NamaskarDec2017 by namaskar

namaskar A VOICE FOR THE YOGA COMMUNITY OF ASIA

EMOTIONAL FLU What is emotional flu & what you can do to avoid catching it this season..................................p19

Kelsea Bangora in Urdhva Dhanurasana variation photo by Philippa Ho

ANTAR KUMBHAKA Did you know holding your breath can make you healthier and live longer?.................................p21

December 2017 SUCCESSFUL & SPIRITUAL Can they go together, or does it have to be one or the other ?.................................................p26

NAMASKAR

NAMASKAR - DECEMBER 2017

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR As the year draws to a close, we reflect on what good we have done this year. What worked and where we can improve in raising the level of positive energy around us. Three men share their perspective on our dristi – Successful and Spiritual. Two of them credit examples of spirituality experienced as youths as their inspiration. In John’s case his many years in India living as a monk and working for the community. And for Nigel, volunteering to serve tea to seniors. Their teachers’ direction, planted a seed of spirituality, which blossomed as they got older.

On the cover - Kelsea Bangora studied Classical Ballet until yoga became her life’s work. She is a New York Yoga Asana Champion and has trained with Yogi Charu, Issac Pena, Dharma Mittra and others.

In This Issue DRISTI - SUCCESSFUL & SPIRITUAL WHAT DETERMINES SUCCESS SPIRITUALITY OR BUSINESS MY KARMA OFFERINGS

26 30 32

It’s a powerful reminder for parents striving to raise spiritual children. Ideally we are setting them good examples by how we live our own lives. And we can point out inspiring qualities in others too. You never know who might be inspired by your actions and words. This was supposed to be an October issue, however delays in our home renovation have turned it into our first a Christmas issue! I apologize for anyone who’s been disappointed by this delay. It’s an example of how we are all connected – you reading this and the worker who accidently burst our water pipe! We will aim to bring out the next issue in February. I close by letting you know I will move to Edinburgh, Scotland, where my parents live. My parents are in their 80s, and my mother has Alzheimer’s. I want to be around them on a daily basis, and so we will move in the summer of 2018. While I am committed to continuing Namaskar from Edinburgh, I share this news to see if anyone is interested in taking over as editor and/or publisher. If you are interested in finding out more, please email me (fgairns@netvigator.com) or call (+852 9460 1967) and let’s chat about it. In the meantime, I wish you all a smooth end to 2017. Thank you to all our contributors, especially Carol, Wai-Ling and Angela.

ABOUT NAMASKAR ADMINISTRATION Carol Adams, carol@caroladams.hk NEWS EDITOR Wai-Ling Tse, wailing.tse@gmail.com CIRCULATION Angela Sun, angela.sun@gmail.com

SPECIAL FEATURES EMOTIONAL FLU 19 Similarities with regular flu and what we can do to avoid it SLOWER BREATHING 21 How breathing can improve your health

REGULAR CONTRIBUTIONS KULA UPDATES, WORKSHOPS, RETREATS, TEACHER TRAININGS PHOTO ESSAY AYURVEDA MUDRAS MUSIC REVIEW DIRECTORY

6 14 25 37 39 52

Namaskar provides a voice for the yoga community in Asia and around the world. The publication is an opportunity for practitioners on a yogic path to selflessly offer their knowledge, learnings and experiences with others.

Articles and photographs in Namaskar are contributed at no charge. Advertising income covers production, distribution, administrative costs and discretionary contributions to selected charities and causes.

We welcome unsolicited submissions, therefore the opinions expressed within these pages are not necessarily those of Namaskar or its volunteers.

Namaskar, is published quarterly in January, April, July and October. About 5,000 copies are printed and distributed for free to yoga studios, teachers, fitness centres, retail outlets, cafes and yogafriendly outlets. Mostly distributed in Hong Kong, with 1,500 copies mailed to readers in 32 other countries.

EDITOR & PUBLISHER Frances Gairns, fgairns@netvigator.com

December 2017

CONTRIBUTORS

ANDY WILLNER

Andy teaches yoga at pure yoga in hong kong. andy@pure-yoga.com ANGELA SUN

CAROL ADAMS

SADHGURU

JOHN STEWART

Carol takes care of the Namaskar’s administration, advertising and billing. She works from home which gives her the freedom to take care of her 10-year-old son. carol@caroladams.hk

Indian yogi & mystic, Sadhguru founded the Isha Foundation, a non-profit organization which offers yoga programmes all over the world. info@ishafoundation.org

John was introduced to Asian philosophy and spirituality at the age of 15. After he left home at 16, he spent the next 15 years living a traditional yogi lifestyle. He founded Kamalaya with his wife Karina. info@kamalaya.com

GABRIELLE MCMAHON

JANET LAU KRISHNAA KINKARIDAS

Angela takes care of the distribution and circulation of Namaskar. Now based in her home town of New York, has been practicing yoga for 10 years. She currently teaches privately. angela.sun@gmail.com

Gabrielle’s life work is yoga, meditation & natural living. She created bebliss 10 years ago and works with groups and individuals inspiring them to live their best life. gabrielle@bebliss.com.au Dedicated to integrating yoga, life wisdom and mindfulness practices, Janet has been teaching since 2006. She has presented at TEDx and is a published author, releasing her first book in Chinese, “Living with Yoga and Mindfulness” in 2014 and “The Darkness and Light of Life” in 2017. She holds a master degree in Buddhist studies. wellness@janet-lau.com

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Krishnaa lives in London. She studied with B.K.S. Iyengar and now runs classes in London and teaches Sanskrit and mudras for yoga for the Yoga Alliance and British Wheel of Yoga. She has written 15 books on Bhakti Yoga. kinkaridasi@hotmail.com

MAHESH SABADE

NIGEL MARSHALL

namaskar Now on-line at: www.issuu.com/namaskarasia Back issues still at: www.issuu.com/caroladams

Dr Sabade is an Ayurvedic Consultant. ayurveda.clinic@hotmail.com

Nigel teaches Ashtanga Yoga at Pure Yoga in Hong Kong. Nigel.marshall@pure-yoga.com

Februaryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dristi:

WAI-LING TSE

Upanishads

NATALIE MACAM

If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to contribute, please email fgairns@netvigator.com with the idea for your article. Contributions are also welcome on other topics. Final articles are welcome before January10.

Natalie is a Yoga Teacher who spent 8 years in HK and China now teaches at Malibu Beach Yoga www.tigerwaveyoga.com

Wai-Ling practices and teaches mindfulness, therapy and is Kula editor for Namaskar. yogawithling@gmail.com

December 2017

KULA

Updates

For more information falguni@mather.com / freeingemotions.com/efttapping-circle

Aumnie Yoga wear From unique and trending yoga wear to eco conscious Yoga accessories, Aumnie has been thriving to lead performance fabric technologies with on-trend styles, cuts and sustainable materials. They are driven by their philosophy of ‘create balance’ which is not only about Yoga but of all aspects of life and self. Their mission is to contribute to a peaceful and conscious future for all beings. Designed in Canada, For the World, One Love. For more information info@aumnie.com / www.aumnie.com Picture perfect practice spot - Marine reserve Hoi Ha Wan & Sai Kung Country Park

For more information info@flexhk.com / www.flexhk.com

Flex welcomes new teacher Dilip Pillai A newcomer to the Flex family, Dilip was born into a yogic, Ayurveda family culture in Kerala, India. Dilip is highly experienced and leads inspirational classes including Yin, Hatha and Vinyasa Flow. He utilizes his M.Sc. in Yoga Therapy and certification in Pranic Healing to create Yin Yoga classes focused on re-aligning and stretching the connective tissues of the body without using muscular force. Dilip’s classes are suitable for all levels. For more information info@flexhk.com / www.flexhk.com

AntiGravity Self-Attunement EFT Tapping New Yoga Retreat Monthly Meet-up Comes to Flex! Meditation Flex has introduced a range of Center Amita Institute, Central new AntiGravity® Suspension with Falguni A friendly community assisting Hong Kong’s beautiful Sai Kung classes for adults, kids and teens. people for the past 2 decades in country parks and Hoi Ha marine Mather The globally popular licensed HONG KONG

reserve are the backdrop to a newly-opened yoga and wellness retreat, 53 Hoi Ha. Derek, Cora and Adam mostly offer full day yoga and water sports retreats to adults. Though the space is also available for family yoga days and rental by other teachers. For more information www.53hoiha.com

6 December and 17 January 2018 (6:30-7:30pm) A monthly meet-up to experience EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques), also known as tapping; a simple yet powerful technique for relief from stressful and negative feelings. Frustration, procrastination, guilt and general stress can be dealt with effectively, and have been, in this monthly meet-up. Bring your woes. Sometimes just a place to talk can be helpful. Fee HK$150, a cost effective way of accessing support.

aerial method ensures trainers are rigorously certified in a variety of aerial modalities. Flex now offers Anti Gravity Yoga & Restorative, as well as Fitness based classes, all performed in the silky Harrison AntiGravity® Hammock, which helps to deepen poses, while having fun. Highly regarded Hong Kong-based AntiGravity® Master Instructor Trainer Tamer Begum and Level 5 AntiGravity® Instructor Rebecca Jean Wong lead the Flex team of aerial instructors.

