MahaMondo

Joel B. : Sanskrit Come Alive

The previous post was going to be the last one prior to my departure for Ipanema. However, I picked up the latest issue of LA Yoga after Jerome's class this evening, I felt the need to honor our yoga philosophy teacher , Joel Bender , who is profiled in it via the article "Sanskrit Comes Alive". I've posted this vdo previously of the Vishvaksena Hymn as an opening invocation at one of our Sunday morning classes. Narayanayeti samarpayami : whatever I do , all activity to the highest , Narayanaya I offer. See you at the Malibu Temple , Joel.

Yoga do Bem no Nirvana : Nov. 14

Just received this event flyer from Tatiane R. for the Yoga do Bem benefit : ONG LuaNova @ Nirvana Gavea.

 Ticket $ 20- All proceeds collected will go to the NGO Lua Nova ( New Moon ). The entrance charge includes participation in all the events.

17:00h Presentation of the NGO New Moon by Pedro de Melo Franco

17:30 Yoga Practice with Pedro de Melo Franco & Jen Jaya ( California, EUA )Yoga Kids for children over 4 years old with Antonio Tigre

19:00 Kirtan with Maha Bandha & Ananda Jyothi

Each participant must bring a yoga mat. Tickets available @ Nirvana : www.enirvana.com.br.

You can also contact Zen People : www.zenpeople.com.br. for more benefit information.

I am looking forward to seeing Pedro again then & finally meeting all the other friends in Rio that I have been in touch with via email.

Regular posting on this blog will resume  towards the end of November.

Hari Om & as they say in Brazil , Abracos -

Sayanasana : Elbow Balance

  Dice broke down Sayanasana at his Saturday class this morning. I've been practicing Pincha Mayurasana with a strap at Jorgen's led class , and I find that using it has accelerated the sense of  lift & balance versus that of a block between the hands.

Starting with the strap shoulder's width around the upper arms , I launched myself into Pincha Mayaurasana. The key was to raise the right hand first and place it under the chin , then follow with the left hand.  Drishti : Nasagrai ( tip of the nose ) . And as my French associates or Jerome would phrase it , " Et voila, Sayanasana ! "

The other factor to bear in mind is to keep the feet extended in order to maintain the counter balance ; and breathe through it.

Using the strap created one of those "breakthrough " moments for an advanced asana. And even if I didn't pull it of today , there will always be as one of my favorite teachers puts it , " Next week ..... ". Practice, practice , practice.

Image via Light on Ashtanga Yoga .

Samadhi Pada : Patanjali

Joel B. also gave me a copy of the Samadhi Pada after class last Sunday. It is the 1st section of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali , consisting of 51 sutras. Samadhi can be interpreted as a trance like state or as an altered state of consciousness.In the Samadhi Pada , Patanjali gives us the aim of yoga in theoretical terms, explaining it as the restraint of the chitta vrttis , the restraint of the mind. We got around to the 27th sutra at class today ; what a feat ,so much to think about. Thanks to DylanisHappy from Thailand for the vdo.

Sri K. Pattabhi Jois : Opening Invocation London

This vdo was shot in London , 2003. It shows Sri K. Pattabhi Jois leading a class through the Primary Series.

Ganga Aarti : Aksari Mantra

Once new practitioners get past the Lowest Common Denominator signifiers & hurdles of current day US yoga , e.g. lycra yoga wear , slogan Ts , doga , down-doggie , etc. , they will be able to open up to the source ; India & its tradition of bhakti ( devotion ).It's not about religion . It is all about opening your heart , mind & spirit. A copy of the Aksari Mantra ," Om Namo Narayanaya " was given to me by a teacher on Sunday ; and another of my teachers played the same version of the mantra after class last night. ( The same teacher who says," I don't have hybrids in my class." ) Hari OM . How incredible & powerful is that !

John S. : Three Circle Flow

" The sun is shining ." That is how it felt like after practicing @ John Sahakian's Three Circle Flow noon class ; Yogis Anonymous .

After being in Denver with its roller coaster weather , the vibe at his class was like surfing , flowing like H2O. The class is based on aligning pranayam ( breath control ) and movement which results in total relaxation. John's passion for surfing translates into that  yogic "ritam " , a quality all of my principal teachers possess . I've been attending his classes for almost 3 years now in order to tweak & connect with my breathing , a useful thing to have along with "drishti" during stressful meetings and situations.

Three Circle Flow was coined by John as a description for the 3 circles of breath around the waist , chest & ribs. It can also be utilized as a  decription for a triple system of management via yoga , hypno-therapy & breathing.

Fall & winter may be coming to Santa Monica , but at this noon class , it will always be summer ; carving through the air & breathing freely.

Denver : Baddha Konasana & Viparita Karani

Denver is known as the mile high city , and because of this , it experiences extreme swings in climate. Last Monday was 80 degrees; which made me question why I was initially wearing  a jacket over a sweater , which was subsequently peeled off to the T-shirt underneath. Tuesday was raining & the image on the left is of the snow that hit Wednesday. And regardless of rain, snow or sunshine , Denver traffic builds up at 4 pm ; its North & South freeways almost as jammed as the 405 in LA.

So with the weather , traffic , multiple meetings  ( 6 on Tuesday, whew ) , plus dinners in the evening , truth be told I was finding it challenging to practice some Surya Namaskar A & Bs , along with asanas like Pincha M. , Urdhva D. , Adho Mukha V., Sirsasana , etc.

The next best thing then was to roll-out the 2 restorative poses which a couple of my principal teachers use frequently. I would start with an elevated version of Supta Baddha Konasana , with my fingers interlaced behind my neck . This would be done against the hotel room entry door . SBK would then segue into Viparita Karani , a matter of just extending the legs vertically and stretching the arms fully out to the sides.

The release of tension from the hip opener and the increased circulation from the leg extensions always resulted in relaxation. No problem performing these on a semi-digested bellyful of food from dinner either.

So relaxed finally that the best things to chill & tune out to on the hotel TV ( don't have one at home , hehe) were golf ( yup , my parents will be happy ) or Sam Walton's biography on the History channel.

Wayne " Hanuman " Krassner : Adho Mukha Vrksasana

I just found these recently uploaded videos by Miami based teacher Wayne "Hanuman" Krassner. He tagged them " Playtime after Ashtanga Mysore practice at the Standard Spa, Miami Beach. Come join us , it's great fun. " Wayne, the vdo is MAHA inspirational. I like the aquatic take on handstand ; talk about fluidity. My teachers have started to call this asana regulary in class , & it is a fun process to learn how to wean oneself gradually away from the wall; foot by foot. I'll be practicing regularly every AM & PM in my hotel room in Denver this week.

The Yoga Gurus : Empty Mind Films

The Yoga Gurus from Empty Mind Films on Vimeo.

Go beyond the physical asanas of yoga and deep into the mind and inner being of a yoga guru.Their words will guide you to become a better person in both mind and body. Developing perfect posture and and balance is just the 1st step for these yoga gurus. The physical yoga practice of the body is the beginning of the journey into the depths of the inner soul. We take you to the ancient source of yoga , where Himalayan yogis , saints and holy men spent a lifetime of meditation and austere yoga practice to find enlightenment or self-realization.Understanding who you are without any external gratification is the ultimate goal of a yogi and will lead to a lifetime of happiness. ( Hari OM ; in this current era of cheesy "superstar " instructors, yoga dorks, yoga dawgs, yoga mints & other "dumbed down / pop culture " manifestations, it is no ACCIDENT that there is a movement back towards a more classic , authentic & traditional form of practice. ) Filmed on location in India , in the lap of the Himalayas and in Mysore in the far south.