Namaskar - Jan 2017
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namaskar<br />
A VOICE FOR THE YOGA COMMUNITY OF ASIA <strong>Jan</strong>uary <strong>2017</strong><br />
YOGA IN PALESTINE<br />
Two Hong Kong yoga teachers volunteer to teach<br />
in the West Bank............................................p18<br />
YOGA & IVF<br />
How to support your fertility treatment with<br />
your yoga practice ...........................................p33<br />
HATHA YOGA PRADIPIKA<br />
Three yoga teachers explain how this ancient<br />
text is still relevant and helpful today..........p36<br />
Nigel Marshall in Pinchu Mayurasana, photo by Linda Rahmat
2 NAMASKAR
NAMASKAR - JANUARY <strong>2017</strong><br />
LETTER FROM<br />
THE EDITOR<br />
How many people are trapped in<br />
their everyday habits: part numb,<br />
part frightened, part indifferent?<br />
To have a better life we must keep choosing how<br />
we’re living - Albert Einstein<br />
This year I intend to make ample time for contemplation. On the routine how to teach my kids<br />
to be kind, what yoga sequence to teach next Friday, how best to support my parents, as well as<br />
more esoteric topics such as how I, and we as a society, are living.<br />
Here are some recent new items which I found interesting and frightening:<br />
1. Humans have triggered the Anthropocene era in which we are permanently changing the<br />
plant life, wildlife and even rock and soil layers of our planet<br />
2. It is likely elephants, giraffes and cheetahs will become extinct in our lifetime.<br />
3. Bee are now an endangered species.<br />
4. The smartphone generation has resulted in a decrease in human’s attention span from 12<br />
seconds to 8 seconds. That’s less than a goldfish’s 9 seconds.<br />
5. One in 5 adults over 80 suffer dementia; by 85 years old, it’s 1 in 3.<br />
The most challenging part of this resolution is making the time, and keeping that time clear of<br />
other activities. Only then I can pause and contemplate the traits I exhibit which, if expanded<br />
to a society level, could contribute to above conditions.<br />
I may not be able to impact the world in any significant way, but if I can make change in myself<br />
and educate and inspire those I come into contact with to do the same, together we could make<br />
some progress.<br />
If this is an interesting proposition to you, consider using the articles here in <strong>Namaskar</strong> to<br />
prompt your own contemplation. Certainly this issue offers a wide range of thoughtprovoking<br />
subjects. From our dristi on the ancient yogic text Hatha Yoga Pradipika; to two<br />
yogi’s journey to teach yoga in Palestine; to how to asses if you’re ready to lead your first yoga<br />
teacher training; to how to adapt your practice in preparation for in-vitro fertilization and; to<br />
transforming each meal into a meditative experience.<br />
The fifth item on the list above prompted our dristi for April – Yoga and Dementia. A casual<br />
investigation reveals what a massive global issue this is already, and how it will impact our<br />
world in the future unless a solution is found. We are interested to learn how we can support<br />
dementia suffers with yoga asana, pranayama or meditation; how we can adapt our yoga<br />
practice to prevent developing dementia ourselves, and; how yoga can contribute to world with<br />
so many dementia sufferers. If you have experience or knowledge of this subject, and would<br />
like to contribute, please send me an email fgairns@netvigator.com<br />
Finally I wish to record my thanks to the regular volunteers of <strong>Namaskar</strong> – Angela, Carol and<br />
Wai-Ling. Their tireless commitment to this magazine goes unnoticed by readers, but it<br />
critical to the success of <strong>Namaskar</strong>.<br />
I wish you a peaceful and joyful start to <strong>2017</strong>.<br />
On the cover - Nigel Marshall takes a break from the<br />
photo shoot with a bit of Supta Virasana. Nigel leads a<br />
Mysore programme at Pure Yoga in Hong Kong.<br />
In This Issue<br />
DRISTI - HATHA YOGA PRADIPIKA<br />
LITTLE LAMP OF HATHA YOGA 36<br />
DETOXIFICATION IS KEY 40<br />
ANCIENT ANSWERS 41<br />
SPECIAL FEATURES<br />
YOGA IN PALESTINE 18<br />
Two yoga teachers see what it’s like to live and<br />
practice in the West Bank<br />
MEANING OF NAMASKAR 21<br />
What to think & feel when you bring your<br />
hands together at your heart<br />
MINDFUL EATING 25<br />
Extending your meditation practice into life<br />
READY TO LEAD A YTT? 27<br />
Things to consider before you launch your first<br />
teacher training<br />
ASSISTING FERTILITY WITH YOGA 33<br />
How to adjust your practice to support your<br />
fertility treatments<br />
SOUND OF THE GONG 34<br />
Why you should take a gong bath<br />
REGULAR CONTRIBUTIONS<br />
KULA UPDATES, WORKSHOPS,<br />
RETREATS, TEACHER TRAININGS 6<br />
PHOTO ESSAY 14<br />
MYTHOLOGY 45<br />
BOOK REVIEW 45<br />
RECIPE 50<br />
DIRECTORY 52<br />
ABOUT NAMASKAR<br />
ADMINISTRATION Carol Adams, carol@caroladams.hk<br />
NEWS EDITOR Wai-Ling Tse, wailing.tse@gmail.com<br />
CIRCULATION Angela Sun, angela.sun@gmail.com<br />
EDITOR & PUBLISHER Frances Gairns, fgairns@netvigator.com<br />
<strong>Namaskar</strong> provides a voice for the yoga community in Asia and<br />
around the world. The publication is an opportunity for<br />
practitioners on a yogic path to selflessly offer their knowledge,<br />
learnings and experiences with others.<br />
We welcome unsolicited submissions, therefore the opinions<br />
expressed within these pages are not necessarily those of <strong>Namaskar</strong> or<br />
its volunteers.<br />
Articles and photographs in <strong>Namaskar</strong> are contributed at no<br />
charge. Advertising income covers production, distribution,<br />
administrative costs and discretionary contributions to selected<br />
charities and causes.<br />
<strong>Namaskar</strong>, is published quarterly in <strong>Jan</strong>uary, April, July and October.<br />
About 5,000 copies are printed and distributed for free to yoga<br />
studios, teachers, fitness centres, retail outlets, cafes and yogafriendly<br />
outlets. Mostly distributed in Hong Kong, with 1,500 copies<br />
mailed to readers in 32 other countries.<br />
<strong>Jan</strong>uary <strong>2017</strong> 3
CONTRIBUTORS<br />
CHARU RAMESH<br />
Charu is a classical homeopath, I<br />
Ching interpreter and a life guide.<br />
She studies Buddhist Psychology,<br />
and teaches dharma classes at The<br />
Still Space<br />
(www.thestillspace.org) & Asian<br />
Spiritual Classics (www.ascsg.org).<br />
rameshcharu@yahoo.com<br />
GABRIELLE MCMAHON<br />
teaching yoga in 2000, following in<br />
the footsteps of his parents. He<br />
also holds a Master’s Degree in<br />
Clinical Psychology and has a great<br />
interest in the scientific aspects of<br />
Yoga, Yoga for psychological and<br />
mental health, mantras and yoga<br />
philosophy, particularly Bhagavad<br />
Gita. www.yogapoint.com<br />
HERSHA CHELLARAM<br />
JEAN BYRNE<br />
Jean is the co-founder of Mindful<br />
Birth: Yoga for Pregnancy Birth &<br />
Baby, Spectrum of Life Yoga<br />
Teacher Training and owner of the<br />
Yoga Space in Perth, Australia. She<br />
has designed the first Spectrum of<br />
Life training that will launch in<br />
Hong Kong in March <strong>2017</strong>.<br />
www.yogaspace.com.au<br />
Yogi, mystic, and practitioner of<br />
Ayurveda, Mas offers certification<br />
training programs throughout the<br />
USA, Asia, and India. Mas enjoys<br />
teaching integral yoga classes,<br />
offering health and wellness<br />
lectures and giving workshops that<br />
embrace core Ayurvedic<br />
principles. He is the founder/<br />
director of Dancing Shiva Yoga<br />
Ayurveda, an international nonprofit<br />
educational organization and<br />
center based in California.<br />
masvidal@dancingshiva.com<br />
MEHTAB BENTON<br />
Gabrielle’s life work is Yoga,<br />
Meditation & natural living. She<br />
created BeBliss 10 years ago and<br />
works holistically with groups and<br />
individuals inspiring them to live<br />
their best life.<br />
gabrielle@bebliss.com.au<br />
GANDHAR MANDLIK<br />
Gandhar is the Director of<br />
International courses and of the<br />
YogaPoint Ashram. Originally an<br />
electrical engineer, he started<br />
Hersha has studied under the<br />
guidance of Sri Swami<br />
Satchidananda since she was a<br />
child. She has taught yoga and<br />
meditation for over 15 years around<br />
the world and offers the following<br />
teacher training programs: 200-<br />
hour, 500-hour, Prenatal &<br />
Children’s Yoga, and continuing<br />
education programs.<br />
www.hershayoga.com<br />
JANET LAU<br />
Dedicated to integrating yoga and<br />
mindfulness practices, <strong>Jan</strong>et has<br />
served as an international teacher,<br />
trainer and retreat leader since<br />
2006. She holds a master’s degree<br />
in Buddhist studies, has presented<br />
at Tedx and is the author of the<br />
Chinese book “Living with Yoga<br />
and Mindfulness”.<br />
www.janet-lau.com<br />
4 NAMASKAR<br />
LINDA RAHMAT<br />
Linda picked up her first DSLR<br />
camera in 2007 and since it has<br />
been her constant companion on<br />
travels. She discovered Mysorestyle<br />
yoga in 2012, and her love for<br />
yoga and photography gave birth to<br />
her photo project “Pranascapes”<br />
which blends yoga pose with the<br />
urban landscape.<br />
linda.rahmat@gmail.com<br />
MAS VIDAL<br />
Mehtab is the author of three<br />
books on the Gong, Gong Yoga, and<br />
Gong Therapy that have appeared<br />
in seven international translations.<br />
He has trained hundreds of yoga<br />
teachers, sound healers, and<br />
therapists worldwide in how to<br />
play the gong for transformation<br />
and healing.<br />
www.gongteacher.com<br />
MOISES MEHL<br />
Moy is a yoga teacher and advocate<br />
of the raw vegan food lifestyle.<br />
The head chef of nood food, he<br />
was inspired by his grandmother,<br />
who was an agro-ecologist,<br />
vegetarian, soy and raw food<br />
pioneer, yogi and writer in their
home Mexico City. He qualified as<br />
a certified Raw Vegan Chef and is<br />
studying for a Master’s Degree in<br />
Raw Vegan Spiritual Nutrition.<br />
chefmoy@allnood.com<br />
NIGEL MARSHALL<br />
namaskar<br />
TINA BARRAT<br />
Now on-line at:<br />
www.issuu.com/namaskarasia<br />
Nigel is a KPJAYI Level II<br />
Authorised Ashtanga Yoga<br />
Teacher. He has been teaching<br />
Mysore style Ashtanga Yoga for<br />
over a decade, in the UK and all<br />
over Asia. Nigel has been teaching<br />
a Mysore programme at Pure Yoga<br />
since 2013. Prior to starting yoga<br />
practice in 2001, he was a long<br />
term practitioner of Advaita<br />
Vedanta-based traditional Indian<br />
philosophy and meditation.<br />
Nigel.marshall@pure-yoga.com<br />
SWATI PANDEY<br />
Tina designs recipes, cakes and<br />
desserts at Maya Café in Hong<br />
Kong. Inspired by her French chef<br />
grandmother and pioneering<br />
health food fanatic mum, Tina has<br />
been hooked on raw food for five<br />
years.mayacafe5@gmail.com<br />
VALERIE FANECO<br />
Back issues still at:<br />
www.issuu.com/caroladams<br />
April’s dristi:<br />
Yoga & Dementia<br />
For this dristi, we are looking for several articles about the role yoga<br />
can play in preventing, delaying and/or alleviating the myriad<br />
conditions related to dementia:<br />
• What is dementia & what are the main types of dementia?<br />
• How is dementia viewed from an Ayurvedic perspective<br />
• Which styles of yoga asana, pranayama or meditation can prevent<br />
or slow the decline of dementia?<br />
• Have you experience working with dementia suffers? What’s<br />
worked, what hasn’t?<br />
• What are the main issues facing the carers of dementia suffers &<br />
how can yoga help them?<br />
If you have knowledge or experience with this subject and are<br />
interested in contributing, please email me at<br />
fgairns@netvigator.com to discuss the angle you would like to take.<br />
Swati practices Ashtanga Vinyasa<br />
Yoga and is an avid student of yoga.<br />
supratim.swati@gmail.com<br />
TIA SINHA<br />
Tia teaches yoga asana, philosophy<br />
and Tibetan Buddhist techniques<br />
of meditation and translates<br />
Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo’s<br />
teachings and books into Hindi.<br />
Onlytia2@yahoo.co.in<br />
Valerie is a yoga teacher, yoga<br />
therapist, teacher trainer certified<br />
in the tradition of<br />
T.Krishnamacharya under<br />
supervision of his son T.K.V.<br />
Desikachar. She translated Frans<br />
Moor’s commentary of the Yoga<br />
Sutra into English in 2012. She lives<br />
in Singapore and runs courses and<br />
works as a yoga therapist.<br />
www.beinginyoga.com<br />
Contributions are also welcome on other topics. Final articles are<br />
welcome before March 10.<br />
<strong>Jan</strong>uary <strong>2017</strong> 5
KULA<br />
Updates<br />
HONG KONG<br />
New Store for<br />
Hanuman<br />
Yoga clothing brand Hanuman<br />
has moved to a new location at<br />
Block A, 5/F 58 Peel Street,<br />
Hong Kong. Opening hours are<br />
Monday – Thursday 1 – 8 pm &<br />
Friday by appointment.<br />
For more information<br />
www.hanumanyogaclothing.com<br />
New Venue for<br />
Prana Yogam<br />
Yogaraj and his team have moved<br />
to a new location at Flat C, 7th<br />
Floor., Tai Chi Court, 132-134<br />
Austin Road, Tsim Sha Tsui<br />
(Jordan MTR Exit D).<br />
For more information<br />
(852)94588242 /<br />
pranayogam@gmail.com /<br />
www.facebook.com/pranayogam<br />
Self-Attunement<br />
Meditation<br />
Amita Institute, Central<br />
A community assisting people,<br />
for the past two decades, in<br />
unbinding themselves from their<br />
inherent program to help bring<br />
about real change to a persons’<br />
life. Held every Wednesday 8-<br />
9:30pm.<br />
For more information<br />
www.amita-institute.com /<br />
www.picer.com /<br />
(852) 2167 8661<br />
Pranic Healing<br />
Sessions<br />
Jordan, Kowloon<br />
Experience Pranic Healing, a no<br />
touch, no drug energy medicine<br />
technique to obtain relief from<br />
many psychosomatic ailments<br />
such as headaches, irritable<br />
bowel syndrome, arthritis,<br />
insomnia, hypertension,<br />
menstrual cramps, stress, and<br />
depression. Free Pranic Healing<br />
sessions held every Thursday 6-<br />
7pm and Twin Hearts Meditation<br />
on every Friday 10-11am.<br />
For more information<br />
hkpranic@gmail.com /<br />
whatsapp (852) 6233 2674<br />
Meditation for<br />
Beginners<br />
17 <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
Suitable for a complete novice or<br />
a struggling meditator, learn the<br />
secrets of mastering the mind<br />
and what to do when the mind<br />
just will not keep quiet.<br />
For more information<br />
hershayoga.com<br />
Gong Relaxation<br />
for Self Love<br />
21 <strong>Jan</strong>uary (7-8:30pm)<br />
Celebrate international hug day<br />
with a chanting meditation<br />
followed by deep relaxation to the<br />
sound of the largest meditation<br />
gong collection in Asia.<br />
For more information<br />
info@red-doors.com<br />
New Moon Gong<br />
Meditation<br />
27 <strong>Jan</strong>uary & 27 February (7-<br />
8:30pm)<br />
A short chanting meditation<br />
followed by deep relaxation to the<br />
sound of meditation gongs.<br />
For more information<br />
info@red-doors.com<br />
Meditation<br />
lecture by<br />
Venerable<br />
Dhammadipa<br />
4, 11, 18 & 25 February<br />
Hong Kong University<br />
Czech born Venerable<br />
Dhammadipa is a meditation<br />
master and scholar. His teaching<br />
emphasizes that one starts<br />
training in virtue, which lays the<br />
foundation for training in<br />
tranquil mental states (Samatha)<br />
and then developing wisdom by<br />
direct seeing of the nature of<br />
reality (Vipassanâ).<br />
Understanding and practice of<br />
the Buddha’s teaching is<br />
Venerable Dhammadipa will be lecturing<br />
at Hong Kong University<br />
inseparable and should be<br />
realized for the sake of all<br />
sentient beings.<br />
For more information<br />
hkucbs@hku.hk<br />
Singing Bowls<br />
Sound Bath<br />
10 & 27 February, 13 & 31 March,<br />
10 & 28 April<br />
Luxe Nova<br />
Everything in the Universe is<br />
made up of energy. In the time of<br />
new moon and full moon, the<br />
energy vibration is particularly<br />
potent. This vibration can affect<br />
each of us at different level. Some<br />
people feel more emotional or<br />
lethargic; some people may even<br />
be on the verge of turning into a<br />
werewolf. Instead of being<br />
influenced by the energy, we can<br />
take control by creating a sacred<br />
space for ourselves to work with<br />
this moon energy vibration. Join<br />
Heidy 7 – 8 pm for the monthly<br />
New Moon and Full Moon Quartz<br />
Crystal Bowls Sound Bath<br />
For more information<br />
www.luxenova.life<br />
6 NAMASKAR
Full Moon Gong<br />
Meditation and<br />
Relaxation<br />
11 February (7-8:30pm)<br />
Chanting meditation followed by<br />
deep relaxation to the sound of<br />
meditation gongs.<br />
For more information<br />
info@red-doors.com<br />
Meditation<br />
with Kirtan<br />
20 February & 13 March<br />
IMI Central<br />
This session offers a unique<br />
