjali. If you buy it – that this world is<br />
inherently impure and you want to escape it and think it possible to find eternal bliss by<br />
doing so - then go for it with gusto! But, if you are like many practitioners I know that<br />
appreciate a more life-affirming View and the possibility of experiencing the divinity of<br />
each moment - including all the “nasty” stuff of life like changing diapers, having sex or<br />
eating a juicy steak - then you might want to ask your yoga teacher: “do you know the View<br />
where these practices come from?”<br />
I have seen and experienced a great deal of inner confusion and conflict – and what my<br />
Paramguru, Paramahamsa Satyananda Saraswati calls “spiritual schizophrenia” – in those<br />
that try to project their idea that “it’s all one and all good” onto a transcendental, dualistic<br />
model of spiritual practice. Here I was, yearning to know God in the intimate details of<br />
my life, but doing practices and meditations that were spilling my Essence all over the<br />
floors of hot-room yoga studios and getting me lost in realms of psychic delusion. The<br />
brahmacharya practices that come from these Views see the body as a burden and an obstacle<br />
- and they treat it as such. Through the intense heat created by austerities and tapasya one<br />
literally burns off their sensual fluids and purifies themselves of the desire not only for sex,<br />
but also for all sorts of worldly experience.<br />
what is appropriate for<br />
one person to expand<br />
will actually force<br />
another to contract<br />
But, there is another View of brahmacharya and it comes from the tradition of Tantra,<br />
which is about getting juicy rather then drying up. Non-dual Tantriks (not to be confused<br />
with New-age sex addicts) see the entire world as the manifestation of God. We call her<br />
Shakti. Everything is bristling with divinity and we experience God in all her forms via our<br />
body and its senses. Many who fear the power that is cultivated by authentic Tantrik adepts<br />
have tried to demonize Tantra, sexuality, and women in general – saying that the tradition<br />
is heathen and debased. But, real Tantra, which does include appropriate practices of<br />
discipline and restraint, is truly both a-moral and sensual in its orientation. In this View,<br />
brahmacharya is not necessarily the renunciation of sex or of worldly matters altogether, but<br />
rather, it is the letting go of the ego that creates attachment to the world of impermanent<br />
objects, and thus suffers when things change and die.<br />
Tantra is not based on rules of morality (like Yama/Niyama or the Ten Commandments)<br />
because totally different practices might be appropriate for different people to expand<br />
beyond their ego. Tantra does not see the ego or its desires as sinful or impure, just only as<br />
limited. We seek to experience the fullness of divinity by expanding beyond the ego and to<br />
do so we must accept ourselves as we are and be at peace with our most powerful energies.<br />
Tantra is therefore a-moral and does not have rules because what is appropriate for one<br />
person to expand will actually force another to contract and harden their sense of separation<br />
and suffering. What is good practice for a person who is totally self-indulgent and without<br />
any sense of structure or boundaries is perhaps a stint of celibacy. But, then again, a<br />
10
person who is totally tight with moral righteousness might be sent to the bar for a few<br />
cocktails and a stab at going home with someone that night, or maybe two people! Both<br />
of these approaches - depending on whom and when - could be valid practices of<br />
brahmacharya.<br />
Because Tantra sees the whole world, including our bodies and its drives, as the holy<br />
expression of the divine feminine, all the practices that come from this View are based on<br />
the cultivation of the body, as opposed to the denial of it. We want to celebrate life by<br />
literally making offerings of ourselves via our senses, whereas other Views want us to<br />
flagellate ourselves in order to punish and purify our dark desires. In rare cases, like with<br />
some saints in India’s history, these austerities have perhaps worked to drive sadhus directly<br />
to God. But, far more have only at best strengthened their sense of self (the proud, “holier<br />
than thou” mendicant), and at worst, have<br />
created deep inner divisions that have<br />
resulted in the backlash of perversions and<br />
psychosis.<br />
In my opinion it is more than just<br />
inappropriate when a 40-year-old mother<br />
of two or a 30-year-old bachelor cruising<br />
for girls at the local yoga studio – both<br />
desiring a very imminent life – get yogasana sequences, or meditation and pranayama<br />
directions that are drying up their life fluids and creating an inner movement towards<br />
getting up and out of this bodily experience. Many people nowadays see yoga more as<br />
exercise - a means to increasing health and enjoying life more. We must lay some<br />
responsibility on ourselves for not adequately researching what we get into and not actually<br />
believing in the real mystical power of spiritual practices (yoga can not, actually, be “just<br />
exercise”). But, really, the brunt of the responsibility lays on those of us who are<br />
“teachers.” Do we really know what we are giving people? Do we know what we have<br />
received from our teachers? Do we know the View, where it comes from, and what its<br />
intended fruits are? More importantly, have we tried out the View, via the methods, on<br />
ourselves over years and years of trial and error? Are we totally confident in the result?<br />
Most importantly, because of the infinite ways in which we can fool ourselves, have we<br />
checked our experience of the fruit of our practice with an authentic lineage holder who has<br />
been authorized as a Guru by her own tried and true lineage Master? These steps of checks<br />
and balances were once a given in the tradition of yoga, which is a Guru-disciple tradition<br />
for good reason. A sincere yogi must think, “I would never have the audacity or arrogance<br />
to guide people in the vast mysteries of the spirit (an inevitable result of sincere yoga<br />
practice) without being asked to do so by a realized Master.” Currently, though, more and<br />
more of the “secrets” of yoga are available through books and immature disciples yearning<br />
to strut their stuff before their time. At best, no result is conferred (which is true in most<br />
cases of Western yoga where there are few to no enlightened masters)- but at least no harm<br />
is done, and at worst people suffer more on account of teachings that are meant to make<br />
them free. Modern, popular practices of brahmacharya often fit into this worst case scenario.<br />
It is my hope this brief article will serve as a reminder for all of us to err towards the side<br />
of humility, to seek qualified guides on our Path, and to embrace lifepractices<br />
that are in line with our View of how things are and the<br />
Fruits of life we wish to experience.<br />
have we checked our experience of the fruit of<br />
our practice with an authentic lineage holder<br />
authorized as a Guru by her lineage Master?<br />
Yogesvara is a student of Dharmanidhi Sarasvati, Tantracharya. He<br />
lives at Kailash Akhara, a retreat center Phu Rua, Thailand. This is<br />
home of Adi-yoga, a system of Tantrik yoga dedicated to the teachings<br />
of yoga from the high Himalayas. It is related to the Trika Institute and<br />
Yoga Mandala studio, Berkeley, California.<br />
yogesvara.sarasvati@gmail.com<br />
11
Dristi Brahmacarya<br />
A place in our Modern<br />
World<br />
Paul Dallaghan<br />
Brahmacharya is one of the more<br />
discussed and misunderstood topics<br />
in yoga, the common belief is that it<br />
is celibacy, a complete abstinence from sexual<br />
activity, but this is only part of the picture.<br />
“Brahma” is the Ultimate Reality, the<br />
Creator. “Char” is to move. Literally, it<br />
means to move to the ultimate reality, or<br />
more practically ways to be used for self<br />
realisation. It is one of the five Yamas<br />
presented by Patanjali. Other texts that deal<br />
with the Yamas, most notably the Vasishtha<br />
Samhita, listing it as one of ten Yamas.<br />
Brahmacharya is a level<br />
of self discipline and<br />
proper behaviour,<br />
especially in terms of<br />
sexual activity<br />
12<br />
In the Yoga Sutras Patanjali does not give<br />
us a definition of Brahmacharya, he only<br />
states its effect: “Brahma charya pratishthayam<br />
virya labhaha” (PYS II.38) which means:<br />
When brahmacharya becomes stable then<br />
the yogin gains great energy and power.<br />
We need to look at this further. The yogic<br />
process is one of channelling and managing<br />
energy within, whereas in normal daily life<br />
this life energy, or prana, is wasted, drained<br />
out of the senses. Sex and the sex drive is a<br />
huge component in this. So from a practical,<br />
modern day point of view we can<br />
understand Brahmacharya as harnessing the<br />
energy or power of our senses and directing<br />
that to greater personal understanding.<br />
In the traditional sense, Brahmacharya was a<br />
description for the early stage of life, up to<br />
about 25 years, before marriage, this period<br />
focused on studies. Here all energy was<br />
devoted to learning the tools to practice<br />
self-realisation. It was typically a time of<br />
sexual abstinence. Later, one enters family<br />
life and naturally sex was part of it. This was<br />
the system and culture around the time of<br />
Patanjali and Vasishtha.<br />
Today students’ lives are full of selfenjoyment<br />
and sexual activity begins very<br />
early. There are not much checks on the<br />
senses, and their impatient, distracted state<br />
of minds tend to be the norm. To work on<br />
oneself requires some discipline and selfcontrol.<br />
To harness the power of the senses<br />
requires this same discipline and control.<br />
One of the biggest drainers of energy is the<br />
sex impulse. Very often it is a large mental<br />
distraction even though no physical<br />
engagement has occurred. It is very difficult<br />
for an individual to find peace when the<br />
mind is continually distracted and desirous<br />
of sexual activity. It draws the energy down<br />
and keeps it low. On the flip side, some<br />
people totally suppress their sexual urge<br />
which leads to an unnatural state and<br />
blockages. Neither is desirous.<br />
Today we can benefit from Vasishtha’s<br />
further explanation of Brahmacharya. He<br />
offers three explanations (VS I.43-45). First<br />
is an absolute abandoning of sexual<br />
indulgence, on the mental, verbal and<br />
physical level. Second he offers for<br />
householders that Brahmacharya includes sex<br />
with their partner. Thirdly he offers that<br />
serving the Guru or Master regularly is<br />
considered also to be Brahmacharya.<br />
From all of this we can see that<br />
Brahmacharya is a level of self discipline and<br />
proper behaviour, especially in terms of<br />
sexual activity, and quite obviously requires a<br />
harnessing of sensual activity. At certain<br />
times or stages in life, it is natural that sex<br />
be abandoned, but at other times it is<br />
necessary and appropriate. For if we all<br />
abandoned sex the human race would fizzle<br />
out in one generation.<br />
Sex is a need, both for society and for our<br />
personal well-being. Abstinence should<br />
never be forced. It should come naturally.<br />
One might find at a point in life that their<br />
time in sex is complete. This aspect of<br />
Brahmacharya has arisen from within.<br />
What is clear is nowhere in Yoga does it<br />
suggest a liberal use of sex and random<br />
partners to satisfy one’s craving and appetite.<br />
It comes up in the Yamas after Ahimsa (don’t<br />
hurt others), Satya (be truthful) and Asteya<br />
(no greed, don’t take what is not your’s).<br />
Typically loose sexual conduct ends up with<br />
one person being hurt and very often lied<br />
to. People feel let down and something<br />
taken from them. So to follow these three<br />
Yamas are keys to behaviour and relations<br />
with others. Then the sexual activity<br />
becomes shared and understood.<br />
Enjoy sex when engaged in it. Share it. Give<br />
attention and care. This is love in itself. The<br />
self control as meant by Brahmacharya brings<br />
a healthy relationship into your life and,<br />
being so channelled, gives great strength and<br />
energy, as Patanjali has explained. If<br />
complete celibacy arises then it is as a natural<br />
result of the focus and practices engaged in<br />
over years of yoga practice.<br />
Paul is the director of<br />
Centered Yoga Institute<br />
& Yoga Thailand.<br />
www.centeredyoga.com,<br />
www.yoga-thailand.com
Yoga off the Mat<br />
My Widowed Aunt<br />
Arjun Singh Bhati<br />
This is the story of my aunt, widowed after 18 years of<br />
marriage. And the even sadder story of why, in India,<br />
widows are ostracised by their society who believe they are<br />
bad luck.<br />
“Are you son of Mr. Laxman Singh?” the doctor asked me. “No,<br />
he has no children, I am his wife’s nephew,” I replied. “Then call<br />
someone who is a close relation,” the doctor said. I told the doctor<br />
all his relatives lived in Jaisalmer, but my aunt is here [in Jodhpur]<br />
if he wants to talk to her. The Doctor thought for a while and said:<br />
“I am sorry to say both the kidneys of Mr. Laxman Singh have<br />
failed and it is better if you take him back to home because there is<br />
no more chance.”<br />
I was shocked but with great courage asked the doctor again, what<br />
he meant by “no more chance.’ He said Mr. Singh was in his last<br />
