Flu season is coming ..
I have never found an herbal remedy that works for colds and flu -- and I've tried a lot of them !
But I have found these herbal cough suppressant syrups that do work really well ! here you go...available at health food stores....
Old Indian Wild Cherry Bark Syrup - Planetary Herbals
Osha Root Complex Syrup - Herbs etc
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Love is often presented as the opposite of fear, but true love is not opposite anything. True love is far more powerful than any negative emotion, as it is the environment in which all things arise.
Negative emotions are like sharks swimming in the ocean of love. All things beautiful and fearful, ugly and kind, powerful and small, come into existence, do their thing, and disappear within the context of this great ocean. At the same time, they are made of the very love in which they swim and can never be separated. We are made of this love and live our whole lives at one with it, whether we know it or not. It is only the illusion that we are separate from this great love that causes us to believe that choosing anything other than love makes sense or is even possible.
In the relative, dualistic world of positive and negative, darkness and light, male and female, we make choices and we learn from them. This is exactly what we are meant to be doing here on earth. Underlying these relative choices, though, is the choice to be conscious of what we are, which is love, or to be unconscious of it.
When we choose to be conscious of it, we choose love. We will still exist in the relative world of opposites and choices and cause and effect, and we will need to make our way here, but doing so with an awareness that we are all made of this love will enable us to be more playful, more joyful, more loving and wise, as we make our way.
Ultimately, the choices we make will shed light on the love that makes us all one, enabling those who have forgotten to return to the source.This world makes it easy to forget this great love, which is part of why we are here. We are here to remember and, when we forget to remember again, to choose love.
from www.dailyom.com
Negative emotions are like sharks swimming in the ocean of love. All things beautiful and fearful, ugly and kind, powerful and small, come into existence, do their thing, and disappear within the context of this great ocean. At the same time, they are made of the very love in which they swim and can never be separated. We are made of this love and live our whole lives at one with it, whether we know it or not. It is only the illusion that we are separate from this great love that causes us to believe that choosing anything other than love makes sense or is even possible.
In the relative, dualistic world of positive and negative, darkness and light, male and female, we make choices and we learn from them. This is exactly what we are meant to be doing here on earth. Underlying these relative choices, though, is the choice to be conscious of what we are, which is love, or to be unconscious of it.
When we choose to be conscious of it, we choose love. We will still exist in the relative world of opposites and choices and cause and effect, and we will need to make our way here, but doing so with an awareness that we are all made of this love will enable us to be more playful, more joyful, more loving and wise, as we make our way.
Ultimately, the choices we make will shed light on the love that makes us all one, enabling those who have forgotten to return to the source.This world makes it easy to forget this great love, which is part of why we are here. We are here to remember and, when we forget to remember again, to choose love.
from www.dailyom.com
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Maha Siva Rattri An All-Night Vigil
Saturday–Sunday, Feb. 16–17, 2008 8 p.m.–7 a.m. $5.00
with Jayadeva Mandelkorn at Integral Yoga in Greenwich Village
The aspect of God known to Hindus as Lord Siva is honored and celebrated once a year. Lord Siva is recognized as the patron of Yoga and the one who brings all the drama of life into play. The program begins after the Saturday-evening Satsang. There will be chanting, dancing, stories from the Scriptures, four pujas, and an early-morning Yoga class. This is a great way to become more familiar with God in this form and to generate wonderful breakthroughs in your life. With the arrival of dawn we will sit together, sharing a sumptuous breakfast.
Be there or be square !
Saturday–Sunday, Feb. 16–17, 2008 8 p.m.–7 a.m. $5.00
with Jayadeva Mandelkorn at Integral Yoga in Greenwich Village
The aspect of God known to Hindus as Lord Siva is honored and celebrated once a year. Lord Siva is recognized as the patron of Yoga and the one who brings all the drama of life into play. The program begins after the Saturday-evening Satsang. There will be chanting, dancing, stories from the Scriptures, four pujas, and an early-morning Yoga class. This is a great way to become more familiar with God in this form and to generate wonderful breakthroughs in your life. With the arrival of dawn we will sit together, sharing a sumptuous breakfast.
Be there or be square !
