Namaskar - Apr 2017

namaskar 

A VOICE FOR THE YOGA COMMUNITY OF ASIA April 2017 

TWELVE YEARS IN A CAVE 

Interview with Buddhist nun Jetsunma Tenzin 

Palmo.............................................................p16 

YOGA STOPS TRAFFICK 

One teacher’s mission to raise awareness of the 

trade in human trafficking................................p17 

YOGA & DEMENTIA 

How yoga can help dementia sufferers and their 

carers through, and even at the end..............p32 

Micha Chan Tai Wing in Ardha Matsyendrasana / Seated Spinal Twist Pose, photo by Pedro Faillace Salazar

2 NAMASKAR

NAMASKAR - APRIL 2017 

LETTER FROM 

THE EDITOR 

My mother was recently 

diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. 

Now every spare moment I have is spent trying to 

understand this disease and how best to support 

my parents in the UK. 

It’s times like this that are the real test of one’s yoga practice. How to stay centered and 

manage one’s emotions. How to think clearly about viable options, putting aside one’s fears 

and sadness. Most of the articles in these pages over the 14 years I’ve edited Namaskar have 

helped me in some way to respond to this situation. 

The resolution I undertook in January to make time to contemplate weighty issues, seems so 

insignificant now. And my perspective on things has changed dramatically. 

This is the context for choosing Yoga & Dementia as the Dristi. It was only when I started to 

learn about Alzheimer’s and dementia, did I realize what a massive problem the world is facing! 

Today, one in five 80-year-olds and one in three 85-year-olds suffer some form of dementia. 

Alzheimer’s in the largest portion and it is a terminal illness, with no cure as yet. The short 

term memory loss might be cause for some funny stories, but when the brain forgets how to 

swallow, react to pain and eventually breathe, there’s a different reaction entirely. 

What I’ve also learned is there is very little coordinated and informed support available to 

Alzheimer’s or dementia sufferers or their families. The onus is on the family to decide what 

approach to undertake. And informed decisions have to made by people who’ve been plunged 

into deep sadness, and without the necessary medical knowledgeor psychological experience. 

The three articles concerning Yoga & Dementia, plus Vinod’s Ayurvedic approach are a great 

springboard into further investigation. 

Please read Katherine’s article about raising awareness of the human trafficking and sex trade. 

Inspired also by lululemon’s show of support Namaskar is pleased to have donated £1,000 to 

the Odanadi Yoga Stops Traffick fund in support of their efforts to eliminate human 

trafficking and sexual exploitation. 

Asia Yoga Conference number 10 is just around the corner! I encourage you to stop by to show 

your support, even if you are not interested in paying for workshops or buying another pair of 

leggings! There are lots of free events and it’s just fun to be around so many yoga practitioners 

at one time. On page 50, we are pleased to offer two free passes to the workshops and lectures. 

On the cover - Micha Chan is a Hong Kong-based yoga 

teacher. He recently opened a new studio in Tsuen Wan 

called YogaPoint. 

In This Issue 

DRISTI - YOGA & DEMENTIA 

THE CARER’S PERSPECTIVE 33 

THREE APPROACHES 34 

YOGA OF DEATH & DYING 36 

SPECIAL FEATURES 

JETSUMNA TENZIN PALMO 17 

Noted Tibetan Buddhist nun talks to Tia about 

the role of women in Buddhism today 

YOGA STOPS TRAFFICK 19 

Katherine’s experience with Indian charity 

Odanadi inspires raise awareness in Asia 

SAMYAMA 21 

Balaji explains why this concept is the essence 

of yoga 

MANTRA MEDITATION 22 

Ram explains some basics about mantra 

STRONG BODY 23 

How yoga is helping Vincent with his 

competitive running 

ASIA YOGA CONFERENCE TICKETS 50 

First reader to correctly answer five questions 

gets two free passes 

REGULAR CONTRIBUTIONS 

KULA UPDATES, WORKSHOPS, 

RETREATS, TEACHER TRAININGS 6 

PHOTO ESSAY 14 

AYURVEDA 27 

MUDRAS 43 

BOOK REVIEW 45 

TEACHER TRAINING 46 

CROSSWORD 48 

DIRECTORY 52 

ABOUT NAMASKAR 

ADMINISTRATION Carol Adams, carol@caroladams.hk 

NEWS EDITOR Wai-Ling Tse, wailing.tse@gmail.com 

CIRCULATION Angela Sun, angela.sun@gmail.com 

EDITOR & PUBLISHER Frances Gairns, fgairns@netvigator.com 

Namaskar provides a voice for the yoga community in Asia and 

around the world. The publication is an opportunity for 

practitioners on a yogic path to selflessly offer their knowledge, 

learnings and experiences with others. 

We welcome unsolicited submissions, therefore the opinions 

expressed within these pages are not necessarily those of Namaskar or 

its volunteers. 

Articles and photographs in Namaskar are contributed at no 

charge. Advertising income covers production, distribution, 

administrative costs and discretionary contributions to selected 

charities and causes. 

Namaskar, is published quarterly in January, April, July and October. 

About 5,000 copies are printed and distributed for free to yoga 

studios, teachers, fitness centres, retail outlets, cafes and yogafriendly 

outlets. Mostly distributed in Hong Kong, with 1,500 copies 

mailed to readers in 32 other countries. 

April 2017 3

CONTRIBUTORS 

ANGELA SUN 

Based in the UK, Carol takes care 

of the Namaskar’s administration, 

advertising and billing. She works 

from home which gives her the 

freedom to take care of her 10- 

year-old son. carol@caroladams.hk 

travels around the world sharing 

his knowledge using modern 

examples and humour 

www.aksharayoga.com 

SARAH PIERROZ 

CHANDRIKA GIBSON 

Angela takes care of the 

distribution and circulation of 

Namaskar. Now based in her home 

town of New York, has been 

practicing yoga for 10 years. She 

currently teaches privately. 

asunwellness@gmail.com 

way. She has deep compassion for 

victims of human trafficking and 

children in poverty. 

kcpilates@gmail.com 

KRISHNAA KINKARIDAS 

BALAJI THIRUVENGADASAMY 

Balaji is a practitioner of Yoga and a 

student of Yoga Philosophy. He 

has diverse work experience 

spanning technology, military and 

investment banking. Today Balaji 

is a Yoga Alliance registered 

teacher and a licensed practitioner 

of Yoga for the Special Child. 

www.latentimpressions.com. 

Chandrika is Vice President of the 

Australian Association of Yoga 

Therapists, a yoga teacher, yoga 

therapist, wellness consultant and 

naturopath. An experienced 

lecturer, keen researcher and 

writer, Chandrika holds a Master’s 

degree in Wellness. 

chandrika@suryahealth.com.au 

GABRIELLE MCMAHON 

Krishnaa lives in London. She 

studied with B.K.S. Iyengar and 

now runs classes in London and 

teaches Sanskrit and Mudras for 

Yoga for the Yoga Alliance and 

British Wheel of Yoga. She has 

written 15 books on Bhakti Yoga. 

kinkaridasi@hotmail.com 

RAM VAKKALANKA 

Sarah is the Wellness Advisor at 

Samahita Retreat in Koh Samui, 

Thailand, where she teaches yoga, 

fitness and holds workshops. Over 

the past decade, Sarah has taught 

Visual Art in Egypt and Italy, in 

colleges which focused on 

promoting peace, intercultural 

understanding and sustainable 

development. 

www.sarahpierroz.com 

TIA SINHA 

CAROL ADAMS 

Gabrielle’s life work is Yoga, 

Meditation & natural living. She 

created BeBliss 10 years ago and 

works with groups and 

individuals inspiring them to live 

their best life. 

gabrielle@bebliss.com.au 

KATHERINE CAMILLERI 

Katherine fundraises and 

participates in fundraising events 

in Hong Kong for small charities 

around the world. She is energised 

by the vibe in Hong Kong to make 

the world a better place and she 

believes a little bit can go a long 

Ram is a Nada Yogi, Kirtan leader, 

Yoga philosopher, Sanskrit expert 

and Meditation teacher. Born and 

brought up in India steeped in the 

Vedic tradition, Ram is currently 

based in Toronto, Canada and 

Tia worked for Star TV in Hong 

Kong. In 2006, she took time off to 

study yoga and meditation. Tia 

taught Hatha Yoga to the nuns of 

Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo’s DGL 

Nunnery, has been meditating 

under Jetsunma’s guidance and has 

translated some of Jetsunma’s 

talks and her biography, Cave in the 

Snow into Hindi. 

onlytia2@yahoo.co.in 

4 NAMASKAR

TIMY HUI 

experienced Yoga instructor 

practicing in Hong Kong for over 25 

years. sharma@ayuryoga-intl.com, 

www.ayuryoga-intl.com 

VIRGINIE MOREL 

namaskar 

Timy started hot yoga 2003, and 

started teaching yoga in 2009. He 

specializes in Vipassana 

Meditation, Mindfulness Yoga, 

Pain-Relaxation Yoga, and 

Meridian-PaiSha: Vibration 

Therapy. timy99@gmail.com, 

www.mfYoga.org 

VINCENT WONG 

Virginie is a French yoga teacher 

based in Hong Kong. She studied 

in Rishikesh, India, with Kia 

Miller. She teaches classes which 

combine the ancient practices of 

Hatha and Kundalini yoga. In her 

classes Virginie shares her love of 

yoga and invites her students to 

practice with an open mind. 

Virginie.morel@me.com, 

www.atelierdivalys.com 

WAI-LING TSE 

Now on-line at: 

www.issuu.com/namaskarasia 

Back issues still at: 

www.issuu.com/caroladams 

July’s dristi: 

Dhyana & Dharana 

• What are they? And what ‘s the difference between the two? 

• Can I practice one and not the other? 

• How can I practice dhyana and dharana in my yoga asana class? Is 

• Is samadhi possible without them? 

• Best books for learning more about these concepts. 

Vincent is a mid-distance runner 

and event organizer from Hong 

Kong Trail Runner. He loves 

running and hiking on sunny days 

and participating in 

aquathlons. vinzenzowong@gmail.com 

If you’d like to contribute, please email fgairns@netvigator.com with 

the idea for your article. 

Contributions are also welcome on other topics. Final articles are 

welcome before March 10. 

VINOD SHARMA 

Wai-Ling practices and teaches 

mindfulness, therapy and is Kula 

editor for Namaskar. 

yogawithling@gmail.com 

Vinod is a qualified Ayurvedic & 

Homeopathic Consultant and an 


KULA 

Updates 

AUSTRALIA 

Byron Yoga 

Retreat Centre 

goes fully organic! 

Byron Bay’s most affordable 

retreat centre just increased the 

potency of its food and is now 

following the principals of SLOW 

Food: Seasonal; Local; Organic 

and Without processed foods of 

any kind. While much of the 

produce comes fresh from the 

Byron Yoga Retreat Centre’s own 

organic gardens, they are now 

buying in pretty much only local, 

organic food in season. Book one 

of the 8, 5 or 3 day retreats and 

you can be assured of toxin free 

food that tastes amazing! 

Yogapoint is a cosy new studio opened by Micha Chan in Tsuen Wan 

For more information 

www.byronyoga.com 

HONG KONG 

Shakti Healing 

Circle is 10! 

Congratulations to Pervin and 

Stephen Clasper on the 10 th 

anniversary of Shakti Healing 

Circle in Hong Kong. 

Stephen & Pervin Clasper opened Shakti Healing Circle 10 years ago. 

It was Pervin’s dream to have 

“my own centre, and then became 

so irresistable I couldn’t stop 

thinking about it. I first learned 

Reiki in 1997 and started with 

sessions for family and close 

friends and then for friends of 

friends. By then I just knew I was 

supposed to give up my day job, 

so to speak, at Cathay Pacific.” 

Husband Stephen, at that time an 

executive coach, encouraged her 

at every step in starting Shakti. 

Although they rented more space 

than they needed in March 2007, 

within days they were being 

approached by practitioners 

wanting to work from their 

centre. 

Pervin and Stephen feel “so lucky 

with the wonderful people who 

have brought their amazing 

talents to work with us. And it 

just shows if you dream big you 

will find everything you need just 

landing at your door!” 

New Tsuen Wan 

studio 

Indian yoga organization, 

Yogapoint has opened a small 

Hong Kong studio in Tsuen Wan. 

Run by Micha Chan, the studio 

provides traditional 90mins 

Hatha yoga, Yin Yang Yoga, 

Pranayama, Meditation and 

Prana Kriya Yoga. The classes are 

in English and Cantonese. 


yogahcim@yahoo.com 

Easter Hammock 

Yoga Course for 

Tweens & Teens 

10 & 13 April 

The Yoga Room 

Join Cindy for this Easter 

Programme Hammock Yoga for 

Kids, 10 - 15 years. We will 

explore yoga in the aerial 

hammock in a fun way and learn 

mindfulness and self-regulation 

strategies to help today’s teen 

develop both mentally and 

physically. 

For more information: 

info@yogaroomhk.com; 

www.yogaroomhk.com;+852 

2544-8398 

6 NAMASKAR

BodyTalk 

Fundamentals 

Seminar 

19 April – 2 May 

Learn to decode the biofeedback 

of the body and find and release 

the root cause of health issues. 

Angie will teach over 20 energy 

balancing techniques intended to 

optimize brain function; release 

past trauma; boost immune 

system function. 


angie@bodytalksystem.com.hk, 

www.bodytalksystem.com.hk, 

+852 6683 5755 

Hong Kong Convention & 

Exhibition Centre 

Join David Swenson, Carlos 

Pomeda, David Life & Sharon 

Gannon, Sri Dharma Mittra, Paul 

Dallaghan and many other 

international and local yoga 

teachers for four days of yoga 

workshops, lectures, 

demonstrations, and lots of yoga 

paraphernalia (that you really, 

really need)! 


www.asiayogaconference.com 

15th Sakyadhita 

International 

Conference 

22 - 28 June 

University of Hong Kong 

The topic for this year’s 

conference is ‘Contemporary 

Buddhist Women: 

Contemplation, Cultural 

Exchange & Social Action’. 


www.sakyadhita.org. 

The activist is not the man 

who says the river is dirty. 

The activist is the man 

who cleans up the river. 

- Ross Perot 

Guided Study in 

Basic Bhagavad 

Gita with 

Sravaniya 

DiPecoraro 

21 April - 26 May 

Alive Wellness, Central 

This module Bhakti Yoga - 

Practical Samadhi covers such 

topics as knowledge of the 

Absolute, The Universal Form, 

Attaining the Supreme. 