stage of life and had maybe four or five days more.<br />
I came out of the doctor’s chamber very sad and worried. I went to<br />
the general ward where my aunt was sitting near my uncle’s bed. She<br />
had not slept for couple of nights and was very tired. She asked me<br />
what the doctor told me. I had no words, so I said everything was<br />
fine.<br />
When I came out of the hospital I called my father and told him<br />
what the doctor told me. He said nothing for a while and then said,<br />
“Boy, take care of them till I reach Jodhpur.”<br />
My father arrived the next morning and met with the doctor, who<br />
told him there was nothing more to be done. But we told my aunt<br />
It is believed the widow’s bad luck<br />
takes a son from his parents, and a<br />
father from his children.<br />
her husband was doing quite well and that we were going back to<br />
Jaisalmer. Tears rolled down her face, she understood this meant<br />
she was going to lose her beloved soon.<br />
I still feel guilty about leaving my aunt there alone with my sick<br />
uncle. Despite many attempts, they had not been able to have<br />
children of their own, and so had treated my sister and I as their<br />
own.<br />
A week later we received the news of my uncle’s death. I met my<br />
aunt a few days later, she embraced me and wept bitterly. For the<br />
next six months she did<br />
not leave her house. When<br />
she did emerge, clad in<br />
black, as dictated by the<br />
customs of our society, we<br />
took her into our home.<br />
What is the condition of<br />
the widows in our society?<br />
Widows suffer a very<br />
miserable life here in India.<br />
She is not allowed to<br />
remarry. She is not allowed<br />
to wear colourful clothes or<br />
jewelry. She is not allowed<br />
to attend weddings or<br />
festivals. She is not<br />
supposed to participate in<br />
certain ceremonies like tying<br />
the thread during Raksha<br />
Bandhan. She is not even<br />
allowed to listen to music.<br />
If she steps in the way of<br />
someone it is a bad omen.<br />
Why? The answer from our<br />
social system is she must be<br />
punished. Had the person<br />
not married this lady, he<br />
would have not died. It is<br />
believed the widow’s bad luck takes a son from his parents, and a<br />
father from his children. Like a compass needle that points north,<br />
man’s accusing finger always finds a woman guilty in this maledominated<br />
society.<br />
My aunt suffered the life of a widow for a year. My family and I<br />
were very sad for her. Then we all took a challenging decision. We<br />
convinced her to find work somewhere. Finally after many social<br />
objections she joined a school as an attendant. She was very busy<br />
there with the children and even was ordered to wear colourful<br />
clothes by the school’s administration. Today she has a permanent<br />
position in the same government office as her husband did as a<br />
driver. She is happy now.<br />
It took a lot for our family to go against the traditions of our<br />
society. And I think we were able to make that decision because we<br />
have been lucky enough to receive a good education. Truly an<br />
education can make change: it can change better than anything else.<br />
Arjun is a school teacher with M.A. in English.<br />
He has been teaching in a middle school in a<br />
rural area for ten years. He is married, has a<br />
son, and lives in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India.<br />
teacherarjun@yahoo.com<br />
13
14
Yoga 101<br />
Changing Beliefs<br />
Helene Liu<br />
aware of the source of their problem (if they were, their problem<br />
would disappear by magic!)<br />
Beliefs are examples of generalisations about ourselves and<br />
the world, which act as a spring board to all our decisions.<br />
Beliefs are just ideas, there is nothing intrinsically true about<br />
them.<br />
One of the most powerful characters of beliefs is they often<br />
become self-fulfilling prophecies. A common example of this is<br />
when a person firmly believes they’ve lost something, and sure<br />
enough, they can’t find it until someone points out the lost object<br />
is right in front of them!<br />
Most of the time, our beliefs have an enormous positive power in<br />
how we see the world around us. For example, the most confident<br />
and successful people have a strong deeply anchored supportive<br />
belief about themselves and what<br />
they can achieve.<br />
Sometimes, some beliefs, which used<br />
to serve us have stopped doing so, and<br />
have become a source of limitation in<br />
our life.<br />
One little known fact about beliefs is that<br />
they are embedded in our senses, and in<br />
the language we use to communicate with<br />
the world and with ourselves (the<br />
conversation that we run in our own heads,<br />
that you are probably familiar with).<br />
most confident and successful<br />
people have a strong, deeplyanchored,<br />
supportive belief<br />
about themselves and<br />
what they can achieve<br />
How do you know it is a problem, as you sit right here right now?<br />
This will put light on the internal process they go through to make<br />
the problem a problem. Each belief exists because it follows a<br />
certain thought sequence (called “strategy”). The only thing often<br />
needed to get rid of the entire belief, is a mere scrambling of one<br />
step in the sequence.<br />
What is the higher purpose of this behaviour?<br />
All behaviours have a positive intent. Even those behaviours which<br />
appear silly, impossible to understand, or even downright<br />
obnoxious, have some kind of positive intention behind them. A<br />
classic example is the unruly/badly behaved child “badly behaved<br />
according to whom?” is the question, (but that’s the subject of<br />
another article!) who just uses offensive behaviour as a way to<br />
attract attention and confirm the<br />
adults around him love him.<br />
Don’t underestimate the power of the<br />
positive intent behind negative<br />
behaviours. Some people can make<br />
themselves sick if they believe it is the<br />
only way to attract attention from loved<br />
ones who seem too aloof.<br />
Once the higher positive intent has been<br />
discovered, it is easy to find the belief behind<br />
the behaviour and change the negative<br />
behaviour to satisfy the positive intent.<br />
Therefore, of the many techniques that are used nowadays to assist<br />
people change their beliefs about themselves to create results in<br />
their life (be it business, relationships, or health), none is as<br />
astonishingly effective and swift as the sensory and language-based<br />
belief change.<br />
HOW TO IDENTIFY A DISEMPOWERING BELIEF<br />
Look for clues in words such as: “I must”, “It should”, “I ought<br />
to” etc... Technically, these are called modal operators of necessity.<br />
What they do is limit the possibilities which are open to us. Also,<br />
possibility words used in the negative such as “I can’t”, “I<br />
couldn’t”, “I’ll never be able to” etc. have the same effect. When<br />
someone uses these words repeatedly, it shows that their model of<br />
the world is extremely restricted.<br />
EXAMPLE OF QUESTIONS TO SCRAMBLE A NEGATIVE BELIEF<br />
How is that a problem?<br />
This will get people to the source of their problem, which is the<br />
limiting belief. Most people are only aware of the manifest issues in<br />
their life (example: “I smoke”, “I am overweight”, “I can’t sleep”,<br />
“My back aches”, “nobody takes me seriously”, “I can’t get<br />
promoted/loved”, “I should exercise more” etc...) but very few are<br />
How would you know if it wasn’t true?<br />
This question challenges the belief, the idea, we hold true. It opens<br />
the possibility that, maybe, after all there is another way to think<br />
about this. This question acts as the grain of sand in a perfectly<br />
polished mechanism. Hum... Maybe, just maybe...<br />
And finally, I want to share a secret with you. This is something I<br />
only teach in the advanced levels of language training certifications<br />
we run. It’s a highly advanced language pattern used to totally<br />
scramble someone’s thinking sequence, and in the process, help<br />
them dissolve deeply anchored and disempowering beliefs.<br />
And you’ll probably feel very uncomfortable using it the first few<br />
times, but I promise! It really works!The patterns uses a double<br />
negative question that the brain cannot process. It goes something<br />
like this: “What would not happen if you did<br />
not do it?”<br />
Helene helps people to change their minds to<br />
maximize their results. She practices yoga<br />
daily at Yogamala, is doing an on-going teacher<br />
training in Yoga philosophy and is offering a<br />
workshop at Evolution this year in Hong Kong.<br />
www.TheMasterMindsGroup.com<br />
15
Yoga 101<br />
Yogic Remedies for<br />
Digestive Problems<br />
Deva Biswas<br />
Hypoacidity<br />
...insufficient salivary<br />
enzymes and gastric<br />
acid cause stunted<br />
digestion.<br />
16<br />
This issue we are going to talk about<br />
some common digestive problems<br />
and ways to handle these through<br />
yoga. Hyperacidity and hypoacidity are more<br />
commonly known as indigestion.<br />
Indigestion occurs when food starts<br />
fermenting in the stomach. It is actually a<br />
sign of failing digestive power.<br />
Hypoacidity occurs when insufficient salivary<br />
enzymes and gastric acid cause stunted<br />
digestion. This can happen when a person<br />
eats in a rush without chewing properly, eats<br />
with anxiety, has too much water during a<br />
meal, eats when they are not hungry, or does<br />
not set a fixed time for proper meals. It can<br />
also occur when there has been long-term<br />
liver and intestinal abuse.<br />
Hyperacidity is the other extreme. Even<br />
when the stomach is empty the gastric acid<br />
still accumulates in the stomach because the<br />
taste buds and salivary glands are too active.<br />
This situation can lead to the development<br />
of gastritis and peptic ulcers. Over eating,<br />
poor diet, smoking and drinking wine can<br />
cause hyperacidity, gastritis and peptic ulcers.<br />
People suffering with this kind of<br />
indigestion should avoid the factors causing<br />
the indigestion. It’s good to start the<br />
treatment with proper fasting or a fruit diet<br />
followed by easily digested light food<br />
(sattvic) with no oil or spices. Further<br />
treatments can include enemas, hipbaths or<br />
wet abdominal packs. Kunjala kriya are also<br />
recommended with breathing exercises,<br />
meditation and yoga nidra.<br />
Indigestion usually occurs when the navel is<br />
displaced towards the lower side. Patients<br />
should practice the sequence of uttanasana,<br />
dhunruasana, chakraasana, and matsyasana<br />
to readjust their navel to the right<br />
position. After a few days<br />
practice, patients can do<br />
surya namaskar,<br />
bujangasana,<br />
salvasana,<br />
mastyendrasana and pada hastasana under<br />
supervision. Patients should change their<br />
daily routine and try to remain patient and<br />
happy. They should also avoid drinking<br />
cold water and should not drink water<br />
immediately after meals.<br />
Flatulence or a feeling of fullness in the<br />
abdomen usually occurs when someone has<br />
eaten too fast. Eating without awareness or<br />
with anxiety, as well as too much drinking<br />
water pulling high from the throat, can be<br />
the cause of flatulence and can leave a<br />
person feeling heavy and noisy in the<br />
stomach. Gas sometimes presses up in the<br />
esophagus and comes out as burp from the<br />
mouth. This is fairly common but when it<br />
is excessive it becomes a problem. The<br />
feeling of fullness can press upon the<br />
diaphragm and can sometimes cause an<br />
abnormal heartbeat and breathing<br />
problems.<br />
Patients with flatulence should practice supta<br />
pawanmutasana (right leg first because the<br />
small intestines are there), uttanpadasana,<br />
biparitkarani, ardha kurmasana, ardha<br />
matsyendrasana and jatra parivritanasana. They<br />
should also avoid cold drinks and try to<br />
drink a glass of lukewarm water before bed.<br />
A modern lifestyle can regularly result in<br />
constipation. This is a common chronic<br />
disease of the lower digestive system where<br />
the elimination of solid waste from the<br />
body becomes slow and inefficient. The<br />
causes of constipation can include a lack of<br />
physical exercise, increased mental stress and<br />
tension, a hectic lifestyle, irregular eating<br />
habits and the consumption of oily, spicy<br />
and heavy food. Tea, coffee, cigarettes,<br />
alcohol and other intoxicants can provoke a<br />
bout of constipation. In addition, grief,<br />
anger, anxiety and irritation can also be<br />
contributing factors.<br />
Constipation can leave a person feeling<br />
dizzy and heavy in the head and it can leave<br />
a bad smell in the mouth and a coating on<br />
the tongue. Food digestion becomes<br />
delayed due to constipation. Food<br />
putrefies in the intestine and results in gas,<br />
indigestion, colitis, abdomen pain,<br />
backache and loss of appetite. Suggested<br />
yoga postures include jasthiasana, tadasana,
kotichakrasana, pawanmuktasana, bakasana and<br />
basti. A hipbath with cold water can also<br />
alleviate the symptoms. In addition,<br />
lghusankhabakrasana, practice of agni sara and<br />
breathing through the right nostril can be<br />
beneficial. Try not to take laxatives because<br />
they are habit forming and kill the natural<br />
mechanism and motion. They can cause<br />
piles, diabetes and premature ejaculation so<br />
it is better to eat fibrous food, plenty of<br />
green vegetables, salads and adequate fruit<br />
