MahaMondo

The Yoga Council of New York

One of the reasons why I kick started this blog over a couple of years ago was to communicate the importance of the role of TEACHERS in the yogic journey. Their guidance & inspiration has been a constant element in my evolution ; the classic   "guru-sadhaka" tradition. It is always transcendent when I hear a teacher quote or talk about " their teacher " , their source of radiance -

Some 81 yoga studios around New York were reeling last week after receiving letters from the New York State Education Dept. stating they must " cease operating" teacher training programs or face a $ 500.00 fine.

The Yoga Council of New York  was created to :

- Seek exemption from State Licensing for Yoga Teacher Training Programs
- Lobby State officials on current and future legislation as it relates to yoga and the business oof yoga in NY State.
- COMMUNICATE with State officials regarding the diversity of yoga traditions and the business of yoga.
- Uphold yoga in all its forms

The 2nd meeting of the Yoga Association of NY was on July 8 @ Cyndi Lee's OM Yoga.

Please visit www.nyyta.org for more information.

Golden Mean Vegan Cafe : Santa Monica

 Golden Mean was a "drive by " discovery on the way to Whole Foods Wilshire last Sunday. It is in the space that used to house Anastasia's Asylum from back in the day.

I am now going to add it to my list of "Burger" joints which include M Cafe & Seed Venice. It is totally laid back , unlike its neighbor on the same block , Huckleberry . The proprietor Aaron , who I have now met twice , is the best example of why his cafe is named after the Aristotelian divine proportion of balance. He has always come up with the right suggestions without coming off as being aloof or pushy.

Case in point was this evening , when I dropped in for dessert after trying a bean & cheese burrito from Poquito Mas ( Merci AS for the rec , hehe . For a Parisienne, you know your burritos ) . Aaron suggested amping up the brownie I had ordered by making it "ala mode" with vanilla coconut ice cream. Good call & good vibes. It hit the spot without being cloyingly sweet. GM is worth re-visiting not only for the "chill" factor but also for its own parking lot in the back . Major points as I have to think twice or thrice about that when the craving for M Cafe or Seed hits me .

I am in San Francisco all of next week and have compiled a list of veggie restos to check out -

Sri Dharma Mittra : Sirsasana

My daily practice incorporates Adho Mukha Vrksasana in the morning after meditation and Sirsasana in the evening , once again after a short meditation. It is a shame that most Vinyasa " All Levels " instructors locally "cop out" from featuring & teaching these advanced inversions in their classes . It was a bit of an eye opener for me when I attended Sri Dharma's & Jivamukti's classes in NY where these inversions were an integral component of their " All Levels" classes. As Sri Dharma explains , " Students should PRACTICE the poses without any expectation of the result. Simply do the postures because they have to be done. Make them as an offering to the Lord. This makes the practice better than meditation. " " Remind them that doing the postures is not a competition.The ability to do fancy, incredible poses is all in vain if the foundation of yoga, the YAMAS & NIYAMAS , are not upheld (When was the last time you heard a teacher talk about Patanjali in a class here ?). By coming to class, all the students get to share the collective benefits of the entire group. Invite each student to see themselves in all the other students' bodies. Thus if you see someone doing a difficult pose , don't feel envy ! Rejoice because in reality you are in that body too. That's you ! " And that is precisely what inspires me to practice inversions daily - after attending Sri Dharma's sadhana and seeing the amazing & transporting practice of his senior students.

Moksha : 4th of July

MOKSHA : The liberation from SAMSARA , the cycle of death , rebirth or reincarnation and all of the suffering & limitation of worldly existence. DJ David Guetta spins the club classic ," You're Free " , @ Pacha Ibiza. Happy 4th of July -

Yoga Tayrona Colombia : Corazon del Mundo

I find it truly inspiring that South American yoga teachers & practitioners are keeping the "MBS" ( integral Mind-Body-Spiritual ) classic tradition alive.

Here from our friends @ Yoga Tayrona is this upcoming event , Corazon del Mundo :

Hola , los invitamos a este hermoso evento en el " Corazon del Mundo " con la musica de Shimshai y yoga de Diego Bernal :

 www.laventanaretreats.com

Shimshai & Susana will be focusing on all their intentions to work with you and guide you through this journey of emotional healing. 4 days of sacred work that will help you to : Return to the core of your being and see the power and beauty in you. Follow the path of your heart and live your life with purpose. Vegetarian meals, guided quests in the sacred lands of the Heart of the World. Visits form Native Elders from the Heart of the World. Yoga with Diego Bernal , one of the best Spiritual Yoga Teachers in Colombia.

