Namaskar - Jul 2017s

namaskar 

A VOICE FOR THE YOGA COMMUNITY OF ASIA July 2017 

TWELVE YEARS IN A CAVE 

Part two of an interview with Buddhist nun 

Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo..................................p16 

WANT TO TEACH AT A FESTIVAL 

Five tips for securing a yoga festival teaching gig 

and making it an enjoyable success..................p19 

DHYANA & DHARANA 

Six contributors share their explanation and 

experience on these close cousins..............p28 

Summer’s here, Samrat Dasgupta at the beach in Phuket. Photo by Siuman Yuen

2 NAMASKAR

NAMASKAR - JULY 2017 

LETTER FROM 

THE EDITOR 

Four of us shaved our heads to 

raise money for a dog charity. 

It was a really fun way to help 

beings other than ourselves. 

The charity we supported is called Sai Kung 

Strays. Based in Hong Kong it cares for 100 

dogs, and looks for foster families and homes 

for even more. If you feel inclined to support 

the cause, visit www.justgiving.com/ 

shaveforstrays 

The experience was also an opportunity to 

think about some of the non-asana teachings 

of yoga. Aparigraha, non-attachment, is the 

first thing which comes to mind. To let go 

something which so defines most of us is a 

scary thing. But it’s a safe scary, afterall there’s no risk of getting hurt and your hair grows 

back. There’s a truthfulness (satya) to having no hair. This is it, no hair to hide behind or to 

distract anyone from seeing the true, whole me. Then there’s the saucha, or cleanliness, of 

being bald. It feels fantastic, especially in the hot, humid summer of Hong Kong. It’s super 

easy to keep clean, no shampoo or hair products of any kind necessary. In a way there’s less 

consumption. And I feel a sense of contentment (santosha), at doing something which feels so 

comfortable even if less socially acceptable, instead of always doing what’s more accepted but 

less comfortable. (Wearing high heels or make-up to name just two.) 

Sometimes the teachings of yoga seem so distant and irrelevant to us. It takes time and effort 

to see the connection between our everyday lives and what we read about in yoga philosophy 

text. I hope the seven Dristi articles on Dharana and Dhyana prove informative and inspiring 

in making some connection to spirituality for some readers. 

Equally inspiring is the second part of Tia’s interview with Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo. I 

particularly loved reading about the unexpected connection between her and Hot Yoga’s 

creator Bikram Choudhury! 

We celebrated the tenth anniversaries of Asia Yoga Conference and BaliSpirit recently. Thank 

to the organisers of both events for their valuable contribution to our yoga community. 

And finally I thank our contributors, advertisers and volunteers for their generosity with this 

issue. 

On the cover - Samrat Dasgupta teaches at Pure Yoga 

in Hong Kong. He also offers regular workshops, 

immersions, retreats and teacher training courses. 

samrat.dasgupta@pure-yoga.com 

In This Issue 

DRISTI - DHYANA & DHARANA 

FLEX YOUR MENTAL MUSCLE 29 

HOW TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE 31 

TRAINING OUR MIND 32 

A SOMATIC APPROACH 33 

CLIMBING TO MEDITATION 34 

ROAD TO SAMADHI 36 

MASTERY OF MIND 36 

SPECIAL FEATURES 

JETSUMNA TENZIN PALMO 17 

Noted Tibetan Buddhist nun talks to Tia about 

yoga and Buddhism 

TEACH AT YOGA FESTIVALS 19 

Sarah shares top tips from travelling teachers 

QUESTIONS FOR A YOGI 24 

Art of Living Foundation’s Rishi Vidhyadhar 

talks to Namaskar 

REGULAR CONTRIBUTIONS 

KULA UPDATES, WORKSHOPS, 

RETREATS, TEACHER TRAININGS 6 

PHOTO ESSAY 14 

AYURVEDA 23 

MUDRAS 43 

BOOK REVIEW 43 

TEACHER TRAINING 44 

RECIPE 47 

DIRECTORY 52 

ABOUT NAMASKAR 

ADMINISTRATION Carol Adams, carol@caroladams.hk 

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

CIRCULATION Angela Sun, angela.sun@gmail.com 

EDITOR & PUBLISHER Frances Gairns, fgairns@netvigator.com 

Namaskar provides a voice for the yoga community in Asia and 

around the world. The publication is an opportunity for 

practitioners on a yogic path to selflessly offer their knowledge, 

learnings and experiences with others. 

We welcome unsolicited submissions, therefore the opinions 

expressed within these pages are not necessarily those of Namaskar or 

its volunteers. 

Articles and photographs in Namaskar are contributed at no 

charge. Advertising income covers production, distribution, 

administrative costs and discretionary contributions to selected 

charities and causes. 

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

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

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

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

mailed to readers in 32 other countries. 

July 2017 3

CONTRIBUTORS 

ANDY WILNER 

He looks forward to reuniting with 

Hong Kong practitioners this 

November, offering detailed 

workshops, daily practice, 

philosophical banter and laughs. 

dylanyo@gmail.com 

GABRIELLE MCMAHON 

Andy teaches yoga at pure yoga in 

hong kong. andy@pure-yoga.com 

AXEL HEBENSTREIT 

Gabrielle’s life work is yoga, 

meditation & natural living. She 

created bebliss 10 years ago and 

works with groups and individuals 

inspiring them to live their best 

life. gabrielle@bebliss.com.au 

teaches sanskrit and mudras for 

yoga for the yoga alliance and 

british wheel of yoga. She has 

written 15 books on bhakti yoga. 

kinkaridasi@hotmail.com 

LOGANATHAN PANDIAN 

chefmoy@allnood.com 

RONJA EICK 

HANSAJI JAYADEVA 

YOGENDRA 

Axel lives and works as a freelance 

photographer as well as an 

independent web designer. 

www.lichtseelen.com 

DYLAN BERNSTEIN 

An ERYT 500, physiotherapist, 

acupuncturist educated both in 

India and Hong Kong, Loganathan 

has been practicing yoga since 

child hood. He has been teaching 

since 2009 and conducts yoga 

teacher trainings. 

yogahkn@gmail.com 

Ronja thought she hated dancing 

until she happened upon a 

spiritdance soulsong class, and her 

life changed forever. She is 

currently studying music and dance 

at the Orff Institute near her home 

in Germany. 

SARAH MILLER 

Dylan has just returned to teaching 

yoga worldwide after a threemonth 

sabbatical through Africa. 

Hansa is the director of The Yoga 

Institute and a life coach. She was 

the country’s first and only female 

yoga guru to be invited by the 

Government of India’s first 

International Day of Yoga. 

info@theyogainstitute.org 

KRISHNAA KINKARIDAS 

Krishnaa lives in london. She 

studied with B.K.S. Iyengar and 

now runs classes in London and 

MOISES MEHL 

Moy is a yoga teacher and advocate 

of the raw vegan food lifestyle. 

The head chef of nood food, he 

was inspired by his grandmother, 

who was an agro-ecologist, 

vegetarian, soy and raw food 

pioneer, yogi and writer in their 

home Mexico. He qualified as a 

certifed Raw Vegan Chef and is 

studying for a Master’s Degree in 

Raw Vegan Spiritual Nutrition. 

4 NAMASKAR

Sarah is an author and 

transformational speaker. She is 

founder of The Unapologetic You 

and host of the podcast series on 

forgiving. When she is not writing, 

she is making friends with the 

person next to her in a cafe 

somewhere or headed to a body of 

water to learn. www.saramiller.me 

TIA SINHA 

has been studying and practicing 

the traditions of yoga and 

Buddhism ever since. Since 2015, 

she has been training in somatic 

meditation. She teaches yoga 

at Yoga in Common Singapore and 

is the co-founder of the Still 

Space. vaishaliiyer@ymail.com 

VALERIE FANECO 

namaskar 

Now on-line at: 

www.issuu.com/namaskarasia 

Back issues still at: 

www.issuu.com/caroladams 

Tia worked for Star TV in hong 

kong. In 2006, she took time off to 

study yoga and meditation. Tia 

taught Hatha yoga to the nuns of 

Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo’s nunnery, 

has been meditating under 

Jetsunma’s guidance and has 

translated some of Jetsunma’s 

talks and her biography, Cave in the 

Snow into Hindi. 

onlytia2@yahoo.co.in 

VAISHALI IYER 

A yoga therapist and teacher 

trainer certified in the tradition of 

T. Krishnamacharya, Valerie has 

been teaching for 18 years, training 

teachers for 10 years. She 

translated Frans Moors’ 

commentary of the Yoga Sutra into 

English. She lives and works in 

Singapore. www.beinginyoga.com 

VINOD SHARMA 

October’s dristi: 

Successful & Spiritual 

• As yoga teachers, what can/should we do to balance our 

commercial success with our spiritual growth? 

• As the owner or manager of a yoga studio, what measures can/ 

should I be taking to ensure the spiritual teachings of yoga are at 

the core of our offering, rather than the need to pay our bills? 

• Should our industry be more regulated for the integrity and 

longevity of yoga’s teachings? 

• Case studies - which teachers or schools seem to have found the 

right balance? 

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

the idea for your article. 

Contributions are also welcome on other topics. Final articles are 

welcome before September 10. 

Vaishali completed her 250-hour 

yoga teacher training in 2011 and 

Vinod is a qualified Ayurvedic & 

homeopathic consultant and an 

experienced yoga instructor 

practicing in Hong Kong for over 25 

years. sharma@ayuryoga-intl.com, 

www.ayuryoga-intl.com 


KULA 

Updates 

International Day 

of Yoga 

21 June 

The third International Day of 

Yoga was held all around the 

world on Wednesday 21 June. 

The intention of this day, 

mandated by the United Nations, 

is to raise awareness worldwide 

of the many benefits of practicing 

yoga. 

HONG KONG 

Free Guided 

meditation: Isha 

Kriya 

Saturdays and Sundays 

Isha Kriya is a simple yet potent 

process that has the potential to 

transform the life of anyone 

willing to invest 21 minutes a day. 

Daily practice of Isha Kriya 

brings health, dynamism, peace 

and wellbeing. A powerful tool to 

cope with the hectic pace of 

modern life. 

For more information 

(852) 5920 0385 / 

hongkong@ishafoundation.org 

www.ishafoundation.org/hk 

Kids Open House 

Day 

26 August (1-4pm) 

Flex studio, One Island South 

Flex’s instructors will teach free 

classes in kids yoga, aerial 

fitness, aerial arts and aerial 

yoga, and Allegro Pilates. Suitable 

for children aged 6 and up. 


(852) 2813 2212 /flexhk.com 

/ flexhk.com/cms/flex-appeal 

Candlelight Yin 

Yoga class with 

David Kim 

22 September (8:15-9:30pm) 

The Yoga Room, Sheung Wan 


info@yogaroomhk.com / 

www.yogaroomhk.com / 

(852) 2544 8398 

Special Outdoor 

Silent Disco Yoga 

Class with David 

Kim & The Yoga 

Room 

24 September (6:30-8pm) 

Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park 

For more information: 



(852) 2544 8398 

Revamped Yoga, 

Pilates & Fitness 

at The Landmark 

Mandarin Oriental 

A new ‘Wellness Series’ concept 

offering a breadth of holistic 

wellness events started in May. 

Offering an enhanced range of 

specialist Yoga and Wellness 

classes, from Pre-Natal Yoga and 

Spinal Health Yoga to Inversion 

Yoga and Primal Movement. 

Karen Dew, a newly- authorised 

Ashtanga teacher, will offer Pre- 

Natal Yoga, Spinal Care Yoga and 

Mysore Yoga programmes; while 

Nadine Bubner will continue to 

offer Hatha Yoga. 

A streamlined Yoga and Pilates 

schedule providing additional 

capacity for private fitness and 

yoga sessions will be introduced. 

The finale before summer will see 

the debut of Olympic medalist 

trainers’ sessions jointly 

presented with Joint Dynamics in 

the redesigned fitness centre. 


mhkg-spa@mohg.com / 

(852) 2132 0011 

Fonting Yu won two passes to Asia Yoga Conference in June. 

Yoga Instructor 

Openings 

Yoga Privates is a provider of 

private Yoga, Pilates and 

personal training sessions and 

are seeking registered, 

experienced instructors to join 

their team. 


info@yoga-privates.com / 

www.yoga-privates.com / 

(852) 6504 4280 

AYC for Free 

Fonting Yu was the lucky winner of two Asia Yoga Conference tickets 

from the quiz in April’s issue of Namaskar. Here she shares a little 

about herself: 

“I first developed a love for yoga after coming across Jivamukti Yoga 

Studio in NYC. 

From NYC to Shanghai to Hong Kong, Yoga has continued to become 

an indispensable balance to the busy pace of city living and for 

providing inspirational principles for daily life. I am especially 

grateful to Namaskar magazine for giving me the chance to see Sharon 

Gannon and David Life this year at AYC! I look forward to connecting 

with other members of the yoga community in HK and evolving my 

practice.” 

6 NAMASKAR

KULA 

Workshops 

HONG KONG 

Mindfulness for 

Children with 

Margaret 

3, 5, 7, 10, 12 and 14 July (3:45- 

4:45pm) 


Mindfulness is the art and 

science of paying attention to the 

present moment. It is a life skill 

that can support you in your 

everyday life. This course 

introduces children to 

mindfulness and how it can help 

them. 




(852) 2544 8398 

Hammock Yoga 

for Kids with 

Cindy 

3 July-7 August (6 Mondays: 

2:30-3:30pm) 


This summer program is suitable 

for kids of 10-15 years. Exploring 

Yoga in the aerial hammock in a 

fun way and learn mindfulness 

and self-regulation strategies to 

help today’s teen develop both 

mentally and physically. 




(852) 2544 8398 

Living in 

Harmony with the 

Seasons: Summer 

with Holly 

27 August (3-6pm) 

The Yoga Room, Sheung wan 

A Singing Bowl session with The Yoga Room & Sound Therapy HK 

This workshop begins with an alllevel 

vinyasa flow practice to get 

your energy flowing, followed by 

discussion on some traditional 

Chinese medicine theories such 

as the five elements, their 

corresponding seasons and the 

meridians. As well as exploring 

the relationship between 

seasonal changes and your yoga 

practice, and will end with a 

relaxing yin and myofascial 

release practice. Cost: HK$580 




(852) 2544 8398 

Singing Bowl 

Workshop 

The Yoga Room & Sound 

Therapy HK 

27 August (0:00am-6:30pm) 

Sound Therapy HK Center, Wan 

Chai 

Benefits of sound therapy 

towards body, emotion, mind and 

spirituality and the theories 

behind, and basic techniques of 

playing a singing bowl and selfhealing 

techniques will be 

detailed. A 30-minute group 

sound spa will also be included. 




