MYM Winter 2013 by Annette Gonzalez

MIAMIYOGA

miamiyogamagazine.com

Healthy Eats

Jugo Fresh Review, Lifefood Gourmet Review, Recipe by Susan Duprey

winter 2013

Teacher Feature

Jivamukti’s Dawn B. Feinberg

Asana Q&A

Tim Feldmann explains Chaturanga

Find the Best Yoga Mat Product Review

Studio Feature Red Pearl Yoga

Without Pain THERE IS NO YOGA

Ashtanga Level 2 Authorized, Greg Nardi

Paul Toliuszis: The Non=Dual “I”

miami life center 736 sixth street, miami beach, ďŹ&#x201A; 33139 305.534.8988 miamilifecenter.com

miami life center 736 6th Street, Miami Beach, Fl 33139 miamilifecenter.com 305.534.8988

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS

January 2 - 23, 2013 Four Week Wednesday Intro to Yoga Course with Patrick Nolan January 4 - 6, 2013 Ashtanga Workshop with Tim Feldmann January 6 - 27, 2013 Four Week Sundays Intro to Yoga Course with Alexandra Santos January 10, 2013 One Day Intro to Yoga with Kino MacGregor January 22, 2013 The Daily Life of a Yogi with Dr. JE Williams & Alexandra Santos January 5 - 27, 2013 Manifest Abundance Series with Dr. Ollga Belova February 3 - 8, 2013 One Week Workshop with Daylene Christensen February 8 - 10, 2013 Ashtanga Yoga Weekend with David Robson March 6, 2013 Miami Life Center Teacher Training Info Session May 1 - October 16, 2013 Miami Life Center Teacher Tranining May 3 - 5, 2013 Yoga Philosophy Weekend with Kino MacGregor May 24 - 26, 2013 Ashtanga Yoga Weekend with Tim Miller June 21 - 23, 2013 Miami Life Center Teacher Training Ashtanga Yoga Weekend with Angelique Sandas August 30 - September 1, 2013 Ashtanga Yoga Weekend with Mark Robberds November 8 - 10, 2013 Ashtanga Yoga Weekend with Eddie Stern 1

MIAMIYOGA miamiyogamagazine.com

Editor in Chief Kino MacGregor

3 4 6

Letter from the Editor

Studio Feature Red Pearl Yoga

Unity Through Yoga Creating Community at the South Florida Yoga Aid World Challenge

The Non-Dual â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;?: A Yoga Philosophy Discussion

Healthy Eats Jugo Fresh Restaurant Review

Healthy Eats Lifefood Gourmet Restaurant Review

Healthy Eats Tabouleh Recipe

Tayler Alexis Smith info@miamiyogamagazine.com

Healthy Eats 6th Street Guide

Editorial comments/questions

Teacher Feature Dawn B. Yoga

Without Pain there is No Yoga

Asana Q&A Where should my shoulders be in chaturanga?

29 33 34 35

The Photo Session

Asst. Editor/Layout Design/Art Direction Annette Gonzalez

Editorial Contributors Kino MacGregor Olga Antoncik Susan Duprey Tim Feldmann Greg Nardi Allie Newman Lisa Ogletree Angelique Sandas Tayler Alexis Smith Marisol Tamez Paul Toliuszis

Photo Contributors John Miller | eyecbeauty.com Kristie Kahns | kristiekahns.com

Advertising contacts

305-534-0000 info@miamiyogamagazine.com

Cover: Dawn Feinberg Photography: John Miller Miami, FL.

Contents Your Sadness is Your Joy Product Review Four Yoga Mats

The Yogi Tips Healing through Yoga Studio Sponsors

MIAMIYOGA miamiyogamagazine.com

Dear Miami Yoga Magazine Readers, Thank you for contributing to our mission to share the yoga practice, the most respected yoga teachers, the best yoga centers, new yoga products and healthy living venues in the South Florida area. Through our print publication, our online eedition and our social media platform we provide a forum that unites the large and diverse body of all styles of yoga practitioners in the South Florida area. January 2013 marks the third issue of the Miami Yoga Magazine and we could not have done it without your continued support. We are always looking for new contributors, photographers, writers and yoga teachers to be a part of our growing staff so please reach out to us if you are inspired to join our team. As January marks the turn of the year it is also a time for renewal and reflection. Looking back on 2012 this is the perfect time to see what you have accomplished and learned. Take ten minutes to look back at the last year and see how much you have grown. Even if you have made mistakes, practice seeing the strides you have taken in a compassionate and supportive light. A constructive view of the past also paves the way for you to set clear intentions for 2013. Grab a sheet of paper and write down ten clearly stated intentions for what you would like to see come to fruition in 2013. Be sure to distribute your ten intentions in a balanced way between personal dreams, business goals and lifestyle changes. Life eventually changes even if you do not play an active role in that evolution. However, growth that is both conscious and intentional has the power to exponentially alter the trajectory of your path. My teacher, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, always said that anything was possible through the power of yoga. With regular yoga practice the mind becomes calm and focused, the heart remains open and strong and the body is healthy and flexible. Use the heightened faculties of the yogiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mind to accomplish your biggest dreams.

Om Shantih.

Kino MacGregor Miami Yoga Magazine Founder, Editor

Your Sadness is Your Joy Kino MacGregor

The darkness is the light itselt, not a pathway that leads to the light, but the essence of the light itself.

he beautiful postures of yoga are not an end in and of themselves. The real teaching of the path of yoga uses asana as a way to get perspective on deeper life patterns. Like a ladder that you climb to lift you out of the emotional mess of your life the practice of asana gives you a much needed clear view. Instead of sitting in the midst of cycles of suffering without seeing a clear way out when you practice yoga you gain both the power of clear perception and a microscope to magnify your issues. It is that view, that broadened perspective of the ups and downs of your life, of the suffering and the joy, and of the failures and the successes that makes asana meaningful. In the Western world we often orchestrate our lives to hide our weakness and to make the sadness or pain go away. In doing so we place ourselves in a balancing act between attachment and aversion. When we experience pain there is a natural tendency to experience aversion. We run from the pain and hide it from ourselves and others. We do our best to assure that we never experience it again by trying to control inevitably uncontrollable circumstances. When we experience pleasure there is a natural attraction to want more. If you meet a person who pays you many compliments it is easy to like that person and want to spend more time with them. But this balancing act between attachment and aversion is the fuel for the cycle of suffering that yoga seeks to heal. If you are always running towards hope and running from fear, holding onto to love and firing up hate, praying for angels and fighting demons then you are caught in the wheel of conditioned existence. All your actions will be fueled by one of these fundamental urges and you will spend your entire life running, like a hamster in cage. Yoga offers a way out of the cycle through a transcendent view of pleasure and pain.

..this balancing act between attachment and aversion is the fuel for the cycle of suffering that yoga seeks to heal. If you walk the middle way with a balanced mind through the battlefield of your negative patterns you emerge victorious and unharmed. The clear view will lead you to an experience of life that is free from the suffering associated with the endless fluctuations between the duality of good and evil. It is not just that the sadness leads to joy in the yoga practice, but that the sadness actually is the joy. In this world there is no light without darkness and in fact there is no separation between the two

when viewed from the highest perspective possible. The darkness is the light itself, not a pathway that leads to the light, but the essence of the light itself. This is the unity that the yogi must contain with the higher mind. Only then can the practitioner of yoga be truly calm in the face of opposites. To repeat tritely that all is one is easy, but to embrace your own sadness, fear and anger right right beside your beauty, happiness and joy is the test of the true yogi. No matter how dark the darkness seems, nor how overwhelming the sense of sadness feels the yogi will always remember that it is the same emanation of soul. The brilliance of the mind is its ability to contain everything within its limitless field. The depth and power of your emotions is a reflection of the depth and power of your spirit--it does not matter whether what you feel is intensity of joy or intensity of pain, it is all the same basic seed. Accepting both your good and bad qualities as essential aspects of your being allows you to accept yourself totally and relax in your own skin. When you find your freedom from the vacillation between these opposing forces you will find lasting peace. In the physical yoga practice it is important to remember to find the balance of opposing forces in every posture and movement. There is no inward rotation without a counter-balancing outward force. There is no strength without softness just as there is no happiness without sadness. Every posture contains this tightrope walk across the abyss of human emotions. When you reach your arm forward and up along the inner edge you always also reach back and down along the outer. Finding this experience in asana practice leads to the physical experience of energy flow along the subtle body. The road to personal discovery is long and filled with many trials. Like a mountain trek through a dangerous and fantastical new land, it is filled with heroes and villains, rain and sunshine, pleasure and pain. It is filled with the ordinary joys of daily life and the extraordinary bliss of a divine world. It is also filled with casual suffering and excruciating pain and loss. You cannot buy yourself an easy passage. There is no helicopter that can drop you off at the final destination. The only way to get there is to walk every step over the easy path, every step over the abyss, and every step through rainbows, brilliance, hurricanes and snowstorms with balance, clarity and faith. Kino MacGregor is an international yoga teacher, author of two books, producer of six Ashtanga Yoga DVDs, writer, vlogger, world traveler, cofounder of Miami Life Center (miamilifecenter. com) and founder of Miami Yoga Magazine. kinoyoga.com 5

product review : four yoga mats

How do you like your mat?