blend of Meditation with Kirtan<br />
where the usage of gentle<br />
mantras will help you develop a<br />
simple mindfulness or meditation<br />
practice.<br />
For more information<br />
events@imi.com.hk<br />
Cristina Rodenbeck leads Kirtan at Pause/<br />
SOL Wellness and IMI Central in Hong<br />
Kong<br />
Kirtan at Pause/<br />
SOL Wellness<br />
Central<br />
24 February & 24 March<br />
Pause/SOL Wellness, Central<br />
Join Cristina Rodenbeck for<br />
Kirtan at her new location in<br />
Central, 7 – 8:15 pm.<br />
For more information<br />
cristina@manipurawellness.com<br />
Ajahn Brahm<br />
Ajahn Brahm’s<br />
Hong Kong<br />
Teaching Tour -<br />
How to Live<br />
Happily Everyday<br />
21-29 March<br />
Born in London and graduated<br />
with first class honours in<br />
Theoretical Physics from<br />
Cambridge University, Ajahn<br />
Brahm is currently the Abbot of<br />
Bodhinyana Monastery in<br />
Serpentine, Western Australia<br />
and The Spiritual Director of the<br />
Buddhist Society of Western<br />
Australia (BSWA), among others.<br />
He will be giving various public<br />
and private talks, offering fullday<br />
workshops and leading a<br />
retreat. He will explain how to<br />
maintain happiness even when<br />
everything is falling apart around<br />
us. In particular, that happiness<br />
is a choice and we can choose not<br />
to allow anyone, or any<br />
misfortune, to take away our<br />
happiness.<br />
For more information<br />
www.bodhinyana.com<br />
Kita Yoga Opens<br />
Sheung Wan<br />
Kita Yoga is a newly-opened cosy<br />
neighbourhood studio with a<br />
strong focus on building a sense<br />
of community for the students,<br />
teachers and like-minded<br />
businesses in the area.<br />
Their classes are capped at 12<br />
people, so students get<br />
individualized attention. Each<br />
class includes asana<br />
practice together with pranayama<br />
and meditation. Their teachers<br />
also have backgrounds in<br />
nutrition, life coaching and Reiki,<br />
which will later be offered in<br />
workshops. These will include<br />
speaker series and creative<br />
events where yoga is<br />
combined with other art forms.<br />
They will also be offering free<br />
community classes and socially<br />
responsible events, with the<br />
long-term aim to partner up<br />
with neighbourhood businesses<br />
to offer perks for members.<br />
For more information<br />
www.kita-yoga.com /<br />
nikita@kita-yoga.com /<br />
(852) 5323-1978<br />
HKU Master of<br />
Buddhist Studies -<br />
In Search of<br />
Sustainable<br />
Happiness<br />
September<br />
The University of Hong Kong,<br />
Pokfulam<br />
Now inviting applications for<br />
September. Topics range from<br />
the history and doctrines of<br />
different Buddhist traditions to<br />
contemporary Buddhism and<br />
Buddhism as applied in<br />
counselling, palliative care and<br />
psychotherapy, with particular<br />
reference to current scholarly<br />
research. Closing date of<br />
application: round 1: 3 February,<br />
round 2: 15 March.<br />
For more information<br />
www.buddhism.hku.hk /<br />
(852) 3917-2847 /<br />
buddhism@hku.hk<br />
Evolution - Asia<br />
Yoga Conference<br />
8 - 11 June<br />
Hong Kong Covention &<br />
Exhibition Centre<br />
The 10th AYC promises to be<br />
something special. This year it<br />
brings some of the most senior<br />
international yoga teachers to<br />
Hong Kong.<br />
For more information<br />
www.asiayogaconference.com<br />
15th International<br />
Association of<br />
Buddhist<br />
Women’s<br />
Conference<br />
22 - 28 June<br />
This year’s theme is<br />
“Contemporary Buddhist<br />
Women: Contemplation, Cultural<br />
Exchange & Social Action”.<br />
Entry is by registration<br />
only. www.sakyadhita.org/<br />
conferences/15th-si-con.html<br />
Registration deadline is 15 April.<br />
INDONESIA<br />
7th annual<br />
Celebration of<br />
Life, Art, Yoga,<br />
Music, Dance A<br />
Thon<br />
18 March 18<br />
Desa Seni, Bali<br />
An event to raise funds for Ayo<br />
Kita Bicara HIV, Bali Peduli, Bali<br />
Rainbow Community, Yayasan<br />
Kerti Praja. This will be a day of<br />
community, art, yoga, music and<br />
dance, uniting like-minded people<br />
and businesses on this island to<br />
come together and spread the joy<br />
of life.<br />
For more information<br />
events@desaseni.com<br />
BaliSpirit Festival<br />
19 - 26 March<br />
Ubud, Bali<br />
Join this annual festival of<br />
interactive workshops &<br />
seminars, a lively community<br />
market & healing center, a<br />
children’s activity zone, yoga<br />
classes and vibrant night time<br />
programs of live Bhakti and<br />
world music concerts, set among<br />
the picturesque rice-fields of<br />
Ubud, Bali.<br />
For more information<br />
www.balispiritfestival.com<br />
<strong>Jan</strong>uary <strong>2017</strong> 7
KULA<br />
Workshops<br />
HONG KONG<br />
Gong Workshops<br />
with Gong<br />
Master, Mehtab<br />
Benson<br />
28 <strong>Jan</strong>uary-4 February<br />
The series begins with a two-day<br />
intensive on ‘how to play the<br />
gongs’ for those who have<br />
never approached a gong before.<br />
Followed by three days of how to<br />
play a gong during Yoga classes,<br />
suitable for all Yoga teachers,<br />
and the last workshop is gong<br />
therapy. No experience<br />
necessary.<br />
For more information<br />
info@red-doors.com<br />
All Night Gong<br />
Puja-rama<br />
4-5 February<br />
Imagine floating on a bed of<br />
sound in Yoga Nidra for 10 hours.<br />
Can learn to play gongs<br />
beforehand so you may join the<br />
other gong players who play in<br />
rotation all night long, or join<br />
simply to enjoy. Continental<br />
breakfast is included. Starts at<br />
8pm on Saturday and ends 6am<br />
on Sunday.<br />
For more information<br />
info@red-doors.com<br />
Bhagavad Gita<br />
Module 2 with<br />
Sravaniya<br />
DiPecoraro<br />
10 February-17 March<br />
Alive Wellness, Central<br />
10-hour certificate course, held<br />
every Friday (7-8:30pm).<br />
Mehtab Benton will be at Red Doors in Hong Kong<br />
For more information<br />
whatsapp (852) 9856 0799 /<br />
info@lifepath.am /<br />
www.lifepath.am/bg-module-2<br />
Full Moon All<br />
Night Gong Pujarama<br />
11-12 March<br />
Can learn to play gongs<br />
beforehand so that you may join<br />
the other gong players who play<br />
in rotation all night long, or join<br />
simply to enjoy. Continental<br />
breakfast is included. Starts at<br />
8pm on Saturday and ends 6am<br />
on Sunday.<br />
For more information<br />
info@red-doors.com<br />
Inner Engineering<br />
with Isha<br />
16-19 March<br />
Inner Engineering is an<br />
opportunity to engineer an inner<br />
transformation that deepens<br />
your perception, bringing about a<br />
dimensional shift in the very way<br />
you look at your life, your work,<br />
and the world that you inhabit.<br />
For more information<br />
(852) 5920 0385 /<br />
hongkong@ishafoundation.org /<br />
www.ishafoundation.org/hk<br />
One Love Concert<br />
with Guest Don<br />
Conreaux<br />
17 March<br />
Don is a Gong Master, Yogi and<br />
world peace activist. At the age of<br />
83, he travels the world to bring<br />
communities together bridging<br />
cultures through spiritual free<br />
jazz including gongs, drums,<br />
vocals and more. One Love is the<br />
house band of Red Doors Studio<br />
brought together to uplift<br />
and transform through<br />
soundscapes.<br />
For more information<br />
info@red-doors.com<br />
Dynamic<br />
Alignment<br />
Workshop with<br />
Carrie Owerko<br />
24-26 March<br />
Iyengar Central, Central<br />
Carrie is a New York-based<br />
Senior Iyengar teacher, known<br />
for her fun and playfulness in<br />
8 NAMASKAR
class. Workshop - 2.5hr x 5<br />
sessions.<br />
For more information<br />
yogacentralhk@gmail.com<br />
Tai Qi & Qigong<br />
workshops &<br />
classes with<br />
Matthew Cohen<br />
The Yoga Room, Sheung Wan<br />
24 - 26 March<br />
Sacred Energy Arts Yoga for<br />
stress reduction and anxiety - 24<br />
March, 7:30 - 9 pm<br />
Sacred Energy Arts Yoga -<br />
Balance and Flow - 25 March<br />
Yoga - Tai Chi Fusion - 25 March<br />
Sacred Energy Arts Yoga & Tai<br />
Chi Class at Sun Yat Sen<br />
Memorial Park - 25 March, 9-<br />
10:30am<br />
Five Element Qigong Workshop<br />
26 March (1:30-4:30pm)<br />
Silent Disco Sacred Energy Arts<br />
Balance & Flow Yoga at Sun Yat<br />
Sen Memorial Park - 26 March,<br />
5:30-7pm<br />
For more information<br />
www.yogaroomhk.com /<br />
info@yogaroomhk.com /<br />
(852) 2544 8398<br />
Iyengar teacher Carrie Owerko<br />
Art of Inquiry<br />
with Carrie<br />
Owerko<br />
Iyengar Central, Central<br />
27 March 2-5pm<br />
Iyengar Central, Central<br />
Carrie will share her experience<br />
and understanding in teaching<br />
yoga. Topics are highlights only<br />
and each participating teacher are<br />
welcome to email their specific<br />
questions before the workshop.<br />
For more information<br />
yogacentralhk@gmail.com<br />
Raja Yoga<br />
Foundation<br />
Course<br />
18-22 April<br />
Become well versed in the Yoga<br />
Sutras of Patanjali and learn how<br />
to apply this science of the mind<br />
to transform your personal and/<br />
or professional life. This course<br />
is the pre-requisite for the Raja<br />
Yoga teacher training.<br />
For more information<br />
hershayoga.com<br />
Yoga philosophy teacher Srav DiPecoraro<br />
Bhagavad Gita<br />
Module 3 with<br />
Sravaniya<br />
DiPecoraro<br />
21 April-26 May<br />
Alive Wellness, Central<br />
10-hour certificate course, held<br />
every Friday (7-8:30pm).<br />
Cost: HK$1,800<br />
For more information<br />
whatsapp (852) 9856 0799 /<br />
info@lifepath.am /<br />
www.lifepath.am/bg-module-3<br />
Iyengar Yoga &<br />
Wall Rope<br />
with Stephane<br />
Lalo<br />
29 April-1 May<br />
Iyengar Central, Central<br />
Stephane is a Marseilles based<br />
Senior Iyengar teacher, known<br />
for his sincere and seasoned<br />
practice and teaching. Workshop<br />
- 2.5hr x 5 sessions.<br />
29 April & 3 May – Level 1-3<br />
morning classes plus advanced<br />
led Iyengar Yoga practice.<br />
For more information<br />
yogacentralhk@gmail.com<br />
Stephane Lalo<br />
Teach & Practice<br />
with Discernment<br />
with Stephane<br />
Lalo<br />
3 May 1-4.30pm<br />
Iyengar Central, Central<br />
Stephane will share his understanding<br />
and experience in<br />
teaching yoga. Topics are<br />
highlights only and each<br />
participating teacher are<br />
welcome to email their specific<br />
questions before the workshop.<br />
For more information<br />
yogacentralhk@gmail.com<br />
Level I - Insight<br />
Yoga TT Intensive<br />
Yin/Yang Yoga &<br />
Mindfulness<br />
Meditation with<br />
Sarah Powers<br />
4-13 October<br />
Pure Yoga Hong Kong<br />
This intensive will deepen one’s<br />
ability to teach/practice both a<br />
receptive Yin style and an active<br />
flow or Yang style of yoga with an<br />
interest in promoting a conducive<br />
inner environment for meditation.<br />
For more information<br />
sarahpowers.com/iyi/schedule-<br />
<strong>2017</strong>/level-i-teacher-trainingintensive-october-<strong>2017</strong>/<br />
ITALY<br />
A Taste of Esalen<br />
3-5 February<br />
Tactus Studio, Turin, Italy<br />
Introduction to SpiritDance<br />
SoulSong, Esalen massage, and<br />
Touching Essence.<br />
For more information<br />
www.movingventures.org/<br />
tasteofesalenitaly /<br />
Tactus@Cumtactus.it<br />
SINGAPORE<br />
Deepen Your<br />
Practice with<br />
Matthew Exley &<br />
Maria Couanis<br />
10-12 February<br />
Yoga in Common<br />
In Matthew’s classes, you will<br />
move from a base of Kriya Yoga,<br />
connecting you to a deeper<br />
experience and the subtle aspects<br />
of Kriya to the more gross<br />
aspects of slower Vinyasa<br />
movements, leading to a calmer<br />
mind and a cleaner body. This<br />
opens up the stillness and<br />
awareness of the inner<br />
dimensions of yoga. Maria’s<br />
practice is drawn to Yoga Nidra<br />
and she brings the love of this<br />
practice to her students.<br />
For more information<br />
www.yoga-incommon.com<br />
Joan Hyman<br />
Weekend<br />
Intensives with<br />
Joan Hyman<br />
3-5 March<br />
Kate Porter Yoga, Singapore<br />
Join Joan, Director of teacher<br />
trainings for Wanderlust who<br />
<strong>Jan</strong>uary <strong>2017</strong> 9
draws upon the study of<br />
Ashtanga, Iyengar, Ayurveda, and<br />
meditation. With over 20 years of<br />
experience in leading retreats,<br />
trainings, and workshops<br />
worldwide, Joan collaborates<br />
with teachers who are experts in<br />
their field of study with the goal<br />
to create an eclectic training<br />
program for students at any level.<br />
For more information<br />
www.kateporteryoga.com /<br />
www.kateporteryoga.com/<br />
classes-fees/mastering/<br />
applying the knowledge of human<br />
anatomy to your own practice<br />
and/or your teaching.<br />
For more information<br />
www.newangleyoga.com<br />
Yoga Assists with<br />
Dr. Trish Corley<br />
27-28 May<br />
Empower your practice and your<br />
teaching by discovering how to<br />
assist over fifty<br />
yoga postures. As a student, you<br />
will gain an understanding of<br />
alignment and the<br />
possibilities of the poses. As a<br />
teacher, you will learn how to<br />
confidently assist<br />
students and empower them to<br />
experience their own greatness in<br />
each pose. Your<br />
hands already have the power to<br />
support and the workshop will<br />
give you the guidance to do so!<br />
KULA<br />
Retreats<br />
CHINA<br />
A Taste of Esalen<br />
5-12 May<br />
Hangzhou, China<br />
A series of introductions to<br />
SpiritDance SoulSong, Touching<br />
Essence, Esalen massage, and<br />
holotropic breathwork.<br />
Hotel Komune Bali<br />
Lisa’s 5 days/4 night retreat<br />
comprises early morning<br />
meditation, sunrise Vinyasa<br />
pracitce and an evening<br />
restorative practice.<br />
For more information<br />
www.pure-yoga.com<br />
Anatomy & Baptiste Yoga teacher Trish<br />
Corley<br />
Yoga Anatomy<br />
with Dr. Trish<br />
Corley<br />
20-21 May<br />
Gain a clear understanding of<br />
yoga anatomy and put it into<br />
action on the yoga mat.<br />
The workshop consists of<br />
interactive lectures with<br />
anatomical models and<br />
illustrations and is integrated<br />
with full asana practices. Have<br />
fun while practically<br />
For more information<br />
www.newangleyoga.com<br />
TAIWAN<br />
4-week Body<br />
Awareness with<br />
Ann Lu<br />
28 May, 4,11, 18 June<br />
Space Yoga, Taipei<br />
Drawing from her trauma<br />
therapy training, Ann will lead<br />
you to explore ways to connect<br />
and deepen your somatic<br />
awareness. This meditative way<br />
of working not only is the portal<br />
to a balanced nervous system and<br />
relieves stress, it also is the key<br />
to resolve trauma, help you heal,<br />
and develop emotional and<br />
spiritual wellbeing.<br />
For more information<br />
www.withinspace.com<br />
For more information<br />
21454450@qq.com<br />
INDONESIA<br />
SpiritDance<br />
SoulSong Retreat<br />
2-9 April<br />
Mimpi Menjangan, Bali,<br />
Indonesia<br />
Ellen Watson and Daphne Tse<br />
will help you discover your body<br />
as a musical instrument to find<br />
joy, healing and self-expression<br />
through the world’s oldest<br />
spiritual practices of singing and<br />
dancing.<br />
For more information<br />
www.spiritdancesoulsong.com /<br />
contact@movingventures.org<br />
PHILIPPINES<br />
Getaway to<br />
Palawan with<br />
Clayton Horton<br />
29 April - 4 May<br />
The Nest El Nido Beach Resort<br />
Join Ashtanga teacher Clayton<br />
Horton in El Nido, Northern<br />
Palawan for six days of yoga in<br />
paradise.<br />
Days will start with asana,<br />
meditations and pranayama.<br />
Afternoons you will be free to<br />
enjoy the island, while in the late<br />
afternoons there will be<br />
restorative practices and<br />
teachings. And evenings will be<br />
focussed on fun and<br />
entertainment.<br />
For more information<br />
www.pure-yoga.com<br />
SRI LANKA<br />
Yoga & Hula<br />
Hoop Retreat<br />
1-8 April<br />
Tallala Resort, Sri Lanka<br />
Eight days of holistic and playful<br />
hula hoop, dance and Yoga. All<br />
levels are welcome.<br />
Lisa Mak<br />
Bali Yoga Retreat<br />
with Lisa Mak<br />
7 - 11 June<br />
For more information<br />
info@divine-light-yoga.com /<br />
www.divine-light-yoga.com<br />
THAILAND<br />
7-Day Samkhya-<br />
10 NAMASKAR
Yoga Retreat<br />
12-18 February; 30 April-6 May;<br />
4-11 June; 9-15 July<br />
Wise Living Yoga Academy,<br />
Chiang Mai<br />
People often speak about Yoga<br />
without realizing that it forms an<br />
integral part of a composite<br />
Samkhya-Yoga Philosophy, the<br />
oldest philosophical system in<br />
the world. Includes theory and<br />
practice of Yoga techniques and<br />
vegetarian meals in residential<br />
basis.<br />
For more information<br />
(66) 825467995 /<br />
info@wiselivingyoga.com /<br />
www.retreats.wiselivingyoga.com<br />
Yoga, Pranayama<br />
& Ayurveda<br />
Retreat with Lana<br />
Lavanina<br />
18 - 25 February<br />
Samahita Retreat, Koh Samui<br />
Lana leads students through an<br />