Srav was one of the first Western 

yoga teachers in Hong Kong. She 

has authored a book on the 

Bhagavad Gita and conducts 

personalised astrological 

readings. 


info@lifepath.am 

10 th Asia Yoga 

Conference 

8 – 11 June 

INDIA 

2 nd International 

Yoga Festival 

2017 

8 – 12 November 

Yoga Vidya Gurukul, Nasik 

Join different yoga classes and 

lectures by senior yoga teachers 

and doctors. There will also be 

cultural performances, 

traditional dance, mallakhamb 

(Rope yoga) and Indian concerts. 


yogahcim@yahoo.com 

SINGAPORE 

Yoga Sutra 

Studies 

April – December 

Being in Yoga 

Valerie Faneco leads these 14 

sessions on the Yoga Sutras of 

Patanjali. She will introduce yoga 

philosophy, key concepts in 

Samkya philosophy, explain each 

sutra thoroughly and lead 

chanting of selected sutras. 


valerie@beinginyoga.com 


KULA 

Workshops 

Kino McGregor will be all over Asia this May. Photo by Yoshi Anwar 

CHINA 

Kino MacGregor 

Weekend 

Workshop 

13-14 May 

Pure Yoga, Shanghai 

Kino is an Ashtanga yoga teacher 

based in Florida. She was the 

youngest woman to be certified 

to teach this form of yoga by Sri 

Pattabhi Jois. The workshop will 

be divided into four sessions, 

which can be taken all together or 

separately. They will cover full 

primary series, hip opening, 

introduction to second series and 

focus on bakasana. 


www.pure-yoga.com/shanghai/ 

workshop/detail/269 

David Swenson 

Workshop & 

Immersion 

13-25 June 

Pure Yoga, Shanghai 

David started practicing yoga in 

1969 when he was 13 years old, 

and Ashtanga yoga since 1973. 

Today he is one of the most 

popular teachers of Ashtanga 

yoga. He will be offering several 

different workshops during his 

time in Shanghai – for beginners, 

advanced practitioners, students 

more interested in breathwork or 

philosophy. 

For more information http:// 

www.pure-yoga.com/shanghai/ 


HONG KONG 

Wheel Workshop 

with Rachel 

April 22 

The Yoga Room, Sheung Wan 

Yoga wheels give the individual 

the ability to expand and stretch 

and helps develop more 

flexibility. It can helps new and 

intermediate students backbend 

more easily while increasing 

more flexibility in the spine, 

shoulders, quads and hips. In this 

workshop Rachel will guide you 

through a gentle flow on your 

wheel. 


www.yogaroomhk.com/event/ 

wheel-workshop-with-rachel-3/ 

8 NAMASKAR


30-hour Ashtanga 

Immersion 

5-9 May 

Pure Yoga, Hutchison House 

Join Kino for this five-day 

immersion into Ashtanga, 

including daily practice, asana 

techniques, anatomy, learning 

about hands-on adjustments, 

counting vinyasa and yoga 

philosophy. 

For more information http:// 

www.pure-yoga.com/hongkong/ 


Prana Power Yoga 

Workshops with 

Master Anurag 

23 & 30 April 

Anahata Yoga, Sheung Wan 

In this Prana Power Yoga 

workshop, you will learn the 

essential elements of Power Yoga 

practice; key power yoga 

postures to build strength and 

flexibility safely and how to 

breathe for both relaxation and 

awakening prana. Module 1 will 

focus on the Sun Salutation 

Sequence and Twisting Poses, 

while module 2 will focus on 

Seated, Back Bending and 

inverted Poses 


www.anahatayoga.com.hk/ 

training_workshop/pranapower-power-yoga-workshopswith-master-anurag/ 

Workshops & 

Master class with 

Gokulacandra 

19 – 21 May 


Gokulacandra, also called Jani 

Jaatinen has been practicing yoga 

since 2000. Based in Kota 

Kinabalu where he lives with his 

family, he travels extensively 

around the world offering 

workshops and trainings. Here in 

Hong Kong, he will lead four 

workshops covering hip opening, 

arm balancing, inversions and 

backbending. 


www.yogaroomhk.com/event/ 

workshops-and-class-withguest-teacher-gokulacandra-inmay/ 

David Swenson will be teaching at Pure 

Yoga in Shanghai and Hong Kong 

David Swenson 

Mysore-style 

Practice, 

Workshops & 

Intensive 

2-7 June 

Pure Yoga, Centrium 

Join David for a fun-filled five 

days. Whether attending all or 

just the morning practice, you are 

sure to learn loads about 

Ashtanga and have a good time 

doing it. 


www.pure-yoga.com 

SINGAPORE 


One-day 

Workshop 

3 May 

Pure Yoga, Ngee An City 

This one-day workshop with 

Kino McGregor will cover the full 

primary series in the morning, an 

inversions session after lunch, 

followed by a yoga talk and 

meditation. 


www.pure-yoga.com/singapore/ 


Anatomy with Dr. 

Trish Corley 

20 – 21 May 

New Angle Yoga 

Gain a clear understanding of 

yoga anatomy and put it into 

action on the yoga mat. The 

workshop consists of interactive 

lectures with anatomical models 

and illustrations and is integrated 

with full asana practices. Have 

fun while practically applying the 

knowledge of human anatomy to 

your own practice and/or your 

teaching. 


www.newangleyoga.com 

Yoga Assists with 

Dr. Trish Corley 

27-28 May 

New Angle Yoga 

Empower your practice and your 

teaching by discovering how to 

assist over 50 yoga postures. As a 

student, you will gain an 

understanding of alignment and 

the possibilities of the poses. As a 

teacher, you will learn how to 

confidently assist students and 

empower them to experience 

their own greatness in each pose. 

Your hands already have the 

power to support, the workshop 

will give you the guidance to do 

so! 


www.newangleyoga.com 

Jason Crandell will be teaching in Singapore 

Move your 

practice forward 

with Jason 

Crandell 

3-4 June 

Pure Yoga, Asia Square Tower 2 

The Move Your Practice Forward 

Weekend Workshops are for 

students and teachers with less 

time to invest, which may be 

taken as a standalone in the 5-day 

programme. In this workshop, 

you’ll approach challenging poses 

and variations with greater poise, 

awareness, and attention to 

detail. You’ll expand your edge, 

deepen your practice, and learn 

to stay connected to your centre 

in challenging situations. 


www.pure-yoga.com/singapore/ 


TAIWAN 

Kino McGregor 

One-day 

workshop 

16 May 

Pure Yoga, Urban One 

This one-day workshop with 

Kino McGregor will cover the full 

primary series in the morning, an 

inversions session after lunch, 

followed by a yoga talk and 

meditation. 

For more information pureyoga.com/taiwan/workshop/ 

detail/272 

Sharon & David’s 

Jivamukti Master 

Class 

3-4 June 

Pure Yoga, Urban One 

Sharon and David are founders of 

the Jivamukti Yoga Method, 

which emphasises vinyasa, 

scriptural study, devotion, 

music, chanting and meditation, 

as well as animal rights, 

veganism, environmentalism and 

political activism. 

For more information / 

www.pure-yoga.com/taiwan/ 



KULA 

Retreats 

CAMBODIA 

Love yourself as 

you are – Yoga & 

Self-Discovery 

Retreat with Janet 

Lau & The Yoga 

Room 

13-19 August 

Navutu Dreams, Siem Reap, 

Cambodia 

This retreat offers a wellrounded 

program exploring ways 

to apply a meditative yoga 

practice to everyday actions such 

as walking, sitting, talking, and 

listening. Through these 

practices, we begin the process of 

healing. This will be an 

opportunity to learn more about 

meditation, mindfulness, 

spirituality, and living a more 

joyful and peaceful life. 




2544-8398 

HONG KONG 

Spring Cleaning 

Day Retreat with 

Holly & The Yoga 

Room 

22 April 

Mui Wo, Hong Kong 

Starting with a detoxifying 

vinyasa class focusing on twists 

and binds, followed by a healthy 

and refreshing vegan lunch. In the 

afternoon there will be a mini 

lecture on the Traditional 

Chinese Medicine theories and 

yin yoga. We will finish off the 

day with a restorative and yin 

practice. 




2544-8398 

MONGOLIA 

Mongolia Yoga 

Retreat with 

Emma Henry 

29 July – 7 August 

Jivamukti yoga in the Mongolian 

wilderness with teacher Emma 

Henry. Experience powerful and 

brilliantly taught yoga, camp-fire 

kirtan and desert meditation. 

Sleep in luxury yurt camps and 

enjoy delicious vegan food. The 

perfect mix of yoga, healthy food 

and adventures. Horse riding, 

rafting, camel treks and hiking. 


jools@reclaimyourself.co.uk, 

www.reclaimyourself.co.uk 

NEPAL 

John Scott Nepal 

Buddhist 

Monastery 

Retreat 

23 – 30 September 

Nepal 

Join John and his team of 

teachers in Nepal at the foothills 

of the Himalayasa. The teachers 

will donate all the proceeds from 

their teaching to the monastery 

for the poorest children 


www.johnscottyoga.com/ 

project/nepal-23sep17/ 

THAILAND 

Yoga Retreat with 

Micha Chan 

April & twice a year 

Adinath Yoga Ashram, Chiang Rai 

Join Micha for a 4-day retreat at 

Yoga ashram in the heart of 

Chiang Rai. Micha is sharing 

asana, pranayama, mantra 

practices & lectures, helping 

everyone realize oneself on 

physical, mental, intellectual 

aspects. Different lectures on 

yoga: Kundalini, alignment, 

concepts of happiness & true 

ashtanga yoga by Patanjali. 

For more information: +852 

93448589 Facebook page: Yoga 

Point Hong Kong 

Daniel Stringer will be teaching at 

Samahita Retreat 

Integrated Yoga 

Practice 

with Daniel 

Stringer 


Samahita Retreat, Koh Samui. 

Daniel explore and integrate the 

layers of Self experienced 

through ashtanga vinyasa asana, 

pranayama, chanting, meditation 

techniques practices, philosophy 

and open debate. 

With a background in martial 

arts and Qi Gong, Daniel has been 

studing Ashtanga yoga since 

2003. He began teaching yoga full 

time in Hong Kong in 2008, 

where he currently lives and 

works. 


www.samahitaretreat.com 

Samkhya-Yoga - 7 

Days Retreat 

30 April – 6 May, 4-11 June 

9-15 July, 22-28 October 

26 November to 2 December 

People glibly speak about Yoga 

without realizing that it forms an 

integral part of a composite 

Samkhya-Yoga Philosophy, the 

oldest philosophical system in 

the world. 

Include theory and practice of 

Yoga techniques, vegetarian 

meals in residential basis. 

Wise Living Yoga Academy - 

Chiang Mai, Thailand 

For more information+66 

825467995, 

info@wiselivingyoga.com, 

www.retreats.wiselivingyoga.com 

Samkhya + 

Bhagavad Gita - 14 

Days Retreat 

30 April - 13 May, 4-17 June 

9-22 July, 22 October - 4 

November 

26 November - 9 December 2017 

In this retreat, besides the study 

of Samkhya and many traditional 

practices and techniques, the 

student will be lead to dive deeper 

into Yoga as the Bhagavad Gita 

will be explained in the view of the 

Four Paths of Yoga, namely Raja 

Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga & 

Karma Yoga. Include theory and 

practice, vegetarian meals in 

10 NAMASKAR

esidential basis. 

Wise Living Yoga Academy - 

Chiang Mai, Thailand 

For more information +66 

825467995, 

info@wiselivingyoga.com, 

www.retreats.wiselivingyoga.com 

Re-energize, 

Relax, Retreat in 

Koh Samui with 

Flex Studio 

4-9 May 

Kamalaya Resort, Koh Samui 

Flex Studio Hong Kong is again 

hosting a luxury retreat to the 

beautiful Kamalaya Resort in Koh 

Samui, Thailand. This year’s 

retreat offers daily yoga and 

Pilates, signature wellness and 

spa treatments and the delicious 

vegetarian menu for which 

Kamalaya is famed. 

Michelle Ricaille, homeopath and 

yoga instructor, will join Flex cofounder 

Heather Shalabi on this 

intimate getaway. 


kristine@flexhk.com, 

www.flexhk.com, +852 2813- 

2212 

Unlock Your 

Creativity 

with Emily Alp & 

Manuel Molina de 

la Torre 

3 - 10 June 

Samahita Retreat, Koh Samui 

Engage in activities designed to 

reduce inhibition around creative 

expression. Move into right 

brained thinking. This workshop 

is about learning to express your 

emotions through writing, multimedia 

and movement. We will be 

using daily yoga practices like, 

pranayama, asana and 

contemplative practices as 

catalysts and supports for the 

cathartic experience. 



Luxury 7-night 

Retreat with 

E:scape 

17-24 June 

Koh Samui 

Emma Henry leads a10-day yoga retreat in Mongolia 

E:scape hosts retreats in 

luxurious locations around the 

world, wellness professionals 

and coaches will help you feel 

your best. Retreats are designed 

to bring together a group of likeminded 

individuals looking to 

E:scape from their daily life and 

work on themselves. The next 

retreat will be held at a luxurious 

private villa in Koh Samui with 

daily yoga and meditation, 

cultural excursions and an 

executive coach hosting 

workshops on stress reduction 

and private sessions to help you 

achieve all your wellness goals. 


bookings@luxuryescape.co, 

www.luxuryescape.co 

Ashtanga Yoga 

Therapy Retreat 

With Rachel Grey 

18 - 26 June 

Samahita Retreat, Koh Samui 

Peace, harmony, balance and 

sustainability both on and off the 

mat. Create a seamless yoga 

practice to unify breath body and 

mind using the Ashtanga series 

and Yoga Therapy. 



Ann will be leading the retreat at E:scape on Koh Samui 

Ashtanga Yoga 

Therapy Retreat 

with Michele 

Loew 

29 July - 5 August 

Join Michele Loew for an 

intimate exploration of The 

Ashtanga Vinyasa Primary series. 

Open to all-levels of practice. 

Deepen your awareness of 

internal and external alignment to 

create a refined and intelligent 

practice, improve asana, repair 

and prevent injury, and ultimately 

awaken the unsurpassed joy from 

our highest self. This week-long 

session of philsophy study & 

practice will count as 20 hours of 

Yoga Alliance CEUs and credit 

towards Michele’s 500 hr. 

Teacher Training program. 




KULA 

Teacher Trainings 

AUSTRALIA 

95hr Children’s 

Yoga Teacher 

Training with 

Gecko Yoga 

11-20 May 

Yoga Space Maylands Studio – 

Perth 

Whether you want to teach 

toddlers, tweens or teens this 

course with Gecko Yoga will 

ensure you are inspired and 

prepared to share yoga with the 

next generation of budding yogis. 


maylands@yogaspace.com.au 

95hr Children’s 

Yoga Teacher 

Training with 

Gecko Yoga 

9-17 September 

Flying Masters, Melbourne 

Gecko Yoga’s 95hrs Children’s 

This training is registered with 

Yoga Australia and Yoga Alliance 

so you can become a RCYT. 


www.flyingmasters.com.au/ 

workshop/95-hour-childrensyoga-teacher-training-withjenny-smith-gecko-yoga-hk/ 

HONG KONG 

300hr Yoga 

Teacher Training 

(Chinese) with 

Ann da Silva & 

Keiki To 

Pregnancy Yoga: 29 April – 7 May 

Yoga Therapy: 30 Sep – 8 Oct 

Master Curriculum (Mandatory): 

from 7 July (rotational) 


Suitable for yoga teachers with 

200-hr foundation training. 