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unbinding themselves from their inherent program to help bring about real change to a persons’ life! Held every Wednesday 89:30pm HK$100. First timers HK$50, can arrive at 7:30pm. Room 2502, 73 Wyndham Street, Central. For more information www.amita-institute.com / www.picer.com / (852) 2167 8661

Kirtan WhatsApp Group The objective of this group is to share Kirtan and related events, Spotify playlists, and their passion for healing. They have been growing beautifully and organically and have created a WhatsApp group for the community. If you wish to join the group, send a WhatsApp message to (852) 9126 3747.

Meditation with Kirtan at IMI Central 11 December (6:15-7:15pm) IMI Central This session offers a unique blend of Meditation with Kirtan where the usage of gentle mantras will help you develop a simple mindfulness or meditation practice. Free event. Keep up your yoga practice during your new ski trip to Niseko, Japan

For more information (852) 2523 7121 / events@imi.com.hk

Free Guided meditation: Isha Kriya Saturdays and Sundays Isha Kriya is a simple yet potent process that has the potential to transform the life of anyone willing to invest 21 minutes a day. Daily practice of Isha Kriya brings health, dynamism, peace and wellbeing. A powerful tool to cope with the hectic pace of modern life. For more information (852) 5920 0385 / hongkong@ishafoundation.org www.ishafoundation.org/hk

BKS Iyengar Centennial Celebration 2018 marks the centennial birthday of Mr. BKS Iyengar, Yoga Central-Iyengar Yoga will be offering free trial classes to community centres and underprivileged groups at their selected venue across the local territory. Please book your time/date in advance. For more information yogacentralhk@gmail.com / www.yogacentral.hk INDONESIA

11th annual BaliSpirit Festival

2-8 April 2018 Ubud, Bali BaliSpirit Festival is one of South East Asiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest and diverse yoga, dance and music festivals. It is a non-profit festival supporting local outreach programs in Bali. The festival concept has its roots in the core life-principle of Balinese Hinduism - Tri Hita Karana - to live in harmony with God, with people and with nature. Join to deepen your practice of yoga, to connect to your spiritual self, to mingle with a like-minded community and to feel one with nature. For more information www.balispiritfestival.com

December 2017

JAPAN

Practice Yoga in a Winter Wonderland Niseko, Japan 20 November -31 March 2018 Powder Yoga Niseko is a friendly, all-inclusive yoga studio located on the northern island of Hokkaido, Japan. We offer public yoga classes, private lessons, workshops, and courses during the winter ski season. Our community grows from a passion for powder snow, yoga, and living a happy and healthy life. All classes are taught in English. For more information www.powderyoga.com

KULA

Workshops

Arm Balances and Singing Bowl Backbends with Workshop with Andrew Abaria The Yoga Room & Sound Therapy HK HONG KONG

23 December Sound Therapy HK Center, Wan Chai Benefits of sound therapy towards body, emotion, mind and spirituality and the theories behind, and basic techniques of playing a singing bowl and selfhealing techniques will be detailed. A 30-minute group sound spa will also be included. For more information: info@yogaroomhk.com / www.yogaroomhk.com / (852) 2544 8398

Silence at Heart 2Day Workshops for Body & Mind 6-7 January 2018 Cheung Chau From movement to stillness, they will explore why we do Yoga at deeper level and how Yoga can transform you nowadays according to the ancient scriptures. From scattering thoughts to one-point concentration, your energy is depleted by the fluctuation of mind. You will learn how to breath consciously to calm down, relax and rest your nerve system. For more information www.yunyogaportraits.com

Mastering the Art of Handstands, 8

the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute. For more information yogacentralhk@gmail.com / www.yogacentral.hk THAILAND

Learn To Float Ashtanga Intensive with David Robson & Jelena Vesic

Andrew Abaria will be at The Yoga Room Carrie Owerko will be teaching at Yoga

26-28 January 2018 The Yoga Room, Sheung Wan 26 January 7:30-9pm - Slow Flow with Live Vocal/Musical Performance 27 January 2018 10am-12pm - Explore Your Core Workshop 2-4pm - Mastering the Handstand Workshop 28 January 2018 10am-12pm - Beyond Backbends Workshop 2-4pm - The Art of Flying Workshop For more information: info@yogaroomhk.com / www.yogaroomhk.com / (852) 2544 8398

Playful Practice, Variability, and the Art of Resilience Workshop with Carrie Owerko 23-25 March 2018

Central-Iyengar Central

Yoga Central-Iyengar Central Carrie is a New York-based Senior Iyengar teacher, known for her fun and playfulness in class. She will also host a Teachersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Class at Yoga CentralIyengar Central on 26 March 2018. For more information yogacentralhk@gmail.com / www.yogacentral.hk

Asana and Pranayama Workshop with Stephane Lalo 5-8 April 2018 Yoga Central-Iyengar Central Stephane Lalo from Marseilles will teach progressively on asanas and pranayamas to improve your techniques to practise from fundamental to advance poses by categories in this 4-day intensive. He has been awarded Advance II certification recently by

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13-20 January 2018 Samahita Retreat, Koh Samui Mornings will begin with either a Led or Mysore-style class. Afternoons will offer workshops in the technique and philosophy of Ashtanga. Offering a thorough examination of the fundamental workings of the Ashtanga Sadhana. The teachings are guaranteed to provide new and valuable information to all students, from beginners to advanced. For more information www.samahitaretreat.com

Yin & Yang Yoga for Body, Breath & Mind with Simon Low 14-21 January 2018 Samahita Retreat, Koh Samui Study the body, breath and mind to revitalize the spirit of refreshment and renewal, recovery and rest, while setting supportive intentions for a happy and healthy year ahead. Each day will include a predominantly yang morning practice with afternoon yin and restorative yoga. Share, chant, come together for

steady body and mind, and how to stay happy, calm and centered. For more information www.samathitaretreat.com

A Drop of Nectar. Internal Forms, Breath and Mudra with Richard Freeman & Mary Taylor Stephane Lalo will be teaching at Yoga Central-Iyengar Central

meditation and benefit from study sessions to deepen your yoga knowledge and experience, especially in the fields of anatomy and physiology, psychology and philosophy. The rest of the day allows time to enjoy the beautiful beach front of Samahita Retreat, nearby temples, local attractions, and also to benefit from the many therapies available at the Samahita wellness and its renowned detox centre.

more happiness and joy to a stress free lifestyle. Afternoon sessions will contain restorative yoga classes and talks on nutrition, lifestyle and yoga philosophy. There will be discussions on the importance of right nutrition to maintaining a

25 March-7 April 2018 Samahita Retreat, Koh Samui In this workshop through postures of the Primary and Intermediate Series of the ashtanga form, we will explore opening and then releasing vivid, internal, organic anatomy patterns in sync with the breath.

tary full body patterns which, when interfaced with each other, open the central channel. The repeated practice of these internal forms eventually frees us from that very same imagination bringing technical skills to life with a taste of kindness and humor. We will practice asana in the mornings and in the afternoons will have sitting practice, chanting and philosophical discussions based on the Bhagavad Gita and similar texts. For more information www.samathitaretreat.com

This method fully uses the imagination to feel complemen-

For more information www.samahitaretreat.com

Yoga, Pranayama & Ayurveda Retreat with Lana Lavanina 17-24 February 2018 Samahita Retreat, Koh Samui Explore how Yoga asana, pranayama (breath work), Ayurveda (holistic medicine), nutrition, meditation are connected to each other to bring

