MahaMondo

Omkar108 Yogashala : Sun. AM Tapasya

I have been blessed to be able to travel & practice with some of the most incredible teachers at their yogashalas.

There is nothing though quite like returning back to Los Angeles for the weekend & practicing with my teacher , Jorgen C. at his yogashala , Omkar108 ; specifically for his Sun. AM Mysore class. It always feels like coming home.

The practice room was pretty packed today , with almost 40 people practicing at one point. We are also coming towards the tail end of summer here in the Westside of Los Angeles , & even though it is only in the 80s ( vs. the 100s I've been subjected to recently in Atlanta & Salt Lake City ) , it was pretty steamy in the practice room.

But even if everyone was in close quarters & experiencing physical & hopefully spiritual " Tapasya " as well , it still felt pretty amazing.

There are a couple of experiences that consistently provide glimpses of " Ananda " in this material world for me ; a focused / fluid Mysore class with an ujjayi soundtrack & a transporting / ecstatic artik or kirtan.

Jaya & Hari Om.

 

Lila : Life of Yoga

A day in the life of bhaktin & yogini Lila Padma Devi Dasi AKA Loren Russo. I am loving the Beatles soundtrack & the portions of the video featuring artik & devotion at New Dwarka Dham Los Angeles.Jaya & Haribol !

Jorgen C. : Weekend Malibu Retreat

I won't be able to attend my teacher's retreat next weekend as I am flying out to Chicago on Monday , back to Sta. Monica for the weekend just to change suitcase contents , then it is onwards to Atlanta the following Monday.

It is scheduled from June 22nd to 24th at the Udaya Retreat Sanctuary in Malibu.

The retreat schedule will consist of daily yoga classes, Saturday PM satsang Q & A workshop / conference , chanting / Kirtan , sunset meditation , gourmet vegetarian / vegan cuisine , fresh juices & smoothies.

That's me on the left thanking the Deities the count is almost over , especially in a Prasarita C adjustment.

You can sign up for the retreat online @ Omkar108 Ashtanga Yoga.

 

Kurmasana : Sun. AM Mysore Practice

The image on the left taken by photographer & Authorized Ashtanga Yoga teacher , Tom Rosenthal , pretty much captures how I felt during adjustments in Kurmasana to Supta Kurmasana this morning at Omkar108 .

David Swenson says in his  Practice Manual , " It is best to learn under the guidance of a qualified Ashtanga Yoga instructor . " And this morning , I had 2 of them simultaneuously adjusting me in Supta Kurmasana , Jorgen C. & Lila Padma.

It did feel like I had a sadhu chanting shastra will standing on my back. Which turned into an exercise in breathing through it all & resisting the " fight or flight response " , while they worked on expanding my horizons .

I am very fortunate to be able to attend Sun. AM Mysore practice after constant travelling or a long work week. Doubly fortunate that these teachers work their knowledge & magic on me.

Which is one of the keys to the physical practice of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga ; the feeling of expansion & ease , " sukha " that result from the  adjustments of a good teacher . As a student on the receiving end , learning how to surrender & be receptive. Equanimity.

You can't get or learn that from reading a book or watching a video.  

And as Tom Rothensal describes it , " It is not Tom's intention to show perfection in postures , or to teach yoga through photography , but simply to celebrate the sublime beauty of the form and of spiritual India . 

" Om Tat Sat " . Om and nothing more.

Hari Om Tom.

 

Reveillon 2012 : Rio de Janeiro

Feliz Ano Novo from the Happiest & most positive place on earth , Rio de Janeiro. I'm feeling "saudade " as it has been over 3 years ago that I spent New Year's in Ipanema. As I walked in Palisades Park at noon today to celebrate the end of my 36 hour liquid fast , I wished for an opportunity to return to Brazil soon. I also bumped into one of my favorite Vinyasa teachers from back in the day, Vytas B. He has just returned from his annual Vipassana meditation retreat up North. I mentioned my fast & how he had asked me to go on a 3 day one several years ago. And yes, V, I'm still doing Primary. Thanks for agreeing that Ashtanga compared to Vinyasa is HARD , hehe . Jai !

Chris Evans : Talks Yoga on DETAILS.com

Thank you & Happy New Year to Jaime Marsanico from Details magazine / Conde' Nast for the email this morning regarding Chris Evans interview in the upcoming issue.

Being from Los Angeles , I don't really subscribe or aspire to the  karmi allure of "The Biz " . ( Full disclosure, I do deal with several top echelon names in entertainment as clients for work ).

I don't even own a TV or watch movies. However , the recent uptick of A List male celebs (of the non-d***bag variety) starting to practice  are worth mentioning.

Here are some excerpts :

 DETAILS: Do you have any new year's resolutions?
Chris Evans: It's been, like, the same new year's resolution for, like, a decade, but I really think I'm going to do it this year. I always say I should do more yoga. Or do yoga—more would mean I do some. I've done none. But I always want to do yoga because I'm getting old. Nerves are getting pinched every other day, and I really just gotta get more limber.

DETAILS: Do you have a special kind you want to get into?
Chris Evans: I actually did Bikram—

DETAILS: We did a story on Bikram Choudhury! All about the cult surrounding him and such.
Chris Evans: I have some friends in L.A. who trained with him, and I've heard . . . not the best things! But I've done his yoga, and I almost passed out. I don't think that's the one for me. I'll just do the standard yoga. Just watch, though, we'll do this interview again next year, and I'll be like, "I really want to get into yoga! Didn't happen in 2012, but 2013 is the year."