Training modules can be taken 

individually without joining full 

program. Graduates of full 300- 

hr program will qualify as 

RYT500 with the Yoga Alliance. 


www.yogaroomhk.com ; 

info@yogaroomhk.com; + 852 

:2544-8398 

100hr Advanced 

Hatha Yoga 


with Yogananth 

Andiappan 

10 May - 5 June 

Anahata Yoga 

The course focuses on 

intermediate and advanced poses, 

their possible modifications and 

variations, and teaching and 

demonstration techniques. The 

aim of the course is to challenge 

practitioners to advance in their 

practice by exploring the limits of 

their body and overcoming them, 

as well as to develop their 

knowledge of the body in order to 

better understand every joint and 

muscle nuance in the poses. 


www.anahatayoga.com.hk, 

enquiry@anahatayoga.com.hk, 

+852 2905 1822 

Upeksha 

Advanced Teacher 

Training with 

Carlos Pomeda 

13-22 June 

Pure, Hong Kong 

In this training, you will explore 

Tantra and its most refined 

formulation, Kashmir Shaivism, 

from a perspective that is both 

inspirational and entirely 

applicable to our daily lives. You 

will dispel the most common 

misunderstandings about what 

Tantra is and is not, investigating 

its roots and its development, 

and uncovering the answers it 

provides to the most fundamental 

questions of existence. 


www.hk.pure-yoga.com/en/ 

hongkong/teachertraining/ 

upeksha2017/index.php 

Gecko Yoga 95hr 

Children’s Yoga 


13-23 June 

Gecko Yoga, Hong Kong 

If sharing yoga with all ages is 

something you aspire to, 

especially the challenge and joy of 

teaching children, then Gecko 

Yoga® can help add this inspiring 

and useful string to your teaching 

bow. 


info@geckoyoga.com 

200hr Yoga TT 

Certificate Course 

23 June - 15 September 

Anahata Yoga 

Anahata Yoga’s Teacher Training 

Certificate Course gives yoga 

practitioners, enthusiasts, and 

aspiring instructors the chance 

to deepen their self-knowledge of 

yoga philosophy and improve on 

various aspects of their practice. 

It is an open-level training 

programme. 




+852 2905 1822 

Integral Yoga 

Level 1 (200hr) 

September 2017 - June 2018 

2 Saturdays per month + weekend 

retreat 

Integral Yoga uses an inward, 

spiritually focused form of Hatha 

Yoga to lead students to an 

experience of their true Self. The 

part-time curriculum focuses on 

nurturing a personal practice, 

competency in teaching a Level 1 

class and experience in Integral 

Yoga’s six branches. 


info@hershayoga.com 

300 hr Yoga 

Therapy Teacher 

Training 

Certificate Course 

at Anahata Yoga 

1 September - 29 November 

Anahata Yoga 

Yoga therapy may be worlds 

apart, but through this specially- 

12 NAMASKAR

designed course, participants will 

be given a good introduction to 

the two sciences as well as a solid 

foundation on which to build 

their knowledge. The course is a 

good starting point for those 

interested in learning more about 

these two subjects. Explore the 

principles of yoga therapy and 

Ayurveda and their various 

applications in our daily lives. 




+852 2905 1822 

Level I - Insight 

Yoga Teacher 

Training 

Intensive with 

Sarah Powers 

4-13 October 

Pure Yoga, Hong Kong 

This intensive will deepen one’s 

ability to teach/practice a 

receptive Yin style and an active 

Yang style with an interest in 

promoting a conducive inner 

environment for meditation. 

For more information: http:// 

www.pure-yoga.com/hongkong 

http://sarahpowers.com/iyi/ 

schedule-2017/level-i-teachertraining-intensive-october-2017/ 

Yoga for the 

Special Child with 

Sonia Sumar 

30 October - 5 November 

Yoga for the Special Child is a 

comprehensive program of Yoga 

techniques designed to enhance 

the natural development of 

children with special need. Sonia 

Sumar is a pioneer in this field 

and her style is gentle and safe for 

babies and children with a range 

of special needs and physical or 

intellectual disabilities. 


info@hershayoga.com 

INDONESIA 

200-hr Blissology 

Yoga Teacher 

Training with 

Eoin Finn 


Samadi, Canggu, Bali 

Join yogi + Blissologist, Eoin 

Finn and a crew of great 

assistants. This 

comprehensive Yoga Alliance 

certified course will teach you 

how to embody, breathe and 

teach yoga, while offering an 

authentic, powerful and 

sustainable way for you to deepen 

your life’s purpose and meaning. 


www.blissology.com, 

kat@blissology.com 

200hr Yin Yoga 


with Jo Phee & 

Joe Barnett 

13 October - 3 November 

Ubud, Bali 

Covering YinspirationCore 

Modules: Yin Yoga: Theory and 

Practice, Anatomy of Yoga, 

Chinese Medicine & Five Element 

Theory Fascia Study: Science & 

Research, Sequencing & Teaching 

Methodology. 

Teaching Team 

6 May - 3 June 

Samahita Retreat, Koh Samui. 

Centered Yoga is located at 

Samahita Retreat on the beautiful 

tropical island of Koh Samui, 

Thailand. This Yoga Institute has 

been providing yoga certification 

courses since Paul Dallaghan 

founded the school in New York 

in 1999. 

We offer one-month residential 

trainings, which are preceded by 

pre-course assignments and 

preparation. 


www.centeredyoga.com/yogateacher-training.html 


yinspirationyinyoga@gmail.com, 

www.yinspiration.org 

Eoin Finn will be in Bali 

200hr Yoga 


1- 29 October 

Dena Seni, Bali 

The team of teachers, who bring 

together the different traditions 

of Kundalini, Ashtanga, Vinyasa 

Flow, Tantra, and Hatha, will be 

working to share, educate, 

nurture all those interested in 

becoming a teacher or deepening 

their practice. This experience 

will incorporate all Desa Seni’s 

philosophies, a fully rounded 

spectrum into yoga, offerings 

from additional teachers who will 

further educate, along with 

organic food, holistic wellness. 


www.desaseni.com/thecollective-200-hour-yogateacher-training-in-bali/ 

THAILAND 

200hr Foundation 

Course with Paul 

Dallaghan & 

Centered Yoga 

Arielle Nash leads a 300 hr TT at 

Samahita 

300hr Advanced 

Yoga Teacher 

Training: 

Anatomy with 

Arielle Nash 

18 June - 1 July 

This course continues dives 

deeper into understanding 

adjusting by exploring subtle 

biomechanics, kinesiology and 

psychosomatics. Hands-on 

adjusting experience will occur in 

a live setting. The Ashtanga 

Primary and Intermediate Series’ 

will be used as reference for 

asana study. Pre-course reading 

will be recommended to students 

who need to refresh basic 

anatomy knowledge prior to 

attending the course. 




PHOTO ESSAY 

THE ART OF YOGA 

What does your asana 

look like? 

BY SARAH PIERROZ 

In yoga, we use tools like breath and dristi to help stay centered and focused while we move through 

various asana. A challenging balancing posture or opening backbend can bring up all sorts of feelings 

of joy and fear. Sometimes we may feel completely rooted and connected in pose, strong and 

glorious, with a calm mind and easy breath. Other postures may leave us feeling unstable or tense. 

As an artist and yoga practitioner, I ask myself, what does that experience look like? 

I once had a student describe Ustrasana as a complete opening, like a garden of flowers was coming 

forth from her ribs. For months before the pose had felt tight and contained, but it had flourished 

into something much more alive and expanding. I drew my interpretation for her and, as she moves 

onto other inevitable challenges, it reminds her of the way we shift from unease to ease, of how we 

can push and redefine our edge. 

Have you taken a moment to reflect on your own metaphors for a posture? What does it look like 

when you imagine yourself watching your body from the outside? And from the inside? What 

images does surya namaskara bring up for you? Paschimottanasana? 

14 NAMASKAR

Drawing gives us a chance to pause and consider our experience in yoga, experiences which tend 

to leave us at a loss for words. 

Consider this thought experiment for a moment: if line was your breath in yoga practice, how 

does it move? Does it flow with curves and swirls? Does it have an unrestricted and uninhibited 

quality? Or are there spaces which feel jagged and sharp and bound up? Does it feel boundless 

and completely dissolved into the background? When? 

For these particular line drawings, I use a very fine permanent black pen and a very large sheet of 

blank, white paper. That’s all. There is nothing else on my desk. All distractions are put aside. The 

blank page is quite poetic. Vast. Nothing. Pure. Once the black ink touches the paper there is not 

going back, no undoing, no eraser. You have to commit to the task at hand. You are there to 

express your metaphors and let something come through you. Step aside from your thoughts. Let 

your eyes and fingers unite. If there is hesitation, or shaking, or doubt, the crisp line will turn frail, 

and the experience will be lost. 

Drawing is a process, a happening, a place to enter a calm abiding within. There is nothing you 

need to prove, no outcome you have to focus on. Just you and the pen and page. You never have 

to show the outcome to anyone else. 

Try it out! Think of a posture that brings up an emotion, story or metaphor. Write down all the 

ideas you associate with it. Then, close your eyes, start to visualize how that pose looks in your 

imagination. Where do you feel connected? Where do you feel tight? Then, let the pen hit the 

paper, and let it flow. Attempt as many times as you need. Just try to finish one image all the way 

through. And enjoy the experience of what comes out of your brilliant imagination! 


16 NAMASKAR

INTERVIEW 

WOMEN IN BUDDHISM 

Talking with Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo 

BY TIA SINHA 

Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, a Tibetan Buddhist 

nun of British origin is a living legend. She 

ordained in 1964 in India at the age of 20. She 

became well known in the Buddhist world 

through her exceptional spiritual endeavour 

of meditating for 12 years (from 1976 to 

1988) in a Himalayan cave, 13,000 feet above 

sea level. Her biography, Cave in the Snow, 

written by journalist Vicki Mackenzie, 

chronicles her incredibly inspirational life. 

In February 2008 Tenzin Palmo was given 

the rare title of Jetsunma (Venerable 

Master), by His Holiness the 12 th Gyalwang 

Drukpa, Head of the Drukpa Kagyu lineage in 

recognition of her spiritual achievements as a 

nun and her efforts in promoting the status 

of female practitioners in Tibetan Buddhism. 

Jetsunma is the founder and abbess of 

Dongyu Gatsal Ling Nunnery near 

Dharamsala in India. She has authored two 

books on Buddhism, Reflections on a 

Mountain Lake and Into the Heart of Life. 

She teaches internationally. Her talks as well 

as her books offer clear and simple 

explanations of the Buddhist path and 

meditation techniques that are relevant for 

non-Buddhists as well. 

Jetsunma is also President of the Sakyadhita 

International Association of Buddhist 

Women, Founding Director of the Alliance of 

Non Himalayan Nuns, Honorary Advisor to 

the International Network of Engaged 

Buddhists and Founding Member of 

the Committee for Bhikshuni Ordination. 

Part 1 of the interview follows: 

THANK YOU, JETSUNMA, FOR THIS 

INTERVIEW. COULD YOU TELL US 

ABOUT THE STATUS OF WOMEN IN 

BUDDHISM, NUNS AS WELL AS LAY 

PRACTITIONERS? 

In general along with all other religious 

traditions the role of women - both monastic 

and lay - has been overlooked and neglected. 

In the past women in Buddhist countries 

have been mostly delegated to a secondary 

and inferior place within society and 

opportunities for study and advanced 

spiritual training have mostly been denied. 

Nonetheless it has always been noted that in 

purely Buddhist countries such as Burma 

and Tibet the lay women are strong and 

outspoken and often run the businesses. 

In recent times the status of women is 

changing with the introduction of universal 

education which allows women to find their 

voice. Nowadays both nuns and laywomen 

are on the move and are already making a 

significant contribution both in social 

activism and in spiritual circles. 

YOU HAVE BEEN CHAMPIONING THE 

RIGHTS OF BUDDHIST NUNS TO 

RECEIVE FULL ORDINATION ON PAR 

WITH BUDDHIST MONKS. WHAT ARE 

THE OBSTACLES? DO YOU SEE FULL 

ORDINATION BEING GRANTED SOON? 

In the Theravadin countries of South-East 

Asia the bhikshuni or full ordination for nuns 

died out several centuries ago. There have 

been recent efforts to revive this nuns’ 

ordination in Sri Lanka and Thailand despite 

opposition from conservative elements of 

the monk sangha. In Tibet the full ordination 

for nuns was never introduced so the 

argument is that it is broken and cannot 

therefore be revived. Nonetheless there are 

plans to try to bring back this ordination 

with the help of bhikshunis (fully ordained 

nuns) from the Chinese tradition who hold a 

different lineage to the Tibetans. This issue 

has been under ‘research’ for the past 30 

years but no decision has yet been reached. 

However now His Holiness the Gyalwang 

Karmapa has announced his intention to host 

this ordination for a select group of nuns and 

we await the outcome of this. 

WHAT, IN YOUR OPINION, ARE SOME 

OF THE CHALLENGES LAY 

PRACTITIONERS OF BUDDHISM, BOTH 

FEMALE AND MALE, ARE FACING IN THE 

WORLD TODAY? 

Probably the main challenge is the onslaught 

of consumerism and constant sensory 

distractions. People are continually 

bombarded by stimuli which take them away 

from their own centre. They become 

stressed, and caught on the treadmill of daily 

living. Modern society assures us happiness 

lies in the satisfaction of our cravings and so 

we hasten after acquiring and experiencing 

more and more and feel increasingly empty. 

Like drinking salty water we just become 

more thirsty. For Buddhists and anyone on a 

spiritual path the answer is to clearly 

distinguish our needs from our greeds and to 

cultivate appreciation and contentment. We 

have to swim against the stream. 

COULD WE HAVE SOME WORDS OF 

ADVICE FOR LAY PRACTITIONERS OF 

BUDDHISM? 

I feel it is important to make our daily life 

into our dharma practice. It is not just a 

matter of visiting temples or sitting retreats. 

Cultivating awareness and kindness would go 

a long way to helping us to live more sane and 

meaningful lives. This is why the practice of 

Mindfulness has become popular even in 

business organizations and even the military! 

Look out for part 2 in July. 


18 NAMASKAR

Hong Kong with open hearts and genuine 

intent took part in Yoga Stops Traffick on 

Sunday 5 th March 2017. Yoga Stops Traffick 

is an annual worldwide fundraiser for 

Odanadi Seva Trust. Odanadi is a charity in 

MySore, India who rescue, rehabilitate, and 

reintegrate women and children who have 

been victims of human trafficking, sexual 

exploitation, bonded labour and abuse. 

At the event, participants are guided to 

perform 108 sun salutations (surya 

namaskar) or a number divisible into 108 (for 

example 54 or 27). As you may know, 108 is 

considered a sacred number in Hinduism, 

Buddhism and yogic tradition. Mala beads 

come in a string of 108 and are used for 

devotional meditation, mantra and prayer. 