David Robson & Jelena Vesic will be at Samahita Retreat, Thailand

December 2017

KULA

Retreats

AUSTRALIA

Retreat to Byron Bay at New Year Byron Yoga Retreat Centre New Year is the perfect time to benefit from a retreat. Shake off the year just gone and set intentions for the year ahead. This retreat includes yoga classes and wellness sessions plus time to relax by the swimming pool and spend time at the beach. There are also therapeutic massage treatments and the nourishing vegetarian food, much of it grown onsite in the abundant organic gardens. For more information www.byronyoga.com

Kerala James teaches yoga and applied yoga philosophy globally. Known for his inspiring, inclusive and engaging teaching style and holistic approach, his workshops and retreats include live storytelling, a principle-based, practical and inclusive style of asana/natural movement work, meditations and kirtan; all informed by years of practical exploration and dedicated study of Sanskrit and traditional yoga texts. Nestled between the Keralan backwaters and the Arabian sea, the resort, Cherai Beach, is situated in spectacular surroundings and within easy reach of Cochin, the ancient spice trading port. For more information www.yogaunited.com

Yoga and Kirtan Weekend Retreat with James Boag

For more information (44) 7880 545 545 / gillian@ mrsosbornerecommends.co.uk Julia will be in Nicaragua

INDIA

For more information juliamariemccabe@gmail.com / www.loscardones.com SPAIN

24-30 March; 1-7 April 1-7 June 9-16 June These will all be integrated programs with daily meditative walking and hiking, yogic movement, meditation, and satsang. Move, sing, inquire, share, meditate, rest, refresh and be inspired in the magnificent setting of Casa Cuadrau.

18-20 May Ampleforth Abbey An integrated program with movement, meditation, inquiry, storytelling and practical philosophy, with focus especially on Kirtan and the Yoga of sound.

16-24 January 2018

There is no electricity and every bungalow has cold, natural showers. The weather is hot and sunny most days. Be prepared for wild storms as it will be during the rainy season. Expect wild nature, outdoor showers and sand crabs in your shoes! Surf as much as you want, or nap, have good conversations and healthy alone time!

Casa Cuadrau Retreat Program with James Boag

ENGLAND

Mother India Journey of Discovery with James Boag and Yoga United

Suitable for anyone who wants to unplug for a week, eat healthy food, sleep under thatched roofs, eat over candlelight and hang out with wonderful people. Families welcome!

NIGARAGUA

For more information info@casacuadrau.org / www.casacuadrau.org THAILAND

The Yoga of Surf, Yoga and Technology Detox Movement, with Julia McCabe Sound, Ritual & 9-16 February 2018 Plants with Bibi Los Cardones, Nicaragua McGill NAMASKAR

16-23 December Samahita Retreat, Koh Samui Understanding ritual and ceremony to connect with the elements of nature and plants. Through the ancient practice of Chinese tea ceremony, learn to be present and listen. There will be daily morning Yoga practice in addition to a gentle class during the evening. There will be a â&#x20AC;&#x153;conscious DJ dance partyâ&#x20AC;? at the end of the retreat. For more information www.samathitaretreat.com

Christmas and New Year Retreat with Paul Dallaghan 23-30 December & 30 December6 January 2018 Samahita Retreat, Koh Samui Paul and his team share a range of yoga practices, core strength work and cycle classes, in this YogaCoreCycle program. There will be sitting meditation forms, focused breath work which develops into a pranayama practice, and the physical Yoga asana. The first week will emphasize asana practice, with more on philosophy by the second week. There will be a Christmas eve celebration with a gourmet feast and performances and fundraiser for local charities. For more information www.samahitaretreat.com

Yoga & Meditation Magic with Summer Dien 6-13 January

Samahita Retreat, Koh Samui Deepen your knowledge of the yogic cleansing practices, breathwork, and physical asana practice. There will be opportunities to enjoy alone time and group bonding which cultivates an exploration of the inner space. For more information www.samathitaretreat.com

Samkhya Yoga Retreat 7-13 January; 11-17 February; 29 April-5 May 2018 Wise Living Yoga Academy, Chiang Mai Learn how Yoga forms an integral part of Samkhya-Yoga Philosophy, the oldest philosophical system in the world. Includes theory and practice of Yoga techniques, vegetarian meals in residential basis. For more information (66) 825467995 / info@wiselivingyoga.com / www.retreats.wiselivingyoga.com

Samkhya & Bhagavad Gita Retreat 7-20 January; 11-24 February; 29 April-12 May 2018 Wise Living Yoga Academy, Chiang Mai Besides the study of Samkhya and many traditional practices and techniques, the student will be led to dive deeper into Yoga as the Bhagavad Gita will be explained in the view of the four paths of Yoga, namely Raja Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Karma Yoga. Includes theory and practice, vegetarian meals in residential basis. For more information (66) 825467995 / info@wiselivingyoga.com / www.retreats.wiselivingyoga.com

Holistic Care for Body & Mind Yoga Retreat with Amarjit Kumar 9-13 March 2018 Chiang Mai

Join Amarjit for a retreat combining outdoor activities and relaxation techniques to help you refresh and rejuvenate yourself. A mix of Yoga, meditation, healthy food, and attractive visits are the essence to re-balance your body and mind.

cultivate more joy in our lives. For more information www.samathitaretreat.com

For more information @facebook.com/amarjityoga

Yoga and Kirtan Retreat with Lorraine Taylor, Maryz & Vidhu 10-17 March 2018 Samahita Retreat, Koh Samui Exploring how Yoga & Kirtan can help to awaken the heart. Morning practice will include a supportive and nourishing Pranayama session and a graceful Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, which will honour our bodies and take us deeper into the depths of who we are. Afternoon sessions in Mantra, Dance and Kirtan will allow us to taste the extraordinary power of sound, open our voices and hearts and

Simon will be at Samahita Retreat, Thailand

Yin and Yang Yoga Retreat with Simon Low 17-24 March 2018 Samahita Retreat, Koh Samui A yin and yang yoga retreat consisting of two daily practice and study sessions in the mornings and afternoons. This retreat is also offered as part of The Yoga Academyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ongoing teacher training program, with additional daytime workshop study options. For more information www.samathitaretreat.com

Amrit Kumar leads a retreat in Chiang Mai

December 2017

KULA

Teacher Trainings

5-Day Forrest Yoga CET with Sin Hee Ye

AUSTRALIA

One Year 800-hr TT in Byron Bay Byron Yoga Centre Starting your career with more than the Level 1,200 hour certificate will enhance your employability, increase your skills and boost your confidence. Byron Yoga Centre now offers an 800-hour Certificate IV qualification and also a 500-Hour RYT course. Both qualifications are offered as residential intensives at Byron Yoga Retreat Centre and as part time options in Byron Bay and Melbourne. The Melbourne 12-month part-time course is launching in March 2018 and international students qualify for a 12-month student visa. For more information www.byronyoga.com HONG KONG

100-hr Prenatal Yoga TT Certificate Course 27 November-17 January 2018 For Yoga practitioners aspiring to teach Yoga to pregnant women. Students are taught how yoga may be practiced during various stages of pregnancy and early motherhood. Highly qualified and experienced instructors will teach the anatomical, hormonal, and muscular changes that occur normally in a pregnant body, and how yoga can help promote a smooth pregnancy. For more information www.yoga.com.hk / enquiry@anahatayoga.com.hk / (852) 2905 1822

31 January-4 February 2018 The Yoga Room, Sheung Wan A training for continuing growth and refining teaching skills for Yoga teachers / enthusiasts of any style or background and comes with a comprehensive manual by Forrest Yoga. Each morning you will experience an American Indian ceremony inviting energy of protection and holding sacred energy for you and the space. Ann da Silva & Keiko To

200-hr Hatha Yoga TT (Chinese) with Ann da Silva & Keiki To 3-5, 10-12 November; 1-3, 8-10 December; 5-7, 12-14 January 2018 The Yoga Room, Sheung Wan To deepen your practice, inspire you to find your own inner teacher, and empower you with the knowledge and foundations to teach Yoga effectively, confidently, and compassionately. It will be conducted in Cantonese, with a Chinese teaching manual and cross-referenced to Sanskrit names whenever needed. For more information www.yogaroomhk.com / info@yogaroomhk.com / (852) 2544 8398

200-hr Foundation & 300-hr Advanced Yin Yang Vinyasa Yoga TT with Janet Lau

For more information info@yogaroomhk.com / www.yogaroomhk.com / (852) 2544 8398 INDIA

Prenatal Yoga TT with Joanne Smallwood

8-17 December, 26 June-8 July 2018, 9-19 August 2018 & 22-28 September 2018 The Yoga Room, Sheung Wan Suitable for those who are ready to teach, already teaching, or those who want to gain more clarity of their life purpose and learn to cultivate harmony within and without. A training is for anyone who seeks to understand more about oneself and life. Each module can be taken as a bundle to prepare for RYT200 or 500 under Yoga Alliance.