exploration of hor yoga asana,<br />
pranayama, ayurveda, nutrition<br />
and meditation are interconnected.<br />
And how to apply each<br />
of these to everyday life.<br />
Originally from Finland, Lana has<br />
practiced yoga since 2001 and<br />
taught Ashtanga since 2004.<br />
For more information<br />
www.samahitaretreat.com<br />
14-Day Samkhya<br />
& Bhagavad Gita<br />
Retreat<br />
12-25 February; 30 April-13 May;<br />
4-17 June; 9-22 July<br />
Wise Living Yoga Academy -<br />
Chiang Mai<br />
Other than the study of Samkhya<br />
Charlotte Douglas<br />
and many traditional practices<br />
and techniques, will be diving<br />
deeper into Yoga as the Bhagavad<br />
Gita will be explained in the view<br />
of the Four Paths of Yoga,<br />
namely Raja Yoga, Jnana Yoga,<br />
Bhakti Yoga and Karma Yoga.<br />
Includes theory and practice and<br />
vegetarian meals in residential<br />
basis.<br />
For more information<br />
(66) 825467995 /<br />
info@wiselivingyoga.com /<br />
www.retreats.wiselivingyoga.com<br />
Yoga Tour<br />
28 <strong>Jan</strong>uary-7 February<br />
Eco-Logic Resort, Pak Song,<br />
Elysia Resort, Koh Samui and<br />
Sukhumvit Bangkok<br />
Travel and Yoga through the city,<br />
beaches and rainforests of<br />
Thailand.<br />
For more information<br />
info@divine-light-yoga.com /<br />
www.divine-light-yoga.com<br />
Yoga &<br />
Meditation with<br />
Charlotte Douglas<br />
of Love Life HK<br />
24-28 March<br />
Chiang Mai<br />
Unwind the body, mind and soul<br />
with Charlotte, an experienced<br />
Yoga teacher and Yoga therapist.<br />
Starting the day with a gentle<br />
meditation before moving into an<br />
invigorating Yoga practice, as<br />
well as nourishing the body with<br />
delicious food, rest the mind and<br />
soul in the surrounding nature<br />
and finish each day with a deeply<br />
restorative and relaxing evening<br />
practice.<br />
For information<br />
(852) 6680 0340 /<br />
charlotte@lovelifehk.com<br />
Finding<br />
Emotional<br />
Balance &<br />
Freedom<br />
6-12 April; 27 April-3 May; 22-28<br />
June; 31 August-6 September; 2-8<br />
November<br />
Explore your emotional habits<br />
and learn to respond to life’s<br />
challenges healthily, guided by<br />
Kamalaya’s life enhancement<br />
mentors Rajesh Ramani, Smitha<br />
Jayakumar and Sujay Seshadri.<br />
Having been immersed in<br />
monastic lifestyles in India for<br />
over a decade, all of them are<br />
experienced teachers with a<br />
strong background in ancient<br />
Asian philosophies.<br />
For more information<br />
www.kamalaya.com<br />
Yin & Yang Yoga<br />
with Simon Low<br />
13-17 April; 19-23 October; 7-11<br />
December<br />
Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary &<br />
Holistic Spa<br />
Join Simon for this immersion in<br />
Simon Low<br />
Kamalaya’s nurturing environment<br />
with daily Yin and Yang<br />
Yoga practice, ideally complemented<br />
by nourishing cuisine and<br />
selected wellness treatments<br />
For more information<br />
www.kamalaya.com<br />
Spiritual Heart<br />
Meditation<br />
Retreat<br />
8 - 10 June & 10 - 12 August<br />
Akasha Yoga Academy, Koh<br />
Pangan<br />
A retreat focussed mostly on<br />
meditation, but with yoga asana<br />
practice as well.<br />
Led by German yoga teachers<br />
Burkhard Langemann and<br />
Kirsten Reiss.<br />
For more information<br />
www.akashayogaacademy.com<br />
<strong>Jan</strong>uary <strong>2017</strong> 11
KULA<br />
Teacher Trainings<br />
AUSTRALIA<br />
New Modular<br />
Trainings in<br />
Byron Bay<br />
Byron Yoga Centre<br />
This new 50 and 25-hour<br />
modular trainings are designed to<br />
be standalone specialty course<br />
and also to be applicable as part<br />
of 200, 300 or 800-hour<br />
certificates. Choose from Yin<br />
Yoga, Remedial Yoga, Yoga for<br />
teens, adjustments and<br />
corrections and advance asana.<br />
For more information<br />
www.byronyoga.com<br />
Rainbow Yoga<br />
200 & 300-hr TT<br />
1 – 28 April<br />
Byron Bay<br />
Rainbow Yoga is a style that<br />
recognizes that happiness is<br />
within us and all around us. The<br />
TT includes 12 specialisations to<br />
teach people at all stages of life.<br />
For more information<br />
www.rainbowyogatraining.com/<br />
200300hour<br />
HONG KONG<br />
Kidding Around<br />
Yoga TT<br />
11 & 25 February<br />
Learn interesting and fun ways to<br />
share this ancient practice with<br />
children aged 2-17. Founded by<br />
Haris Lender, kids will be<br />
laughing their way to peace<br />
and mindfulness.<br />
For more information<br />
hershayoga.com<br />
Accessible<br />
Prenatal Yoga TT<br />
6-17 March<br />
This training explores classical,<br />
dynamic and adaptive Yoga<br />
practices to suit any ability<br />
across all trimesters, and covers<br />
important details for labour and<br />
postnatal rehabilitation. Includes<br />
Yoga philosophy and anatomy.<br />
For more information<br />
hershayoga.com<br />
200-hr Hatha<br />
Yoga TT<br />
(Chinese) with<br />
Ann da Silva &<br />
Keiki To<br />
1-9 April & 27 May - 4 June<br />
The Yoga Room, Sheung Wan<br />
This training will deepen your<br />
practice, inspire you to find your<br />
own inner teacher, and empower<br />
you with the knowledge and<br />
foundations to teach Yoga<br />
effectively and confidently.<br />
Conducted in Cantonese.<br />
For more information<br />
www.yogaroomhk.com /<br />
info@yogaroomhk.com /<br />
(852) 2544-8398<br />
300-hr Advanced<br />
Yoga TT<br />
(Chinese) with<br />
Ann da Silva &<br />
Keiki To<br />
29 April - 7 May, 30 September -<br />
8 October<br />
The Yoga Room, Sheung Wan<br />
12 NAMASKAR<br />
Suitable for yoga teachers with<br />
200-hour foundation training.<br />
Training modules can be taken<br />
individually without joining the<br />
full programme.<br />
For more information<br />
www.yogaroomhk.com /<br />
info@yogaroomhk.com /<br />
(852) 2544 8398<br />
Ayurvedic Yoga<br />
Massage Training<br />
with Ananta<br />
Girard<br />
4 - 7 March & 9 - 12 March<br />
The Yoga Room, Sheung Wan<br />
Ayurvedic Yoga Massage (AYM)<br />
combines traditional Indian deep<br />
tissue therapy and assisted Yoga<br />
stretching. AYM emphasizes deep<br />
strokes given with hands and<br />
feet, and therapeutic adjustments<br />
derived from Iyengar Yoga.<br />
For more information<br />
www.yogaroomhk.com /<br />
info@yogaroomhk.com /<br />
(852) 2544 8398<br />
200-hr<br />
Foundation &<br />
300-hr Advanced<br />
Yin Yang Vinyasa<br />
Yoga TT with<br />
<strong>Jan</strong>et Lau<br />
19 June – 1 July, 19 - 29 July, 23 -<br />
29 October, 8 - 17 December<br />
The Yoga Room, Sheung Wan<br />
Suitable for those who are ready<br />
to teach, already teaching, or<br />
those who want to gain more<br />
clarity of their life purpose and<br />
learn to cultivate harmony within<br />
and without. Modules can be<br />
taken together or seperately.<br />
For more information<br />
www.yogaroomhk.com /<br />
info@yogaroomhk.com /<br />
(852) 2544 8398<br />
Sarah Powers<br />
Level I - Insight<br />
Yoga TT Intensive<br />
with Sarah Powers<br />
4-13 October<br />
Pure Yoga<br />
Learn to teach and practice a<br />
receptive Yin style and an active<br />
Yang style yoga leading to a<br />
conducive inner environment for<br />
meditation.<br />
For more information<br />
sarahpowers.com/iyi/schedule-<br />
<strong>2017</strong>/level-i-teacher-trainingintensive-october-<strong>2017</strong>/
INDONESIA<br />
SpiritDance<br />
SoulSong TT with<br />
Ellen Watson &<br />
Daphne Tse<br />
2-28 April<br />
Mimpi Menjangan, Bali<br />
Ellen Watson and Daphne Tse<br />
will help you discover the skills<br />
and confidence to spread joy,<br />
healing and self-expression<br />
through movement and sound.<br />
For more information<br />
www.spiritdancesoulsong.com /<br />
contact@movingventures.org<br />
ITALY<br />
Touching Essence<br />
Certification<br />
Training with<br />
Ellen Watson<br />
27 <strong>Jan</strong>uary - 2 February / 15 - 27<br />
May<br />
Tactus Studio, Turin<br />
Touching Essence is a multisensory<br />
healing arts practice that<br />
combines touch, smell and sound.<br />
For more information<br />
www.movingventures.org/<br />
touchingessenceitaly /<br />
Tactus@Cumtactus.it<br />
Julia McCabe<br />
TT with Julia<br />
McCabe<br />
19 April - 10 May<br />
Amalfi Coast, Italy<br />
Teaching since 2003, Julia’s style<br />
infuses over 13 years of practice<br />
and study with many teachers<br />
during her time spent teaching in<br />
Asia and Canada. Including<br />
Ashtanga, Anusara, Forrest Yoga,<br />
as well as pranayama with Sri<br />
Tiwariji and most recently<br />
Kundalini.<br />
For more information<br />
www.breatheinlife.com/<br />
trainings/julia-ytt-<strong>2017</strong>/welcome<br />
/ chris@breatheinlife.com<br />
SINGAPORE<br />
200-hr Hatha<br />
Yoga TT<br />
3 March-16 April<br />
Tatva Yoga<br />
This Yoga Alliance accredited<br />
course covers both theory and<br />
practice. Students are required<br />
to attend classes, posture clinics<br />
(focusing on 54 basic and<br />
advanced asanas), lectures on<br />
pranayama, kriya, human<br />
anatomy and the history of Yoga.<br />
For more information<br />
enquiry@onewellness.com.sg<br />
200-hr Vinyasa<br />
Yoga TT with<br />
Trish Corley<br />
5 May - 4 June<br />
New Angle Yoga<br />
This training is based on Baptiste<br />
Yoga TM . Trish is a US licensed<br />
physical therapist and Yoga<br />
teacher accredited by the Yoga<br />
Alliance. Through the practice of<br />
yoga and self-exploration, you<br />
will gain the tools to confidently<br />
lead yoga classes and to access<br />
new possibilities in your<br />
practice, your teaching, and your<br />
life.<br />
For more information<br />
www.newangleyoga.com<br />
TAIWAN<br />
150-hr Yoga<br />
Therapeutics<br />
Advanced TT with<br />
Hart Lazer<br />
24 February - 5 March, 17 - 23<br />
May, 1 - 10 December<br />
Space Yoga, Taipei<br />
In addition to the physical,<br />
musculoskeletal therapy, this<br />
training includes in-depth<br />
material that helps with healing<br />
the nervous system, organic<br />
system, mental and emotional<br />
layer of your being, as well as<br />
various disorders and illnesses.<br />
For more information<br />
www.withinspace.com<br />
Three-Year 300+<br />
hr Iyengar Yoga<br />
Introductory I &II<br />
TT with Peter<br />
Scott<br />
22-28 March, 19-25 July<br />
6-12 April, 17-23 September 2018<br />
5-11 April, 14-20 September 2019<br />
Space Yoga, Taipei<br />
Experience Peter’s distinctively<br />
respectful and nurturing training<br />
method.<br />
For more information<br />
www.withinspace.com<br />
10-day<br />
Mindfulness &<br />
Yin Yoga TT with<br />
Michelle Chu<br />
10-19 March<br />
Space Yoga, Taipei<br />
This 80-hour training will guide<br />
you into a deeper, complete<br />
practice and teaching to<br />
complement your active asana<br />
practice with passive yin and<br />
mindfulness practices. This<br />
course is taught in Mandarin.<br />
For more information visit<br />
www.withinspace.com<br />
Iyengar Yoga<br />
Junior<br />
Intermediate I TT<br />
with Peter Scott<br />
30 March-2 April, 27-30 July<br />
16-18 April, 10-14 September 2018<br />
Space Yoga, Taipei<br />
This two-year programme<br />
prepares students for the Iyengar<br />
JI I assessment. Also suitable for<br />
those who have completed the<br />
Iyengar Introductory TTC, who<br />
are not yet certified or want to be<br />
a certified Iyengar Yoga teacher.<br />
For more information<br />
www.withinspace.com<br />
200-hr TT with<br />
Heidi Chen<br />
April and May<br />
Space Yoga, Taipei<br />
Heidi will bring the philosophy<br />
and knowledge of yoga to life in<br />
this training. As you deepen your<br />
practice and gain teaching skills,<br />
you will also be guided to<br />
experience your own inner<br />
transformation and exploration.<br />
Taught mostly in Mandarin, it<br />
will feature Carlos Pomeda<br />
teaching yoga philosophy.<br />
For more information<br />
www.withinspace.com<br />
THAILAND<br />
200-hr Classical<br />
Yoga TTC<br />
12 February-10 March; 30 April-<br />
26 May; 4 June-30 June; 9 July to<br />
4 August<br />
Wise Living Yoga Academy,<br />
Chiang Mai<br />
A full immersion experience in<br />
traditional Yoga studies in an<br />
“Ashram-like” environment. All<br />
programs are residential and<br />
include vegetarian meals.<br />
For more information<br />
(66) 825467995 /<br />
info@wiselivingyoga.com /<br />
www.teachertraining.<br />
wiselivingyoga.com<br />
Children’s Yoga<br />
95-hr TT<br />
26 February-7 March / 21-30<br />
April<br />
Eco-Logic Resort<br />
A playful, therapeutic approach<br />
to children’s Yoga and<br />
mindfulness.<br />
For more information<br />
info@divine-light-yoga.com /<br />
www.divine-light-yoga.com<br />
200-hr Hatha-<br />
Vinyasa Yoga TT<br />
5 March - 2 April; 7 May - 4 June;<br />
2 - 30 July<br />
Power of Now Oasis, Bali<br />
Led by Myron D’Mello, Mallika<br />
Savalkar and Phoebe Waters, this<br />
training is a fusion of Hatha Yoga<br />
and Vinyasa Flow with<br />
philosophy, pranayama, kriyas,<br />
and meditation. Focusing on the<br />
in-depth understanding of Yoga<br />
philosophy to support students<br />
in developing awareness of their<br />
practice and spiritual journey.<br />
Philosophy will be translated into<br />
practical tips to impact daily life.<br />
For more information<br />
info@powerofnowoasis.com<br />
<strong>Jan</strong>uary <strong>2017</strong> 13
PHOTO ESSAY<br />
A SIMPLE LIFE<br />
In a complex conflict<br />
PHOTOS & TEXT BY LINDA RAHMAT<br />
The Israel-Palestine conflict makes regular headlines; an ongoing<br />
struggle since the state of Israel was established in 1948. I have always<br />
wondered what it would be like to see the country for myself.<br />
When my friend and yoga teacher Nigel Marshall proposed the idea of<br />
volunteering at a local yoga community in Ramallah, Palestine, I<br />
jumped at the idea. Nigel and another yoga teacher Dale Hoole taught<br />
yoga, while I documented our journey through photography.<br />
For this photo essay, I walked the streets of the occupied territories<br />
of the West Bank, photographing the local people and scenes. In<br />
addition, I organized yoga asana shoots, as part of my ongoing<br />
“Pranascapes” project.<br />
Beyond the news stories, rarely are the Palestinians presented in the<br />
context of everyday life. The vision outsiders might have of Palestine<br />
is bleak and more often than not reduced to politically fatigued news.<br />
Rather than portraying Palestine as such, I wanted to focus on the<br />
simplicity of everyday-ness, a more human story. Despite living under<br />
military occupation, the people I had the pleasure of meeting and<br />
talking with continue to live their life with utmost positivity. The<br />
Palestinians are extremely warm and friendly people who exercised<br />
kindness towards us everywhere we went. Their smiles and laughter<br />
go far beyond the conflict.<br />
The rise of yoga in Palestine has also brought about a powerful tool to<br />
combat political and personal struggle. From my conversations with<br />
local yoga teachers, what they hope for is more international yoga<br />
teachers to visit Palestine and teach.<br />
I see two direct benefits to this; firstly to help cultivate a very<br />
important emerging yoga scene. And secondly to help spread the<br />
message internationally that Palestinians deserve a decent life too.<br />
They want the yoga world to know teaching in Palestine is an<br />
incredible gift.<br />
14 NAMASKAR
<strong>Jan</strong>uary <strong>2017</strong> 15
16 NAMASKAR
<strong>Jan</strong>uary <strong>2017</strong> 17
KARMA YOGA<br />
VOLUNTEERING IN PALESTINE<br />
Ashtanga & Ujjayi in the West Bank<br />
BY NIGEL MARSHALL<br />
In October 2016, I went to Palestine with two<br />
friends, Linda Rahmat and Dale Hoole.<br />
I am a supporter of the Palestinian cause and<br />
I was deeply affected by the appalling<br />
destruction in the 2014 Israel-Gaza conflict.<br />
Increasingly, I wanted to directly contribute<br />
in a positive and meaningful way, and thus the<br />
idea to try to go there and teach. There is a<br />
fledgling yoga scene in Palestine, and after<br />
reaching out to a few people in the yoga<br />
world, I soon connected with volunteer<br />
teachers from Farashe Yoga studio in<br />
Ramallah, a city in the West Bank of<br />
Palestine. I was very touched when I heard<br />
even utilizing very simple breathing and<br />
awareness techniques, is proving to be<br />
enormously helpful to the people who are<br />
suffering under the occupation.<br />
We decided to go there to try to help, and a<br />
teaching plan was formulated. Our work in<br />
Palestine was to be given pro bono; we would<br />
ask for no fees and would manage our own<br />
travel expenses and accommodation.<br />
Additionally, we organised and – with the<br />
help of some generous contributors - paid<br />
for a shipment of 40 Manduka Pro mats to be<br />
sent from Hong Kong to the yoga community<br />
in Ramallah.<br />
Prior to our visit, Ramallah had been aptly<br />
described to me as the “bubble of apparent<br />
wealth and freedom in Palestine” and when,<br />
with great enthusiasm, we finally did arrive<br />