(852) 2544 8398 

A Weekend of 

AntiGravity 

Workshops with 

Tamer Begum 

The Yoga Room 

11 November - AntiGravity® 

Fitness Flips, Tricks and Safety 

Tips Fusion Workshop 

12 November - AntiGravity® 

Aerial Yoga and Restorative Yoga 

Yin/Yang Workshop 




(852) 2544 8398 

Svastha Yoga: 

Therapeutic 

Foundations 

Programme 

17-21 November (8am-4pm) 


The program is a part of the 

advanced 300 hour Svastha Yoga: 

Therapeutic Essentials Program 

registered with the Yoga Alliance 

and delivered in 7 intensive 

modules. Each module can be 

attended independently. 

Module 3: Internal Medicine & 

Breath: Anatomy, Physiology, and 

Sequencing of the Breath, 

Respiratory and Cardiovascular 

Disorders with Dr. Ganesh 

Mohan. 





(852) 2544 8398 

INDIA 

Morning Mysore 

& Immersions 

with Dylan 

Bernstein 

10 December-20 January 2018 

Samata, North Goa, India 


dylanyo@gmail.com / 

www.stillnessinaction.com 

SINGAPORE 

Adjustment 

Workshop with 

James Figueria 

22, 23, 29, 30 July 

The Yoga Shala 

James is authorized (Level 2) by 

the Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga 

Institute (KPJAYI) in Mysore, 

India. With over 25 years of 

teaching experience behind him 

as a former USA Gymnastics 

men’s coach, and fitness trainer, 


theyogashala@gmail.com 

TAIWAN 

Pranayama 

Weekend 

Workshop with 

Ranjan Kumar 

Singh 

8-9 July 

Learn how to practice pranayama 

more safely with some practical 

techniques, and develop a deeper 

understanding of different 

pranayama methods. 

twenty-one teachers highlighted 

by Yoga Journal magazine helping 

to shape the future of yoga, 

Marla will help you advance your 

practice forward where the 

precise actions are coordinated 

to create the “symphony of life”. 


www.withinspace.com 

Iyengar Yoga 

Intermediate 

class with Marla 

Apt 

29 September 

This class will cover a variety of 

poses to challenge you and 

deepen your knowledge of 

asanas. It is a perfect 

opportunity to elevate your 

practice safely and effectively 

with the refined Iyengar 

methods. 



Yoga of 

Relationship: 

with Richard 

Freeman & Mary 

Taylor 

4-10 November 

Yoga is relationship; the 

continuous joining together of 

complimentary opposites 

resulting in layers of concentration, 

connection and insight. 

Explore Ashtanga yoga in its most 

vital, philosophical, and 

meditative form as only Richard 

could present in his uniquely 

insightful and whimsical way. 

Together with his wife, Mary, the 

depth and richness of their close 

to a century of combined yoga 

experience is beyond compare. 

Mindfulness meditation, 

pranayama, chanting and 

philosophy talks will be included. 



The Forgotten 

Intimacy: Pelvic 

Floor Awareness 

with Leslie 

Howard 

11-15 November 

Reconnect with your mula (root) 

with the foremost pelvic floor 

expert in yoga. You will learn to 

locate, assess, soften, stretch, 

strengthen and exercise the pelvic 

floor muscles, discuss mula 

bandha, abdominal health and 

how to properly utilize the pelvic 

floor to create the correct 

foundation in asana and everyday 

movement. This is the true 

meaning of “core work.” 



TURKEY 

Deeper: a 100-hr 

Immersion into 

Yoga with Dylan 

Bernstein 

6-29 October 

YogaSala, Istanbul 


www.yogasala.com 

UNITED KINGDOM 

Weekend 

immersion on The 

Bhagavad Gita 

with James Boag 


Merchant City Yoga, Glasgow 

James will focus on key, practical 

and inclusive teachings of the 

Gita: The ‘secrets’ of the yoga 

tradition; How you can 

transform difficulties into 

opportunities; Yoga as balance 

and skillfulness. 


www.merchantcityyoga.com 



Iyengar Yoga 

Workshop with 

Marla Apt - 

Rhythm of Action 

30 September-1 October 

Space Yoga, Taipei 

Don’t miss this wonderful 

opportunity to study with the 

former President of the Iyengar 

Yoga National Association of the 

United States! As one of the 

Richard Freeman & Mary Taylor will be in Taiwan at Space 

8 NAMASKAR

KULA 

Retreats 

Tabata Ogilvie leads women’s retreats in Byron Bay 

AUSTRALIA 

Women’s Retreats 

in Byron Bay 

September & November 

Byron Yoga Retreat Centre has 

initiated Women’s Health and 

Yoga Retreats. Facilitated by 

Tabata Ogilvie, the Women’s 

Retreat is a powerful opportunity 

for you to Connect, Accept, Let 

Go, Set Intentions and Nourish 

Yourself. The June and August 

weekends are sold out so book 

early for the September or 

November dates. 


www.byronyoga.com 

CAMBODIA 

Yoga and Self- 

Discovery Retreat 

with Janet Lau & 

The Yoga Room 

13-19 August 

Navutu Dreams, Siem Reap 

This retreat offers a wellrounded 

program exploring ways 

to apply a meditative yoga 

practice to everyday actions such 

as walking, sitting, talking, and 

listening. Through these 

practices, we begin the process of 

healing. This will be an 

opportunity to learn more about 

meditation, mindfulness, 

spirituality, and living a more 

joyful and peaceful life. 




(852) 2544 8398 

Journey of 

Transformation 

15-21 October 

Song Saa 

Hosted by Flex Studio, this 

extraordinary journey will 

introduce participants to the 

Song Saa Foundation and its 

successful integration of 

philanthropy into a profitable 

business model. 

Daily yoga, led by Flex Director 

Heather Thomas Shalabi and 

instructor Michelle Ricaille - will 

ready body and mind to be open, 

creative, focused and receptive. 

Suitable for all practitioners, 

even beginners. 


Kristine@flexhk.com / 

flexhk.com/cms/training-andretreats/ 

(852) 2813 2212 

CHINA 

Mongolia Yoga 

Retreat 

29 July-7 August 

Jivamukti yoga in the Mongolian 

wilderness with internationally 

renowned teacher Emma Henry. 

Experience yoga, camp-fire 

kirtan and desert meditation. 

Sleep in luxury yurt camps and 

enjoy delicious vegan food. The 

perfect mix of yoga, healthy food 

and adventures. Horse riding, 

rafting, camel treks and hiking. 


jools@reclaimyourself.co.uk / 

www.reclaimyourself.co.uk 

Return to Nature - 

Qing Cheng 

Mountain Yoga 

Retreat with Shiva 

Wang 

31 August-3 September 

Qing Cheng Mountain, Sichuan 

Escape the crowds and take a 

break at the magnificent spa 

resort, Six Senses Qing Cheng 

Mountain; visit the famous 

UNESCO World Heritage of 

Dujiangyan Irrigation System, the 

Taoist Pilgrim site in Qing Cheng 

Mountain, and the biggest 

Buddha statue in the world at 

Mount Leshan with Pure Yoga 

teacher, Shiva Wang. 


www.pure-yoga.com 

Kamalaya’s co-founder Karina Stewart 

Awakening to 

your Essential 

Self Retreat with 

Karina Stewart 

5-13 August 

30 September-8 October 

Karina Stewart, Kamalaya cofounder 

and Master of 

Traditional Chinese Medicine, 

will facilitate two small group 

retreats Awakening your 

Essential Self later this year. 

With over 30 years of experience 

in the Asian healing and spiritual 

traditions, Karina’s approach to 

integral health and life-renewal 

inspires people to discover 

themselves in new and heartening 

ways. Within the group setting 

and one individual consultation 

each, Karina will gently guide 

participants in experiential 

practices and processes to 

discover, release and transform 

emotions, habits and patterns 

that no longer serve a fulfilling 

lifestyle. 


www.kamalaya.com/awakeningretreat.htm 


INDIA 

Mother India - 

Journey of 

Discovery with 

James Boag & 

Yoga United 

16-24 January 2018 

Kerala 

James teaches yoga and applied 

yoga philosophy globally. Known 

for his inspiring, inclusive and 

engaging teaching style and 

holistic approach, his workshops 

and retreats include live 

storytelling, a principle-based, 

practical and inclusive style of 

asana/natural movement work, 

meditations and kirtan; all 

informed by years of practical 

exploration and dedicated study 

of Sanskrit and traditional yoga 

texts. Nestled between the 

Keralan backwaters and the 

Arabian sea, the resort, Cherai 

Beach, is situated in spectacular 

surroundings and within easy 

reach of Cochin, the ancient spice 

trading port. 


www.yogaunited.com 

INDONESIA 

Full Moon Rising 

Retreat with 

Ocean and TT 

4-8 October 

Bali 

A magical retreat for the soul and 

bring lightness to your senses. A 

time to harness your inner 

adventurer and bring forth your 

bold and fearless self, with aerial 

yoga and yoga swing. 



Yoga and 

Meditation 

Retreat with 

Charlotte Douglas 

13-17 October 

Love Life HK, Ubud, Bali 

Unwind the body, mind and soul 

with Charlotte, an experienced 

yoga teacher and yoga therapist. 

Starting the day with a gentle 

meditation before moving into an 

invigorating yoga practice, as well 

as nourishing the body with 

delicious food, rest the mind and 

soul in the surrounding nature 

Charlotte Douglas leads a yoga & meditation retreat in Ubud, Bali 

and finish each day with a deeply 

restorative evening practice. 


(852) 6680 0340 / 

charlotte@lovelifehk.com 

NEPAL 

Tour Mount 

Kailash with 

Nirmal & 

Gabrielle 

September 

Experience of a lifetime, tour of 

the holy Mount Kailash, and feel 

your energy soar with Nepalese 

Yogi, teacher and Guru, Nirmal 

Gyawali and Gabrielle McMahon. 

All ages and abilities welcome. 


gabrielle@bebliss.com.au / 

bebliss.com.au 

THAILAND 

Ashtanga Yoga 

Therapy Retreat 

with Michele 

Loew 

29 July - 5 August 

Samahita Retreat, Koh Samui 

This week-long session of 

philosophy study & practice will 

count as 20 hours of Yoga 

Alliance CEUs and credit towards 

Michele’s 500 hr. Teacher 

Training program. This is a 

YACEP approved course. 

Michele Loew has been a student 

and teacher of yoga since 1998. As 

owner and director of The Yoga 

Space in Portland, Oregon, and 

teaches their 200 & 500 Hr. Yoga 

Alliance Certification programs. 


www.samahitaretreat.com 

From the Ground 

Up: Inversions 

with David Tilston 

23 - 30 September 

This retreat is designed to help 

you build confidence in your 

hands and increase the 

capabilities of your own body 

through breath work, led vinyasa, 

hand balancing and mobility. 



Yoga & Drawing 

with Sarah Pierroz 

7 - 14 October 

Cultivate an experience of 

peaceful expression. We will tune 

into breath and move the body to 

explore the nature of motion and 

stillness within, with guided 

classes at the start of the week 

and then moving into assisted self 

practice. 



Samkhya-Yoga 

Retreat 

22-28 October 

26 November-2 December 

Wise Living Yoga Academy, 

Chiang Mai 

Yoga is an integral part of a 

composite Samkhya-Yoga 

Philosophy, the oldest 

philosophical system in the 

world. This retreat includes 

theory and practice of Yoga 

techniques, vegetarian meals in 

residential basis. 


(66) 825467995 / 

info@wiselivingyoga.com / 

www.retreats.wiselivingyoga.com 

Samkhya & 

Bhagavad Gita 

Retreat 

22 October-4 November 



Chiang Mai 

In this retreat, besides the study 

of Samkhya and many traditional 

practices and techniques, the 

student will be lead to dive deeper 

into Yoga as the Bhagavad Gita 

will be explained in the view of the 

Four Paths of Yoga, namely Raja 

Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga 

and Karma Yoga. 


(66) 825467995 / 


www.retreats.wiselivingyoga.com 

10 NAMASKAR

KULA 

Teacher Trainings 

October & 8-17 December 

60-hr Speak Your Truth: 

scheduled for 2018 


Suitable for those who are ready 

to teach, already teaching, or 

those who want to gain more 

clarity of their life’s purpose and 

learn to cultivate harmony within 

and without. 




(852) 2544 8398 

enquiry@anahatayoga.com.hk 

AntiGravity TT 

with Tamer 

Begum 


AG Fundamentals 1 & 2 on 14-17 

September 

AG Aerial Yoga 1 on 14-15 October 

AG Aerial Yoga 2 on 21-22 

October 

AG Restorative Yoga on 4-5 

November 

Byron Bay, Australia 

AUSTRALIA 

One Year 800-hr 

TT in Byron Bay 

Live, work and study yoga in 

Byron Bay! International 

participants can qualify for a 12 

month student visa when they 

sign up for Byron Yoga Centre’s 

fully accredited 800-hour course. 

This is one of the highest 

qualifications in yoga teaching 

recognised in Australia and 

internationally. Students attend 

two days a week and those on a 

student visa can work for up to 

20 hours each week. 


www.byronyoga.com 

CHINA 

Kids Yoga TT with 

Karen Wightman 

8-10 September Module 1 

Pure Yoga, Shanghai 

Are you ready for a more 

fulfilling Yoga career? Make a 

difference in the lives of children 

and their caregivers. 



HONG KONG 

300-hr Advanced 

Yoga TT with Ann 

da Silva & Keiki 

To 

7 July - Master Curriculum 

(mandatory) 

30 September- 8 October Yoga 

Therapy TT 

8 April-6 May 2018 - Yin & 

Restorative Yoga TT 

29 September-7 October 2018 - 

Prenatal & Pregnancy Yoga TT 


Suitable for yoga teachers with 

200-hr foundation training. 

Modules can be taken 

individually. 