13-23 March 2018 Goa This course is about honouring the goddess within women at the most sacred time in their lives. You will learn how to sequence yoga classes that are specifically designed to empower and prepare women for birth. If you are interested in learning more about natural childbirth from an experienced midwife, guest teacher Corrina Stahlhofen has attended more than 800 births. She will share her experience and knowledge of all stages of pregnancy and childbirth.

For more information www.yogaroomhk.com / info@yogaroomhk.com / (852) 2544 8398

For more information www.brahmaniyoga.com

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asanas (postural training), pranayamas (breathing techniques) and simple kriyas (cleansing techniques). All programs are residential and include vegetarian meals. For more information (66) 825467995 / info@wiselivingyoga.com / www.teachertraining. wiselivingyoga.com

500-hr Advanced Yoga TT

Joanne will be teaching in Goa, India

THAILAND

Level I - Insight Yoga TT Intensive Yin/Yang Yoga & Mindfulness Meditation with Sarah Powers 21 January-1 February 2018 Samahita, Koh Samui This intensive will deepen one’s ability to teach/practice both a receptive Yin style and an active flow or Yang style of yoga with an interest in promoting a conducive inner environment for meditation. For more information sarahpowers.com/iyi/schedule2018/level-i-teacher-trainingintensive-january-2018/

Level II - Insight Yoga TT Intensive Mindfulness and Inner Practice

in Yin Yoga with Sarah Powers 16-20 May 2018 This course is for Yin teachers or practitioners who want to use the Yin yoga class as a doorway for developing the subtle body and psychological realms.

3 June-3 August 2018 Wise Living Yoga Academy, Chiang Mai This advanced course is conducted only 2 times a year. It covers the entire 200 hours program plus an additional 300 hours on nature cure, Shatkarmas, Ayurveda and scriptural studies. The Ashram routine is followed and the trainees are guided deeper into their ‘sadhana’ (personal practice).

For more information sarahpowers.com/iyi/schedule2018/level-ii-teacher-trainingintensive-may-2018/

YogaCoreCycle Samahita Retreat, Koh Samui YogaCoreCycle is an all-inclusive, state of the art, integrated Yoga and functional fitness program. Working on your optimal health and wellbeing, not only physically but also emotionally and mentally. YogaCoreCycle combines cardio and specific strength training, alongside more traditional Yoga postures and breathwork taught from an authentic lineage, and meditation practices to help you achieve this balance. For more information www.samahitaretreat.com / fitness-programs.html VIETNAM

200-hr Weekday Essential Yoga TT with Marzena Kierepka 5 March-8 June 2018; 7 September 2018-27 January 2019 Zenith Yoga Hanoi The program presents foundation in the principals of asanas, pranayama,meditation, yoga philosophy, basic anatomy and teaching methodology. You will learn 40 basic poses deeply through alignment, safe way of using the props, adjustment.

200-hr Classical Yoga TTC 7 January-2 February 2018; 11 February-9 March 2018 Wise Living Yoga Academy, Chiang Mai A full immersion experience in traditional Yoga studies in an “Ashram-like” environment. They provide a foundation on Classical Yoga philosophy and practices, including meditation,

For more information (66) 825467995 / info@wiselivingyoga.com / www.teachertraining. wiselivingyoga.com

For more information daotaogiaovienyoga.org/

Sarah will be at Samahita Retreat, Thailand

December 2017

PILGRIMAGE TO THE SPIRITUAL HOME OF YOGA By Gabrielle McMahon

A dream pilgrimage for me was to the holy waters of Lake Mansarova and the foot of Mount Kailash, Tibet. Tibet is considered the abode of yoga father Lord Shiva and his consort Parvati. And a pilgrimage there is considered auspicious yet challenging by Hindus, Buddhists and Jains. From Kathmandu, Nepal we took two planes and one helicopter just to cross into Tibet. From the border we continued by vehicle. As the elevation rose, so too did my feeling of proximity to a higher being. Daily concerns seemed to leave my mind as my focus shifted to breath awareness, managing my energy and observing how my mind and body was responding to the 4,800 metres elevation (as a comparison Everest Base Camp is 5,380 metres, Mount Fuji Japan is 3,800 metres, Thailandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Doi Inthanon in Chiang Mai 2,580 m) Bathing in Lake Mansarova and drinking its water is a purifying process and is said to set one free from the contaminations of the poisonous world. However feeling impacted by the 4,590 metres elevation at Lake Mansarova, I was initially unsure of the value of entering a cold and expansive body of water. Dipping into the icy

above: Tibetan prayer flags below: Drinking from Lake Mansarova right: The metropolis of Simikot

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left: Simikot women below: Bridge between Nepal & Tibet

Lake Mansarova waters to receive its energy, I felt an incredible sense of renewal and power. As I dived in three times the freezing cold no longer impacted me, I was one with the Mount Kailash that stood magnificently in front of me and blessed me. The world stopped. I was completely present as I rose my hands to the sky and thanked God for this incredible gift of an experience. It was hard to leave the magic of the water, having in five minutes developed a mild sense of attachment to this power. Reluctantly and steadily I walked out of something beyond my imagination and expectation. Having entered feeling weary, I now felt I could run a marathon easily - something I have never contemplated in my life! A spiritual experience, a raising of my consciousness a turning point in my spiritual journey. I ventured forward to the foot of Mount Kailash, Darchen. Surrounded by the colourful symbolic Tibetan flags a sense of peace flowed over me as I looked up at its snow capped peak, with all its beauty and power. It was breathtaking and emotional. Thank you for your blessings and power to move me forward in my spiritual journey!

above: Mt Kailash from Lake Mansarova

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below: Mt Kailash in full glory

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December 2017

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MEDITATION

TAKE CARE OF EMOTIONAL FLU

With the practice of Mindfulness BY JANET LAU

In flu season people will do more to prevent catching it. Living in a city with close proximity, it is easy for the virus to spread, no matter how careful we are. Sometimes it is inevitable, especially if you have children or seniors at home, if you take public transit, or if you work in clinics and hospitals etc.

resistance. What we resist we persist. Instead of putting up a shield, fighting against these negative energies, mindfulness teaches us to let our guard down and let these energies pass through. Instead of making these energies as our enemies, mindfulness sees these energies as energies.

Just as flu season potentially harms the physical body, a kind of “flu season” exists on our emotional and energetic level.

Think of how a billboard is made. The bigger the billboard, the more it obstructs the wind. In order to withstand the wind, there needs to be air holes so the wind can pass through.

Every country, city, organization and family, has its own collective energy. When the members of the group are happy, there is a light collective energy. On the other hand, when the group goes through tough times due to political, economic or natural challenges, the collective energy becomes heavier or denser. If the group collectively lacks awareness, their negative energy is passed onto friends, family, colleagues, even strangers.

The wind is represents our emotions, either our own or others’. We need to let them pass through, rather to fight against it. You may withstand a slow breeze, but definitely not a typhoon! TREAT OUR EMOTIONS EQUALLY It doesn’t matter where the energies come from, our strategy is pretty much the same. We need to recognize the emotion for what they are, let them speak, hear their cries, and

We need to recognize the emotion, hear their cries, Eventually they will pass, as the wind eventually dies. Here’s an example: you have a great day at work and can’t wait to share your happiness with your other half. As soon as you open the door, you sense something was wrong with him/her. He/she doesn’t look happy. He/she starts whining about this and that. You try to help but he/she gets even more agitated. Your peace and happiness disappears into thin air, and a sense of heaviness starts to take over. You just caught his/her “emotional flu”. Like a fly caught in the spider web, the more you fight, the more stuck you get. Our natural reaction to things we dislike is to suppress, avoid, or fight it. All these methods share the same underlying energy -

eventually they will pass, just as the wind eventually dies down.