by Angelique Sandas Angelique Sandas is an Authorized Ashtanga Yoga teacher and life long student of movement and the interconnectedness of mind body and spirit. She has a B.A, in dance from the University of Minnesota, yoga certification first from Paul Dallaghan in Thailand where she studied pranayama and philosophy with Sri O.P. Tiwari of the Kaivalyadhama Institute, India. She has studied Ashtanga Yoga under Kino MacGregor, Tim Feldmann and Greg Nardi at Miami Life Center, taught in Chicago, Miami Beach, and now in Philadelphia, PA. She studied with the Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, and continues her training with his grandson, Sri R. Sharath Jois, in Mysore, India. Angelique will be teaching a weekend workshop at Miami Life Center June 21 - 23, 2013 as part of the Miami LIfe Center Teacher Training program. angeliqueyoga.com

When I first started practicing yoga there was really only one type of yoga mat out there. At the time, a matâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s features such as its thickness, texture, materials, etc. were not available in varying options. Additionally, the only available color options were purple, green or blue. Today, the yoga culture and industry has expanded and a plethora of options are available to the practicing yogi. Not only are more classes accessible, but there is an immense amount of retail available to compliment the yogi including the once limited yoga mat. Walk into any yoga class and you will have a hard time finding any two mats that are exactly the same. Practitioners select their mats based on a range of different preferences such as the style of yoga being practiced, mat aesthetics and/or features to name a few. I am a creature of habit, so I tend to find something that works and stick to it. I have been using the same type of yoga mat for years. Although, lately I have decided to explore other options and do a little comparison myself. Having chosen one mat per-week for four weeks, I assessed my experience based on some fundamental characteristics: cost, stickiness, attractiveness, etc. Maybe among these four, you will find your mat match.

Jade Elite Mat The JADE ELITE MAT is a serious yoga mat. The mat is thick, heavy, and dense, but with moderate cushion and give; available in the industrial silver / black color and sized in varying lengths and widths; fabricated in the same eco friendly materials and consciousness as all Jade products. The surface is rough and fabric-like with a lot of resistance. It took a few practices to get used to the stickiness of the mat. In fact, I tripped a few times as my feet got caught when I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t expecting. The grip endured through quite a bit of sweat, but because the surface did not absorb moisture, the mat eventurally became a little slippery. In general, this is a heavy-duty mat that will certainly maintain durability through intense practices. PROS: sticky, eco consciousness â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Jade plants a tree for every mat purchase! CONS: only one color option, heavy

Kino Yoga Pro Mat The KINO YOGA PRO MAT is a great daily practice mat. It is dense with a relatively smooth rubbery textured surface along with durability that can withstand heavy practice. It is not incredibly thick, so while supportive, there is not a lot of cushion, but the thinness makes the dense material light and easy to travel with. The surface allows some slippage especially before it is broken-in a bit and during intense sweat pours, but excellent for dry hands and feet-great grab! It comes in standard black and an array of bright and rich colors like wine, lime, teal, and hot pink. With these attractive color options and a mid-range price, the Kino Pro Mat balances carry-ability with durability, making it a very accessible and functional option. PROS: durability, moderate weight CONS: slippery when wet, not a lot of cushion

Manduka Black Mat Pro The first thing I noticed about the MANDUKA BLACK MAT PRO is its heaviness. This heavy mat is the one you keep at home or at the studio, but not the mat you carry to and from on foot or on bike. On the plus side, its incredible durability (it makes me think of a rubber tire) comes with a lifetime guarantee which explains why Manduka products like this MatPro are expensive. It is thick, dense, sturdy, and firm. The surface is rubbery and relatively smooth with some subtle textures. While the first few uses are pretty slick, it does develop secure grip with time, particularly with dry hands and feet. The surface of the mat does not allow moisture to be absorbed which is great for cleanliness and sustainability but even a little sweating had me slipping enough to reach for my towel. PROS: lifetime guarantee, durability. CONS: heavy, slippery when wet.

Kino Yoga Karma Mat The KINO YOGA KARMA MAT is soft and pretty. The mat has on one side a pretty swirly textured design and a less feminine pattern on the other in a beach-y blue / dark blue and orange / grey color combinations. It is thick, soft and almost velvety to the touch and the airiness of the material made it pretty light to carry. Surprisingly sticky when practicing, the grip took some getting used to, as did the soft squishy give. The retail cost is on the low-end, so the cost and its general attractiveness would make it a great first mat. I wonder how durable it is in the long-term? Could it withstand a regular intense practice? This is the mat I would go to when I need a gentle, feel good practice. PROS: affordable, pretty CONS: only two color options, moderate durability

studio feature: Red Pearl Yoga Red Pearl Yoga Studio 918 NE 20th Ave Ft. Lauderdale, FL33304 954-828-1651 redpearlyoga.com Karen Gavrilov

by Allie Newman

For ten years, Red Pearl Yoga has offered its hundreds of loyal students a creative and nurturing environment to develop their yoga practices. Located in East Fort Lauderdale, Red Pearl is situated upstairs on a newly revitalized neighborhood street in window filled space, which allows for picturesque Middle River views and sea breezes. Whether practicing in the intimate “red room” or the vibrant “blue room”, incense and candles, along with large-scale one-of-a-kind paintings by local artists allow you to dive deeper into your spiritual practice and become one with this truly special space. Founder/Director Karen Gavrilov brings her extensive design background to the table, constantly updating and rearranging the décor of the studio to create an atmosphere that feels welcoming and vibrant. Ten years ago, Karen sought to create a sacred and safe space for students to grow their practice and that is exactly what she did. With an open heart and lots of integrity, Karen remains actively involved in the operation of the studio and you can often see her smiling from the desk as students walk through the front door, or even next to you on the mat breathing through her own practice.

Dedicated students return day after day not only for the distinctive surroundings, but also for the talented group of individuals who comprise the RPY staff. Each teacher brings a uniqueness to their teachings through music, spiritual readings, and dynamic energy. Students are invited to choose from a wide range of classeswhere they can explore a more vivid and physical practice, or on the other end can dive in to something a little bit slower and more internal. Each teacher is insured and qualified to lead a class for most levels- just be sure to notify them before class of any injuries or limitations that you may be working through. Red Pearl offers a wide range of styles of yoga to choose from, including guided Ashtanga Full Primary, Vinyasa, Gentle Yoga, Prenatal, and even something for the kids! Every Tuesday at 4:30 P.M. drop the kids off with the Om-azing Cookie where mini yogis and yoginis can navigate the sometimes challenging years of their childhood with some internal guidance and a lot of fun. In the meantime, moms and dads can tone their tummies in core power hour, and by the time 5:30 rolls around, everybody is content and blessed out! Additionally, RPY offers a free weekly yoga class geared toward war veterans and their families. Led by the outstanding David Frankel, “Connected Warriors” allows veterans an hour-long practice that is largely focused around breathing techniques. The feedback from the vets affirms that they experience a renewed sense of calm within themselves and are often better able to sleep at night. This class is free to veterans and their families, and takes place every Thursday at three in the afternoon. Also offered are three weekly By-Donation classes that include Gentle Yoga, Vinyasa, and also a P90X style class called Fit Club to encourage everyone to work toward their optimal state of fitness. Red Pearl sponsors a special event on the first Sunday of each month, rain or shine, at the historic Bates Garden Clubhouse at Hugh Taylor Birch State Park. “Sanctuary and Sound” includes a 90 minute multi-level vinyasa class taught by some of South Florida’s best Instructors, accompanied by live music with Sapopaz and guest musicians. The venue is indoors with vaulted ceilings and verdant charm. Make sure to stay after class to enjoy a delicious vegetarian meal where you can explore the beautiful scenery and get to know some local yogis. For those who wish to dive deeper into their yoga practice, Red Pearl offers 200 and 500 hour Teacher Trainings through Aananda Yoga Inc. Trainees receive guidance from some of the most reputable teachers from around the community in areas such as Sanskrit, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Anatomy, Meditation, and posture/ adjustment clinics for various styles of yoga. Trainings are offered either on