Yogi Dentist
Need a dentist ? How about a dentist who is also a yoga teacher ? Ask him to play mantra CDs while he's working ! His office is in the Bloomingdale's area.
and he's nice ! Check out his website http://www.yogidentist.com/
Need a dentist ? How about a dentist who is also a yoga teacher ? Ask him to play mantra CDs while he's working ! His office is in the Bloomingdale's area.
and he's nice ! Check out his website http://www.yogidentist.com/
Saturday, December 01, 2007
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
On being a yogini ....
I am so thankful for all my yoga teachers.
Everytime I talk to one of my yoga teacher friends, I am left with new pearls of wisdom spinning around my head.
Each time I go to yoga class, my teacher reminds me of what I am and what I am not.
Everytime I listen to a teacher reading the scriptures, they reinforce the teachings for me in a different way-- even though I thought I knew that already.
Whenever I learn something new about yoga, or asana, I am amazed at how limitless this learning is in every way.
I am thankful for all my yoga students.
I am so thankful to be a yoga teacher and an eternal student of yoga.
I am so thankful for all my yoga teachers.
Everytime I talk to one of my yoga teacher friends, I am left with new pearls of wisdom spinning around my head.
Each time I go to yoga class, my teacher reminds me of what I am and what I am not.
Everytime I listen to a teacher reading the scriptures, they reinforce the teachings for me in a different way-- even though I thought I knew that already.
Whenever I learn something new about yoga, or asana, I am amazed at how limitless this learning is in every way.
I am thankful for all my yoga students.
I am so thankful to be a yoga teacher and an eternal student of yoga.
Adopt a Turkey for Thanksgiving !
Instead of eating a turkey, why not save a turkey from the slaughterhouse and set an example of kindness for your friends and children?
Farm Sanctuary is an organization dedicated to changing the way society views and treats farm animals. Farm Sanctuary works through public awareness programs and legislative action.
http://www.adoptaturkey.org/
PS: you can do this for Christmas too !!
Instead of eating a turkey, why not save a turkey from the slaughterhouse and set an example of kindness for your friends and children?
Farm Sanctuary is an organization dedicated to changing the way society views and treats farm animals. Farm Sanctuary works through public awareness programs and legislative action.
http://www.adoptaturkey.org/
PS: you can do this for Christmas too !!
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Laws of yoga
In yoga, we have our own version of the 10 commandments. Generally referred to as yama and niyama. These are laws that you are supposed to take with you out into your daily life -- a yogic attitude to living.
Ashtanga Yoga means eight step or eight "limb" yoga. These are described in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras.
The eight steps are divided into two parts - the first five are called external limbs, they are: Yama (suggestions for social behaviour: non-aggression, truthfulness, non-theft, appropriate sexual behaviour and non-greed), Niyama (suggestions for personal disciplines: self purification, contentment, self-discipline, self-study and surrender to the ideal of yoga), Asana (physical postures), Pranayama (breathing exercises) and Pratyahara (sense withdrawal).
The eight steps are divided into two parts - the first five are called external limbs, they are: Yama (suggestions for social behaviour: non-aggression, truthfulness, non-theft, appropriate sexual behaviour and non-greed), Niyama (suggestions for personal disciplines: self purification, contentment, self-discipline, self-study and surrender to the ideal of yoga), Asana (physical postures), Pranayama (breathing exercises) and Pratyahara (sense withdrawal).
I have written about Ahimsa many times on this blog. But I thought I would list the Yamas and Niyamas for you as food for thought :
Niyamas:
Sauca - Cleanliness. Not only a means of keeping our bodies clean and healthy, but a practice of keeping a clear mind.
Samtosa - Happiness and modesty. To be happy with what you have, instead of being unhappy over what you dont have.
Tapas - Keeping the body fit and healthy through healthful eating, exercise (asana) and kriyas.
Svadhyaya - Meditation and self awareness. This can be done through the repetition (japa) of mantra or the reading of the scriptures.
Isvarapranidhana - knowing that you have done your best and that you offer your actions to the Universe.
Yamas:
Ahimsa - Non violence. Do not kill. Do not do anyone any injury by action, word or thought. Do not show cruelty to any sentient being. Do not cause injury by your spoken word -- do not gossip, do not lie, do not insult.
Satya - Truthfulness
Asteya - Non stealing. It not only refers to stealing material things. It means do not steal somebody's time, do not steal somebody's trust, do not steal somebody's heart.
Brahmacharya - Sense control/ restraint. Most typically, this refers to sexual abstinence. However, it means do not lose your path -- act responsibly towards moving towards your Truth. Do not allow sensual attractions (e.g. over-indulging in eating, smoking, drinking, shopping) to distract you.
