Namskar Jan 2012

namaskarA VOICE FOR THE YOGA COMMUNITY OF ASIA JANUARY 2012

Self-ConfidenceSetting IntentionsBarefoot Running

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Date : April – June 2012 Venue : True Yoga, Ocean Financial Centre (Raffles Place)Early Bird Price : S$5,200 (before 15 February 2012) Normal Price : S$5,500

International Yoga Teacher Training(200 Yoga Alliance Hours)

WHAT

WHY

WHO

– Lyn Hudson (2011 graduate)

– Christina Tan (2011 graduate)

– Nirupama Tyagi (2011 graduate)

Hear what our past graduates have to say:

BE A YOGA TEACHERLearn To Teach, Teach To Learn

For more details, please visit www.trueyoga.com.sg or email [email protected]

2012

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Special FeaturesIn Pursuit of Happiness, 20Lauren’s thoughts on where to find theelusive happiness.

Savasana, 22 Why savasana is soimportant, explains Elonne.

The Gita, 27 In part two, Sankirtanaelaborates on dharma in the Gita.

Setting Intentions, 32 Janetoutlines one way to set new year’sintentions.

Barefoot Running, 34 Can a yogapractitioner run? Can a runner practiceyoga? Paul is experimenting.

Yoga and the Beatles, 41 Claytonsuggests that a popular song of the FabFour is heavily influenced by yogicspirituality.

Lost & Found, 42 June’s personalstory of how she found herself throughyoga.

InsideJANUARY 2012

Dristi Self-Confidence

SSSSSelfelfelfelfelf-Es-Es-Es-Es-Esttttteem in the Beem in the Beem in the Beem in the Beem in the Bodyodyodyodyody,,,,,1212121212Mihaiela talks about how our physicalbodies reflect our emotional life.

Self-Love as taught bySelf-Love as taught bySelf-Love as taught bySelf-Love as taught bySelf-Love as taught byThich Nath Hanh, 14Thich Nath Hanh, 14Thich Nath Hanh, 14Thich Nath Hanh, 14Thich Nath Hanh, 14Inge tells us what this venerated Buddhistmaster says about loving ourselves.

SSSSSelfelfelfelfelf-L-L-L-L-Looooovvvvve is the anse is the anse is the anse is the anse is the answwwwwererererer,,,,,1515151515Robin explains why our love for othersmust start with loving ourselves.

Ground of Confidence, 17Ground of Confidence, 17Ground of Confidence, 17Ground of Confidence, 17Ground of Confidence, 17How does self-confidence differ fromarrogance, asks Kim.

About NamaskarAbout NamaskarAbout NamaskarAbout NamaskarAbout NamaskarNamaskar provides a voice for the yogacommunity around the world. The publicationis a vehicle for practitioners on a yogic path toshare their knowledge, learnings andexperiences with others.

Namaskar, is published quarterly in January,April, June (coinciding with Asia YogaConference) and October.

We welcome unsolicited submissions, thereforethe opinions expressed within these pages arenot necessarily those of Namaskar or itsvolunteers.

Namaskar is distributed at no charge throughyoga studios, fitness centres, retail outlets, food& beverage outlets and other yoga-friendlylocations.

For more information, to contribute or to orderNamaskar, please contact::Carol, [email protected]

Wai-Ling, News Editor & Copy [email protected]

Frances, Editor & [email protected] /+ 852 9460 1967

Deadline for April 2012 issue:March 15, 2011

Regular ContributionsNEWS, WORKSHOPS, RETREATS & TEACHERTRAININGS, 5TEACHER’S VOICE, 21CONFERENCE REVIEW, 24WORKSHOP & BOOK REVIEW, 30TEACHER TRAINING REVIEW, 42HATHI YOGA, 32BOOK REVIEW, 35RECIPE, 38CROSSWORD, 43TEACHER & STUDIO LISTINGS, 45

Running and yoga - can the two really be practiced together? Read what one seniorRunning and yoga - can the two really be practiced together? Read what one seniorRunning and yoga - can the two really be practiced together? Read what one seniorRunning and yoga - can the two really be practiced together? Read what one seniorRunning and yoga - can the two really be practiced together? Read what one seniorteacher thinks on page 36.teacher thinks on page 36.teacher thinks on page 36.teacher thinks on page 36.teacher thinks on page 36.

Who reads Namaskar?Who reads Namaskar?Who reads Namaskar?Who reads Namaskar?Who reads Namaskar?5,000 copies are distributed for free in Australia, Cambodia, China, Czech Republic,Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan,Malaysia, Netherlands, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey,UK, USA, Vietnam

If you would like to offer Namaskar to your students or customers, [email protected]

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namaskar

SOMETHING TO SHARE?If you have something to share with the yoga community, please [email protected]

The dristi for this issue is self-confidence and self-love, and there some informative andthought-provoking articles on different aspects of these subjects from four women:Mihaiela, Inge, Robin and Kim. This dristi also inspired the choice of the cover photobecause it made me think how self-confident one would have to be to assist someone sodeeply in Kapotasana. And also how much love they should have for the person they wereadjusting.

Another reason for the choice of the photo was the prominence of the barefoot (PaulDallaghan’s I think), as we have an article on barefoot running and yoga. These are activitiesclose to my soul (or soles) as I have been practicing barefoot/minimalist running for thepast 18 months. It took a good seven-months (three visits to the chiropractor, weeklyacupuncture and massage and lots of calf stretching) to become totally comfortablerunning this way. And I now feel lighter on my feet and suffer virtually no hamstring orlower back tension after a run. Perhaps an even greater benefit is deep connection onedevelops with the environment. The minimalist Vibrams I run in have no support andjust a thin rubber protection for the sole, so you can feel quite acutely what you run on. Asa result you must be very focused on choosing each step - sidestepping sharp rocks,slowing down over fallen twigs, anticipating what might be under a leaf, avoiding insects.In yoga there is much emphasis on connecting to our earth, and for me it’s much easier tofeel when actually out among the trees, birds and rivers, than in a studio on the 25th floorof a skyscraper! And if running’s not your thing, try walking or just sitting regularly in acountry park to be nourished by nature’s prana.

An intention being to experience a simpler, though perhaps deeper, sense of happinessand contentment. Other articles in this issue touch on that: Lauren writes where to findhappiness; Janet shares her own method for happiness through setting intentions; Elonnetalks about her road to finding savasana; Clayton explains how the Beatles found glimmersof happiness with yoga and; Lauren’s article is her personal journey through the lows andhighs of a year in her life.

Thanks to Alex, Barbara, Carol, Moosa, Nigel, Paul, Sankirtana, Tia, Wai-Ling and Yogarajalso for their contributions to this issue. And finally thanks to you for taking the time toread these pages and, if they have helped, for sharing a copy of Namaskar with your fellowyogis and yoginis

Frances GairnsEDITOR

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NEWS

170 JOIN YOGA CHAMPIONSHIPThe first Dayal InternationalYoga Championship was heldin Hong Kong recently withover 170 participants fromIndia, Singapore, Thailand,Taiwan, China, Vietnam, USAand Hong Kong.

It was organised by the HongKong Yoga Federation(HKYF) and Dayal Leisure andCultural Association. Theparticipants were divided into 5age groups, below 18, 18-25,25-35, 35-45 and above 45. Theyoungest participant was only 51/2 years old from India andthe oldest participant was 63from Hong Kong. Prizestotalling HK$60,000 weredistributed to the winners andrunners up.

Hong Kong Yoga Federation isa registered federation in HKdedicated to promoting yogaand the betterment of humanhealth. It was founded byDebdatta Biswas, NileshKarmakar, Samrat Dasguptaand Yuva Dayalan.

WHITE LOTUS CENTRE OPENS IN

HONG KONGCentral, Hong KongWhite Lotus Centre hasopened in Central to offer aunique range of therapies,treatments and techniques tosupport the mind, body andspirit. With a group of highlyand fully trained therapists,White Lotus Centre offers awide choice; fromAromatherapy Massage andReflexology to yoga and Pilates,Craniosacral Therapy andHomeopathy to Life Coachingand Hypnotherapy, as well asAcupuncture, a Back PainClinic, and ExercisePhysiotherapy. Practitionersalso work together and referclients on to their colleagues forcomplimentary therapies andtreatments, instead of simplylooking at the problem inisolation.

Every Wednesday is Kids’ Daywith a range of activities

including Yoga for Kids,Sensational Babies, and BabyReflexology. The Centre alsooffers a wide range ofMaternity services includingMassage, Reflexology, GentleBirth Method, and AntenatalClasses & Workshops.

For more information WhiteLotus Centre, Room 2001, 18-20 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central;www.whitelotuscentre.com;+852 9135 8502, [email protected]

BODYWIZE LAUNCHES NEW

DANCE & YOGA STUDIOHappy Valley, Hong KongBodywize launched their latestDance studio in Novemberoffering upbeat and enticingdance classes (Hip Hop, Funky,Belly dancing, Bollywood andmany more) and yoga classes(Power Vinyasa Flow, DynamicFlow, Destress Yoga and EasyYoga). To book your “Free 3-day pass”, call +852 2838 5881.

For more information 1/F, 155Wong Nai Chung Road, HappyValley;www.bodywizeyoga.com.hk,

[email protected] EASY YOGA OPENS IN HONG

KONGTaiwanese yoga clothing brandhas opened a Hong Kongshowroom in Causeway Bay(2/F 17 Yun Ping Road. Pricesfor clothing range betweenHK$550 - $750. They also carryyoga accessories. In addition tothe 800 sq ft shop, there is alsoa cafe serving simple food.They are open to collaboratingon yoga events in their space.

SPACE WELLNESS OPENS IN TAIPEISPACE Wellness opened itsdoors as Taiwan’s first holisticcentre offering personal Yogaand integrative therapyprograms designed to bring thebest of yoga therapy to yourpersonal practice. The facilityfeatures four spacious privatepractice rooms, all furnishedwith yoga wall, yoga barrel,backbender and inversionswing, as well as a personalmeditation room.

For more informationwellness.withinspace.comNEW CLASSES AT FLEX

Yin Yang Yoga with JenniferRockowitzWednesday at 8:45-10:15amJenny has been studying Yogafor 14 years and teaching for 9years. She has taken teachertrainings in Ashtanga Yoga,Baron Baptiste Power Yoga,and Yin Yoga. Her teachingstyle is compassionate, with anemphasis on seeking balancewithin the posture, body andmind.

Yoga for Special NeedsChildren with SanjuktaSharmaMondays at 3:30pmThis course is for children 4years and older with specialneeds which may includeautism, physical disabilities,sensory impairments, attentiondeficit or hyperactivity disorder,learning disabilities and a rangeof other developmentaldisorders. Sanjukta is certifiedin yoga for the special child andhas been working in theIndividual Needs Departmentof South Island School since2003.

For more informationwww.flexhk.com; +852 28132212 or [email protected]

NEW YOGA CLASSES AND HOLISM

WITH DARIO CALVARUSOBodywize Yoga and Day Spa,Happy Valley, Hong KongStarting from February,

Yoga Championship participants - (l to r) seated: Avinash Kumar,first runner up; Joey Yung, Overall champion. Standing: NileshKarmakar (HKYF), Helen Yeung (Sponsor of Runner Up Title,Patron of HKYF), Edith Chen (Managing Director of Calvin Klein,Asia and Vice President of HKYF), K. Sital (Hon. President ofIndian Chamber of Commerce, Hong Kong and President of HKYF),Yuva Dayalan (HKYF), Kalyan Dasgupta (Sponsor of the Championof Champions Title), Samrat Dasgupta (HKYF), Debdatta Biswas(HKYF)

Jenny joins the Flex teamoffering Yin Yang yoga onWednesdays and a lunchtimeexpress class on Thursdays

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WORKSHOPS

signature private and groupclasses with Dario Calvarusoincluding Vinyasa DynamicFlow, Hot Detox Vinyasa,Yoga Therapy and Yoga forStress Management. DarioCalvaruso spent 15 years inIndia to study Yoga, Ayurveda,Nutrition, Philosophy,Psychology and HolisticTherapeutical Sciences. Hecombines all in amultidisciplinary and effectivemethod. Yoga classes can beintegrated with WellnessConsultation, Holistic Therapyand Nutritional Advice toprovide you with a completeholistic experience.

For more informationwww.bodywizeyoga.com.hk;[email protected];+852 2838 5686

BALISPIRIT FESTIVALUbud, Bali28 March - 1 AprilFive days of non-stopworkshops, concerts, healingand community eventsfocussed on yoga, dance andmusic.

For more informationwww.balispiritfestival.com

EVOLUTION ASIA YOGA

CONFERENCEHong Kong Convention &Exhibition Centre, Wanchai,Hong Kong7-10 JuneEvolution Asia YogaConference returns for the sixthyear in 2012. This year’s teachers

include Sri Dharma Mittra,Sharath Jois, Bo Forbes, RogerCole, Cyndi Lee, Scott Blossomand others. Registration is nowopen.

For more informationwww.asiayogaconference.com,[email protected]. PRANA YOGAM TO OPEN IN MID-

JANUARYTsimshatsui, Hong KongPrana Yogam is an oasis in theheart of Tsimshatsui offeringyoga classes as well asAyurvedic Therapeuticand Energy Invigoratingconsultancy and massage byqualified professionals fromKerala.

Prana Yogam is presented byMaster Yogaraj CP, the holderof two Guinness world recordsand experienced Yoga teacher.Classes includePranayama & Meditation, YogaTherapy, RhythmicYoga, Artistic Yoga, PartnerYoga, Yin Yoga, YinYang, Prenatal Yoga, HotYoga, Yoga Teacher’s Trainingand much more.

For more information visitPrana Yogam, 2/F, Ocean ViewCourt, 43 Mody Road,Tsimshatsui; +852 2736 2294,[email protected]

Dario isteaching numerousstyles of yoga atBodywize in HappyValley, Hong Kong

Frances Tse joins Yogaraj asone of Prana Yogam’s firstteachers when it opens in mid-January in Hong Kong

MYSTICAL DANCEAgama Yoga, Koh Phangan,Thailand1, 30 January-5 FebruaryExplore the world of mysticaldance with Monika Nataraj.

For more informationwww.agamayoga.com;[email protected]; +66892 330 217

IYENGAR YOGA INTERMEDIATE

JUNIOR INTENSIVE WITH GLORIA

GOLDBERGIyengar Yoga Centre Indonesia 17-20 JanuaryThis intensive is only forcertified teachers holdingintroductory level II certificateand above. Sessions will bedevoted to integrating theimportant principles of theIyengar Yoga method for theIntermediate Junior syllabus.Participants will learn the skillsto teach both asana andpranayama at these levels aswell as how to integratephilosophy into their teaching.

Gloria has taught yoga since1980 and has been a CertifiedIyengar Yoga teacher since1987. She is Director andteaches at the B.K.S. IyengarYoga Center of La Mesa in SanDiego, California. Gloriastudies with the Iyengars inPune annually and is knownfor her inspirational and clearstyle of teaching.

For more informationwww.iyengaryogaindonesia.com;+62 21 7193101

CONSCIOUS BIRTHING WORKSHOP

FOR COUPLES WITH PEGGY CHIUThe Yoga Room, Hong Kong 14 January; 3 & 24 March3-6:30pm

For more information +8522544 8398 orwww.yogaroomhk.com

METAPHYSICS WORKSHOPAgama Yoga, Koh Phangan,Thailand17-21 January

Explore the meaning of yogafrom a metaphysicalstandpoint.


THE HATHA YOGA PRADIPIKA WITH

LAMA MARUT18-19 January– Pure YogaHong Kong – Tsim Sha Tsui20-22 January– Pure YogaSingapore – Ngee Ann CityThe most famous book onyoga ever written is the YogaSutra - but there is nothing inthe text about how to do thespecific poses or asanas ofyoga. Topics to be coveredinclude the importance ofretreat, commitments andvows, a description of themajor asanas, proper diet, thekriyas, pranayama, the bandhas,mudras, kundalini, partnerpractices, samadhi, and a deepinvestigation into ultimatereality or “emptiness.”