There are 108 energy lines converging to and 

from the heart chakra. 

Yoga Stops Traffick was started 7 years ago 

by some volunteers at Odanadi. They picked a 

day in March and gathered the community of 

Odanadi to do sun salutations in the pubic 

space outside Mysore Palace. Over the years 

it has grown into a global event with 30 

countries participating. Last year the event 

raised over GB£16,000 (HK$150,000) which 

covered the operating costs (food, water, 

electricity, support staff) for running the 

rehabilitation centres for one year. 

I was prompted to learn about human 

trafficking in 2014 whilst living in London. 

One Sunday morning in his sermon, my local 

parish priest talked about the impact of the 

trade in our own backyards; people were 

keeping slaves who had been trafficked in 

Central London. In 2014? How could this be? 

Yes, human trafficking is a global crime in 

industrialised nations as well. Today there 

are 20-30 million slaves – 79% of which are 

sexually exploited and 19% of which are 

exploited for labour. It is the 3 rd largest 

international crime behind illegal dugs and 

arms trafficking. And at best, we can 

estimate it yields US$32billion profit per 

year. It’s a lot to take in. 

As I was learning more about this hideous 

crime, I was introduced to Yoga Stops 

Traffick at my regular London yoga studio, 

the flyer read: 108 sun salutations for the 

Odanadi charity to help stop human 

trafficking. Who could argue? This clearly 

was for a good cause. So, I signed up for the 

7am start on a Sunday without considering 

the fact I had a pretty bad hip injury and was 

thick in the midst of sleep deprivation as my 

toddler suffered from frequent nightmares. 

After a pretty brutal night, my alarm sounded 

at 6am and I did consider skipping the event. 

But I peeled myself out of bed, got dressed 

and left the house without interacting with a 

soul. I got on the number 11 bus on that grey 

London morning to arrive at the studio. The 

practice was hard but the vibe, the 

compassion for something beyond that yoga 

room set me on a path to support this cause. 

When I moved to Hong Kong, I was 

surprised Yoga Stops Traffick 2015 was not 

hosted anywhere. Determined be a part of 

this movement, I remembered reading “the 

event is run by volunteers”. I designated 

myself a volunteer and discovered Alive 

Wellness in Central who graciously donated 

their space. I organised a small group to do 

the 108 sun salutations. From that small 

group in the spirit of Yoga Stops Traffick, a 

Kirtan to support Odanadi was born hosted 

by Manipura Wellness. 2016 rolled around 

and I replicated the same model. And again, 

Manipura led a Kirtan following the event. 

This was all making a difference but as my 

commitment to this charity / event / cause 

grew, my desire to raise awareness and 

increase participation in Hong Kong swelled. 

Last December, I quickly secured 

commitment for the third year from Alive 

Wellness. Then I launched a word of mouth 

campaign to friends, family and yogis, and 

reached out to businesses and studios. 

Everyone I spoke to thought it was an 

incredibly important initiative. Again, who 

could argue? But sometimes it takes one 

person to believe in something as much as 

you do. I met, Eri, a Community Key Leader 

at lululemon amidst Christmas shopping. 

On Sunday 5 th March, a small group again 

gathered at Alive Wellness in Central early 

that morning. Later over 130 people 

gathered on Shek O Beach sponsored by 

lululemon. We all set out our yoga mats on 

the sand, faced the ocean and were present 

with intention. I venture to say every single 

person felt the vibe throughout the practice 

KARMA YOGA 

YOGA 

STOPS 

TRAFFICK 

Raising 

Awareness 

of Human 

Trafficking 

BY KATHERINE CAMILLERI 

but they also felt that vibe reverberate 

beyond Hong Kong. There was an element of 

global healing that took place. Those involved 

took part in a movement to drive awareness 

to this growing global problem. At the 

deepest level, we flowed 108 sun salutations 

in solidarity with each other, with the victims 

of human trafficking to fight this crime. 

Over HK$30,000 was raised in Hong Kong 

this year through Yoga Stops Traffick 

including donations from a Kirtan hosted by 

Manipura Wellness and the Rising Goddess 

Girls Day Fest hosted by Pure Potential 

Worldwide. 

While the money raised to support the 

victims is important, it also means something 

else to them: “For the young people, at 

Odanadi, Yoga Stops Traffick means a sense 

of belonging. They feel they have relatives and 

friends across the world who love them and 

want the best for them. When the name 

Odanadi is taken to countries across the 

world, it starts a healing process. It gives us 

the energy to carry on.” Odanadi founders 

Stanly and Parashuram. 

For more information and how to donate, 

please visit: www.odanadi.org / 

www.yogastopstraffick.org 

lululemon sponsored Yoga Stops Traffick at ShekO beach, Hong Kong in March 


20 NAMASKAR

PHILOSOPHY 

UNDERSTANDING 

Is the Essence of Yoga 

BY BALAJI THIRUVENGADASAMY 

Samyama is a process of meditative analysis 

which helps us develop discrimination, or 

Viveka-Khyati. And this faculty of 

discrimination is the means to liberation 

from bondage and suffering. 

Samyama is a way of directing attention to 

an object or feature of an object to 

understand it correctly. Correctly here 

means to see an object for what it is, 

uninfluenced by biases and conditioning. 

Correct understanding helps in renunciation 

of those objects that ensnare us in a cycle of 

attachment and suffering. In other words, 

Samyama is the essence of Yoga. 

All the tools and techniques of Kriya Yoga are 

to develop the ability to apply Samyama. For 

example, austerities (Tapas) and codes of 

conduct (Yama and Niyama) limit the 

activities of the practitioner so habits not 

conducive to concentration are destroyed 

and habits conducive to concentration are 

formed and reinforced. 

A FITNESS ANALOGY 

Samyama is a bit like cardiovascular fitness. 

It is a means to an end and it can be developed 

in a number of ways. For example, improving 

cardiovascular fitness is useful for a tennis 

player. One can simply play more tennis and 

improve. Or train off court by running, 

interval training, swimming, biking, etc. 

Running is one way to develop cardiovascular 

fitness, but if you have bad knees, swimming 

may be a better option. 

Interestingly, the ability to concentrate is, to 

my knowledge, rarely addressed as a specific 

skill to be developed at schools and colleges. 

Either you have it, and hence you are a good 

or gifted student, or you don’t. The tools of 

yoga are frequently sold short as means to 

health and stress management. In my 

opinion, their usefulness is more in their 

primary objective i.e. to develop the ability to 

concentrate at will. This is an essential skill 

in all walks of life. 

YOGA SUTRAS ON SAMYAMA 

Samyama has three stages, as outlined in 

chapter 3 of the Yoga Sutras. The beginning 

is Dharana, where concentration is 

intermittent. The mind is focussed on 

thoughts about the object under meditation. 

3.1. desa bandha cittasya dharana / dharana 

is the mind’s fixation on a particular point. 

Dharana is followed by Dhyana. In Dhyana, 

concentration is unbroken for a meaningful 

length of time and the attention narrows to a 

single thought. 

The final stage Samadhi is the hardest to 

attain. To suppress at will one’s biases, 

conditioning and patterns of thinking 

requires supreme mastery over one’s mind 

and sense organs. 

Samadhi is not a mindless blank state, where 

one is filled with bliss. The yogi is in control 

of the process and there is an object on which 

the concentration is directed with the 

purpose of understanding it. 

3.4. trayam ekatra samyama / the three 

together (applied on the same object) is 

called samyama. 

And Samyama leads to the ultimate 

knowledge pertaining to the object. 

As cardio training off court helps a 

tennis player, practicing 

samyama helps the yogi cultivate 

discrimination. 

3.5. tajjayat prajna lokaha / by mastering 

that, the light of knowledge dawns. 

By applying Samyama to different objects 

the Yogi attains discriminative knowledge, 

Viveka, the means to liberation. 

Another useful analogy is strength training. 

Strength is useful for everyday health and 

elite athletics. Squats and deadlifts are useful 

to develop functional strength. For some 

strength is an end in itself. They squat and 

deadlift just to squat and deadlift heavier 

weights. A bit like people doing asanas so 

they can do more difficult asanas. 

WE HAVE DONE IT BEFORE 

All of us have done Samyama in some form. 

As students, we spent time studying, 

analysing and contemplating academic 

problems. Concentration comes easy to 

some and we lose ourselves in doing things 

we love, and for others, it is hard work. 

3.2. tatra pratyaya ekatanata dhyanam / In 

dharana, the continuous flow of similar 

mental modifications is called dhyana. 

Dhyana finally leads to Samadhi, where 

concentration is so intense the object 

meditated upon is reflected on the mind of 

the meditator in its true essence, without 

being coloured by biases and conditioning. 

3.3. tad eva arthamatra nirbhasam svarupa 

sunyam iva samadhihò / when only the object 

of meditation shines forth in the mind, as 

though devoid of the thought of even the self 

(who is meditating), that state is called 

samadhi or Yogic concentration. 

2.26. viveka khyatiho aviplava hanopayaho / 

(being established in) unbroken 

discriminative knowledge is the means (to 

liberation) 

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR US? 

While samadhi is the highest level of 

concentration, the ability to concentrate to 

lesser degrees is still useful in real life. For 

example, it helps one to grasp a situation for 

what it is, uninfluenced by one’s biases and 

conditioning. Such an understanding will 

result in better decision making, which in 

turn will avoid needless suffering. As cardio 

training off court helps a tennis player, 

practicing samyama helps the yogi cultivate 

discrimination on and off the mat. 


MEDITATION 

MANTRA & MANTRA 

MEDITATION 

Sacred Sounds leading to Stillness 

BY RAM VAKKALANKA 

Mantras are powerful vibrations that 

rekindle the latent energies inside us. 

The universe is a repository of vast, limitless 

energies. For example, we all know the 

tremendous power of Solar energy. 

Similarly, water contains electrical energy. 

Our Planet has gravitational energy. Yoga 

philosophy teaches us to go beyond the 

apparent phenomena of the universe and see 

the presence of underlying intelligent 

Energies. Human beings are miniature 

universes in themselves, filled with microcounterparts 

of the macro cosmic energies. 

However, these energies are in a potential 

state in us and we need to ignite these 

slumbering giants inside of us. 

Mantras provide the spark to rev up these 

energies inside of us into motion. Mantras 

are sacred sounds which raise our 

vibrational level and connect us with the 

cosmic energies. 

Mantra is defined is mananat trayate 

iti mantraha - the which uplifts our 

consciousness when repeated is a mantra. In 

other words, mantra changes our vibration 

and lifts us to higher states of being. 

ORIGIN OF THE MANTRAS 

Mantras are found in the most ancient 

spiritual texts known to man - the Vedas. 

There are four Vedas and each Veda has four 

parts: the Mantra part, the Aranyakas, the 

Brahmanas and the Upanishads. There are 

said to be 8.4 million mantras. 

AUTHORSHIP OF THE MANTRAS 

Mantras are not authored by any one. They 

are not products of human creativity. 

Ancient Rishis (aka Yogis) elevated 

themselves to higher states of consciousness 

through deep meditation. In these states 

where they were connected with the root 

energy, they received the Mantras, channeled 

them and shared them for the benefit of 

humankind. In other words, Mantras are 

received from the Universe. They are not 

conceived like poetry or writing. 

SIX IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF MANTRA 

It is important to understand what makes a 

Mantra a Mantra. This prevents gullible 

seekers from becoming victims of fake 

Gurus. 

SIX PRE-REQUISITES OF MANTRA 

1 Rishi - the ‘Seer’ of the Mantra, the first 

person to receive the Mantra from the 

Universe. A Rishi is not the author of the 

Mantra but rather one who channeled it. 

2 Devata - is the cosmic energy manifested 

in sound form in the Mantra. Usually, the 

Mantra contains the name of the Devata. For 

example, Shiva is the Devata for the popular 

Mantra ‘Om Namaha Shivaya’. 

3 Chandas - is the numerical potency of the 

Mantra. Every Mantra has a specific number 

of syllables. Chandas stands for the 

numerical potency of this number. For 

example, the Mantra ‘Om Namaha 

Shivaya’ has the numerical potency of five. It 

is also known as ‘Panchakshari Mantra’ - the 

five-syllabled Mantra. 

4 Shakti - indicates the application of the 

Mantra. Mantras have many applications 

such as removal of obstacles from one’s path 

to growth, removal of illnesses, reducing 

inner resistance to change, attracting what 

one needs into one’s life. Mantras achieve 

this by raising one’s vibration and creating 

positive energies in the inner world of 

the practitioner. Shakti indicates the 

applicational energy of the Mantra. 

5 Bija - means seed. Out of a small seed 

comes a big tree. Similarly, out of the Bija 

comes a vast energy. Bija is the seed-energy 

of the Mantra. 

6 Keelakam - means key. It is the key to 

unlocking the vast potential and energy of the 

Mantra. 

TIPS FOR PRACTICING MANTRA 

MEDITATION 

Create a peaceful ambiance for yourself 

either in a room or a corner of a room. 

Practice Mantra meditation in this space 

only, as often as possible. 

Decorate your sacred space appropriately to 

evoke peace and tranquility. One may use 

one’s favourite incense. 

Mantra repetition is better done while seated 

on something rather than directly on the 

ground. A mat made with natural materials is 

best. Chair may also be used. 

Generally, early morning hours are the best 

time for Mantra meditation. However, 

practice anytime you can. 

ACCESSORIES FOR MANTRA 

MEDITATION 

1. Mala 

2. Favourite incense 

3. Candles 

COMMON QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 

22 NAMASKAR

1. What is the language of the Mantras? 

It is an ancient language known as Sanskrit. 

2. Can Mantras be translated into other 

languages such as English? 

Mantras were originally in Sanskrit. The 

meaning of the Mantras can be translated but 

the vibrations of the Mantras are unique to 

Sanskrit and cannot be translated. 

3. I don’t know the meaning of the mantra, is 

it still safe for me to repeat the Mantra? 

Yes, intellectual meaning is considered 

secondary to the vibrational energy of the 

Mantra. Mantra repetition is beneficial even 

if one doesn’t know the meaning of the 

Mantra. Fire burns when touched knowingly 

or unknowingly. Similarly, Mantras will 

create positive energy whether the 

practitioner knows their meaning or not. 

4.Is a Mantra similar to a positive assertion? 

A Mantra is similar to a positive assertion. 

However, Mantra has some distinctive 

characteristics. A positive assertion 

influences our mental make up. Mantra 

positively influences us at Karmic level which 

is much deeper. Mantras are more than 

positive assertions. A Mantra embodies a 

cosmic energy. 

Mantra meditation calms the mind down, 

helps to quiet the negative chatter in the mind 

and can help fight addictions and complexes. 

Mantra meditation can be safely practiced by 

anyone interested. 

REFLECTION 

STRONG BODY FROM 

YOGA 

May the Mind follow 

BY VINCENT WONG 

I have to confess I joined yoga to heal my 

body and as cross-training for my regular 

running. 