Aparigraha - Do not hoard. Do not take more than is necessary. Do not exploit others for your gain. Do not grasp onto money -- grasping blocks the natural flow of energy. Give away what you dont need or use. Clear out your closets.
OM
OM is actually pronounced A-U-M but is considered to have 4 syllables.
1. A =manifestation, birth, awakening of consciousness.
2. U =growth of manifestation
3. M =dissolution
4. Silence(ardha Maatra) = ending, invisible vibration, awareness of the Absolute.
it is the vibration of the sound of OM that is essential to life -- the vibration of the life force energy(Prana). We are living in an ocean of vibration. Life is non-existant without energy and everything is energy. As you observe your breath, you are observing the energy of the Universe breathing you. The Bible says that God breathed Life into Adam --and Adam's soul came in on God's breath. Your breath is the exchange of your own vibrational energy with the energy of the Universe. Can you exist without breath ? You cannot exist without the constant exchange and flow of energy.
Our bodies are only containers of our breath (soul) and it is our breath that makes a body animated. A person is said to "die" when their life force energy - the last breath -- leaves the body. Our constantly changing bodies make us visible in this life -- when the prana leaves, the eternal spirit is no longer visible but still exists and has merged back into the unchanging Universe.
Which brings you back to an awareness of the Absolute - the very essence of you.
Which is OM.
Friday, November 09, 2007
The Sacred Language of Yoga
Sanskrit is the sacred classic language of India. Just as Latin, Hebrew or Arabic are for other cultures. Sanskrit was the language of royalty and the elite. It was , and still is, a highly regarded cultural refinement.
Sanskrit is not just a language. It was designed to hit the many chakras (energy centers) in your throat, mouth and tongue. It is a way of awakening the body, mind, and spirit to a higher state of consciousness by opening these chakras and nadis with sacred sound vibration (nadam).
You have over 250 chakras (not just the seven you usually see on charts) and over 72,000 nadis all over your body. When these subtle energy channels of the body are opened, you experience Yoga through the effects of prana and pure sound.
This is why chanting sanskrit mantra is so effective for opening your heart and the upper chakras. For this reason, I tell my students to pay attention to the physical vibration they feel in their bodies during opening slokas.
Yoga is a very subtle practice. It affects you on so many levels. Yoga allows us to shed the layers of misunderstanding, illusion, pain and ignorance that cover our hearts. Opening your heart is more important than opening your body -- and is one of the goals of yoga practice.
I dedicate today's blog to my friend Chris. One day soon, he will tire of my nagging and actually attend a yoga class. ॐ
Just Do Yoga.
Sanskrit is the sacred classic language of India. Just as Latin, Hebrew or Arabic are for other cultures. Sanskrit was the language of royalty and the elite. It was , and still is, a highly regarded cultural refinement.
Sanskrit is not just a language. It was designed to hit the many chakras (energy centers) in your throat, mouth and tongue. It is a way of awakening the body, mind, and spirit to a higher state of consciousness by opening these chakras and nadis with sacred sound vibration (nadam).
You have over 250 chakras (not just the seven you usually see on charts) and over 72,000 nadis all over your body. When these subtle energy channels of the body are opened, you experience Yoga through the effects of prana and pure sound.
This is why chanting sanskrit mantra is so effective for opening your heart and the upper chakras. For this reason, I tell my students to pay attention to the physical vibration they feel in their bodies during opening slokas.
Yoga is a very subtle practice. It affects you on so many levels. Yoga allows us to shed the layers of misunderstanding, illusion, pain and ignorance that cover our hearts. Opening your heart is more important than opening your body -- and is one of the goals of yoga practice.
I dedicate today's blog to my friend Chris. One day soon, he will tire of my nagging and actually attend a yoga class. ॐ
Just Do Yoga.
Thursday, November 08, 2007
Monday, November 05, 2007
Help fight against child sex trade
Somaly Mam was sold into the sex trade when she was about 8 years old by a man posing as her Grandfather. Now she fights the sex trade industry everyday, saving little girls from brothels, giving them safe shelters and the opportunity to have a normal life.
She is being honored this week at the United Nations. Here is the link to her web site.