For more informationwww.pure-yoga.com;[email protected]

SVASTHA YOGA THERAPY

PROGRAM WITH THE MOHANSIndia30 January-3 February Module1A6-10 February Module 1BThis program offers the mosteffective aspects of traditionalyoga and Ayurveda combinedwith modern medicine. It isdesigned for Yoga teachers andadvanced practitioners, but itshould also be of interest topeople from related fields.Specific guidelines for differentconditions and generaltreatment principles will bedetailed, empowering you tosafely and effectively addressdisabilities and ill-healththrough yoga. The goal is toenable participants to integratenewly acquired knowledgeimmediately in their teaching.

The program is delivered inintensive modules (5 days for

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each module with a flexiblestructure). Each section may beattended independently andcertificates will be issued foreach module.Module 1: MusculoskeletalSystem – A: Lower Back, Pelvis& Lower Limb; B: Cervical &Thoracic Spine, Upper Limb,and Anatomy of Breath.

For more informationsvastha.net; [email protected]

PRACTICAL TRAINING FOR YOGA

THERAPISTS – ADAPTIVE YOGA

FOR CHILDREN WITH MODERATE

LEARNING DIFFICULTIESWhite Lotus Centre, Central,Hong Kong4 February 9am – 5pmTaught by Sanjukta Sharma &Carol Chapman with GeckoYoga; to demystify yogatherapy and present thecommon concerns for thosepeople who are Yoga teachers,parents or educators workingwith children with learningdifficulties. This training willhelp show which poses aregreat for the spectrum ofchildren’s learning difficulties aswell as their contraindications.Carol Chapman has over 30years experience in this arena ofchildhood education alongwith Sanjukta Sharma whoteaches yoga to children of allages and all abilities.

For more [email protected]; +8526973 1792

BARON BAPTISTE: 40-DAY

PERSONAL REVOLUTION

PROGRAM WITH TRYPHENA CHIA4 February-14 March – PureYoga Singapore – Ngee AnnCityThis programme is designed tochallenge your personalphilosophy and your body, soyou can tap unknown resourceswithin yourself. Take this yogachallenge and experience awhole new way of living andbeing in just 40 days.

For more information

www.pure-yoga.com;[email protected]

ROSS RAYBURN: THE SCIENCE OF

THE SUBLIME WORLD TOUR7 – 9 February Hong KongAnusara teacher Ross Rayburnwill be teaching a three-dayteacher training intensive andthree open classes in HongKong at the Red Shoe DanceStudio, 3/F Arbuthnot House,10 Arbuthnot Road, Central.

For more [email protected]

PARTNER YOGA WORKSHOP WITH

KUMARANAnahata Yoga, Hong Kong11-12 February11 February - Fun Series: Learnthe basics principles of partneryoga and explore the art ofhaving fun and joy in your yogapractice with your partner. 12February - Flying Series:Experience flying and freedomin this workshop. A series ofpartner yoga postures frombasic to advanced will bepracticed in this workshop within-depth study on body lockingsupports, lifting and balancingmovements. For more informationwww.anahatayoga.com.hk;+852 2905 1822

ANUSARA YOGA WEEKEND

WORKSHOP WITH DESIREE

RUMBAUGHPure Yoga Hong Kong – TsimSha Tsui - 10-12 FebruaryPure Yoga Singapore – NgeeAnn City - 21-22 FebruaryAnusara blends the UniversalPrinciples of Alignment withthe tantric philosophy of“looking for the good.” This isa combination of therapeuticand mixed levels of yoga. JoinDesirée to learn simple, precisetechniques that aid in healinginjuries and new tricks toexperience the fun ofchallenging asana.

For more informationwww.pure-yoga.com;

[email protected] INTRODUCTION TO ASHTANGA

WITH CHUCK MILLERPure Yoga Hong Kong –Central10-12 FebruaryThis workshop starts at thebeginning of the AshtangaVinyasa method, moving intothe Universal Principals that arethe seeds and foundations ofthe whole method.


UPSIDE DOWN & INSIDE OUT WITH

TIFFANY CRUIKSHANKPure Yoga Hong Kong – TsimSha Tsui24-26 FebruaryWhether you want to learn tostand on your hands or justupright on both feet this seriesof workshops will give you awhole new perspective in yourpractice and your life. With hertraining in sports medicine andChinese medicine, Tiffany willteach you the anatomy youneed to learn how to use yourflying gear and the depth youneed to take your practice to thenext level.

For more informationwww.pure-yoga.com;[email protected] KAZUYA YOGA WORKSHOPHong Kong9-12 February Kazuya Yanagimoto fromJapan leads this gentlealignment and stretchingcombined with Ashtanga Yogaworkshop for beginners. Learnhow to practice asanas withbreath and the control ofenergy to calm the mind; andthrough the calmness,experience your deep inner self.

For more informationwww.yogashantihk.com; callYumika on +852 2577 0533

KUNDALINI YOGA WORKSHOPBodywize Dance, Yoga andDay Spa, Hong Kong11-12 February2012 Kundalini Yoga AsiaCharitable Workshop -Conversations with the Soulwith YaYa Himat Kaur.

For more information +8529368 1428;[email protected]

A TRANSFORMATIVE WEEK OF

YOGA WITH SIMON LOW AND JEFF

PHENIXSamahita Retreat, YogaThailand11-18 FebruarySimon and Jeff, two of theUK’s most popular teachers,worked together for two yearsat Triyoga in London, untilSimon moved on to set upThe Yoga Academy. Thiswonder-filled week will offertwo classes daily, with Jeff andSimon alternating the teaching,with additional assistantteachers for every class. Comeand deepen your practice andunderstanding of yoga overthis special week. Children arewelcome as Jeff and his wifeJennie will be coming withtheir two children too.

For more informationwww.yoga-thailand.com

YaYa Himat Kaur will be leadinga Kundalini workshop atBodywize in Hong Kong as partof an Asian tour

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THE BREATHING AND FLOW OF

THE BODY IN MOVEMENT WITH

JUDY KRUPPThe Yoga Room, Hong Kong24 FebruaryNoon-2:30pm

For more informationwww.yogaroomhk.com; +8522544 8398

YOGA THERAPY WORKSHOP WITH

JUDY KRUPPThe Yoga Room, Hong Kong24-26 February For more informationwww.yogaroomhk.com; +8522544 8398

EXPERIENTIAL TANTRAAgama Yoga, Koh Phangan,Thailand24-26 FebruaryA continuation of the Tantra1+2 workshops with lots ofpractical exercises.


HANDS OF A YOGI: EXPLORING

HAND BALANCING AND MUDRA

MEDITATION WITH SEAN GALESPACE Yoga, Taipei25-26 FebruaryIn this workshop, we willinvestigate hand, wrist, armand shoulder anatomy as wellas the preparatory exercises andpostures which aid us inwarming up for a more intensehand-balancing practice. Anexploration of Mudrameditation will also giveinsight and a well-roundedunderstanding of how one’shands can be used to bringabout awareness, healing andclarity of intention.

For more informationwww.withinspace.com

IYENGAR YOGA ALL LEVEL

WORKSHOP WITH JAMES MURPHYIyengar Yoga Centre Singapore3 - 4 March

Time: 9am-12pm & 2-4pm

For more information,www.iyengaryogasingapore.com;+65 62204048

PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP WITH

JAMES MURPHY FOR CERTIFIED

IYENGAR YOGA TEACHERS AND

THOSE IN TEACHER TRAININGIyengar Yoga Centre Indonesia7-8 March9-11 MarchJames Murphy pursued a 10-year career in dance touringworldwide with the NikolaisDance Theater when he becameinterested in Iyengar Yoga. Hehelped found and is theDirector of the Iyengar YogaInstitute of New York and hasbeen teaching there since itbegan in l992.


3-DAY FORREST YOGA

CONTINUING EDUCATION WITH SIN

HEE YE-MCCABEPure Yoga Hong Kong – TsimSha Tsui3-5 MarchSuitable for teachers aspiring toimprove their teaching skill andpersonal practice at a deeperlevel. The aim of the trainingis to make you a moreinsightful, passionate,compassionate and authenticteacher.


MUDRAS AND MANTRAS: HEALING

TOOLS FOR EVERYDAY LIFE WITH

SHUBHRAJIAnanda Yoga, Hong Kong9 MarchMudras are gestures of thehand that produce a healingeffect on the physical andemotional body. It is apowerful tool for removing anynegativity and acceleratingspiritual growth. Mudras havebeen used for centuries and aretime-tested techniques that

provide a wide range ofbenefits. In this workshopShubhraji will lead simplechants that can be used in ourdaily life. She will use breath,visualization and gestures tohelp enhance health, emotionaland spiritual wellbeing.

For more informationwww.anandayoga.hk;[email protected];+852 3563 9371

CHANGING NEGATIVE EMOTION

INTO POSITIVE ENERGY WITH

SHUBHRAJIYoga Room, Hong Kong10 MarchHow can we release our mindsfrom the conditionings thathold us in our continualpatterns of unproductiveliving? An look at how toreflect on our present life andways to create fresh channels ofpositive thinking and action.Shubhraji will guide usthrough this with exercises.

For more informationwww.yogaroomhk.com;[email protected]; +8522544 8398

THE POWER OF MANTRAS AND ITS

RELATION TO CHAKRAS AND

MEDITATIONPrana Yogam, Hong Kong11 MarchWhat are mantras? How canthey be used effectively to helpus with our everyday life, aswell as connect with God? Thetalk will focus on the art ofusing mantras and relate it tochakras and meditation.Shubhraji will guide us withsome simple techniques toenhance our spiritual practice.

For more informationwww.pranayogam.com;[email protected];+852 2736 2294/ 9713 4597

JOURNEY TO THE HEART OF

ASHTANGA VINYASA WITH JOHN

SCOTTSPACE Yoga, Taipei12-18 March

Join world-renowned certifiedAshtanga teacher, and best-selling John Scott, on a journeythat transcends the physicalinto the subtle. In his only2012 stop in Northeast Asia,you will learn the authenticmethod of Ashtanga Yogathrough his precise and detailedteaching.


WORKSHOP AND INTENSIVE WITH

SIMON LOWPure Yoga Taipei – Pure Tower- 29 February – 4 MarchPure Yoga Hong Kong – TsimSha Tsui - 12-18 MarchPure Yoga Singapore – NgeeAnn City 4-9 April

For more informationwww.pure-yoga.com;[email protected] INTRODUCTION TO THE MOTOR

DEVELOPMENT ANATOMY &

PHYSIOLOGY OF CHILDRENWhite Lotus Centre, Central,Hong Kong10, 17, 20 MarchThis series provides anintroduction to children’sphysical development for thoseworking with children andfamilies in the health and socialcare sector. It is suitable fortherapists, carers, parents andteachers alike, you are welcometo attend just one or all three.Taught by Helen Binge –Founder of PhysioBaby,Chartered Physiotherapist,

Simon Low will be at SamahitaRetreat and Pure Yoga inFebruary & March

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Paediatric and DevelopmentalSpecialist with Gecko Yoga,Hong Kong10 March 9:30am-12:30pm -Development of the infantfrom birth to walking17 March 9:30am-12:30pm -Development of the childfrom 1 to 7 years20 March 6-9pm –Development of the childthrough adolescence

For more information [email protected] or call+852 6973 1792

PRANAYAMA AND A LOOK INTO

BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY WITH SRI

O. P. TIWARI AND PAUL

DALLAGHANSamahita Retreat, YogaThailand18-31 MarchSri O. P. Tiwari is one of themost recognized andaccomplished masters of Yoga,its practice, and its meaning. Asubject close to Tiwariji’s heartis the Buddhist dharma, itsplace in the history ofphilosophy in India, its

connection with Yoga and itssimilarity with Vedanticphilosophy. This area, alongwith all of your greatquestions, will be covered inthe afternoon discussion

sessions. This course will toucha new level of study andpractice, and will be an intensiveinternalizing period. Theprimary focus will be Pranayamapractice with in-depth pulsereading of each student, varyingas necessary.


ASTROLOGY IN TANTRIC YOGAAgama Yoga, Koh Phangan,Thailand26-30 MarchHow to integrate Astrologyinto Yoga.


JIVAMUKTI IMMERSION WITH

YOGESWARI AZAHAR & WILL LAUPure Yoga Hong Kong – TsimSha Tsui28 March-1 AprilImmerse yourself in the deeperteachings of the Jivamukti. Thematerial presented is drawnfrom the one month JivamuktiTeacher Training, but ispresented in a more relaxed waywith plenty of time to enjoyand reflect.

For more informationwww.pure-yoga.com / or [email protected]

RETREATS

CHINESE NEW YEAR RETREAT AT

THANYAMUNDRAKhao Sok National Forest,Thailand21-24 JanuaryUsing the foundationtechniques of Ashtanga Yogato develop meditativeawareness in both thetraditional seated meditativeposture, in yoga postures, aswell as during movement.Mornings will be reserved formore invigorating yoga practice,while evening practice willconsist of restorative poses andsitting meditation.Thanyamundra is an exquisiteeco resort with an organic farm,a haven of tranquility andwildlife in the oldest rainforeston the planet.

For more informationwww.thanyamundra.com; KimRoberts [email protected]

YOGA AND HEALTHY DIET-FINDING

BALANCE WITH JESSICA

BLANCHARDSamahita Retreat, YogaThailand28 January-4 FebruaryThis retreat is designed to helpyou find vibrant health usingYoga and a balanced approachto nutrition. During this retreatyou will learn simple andpractical ways to incorporateyoga and a healthy diet into thedemands of modern life. Youwill learn a dietary approachthat is grounded in modernscientific research and can beadapted to the individual fromthe legacy of Ayurveda. Theretreat emphasizes how yogacan help you to find the deepinner strength and mentalclarity necessary to makelifelong changes.


THIRD EYE RETREATAgama Yoga, Koh Phangan,Thailand10-19 FebruaryA 10-Day Silent Meditationretreat that explores Ajna

Chakra, The Third Eye.


ANUSARA YOGA IN THAILANDAnusara Immersion I-II-III -January & FebruaryYoga Therapeutics Training 19-25 FebruaryFor the past eight years JonasWestring has been offeringAnusara Yoga in Chiang Mai,northern Thailand. Reasonablypriced residential retreats with adiverse group of internationalyogins. Jonas brings 30 years ofyoga and many other adjunctdisciplines to his teachings.

For more informationwww.shantaya.org

CONSCIOUSNESS/BLISS RETREATAgama Yoga, Koh Phangan,Thailand9-18 MarchA 10-Day silent meditationretreat that explores the play ofShiva and Shakti.


YOGA AND YOUR HEALTH - THE

PRACTICAL APPROACH TO A

BALANCED LIFESTYLESamahita Retreat, YogaThailand31 March-7 AprilThis retreat with SamahitaRetreat Wellness Director,Claudia Jones offers a practicalapproach to a healthy, balancedlifestyle. This is for thosewishing to make positivechanges in their lifestyle tocombat the pressures of today’smodern living.

Yoga classes include guidedasana practice with AshtangaYoga Mysore style ifappropriate. The retreat will alsofeature restorative yoga, breathwork, pranayama andmeditation.

O.P. Tiwari will be teaching onPranayama and Buddhistphilosophy at Samahita Retreat,Yoga Thailand in March

Wai-Ling compiles and edits thissection of news, workshops,retreats & teacher trainings.Email her [email protected] withyour news.

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TEACHER TRAININGS


ASHTANGA YOGA RETREAT WITH

CLAYTON HORTONPurple Valley, Goa, India31 March-13 AprilFor more informationwww.yogagoa.com;[email protected]

CROWN CHAKRA RETREAT6-15 AprilA 10-day silent meditationretreat that explores Sahasrara,the Crown Chakra.