(852) 2544 8398 

200-hr & 300-hr 

Yin Yang Vinyasa 

Yoga TT with 

Janet Lau 

90-hr Yoga Sutras: 19-29 July 

150-hr Mindfulness: 23-29 

100-hr Prenatal 

Yoga TT 

22 August - 28 September 

Anahata Yoga’s accredited 

prenatal yoga teacher training 

covers all stages of pregnancy, 

delivery as well as days of early 

motherhood. A practical and 

interactive course which 

will equip yoga enthusiasts to 

teach prenatal yoga safely by 

providing strong knowledge in 

anatomy and physiology. 


www.anahatayoga.com.hk / 

enquiry@anahatayoga.com.hk / 

(852) 2905 1822 

300-hr Yoga 

Therapy TT 

1 September, 2017 - 29 

November, 2017 

Yoga and therapy may seem 

worlds apart, but through this 

course, participants will be given 

a good introduction to the two 

sciences as well as a solid 

foundation on which to build 

their knowledge. 


www.anahatayoga.com.hk / 

(852) 2905 1822 / 




(852) 2544 8398 

30-hr Yin Yoga TT 

with David Kim 

21-24 September 





(852) 2544 8398 

Evolve Yourself 

with Marcus 

Leung 

22 September-13 November 

Pure Yoga 

This programme will provide 

practical tips on how make your 

practice more fluid, your body 

more balanced in strength and 

flexibility, and make weight 

transfer during your practice 

more effective. 




The Foundation 

Training for Yoga 

Teachers with 

Patrick Creelman 

& Rinat Perlman 

28 September-12 December 

Pure Yoga 

The Foundation is a 20-day, fulltime 

training programme. It 

offers a positive philosophy 

grounded in recognising life’s 

innate goodness combined with 

Universal Principles of 

Alignment. 



Yin/Yang Yoga 

TT with Sarah 

Powers 

4-13 October 

Pure Yoga 

This intensive will deepen your 

ability to teach/practice both a 

receptive Yin style and an active 

flow with an interest in 

promoting a conducive inner 

environment for meditation. 


sarahpowers.com/iyi/schedule- 

2017/level-i-teacher-trainingintensive-october-2017/ 

Further: Genuine 

Inquiries into 

Yoga & Practice 

with Dylan 

Bernstein 

1-30 November 

Hong Kong 


dylanyo@gmail.com / 

www.stillnessinaction.com 

Pre & Post-natal 

Yoga TT with 

Samantha Chan 


Pure Yoga 

This course is delivered using a 

combination of face-to-face 

lectures, practicum, your own 

research, observation of classes, 

teaching practice and 

assignments. 



SINGAPORE 

Tatva Yoga 

Prenatal Yoga TT 

28-30 July 

The course covers anatomy and 

physiology of the pregnant human 

body, common discomforts of 

mothers to be and the poses, 

kneeling, standing, wall, inverted 

and restorative poses that will 

benefit both mother and baby, 

plus prenatal class sequencing 

and structure. 


enquiry@onewellness.com.sg 

Tatva Yoga 200- 

hr Hatha Yoga TT 


Taught over 7 consecutive 

weekends, this Yoga Alliance 

accredited course covers both 

theory and practice, includes 

posture clinics (focusing on 54 

basic and advanced asanas), 

lectures on pranayama, kriya, 

human anatomy and the history 

of yoga. 


enquiry@onewellness.com.sg 

Yoga for 

Pregnancy, Birth 

& Baby TT with 

Michelle Papa 

9-17 August 

Pure Yoga Singapore 

This is a comprehensive and 

intensive training course for yoga 

teachers, aspiring yoga teachers, 

pregnant women, midwives, 

doulas and anyone interested in 

yoga during and after pregnancy. 



Kids Yoga 

Training with 

Karen Wightman 

15-17 September Module 2 



fulfilling Yoga career? Have you 

ever considered teaching 

children’s Yoga? Make a 





Pranayama & 

Meditation 30-hr 

CET with Michael 

& Aisah Sutton 

7-22 October 


This program meets the 

requirements for Yoga Alliance 

30-hour Continuing Education 

Training (CET). Open to any who 

want to learn more about 

Pranayama and Meditation. 

Participants are required to be in 

good health, open-minded, 

committed to learning, and have a 

regular yoga asana practice. 



Vinyasa Yoga TT 

New Angle Yoga, Singapore 

13 October-12 November 

Discover yourself, lead from 

your heart. Inspired by Baptiste 

Yoga TM , this 200-hour training is 

led by Dr. Trish Corley (US 

licensed physical therapist and 

yoga teacher) and is accredited by 

the Yoga Alliance. 


www.newangleyoga.com 

Ashtanga Training 

& Workshop with 

David Swenson 

24-29 October 


David Swenson is recognised 

today as one of the world’s 

foremost practitioners and 

instructors of Ashtanga Yoga. 

Come and discover an incredible 

experience of yoga, laughter and 

fun with one of the world’s 

foremost Ashtanga Yoga 

instructors! 



200-hr Yoga 

Diploma Course 

November-June 2018 

Being in Yoga 

A seven-month course to learn 

yoga as an integrated physical and 

meditative practice, a philosophy 

and healing method, in the 

tradition of Krishnamacharya 

and TKV Desikachar. Detailed 

study of asana and pranayama 

techniques, including 

modifications, preparations, 

compensations. Course planning, 

sequencing, and teaching 

methodologies. Unlimited access 

to group classes (attendance and 

observation) for the duration of 

the program plus a one-week 

retreat in India. 


beinginyoga.com / 

(65) 9830 3808 

The Foundation 

Training for Yoga 

Teachers with 

Patrick Creelman 

& Rinat Perlman 

16 November-14 January 2018 


The Foundation is a 20-day, fulltime 

training programme. It 

offers a positive philosophy 

grounded in recognising life’s 

innate goodness combined with 

Universal Principles of 

Alignment. 



Universal Yoga 

TT with Andrey 

Lappa & Copper 

Crow 



This 200-RYT course offers the 

full range of the yoga tradition 

and the practical modern 

methods for sharing this ancient 

practice with others. This 

programme compresses a vast 

array of yoga subjects and styles 

into a highly intensive course, 

offering a diverse training in the 

shortest time. 



TAIWAN 

200-hr Yoga TT 

with Adarsh 

Williams 



This is a great opportunity to set 

up a clear base from which to 

practice, teach and live your yoga. 

Presenting the “way of yoga” 

rather than a particular yoga 

style, exploring the philosophy 

12 NAMASKAR

and methods of classical 

Ashtanga Yoga as well as 

contemporary modalities of yoga, 

science and wellness. 



Module 1 Kids 

Yoga Training 

with Karen 

Wightman 

1-3 September 

Pure Yoga, Taipei 


fulfilling Yoga career? Make a 





Pre & Post-natal 

Yoga TT with 

Samantha Chan 

11-20 September 


This course includes face-to-face 

lectures, practicum, your own 

research, observation of classes, 

teaching practice and 

assignments. 



Rainbow Kids 

Yoga TT 

6-8 October 


A comprehensive, intensive and 

practical certification course, 

perfect for anyone who loves 

working with kids, and loves 

yoga. This fun-filled course will 

provide you with immediate 

tangible knowledge and tons of 

fabulous ideas to create original, 

captivating and fun yoga 

experiences for kids of all ages. 



Ashtanga Training 

& Workshop with 

David Swenson 

13-22 October 


David Swenson is recognised 

today as one of the world’s 

foremost practitioners and 

instructors of Ashtanga Yoga. 



Evolve Yourself 

Counter Flow 

with Marcus 

Leung 

9 December-11 February 2018 


This programme is a deep 

analysis of counter energy and 

will provide practical tips on how 

to harness it to make your 

practice more fluid, your body 

more balanced in strength and 

flexibility, and make weight 

transfer during your practice 

more effective. 



Universal Yoga 

TT with Andrey 

Lappa & Copper 

Crow 

20 December-13 January 2018 


This 200-RYT course offers the 

full range of the yoga tradition 

and the practical modern 

methods for sharing this ancient 

practice with others. 



THAILAND 

200-hr Classical 

Yoga TT 

9 July-4 August; 22 October-17 

November; 26 November-22 

December 


Chiang Mai 

Wise Living Yoga Academy 

provides an “Ashram-like” 

environment, ideal for the full 

immersion experience in 

Traditional Yoga studies. This 

course provides foundation on 

Classical Yoga philosophy and 

practices, including meditation, 

asanas, pranayamas and simple 

kriyas. Programs are residential 

and include vegetarian meals. 


(66) 825467995 / 


www.teachertraining. 

wiselivingyoga.com 

Centered Yoga TT 

with Paul 

Dallaghan 

5 August - 2 September & 28 

October - 25 November 

Koh Samui 

A one-month residential training, 

which is preceded by pre-course 

assignments and preparation. 

This is an immersion in a focused 

learning environment — live the 

practice. 


www.centeredyoga.com 


Yoga TT 

22 October-22 December 


Chiang Mai 

This advanced course is 

conducted only two times a year. 

It covers the entire 200 hours 

program plus an additional of 

300 hours on Nature Cure, 

Shatkarmas, Ayurveda and 

Scriptural studies. The Ashram 

routine is followed and the 

trainees are guided deeper into 

their sadhana. 


(66) 825467995 / 


www.teachertraining. 

wiselivingyoga.com 

Marzena Kierepka teaches at Zenith Yoga, Hanoi 

VIETNAM 

200-hr Essential 

yoga TT with 

Marzena Kierepka 

8 September 2017 - 4 February 

2018 

Zenith Yoga, Hanoi 

The program presents 

foundation in the principals of 

asanas, pranayama,meditation, 

yoga philosophy, basic anatomy 

and teaching methodology. You 

will learn 40 basic poses deeply 

through alignment, safe way of 

using the props, adjustment. 


www.zenithyogavietnam.com 


Yoga Teacher 

Training with 

Hart Lazer 

23 - 29 November 

Zenith Yoga, Hanoi 

In this module, emphasis will be 

on teaching clear and precise 

principles of alignment in both 

fast-paced movement practices 

and long-held supported 

practices. 


www.zenithyogavietnam.com 


PHOTO ESSAY 

BALISPIRIT IS 10 

A decade of dance, music 

& yoga in Bali 

BY AXEL HEBENSTREIT 

BaliSpirit Festival’s 10 th anniversary was held in March 2017. Over 

7000 people were drawn to Ubud, Bali’s cultural center to share in a 

transformational week of yoga, dance, healing and breathwork as well 

as devotional bhakti and world music evening concerts. 

I am very proud and excited to present my selection from this 

overwhelmingly beautiful festival. Most images are portraits because 

for me, the spirit of a festival is predominantly visible in the faces and 

body language of the people who co-create such an event with their 

presence, be it visitors, performers, volunteers, presenters or the 

organizers and crew. 

This festival shined with such artistry, attention to detail, 

professionalism, kindness and family feeling and I was so often left 

speechless. I would like to invite you to take a journey to this festival 

through my eyes as I feel I have captured the spirit well. For me as an 

artist everything aligned, the culture, the colours, the nature, the art, 

the beautiful people and artists, the locations and the light. 

14 NAMASKAR


16 NAMASKAR

INTERVIEW 

YOGA & BUDDHISM 

Talking with Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo 

BY TIA SINHA 

In the second part of this interview, 

Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo talks to Tia Sinha 

about her yoga asana practice in a remote 

Himalayan cave, the differences between 

Tibetan Yoga and Hatha Yoga and more. 

Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, a Tibetan Buddhist 

nun of British origin is a living legend. She 

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

became well known in the Buddhist world 

through her exceptional spiritual endeavour 

of meditating for 12 years (from 1976 to 

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

sea level. Her biography, Cave in the Snow, 

written by journalist Vicki Mackenzie, 

chronicles her incredibly inspirational life. 

IN CAVE IN THE SNOW, YOU MENTION 

PRACTISING YOGA ASANA. COULD YOU 

TELL US ABOUT YOUR PRACTICE? WHO 

WAS YOUR TEACHER? HOW DID YOUR 

YOGA PRACTICE HELP YOU? 

Living alone in the cave required a lot of 

physical work such as chopping wood, 

shovelling away deep snow and carrying 

water. As a result I had quite severe lower 

back pain which was not helped by sleeping in 

a sitting position in a meditation box. So I 

realized that I needed yoga in order to deal 

with the back problems. I wrote to a 

bookshop in Delhi for their advice and they 

sent two books of which one was Bikram’s 

book on yoga. This was an early version and 

did not mention heat! This was fortunate 

because I was practising throughout the 

Himalayan winter. Anyway the first few 

months were agony - especially the cobra and 

all back bends. 

Nonetheless my body was telling me this was 

a ‘good’ pain and not to stop. Then one 

morning I woke up and moved and there was 

no pain! My body was completely without 

any aches and felt supple and strong. 

Throughout my retreat I continued with the 

hour and a half of Bikram yoga every day no 

matter what the weather and at the end of the 

retreat I could walk all the way down the 

mountain and back up again without even 

strain in my leg muscles (I had not moved 

from my cave compound in 3 years). Every 

cell in the body felt energized and alive. 

Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo (second from right) 

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 

YOGA PRACTICED IN STUDIOS TODAY 

AND TIBETAN BUDDHIST YOGA? 

Tibetan yoga is very different from the 

traditional Hatha Yoga asanas. It is much 

more vigorous and active - not slow 

stretching. However kumbhaka [vase] 

breathing is emphasized. 

IS THE PRACTICE OF YOGA ASANA 

ALONE SUFFICIENT FOR ONE’S 

EVOLUTION? 

It has always been understood that yogic 

asanas are a preparation for the yogic 

meditation exercises. Of course using the 

asanas to develop mindfulness and relaxation 

can help to tame and train the mind but this is 

just a grounding for the more advanced 

meditation skills. 

COULD WE HAVE SOME WORDS OF 

ADVICE FOR YOGA PRACTITIONERS, 

PARTICULARLY THOSE LIVING IN BIG 

CITIES? 

It is very important to have a regular yoga 

practice so the body acclimatizes and 

remains supple. So a few minutes every day 

is probably more helpful than an hour or two 

once a week. Of course in Hong Kong many 

people live in small apartments but still there 

is always some space to practise. When I 

lived in the small cave I would move to 

different parts for different poses. 

Especially if we are sitting every day in front 

of computers it is essential to do stretching 

exercises. Our nuns in India also do half an 

hour of yoga stretching before breakfast. 

However it is also important to relax the 

mind so practise yoga with mindfulness, 

settling into the poses with calm awareness. 

Yoga was intended not just to make the body 

flexible but especially as an aid to cultivating a 

healthy mind in a healthy body. So during 

your yoga session also attend to the breath 

and maintain a relaxed attention. 

