MahaMondo

Rising With the Sun : Urban Yogis

Thanks to Anthony of Urban Yogis for the permission to reprint this portion of his interview with Clayton Horton entitled            " Rising with the Sun " . It best expresses  a contemporary application / treatment for an integral part of the classic yogic tradition , the Guru-Sadhaka relationship . It reinforces what I've observed all along about the  "dilettante / cocktail party " approach of ERSTWHILE practitioners :

" One of my inspirations Bhagavan Das, an American, bhakti yogi, says, “if you start something, finish it.”  Don’t get distracted!  Some people are such that they will want to take this Buddhist workshop, and another day they want to check out the Zen center, then they are moving to India to study Kundalini yoga, and later they come back and want to go this sound healing workshop.  Great!   All of this is fantastic, but it is truly important to just pick one thing and stick to it; otherwise you will continue to get distracted.

Stay on the path, and don’t get distracted.  It is important to find something that works for you and stick with it.  I see this with the teacher and student relationship.  People go to a Guru, and then they go to another Guru, and then they find another teacher and go to them.  They run around so much to so many different teachers that they never get to establish a relationship with their teacher, and their teacher never gets to know them enough to say, “I know you and it would be best if you did this.”  Unfortunately, before a bond between the student and teacher can ever be established, the student is already running off to another roadside attraction, another teacher.

This sometimes happens as soon as the teacher starts to push a button or to show the student their shadow.  This is what Guru’s do.  The word Guru means the remover of darkness, and this darkness is your own shadow.  It is the part of yourself that you don’t see.  The teacher goes, “Look, you are doing this, but you do not see it!  Stop doing this!”  This happens in asana class.  People cannot see that in chaturanga dandasana there elbows are sticking way out when they are supposed to be in toward the side body.

Therefore, it is crucial to stick with something even if it is not the most comfortable thing for you.  So it is great to do lots of different things and study many different disciplines, but find one discipline, and stick with it.  Find one teacher and stick with them.  It may take you awhile to find your way, but stay on your way once you’ve found it.  That is my advice. "

Hari Om Tat Sat. Much respect -

Shanti Mantra : Let Our Study Be Brilliant

When you have finally decided that you want to embark on a SERIOUS & DEDICATED practice with a principal teacher , the Shanti Mantra should be kept in mind as an intention. I am finding that it sets the tone & vibe for every class it is invoked at . ( It also helps when the teacher says , " This is not a cocktail party , hehe " ). " May the Lord protect both teacher and disciple and may He cherish us both. May we work with full energy and let our study be brilliant. May we never feel ill-will toward the other. Om , peace, peace, peace. "

Second Series : Wayne Krassner

Miami based Ashtanga teacher Wayne Krassner has come up with a new set of 2nd series vdos. I am loving the Matisyahu soundtracks and the effortless jump throughs .

Sahanaa Vavatu : Teacher - Student Prayer

" I've been practicing yoga for 11 years and it has changed my life. But since WAL-MART YOGA has moved into SoCal, the quality of the schools has depreciated and both the students and the instructors are worse off because of it. The schools have lost their personality and their uniqueness -- they have NO SOUL anymore. Worst of all, the one thing that matters most to your practice has become a COMMODITY: the yoga instructor " this via Michael the Yogaholic on the Huffington Post. Jorgen C., who is cited as a TEACHER in Michael's article on the HP , emailed this mantra, which is a traditional teacher-student prayer ; one we will now be reciting before his " Classic Yoga " YA class . * And this in via Johnny J. on Yelp : "but they have Jorgen Christiansson. He is pretty great. Simple class, but phenomenal energy from the teacher of many teachers. " Hari Om Tat Sat , gents -

YGB : Holiday Charity Special Class

" Come join us in a universal spirit of union to help women in India break out of the chains of poverty. Amazing team of Yoga Works teachers gather at Center for Yoga / Yogaworks Larchmont to teach this special class; Clay Kyle, David Lynch, James Morrison, Joan Hyman, Whitney Allen, Kia Miller, Mia Togo, Malachi Melville and Jeanne Heileman.

 Live soulful music by Rich Ferguson, Kalani and Friends. Special Carol by Andrew Abaria and his singers, and James Morrison's live song! Lots of amazing raffle items to support  Yoga Gives Back !! Thank you everyone and see you all there. " 

Dec. 12 : 2:00 - 5:00 PM / $ 20.00 Donation

As that saying goes , " It is better to give " , so please support by sharing your time and practice .

Quality : Vancouver

 I had riffed on the subject of "QUALITY " in the previous post ; and my recent trip to Vancouver proved how serious that city is in creating that " quality " of life for its residents. It is probably the cleanest & greenest city in North America ; and most new construction projects are  now striving for LEED Gold certification. 

In terms of sophistication & ethnic diversity , Vancouver has a large immigrant Asian & burgeoning Russian population. I have also done previous posts on Kitsilano being a yoga town & Lululemon originating from here.

The food is also very good up there. No need to reserve at a "hot & sceney" restaurant as even most of the entry level eateries have great vegetarian / gastro pubish flavored organic salads & entrees.

One of my remaning dietary indulgences  is good chocolate. Urban Fare on Alberni St. is always a stop on every trip as it is the " foodie market ". It makes Whole Foods look like a Costco ; and as the name implies, its demographic is the urban city dweller , so no 12 packs of TP in the aisles .

Their Chocolate Bar buyer is a genius in the category. Aside from the in-store section of Vancouver  artisanal chocolatier Thomas Haas , the other find is also Vancouver based Cocoa Nymph . The image above shows the Nymphe de la Mer bar , dark chocolate with fleur de sel & english toffee. It was the last remaining one on the shelf. A well priced bar at that at around $ 6.00 Canadian as compared to a Vosges bar , smaller in size , at US $ 8.00 ( yup Whole Foods , wake up ).