PRACTICE Sit quietly, with your spine upright and your hands resting comfortably on your laps or your feet, feel the breathing at the front of your nostril, feel the uncontrolled, natural inhale and exhale, for every single breath. When inhale comes, feel your body, when exhale comes, relax your body. Do this for a few minutes. When you have gained some calmness and stability, allow the emotions in, feel where the emotions are strongly felt in your body, and place your hand there. Feel this strong tension in the body, breathe into this feeling, observe it and relax into it as you exhale. While breathing to your emotion, allow it there, say yes to it, and ask your emotion to express itself. Let it talk as if you are listening to your best friend, put all the judgements aside and simply listen. Let the emotions be heard by you, openly, wholeheartedly. Just continue to breathe with it, and let the emotion do its thing. Give your emotion all the time it needs, the space you offer to your emotion has great healing effect. When the strong emotion slows down and you start to feel a sense of calmness, you can go back to feeling your inhale and exhale. Inhale you feel the overall body, exhale relax your body. Do this for a few minutes. After that, you slowly open your eyes, relax your effort and go on with the rest of your day. Let what’s gone be gone.

The more we judge our emotions, our judgement closes the air holes of our billboard and we have to fight harder and harder against the incoming wind. With the mindfulness practice, you start to recognize emotions are simply strong winds passing, by themselves. They are nothing personal, not even the energies that come from others. The more we let them pass, the less harm we do to ourselves; the more we fight and resist, the more broken and miserable we feel.

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This is a practice, not a goal. Practice with an open mind, with no expectation, offer yourself a lot of patience and love. It is the love and the energy of allowing that heals. You are not alone, but you are the only one who can heal yourself. Trust the healing power within you.

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PRANAYAMA

SLOW BREATH = LONG LIFE

Antar Kumbhaka, part of the Equation BY ANDY WILLNER

Yoga Sutra II.49 “tasmin sati svasa prasvasayor gati-vicchedah pranayamah” When that [asana] is accomplished, pranayamah, breath control, [follows]. This consists of the regulation of the incoming and outgoing breaths. Hatha Yoga Pradipika “when the breath wanders the mind also is unsteady. But when the breath is calmed the mind too will be still, and the yogi achieves long life. Therefore, one should learn to control the breath.” In the Patanjala Yoga Sastra, it is clearly stated that pranayama is the suspension of both inhaling and exhaling i.e. breath retention or in Sanskrit it is called kumbhaka. Note kumbha is a type of pot so the torso is perceived as a pot with mulabandha (root lock) and jalandhara bandha (throat lock) acting as the bottom and top of the closed pot respectively. This holding can been done at the end of an exhale known as Bahir Kumbhaka or at the end of the inhale, known as Antar Kumbhaka. In this article I am going to focus specifically on the latter, as it is much more assessable for most yoga practitioners and certainly easier to maintain for lengthy periods. So I shall examine the reputed physical and mental health benefits of this practice based on ancient scripture and also on recent modern medicine. Per Tantra, we breath on average 21,600 times a day (which happens to be a multiple of the sacred number 108 for those readers who like mathematics!). Yogis count their lifespan not by the number of years but by the number of breaths, as it is believed that we have a finite number. Clearly the inference here is longevity is tied to slower breathing. This would seem to make intuitive sense if one looks at the longevity of a variety of animals -rabbits and mice that breath very quickly have short lifespans, elephants and whales breath very slowly and conversely have long lifespans...and we humans are in between.

Steve at White Rocks, photo courtesy of Coni Horler

Before I get into Antar Kumbhaka, let’s take a brief look at the basics of breathing. At sea level air is composed of 21% oxygen, 78% Nitrogen and 0.04% Carbon Dioxide and breathing involves the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in our bodies. In very simple terms, the oxygen inhaled into the lungs enters the blood stream and is converted into energy for a multitude of bodily functions from brain functioning to locomotion. The waste product of this process is CO2 which is carried back to the lungs by the circulatory system, and then exhaled.

Yogis count their lifespan, not by the number of years but, by the number of breaths

So when you practice Antar Kumbhaka, the holding of the breath gradually leads to an increase in CO2 in the bloodstream with a corresponding decrease in oxygen, which is called hypoxia. If you were to maintain this for an extremely long time, ultimately the brain would be starved of oxygen, you would pass out and possibly die...which is not our goal, so why hold your breath at all? Well, both ancient yogis and indeed modern scientific studies both recognized that “intermittent” breath retention, also called intermittent hypoxia, can actually offer

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substantial health benefits. The reason is kumbhaka triggers a positive stress response that turns on our survival mode, not dissimilar to the practice of hopping from a hot sauna into an ice bath! So our bodies start to increase red blood cells by producing more EPO (the technique of significantly increasing EPO by blood doping was notoriously used in a number of endurance sports such as the Tour De France to enhance rider performance).

their yoga, and pregnant women should refrain from the practice completely.

Another benefit is the brain quickly recognizes CO2 levels are too high and starts to vasodilate (i,e. expand) capillaries so more blood can enter the brain to gain more oxygen and this vasodilation enhances blood circulation. There are a number of other benefits such as profileration of anti-ageing stem cells, improvement in memory and cognitive function, as well as protection of cell DNA which can help prevent or combat cancer. Yogic science also suggests Antar Kumbhaka can help with a host of diseases, such as Diabetes, Asthma, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, not just via improved circulation of blood but also through attaining greater stillness of mind and prana.

So what happens when we hold our breath after inhaling deeply? Initially nothing, as there is plenty of oxygen in the blood stream, however, at a certain point which varies for everybody the respiratory centre of the brain will send out impulses to take another breath when the CO2 levels have risen in our cells, blood and lungs. At this point if we continue to hold the breath then the lungs start to burn followed by involuntary spasms of the diaphragm and intercostal muscles between the ribs, which increase in intensity until we can no longer hold our breath.

However, I should caution anyone with high blood pressure, heart disease, asthma or other respiratory diseases or collitis to seek qualified medical advice prior to considering incorporating any form of kumbhaka into

Unlike most modern medical scientific studies that only concentrate on the level of the body (incorporating the brain), yogic science also considers our health in terms of the pranic body and suggests the physical manifestations of disease relate to disturbances in and disruption of our pranic body.

In Antar Kumbhaka, the engagement of the bandhas, especially jalandara bandha, is designed to retain the prana from escaping or even moving. Moreover, it is not advised to hold the breath to the point of discomfort, but rather to build up slowly over time to increase capacity. In this respect, Antar Kumbhaka differs from simple maximal

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breath retention, even more so since the latter is typically carried out when immersed in cold water to enable lengthier holds by utilizing our ‘mammalian diving reflex’, which significantly slows the heart rate (bradycardia) and narrows the blood vessels in the limbs (peripheral vasoconstriction). As a point of interesting trivia, the world record breath holding without inhaling oxygen (known as static apnea) stands at 11 minutes and 54 seconds, whilst the world record with prior oxygen inhalation now stands at a staggering 24 minutes and 3 seconds! In conclusion, Antar Kumbhaka offers us many benefits, both physical, energetic and mental, but is best learnt from a teacher well versed in the practice. Whilst increased longevity through pranayama, and specifically Antar Kumbhaka, is certainly one of the ‘prizes’, I still like to remind myself of a famous quote about life and breath : “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” So let’s make every breath we take a special moment and be grateful for each opportunity to experience embodied consciousness through the life force that flows within us!

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AYURVEDA

HOW HARD SHOULD WE PUSH?

Ayurvedic view of Exercise & Breathing DR MAHESH SABADE

prescription or proscription. In relation with exercise, Ayurveda specifically advocates certain important points: • Exercise is the physical activity that should help strengthen the body and the mind.

•

In any form of exercise, a proper breathing pattern proves to be a key factor for maintaining good health.

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Ayurveda understands that exercise is of two kinds – Shakha Vyayam & Koshtha Vyayam – Shakha Vyayam is the exercise that is mainly acts on the musculature and koshtha vyayam mainly acts on visceral organs and body physiology by maintaining Vayu.