TWELVE YEARS IN A CAVE! SUCH A FEAT 

SEEMS UNTHINKABLE IN THE WORLD 

WE LIVE IN. IS A CAVE NECESSARY? 

The cave is not necessary but certainly 

prolonged periods of strict retreat can aid us 

in understanding and transcending our 

conceptual mind. In our ordinary life 

immersed in society there are too many 

distractions along with ways to avoid looking 

at the problems that lurk in the mind. In 

retreat there is no escape and we have to face 

and deal with whatever arises, whether 

blissful or terrifying. It is all empty 

phenomena but we have to experience and 

realize that. 


18 NAMASKAR

FOR TEACHERS 

TOP TIPS FOR FESTIVAL TEACHING 

How to take Yourself on the Road 

BY SARAH MILLER 

If you’ve ever dreamed of leading devoted and 

excited yogis from around the world in an 

exotic location, we’re going to break it down 

for you. We talked with Bali based yoga 

teacher and founder of Universal Empress, 

Nadine McNeil, as well as the power-couple, 

Sam & Sydel Weinstein, who have been 

training, teaching, and traveling 

internationally for 25 years. 

Using their combined 75 plus years of 

teaching, traveling and festival experience, 

we’ve compiled their favorite tips and tricks 

into a complete guide that will help you to 

show up fully aligned and ready to be present 

for each body, mind and soul who joins you 

on the mat. 

1. LAND THE GIG 

Go and experience the event. Nothing speaks 

better for you than your physical presence. 

While you’re there, connect with the 

organizers and let them know you’ll apply to 

teach for next event. 

When you apply: Start with your intention. 

Get clear on why you want to teach at a 

festival and what that special blend of 

experience only you can bring to the table is. 

What do you have that no one else does, and 

why does the festival need this? 

What relevant experience do you have 

teaching big groups or at similar events? 

What do these two combined mean for your 

presentation? 

Most festivals are looking for a special 

experience for their attendees. What about 

you and your teaching is unique? Focus your 

application around this. 

Do you research and connect with the history 

of the festival. How many years it has been 

running? What are the different components 

that it’s made of? Take a deeper look into any 

teachers who repeatedly return to the 

festival….feel into their style, their message, 

and what they bring to the mat. 

Also, get familiar with the culture and trends 

of the location it’s being held in. This will 

help you tap into the vibe of the local culture, 

the primary audience, and provide you with 

inspiration to prep for your teaching once 

you get the job. 

Take a look at your connections. How are 

you already a part of the festival community? 

Most of the line-up is selected through trust 

in the recommendations of their attendees, 

friends and other presenters. Do you know 

someone who can recommend you? Reach 

out and ask them to! This will make you stand 

out from the crowd. And yes, it is crowd. Big 

festivals get hundreds of applications. 

Apply ASAP. For an annual event, aim to 

apply a year in advance. 

2. INVITE YOUR TRIBE 

The Weinstein’s have found it particularly 

helpful to “promote the festival and yourself 

everyday on your website and Facebook. Talk 

about it at classes and have a sign-up sheet at 

your school.” In doing this, not only will you 

help to create a larger festival, you’ll cultivate 

a very well-received class. 

3. AIRPLANE/TRAVEL PREP 

Will you be traveling to teach? As fun as a 

change of scenery can be, it can also leave you 

feeling off balance and drained. In order be at 

your best during the festival, start preparing 

days ahead of flight or drive time. 

Nadine McNeil swears by Vitamin C and Zinc 

daily for a week prior to travel, and the 

Weinstein’s use a tea tree nose spray en 

route to protect against airplane/public 

space bugs. 

Nadine also recommends your own organic 

first aid kit and suggests items like: essential 

oils (lavender, peppermint, and tea tree), 

arnica cream, Tiger Balm, colloidal silver, 

and herbal teas for digestion. Having basic 

OTC medication like Tylenol is also smart to 

have on-hand. Nadine also sleeps with an eye 

mask when traveling, both on and off planes. 

And don’t forget your water. Bring your own 

empty bottle(s) and fill them up. Drink as 

much water as you can and make it a point to 

bring fresh fruit & snacks that keep you 

hydrated, nourished, and energized for the 

journey. 

Ssm Weinstein (seated right) teaching at BaliSpirit 

4. LAND AND ACCLIMATE 

Jet lag anyone? If anyone knows about this, 

it’s Nadine. She worked with the UN for 22 

years and suggests “if you wear a watch, set it 

to the current local time as soon as you land 

— it will help to balance you.” 

Get grounded by finding where you’ll be 

staying/sleeping and unpack your things. 

Then, surrender into your new environment. 

Get out and see what’s happening! 

Visit the area you’ll be teaching in so you can 

really get a feel for how you’ll set up. Think 

about how the room can help support people 

in relaxing, engaging, feeling comfortable and 

ready to enjoy their time there. 

Nadine has found it helpful to give yourself, 

“at least 48 hours to ‘land’ in your new 

territory.” During this period she 

encourages you to allocate plenty of time to, 

“connect with some of the main, known 

teachers within the community.” You can do 

this by, “attending a class or meeting 

teachers for a bit of socializing. Talk to 

people and engage the surroundings. 

Take ample time to be a part of the festival 

and share in the energy of the community 

that has shown up, but keep your 


oundaries. As tempting as it is to stay out 

and chat and dance, if you’re presenting it is 

imperative that you take ample time to rest. 

5. READY, SET, TEACH! 

On the day of your class, do what it takes to 

stay in your own center. Get up early so you 

can take things slowly and try not to 

schedule anything other than your 

presentation. Make your personal practice a 

priority. Eat foods that ground you. Stay 

hydrated. Double check your music playlist 

and take a look through your notes and 

sequencing. 

Arrive at your venue early to scope things 

out. Take note - your venue may not be next 

to a toilet so make sure you go beforehand. 

Use the time right before your presentation 

to become present to the experience of 

where you are and the message you are here 

to share. 

for you to set up a little info center. Sam and 

Sydel Weinstein recommend: “Have business 

cards with your email, website and other 

information, and a good looking notebook 

for students to write their emails. You want 

to make it incredibly easy to share with your 

students how they can come to your school, 

teacher trainings and retreats.” 

Be real with yourself. You may be a yogi, but 

you’re not superhuman. Have someone with 

you who can stand at your info table and help 

out with the business side of things before 

and after. 

You will have touched a ton of hearts and 

given your all for an amazing class….and your 

students are going to want to talk with and 

thank you. Mentally prep yourself for this 

ahead of time. Do what you need “to be 

present”, says Nadine. Attendees are often 

craving the attention of presenters. Be 

willing and prepared to expose yourself. 

Later, you can retreat to take care of you.” 

Remember the reasons you decided to take 

this journey in the first place, and allow 

yourself to have fun, be playful, and fill your 

cup with new experiences and relationships 

that are meaningful and inspiring. 

BONUS 

Taking the connections you make beyond 

the festival: 

Teaching at a yoga festival is not only an 

awesome experience, it can take your 

business to the next level if you plan 

appropriately. 

When you check out the space beforehand, 

make sure there is somewhere prominent 

Nadine McNeil (centre, facing forwards) leading a session at BaliSpirit 

20 NAMASKAR


22 NAMASKAR

AYURVEDA 

MIGRAINE FROM AN AYURVEDIC 

PERSPECTIVE 

Causes & Solutions 

BY VINOD SHARMA 

Migraine is a burning problem of the modern 

age, believed to affect at least one in 10 people. 

Generally, migraine results from excessive 

stimulation of the brain and pressure on the 

blood vessels. Migraine is usually associated 

with one sided throbbing headache, with 

nausea , vomiting and sensitivity/intolerance 

to strong light. These symptoms generally 

continue for a long time and recur often. 

In Ayurveda, we always try to find the main 

cause(s) of the issue and work on eradicating 

them. 

According to Ayurveda, migraine is the result 

of aggravation/imbalance of Vata dosha (air 

element) which could be due to suppressing 

one or more of the 13 natural urges that 

should not be suppressed, e.g. hunger, thirst, 

sleep, etc. 

Migraine can also be the result of aggravation 

of Pitta dosha (fire element), from extented 

exposure to hot sun or insufficient intake of 

water. 

Thirdly, migraine can also be from 

accumulation of excessive Kapha dosha 

(water element), due to incomplete 

evacuation. This results in formation and 

accumulation of Ama (toxic mucus) within 

one’s system. 

The first step is to find out the exact cause of 

this problem. Merely taking pain killers will 

not help in the long term. Pain killers may give 

temporary relief but in the long run they may 

cause more serious problems. 

So the question is - how do we find out the 

exact cause of the migraine? 

To correct Vata imbalance, prevent further 

aggravation of Vata or reduce the chances of 

it going out of sync in future, one should not 

suppress any of the 13 natural urges, e.g. 

hunger, thirst, etc. 

We should try to understand what happens if 

we ignore our hunger due to being “busy with 

very important work”. Our main objective in 

earning money is to have good food, decent 

clothing and proper shelter for ourselves. Of 

these basic necessities, the most important 

one is to have good food to maintain our 

health and give us energy to work. It is 

therefore ironic that many ignore our hunger 

in the name of work. 

When we are hungry, the Pachaka Pitta 

(digestive fire) in our stomach/bile is strong. 

If we do not supply food to pacify this 

digestive fire, that same fire will start 

burning the healthy tissues, called sapta 

dhatus (seven sustainers – plasma, blood, 

muscles, etc.) in our body. This will have a 

depleting effect on our health and energy. 

At first, this fire will burn plasma and the 

blood tissues in our body. Both these tissues 

are water element. When they are burnt, it 

will cause a drying effect on our system, 

resulting in aggravation/accumulation of 

excessive Vata (air element) in our body. 

When Vata is aggravated, it will put more 

pressure on the blood vessels, arteries, 

veins, brain, neurotransmitters, which can 

lead to headache/migraine. 

Similarly, for correcting Pitta dosha and 

preventing accumulation of Kapha (mucus), 

one should take some precautions like drink 

enough (not too much) water, particularly on 

hot days and specially when in the hot sun. 

But Ayurveda warns against drinking cold 

water and carbonated drinks. This could be 

harmful and could cause headache/migraine 

due to formation and accumulation of mucus 

in one’s body. How? 

According to Ayurveda, when our body gets 

hot, especially from within, we should not 

drink plain water (what to speak of cold 

water/carbonated drink). Because that water 

will have an evaporating effect causing 

formation of mucus. And that mucus will 

accumulate around the sinus, causing 

congestion in that region - this will result in 

disturbed oxygen supply to the brain 

resulting in migraine. 

And for eliminating Ama (toxic mucus) from 

our body, correcting the functioning of the 

digestive and excretory systems is required. 

For this, fasting is recommended in 

Ayurveda. This may sound somewhat 

contradictory, as earlier I said one should 

not ignore hunger and now I am saying 

fasting is recommended to cleanse/eliminate 

toxic mucus from our system. 

However, there is a vast difference between 

fasting and starving. Fasting means to 

willingly abstain from food for a certain predetermined 

period of time, while starving 

means to avoid food even when our body 

needs it. When we fast, the digestive fire in 

our body will be engaged in burning the toxic 

matter within our system. Whereas when we 

starve, undirected digestive fire will start 

burning the healthy tissues in our body. 

Besides some specific factors like those 

mentioned above, there are some general 

factors which can also cause migraine, like 

stress, sound pollution and air pollution. 

Ayurveda gives some general remedies to deal 

with migraine and also help prevent it : 

1) Start your day by getting up during the 

Vata period (2 to 6 am) preferably before 

sunrise. Drink at least half a liter of warm 

water on an empty stomach immediately 

after waking to pacify Vata. 

2) Have a light breakfast during Kapha 

period (generally between 6 and 10 am) to 

reactivate the digestive system and open up 

stomach muscles which have remained 

contracted for several hours during sleep. 

3) Have a proper lunch during Pitta period 

(between 10 am and 2 pm), preferably around 

noon or 12:30 pm, but not later than 2 pm. 

This is because from 2 pm, Vata period 

starts again and if we have lunch around/ 

after 2 pm, this will disturb air circulation in 

the stomach and lower abdomen, resulting in 

bloated and uncomfortable feeling. 

4) Try to have a short nap (for about 15 – 20 

minutes) during the Vata period (2 - 6 pm). 

5) Have a light snack and/or a hot herbal 

drink, or just honey water (add 1 tablespoon 


of pure honey in a glass of room temperature 

water) around 4 or 4:30 pm, to keep Vata (air 

element) pacified/regulated. 

6) Eat early and keep dinner very light, like 

vegetable soup. Do not avoid dinner, 

especially if you are staying up late at night to 

finish your work/ assignments. 

7) Sleep early, and if you really need to stay 

up late, drink hot/warm water at regular 

intervals, to pacify Pitta (which becomes 

strong again from 10 pm) and prevent any 

Vata imbalance caused by the dehydrating 

effect of Pitta. 

8) Rub some pure sesame oil on the soles of 

your feet before going to bed, to induce and 

maintain uninterrupted sleep. 

9) If the migraine is due to excess heat, 

regularly massage your scalp with virgin 

coconut oil during the day and at night before 

going to bed. 

10) If the migraine is due to dryness in the 

body (especially in and around the head), do 

oil pulling for about 10 minutes in the 

morning with pure sesame oil, adding a little 

rock salt to it. 

11) If migraine is due to congestion in the 

sinus region, then use Ayurvedic nasal drops 

(e.g. shadbindu oil) and/or practice the Yogic 

techniques to cleanse the sinus, called Jala 

neti, followed by Sutra neti. Also, applying a 

mixture of pure honey and black pepper 

powder and/or dry ginger powder will help 

to pacify headache due to its warming effect 

on that area. 

INSIGHT 

EIGHT QUESTIONS FOR 

A YOGI 

Teaching by Example 

In Hong Kong recently was Rishi Vidhyadhar, 

a senior and prominent faculty of The Art of 

Living Foundation, who graciously shared 

his thoughts on eight random questions from 

Namaskar. 

Art of Living an international nonprofit 

educational, charitable, and humanitarian 

foundation, founded by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar 

and dedicated to serving society by 

strengthening the individual. 

HOW DO YOU FEEL AND WHAT DO YOU 

SAY WHEN THE PERSON/PEOPLE YOU 

ARE WITH START TO SPEAK BADLY OF 

ANOTHER PERSON? 

Life is of opposites. I take up the opportunity 

to educate people. 

WHAT DID YOU HAVE FOR BREAKFAST? 

Koki which is oat flour, oil, coriander, chili, 

salt and pepper made into a pancake. 