YOGA BALI RETREAT WITH RIANA

SINGGIH 5-11 AprilEnjoy daily yoga in Ubud todeepen your practice andpamper yourself with spa andmassage. Students will be ableto participate in twelveintensive Iyengar yoga sessionswith the Riana Singgih.


TOTAL IMMERSION YOGA WITH

ADARSH WILLIAMSSamahita Retreat, YogaThailand7-14 AprilA retreat is the perfectopportunity to take a pausefrom the usual demands of lifeand to relax, reflect and goinward. This special retreat willfocus on making our yoga matpractice a “life practice.” Usingboth traditional andcontemporary Ashtangatechniques, you will be guidedthrough the complete practiceof yoga postures, breathing,and meditation.


ASHTANGA YOGA AS A SPIRITUAL

PATHSamahita Retreat, YogaThailand14-28 AprilPractice with Kino MacGregorand Tim Feldmann in abeautiful beach front settingwith amazing vegetarian foodand fresh seafood. Kino andTim travel the world sharingtheir message of AshtangaYoga as a spiritual path. Beingso busy they rarely teachtogether, but when they dotheir unique styles complementeach other perfectly.


EXPAND YOUR AWARENESS: YOGA

ASANA, PRANAYAMASamahita Retreat, YogaThailand28 April-5 MayDuring the Pranayama sessionsyou will be introduced todifferent yogic practices andbreathing techniques to purifythe body and the mind. InAsana, for those who alreadyhave a Mysore practice, you willdo your self-practice under theguidance of Gerald Disse andLinda Munro. For the others,you will be given the tools todevelop your personal practice.Afternoon lectures will expandyour knowledge of the entirespectrum of yoga. Dynamicsof breathing; building practicewith bandhas; eight limbs ofAshtanga Yoga; chakras and theenergetic body; chakrameditation.


SERPENT POWER RETREATAgama Yoga, Koh Phangan,Thailand4-13 MayA 10-day silent meditationretreat that explores the secretsof Kundalini Shakti, thedormant energy in our being.

For more informationwww.agamayoga.com;

[email protected]; +66892 330 217

MINDFULNESS OF BODYPhuket, Thailand2-30 JuneA yoga and meditationintensive to explore how thebody can be an aid to deepmeditation practice. Intimateand serene retreat setting,organic meals, comfortable,simple accommodation.

For more information KimRoberts [email protected]

ADI YOGA RETREAT 2012 – THE

COMPLETE PATH OF KUNDALINI

HATHA YOGAHeld at the world’s largesttemple dedicated to the HathaYoga tradition, and set on 40acres of lush tropical jungleamidst the idyllic mountains ofnorthern Thailand. You willpartake in daily Hatha Yogapractice sessions andphilosophy classes followed bysumptuous, nourishing mealsof Thai cuisine made byprofessional chefs from locallygrown ingredients.

Also includes a two-weekimmersion in Ayurveda. Ledby Dharmanidhi Tantracarya,one of the only recognizedauthorities on the original yogatradition of the IndianMahasiddhas (Great Adepts).This retreat will be given insuccessive, complete packages,ranging from 1 week to 6months, beginning 16 April.

For more informationwww.adiyoga.com

MYSTICAL DANCE TEACHER

TRAININGAgama Yoga, Koh Phangan,Thailand30 January-10 MarchBecome a teacher of mysticaldance classes in this 6-weekimmersive training with Shakti,Monika Nataraj.


200-HR YOGA THERAPY AND

AYURVEDA TEACHER TRAININGAnahata Yoga, Hong Kong30 January-29 AprilStudents will learn thetherapeutic benefits of yogaand Ayurveda and theirapplications; the mind andbody principles to determineone’s body constitution;balancing and regulating the 3doshas; yoga therapytechniques and Ayurveda dietprinciples; treating variouscommon ailments; andmassage healing techniques.

For more information +8522905 1822;www.anahatayoga.com.hk/200yogatherapy/index.php

LEARN TO SHARE THE GIFT OF

YOGA WITH CHILDREN10-12 FebruaryThe Radiant Child YogaProgram® is a comprehensivetraining designed to bringpeace, creativity and joy intochildren’s lives through theancient practice of yoga withJenny Smith, founder ofGecko Yoga, Hong Kong.Designed for anyone who isinterested in teaching yoga tochildren.

For more informationwww.childrensyoga.com;[email protected]; +8522851 9684

KRI KUNDALINI YOGA TEACHER

TRAINING PROGRAM LEVEL 1International School ofKundalini Yoga (iSKY)

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16-20 February; 19-23 April; 12-16 September; 6-7 OctoberThis program is an adventurein personal consciousness andfor those seeking personaldevelopment and growth. Acomprehensive 220+hour training. Instructors:Guru Dharam Singh, DarrylO’Keeffe, Pavllou Landraagon,Amir Jaan, Siri Shabad Singh &Choong Han Ni.

For more informationwww.sol-wellness.com, +8522581 9699 or [email protected]

ANUSARA YOGA IMMERSION: PART

ONE WITH LOIS NESBITTFine Yoga, Beijing25-31 MarchThis 100-hour immersion isdivided into two parts of 50hours, invites you deep intothe genius of Anusara practiceand philosophy. Completionof the full 100 hours is arequirement for AnusraraTeacher Training. Part One introduces theUniversal Principles ofAlignment, going into thestanding poses, arm balances,forward bends and hipopeners. Explore working withinjuries and commonmisalignments in the shouldersand hips; as well as a fresh lookat Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra.

For more information [email protected] [email protected]

ANUSARA YOGA IMMERSION: PART

TWO WITH LOIS NESBITTGuangzhou, China - 9-15 MarchNingbo, China - 17-23 MarchImmersion Part Twointroduces intermediate andadvanced asanas, backbends,inversions, and restoratives, aswell as additional secondaryalignment principles. Alsolooks at injuries and commonmisalignments in the hands,wrists, elbows, feet, and knees.Explore the subtle body, aswell as the Bhagavad Gita.

Lois was certified by AnusaraYoga creator John Friend in2000.

For more [email protected] [email protected] for [email protected]

RAINBOW KIDS & FAMILY

YOGA INTENSIVE 3-DAY TEACHER

TRAININGRed Shoe Dance Company,Central Hong Kong31 March-1 AprilCreated by Gopala Amir Yaffeand in partnership with GeckoYoga. Learn over 350 yogaposes for kids, creative Yogagames, breathing andmeditation games, relaxationwith guided imagery, basicpartner acrobatics, flying yoga,plus Thai Massage, and more!

For more information www.RainbowKidsYoga.net;[email protected]; +8526973 1792

INSIGHT YOGA TEACHER TRAINING

INTENSIVE WITH SARAH POWERSSPACE Yoga, Taipei21-29 AprilThis is Sarah’s only complete 8-day teacher training intensive inAsia in 2012. This training willdeepen your ability to teach areceptive Yin style and an activeflow or Yang style of yoga withan interest in promoting aconducive inner environmentfor meditation.


ADVANCED HATHA YOGA TEACHER

TRAINING WITH YOGANANTHLevel 1: 5 May-3 JuneLevel 2: 9 June-8 JulyThis intensive Hatha Yogateacher training takes teachingYoga postures to new limits.Practice, explore and learn toteach some of the mostadvanced Hatha Yoga postures. For more information +8522905 1822;

www.anahatayoga.com.hk

500-HR AGAMA YOGA TEACHER

TRAININGAgama Yoga, Koh Phangan,Thailand28 May-18 AugustLearn how to teach yoga in thisvery intensive, 500 hours plusteacher training.


NEXT GENERATION YOGA™

TEACHER TRAINING FOR 2-7 YR

OLDSYogasala, North Point, HongKong11-13 JuneTaught by Jodi Komitor andhosted by Gecko Yoga in HongKong. Suitable for parents,educators, child psychologist,therapist or pediatricprofessionals and Yogateachers. Covers themes, poses,group games, partner Yoga,breathing exercises andrelaxation techniques.


NEXT GENERATION YOGA™

TEACHER TRAINING FOR 8-13 YR

OLDS

Yogasala, North Point, HongKong14-16 June (8am - 4pm)Taught by Jodi Komitor andhosted by Gecko Yoga in HongKong. This is a comprehensiveexploration of yoga for thematuring minds and buddingbodies of 8-13 year old yoginis.


GREENPATH YOGA 200-HOUR

ASHTANGA BASED TRAINING WITH

CLAYTON HORTONBoracay Island, Philippines - 6May-1 JuneSan Francisco, California, USA -1-26 October

For more informationwww.greenpathyoga.org;[email protected]

TEACHER TRAINING WITH PAUL

DALLAGHANSamahita Retreat, Thailand26 May-23 JuneLed by Paul Dallaghan since2000, Centered Yoga is Asia’smost respected and longestrunning Yoga Allianceregistered program. Coursesinclude asana, pranayama,ayurveda, anatomy, philosophy,Sanskrit and chanting.

For more informationwww.centeredyoga.com

NEXT GENERATION YOGA™ TRAIN

THE TRAINER FOR 2-7 YR OLDSWhite Lotus Centre, Central,Hong Kong18-21 JuneTaught by Jodi Komitor andhosted by Gecko Yoga in HongKong. You will learn how tolead NGY Teacher Trainings for2-7 year olds, and to set upyour own NGY TeacherTrainings and expand your kidsyoga business.


Yogananth leads an AdvancedHatha teacher training atAnahata in Hong Kong

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WATCHING PEOPLE WALK IN A BUSY AIRPORT

or in and out of a yoga class is a fascinatingcollection of glimpses into unmappedinner territories. A shoulder higher than theother, a head tilted to the side or a tightspine could tell a long story about thebody’s owner, his or her inner life, brain,condition of the physical structure.It takesonly calm observation, real interest andcompassion to start deciphering such tales.

These days ‘body language’ describes bestthe object of this reflection. “The body isreally our thoughts, moods, convictions

and emotions objectified, made visible tothe naked eye”, notes Swami Sivananda, amedical doctor, in Thought Power.

How does a self-confident person feelinside? What is different in his or her bodyand brain compared to an awkward, shyneighbour?

BIOLOGY INTERMEZZOWe live our lives and move around basedon a so-called body schematic, a bodyimage reflected in the brain. The length ofmy arms, how many muscles I use to kick aball, the straightness of my spine duringmeditation – these and thousands moreare integrated automatically in the brain, inour subconscious mind. The entire physicalstructure is reproduced in the brain in twocortical regions: parietal lobe (sensoryinformation, the sensations) and frontallobe (motor commands, the source ofmovement). To react quickly to thedifferent internal and external requests, ournervous system permanently keeps themuscles in a state of minimal tension calledmuscle tone. The level of muscle tone isdetermined by permanent nervous signalstravelling back and forth between our bodyparts and the brain. An induced paralysisduring surgical anaesthesia will interruptthis flow of neuro-electrical signals and,consequently, the muscles will become slackand the body will lose its shapes, itspersonalising features.

Muscle tone and contraction form theengine behind our so-called body language.The integrative function of the brain – ourthoughts – permanently interferes with the

neuron-based signals determining whichmuscle is more toned, contracted, tensed.Even closed, symmetrical pairs of musclescan present differences: one shoulder raised,head tilted, a peculiar orientation of variousbody parts. All of them have an anatomicalbackground in differences of the conditionof their muscles and connective tissue.

Our emotional life is continuously reflectedby the signals of these neurons. As such,our body is shaped by the brain, by ourthoughts and beliefs. A very bold personfeels inside in a certain way and expressesconfidence in all he or she does: posturalattitude, choice of movements, patterns ofmuscular tension or relaxation. Goingmore deeply, on a physiological level, self-esteem can be translated as a specific neuralpattern of signalling; some areas of thebrain are more activated than others andthe connections between certain neuronsare stronger.

A person who does not have this patternmight feel incapable of understanding eventhe concept of confidence. We often hear: ‘Iwas a coward all my life; don’t ask me to bebrave just now’. The yogis disagree andmodern science adds further credibility tothe position of yoga.

Neuroplasticity – the malleability of ourbrain and ability to change it – has beenaccepted as scientific truth only within thelast decades of the 20th century.Neuroplasticity refers to the ability of thebrain and nervous system to changestructurally and functionally as a result ofinput from the environment. Learning andmemory are some of the functions thatconstantly induce such structural changes.Recent studies have proven the same effectsfor meditation and yoga.

Changing the mind is more simply saidthan done; everyone who sincerely tried itencountered many failures to start with.Thoughts are volatile and fast-moving,difficult to grasp. Nevertheless, we canbetter control the other part of theequation: the body. We can change andhold a physical position fairly easily.Every posture sends signals to the brainwhich will develop the body image but willalso be translated in emotional and psychicterms. As Paul Ekman, Wallace V. Friesenand Robert Levenson published: Emotiondoesn’t just flow from the inside out; italso moves from the outside in. When theystudied facial expressions corresponding to

SSSSSelfelfelfelfelf-Es-Es-Es-Es-Esttttteemeemeemeemeem

Seen in theSeen in theSeen in theSeen in theSeen in the

BodyBodyBodyBodyBodyMihaiela Pentiuc

Self-confidence is not a feeling of superiority,

but of independence - Lama Yeshe

Does a person’s physical body reveal theirinner confidence, or lack thereof?

13

anger and distress they found themselvesfeeling terrible. The opposite is alsoproven: smiling intensely in the right wayconvinces the brain to produce a feeling ofwell-being or happiness.All these modern discoveries explain thebasic principles of working with the bodyin Hatha Yoga, how the transformativeeffects occur on human personality. In apractise of genius, the yogis used thephysical postures to alter the more subtleparts of their beings.

Imagine yourself in the warrior pose. Placeyour body in this position just now. Holdthis position for around five minutes andthen come to a more comfortable andneutral stance and close your eyes. Becomeaware of your body and inner emotions.Do you feel heavy, lazy or sleepy? Gobeyond the muscle fatigue or boredom ofthe mind; look into the full body attitude.Is this different than how you normallyexperience your body?

How do bold people feel their bodies, howdo they move? Watch a big class ofbeginners practising warrior pose for thefirst time or simply standing. Can youdetermine who is the most self-assuredperson in the group? Most people can.Individual self-esteem manifest in thebody’s position, in the level of musculartone, in the facial expression. All deliberatechanges in these domains will entailchanges at the emotional and psychic levels.

BUILDING SELF-ESTEEM THROUGH PHYSICAL

RE-SHAPINGSustained, repeated practise of specificasanas and mindfulness of body positioninfluences the level of tension and toningof different muscular groups. The keypoints in this process are time andrepetition. It takes minutes to produce areal change in the connective tissue during astretch but it could take hours summed upin daily reinforcement to change the neuralsignalling and synaptic connections.

A recently published study reached theconclusion that there are no mental effectsfollowing yoga practise, only physicalramifications. This came as a surprise formany yogis because experience shows theopposite and many other previous studieseven provided a long list of mental andemotional benefits of yoga. Theexplanation becomes very clear when onelooks into the details of this study:

subjects practised once a week and wereinstructed to continue at home – we allknow compliance for daily practise isminimal in unsupported beginners.

Repetition, holding an asana for longerthan one minute and mindfulness areessential to produce deep changes. As a topmarathon runner cannot be producedovernight, a new body schematic, aconfident pattern of physiology andanatomy, requires some efforts. Connectivetissues, muscular fibres and neural signalshave to build up a new pattern to replace anold one. How common is it for a yogateacher to notice one particular studentalways has difficulties in one specificposture or fails to sustain a correction forlonger than seconds? Rectify a stoopingspine and if soon after the mind forgetsand falls into its previous trend ofthoughts, worries and automatic reactions,and you’ll surely see the curve returning.Abhyasa (persevering practise) and vairagya(nonattachment) are the secrets of yogasuccess according to father Patanjali.