and drinks.<br />
There are many digestive diseases but these<br />
are the most common ones. For advanced<br />
disorders like peptic ulcers and colitis, please<br />
seek professional medical advice from a<br />
doctor. I recommend a daily yoga practice as<br />
a preventative measure through which we<br />
can understand our bodies more and<br />
identify the specific postures the body needs<br />
to address common ailments.<br />
Hyperacidity ... the stomach is empty the gastric<br />
acid still accumulates in the stomach because the<br />
taste buds and salivary glands are too active.<br />
The intimate relationship between the<br />
function of the body and mind has now<br />
become widely accepted in all forms of<br />
healing. It is very commonly thought that<br />
yoga means just doing asana or postures.<br />
Actually the idea of yoga is not that narrow,<br />
especially when one deals with diseases.<br />
From the moment you wake up in the<br />
morning, all your activities including eating,<br />
relaxing, drinking, breathing, sitting, talking<br />
and seeing should be conducted in a yogic<br />
manner. The apprentice period is always<br />
tough but once you are on the right track,<br />
your yoga life will run smoothly.<br />
Deva holds a diploma in yoga therapy and<br />
teaches at Pure Yoga in Hong Kong.<br />
17
18
Asana<br />
Garbha<br />
Pindasana<br />
Valerie Wilson Trower<br />
To the casual observer of a Ashtanga<br />
vinyasa Mysore class it looks as<br />
though few can master this Garbha<br />
Pindasana (womb embryo pose). Yet<br />
appearances are deceptive: those who can get<br />
into the pose try to do it without water;<br />
those that can practice without water, are<br />
attempting to practice without rolling the<br />
legs of their yoga pants up; and so on. This<br />
article considers the pose from a woman’s<br />
point of view, as many women find the<br />
pose particularly challenging.<br />
Start by trying as hard as you can to achieve<br />
the previous pose Supta Kurmasana, the<br />
bound turtle pose: this will generate enough<br />
sweat to make Garbha Pinadasana easier.<br />
After the vinyasa, roll your yoga pants up to<br />
the thighs and exhaling, fold your legs in to<br />
lotus (padmasana), left ankle on top. Lift each<br />
sit-bone alternatively, and move it closer to<br />
the centre of the body: this deepens the<br />
lotus and allows the feet to sit higher on the<br />
thigh/hipbone.<br />
Next, check both arms and the back of your<br />
hands are slippery with sweat, if the room is<br />
cool add a little extra water. Try not to<br />
drown the floor - it makes it slippery for<br />
instructors and other students. Remember<br />
to wet the back of your upper arms and the<br />
back of your hands.<br />
Lift both knees, and holding your right<br />
ankle with your left hand, draw your left<br />
foot up towards your armpit, this should<br />
open a gap in to which you can insert the<br />
fingers of your right hand. Don’t make a<br />
fist with your fingers, but tuck your thumb<br />
in so that you streamline your hand. Aim to<br />
push your arm through beyond the elbow.<br />
This takes a little practise and initially a<br />
bruise on bone of the right elbow is a<br />
common result. It is an indication of the<br />
addictiveness of a Mysore class that we<br />
continue to practice despite the bruise -<br />
which eventually disappears.<br />
Bend your right arm to keep your knee close<br />
to your chest and lift your left knee higher,<br />
inserting the left hand through the gap<br />
above your right foot, making sure you<br />
push your arm beyond your elbow. Initially,<br />
this will produce a bruise on the left elbow,<br />
but again, it will disappear. Try to bring<br />
both hands towards your face, this helps<br />
your legs to stay close to your body and<br />
makes the pose steadier. This is hard for<br />
beginners but eventually practise will pay<br />
off. This makes it easier to bend your<br />
elbows, and reach your fingers towards each<br />
side of your face.<br />
It is at this point I think we see evidence of<br />
Shri Pattabhi Jois’s sense of humour:<br />
beginners will just be able to reach their<br />
fingertips to their mouths. Those with a<br />
little more practice can reach their fingers<br />
level with their eyes. And those who have<br />
been practising for a while, will manage to<br />
cup their thumbs under their jaw, and their<br />
fingers over or behind their ears. The three<br />
stages resemble the monkeys that speak no<br />
evil, see no evil, and hear no evil, and<br />
everyone, no matter how practised, looks<br />
silly in this pose.<br />
The drishti, the focus of attention, is the<br />
nose. Count five breaths, then move your<br />
fingertips to the crown of your head<br />
without relaxing the pose, and exhaling role<br />
backwards on the left side of your spine.<br />
Inhaling, roll up on the right side of your<br />
spine, exhale roll back on the left, etc., each<br />
time altering the angle at which you role so<br />
that in eight breaths you roll around in a<br />
clockwise circle.<br />
David Swenson warns us not to roll on the<br />
spine and to check the space around us first.<br />
It is common for beginners to get stuck<br />
when they lose momentum at this point. It<br />
is a kindness to others to rock them using<br />
both hands on their knees so that they<br />
regain momentum, and also to roll them<br />
back on to their backs when they fall<br />
sideways like a stuck bug. After a few weeks<br />
they will be able to right themselves. On the<br />
ninth inhalation spread your fingers,<br />
straighten your elbows, and roll up to<br />
balance on your hands, legs still in lotus off<br />
VALERIE “SPEAKS NO EVIL”<br />
AMY “HEARS NO EVIL” IN GARBHA PINDASANA<br />
19
The Silence<br />
Inge Santoso<br />
O, Mother !<br />
In your womb, I am Silence.<br />
Neither young. Neither old.<br />
Neither male. Neither female.<br />
Neither. Neither.<br />
Ageless. Timeless.<br />
Formless. Faceless. The Nobody !<br />
Without country. Without race.<br />
Without religion. Without creed.<br />
I am Silence ! Thus, I am.<br />
Voiceless. Without songs. Without words.<br />
I am That. In your womb – Silence !<br />
Without ears. Without tongue. Without<br />
mind. Without body.<br />
I am free ! In your womb floating in the<br />
Silence of Eternity…………<br />
Thus, I am. Always free in Silence.<br />
Neither here. Neither there. Neither<br />
everywhere.<br />
Without center. Without direction.<br />
Without corner.<br />
Therefore, I am ! The Silence.<br />
Among the trees, the lakes and the<br />
mountains.<br />
Here I am on earth.<br />
Where I walk, Where I sit. Where I lay.<br />
Recollecting the memory called Silence !<br />
At the time I wrote this poem, I was assisting<br />
clients to obtain political asylum in the US. I<br />
was overwhelmed by the facts of all kinds of<br />
discrimination afflicted on my clients. To<br />
quiet the disturbing thoughts, I meditated to<br />
recollect the memory of silence returning to<br />
the safety in the womb<br />
of the Universal<br />
Mother. © 2009 Inge<br />
Santoso<br />
the mat. This is the second part of this<br />
sequence, Kukkutasana, the cock pose.<br />
Again men, being flat-chested, have an<br />
advantage here: they can straighten their<br />
backs and look up easily. For women,<br />
whose bust is between them and their arms,<br />
straightening their body against their arms is<br />
more difficult. Initially, I found slightly<br />
bending one elbow and pushing the same<br />
side of my chest forwards, and then<br />
straightening my elbow, then repeating the<br />
same sequence the other side allowed me to<br />
straighten my back. Later, I found I could<br />
do this as I rolled up in to Kukkutasana.<br />
Hold for five breathes, again the drishti is the<br />
nose. Exhale, place your sit-bones back on<br />
the mat, and vinyasa.<br />
We have all seen practitioners lift their hips<br />
higher in Kukkutasana, which increases the<br />
difficulty of the pose - again this is easier for<br />
men as proportionately they have narrower,<br />
lighter hips, and broader stronger<br />
shoulders, but it is something to be tried<br />
for fun.<br />
Similarly, as most women practice wearing<br />
long pants, rolling pants up makes it easier -<br />
skin is much slipperier than polyester/Lycra<br />
jersey - but again, this is the final challenge.<br />
David Swenson’s book gives variations for<br />
those who cannot sit in Padmasana, but to<br />
me they look far more difficult than<br />
practicing the above!<br />
It is hard to fathom the purpose of this<br />
pose apart from to make us all look silly,<br />
but I remember how exhausting I found it<br />
when I first started to practice in<br />
comparison to now, and conclude it builds<br />
stamina and strength. It has become one of<br />
my favourite poses.<br />
Valerie practices<br />
Ashtanga yoga, Mysore<br />
style, and leads Hath<br />
yoga stretches for the<br />
Siddha Meditation<br />
Path.<br />
VALERIE PREPARES TO ROLL BACK<br />
AMY IN KUKKUTASANA<br />
Inge is a lawyer<br />
practicing in Jakarta.<br />
inge_kunarsih@yahoo.com<br />
20
Karma Yoga<br />
Yogis chant t for Hong Kong<br />
Wai-Ling Tse<br />
On Sunday 8 th March, Shubhraji, a close disciple of<br />
renowned Vedantic Master, H. H. Swami Chinmayananda,<br />
conducted a Gayatri Homa at the Hindu temple in Happy<br />
Valley, Hong Kong. It is a sacred fire ceremony and is generally done<br />
for spiritual well being. This time, Shubhraji conducted it specifically<br />
for the welfare of the Hong Kong community. This powerful<br />
ceremony not only offers joy, peace of mind and spiritual blessings<br />
for all, it also helps to remove negativity, purify our hearts and<br />
uplift our minds.<br />
Lead by Shubhraji and several Yajmans (officiants) gathered around<br />
the sacred fire, Shubhraji started with a brief explanation of the<br />
Gayatri mantra’s meaning, use and benefits, then began offerings to<br />
the sacred fire and chanting of mantras to invoke the presence and<br />
blessings of the Gods.<br />
It was followed by chanting of the Gayatri mantra 108 times by all<br />
present. For those of you who are not familiar with the Gayatri<br />
mantra, it is considered to be one of the most ancient and potent<br />
SHUBHRAJI (FAR LEFT WITH RAISED ARM) LEADS 108 GAYATRI MANTRAS FOR<br />
HONG KONG’S WELL-BEING<br />
21
mantras derived from the Rig Veda. These Vedas are a large<br />
collection of ancient Sanskrit texts which forms the base of<br />
Hinduism. And this mantra cultivates wisdom and is a prayer to<br />
the giver of light and life – the sun (Savitur).<br />
Gayatri is the five-faced Devi (Goddess). Gayatri Devi is an<br />
incarnation of Saraswati Devi, the Goddess of the Arts and<br />
knowledge with the quality of purity and virtue.<br />
Here is the Gayatri mantra in Sanskrit with translation:<br />
Aum Bhoor Bhuwah Swaha<br />
Tat Savitur Varenyam<br />
Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi<br />
Dhiyo Yo Naha Prachodyat<br />
Oh Creator of the Universe!<br />
We meditate upon thy supreme splendour.<br />
May thy radiant power illuminate our intellects,<br />
destroy our sins and guide us in the right direction.<br />
Personally I found this part of the ceremony very powerful. By<br />
chanting together in a group it created an incredible sense of focus<br />
in my mind, it no longer felt like we were individuals chanting<br />
individually, it gave me a sense of one-ness and an overwhelming<br />
feeling of peace and joy.<br />
We were then each given some of the ghee (clarified butter) which<br />
was used as an offering to the sacred fire and told by Shubhraji to<br />
inhale its aroma and apply it to any parts of our body which needed<br />
healing or to use it just as a blessing. The blessed ghee is believed to<br />
have great benefits and powerful healing properties. I did not<br />
hesitate to rub it on my sore elbows and aching hip!<br />
The Raksha (ash) from the sacred fire was then offered to us, we<br />
used our ring finger to place it on our third eye, throat centre, left<br />
and right side of our chest as well as the heart centre. We were then<br />
each invited to give an offering of a flower to the sacred fire and to<br />
collect the Prasadam (food that is prepared and offered to God)<br />
from Shubhraji. She also gave us a pleasant surprise by giving each<br />
of us a Pancha-Mukha Rudraksha, five-faced Rudraksha seed from<br />
India, believed to be spiritually beneficial to the wearer. Even<br />
though it was my first time to meet Shubhraji, I felt her kindness,<br />
wisdom and warmth just from her very presence and I felt much<br />
gratitude to be part of this event. The ceremony concluded with the<br />
Arati, which is an offering of light to symbolize truth and purity.<br />
Wai Ling teaches yoga part time at the Yoga Room in Hong Kong<br />
and is a <strong>Namaskar</strong> volunteer.<br />
22
My Journey<br />
Friendship<br />
riendship,<br />
Studen<br />
udent[<br />
t[ship<br />
ship],<br />
Teacher[<br />
acher[ship<br />
ship]<br />
Julia McCabe<br />
I’m not going to write about dristi,<br />
dharma or samaskara (although I’m sure<br />
you could somehow apply them to this<br />
piece). I’m going to skip Sanskrit-speak and<br />
Patanjali’s Sutras and get straight to the<br />
point: yoga, for me, is like an intricately<br />
balanced triumvirate of friendship/<br />
teacher[ship]/student[ship]. Each part is<br />
synonymously important to the other like<br />
an architectural marvel or score of music<br />
that makes the hair on your neck stand on<br />
end - if one part fragments, the rest<br />
collapses or loses momentum. Without my<br />
friends, I wouldn’t be where I am now as a<br />
teacher/student. Without my students I<br />
wouldn’t have this opportunity to educate<br />