12) Have a balanced diet per your doshic 

proportion to avoid any imbalance of one or 

more of the thre doshas. 

13) If you need to go out in the hot sun in 

summer, make sure you drink enough water 

before going out. However, please refrain 

from drinking water immediately after 

returning from outside or after remaining in 

the hot sun, as this can actually cause 

headache/ migraine. You should wait for at 

least 10 minutes and allow your body to 

become cool before you drink water. If you 

cannot tolerate the thirst, then drink warm 

water or any hot herbal drink, but never cold 

plain water/drink. 

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST MEMORY OF 

WANTING TO SEEK A MORE SPIRITUAL 

LIFE PATH THAN MOST OF THE PEOPLE 

AROUND YOU? 

In 1992, I was 30 years old. I was in the textile 

and yarn business. I had financial success but 

I wanted more. Then in 1998 I attended an 

Art of Living course, and immediately 

became full time. 

WHAT IS THE OPTIMUM TIME TO 

MEDITATE PER DAY OR WEEK FOR A 

BEGINNING MEDITATOR? 

Twenty minutes in the morning and evening, 

under the guidance of a master. 

Is there any limit to the amount of time one 

should spend with a loved one? 

You should always balance the time you 

spend with others and by yourself. 

UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES, OR AT 

WHAT POINT, SHOULD A YOGA 

TEACHER CONSIDER ESTABLISHING 

THEIR OWN SCHOOL OR STYLE OF 

YOGA? 

For me, spreading the word of my master is 

enough. 

Rishi Vidhyadhar, Art of Living Foundation 

NAME THE BUSINESSMAN AND 

CELEBRITY YOU MOST ADMIRE. 

My father who was also in textiles and yarn 

and Albert Einstein. 

AT THE EARLY STAGES OF YOUR 

SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT, DID YOU 

REMOVE YOURSELF FROM THE 

COMPANY OF NEGATIVE OR DRAINING 

PEOPLE OR SITUATIONS? 

Yoga is like a lotus flower. In the water, but 

also out of it. You don’t have to leave 

anything. 

DOES THE WHOLE WORLD FEEL CRAZY 

TO YOU RIGHT NOW? 

The whole world is connected and the 

turmoil we face is the result of lack of Self 

Knowledge. We have to be one family, and 

celebrate the diversity. 

24 NAMASKAR


26 NAMASKAR


Debdatta Biswas in Paribarta Padanhusthasana. Photo by S.K. Wong 

28 NAMASKAR

DRISTI - DHYANA VS DHARANA 

FLEX YOUR 

MENTAL MUSCLE 

But first, look Deep within 

BY VALERIE FANECO 

DHARANA OR DHYANA 

How do we know which one ..........................31 

MIND TRAINING 

To stop overthinking......................................32 

BODY APPROACH 

In our body, in asana......................................33 

THE GATE TO MEDITATION 

Tools for understanding................................34 

ROAD TO SAMADHI 

Is it selfish to look inwards.............................36 

MASTERY OF MIND 

Hard work or a gift.........................................36 


When we introduce a topic, we often use a 

title or some sort of tag line. And when it 

comes to things and people, we like to give 

them labels: I am a yoga teacher, I have two 

kids, I like Italian movies… 

It was probably the same 2000 years ago 

when Patanjali composed the Yoga-Sutra, his 

famous treatise on Yoga. Therein Patanjali 

captures the attention of his students right 

from the beginning, introducing yoga in a 

brief sentence with a strong impact: yogah 

citta-vrtti nirodha, “yoga is the pacification, 

concentration and complete focus of the 

mind’s fluctuating activities”. 

The message is loud and clear: yoga has to do 

with the mind. The healthiest situation for it 

is calm and focus. Then what? Is our work 

done? Certainly not. Once it is in focus the 

mental instrument is merely fit to be 

sharpened through meditative practices. 

This process leads to the connection with 

pure Consciousness, yoga’s highest purpose. 

This sums up yoga’s general approach. 

Now, the method. 

Practice is made of eight components. The 

first five are considered “external” because 

they frame our behaviour: rules of conduct 

(yama), lifestyle choices (niyama), physical 

exercises (asana), breathing techniques to 

work with energy (pranayama) and control 

of the sensory functions (pratyahara). 

Breath and control of the senses are - 

relatively speaking - more “internal” than the 

first three because they require a certain 

amount of self-awareness. 

There are three more fully-fledged “internal” 

practices: concentration (dharana), 

meditation (dhyana), and the highest state 

where the meditator is completely absorbed 

in his object of meditation (samadhi). 

For maximum benefit these eight limbs are 

not to be practiced separately, one rung of 

the ladder leading to the next, as it has 

sometimes been said. Profound 

transformation happens when we are 

simultaneously engaged in all of them at the 

same time. Of course students usually start 

by working with posture and breath because 

they are more accessible for the majority, 

especially when they start at a young age 

(which was the case in Patanjali’s time). We 

never discard them entirely, but gradually 

increase the ratio of meditative practices to 

make our mind perfectly pure, eventually. 

“I cannot meditate because I cannot empty 

my mind!” 

How does one meditate? A number of 

methods have become popular in past 

decades. Many of them are modern 

adaptations of yoga’s techniques. The media 

praise its benefits and doctors acknowledge 

its contribution to physical and mental 

health. Some big firms make time for it in 

their employees’ working day, and some 

business meetings even start with a few 

minutes of meditation. 

Yet despite growing popularity meditation is 

generally considered difficult, especially by 

beginners who believe they must empty their 

mind in order to do it. But the idea one must 

empty the mind is incorrect. It leads many 

people to give up meditation soon after they 

started, coupled with the fact they jumped 

straight into it without having done the 

preliminary work of calming the mind. This 

would have the same effect as running a 

marathon if you never ran a step before in 

your life. 

As common sense dictates, you should start 

from where you are. The preliminary stage 

consists in appeasing what Buddhists call the 

monkey mind. It may take some time, and it is 

important to realise you cannot stop 

thinking, since after all the job of your mind 

is to think. A number of practical calming 

techniques are suggested in the Yoga-Sutra, 

but the list is non-exhaustive because (as 

Patanjali himself says - Yogasutra I.38), the 

possibilities are unlimited. 

STAGE ONE: TO CONCENTRATE 

(DHARANA) 

The first step is to choose an object that has a 

positive influence on you and make an effort 

to focus on it for some time. For example I 

might choose the lotus flower, a symbol of 

purity and harmony. 

I make an effort to focus on the flower, even 

if there are distractions such as sounds and 

other visual stimuli competing for my 

attention every now and then. Gradually, I 

manage to concentrate on it a bit longer, and 

the more I practice, the better I get. At some 

point (if I do it consistently) I can eventually 

stay focused on the flower for a few seconds 

without being distracted. But I should be 

aware it may take some time to get there. 

This is called dharana, concentration: 

training the mind to stay fixed on one thing 

and one thing only, instead of jumping from 

one thought to another by connections and 

associations, a typical pattern of the monkey 

mind. 

It would be wonderful to have gone this far! 

This pattern of concentration is an 

achievement in itself, so it would be fine to 

keep on applying it without taking any 

further step. But what happens when we take 

that next step? 

STAGE TWO: TO MEDITATE (DHYANA) 

When these few seconds of focused attention 

are gradually lengthened to a few minutes, it 

might evolve into something else: I am 

“grasping” this object. I start to acquire 

some of the flower’s attributes - peace, 

purity, harmony, coolness... It is difficult to 

describe this experience. At this point my 

mind is like a body of water with no waves, 

only ripples on the surface. I am deeply 

connected with my flower. I am so focused 

on it that I know it as I would know an 

intimate friend. Like a sponge, I have 

absorbed some of its intrinsic qualities. 

This deep connection is dhyanam, 

meditation. It is like moving towards the sun: 

the closer I get to it, the warmer I feel. But it 

is not a permanent condition and I cannot 

assume it will happen every time I attempt to 

do it, especially if I am attached to the 

memory of that state and try to replicate it. 

STAGE THREE: COMPLETE ABSORPTION 

(SAMADHI) 

Through sustained practice the meditator 

maintains this profound connection to the 

point where something else shifts, making 

him and his object of focus merge together. It 

is as if the boundary between the two of them 

has become non-existent. They are one. 

Several words have been used to refer to this 

transcendental experience but none of them 

can express what it truly is: beyond time, 

words and description. Even the wisest yogis 

do not attempt to do it. At this point, the 

mind of the meditator is not empty, quite the 

contrary. It is filled with the object and by the 

noble qualities that come with it. 

THE RAW INGREDIENT 

How do you choose an appropriate object of 

focus? Very carefully! 

No self-respecting cook likes to prepare food 

with second-grade ingredients. The end 

result might be edible but it would not be 

tasteful. Similarly, before you embark into 

meditation you should take your time to 

choose your object of focus, since you want 

to absorb its qualities at some point during 

the process. 

If it brings associations with unpleasant 

memories (smrti), if it triggers negative 

habits or subliminal patterns (samskaras and 

vasanas), or if you feel heavy, angry or 

imbalanced (tamas), it may be a sign that 

your meditation is not right for you. You may 

not even be aware of it and continue to 

“swallow” the poison without noticing its 

effect till further down the track. 

But it does not mean you should be afraid of 

trying! For concentration (dharana) or 

meditation (dhyana) to yield any benefit you 

first need to look deep within yourself and 

understand who you are, where you come 

from, and where you want to go. It helps you 

to choose the most appropriate “ingredient” 

for your meditation, a suitable object of 

focus. No matter how far you go with it, this 

first step is the most important one. 

30 NAMASKAR

DRISTI 

DHARANA & DHYANA 

How to know which we 

are experiencing? 

BY ANDY WILNER 

Many readers of Namaskar will be familiar 

with both of these terms, being two of the 

eight limbs of Ashtanga Yoga expounded by 

Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras. Interestingly, 

the first five limbs are all addressed in 

Chapter 2 of the Yoga Sutras – the chapter on 

Practice (Sadhana), whilst the final three 

limbs (dharana, dhyana and samadhi) are 

included separately in Chapter 3 – the 

chapter on Mystic Powers (Vibhuti). This 

separation may reflect the fact Patanjali 

considered these three limbs to be “internal” 

practices whereas the first five were 

“external”. 

So let us begin with dharana (the sixth limb), 

which means “concentration”. Patanjali just 

tells the reader: “Concentration is the fixing 

of the mind in one place” (Ch3. V1), without 

expanding as to the nature of the object, so 

we could concentrate on an external object 

such as a candle flame or alternatively on an 

internal object which we visualize. Again 

there is no further instructions given, so 

visualizing a physical object or maybe 

visualizing a personal form of God, for the 

theistically-inclined, are both perfectly fine. 

During dharana there is a clear separation of 

“subject” and “object” i.e. the perceiver 

perceives the object of perception. 

In the next verse in the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali 

then defines dhyana (the seventh limb), 

which means “meditation”: “Meditation is 

the one-pointedness of the mind on one 

image” (Ch3.V2). Unlike the earlier limbs, 

which are all separate discrete practices, the 

internal limbs are simply deeper states of the 

same practice. So, in meditation the image of 

the object on the mind remains 

uninterrupted and continuous. Here too 

there is still some separation between the 

perceiver and the perceived. 

However, the main difference between 

dhyana and dharana is in the latter, the mind 

can still lose its thread of concentration and 

become temporarily distracted, whereas in 

meditation the mind stays fully focused on 

the chosen object. 

As a side note per Edwin F. Bryant, a leading 

authority on the Yoga Sutras and other 

ancient Indian texts, readers will sometimes 

find dhyana used as a synonym for samadhi 

in some texts, but in the Yoga Sutras, the 

author is making a clear distinction that 

dhyana here is the penultimate limb, not the 

final one. 

The seven different types of samadhi 

outlined in Chapter 1 of the Yoga Sutras 

would require an extensive article in its own 

right, but suffice it to say once the meditation 

becomes so deep the meditator loses all 

sense of subjective self and becomes 

completely absorbed in the object, then the 

penultimate stage of total absorption has 

been reached. i.e. the perceiver (the mind) 

merges into the object of perception. The 

reader may wonder why the eighth limb is 

referred to here as ‘’penultimate”....is there a 

ninth?! 

Well actually yes. In this eighth limb of yoga 

we have attained samprajnata or sabija 

samadhi, but we are still in the realm of 

prakriti (nature) as the mind and the object 

are still both aspects of the manifest world. 

Per Christopher Wallis, a leading academic in 

this field and also a lifelong practitioner, his 

teacher Professor Sanderson of Oxford 

University makes a compelling argument that 

these eight “anga” (usually referred to as 

limbs) are actually indispensible “aids” in our 

practice of Yoga. 

Hence, the final culmination of these practice 

aids is the most profound level of samadhi, 

known as asamprajnata or nirbija samadhi, 

in which the meditation goes beyond the 

mind, and the object into which the mind has 

merged now dissolves completely leaving 

pure purusa (soul) to become aware of itself. 

At this ultimate stage purusa has decoupled 

from citta (the mind). 

If the previous paragraph seems a bit too 

esoteric for some readers, please feel free to 

completely ignore it, but I believe it is worthy 

of a mention, as most yogis are taught the 

eighth limb of yoga (samadhi) is the ultimate 

stage, but in this reading it is rather the final 

samadhi is the 

final practice to 

attain the 

ultimate stage 


practice in order to attain the ultimate stage. 

So can we skip the earlier limbs and get 

straight to samadhi? Apparently per Ch1. 

V23, this is possible by devotion to “Ishvara” 

(the Lord) whereby through the grace of 

God, samadhi can be attained. This concept 

was not new and can also be found in the 

Upanisads that pre-dated the Yoga Sutras. 

So it is fair to say Patanjali appears to have a 

theistic bent in his work and indeed he goes 

on in the following few sutras to explain the 

nature of Ishvara. It would appear whilst not 

claiming devotion to God is the only path to 

samadhi, Patanjali nevertheless encourages 

it, which is why he includes it in the practices 

of kriya yoga and indeed highlights it within 

the second limb of Ashtanga Yoga as one of 

the niyamas. 

So can we incorporate dharana and dhyana 

into our asana practice? In short, not really. 

Most asana classes are 60-90 minutes long 

and meditation accounts for 5-10 minutes of 

the total time (if included at all). Whilst some 

yogis claim that asana is a “moving 

meditation”, my own experience and my 

observations of students during asana 

practice is the attainment of such deep states 

of concentration is not achieved. 