• Vyayamam Sthairyakaranam agryam, |The best remedy to maintain the stability (of body and mind) is exercise. We commonly see, such statement can easily be extrapolated and enthusiasts go overboard. As we know, exercise has been part of human civilization for ages. It comes with a specific dogma and rules that are mentioned for the benefit of our health. Looking at the common lifestyle and exercise pattern of most of us in this modern era, it gives me a strong reason to write about it. Ayurveda understands exercise thoroughly and strongly believes that regular and suitable form of exercise is conducive to good health. Nonetheless, if done in wrong manner it can have harmful effects. Ayurveda very well understands our lifestyle including physical activities and diet in respect to their effects on our health. The physical acts and diet can be planned in such a way that it will be beneficial for our health. In other words, each act can be understood as a

Yogic postures, Pranayam (the exercise of breath) are considered as koshtha vyayam and on the other hand, gym workout, athletics, marathon, sports are considered under shakha vyayam category.

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According to Ayurveda, koshtha vyayam has an edge over the shakha vyayam, as they are beneficial in regulating body physiology and reversing pathology in many conditions.

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For any pathology, Vayu or Prana or Vata is a crucial player that lets manifest a disease involving other factors including bodily constituents. Koshtha Vyayam is the kind of exercise and helps regulate the Prana (or Vayu or Vata) which is the root cause for most of the pathological events. That is the reason why Yoga proves to be beneficial in most of the diseases when done in a proper manner.

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Irrespective of type of exercise, breathing technique is very important. WHAT IS THE BREATHING TECHNIQUE? As a basic guideline, Ayurveda emphatically recommends breathing through the nose and not through the mouth when exercising. In December 2017

fact, the moment we feel the need to breathe through the mouth while exercising, it is an indication that we have reached the point. Usually, that is considered half the limit of our actual bodily capacity. Going beyond this point, may affect adversely. Any exercise activity should be limited up to this level by finishing the activity at this point or by taking break so that you do not burn out. Stretching beyond this point, leads to depletion of strength from the body. The phenomenon is too subtle that we hardly feel any difference in the moment. However, in the long run it has a potential to create ill effects on our body by the vitiation of Vayu. Breathing through mouth has a specific effect to cool our body down at a faster rate. During the exercise, doing the same kind of strenuous activity while the body is cooling down can cause micro-injuries in our tissues that, in future, act as vulnerability or weak spots. Such vulnerability has the potential to manifest into a disease in the future. Taking a short/long break helps the body recuperate and prevent any tissue damage. This is like a thumb rule that applies to all forms of exercise. In swimming, when you breathe by mouth, it is important to understand the bodily capacity in general and act accordingly. These days, it seems there are longer and heavier forms of workouts in practice where breathing by mouth is a very common feature. There is also a widespread belief held by most of us - ‘more the better’. It is commonly applied to the amount of exercise we do. However, it undoubtedly is not true in case of exercise. The optimum level of exercise is to do as per your capacity and should be assessed by your breathing pattern. In competitive sports, training gradually with certain breaks can improve the muscle strength and endurance benefitting the person in sports as well as in maintaining health.

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DRISTI - SUCCESSFUL & SPIRITUAL

WHAT DETERMINES SUCCESS? Fate, God, Luck or Effort BY SADHGURU

SPIRITUALITY OR BUSINESS The spiritual roots of Kamalaya ...........................................................30

KARMA OFFERING How serving seniors tea gave rise to an Ashtanga retreat......................32

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If we want to succeed in life, what’s most important - fate, God, effort or luck? Fate, God, luck, effort – maybe all of them, but in what proportion? When you say fate, obviously it is something you cannot do anything about. When you say luck, again obviously it is something you cannot do anything about. God is also not something you can do anything about. The only thing that is in your hands is effort. Put your 100% into your effort. What happens, happens. Don’t leave proportions of your energy and your capability to luck¸ God, fate, and all these things – that is not your business. If there is such a thing, it will act. Your business is only effort, and the effort has to be incisive; it should be focused and calibrated. Simply creating effort is foolish. Hard labor alone is not going to get you somewhere. The right kind of action, the right timing, the right place – all are important. For these things to happen, you need perception and intelligence. That is all you must do in your life – constantly look for ways to enhance your perception and your intelligence. The rest will anyway happen. And this is the one thing that humanity is unfortunately not doing. For example, 25 years ago, everyone wanted to become a doctor. If you want to study, the first choice was medicine. Let us say you became a doctor, but then everyone came to a yoga programme and stopped having to go to doctors. Business will go down. It will no longer be a good profession to go into. Anyway, very few people are becoming doctors because they want to become doctors. There are a few doctors who really want to be doctors, understand the human system and serve people, but others are becoming doctors because they think it is lucrative. It is quite disturbing for me that someone’s sickness is a lucrative business, because you would not want everyone to become healthy.

Do not try to put up a recipe for your success. Real success happens when you use yourself to your full potential. It does not matter whether you become a doctor or a politician, a yogi or whatever; success means you are living your life to your full potential. If that has to happen, you need perception and an active intelligence. “How do I grow my intelligence?” Don’t worry about that. The important thing is to enhance your perception. If you are able to see life just the way it is, you have the necessary intelligence to conduct it well. If you are not able to see life the way it is, your intelligence will work against you. Intelligent people on this planet are generally the most miserable people on the planet. This is simply because they have an active intelligence but no perception of life. People today are trying to broaden their minds, which may make one socially successful, not truly successful. If you want to be truly successful, you must be able to see everything just the way it is, without distortions. If you can see everything just the way it is, life becomes a play, a game. You can play it joyfully and you can play it well for sure. If you can play it well, people will say you are successful. You should not be aspiring for success. It is a miserable way to structure your life. You will simply cause pain and suffering to yourself and everyone, because your idea of success right now is that everyone should be below you, while you are on top. This is not success; this is sickness. Never think, “I want to be successful.” Just see how to make yourself into a full-fledged being, and it will find expression. If it finds good expression, people around you will say, “He is a great success!” That is fine. People should recognize that you are a success, but you should not be thinking about how to be successful. That is a very wrong way to approach life.

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Once you have come here as a human being, the potential of what it means to be human, all the dimensions of who you are must be experienced. Only then I would say you are successful. And the ability to explore that potential, the daring to explore that potential will come to you when you come to a state within yourself where there is no fear of suffering, that no matter what the life situation is, your experience of life will not alter itself. Right now, Isha is involved in two dozen social projects. Some of them are mega-size projects in Tamil Nadu and the rest of the world. But I am not even concerned about the success of my activity. If they happen well, they will be beneficial for the people. But even if everything fails, I will still be blissful. I will do my best, there is no question about that, because I have nothing to lose and nothing to gain whichever way, but the success of the activity depends on a variety of situations, and on cooperation from millions of people. However, what happens to these projects or how successful they are in terms of the world’s eyes will not determine my experience of life. If you have to find fulfillment, if you have to know the joy of doing something, you will only know it when your action is total – 100%. In everything that you are doing, if you are absolutely 100%, you will notice your action will have a certain sense of exuberance. My activity stretches for almost 18 to 20 hours a day, seven days of the week, 365 days a year. Maybe in someone else’s mind this would look like slavery. It is not so for me, because I spend my days in absolute exuberance, and that is so for lots of people around me. This is success, if you want to name it that way. But what I would say is, this is life. Life, if lived totally, is success. If it is lived in a meager fashion, that is not being successful. Once you are here, you must explore, live and experience the full depth and dimension of your life.

Vivian in Urdhva Dhanurasana, photo by Yoshi Anwar

Real success happens when you use yourself to your full potential. December 2017

DRISTI - SUCCESSFUL & SPIRITUAL

SPIRITUALITY OR BUSINESS

The Story of Kamalaya BY JOHN STEWART

Here we don’t wait for miracles, we create them

I spent 25 years in the Himalaya’s, 16 of them as a yogi monk, a disciple of a great Himalayan master, learning to serve and practice ancient traditions and integrate them into grounded, practical reality.

grows enough rice corn and wheat for the community. Across the river, we dug out the mountain creating another field of the same size. Here we built temples, housing and stables for the horses and cows.

I lived in a cave beside a river in the Himalayan foothills a half day’s walk from the nearest road, without electricity or any modern convenience, and many years were spent carrying rocks.

Using only our hands, iron bars and steel trays to do this work it seemed an impossible task, but patiently over time we achieved our goal, and it was during this time that my teacher told me, “Here we don’t wait for miracles, we create them”.

We literally created land and moved a mountain. On one side of the river, we piled rocks 3 meters high, it took several years until we had created a four hectare field, we then covered it with sand, fertilized it with cow dung and planted banana trees which helped create soil and over many years transformed it into a fertile field which now 30

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This experience informed the rest of my life. This intense labor was an integral part of his teachings of Karma Yoga; which is: ”Conscious action as a path of transformation” and of Truth, Simplicity and Love through Service to Humanity.