there, we found it to be a relatively<br />
comfortable and cosmopolitan city. Ramallah<br />
currently serves as the de facto<br />
administrative capital of Palestine, until such<br />
time as the control of Jerusalem is returned<br />
to the State of Palestine.<br />
We worked with the teachers at Farashe and<br />
we taught workshops and daily classes.<br />
Classes included three-hour afternoon/early<br />
evening Mysore sessions held at BeIt Mysore<br />
- the only dedicated Ashtanga Yoga program<br />
in Palestine, established four years ago.<br />
Our daily schedule was very full; in addition<br />
Nigel leads a group of Palestinian yoga students through Parsvokonasana<br />
to practicing and teaching, we explored the<br />
occupied territories. We visited the occupied<br />
city of Hebron, and were deeply disturbed at<br />
the state of things there. A few hundred<br />
illegal settlers, many of whom are US<br />
citizens, have been enticed to live in Hebron,<br />
with the promise of cheap housing and an<br />
easy life. Dreadful measures are being<br />
undertaken to maintain this unnatural<br />
situation, and existence is made an absolute<br />
misery for the 300,000 Palestinian<br />
population.<br />
One disgraceful example is settlers who live<br />
above the local market place routinely throw<br />
bricks, garbage and even human waste onto<br />
the Palestinian shoppers below. Israel has<br />
declared parts of Hebron constitute a closed<br />
military zone. In those areas, Palestinians<br />
have been forcibly removed from their<br />
homes and their businesses have been shut<br />
down. Palestinian residents in Hebron are<br />
subjected daily to repeated body searches,<br />
and have to obtain permits to move through<br />
the many military checkpoints in the city<br />
centre. Even the Palestinian civilians’ lives<br />
are routinely at risk in Hebron; many of the<br />
settlers casually stroll around town with<br />
automatic rifles over their shoulders, and are<br />
additionally “protected” by an entire brigade<br />
of Israeli soldiers.<br />
We also made it to a peaceful protest in the<br />
village of Bel-Ain, where the local villagers<br />
have been demonstrating weekly for more<br />
than a decade the theft of their farmland. In<br />
the past some of these demonstrations have<br />
been broken up by Israeli forces in very<br />
violent ways. On one occasion a protestor<br />
died from having a high-velocity teargas<br />
canister shot directly at his chest. Luckily for<br />
us, there was no tear gas fired that day, but<br />
we experienced first-hand what it was like<br />
being ousted from one’s homeland, and<br />
treated like a criminal and a terrorist.<br />
The attitude of a rational and humane person<br />
witnessing the appalling conditions the<br />
Palestinians have endured for over 50 years<br />
must surely be one of contempt and<br />
condemnation, and of extreme revulsion<br />
18 NAMASKAR
towards those who perpetuate or support<br />
this reprehensible situation. Desmond Tutu<br />
famously said conditions in Palestine are “far<br />
worse” than anything he witnessed in<br />
Apartheid South Africa. And John Dugard,<br />
who is widely regarded as the father of<br />
human rights in South Africa, recently<br />
stated,”I think it’s very clear that apartheid<br />
is practiced within the Occupied Palestinian<br />
Territories…”<br />
And indeed, the 30-foot high concrete<br />
separation wall, Israel has illegally erected<br />
around vast swathes of Palestine, which has<br />
armed watchtowers and checkpoints, is<br />
often referred to as “The Apartheid Wall”.<br />
We experienced this hideous wall, and it’s<br />
devastating effects on the communities it<br />
bluntly cuts through, almost everywhere we<br />
went in Palestine.<br />
Yoga practice is helpful for everyone. But<br />
particularly in times of crisis, engaging in a<br />
steadying activity is crucial to re-balance and<br />
re-attune ourselves to whatever the situation<br />
demands. The people of Palestine are<br />
permanently in a crisis situation; their<br />
existences are controlled and threatened by<br />
outside forces that are entirely negative and<br />
destructive to them, and their basic human<br />
rights are rendered non-existent. Human<br />
rights groups are unanimous in condemning<br />
what Israel is doing in Palestine. Most<br />
recently, the UN, on 24 December 2016,<br />
unanimously demanded an end to Israeli<br />
settlement building on Palestinian land.<br />
One of the ways Palestinians are asking the<br />
world to support their non-violent struggle<br />
for basic human rights, is via the Boycott,<br />
Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.<br />
BDS works to end international support for<br />
Israel’s oppression of Palestinians and<br />
pressure Israel to comply with international<br />
law. And I strongly believe the yoga teaching<br />
community should acknowledge the<br />
principles of BDS apply to them also. So I<br />
hope to see from the yoga world that fellow<br />
yoga teachers will support the Palestinian<br />
struggle for justice, and apply these<br />
principles themselves, by travelling to teach<br />
in Palestine instead of Israel.<br />
Politics has never been my passion.<br />
However, what is being done to the people of<br />
Palestine, outrages me to the point where I<br />
cannot dismiss or marginalise it as simply<br />
politics. Equally, the apparent indifference,<br />
or worse; tacit agreement, to the current<br />
plight of the Palestinians, by such a very large<br />
number of people, I also find disgraceful.<br />
In Sutra 1.33, Patanjali states “…one should<br />
cultivate… equanimity toward the wicked”. It<br />
is my understanding this is an injunction to<br />
try to keep the mind as undisturbed as<br />
possible. However, it seems to me among<br />
many in the yoga community, this philosophy<br />
of equanimity is often incorrectly conflated<br />
with being passive and indifferent to social<br />
injustice, and to excuse a kind of selfishness<br />
in oneself. I simply don’t believe what<br />
Patanjali meant in this sutra, is one should<br />
take no action in the face of moral outrage.<br />
To quote Palestinian Ashtanga Yoga teacher,<br />
Mira Shihadeh, “Expressing moral outrage is<br />
not politics. Politics is silence, neutrality,<br />
indifference or justification for what is”.<br />
We took a lot of photos, and shot a lot of<br />
footage in Palestine; street scenes, teaching<br />
sessions, portraits, interviews, and yoga<br />
asanas in the streets. The photos will surface<br />
via social media, and in Linda Rahmat’s<br />
excellent ongoing “Pranascapes” Instagram<br />
project.<br />
The video footage will begin to see the light of<br />
day soon, in a project that has the working<br />
title of “We Will Win! Ashtanga Yoga<br />
Palestine”, via the YouTube channel and FB<br />
page, Nacho’s Films.<br />
<strong>Jan</strong>uary <strong>2017</strong> 19
20 NAMASKAR
PHILOSOPHY<br />
THE MEANING OF NAMASKAR<br />
So much more than hello<br />
BY GANDHAR MANDLIK<br />
The first thing that comes to mind when we<br />
think of yoga is <strong>Namaskar</strong>. Both hands joined<br />
together to greet a person, or to become<br />
humble and express the gratitude and respect<br />
to the Universe. What is the purpose of this<br />
<strong>Namaskar</strong>?<br />
IMPORTANCE OF HANDS IN DAY-TO-<br />
DAY LIFE<br />
Hands have played a very important role in<br />
our evolution as human beings. Almost all<br />
our actions use the hands, such as daily<br />
activities of cleaning, washing, writing,<br />
holding (small objects to big objects),<br />
driving, using instruments etc. But other<br />
than these expressions there are other<br />
aspects such as emotions, gestures,<br />
communication, greetings, touching, arts and<br />
music which also involve the hands.<br />
STRENGTH OF HANDS<br />
Hands have very sensitive nerves which allow<br />
us to feel the temperature of the object (hot<br />
or cold), hardness or softness, wet or dry<br />
etc. Hands can do very delicate work as well<br />
as hard work. The muscles of the hands and<br />
fingers are so strong as to hold the weight of<br />
the body.<br />
BRAIN & HANDS<br />
It is very interesting to know the right hand<br />
and left hand are controlled by almost 50% of<br />
the primary motor cortex and the remaining<br />
50% is used for the remaining body parts.<br />
The area of the cortex used for the hands is<br />
huge, which is an indication of the<br />
importance of the hands in an evolved human<br />
brain. So when we use our hands consciously<br />
we are activating 50% of our cerebral cortex<br />
(mainly motor cortex). All higher functions<br />
of the brain such as thinking, planning and<br />
decision-making involves the cortex, so to<br />
control these executive functions the hands<br />
can play a key role and that is the purpose of<br />
Mudras. To control the state of mind and to<br />
make it peaceful, concentrated, creative and<br />
imaginative mudras have always been used in<br />
Yoga.<br />
It is very well known now that when we are<br />
stressed or angry or anxious or depressed,<br />
the sympathetic nervous system is<br />
stimulated via the Amygdala – Hypothalamas<br />
– Pituitary Gland – Adrenaline Gland. Stress<br />
hormones are released as a result (cortisol,<br />
adrenaline, nor adrenaline etc.). This is called<br />
stimulation to the HPA axis, but this can be<br />
deactivated by deactivating the amygdala and<br />
stimulating the frontal lobe which is the<br />
cortex.<br />
NAMASKAR FOR REDUCING STRESS,<br />
ANXIETY & DEPRESSION<br />
When we are practicing the mudras, our<br />
focus is on hand gestures which activate the<br />
cortex and brings more blood to the frontal<br />
lobe, reducing the blood flow to the<br />
amygdala. This deactivates the stress<br />
response which reduces stress, anxiety and<br />
depression. This is most essential for<br />
concentration and a peaceful, positive state<br />
of mind.<br />
When we are stressed or anxious our palms<br />
sweat and are often cold. This is called total<br />
peripheral resistance which reduces the<br />
peripheral blood circulation and increases<br />
the core circulation. The muscles in our<br />
hands are also tensed and some people even<br />
feel hand tremors. In <strong>Namaskar</strong> mudra we<br />
are trying to minimize the heat loss by joining<br />
both palms together and warming them. We<br />
are trying to stabilize the hands and minimize<br />
the tremors. So <strong>Namaskar</strong> can surely help in<br />
reducing anxiety, stress and depression.<br />
OVERALL HEALTH & WELL-BEING<br />
In <strong>Namaskar</strong> Mudra the left hand touches the<br />
right hand and the fingers and palms also<br />
touch each other. The left hand is connected<br />
to the right brain and right hand to the left<br />
brain. In <strong>Namaskar</strong> position, the left brain<br />
and right brain (motor cortex) are activated<br />
and synchronization between the two<br />
hemispheres of the brain is increased. It is<br />
well known that left and right brain<br />
synchronization is very important for overall<br />
health and wellbeing. Good health of the<br />
immune system and other systems in the<br />
body is the result of good synchronization of<br />
brain hemispheres.<br />
ANGER, EGO, HUMBLENESS &<br />
RELATIONSHIPS<br />
<strong>Namaskar</strong> is useful for reducing anger,<br />
aggression, hatred and jealousy as the<br />
amygdala is deactivated. When we greet<br />
someone we should not have any anger as it<br />
will negatively affect the relationship. When<br />
the anger is not there, the ego is also not<br />
there. Becoming humble is the purpose of<br />
this mudra and being humble and peaceful is<br />
the strong starting point of any relationship.<br />
MARMA POINTS & ACUPRESSURE<br />
POINTS<br />
In the palms there are a few important<br />
marma and acupressure points which are<br />
connected to the heart, lungs, immunity and<br />
reproductive system. In <strong>Namaskar</strong> mudra<br />
these points are pressurized which is<br />
beneficial for these core organs.<br />
RELIGIONS & NAMASKAR<br />
Other than Hinduism there are so many<br />
other religions which have given importance<br />
to <strong>Namaskar</strong>. Buddhism, Jainism,<br />
Christianity, Shinto in Japan and Sikhism<br />
have used <strong>Namaskar</strong> mudra for prayers<br />
where humility, concentration and peace of<br />
mind are important.<br />
Let us all do <strong>Namaskar</strong> while chanting<br />
mantras and meeting people.<br />
<strong>Jan</strong>uary <strong>2017</strong> 21
22 NAMASKAR
<strong>Jan</strong>uary <strong>2017</strong> 23
24 NAMASKAR
MEDITATION<br />
ANYONE<br />
CAN<br />
MEDITATE<br />
ANYTIME<br />
Even when<br />
eating a<br />
carrot<br />
BY JANET LAU<br />
When it comes to meditation, many of us<br />
have the image we must be sitting on our<br />
meditation cushion, palms on our laps, our<br />
eyes closed, with a peaceful look on our face.<br />
But meditation is more than that. It is a state<br />
of mind in which we bring our focus on the<br />
present moment with a receptive and nonjudgmental<br />
mind. With enough practice, it<br />
will give us some peace and various insights<br />
about life. Understanding how life is everchanging<br />
in turn leads us to stop identifying<br />
ourselves with the changes we encounter<br />
through life.<br />
So with this understanding, meditation can<br />
be practiced any time. In fact, the more we<br />
practice aligning our mind to the present, the<br />
stronger we become at it.<br />
Here I share with you a method of practicing<br />
mindfulness while eating which I have<br />
learned from Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.<br />
LOOKING AT YOUR EMPTY BOWL<br />
My bowl, empty now,<br />
will soon be filled with precious food.<br />
Beings all over the Earth are struggling to<br />
live.<br />
How fortunate we are to have enough to eat.<br />
According to the United Nations, nearly 800<br />
million people in the world do not have<br />
enough food live a healthy life. This gatha is<br />
to remind us to be grateful for the food we<br />
have, as we vow to search for ways to help<br />
others who suffer from hunger.<br />
SERVING & EATING FOOD<br />
In this food<br />
I see clearly<br />
the presence of the entire universe<br />
supporting my existence<br />
If you look at a piece of broccoli deep enough,<br />
it contains the whole universe. Without the<br />
sun, the broccoli would not be on our plate;<br />
without the cloud, there would be no water<br />
to nourish this plant; without the earth,<br />
there would not be a place for the broccoli to<br />
grow from; without the farmer, the plant<br />
would not be so beautifully harvested;<br />
without the driver, we would not have the<br />
plant with such convenience; without the<br />
chef, we would not be able to enjoy such<br />
wonderful tasty food. So the broccoli<br />
contains everything inside it.<br />
to the food that is inside your mouth. Chew<br />
until the food becomes liquefied, which takes<br />
about 20-30 times of chewing, and this<br />
practice can lessen the workload for our<br />
digestive system.<br />
Be mindful to only chew the carrot, not your<br />
projects or your worries. Your carrot is<br />
present for you and you can also be present<br />
for your carrot. If you are occupied with<br />
your worries or your sadness, you can<br />
practice mindful breathing for a while until<br />
you can be present to your food. Spend time<br />
with your food, every minute of your meal<br />
can be a happy and joyful moment. Not many<br />
people have the time and opportunity to sit<br />
down and enjoy a meal like that, let our food<br />
reminds us how fortunate we are.<br />
FINISHING YOUR MEAL<br />
The meal is finished.<br />
My hunger is satisfied.<br />
I vow to live for the benefit of all being.<br />
A lot of times we rush to the next thing as<br />
soon as we finish our food. Instead, spend a<br />
few minutes being grateful for the food that<br />
nourished you just now. Also, remember<br />
everything that came to be that gives you such<br />
moment of contentment. We can practice to<br />
show our gratitude before we ate as well as<br />
the entire process of eating and after.<br />
The more we practice this way, the more our<br />
peace will shine upon everyone around us.<br />
This spreads peace and joy to others who<br />
have yet to learn about peace and joy.<br />
Lastly let your practice adapt so it is always<br />
enjoyable, and never stressful. For<br />
beginners, you can invite your friends and<br />
family to practice mindful eating with you<br />
once a week. Slowly, as your mindfulness<br />
practice become more deeply rooted, you can<br />
start to expand your practice.<br />
Before you start eating your meal, pick up<br />
one piece of carrot without putting into your<br />
month right away. Look into the carrot and<br />
see for yourself that it contains the sunshine,<br />
the rain, the love and a lot of hard work by<br />
many others. Once you can see the interconnectiveness<br />
of the carrot, then you can<br />
slowly place it into your month, chew it and<br />
taste it with mindfulness. Take your time to<br />