and be educated. And without my teachers I<br />
wouldn’t be where I am.<br />
Patrick Creelman (yoga teacher extraordinaire<br />
from Pure Yoga, Hong Kong) is one of my<br />
first and most important teachers and<br />
friends. He was with us in Vancouver and<br />
Whistler for a week this March. His first<br />
class in Whistler was all about the greatness<br />
of a “pilgrimage” - not just the one he took<br />
to get to Whistler but the pilgrimage<br />
everyone in the room had taken to get to<br />
their mats that evening. The macro level<br />
pilgrimages are obvious: career changes,<br />
travel, relationships - but the micro ones are<br />
just as important: breathe deeply, watch<br />
your foot while it holds you up, drink more<br />
water. The pilgrimage that begins everyday<br />
when we get out of bed as teachers and<br />
students to live courageously, choosing<br />
positivity even in the most challenging of<br />
times can be a daily discipline when life<br />
intensifies. Seeing the light in all parts of the<br />
day can sometimes feel as rigorous as a ten<br />
mile run through the desert with a wool<br />
jumpsuit on, and for me, it sometimes<br />
takes a teacher/student/friend to remind<br />
me which way the nearest water fountain is.<br />
My life teaching yoga in Hong Kong for<br />
three years taught me how to be a better<br />
teacher/student/friend through all of its<br />
soft and hard qualities. It was like a<br />
Kerouac-ian HBO reality TV show gone<br />
wild. I arrived in Hong Kong from Whistler<br />
on September 5 th , 2005 (and immediately<br />
began to sweat and didn’t stop sweating for<br />
three years) carrying a heavy MEC pack, a<br />
malfunctioning suitcase brimming with<br />
unnecessary items (like snow boots) and a<br />
50-pound crate of records belonging to<br />
Patrick (who also happens to be a DJ from<br />
time to time when the studio lights shut<br />
down). I hauled his phat-filled vinyl down<br />
his mom’s 200-step staircase in Whistler,<br />
into the back of my VW for my last ride<br />
down Highway 99 to the Vancouver airport<br />
via HK with great purpose: all in the name<br />
of friendship and musical gravitas (as I was<br />
informed by Patrick a week prior). I may<br />
have grit my teeth and cursed its stainless<br />
steel edges a few times, but Pat and all the<br />
other friends I made in Hong Kong over<br />
the years would do the same for me...and<br />
tenfold. And at the end of the day, it’s those<br />
odd little things that friends do for you that<br />
adds up to immeasurable love - that’s the<br />
quirky artistry beneath amazing friendships.<br />
Ironically three years later during my final<br />
exodus from Hong Kong’s airport (with<br />
BEST OF FRIENDS - PATRICK (CENTRE) WITH<br />
FORMER HONG KONGERS KRISTIN (LEFT) AND PAIGE<br />
(RIGHT)<br />
it’s those odd little<br />
things that friends do<br />
for you that adds up to<br />
immeasurable love<br />
23
24
Pat and Pure teacher, Rinat by my side) as<br />
the airport check-in lady stared blankly at my<br />
fatigued/tear-filled eyes after informing me<br />
my luggage was past legal weight limits,<br />
Patrick’s high speed limbs were already ten<br />
steps ahead of me, wrestling and repacking<br />
my bags in the middle of the terminal’s<br />
glossy cement floor creating a snowstorm<br />
of books, boots and heavy items to the side<br />
that were questionably leave-behind-able or<br />
re-packable. Twenty minutes later my bags<br />
were cruising ten pounds lighter down the<br />
Air Canada conveyor belt and Pat and I were<br />
cheers-ing our Starbucks Americanos to<br />
three great years of teaching together in<br />
Asia. Now that’s a friend. We take care of<br />
each other’s baggage.<br />
My time in Asia was a gift, I inherited a<br />
second family. Between Soho, Sheung Wan,<br />
Causeway Bay, the Tsim Sha Tsui MTR<br />
station and Central Hong Kong (where the<br />
original Pure Yoga studio stands 16 floors<br />
above) our worlds were inevitably joined -<br />
all 50 of us and growing. We would pass<br />
one another sometimes literally running<br />
through the city sprawl in half urban/half<br />
yoga clothes with out-of-the-shower hair<br />
dodging the obstacle course of inner city<br />
HK: double decker buses at mock speeds,<br />
rush hour elbows, the sharp matrix of<br />
umbrellas at eye-ball height during<br />
monsoon season, traders and bankers<br />
smoking and talking at frantic speeds,<br />
elevators, escalators, exhausted garbage<br />
collectors wheeling their precariously stacked<br />
carts of waste, haphazard construction<br />
crews dangling from scaffolding over the<br />
equally sketchy sidewalks.<br />
And like all families we drank wine and<br />
broke bread together, we were happy and<br />
sad together, practiced and pondered<br />
together, we met for coffee many mornings<br />
and walked the Versailles-esque malls with<br />
arms linked, we travelled together, spent<br />
Christmases and birthdays together, shared<br />
cabs and ferries together...we were together<br />
all of the time. Holidays in North America<br />
quickly faded into the dense humidity of<br />
Chinese culture. We found ourselves eating<br />
mooncakes instead of Easter eggs, receiving<br />
red envelopes of dollar bills instead of<br />
Christmas presents, eating leftover Chinese<br />
dumplings and doughy treats in the staff<br />
room fridges, watching fireworks during the<br />
Chinese New Year from each others<br />
rooftops, celebrating the ten year anniversary<br />
of Hong Kong’s hand-over from Britain.<br />
We hid during the anti-climatic typhoon<br />
warnings and created our own over our<br />
mats every day as teachers/students/friends.<br />
Above all, our friendships were founded on<br />
the tacit understanding of how much<br />
courage it took for all of us to uproot, teach<br />
and live in a totally different culture and<br />
climate than our own in one of the most<br />
intense cities on the planet. The ultimate<br />
test for all Hong Kongers is to be patient<br />
and present in a city, well, that is not! For<br />
even the strongest of constitutions, Hong<br />
Kong has the capacity to tip you upside<br />
down like an angry bouncer and shake your<br />
pockets of sanity, calm and repose if you let<br />
it. But it’s also a place that provides mind<br />
blowing opportunities and a vacuum-effect<br />
for inevitable change and transformation to<br />
occur. And for that I’m forever grateful. I<br />
extend a thousand pounds of gratitude in<br />
sweat, smiles and<br />
asanas to all the<br />
students, teachers and<br />
friends that have made<br />
my life so rich.<br />
Julia lives and teaches<br />
yoga in Vancouver.<br />
The ultimate test for all<br />
Hong Kongers is to be<br />
patient and present in a<br />
city, well, that is not!<br />
PATRICK LETS HIS HEART SHINE AT HIS RECENT<br />
WORKSHOP IN VANCOUVER<br />
25
Yoga Event<br />
Music that Heals the<br />
Heart & Soul<br />
Michele Cempaka<br />
Yoga, dance and music – the elements<br />
which speak to our inner being and<br />
bring us joy – will be featured at the<br />
annual Balispirit Festival which is now in its<br />
second year. An inspiring line-up of<br />
international and local masters will<br />
collaborate to create a space for people to<br />
come together and celebrate the good energy<br />
we all experience when we get in touch with<br />
our bodies through dance and yoga, and<br />
allow the power of music to uplift and<br />
empower us.<br />
This year’s festival will be held April 28 th –<br />
May 3 rd at The Bali Purnati Centre for the<br />
Arts in Batuan, just 10 minutes South of<br />
Ubud. Every evening will feature an<br />
impressive line-up of world renowned<br />
musicians who have interwoven their music<br />
with raising awareness about social issues<br />
around the world. Two notable artists: Tony Khalife and Rocky Dawuni have a deep<br />
commitment to bringing the message of peace and love to the world.<br />
Tony Khalife grew up in war-torn Beirut, Lebanon, where there was a constant threat of<br />
death and little hope for a better life free from war and violence. He was drafted at age 11<br />
and experienced the devastation of war first-hand. During the lulls in the fierce battle in the<br />
streets of Beirut, Tony taught himself how to play Beatles songs using a song book. When<br />
he was 14 years old Iraq hit the Addison building next door to him. Shrapnel went into the<br />
wall and the pressure from the explosion threw his bed on top of him. There was rubble<br />
everywhere and he realized how lucky he was to have survived. Afterward, he slowly came<br />
out from under the mattress and saw that his arm raised straight up with his guitar still in<br />
his hand. By the time he was 20, he understood that he needed to get out of Beirut and<br />
start a new life, so he applied to the Guitar Institute of Technology in Los Angeles,<br />
California, where he was accepted on a music visa.<br />
“Musicians have the capacity to raise the consciousness of the world,” says Tony. “I see an<br />
interactive participation between the musician and the audience which raises the level of<br />
Chi.”<br />
Rocky Dawuni, who originally hales from Ghana, is also very committed to raising<br />
awareness about social issues. He feels he serves as a bridge between the people of Africa<br />
and the people of the USA. In line with this, he spends half the year in Ghana and the<br />
other half in Los Angeles, California.<br />
“Growing up in Africa, my perspective was based on that culture. Many children of Africa<br />
who were taken as slaves have grown up in many different countries, so they have no<br />
connection to Africa. In terms of the modern world, the people of Africa carry the scars.<br />
Being able to travel and live in both worlds has enabled me to learn about people’s<br />
different perspectives. Through the medium of music, I’ve been able to bring people<br />
together,” says Dawuni.<br />
Tony Khalife feels strongly that certain types of music can create a human interaction which<br />
is healing. When people experience this, they immediately feel a sense of kinship. Contrary<br />
to this, Khalife feels that pop music blocks your entire consciousness – it doesn’t take your<br />
soul on a journey.<br />
A kindred spirit, Dawuni is the creator and headliner of the annual festival ‘Rocky Dawuni<br />
Independence Splash’ which is held every March 6 th in his native Ghana. The annual event<br />
attracts up to 30,000 people every year and has become the rallying point for his extensive<br />
humanitarian and advocacy work on clean water, HIV AIDS, poverty eradication and girl<br />
child education issues.<br />
TONY KHALIFE FROM LEBANON WILL BE AT<br />
“Impediments are ways to build our strength. These impediments can help us to become<br />
wiser and stronger. I believe in the power of conversion. You are your world. As painful as<br />
reality can be, we have the ability to overcome it,” says Dawuni.<br />
Khalife has metabolized all of his angst and channeled it into his music, which he says is a<br />
blend of all the places he’s lived or traveled to. His inspirational music is a harmonic<br />
combination of Middle Eastern, Indian, “speak my truth” Rock ‘n roll, Jazz and integrated<br />
elemental world music.<br />
“Music has the ingredients to heal because it’s a vibration. That vibration can raise people<br />
up. I was in touch with this on a daily basis,” says Khalife. His album, The Music Shelter,<br />
tells Tony’s story with fearless honesty and, in doing so, tells the story of millions of<br />
children whose lives have been torn by war and redeemed by love and music.<br />
26
Dawuni has been called both: ‘Bob Marley of Africa’ and ‘Bob Geldof of Africa’. Fusing<br />
Reggae, Soul and traditional African beats, Dawuni’s music energizes people with his<br />
uplifting lyrics and messages of love.<br />
“We have to realize that whatever we set our minds to we have the ability to manifest,” says<br />
Dawuni who is also the brainchild of Los Angeles’ world renown Thursday night club,<br />
Afro Funke.<br />
Dawuni’s fifth studio album scheduled to be released in July 2009, was inspired by his<br />
travels throughout Israel, Finland, Jamaica and Africa. Rocky claims that it is a testament to<br />
being open to all people and allowing all knowledge to come inside.<br />
Both Khalife and Dawuni raise awareness through their music, taking our souls on a<br />
journey of healing and greater expansion. The festival will also feature other great<br />
performers such as Tom Freund (USA), Cynthia Alexander (The Philippines), Mia Palencia<br />
(Malaysia), Emiko Susilo & Rob Levit (Indonesia-USA) and many more.<br />
There was also be an exciting line-up of renowned yoga and dance instructors who will be<br />
leading workshops for festival pass holders. For more information visit<br />
balispiritfestival.com<br />
Michele is a Reiki Master, PEAT (Psycho<br />
Energetic Aura<br />
Technology) processor<br />
and a writer. She<br />
lives on Bali, and<br />
works as a writer,<br />
part-time English<br />
teacherand a<br />
facilitator of healing.<br />
She shares her home<br />
with two energetic<br />
young boys and her<br />
husband JJ.<br />
27
Yoga off the Mat<br />
More ways to Be Green<br />
Leah Kim<br />
Growing up in California, environmental consciousness was<br />
simply part of everyday life. From when I was a child,<br />
every household had a recycle bin for recyclable products<br />
such as paper, aluminum, plastic, and glass. Nowadays, the recycling<br />
program has grown so that every house has multiple bins for the<br />
different types of recyclables, a separate yard waste bin, and the<br />
rubbish bin is the smallest of them all. I remember learning about<br />
the 3 R’s at school: “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”, singing songs about<br />