weekdays or weekends to allow for flexible scheduling for the trainees’ busy lives. Over the years, Red Pearl has hosted workshops with some of the best teachers from around the globe and around the corner. To name a few: David Williams, Doug Keller, Jordan Bloom, Samantha Beers, Doug Swenson, Mitchell Blier, Bryan Kest, Marlysa Sullivan, David Keil, Tim Feldman and Kino MacGregor. Check out their online events page for upcoming events. After a sweaty, juicy yoga class, what better way to completely let go than with a massage in the Lotus Pad. You have the option to choose from a number of licensed massage therapists who offer a wide variety of body work from a traditional table massage, to Thai body work, to Reiki energy healing. Visit Red Pearl’s website to find out more about the individual therapists and the yummy healing techniques each can offer. Red Pearl Yoga is always happy to serve those who serve the community, offering discounted class rates for public school teachers, veterans, full-time students, law enforcement, and yoga teachers. Additionally, first-time students who are local residents pay only five dollars for their first class! After class stroll onto the friendly shop filled 20th avenue and mix up some essential oils at Tree of India, brew a cup of custom blended tea at Eat the Tea or, shop for gourmet groceries and cookbooks at Red Pearl’s new sister venture, Thousand Pound Egg. Allie Newman teaches yoga at Red Pearl Yoga. She is certified through the Aananda Yoga teacher training program at Red Pearl under the guidance of Lisa Pumper, Surrendran Panderran amd Joy Kochmer. Allie started practicing yoga in 2004. Allie graudated in 2010 with a B.A. in English from Florida State University. Her complete bio and teaching schedule is available at redpearlyoga.com. 9

unity through yoga: Creating Community at the South Florida Yoga Aid World Challenge

The Yoga Aid World Challenge is not just a physical practice, rather it is the very act of volunteering oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time and resources to raise funds for a cause which serves our youth. The Yoga Aid World Challenge is an opportunity to give selflessly. 10

by Marisol Tamez It was a sea of colored yoga mats on the rooftop of 1111 Lincoln Roadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s parking complex. Some came to celebrate in lighthearted play, while others came to get in their zone and find real inspiration. Perhaps some came simply for the physical challenge, an intense practice that was sure to leave the participant with a sense of pride and completion. While the motivations and experiences were diverse in nature, the glue that bonded the over 500 brave hearts who committed to the practice was that during those moments everyone caught a glimpse of the power of purposeful action. The powerful energy of community is created when groups of people unite with a common interest, belief or intention. This union gives its members not only a sense of belonging and support, but also ofconnection and purpose. On September 9th, 2012, the South Florida community came together for theYoga Aid World Challenge to complete 108 sun salutations as part of a global initiative occurring in over 200 cities to raise funds for

various yoga charities across the globe. Yoga Aid raised funds for Yoga Gangsters, a local non-profit organization that provides free yoga programming to youth at-risk and in-crisis in South Florida’s inner city communities. Since last year’s Yoga Aid, over 1,200 youth had received the gift of yoga and it was time to make the magic happen once again. The Yoga Aid World Challenge is not just a physical practice, rather the very act of volunteering one’s time and resources to raise funds for a cause which serves our youth as an opportunity to give selflessly. Many discovered for the first time what it felt like to step out of their comfort zone and fundraise for charity. The courageous effort to reach out to friends and family for a cause you believe in, not only benefits the organization itself, but also shines light onto the gracious beauty that is karma yoga.

much to be done, our community has proven there are many who are ready to give. Could the very concept that our community is uniting for service further motivate us to join the movement? Whether consciously or unconsciously, we are always seeking to belong, to make a difference in someone’s life, to matter. As my teacher Terri Cooper says, “Connection is the Cure”. Perhaps all we need is to feel that we are part of something bigger than us.

“Like gravity, karma is so basic we often don’t even notice it.” Sakyong Mipham Many of the world’s religions and philosophies remind us that whatever we give, we inevitably receive. The gifts we receive back may appear in many forms. We may be blessed with financial abundance, career opportunities, more fulfilling relationships and increased moments of joy and completeness. We may also notice a shift in our lives, as things seem to effortlessly occur the way we desire. Through Karma Yoga, I have found that by taking positive action, we create a magnetic energy around ourselves that allows us to manifest the life of our dreams. Synchronistic events begin to occur for our advantage and others suddenly want to help us achieve our goals. The collective efforts of our South Florida Yoga Aidcommunity resulted in over $67,000, a majority of the total $91,000 raised across the US. With these funds, Yoga Gangsters will now be able to reach more youth at-risk and in-crisis and also expand its programming to begin establishing chapters in new areas. The South Florida community raised more funds than any other Yoga Aid event in the nation. The 2008 U.S. census revealed that some 30% of Miami-Dade County youth live in poverty. And in the City of Miami, the poverty level is 42.1%, making Miami the poorest large city in the United States. While these statistics remind me there is 11

The Non-Dual “I”:

A Discussion on Yoga Philosophy

by Paul Toliuszis

oga means union or oneness. The goal of yoga is to understand how everything is the same. In sanskrit the word for sameness is “sama”, as in samastitihi or samadhi. To realize how everything is the same and know experientially “my” true nature as that sameness, to know “oneness without a second” would be the study of yoga or non-duality. In traditional yoga non-duality is called advaita vedanta (the non-dual end of the vedas.) Another term synonymous with oneness, yoga, advaita and non-duality would be jnana yoga. Jnana yoga is the constant awareness of discriminating Reality (What Is) from non-reality (thoughts, beliefs, concepts, theories, ideas). The knowing of “my” self right now as oneness would also define what is called spiritual awakening, self-realization, samadhi, nirvana, or enlightenment.

In that moment when we stop thinking, how would you describe the awareness or consciousness? It’s indescribable. But since we are working with words here lets give it a try! Some words we might say are spacious, present, alive, impersonal, aware, timeless, silent, still, infinite, unconditional or field. Stop again and see if you can sense the characteristics of this space. Prior to thought, appearing right now, not bound by time and space. Now, another word we may use for describing what this moment feels like is ME! Its what I am. It’s what I am made of. It’s what I have always known myself to be. Do you agree? Did we have to “look deep” to do this? No. Did this take a long time to learn how to do? Obviously not. Has this spacious, timeless, awareness that I know to be me ever been hidden or obscured? No. It’s always been there, exactly the same, clearly known as what I am.

But it sure does seem like we are separate! If I look around, examples of separation appear everywhere. There’s me here and you over there. We are told that there are 7 billion different people on the planet, each one a unique individual. As I look around the room, it’s easy to see even more separation. There’s me here and the rug over there. The rug is also separate and different from the plant. The plant is obviously not the same as the walls. The walls are different and separate from the TV and so on. Then there’s the big feeling of separation, separation from God. If God is perfect, eternal, infinite love, then clearly that is different from the way I sometimes feel. It’s so obvious to perceive separation everywhere. This is the nature of duality. This is what most of us call the real world. This is what most people refer to as reality or being human.

So while this certainly is “me” in a very definite, real, and intimate sense, it is not “me” in terms of a body, thoughts, or the roles that “I” seem to play. Notice that the sense of me when we blank out the mind is nameless, not associated with a separate person. There are no beliefs, concepts, theories or ideas there. That sense of me when we blank out the mind doesn’t have a personality, behavior, age, gender, wants, needs, or preferences does it? We would have to go back into “thinking” or “thought” in order to re-construct all of that, true?

So the $108,000 question is, is separation true or is oneness true? Separation seems true, but upon further exploration, perhaps we can come to see that actually there is only oneness.