eat, just taking one bite at a time, put down<br />
your utensils so that you can be fully present<br />
Thich Nhat Hanh<br />
<strong>Jan</strong>uary <strong>2017</strong> 25
26 NAMASKAR
FOR TEACHERS<br />
ARE YOU READY TO OFFER A YOGA<br />
TEACHER TRAINING?<br />
You are a student first and foremost<br />
BY HERSHA CHELLARAM<br />
Deep in the forests of Buckingham Virginia,<br />
the Satchidananda Ashram-Yogaville began a<br />
teacher training without their Guru, Sri<br />
Swami Satchidananda in his physical form.<br />
This was in 2002 and happened to be my first<br />
yoga teacher training. Sri Gurudev (as he was<br />
fondly known) had just left his body and we<br />
were all grieving. I had planned to spend six<br />
weeks with him but had to accept that it was<br />
going to be a different experience.<br />
From 5 am until 9 pm, the teacher training<br />
was intense and raw for the trainers too.<br />
Being at the ashram at this transitional time<br />
allowed for the most profound shifts to<br />
occur. Realisations bubbled up about my past<br />
and future. I felt vulnerable and completely<br />
frightened about facing the changes I needed<br />
to make.<br />
Just then, the teacher training ended and I<br />
was thrust back into my old life, left to fend<br />
for myself in preventing old thought patterns<br />
to reemerge. Without Gurudev in his<br />
physical form, integrating back into the<br />
outside world was tough. I ruthlessly ended<br />
old friendships, quit my job and went on an<br />
additional year-long search in South India to<br />
find myself.<br />
Over the next 15 years, I have gone through<br />
many more trainings and spiritual<br />
development programmes, each one unique<br />
and transformational. The journey has been<br />
worth it because I have found deep peace,<br />
resilience and inner-strength that has carried<br />
me through many extreme life challenges.<br />
When I was authorised to become an Integral<br />
Yoga Teacher Trainer, I went within to find a<br />
place authenticity — a part of my experience<br />
that was relevant and meaningful. Here’s<br />
what I have learned and continue to share.<br />
ASANA IS ONLY PART OF A TEACHER<br />
TRAINING<br />
Teaching asana is straight forward and while<br />
the study of anatomy may be tricky, it’s not<br />
too difficult to learn safe practice. Integral<br />
Yoga’s (IY) 200-hour training respects the<br />
limits of the body as a method for progress.<br />
Foundational asanas lay the right<br />
groundwork for moving into advanced<br />
postures. Too many students favour how a<br />
pose looks rather than how it feels. The<br />
challenge is in training others to experience<br />
yoga internally and teach it to their future<br />
students. This is an essential component of<br />
yoga — the complete practice — yet only few<br />
<strong>Jan</strong>uary <strong>2017</strong> 27
Staying humble and dedicated are signs<br />
of a great yoga student and a great yogi.<br />
teachers share this in a classroom experience.<br />
TO BE AN EXCELLENT YOGA TEACHER,<br />
FIRST KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A<br />
YOGI<br />
These are the wise words of my Guru. In fact,<br />
this is why his teacher trainings required<br />
students to uproot their lives and go and live<br />
at an ashram for a month. IY’s approach to<br />
yogic living set the bar for the standards of<br />
teacher training since the 1960s, and was<br />
adopted by the Yoga Alliance when it was<br />
founded. Hong Kong trainings are not held at<br />
an ashram, but the essence of ashram life is<br />
still present. Students learn humility and<br />
service are the starting points of a<br />
transformational journey. Without a<br />
willingness to shift attitudes and live<br />
selflessly, personal growth cannot happen.<br />
SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT IS ESSENTIAL<br />
While asana respects the body’s limits,<br />
inner-exploration ventures outside a<br />
student’s comfort zone to shift old<br />
conditioning. This transformational aspect of<br />
yoga is experienced through IY’s Six<br />
Branches. Students must learn to challenge<br />
their fundamental beliefs and release their<br />
past stories. Only then can they create<br />
meaningful reconnection with the universe<br />
(or any individual expression of Divinity). In<br />
that space of vulnerability, students can<br />
reveal their authentic selves. Only then are<br />
they prepared to transmit the teachings of<br />
yoga to others.<br />
STUDENTS NEED SUPPORT TO<br />
INTEGRATE NEW REALISATIONS INTO<br />
DAILY LIFE<br />
If we do not learn to live compassionately or<br />
be non-judgemental, yoga will always be a<br />
point of contention with those we love. The<br />
mistakes I made were so valuable that I<br />
pledged to support students in their quest to<br />
integrate the teachings into their personal<br />
lives. Through mentoring and group support<br />
over 10 months of training, students<br />
experience the very real results yoga delivers.<br />
Graduates have said this aspect of the<br />
training was key to healing their bodies/<br />
minds, mending broken relationships, and<br />
changing their lives for the better.<br />
A SANGHA IS THE MOST VALUABLE<br />
ASSET FOR A TEACHER TRAINEE<br />
The friendships made at a teacher training<br />
can be life-long, and these can be maintained<br />
by regularly attending sangha or spiritual<br />
community. Integral Yoga’s Hong Kong<br />
community practices together weekly and<br />
serves the Hong Kong community<br />
frequently. We have grown into a family over<br />
the years, where each member supports one<br />
another in a loving and non-judgemental way.<br />
Many students lean on the sangha in times of<br />
need and it has provided them with strength<br />
and encouragement to keep going.<br />
200 HOURS ARE JUST THE BEGINNING,<br />
& THERE IS NO END TO GROWTH<br />
Many students emerge from a teacher<br />
training with enthusiasm and a wealth of<br />
knowledge to share with the world. This is<br />
fantastic, but it is just the beginning.<br />
Constantly learning and growing is key to<br />
staying inspired and authentic. My body and<br />
mind are totally different from 15 years ago. I<br />
have seen how the mind can easily trick us<br />
into going back to our old egotistic nature, if<br />
we are not careful. If any part of our physical<br />
vitality or mental peace are absent, we always<br />
have the chance to start over. We are all<br />
evolving in this journey together and all start<br />
at different points. Staying humble and<br />
dedicated are signs of a great yoga student<br />
and a great yogi.<br />
28 NAMASKAR
<strong>Jan</strong>uary <strong>2017</strong> 29
30 NAMASKAR
<strong>Jan</strong>uary <strong>2017</strong> 31
32 NAMASKAR
FERTILITY<br />
YOGA & ASSISTED REPRODUCTION<br />
Soften to support the fertility process<br />
BY JEAN BYRNE<br />
Yoga is a wonderful way to prepare the body<br />
for pregnancy. It helps reduce stress, balance<br />
hormones and can help us feel well in body,<br />
mind and spirit.<br />
Yet sometimes, no matter how much yoga we<br />
do, or how healthy we are, we may find<br />
ourselves struggling with infertility.<br />
Infertility is the failure to become pregnant<br />
after 12 months of unprotected intercourse<br />
when no other issues are present (and you<br />
are in your 20s or early 30s).<br />
For any women menstruating, in her early<br />
30s or younger, and otherwise well - if you do<br />
not conceive in the first 12 months of regular<br />
intercourse, then go see your doctor. If you<br />
want a family, and time is not on your side,<br />
see if there are any issues to be addressed.<br />
If you have already begun treatments it is<br />
time to reflect on how our yoga practice can<br />
support and nurture us during this process.<br />
Even though there are myriad benefits from<br />
exercise, once we begin In-Vitro Fertilisation<br />
(IVF) consider moderate, rather than high<br />
intensity exercise. While exercise keeps us<br />
healthy, too much high intensity exercises in<br />
the years prior to IVF may not be helpful.<br />
A study published in Obstetrics and<br />
Gynaecology explains women who exercised 4<br />
hours or more per week for 1–9 years were<br />
40% less likely to have a live birth and were<br />
almost three times more likely to experience<br />
cycle cancellation and twice as likely to have<br />
an implantation failure or pregnancy loss<br />
than women who did not report exercise.<br />
For those of you who love Restorative or Yin<br />
practices, as long as you follow the pregnancy<br />
modifications, there is little reason to change<br />
what you are doing. Your body and mind will<br />
be nourished and the stress positively<br />
impacted by your practice.<br />
If you are practicing high intensity yoga such<br />
as Ashtanga, Power or Hot Yoga such as<br />
Bikram, reassess what you are practicing and<br />
how your practice might be modified during<br />
IVF or other fertility treatments.<br />
While the research is far from clear in this<br />
area, a Danish study suggests lean women<br />
who change their exercise from high intensity<br />
to medium intensity slightly improve their<br />
chances of natural pregnancy. While we can’t<br />
know absolutely the implications of high<br />
intensity yoga or exercise during fertility<br />
treatments, it makes sense to pull back a<br />
little. Remember your body is working hard<br />
to produce eggs and make a baby!<br />
It can be difficult to change your exercise<br />
routine. However, the beauty of yoga is that<br />
it can be adapted throughout our life to<br />
support and nourish you, no matter what you<br />
are going through. The change in intensity is<br />
not forever. Hopefully you will soon be<br />
pregnant. And after your baby’s birth you can<br />
return to your high intensity exercise, or if<br />
you do not conceive, when you are finished<br />
with fertility treatments you will be able to<br />
return to your previous levels of activity.<br />
My advice for women practicing yoga and<br />
undergoing fertility treatments is to find the<br />
space to soften your practice. IVF is very<br />
stressful and can bring lots of joy or heart<br />
ache. Having our head in the right place can<br />
help us on this journey.<br />
Further, women are likely to blame<br />
themselves if they have a failed IVF cycle, or<br />
are unable to conceive for whatever reason.<br />
We don’t want to look back and wonder if<br />
yoga was a contributing factor to our lack of<br />
IVF success. The following suggestions are<br />
to guide you through this difficult time,<br />
however they do not replace the advice of<br />
your health care provider or your<br />
experienced yoga teacher. Practicing with a<br />
teacher during this time can help you learn<br />
how to transform your practice into a less<br />
dynamic, but soft and nourishing practice.<br />
ADVICE ON YOGA PRACTICE DURING<br />
IVF OR FERTILITY TREATMENTS<br />
• In the months leading into your IVF<br />
cycles if you have a normal Body Mass Index<br />
scale back on high intensity yoga practices.<br />
Start to be more gentle and less forceful,<br />
reduce the amount you are sweating, try to<br />
keep a steady and even breath during your<br />
practice. Tune into your body, you may<br />
notice the effects of your cycle, become<br />
attuned to when you ovulate.<br />
• Once you begin a fertility cycle, do very<br />
gentle, pregnancy-appropriate yoga. The<br />
hope is you will have successful pregnancy,<br />
so begin practicing as if you are now.<br />
• Include meditation and visualisation<br />
daily to help with your stress levels. Develop<br />
a soft pranayama or mindfulness practice.<br />
• Once you start injecting hormones,<br />
honour the intensity of this process with a<br />
ritual. A nice cup of tea, a delicious juice,<br />
inject in a quite space. Use your practice to<br />
help you remain centred. By now the<br />
physicality of your practice has lessened<br />
greatly. Vinyasas are few and far between,<br />
but you can opt for longer holds in less<br />
strenuous positions, and move between the<br />
positions with the breath. By now you have<br />
dropped all twisting postures, inversions,<br />
postures which require jumping or unstable<br />
movements, intense forward or backbends.<br />
• Egg Removal: Allow yourself some time<br />
to practice meditation or pranayama on the<br />
morning of your retrieval. Do this in the<br />
hospital bed while you are waiting!<br />
• Embryo Transfer: If you are lucky<br />
enough to reach this point, again practice<br />
pranayama or meditation on the morning of<br />
transfer to keep your nerves in check. This<br />
will be an emotional time. Refrain from any<br />
physical yoga in the days following, but<br />
maintain a seated or laying meditation /<br />
relaxation practice<br />
• The 2 week wait - torture! Try<br />
restorative yoga with pregnancy<br />
modifications. Gentle, passive stretching,<br />
breathing and lots of relaxation!<br />
• 6 weeks: Pregnant! Congratulations. Be<br />
sure to find a wonderful pregnancy yoga class<br />
with an experienced teacher.<br />
• 6 weeks: Not Pregnant. Devastating! But<br />
you have done everything you could,<br />
nourished your body and mind, and<br />
ultimately there was no more you could have<br />
done. Now be kind to yourself, and respect<br />
the changes the IVF have put your body.<br />
Slowly and gently return to your practice.<br />
Yoga can be a wonderful way to support the<br />
body and mind during IVF. Be sure to seek<br />
the advice of your health care provider<br />
before taking up new forms of exercise, and<br />
when you should practice yoga. Even without<br />
asanas the other limbs of yoga can nurture us<br />
on this journey.<br />
<strong>Jan</strong>uary <strong>2017</strong> 33
PRACTICES<br />
THE SOUND OF THE GONG<br />
Healing & Transformation<br />
BY MEHTAB BENTON<br />
The gong has been involved in every kind of<br />
human activity, from the earthly to the<br />
ethereal. In Buddhist monasteries, gongs call<br />
the attention of the gods. In ancient Greece,<br />
they open the realm of the dead. In Borneo,<br />
they are beaten to frighten away storms. In<br />
Ceram, gongs are given as wedding gifts. In<br />
Assam, they are used as funeral pyres. During<br />
war, gongs intimidate enemies and gather<br />
troops. In peace, they celebrate festivals and<br />
accompany dances.<br />
The gong has played an important role in<br />
ceremonies, rituals, and inner journeys<br />
among all the world’s peoples. Deaths, births,<br />
marriages, and initiations were all<br />
accompanied by the sounding of the gong.<br />
More than simply a musical instrument, the<br />
gong has been used as an agent of<br />
transformation.<br />
From the purely physical, to the emotional<br />
and spiritual, the sound of the gong can<br />
promote a positive change in the listener. In<br />
addition to yogis and yoga teachers, doctors,<br />
music therapists, psychotherapists, and<br />
researchers have used the gong as an adjunct<br />
to their healing modalities and have seen its<br />
therapeutic benefits in their students and<br />
patients.<br />
The applications for Gong Therapy as part of<br />
the complementary healthcare field are<br />
limitless. The gong has always been used to<br />
mark and ease life transitions, so we are<br />
seeing its use by midwives before and during<br />
the birthing process and by hospice nurses<br />
for end of life patients.<br />
The gong has been used since the early 1970s<br />
for treatment of addictions and for those in<br />
recovery programs. Psychotherapists are<br />
reporting beneficial results for patients who<br />
suffer from depression, anxiety and anger. In<br />
Sweden the gong is part of a medical yoga<br />
program and in Greece there is interest and<br />
acceptance of its use in the nursing<br />
profession. Children with special needs,<br />
disadvantaged youth, and students with<br />
learning disabilities have responded<br />
favorably to its use in the classroom.<br />
The gong and gong therapy is becoming<br />
accepted in Western culture, much like yoga<br />
achieved in the late twentieth century, as a<br />
benign and affordable way to enhance<br />
physical, mental and emotional well-being.<br />
Yet the potential audience for gong therapy<br />
exceeds that of yoga and many other<br />
alternative healing modalities. Its entry<br />
requirements are small – we only have to<br />
relax and listen - and its healing power comes<br />
from the sound that has awakened the human<br />
consciousness throughout the ages – the<br />
Sound of the Gong.<br />
Mehtab Benton leads a gong session<br />
34 NAMASKAR
<strong>Jan</strong>uary <strong>2017</strong> 35
DRISTI - HATHA YOGA PRADIPIKA<br />
LITTLE LAMP OF<br />
HATHA YOGA<br />
Guiding us for 700 years<br />
BY VALERIE FANECO<br />
DETOXIFICATION IS THE KEY<br />
Similarities between HYP & Ayurveda.................................................40<br />
ANCIENT ANSWERS TO MODERN QUESTIONS<br />
How HYP helped me..............................................................................41<br />
36 NAMASKAR
<strong>Jan</strong>uary <strong>2017</strong> 37
Yogis sought to be in good health,<br />
to reach the highest state<br />