Truth, he taught me, is to listen to the first impulse you feel in your heart before your mind begins to think. Simplicity is to align your thoughts, speech and action with this inner truth and to be happy with the results, and that living in this way, one will experience love and that “love is God”. Along with these teachings we practiced daily meditation, prayers and inner communion through songs and chanting. I learned true happiness and fulfillment come through service and in giving to others and by practicing this, whatever we decide to do, we can make a difference. Positively influencing the world around us. Experiencing how this simple life and teachings helped heal the wounds of loneliness, depression and the lack of meaning so often found in modern society I was deeply inspired to integrate them fully into my life.

bringing together health and spirituality and creating a place where we could practice both and this became our vision and we began dreaming of Kamalaya. Karina is a Master of Traditional Chinese Medicine (MATCM), a yoga instructor, and a Cultural Anthropologist and she created much of the content of Kamalaya, articulating our vision; an integrated vision where each part of our life supports the whole. We moved to Nepal and slowly began to build a flourishing business in art and herbal health products. In 2000 while recovering from a lifethreatening illness on Koh Samui, a small island in Thailand, I stumbled upon a cave where Buddhist monks had immersed themselves in forest retreats for several hundred years. I was touched as it reminded me of my time in India living in a cave in the Himalayas and so… Kamalaya Koh Samui was born.

Knowing few people could live such an austere and simple life, I often wondered how I could share this and all that I have been enriched by when I would return to the West.

The cave is the heart of Kamalaya and we became care-takers of this sacred land suffused with years of meditation, contemplation and prayers.

My guru, revered in India, also sent me from time to time to Nepal to study with Tibetan Buddhist Masters and encouraged me to create small businesses focused on empowering local people.

Kamalaya is an expression of the gratitude Karina and I feel for the inspiring teachings we have received and which we attempt to live in our lives.

He had someone give me $3,000, telling me if I would be a caretaker of this as sacred money it would grow. I developed a line of jewelry and yoga clothes and the profits were used to build schools, medical clinics and a hospital in remote areas. This gave me experience living a life of service and devotion

We set out to translate ancient wisdom and traditional healing along with modern science into a contemporary language and setting, and to offer our guests a holistic pathway to optimum health and vitality, along with the opportunity to reconnect to a deeper part of themselves so often forgotten in the modern world.

In 1982, I met my future wife, Karina, who had taken a sabbatical from her studies at Princeton University to meet my teacher. I knew right away I was in love and wanted to marry Karina, and for the next 11 years I stayed in touch with her after she returned America through letters and the occasional phone call. This was all before the internet.

Every aspect of Kamalaya, from the land, the architecture and the gardens, to the food, treatments, classes, whether fitness or mentoring, the sense of place and of course our team of over 300 - everything has been brought together to nourish and support you in an integrated and authentic way. Connecting Mind Body and Spirit.

In 1993 the time came to leave India, I was told: “You won’t know what you have truly learned unless you go and build something.”

We envisioned Kamalaya would benefit and make a contribution to anyone with whom we came in contact: our guests as well as our team, owners and shareholders as well as suppliers and associates. Creating a positive ecosystem that would live and grow and that you might be inspired to take home with you.

I knew what I had to do! I went first to the US to find Karina and luckily she was single, and we decided to marry. I asked her then what she thought of

This might be a good moment to mention that December 2017

neither Karina nor I had the depth of business experience needed to create Kamalaya. We had faith in our ability, a passionate commitment to our vision; and our daily practice, which kept us focused on our goal. We learned step-by-step the complexities of business and dealt with challenges one-by-one. Marc Cornaz, already successful in the corporate world, went on to become an entrepreneur with expertise in startups, joined us in 2003 bringing his extensive business and management experience to further strengthen us. We faced what seemed like insurmountable obstacles and together we overcame them and built and nurtured Kamalaya, believing business should serve human needs, and serve the community with a generosity of spirit. Today, many of our guests express a lifechanging experience and 35% come again and again, many returning every year. Our guests speak of the sense of community, of reconnecting to themselves, of deep healing and experiencing love and Joy. “Feel life’s potential” is Kamalaya’s invitation to each and every one, to perceive and experience both the personal and the transcendent nature of life. Each individual carries within the seed of the same potential manifesting in all life, the seed to fulfill and unfold life’s magnificence. Both, day-to-day reality and transcendent reality are coexistent and in truth, there is no separation. So at Kamalaya, it is spirituality and business. During my years in the Himalayas I learned to shoulder all my self-created responsibilities, to maintain my spiritual practice and become proficient in “both” realities as one, because they are interdependent and coexistent. So you can say ‘we take care of business’ or ‘chop wood carry water.’ My teacher taught me to look into the future and visualize it, and I would be able to create a miracle. For me, Kamalaya is this miracle. Excerpted from John’s speech on ‘Spirituality of Business – The Story of Kamalaya’ given at the Healing Summit, Berlin, March 2016. 31

But I also want to contribute something unconnected to my salary or any financial or commercial reward. Karma Yoga was an unknown principle to me back in the 90’s, when Alan, my philosophy teacher at the School of Economic Science in London, took me aside one day and told me, “Nigel; an opportunity has arisen”.

It seems every year, a “larger” duty offers itself up to me. Last year the calling was clear – I went Palestine to learn first-hand about the dreadful conditions over there, and to help the fledgling Palestine yoga scene.

I had a foot in two camps in those days – I was attending the school three times a week, completely immersing myself in the principles of Advaita Vedanta, and yet I was a typical young guy who enjoyed a hedonistic lifestyle. I listened with increasing horror and almost terror as Alan continued with what he had in mind for me, “Saturday mornings, the senior group meets at the school and someone is needed to serve the tea.” Not only was the idea of serving tea to a bunch of grannies abhorrent to me, but moreover Saturday mornings at the school meant my Friday nights were under threat!

This year, working for no fee, I organized and hosted a totally free 4-day Buddha Dhamma Meditation and Ashtanga Yoga retreat, at a Buddhist meditation centre - Dipabhâvan, in Koh Samui, Thailand.

Now, I admired Alan greatly. Not only was a kind soul, a great teacher, and a deep thinker, but he had great taste in music! I remember hurtling down the motorway in Alan’s car, on the way back from a retreat weekend, with the Jimi Hendrix Story blasting out of the car stereo! He turned to his other passenger, a rather freaked out elderly lady in the back seat, and yelled at her, “Do you like Hendrix, Margery? Isn’t he great!”. And so, I was in no position to refuse Alan’s “opportunity”. The prospect of that first Saturday morning duty filled with dread and I even harbored resentment my time was being stolen from me – after all, I wasn’t even being paid for this! But then something wonderful happened. As I started serving these gracious senior people their beverages, I became aware of a beautiful natural joy having arisen in me. I felt a deep satisfaction in the lightness and simplicity of this perfect arrangement. For the remainder of my time at the school, which was several years, I volunteered many times for other duties. This is how I started out in what we may call the spiritual life. Up until that point, philosophy had been a study only; it had not been a practice. A little later, in the early 2000’s when my Ashtanga Yoga teacher asked me to assist, I readily accepted and felt honored to serve my fellow students. In fact, teaching yoga was never something I expected to be paid for and when I was first asked to teach professionally in 2005, my response was something like, “Me, are you joking?” A dozen years later and I have become what most would likely consider a successful yoga teacher, and I work for one of the biggest and most commercial yoga chains in the world. Being a yoga teacher offers myriad ways to give and share with others, which is great. 32