My back was injured from work. The 

diagnosis I got was the muscles on one side of 

my back were constantly contracted. I would 

wake up from my back in pain. Doing yoga 

has eased my back pain by strengthening the 

weaker side of back muscles, so I am more 

balanced. 

After a year of doing yoga, I find I am drawn 

into it. I look forward to going to class after 

work. I still mostly treat yoga as exercise and 

an excuse for a good sweat, and I have 

improved a lot since day one. 

Doing yoga is not easy. Beside strong muscles 

and flexible body, yoga also requires 

tremendous focus and patience. As a runner, 

I thought of myself as very fit. But, there are 

poses I couldn’t do. I realised what I was 

missing isn’t lack of muscle, but lack of 

spirit. To me lack of spirit means when you 

struggle to hold a pose you would talk 

yourself into giving up. I am learning how to 

focus from yoga. And in my observation, 

women are very good at that! 

A strong mind is not something you can 

teach. You can’t read an article, and then just 

tell your mind to be strong. It is an 

experience and it takes practice. It struck me 

one class when seeing people doing an 

“impossible” pose really well - Yoga is like 

continuously failing, but you keep trying that 

difficult pose, and everyone else in the class 

comes along with you too! 


24 NAMASKAR


26 NAMASKAR

AYURVEDA 

AYURVEDIC SOLUTIONS FOR 

DEMENTIA 

Balancing Udana Vayu 

BY VINOD SHARMA 

Ayurveda is an ancient but timeless science. 

It’s a complete science which can help 

everyone equally - infants, young and old - to 

enjoy a healthy life in all respects, physical, 

mental, emotional and spiritual. 

In this article I’ll share how Ayurvedic 

principles of diet and lifestyle coupled with 

simple herbs and home remedies, can help 

deal with a fast growing problem called 

dementia, and even reverse it, if applied at its 

initial stage. 

According to main stream science, Dementia 

is a clinical/health condition in which one’s 

normal brain functioning is adversely 

affected, which can cause complete or partial 

memory loss, impaired cognitive skills, 

depression, anxiety, confused mind, insanity, 

disorientation, etc. As a result of this, the 

affected person cannot perform his/her 

regular daily activities properly. 

Dementia is considered as one of problems 

generally sprouting from mental/ 

psychological and/or emotional platform. 

In Ayurveda, we try to find out what is the 

main cause of the problem. Broadly speaking, 

the health issues are mainly caused due to the 

imbalance of any one or more of the three 

humours, called “doshas” in Ayurveda: Vata 

(Air + Space), Pitta (Fire + Air + Water) and 

Kapha (Water + Earth). 

Dementia is considered as a subtle problem 

mainly caused by Vata imbalance. Vata is 

considered as a transporting dosha/element 

Vata is a 

transporting 

dosha and a link 

between our body 

and our mind 

in our body and it’s a link between our 

physical body and our mind. This is the most 

significant of the three doshas. 

There are five types of primary Vata in our 

body, namely Prana Vayu (the air element 

which is located in our chest/heart region, 

mainly governing the functioning of our 

respiratory system and the heart), Samana 

Vayu (the air element located in our stomach 

region, helping to digest the food we 

consume), Apana Vayu (the air element 

located in our lower abdomen, controlling 

the functioning of our excretory and 

reproductive organs/systems), Udana Vayu 

(air which circulates around and above our 

throat region, which helps us to express 

ourselves through articulation and 

expressions), and Vyana Vayu (air which 

circulates all around our body, facilitating 

blood circulation throughout our body). 

The particular type of air which causes subtle 

problem like dementia is Udana Vayu. When 

Udana Vayu does not circulate well and its 

flow slows down, oxygen supply towards the 

brain is insufficient and inconsistent. Due to 

this, the brain cells are not nourished 

properly and as a result, they become 

damaged and can also decay prematurely. Air 

is the most unstable element of the five 

elements. So when someone’s brain is 

affected by air imbalance, that individual’s 

memory becomes impaired, thinking/ 

reasoning ability is diminished, and that 

person may even feel disoriented due to lack 

of coordination between his/her brain and 

his/her body. 

Secondly, weakness of the earth element also 

contributes to dementia. Due to the weak 

earth element, an individual’s ability to retain 

any information becomes quite adversely 

affected. Therefore one does not remember 

even a simple thing like whether or not he/ 

she had breakfast that morning. 

The combined effect of imbalanced Vata and 

weak earth element can become the main 

cause of many neurological problems such as 

dementia. According to Ayurveda, generally 

Walnut fruit on tree. Walnuts can be helpful in treating 

dementia. 

old age is the period when our system is more 

influenced by Vata disorder, that’s why old 

age is known as the “Vata Period”. However, 

in modern times due to improper eating 

habits and unhealthy lifestyle, (air), being 

the most sensitive element, can go out of sync 

very easily even amongst young people and 

children. Therefore many serious 

neurological issues which were seen only in 

older people a few decades ago can be seen in 

very young people nowadays. 

HOW CAN AYURVEDA HELP DEMENTIA? 

There are certain simple home remedies 

which can be very effective. According to 

Ayurveda, there are three main things to 

enhance “Buddhi” (intellect/brain), and 

therefore help in combating this issue. These 

are “Brahmi” (bacopa monnieri), “Badam” 

(almonds) and “Bhastrika” (a Yogic 

pranayam/breathing technique). 

Please use Brahmi and almonds with other 

ingredients as follows: 

1. Soak 2 almonds (unroasted), 2 walnuts, 1 

teaspoon coriander seeds, 1 teaspoon fennel 

seeds, 3 pieces black pepper corns, 1 pod 

cardamom (only the seeds) and 1 teaspoon 

poppy seeds in half a cup of warm water 

(preferably use a copper bowl or a porcelain 

bowl but no other metal bowl for this 

purpose). Next morning, blend all the 

ingredients to make a paste & lick this paste 

before breakfast. Honey or maple syrup can 

be added to this as a sweetener. This formula 

will have a very relaxing effect on the brain 


and rejuvenating effect on brain cells. It will also have a calming effect 

on the nervous system by regulating Vata (air) circulation, 

specifically around and above the throat region, towards the brain 

and neurotransmitters. 

2. Mix 1 teaspoon of fresh turmeric juice with 1 teaspoon fresh 

gooseberry (amla/yau kam tze) juice, 1 teaspoon pure unprocessed 

honey and ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder. Take this mixture 2 – 3 

times a day. Avoid eating/drinking anything for at least 15 minutes 

before and after taking this. 

3. Take 2 tablets/capsules Ashwagandha (withania somnifera), 2 

tablets/capsules Brahmi (bacopa monnieri) and 2 tablets/capsules 

Shankhapushpi (Convolvulus Pluricaulis) with 100 ml warm water, 

after meals, 3 times a day. These remedies can be easily ordered 

through the internet. According to Ayurveda, when the combination 

of these three herbs is taken continuously for three months, it helps 

to improve the functioning of one’s brain tremendously. Therefore 

one’s memory, ability to reason, ability to analyse, ability to make 

decisions, can all improve substantially. This formula can also help to 

improve coordination between mind and body. 

4. Use pure almond oil for massaging the temples and scalp for 5 

minutes at night before going to bed. This will have a relaxing effect 

on one’s brain and induce good sleep. 

5. Avoiding uncooked vegetables, beans, nuts, yoghurt, citrus/sour 

fruits, eggplants, cucumber, onions and cooked tomatoes will help 

one prevent sleeping disorders, thereby helping to combat this issue. 

In short, one should follow a diet and lifestyle which can help to 

pacify and regulate Vata and which can enhance/strengthen the earth 

element and also boost the fire element within one’s system. 

Bhastrika Pranayama 

enhances fire element and 

has beneficial effects on 

brain and intellect. 

2. Start breathing in deeply and exhaling completely through your 

nose, increasing the speed of your breathing gradually, like an engine, 

and slow it down after 25 – 30 deep breaths. 

3. Then straighten your neck and bend it forward completely so that it 

touches the cavity of your throat. Keeping your eyes closed, 

concentrate on the nape of your neck (according to yogic literature, 

there is a point at the nape of the neck called “the point of intellect”). 

4. Repeat the vigorous breathing in the same manner for 25 – 30 

times. 

Bhastrika Pranayama enhances fire element in one’s body and has 

many beneficial effects on one’s brain and intellect. This wonderful 

pranayama can also help to improve the condition of an individual 

who is suffering from dementia due to less than optimal functioning 

of the Pituitary, Pineal, Thyroid and Parathyroid glands. One can 

start experiencing the benefits within three days of practicing it. 

Please note this pranayama should be done only in the morning on an 

empty stomach - avoid doing it in the evening, because it will activate 

the brain and therefore make it difficult to fall asleep. 

From a yogic perspective, Bhastrika Pranayam can be very effective 

and useful to improve functioning of the brain. There is a specific way 

of doing this pranayam, which is as follows: 

1. Stand straight on a yoga mat keeping the feet together. Tilt your 

head back as far as it can go. Close your eyes and concentrate on your 

crown. 

Almond fruit on a tree. The raw nut is inside and can be helpful in treating dementia 

28 NAMASKAR


30 NAMASKAR


DRISTI - YOGA & DEMENTIA 

HOW YOGA 

HELPS WITH 

DEMENTIA 

A Carer’s Perspective 

BY GABRIELLE MCMAHON 

A THREE-PRONGED APPROACH 

From China, India & the West................................................36 

THE YOGA OF DEATH & DYING 

Preparing for final savasana....................................................................37 

32 NAMASKAR

“The hardest thing? Everything is hard”, she 

says when asked what is her greatest obstacle 

for caring for her husband of 30 years with 

advanced dementia. 

With our ageing society, dementia and its 

impact upon carers, is becoming more 

prevalent. There are more than 413,106 

Australians living with dementia and 

worldwide there are more than 46.8 million 

people with dementia today and 131.5 million 

predicted by 2050. The total estimated 

worldwide costs of dementia were US$818 

billion in 2015. 

Although dementia is regarded as “a 

progressive decline in a person’s 

functioning,” a student said of his mother: 

“It was difficult dealing with the shock of the 

sudden deterioration. Deep sadness was my 

biggest emotion with the speed and extent of 

the change and now on a daily basis accepting 

the deterioration in quality of her life, is just 

heart-breaking.” 

My personal interviews of carers shows the 

impact that flows on from dementia, a 

disease impacting everyone from the 

individual to the Carer, to our society. 

Dementia is the single greatest cause of 

disability in older Australians (aged 65 years 

or older) and dementia is the second leading 

cause of death of Australians. If dementia 

were a country, it would be the world’s 18th 

largest economy. 

WHAT IS DEMENTIA 

Dementia is the term used to describe the 

symptoms of a large group of illnesses which 

cause a progressive decline in a person’s 

functioning. It is a broad term used to 

describe a loss of memory, intellect, 

rationality, social skills and physical 

functioning. There are many types of 

dementia including Alzheimer’s disease, 

vascular dementia, frontal temporal 

dementia and dementia with Lewy Bodies. 

Dementia can happen to anybody, but it is 

more common after the age of 65. 

INDEPENDENCE TO DEPENDENCE 

The stress of caring for a loved one with 

dementia can take a toll on the Carer. As the 

sufferer no longer has the ability to perform 

tasks once taken for granted, their loved one 

takes on those roles. In doing so, the nature 

of the relationship changes significantly and a 

loss of independence for both of them often 

causes much frustration. The relationship 

changes from a partnership and 

interdependence to a dependent one. A fun, 

adventurous and loving connection can 

change to an administrative and task 

orientated relationship with dementia. “She 

is so focused on her medication now”, a 

Carer said of his mother. 

Some sufferers can appear to be more 

demanding, “I am unable to leave my husband 

for more than a few hours, as he becomes 

very anxious and fears being left alone” said 

one wife, as they attach themselves very 

heavily to their main Carer. This can present 

a challenge for the Carer to have their own 

time. Frustration arises in the changing 

relationship “the most stress is dealing with 

all the details of managing third parties, all 

the tasks they can no longer perform by 

themselves”, commented a son in his new 

role as Power of Attorney of his Mother’s 

estate.Carers uniformly said: “Everyday is 

stressful, you do the best you can.” 

PREVENTATIVE MEDICINE 

With the potentially hereditary component 

and the link to autoimmune disease, 

preventative measures for the Carer have 

been important to keep positive about their 

own health, “I’m very focused on diet and 

keeping my body and mind active. Daily 

meditation and yoga, and trying to find time 

for some relaxation has been a game changer 

in how I care for my Mother and keep myself 

in good shape.” said a Carer living with an 

autoimmune disorder. 

The Carer’s loss of emotional support from 

their partner with dementia, can be very 

isolating. Joining the supportive weekly 

meditation group “enabled me to connect 

with others” and feel I wasn’t alone, said one 

sufferer’s wife. 

HOW YOGA, MEDITATION & 

BREATHING HELPS CARERS 

“Yoga and meditation helps to me switch off 

from the intensity of caring. My ability to 

focus on the pose depends on how Mum has 

been that day,” commented a student. 

“My caring life is much easier with 

meditation, I found it relaxes me and I have 

my own time”. 

Carers all found “the breath the most 

powerful tool to keep them in the moment, to 

remain compassionate, patient and 

respectful”, in their demanding caring roles. 

“The Yogic deep breathing is most helpful”, 

because of the stress and worry with the 

caring for her husband as “it helps relax me”. 

Caring for a loved one often has the added 

challenge of the Carer themselves dealing 

with their own health concerns. This can put 

an additional strain on the relationship. “My 

morning routine of Yoga and meditation is 

“my time” for physical activity and quietness, 

that helps me balance my day”, said a busy 

office professional managing his own health 

concerns, caring role and high profile career. 

RETURNING TO BALANCE 

These are some of the tips I give my 

Wholistic Coaching clients who are full-time 

Carers: 

1. Time for Yourself. Find something they 

enjoy doing outside of the home and for 

themselves each week. Such as going out for a 

“cuppa” with friends, sewing or Men’s shed 

A fun and loving connection can 

change to an administrative and task 

orientated relationship with 

dementia 

(woodwork for men), many come to Yoga or 

Meditation to be part of a positive and 

connective group. 

2. Ask for help. Get support from local 

agencies to help with their loved one’s care 

needs and get involved in programs to 

educate and support themselves. 

3. Accept help. Say yes to others offers to 

supply a cooked meal, drive to appointments, 

clean the house etc. 

4. Join a support group. Meet with other 

Carers, or a find a like-minded group that 

makes you smile, laugh or sing! 

5. Keep active. Do an activity that helps to 

reduce stress and take your mind off 

worrying about the person you are caring 

for, such as walking, swimming, bowling, 

cycling or Yoga! 


DRISTI 

A THREE- 

PRONGED 

APPROACH 

TO 

DEMENTIA 

Therapies 

from East & 

West 

BY TIMY HUI 

Dementia is a broad category of brain 

diseases which cause long term and often 

gradual decrease in the ability to think and 

remember to the extent that it affects a 

person’s daily functioning. Accompanying 

dementia is usually emotional problems, 

language/speech issues and apathy or a 

decrease in motivation. 