The Urban Fare experience totally delivers. From its displays , the variety of ready cooked food available , the appealing eat -in cafe area , produce , etc. , this market  triggers the desire to discover new tastes , and projects good value.

I do have a " beef " , hehe with Whole Foods especially the one on Wilshire here in Santa Monica. One of the challenges of a busy lifestyle  , compounded with vegetarianism , is finding flavorful ready-to-eat food. The Whole Foods branches I have been to in the past year in the Bowery NYC, Dallas TX & SOMA San Francisco have better assortments than the Wilshire location ; even the new Venice location rocks hard. So why are we shafted with bland and at times grotty / nasty ( check out those steam tables after dinner time ) choices at Wilshire ?  To cater to the mid-West, meat and potatoes , Bugaboo stroller crowd North of Montana ?

Zen People Brasil : Silvia & Vanessa

I had met Silvia , one of the owners & designers of Zen People Brasil at the Yoga do Bem benefit in Gavea. Here's more on the company :

Zen People is a line of yoga wear and accessories designed for comfort and well being. Made by yogis for yogis , it reflects the love for the practice and the applicability of the study of ancient philosophy to modern times. Living in a big city and practicing yoga daily is a challenge. How to combine the Urban & Zen ?

Zen People was created from this question , and aims to unite modernity and technology. Zen People was founded by two yoga teachers who love fashion and design. Silvia has always been into sports and was one of the first women to hang glide and windsurf in Brazil. She studied fashion and interior design in London, where she took advantage of the opportunity there to deepen her practice of yoga. Upon her return to Brazil , she started teaching classes in vinyasa flow yoga. She unites her two loves of yoga and fashion , creating colorful clothes, relaxed and comfortable.

Vanessa spent ten years as a marketing executive in major companies. In 2004, she decided to work on a project that would unite her passions for welfare consciousness & travel to exotic places.In her trips to Mexico , India, Turkey , Thailand and other places , she finds inspiration for the colors & textures of the collection. She is a yoga practitioner and teacher as well.

Please check out their website for something fresh & special : www.zenpeople.com.br.

* This is the season when what I term the floodgates of " unnecessary consumerism " are unleashed.  It is really a major disappointment to flip through the " yoga " magazines and see CHEESY spreads of " gift suggestions " that look like clones of lists from Martha Stewart Living or worse.

Just like selecting & practicing with teachers, there should be criteria & selectivity . QUALITY , people !

 I don't get & fathom this need & obsession to ride on the consumer subway train . And even if the holidays are primarily for children , the mountains of cheap & unrecyclable junk in the form of decorations & toys are everywhere , from Rio to Vancouver -

Yogis @ the Fasano Ipanema & Adjustments

Is Ipanema the new go-to place for high profile yogis ?

Madonna was in town the same week I arrived , and Sting  ( walking in his Havaianas on the left ) just flew in this week. The groovy Fasano Hotel serves as homebase for both of them while in Rio.

The cool thing about Rio is the beach culture ; a unifying & democratizing playing field accessible to all. So favelinhos , celebs & the just plain wealthy can stake out their own parcel of sand along the various  barracas & postos.

I'm getting ready for my trip to Vancouver next week ;  & while scanning the news , this article regarding an " adjustment lawsuit " against one of the teachers at Richard Freeman's studio , The Yoga Workshop , grabbed my attention.

One of the best things a knowledgeable teacher can gift , share & educate their students with is the art of adjustment. Most " instructors" do not adjust because of a lack of knowledge & a fear of being sued.This lawsuit smacks of everything that is wrong about the state of yoga in the US and the opportunistic mindset of some of its so called " students ". This coming after I received one of the best  expansive adjustments from my teacher JC at class this morning.

Just like Bikram Yoga as an Olympic competitive sport , & self-styled "yogis" who don't know their Prana from the Primary Series , this suit is self-serving & ignorant.

* Image via the Daily Mirror UK.

Astanga Segunda Serie : Dany Sa'

Via YogiFilmes : " Dany Sa' e umas das mais carismáticas professora de Astanga Yoga do Brasil, neste DVD o praticante acompanha passo a passo todas as etapas da segunda série de Astanga Yoga . " www.danysa.com.br

Dany Sa' & Coaracy Nunes Neto : Blyss Ipanema

Felipe B. had shown me a preview of Ashtanga teacher Dany Sa's video of the Secondary Series.

It was one of those uncanny "universal " instances to walk into Blyss Ipanema the following morning & meet Dany & Coaracy Nunes Neto , the director of Blyss. My apologies for the resolution on the image as I used my Blackberry to capture the moment.

Dany has studied with Pedro Kupfer ( also Bruno Jones' teacher ) , Clayton Horton & Mathew Volmer. She is even more radiant & beautiful in person. Muito obrigado Dany for the gift of the DVD. I will be posting the vid of the trailer of your Secondary Series.

Coaracy is fluent in English as he spent 11 years living in New York , or as the Cariocas say , "Nova Iorque ". His stay there enabled him to study with some of the leading lights & teachers of the yoga community. I had to show him a picture on my phone of " meu pai Brasiliero " , Sri Dharma Mittra  ; to which Coaracy said, " You know he is from Minas Gerais . He invited me to stay at the center. "

I had also read about Coaracy on David Lurey's blog , Find Balance. When I mentioned that I blogged about my practice as well , he asked me what the name was , which led to , " So you are MahaMondo ! "

Hari Om Tat Sat , it is truly a small world.