For the purpose of clarity, let’s call the part of me when I blank out the mind “Me As Awareness” and lets name the part of me that is a separate human being with all of its roles, personality, goals, thoughts, concepts, theories, and ideas, “me.” Speaking in yoga terms, we might call “Me As Awareness” the Atman/Brahman and “me” the ego. Let’s define the ego as the “me” thought that there is a separate, unique mind/body entity who has free will and makes choices in time and space.

The first and only logical place to start is me. What is my true nature? Let’s look. Stop thinking for a moment. Just STOP. Blank out your mind as you look at this page. Try it again. Just stop and stare without naming, analyzing or critiquing anything. Can you do it? Sure, anyone can in any moment. 12

Stop! Stop thinking about all of this. Blank out the mind momentarily and do it again. Can you see for yourself that what is being said here is true? Realize that what you are before thought is immediately present and non-conceptual. It is permanent. It is unchanging. It is Real.

Now lets try a further experiment into the nature of this Me As Awareness, that I now experientially know to be what I am.

Start by blanking out the mind. This may only last for an instant, but notice again the unconditional quality of it. Every time we do this, it’s always exactly the same, yes? The circumstances of time and space (what we are perceiving) will have changed, but Me As Awareness is always exactly the same. Now stare at something. What is the relationship between Me As Awareness and the looking? What is the relationship between Me As Awareness and the seeing of whatever it is being seen? Is there any separation at all? No. Couldn’t it be said that Me As Awareness instantly and seamlessly becomes the looking? The looking/seeing/perceiving arises instantly and seamlessly from Me As Awareness. Now, here’s where the incorrect thought called the ego, the little “me”, has falsely inserted itself in between Me As Awareness and seeing, by saying “I am seeing.” But look again, is there really anything in between Me As Awareness and the seeing? Try the same experiment with sound. First stop thought. Just blank out. That’s Me As Awareness. Now listen to something. Anything will do. Where is that sound being heard? Over across the room? No. In the ear? Is the ear saying, “I am hearing a sound”? No. The sound is being heard in the space of Me As Awareness. Me As Awareness instantly and seamlessly transformed into hearing. So Me As Awareness is aware/conscious of the sound, is the sound, and is also the hearing of it. The same experiment can be continually proven with all of the senses, with everything that is seen, heard, felt, tasted, smelled, or touched in time and space. EVERYTHING is continually, ALWAYS and ONLY experienced directly as Me As Awareness in the present moment. The idea that anything could ever be “outside” of myself (Me As Awareness) is now known to be false!

thought. What is the relationship between Me As Awareness and thinking? Again, it’s made of the SAME stuff. The thought spontaneously arises from Me As Awareness as Itself. So again, where is the separate “me”? Where is the character, the personality, the body, the roles, the separate individual? Nowhere! It’s just a thought, a false concept! An unexamined belief! Where is the past? Where is the future? Aren’t these simply thoughts arising in the present moment? The idea that we are separate human beings in time and space is now seen as just that, an idea. The Truth, the Reality of What We Really Are As Oneness/Awareness is now directly known! From the perspective of Me As Awareness suddenly all spiritual teaching and yoga scripture makes sense. From the perspective of “me” as a separate individual, teachings of oneness/yoga will always remain conflicted. This experiential, real, right now understanding/ knowing of what we are as Me As Awareness And Every Thought And Sense Perception That Rises Up is yoga, oneness, samadhi, self-realization, nirvana, enlightenment, and spiritual awakening. This is the end game of separation. This is the end of seeking and psychological suffering. This is why we can relax, knowing there is only yoga. Paul Toliuszis is the creator of Miami Beach Power Yoga. He has founded 3 Yoga Alliance Registered Schools, conducted 30 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training Courses, and helped hundreds of people become professional teachers in the global yoga community. Paul is currently director of Yoga at Green Monkey.

Now, what about the relationship between Me As Awareness and thoughts, concepts, theories, and ideas? Lets look. Blank out the mind. Its always right there, isn’t it! Now look at an object. Allow a thought to form about it. In your mind say the word we use for it, analyze its usefulness; judge it in terms of design, beauty, and function. Think about its value in terms of money. Think about its history. Where you got it. Okay, does that feel familiar? Sure, that’s the world of thought (which also includes concepts, ideas, beliefs, judgments, theories, etc). This is the very familiar world of conceptual ideas and thoughts where most people live. What is the relationship between Me As Awareness and thought? Stop thinking again. Now wait. Here comes a

healthy eats : restaurant review

Healthy Eating Can be Fun Fun Juices on South Beach at Jugo Fresh

By Kino MacGregor Healthy eating can be fun. This is the mission statement of Jugo Fresh, Miami’s newest healthy juice bar. Tucked away in a local neighborhood on Miami Beach Jugo Fresh is all about bringing inspired juices to healthy minded people and pushing the boundaries of what it means to be healthy. Founded by Matthew Sherman Jugo Fresh combines an entrepreneurial spirit with a personal story of transformation through health eating. Check out the interview below for the full story. I tried some of their signature cold pressed juices and left craving for more. The only negative thing that I could say about Jugo Fresh is that the juices are kind of pricey. And if you try one of their awesome juices you will certainly want more! The phylled mylk kind of scared me at first, but after I tried it I was hooked. Creamy, light, perfectly sweetened it’s like nectar of the gods. Comprised of a 14

milky green color that looks a little bit like melted pistachio ice cream and made of cucumber, almond, h2o, chlorophyll, agave, vanilla extract, and grey sea salt it is absolutely amazing. Next I tried green montaña which is a stretch for me. I don’t normally do green juices because who really wants to drink a salad? But then this little juice surprised me. It’s made of cucumber, romaine, pear, kale, chard, ginger, lime, himalayan sea salt and is a great mix of healthy and fun. My last experiment was with kyuri mint (cucumber, pear, coco h2o, aloe, mint). The name alone says adventure to me and reminds of visiting Japan (kyuri is Japanese for cucumber). The juice is fresh, light, unique and has a tonic quality that surprises the palette. It cools the body almost immediately, which can be really handy for hot days in Miami.

Jugofresh South Beach 1935 West Ave Miami Beach, FL 33139 786-472-2552 jugofresh.com

What inspired you to start Jugo Fresh?

So many people and so many experiences have inspired Jugofresh thst itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nearly impossible to narrow down to just one. Overall I would have to say that my personal frustration along with my clients frustration with diets and restrictive eating led me to consume natural organic healthy foods and juices. Learning to have fun with healthy natural and whole foods helped me to break from a pattern of dieting. Despite breaking that pattern I found that my digestive system was having a hard time catching up to my mental freedom. at that point i discovered cold pressed juice. the beauty of cold pressed juice is that it is not taxing on the digestive system. I found a magical way to nourish my body without wearing it down. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about feeling good and living a vibrant and healthy life. For a long time eating was an arduous task that constrained how I lived my life. Now I just have fun and focus on eating healthy food. Once I was able to let go of dieting and not be so restrictive I was able to make healthy eating fun and that is what inspired me to start Jugofresh.

What is the mission of Jugo Fresh? The mission of Jugofresh is to make healthy eating fun.

What makes Jugo Fresh different from every other juice place?

communities in Miami

Where can you get Jugo Fresh juices in Miami? We are located at 1935 west avenue, Miami Beach in the up and coming Sunset harbor neighborhood. We are right near the space ship looking publix on 20th street between west ave and alton rd.

Is there nutrition science behind your cleanses? If so, what is that? Our cleanses are not science based. We take the most healthy and best ingredients available and create products that are easy to digest and assimilate well in the body. Our job is to get out of the way of mother nature and let her do her thang.

What is your favorite thing to do outside of making awesome juices? I love sharing food and meals with people. Nothing is better to me than cooking and eating with family and friends. In addition I enjoy yoga and basketball.

What is your biggest life dream?

To encourage, inspire and challenge Miami to live a healthier and sustainable life.

What separates Jugofresh from other juice places Is that we use a special process called cold press pressing which yields 5 times as many nutrients and live enzymes and as a regular juicer. Also, our juice has never been pasteurized making it a healthier better tasting juice. Also our juice is made with the best stuff on earth, we use all organic produce which is washed with ultrafiltered water and finished with a dash of vitamin L(ove).

How long have you been in business?

Jugofresh has been in business for 2 years and our shop has been open for 6 months.