DRISTI 

TRAINING 

OUR 

HUMAN 

MIND 

Dharana, 

Dhyana & 

Samadhi 

BY HANSAJI YOGENDRA 

the attainment of 

such deep states 

of concentration 

is not achieved [in 

asana practice] 

Asana is an external limb that acts as tool for 

the mind, together with pranayama and 

pratyahara, to help the yoga practitioner to 

prepare the mind for these deeper internal 

practices by calming down the chatter. 

Unless the yoga practitioner commits to a 

regular meditation practice, then I doubt 

they will get to experience the state of 

complete absorption into purusa, the 

process towards which is outlined by 

Patanjali...unless of course you are one of 

those deserving few who get “zapped” by 

God’s grace right in the middle of your 

headstand! 

Yoga believes the human mind needs training. 

Once upon a time there was a person 

travelling through a jungle. He was getting 

tried and decided to rest below a tree. 

Incidentally, it was a wish-fulfilling tree and 

suddenly his mind was active with thoughts, 

‘I am thirsty’ and suddenly pot of water 

appeared, he drank water and quenched his 

thirst. Then he thought ‘I am hungry, need 

food’ and food appeared. He was happy and 

satisfied his hunger. Now he thought let me 

rest for a while and then I will go further …to 

his surprise bed appeared and he slept and 

over slept. When he opened his eyes, it was 

pitch dark in the jungle and suddenly his 

mind was filled with fear. He thought, ‘I hope 

lion doesn’t come in front of me’ and lion 

appeared! Now, his mind filled with terror 

and he thought again, ‘I hope lion doesn’t eat 

me’ and guess what? He got eaten by the 

hungry lion! 

This is what human mind is, if it is not 

trained well, it destroys its own self. 

Overthinking fearful human mind is 

destructive. Hence, mind needs training and 

you need to train the mind by focusing on 

something. 

We need to pick our mind from everywhere 

by focusing on one object, this is the true 

essence of dharana. In the beginning the 

object is external, it can be a flower you like 

to see or breeze of air you feel on your skin 

or focus on any one sound you hear. So, 

dharana is when you slowly start to sit in one 

place and staring training your mind to focus 

on one particular object by using any one of 

32 NAMASKAR

your senses. Within few minutes of starting 

dharana most people’s mind starts to 

wander with different thoughts, for example 

I am getting late, I hope I catch the train in 

time, hope grocery store is open, where did I 

put my house keys etc. They might have only 

been sitting for two minutes, but they think 

it’s been a long time. So we start small with 

dharana, which can be concentration on any 

external object for short time with complete 

focus. 

The central idea is to be able to do this mind 

training for a very long period of time. It is a 

daunting task. 

We send our children to school. What are we 

aiming to teach them? When a child goes to 

school the first thing taught to them is to sit 

in one place and learn to listen to what 

teacher has to say. This is called dharana. 

When dharana is done for a long period of 

time it becomes dhyana or meditation. 

Dhyana is going from focusing of external 

object to the internal focusing, for example 

training mind to focus on heartbeat or 

breathe etc. The whole point is to keep 

focusing for a longer period of time. 

Chinggay in Downward Facing Dog. Photo by Anwar Sadhana 

DRISTI 

MENTAL PRACTICES 

Viewed from the Body 

BY VAISHALI IYER 

This is how we slowly train our mind. The 

idea is we remain without thoughts for a long 

period of time and this relaxes the mind. It is 

like a blank run and you are not thinking of 

anything. You are not worrying, you don’t 

have any pain or suffering, you are just trying 

to remain in a being state and aware state. 

This awareness is what is important by not 

allowing your mind to be running here and 

there is what we have to achieve. 

When you do dharana for a long time you 

train your mind for dhyana. When 

harnessing the power of dhyana by 

meditating for a long period of time by 

rejecting the external object or external 

perception and meditating purely on the 

internal leads to samadhi. Samadhi is 

achieved when you become one with that 

particular object. 

Last three steps dharana, dhyana and 

samadhi go together and you can’t separate 

them out. With consistent effort and training 

of the mind to focus and remain thoughtless 

they become very natural. Mind in such a 

state is totally free from worry, anxiety, and 

tension so the solution for all the problems 

in life is to become internal. 

Dharana, dhyana, samadhi empower your 

natural being by paving a transformative 

journey within. Patanjali reiterates everyone 

is capable of experiencing Samadhi, a 

profound moment where one unites with the 

higher reality, whole and fully aware, but 

without any thoughts or suffering. Ironically, 

we need the Yoga-journey to discover what 

was present within us all along. 

Patanjali’s ashtanga or the eight limbs of 

yoga are often taught as a step-by-step 

ascent, or a process of deepening 

interiorization which culminates with 

samadhi in formal sitting meditation. 

Many times we approach this framework 

sequentially, beginning with our action in the 

world, moving through asana and 

pranayama and only then into meditation. In 

this traditional understanding, the first two 

limbs happen “before” asana practice, and 

the final four limbs “after”. 

In other words, all of the other limbs happen 

around asana, and not during it. But what if 

we were to look at the eight limbs from 

within the container of asana practice? How 

would we apply them to our time on the mat, 

and is there any value to doing so? From my 

training in yoga and somatic meditation, I 

believe Patanjali’s framework is actually 

meant to be applied both on and off the mat. 

All eight limbs come into play during yoga 

asana, and at the same time, all eight limbs 

support us on our on-going broader spiritual 

journey. 

In this issue, we’re exploring the sixth and 

seventh limbs – dharana and dhyana. From a 

somatic [related to the body as distinct from 

the mind] perspective, dharana is a 

continuation of the fifth limb, pratyahara. 

Pratyahara describes the process of 

withdrawing our attention from the external 

world – what we see, hear, smell, taste, touch 

and think. This is usually done at the 

beginning of yoga asana practice, when we sit 

Patanjali’s 

framework is 

meant to be 

applied on and off 

the mat 


or lie down and gently bring ourselves into 

our inner experience using the breath, 

mantra, or meditation. In this way we let go 

of our external vantage point, in which we are 

looking out into the world, and slowly turn 

ourselves around to look inward. At the 

point of looking inward, we are practising 

dharana. Patanjali says dharana is directing 

the attention into one field or area (deshah 

bandhah chittasya dharana, YS 3.1). This 

area is the field of the felt body, which we 

know through the shimmer of sensations, 

feelings, emotions, moods, subtle tones and 

shifting, dancing energy. The felt body is the 

desha (field) to which we direct or bind 

(bandha) our attention (citta) during yoga 

asana. The next limb, dhyana, is a 

continuation of dharana – holding our 

attention continuously and directly within 

the field of the body (tatra pratyaya 

ekatanata dhyanam, YS 3.2). 

With this somatic, internal focus, we can 

begin our asana practice. Then, each breath, 

movement and posture is an invitation to 

deepen our attention to the body and liberate 

the life force held in its different parts. The 

more closely we enter the body, the more we 

can start to practice intuitively, moving in a 

creative flow of asanas as our body guides us. 

At times, we will be called to slow down and 

drop into the stillness of the deeper body. 

Here we may explore our forward folds, deep 

hip openers and inversions. At other times 

we will want to open out further into vivid 

energy, brightness and the sheer joy of being 

alive – taking us more vinyasa-style into 

standing poses, backbends, and arm 

balances. The important thing is we are 

guided by what we feel and not what we think 

or believe. 

We follow the prompting of sensations, 

energy and subtle awareness – this is how the 

body communicates and shows us where to 

go next. 

In Indian thought, the thinking mind is one of 

our six senses. Pratyahara, the foundation 

of dharana and dhyana, includes withdrawal 

of our attention from the domain of the 

thinking mind. This is because it the thinking 

mind just as “external” to our actual 

experience as our sight or hearing. We can 

see this clearly in our asana practice: there 

are times when our thinking interrupts our 

attention on the body and tries to take us 

somewhere else – into a memory, some 

pending project or some kind of mental 

analysis of the practice itself. The feeling of 

being captured by thought is much the same 

as the feeling of being distracted by a loud 

noise. Suddenly we find we are not in the 

body, and in fact, we are somewhere else 

entirely. This is often accompanied by a 

subtle tensing in the body, a feeling of 

discomfort or even the painful edge of a 

posture. At this point, we just deepen our 

breath, steady and soften our gaze and reenter 

the field of the felt body, reestablishing 

our dharana and dhyana. 

Through asana practice, we are turning our 

mind, again and again, to the inner, felt 

dimension of our body and our experience. 

Once we set the foundation of our asana in 

our felt experience of the body, then 

everything we do on the mat becomes an 

expression of our own life force. Over time, 

we start to sense the body as it truly is – 

totally alive, free, creative and boundless. In 

Patanjali’s words, this is the essence of the 

inner body starting to shine through (tad eva 

artha matra nirbhasam svarupa shunyam 

iva samadhih, YS 3.3), and the beginning of 

samadhi. 

DRISTI 

CLIMBING TO THE 

GATES OF 

MEDITATION 

The Question of Effort 

BY DYLAN BERNSTEIN: 

Dharana, concentration, and dhyana, 

meditation, play an absolutely vital role in 

many practices and lineages. Hordes of 

modern practicing yogis have come to adopt 

the Patanjali Yoga Sutra as something of a 

bible. Thusly, many know the terms and 

ideas within the context of Patanjali’s eightlimbed 

system. The pair also presents 

something of a contradiction. And like many 

paradoxes, we can peer into the mirror of 

their unresolved nature in order to peer into 

our own. 

Importantly, meditation is Patanjali’s 

seventh limb. From it, follows samadhi, a 

hugely valuable state, for it offers vivekakhyati, 

discriminative knowledge. Viveka is 

seen by some as the ultimate prize of 

Patanjali’s yoga. So, from this perspective, 

viveka-khyati is the ultimate reward, 

samadhi the most gracious means to that 

end, and dhyana the penultimate practice 

technique. 

We see a similar progression in Mahayana 

Buddhism’s approach to ultimate realization: 

full, complete Buddhahood. This ultimate 

prize can be approached through a set of 

perfections, or paramitas. The final and 

most valued paramita is wisdom, prajna. 

For many Mahayanists, wisdom is the most 

gracious means to Buddhahood. This prajna 

paramitas, or perfection of wisdom, 

paradigm values certain well-loved sutras, 

such as the Heart, the Lotus and the 

Diamond-cutter. The perfection of wisdom 

is said to crystalize the realization of 

emptiness, sunyata. And, more importantly 

for this article, the perfection listed just 

before wisdom is, indeed, meditation. So, 

from this perspective, Buddhahood is the 

ultimate reward, wisdom the most gracious 

means to that end, and dhyana the 

penultimate practice technique. 

In both Patanjali and Mahayana, meditation 

seems to be the gateway to the most refined 

understandings. From those lofty perches 

(either samadhi or prajna paramitas, 

depending upon your system), the final 

realizations can occur. I think it best to leave 

the comparison between samadhi and 

sunyata to another article, if not another 

author. 

From our widely-accepted gateway of 

meditation, we can trace both progressions 

back to the essential question of effort. 

Mahayanists list virya just before dhyana, 

that is, effort or vigor before meditation. 

Patanjali’s samyama complex begins with 

dharana or concentration. This 

concentration is usually seen as a more 

effortful, willful attempt to focus and 

refocus the mind when distracted. With 

34 NAMASKAR

time, the mind remains focused and needs no 

further re-focusing. Thus begins meditation. 

In either tradition, the listener is reminded 

of the importance of sustained, willful effort 

just before being taught the virtues of 

meditation. 

At this point, you may be tossing up your 

hands and thinking, “Well, that makes no 

sense. How can one glide into the effortless 

and open state of meditation by trying to 

squeeze the mind?” And so we arrive at a 

fundamental paradoxical question central to 

many transcendental teachings. How can we 

best pass through the gates of meditation? 

Shall we try to force down the doors with 

effort? Or are we better served to bide our 

time and somehow slip through effortlessly? 

I’d say both Patanjali and Mahayana give us a 

valuable clue here. First, apply the effort, and 

from there, effortlessness may arise. We 

must certainly somehow draw ourselves to 

the gate, perhaps even knocking and calling 

out (if one were to have faith in a gatekeeper). 

Effort is required to allow the conditions for 

meditation to occur. We may have to shut off 

the distraction screens, arrange solo time 

away from our family, find a suitable seat. 

Some may even practice countless 

preparatory asanas in hopes of building a 

more comfortable seated posture. For some, 

the very engaging physical practice itself may 

prove to be the seat upon which meditation 

may occur. But no matter what the 

challenges, becoming receptive to meditation 

almost always takes some work. And then, if 

one is fortunate enough to enter into some 

form of deep meditation, effortlessness can 

be experienced. 

Please note my shortcuts here. Of course, 

neither Mahayana nor Patanjali present 

anything so simplistic as a multi-step 

sequence to go through. Instead the limbs 

and paramitas are all to be practiced 

simultaneously. But I do believe the order in 

which they are taught gives us some clear 

indication of the progression towards the 

subtle and refined realizations offered. 

Also, getting a taste of effortlessness doesn’t 

mean that the stage of effort can be 

abandoned. As any experienced meditator 

will report, there are moments which require 

more concentration and moments which 

stretch on without any need for redirection. 

As a professor in University of Hong Kong’s 

sublime Master of Buddhist Studies program 

once put forth, it’s like riding a bike. There 

are some moments when your body must 

pedal and push. Then, after that, there are 

moments when one can simply glide. I’d add 

first you better hop on and eventually find 

yourself on the seat! 

meditation seems 

to be the gateway 

to most 

understandings 


DRISTI 

ROAD TO SAMADHI 

Is looking in Selfish? 

BY GABRIELLE MCMAHON 

DRISTI 

MASTERY 

OF MIND 

Hard Work 

or Gift of 

Grace 

BY LOGANATHAN PANDIAN 

What are the qualities we need to reach that 

enlightened state of being, known as 

Samadhi? Can being selfish and inward 

thinking help us to reach Samadhi which 

then enables us to be completely selfless? 

DHARANA, DHYANA, SAMADHI 

“When the chitta, or mind-stuff is confined 

and limited to a certain place, it is dharana” 

(Raja Yoga, Swami Vivekananda 1982, pg 70) 

While dhyana is “When the mind has been 

trained to remain fixed on a certain internal 

or external object, there comes to it the 

power of flowing in an unbroken current, 

towards that object”. (Raja Yoga, Swami 

Vivekananda 1982, pg 83) Samadhi is “When 

one has intensified the power of dhyana as to 

be able to reject the external part of the 

perception and meditate only on the internal 

part, the meaning”. (Raja Yoga, Swami 

Vivekananda 1982, pg 83) 

DETERMINATION, DEDICATION & 

PERSISTENCE 

If you aim to discover yourself, to aspire 

towards self-realisation, then determination, 

dedication and persistence are all required. 