LA Yoga Magazine : Yogaglo Santa Monica

 

One of my favorites, Felicia Tomasko, of LA Yoga Magazine ( yes, I'll post my pic for you  ) ; Irv from  Yogitoes , Lonnie B. with filmmaker Arthur Klein ; Vytas B. from SMPY  . Thanks again to Derik & Ryan Mills of Yogaglo & DJ Drez for an amazing set.

Pics c/o  Lonnie Butler Photography .

 

Palliative Yoga or Yoga In Its Essence ? : Part 2

 " We can look at it in two ways :
When we talk about the physical body, it means  we want to live longer so we can experience, study and know some more about ourselves. But not just knowledge as an individual but as the whole.

This is what takes us to the second way of looking at the same phrase. When we say  " conquer death " , we are talking about clearing the mind of ignorance. The GITA talks about it :  " SATYAM EVAM JAYATI " , conquering the truth.

To know this truth, this essence, is to practice something that just a few teachers talk about in their classes. That is SVADHIAYA, self contemplation. After all , when we sit in a meditative pose and about to begin a yoga practice, the search also begins. What are we doing right here ?

If you don't know how to answer this question, you will certainly take some more "doses" of medicines called ASANA & PRANAYAMA. Maybe you will heal from bronchitis. Maybe you'll feel a relief from your back ache. Maybe you'll feel the greatest just because you perform a perfect geometrical TRIKONASANA or because you can stand upside down. Even though you don't know what that is for.

But from the point of view of yoga , you are just the same person. Still lost in your doubts, desires and goals. Just scratching the surface of yoga. You are not looking at the            " fundamental problem"   that is  ATMA VICHARA. The question about who I am. And when you realize what you are , then you reach the goal : MOKSHA, freedom.

As my teacher says : Yoga is a tree that gives us kindly its fruits. Some of us are happy with the fruits from the first branches. Some will climb with discipline to  the higher branches and will have the rarest, maturest and sweetest fruits . Namaste ! "

Muito obrigado Bruno por este inspiracao . Ate mais !

Palliative Yoga or Yoga In Its Essence ? : Part 1

When I spoke with Bruno Jones before class at Blyss Ipanema, I was struck by his integral approach & view ( physical, spiritual & intellectual ) to the practice. He told me he had journeyed to India in order to study the Vedas. During the course of his class, I was transported by his knowledge of Sanskrit & asana . I've been trying to keep up with his blog via  Satyavrata , even though it is " em Portuges ". ( Satya =Truth , Vrata = Vow ). And it is an honor that he has kept in touch & sent this translation of one of his posts . Here is the 1st part :

"  Yoga in India's context means DARSHANA , or a point of view; a way of living with discipline & ethics ( dharma ). Applying these disciplines & conduct codes in all aspects of life, not just in some of them. In these times, what we see is yoga being practiced as something apart from our daily life.

Someone practices in order to solve or attenuate some "problems" like flexibility, strength, spinal issues, respiratory problems, stress and so on. I'm not saying that yoga as physical practice doesn't help with this, by the way, it does help a lot. But when we look at yoga just as a physical practice, we treat it like it is a PALLIATIVE practice, not as yoga truly is.

We won''t find in the SHASTRAS texts that  talk about how  healing asthma or hernia as the goal of the yoga practice or the life of a yogi. The most important texts like the GITA or the UPANISADS don't even get close to subjects like these. And even as a yoga student, I don't feel that in related VEDANTA texts, we could even search for it in tantric approaches. We could search the HATHA YOGA  PRADIPIKA, GHERANDA SAMHITA, etc. and we wouldn't find that.

In those texts, the practice is more related to the body, however they don't go to those irrelevant subjects. And that is what is currently being sold  by teachers and the media.         ( Hari OM, Bruno ! ) A healing yoga, in my point of view , a palliative yoga.

In those texts we see the sages talking about building a strong & healthy body , a divine body as pure as a diamond. But there is a meaning in that. It is to "conquer death. "

Superstar : Lupe Fiasco

" If you are what you say you are , a superstar, then have no fear..." This tune was keeping it real @ Dice's vinyasa class this AM. Couldn't help rocking with Lupe while flowing through Virabhadrasana 1 2 & 3 . And Happy Father's Day , GK ! It's been several years now since you & I had that run-in with the gipsy girls @ Place Vendome , heh heh. That will always be a classic memory.

Cali Colombia Yoga : Agustin A.

Muchas gracias to Agustin Aguerreberry for posting a new set of vids from classes & workshops he has conducted in Cali , Colombia & Miami, Florida. I am loving this one showing the RASA of joy & union "Latino Style " @ a class in Cali -