What is your background? Where are you from? Education?

I grew up in Baltimore. I have a masters in sports and exercise psychology and I am a certified holistic health coach.

Do you have plans for expansion?

Yes, we are currently building out a facility in Miamiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s historic lemon city which will be a large state of the art juicing kitchen, vegan bakery and commercial kitchen. This space will also house our offices and will feature hydroponic farming and other agriculture. the hope is to grow produce for our customers and help promote more sustainable 15

healthy eats : restaurant review

Superfoods at Lifefood Gourmet Boosted with organic, fresh and quality ingredients By Olga Antoncik If you forgot your multivitamin pill this morning, have lunch at Lifefood Gourment in Coral Gables. Very few restaurants can proudly say they offer 100% organic, non-GMO food emphasizing the freshness and quality of ingredients. Lifefood Gourment goes beyond ecobuzz words. Have no fear; You may get “lost in translation” with ingredients like reishi, lucuma, chlorella and mesquite on the menu, but chef-owner and educator John Schott will give you a crash course on superfoods right at the register. Although the Lifefood Gourment menu went through a fundamental transformation from mainly raw vegan foods to some animal meal options, John Schott kept the integrity of what this restaurant has been all about from day one: unprocessed, pure, clean, chemical free and preferably local foods used to explore culinary creativity while operating within “good for the mind, body and soul” parameters. Upgrade your regular latte experience with Beyond Mocha-Reishi coffee from Lifefood Gourmet. Reishi is considered one of the top medicinal mushrooms in China called the “spirit plant”. It has a ganoderic acid, which is a free-radical scavenger, giving reishi anti-oxidant powers. Reishi activates certain white blood cells that destroy cancer cells, viruses, regenerates liver, detoxifies and boosts overall longevity. Juices and smoothies can be a meal on their own loaded with highly nutritious, rare and often expensive berries, seeds, algae, herbs etc. I tried the Rubyoxidant 16

smoothie made of hibiscus, acai, goji and a wild honey concoction charged with immune boosting Vitamin C and a load of anti-oxidants. After a few sips I left this super sweet purple drink for a postlunch dessert “to go”. Raw Pizza has been a hit since Lifefood Gourmet’s original menu days. It is made of a pumpkin seed pate with a cheese-like rich and creamy texture on a gluten-free crust over vegetables and homemade tomato sauce. No matter how big your appetite, this dish will leave you very satisfied. If you are watching your waistline, be aware that highly concentrated foods like nut and seed spreads and sauces are packed with fat calories. I would not indulge in this dish more than twice a month. Curry spiced pumpkin seed soup accompanied by celery, bell pepper and sprouts is another classic. Rich in magnesium, manganese, zinc, iron, copper, pumpkin seeds are high in protein and tryptophan (an amino acid that converts the serotonin in the human brain; responsible for uplifted mood, reduced anxiety and improved sleep). The vegan version of Sweet Potato Linguini was fantastic and delivered a broad range of flavors. The linguini had a nice texture and worked perfectly well with an unexpected red onion, spinach and zucchini combination, as well as a peppery arugula salad to balance out the dish. Ask about cleverly named “SCHOTT CLEANSE” program to detoxify with juices and tonics conveniently ready for a daily pick-up.

The turkey sandwich, portobello cheese melt, grass fed beef burger are all new additions to the menu that at this time remain outside of my personal dietary preferences. Nevertheless, I would encourage anybody with a carnivorous diet to try what might be the highest quality meats and cheeses on the market. I draw this conclusion based on my confidence in the owner’s uncompromised quality standard. Come to Lifefood Gourmet for nutritious and exotic flavor combinations that will awaken the taste buds and fuel your body with the finest ingredients. Olga Antoncik is a founder of Back to Raw Holistic Health and Detoxification Practice. Olga is a health activist, passionate about natural healing modalities, weight loss and nutrition. She teaches about the power of raw fruits, vegetables and herbs as the main source of wellness and longevity. Olga received her certifications from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and International School of Detoxification. gobacktoraw.com

Lifefood gourmet

305-856-6767 1248 SW 22 St Miami, Fl 33145 lifefoodgourmet.com

healthy eats : recipe

Tabouleh

Susan Duprey is a Certified Holistic Health Coach and founder of TheReasonWeEat. com and Sattva Cleanse. A perpetual student of Yoga, Mantra, Ayurveda, Juicing and Raw Foods, Susan believes and practices the philosophy of bio-individuality or there are many paths that lead to the state of yoga.

Eating seasonally and locally can be a challenge in the South Florida climate, but it is undoubtedly the best thing for the body. South Floridaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s growing season starts mid-October with lots of great fruits and vegetables available to enjoy. All the main ingredients used in this contemporary twist of a classic middle-eastern favorite grow in the greater Miami area during season. Tabbouleh is a Levantine Arab salad traditionally made of bulgur, tomatoes, finely chopped parsley, mint, onion and garlic, and seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice and salt. Although many other variations exist like this gluten-free, grain-free, raw and vegan alternative. 18

By Susan Duprey In one bowl mix:

1/4 cup lemon juice 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic 1/4 teaspoon powdered cumin 1/4 teaspoon salt Freshly ground pepper, to taste Mix well. In a separate bowl combine: 1 head of cauliflower finely chopped (or pulsed in a food processor) 2 cups finely chopped flat-leaf parsley (about 2 bunches) 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint 3 medium tomatoes, diced 4 scallions, thinly sliced Toss together. Pour the dressing over the salad and massage well with hands or toss to mix. Serve chilled or room temperature. Store covered in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.

From Yoga to Smoothies, Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve Got It

Creme Fresh Vintage

Pita Loca

720 6th St

601 Collins Ave

Miami Beach, Fl 33139

786-247-6906

305-673-3388

Energii

Uhma Organic Spa

634-6 6th St

726 6th St

Miami Beach, Fl 33139

305-798-4128

305-695-0996

Miami Life Center

Under the Mango Tree

736 6th St

714 6th St

Miami Beach, Fl 33139

305-534-8988

786-488-8108

Natural Life Center

Vita Life

628 6th St

744 6th St

Miami Beach, Fl 33139

305-672-4882

305-672-5785

Nutrition Club

Zen Miami

708 6th St

215 6th St

Miami Beach, FL 33139

786-715-8510

305-898-1626

healthy eats : 6th Street Guide

EARTHMINDEDSHOPS

teacher feature dawnbyoga

awn Bianca Feinberg BCMT, co-creator of YogArt, certified Jivamukti teacher & Licensed movement therapist is widely recognized as one of the most charismatic and highly respected yoga teachers in South Florida (dawnbyoga.com). Her classes, shaped by her warmth and love for movement, are both creative and physically challenging. Dawnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inspiration for her teachings come from a blend of the breath based essence of ashtanga and the evolving freedom of Jivamukti Yoga. In a typical class you will find inspiring asana topped off with great music and her signature sense of humor. Dawn leads Jivamukti workshops and teacher trainings throughoutSouth Florida weaving in key components gleaned from her daily Mysore practice. She has been teaching at Miami Life Center for over five years where she started the Jivamukti program. She also teaches Ashtanga, and on awesome occasions assists Kino Macgregor. Dawn has been blessed with an auspicious line up of amazing teachers. She offers pranams to Kino MacGregor, Nancy Gilgoff, Sharon Gannon, David Life, & Kelly Morris; She also offers pranams to her Bhakti Yoga teachers: The Mayapuris, Krsna Kishor Rico & Visvambhar Sheth. Most of all she offers her maha pranam to her parents, loving husband, & sweet sweet son. 20

How long have you been practicing yoga? I started practicing yoga in 2000 at the Jivamukti Yoga School in New York City. After rupturing my achilles tendon from dancing professionally for 8 years, I needed to do something that required less frequent movement while still allowing me to dance somehow. A friend took me to Kelly Morris’s class at Jivamukti Yoga School. I remember Kelly blasting Madonna music in class, and I danced right there within the structure of my first sun salute. Kelly blew my mind and still does.

Where do you practice yoga?

I practice at Miami Life Center, and whenever possible, I fly to New York to continue studies with Kelly Morris. I also fell in love with Ashtanga while at Jivamukti Yoga School. By combining the creativity of a Jiva class with the rigors and breath of Ashtanga, I am able to provide a more complete experience that affords my beloved students the best of both worlds.