RELAXATIONLow self-worth reflects in the body in theform of various contractions, tensions andeven pains. Check the abdomen of a timidperson. It is stiff and tight almost all thetime. Before an exam or interview internalsymptoms such as nausea, vomiting ordiarrhoea are not uncommon.

The practise of relaxation is essential inbuilding a new body image. Sometimesonly relaxing certain areas of the bodyintentionally – perhaps the shoulders orabdomen – can change the level of innerstress and reassurance.

APTITUDEWhen the body-brain connections arechanged, the physical attitude transformsinto an aptitude which will never be lostagain. The bashful guy or girl is gone and ashining personality takes over. This is theaptitude, the permanent capacity toappreciate profoundly who we are and toreact properly to what life brings.

It is a fascinating experience to explore allthe dimensions of an aptitude for self-confidence. The bodily position, both staticand dynamic, the neural controls, theactivity in our brain as well as the flow ofprana along the nadis, the specific kind ofemotions we predominantly encounter, the

patterns of thinking and the spiritualabilities that are built on top.

EVOLUTION FURTHER ONFrom the point of view of the spiritualscience of Yoga, self-esteem is a functionof our inner instrument, ahamkara, a resultof integration of the sensory perceptionsof manas and support for the discriminativepower of buddhi. Achieving the right levelof self-confidence is one necessary step inthe process of evolution. Without thisachievement, one cannot think about therealisation of the true Self, Atman. On theother hand, confusion of this intermediarystage with the ultimate realisation isstressed as regrettable in spiritual sciences.

SELF-LOVEYoga practise leads one to turn his or herattention from the delusive power ofexternal events to the richness of internalexperiences. Every sincere practitionerbecomes fascinated by the beauty andcomplexity of the human structure in ashort time. It does not matter howimperfect we thought we were, thischanged perspective helps reveal to us fully:we have a wondrous instrument for livingthis life.

Start with the anatomy of the physicalbody, with what is material and easilyobservable: there is no humanlymanufactured mechanism that can perfectlyreplicate an organ of this body. Noprosthetic is better than our own limbs andno computer can replace our brain.Additionally we can explore what is notvisible but yet the yogis still describe indetail: energies, the chakras, the subtlestructures. What is the essence of thedifference between a dying person and acorpse? What happens during our sleep?What is nirvikalpa samadhi?

So many wonders, so much complexity, somany facets of what is me. Isn’t thismysterious structure worth our love? Mostof the time, what is required is only achanged perspective. A wise perspective, acalmer mind and a relaxed body. The union

of yoga.

Mihaiela is a medicaldoctor, holistic doctoras well as Meditationand Yoga Teacher.She is a foundingmember of AgamaYoga in Thailand.www.agamayoga.com

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THE SPIRITUAL TEACHINGS OF YOGIC AND

Buddhist traditions which I am familiarwith eventually lead to self-acceptance andself-love, by way of self knowledge, thatlight to self-understanding. The Buddhaoffered many meditations on love, such asthe Metta Sutta (Discourse on Love).

In this article, I would like to introduce theteachings on self-love by contemporary ZenMaster, Thich Nath Hanh based on MettaSutta. Master Hanh states “until we are ableto love and take care of ourselves, wecannot be of much help to others.” Hebelieves we have the seeds of love withinus. Our duty is to nourish them withproper sunlight, water and tender care.Then one stops being a source of sufferingin the world and becomes a reservoir of joyand freshness.

To know the real situation withinourselves, we have to survey our skandhas

(elements, heaps or aggregates): form, feelings, perceptions, mental formations andconsciousness. We have to survey these skandhas thoroughly, including the elementswithin us that are at war with each other. To bring about harmony, reconciliation andhealing within, we have to understand ourselves. Looking and listening deeply, surveyingthe skandhas, is the beginning of love meditation.

We begin by looking into our body to see whether it is at peace or suffering from illness.We look at the condition of our lungs, heart, intestines, kidneys, liver, to see what the realneeds of our body are. When we do, we will eat, drink and act in ways that demonstrateour love and our compassion for our body. Usually, we just follow ingrained habits. Butwhen we look deeply, we see many of these habits harm our body and mind, so we workto transform these habits into ways conducive to good health and vitality.

Next, we observe our feelings, whether they are pleasant or unpleasant or neutral. Feelingsflow in us like a river, and each feeling is a drop in that river. We look into the river of ourfeelings and how each feeling came to be. We see what has been preventing us from beinghappy, and we do our best to prevent those things. Doing so, we become stronger andbetter able to love ourselves and others.

Then we meditate on perceptions. The Buddha observed, the person who suffers themost in this world is the person with many wrong perceptions. And most of ourperceptions are erroneous. We see a snake in the dark and we panic, but when our friendsshines a light on it, we see that it is only a rope. We have to see which wrong perceptions

cause us to suffer. Love meditation helpsus to learn to look with clarity and serenityin order to improve the way we perceive.

Next, we observe our mental fomations,the ideas, the tendencies within us that leadus to speak and act as we do. We practisedeeply to discover the true nature of ourmental formations, how we are influencedby our individual consciousness, and also bythe collective consciousness of our family,ancestors and society. Unwholesomemental fomations cause so muchdisturbance; wholesome mental formationsbring about love, happiness and liberation.

Finally, we look at our consciousness.According to Buddhism, consciousness islike a field with every possible seeds in it,

such as the seeds of love, compassion, joy and equanimity, but also the seeds of anger,fear and anxiety, as well as seeds of mindfulness. Consciousness is the storehouse thatcontains all these seeds, all possibilities that might arise in our mind. When our mind isnot at peace, it may be because of the desires and feelings in our store consciusness. Tolive in peace, we have to be aware of our tendencies, our habit energy so we can exercisesome self control. This is the practise of preventive health care. We look deeply into thenature of our feelings to find their roots, to see which feelings need to be transformed,and we nourish those feelings that bring about peace and joy and well-being.

To practise this love meditation we sit still, calm your body and your brathing and recite:May I be peaceful, happy and light in body and spirit.May I be safe and free from injury.May I be free from anger, afflictions, fear and anxiety.

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We begin practising this love meditation on ourselves, contemplating:May I be peaceful, happy and light in body and spirit.May I be safe and free from injury.May I be free from anger, afflictions, fear and anxiety.

After that we can practise on others (he/she) contemplating:May he/she be peaceful, happy and light in body and spirit.May he/she be safe and free from injuryMay he/she be free from anger, afflictions, fear and anxiety.

After that we can practise including ourselves with others (we) contemplating:May we be peaceful, happy and light in body and spirit.May we be safe and free from injury.May we be free from anger, afflictions, fear and anxiety.

15

We practise mindful breathing to embraceemotions and feelings. For example if youfind yourself angry, stop and practisebreathing mindfully. The anger willdissipate after mindful breathing. Your self-understanding will deepen. For example,you will see how fears contribute to yourunhappiness, and you will see the value ofloving yourself and cultivating a heart of

compassion, instead of living with somegeneralized fear. When you practise alsoobserve how much peace and lightness youalredy have. So the antidote to negativestates is already present, we just need tokeep on touching our positive resources bymindful breathing and mindful living.

Look deeply not just while on yourmeditation cushion, but wherever you are,whatever you are doing. Living mindfullyis the best way to prevent mishaps and toprotect yourself. Recognize your deepdesire to live in peace and safety, to have the

People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the

sun is out, but when darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if

there is light from within - Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

Self-Love is theAnswerRobin Giang

WHEN WE THINK OF LOVE WE GENERALLY SEE

images of red hearts, strangers kissing andembracing, someone special we care about,and perhaps even a beautifully-wrappedgift. These images of love are precious.Society has done a remarkable task inshaping our view of what love is or whatlove looks like. It has assiduously craftedimprints in our minds that love existsexternally outside of ourselves. Seek loveand we will find love, has been ourantidote for love.

With this goal in mind we embark on a lifejourney to seek the love we so long desire,with our deepest hope that when we findit, this love will complete us and fulfill usin every way.

For most of us, the love we crave we seekfrom our families and friends; the peoplewho have the closest ties to us includingour parents, siblings, grandparents,relatives, and partners. After all, if ourfamilies and friends, bonded by blood andoath, do not love us unconditionallythrough thick and thin, then who will?

For some of us, this answer may lieoutside our circle of families and friendsand within our own communities andreligions. Organized interest groups canbecome our closest of kin. We seek lovefrom these entities to preserve our senseof belonging and to garner stability andhope in our times of change.

For the rest of us far and in between, weseek the love we need from our materialexistence. It is through our belongings -our financial assets - including our home,vehicle, money, and attire that provide uswith the life force and love force to sustainour livelihood.

support you need, and to practise mindfulawareness. The Buddha said once werealize we are the closest and most preciousperson on Earth to ourselves, we will stoptreating ourselves as an enemy. Lovemeditation dissolves in us any wish wemight have to harm ourselves or others.Look deeply at the seeds of anger inyourself; look deeply at those you thinkhave brought you harm. Love meditationhelps understand both, and it helps us letgo of our habitual patterns of thoughtand action that ceate more suffering. We seethe person who has harmed us is himselfsuffering very much.

Contemplating his suffering generatesunderstanding and love in us, and withthese energies healing is possible. Webecome the doctors who heal ourselves andheal others. (“Teachings on Love” by ThichNath Hanh, pages 21-27)

To love first is to accept yourself as youactually are. Knowing thyself is the firstpractise of love. Then love and

understanding will appear as a beautifulflower. Then the deepest love will unfolditself like a beautiful lotus of theBoddhisatvas!

Inge is a long-timepractitioner of yogaand meditation. Shehas compiled acollection of spiritualpoetry and writing.She also designsspiritual jewelry, yogaand casual [email protected]

Buddha observed the person who suffers the

most is the person with many wrong perceptions

Zen Buddhist monk Thich Nath Hanh

16


But if what is encouraged of us to do – toseek love and will find love – leaves usunfulfilled, incomplete, and unloved whenwe believe we have found love? Do we startto ponder could there exist another path toreal love?

To this question, Oscar Wilde offered theanswer, “To love oneself is the beginningof a lifelong romance.”

The notion of falling in love with oneself,or self-love, can be interpreted as a sign ofvanity. However, a closer look andunderstanding of what it means to fall inlove with oneself can ultimately be the HolyGrail we are seeking on our path of love.

Self-love lies internally within ourselvesrather than externally outside of us. Wesimply need to connect to this source oflove inside of us without needing to gobeyond ourselves to find it. Self-love is alifelong journey, which when traveled withconsciousness and sincerity, can lead to puregenuine love we have sought since thebeginning of time.

When we seek the love we desire, and rightfully deserve, from within we take on the powerto fully experience a kind of love that is meaningful, unconditional and eternal. Self-love isthe seed that when conscientiously nourished becomes the tree of life with roots andbranches reaching out to touch all goodness of life. In this process we become embodiedwith oneness and wholeness through love.

The source of self-love is well planted during our childhood. With each breath, eachlaughter, each wonder, and each triumph, we fortify our sense of self-esteem. Along withour self-assurance are gestures of confidence, authenticity, and innocence illuminates ourworld. This is a time when we naturally trust our instinct. We believe we can fly. We saywhat is in our hearts. Our early childhood experiences and memories of our worthiness,greatness, and courageousness form the inner anchor where we continue to find solace andto stay grounded amid life’s uncertainty and change in adulthood.

Our source of self-love gets tested and challenged over time. Our voice may be drownedout by the noise of our daily existence. Our laughter may no longer deem appropriate. Oursense of wonder may no longer be appreciated. Our triumph may no longer be enough.Under such milieu, our sense of self-love gets disconnected as we become deaf, blinded,and muted by our worries, doubts, and fears. Compounded with our insecurities, ourpiled up responsibilities, commitments, and expectations all swiftly consume the minutesof our day. Technology in the name of progress and convenience compels us to be quickand connected at all times. Rest, sleep, and play seemingly become a bonus more so than achoice.

For self-love to flourish under today’s societal demands, we need to be bold, to take astand, and to walk the path our inner wisdom guides us to do, despite all the noise anddrama telling us differently. To love ourselves we embrace who we are and what comes

may. Only time knows what the futureholds, so follow the compass of our hearts- trust. How we spend our time and whowe spend it with matters - laugh. Ourcourage to take a leap of faith into theunknown is our greatest cornerstone fortransformation – grow. It is perfect not tokinow everything and perfection is anillusion - discover. What we are fully capable

of is beyond our imagination - awaken. Success is a life authentically and purposefully lived– self-love.

In this new year let us be children where self-love is as inherent as the air we breathe. Let usconnect to our internal love source filled with potential to bless us throughout the year. Letus laugh. Let us sing. Let us dance. Let us rejoice in the love we graciously merit and give toourselves. Let this self-love within us radiate the peace and happiness we feel onto theworld. Let us come together to humbly affirm:I love myself; I am honest and true to my soul.I love myself; I listen to and care for my body.I love myself; I speak kindly and compassionately to myself.I love myself; I allow my beauty shine.I love myself; I accept and embrace all of me.I love myself; I am worthy of love and self-love.

Robin is the Social Behavior Coach and Play Therapist at Cosmo [email protected] (852) 2915 8138

Above the cloud with its shadow is the star with its light.

Above all things reverence thyself - Pythagoras

early childhood experiences form the inner

anchor to stay grounded amid life’s uncertainty

and change in adulthood

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MAYBE YOU KNOW THE STORY: YOU LOSE YOUR

job, get dumped by your boyfriend orgirlfriend, then the cat runs away and youtear your hamstring, all in the same week.Your morale takes a plunge. After all thework you’ve done on the mat and off,training in the discipline of yoga practice,trying to be good and wise, calm andcentered, your confidence plummets.

You might feel gypped, like karma is notpaying attention to your balance sheet.

“Hey, I practice every day! And I helped thatlittle old blind lady across the street!” youyell to no one in particular.

You’ve been so good. So why is thishappening? Because this is the point: it’spart of the process of waking up.Sometimes you get knocked down on thepath. It forces you to develop the muscleand the humility to keep standing up againand say, or rather shout, “I am alive.”

Confidence is not the opposite of failure—it is the result of it. That moment when youare your most vulnerable, without yourprotective shell of success, is ripe withpotential. Anything can happen.

At that moment you are totally defenseless,perhaps lost and unsure how to make yourway forward, hopeless about your prospectsfor happiness. At that moment you havethe chance to stand up, brush yourself off,look around and take stock. You choose adirection. Then, you put a gentle smile onyour face, and you take a step forward, evenwithout a clue as to where you are going.That is how you establish self confidence.

We all have low points that challenge oursense of self-worth. But these failures—these things that appear to threatenconfidence— can actually be the very thingto help fortify it. Failure throws us back toearth. Confidence is the strength we buildby pushing against the ground that we falldown upon.

Confidence is not pride in youraccomplishments. Confidence is notmasking true feelings. So then what is selfconfidence?

True confidence is ubiquitous presencethrough thick and thin, as people andsituations pass through your life. Some mayencourage you, some may break you down,but true self confidence stays steady, risesabove the flux of phenomena, and truststhat no mater what the circumstances, youare unequivocally, unquestionably, eternally:loveable and good.

Confidence is trusting yourself, not to attainany particular goal, but trusting yourself tostay steady—to remain 100% present withwhatever happens. To be authenticallypresent, even in the face of that which youdo not want.

Ultimately, confidence is unconditional. Selfconsciousness transforms into self-confidence, which eventually gives rise toconfidence, plain and simple, no “self ”involved. It is shifting our allegiance fromego’s endless struggle to pristine awareness,known by Buddhists as our inherentBuddha Nature.

Buddha Nature, or tathagathagarbha inSanskrit, is the seed of enlightenmentinherent in all beings. Tathagata is an epithetfor the Buddha, garbha means “womb” or“essence.” That seed is in each and every oneof us, no exceptions.