of development in the mind.<br />
Hatha-yoga is familiar to millions of people<br />
who use it to describe the kind of yoga they<br />
practice, yet there seems to be a great deal of<br />
confusion about what it really is. The Oxford<br />
English dictionary defines it as “a system of<br />
physical exercises and breathing control used<br />
in yoga”, and some schools interpret it as a<br />
very strong practice of postures combined<br />
with powerful techniques of purification. A<br />
closer look into it reveals it is a multidimensional<br />
system, a map of how the<br />
ancients understood our structure long<br />
before the development of modern science.<br />
The Hatha-Yoga-Pradipika was composed<br />
around the 15 th Century AD and is one of the<br />
greatest classics on the subject. It is divided<br />
in four parts: chapter I is about working with<br />
the body (asana), chapter II is about working<br />
with the breath (pranayama), chapter III is<br />
about combining body, breath and energy in<br />
special positions with energetic seals<br />
(mudra), and chapter IV is about the<br />
experience of the inner sound as a meditative<br />
practice (nada).<br />
In that era diseases were often fatal and life<br />
expectancy was low. Yogis sought to be in<br />
good health, not for the sake of being<br />
physically fit or supple, but to reach the<br />
highest state of development in the mind. The<br />
pursuit of this freedom is the work of hathayoga,<br />
and the freedom itself is called rajayoga,<br />
meaning “royal” yoga because it is<br />
about finding the master in one’s self, when<br />
the goal of hatha-yoga is accomplished.<br />
Therefore, it is said hatha-yoga is “the ladder<br />
to reach raja-yoga”, the means to an end.<br />
MAVERICK YOGIS<br />
The author of the Hatha-Yoga-Pradipika was<br />
Svatmarama, a sage who may have belonged<br />
to a group called the Kapalikas. These<br />
ascetics devoted to Shiva used human skulls<br />
as begging bowls, hence their name, “skull<br />
men”. They were known as eccentrics<br />
because the techniques they practiced were<br />
rather extreme compared to those of the<br />
orthodox Brahmins who taught yoga then.<br />
Some of these techniques were not revealed<br />
to everyone but reserved to selected<br />
members of this hierarchical society. A<br />
typical example of this is samantrakapranayama,<br />
literally “the control of life<br />
force by working with mantras in breathing”.<br />
Mantras are positive affirmations or phrases<br />
pregnant with meaning; their repetition helps<br />
to focus the mind but also to measure the<br />
length of the breath and to acquire certain<br />
qualities embedded in the vibrations of their<br />
syllables. This practice had profound effects<br />
on the practitioner so mantras were<br />
prescribed with caution.<br />
Since such refined techniques were a no-go<br />
for the majority of people, spaces were left<br />
open for a few “maverick yogis” to come up<br />
with alternative methods. And since some of<br />
those methods were radical and<br />
controversial, it is likely they had to hide to<br />
practice them.<br />
LIGHT & SHADOW<br />
What does the name ‘Hatha-Yoga-Pradipika’<br />
mean?<br />
‘Hatha’ is composed of ‘ha’ and ‘tha’ which<br />
mean ‘sun’ and ‘moon’ in Sanskrit. They<br />
symbolize dual forces in Nature: activity and<br />
calm, strength and comfort, inhalation and<br />
exhalation, etc. Ancient yogis considered the<br />
union of these forces as the platform of Selfrealization.<br />
‘Pra’ conveys the idea of something good. A<br />
‘dipika’ is a lamp. Back then lamps were<br />
fuelled by oil so their light was not<br />
necessarily very bright; they brought light to<br />
some areas but left others in the shade. So<br />
‘pradipika’ means “a lamp that sheds some<br />
positive light”.<br />
The name gives an important clue: the Hatha-<br />
Yoga-Pradipika is not comprehensive so it<br />
should not be read as a manual and it was<br />
never meant to replace direct instruction. It<br />
only presents some aspects of the hatha-yoga<br />
system. Certain techniques are described<br />
with abundant details but others are not. A<br />
few asymmetrical techniques are described<br />
on the left but not on the right.<br />
Why is it so inconsistent? We cannot be sure.<br />
Perhaps the author assumed his readers<br />
were already well informed. The Hatha-<br />
Yoga-Pradipika was probably compiled for<br />
experienced yogis who worked under the eye<br />
of their teacher. The author even<br />
occasionally contradicts himself, admits<br />
others “do it differently” or “call this by<br />
another name.” Opinions about yoga already<br />
differed in those days!<br />
This confusion and the metaphoric<br />
description of many techniques fuelled a<br />
great deal of misunderstanding in the<br />
modern yoga community. The promise of<br />
spectacular results may have led some people<br />
to try out radical methods that have for the<br />
most part become irrelevant in modern<br />
times. An example of such methods is the<br />
shat-kriyas, the six cleansing techniques<br />
described in chapter II, some of which are<br />
now considered invasive and even violent.<br />
In Svatmarama’s time it was already essential<br />
to be taught hatha-yoga techniques by a<br />
competent teacher, as he says explicitly a<br />
number of times throughout the text. In<br />
some cases he says: “Do it like this”, and later<br />
adds: “But you must always follow the<br />
instructions of the guru”. This aspect of<br />
Hatha-Yoga is crucial but too often ignored:<br />
the “good” teacher (sat guru) knows the<br />
student, has his best interest at heart and can<br />
adjust yoga’s tools based on the climate,<br />
season, location, and many other factors.<br />
Boys became disciples of a master around the<br />
age of 7 and lived with him until they were<br />
young men. In this gurukula - a kind of<br />
boarding school - they studied the Vedas and<br />
practiced yoga under the guidance of a<br />
master. They also learnt to live by certain<br />
rules, cooking, eating, and performing<br />
mundane duties like cleaning the toilets.<br />
THE IMPORTANCE OF PRANA<br />
Yoga practice works with the energy (prana)<br />
to purify all the systems, including the mind<br />
and the way it operates.<br />
In this domain the Yoga-Sutra identifies five<br />
problems preventing the mind from<br />
functioning well: confusion, ego-ism, craving<br />
(I want), rejection (I don’t want), and fear.<br />
These behaviours are regarded as “toxic<br />
waste” to be gotten rid of or at least<br />
diminished because they obstruct the path to<br />
Self-realisation. In hatha-yoga it is believed<br />
the most direct and efficient way to cleanse<br />
ourselves is to work with our breath<br />
(pranayama). It is even said the practice of<br />
pranayama alone can yield extraordinary<br />
results.<br />
ANATOMY OF A YOGI<br />
The removal of obstructions to let energy<br />
circulate freely is a central idea of the Hatha-<br />
Yoga-Pradipika. To explain this we can<br />
compare the person to a sprawling<br />
38 NAMASKAR
<strong>Jan</strong>et Lau in Camatkarasana (Wild Thing)<br />
metropolis where the suburbs are connected<br />
by a wide network of roads that criss-cross,<br />
overlap, and intersect.<br />
The suburbs represent our vital functions<br />
and the roads represent a network of<br />
channels called nadis. The big intersections<br />
are cakras (energy centres). The job of the<br />
nadis is to carry energy everywhere. When<br />
we are healthy these paths are free of<br />
obstructions and our energy is distributed in<br />
just the right amount to support the physical<br />
systems and the subtle mechanisms like<br />
sensory perception, the ability to listen,<br />
remember, etc. Hatha-yoga texts tell us we<br />
have thousands of nadis but that they are not<br />
all equal. Some hatha-yoga texts say we have<br />
72,000 nadis, or 86,000, or 108,000.<br />
Three nadis can be looked upon as “prana<br />
highways”. They are called ida, pingala, and<br />
sushumna. Ida and pingala are lateral<br />
channels originating at the base of the trunk,<br />
respectively left and right of the centre; they<br />
run from there to the space in the centre of<br />
the head between the eyebrows, but they do<br />
not go up in a straight line. Their paths curve<br />
like U turns, left to right, right to left,<br />
crossing one another. Sushumna, the central<br />
nadi, is the only one that runs a straight<br />
course all the way up.<br />
These three channels intersect in “hubs” -<br />
the cakras. Incidentally, if we link this with<br />
modern anatomy, all of this happens along<br />
the spine, the axis of our body and<br />
“superhighway” of our nervous system.<br />
Everything would be fine if prana moved<br />
smoothly and if it were balanced in each part.<br />
This would be the equivalent of complete<br />
health, from yoga’s point of view. But for the<br />
majority of people prana does not move well;<br />
in some cases, it does not move at all.<br />
The problem becomes a little more<br />
complicated because when prana is stuck the<br />
toxins accumulate. Think about a big traffic<br />
jam turning into gridlock. Toxic matter can be<br />
blocked in any part of the system, creating<br />
knots in other parts. Toxic matter here does<br />
not just refer to physical impurities but also<br />
to a negative mind-set, as indicated earlier.<br />
SMOOTH TRAFFIC<br />
The Hatha-Yoga-Pradipika, being a very<br />
symbolic and poetic text, describes this stuck<br />
energy as a coiled snake – Kundalini. The aim<br />
of hatha-yoga is clearly stated: the coiled<br />
snake must be “un-coiled”, knots must be<br />
undone, blockages must be removed so prana<br />
can move unhindered. Once it starts moving,<br />
it flows in all channels and eventually, as the<br />
yogi gains more expertise in the practice, it is<br />
directed in the two lateral paths. Finally it<br />
enters the middle path (sushumna).<br />
Because the entrance of this middle path is<br />
symbolically located at the base of the trunk,<br />
behind the base of the spine, the metaphor<br />
suggests Kundalini, the coiled snake, is asleep<br />
in the entrance. The Hatha-Yoga-Pradipika<br />
lists a number of techniques focusing on the<br />
lower abdomen and lower back to “awaken”<br />
the snake, which means to unlock this area<br />
and help energy move in that space. In hathayoga,<br />
Kundalini’s slumber at the entrance of<br />
the sublime middle path is the symbol of<br />
heaviness and ignorance (tamas), in contrast<br />
with the lightness and radiance of wisdom<br />
(sattva) cultivated by the yogi.<br />
Obviously, these flamboyant metaphors only<br />
serve to illustrate a message: it is actually<br />
prana, the life-force, that has to be<br />
unleashed. It is prana that enters the “royal”<br />
path and moves inside it. The end of the<br />
process is the merging with Pure<br />
Consciousness, a state of wholeness<br />
impossible to describe, where the mind is<br />
completely dissolved. It does not cease to<br />
exist but it is obsolete because it has fulfilled<br />
its purpose.<br />
Although this process may seem esoteric, we<br />
should attempt to understand it from the<br />
perspective of yoga rather than from a<br />
scientific viewpoint. Prana and the mind are<br />
not tangible entities like organs or muscles.<br />
We cannot see these mysterious dimensions<br />
but we know they exist because they manifest<br />
as breath and thoughts.<br />
If the movement of prana is restricted, it is of<br />
no use to us. Likewise, if the mind down is<br />
bogged in all sorts of negative behaviours, it is<br />
of no use to us. What the yogis of the past<br />
discovered is still true today: working with<br />
prana helps to refine the mind, and both of<br />
them are instruments of our liberation.<br />
This is the message of hatha-yoga.<br />
<strong>Jan</strong>uary <strong>2017</strong> 39
Nauli<br />
DRISTI<br />
DETOXIFICATION IS THE KEY<br />
Lessons from Hatha Yoga Pradipika<br />
& Ayurveda<br />
BY MAS VIDAL<br />
The Hatha Yoga Pradipika (HYP) is a unique<br />
text of the Nath yogis that enumerates some<br />
interesting methods for purifying the body.<br />
Swami Svatmarama, the chief disciple of<br />
Swami Goraknath authored it during the<br />
medieval period. Evidently, Matsyendranath,<br />
founder of the Nath (synonym for Shiva) cult<br />
along with Goraknath understood clearly the<br />
importance of mind-body purification as<br />
requisites for spiritual evolution and thus<br />
created a six-fold system (shat-karma) of<br />
detoxification.<br />
This popular yoga text is composed of four<br />
chapters. In brief, the first chapter deals<br />
with postural yoga (asana); chapter two<br />
deals with the six actions of purification<br />
(shatkarma and pranayama); chapter three<br />
describes the physical gestures and energy<br />
locks (mudras and bandhas), and chapter<br />
four discusses spiritual liberation<br />
(samadhi). The placement of the shatkarmas<br />
(purification practices) in the second<br />
chapter prior to the last chapter on samadhi<br />
(liberation) indicates the importance of a<br />
clean body to attain spiritual freedom.<br />
This article highlights the correlation the<br />
detoxifying actions described in chapter two<br />
of the HYP with those mentioned in the main<br />
Ayurvedic text, Charaka Samhita.<br />
Interestingly, the HYP methods have much in<br />
common with those used in Ayurveda, yoga’s<br />
sister science of self-healing. Similarly,<br />
Ayurvedic mastermind Charaka, devised a<br />
five-fold system (pancha karma) for<br />
purification of the doshas (vata, pitta &<br />
kapha) to improve the mind-body<br />
relationship.<br />
The concept of detoxification, which boldly<br />
appears in both yoga and ayurvedic systems,<br />
demonstrates a long history of interconnectedness<br />
between the two sciences.<br />
While yoga is mostly a science focused on<br />
expansion of awareness or consciousness<br />
40 NAMASKAR
The most important consideration<br />
[is] detoxification ... occurs slowly as a<br />
lifelong process<br />
beyond the illusions of the material world,<br />
Ayurveda has mostly been centered on<br />
healing of the physical body as it embraces<br />
the science of tri-dosha, which follows the<br />
biological forces of air fire and water.<br />
CAUSES OF TOXICITY<br />
The Vedantic concept of maya holds that this<br />
world appears as an illusion that produces<br />
desires that perpetuate the cycles of birth<br />
and death (samsaras). The Buddha<br />
proclaimed suffering is an inevitable part of<br />
life and is the direct result of samsara, which<br />
leaves us with the residues of samskaras<br />
(seed-habit tendencies). Samskaras can be of<br />
three types, pure (sattva), active (rajas) and<br />
dull (tamasic). The later two are responsible<br />
for producing toxicity in the body as a result<br />
of poor eating habits and imbalanced daily<br />
and seasonal lifestyles.<br />
The most important consideration of<br />
Ayurveda with regards to detoxification is<br />
healing occurs slowly as a life-long process,<br />
because health and wellness are not merely<br />
focused on the physical anatomy and<br />
systemic functions, but includes increasing<br />
present moment consciousness of the mind,<br />
emotions and purification from patterns not<br />
in accord with natural evolution.<br />
The HYP lists six main factors that create<br />
toxins in mind-body complex and thus create<br />
the need for purification. “Overeating<br />
(increases kapha), exertion (loss of ojas),<br />
talkativeness-gossip, adhering to rules<br />
(pitta), being in the company of common<br />
people (society) and unsteadiness (vata) are<br />
causes which destroy yoga.”<br />
practice for improving respiration in general,<br />
but more importantly it helps the lungs<br />
expand to the fullest capacity, a key factor for<br />
enhancing meditation. Dhouti involves<br />
swallowing a long cloth or drinking large<br />
amounts of salt water to induce vomiting.<br />
These first four actions are mostly aids in<br />
reducing kapha from its sight in the<br />
stomach, lungs and upper respiratory tract.<br />
Nauli is also an important practice to release<br />
pitta from its sight in the small intestine and<br />
mid-abdomen in general. Trataka purifies<br />
the eyes of excess pitta, as the radiant glow<br />
of ghee induces the eyes to tear, flushing out<br />
the tear ducts, thereby cooling the eyes and<br />
brain where heat rises from excess fire in the<br />
gastro intestinal tract. Basti is a strong way<br />
to cleanse the rectum and lower colon of<br />
excess vata, where apana (downward prana)<br />
is commonly blocked.<br />
Three of Ayurveda’s five (pancha karma)<br />
actions are the same as the yogic practices of<br />
nasal cleansing, enemas and stomach<br />
cleansing. The key point is yogic purification<br />
addresses crucial sites where doshas<br />
accumulate. Most importantly, both yoga and<br />
Ayurveda detoxification were designed with<br />
awareness of the two main physical areas<br />
with very subtle mystical sensitivity. These<br />
being the base of the spine where the nadis<br />