What is the most transformational yoga experience you had?

Whoa! I have had so many transformational experiences; It’s hard to pick just one! My teachers have been indespenseble, while showing me another way to deal with life’s multiplicity of challenges. As human beings, we all strive to seek the purpose of our existence. We ask those questions: Why are we here? What is my purpose? Am I doing my best to serve those I love? How to make sense of this all – death/loss, birth, sickness? Being involved in yoga has allowed me the fortitude to deal with life’s challenges. Instead of allowing difficulty to overcome or immobilize me, I respond in a balanced way allowing each experience to become a transformative experience.

What is your favorite food?

Smoothies from Jugofresh, a healthy juice bar in Miami Beach, & quinoa - when I get it right.

Whats your favorite non yoga activity? Surfing with my husband, Danny and my son, Kai. The family that meditates, surfs and yoga together, stays together!

what is your message as a teacher?

Your mat will always welcome you no matter what emotional state you are in. The most important thing is to show up.

What is your advise to new students?

Enjoy your practice! Be sure to study with teachers that inspire you to become a better version of yourself.

What special programs are you currently involved in?

I am currently working on YogArt (http://yogartevent.com ), a series of yoga classes are taught with live music during Art Basel, Miami. In our inaugural year (2011), our event sold-out with over 800 people in attendance. Best of all, we had awesome musicians like the Trevor Hall Band as well as the Mayapuris. Our second year, 2012, we had a killer line-up from L.A.’s hottest DJ Drez to the Mayapuris! In April of this year, I will lead another retreat in Tulum, Mexico. Last year, the retreat sold-out with the most awesome group of people imaginable. I am super psyched to be holding this retreat again this year!

Who are your teachers?

My teachers are Kelly Morris, Kino MacGregor and Nancy Gilgoff. I play the harmonium, a cross between a piano and an accordian, as well as sing kirtan – all of which have contributed to my growth in yoga. Danny, my husband, is my most influential meditation teacher. He is my rock and my sun.

How do you define yoga?

Yoga is a lifestyle. The more you practice, the more is becomes part of you. Yoga influences the way you move through the world on every level. Yoga allows you to become conscious of all the things you do (whether with your mind, words or actions). In the beginning, the shifts are subtle, then larger shifts happen redirecting the course of your life to better reflect your deepest values, dreams and maybe define the purpose of your existence. 21

Without Pain there is No Yoga an article by Greg Nardi

t was on my first trip to India that I was given this truism by my teacher Sri K. Pattabhi Jois in answer to my query about knee pain. Many mornings, as an Asthanga Yoga practitioner I am forced to reckon with a body and mind that is non-compliant, refusing to conform to the intricate contortions required to perform the sequence of poses in the Ashtanga Yoga lexicon. With a strong mind and appropriate coaxing, I can sometimes tease my body into shape, but I am often confronted with the frustrating truth that something I could do only yesterday seems just out of my grasp today. While I might wish that progress were linear it is common knowledge amongst seasoned practitioners that it is anything but, leaving a gap between expectations and reality. Even more startling can be the realization of just how much time, effort, and yes even physical pain seems to be part and parcel of the journey towards mastery of the poses of Ashtanga Yoga. Guruji’s was a far cry from the advice that I had gotten from many teachers in the U.S. over the prior couple of years. Guruji would sometimes joke, “It is impossible to teach Yoga in the U.S. because you have too many lawyers.” It took me several years to fully grasp the depth of the teaching that guruji was presenting to me. At first, I thought he was recommending a “no pain, no gain” attitude and I began to court pain as an opening in my body leading to greater flexibility and alignment. After battling this mindset for sometime, I began to see that there was a more subtle interpretation that could be found. Something perhaps to do with the intrinsic suffering of all life and our ability to temper our reaction to it when it arises. Pain can be a wonderful opportunity to develop compassion, equanimity, and wisdom. Habitually avoiding or trying to control our suffering can limit our ability to meet our potential in life and disturb the yogic quest for inner peace. Think of how many opportunities are missed because we don’t take chances out of a fear of the unknown. Think of the lengths that we will take to avoid doing something that we know to be good for us, but find unpleasant. In the Yoga Sutras, sage Patanjali’s foundational text for Yoga philosophy, he tells us that the benefit of asana practice is freedom from dualities such as hot and cold or pleasure and pain. Through the consistent practice of asana we can begin to see these bodily sensations objectively without the mental reactions that often accompany them. “Poor me, look at this pain in my body that I must suffer.” or “Yoga practice is soooooo delicious!”, “I will master this practice, even if it kills me!” or “Yoga completes me.” Pain is a physical sensation of the body. Suffering, or dukkha in sanskrit, is a more mental phenom-

enon having to do with the conditioned, thinking part of our mind. Despite our best efforts, pain and dukkha are unavoidable. Pain is the sentinel which guards our physical form and reacts to perceived dangers in our environment. It means that you are alive. In a way, dukkha also signals life. According to Yoga philosophy the very purpose of life is to free ourselves from it, and Yoga is the means. Dukkha is a phenomenon that is common to every person because of deeply ingrained mental habits and patterns of thinking known as samskaras. Dukkha is simply the flip side of happiness, or sukkha. When our external reality coincides with the attachments, cravings, and expectations of our conditioning then we are happy, but when we are denied what we desire, or experience disappointment of our expectations we can experience the dissatisfaction of dukkha.

Physical pain is such a deeply instinctual response that speaks directly to our self preservation and which brings us face to face with some of our deepest held assumptions about who we are and why we exist. Physical pain is such a deeply instinctual response that speaks directly to our self preservation and which brings us face to face with some of our deepest held assumptions about who we are and why we exist. The reaction time between stimulus and response is minute, however, we can learn to distinguish between the physical sensation of pain that has the purpose of warning us of a perceived danger to the body, and dukkha that comes from the conditioned response of the mind. While I am not recommending that we court pain, it is disingenuous to suggest that we will find the deep level of transformation required for the mastery of Ashtanga Yoga without encountering some pain in the process. Pain is a natural part of life and working with the body implies working with pain. Why not use it when it arises to help free us from dukkha? If this isn’t Yoga, then what is? Ashtanga Yoga seems designed to bring us to moments of crisis where our mental conditioning and ways of seeing the world begin to fail us, and the opportunity to approach practice and life in a new way suddenly opens up. In some ways, these moments are indeed openings in the mind, if not the body. 23

ccording to Yoga theory, conditioning is rooted in the natural law of cause and effect. We live in an ecosystem where all things are dependent on one another. No one of us exists alone. However, in order to navigate in the world, we create a sense of a discreet and separate existence. When we act from a self centered place without regard for our place as a natural being existing as part of a natural system we experience dukkha. When instead we realize the duty that we each have to care for ourselves, our world and each other, we go a long way towards reducing mental suffering and seeing reality as it is, unvarnished by our mental projections. We can begin to see the mechanisms that trigger dukkha and learn not to repeat the same mistakes over and over. In asana practice, pain might be a signal that there is a misalignment of the body, a lack of awareness, or a mental projection interfering with our ability to perceive the body as it is and work with it intelligently. Though we perceive pain in the body, it is actually a function of the brain and nervous system that is projected into the body, and so pain effectively bridges the gap between mind and body helping us learn how our mind can shade our experience. Guruji would often say that the practice of Ashtanga Yoga was about strengthening the mind. It seemed an odd thing to say about such a physical practice, but upon further reflection I came to realize that the Yoga lies in maintaining strict awareness on the breath, gazing points, and physical sensations that arise as our bodies move from one asana to the next rather than the performance of the asanas. In other words, the asana practice is a stimulus that will elicit a response in the mind. We will either react unconsciously, or make wise judgements about how to respond to it. We are meant to witness the entire process through to completion rather than just focusing on the physical execution of the asanas. This can be the difference between mastery and frustration, equanimity and agitation. The intensity of the inner work is a type of refinement that leads to purification in the body and mind. In my experience, the process is so 24