recycling and wearing a t-shirt with those three green arrows that<br />
form the triangle that marks something as recyclable. Californians<br />
have always had to be conscientious about water usage as well,<br />
especially these days as the State is experiencing severe drought<br />
conditions.<br />
Our education system plants this seed of eco-consciousness and<br />
certain Government practices encourage this lifestyle. Californians<br />
are known for being “green”, perhaps even ridiculed for having<br />
turned it into a trendy way of living. But I personally am proud to<br />
be stereotyped as a tree-hugging, canvas bag-toting, hybrid-driving,<br />
water and energy-conserving yogi!<br />
All that said, there is much debate about the efficacy of recycling<br />
programs, and there is much criticism about the enormous carbon<br />
footprint we all – Californians absolutely included – are leaving<br />
behind. The focus of my thoughts here are not along these lines of<br />
debates and criticism, or of statistics and global comparisons.<br />
Rather, I would like to ask you to check in with your own daily<br />
practices and see if they resonate with the world you wish we were<br />
living in, the world you envision in the future.<br />
We are all aware that the wellbeing of our planet is at a major<br />
tipping point. From Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” (and<br />
many other documentaries urging environmental consciousness) to<br />
Park n Shop’s “I am a plastic bag” plastic bags, the green movement<br />
is presently happening, but the planet needs more support from<br />
each of us on an individual level. Many of us – especially readers of<br />
<strong>Namaskar</strong> - definitely acknowledge this on an intellectual level, but I<br />
wonder how much of it is practically applied? In other words, what<br />
do you do with that “I am a plastic bag” plastic bag? And what<br />
about other people in our lives who still don’t think twice about<br />
how their personal actions are directly contributing to the landscape<br />
of our shared planet? How can we truly effect and inspire change?<br />
How can we all, as Gandhi so famously said, “Be the change you<br />
wish to see in the world”?<br />
According to the Environmental Protection Department of Hong<br />
Kong, “Hong Kong is running out of landfill space far earlier than<br />
expected, and the existing landfills will be filled up in early to mid<br />
2010s if waste levels continue to increase at current levels. Unless<br />
solutions are identified immediately, we could face a crisis in the<br />
next decade of having nowhere to put the thousands of tonnes of<br />
waste thrown away each day.” This possibility alone ought to stir us<br />
into true, conscious change.<br />
Both the Dalai Lama and Yogi Bhajan have said before real peace<br />
can flow through the world, we must find peace within ourselves.<br />
Likewise, for us to clean up our planet, we must clean up our own<br />
acts. Of course there are many ways each person can contribute to<br />
the cleansing and protection of our planet. The “Save the Human”<br />
campaign, recently launched in Hong Kong, urges sustainable,<br />
vegetarian eating, even if only for a day or two out of a week. Yogis<br />
look to balance their inner selves, as that clean energy will then<br />
radiate out to the world around them.<br />
What’s closest to my heart is a growth from the seed planted by the<br />
3 R’s I learned in grade school. Inspired by these lessons, I offer the<br />
following suggestions as a direct and practical way to bring more<br />
global consciousness into our daily habits. Some are so simple that<br />
you can implement change immediately!<br />
WHAT YOU CAN DO<br />
• Boycott straws (do you really need them?), disposable utensils,<br />
styrofoam, and other unnecessary takeaway packaging. Do a beach<br />
cleanup to see why this is important.<br />
• Say “No” to plastic and paper bags as often as possible. Always<br />
carry around a reusable shopping bag.<br />
• Reuse plastic and paper bags.<br />
• Reduce your use of plastic bottles. Get a reusable water bottle,<br />
preferably an aluminum one by brands such as Sigg.<br />
• Recycle recyclables such as paper, aluminum, plastic, and glass.<br />
Look for that triangle of green arrows. More things are recyclable<br />
than you might think.<br />
• If there are no recycling bins near you, inquire about initiating a<br />
recycling program in your workplace, school, or neighborhood.<br />
• Be mindful of taking more towels than you need at your yoga<br />
studios. Much energy and water goes into washing thousands of<br />
towels that are often unused and carelessly thrown into the bin.<br />
Perhaps consider taking your own towel that you might even be<br />
able to reuse before washing.<br />
• Pause to consider where your rubbish ultimately goes.<br />
• Go organic when possible: food, cleaning products, fabrics. Less<br />
toxins for the world within you and our shared global world.<br />
• Support green companies.<br />
• Opt for sustainable alternatives, such as bamboo disposable<br />
utensils and recycled paper.<br />
• Never underestimate how your seemingly<br />
simple actions will inspire and influence<br />
everyone around you.<br />
Leah is a native Californian now living in Hong<br />
Kong. She loves exploring the planet,<br />
connecting to Big Mind, breathing in and<br />
breathing out. www.beyoga.org<br />
28
Book Review<br />
Scientific Healing<br />
Affirmations<br />
by Paramahansa Yogananda<br />
Reviewed by Tia Sinha<br />
Weeding the<br />
subconscious mind<br />
of its huge store of<br />
negative impressions is one of<br />
the aspects of transforming the<br />
mind on the path to<br />
enlightenment. It is this<br />
storehouse of negative<br />
impressions that leads to<br />
unwholesome tendencies of<br />
thinking, speech and action,<br />
unwholesome habit patterns<br />
that make us suffer. Habit<br />
patterns come from grooves in<br />
the mind through which energy<br />
flows, like water flowing down<br />
the canals of a river. In order to<br />
change unwholesome habit<br />
patterns, the old canals or<br />
channels need to be blocked so<br />
that water no longer flows<br />
through them. Since water seeks<br />
its own level, one way of<br />
changing its flow is by building<br />
other canals that are far deeper.<br />
In short, to change<br />
unwholesome habits of the<br />
mind, one plants new positive<br />
habits, one builds new canals<br />
which, in time, become stronger<br />
than the old habits, making<br />
them whither away just as old<br />
canals dry up when water can no<br />
longer flow through them.<br />
One way to build new<br />
wholesome grooves in the mind<br />
is through conscious, repetitive<br />
positive thoughts known as<br />
affirmations. Swami<br />
Paramahansa Yogananda’s<br />
‘Scientific Healing Affirmations’,<br />
released decades before their use<br />
was embraced in mainstream<br />
society, reveals to us the power<br />
of such affirmations.<br />
Affirmations are sentences in the<br />
present tense, conveying a<br />
positive thought, repeated daily<br />
over an extended period. India’s<br />
great yogi, Paramahansa<br />
Yogananda’s tiny book on<br />
affirmations reveals the power<br />
that simple, well-thought out<br />
words, uttered repeatedly and in<br />
a certain way, exercise over the<br />
mind. By focusing attention on<br />
the ajna chakra (third eye) or on<br />
the medulla oblongata (brain<br />
stem), and repeating<br />
affirmations aloud, in a whisper<br />
and then mentally, they can be<br />
driven deep into the<br />
subconscious mind and even<br />
the ‘supraconscious’, that realm<br />
of intuition beyond the intellect,<br />
that place of knowing beyond<br />
knowledge.<br />
the change desired. Certain<br />
affirmations are to be uttered or<br />
thought of with determination,<br />
others with devotion, yet others<br />
with feeling, and all with full,<br />
unwavering concentration. The<br />
wording of the affirmations has<br />
to be impressive enough to<br />
permeate layers of negative<br />
thinking and to leave a mark in<br />
the mind, carving out a strong<br />
groove, made stronger by<br />
forceful, concentrated repetition<br />
and pure intent. Every thought<br />
of depression or happiness,<br />
irritability or calmness, cuts<br />
subtle grooves in the brain cells,<br />
strengthening the tendency<br />
towards sickness or well-being.<br />
We can overcome any difficulty,<br />
physical, emotional or<br />
psychological, heal ourselves of<br />
any disease by changing the way<br />
we think. Affirmations work.<br />
Paramahansa Yogananda’s classic<br />
‘Autobiography of a Yogi’,<br />
brimming with the vast and<br />
deep, is difficult to absorb. His<br />
‘Scientific Healing Affirmations’,<br />
however, is a quick and easy<br />
read, replete with valuable tips<br />
on how to practice, and<br />
explanations of what happens<br />
when we do practice, an<br />
understanding of which makes<br />
us want to practice. This little<br />
gem of a book also contains<br />
some beautiful affirmations for<br />
varied purposes. Yogananda’s<br />
powerful message that with<br />
effort and attention,<br />
affirmations can transform the<br />
mind, rings true.<br />
Paramahansa Yogananda<br />
explains why affirmations work.<br />
To quote, words saturated with<br />
sincerity, conviction, faith and<br />
intuition are like highly<br />
explosive vibration bombs,<br />
which, when set off, shatter the<br />
rocks of difficulties and create<br />
Tia, a<br />
student of<br />
Buddhism,<br />
yoga and<br />
languages<br />
writes to us<br />
from Delhi.<br />
29
30
31
Yoga Remedy<br />
Coming to Peace with Jet Lag<br />
Sarah Avant Stover<br />
The world is getting smaller and we are traveling more frequently. We are experiencing more jet lag and overall disturbance in our<br />
innate, circadian rhythms that are so essentially to keeping us healthy, sane, and happy. Since I have schlepped back and forth<br />
between the USA and Asia at least once a year for the past decade, it is fair to say that I know a thing or two about jet lag.<br />
Like a good recipe may take several rounds to perfect, coming to peace with all the icky-ness of jet lag (disrupted sleep cycles, grogginess,<br />
even delirium), has taken some trial and error. During two of my trips this past year, I actually experienced no jet lag at all for the first time<br />
and I believe I have finally found an effective combination of remedies and strategies to help.<br />
Whether you are flying across a single time zone or around the world, the effects of flying take a toll in disrupting your biorhythms. For<br />
shorter trips, you can tone down the following recommendations and pick and choose the most pertinent. For those of you longhaulers,<br />
I would adhere to this 100%!<br />
32<br />
1. WATER<br />
Most important, drink tons of water! I<br />
know everyone tells you this—but do you<br />
really do it? I bring an empty water bottle,<br />
empty thermos, and tea bags. Have a flight<br />
attendant fill these up at the start of the<br />
flight and keep sipping and refilling….<br />
2. VITAMIN C<br />
Take 1,000 mg every 2 hours (less if you<br />
experience loose stools). You can either take<br />
this as a pill or by dissolving a packet of<br />
“Emergen-C” in a glass of water.<br />
3. INVERT<br />
When you go to the bathroom (from<br />
drinking all of that water), hang out in an<br />
open space in the back or in front of an<br />
emergency exit and bend forward. Keep<br />
your feet hip-width apart and hold onto<br />
your elbows (so that your arms surround<br />
your head like a picture frame). Bend your<br />
knees if you need to. Stay here for at least<br />
10 breaths.<br />
4. HOMEOPATHY<br />
I take a homeopathic remedy called “No Jet-<br />
Lag.” You can purchase it at a natural food<br />
store or pharmacy. Take one capsule at take<br />
off and then again every 2-4 hours while in<br />
flight. It works!<br />
5. MOVE YOUR JOINTS<br />
On your next trip to the bathroom, hang<br />
out before returning to your seat. Circle<br />
your ankles, wrists, shoulders, knees, hips,<br />
and neck. After so many hours of sitting,<br />
bring some fluidity and movement back<br />
into your joints. This will help keep your<br />
energy from becoming stagnant.<br />
6. EAT WELL<br />
Avoid caffeine and alcohol and be sure not<br />
to overeat. I know this is hard to do when<br />
spending long hours in the airport and<br />
airplane. My little sister justifies airport<br />
McDonald’s binges by saying, “What<br />
happens in the airport, stays in the airport,”<br />
but you will feel it and regret it!<br />
Eat lightly and pack your own snacks (I like<br />
apples, almonds, and Lara Bars). If you’re<br />
really hard core, pack your own meals to<br />
avoid the packaged, and often very overly<br />
salted, airline food that is sure to make you<br />
feel bloated and lethargic. You can also<br />
request a “Fruit Plate” in advance, this will<br />
help keep you feeling light and hydrated.<br />
The people next to you will be jealous.<br />
7. SUNSHINE, EXERCISE & NO NAPPING!<br />
Upon landing, if it is still daylight, get<br />
outside in the sun and fresh air. Take a walk<br />
or do some exercise (again, to get your<br />
energy moving). Whatever you do, don’t<br />
take a nap! Try to stay up until your usual<br />
bedtime. If you arrive at night, get on the<br />
floor and do some gentle, slow stretching<br />
and be sure to breathe fully and deeply.<br />
8. INVERT AGAIN<br />
Before going to bed, swing your legs up the<br />
wall (so that your hips are against the wall<br />
and your back is on the bed). If you have<br />
any tightness in your lower back or the backs<br />
of your legs, scoot your pelvis a little further<br />
away from the wall until you feel at ease.