It also takes, I think, the ability to be 

somewhat selfish. Selfish, in my opinion, is 

just an internal focus, but generally it has 

negative connotations. 

To realize this ultimate goal of selfrealisation, 

we must commit to our ongoing 

practice as our higher level of conscious 

living will benefit all those around us and 

beyond. This is a daily commitment to a more 

wholistic or spiritual lifestyle. 

NEW NEURAL PATHWAYS 

We can use the eight limbs of Patanjali, as a 

guide to a more wholistic life. Although it can 

be challenging to live a more spiritual life, to 

bring our thinking in line with yamas 

(abstinence) and niyamas (observance). Such 

as no harm to ourselves or others, to live an 

honest life. 

It’s the discriminative discernment of 

whether to hand in a found item, to give away 

clothing you are hoarding, not intentionally 

kill an animal or speak unkind words. It’s not 

always easy, but definitely possible with daily 

positive reinforcement we can begin to create 

new neural paths. 

RIGHT LIVING 

Is it selfish to choose to be in good company, 

or only speak and do positive and uplifting 

actions? Our attachment to worldly 

materials and related thoughts, words and 

actions, keep us bound to the cycle of life 

without us reaching our full potential. 

DISCRIMINATIVE DISCERNMENT 

We face choices every day. Often we need to 

put ourselves first, to take time for ourselves 

so we have the clarity and peace of mind to 

make the right choices. This is not selfish, 

it’s necessary for us to become selfless. As 

our consciousness develops, we can have a 

greater ability to make the right choices, and 

even as we move into the more subtle limbs 

of dharana and dhyana we still continue our 

daily commitment towards the other limbs. 

These Right Living and discriminative 

discernment principles were taught by 

Shivapuri Baba, a great Saint of India. 

If the path to samadhi is the ultimate 

selflessness and for the wellbeing of all 

beings, then the ability to have an internal 

focus and a degree of, what could be viewed 

as, selfishness along the path is necessary. 

FIND YOUR TRUTH 

We cannot live the way others think is best, 

we must live our own truth. I understand 

“truth” is the ability to see the reality of the 

situation at it’s most profound level. 

LIVING IN BLISS 

There are many obstacles we face on this 

road to self-realisation, however the 

principles of Raja Yoga are a road map. 

We have to make some tough choices to do 

the right thing, but more individuals with 

higher levels of conscious living make for a 

more selfless, peaceful and compassionate 

society. And that is something to worth 

working for! 

Present day life can be challenging for many 

people because of pressure from job, family 

and relationships. If overthought, these 

conflicts may lead to depression, anxiety, 

anger and phobias, which in turn can lead to 

physical ailments. Mental peace is the path 

through which one can acquire vibrant 

health, spiritual growth and inner happiness. 

And yoga offers great tools to develop and 

master our concentration. 

The mind is naturally preconditioned to 

wander uncontrollably on its own, unless and 

until it is controlled through self-observation 

and deeper analysis. 

Dharana, dhyana and samadhi are practical 

ways to achieve this, and are dealt with 

extensively in Raja Yoga, the Ashtanga yoga of 

Patanjali. 

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra 3.1 Desa-bandhaschittasya 

dharana translates as Binding or 

rooting the mind (chitta) at one place, or 

mind attention at one point on either external 

or internal objects. 

deshah = place, object, point, spot, bandhah 

= binding to, holding, fixing, uniting, 

chittasya = of the mind, consciousness, 

dharana = concentration, focusing, directing 

attention 

In this way one tries to control the thoughts 

which arise from the mind, and not allow the 

mind to brood or get carried away by 

thoughts. Through constant and regular 

36 NAMASKAR

Singing bowls are yet another tool to practice meditation. Photo courtesy of The Yoga Room 

students who practiced 

dharana just three months, 

notice improvements 

practice one can increase the power of 

concentration gradually to the next level 

called dhyana. 

Initially while sitting for dharana one will 

have very short moments of concentration. 

Distractions of the mind are very common, 

and one should not to be frustrated. It is very 

natural to concentrate on a point for a while, 

be distracted from that point, then try again 

to bring the mind to focus on that point. 

Gradually as the practitioner increases the 

duration of concentration, there are brief 

moments of calmness and peace, which is a 

good sign of dharana practice. 

Many students who have practiced dharana 

regularly for even just three months, have 

told me they notice improvements in how 

they deal with day-to-day life challenges. 

They don’t have as many conflicts and feel 

more focused in the moment. 

Dharana can be practiced on external 

objects, such as a black spot on the wall, the 

tip of a candle flame while sitting in a dark 

room, or any time on any object in daily life. 

Or one can concentrate on internal chakras 

of the body. 

The most effective is to focus on Ajna chakra 

between the eye brows (Chidakasha 

Dharana.) 

The Bhagavad Gita mentions this in sloka 

4.3 SamprekshyaNaskikagram which 

means looking fixedly at the tip of the nose as 

a point of gazing without looking around will 

steady the mind and develops the power of 

concentration. This is Nasikagra Dristi or 

nasal gaze. 

According to Swami Sivanada says 

concentration is the only way to get rid of 

worldly miseries. Concentration purifies 

emotional blocks and allows for greater 

penetrative insights to do any work with 

greater efficiency. 

He insists on purifying the mind through 

pratayahara (control of sense organs) 

before starting the practice of dharana. If 

not, he says the impurities keep coming to 

the mental surface and disturb the 

concentration. So as a prerequisite one 

should know sense control prior to dharana. 

When one can maintain one pointed attention 

for longer, one is ready for the next limb 

called dhyana or meditation. 

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra 3.2 Thathra 

prathyayaikathaanathaa dhyanam means 

the flood of only one thought in that place 

(desha) is called dhyana. 

Tatra = there, therein, pratyaya = the cause, 

the feeling, causal or cognitive principle, 

notion, content of mind, presented idea, 

cognition, ekatanata = one continuous flow 

of uninterrupted attention (eka = one; tanata 

= continued directedness), dhyanam = 

meditation 

Another way to say this is dhyana is the 

repeated concentration on one object of 

concentration with no distraction, while 

with dharana, there are moments of 

distraction. 

Dharana practice during yoga asana classes 

During my yoga classes I emphasis dharana 

principles to my students by asking them to 

focus on particular body parts in a yoga 

posture. The number of thoughts can be 

reduced by focusing on the particular 

posture, body part, such as muscle, joint, 

chakra or other things like a point in the 

stretch, sensation of grounding or breathing 

patterns. 

In my personal practice I always combine 

sirasasana [headstand] followed by 

sarvangasana [shoulder stand] and 

matsyasana [Fish pose] then shavasana. 

Later I do kapalabhati followed by 

kumbhaka [breath retention] which helps 

me enter a prolonged state of mental 

quietness and serenity. 

DHARANA, DHYANA, NEXT STEP 

SAMADHI? 

Sage Vyasa Muni says even the subtler stages 

of yoga can be attained by the gift of grace; 

“Yoga is to be known by yoga, and Yoga itself 

leads to Yoga.” When one gets the grace of 

god or a guru he will not need sequential yoga 

practices to obtain the higher revelations. 

Samadhi is possible for those aspirants who 

obtain the power of dhyana through years of 

practice or who’ve been lucky enough to 

receive the gift of grace. 


38 NAMASKAR


40 NAMASKAR


42 NAMASKAR

IN BRIEF 

MUDRAS 

BY KRISHNAA KINKARI 

dynamically with the hands held away from 

the body and the elbows up, a little 

statuesquely. 

The subject matter of dharana and dhyana, 

stages 6 & 7 of Sri Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga, 

is very interesting and a major key in yoga 

practice. 

Dharana or concentration/focus is a goal 

which can be reached through practice and 

technique, whilst dhyana which is 

absorption of the mind in undisturbed 

meditation, is the subsequent experience of 

that goal. Here the mind has gone beyond the 

‘cittav[tti’ mentioned in the second sutra. 

Mudra as a practice is particularly pertinent 

to this goal because the employed techniques 

rewire the mind so the energy flows along the 

suitable channels and enjoys an undisturbed 

passage. There is a very good reason for the 

sequence taught by Sri Patanjali. Each of the 

eight steps supports the next. They are all 

contained within each other but become 

progressively subtle. 

Mudra solidifies the practitioners intentions 

and directs energy until it matures and then 

constantly naturally flows as it should and to 

where it should. Again, dharana leads to 

dhyana. 

For example: when you are learning how to 

do an asana, first you get the anatomy 

aligned; then you feel the dynamics and then 

you can sit in that ‘chair’ for a while and 

breath into it: then it has its desired effect 

and in itself become a vehicle of dharana 

leading to dhyana. In Sri Iyengarjis classes 

back in the 1970s we did three postures only 

in a two-hour class. Now, even approaching 

my 70s those postures are as simple as piethe 

whole being is aligned to that upward 

flow and the asana lives through the 

practitioner’s patience. 

Mudras are a direct way to experience the 

uplifting effect of a technique. They enlighten 

in the progression of intention to the 

delightful result of total quiescence. 

Towards this purpose we will examine 

Matangi, Shivalinga and Atmanjali mudras. 

MATANGI MUDRA 

Fold both hands in prayer position in front 

of the solar plexus with the palms pressed 

firmly together and the fingertips upwards, 

but not touching the body. Let the middle 

fingers remain upright whilst all the other 

fingers clasp each other. 

The time of practice is limitless. Physically all 

the elements are united the two sides of brain 

and body are balanced and the intention 

bonds with an uplifting flow. The breath 

needs to be smooth, rhythmical and long. 

This mudra can transport to the temple of 

silence within ourselves. No other method of 

transportation is needed: much time, money 

and botheration are spared! Self-healing is 

also facilitated! No movement is required to 

go on a luxury retreat which renders us 

totally refreshed! As a responsible yogi you 

are freed up to truly serve! 

SHIVALINGA MUDRA 

Hold your left hand at stomach level with the 

palms up and the fingers forming a bowl 

shape. The fingers of the right hand curl in to 

make a fist whilst the thumb is held upright 

(thumbs up sign).Place the right hand in the 

bowl of the left. 

Apart from the obvious encouragement of 

energy upwards this mudra can counter 

fatigue, frustration, apathy and depression. 

The thumbs up sign comes from roman times 

when it was used to indicate that a gladiator 

would be allowed to live, in the arena.So it 

gives the mind motivation to proceed to 

intelligence and then yogic consciousness 

with the determination fuelled by the 

gesture. 

Can be practised whenever and wherever 

needed! 

ATMANJALI MUDRA 

Place the palms of both hands flat together 

with the fingers up and in front of the solar 

plexus. It can be done with the elbows down, 

touching the body and head bowed or more 

This is a simple and well known gesture 

which is becoming widely used and popular 

to express gratitude and humility. These 

qualities will hopefully be assumed by the 

focus upon them and then truly become part 

of the yogis natural consciousness to pervade 

their whole being and transmit from them 

contagiously into the increase in universal 

awareness. 

BOOK REVIEW 

DON’T LOOK 

DOWN ON 

THE 

DEFILEMENTS, 

THEY WILL 

LAUGH AT 

YOU 

By Ashin Tejaniya 

REVIEWED BY TIA SINHA 

You can meditate anywhere, anytime. 

Meditation is a marathon, not a 100m dash. 

When you interfere with the watching mind, 

insight cannot arise. Learn to watch 

objectively. 

You have to double check to see what attitude 

you are meditating with. A light and free mind 

enables you to meditate well. 

Ashin 

Tejaniya 


The Burmese Sayadaw, Ashin Tejaniya’s 

book contains guidance on understanding 

defilements. Defilements are not only the 

gross manifestations of greed, hatred and 

delusion but also all their friends and 

relatives, even the very distant ones. 

The book describes the correct attitude 

towards meditation. With wonderfully 

funny illustrations to emphasize various 

points, the myriad wrong attitudes that can 

arise from meditation are also described, 

often with great hilarity. 

Over 150 pointers to developing the right 

attitude towards meditation constitute 

almost half the book. Each and every one of 

these succinctly put pointers is hard-hitting. 

Each and every pointer could be a meditation 

in itself. Here is an example. 

‘Checking your attitude is also meditation.’ 

And another. 

‘Why do you focus so hard when you 

meditate? 

Do you want something? 

Do you want something to happen? 

Do you want something to stop happening? 

Check to see if one of these attitudes is 

present.’ 

TEACHER TRAINING REVIEW 

YOU CAN 

DANCE 

If you can Move 

BY RONJA EICK 

Three years ago, when I was 20, I wanted to 

go to Esalen to take a month-long work study 

in Gestalt Therapy. I applied, but the Gestalt 

program was full. A SpiritDance SoulSong 

group with Ellen Watson was happening 

during the same month, and they offered me 

to take that programme instead. 

I was imagining myself dancing like a real 

hippie with scarfs in my hands, spiraling 

across the room and singing songs about 

peace and love. I smiled, and my answer was 

short and honest: “Sorry, I am not dancing, 

please put me on the waiting list for the 

Gestalt Programme.” 

Two months later, I was at Esalen taking the 

Gestalt programme. I was very happy with 

my decision. I have never been a big dancer, 

and singing always made me nervous. 

One night, there was a SpiritDance SoulSong 

class in one of the big rooms. I had never 

heard of it before, and since my friends were 

in the class, I took courage and walked in 

alone. The music, which was making the floor 

vibrate, was metal music. I love metal music! 

I walked in, stood against the wall and started 

to move a little bit. When I realized no one 

was watching, I dared to move a bit more. No 

one looked at me; no one judged me. I 

stopped looking at them and danced. It’s 

hard to explain what happened. I guess it was 

the first time I truly danced — because I 

danced myself. And there was so much I 

needed to express. I went crazy! 

After that night, dance was my life. 

When I finally met Ellen, I knew she was the 

woman I want to learn from. She always 

makes us feel grounded. “We don’t have outof-body 

experiences here,” she says. 

I assisted and attended the SpiritDance 

SoulSong Teacher Training in 2014 and 2015, 

and Ellen Watson’s Esalen Massage and 

Touching Essence certification training. 