intricate and subtle that it humbles us into a surrender of the ego so that we can open to the mystery of life and our part in it. Dukkha will result if there is a gap between our reality and our expectations of how the practice should be. This dissatisfaction can sometimes be the underlying cause of our pain as we push ourselves without respect for the reality of our situation. We are thrust directly back into the world of duality that Yoga is trying to free us from. We label our practice as “good” or “bad” depending on how well it meets our expectations. The practice of non-violence, compassion, and awareness have moved from theory to practice as I have begun to apply these qualities to myself in asana practice for both my physical abilities and limitation, and the mental conditioning that creates dukkha. Over time, in an effort to release dukkha, I have had to redefine success in yoga from achievement of this pose or that, to consistent practice with mental awareness that exhibits the qualities of awareness, equilibrium, grace, humility, and compassion. Paradoxically, in my case, this has been the key to advancing in the asana practice. Greg Nardi has spent many years of dedicated practice under the guidance of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois in Mysore, India. In 2003 he was given authorization to teach from Pattabhi Jois, and in 2009, he completed a level 2 authorization course from Sharath Jois. Greg studies and practices Yoga, Eastern philosophy and Sanskrit mantra chanting. He participates in Georg Feverstein’s Traditional Yoga Studies course and has studies with Vyaas Houston of the American Sanskrit Institute. Greg founded Ashtanga Yoga Worldwide, a resource which strives to explore the traditions that give rise to modern Yoga methods; to maintain the Ashtanga Yoga system as taught by Pattabhi Jois; and to make these traditions and methods intelligible to the Western Practitioner. ashtangayogaworldwide.com

Greg Nardi will be at Miami Life Center for a weekend workshop, December 13 -15, 2013.

miami life center miami life center

736 6th Street, Miami Beach, Fl 33139 736 sixth street, miami beach, ﬂ 33139 305.534.8988 miamilifecenter.com miamilifecenter.com 305.534.8988

DAVID ROBSON

February 8 - 10, 2013

David Robson is the co-owner and director of the Ashtanga Yoga Centre of Toronto. With 100+ students each morning, he leads one of the world’s largest Mysore programs. Since 2002, he has returned annually to Mysore, India to deepen and enrich his practice and teaching. David teaches workshops and retreats around the world, and he recently released a popular DVD on vinyasa, Learn To Float. He is Level-2 Authorized by the Sri K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute. “David is an awesome person, a very good friend of mine and a gifted and dedicated teacher and practitioner. I am both honored and excited to have him at Miami Life Center!” - Kino MacGregor Friday, February 8 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm: Learn To Float Saturday, February 9 9 am -11am: Led Primary Series 1 pm -3 pm: Pain-Free Backbending Sunday, February 10 8:30 am -11 am: Mysore 1 pm -3 pm: Don’t Come Down: Arm Balancing

TIM MILLER

May 24 -26, 2013

Tim Miller has been studying and teaching Ashtanga Yoga for over thirty years and was the first American certified to teach by Pattabhi Jois at the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute in Mysore, India. Tim has a thorough knowledge of this ancient system, which he imparts in a dynamic, yet compassionate and playful manner. “My goal as a teacher is to inspire a passion for practice. The practice itself, done consistently and accurately, is the real teacher.” Tim teaches workshops and retreats throughout the United States and abroad. Friday, May 24, 2013 6 pm – 8 pm: Workshop “The Physics and Metaphysics of Asana” Saturday, May 25, 2013 8 am -- 9 am: Pranayama 9 am – 12 pm:Awakening the Subtle Body–an Introduction to Nadi Shodhana 1 pm – 4 pm: Workshop “The Heroic Journey” Sunday, May 26, 2013 7:30 am - 8:30 am: Pranayama 8:30 am – 11 am: Mysore 1 pm – 4 pm: Workshop “Roots and Wings

ASANA Q&A by Tim Feldmann

Where should my shoulders be in chaturanga?

haturanga Dandansana or ‘Chatuary’ as we call it in the Ashtanga Yoga tradition, is a difficult and somewhat disheartening posture. A quite high state of strength is required to support it and and even more pronounced strength to utilize it well. Chaturanga furthermore tends to mess around a bit with our minds as it is not a ‘real’ asana but a transitory movement which we often cease to recognize the importance of in stream of on-going other activities, dogmas and ‘must-dos’ in our practice. And as it feels like unforgivingly hard work to find a minimum of proficiency in it, we often simply peruse by it until sheer necessity calls upon our undivided attention, such as strain or injury.

legged our joints, bones and muscles went through a similar transformation. Our arms became tools for detailed articulation while our legs re-designed for weight bearing. The monkey state of using our feet as hands and hands as feet has since been divided and specialized to perform specific tasks with our feet and hands respectively. Therefore we no longer has the proper skeletal construction to support extensive weight bearing on our arms. Now, that doesn’t mean we cannot do it, but it requires our conscious muscular engagement to do it for sustained period of time without causing harm. Summa, strong conscious muscular activity is a must to do Chaturanga Dandanasana without unwanted side effects.

Yet, no matter which level of practice we attend to, Primary, Intermediate or Advanced, we move through Chaturanga Dandasana repeatedly and at some moment we owe it to ourselves to take the time it takes to embody the process of defining its reality in our physical and mental body. This intends to be a platform upon which your exploration can begin.

Chaturanga Dandanasana Technique

First of all, be warned of the possible demotivating effect of the technical and anatomical complexities below! Do not let these technicalities lower your spirit or inquiry of one main reason: The technical information needed to convey Chaturanga Dandasana becomes heavy and hi-tech when described in writing, as the media of writing simply lacks the naturalness which the kinestetic experience provides so instantly. As a matter of fact that is probably why we are taught yoga in a direct interchange between a knowledgable, experienced teacher and a devoted student. In unfolding the Yoga Darshana, there is simply no other media which compares. True learning and transmission is almost exclusive to the personal one-on-one setting whether asana, yogic thought, chanting or what-not and in my opinion any other learning device is a substitute for the real experience which is to be sought to the furthest possible extend. Anyhow, here we go! The first thing you need to acknowledge is that when our bodies evolved from four-legged to two-

Chaturanga Dandanasana takes different forms depending on what you aim to achieve with it. In general Chaturanga issues are 99% of the time related to the difficulty of stabilizing the upper body with the lower body sufficiently so my response will be concerned with that. I would say there are two main options which both carry positive effects and minimizes strain to your body while working on the greater scheme of the yogic paradigm. #1: If your objective is to lighten the pressure’n’pull off tired or strained Acromio Clavicular Ligament (illustration 1a) which is a common yet undesired side effect in the Ashtanga practice, then you want to engage strongly into a particular muscular pattern in your upper body: Engage your upper and mid Romboids (illustration 2a) to move your shoulder blades closer to your midline/spine (no squeezing though!). This will stabilize your shoulder blades and therefore your upper arm bones (Humerus) which attaches to the shoulder blades. By doing so you have created foundation for Serratus Anterior (illustration 2d) to engage in an efficient fashion as it attaches on the inside of your shoulder blades. Now, engage Serratus Anterior and Latissimus Dorsi at the same time by lowering your shoulders towards your waist/hips to settle your shoulders into a firm stabilization, while allowing your sternum to raise a good bit forward, hence finding yourself in a pose with a sensation or

slight Thoracic spine extension. By doing so you have provided a firm and engaged muscular ‘saddle’ for your shoulder girdle to articulate in, which gives you the proper and necessary muscular support to carry most of your body weight on the minor skeletal joints which connects your arms to your torso. That will allow you to give some rest to your over-used Acromio Clavicular Ligaments while building new strength patterns beneficial for many other asanas and movement mechanics than Chaturanga itself, such as handstands, UpDog, Down-Dog, Jump-Thrus, Dhanurasana, just to mention a few. To integrate this pattern takes time, dedication and practice. It requires an intensity of commitment which is commonly only found in the devoted practitioner forced to redirect his/her attention by dire necessity, such as ex. an injury obstructing from pursuing his/her beloved Sadhana! #2: Now, if your objective is less strain based and more concerned with avoiding strain or simply wanting to build your Chaturanga well, I would commence with version #1 for a good 3-6 months before starting this next step to connect the muscular patterning described above into your mid torso and pelvic area. To do so you need to engage your lower, frontal ribs into your body, kind of like as if you were contracting your Thoracic Diaphragm while allowing more space between your shoulder blades (a bit less engagement in your Romboids), as well as your lower Transverse Abdominals (illustration 1c) and Pelvic Floor (illustration 1b). in this way your whole abdominal area from back, side to front is wrapped in a stabilizing squeeze which will anchor your now firm shoulder saddle and upper body activity into your lower torso and pelvic foundation. If you do so you will find your chest lowering a tad, allowing yourself to let go of the Thoracic spine extension described above. Whereas these two versions of Chaturanga looks quiet different for the naked eye one simply grows out of the other. Strong attention should be given to 28