Yoga Gear<br />
Rest for 5-15 minutes.<br />
9. MELATONIN<br />
Chew a few capsules (follow the<br />
recommended dosage on the bottle) right<br />
before bed for the first 3-5 nights in your<br />
new time zone. This helps to restore your<br />
natural sleep cycle.<br />
Let me know any of your own tricks that I<br />
have missed which you find helpful during<br />
your travels.<br />
Sara Avant Stover is a<br />
writer, yogini, and<br />
women’s group leader<br />
based in Boulder,<br />
Colorado who leads<br />
retreats and trainings<br />
worldwide. For more<br />
information<br />
www.FourMermaids.com<br />
For your own Yoga Sanctuary<br />
Ready to make your very own yoga space at home, but not sure where to find the perfect<br />
props and paraphenelia?<br />
In Hong Kong, you can try Simply Yoga,<br />
14 Lyndhurst Terrace (t: 3154 9106). They<br />
stock this stainless steel neti pot ($290)<br />
for clearing and cleaning the nasal cavity, as<br />
well as an assortment of yoga blocks,<br />
pillows for eyes ($280), pranayama ($590),<br />
savasana ($400), sandbags ($290) for<br />
deeper stretches in supta baddha<br />
konasana and other poses, yoga straps<br />
and even yoga bags($680) for taking all<br />
your gear on the road when you travel.<br />
And if you’re looking for a full complement of Iyengar props, Flex in Hong Kong has<br />
some second-hand for sale. info@flexhk.com<br />
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34
Workshop Review<br />
Arm Balances & Backbends<br />
Workshop<br />
Karen Lam<br />
Free arm balances and backbends are as<br />
inspirational as they are scary. But for<br />
participants of Peter Scott’s workshop on<br />
Arm Balances & Backbends at Yoga Central,<br />
the big shock was no food was permitted<br />
before the workshop and only carrot soup<br />
in between the sessions! We all worried<br />
what would be in store for us!<br />
Fortunately for the 16 of us, Peter, a Senior<br />
Intermediate II Iyengar certified yoga teacher<br />
from Melbourne, blended the technicalities<br />
and sequencing with watchful time control<br />
in the workshop management. None of us<br />
starved nor felt exhausted afterwards.<br />
One participant, CP Yu, commented “I am<br />
always cautious about doing backbends for<br />
fear of awakening old injuries or opening<br />
new injuries. The backbend workshop was<br />
the best I have ever encountered. Three<br />
hours of non-stop intense work and a<br />
systematic approach to many deep poses<br />
didn’t leave me sore at all.”<br />
LILIAN WONG LOVED THE ARM BALANCING AT PETER SCOTT’S WORKSHOP AT YOGA CENTRAL<br />
(Balance on upper arms with horizontal<br />
body), Eka Pada Sirsasana II (Forearm<br />
balance with one bent and one straight leg),<br />
Hamasana (Swan), and more arm balance<br />
variations to prepare for the final poses.<br />
head). The highlight of the day was Salamba<br />
Sirsasana II (Tripod Headstand) dropping<br />
back to Urdhva Dhanurasana (Wheel), then<br />
up to Samasthithi (Mountain with palms<br />
folded on chest).<br />
Maggie Tan said “the class was a piece of art<br />
in that the poses were built up from more<br />
simple postures. Just like the brush strokes<br />
of an artist – first a few dabs of paint to<br />
begin with and eventually the picture<br />
emerges. He began by awakening our<br />
awareness with simple poses. The awareness<br />
and intelligence of the body and mind is<br />
primed and from this platform we were able<br />
to access the more challenging poses.”<br />
Peter specified upfront his purpose was to<br />
build our knowledge to handle advanced<br />
Arm Balances and Backbends. He started<br />
with simple poses like Elbow Uttanasana,<br />
Kurmasanas on a chair, Pincha Mayurasana<br />
preparation with wrists on a block against<br />
the wall to awaken the forearms, tailbone<br />
and wrists/shoulder before Vasisthasana<br />
(Side Plank with hand holding big toe up),<br />
Kasyapasana (Side plank with arm holding<br />
one foot in lotus). After our bodies had<br />
warmed up, Peter included standing poses<br />
like Uttanasana, Trikonasana, Parsvakonasana,<br />
Padasana and arm balances like Bakasana<br />
Although Peter’s said he would focus on<br />
the technicalities of advanced Arm Balances<br />
and Backbends, he also took care of our<br />
energy progression, by varying the sequence<br />
of learning, timing and muscle work of<br />
particular anchors for each pose, so we were<br />
all able to attempt the advanced poses. At<br />
the very least, we felt we knew how to get<br />
our body ready with an d understanding of<br />
how our muscles work to support the more<br />
elementary standing and seated poses.<br />
We were hungry after the morning session<br />
but not starving and a couple of us<br />
commented that we actually felt energized<br />
rather than tired. We started the Backbend<br />
session with Adho Mukha Vrksasana (Hand<br />
stand) so it was no wonder just carrot soup<br />
was recommended for lunch! Peter shared a<br />
similar approach in sequencing, timing and<br />
sharing of technicalities by doing backbends<br />
on the floor like Salabhasana (Locust),<br />
Bhujangasana (Snake), then more advanced<br />
preparation with Sirsa Padasana on Chair<br />
(Headstand with arched back and feet on<br />
By the end of the workshop, we had all<br />
completed our share of drop-backs,<br />
whether it was practicing with hands to the<br />
wall, doing just Standing Ustrasana (Camel)<br />
to awaken the spine, or a free standing drop<br />
back. All students felt so elated after the<br />
workshop that they started to ask if Peter<br />
would have a second teacher training<br />
program in Hong Kong. I felt honored to<br />
have Peter host this technical workshop and<br />
to have been one of his first batch of<br />
teacher training students in Hong Kong. I<br />
hope more experienced teachers will ‘break<br />
down’ advanced poses for yoga students so<br />
that we can understand how to physically<br />
achieve the final pose and to overcome our<br />
fear of progressing both body and mind.<br />
Guruji (Mr. Iyengar) once said, “Yoga is an<br />
art”. Peter Scott embodies this and<br />
communicates it to all his students so they<br />
can experience the art of asana practise in<br />
their own bodies.<br />
Karen owns at teaches at Yoga Central.<br />
35
Recipe<br />
A Summer<br />
Sun Salad<br />
Moosa Al-Issa<br />
Summer brings out our desire<br />
for lighter foods with sharper<br />
flavors and more textures.<br />
Eating a salad with a smoothie<br />
or fresh juice on a hot sunny day<br />
is such a simple pleasure. This<br />
salad combines a bit of French<br />
technique with some Middle<br />
Eastern and Indian influences. I<br />
grew up with my father making<br />
fresh yogurt and cheese so this<br />
definitely has some nostalgia<br />
and fond memories attached to<br />
it. I hope you enjoy it.<br />
PEA GREENS WITH CARDAMOM<br />
POACHED PEARS, SPICED<br />
ALMONDS AND YOGURT CHEESE<br />
(Serves 4e)<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
8 cups pea greens<br />
2 cups organic yogurt<br />
3 pears peeled and seeded<br />
1 cup organic sugar<br />
1 cup distilled water<br />
1 cup almond slivers<br />
¼ cup olive oil<br />
2 tbsp fresh ginger sliced<br />
1 tsp minced fresh ginger<br />
4 tbsp lemon juice and peel of<br />
one lemon<br />
2 pods cardamom<br />
1 tbsp honey<br />
¼ tsp dried ginger<br />
¼ tsp coriander<br />
¼ tsp cumin<br />
¼ cup fresh coriander leaves<br />
Sea salt and white pepper/<br />
cayenne pepper to taste<br />
METHOD<br />
1. Place organic yogurt in a coffee<br />
strainer with an unbleached<br />
coffee filter and place over a<br />
small bowl or pan. Sprain over<br />
night in the refrigerator.<br />
2. Remove the cheese from the<br />
filter and in a small bowl<br />
combine the cheese with the<br />
minced ginger and sea salt and<br />
pepper to taste.<br />
3. Combine one cup organic<br />
sugar with one cup distilled<br />
water and bring to a boil. Add<br />
the ginger slices, cardamom<br />
pods and the Lemon peel and<br />
continue to cook at a low boil<br />
for 10 minutes. Strain through a<br />
fine metal strainer. Add the<br />
pears and continue cooking for<br />
approximately 4-5 minutes till<br />
cooked through but still firm.<br />
Transfer the pear halves to a<br />
plate and cool the syrup.<br />
4. In a stainless steel bowl<br />
combine almonds, 1 tbsp<br />
lemon juice, honey, cumin,<br />
coriander and ginger and salt<br />
and cayenne pepper and mix<br />
thoroughly. Spread on a baking<br />
sheet and cook in 275 degrees<br />
for 10-15 minutes till roasted.<br />
5. Thoroughly wash the pea<br />
greens and dry in a salad spinner<br />
or by hand. Reserve.<br />
6. Combine two tablespoons of<br />
the poaching syrup with 3<br />
tablespoons of lemon juice and<br />
1/4 cup of olive oil with salt<br />
and white pepper to taste and<br />
mix thoroughly.<br />
7. Place the greens in a large<br />
bowl. Add the vinaigrette one<br />
tablespoon at a time and toss<br />
the greens with care. When the<br />
greens are evenly coated with the<br />
vinaigrette place equal amounts<br />
on the center of the four plates.<br />
8. Cut the pear halves into thin<br />
slices and fan out two thirds of<br />
a pear on each plate in front of<br />
the greens.<br />
9. Add the yogurt cheese on top<br />
of the small edge of the pear<br />
slices.<br />
10. Sprinkle the salad with a<br />
small handful of the almonds.<br />
11. Add a small cluster of<br />
coriander leaves on top of the<br />
yogurt cheese as a garnish.<br />
12. With a small spoon place<br />
several drops of the poaching<br />
syrup on the base of the plate<br />
and serve.<br />
Moosa is<br />
Executive<br />
Chef of Life<br />
Café, an<br />
eco-friendly<br />
organic<br />
vegetarian<br />
restaurant<br />
at 10<br />
Shelley<br />
Street,<br />
Central, for<br />
more information visit<br />
lifecafe.com.hk or 2810 9777.<br />
Spirulina Powder<br />
Crunchy and Capsules from the<br />
community of Auroville.<br />
Sun-dried, ethical and tasting great.<br />
100 grams/capsules HK$90.<br />
peter@spirulinaplanet.com<br />
www.spirulinaplanet.com<br />
tel: (852) 2982 2807<br />
36
NAMASKAR LISTING AND DISPLAY ADVERTISING RATES FOR 2009<br />
Outside back cover HK$20,000 210 mm x 297 mm<br />
Inside front cover HK$2,500 210 mm x 297 mm<br />
Inside back cover HK$2,000 210 mm x 297 mm<br />
Full page HK$1,500 210 mm x 297 mm<br />
1/2 page HK$900 188 mm x 130.5 mm horizontal<br />
92 mm x 275 mm vertical<br />
1/4 page HK$500 92 mm X 130.5 mm<br />
1/8 page HK$300 92 mm x 63 mm<br />
Teacher listing HK$500 (January - October 2009)<br />
Studio listing HK$1,000 (January - October 2009)<br />
Advertisements should be submitted as high resolution .tiff or .jpg format(no .ai files please).<br />