Meditation and Dhamma instruction was led by my friend, senior Buddhist monk Tan Dhammavidu, who teaches monthly at the Dipabhavan Meditation Centre. And I taught morning Mysore-style Ashtanga Yoga classes, and gave some of the less formal talks. Spaces for the retreat were limited and it was very pleasing just over 30 students registered. In addition once we arrived, a few others popped up and joined. All students were expected to do their share of Karma Yoga, which meant small cleaning duties etc. Many unexpected things happened during the retreat. I was enroute to Thailand when I received a message from the centre saying the usual facilitators who run the retreats would not be present. Meals would be provided, but I would have to do everything else. Mild panic set in as I tried to figure out what to do during the four days. As it turned out, help arrived, and volunteers magically showed up when needed. I had two fellow Authorised teachers and plenty of senior students helping me with the classes of 30. A retreat like this has been a long dream of mine. Since my earliest days of Ashtanga practice, I have thought about the possibility of an Ashtanga ashram, and I have discussed many times with Ashtanga buddies the different ways it could be done. Figuring out how to offer this retreat for free ended up being the key to it’s success. And in general the retreat went very well, it. I never considered myself to be a particularly generous person, and yet it now seems deeply rooted in my nature to give some of my time with no expectation of reward. I am never searching for opportunities to serve, they just seem to offer themselves up and I usually get a sense very quickly they are right for me. This ties in with two other important lessons I learned from my teacher Alan: “Don’t go looking for a cause, and don’t try to do the duty of another,” and “If one is constantly searching for ways to do something great, one may miss ways to do something good. “ NAMASKAR

DRISTI - SUCCESSFUL & SPIRITUAL

MY KARMA OFFERINGS

Grow from 20-year-old Seed BY NIGEL MARSHALL

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IN BRIEF

MUDRAS BY KRISHNAA KINKARI Sri Iyengarji has written in his introduction to the Samadhi Pada of Sri Patanjali Yoga Sutras “Mind acquires knowledge objectively, whereas intelligence learns through subjective experience, which becomes wisdom.”

It has been discussed here previously that mudras are tools for pratyahara, the fifth limb of Yoga: “the impulses of nature end and intuitive insight flows freely,” as BKS Iyengar notes in his Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.

Breathe gently and calmly to nourish a mood of generous giving with open heart and acceptance of life’s gifts, whatever form they take!

Therefore this month’s mudras aim for the lofty goals of surrender and satisfaction.

After practicing techniques the yoga sadhaka experiences their result, and their citta (consciousness), is transformed. This, of course, can be deemed a success. When the character of the sadhaka is matured to the degree asmita, avidhya, raga, dvesa and abhinivesa no longer trouble their consciousness, then this is surely yogic success. Fame and fortune are not attractive per se; disharmony between body and mind, which can lead to so many psychosomatic disorders, dissolves away.

PUSHPAPUTA MUDRA (HANDFUL OF FLOWERS) Palms upwards and all five digits resting naturally together.

The teacher’s satisfaction then lies in the students they have helped to attain the true goal of yoga; this is success, the expression of curative spirituality: the advancement of humanity. The taker becomes a giver!

All fingers angled towards each other at about 45 degrees, with the middle fingertips about an inch away from each other.

Backs of the palms rest on the tops of the thighs.

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DHARMACHAKRA MUDRA (WHEEL OF LIFE) Raise both hands in front of the chest with the right hand held slightly higher than the left. Join the tips of the thumbs and index fingers of both hands making a circle. The other fingers are naturally extended. The palm of the left hand and the back of the right hand face the body. Tips of the fingers forming the circle on the right hand touch the tip of the middle finger of the left hand. Hold the hands thus with a sensitive touch. The breath, as in all mudra practice, should be slow and deep.

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This mudra embodies the realization that the world goes on turning: the circles of life and death are continuous. Acceptance of the lessons that face us throughout life brings peace of mind: one needs to be able to witness such change without attachment whilst still bringing ones best enthusiasm to every process. This mudra is beautifully serene.

KUBERA MUDRA With both hands join the fingertips of the thumb, index and middle fingers with all three fingers slightly bent. Curl the ring and pinky fingers into the palm of the hand. Rest the backs of both hands on the knees if sitting or in lap if lying down. Kubera is the demigod representing wealth, both material, mental and spiritual. Through quiet focus with the use of this mudra renewed force on all fronts can be kindled if done affirmatively, honestly and positively. Determination and motivation towards succeeding in ones own personal challenges can be re-enforced. Please practice regularly for good effect and healthy immunity in the winter season facing us!

IN BRIEF

KAREN ATKINS’ ALBUM IN MY ROOM REVIEWED BY NATALIE MACAM “Music is sustenance,” says Karen Atkins, singer/songwriter and long-time natural health expert of nearly 50 alternative modalities, including yoga, qigong and consciousness-based healing systems. “Two decades of experience in helping people heal themselves has inspired me to make music with a similar purpose.”

What makes it have a healing quality? “In My Room” features a concept that is not commonly seen in popular music: the A = 432 Hz tuning. Instead of the standard Western tuning of A = 440 Hz, Atkins tuned all of the instruments used in her album to the 432 Hz frequency, which is said to be the universal frequency that has a harmonious effect on the brain and the heart To delve into whether her music recorded in 432 Hz had a positive effect, Karen set out on her “Frequency Experiment Tour” across the US this summer with an overwhelmingly positive response. Karen shared the songs on “In My Room” through listening booths set up at outdoor fairs and markets, as well as live shows. Over 200 study participants filled out a before and after questionnaire to report their perceived stress and physical discomfort levels, which decreased significantly. With Karen’s new album, a new style of “healing music” is born - it’s not your typical meditation or kirtan music; it’s got flavors of Stevie Wonder, the Beatles, Earth, Wind and Fire, and the Carpenters - catchy and deep all at once. Perhaps most remarkable about this album is it’s softly simple and clear expression of sounds and poetic lyrics. Upbeat tracks such “Julian” sound and feel fun and playful, while in contrast my one of favorite songs, the ballad “Tell Daniel”, draws slow deep breaths inside its melodies. “In My Room” the title December 2017

track has a very personal and universal message that effortlessly carries the weight the lyrics’ emotion. “Slip Slidin’ Away” was a complete surprise to me and ends the album with folk and country sound. It’s music designed, and now proven, to make you feel good by simply listening to it - the words and melodies are really catchy though, so you’ll probably find yourself singing along too.

IN BRIEF

SANGEETA KAUR’S ALBUM ASCENSION, NIGUMA VOL.2 REVIEWED BY NATALIE MACAM The sequel to Sangeeta Kaur’s groundbreaking debut, ASCENSION: NIGUMA Vol. 2 is an innovative blend of Kundalini mantra chants, operatic vocals set against a neo-classical score and is also the 39

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system of yoga predominantly for women. For years Sangeeta felt inspired and envisioned a way to share Lady Niguma’s magical ancient legend to the world audience and how she started her own yoga school for women in India on the island of Sosa in the middle of the Ganges River where her story became a legend of women flying in the sky doing yoga.

soundtrack for the Spring 2018 stage production of NIGUMA: THE MANTRA PROJECT. This album is a unique expression of Sangeeta herself, a Kundalini Teacher, Composer, and Opera Singer. She introduces a sacred story of Lady Niguma an 11th Century Yogini whose story laid dormant for centuries until discovered by Geshe Michael Roach in 1990’s from Asia Classics Input Project (ACIP) rare palm leaf manuscript translations. This discovery of Lady Niguma was paramount in its importance because the history of classic yoga was previously a maleonly practice. But not only did Lady Niguma create one of the first recorded yoga series in written history, she created a school and

“Being a theater and opera major, I asked myself how to share this magical story, this hidden gem, that’s so transformative to others, hope there is a transmission of Lady Niguma’s teaching, and that the audience will have a deep and meaningful experience and to feel the power of Lady Niguma to unite, awaken and empower.” says Sangeeta Kaur. The answer was NIGUMA: THE MANTRA PROJECT to showcase this ancient story on stage in a mixed genre production that was that was both visual, orchestral, and featured sacred soundscapes.

“Ascension” as well as the world music influences of West Africa and Armenia. On this pioneering album, my favorites are “This Beautiful World” that has mystical sweeping sounds which transport you on an expansive sound journey and speaks of a wondrous land filled with light and eternal freedom. My other favorite is “Dream Tunnel” with its elegant, emotional, highdrama string arrangements and vocals that sound like gorgeous sighs. “Lascia Ch’io Pianga” is a nod to familiar Classical Italian Opera, while “Samsara’s Tango” weaves the Tango soundscapes with Operatic vocals. Overall, Ascension Niguma Vol.2: The Mantra Project left me feeling that this New Age music album will be appreciated on a global scale and was unsurprisingly submitted into the 60th Grammy Awards.

Sangeeta and renowned Producer/Composer Nicholas Neidhard put this divine feminine hero on stage, through sound alchemy of sacred mantra, modern opera, and vast sounds of Hungarian Orchestra and Choir. This unprecedented project also features the Sufi mystical ecstatic chant known as Qawwali as featured on the track

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