(subtle pranic channels) are linked and at the<br />
top of the nose at the spiritual eye, both of<br />
these areas are controlled by apana vayu<br />
(descending prana) and udana vayu<br />
(ascending prana), the main forces<br />
responsible for controlling the mind and<br />
attainment of Samadhi (liberation).<br />
DRISTI<br />
ANCIENT<br />
ANSWERS TO<br />
MODERN<br />
QUESTIONS<br />
How Hatha<br />
Yoga Pradipika<br />
helped me Live<br />
my Yoga<br />
BY GABRIELLE MCMAHON<br />
The Hatha Yoga Pradipika (HYP) has been an<br />
excellent resource for answering many<br />
questions I’ve had during my years of yoga<br />
practice. Using Swami Muktibodhananda’s<br />
2009 translation of HYP as my reference, I<br />
offer my own interpretation to readers.<br />
“Your body’s changing” a friend told me.<br />
Lovely to hear, even though I didn’t start<br />
yoga to improve my physical appearance.<br />
Rather it was the sheer joy I experienced in<br />
class, and the break it gave me from my<br />
stressful career. Fortunately I had been<br />
learning about the power of the ego in yoga<br />
class, so didn’t get too taken by the flattery.<br />
SIX YOGIC PURIFICATION ACTIONS<br />
The HYP enumerates six purification<br />
practices that yogi’s can implement for<br />
internal cleansing of the body and mind.<br />
Although it is important to note these<br />
practices are quite austere and require<br />
training or supervision by a trained yogi.<br />
These are kapalabhati (pranayama), neti<br />
(nasal cleansing), dhouti (stomach cleansing),<br />
nauli (abdominal undulations), trataka (eye<br />
and nerve purification), basti (enema).<br />
Each of these focuses on areas of the body<br />
where the doshas accumulate and creates<br />
obstacles for the expansion of<br />
consciousness. Kapalabhati pranayama is<br />
one of the best exercises for removing<br />
congestion and dullness from the sinuses and<br />
mind. Neti requires flushing the nose with<br />
water or other methods which include use of<br />
a cloth, milk or ghee. Neti is a powerful<br />
PHYSICAL PURIFICATION LEADS TO<br />
SPIRITUAL FREEDOM<br />
Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Cleanliness is<br />
next to Godliness” a reminder the body is the<br />
real physical temple of God, although, for<br />
that consciousness to exist, the body must be<br />
clear of impurities of the doshas.<br />
The six-fold system of the HYP aligns<br />
perfectly with the ayurvedic intention of<br />
removing the obstacles of the doshas. Both<br />
yoga and Ayurveda recognize the importance<br />
of integral healing with such purifying<br />
practices, however Ayurveda provides more<br />
detailed wisdom on maintaining balance of<br />
the body according the seasons and various<br />
stages of life, along with diet and uses of<br />
herbal medicines that can bring much<br />
efficiency to anyone’s hatha yoga practice.<br />
The balance of yoga and Ayurveda is sure to<br />
bring success if practiced with regularity and<br />
according to ones doshas and karmic code.<br />
SO WHAT IS THIS PRACTICE FOR?<br />
For those with a dedicated practice, it is<br />
possible to go beyond the simple by-products<br />
such as a slimmer body, healthier glow,<br />
positive attitude or realization of higher<br />
mental potential.<br />
The abilities which come to us are not the end<br />
goal, but rather in chapter 1, verse 2, HYP<br />
reminds us to “use the power for good.” The<br />
gifts along the path to enlightenment should<br />
not distract us from experiencing the<br />
universal spirit.<br />
Through my yoga career, I’ve tried many<br />
different practices and systems. Though I<br />
always come back to the original practice my<br />
guru taught me.<br />
SHOULD I TRY MANY STYLES?<br />
“The highest state of raja yoga is unknown<br />
due to misconceptions [darkness] created by<br />
<strong>Jan</strong>uary <strong>2017</strong> 41
there are many<br />
ways of reaching<br />
the goal as there<br />
are individuals in<br />
the world.<br />
varying ideas and concepts.” This quote from<br />
HYP chapter 1, verse 3 seems to recommend<br />
we stick with one style rather than dabbling<br />
in lots of different styles.<br />
Many of us are tempted to move to different<br />
styles of yoga or different teachers when we<br />
don’t agree, understand or are impatient<br />
with our existing practice or teacher. Such is<br />
the prevalent behavior of our society,<br />
My guru would often say to me “with the<br />
grace of your guru you can enlighten.” I<br />
wondered about this, as I thought I was the<br />
one doing all the work.<br />
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF A GURU?<br />
The guru is mentioned several times in HYP,<br />
namely chapter 1, verse 1 & 14, and in chapter<br />
4, verses 8 & 9: “…yoga should be practiced in<br />
the way instructed by the guru.” Fortunately<br />
I already had a living guru to give me the<br />
lessons and knowledge I needed to progress<br />
along the path. I offer him respect and a deep<br />
sense of love and devotion.<br />
And there’s further clarification on where<br />
that path leads “he reflects the brilliance of<br />
your spirit and what you see in him is actually<br />
your own self.” Which I have understood to<br />
mean that there is a guru within me as well.<br />
But even under the guidance of a guru, this<br />
has been a challenging journey, full of ups and<br />
downs, stops and starts.<br />
WHY IS IT SO DIFFICULT TO KEEP UP<br />
OUR PRACTICE?<br />
HYP speaks of six obstacles to yoga, yoga<br />
being the union of the pranic and mental<br />
energy flowing in the body. To achieve this, it<br />
is stated in chapter 1, verse 15 that we “…<br />
must avoid all activities which waste energy<br />
and distract the mind.”<br />
These activities include overeating, over<br />
exertion of the mind or body, talkativeness,<br />
adhering to rules, being in the company of<br />
common people and finally unsteadiness.<br />
Overeating is seen as a major obstacle, as it<br />
makes the mind and body sluggish and one’s<br />
energy goes towards processing and<br />
removing the toxins rather than to<br />
progressing in your practice.<br />
Around this festive period, it is important to<br />
be mindful of where our precious energy<br />
goes. The consumption and processing of<br />
food, being overworked, over exercised, over<br />
stimulated and over conversed, can limit our<br />
potential to rise to higher spiritual thinking<br />
and being, when we need it the most!<br />
I always wanted to be successful at yoga, and<br />
thought if I could do Padmasana (Lotus<br />
Pose), that would be a great achievement. So<br />
as a new student I asked my teacher “how<br />
long before I can sit in Padmasana?” He<br />
answered “…if you practice Badhakonasana<br />
(Butterfly Pose) every day for three months<br />
you should be able to do it.” I practiced it for<br />
a few weeks along with other morning poses<br />
for my yoga teacher training. However I saw<br />
little progress, I lost hope, focus, was lazy,<br />
I’m not sure, but I didn’t continue the<br />
recommended pose.<br />
HOW CAN WE SUCEED?<br />
My initial enthusiasm waned, the gains were<br />
not coming quickly enough for me when I<br />
realised I had to put more effort into it and<br />
persevere. I was holding myself back.<br />
Chapter 1, verse 16i talks of “Courage,<br />
perseverance and faith go hand in hand…”<br />
This was my first lesson in respecting that<br />
yoga is a journey, it can take a whole life time<br />
and I learned to develop a positive attitude, to<br />
persevere and to have an unshakeable faith in<br />
my practice that I was going in the right<br />
direction. I quickly learned to have greater<br />
discrimination over the company I kept, as<br />
well as in all my daily activities – eating,<br />
talking, and material possessions. It’s still a<br />
daily work in progress.<br />
AND WHERE ARE WE GOING?<br />
If “samadhi …eliminates death and takes one<br />
to the greatest bliss of Brahma,” (chapter 4,<br />
verse2) then why are we not all practicing<br />
with dedication and determination? Why do<br />
many of us start and not continue our<br />
practice? Maybe because we can’t imagine<br />
what a state of bliss might be like and how it<br />
would add value to our lives.<br />
It requires qualities we may be still<br />
developing: determination, dedication,<br />
correct practice, time, after all “…there are<br />
many ways of reaching the goal as there are<br />
individuals in the world.”<br />
Maybe we can focus on the process of raising<br />
our consciousness by the things we do each<br />
day, take advantage of the opportunities<br />
presented to us to be better people. To be<br />
kind and compassionate in our daily<br />
activities, to be patient with our families and<br />
co-workers. To have compassion for<br />
ourselves as well. To live mindfully is a<br />
stepping stone to discovering that greatest<br />
bliss within us. This is living our Yoga.<br />
42 NAMASKAR
<strong>Jan</strong>uary <strong>2017</strong> 43
44 NAMASKAR
MYTHOLOGY<br />
THE SAGE<br />
MAREECHI<br />
Great power & a bad<br />
temper<br />
BY TIA SINHA<br />
Sage Mareechi (Marichi) is one of the seven<br />
Brahmarishis. These were seven great sages<br />
also known as ‘Saptarishis’, the Sanskrit<br />
name for the constellation, the Great Bear.<br />
Sage Mareechi was one of Lord Brahma’s<br />
sons.<br />
Legend has it that Mareechi was also one of<br />
the ten ‘Prajapatis’. These beings were<br />
created by Brahma from his own mind to<br />
help him create the universe. They were<br />
therefore also referred to as ‘Manasputra’ or<br />
sons born from the mind.<br />
Another legend tells us about Sage<br />
Mareechi’s short temper. One evening, the<br />
sage came back exhausted from the forest<br />
where he had gone to collect some wood and<br />
flowers. He asked his wife Dharmavrata to<br />
wash his feet. While the obedient wife was<br />
washing her husband’s feet, out of the blue,<br />
Lord Brahma happened to pay them a visit.<br />
Dharmavrata was confused about her duties<br />
to her husband and her duties to her fatherin-law.<br />
In order not to offend her father-inlaw,<br />
she stopped washing her husband’s feet<br />
in order to attend to Lord Brahma. Sage<br />
Mareechi did not appreciate the unfinished<br />
business of washing of feet.<br />
Enraged, Sage Mareechi cursed<br />
Dharmavrata. The curse turned<br />
Dharmavrata into a stone forever. (Some<br />
husbands can be truly charming!) Even Lord<br />
Brahma, Dharmavrata’s powerful father-law<br />
could not undo the curse as Sage Mareechi<br />
was so powerful. Even Dharmavrata’s<br />
meditations and entreaties, in the form of a<br />
stone, to Lord Vishnu could not help her.<br />
Lord Vishnu did bless her though with the<br />
boon that the gods would be with her forever<br />
and that her stone form would be a sacred<br />
and powerful form. That stone is believed to<br />
be in present day Gaya in Bihar.<br />
The seated twist, Mareechi Asana is named<br />
after Sage Mareechi. Mareechi symbolizes<br />
great power, wisdom and the cosmic force of<br />
creation.<br />
MYTHOLOGY<br />
LESSONS<br />
FROM<br />
PATANJALI<br />
Receiving the Divine<br />
Offering<br />
BY CHARU RAMESH<br />
There are many myths surrounding the birth<br />
of the sage Patanjali. In one of the myths, his<br />
mother was a skilled yogini, who desired a<br />
son to whom she could pass on her wisdom<br />
and knowledge.<br />
One morning she was praying at the river,<br />
with her hands placed in anjali mudra filled<br />
with water that she was offering to the Sun.<br />
As she raised her hands and made her<br />
offering, a tiny snake fell into her cupped<br />
palms. She accepted him as a gift from the<br />
heavens and raised him as her son, calling<br />
him Patanjali. Patanjali went on to become a<br />
great sage, composing a range of texts<br />
including the Yoga Sutras as well as<br />
important commentaries on the system of<br />
Ayurveda and Sanskrit grammar.<br />
The Sanskrit name Patanjali is a compound<br />
word made of the prefix pat which means “to<br />
fall”, and the word anjali, which refers to the<br />
gesture of placing the hands together, slightly<br />
hollowed, usually in reverence, supplication<br />
or offering. Patanjali therefore means “one<br />
who fell into hands placed in reverence”.<br />
The story of his birth is itself a great<br />
teaching. Anjali mudra brings both the hands<br />
together, symbolizing the union of the left<br />
and right sides of the body. These represent<br />
the two poles of duality, prana and citta<br />
shakti, or yin and yang; complementary<br />
forces in the inner and outer universe that<br />
come together into wholeness when we<br />
perform this gesture.<br />
In most yoga classes we bring the hands<br />
together, palms touching at the heart, but<br />
anjali mudra can also be done with the hands<br />
held out, open and slightly apart, as shown in<br />
the image. The slight hollowing of the palms<br />
represents our inner emptiness, letting<br />
everything go to create space for offering and<br />
receiving. When our inner and outer being<br />
comes together in this way, whatever we<br />
offer is sacred and whatever we receive is<br />
divine.<br />
In the Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna says:<br />
Whatever is offered to me with devotion<br />
– be it a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water -<br />
I accept that devotional offering.<br />
(Chapter 9, verse 26)<br />
Thus it is not what is offered which is<br />
important, rather how it is offered. In the<br />
space of offering, I can let go of my agendas,<br />
my desires, my sense of me, and out of this<br />
letting go, a pure and clear offering can be<br />
made. At the same time, the process of pure<br />
giving invites me to surrender and be an<br />
empty vessel, and somewhat paradoxically,<br />
allows me to receive whatever comes my way.<br />
I can then trust that whatever the universe<br />
gives me will be what is best for me and<br />
accept it gratefully, just as Patanjali’s mother<br />
accepted the snake that fell into her hands<br />
and her life.<br />
The attitude of open-heartedness with which<br />
I made my offering is the same attitude that<br />
allows me to receive reverentially what<br />
comes back to me from the universe. And<br />
what may at first seem like a surprising gift<br />
turns out to be one that has the potential to<br />
change not just our lives but those of<br />
countless others.<br />
<strong>Jan</strong>uary <strong>2017</strong> 45
BOOK REVIEW<br />
INNER<br />
ENGINEERING<br />
– A YOGI’S<br />
GUIDE TO<br />
JOY<br />
By Sadhguru<br />
REVIEWED BY SWATI PANDEY<br />
Sadhguru’s latest book “Inner Engineering –<br />
A Yogi’s Guide to Joy” is a must read for yoga<br />
practitioners or just for anyone who “seeks”.<br />
Born to a non yoga family, a father who is a<br />
physician, Sadhguru shares his own journey<br />
of self transformation in the first part of this<br />
book. A skeptic by nature and logical in his<br />
approach, his moment of enlightenment left<br />
him ecstatic and baffled. He shares how this<br />
changed his experience of life and kindled the<br />
desire to bring this experience of joy and<br />
bliss to the whole world. The content of this<br />
book does not come from books or<br />
scriptures, it comes from direct experience.<br />
The book is thought-provoking, rich with<br />
insights, answers and methods. There is also<br />
a small chapter dedicated to what yoga<br />
means.<br />
Sadhguru shares how each one of us can<br />
design our own destiny and gives tools for us<br />
to be able to do so. Given the human<br />
mechanism is nothing but a composite of<br />
body, mind and energy, he shows how to<br />
work on these layers and re-wire ourselves<br />
so joyfulness becomes a sustained state of<br />
being in us.<br />
He says: “Although we are wingless<br />
creatures, we have still in the last one<br />
hundred years, managed to fly. How? Not by<br />
breaking the laws of nature, but through a<br />
deeper understanding of the laws of nature.<br />
So the technology we are going to explore in<br />
this book is a small part of the much deeper<br />
science that eventually enables an adept to<br />
take the very process of life and death into<br />
his or her hands.”<br />
Sadhguru is the founder of Isha Foundation,<br />
India. He is sought after by prestigious global<br />
forums today such as the United National<br />
Millennium Peace Summit, The Australian<br />
Leadership Retreat and the World Economic<br />
Forum.<br />
BOOK REVIEW<br />
LOVING-<br />
KINDNESS, THE<br />
REVOLUTIONARY<br />
ART OF<br />
HAPPINESS<br />
By Sharon Salzberg<br />
REVIEWED BY TIA SINHA<br />
Perhaps everything terrible is in its deepest<br />
being, something that needs our love.<br />
- Rainer Maria Rilke<br />
In Sharon Salzberg’s words, “Throughout<br />
our lives we long to love ourselves more<br />
deeply and to feel connected with others.<br />
Instead we often contract, fear intimacy, and<br />
suffer a bewildering sense of separation. We<br />
crave love, and yet we are lonely. Our<br />
delusion of being separate from one another,<br />
of being apart from all that is around us,<br />