All we have to do is water that seed withpractice, create the right environmentthrough discipline and kindness, and thenthat seed will grow. Then we can shine,extend our roots into the earth and growgloriously toward the sun, inspiring othersto do the same. Then we bear fruit—peacefulness, kindness, wisdom, joy andequanimity— that ripens when we nolonger react so much or so strongly tothings not going our way. We don’t ride theemotional roller coaster as frequently, or asintensely. So we therefore are moreconfident. When you know you can handleany situation that comes along, because youhave the right tools, then fear has no hold.Instead, you think: So what if I may sufferanother heartbreak? So what if I fall, yetagain, or end up making a fool of myselfone more time? So what?

If you want to live fully, these mishaps are

TTTTThe Grhe Grhe Grhe Grhe Ground oound oound oound oound of Cf Cf Cf Cf ConononononfffffidencidencidencidencidenceeeeeKim Roberts

Confidence is not the

opposite of failure —

it is the result of it

The late Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche spokeof basic confidence and fundamentalconfidence

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practically requirements. You have to knowthe dark aspects of yourself before you canfully appreciate the light. The dark must beincorporated—integrated into the body—embodied. And we do that by livingfearlessly in the present moment, open towhatever arises and steadily staying with itwhen it does. Failure and insecurity onlyserve to strengthen the trust you have inyourself because you see that they will notdevastate you. It’s like this: you can letyourself be defeated, or you can use theenergy of the downfall to catapult you tothe next level of existence. You choose.Defeat from another point of view issimply letting go.

Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche spoke ofbasic goodness (his term for BuddhaNature) as fundamental confidence. Notconfidence in anything in particular, butsimply confidence in the ground ofwisdom that is part of our inheritance ashuman beings.

When you trust the fundamental groundof existence, then you can trust thatwhatever happens is just fine. It reallydoesn’t matter. It’s all –every last heartbreakand disappointment and ego slashing—an

opportunity to wake up to the truth of themoment, which is always the same: aninvitation to open and accept of the play ofthe phenomenal world. It’s up to us totune into that truth. We can access it withawareness: through the breath and use ofspeech, our posture, connection to ourcenter (bandhas) and through maintaining asteady, spacious and kind gaze.

Another key to developing lasting self-confidence is to help others. When you arewell enough in your own skin, you canextend out to help others do the same. Wecan see in others what we can’t see inourselves, so we learn as much from themas they do from us.

We all experience difficulties; every one ofus knows suffering. But have you noticedthat those who are brave enough to reallyacknowledge suffering without flinchingcarry a certain spark of brightness aroundthem? Rather than stewing in self-accusation because things didn’t go the way

you wanted, or denying the feelingsaltogether, recognize that these momentsare ripe for change. At the moment thatyou can no longer hold on to your dreams,or your illusions of what life should looklike, you can let go into the flow of life, andaccept whatever it is that life wants to showyou. Rather than struggling upstream, youcan learn to accept the natural course,trusting that you will eventually reach theocean. There may be more rapids tonegotiate, but we will all, eventually, reachthe ocean.

We are a goal driven planet— our worldworships the masculine paradigm. Perhapsthis is why it seems men often come byself-confidence more easily than women.The qualities of softness and acceptance areoften looked upon as signs of weakness.Until we shift our world view, we will failto honor those feminine aspects inourselves, and we will continue todisrespect it in others.

We need yin and yang in harmony. Whenwe don’t recognize that, we fall out ofbalance. So it is up to us to help shift thisperspective, by starting with ourselves.Acceptance is a feminine trait, and if themoment of acceptance is the moment ofchange, then the feminine force is infinitelypowerful. It’s called surrender.

When you can let yourself be defeated,when you can say, “ok, I give up” then youno longer need to struggle to make thingsfit into your version of how things shouldbe. By surrendering your concepts of whathappiness looks like, you open yourself tothe possibility of true happiness—the joyof living in the flow, of trusting whatevercomes along will be inherently good—notnecessarily pleasant—but a manifestationof the universe’s guiding light, guiding usto our own awakening, however much wemay kick and scream along the way.

With perseverance, patience, and practice,you will come to a place where you cansimply rest at ease in the moment of not-knowing. Rest in the confusion and chaos.Even if you can’t change what life dishesup, you can change your attitude, and trustyourself enough to handle whateverhappens, with compassion for yourself,because this is the root of all self-confidence. So, despite the circumstances,even if things seem to be conspiring to putyou down, know that you arefundamentally wonderful and good.


Kim, pilgrim, writer,teacher, lives part of theyear in Phuket, Thailand.www.papayayoga.com orfollow Diary of a Pilgrim,www.papayayoga.wordpress.com

Confidence is trusting yourself to remain 100%

present with whatever happens

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“GOD HELPS THOSE WHO HELP THEMSELVES,” CLOSED A RECENT TIME

Magazine article on the United States’ drought dilemma.

Something about the phrase struck an uncomfortable chord withme, and after doing a little digging, I found the phrase originatedin ancient Greece from playwrights Aeschylus and Sophocles. Itscurrent English phrasing was later coined by the English politicaltheorist Algernon Sidney and adopted by Benjamin Franklin, whofittingly lived with the philosophy that God didn’t intervene inhuman affairs.

If we are content to believe God doesn’t intervene, or we don’tbelieve any higher governing power exists, then where is the nextlogical place to turn? What helps us most in the long run? Howmuch do higher salaries or a momentary ego boost help us in theend? If the transient nature of a new purchase or being lavishedwith praise still leaves us feeling restless a short while later, thenwhat are some possibilities for obtaining meaningful help that aremore likely to linger on? Are immeasurable actions such as a smile,a good deed or an open-minded outlook arguably more lasting?

Although the “Pay it forward” mentality is scarcely a new idea inthe East or the West, how often do we imagine interpersonalenergy interacting in the world the same way chemical pollutantsaffect the earth when they are carelessly discarded? Wouldn’t it benice to think we can exercise some control over whether we’re

greeted with open hospitality while visiting a foreign country ratherthan pick-pocketed or faced with open hostility?

Perceptions are fleeting, despite our stubborn tendency to cling tostereotypes about individuals or cultures. How instantaneously cana friend morph into someone suspect when he shares a knowingsmile with your wife? Or how suddenly can the heavy discomfortof being near an arrogant colleague dissolve once he cracks at joke athis own expense? Why then are we often so timid about workingmagic through change? How might our work environments changeif we greeted an antagonistic colleague’s scowl with a smile insteadof barreling down the hallways poker-faced, mentally preoccupiedwith our day’s agenda? The notion of EQ took Taiwan by storm a few decades ago whenit was first proposed by Daniel Goleman. He constructed a modelthat includes the constructs of self awareness, self management,social awareness and relationship management. You need a highlyevolved level of awareness of yourself and your environment witha broader agenda than personal success to pick up on the many cuesthat shape interpersonal interactions unfurling.

Try taking a personal assessment online, and you’ll probably findthat it’s significantly more difficult to score “high” on this sort oftest than it is to ace the vocab or math sections on any conventionalintelligence test, in much the same way that it’s far more difficult to

Opinion

In Pursuit of Happiness - Which Direction Should We Run in?Lauren Mark

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Steve Merkley

successfully conduct a meeting of opinionated colleagues than it isto prepare and present a PowerPoint of your personal research. MyTaiwanese classmate first introduced me to this concept during ourpostmodernism class in the States, and the picture she painted of asociety where people weighed interpersonal communication ascarefully as sheer skill was enough to convince me to move thereafter graduation. Since moving here, I can happily say I haven’tbeen disappointed.

I recently watched in awe at an international social mixer as a newfriend deftly facilitated a conversation between strangers withplayful humor, alternately drawing some of us into her confidencewhile poking fun at others in flattering ways, asking thoughtfulquestions and evading direct answers that would require her toreveal enviable traits. I mostly admired her adept brilliance atputting others at ease, always effortlessly navigating a few stepsahead of the conversation, while taking care not to let herastuteness become apparent. We all became slightly moreperspicacious [having a ready insight into and understanding ofthings] in her presence, striving to help unravel her threads ofhumor, and not to let side conversations elapse into the dull,standard questioning so easy to use as a first resort when asked tomeet stranger after stranger.

There’s a Buddhist idea if you dedicate the benefits of your prayersand positive actions to all humanity, those benefits will becomeinexhaustible. It’s pretty similar to natural dissemination, where ifyou have an orange, you can enjoy a juicy snack and then throwaway the peel and the seeds, or you could give those seeds soothers can plant their own orange trees and enjoy the fruit ofmultiple harvests.

If you haven’t kept a clear record of what has made you happiestin the past, you could try embarking on your own mini-happinessproject. Try dedicating two weeks or a month to taking notice of

Teacher’s Voice

the needs of those in your various social circles and how you couldhelp them. For example, when you were originally planning to takeoff at the end of your work day and go to the gym and a coworkercomes to you asking if you could help him with a project, forgoyour original plans and see what happens. And then the next day,which you had made your consolation gym date, when a differentfriend asks you to help her bake cookies for her parent-teacherconferences so she can finish grading papers, try forgetting about allthe cake you inhaled that afternoon in anticipation of your gymsession and agree to proliferate others’ consumption of sugarinstead.

Create a happiness appraisal you can take at the beginning and theend of your pledged period of self-sacrifice, and see if there’s anychange. If you really want to be thorough, you could also make asadness appraisal and see if it’s affected by your experiment as well.In short, see for yourself if you agree with Soren Kierkegaard, whosaid

The door of happiness does not

open away from us: we cannot rush

to push it open. It opens toward us.

Lauren is a long-standing member of The EastWest Culture Project, a dynamic center ofcultural exchange and unique learningopportunities based in Taipei. She is anitinerant English teacher, translator anddancer who is fortunate to have found asecond home in Taiwan. [email protected]

YYYYYogarogarogarogarogaraj CPaj CPaj CPaj CPaj CP

WHAT IS YOUR MOST CHALLENGING ASANA,

AND WHY?Single Hand Crane pose (Eka AsthaBakkasana). The reason is very obvious inits name. It should be performed on asingle hand maintaining the balance,posture and stamina. Thus it is challenging.You have to maintain your body weight tothe lowest possible level to perform this

asana with ease and I always strive hard tomaintain it particularly for this asana. Iinvented and practice this asana sincecoming to Hong Kong.

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM THIS?This asana reminds me of my favouriteslogan: Life is all about balancing thesituation. I used to make a monthlycalendar with 12 of my best asanas of theyear. Last year when I was performing thisasana on the edge of a cliff for a photoshoot, I realised how much this pose hastaught me about the art of balancing.Whenever I teach my students I always tellthem to maintain their body, mind andemotions as you need all these elements toperform asana. Without this balance of thethree components, even if someone couldperform asana, it is not complete.

WHAT IS THE MOST CHALLENGING ASPECT OF

YOUR PRACTICE?Discipline of mind, food, and dailyactivities is the most challenging. A yogapractioner’s difficult task is not aboutkeeping one’s body flexible, but to live as ayogi always. Unlike a desk job, a yogapractioner is not someone who is a yogijust from 9 to 5. We have to maintain thestate of a yogi 24/7. Be it a food habit,personal cleanliness, work outs, spiritualthinking or moral thinking all have to be ina order for a yoga practitioner. The rules geteven tougher when you teach yoga. For meI consider this aspect as not a challenge, butas a passion, my driving force.

Yogaraj CP is the holder of two GuinnessWorld records. He has been teaching yogain Hong Kong for many years at variousstudios and is now director of PranaYogam, which opens mid-January at 2/F, 43Ocean View Court, Mody Road, Tsim ShaTsui, Hong Kong.

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Asana 101

The World Needs SavasanaElonne Stockton

MY TEACHER, PAUL DALLAGHAN OFTEN SAYS, “THE WORLD NEEDS

savasana.” He explains savasana is very difficult to achieve, andwhat we are talking about is not technically savasana, but ratherwhat Pattabhi Jois would call “taking rest,” or what SwamiVishnu-Devananda would call “proper relaxation.”

And it is not that the world needs more sleep necessarily. Maybepeople are getting enough sleep, but their adrenal glands areoverworked and exhausted. They wake-up still tired because theirsleep gets compromised. Their overactive minds sabotage themand do not allow them to rest properly.

Savasana, according to the Hatha Pradipika, wards off fatigue andbrings mental relaxation. It is a way to remove fatigue from thenervous system, which may come from either pranayama or asanapractice. It could also come from work, family or other stresses.

When I first started practicing as a teenager, I would rarely allowmyself savasana. And with only books and tapes to instruct me, Icould do whatever I wanted. As soon as it came time to take rest Iwas up and out the door. I didn’t understand the importance ofsavasana and thought it was a waste of time. I had work to do,things to assemble. And because I negatively associated lying downwith being lazy, naturally I didn’t want to take savasana.

As I ran from school, to work, to practice, most of the time I wasworking on adrenaline, with little sleep, food or time off. It hadbeen such a long time since I experienced deep relaxation I forgot itexisted, and why I needed it. I started to taste the benefits ofrelaxation when I was practicing asanas, but it wasn’t until I reachedmy early twenties that I realized I seriously needed to slow down orI would run myself into the ground.

Although I was out of balance, I was not abnormal. All too manypeople in modern society are overworked, undernourished (even ifthey are eating enough, it is often the wrong kinds of food),stressed, and their adrenals are spent. Whenever I teach in a city,people are so short on time if class goes overtime even a couple ofminutes people are out the door. To make sure they take savasana,I leave plenty of time at the end of class.

When teaching in a retreat setting I also find it usually takes peoplea couple of days to relax. When they arrive they are still on hypermode, and the pollution of their stress often lingers for a few days.

I was one of the lucky ones who found a way out of the cycle ofstress. When I found Sivananda in my early twenties, it was atimely gift. The moment I walked into the Sivananda Center inChelsea for the first time, my whole body relaxed.

Hanging on the wall in one of their practice rooms was a picture ofSwami Sivananda with Sami Vishnu-Devananda (the founder ofthe Sivananda Organization) standing beside him. The picture wasblack and white, clearly old (it was from the late 40’s), but for somereason when I saw the picture I thought it was current. It exuded

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love and happiness, the smiling faces of guru and disciple jumpingout of the frame, and I thought, “I want to meet them.”

Soon afterwards I realized my mistake, but the pictures, whichfilled the Center, retained the same sense of familiarity to me.Whenever I came to take classes and to attend satsang at the Center,I felt I was visiting Swami Sivananda and Swami Vishnu-Devananda. To this day I feel them reminding me to slow down.

In Sivananda’s all-level asana classes they do savasana after eachpose. I practiced Sivananda yoga at a point in my life when I neededsavasana more than anything else. I remember finishing my firstclass with a deep sense of relaxation I hadn’t felt since I was a childon vacation. But there was something still missing.

I regret not having found Ashtanga earlier. If I had startedpracticing Ashtanga when I found Sivananda I might havedeveloped a relationship with Pattabhi Jois. But as I reflect deeper,I realize Ashtanga was not what I needed at the time, and if I hadstarted at that age I would have approached it in the wrong way.

Later I found the softness of Ashtanga and its potentiallyrestorative nature. But had I started earlier it might haveexacerbated my imbalances. It was with Sivananda that I began totap into the pranayama I practice now. Had I turned Ashtangi inmy early twenties I might not have discovered this precious jewel.

I think it is impossible to convince people of the importance ofsavasana, the importance of taking rest. It is something eachperson must experience and accept individually. However, there is

no way to deny the benefits once we finally feel this deep relaxation.Once we get a taste of what savasana must be like, we will neverquestion its importance again.

HOW TO PRACTICELie down on your back. Let your legs fall open and your palms faceupwards so that the shoulders roll open. Close your eyes. Startwith some deep breaths and slowly allow your breath to fade to asubtle or almost non-existent breath. Allow yourself to movetowards a state where the body and mind are still.