The most common type of dementia is 

Alzheimer’s Disease which makes up 50 – 70 

% of dementia cases. Diagnosis is usually by 

cognitive testing, i.e. asking a series of 

questions, with blood work to rule out other 

possible causes. 

There are about 46.8 million people living 

with dementia worldwide, and this is 

expected to double every 20 years, reaching 

74.7 million by 2030! The fastest growth in 

the elderly population is in China and India. 

From the perspective of Traditional Chinese 

Medicine (TCM), the Kidney Meridian 

Energy Channel is closely related to the 

health of our brain. The gradual decline of 

the level of Qi and the increase in blockage of 

Qi along the Kidney Meridian may lead to a 

series of symptoms - dementia being one of 

them. 

TCM views the Kidney Meridian as working 

closely with the Lung and Spleen Meridians. 

So by gently stimulating the sore points along 

these meridians supposedly unblocks the 

flow of Qi, thereby alleviating the symptoms 

of dementia. 

VIBRATIONAL THERAPY FOR 

DEMENTIA 

Meridian-PaiSha: Vibration Therapy is a 

deeper form of Guo-Sha. 

In both treatments repeated physical 

pressure is used to break down blockages 

from the muscles, tendons, blood vessels, 

lymphatic system along the affected 

meridian, allowing the waste materials to be 

expelled or assimilated. In the more 

controversial Guo-Sha [controversial 

because Western medicine does not 

recognize Qi and some recent deaths have 

been potentially linked to the treatment], the 

vibration is administered by repeated 

slapping. 

In the gentler Pai Sha (Vibration Therapy), a 

cotton hammer is used to stimulate the 

painful points along these three Meridians. 

The practice would be conducted three times 

a day (once between 5 – 7 am, once between 5 

– 7 pm and once just before bed) for 30 

minutes each time, and at least 3 days per 

week, but ideally every day. 

In addition to the physical breakdown of the 

blockages, the gentle painful sensation 

generated will stimulate the activities of the 

brain cells directly and hence can slow down 

the process of dementia. Dementia sufferers 

should see improvement after 52 weeks of 

continuous practice. 

YOGASANA FOR DEMENTIA 

As dementia is a primarily a brain problem, 

so yogasana to treat it should be focused on 

stimulating our brain, such as through gentle 

inversions. In addition, there should be some 

aerobic element to the yogasana sequence to 

improve blood circulation to the brain. As 

well as strengthening and stretching to 

balance muscles tone. 

WALKING DOWN-DOG 

Downward Facing Dog is one of the asana 

that can meet all the above criteria. 

“Walking” here means to walk using both the 

two hands and the two legs, while keeping 

pose in Downward-Facing Dog, for about 5 

minutes. If the practitioner suffers dizziness 

or discomfort, he/she can stand up and walk 

with two legs until the discomfort has 

passed. 

As dementia suffers are usually elderly, 

Walking Down-Dog maybe preempted by 

“Baby Walking” first. That is, to walk using 

the two hands and two knees. 

YIN-YANG STANDING FORWARD- 

BACKWARD BENDING SEQUENCE 

This is a gentle inversion pose that will 

improve the Qi of our brain. It is a standard 

standing forward bend with both leg engaged 

Yang style while the upper body muscles are 

totally relaxed Yin style for about 2- 

3minutes. 

Then follow this sequence: 

1. Breath-in and stand-up slowly with both 

hands pointing to the ceiling 

2. Breath-out backward bend for about 3 

seconds (those with low Qi level may feel 

dizzy when go backward bend, if this is the 

case, just stand still and close the eyes until 

the dizzy feeling disappears) 

3. Breath-in go back to standing position 

4. Breath-out to “Yin-Yang” forward bend 

for about 2-3minutes 

5. Repeat the above 3 times 

6. Savasana 2-3minutes. 

SQUATTING BACKWARD-FORWARD 

BENDING SEQUENCE 

This sequence redirects Qi and body 

resources to our leg and improve the Qi 

flowing inside the Kidney Meridian and 

Spleen Meridian. 

1. Squat down and totally relax body and mind 

for about 3-5minutes 

2. Breath-in and stand-up slowly with both 

hands pointing to the ceiling 

3. Breath-out backward bend for about 3 

seconds (those with low “Qi” level may feel 

dizzy when go backward bend, if this is the 

case, just stand still and close the eyes until 

the dizzy feeling disappears) 

4. Breath-in go back to standing position 

5. Breath-out to “Yin-Yang” forward bend 

6. Squatting again for another 3-5minutes 

34 NAMASKAR

dementia is a primarily a brain 

problem, so yogasana should focus 

on stimulating our brain; gentle 

inversions; aerobic element to 

improve blood circulation to the 

brain; and strengthening and 

stretching to balance muscle tone. 


7. Repeat the above for 3 times 

8. Finally, take a gentle walk for about 2- 

3minutes 

LIFE RE-ENGINEERING FOR DEMENTIA 

According to WHO (World Health 

Organization), Chronic Diseases are of long 

duration and generally slow progression, 

when viewed from the result of the disease. If 

we observe from the “cause”, Chronic 

Diseases are the accumulation of “Tiny Root 

Causes” over years or decades until the body 

of the patient suddenly collapses from a 

heart attack, stroke, is diagnosed with 

Alzheimer’s Disease, diabetes, or even 

cancer. 

One example of the relationship between 

“Tiny Root Causes” and Chronic Diseases is 

smoking and lung cancer. If you just smoke 

one cigarette, probably nothing will be 

happened; but if smoking becomes a habit, 

the condition of your lungs and the whole 

respiratory system will degenerate as time 

goes by. 

The role of “Life Re-Engineering” is to help 

dementia sufferers or carers identify “Tiny 

Root Causes”, to remove them and to 

establish a healthy lifestyle. It is labeled as 

“Re-Engineering” because changing one’s 

habit is very difficult! 

Common “Tiny Root Causes” in a city like 

Hong Kong may be: 

1. Over using our body – e.g. shop assistant 

standing 10 hours a day, restaurant worker 

putting in 12 hour shifts 

2. Inadequate use of our body – e.g. zero 

exercise, sleeping later than 11pm 

3. Long-term emotional problems - working 

under intense and long-term pressure, bad 

relationships with family members 

4. Cold-Body Effect – habitually eating icecream, 

iced-drinks, spending a great deal of 

time in low-temperature air-conditioned 

interiors in summer time 

5. Eating too much or eating too late 

6. Daily medication 

7. External and Environmental Pollutants - 

Air Pollution, Water Pollution, Radiation 

from WiFi Routers, Mobile Phones and 

Mobile Station 

On their own, these may be little and 

insignificant issues, but all together they can 

put tremendous pressure on our physical, 

emotional and spiritual bodies after years or 

decades. Making an assessment of yourself 

or a loved one’s life could be a starting point 

to preventing your own decline, or slowing 

the decline of someone you are caring for. 

DRISTI 

THE YOGA 

OF DEATH 

& DYING 

Preparing 

for Final 

Savasana 

BY CHANDRIKA GIBSON 

Have you ever contemplated your own death? 

Not in a suicidal sense, but in the realistic 

contemplation of the eventual demise of the 

physical self. Contemplating mortality forms 

a spiritual practice for many different 

traditions including some Yogic and 

Buddhist practitioners. This is really the 

antithesis of modern postural yoga’s body 

consciousness. It’s easy, and some might say 

preferable, to imagine your body will last 

forever. Yet no matter how lovingly you tend 

to its needs, the ageing process will occur in a 

timeframe that is both fast and slow. The 

ultimate transition from life in a physical 

vehicle is inevitable. Death is the final stage 

but before that, a whole process of living 

plays out in a phase known as dying. 

Like other big transitions such as the birth of 

a baby, the major transition of end of life, is 

potentially a catalyst for engaging in spiritual 

practice. Yoga therapists are well placed to 

support people who seek mastery over their 

minds, and peace with their changing bodies 

at the end of their life. 

KOSHAS, SUTRAS AND THE GOOD LIFE 

The Taittriya Upanishad, a Vedic era Sanskrit 

text, describes a model of the human being as 

five-layered, the pancha maya kosha model. 

The model functionally describes lifestyle 

and techniques to clarify perception in order 

to accurately observe the self (svadhyaya). 

Each layer is increasingly subtle, beginning 

with the body (annamaya kosha) made of 

physical elements and maintained through 

food and movement, right through to the 

wisdom (jnanamaya kosha) and bliss 

(anandamaya kosha) sheaths. Yogic 

philosophy describes incarnation as a 

crudifying process, from the bliss sheath 

into the form of the physical body, and death 

as a reversal of the same process, becoming 

increasingly more subtle until the physical 

form dissolves. 

According to Patanjali’s yoga sutras, clinging 

to life (abhinevesha) is one of the obstacles 

to yoga, or ultimate union with cosmic 

consciousness/bliss. Recognising ourselves 

as multi-dimensional beings (panchamaya 

kosha) means perceiving the physical body 

(annamaya kosha) as one aspect to 

ourselves, temporary, crude, useful for 

sadhana ( spiritual practice) but not 

indicative of our essential nature ( ananda 

maya kosha) which is cosmic bliss. While the 

great mystery of what happens after the body 

dies may not be directly perceivable, yogic 

cosmology gives us a beautiful model to work 

with in life. Recognising the impermanence of 

the body removes a layer of ignorance 

(avidya) and liberates the mind from the 

habit of clinging to body identification. 

STARING AT THE SUN 

Author Irvin D. Yalom describes thinking 

about your death as akin to staring at the sun. 

It’s radical, dangerous even, certainly fear 

provoking. It can only be done fleetingly, 

through the protective shield of cupped 

hands. Yalom explains many of our life 

36 NAMASKAR

practice dying regularly, 

so you may live more fully 

Azmi in Vrksasana variation, photo by Yoshi Anwar 


choices are driven by the deep seated anxiety 

we have about death. 

In yoga we consciously cultivate a 

relationship with the sun through practices 

such as surya namaskar, but using Yalom’s 

analogy we lean in to what we fear, whether 

that’s through asana, relationship or in our 

own mind in meditation. 

Not everyone feels anxious about death. In 

some cultures death is seen commonly, and 

involves rituals to include everyone in a 

shared experience of letting go. In India it’s 

not uncommon to see bodies carried through 

the streets, on their way to the ghats where 

the remains will be burned and set afloat on 

the river. In other places though, youth and 

health are highly valued, and elderly people 

disappear into facilities isolated from the 

wider community. Even in sudden, traumatic 

deaths, bodies are quickly covered and 

removed from public spaces. We may see the 

chalk outline of death, but seldom the 

visceral reality. 

In yoga the whole mess of life and death can 

be observed, even celebrated. Active 

meditation on self can carry us beyond bodily 

and ego identity, to other concepts of what ‘I 

‘may be. Enquiry practices encourage us to 

ponder the thinker having the thoughts, is 

that who I am? The witness to the sensations, 

is that the true self? Vedic wisdom gives us a 

technique, noted in the Upanishads, of Neti 

Neti, not this, not this. By watching the 

thoughts of who or what ’I’ identifies with, 

the meditator loosens identity with external 

things, until they realise ‘I’ am simply ‘I’. As a 

reminder of this realisation we can use the 

mantra, So Ham, repeatedly reminding 

oneself, ‘I am that I am’. 

PRANA FLOW IN LIFE AND DEATH 

Yogic physiology describes the flow of Prana 

through nadis, governed by winds or Vayus 

which may be manipulated through specific 

practices to direct Prana to spiritual goals. 

The end of life is the natural culmination of 

Prana leaving the nadis and being directed 

towards subtler functions, until finally 

merging into the pranic ocean of the 

universe. 

Daily life is not generally concerned with 

directing consciousness or Prana. Many 

people draw their prana from stimulants, 

relationships and exciting adventures in the 

world. Yoga practitioners may undergo a 

process of deeper understanding of their 

own prana, developing a sattvik lifestyle with 

fewer requirements from the external world. 

Yet no matter how practiced, the end of life 

will still likely ask you to drop your sense 

pleasures. Even simple pleasures like 

nutritious food and drink, loving touch, 

sunshine and fresh air, are minimal and 

eventually unavailable at the end of life. So all 

the ways you sent your Prana out, all the 

karmendriyas (exit doors for senses) of your 

nervous system function, are shutting down, 

until internal senses are all that’s left. This 

can be understandably terrifying. 

SATYA & SURRENDER 

The ethics and models of yoga philosophy can 

be used to frame the experience of death and 

dying. One common experience is of receiving 

a prognosis, a doctors’ educated guess at 

how long the disease process is likely to take 

in your case. 

Satyam Brown, palliative care consultant 

says most patients or residents in care 

facilities want to know the truth. They seek 

Satya for themselves, to come to terms with 

their experience, and for their loved ones 

too. They appeal to medical professionals to 

drop the euphemisms and double talk and 

give them benevolent truth. They want this so 

they can make informed decisions about 

things like power of attorney (who decides 

when life support is switched off and more), 

whether to try an experimental drug regime, 

to hang on valiantly, or to surrender. 

Ah surrender, the spiritual notion of letting 

go. Surrender has many forms and is seldom 

practiced in any deep way during our 

householder years. In fact most people are 

rewarded by striving and avoid surrendering 

to anything external. Yet life is fleeting and 

our practiced approach is what becomes our 

default setting under stress. 

So if you’ve practiced in business for 

example, responding to threats to your 

security with aggression, imagine the 

experience of an aged care resident who has 

lost control of their finances, cognitive 

function and bowels. Their shame, 

frustration and even rage is rational, yet 

distressing. 

RELATIONSHIP YOGA 

The whole process of dying can be greatly 

distressing to observers, including nurses, 

carers, relatives and support staff. When you 

contemplated your death did you want 

certain people around? Yet frequently it’s an 

isolating experience due to others 

withdrawing out of fear or pre-emptive grief. 

Close relationships are the solace of life. In 

the Anahata chakra , the vritti of mamata, 

(attachment) speaks to our bonds with those 

we consider our own kin. Yet while the dying 

person may be seeking reassurance of that 

kinship, the significant others may be 

protecting themselves from the pain of loss, 

by covering their own tender hearts. 

Yoga therapists can offer a professional, 

heart centred relationship that is a rare gift 

at any phase of life, but particularly valuable 

at the end of life. Having a professional 

listener who is not personally grieving (not to 

say therapists don’t also feel the loss of 

clients but it’s different from the child or 

partner of the person dying), and has no 

agenda other than to be of service, allows the 

dying person to use their strengths and 

accept their changing circumstances with 

support. Offering guided relaxation, 

meditation, pranayama, mudra, mantra, 

gentle asana like movement that may alleviate 

the discomfort of being in a bed, and self - 

awareness opportunities are all ways the 

yoga therapist assists. Perhaps the most 

powerful offering though is calm, kind 

presence. 