Advertising fees are payable in Hong Kong dollars only to:<br />
Yoga Services Ltd<br />
Frances Gairns, G/F Flat 1, 12 Shouson Hill Road West, Hong Kong<br />
For more information call (852) 9460 1967 or email: fgairns@netvigator.com<br />
CROSSWORD SOLUTION<br />
ACROSS<br />
1. Garbhapinda<br />
6. Kanda<br />
9. Karna<br />
10. Hasta<br />
13. Ekahastabhuja<br />
15. Paada<br />
16. Sarvaanga<br />
DOWN<br />
1. Gandabherunda<br />
2. Peeda<br />
3. Paarshvottaana<br />
4. Aakarna<br />
5. Paadaangushtha<br />
7. Jathara<br />
8. Bhujapeeda<br />
11. Uttaana<br />
12. Sheersha<br />
14. Janu<br />
37
38
39
Yoga 101<br />
The Real Tantra<br />
Yoganaath Dileep<br />
Tantra is an ancient<br />
practice of expansion<br />
and liberation<br />
If you search for Tantra on the internet, a<br />
multitude of links appear. All provide<br />
information on tantric sex. Yeah, it’s all<br />
about sex – how to maximize your sensual<br />
pleasures by using the esoteric techniques of<br />
tantra. The vast knowledge of this great<br />
practice has been limited into just one<br />
aspect. New age tantrikas are only<br />
concentrating on sexual absurdity rather<br />
than the traditional practice. An increasing<br />
number of teachers and centres have sprung<br />
up in the West and fallen in love with the<br />
mystic world of tantric sex. For many<br />
Westerners, tantra is perceived as a technique<br />
to enhance sensual pleasures and their<br />
interpretations of tantra are based on<br />
sensationalism rather than the ancient<br />
teachings. In this context the following<br />
questions arise – Why have so many tantric<br />
explorations begun based on sex? Why do<br />
modern teachers emphasize the sexual path?<br />
TANTRA – THE SECRET DOCTRINE<br />
Tantra is an ancient practice of expansion<br />
and liberation, which originated from India<br />
thousands of years ago. Tantra is known as<br />
the royal path. Historically, masters kept this<br />
practice secret and initiated only to the right<br />
disciple at the appropriate time, that is after<br />
he has mastered all the other paths of yoga.<br />
Several years of dedicated sadhana under the<br />
close observation of the Guru will bring the<br />
disciple to the sattvic (balanced) state of<br />
body, mind and soul. The Guru will give<br />
Vignana Bhairava, has given great importance<br />
to this path. But recently most of the<br />
Western tantric schools and teachers have<br />
only selected the second path – left (vama)<br />
for their practice. They define tantra as<br />
‘sacred sex’ or the ‘way to multi orgasm’. All<br />
these concepts derived from free love or free<br />
sex. They try to combine spirituality with<br />
sensuality; and mystical experience with<br />
women, wine and wealth – the unique<br />
synthesis of religion and sexuality. What<br />
makes it sad is most of the new age<br />
tantrikas used sex as an ingredient to sell<br />
tantra. They ignored the real practice of<br />
tantra and became addicted to the left path.<br />
IS SEX INEVITABLE IN TANTRA?<br />
There are mainly three sects in tantra –<br />
Vaishnava, Saiva and Sakta (Sauras and<br />
Ganapatyas are less known). All these sects<br />
accept sex as a divine practice to raise-up the<br />
kundalini. A sadhaka can proceed by selecting<br />
either the left or right path. As tantra is a<br />
shortcut to the blissful state, the main aim<br />
is to raise the dormant energy and bring it<br />
up to sahasrara. For this purpose, a sadhaka<br />
has to select his path according to his Guru’s<br />
advice. Among the three main sects of<br />
tantrikas, Saktas emphasizes Pancha Ma–<br />
karas (5 M’s) - Madhya (wine), Mamsa<br />
(meat), Matsya (fish), Mudra (gestures), and<br />
Maithuna (sexual union). The Pancha Makaras<br />
have not always had such literal<br />
meanings, but most of the neotantric gurus<br />
took the 5 M’s only for its literal meaning.<br />
New age tantrikas are only concentrating on<br />
sexual absurdity rather than the<br />
traditional practice<br />
40<br />
the Diksha (initiation) to the disciple and<br />
advise him the Gupta Vidhya (tantra – the<br />
secret doctrine).<br />
There are two main paths in tantra –<br />
Dakshina marga (esoteric practices without<br />
sexual enactment) and Vama marga (the left<br />
path which combines sexual life with the<br />
practice). Among them the first, dakshina<br />
marga is the most commonly accepted. Most<br />
of the authorized ancient texts like the<br />
If you consider tantra as a religion it has a<br />
positive approach towards sex, unlike other<br />
religions, which mostly have a negative<br />
approach to sex. They set many rules and<br />
regulations with regard to sexuality. Many<br />
of these religious rules only helped to<br />
suppress the basic instincts of man. Thus<br />
they failed to reach their proposed goal.<br />
Tantrikas make use of the sexual energy.<br />
They transform the physical energy to<br />
mental energy with some of the esoteric<br />
practices of tantra (it is not appropriate to<br />
discuss about the secret practices here as it<br />
has to be learned only from a master). This<br />
is the most challenging part of tantric sex.<br />
Only those who have attained perfect<br />
control over their body and mind can do<br />
this. Others will easily fall into physical<br />
enjoyment. Certain qualities like purity, faith,
devotion, dispassion, truthfulness and<br />
control of the senses are a must for a<br />
sadhaka. Without having these qualities, it is<br />
impossible to transform the sexual energy<br />
to cosmic energy. Unfortunately most new<br />
age teachers added sex to their practice to<br />
fulfill their sensual desires rather than<br />
following the left path as it is.<br />
TANTRIC SEX – MISCONCEPTIONS AND TRUTH<br />
Recently more and more practitioners are<br />
attracted to the magic world of tantra. The<br />
misconceptions received from the web are<br />
attractive. Most of the schools are making<br />
advertisements regarding ‘multi orgasm’.<br />
In tantra, practice of sex (maithuna) is<br />
considered to be the easiest way to awaken<br />
sushumna. But not all are prepared for this<br />
practice. Ordinary sexual interaction is not<br />
maithuna. Before the practice of maithuna,<br />
both partners must be completely purified<br />
internally and externally. According to<br />
tantra, preservation of bindu (semen) is<br />
DILEEP (LEFT) WITH HIS MASTER IN INDIA<br />
necessary. This is extremely challenging and<br />
requiresperfect control over the body and<br />
mind. For that purpose, practice of hatha<br />
yoga is essential. Some of the asanas like<br />
vajrasana, sidhasana, shalabhasana and<br />
paschimottanasana are beneficial for gaining<br />
better control over the body and mind. All<br />
these poses are beneficial as they place an<br />
automatic contraction on the lower energy<br />
centers. These practices help a sadhaka to<br />
raise the energy upward to merge with the<br />
sahasrara chakra. At this stage he experiences<br />
the complete meditative state of mind.<br />
When the energy passes through different<br />
chakras he will be able to gainmystic<br />
experiences. This state is most commonly<br />
misinterpreted as multi-orgasm.<br />
The awakening of kundalini is possible<br />
through the sexual interaction of man and<br />
woman. This concept is the same as fission<br />
and fusion in physics. Man and woman<br />
represent positive and negative energy. The<br />
union of positive and negative energy is the<br />
union of shiva and shakti. During this<br />
union; energy waves are being created. A<br />
sadhaka has to direct these waves to the<br />
higher energy centers in the body and he will<br />
develop the spiritual awareness. When the<br />
waves reach sahasrara he will be able to enjoy<br />
the mysterious cosmic orgasm.<br />
Born into a family of great Yogis in India,<br />
Dileep initiated to yoga and tantra in his<br />
early years. His works on yoga and tantra<br />
have been published in leading magazines in<br />
India and Hong Kong. He teaches at Myoga<br />
and California Fitness in Hong Kong.<br />
41
42
Workshop Review<br />
Yoga in Dubai<br />
Clayton Horton<br />
Following is an interview with German<br />
yoga teacher, Véronique Fleming, on<br />
her experience teaching yoga a<br />
workshop at Zen Yoga in Dubai during the<br />
Islamic holiday of Ramadan.<br />
and higher, therefore you’ve got to deal with talking over the noise of the AC and the cool<br />
air blasting.<br />
WHAT WAS THE CLOTHING OF WOMEN IN CLASS AND OUT IN PUBLIC?<br />
I believe there were only a few Muslim women in class. Everybody wore regular yoga<br />
clothes in class and street clothes after class. I was so curious myself, wondering what it<br />
would be like, compared to what I read about Dubai. Alas....yes, some do bring their cell<br />
phones into class and check their messages during practice. For some women, they must<br />
check in with their families and husbands regularly.<br />
Clothing in public was altogether different. We most definitely had to cover our shoulders<br />
outside. I loved seeing people in the malls (where everybody hangs out, from decked out<br />
Russian escort ladies, to the most conservative of Muslims) dressed in various forms of<br />
Islamic clothing. Starbucks packed with men in throbes (white long robes worn) and<br />
women wearing haute couture under various forms of jilbabs (coverings). Really a trip if<br />
you’re not used to it. Often women would be covered head to ankle, and you’d see the<br />
most expensive Cartier gold watches and bracelets peeking out from under their sleeves,<br />
not to mention all the fabulous shoes.<br />
Ramadan is an Islamic religious observance<br />
that takes place during the ninth month of<br />
the Islamic calendar; the month in which the<br />
Qur’an was revealed to the Prophet<br />
Muhammad. It is the Islamic month of<br />
fasting, in which participating Muslims do<br />
not eat or drink anything from true dawn<br />
until sunset. Fasting is meant to teach the<br />
person patience, sacrifice and humility.<br />
Ramadan is a time to fast for the sake of<br />
God, and to offer more prayer than usual.<br />
During Ramadan, Muslims ask forgiveness<br />
for past sins, pray for guidance and help in<br />
refraining from everyday evils, and try to<br />
purify themselves through self-restraint and<br />
good deeds.<br />
WHAT’S YOGA SCENE IN DUBAI LIKE?<br />
I am familiar with Zen Yoga which has<br />
three locations, one in Emirates Hills, one<br />
in the village mall, and one in Dubai Media<br />
City which is where I taught. They offer a<br />
ton of classes. All the studios are in malls<br />
of some kind, as Dubai is one big mall. It is<br />