Take rest whenever you feel fatigue in the body or mind, wheneverthere is a strain on the system. That may be before practice, duringpractice, after practice or anytime during the day. If it is duringpractice, between poses or pranayamas, you can rest for a fewbreaths to a few minutes, without letting the practice get sleepy. Ifit is after practice or during the day, rest for at least five minutes, tenminutes is better and you can stay as long as you like withoutfalling asleep.

Rather than looking at a watch, try to feel when it is time to comeout of the pose. Listen for an inner voice telling you when you areready – or not – to come out of the pose.

Any sweat on the body should haveevaporated by the end of savasana. And youshould come out feeling energized and fresh,ready to embrace the rest of your day!

Elonne is a resident teacher at Samahita YogaThailand.

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Conference Review

There are numerous studies in the works,and recently published, regarding the efficacyof yoga as a prescription for preventativehealthcare, depression, anxiety,lymphedema, PTSD, ADD, insomnia, painrelief, and stress. The IAYT Journal hasrecently been accepted into the WEB MDpublications as a source for healthcarealternatives. The IAYT itself is a memberof the Academic Consortium forComplementary and Alternative Health Care(ACCAHC) and the National AyurvedicMedical Association (NAMA). Theserelationships are important because theydemonstrate the commitment to sciencewithin the yoga therapy community in orderto more wholly blend ancient knowledgefrom the east with current western practices.As yoga translates from the Sanskrit, toyoke, this blending represents a real time

example of the changing paradigm fromconventional mind-body dualism towardsintegration.

Doctor Rajmani Tiguanit, PHD, thespiritual head of the Himalayan Institute,addressed the symposium about theimportance of defining therapy. He stressedthe need to incorporate philosophy,psychology, and metaphysics in training andtreatment. As therapists, he said, it is ourjob to combine the components fortreatment. There were a number ofvariations on this theme throughout theweekend. A woman from the Bible Belttalked about the gigantic church in her townwhich has denounced Yoga as devilish andasked for suggestions about how to presenther work. Gary Kraftsow from theAmerican Viniyoga Institue, suggested in

place of the word “yoga”, she introduce theuse of “breath and stretching forrelaxation.” This idea, that the use of

Humans arHumans arHumans arHumans arHumans are More More More More More Impore Impore Impore Impore Importttttananananant than Hart than Hart than Hart than Hart than HardwdwdwdwdwararararareeeeeAerin Alex O’Malley

IN SEPTEMBER 2011 I ATTENDED THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF YOGA THERAPY SYMPOSIUM. HOSTED BY THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION

of Yoga Therapy (IAYT), it was an awesome event full of some of the brightest minds and yogis from around the world. It was held inMonterey, CA. at the Asilomar conference center. The gist of the symposium was to share empirical research that impacts not only howthe established medical community is beginning to embrace yoga as a healing modality but also how the yoga community is beginning torecognize the power of the practices we share to make a somatic impression on every individual we encounter. What follows is asmattering of some of what I learned.

Bo Forbes talked about yoga for mentalhealth at the yoga therapy symposium

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language can reach an audience who would not be open to yoga isbeautiful and again, incorporates all that is the essence of yoga!

Technology has jumped by leaps and bounds over the last 25 yearsand has provided a window into the functions of the brain andconnections between the brain and body. The key concepts thatdrive many of today’s researchers are that of neuroplasticity andawareness of the basic structure of the brain. Neuroplasticity refersto the capacity of the brain and the nervous system to “reprogram”messages/stimulation and interaction with the body and mind.Understanding the structure of the brain plays a crucial role in theability of therapists to make choices about appropriate treatment.

Here are some of the ways in which yogis, doctors andpsychologists are incorporating the science to create more efficient,holistic treatments for patients with any number of emotional andphysical challenges.

Shoosh Lettick Crotzer specializes in developing yoga practices forthe prevention and treatment of lymphedema, arthritis, MS, andfibromyalgia. At the symposium she shared a practice for breastcancer survivors, approximately 38% of who developlymphedema.

Matt Fritts and Mona Bingham presented the work they are doingwith the U.S. military to create a system called Total Force Fitness.This system incorporates yoga and mindfulness training into thetraditional requirements for military readiness in order to buildemotional stamina as well as physical.

William Hutschmidt discussed his weekly yoga classes withhomeless vets. One of every four veterans is homeless in the US.Hutschmidt’s yogic practice manifests as a relief from the constantstressor of homelessness and the emotional, physical, andpsychological toll it can take.

Bo Forbes discussed the role of yoga as therapy in the treatment ofmental health. She emphasized yoga and psychotherapy are in thebusiness of transformation and spoke to the need to narrow thegap between understanding the process of emotions and the realexperience of change.

What each of these practitioners add to the working pool ofknowledge is the connection of yoga to the treatment of physicalailments, preventative health care, and mental health respectively. Itis exciting as a yoga teacher and practitioner to realize that so muchof what has been only a felt sense of the power of yoga is beingstudied. The general takeaway from this symposium is that we can“change” our minds and in turn have an impact on our biology. Inthe age old argument over nature vs. nurture, it is becoming moreand more evident that it is wise to include both and to nurturewhat we can on both the physiological and emotional levels for themost positive outcomes. Yoga heals!

Alex is a graduate student in SomaticPsychology at JFKU, CA. Having traveledextensively, she is currently based in SanFrancisco, CA teaching privately. Alex is acertified as a trauma sensitive yogainstructor. [email protected]

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A Primer to theA Primer to theA Primer to theA Primer to theA Primer to theBhagaBhagaBhagaBhagaBhagavvvvvad-Gitad-Gitad-Gitad-Gitad-Gita, IIa, IIa, IIa, IIa, IISankirtana Dasa

THIS IS THE SECOND ARTICLE ON THE BHAGAVAD-Gita. The first focused on dharma and nowwe discuss how dharma links with yoga. Weused the metaphor of a building withdharma at its foundation. We now considerhow we move to the next level of thebuilding where yoga is. What are thedifferent systems, where do they lead andare they equally valid?

The speaker of the Gita is BhagavanKrishna. He tells his disciple Arjuna that heappears for the reestablishment of dharmawhen dharma declines. Remarkably, afterspeaking on dharma for 18 chapters, Krishnaparadoxically instructs Arjuna to abandonall kinds of dharma.

Pursuing the metaphor of a building wheredharma is the first building block thatensures a sustainable mode of living, weenter the next floor where attempts totranscend the material world take place.There we find a variety of processesdescribed in the Gita: karma-yoga, jnana-yoga,

astanga-yoga and buddhi-yoga. Each bringsequilibrium to the mind enabling one toovercome the binding forces of the threemodes. The forces of the lower modesdrag pure consciousness down to selfishmotives, impeding the execution ofoccupational duties. By Krishna’s teachings,Arjuna is obliged to perform his duty offighting, but pushed to raise hismotivation from fame and selfishenjoyment to pure devotion.

Inaction is not an option because livingentities intrinsically are active. However themotives for action are reformed throughyoga, so one ultimately reaches the thirdfloor of the building, the liberated statewhere selfless service takes place. This is theperfection of all the yoga systems. Krishnarecommends karma-yoga over jnana-yoga asthe better path for attaining this perfection.Throughout the Gita, Krishna hints thatthe practice of acting for his pleasure isideal. When the conversation betweenKrishna and Arjuna takes most intimateturns, Krishna stresses devotional service,bhakti-yoga, as the perfection of dharma.The Gita emphasizes following a teacher tolearn this topmost level of dharma.

Accepting this has an importantimplication: it doesn’t denote a specialactivity partitioned off from one’s life. Itcannot mean what it has come to mean inmodern times, namely an extra appendageto our ordinary activities. Bhakti-Yogaallows no separation between our spirituallife and our daily life. It demands fullcommitment. Therefore the Gita’s finalpoint is to abandon all other occupations.

Careful reading of the Gita guides us toKrishna’s ultimate intent: to abandon allother interests for the happiness of a lifeof devotion. In the Gita, the yoga is used103 times and bhakti 30 times. One mightwonder whether Bhakti-Yoga suggests areligious belief. To answer this we have toconsider what religion means now andthen. Traditionally, the religion meant, re-link, as it derives fromthe Latin re-ligare. Wediscover the meaningwas the same as yoga,ie. to link.

Sankirtana takesChinese students toholy places in [email protected]

Philosophy

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ANA FORREST, LEGENDARY YOGI AT THE PINNACLE OF HER CAREER,neatly summarized her personal history as well as her knowledgeof yoga into one fascinating and informative volume called FierceMedicine. Filled to its brim with Forrest yoga basic context,philosophy, asanas, and sequences, this book is essentially the“Bible” on all things Forrest.

Renowned as a top practitioner, teacher, healer, and MedicineWoman (from the Native American tradition), Forrest traced theroots of her style of yoga to exploring and uncovering self-knowledge and constantly asking the question, “Does this work forme?” If something did not work, she explored alternatives thatwere able to help both in her practice and in her life. But whatmakes her a powerful teacher and worked similarly for her bookwas her use of her own life lessons to demonstrate that thesepractices are effective.

Jam-packed with fascinating anecdotes about her time as a top-tierhorse trainer as well as historic context on those who influenced herboth on and off the mat, she provided inspiration by the boatloadto both readers and yoga practitioners alike. In fact, one of thestrengths of Fierce Medicine is it is not just about yoga, it is aboutlife. Many readers have picked it up and scoured it and becomeinterested in yoga as a result of this exposure. In this sense,Forrest’s book became a driver for those teetering on the brink of

checking out yoga to elect to become students of the discipline.Another factor in the spread of Fierce Medicine has beenthat Forrest took it with her around the world in 2011 and gracedstudents with reading excerpts.

Forrest, a regular visitor to Hong Kong, has taught teachertrainings and at yoga conferences there. Her workshops and readingin Hong Kong in November 2011 were totally congruent with herteachings and philosophy. It was quite apparent Forrest ‘walked thetalk.’ During packed sessions at Pure Yoga, she brought an array ofsequences that suited beginners as well as advanced practitionersand a wide variety of physical and emotional circumstances. Forrestwas very clear in both her book and in her workshops thatemotional conditions have a clear correlation in the body and toshift a mood or an outlook, yoga was a primary option. With her

history of addictions and epilepsy, she was living proof thatpursuit of a personal yoga practice can help to heal and shiftphysical and emotional chemistry. In Fierce Medicine, she advisedtracking the source of both physical and emotional pain. Withrespect to emotional pain, she wrote:

“Emotional pain can be harder to track. It can show up physicallybut not necessarily in the part of the body where you think itshould be. Treat pain as a barometer rather than as a reason to gointo victim mode. Go diving. Something like colitis might havebeen triggered as a habitual stress response to your SOB boss,drinking too much coffee (a common irritant that makes nervesmore raw and reactive), not getting enough sleep, or anycombination of causes.”

Her legendary attention to breath was evident in the Hong Kongworkshops and her book. One of her catchphrases, “Change yourbreath, change your life,” was quickly snatched up by the HongKong crowds. The studio in Kowloon became a giant lung infusedwith deep, slow inhales and powerful, controlled exhales. Shechallenged readers and class participants to become alert todestructive habits and behaviors as a first step to shifting them.Truth speaking, she explained, was an important way to shareinternal perspectives with oneself and others. She acknowledgedthis method of exploration was a very high mountain for herselfand others. But she noted it should not be underestimated as amethod to create change and improve one’s life.

Within Fierce Medicine, Forrest provided a series of exercises, suchas the Death Meditation, that are meant to assist in organization oflife priorities. Forrest recognized early on what most people findout only too late. Life is too precious to waste and to waste time isone of the most tragic of endeavors. She also included sequencesto help to resolve a wide array of physical and emotional problems.Her emphasis in her book on core work as essential to strengthenabs and lessen back pain recognized that by nature it would bechallenging and acknowledged eventually this part of the yogapractice would be incredibly rewarding. In each of her HongKong workshops, students reacted similarly to ab work.

In this book as in her workshops, Forrest recognized and exploredher own life and shared her learnings which were precious treasuresfor readers and students. Listening to Forrest read from her bookwas a powerful experience as well. Although working with her as ateacher was an awesome experience in Hong Kong, strengtheningone’s Forrest training with Fierce Medicine can be an equally viablechoice for those in search of alternative ways to make changes andshift out toxicity and unneeded behaviors from one’s own life.

Barbara, a Chicago-based yogi and banker,graduated from Mount Holyoke College andthe University of Chicago Booth School ofBusiness. Initially, her personal practice was a“weight-win” tool to tackle a serious weightproblem. Now, her daily time on the mat isused for celebrations and revelations that shecan weave into her life off the [email protected]

Workshop & Book Review

Life Lessons & Yoga Gifts from Rockstar Yogi: Ana ForrestBarbara Passy

Ana (second from left) with her Hong Kong teaching team at thebook signing for her book - Fierce Medicine

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Resolutions

THE NEW YEAR IS A WONDERFUL TIME TO

reflect on 2011 and to set our course for2012. If we reflect on our growth each year,re-anchor our intentions, it is very likely wewill live a happier and more fulfilling life.

Before writing down a “to do list” for thenew year, why not look back at the and seewhat we learned from it:

WHAT WERE THE PLEASANT OR UNPLEASANT

INCIDENCES THAT HAPPENED IN 2011?We tend to remember the pleasant,unpleasant, or the most recent occasions.But reflecting on both pleasant andunpleasant things reminds us joy is there,and that there are challenge in life. After youhave written down the two answers, thinkabout:

WHAT LESSONS DID I LEARN FROM 2011?Instead of dwelling in the details of whathappened, why it happened, how ithappened, why me? This question gives usan opportunity to take responsibility forour actions and to understand we have fullpower to create our possible future. Whenyou look back at the challenges you had in2011, you might notice they were actuallyteachings in disguise. Challenges stop us,invite us to step out of our comfort zoneand refine our way of doing things.Challenges stretch our limit and we end upbeing stronger than we ever thought wecould be. Some incidences teach you howto avoid certain actions, but if you lookdeeper at the challenges, and especially theway we react to the challenges, they actually

Setting Intentions for the New YSetting Intentions for the New YSetting Intentions for the New YSetting Intentions for the New YSetting Intentions for the New YearearearearearJanet Lau

intention directs our attention to the journey,

and goal directs our focus to the end

tell us more about ourselves, especially ourconditioned behavior.

Our conditioned behavior (you might call ityour personality) drives our thoughts,speech, and actions (most of the time)without awareness. When we are not awareof our habitual behavior, they sometimeslead to regrets later.

I challenge you to look deeper at yourconditioned behaviors and notice how it isshaping your life. Is your habitual behaviortaking you in the direction you want tohead to in your life? Or does it lead youastray? This is a good check point for youto re-route your path if you notice you arenot going where you want to go in life.

The more you are aware of your behavioralpatterns, the easier it is to control habitenergies rather to have your habit controlyou. So when you notice you are about tolose your patience (if that is your habitualpattern), you can stop, take a few breathes,and that gives you some space before youreact the way you always have. Yourawareness might come after you lost yourpatience, but eventually, you will be skillfulenough to catch your habitual behaviorbefore it arises. Now we move to anotherquestion to ourselves:

IN WHAT WAYS DID I GROW IN 2011?This question allows us to acknowledgeour strength, our power, and our wisdom.Perfectionists, espcially, tend to spend mostof our time “fixing” or “correcting”ourselves, “correcting” situations, correctingothers, we do not leave ourselves muchtime to acknowledge the good qualities inourselves. But the interesting thing about

self acknowledgement as opposed to selfcriticism is self acknowledgement makes usmore powerful, and self criticism makes ussmall and weak. We can only grow what wehave; we cannot grow what we do nothave. Instead of looking for what’smissing, try expanding what we alreadyhave. When our mind is in a morepowerful position, it is much for likely forthings to happen in the way we want themto be.