gives rise to all of this pain. What is the way<br />
out of this?<br />
“Spiritual practice, by uprooting our<br />
personal mythologies of isolation, uncovers<br />
the radiant, joyful heart within each of us and<br />
manifests this radiance to the world. We<br />
find, beneath the wounding concepts of<br />
separation, a connection both to ourselves<br />
and to all beings. We find a source of great<br />
happiness that is beyond concepts and<br />
beyond convention. Freeing ourselves from<br />
the illusion of separation allows us to live in a<br />
natural freedom rather than be driven by<br />
preconceptions about our own boundaries<br />
and limitations.”<br />
The Buddha described the spiritual path that<br />
leads to this freedom as “the liberation of the<br />
heart which is love.” He taught a systematic,<br />
integrated path that moves the heart out of<br />
isolating contraction into true connection.<br />
That path is still with us as a living tradition<br />
of meditation practices that cultivate love<br />
(maitri in Sanskrit), compassion (karuna in<br />
Sanskrit), sympathetic joy (mudita in<br />
Sanskrit), and equanimity (upeksha in<br />
Sanskrit). Together, they are known as the<br />
Four Immeasurable attitudes or the<br />
Brahma-viharas in Sanskrit and Pali.<br />
Brahma means ‘heavenly’ and Vihara means<br />
‘abode’ or ‘home’. When we cultivate these<br />
four qualities, we establish love (the wish for<br />
oneself and all beings to be happy),<br />
compassion (the wish for oneself and all<br />
beings to be free from suffering),<br />
sympathetic joy (delighting in one’s own<br />
happiness and the happiness of others) and<br />
equanimity (our ability to live free from<br />
clinging attachment to some and aversion to<br />
others) as our home.<br />
In this beautifully written book, Sharon<br />
Salzberg shows us how to develop lovingkindness<br />
in our hearts. Great love or lovingkindness,<br />
according to Buddhism, is the<br />
wish, “May all beings be happy and have the<br />
causes of happiness”. The practice of lovingkindness<br />
or metta in Pali affirms and<br />
honours a core goodness in ourselves and<br />
others, and every being’s wish to be happy.<br />
Metta is the ability to embrace all parts of<br />
ourselves, as well as all parts of the world.<br />
Metta is its own support, and thus it is free<br />
of inherently unstable conditions. Metta<br />
occurs in timelessness. Metta takes us<br />
outside the realm of time, expectation and<br />
disappointment.<br />
She discusses the two root meanings of the<br />
Pali word metta. One is the word for gentle.<br />
Metta is likened to a gentle rain that falls<br />
upon the earth. The rain does not select and<br />
46 NAMASKAR
choose – “I’ll rain here, and I’ll avoid that<br />
place over there.” It simply falls without<br />
discrimination.<br />
The practice of metta, uncovering the force<br />
of love that can uproot fear, anger and guilt<br />
begins with befriending ourselves. The<br />
foundation of metta is to know how to be<br />
our own friend. According to the Buddha,<br />
“You yourself, as much as anybody in the<br />
entire universe, deserve your love and<br />
affection.” With metta practice we uncover<br />
the possibility of truly respecting ourselves.<br />
We discover, as Walt Whitman put it, “I am<br />
larger and better than I thought. I did not<br />
think I held so much goodness.”<br />
Confidence in our innate potential to be<br />
loving human beings empowers the<br />
cultivation of metta. Our potential to love is<br />
very real and is somehow not destroyed, no<br />
matter what we experience, all of the<br />
mistakes we might make, all of the times we<br />
are caught in reaction, all of the times we<br />
have caused pain, all of the times we have<br />
suffered. Throughout everything, our<br />
potential to love remains intact and pure.<br />
Through practising metta in meditation and<br />
in daily life, we cultivate this potential.<br />
entail the practice of all the Four<br />
Immeasurables in any given moment. And<br />
how ethics or non-harming conduct can be<br />
found in the Four Immeasurables, the<br />
Brahma-viharas, the heavenly abodes that<br />
are the revolutionary source of true<br />
happiness.<br />
She discusses in depth, hindrances to<br />
cultivating each of the four Brahma-viharas<br />
and suggests concrete steps to overcome<br />
them.<br />
This classic containing traditional Buddhist<br />
meditation techniques to open the heart is<br />
dotted with personal anecdotes from<br />
Sharon’s life as a student of meditation and<br />
later as a meditation teacher and with quotes<br />
from the creations of writers and poets who<br />
have influenced her, in addition to examples<br />
and quotes from Buddhist texts. This classic<br />
is a gem which one who is committed to<br />
opening their heart could easily visit and<br />
relish bit by bit every day for an entire year.<br />
The very simple and practical meditation<br />
techniques explained here can become a part<br />
of one’s life and help one transform one’s<br />
negative mind into a positive, wholesome, allinclusive<br />
and joyful one.<br />
Sharon also shares techniques to develop<br />
compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity.<br />
She devotes a chapter each to generosity and<br />
ethics. She shows us how generosity can<br />
<strong>Jan</strong>uary <strong>2017</strong> 47
48 NAMASKAR
<strong>Jan</strong>uary <strong>2017</strong> 49
50 NAMASKAR
LIVE &<br />
RAW EGG<br />
NOG<br />
Guilt-free<br />
holiday<br />
favourite<br />
BY MOISES MEHL, RAW FOOD CHEF,<br />
NOOD FOOD<br />
Raw<br />
RAW ALFREDO SAUCE<br />
WITH TRUFFLE OIL<br />
For Zoodles or Raw<br />
Risotto<br />
BY TINA BARRAT, RAW CHEF &<br />
INSTRUCTOR, MAYA CAFE<br />
RECIPES<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
Serves 5 shots of 60 ml<br />
1 cup almond milk (250 ml)<br />
1/3 cup cold pressed coconut oil (75 ml)<br />
½ cup raw cashews soaked for 1 hr (60 gr)<br />
1/3 cup fresh Thai Coconut Pulp<br />
3 Tbs raw honey (75 gr) or (maple syrup for a<br />
vegan version)<br />
1/8 tsp Turmeric powder<br />
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon<br />
1 vanilla pod or 4 drops of vanilla extract<br />
METHOD<br />
Place all ingredients on a high speed blender<br />
and blend until fully emulsified. Place in small<br />
shot glasses and add a dash of cinnamon for<br />
decoration.<br />
Keeps refrigerated for 2-3 days<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
300 gr cashew nuts soaked for 1 hour or<br />
overnight (drained and rinsed)<br />
2 cups drinking water to cover cashew nuts in<br />
the blender<br />
1/3 cup Extra virgin olive oil<br />
2 tsp Himalayan salt<br />
1/2 tsp Cracked black pepper<br />
2 tbsp good Truffle oil<br />
METHOD<br />
Throw all the ingredients in the blender and<br />
process until smooth. Adjust the seasonning if<br />
necessary.<br />
This sauce goes with zoodles (zucchini<br />
spagetti) or hot pasta and even works as veggies<br />
dip or anything calling for a creamy sauce, enjoy!<br />
<strong>Jan</strong>uary <strong>2017</strong> 51
DIRECTORY<br />
Guide to yoga studios<br />
& teachers<br />
ANAHATA VILLAS & SPA<br />
RESORT<br />
Ubud, Bali, Indonesia<br />
s: group retreats, yoga for<br />
private & corporates. Yoga<br />
studio available for rent.<br />
l: Indonesian & English<br />
t: (62) 361 8987 991/ 8987 992 /<br />
(62) 811 8748 910 / (62) 811 1442<br />
233<br />
f: +62 361 8987 804<br />
e: sm@anahataresort.com /<br />
info@anahataresort.com<br />
w: www.anahataresort.com<br />
ANAHATA YOGA<br />
18/F Lyndhurst Tower, 1<br />
Lyndhurst Terrace, Central,<br />
Hong Kong<br />
s: Hatha, Ashtanga, Yoga<br />
therapy, Yin and more. Groups &<br />
privates<br />
t: +852 2905 1922<br />
e: enquiry@anahatayoga.com.hk<br />
w: www.anahatayoga.com.hk<br />
ANANDA YOGA<br />
33 & 34/F, 69 Jervois Street<br />
Sheung Wan, Hong Kong<br />
s: Private and Group Classes :<br />
Yoga Therapy (neck, shoulder,<br />
back, hip, knee and joints),<br />
Hatha, Power, Ashtanga,<br />
Vinyasa, Detox, Yin Yang,<br />
Kundalini, Chakra Balancing,<br />
Pranayama, Meditation<br />
l: English<br />
t: (825)35639371<br />
e:<br />
adm.anandayoga.hk@gmail.com<br />
w: www.anandayoga.hk<br />
Anna Ng<br />
Privates<br />
d: Hong Kong<br />
s: Hatha yoga<br />
l: Cantonese<br />
t: (852) 9483 1167<br />
e: gazebofl@netvigator.com<br />
BEING IN YOGA –<br />
SINGAPORE<br />
Teaching yoga in the tradition of<br />
T Krishnamacharya and TKV<br />
Desikachar.<br />
s: yoga therapy (customized<br />
personal practice), teacher<br />
training (Yoga Alliance RYS 500<br />
hours+), in-depth yoga studies,<br />
small group classes for children<br />
and adults, workshops,<br />
meditation classes, Vedic<br />
chanting, continuing education<br />
for yoga teachers. Certified<br />
Teacher Trainer – Yoga<br />
Therapist - E-RYT 500<br />
RYS 500<br />
t: +65-9830-3808<br />
e: beinginyoga@gmail.com<br />
w: www.beinginyoga.com<br />
B.K.S. IYENGAR YOGA<br />
ASSOCIATION OF MACAU<br />
174, Rua de Pequim, Edif Centro<br />
Com. Kong Fat, 7A, Macau<br />
s: Iyengar<br />
t:(853)2882 3210/6662 0386<br />
e:yoga@macau.ctm.net<br />
w:www.iyengar-yoga-macauchina.com<br />
David Kim Yoga<br />
E-RYT 500+, Senior YogaWorks<br />
and YogaWise Yin Yoga Teacher<br />
Trainer;International TTs,<br />
Workshops & Retreats<br />
d: USA, Japan, China, Vietnam,<br />
Korea, Malaysia, Greece<br />
s: Yin Yoga, YogaWorks, Vinyasa<br />
Flow<br />
l: English, some Korean<br />
t: +1 310 480 5277<br />
e: david@davidkimyoga.com<br />
w: www.davidkimyoga.com<br />
FLEX STUDIO<br />
Island South<br />
Shops 308-310 One Island<br />
South, 2 Heung Yip Road,<br />
Aberdeen, Hong Kong<br />
s: Vinyasa, Power, Detox, Hatha,<br />
Pre-Natal, Kids Yoga<br />
t: + 852 2813 2212<br />
f: + 852 2813 2281<br />
e: info@flexhk.com<br />
Central<br />
3/F Man Cheung Building, 15- 17<br />
Wyndham Street, Central, Hong<br />
Kong<br />
s: Detox, Power, Pre-Natal Yoga<br />
t: + 852 2813-2399<br />
f: + 852 2812 6708<br />
e: central@flexhk.com<br />
www.flexhk.com<br />
IYENGAR YOGA CENTRAL<br />
s: Boutique studio with Iyengar<br />
Yoga classes; flexible timings for<br />
corporate wellness, small<br />
groups, and privates<br />
l: English, Cantonese, Mandarin,<br />
French, Malay<br />
t: +852 2982 4308<br />
e: yogacentralhk@gmail.com<br />
w: www.yogacentral.com.hk<br />
fb: Iyengar-Central<br />
MND STUDIO<br />
7/F Tack Building, 48 Gilman<br />
Street, Central, Hong Kong<br />
s: Hatha, Yin, Therapy,<br />
Ashtanga, Iyengar, Pilates<br />
Equipped yoga studio for groups,<br />
privates, aerial yoga classes and<br />
workshops.<br />
t: +852 5400 8824<br />
e: info@mndasia.com<br />
w: www.mndasia.com<br />
PURE YOGA<br />
China<br />
L6-615 iapm mall, 999 Huai Hai<br />
Zhong Road, Xuhui District<br />
Shanghai<br />
t: +86 21 5466 1266<br />
Hong Kong<br />
16/F The Centrium, 60<br />
Wyndham Street, Central<br />
t: +852 2971 0055<br />
25/F Soundwill Plaza, 38 Russell<br />
St, Causeway Bay<br />
t: +852 2970 2299<br />
14/F Peninsula Office Tower, 18<br />
Middle Road, Tsim Sha Tsui,<br />
Kowloon<br />
t: +852 8129 8800<br />
9/F Langham Place Office<br />
Tower, 8 Argyle Street, Kowloon<br />
t: +852 3691 3691<br />
4/F Lincoln House, TaiKoo<br />
Place, 979 King’s Rd, Quarry Bay<br />
t: +852 8129 1188<br />
2/F Asia Standard Tower, 59<br />
Queen’s Road, Central<br />
t: + 852 3524 7108<br />
Level 1 The Pulse, 28 Beach<br />
Road, Repulse Bay<br />
t: +852 8200 0908<br />
3/f Hutchison House, 10<br />
Harcourt Road, Admiralty<br />
t: +852 8105 5838<br />
Singapore<br />
391A Orchard Road, #18-00<br />
Ngee Ann City Tower A<br />
t: +65 6733 8863<br />
30 Raffles Place, 04-00 Chevron<br />
House<br />
t: +65 6304 2257<br />
Taiwan<br />
151 Chung Hsiao East Road, Sec<br />
4, Taipei<br />
t: +886 02 8161 7888<br />
4/f Urban One, 1 Qingcheng St,<br />
Taipei<br />
t: +886 02 8161 7868<br />
Ling<br />
Yoga and Wellbeing, Private<br />
Yoga Teacher, Privates, Groups,<br />
Corporates, Free Yoga<br />
Community Event: Yoga in the<br />
Park with Ling www.meetup.com/<br />
yogaintheparkhk<br />
d: Hong Kong, China<br />
s: Yoga Therapy, Sivananda,<br />
Hatha, Svastha, Mindfulness,<br />
Yin, Breathing (Pranayama),<br />
Guided Meditation, Total<br />
Relaxation (Yoga Nidra)<br />
l: English, Cantonese, Mandarin<br />
t: +852 9465 6461<br />
e: yogawithling@gmail.com<br />
w: www.facebook.com/<br />
yogawithling<br />
RED DOORS STUDIO<br />
21/f, 31 Wong Chuk Hang Rd<br />
s: Gong meditation and training,<br />
labyrinth facilitation and<br />
construction, kundalini<br />
therapeutic yoga and<br />
complementary practices to<br />
elevate energy. Multiple studio<br />
spaces available to rent.<br />
t. +852 21110 0152<br />
e. info@red-doors.com<br />
w. www.red-doors.com<br />
SPACE YOGA<br />
s: Hatha, Ashtanga, Advanced,<br />
Flow, Yin, Yin Yang, Restorative,<br />
Hot, Yin/Meditation,<br />
52 NAMASKAR
namaskar<br />
Pranayama, Mat Pilates,<br />
Jivamukti, Universal, Myofascial<br />
Release Yoga, Mindful<br />
Yoga, Rope Wall Yoga, Yoga<br />
Nidra and Yoga Therapy<br />
l: English and Mandarin<br />
w: www.withinspace.com<br />
An-Ho Studio<br />
16 F, No. 27, An-Ho Road,<br />
Section 1<br />
Taipei, Taiwan<br />
t: +886.2.2773.8108<br />
Tien-Mu Studio<br />
#5, Lane 43, Tian-Mu E. Road,<br />
Taipei, Taiwan<br />
t: +886.2.28772108<br />
Sravaniya DiPecoraro<br />
d:Hong Kong<br />
s: LifePath Yoga Philosophy,<br />
Vedanta, Bhagavad Gita, Yoga<br />
Sutras; beginners and advanced;<br />
ACBSP disciple (1971), YA E-<br />
RYT500, Sivananda Certified<br />
(1991)<br />
l: English and Mandarin<br />
t: +852 9856 0799<br />
e: info@lifepath.am<br />
w: www.lifepath.am<br />
THE YOGA ROOM<br />
3, 4, 6, 16/F (Studios) & 15/F<br />
(Office) Xiu Ping Commercial<br />
Bldg, 104 Jervois St, Sheung<br />
Wan, Hong Kong<br />
s: Hatha, Hot, Ashtanga,<br />
Vinyasa, Candlelight Yin, Yoga<br />
Therapy, Jivamukti, Hammock<br />
Yoga, Mindfulness Yoga, Detox<br />
Yoga, Pre-natal Yoga, Pre-natal<br />
Pilates, Mat Pilates, TRX, Kids<br />
Yoga and Mum & Baby Yoga<br />
l: English, Cantonese<br />
t: + 852 2544 8398<br />
e: info@yogaroomhk.com<br />
w: www.yogaroomhk.com<br />
KUNDALINI @SHAKTI<br />
7/F Glenealy Tower, 1 Glenealy,<br />
Central, Hong Kong.<br />
s: Kundalini, Reik healing, life<br />
coaching, Shamanic healing,<br />
Ayurveda, Feng Shui<br />
consultations, Angel Cards<br />
t: +852 2521 5099<br />
e: info@shaktihealingcircle.com<br />
w: www.shaktihealingcircle.com<br />
THE COLLECTIVE, DESA SENI<br />
SCHOOL OF YOGA<br />
Jl. Subak Sari #13, Canggu, Bali,<br />
Indonesia<br />
s: Full service resort, Ashtanga,<br />
Embodied Flow, Hatha,<br />
Kundalini, Restorative, Tantra,<br />
Therapeutics, Yin, Yang,<br />
Vinyasa, Buddhist Meditation,<br />
Vedic Meditation. Teacher<br />
Trainings, Intensives, Privates,<br />
Workshops, specialising in<br />
hosting retreats.<br />
t: +62 361 844 6392<br />
e: info@desaseni.com<br />
w: www.desaseni.com<br />
TRUE YOGA<br />
Singapore<br />
9 Scotts Road, Level 4, Pacific<br />
Plaza, Singapore 228210<br />
t: +65 6733 9555<br />
9 Scotts Road, Level 5, Pacific<br />
Plaza (Bikram Original Hot<br />
Yoga), Singapore 228210<br />
t: +65 6735 9555<br />
Taiwan<br />
337 Nanking East Road<br />
Section 3, 9 & 10/F, Taipei<br />
T: +886 22716 1234<br />
68 Gongyi Road, West District<br />
12 & 13/F, Taichung<br />
t: +886 43700 0000<br />
s: Ashtanga, Bikram, Flow,<br />
Gentle, Hatha, Kids, Power, Pre-<br />
Natal, Vinyasa, Yin, Yoga Dance<br />
w: www.trueyoga.com.sg /<br />
www.trueyoga.com.tw<br />
WISE LIVING YOGA<br />
ACADEMY<br />
198 Moo 2, Luang Nuea, Doi<br />
Saket, Chiang Mai, Thailand<br />
s: Classical Yoga, Hatha Yoga,<br />
Yoga Therapy<br />
t: +66 8254 67995<br />
e: info@wiselivingyoga.com<br />
w: www.wiselivingyoga.com<br />
4 times a year<br />
6,000 yoga practitioners<br />
32 countries<br />
DISPLAY ADVERTISING RATES & SIZES<br />
Outside back cover HK$25,000 210 mm x 297 mm<br />
Inside front cover HK$3,500 210 mm x 297 mm<br />
Inside back cover HK$2,700 210 mm x 297 mm<br />
Full page HK$2,200 210 mm x 297 mm<br />
1/2 page (horizontal) HK$1,500 180 mm x 133.5 mm<br />
1/2 page (vertical) HK$1,500 88 mm x 275 mm<br />
1/4 page HK$700 88 mm X 133.5 mm<br />
1/8 page HK$440 88 mm x 66 mm<br />
LISTINGS<br />
Individual listing HK$640 for full or partial year<br />
Studio listing HK$1,300 for full or partial year<br />
PUBLICATION DATES, BOOKING & MATERIAL DEADLINES<br />
Publication date Booking Deadline Material Deadline<br />
<strong>Jan</strong>uary December 1 December 10<br />
April March 1 March 10<br />
July June 1 June 10<br />
October September 1 September 10<br />
NOTES<br />
Advertising materials should in black & white and submitted as 300<br />
dpi high resolution .tif files (no pdf or ai files please)<br />
Listings should be submitted as text only (approx 35 words)<br />
PAYMENT<br />
Payments should be made in Hong Kong dollars to:<br />
<strong>Namaskar</strong> c/o Carol Adams, Flat 101, Block L, Telford Gardens,<br />
Kowloon, Hong Kong<br />
INFORMATION<br />
Carol +44 75432 55886 / carol@caroladams.hk<br />
Frances +852 9460 1967 / fgairns@netvigator.com<br />
<strong>Jan</strong>uary <strong>2017</strong> 53
54 NAMASKAR
<strong>Jan</strong>uary <strong>2017</strong> 55
56 NAMASKAR