the desert after all, and people hang out<br />
mostly indoors. There might be a few other<br />
studios, but that’s about it. A majority of<br />
classes offered are for women only.<br />
WHAT WAS THE STUDIO LIKE?<br />
Very stylish, almost spa-like. Very tasteful<br />
check-in lounge with a killer yoga clothes<br />
boutique. They have 2 practice rooms with<br />
air conditioning. Outside it was 45- degrees<br />
ANY MEN IN THE CLASSES?<br />
We had just two in the workshop we taught there. It seems like they are still in that phase<br />
of ‘yoga is a women’s thing’, at least among the ex-pats, not to mention the obvious fact<br />
that it is an Islamic country. When I was teaching, a law or new regulation had just recently<br />
passed so men could teach yoga. Before that, only women were allowed to teach. They were<br />
offering a separate class just for men only at one of their studios.<br />
WHAT WAS IT LIKE TEACHING IN AN ISLAMIC COUNTRY DURING RAMADAN?<br />
Well, the teaching part was great. The major challenge was eating! We got reminded several<br />
times that we were not allowed to eat or drink in public. At lunch we’d have to find a place<br />
that was open, hidden behind black curtains, get the food to go and find a place to eat it.<br />
That usually meant sneaking off into a parking garage in a corner, hoping no one would<br />
walk by and see us eating. During the day, the streets were very empty, but also due to the<br />
heat, and after sunset, the malls were jamming.<br />
HOW DOES YOGA FIT IN WITH ALL OF THE WEALTH, HEAT AND DESSERT ARCHITECTURE OF DUBAI?<br />
What I love about Islamic countries is Adhan, the call to prayer. You hear the call, and it<br />
just reminds you, it’s time to pray and remember God. How beautiful is that? I would do<br />
that internally, every time I heard the call. Yoga does not just come in the shape of asanas.<br />
It has infinite forms. Tthen you sometimes see people drop where they are and do their<br />
‘prostrations’. I saw that as salutations to God. To me, this was similar to Sun salutations.<br />
Just because people are wealthy, does not necessarily mean they are spiritually decrepit. It is<br />
time for us to stop the thinking the rich are all so morally bankrupt, regardless of all the<br />
(negative) focus in the media. Dubai itself is deluxe, over-the-top, opulent to the max.<br />
Dubai is not organic. It is mostly walls of malls in a glass, steel and concrete desert. I<br />
missed seeing a bird or some sign of nature. Isn’t that ironic. Yet, how perfect that yoga<br />
can bring forth the inner landscape and beauty that is lacking there<br />
externally. This is creating balance, and that is good for all beings.<br />
For more information on Veronique visit www.theyogaloft.de. For<br />
more information on Zen Yoga in Dubai visit www.yoga.ae<br />
Clayton is the director of Greepath Yoga in San Francisco.<br />
www.greenpathyoga.org<br />
43
44
Tia’s Crossword<br />
This crossword contains the names of<br />
asanas in Sanskrit derived frombody parts.<br />
Answers cam be found on page 37.<br />
ACROSS<br />
1. Jumble ‘in a bad graph’ to give an aasana<br />
in which one becomes an embryo in a<br />
womb. (11)<br />
6. An aasana, meaning ‘knot’, that exercises<br />
every muscle below the navel. (5)<br />
9 & 2 DOWN. Jumble ‘need a parka’ to give<br />
an inverted aasana that puts pressure on the<br />
ears. (5, 5)<br />
10. See 15 ACROSS.<br />
13. Jumble ‘u jab stake, ha ha !’ to give an<br />
arm balance that exercises the abdominal<br />
organs. (13)<br />
15 & 10 ACROSS - Jumble ‘Aa! Had a past!’<br />
to give a forward bend where the hands<br />
come under the feet. (5,5)<br />
16. Jumble ‘Gas Ravana?’ to give an inverted<br />
aasana that is beneficial for most parts of the<br />
body. (9)<br />
DOWN<br />
1. Jumble ‘bandana hunger’ to give a<br />
difficult backbend named after a bird. (13)<br />
2. See 9 ACROSS.<br />
3. Jumble ‘paths to Raavana’ to give an<br />
aasana which is an intense stretch for the<br />
flank of the body. (14)<br />
4. Jumble ‘Aa an ark!’ and bring your foot<br />
close to your ear to give ... dhanuraasana. (7)<br />
5. Jumble ‘a thug has a panda’ and bend<br />
forward and catch your big toes. (14)<br />
7. Jumble ‘a hat jar’ to give ......<br />
parivartanaasana, a supine belly twist. (7)<br />
8. Jumble ‘Ape jade hub’ to give an arm<br />
balancing aasana. (10)<br />
11. Jumble ‘ant, a nut?’ to give ....... aasana,<br />
an intense stretch for the spine. (7)<br />
12. Jumble ‘sheer ash’ to give ....aasana, the<br />
king of aasanas. (8)<br />
14. …… sheershaasana, a seated forward<br />
bend where one brings the head to one<br />
knee. (4)<br />
45
Yoga Teachers & Studios<br />
Sangeeta Ahuja<br />
Life Management Yoga Centre<br />
Non-profit Classical Yoga School<br />
d: TST<br />
s: Patanjali yoga, Kids yoga,<br />
Seniors yoga, Corporates<br />
l: English, Cantonese<br />
t: (852) 2191 9651<br />
e: life@yoga.org.hk<br />
w: www.yoga.org.hk<br />
Michel Besnard<br />
Yogasana<br />
s: Ashtanga<br />
l: English<br />
t: (852)2511 8892 / 9527 6691<br />
e: info@yogasana.com.hk<br />
Kathy Cook<br />
The Iyengar Yoga Centre of<br />
Hong Kong, LRC, Privates,<br />
workshops<br />
d: Hong Kong<br />
s: Iyengar (Junior Intermediate<br />
Certification)<br />
l: English<br />
t: (852) 6292 5440<br />
e: kcinasia@netvigator.com<br />
w: www.yogawithkathy.com<br />
FURLA YOGA<br />
FURLA Aoyama Boutique 4F,<br />
Kita-Aoyama 3-5-20, Minato-ku,<br />
Tokyo, Japan 107-0061<br />
s: Hatha, Anusara-Inspired,<br />
Prenatal & Postnatal, Meditation<br />
e: yoga@furlajapan.com<br />
w: www.furla.co.jp/yoga<br />
IYENGAR YOGA CENTRE<br />
INDONESIA<br />
Ruko Simprug Gallery<br />
Jl. Teuku Nyak Arif No 10W<br />
Jakarta 12220, Indonesia<br />
s: Iyengar<br />
t:(6221)739 6904 & (6281)110<br />
7880<br />
e:info@iyengaryogaindonesia.com<br />
w:iyengaryogaindonesia.com<br />
IYENGAR YOGA CENTRE<br />
OF HONG KONG<br />
Room 406 New<br />
Victory House, 93- 103 Wing Lok<br />
St., Sheung Wan, Hong Kong<br />
s: Iyengar<br />
t: (852) 2541 0401<br />
e:<br />
info@iyengaryogahongkong.com<br />
w: iyengaryogahongkong.com<br />
IYENGAR YOGA CENTRE<br />
SINGAPORE<br />
149B Neil Road<br />
Singapore 088875<br />
s: Iyengar<br />
t:(65) 9052 3102 & 6220 4048<br />
e:info@iyengaryogasingapore.com<br />
w: iyengaryogasingapore.com<br />
Ming Lee<br />
Privates, workshops<br />
s: Iyengar Certified teacher<br />
l: English, Cantonese, Putonghua<br />
t: (852) 9188 1277<br />
e: minglee@yogawithming.com<br />
Ursula Moser<br />
The Iyengar Yoga Centre of<br />
Hong Kong<br />
d: Central<br />
s: Iyengar certified<br />
l: English, German<br />
t: (852) 2918 1798<br />
e: umoser@netvigator.com<br />
MYOGETSU-BO YOGA<br />
STUDIO<br />
2381 Sannai, Nikko-City, Tochigi,<br />
Japan 321-1431<br />
s: Hatha classes, retreats, weekend<br />
packages<br />
t: (81) 02 8853 1541<br />
t: (81) 03 3452 0334<br />
f: (81) 03 5730 8452<br />
e: info@econikko.com<br />
w: www.econikko.com/e/<br />
Anna Ng<br />
Privates<br />
d: Hong Kong<br />
s: Hatha yoga<br />
l: Cantonese<br />
t: (852) 9483 1167<br />
e: gazebofl@netvigator.com<br />
PURE YOGA<br />
16/F The Centrium, 60<br />
Wyndham Street, Central, Hong<br />
Kong<br />
t: (852) 2971 0055<br />
25/F Soundwill Plaza, 38 Russell<br />
Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong<br />
t: (852) 2970 2299<br />
14/F The Peninsula Office Tower<br />
18 Middle Road, Tsim Sha Tsui,<br />
Kowloon, Hong Kong<br />
t: (852) 8129 8800<br />
9/F Langham Place Office Tower,<br />
8 Argyle Street, Kowloon, Hong<br />
Kong<br />
t: (852) 3691 3691<br />
9/F Langham Place Office Tower,<br />
8 Argyle Street, Kowloon, Hong<br />
Kong<br />
t: (852) 3691 3691<br />
4/F Lincoln House, TaiKoo Place,<br />
979 King’s Road, Quarry Bay,<br />
Hong Kong<br />
t: (852) 8129 1188<br />
391A Orchard Road, #18-00 Ngee<br />
Ann City Tower A, Singapore<br />
t: (65) 6733 8863<br />
30 Raffles Place, 04-00 Chevron<br />
House, Singapore<br />
t: (65) 6304 2257<br />
151 Chung Hsiao East Road, Sec<br />
4, Taipei, Taiwan<br />
t: (886) 02 8161 7888<br />
s: Hot, Power, Hatha, Yin,<br />
Ashtanga, Dance, Kids<br />
l: English, Cantonese<br />
e: info@pure-yoga.com<br />
Linda Shevloff<br />
The Iyengar Yoga Centre of<br />
Hong Kong<br />
d: Sheung Wan<br />
s: Iyengar Certified (Senior<br />
Intermediate I)<br />
t: (852) 2541 0401<br />
e: linda@<br />
iyengaryogahongkong.com<br />
PRIYA YOGA<br />
Unit 312 My Loft, No.9 Hoi Wing<br />
Road, Tuen Mun, Hong Kong<br />
s: Ashtanga,Hatha,Pranayama &<br />
Meditation, Prenatal & Postnatal,<br />
Kids, Yin & Dance<br />
t: (852) 6051-3213<br />
e: info@priyayoga.com<br />
w: www.priyayoga.com.hk<br />
Hari Amrit Kaur (Kaldora)<br />
Privates, workshops<br />
d: Central, Discovery Bay<br />
s: Kundalini Yoga, Radiant Child<br />
Yoga<br />
l: English, Cantonese<br />
t: (852) 6428 5168<br />
e: kaldora_lee@hotmail.com<br />
w: kaldora.wordpress.com<br />
YOGA CENTRAL<br />
4/F Kai Kwong House, 13<br />
Wyndham Street, Central, Hong<br />
Kong<br />
s: Iyengar, Hatha Vinyasa,<br />
Acroyoga, Mat-based Pilates,<br />
Privates, Corporate and Studio<br />
rental available.<br />
t: (852) 2982 4308<br />
e: yogacentralhk@yahoo.com<br />
w: yogacentral.com.hk<br />
THE YOGA ROOM<br />
3/F Xiu Ping Building, 104<br />
Jervois Street, Sheung Wan, Hong<br />
Kong<br />
s:Hatha, Ashtanga, Kids yoga,<br />
Meditation<br />
t: (852) 2544 8398<br />
e: info@yogaroomhk.com<br />
w: www.yogaroomhk.com<br />
Wan<br />
ant t your details<br />
listed ed here?<br />
IT’S $500 PER TEACHER AND $1,000<br />
PER STUDIO.<br />
46
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Teacher Training<br />
& Development<br />
Programmes<br />
Be Empowered to<br />
Teach through Asia's<br />
Premier Yoga Studio<br />
Asia's most comprehensive<br />
Teacher Training and<br />
Development Programmes<br />
for aspiring teachers and<br />
empowering those who<br />
demonstrate dedication to<br />
a personal practice.<br />
Pure Yoga is a<br />
RYS 200 Registered<br />
Yoga School with<br />
Yoga Alliance.<br />
We offer a variety of<br />
part-time programmes on<br />
evenings and weekends<br />
to accommodate busy<br />
work schedules.<br />
2009 Upcoming Yoga Teacher Training Programmes:<br />
Jun-Jul Hong Kong Anusura Hatha Programme (200 hrs)<br />
Jul-Sep Taipei Hatha Programme (200 hrs) – Part Time<br />
Sep Singapore + Hong Kong TT Level 2 - Weekend Immersion<br />
Aug-Oct Singapore Hot & Hatha Yoga Programme (200 hrs) – Part Time<br />
Sep-Nov Hong Kong Hot Yoga Programme (200 hrs) - Part Time<br />
Sep-Nov Hong Kong Yin Yoga Programme (200 hrs) - Part Time<br />
Oct Taipei Anusura Hatha Programme (200hrs)<br />
For enquiries or to be on our mailing list,<br />
please email teachertraining@pure-yoga.com<br />
48<br />
www.pure-yoga.com