Now, after much reflection on the past year,we are ready to set our intention for 2012.Notice we use the word intention, insteadof goal. In case you want to understandthe difference between an intention and agoal, here is the dictionary definition:

Intention: purpose or attitude toward theeffect of one’s actions or conductGoal: the result or achievement towardwhich effort is directed; aim; end

The two are very similar, but an intentiondirects our attention to the journey, and thegoal directs our focus to the end. When wefocus on the goal, we tend to miss themeans to the end. If we are not mindfulwith the path we take, it is easy to becomelost in the way and not be able to make itto the goal.

The future is made of the present, so thebetter we live our present, the morebeautiful the future will be. A good practiceto remind yourself to be present is to askyourself from time to time: “what am Idoing?” Then take a few breaths, allowyourself to come back and focus on thetask at hand.

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So we would like to set intentions for 2012,rather than setting goals. Which means,when you write down your list, it shouldbe something workable, completely underyour control, rather than setting a goal inwhich you set the subconscious mind to bepassive and wait for results. The morespecific your intention, the more likely youwill be to accomplish it, and become closerto the goal. On the other hand, the moregeneral your intention is, the less likely youwill be able to achieve it. Another thing youneed to bear in mind is the intention needsto be realistic, not something that sets yourup for failure - it should be something youcan start right now, rather than waiting forother conditions to happen.

Here is an example of what not to do:1. I would like to be able to do headstandby the end of 2012.2. I would like to spend more time withmy family in 2012.

The first example focuses on the goal ratherthan the intention and it does not provideus any graspable action to the goal; it doesnot give us any specific to-do actions for usto walk towards the goal. So the firstintention would be more constructive as:

1. “I will practice headstandpreparations (whatever stage you areworking on) xxx days a week.” (ifyou do not know how to start theheadstand, then phase it in this way:I will ask my teacher to help mewith headstand and start practicingfor xxx days a week or take privatelesson xxx days a week.)

If you write your intention thisway, instantly, you can startwalking towards the goal andyou feel powerful and inspiredright away.

Now, let’s rewrite the second example:2. I will join my family for dim sum onSundays, and I will take my daughter toDisneyLand during the Chinese New Year.

Writing the intention this way is very easyto understand and apply, allowing us to seeour shift in action right away.

I hope these tips help you shape your newyear, allowing you to tap into your innerpower and strength.

I leave you with something from the

BhagavadGita: Do your duty withoutattaching to the fruits of the results. Doyour best but knowing there are manyuncontrollable variables to our future. Wecannot make ourfuture, but we cancreate our possiblefuture.

A committed studentof Buddhism and yoga,Janet teaches at PureYoga, Causeway Bay inHong Kong.

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35

Book Review

The only thing to do is to quite painfullyunmask – Chogyam Trungpa

IN THE WORDS OF THE LATE CHOGYAM

Trungpa, “walking the spiritual pathproperly is a very subtle process. It is notsomething to jump into naively. There arenumerous sidetracks which lead to adistorted, ego-centered version ofspirituality. We can deceive ourselves intothinking we are developing spiritually wheninstead we are strengthening ouregocentricity through spiritual techniques.This fundamental distortion may bereferred to as spiritual materialism.”

In short, when the ego takes over thespiritual search and gets strengthenedthrough spiritual practices, spiritualmaterialism is born.

This book is a record of lectures given byChogyam Trungpa in 1971-72 in Colorado.The book is valuable because it discussesways in which self-deception creeps in whenwe are looking in. The questions and

answers at the end of each chapter areuseful. Although the book discusses theBuddhist approach to spirituality, theproblems of spiritual materialism arecommon to all spiritual paths. Ego is ego,neither Buddhist nor Hindu nor Sufi!

The illusory ego is quite devious. It fears itsannihilation. More precisely, sincesomething that doesn’t really exist can’t beannihilated, ego fears dis-identification withitself, it fears the unmasking of its variousgames. Darth Vader does not want to beunmasked. Perhaps because he doesn’treally exist, he puts on quite a performancewhen one sits down to meditate or doesother spiritual practices. So the ego takesover the spiritual search. Ego can converteverything to its own use, even spirituality.Chogyam Trungpa points out the mainpoint of any spiritual practice is to step outof the bureaucracy of ego. This meansstepping out of ego’s constant desire for ahigher, more spiritual, more transcendentversion of knowledge, religion, virtue,judgment, comfort or whatever it is that

that particular ego is seeking. Our vastcollections of knowledge and experience arejust part of ego’s display, part of thegrandiose quality of ego. We display themto the world and, in so doing, reassureourselves that we exist, safe and secure, asspiritual people.

Trungpa also points out the need forhonesty when relating to a guru, our doctorwho wants to cure us of our illness. Hestresses the need to acknowledge the raw,rugged, clumsy, embarrassing and shockingqualities of one’s ego and to give up self-criticism and self-evaluation which are justaspects of the ego stemming from low selfconfidence and our inability to trustourselves. And he emphasizes the need togive up hopes, expectations, fears andmarch directly into disappointment, work

Cutting Through Spiritual MaterialismCutting Through Spiritual MaterialismCutting Through Spiritual MaterialismCutting Through Spiritual MaterialismCutting Through Spiritual Materialismby Chogyam TrungpaReviewed by Tia Sinha

We can deceive ourselves into thinking we are

developing spiritually when instead we are

strengthening our egocentricity

with disappointment, go into it and makeit our way of life, which is a very hard thingto do.

Without facing our neurotic patterns ofthinking, our turbulent emotions, ourstorytelling mind, our fantasizing mind, orour lower motives for practice such aswealth, fame, praise or self-improvement,how do we unmask? We have to see ourconfusion completely in order to seethrough it, to see the absurdity of DarthVader’s lies. Our hypocrisy is so dense andmulti-leveled that as soon as we removeone layer of our suit of armour, we findanother beneath it. The process ofdismantling, undoing, opening, giving up,is the real learning process. The only thingto do is to quite painfully unmask. And it’san operation without anesthesia. It’smayhem in there. It may take work, but thegood news is this edifice created by the egois nothing but a Tower of Babel, ridiculousnonsense. And it can be dismantledbecause the ego itself is a joker that doesn’treally exist.

If you want to do the painstaking work ofspotting and dissolving your owndelusions, breaking down your owndisturbing emotions, unraveling your ownconditioning, without which there can beno genuine spiritual path, this hard-hitting,no-nonsense book can be of some help.

Tia, who teachesHatha Yoga to thenuns of Dongyu GatsalLing, Himachal, has oflate been spendingmost of her time insolitary retreat at thenunnery.

Buddhist meditation master, the lateChogyam Trungpa

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Running

VAGUE MEMORIES OF MY YOUTH INSPIRED ME

to read Christopher McDougall’s “Born toRun”. As a teenager I had been a prettygood long distance runner, but had notdone much since then. Yoga has been mymainstay since my early 20s, and I’ve spentmany years doing asana on a daily basis toan, sometimes, intense level. I havewondered how a body with such trainingwould work with other activities. Still theemphasis for me in any yoga practice is onthe subtle development, and so as ascientist-anthropologist I am curious to seehow different activities work with or takeaway from the subtle development goingon inside.

The Hathapradipika, a key text on hathayoga, offers over-exertion as an obstacle togrowth in practice. Is there a way to doother activities, such as running, whileadding to the gross and subtledevelopment of the body and mind?

“Born to Run” does a great job at telling aninteresting story of the Tarahumara ofMexico who have honed their ability to runhundreds of miles without rest or injuryand explains the science and history ofhuman developement, with running aspart of our evolutionary course. Barefootrunning at that.

Only in the last 30 years have runningshoes had padded soles and mega sportscorporations and brand names arisen.

Before that shoes had no support andnative peoples ran without shoes. Theprinciples behind barefoot or minimalistrunning seems to echo those of a yogapractice: a stable upright posture with thecore engaged by pulling in the area at andbelow the navel, while allowing the arms tobe as free as possible. This is another wayof saying sthira sukham asanam, being thedefinition of asana - supported yet free. Though I am still carrying out thisexperiment with barefoot running, myinsight so far is yoga can work quite wellwith such an approach. Running in such away may help some people’s yoga practice. Ihave noticed over the years as many couples

came on retreat and to practice, many of themen would like go out running and prefera shorter asana routine. As I explore itfurther I instinctively find myself pickingout the appropriate asanas to counterrunning, to get back into the hips, pelvis,back and, of course, legs right after a run.

There was also an interesting line in thebook stating “don’t do yoga with yourrunning practice, it makes the body tooopen and then you get injured.” (Iparaphrase for want of finding the exactline in the book). I understood the pointbut ultimately couldn’t agree. If you doasana correctly it can have a gyrotonic effect,stabilizing muscles while allowing musclesand ligaments to lengthen. And in the caseof our psoas muscle, lengthening isstrengthening. Most long-term runnershave chronically-tight psoas, as well ashamstrings, closing off the body and ineffect making it weaker and morevulnerable to injury. A lifelong runner mayexperience this opening when first gettinginto yoga and feel this as pain.

If you approach asana as one approaches arace, with a competitive mindset, you aregoing to get injured. This is the otherelement of barefoot/minimalist runningthat appeals to me: it was not out to proveanything or win big prizes, but could stillbe super effective, compete with the best,and respect the body.

One of the main characters in the book,which is a completely true and personalstory, is Barefoot Ted McDonald. He is oneof the main proponents of barefootrunning in the US. So I gave him a call tofind out more about this art of running. Areally nice guy with whom I spoke for overan hour and a half. Towards the end Idiscovered his girlfriend, also a dedicatedrunner, is equally a committed Ashtangayogini. Suddenly it all started to make senseand the connection of “Yoga Barefoot andBarefoot Running” became clearlyestablished. What more was there for meto do but to arrange a joint retreat withBarefoot Ted to explore both running and

asana (July 7-14, 2012 at Samahita Retreat –Yoga Thailand)?

Christopher McDougall’s book “Born toRun” has been one of the most excitingand interesting books I have read in awhile. In it he also introduces ProfessorLieberman and his anthropological studieson the uniqueness of Homo Sapien as asuper long distance runner, surpassing evenour close rival the Neanderthal. The sciencepresented to support this evolutionaryrunning development is impressive. Andwhile we may not need to run super longdistances today for our actual survival, it isa popular pastime for many.

So from running, to asana, to sitting withbreath till there is just space, I see this as acontinuous line in our evolution ofrefining the body and its movements,while using our intelligence, to explore thesubtleties within. It seems the humanexperience is capable of spanning the rangeof, as I will dub it, “From Running toSitting”. Or better still, “Born to Run,Born to Breathe, Born to Sit”. How couldthese two not be connected - running andyoga? It’s just a matter of how much youdo and how you balance them out. That’swhat I hope we can explore more.

Paul is director ofSamahita Retreat, YogaThailand. www.yoga-thailand.com

BBBBBorn torn torn torn torn to Ro Ro Ro Ro Run, Bun, Bun, Bun, Bun, Born torn torn torn torn to Sito Sito Sito Sito SitPaul Dallaghan

the principles behind barefoot running echo

those of a yoga practice

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Recipe

SOUP IS BODY AND SOUL SATISFYING AND NEVER

more so than in winter. Making a greatsoup is pretty easy: liquid + vegetable +seasoning = delicious soup The liquidportion of the soup can be a homemadestock, stock made with a vegetarian bullioncube or simply water. The high starchvegetables such as potato, pumpkin andyam are perfect for creating rich, thick wintersoups. With the myriad of herbs andspices available the possibilities forseasoning soups is only limited by one’simagination.

POTATO & ROASTED GARLIC SOUPIngredients:3 lbs potatoes, peeled and diced1 lbs onions, halved and sliced½ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice1 liter vegetarian stockZest of two lemons, minced6 heads of garlic, roasted1 tablespoon fresh rosemary finely mincedWhite Pepper to tasteSea salt to taste

Method:Cut off the tops of the heads of garlic,place on a baking sheet, drizzle with oliveoil and bake for 45 minutes at 375 degrees.Remove from oven and cool.

In a medium saucepan fry the onions witha few tablespoons of olive oil until theyare cooked and starting to caramelize andbrown slightly.

Add the potatoes and the vegetarian stockto the saucepan and bring to a low boil.Cook till the potatoes are soft.Carefully puree the mixture in a blenderthen add the roast garlic, lemon zest,lemon juice, rosemary and salt and pepperto taste continue blending for a fewminutes. Garnish with adrizzle of extra virginolive oil or a dollop ofcrème fraiche and serve.

Moosa is the ExecutiveDirector of Life Cafe andDirector of Just GreenOrganic ConvenienceStores in Hong Kong

Simple VSimple VSimple VSimple VSimple Vegeegeegeegeegetttttarian Sarian Sarian Sarian Sarian Soupoupoupoupoups fs fs fs fs for Wor Wor Wor Wor WinininininttttterererererMoosa Al-Issa

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41

IN 1968, THE BEATLES TOOK A THREE-MONTH TRIP TO INDIA WHERE

they spent time in Rishikesh, India on the banks of the GangesRiver. They stayed at the ashram of Maharishi Mahesh, therenowned founder of Transcendental Meditation (TM). At theashram, the Beatles were able to seek refuge from the dark side oftheir uber popularity. This was at a point in their career when theycould hardly do anything in public without traveling in an armoredvehicle with a team of bodyguards.

Amidst the need for a sanctuary from their public life, anunderlying thirst for something greater than material success gavetheir trip to India a spiritual tone.

This was at time in which the whole world had their eyes on theBeatles. Almost everyone under 35 years of age wanted to be likeand do whatever the Beatles were doing. Suddenly, the Beatles weregoing to India to hang out at an ashram and learn yoga andmeditation from an Indian guru – totally far out and groovy. Thisact in and of itself was one of the greatest influences on thegrowth of yoga in the Western world.

This three-month period was the Beatles most productivesongwriting period ever, in which they wrote 58 songs. Infusedwith elements of Self–realization, cosmic unity, gratitude of theGuru’s grace and a hint of expanded reality psychadellia, their hit,Across the Universe is one of the songs which personifies the moodof their pilgrimage to India. Along with George Harrison’s MySweet Lord.

To the average listener, this song may not seem deeply spiritual orrich in yogic overtones. The chorus of the song “Nothing’s gonna

change my world” may easily be misunderstood as a negative hippyattitude of someone who is socially, spiritually andenvironmentally disengaged from the world with no hope ofmaking the world a better place.

Lyrics to the song are:Words are flowing out like endless rain into a paper cupThey slither while they pass, they slip away across the universePools of sorrow, waves of joy are drifting through my opened mindPossessing and caressing meJai Guru Dev OmNothing’s gonna change my worldImages of broken light which dance before me like a million eyesThey call me on and on across the universeThoughts meander like a restless wind inside a letterboxThey tumble blindly as they make their way across the universe

ChorusSounds of laughter, shades of lifeare ringing through my opened earsInciting and inviting meLimitless undying love which shinesaround me like a million sunsAnd calls me on and on across theuniverseChorus

What is actually being expressedin the chorus of the song is theexperience of realizing theeternal, non–changing nature ofthe Self. Atma Darshan is aSanskrit term for a moment

when an individual sees or experiences this eternal true Self. Oncethis occurs, the individual becomes established in the Self and noone or nothing can challenge or take away this newly-establishedawareness of core personality. Nothing can change this.

The chorus begins with “Jai Guru Dev, Om” which directlytranslates as: Victory Teacher God, this phrase is commonly usedwhen expressing gratitude for the grace of one’s teacher who showsthe way to the divine; by grace and synchronicity often in amiraculous way.

Om denotes the sound of all of creation and in this context, refersto witnessing the vibration of all sound, light, love, thought andenergy which pulsates throughout the Universe. The lyrics of thesong suggest certain actions are occurring which are personal as welluniversal, suggesting the awareness of a brilliant and psychedeliccosmic unity.

In conclusion, the song is hinting to the fact that our thoughts,actions and emotions (karmas) extend far beyond our immediatesense field. So, be mindful what every step you take. We reap whatwe sow.