Now, back in Germany, I am attending the 

Orff Institute in Austria, studying music and 

dance pedagogy. I take drumming, singing 

and dance classes, I sing in a church choir, 

and I am learning to play guitar. I am sure 

what helped me so much can help others as 

well. I want to help people dance and sing. I 

want to help them become free. “If you can 

move, you can dance. If you can talk, you can 

sing.” 

Yet another. 

‘The meditating mind should be relaxed and 

at peace. You cannot practise when the mind 

is tense.’ 

This is a rather light book about a subject 

that is not so light – meditation! A very 

practical and useful book indeed. 

Sayadaw U Tejaniya began his Buddhist 

training as a young teenager in Burma under 

the late Shwe Oo Min Sayadaw (1913–2002). 

After a career in business and life as a 

householder, he has become a permanent 

monk since 1996. He teaches meditation 

internationally and at Shwe Oo Min Dhamma 

Sukha Forest Meditation Center in Yangon, 

Myanmar. http://ashintejaniya.org/ 

Easalen Institute, California 

44 NAMASKAR


46 NAMASKAR

RECIPE 

PRANA YOGI BARS 

Raw, Vegan & Delicious 

BY MOISES MEHL 

EQUIPMENT 

1 Food processor 

2 Mixing Bowls 

1 Pack of plastic wrap 

1 Tiramisu or similar square mold 

1 Scraper 

1 Spatula 

1 Kitchen Knife 

1 Cutting Board 

INGREDIENTS 

200g Sprouted Almonds 

100g Sprouted Pumpkin Seeds 

100g Cashew Nuts 

100g Cashew Butter 

40 g Chia Seeds (made into meal) 

150g Oats 

160g Raisins 

40g Goji Berries 

125g Dates, Medjool (soften in water) 

60g Maple 

60 ml Coconut oil 

60 ml Filtered Water 

1 tsp Cinnamon 

Pink Himalayan Salt or High Mineral Salt 

PROCEDURE 

Sprouting nuts and seeds 

Soak nuts and seeds in warm filtered water overnight to activate them 

and remove enzyme inhibitors. 

Step 1: Bar Caramel Ingredients 

In a food processor with the “S” blade, puree all the ingredients below 

until well incorporated. 

60 g Maple 

125g Dates 

20 g Goji Berries 

100g Cashew Butter 

40 gm Raisins 

0.5 g Salt 

60 ml Coconut oil 

60 ml Water 

1 tsp Cinnamon 

Step 2: Mix part of Nuts (excluding cashews) 

Add the 100g Almonds, 100g Oats and 50g Pumpkin Seeds. 

Process until resembles crumbs. 

Step 3: Mix by Hand in Bowl 

Transfer all the mixed ingredients into a mixing bowl, and add the rest of 

ingredients: 100g Cashews, 100g Almonds, 40g Chia meal, 120g Raisins, 

50g Oats, and 20g Goji Berries. Mix by hand until well incorporated. 

Step 4: Press and Refrigerate 

Cover your mold with plastic wrap, and place bar mixture inside. 

Use scrappers to compact and press evenly all over. 

Put in freezer for 2-3 hrs. Then remove and score into bite size portions 

and keep refrigerated and eat as you like. 

You may also dehydrate at 115F for 24 hrs. until desired moisture and 

crunchiness. 

Keeps refrigerated for 2-3 days 


DIRECTORY 

Guide to yoga studios 

& teachers 

ANAHATA VILLAS & SPA 

RESORT 

Ubud, Bali, Indonesia 

s: group retreats, yoga for 

private & corporates. Yoga 

studio available for rent. 

l: Indonesian & English 

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

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

233 

f: +62 361 8987 804 

e: sm@anahataresort.com / 

info@anahataresort.com 

w: www.anahataresort.com 

ANAHATA YOGA 

18/F Lyndhurst Tower, 1 

Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, 

Hong Kong 

s: Hatha, Ashtanga, Yoga 

therapy, Yin and more. Groups & 

privates 

t: +852 2905 1822 

e: enquiry@anahatayoga.com.hk 

w: www.anahatayoga.com.hk 

ANANDA YOGA 

33 & 34/F, 69 Jervois Street 

Sheung Wan, Hong Kong 

s: Private and Group Classes : 

Yoga Therapy (neck, shoulder, 

back, hip, knee and joints), 

Hatha, Power, Ashtanga, 

Vinyasa, Detox, Yin Yang, 

Kundalini, Chakra Balancing, 

Pranayama, Meditation 

l: English 

t: (825)35639371 

e: 

adm.anandayoga.hk@gmail.com 

w: www.anandayoga.hk 

Anna Ng 

Privates 

d: Hong Kong 

s: Hatha yoga 

l: Cantonese 

t: (852) 9483 1167 

e: gazebofl@netvigator.com 

BEING IN YOGA – 

SINGAPORE 

Teaching yoga in the tradition of 

T Krishnamacharya and TKV 

Desikachar. 

s: yoga therapy (customized 

personal practice), teacher 

training (Yoga Alliance RYS 500 

hours+), in-depth yoga studies, 

small group classes for children 

and adults, workshops, 

meditation classes, Vedic 

chanting, continuing education 

for yoga teachers. Certified 

Teacher Trainer – Yoga 

Therapist - E-RYT 500 

RYS 500 

t: +65-9830-3808 

e: beinginyoga@gmail.com 

w: www.beinginyoga.com 

B.K.S. IYENGAR YOGA 

ASSOCIATION OF MACAU 

174, Rua de Pequim, Edif Centro 

Com. Kong Fat, 7A, Macau 

s: Iyengar 

t:(853)2882 3210/6662 0386 

e:yoga@macau.ctm.net 

w:www.iyengar-yoga-macauchina.com 

David Kim Yoga 

E-RYT 500+, Senior YogaWorks 

and YogaWise Yin Yoga Teacher 

Trainer;International TTs, 

Workshops & Retreats 

d: USA, Japan, China, Vietnam, 

Korea, Malaysia, Greece 

s: Yin Yoga, YogaWorks, Vinyasa 

Flow 

l: English, some Korean 

t: +1 310 480 5277 

e: david@davidkimyoga.com 

w: www.davidkimyoga.com 

FLEX STUDIO 

Island South 

Shops 308-310 One Island 

South, 2 Heung Yip Road, 

Aberdeen, Hong Kong 

s: Vinyasa, Power, Detox, Hatha, 

Pre-Natal, Kids Yoga 

t: + 852 2813 2212 

f: + 852 2813 2281 

e: info@flexhk.com 

Central 

3/F Man Cheung Building, 15- 17 

Wyndham Street, Central, Hong 

Kong 

s: Detox, Power, Pre-Natal Yoga 

t: + 852 2813-2399 

f: + 852 2812 6708 

e: central@flexhk.com 

www.flexhk.com 

IYENGAR YOGA CENTRAL 

s: Boutique studio with Iyengar 

Yoga classes; flexible timings for 

corporate wellness, small 

groups, and privates 

l: English, Cantonese, Mandarin, 

French, Malay 

t: +852 2982 4308 

e: yogacentralhk@gmail.com 

w: www.yogacentral.com.hk 

fb: Iyengar-Central 

MND STUDIO 

7/F Tack Building, 48 Gilman 

Street, Central, Hong Kong 

s: Hatha, Yin, Therapy, 

Ashtanga, Iyengar, Pilates 

Equipped yoga studio for groups, 

privates, aerial yoga classes and 

workshops. 

t: +852 5400 8824 

e: info@mndasia.com 

w: www.mndasia.com 

PURE YOGA 

China 

L6-615 iapm mall, 999 Huai Hai 

Zhong Road, Xuhui District 

Shanghai 

t: +86 21 5466 1266 

Hong Kong 

16/F The Centrium, 60 

Wyndham Street, Central 

t: +852 2971 0055 

25/F Soundwill Plaza, 38 Russell 

St, Causeway Bay 

t: +852 2970 2299 

14/F Peninsula Office Tower, 18 

Middle Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, 

Kowloon 

t: +852 8129 8800 

9/F Langham Place Office 

Tower, 8 Argyle Street, Kowloon 

t: +852 3691 3691 

4/F Lincoln House, TaiKoo 

Place, 979 King’s Rd, Quarry Bay 

t: +852 8129 1188 

2/F Asia Standard Tower, 59 

Queen’s Road, Central 

t: + 852 3524 7108 

Level 1 The Pulse, 28 Beach 

Road, Repulse Bay 

t: +852 8200 0908 

3/f Hutchison House, 10 

Harcourt Road, Admiralty 

t: +852 8105 5838 

Singapore 

391A Orchard Road, #18-00 

Ngee Ann City Tower A 

t: +65 6733 8863 

30 Raffles Place, 04-00 Chevron 

House 

t: +65 6304 2257 

Taiwan 

151 Chung Hsiao East Road, Sec 

4, Taipei 

t: +886 02 8161 7888 

4/f Urban One, 1 Qingcheng St, 

Taipei 

t: +886 02 8161 7868 

Ling 

Yoga and Wellbeing, Private 

Yoga Teacher, Privates, Groups, 

Corporates, Free Yoga 

Community Event: Yoga in the 

Park with Ling www.meetup.com/ 

yogaintheparkhk 

d: Hong Kong, China 

s: Yoga Therapy, Sivananda, 

Hatha, Svastha, Mindfulness, 

Yin, Breathing (Pranayama), 

Guided Meditation, Total 

Relaxation (Yoga Nidra) 

l: English, Cantonese, Mandarin 

t: +852 9465 6461 

e: yogawithling@gmail.com 

w: www.facebook.com/ 

yogawithling 

RED DOORS STUDIO 

21/f, 31 Wong Chuk Hang Rd 

s: Gong meditation and training, 

labyrinth facilitation and 

construction, kundalini 

therapeutic yoga and 

complementary practices to 

elevate energy. Multiple studio 

spaces available to rent. 

t. +852 21110 0152 

e. info@red-doors.com 

w. www.red-doors.com 

SPACE YOGA 

s: Hatha, Ashtanga, Advanced, 

Flow, Yin, Yin Yang, Restorative, 

48 NAMASKAR

Hot, Yin/Meditation, 

Pranayama, Mat Pilates, 

Jivamukti, Universal, Myofascial 

Release Yoga, Mindful 

Yoga, Rope Wall Yoga, Yoga 

Nidra and Yoga Therapy 

l: English and Mandarin 

w: www.withinspace.com 

An-Ho Studio 

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

Section 1 

Taipei, Taiwan 

t: +886.2.2773.8108 

Tien-Mu Studio 

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

Taipei, Taiwan 

t: +886.2.28772108 

Sravaniya DiPecoraro 

d:Hong Kong 

s: LifePath Yoga Philosophy, 

Vedanta, Bhagavad Gita, Yoga 

Sutras; beginners and advanced; 

ACBSP disciple (1971), YA E- 

RYT500, Sivananda Certified 

(1991) 

l: English and Mandarin 

t: +852 9856 0799 

e: info@lifepath.am 

w: www.lifepath.am 

THE YOGA ROOM 

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

(Office) Xiu Ping Commercial 

Bldg, 104 Jervois St, Sheung 

Wan, Hong Kong 

s: Hatha, Hot, Ashtanga, 

Vinyasa, Candlelight Yin, Yoga 

Therapy, Jivamukti, Hammock 

Yoga, Mindfulness Yoga, Detox 

Yoga, Pre-natal Yoga, Pre-natal 

Pilates, Mat Pilates, TRX, Kids 

Yoga and Mum & Baby Yoga 

l: English, Cantonese 

t: + 852 2544 8398 

e: info@yogaroomhk.com 

w: www.yogaroomhk.com 

KUNDALINI @SHAKTI 

7/F Glenealy Tower, 1 Glenealy, 

Central, Hong Kong. 

s: Kundalini, Reik healing, life 

coaching, Shamanic healing, 

Ayurveda, Feng Shui 

consultations, Angel Cards 

t: +852 2521 5099 

e: info@shaktihealingcircle.com 

w: www.shaktihealingcircle.com 

THE COLLECTIVE, DESA SENI 

SCHOOL OF YOGA 

Jl. Subak Sari #13, Canggu, Bali, 

Indonesia 

s: Full service resort, Ashtanga, 

Embodied Flow, Hatha, 

Kundalini, Restorative, Tantra, 

Therapeutics, Yin, Yang, 

Vinyasa, Buddhist Meditation, 

Vedic Meditation. Teacher 

Trainings, Intensives, Privates, 

Workshops, specialising in 

hosting retreats. 

t: +62 361 844 6392 

e: info@desaseni.com 

w: www.desaseni.com 

TRUE YOGA 

Singapore 

9 Scotts Road, Level 4, Pacific 

Plaza, Singapore 228210 

t: +65 6733 9555 

9 Scotts Road, Level 5, Pacific 

Plaza (Bikram Original Hot 

Yoga), Singapore 228210 

t: +65 6735 9555 

Taiwan 

337 Nanking East Road 

Section 3, 9 & 10/F, Taipei 

T: +886 22716 1234 

68 Gongyi Road, West District 

12 & 13/F, Taichung 

t: +886 43700 0000 

s: Ashtanga, Bikram, Flow, 

Gentle, Hatha, Kids, Power, Pre- 

Natal, Vinyasa, Yin, Yoga Dance 

w: www.trueyoga.com.sg / 

www.trueyoga.com.tw 

WISE LIVING YOGA 

ACADEMY 

198 Moo 2, Luang Nuea, Doi 

Saket, Chiang Mai, Thailand 

s: Classical Yoga, Hatha Yoga, 

Yoga Therapy 

t: +66 8254 67995 

e: info@wiselivingyoga.com 

w: www.wiselivingyoga.com 

namaskar 

4 times a year 

6,000 yoga practitioners 

32 countries 

DISPLAY ADVERTISING RATES & SIZES 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

DIRECTORY 

Individual listing HK$640 for full or partial year 

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

PUBLICATION DATES, BOOKING & MATERIAL DEADLINES 

Publication date Booking Deadline Material Deadline 

January December 1 December 10 

April March 1 March 10 

July June 1 June 10 

October September 1 September 10 

NOTES 

Advertising materials should in black & white and submitted as 300 

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

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

PAYMENT 

Payments should be made in Hong Kong dollars to: 

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

Kowloon, Hong Kong 

INFORMATION 

Carol +44 75432 55886 / carol@caroladams.hk 

Frances +852 9460 1967 / fgairns@netvigator.com 


50 NAMASKAR


52 NAMASKAR

Namaskar - Jul 2017s

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