MahaMondo

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 -

Cosmic Cafe : Dallas

Dallas & Houston , unlike Austin , still buy into the "Sex & the City" myth as evidenced by the many references in their local magazines & papers to that  " NYC, Hollywood or Miami " vibe. So it was literally a  breath of fresh air , in temperatures averaging 96 degrees daily , to have dinner at the bohemian / vegetarian Cosmic Cafe Dallas.

As a reviewer summed it up very well, " Good for you on every level ..." , as it has a meditation room upstairs from the Hindu deity bedecked main dining room. Its menu is Indian influenced; the two most delicious dishes  we had were the  Pizza Mystica ( sundried tomatoes, black beans, mozarella , mushrooms & fresh basil on naan ) & the Rumi's Falafel ( garbanzo patties, naan , raita, tomatoes & sprouts ). Another refresher in this age of Global Warming  were the celing fans in usage , sharp contrast to the artic air-conditioning blasting in most TX restaurants.

Yes, I can vouch Global Warming does exist as Honolulu residents were complaining about the intense heat & lack of cooling tradewinds the week prior to my visit. Texans were also whining about the unseasonably blistering temps this week. Which brings me to the thought as to : Why should  Bikram locations in TX contribute to the depletion of the ozone layer by using heaters  ?
And why are Priuses , very much in evidence in "GREEN" Vancouver & Honolulu , a non-entity in Dallas ?

Under the Bridge : Home

" The journey, not the arrival matters ." T.S. Eliot. This was on a card hanging from the rear view mirror in the rental car , placed by the valet upon our departure at the hotel in Vancouver. Ever since I was deposited on a plane to fly on my own at the age of 7 , airports & hotels became the closest concept to HOME. The excitement I felt at being in an international airport, waiting for my flight, was immeasurable. And sometimes , upon arrival at the final destination , the disappointment felt at being no "THERE' there.And I got to thinking about this thing called "home " as my teacher had said that going to the studio was like coming home for him. It struck a chord with me , as going to class ( almost 8 years now ) & practicing with my teachers is foremost on my mind , whenever I am in another city. This cut by the Chili Peppers has that same vibe. On one level, it is about heroin addiction; but the other sub-text is the love relationship with a city as "home" ,in this case , LA . So I'm in Dallas & Houston next week ; cities with no ocean or beaches, quite unlike Rio or Santa Monica.

Krishna Das : July 11 , Wilshire Ebell Theater L.A.

Kirtan walla Krishna Das has devoted his life to BHAKTI yoga . His kirtans , recordings & workshops are all dedicated to his MAHA Guru , Maharaj-ji ( Sri Neem Karoli Baba ). KD also performs at workshops & events with Sri Dharma Mittra. I had the opportunity to surf in "the ocean of bhakti " with KD @ a Thanksgiving Day kirtan held several years back at the now gone Bala Yoga on La Brea. His devotion & offerings to his Guru were evident from the minute he started; always gazing at the portrait of Maharaj-ji that was at the front of the stage. KD is back in LA on the 11th of July. I am looking forward to connecting with the rasa & ecstasy of his music then. ( www.krishnadas.com )

Yoga, Karma & Rebirth : Stephen Phillips

One of the NIYAMAS ( yogic observances ) as enumerated by Patanjali is SVADHYAYA , self-study. I had ample time to  do that while on the plane to Oahu, reading Stephen Phillip's " Yoga, Karma & Rebirth ". The concepts of KARMA & rebirth can be a little esoteric , especially if one is reading the traditional texts in the context of their literal translations.

"For SERIOUS yoga practitioners curious to know the ancient origins of the art, Stephen Phillips, a professional philosopher & Sanskritist with a long-standing personal practice ( he walks the walk , hah ), lays out the philosophies of action, knowledge & devotion as well as the process of meditation , reasoning & self-analysis that formed the basis of yoga in ancient & classical India and continues to shape it today."

Just like an excellent hatha yoga teacher can break down the steps towards practicing advanced asana, I found Stephen's treatment, utilizing the eyes ( & soul ) of a scholar & practitioner , digestable & fathomable.

And " in the view of the Bhakti yoga practitioner, suffering is an opportunity to pay off bad karma. We should be grateful and not further generate bad karma by whining & complaining. " So, ACCEPT Karma , Rebirth & Liberation with another NIYAMA in mind, ISVARA PRANIDHANA , to  offer & lay all your actions at the feet of the Divine. Build up good karma -

Thanks to Columbia University Press for publishing this.