Most importantly, Across the Universe suggests to have a strongsense of self will, do your practice so your peace of mind will notbe disturbed by what arises or disappears.

Music

Light on the Beatles, an insight into “Across the Universe”Clayton Horton

Continues on following page

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My Story

In the last shloka of the Yoga Taravali, Shankarcharya eloquentlydelivers his perspective of “Nothing’s gonna change my world”:

O mind! Engage your flow in Nivikalpa Samadhi, then thought-constructed virtues and faults will not becapable of touching me.I will not be affected by the pitcher shapedbreasts of beautiful women with eyes like thatof the black antelope, nor by whether I amconsidered to be respectable and proper, or alost idiot.Jai Guru Dev – OM.

Clayton is Director of Greenpath [email protected]

I BELIEVE EVERYONE HAS AT LEAST ONE BEAUTIFUL STORY TO SHARE.No matter who you are, where you’re from or how you werebrought up, everyone has an exquisite experience to share. It mightnot be of interest to everyone, but believe me, there is someoneout there who would find your story inspiring and that it couldeven change the person’s life.

A chapter of my life I want to share happened in April 2009. Anout of the blue inspiration, a supportive boyfriend and a leap offaith, we both created a masterpiece – Foodie Magazine. Our“baby” was launched three month’s later and has since become theonly freely distributed food magazine in Hong Kong. After acouple of months, the business was way harder than we predicted.

There were times we wanted to give up, yet we kept going becausewe believed we could make our dreams come true with ourpassion. In fact, we did it! A local media company invested in ourbusiness taking it to the next level.

When you want everything to be as perfect, sometimes life just

doesn’t work out the way you hope. Things fell apart and ourrelationship drifted apart. We separated and agreed to give away ourone-year-old baby. In a month, I lost two of the most meaningfulthings that once meant the world to me. Returning to being single

June (middle standing) with some friends from the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwantari Ashram in India

LLLLLooooossssst & Ft & Ft & Ft & Ft & FoundoundoundoundoundJune Chan

THE BEATLES, FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

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Tia’s Crossword

ACROSS1 Outwardly lazy, inwardly realized, thismonk who composed The Way of theBodhisattva was given the nicknameBhusuku (eat, sleep, defecate). (10)

5 Instead of compassion, his practice led topride in his siddhis, making him inflictviolence on a dakini. (7)

10 Vina playing prince who attainedMahasiddhi by contemplating the soundof his instrument. (6)

11 & 9 DOWN. Mahasiddha who grew ared horn while practicing. (4, 5)

12 A king who valued his pleasures andtreasures yet attained Mahasiddhi. (6)

DOWN1 Mahasiddha famous for his songs, ThreeCycles of Dohas and for his fondness ofradish curry. (6)

2 Banished by his daughters-in-law to agrass hut in the garden, an aged weaverwho practiced in secret, becoming aMahasiddha.

3 A Mahasiddha banished from hiskingdom for consorting with a woman oflow caste. (7)

4 Jumble ‘pur via’ to give a BengaliMahasiddha. (6)

5 Mahasiddha who wore just a blackblanket. (7)

6 Brilliant scholar who realized uponmeeting a hag that he was trapped byintellectual knowledge. He sought a realizedguru and underwent 12 labours or trials.His Six Yogas are legendary and stillpracticed by some Tibetan Buddhists. (6)

7 A poor man, who, cured of his fantasy tobecome wealthy, became a Mahasiddhathrough spiritual practice. (6)

8 Born of a lotus, this scholar of NalandaUniversity willingly plucked off his eye tohelp a cunning old hag. His Four HundredVerses are a philosophical masterpiece.

9 See 11 ACROSS

Solution on page 46

This crossword pays homage to a few of the 84 Mahasiddhas, or great spiritual adepts,whose fascinating stories continue to inspire us. Most of the information about the bookhas been culled from the book, Buddhist Masters of Enchantment, The Lives andLegends of the Mahasiddhas, translated by Keith Dowman and illustrated by Robert Beer.

and jobless, I’d never been that lost in mylife and so I wandered off to India tobegin my journey of soul searching whichled me to Sivananda Yoga VedantaDhanwantari Ashram.

Arriving on 1 October 2010, I signed upfor a two-week yoga vacation. This was mydebut voyage to India and also my firstexperience living in an ashram. Instead ofbeing over-excited, I expected this trip to bea typical holiday. From day one I treated itas therapy. I promised myself to learn to letgo and embrace whatever I’d encounter anddiscover in this new chapter of life.

My daily routine in the ashram was verystructured and simple. Every day, we prettymuch followed the same schedule. We gotup at 5:20 am and gathered at 6 am formorning satsang. Satsang consisted of silentmeditation, chanting and reading on yogaphilosophy. For the hour and half, Icompletely dedicated myself to it. Itquietened my chatters and unified mymind, body and soul through the silentmeditation and peaceful mantras. For therest of the day, it was compulsory that westay committed to our asana practice, yogalecture, karma yoga and evening satsang.

The daily meditation, prayers and chantinghelped me release hidden emotions ofsadness, anger and fear. I started to feel achange on my sixth day. As the days wentby, I learned to loosen up and understandeverything in life happens for a reason andto accept we can’t control everything. Yet,we’ve absolute control of whether we wantto live each day dwelling on the past or letgo and prepare for the better.

On the tenth day, I knew I’d completely letgo of past attachments I once thought Icouldn’t live without. Believe it or not,when one door closes, a window opens. Assoon as I gave room for myself to grow, Iopened up new opportunities in lifebeyond my comfort zone. My two-weekretreat guided me to find a new me.Changes in life are not at all nerve-rackingbecause I understand I’ve nothing to beafraid of losing. Every journey is a lessonto enrich your well-being.

Nowadays, whenever I doubt myself, Imeditate. Whenever I’m distracted by toomany voices from the outside world, I

mediate. At 26, I’ve learned to lose, acceptthe loss and embrace the found. What ismeant to be will be, so take it easy, listen toyour heart and things will eventually fallinto place. If you wondered whethereveryone who goes to an ashram comesback afresh, the answer awaits yourdiscovery. This is why everyone has aunique story to share.

June is a formerjournalist basedin Hong Kong.Currently, she’s takingsome time off toreconnect with herselfas well as pursue hernext goal in lifealongside yoga. [email protected]

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AGAMA YOGA SCHOOL& ANANDA WELLNESSRESORT42/4, Moo 8, Srithanu, KohPhangan, Surat Thani 84280,Thailands: Tantra, Kundalini,workshops, retreats,meditationl: Englisht: (66) 892 330 217e: [email protected]: www.agamayayoga.com

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ANAHATA YOGA18/F Lyndhurst Tower, 1Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, HongKongs: Hatha, Ashtanga, Yogatherapy, Yin and more. Groups& privatest: (852) 2905 1922e: [email protected]: www.anahatayoga.com.hk

Michel BesnardYogasanas: Hatha Vinyasal: Englisht: (852)2511 8892 / 9527 6691e: [email protected]

BODYWIZE YOGA &DAY SPAG/F & 2/F, 1 Wong Nai ChungRoad, Happy Valley, Hong Kongs: Private and group classes, Yogafor stress management, Coupleyoga, Tantra yoga for couple,Jivamukti, workshops, retreats,spa, wellness consulting, holistictherapy, nutritional advice.l: Englisht: (852) 2838 5686

e: [email protected]: www.bodywizeyoga.com.hk

Dario Calvarusod: Hong Kong, Bali, Thailand,Europes: Hatha, Vinyasa, Detox, YogaTherapy, Yoga for StressManagement, Partner Yoga,Tantra Yoga for couplesl: English, Italiant: (852) 9247 3938e: [email protected]: www.dariocalvaruso.com

Kathy CookRetreats, workshops, privatesd: Hong Kong, Bali &Thailands: Iyengar (Junior Intermediate 2)l: Englisht: (852) 6292 5440/(62) 811 387781e: [email protected]: www.yogawithkathy.com

Misa DerhyYoga teacher and life coach inDublin & worlwideClasses, retreats, workshopss: Hatha, Yinl: English, French, Czech,Spanisht: (353) 427 9117e: [email protected]: www.freehugyoga.com /fhytimes.com

FLEX1/F Regency Centre (Phase II),43 Wong Chuk Hang Road,Aberdeen, Hong Kongs: Hatha, Vinyasa, Yin Yang,Core Power Flow, Kids Yoga,Yoga for special needst: (852) 2813 2212f: (852) 2813 2281e: [email protected]: www.flexhk.com

IYENGAR YOGACENTRE INDONESIARuko Simprug Gallery

Jl. Teuku Nyak Arif No 10WJakarta 12220, Indonesias: Iyengart:(62) 21 739 6904e:[email protected]: www.iyengaryogaindonesia.com

IYENGAR YOGACENTRE OF HONGKONGRoom 406 New Victory House,93- 103 Wing Lok St., SheungWan, Hong Kongs: Iyengart: (852) 2541 0401e: [email protected]: www.iyengaryogahongkong.com

IYENGAR YOGACENTRE SINGAPORE149B Neil RoadSingapore 088875s: Iyengart:(65) 9052 3102 & 6220 4048e:[email protected]: iyengaryogasingapore.com

KUNDALINI YOGA @SOL WELLNESS16/F Tin On Sing CommercialBuilding, 41-43 Graham St,Central, Hong Kongs: Kundalini Yoga, Detox, Raw& Living Food Nutrition,Holographic Health Scan,Ultrasonic Acupuncture,Corporate Wellness, Children’sHealth, Body treatments,Homeopathy, Counselling,Kinesiologyt: (852) 2581 9699e: [email protected]: www.sol-wellness.com

Ming LeePrivates, workshopss: Iyengar Certified teacherl: English, Cantonese,Putonghuat: (852) 9188 1277e: [email protected]

LIFE MANAGEMENTYOGA CENTRE HKNon-profit Classical Yoga Schoold: Tsim Sha Tsuis: Patanjali yoga, Kids yoga,Seniors yoga, Corporatesl: English, Cantoneset: (852) 2191 9651t: (852) 6349 0639 (Chinese)e: [email protected]: www.yoga.org.hk

Ursula MoserThe Iyengar Yoga Centre ofHong Kong, Yoga Central, LRCd: Centrals: Iyengar Certified (JuniorIntermediate I)l: Englisht: (852) 2918 1798 / 9456 2149e: [email protected]

Anna NgPrivatesd: Hong Kongs: Hatha yogal: Cantoneset: (852) 9483 1167e: [email protected]

PURE YOGAHong Kong16/F The Centrium, 60Wyndham Streett: (852) 2971 005525/F Soundwill Plaza, 38 RussellSt, Causeway Bayt: (852) 2970 229914/F Peninsula Office Tower, 18Middle Road, Tsim Sha Tsui,Kowloont: (852) 8129 8800

Yoga Teachers & Studios

NAMASKAR LISTING AND DISPLAY ADVERTISING RATES FOR 2012 (IN HK DOLLARS)Outside back cover $21,000 210 mm x 297 mmInside front cover $2,800 210 mm x 297 mmInside back cover $2,300 210 mm x 297 mmFull page $1,800 210 mm x 297 mm1/2 page $1,050 188 mm x 137.5 mm horizontal / 90 mm x 275 mm vertical1/4 page $580 90 mm x 137.5 mm1/8 page $370 90 mm x 63 mmTeacher listing $530 (January - October 2012)Studio listing $1,050 (January - October 2012)

Advertisements should be submitted as high resolution (300 dpi) tif files (no pdf or ai files please).Advertising fees are payable in Hong Kong dollars only to: Namaskar c/o Carol Adams, 1/F 46 Leung FaiTing Lower Road, Clearwater Bay, Hong KongFor more information contact Carol on (852) 9137 9992 /[email protected] or Frances (852) 9460 1967/ [email protected]

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SPACE YOGA26 / F, 27 An-Ho Road, Section1, Taipei 106, Taiwans: Hatha, Ashtanga, AnusaraInspired, Flow, Yin, Restorative,Power, Hot, Meditation,Pranayama, Virya Sadhana, andYoga Dancel: English, Mandarint: (886) 2 2773.8108e: [email protected]: www.withinspace.com

THE BREATHING ROOM42A Joo Chiat Place,Singapore 427766s: Prenatal, Vinyasa, Yin, Kids,and AromaYoga.t: (65) 8112 5827e: [email protected]: www.sacredfunk.com

THE YOGA ROOM3 & 4/F Xiu Ping CommercialBld, 104 Jervois St, Sheung Wan,Hong Kongs:Hatha, Ashtanga, Yin, YinYang, Hota, Vinyasa, Asana &Pranayama, Yoga Therapy, Pilate,Pre- & Post-natal, Mom & Baby,Yoga Kids, Belly dance & moret: (852) 2544 8398e: [email protected]: www.yogaroomhk.com

TRUE YOGASingapore9 Scotts Road, Level 4, PacificPlaza, Singapore 228210t: (65) 6733 9555

10 Collyer Quay, Level 4, OceanFinancial Centre, Singapore049315t: (65) 6536 3390

Taiwan563 Chung Hsiao East Road,Section 4, 1st & 2nd floorTaipei, Taiwant :(886) 22764 8888

No. 337 Nanking East RoadSection 3, 9th & 10th FloorTaipei, Taiwant: (886) 22716 1234

s: Hatha, Power, Ashtanga,Vinyasa, Yin, Gentle, Flow, YogaDance, Pre-natale: [email protected]: www.trueyoga.com.sg /www.trueyoga.com.tw

Wai-Ling TseFreelance, Privates and Groupsd: Hong Kongs: Sivananda certified, Hatha,Svastha Yoga, Power, Hot, Yin,Pranayama and Meditationl: English, Cantoneset: (852) 9465 6461e: [email protected]

CROSSWORD SOLUTIONACROSS1 Shantideva, 2 Kanhapa, 3 Vinapa, 4 Naga, 10 Lilapa

DOWN1 Saraha, 2 Tantipa, 3 Dombipa, 4 Virupa, 5 Kambala, 6 Naropa,7 Acinta, 8 Aryadeva, 9 Bodhi

To list your details here for the three remaining issues of 2012(April, June & October), please contact Frances [email protected] cost is HK$530 for individual teacher & HK$1,050 for studio.

9/F Langham Place OfficeTower, 8 Argyle Street, Kowloont: (852) 3691 36914/F Lincoln House, TaiKooPlace, 979 King’s Road, QuarryBayt: (852) 8129 1188

Singapore391A Orchard Road, #18-00Ngee Ann City Tower At: (65) 6733 886330 Raffles Place, 04-00 ChevronHouset: (65) 6304 2257

Taiwan151 Chung Hsiao East Road, Sec4, Taipeit: (886) 02 8161 7888Jenny RockowitzGroup and privates at Flexd: Wong Chuk Hangs:Yin Yang, Vinyasa, Hathal: Englishe: [email protected]: www.flexhk.com

Jenny Smiths:Children’s Yoga teacher: HathaRYT200 & Radiant Child YogaProgram (RCYP) Facilitator-Kundalinil: Englisht: +852 6973 1792e: [email protected]: www.geckoyoga.com

SHAKTI HEALINGCIRCLE3/F 34 Wyndham Street, Central,Hong Kongs: Kundalini, Qigong, GuidedKundalini meditation, Yoga forbeginners, Restorativet: (852) 2521 5099e: [email protected]: www.shaktihealingcircle.com

YOGA CENTRAL4/F Kai Kwong House, 13Wyndham St, Hong Kongs: Hatha/Iyengar clases, yogateacher training workshops,private group classes, corporatehealth programs.t: (852) 2982 4308e: [email protected]: www.yogacentral.com.hk

YOGA on CAINE ROAD@ COSMO KIDS1/F Jadestone Court, 138 CaineRoad, Mid-Levels, Hong Kongs: Kids, Privates, Meditation &healing, studio rentalt: (852) 2915 8138e: [email protected]: www.cosmokids.nets

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Documents

Namskar Jan 2012