that the former pattern (#1) is fully founded in your body before proceeding to pattern #2. Because if it is not your chest will most likely ‘collapse’ in on itself (loosing the frontal support of Pectoralis action, illustration 2c & 2d) which would instantly drop us back into hanging in the Acromio Clavicular Ligaments again, upon which we have now obtained a tense body, making movement and asana difficult while pouring our weight into the ligaments we set out to protect! As you can see this is not an easy task to take on and as a matter of fact one that few asana practitioners embody. It is difficult to wrap our heads around and difficult to find while practicing. But with a knowledgable teacher this information becomes a possible and kinesthetic experience. Yet, when I teach asana to beginners I rarely even comment on this as the complexity is high, the strength required to begin finding these patterns almost never there and the dedication to the practice yet not burning hot enough to want it. So Chaturanga is most often a focus for the seasoned practitioner who is injured or extremely eager, often approached later on in the development of a personal practice. I hope this can be useful for your work with defining your Chaturanga. Good luck and enjoy your practice!

Tim Feldmann

the

PHOTO SESSION

Lisa Ogletree Photography: John Miller

Eddy Rivero, Lisa Ogletree, Alexandra Santos Photography: John Miller 30

Alexandra Santos Photography: John Miller 31

Lisa Ogletree Photography: John Miller

Eddy Rivero Photography: John Miller 32

S P I e GI T t hO Y illustration by Boonchu

Contributed by Tayler Alexis Smith. Tayler is a yogini from Miami Beach, Florida. She spends her free time practicing the Ashtanga lineage, stand-up paddle boarding and urban gardening. Tayler started yoga in August 2011 at Miami Life Center, and is excited to embark on her new journey which involves completing the intense yoga teacher training at Miami LIfe Center in May 2013. The best advice I could give a new student is simply to show up. Don’t think too much-just do it! This generation’s master of Ashtanga Yoga, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, couldn’t have put it any better when he said “yoga is 99% practice and 1% theory”. I’ll admit, at first it can seem a little daunting, but the whole point is not to have judgment on yourself or the people around you. Yoga studios are not competition floors. It’s truly about the inward journey. Remember to keep in mind that everyone started at the same place as you and that even the gurus were beginners once; With these positive thoughts, the intimidation factor will start to fade. The first couple of classes will be a bit confusing until you become familiar with the movements. Just like with any regular workout, you might be a little sore the next day. One of the many and great advantages of practicing yoga is the student decides how hard they want to work in the class and determine what they want to get out of their yoga. Make sure to let the teacher know it’s your first time as they will be more than happy to help you out and make any asana accomodations. Whether you’re starting Ashtanga or any other style of yoga, common etiquette will eventually become second nature. You will begin to flow into what feels comfortable for you.

These are my basic tips:

1 2 3 4

Respect your limits. Acknowledge that your body and mind will feel different every day; listen to what your body tells you and practice on your own time and follow your own breath. Refrain from eating at least 2 hours prior to and 30 minutes after your practice. Drink plenty of water after your practice. Personal hygiene is an integral part of practicing yoga. Please ensure that you and your gear are clean. Wear whatever feels comfortable to you ! It’s your practice! If you feel emotionally upset during or after a yoga session (joy, sadness, irritation,etc.), then accept the feelings and bid them welcome. In my opinion, practicing in a studio under a teacher’s guidance is so crucial! Generally, teachers have studied many aspects of the yoga practice and philosophy, and they serve as great mentors. I have always relied on my teacher’s guidance for anything yoga related!

Don’t be afraid to test out a variety of different styles of yoga, studios, and teachers - I promise you will find exactly where you need to be and what works for you! I still consider myself a beginner every single day before every single practice because i always discover there is still so much to learn. You never know how much it can positively impact your life and how much you have to gain until you try. As Guruji said, “Practice and all is coming”. 33

healing through yoga: by Lisa Ogletree

Lisa Oglettree is dedicated to practicing the traditional Ashtanga method. She has studied Ashtanga yoga extensively with Tim Feldmann, Kino Macgregor, and Greg Nardi who assisted her in creating a strong foundation for her practice. Lisa took her first trip to Mysore, India in 2008 to study at the K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute with R. Sharath Jois. She continues to study and fuel her passion for the practice with senior teachers in workshops and conferences. Lisa believes that the practice itself is her greatest teacher.

As I sit down to write this, I begin feeling an assortment of different emotions; fear, excitement, nervousness, exhilaration, vulnerability, just to name a few. These different feelings communicate to me that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m about to step out of my comfort zone and into a new and unfamiliar place. This is always a good thing and always a bit uncomfortableâ&#x20AC;Śgrowth always is. I was talking with a student after class recently, and we started to connect on levels past the surface. I found out he went to college in the same town in California where I grew up, San Luis Obispo. While reminiscing about back home, we revealed we both were children who grew up with a family member suffering from alcoholism. We had so many commonalities with our struggles, our methods of healing, and our determination of breaking unhealthy patterns. It was a truly open-hearted, honest and pure connection His presence around the yoga studio increased as he began attending my classes frequently as well as other classes with other teachers. The vibe between this student and I had become so real that after much contemplation I understood why. I put myself out there and shared my history. (Continued on page 36)

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If you would like to be a studio sponsor or see your studio listed here, please contact: info@miamiyogamagazine.com (Healing through Yoga, Continued from page 34) I shared my personal history, and he shared his. Because we shared our lives, struggles, and ourselves, healing thrived the for both of us. It was this interaction (plus some encouraging words from Kino) that inspired me to want to share this. I have had some incredible people in my life over the years that have helped me process and understand the alcoholism and abuse I witnessed during my childhood and I don’t want to take anything away from them or that particular style of healing, but I do believe that I have to live everyday with so much awareness that I don’t fall back to the unhealthy ways of living life that I learned through example growing up. This is where the Ashtanga practice comes into play for me. Yes, yoga does bring awareness to a person’s life. My yoga keeps me hyper aware. It keeps me balanced and happy. My practice assists me in keeping cool in the middle of any chaos that surrounds me. On a daily basis, every practice allows me to find a peace inside that resonates everywhere in my life. Having the consistency of this daily yoga practice provides me with the character and perseverance to face what I can control and what I cannot. I can honestly say that I am proud of everything that I have experienced in my life because it has shaped me into the person I am today. Reflecting on the negative aspects of my childhood grants me the vision to see light where darkness once prevailed. 36

The positivity in the pain becomes clear. The consistency of a daily Ashtanga practice has contributed to the healing in my life. I feel compelled to share this because I know there are many people who have been touched by some form of addiction or trauma in their lives, whether it is a family member, a close friend, a partner, or themselves. Writing this, I became curious to find any type of yoga therapy geared for alchoholism, and in my search am thrilled to have found Nikki Myers, cofounder of Y12SR, The Yoga of 12 Step Recovery in Indianapolis. Her teachings stem from her own personal struggles with addiction. Nikki says that “because the effects of addiction are physical, mental, and even spiritual, its exact root is often difficult to pinpoint. However, it can be argued that the root of all addiction is unresolved emotional trauma”. She also says, “Addictive behaviors separate and disconnect us from ourselves, our loved ones, our environment, our spirituality, and so much more”. Yoga, on the other hand, seems to bring us the exact opposite; A sense of balance, wholeness, connectedness and tranquility. If you are like me and want to learn more about the integration of yoga in healing, I am so happy to announce that Nikki will be coming to Miami Life Center for a Y12SR Leadership training next year. To find out more go to yogaof12steprecovery.com.

miami life center 736 sixth street, miami beach, ﬂ 33139 305.534.8988 miamilifecenter.com

The ‘Mysore Style’ method is named after the city where our teacher Sri K. Pattabhi Jois lived and taught this teaching style from his teacher Krishnamacharya. Pattabhi Jois’s legacy is continued and succeeded by his grandson Sri R. Sharath Jois and his daughter Saraswathi. Miami Life Center runs one of the largest Mysore programs in South Florida with morning and evening sessions. Come practice!

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Lisa Ogletree

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