FACING FEAR FOR YOURSELF AND 

OTHERS 

To prepare for our own deaths we can 

choose to practice with inner focus, using 

drishtis when eyes are open, and practicing 

seated or supine meditations where senses 

are withdrawn from the outer world. In 

every savasana is an opportunity to gently 

sneak up on our own death anxiety, to 

witness our mental fluctuations in the face of 

stillness, and gradually, over time, cultivate 

santosha, a contentment with what is, even if 

what is turns out to be inevitable loss and 

discomfort. 

Your own fears around death must be faced 

enough to be calm and kind in the presence of 

someone’s suffering. The urge to save, fix or 

even alleviate suffering is an impulse to watch 

dispassionately. For beyond basic physical 

care, the most important quality to have with 

a dying person, is calm acceptance. This can 

only be cultivated through your own 

sadhana. So practice dying regularly, so that 

you may live more fully and accept the 

eventual cessation of individual pranic flow. 

The universal Prana welcomes all. 

38 NAMASKAR

The universal Prana welcomes all 


40 NAMASKAR


42 NAMASKAR

IN BRIEF 

MUDRAS 

BY KRISHNAA KINKARI 

Mudras provide easy access to yoga for those 

facing physical or mental challenges however 

these arise; age-related frailty, decrease in 

memory power, letting oneself give up when 

faced with endless problems. 

All yoga provides the super tools to 

overcome these human weaknesses that are 

just part of life! Mudras are simple to 

perform and rely a lot on touch so can be felt 

even by those who do not see so well. They 

are simple, very personal, are numerous 

enough to give a positive answer to all sorts 

of disorders and definitely invite spiritual 

insight and the willpower to succeed even in 

the direst of conditions. The heart and the 

brain align and combine to fire up the boiler 

of enthusiasm. 

I spent a month and a half in India recently 

and found a school for abandoned and 

abused blind boys. I felt so humble in front of 

their courage; there they were writing their 

national exams in braille in the humblest of 

conditions, smiling and singing their hearts 

out! 

Let’s take a look at purifying the five 

elements of which our bodies are made up so 

we can proceed comfortably and healthily 

onward with our life throughout this year 

ahead: remember, all mudras need to be 

practised with regularity and faith! 

Resolve to renounce those habits which 

afflict our progress and adopt those which 

are beneficial. 

So we will look at: 

1. Prithvi – earth element, represents 

stability 

2 Varuna – water element, represents fluidity 

3 Akasha – ether or space element, 

represents upliftment 

4 Vayu – air element, represents movement 

5 Agni – fire element, represents warmth and 

growth 

and understand them within the contexts of 

our adhibhautik (physical), adhyatmik 

(mental) and adhidaivik (spiritual) realms. 

PRITHVIA MUDRA 

The fourth ring finger is our earth finger, 

related to Muladhara Chakra and to the 

faculty of smell. The earth provides 

sustenance, stability balance and confidence, 

a knowledge of personal identity in 

relationship to humanity as a whole and great 

growth potential. 

Method: With palms facing up join the tips of 

the thumb and the ring finger. Extend the 

other fingers. Hold with both hands for 5 

to15 minutes. 

It is nourishing, eliminates energy deficit, 

and brings a feeling of security. It helps with 

inner cleansing and thus upliftment. 

VARUNA MUDRA 

The little finger is related to the water 

element and thus to Svadhishtana chakra and 

the sense of taste. Water is ultimately 

purifying. This mudra can stimulate 

cleansing of the blood and release of mucous 

congestion. It is probably the most effective 

face lift and anti-wrinkle treatment when it 

rehydrates. It keeps the mind flowing and 

lucid and brings clarity to the intellect, 

removing the clouds of fear, doubt, anxiety 

and grief. 


Method: Join the tips of the thumb and the 

little finger with both hands, palms up and 

the other fingers extended. 5 to 15 minutes. 

VAYU MUDRA 

The forefinger is related to Vayu or wind/air. 

AKASHA MUDRA 

The middle finger is related to Akasha, 

space, sky, infinity. From Akasha arises 

sound and this mudra is related to the fifth, 

Vishuddi Chakra and speech. 

Awareness of space brings peace and 

pleasant emptiness to the mind. This mudra 

can help with physical and mental clutter. 

Golden silence, most nourishing for the soul, 

can be experienced and appreciated. 

Method: Join the tips of the thumb and the 

middle finger. Sit with the palms up, backs of 

the hands on the knees, other three fingers 

flat. Five minutes daily is good. 

It is easy to understand the effects of excess 

wind in the body since it causes so much 

discomfort in the body and is also 

responsible for disruptive mental states such 

as attention deficit disorder and fragmented 

concentration.The memory becomes weak 

too leading to agitation. However it is often 

caused by bad diet and so this must also be 

regulated. Air is the element related to the 

Anahata [heart] Chakra. And so its 

stabilization through the focus of the Mudra 

can be very healing to the heart. 

Method: Touch the ball of the thumb with the 

tip of the index finger. Then fold the thumb 

over it between the two finger joints. Palms 

up with the other three fingers extended 

relaxedly. Five to 10 minutes daily . 

AGNISURYA MUDRA 

The thumb relates to the element of fire 

which is the catalyst for all changes/ 

processes. The Mudra used here is the Surya 

Mudra or the Gesture of the sun. The most 

important fire of the body is the digestive fire 

without which the body cannot be nourished. 

Growth requires sunlight. People have great 

energy when exposed to sunlight, as do plants 

. 

44 NAMASKAR

This Mudra is related to the Manipura 

Chakra and can help with obesity when 

practiced for up to 45 minutes daily! 

Method: Touch the ball of the thumb with the 

tip of the ring finger. Fold the thumb over the 

ring finger between its two joints. The other 

three fingers remain extended. 

Obviously its efficacy can be increased by 

gentle exposure to the sun especially at 

sunrise when positive energy abounds. 

With all of these Mudras the regular practice 

of the techniques will lead to the beneficial 

effects. You cannot taste a meal just by 

talking about it! We share our five elements 

with all created matter and we should 

become aware of our special place within 

creation most especially as yogis who always 

seek to benefit and serve others. 

Enlightenment needs to gain entrance 

through many gateways into the body and 

soul. 

BOOK REVIEW 

GREAT 

DISCIPLES OF 

THE BUDDHA 

by Nyanaponika Thera 

&Hellmuth Hecker 

BOOK REVIEWED BY TIA SINHA 

“A wonderful addition to our understanding 

of the culture of awakening. Scholarly and 

inspiring, this book brings to life the 

struggles, practice and realization of the 

great disciples of the Buddha – and we begin 

to connect their spiritual journeys with our 

own.” - by Joseph Goldstein 

Containing living portraits of 24 of the most 

distinguished disciples of the Buddha who 

were also contemporary to him, this book is 

a masterpiece. The principal source for the 

biographies of these great disciples is the Pali 

Canon, the scriptural collection of Theravada 

Buddhism. Within the Pali Canon, the 

principal source is the Sutta Pitaka. 

The disciples whose lives are portrayed here 

include, of course, the better known 

disciples such as Shariputta and 

Mahamogallana, the generous merchant 

Anathapindaka, Buddha’s attendant Ananda 

and the serial killer-turned-saint Angulimala. 

Each life is dealt with in detail – always 

relevant detail that keeps the story 

interesting. We come to know about the early 

years of each disciple, incidents in their lives 

that led them to question, their meeting with 

the Buddha, the training they underwent 

under his guidance, the transformation that 

came about in them and their contribution to 

the spread of the Buddha’s teachings. 

Twelve female disciples are also included. 

Among these, there are the courtesans 

Ambapali and Sirima. There is Kisagotami, 

the mother who refused to accept the death 

of her little child. There is Sona who was 

driven to the ascetic life by the ingratitude of 

her children. There is Mallika who became a 

queen due to a single act of generosity to the 

Buddha. There is Visakha whose generosity 

to the Buddha and his monks transformed 

her niggardly father-in-law. There is Nanda 

whose physical beauty had made her vain. 

There is Bhadda Kundalakesa who repented 

after murdering her thieving husband. There 

is Isidasi who had to pay for sexual 

misconduct as a man in a previous birth, for 

many lives to come. And of course there is 

Patacara who became mad with grief when 

she lost her husband on a dark stormy night 

and her two little children, both parents and 

brother in a flood. 

Each tale is told with great simplicity. It is 

heartening to see how ordinary people were 

transformed into awakened beings after they 


came in contact with the Buddha and worked 

on their minds. Sometimes misdeeds from 

the past lives of the disciples that led to pain 

in their current lives and also good deeds that 

led to good fortune and happiness are also 

explained. The tales are liberally sprinkled 

with poetic compositions of these great 

disciples. 

Each disciple comes alive in the pages of this 

enjoyable, eye-opening, often moving and 

truly inspiring book. Great Disciples of the 

Buddha is a marvelous must read for those 

committed to transforming themselves. 

TEACHER TRAINING 

FROM 

IMMERSION 

TO A DAILY 

PRACTICE 

BY VIRGINIE MOREL 

The house is calm. 

The city is slowly waking up. 

The morning sun is gently spreading its rays. 

I light a candle, go to my mat, sit on my 

cushion, close my eyes and start my morning 

practice. 

I orientate my awareness inside, tune in to 

my breath, observing a moment of gratitude 

for this practice. 

Allowing me to be present and filled with joy. 

After a few slow spine movements and some 

breathing exercise, slowly my body starts to 

stretch and my breath deepens. 

I then sit in stillness, start chanting and 

afterwards meditate. 

This has become my morning practice, a daily 

ritual that grounds me and enables me to 

choose the energy that will lead me through 

my day. It feels so natural to me now. But it 

hasn’t always been the case. 

Let’s go back to the Spring of 2015… 

I was sitting in a very shaky airplane from 

Hong Kong on the way to Rishikesh, on the 

foothills of the Himalayas, where the River 

Ganges starts. I was going to spend a month 

of immersion in the teachings of yoga in this 

scared land of the Rishis. 

I would soon meet my teacher Kia Miller and 

follow her training to become a yoga teacher. 

I had never met her before the trip but 

followed my heart - though this bumpy flight 

did make me wonder if it was a good omen. 

Nevertheless, I knew I had made the right 

decision and I was in the right place. 

In the following morning, I found myself 

sitting in a circle with Kia and 25 other yogis, 

sharing what led us to this yoga teacher 

training. When my turn came, I told them I 

just wanted to have my own practice and I 

had no interest in teaching (little did I know 

then that the universe had other plans for 

me!). After about ten years of practicing 

Hatha and Iyengar yoga, I felt ready to dive 

deeper in the practice, focus on breathing 

and meditation. Above all, I would like to be 

able to practice on my own without relying on 

a teacher, being able to practice in silence, 

just following the rhythm of my breath and 

the needs of my body. 

As it turned out, coming to India was one of 

the most transformative experiences in my 

life. Being in the place where yoga has been 

practiced for thousands of years gives you a 

different perspective. 

Every day we started with a sadhana 

(spiritual practice) at 6am. This involved 

some movements (asanas), breaths 

(pranayama) and meditation. It was all very 

new to me, but from this day on, I was 

hooked. This is where it all started. The quiet 

time in the morning before the whirlwind of 

life kicks in. 

I remember meditating in the yoga shala: 

wrapped in my scarf, eyes closed, senses 

inward, yet aware of the world around us 

waking up – noises from the animals like the 

monkeys running on the roof (maybe this is 

where the concept of monkey mind comes 

from), the smell of the fire being started 

from the nearby houses, the sound of the 

river...An hour later, we gathered to have 

breakfast and spent the rest of the day 

studying, practicing and becoming familiar 

with the various aspects of Yoga. 

Rishikesh, India 

46 NAMASKAR

This was a transformative month of intense 

learning on a physical, spiritual and emotional 

level – mostly about myself. And a new journey 

began. 

Practicing yoga daily during the training has 

changed me in many ways. Although I had 

practiced yoga for more than ten years then, I 

had never had a daily practice like sadhana 

(spiritual practice). 

During this month of immersion, we had the 

daily practice together in the wee hours in 

Rishikesh. I discovered a new relationship 

with my body, my mind and even my soul. I 

started to let go of things that didn’t serve me 

and thoughts that were negative and harming 

me. My whole vibration started to change. I 

started hearing from people how I looked 

differently. At the same time, I definitely felt 

that I was more centred and happy - and 

overall I knew I was changing for the better. 

What an amazing journey toward a new way of 

being! 

After I came back home after this India trip, I 

wanted to continue with this daily practice. So 

I started practicing a short and simple 

sadhana: 10 minutes of some movements to 

warm up my spine and some breathing 

exercises. I find it easier to practice in the 

morning as there are less distractions - as the 

whirlwind of the day hasn’t started. 

As I look back to the month of immersion, it 

was a beautiful privilege to start and create a 

new habit of having a daily sadhana with a 

group of yogis – it is the support of a sangha 

that really helped kick start my daily 

practice. 

Naturally, when I am alone, it would take 

more effort to keep up - and the key is to do a 

little bit every day. Kia told me to choose a 

practice that would be realistic and easy to 

integrate in my daily life. With that in mind, I 

think that is why I can stick with it to this 

day. Just keep it simple. 

Over the time, I have started to add more 

elements and increase the length of my 

sadhana. The content changes regularly, too. 

To make it less dull (like counting the days 

for the sake of it), I usually do a special 

practice for a period of 40 or 90 days (e.g. a 

kundalini kriya or a special meditation). By 

keeping the content consistent for a period 

of time – though it may appear to be the same 

– shifts start to take place for me and I find 

myself in a different place each day. 

Today is a special day for me - as I have been 

doing my sadhana for 700 consecutive days. 

A daily practice has taught me so much about 

myself, life and universe. I am thankful for 

the gift of yoga that brings me from darkness 

to light. In kundalini tradition, they say that 

once you pass one thousand days of sadhana, 

the whole world will change - what an 

exciting journey I have ahead! 

Yoga teacher, Kia Miller 


CROSSWORD 

WOMEN DISCIPLES FROM BUDDHA’S TIME 

BY TIA SINHA 

1. 2. 3. 4. 

5. 

ACROSS 

1. Jumble ‘Goa aim skit’ to give a 

woman who, unable to accept the 

death of her little son, implored 

the Buddha to revive him. (10) 

6. 

8. 9. 

7. 

3. 3 ACROSS, 9 DOWN and 13 

ACROSS. Jumble ‘Baulk sake 

add a hand’ to give a curly-haired 

woman who murdered her 

husband who was robbing her, 

repented, renounced and later 

became an Arhat. (6,7,4) 

10. 

11. 12. 

6. Anagram of ‘a la milk’ gives the 

daughter of a garland-maker who 

became a queen the day she 

spontaneously gave some rice to 

the Buddha. (7) 

8. Jumble ‘Aka Shiv’ to give the 

Buddha’s chief patroness. (7) 

13. 