Read More http://www.details.com/celebrities-entertainment/movies-and-tv/201112/chris-evans-actor-captain-america-gucci-guilty-intense#ixzz1hwg0JvFf

That's a New Year's resolution. Chris .The physical practice of yoga always starts with the body , but once you go deeper, it envelopes the mind & spirit. For some of us at least , hehe.

Here's to a great 2012 ahead !

* Image via Reuters.

 

Guru & Teacher : Seva & Sadhana

Once I started going deeper into the physical practice of yoga several years ago , I began to look for a real guru , a teacher who would embody all the traditional knowledge & wisdom , who would have all the answers.

It came to a point that I thought I would have to embark on a pilgrimage to India , like many a seeker before me , to find Guru.

And as an old Indian adage phrases it ," When the student is ready , the teacher appears. " In this instance, I am doubly blessed , as I first found my traditional teacher 3 years ago , here in Santa Monica , & my spiritual master during Gaura Purnima , at the LA Dham.

All this without having to travel to India ( My teachers do want me to make the trip soon ).

From my Spiritual Master , Maharaja , I am learning Bhakti Yoga & Seva , devotional & unconditional service. As he mentioned to us during our Holiday darshan with him yesterday , " Whenever you need to make or come to a decision , think about how its outcome will benefit the majority ,contribute to the the greater good ." Wise words indeed to keep to heart as we endeavor to live in this Material World.

Today I had the annual Holiday lunch with my teacher , Jorgen C. , who I fondly call Babaji. Through him, I have imbibed the love for the tradition & culture of Mother India. The rasa of his Sadhana , the respect for the teachings of his Guru & its parampara , have been invaluable.

Prior to his departure for India tomorrow , he gave me a special gift. An enamelled box containing the bark of a tree from a forest in Vrindavan & clay from the fields of Kurukshetra , relics / mementos he has cherished since one of his 1st trips to India 20 years ago.

And as I mentioned to Lila Padma in the car after lunch today , these are the teachers who are keeping me on track , who keep the inspiration going towards continued transformation. Jai !

Hare Krishna : Lululemon Robertson Blvd.

I saw this on the side of the Lululemon store as I was driving down Robertson Blvd. here in LA yesterday.

As we all know , Lulu is a great weathervane for the next " big thing " in the current yoga world. And the quickest to appropriate it in order to maintain its  " cool factor " and spin the resulting heat / hype into company revenue.

Regardless of Lulu's intention or not so hidden agenda , it will definitely make people walking & driving by think of the Lord Hari ; raising his Q quotient in the Westside of Los Angeles where it is most  needed , hehe.

Haribol & Jaya !

* Image via Apparel News.

Yoga Hygiene : Sunday AM Mysore

This post is going to be really ironic , considering the previous one was on Dharana or focus.

It was like a big cosmic joke yesterday morning. I was looking forward to my favorite Sun. AM Mysore class & even after hitting the snooze button on my alarm twice , I managed to make it to the shala. This after attending parties two consecutive nights in a row.

As I started into Surya Namaskar  A, it became apparent that it was going to take more than Dharana to get through this class . I could tolerate one of my biggest pet peeves to the right , the "Thudder " , an intermediate practitioner / acrobat who was making no effort to muffle the sounds of his landings.

The biggest yogic challenge was wafting to my left , a person who was oblivious of his own stench & pungency. And the more he practiced , the fouler the air reeked around us.

By the time I got to the seated postures , relief came in the form of an empty space in the back row. Which I bolted to the safety of immediately in order to minimize the throbbing headache & nausea that was coming on as a side effect of the aroma.

 Portland Ashtanga Yoga has this note on " What About Hygiene ? " from its Beginners FAQs :

" Please try to wear clean clothes & shower before class . Deodorants & scented oils are OK , just don't bathe in them. If you have to ask whether you're wearing too much , you are wearing too much. Don't slather on the Tiger Balm & Ben-Gay. It won't help much anyway.

Gentlemen, if you wear AXE , then beware the AXE effect. You will not practice alone ."

I could have dealt with the smell of AXE in this case if that was all I was up against. 

As an added FYI , Bhakti Yoga has extremely strict rules & guidelines on cleanliness & hygiene.

Image via Amazon.com

 

Chanting The Maha-Mantra : The Meaning & Purpose

The Maha-Mantra : Hare Krishna , Hare Krishna , Krishna Krishna , Hare Hare Hare Rama , Hare Rama , Rama Rama Hare Hare

In Sanskrit , "man" means mind & "tra" means freeing. So a mantra is a combination of transcendental sounds that free our mind from anxiety.

The name Krishna means "the All-Attractive One", the name "Rama" means "the All Pleasing one" , and the name Hare is an address to the Lord's Internal Energy. So the Maha-Mantra means "O All Attractive , All Pleasing Lord , O energy of the Lord, please engage me in Your devotional service."

Five centuries ago , while spreading the Maha- Mantra throughout India , Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu prayed , " O Supreme Lord , in your names You have invested all of your transcendental energies. "

The transcendental sound vibration which is established by the chanting of this Maha-Mantra is the sublime method for reviving our original , natural God consciousness. This chanting is enacted from the spiritual platform.

By practical experience , one can perceive that by chanting this Maha-Mantra , one can at once live transcendental ecstasy , surpassing all lower levels of consciousness , namely , sensual , mental & intellectual.

Via www.HareKrishnaLA.com .