11. Jumble ‘Anand’ to give the Buddha’s half-sister whose 

enthrallment with her own physical beauty was shattered when the 

Buddha conjured up a vision of an even more beautiful woman who 

then aged visibly and relentlessly before her very eyes. (5) 

10. Anagram of ‘via a mast’ gives 

a woman lay disciple the Buddha 

called the most skilled in 

spreading Metta or loving 

kindness. (8) 

12. Jumble ‘apa carat’ to give a woman who became mad with grief 

when her husband, two sons, both parents and brother died in the 

space of one day. After meeting the Buddha, she practised diligently 

and was to become a great practitioner of the Buddha Dharma. (8) 

13. See 3 ACROSS. 

DOWN 

1. Anagram of ‘K Ahem’ gives a woman from a royal family who became an 

Arhat when she listened to just one sermon by the Buddha. (5) 

2. Jumble ‘I said si’ to give a woman who married thrice, was 

repeatedly and mysteriously rejected by her husbands despite her 

good behaviour and became an Arhat under the Buddha’s guidance. (7) 

4. Anagram of ‘bail a map’ gives a courtesan who became a devotee and 

a generous patroness of the Buddha. (8) 

5. Jumble ‘Mira is’ to give another courtesan who became a great 

devotee of the Buddha. (6) 

7. Jumble ‘a taut r’ to give a young follower of the Buddha who was 

not allowed to perform a single meritorious deed in her husband’s 

home. (6) 

9. See 3 ACROSS. 

10. Jumble ‘a son’ to give a woman who brought up 10 children only to 

receive ingratitude and scorn from them, became a nun at an old age 

and soon after, an Arhat. (4) 

Solution on page 50 

48 NAMASKAR


QUIZ 

TWO FREE PASSES 

FOR ASIA YOGA 

CONFERENCE 2017 

The 10th Asia Yoga Conference will take place 8 - 11 June at Hong 

Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre. Headliners include 

Ashtanga Yoga teacher David Swenson, Jivanmukti founders 

Sharon Gannon & David Life, Dharma yoga found Sri Dharma 

Mittra will be joined by a host of other yogasana, meditation, 

philosphy, related discipline teachers. 

Namaskar is proud to be the sponsor of this event and grateful to 

the organisers for offering free passes to our readers. 

The first person to email fgairns@netvigator.com with the 

correct answers to the following questions will receive two 

passes to the four-day event. 

i How many presenters will there be at AYC 2017? 

ii How many types of workshops will there be at AYC 2017? 

iii Which meditation teacher at AYC 2017 is originally from 

Spain and spent 18 years as a monk? 

iv Which Ashtanga teacher at AYC 2017 founded Samahita 

Retreat in Koh Samui, Thailand? 

v Which Iyengar teacher started studying under B.K.S. Iyengar 

at the age of 7? 

CROSSWORD SOLUTION FROM PAGE 48 

ACROSS 

1. Kisagotami, 3. Bhadda , 6. Mallika, 8. Visakha, 10. Samavati, 11. Nanda, 

12. Patacara, 13. Kesa 

DOWN 

1. Khema, 2. Isidasi, 4. Ambapali, 5. Sirima, 7. Uttara, 9. Kundala, 10. Sona 

50 NAMASKAR


DIRECTORY 

Guide to yoga studios 

& teachers 

ANAHATA VILLAS & SPA 

RESORT 

Ubud, Bali, Indonesia 

s: group retreats, yoga for 

private & corporates. Yoga 

studio available for rent. 

l: Indonesian & English 

t: (62) 361 8987 991/ 8987 992 / 

(62) 811 8748 910 / (62) 811 1442 

233 

f: +62 361 8987 804 

e: sm@anahataresort.com / 

info@anahataresort.com 

w: www.anahataresort.com 

ANAHATA YOGA 

18/F Lyndhurst Tower, 1 

Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, 

Hong Kong 

s: Hatha, Ashtanga, Yoga 

therapy, Yin and more. Groups & 

privates 

t: +852 2905 1822 

e: enquiry@anahatayoga.com.hk 

w: www.anahatayoga.com.hk 

ANANDA YOGA 

33 & 34/F, 69 Jervois Street 

Sheung Wan, Hong Kong 

s: Private and Group Classes : 

Yoga Therapy (neck, shoulder, 

back, hip, knee and joints), 

Hatha, Power, Ashtanga, 

Vinyasa, Detox, Yin Yang, 

Kundalini, Chakra Balancing, 

Pranayama, Meditation 

l: English 

t: (825)35639371 

e: 

adm.anandayoga.hk@gmail.com 

w: www.anandayoga.hk 

Anna Ng 

Privates 

d: Hong Kong 

s: Hatha yoga 

l: Cantonese 

t: (852) 9483 1167 

e: gazebofl@netvigator.com 

BEING IN YOGA – 

SINGAPORE 

Teaching yoga in the tradition of 

T Krishnamacharya and TKV 

Desikachar. 

s: yoga therapy (customized 

personal practice), teacher 

training (Yoga Alliance RYS 500 

hours+), in-depth yoga studies, 

small group classes for children 

and adults, workshops, 

meditation classes, Vedic 

chanting, continuing education 

for yoga teachers. Certified 

Teacher Trainer – Yoga 

Therapist - E-RYT 500 

RYS 500 

t: +65-9830-3808 

e: beinginyoga@gmail.com 

w: www.beinginyoga.com 

B.K.S. IYENGAR YOGA 

ASSOCIATION OF MACAU 

174, Rua de Pequim, Edif Centro 

Com. Kong Fat, 7A, Macau 

s: Iyengar 

t:(853)2882 3210/6662 0386 

e:yoga@macau.ctm.net 

w:www.iyengar-yoga-macauchina.com 

David Kim Yoga 

E-RYT 500+, Senior YogaWorks 

and YogaWise Yin Yoga Teacher 

Trainer;International TTs, 

Workshops & Retreats 

d: USA, Japan, China, Vietnam, 

Korea, Malaysia, Greece 

s: Yin Yoga, YogaWorks, Vinyasa 

Flow 

l: English, some Korean 

t: +1 310 480 5277 

e: david@davidkimyoga.com 

w: www.davidkimyoga.com 

FLEX STUDIO 

Island South 

Shops 308-310 One Island 

South, 2 Heung Yip Road, 

Aberdeen, Hong Kong 

s: Vinyasa, Power, Detox, Hatha, 

Pre-Natal, Kids Yoga 

t: + 852 2813 2212 

f: + 852 2813 2281 

e: info@flexhk.com 

Central 

3/F Man Cheung Building, 15- 17 

Wyndham Street, Central, Hong 

Kong 

s: Detox, Power, Pre-Natal Yoga 

t: + 852 2813-2399 

f: + 852 2812 6708 

e: central@flexhk.com 

www.flexhk.com 

IYENGAR YOGA CENTRAL 

s: Boutique studio with Iyengar 

Yoga classes; flexible timings for 

corporate wellness, small 

groups, and privates 

l: English, Cantonese, Mandarin, 

French, Malay 

t: +852 2982 4308 

e: yogacentralhk@gmail.com 

w: www.yogacentral.com.hk 

fb: Iyengar-Central 

MND STUDIO 

7/F Tack Building, 48 Gilman 

Street, Central, Hong Kong 

s: Hatha, Yin, Therapy, 

Ashtanga, Iyengar, Pilates 

Equipped yoga studio for groups, 

privates, aerial yoga classes and 

workshops. 

t: +852 5400 8824 

e: info@mndasia.com 

w: www.mndasia.com 

PURE YOGA 

China 

L6-615 iapm mall, 999 Huai Hai 

Zhong Road, Xuhui District 

Shanghai 

t: +86 21 5466 1266 

Hong Kong 

16/F The Centrium, 60 

Wyndham Street, Central 

t: +852 2971 0055 

25/F Soundwill Plaza, 38 Russell 

St, Causeway Bay 

t: +852 2970 2299 

14/F Peninsula Office Tower, 18 

Middle Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, 

Kowloon 

t: +852 8129 8800 

9/F Langham Place Office 

Tower, 8 Argyle Street, Kowloon 

t: +852 3691 3691 

4/F Lincoln House, TaiKoo 

Place, 979 King’s Rd, Quarry Bay 

t: +852 8129 1188 

2/F Asia Standard Tower, 59 

Queen’s Road, Central 

t: + 852 3524 7108 

Level 1 The Pulse, 28 Beach 

Road, Repulse Bay 

t: +852 8200 0908 

3/f Hutchison House, 10 

Harcourt Road, Admiralty 

t: +852 8105 5838 

Singapore 

391A Orchard Road, #18-00 

Ngee Ann City Tower A 

t: +65 6733 8863 

30 Raffles Place, 04-00 Chevron 

House 

t: +65 6304 2257 

Taiwan 

151 Chung Hsiao East Road, Sec 

4, Taipei 

t: +886 02 8161 7888 

4/f Urban One, 1 Qingcheng St, 

Taipei 

t: +886 02 8161 7868 

Ling 

Yoga and Wellbeing, Private 

Yoga Teacher, Privates, Groups, 

Corporates, Free Yoga 

Community Event: Yoga in the 

Park with Ling www.meetup.com/ 

yogaintheparkhk 

d: Hong Kong, China 

s: Yoga Therapy, Sivananda, 

Hatha, Svastha, Mindfulness, 

Yin, Breathing (Pranayama), 

Guided Meditation, Total 

Relaxation (Yoga Nidra) 

l: English, Cantonese, Mandarin 

t: +852 9465 6461 

e: yogawithling@gmail.com 

w: www.facebook.com/ 

yogawithling 

RED DOORS STUDIO 

21/f, 31 Wong Chuk Hang Rd 

s: Gong meditation and training, 

labyrinth facilitation and 

construction, kundalini 

therapeutic yoga and 

complementary practices to 

elevate energy. Multiple studio 

spaces available to rent. 

t. +852 21110 0152 

e. info@red-doors.com 

w. www.red-doors.com 

SPACE YOGA 

s: Hatha, Ashtanga, Advanced, 

Flow, Yin, Yin Yang, Restorative, 

52 NAMASKAR

Hot, Yin/Meditation, 

Pranayama, Mat Pilates, 

Jivamukti, Universal, Myofascial 

Release Yoga, Mindful 

Yoga, Rope Wall Yoga, Yoga 

Nidra and Yoga Therapy 

l: English and Mandarin 

w: www.withinspace.com 

An-Ho Studio 

16 F, No. 27, An-Ho Road, 

Section 1 

Taipei, Taiwan 

t: +886.2.2773.8108 

Tien-Mu Studio 

#5, Lane 43, Tian-Mu E. Road, 

Taipei, Taiwan 

t: +886.2.28772108 

Sravaniya DiPecoraro 

d:Hong Kong 

s: LifePath Yoga Philosophy, 

Vedanta, Bhagavad Gita, Yoga 

Sutras; beginners and advanced; 

ACBSP disciple (1971), YA E- 

RYT500, Sivananda Certified 

(1991) 

l: English and Mandarin 

t: +852 9856 0799 

e: info@lifepath.am 

w: www.lifepath.am 

THE YOGA ROOM 

3, 4, 6, 16/F (Studios) & 15/F 

(Office) Xiu Ping Commercial 

Bldg, 104 Jervois St, Sheung 

Wan, Hong Kong 

s: Hatha, Hot, Ashtanga, 

Vinyasa, Candlelight Yin, Yoga 

Therapy, Jivamukti, Hammock 

Yoga, Mindfulness Yoga, Detox 

Yoga, Pre-natal Yoga, Pre-natal 

Pilates, Mat Pilates, TRX, Kids 

Yoga and Mum & Baby Yoga 

l: English, Cantonese 

t: + 852 2544 8398 

e: info@yogaroomhk.com 

w: www.yogaroomhk.com 

KUNDALINI @SHAKTI 

7/F Glenealy Tower, 1 Glenealy, 

Central, Hong Kong. 

s: Kundalini, Reik healing, life 

coaching, Shamanic healing, 

Ayurveda, Feng Shui 

consultations, Angel Cards 

t: +852 2521 5099 

e: info@shaktihealingcircle.com 

w: www.shaktihealingcircle.com 

THE COLLECTIVE, DESA SENI 

SCHOOL OF YOGA 

Jl. Subak Sari #13, Canggu, Bali, 

Indonesia 

s: Full service resort, Ashtanga, 

Embodied Flow, Hatha, 

Kundalini, Restorative, Tantra, 

Therapeutics, Yin, Yang, 

Vinyasa, Buddhist Meditation, 

Vedic Meditation. Teacher 

Trainings, Intensives, Privates, 

Workshops, specialising in 

hosting retreats. 

t: +62 361 844 6392 

e: info@desaseni.com 

w: www.desaseni.com 

TRUE YOGA 

Singapore 

9 Scotts Road, Level 4, Pacific 

Plaza, Singapore 228210 

t: +65 6733 9555 

9 Scotts Road, Level 5, Pacific 

Plaza (Bikram Original Hot 

Yoga), Singapore 228210 

t: +65 6735 9555 

Taiwan 

337 Nanking East Road 

Section 3, 9 & 10/F, Taipei 

T: +886 22716 1234 

68 Gongyi Road, West District 

12 & 13/F, Taichung 

t: +886 43700 0000 

s: Ashtanga, Bikram, Flow, 

Gentle, Hatha, Kids, Power, Pre- 

Natal, Vinyasa, Yin, Yoga Dance 

w: www.trueyoga.com.sg / 

www.trueyoga.com.tw 

WISE LIVING YOGA 

ACADEMY 

198 Moo 2, Luang Nuea, Doi 

Saket, Chiang Mai, Thailand 

s: Classical Yoga, Hatha Yoga, 

Yoga Therapy 

t: +66 8254 67995 

e: info@wiselivingyoga.com 

w: www.wiselivingyoga.com 

namaskar 

4 times a year 

6,000 yoga practitioners 

32 countries 

DISPLAY ADVERTISING RATES & SIZES 

Outside back cover HK$25,000 210 mm x 297 mm 

Inside front cover HK$3,500 210 mm x 297 mm 

Inside back cover HK$2,700 210 mm x 297 mm 

Full page HK$2,200 210 mm x 297 mm 

1/2 page (horizontal) HK$1,500 180 mm x 133.5 mm 

1/2 page (vertical) HK$1,500 88 mm x 275 mm 

1/4 page HK$700 88 mm X 133.5 mm 

1/8 page HK$440 88 mm x 66 mm 

DIRECTORY 

Individual listing HK$640 for full or partial year 

Studio listing HK$1,300 for full or partial year 

PUBLICATION DATES, BOOKING & MATERIAL DEADLINES 

Publication date Booking Deadline Material Deadline 

January December 1 December 10 

April March 1 March 10 

July June 1 June 10 

October September 1 September 10 

NOTES 

Advertising materials should in black & white and submitted as 300 

dpi high resolution .tif files (no pdf or ai files please) 

Listings should be submitted as text only (approx 35 words) 

PAYMENT 

Payments should be made in Hong Kong dollars to: 

Namaskar c/o Carol Adams, Flat 101, Block L, Telford Gardens, 

Kowloon, Hong Kong 

INFORMATION 

Carol +44 75432 55886 / carol@caroladams.hk 

Frances +852 9460 1967 / fgairns@netvigator.com 


54 NAMASKAR


56 NAMASKAR

Namaskar - Apr 2017

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