If you are interested, you can send them a contribution so that Somaly can continue her work to abolish a brutal industry that takes advantage of the helplessness of children.
http://www.somaly.org/index.php
On Nov 9th, a movie called "Holly" about the South East Asian sex slave trade will open .
Somaly Mam was sold into the sex trade when she was about 8 years old by a man posing as her Grandfather. Now she fights the sex trade industry everyday, saving little girls from brothels, giving them safe shelters and the opportunity to have a normal life.
She is being honored this week at the United Nations. Here is the link to her web site.
If you are interested, you can send them a contribution so that Somaly can continue her work to abolish a brutal industry that takes advantage of the helplessness of children.
http://www.somaly.org/index.php
On Nov 9th, a movie called "Holly" about the South East Asian sex slave trade will open .
Friday, November 02, 2007
How to clean your yoga mat ....
Mix one part water with one part laundry detergent or dishwashing liquid in a spray bottle. spray the mat, and wipe it down with a damp cloth or paper towels. Rinse in the shower and hang to air dry.
For serious cleaning, fill your bathtub with warm water and add a little laundry detergent. Allow to soak for a while, and rub with a sponge. Rinse thoroughly. Place the mat on a towel, and roll up to squeeze out excess water then hang to air dry.
Or the lazy way --- just throw the mat in the washing machine, warm water, add a small amount of detergent (no bleach) and let the machine do the work. Hang to air dry.
Dont use super hot water to wash the mat -- you could lose some of the stickiness. You dont need all those fancy "mat cleansers" -- laundry detergent works fine. I use dish washing detergent half the time. It works for me.
Mix one part water with one part laundry detergent or dishwashing liquid in a spray bottle. spray the mat, and wipe it down with a damp cloth or paper towels. Rinse in the shower and hang to air dry.
For serious cleaning, fill your bathtub with warm water and add a little laundry detergent. Allow to soak for a while, and rub with a sponge. Rinse thoroughly. Place the mat on a towel, and roll up to squeeze out excess water then hang to air dry.
Or the lazy way --- just throw the mat in the washing machine, warm water, add a small amount of detergent (no bleach) and let the machine do the work. Hang to air dry.
Dont use super hot water to wash the mat -- you could lose some of the stickiness. You dont need all those fancy "mat cleansers" -- laundry detergent works fine. I use dish washing detergent half the time. It works for me.
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Stock Market Education Online
There are lots of simulated Stock Market games online -- and here is just one of them that you can play around with. This one focuses a little more on educating you about the stock market.
It's all a game so feel free to invest your pretend "money" and learn about the energy flow of money ! If you join, these games hook you into real time stock info -- so you can really see how the markets move.
I just want to let you know that this educational stuff exists.... We yogis need money too (to pay for yoga class) !
http://library.thinkquest.org/3088/
There are lots of simulated Stock Market games online -- and here is just one of them that you can play around with. This one focuses a little more on educating you about the stock market.
It's all a game so feel free to invest your pretend "money" and learn about the energy flow of money ! If you join, these games hook you into real time stock info -- so you can really see how the markets move.
I just want to let you know that this educational stuff exists.... We yogis need money too (to pay for yoga class) !
http://library.thinkquest.org/3088/
A mild Winter predicted .... ?
While at the ashram, I spotted this amaaaazing striped super furry bug ! It's called a wooly bear caterpillar (Katie told me) --- so of course, I had to google it and guess what ? Apparently, the little critters appear in the Fall and are used to predict the severity of Winter according to their colored stripes ! Mine had a wide brown stripe in the middle and according to legend, that means the upcoming Winter season will be mild ! I like that !
.... so much for a city girl to learn ....
While at the ashram, I spotted this amaaaazing striped super furry bug ! It's called a wooly bear caterpillar (Katie told me) --- so of course, I had to google it and guess what ? Apparently, the little critters appear in the Fall and are used to predict the severity of Winter according to their colored stripes ! Mine had a wide brown stripe in the middle and according to legend, that means the upcoming Winter season will be mild ! I like that !
.... so much for a city girl to learn ....
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Yogas Citta Vritti Nirodhah
this is the second sutra from the first chapter of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras.
Citta = mind/psyche Vritti=modification/control Nirodahah = cessation/restraint
This is the very definition and basis of Yoga. It means that "the cessation of the thought waves is yoga".
If you can control your mind, you control everything. There is nothing wrong with the world; you can make it a heaven or hell according to your mindset .
this is the second sutra from the first chapter of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras.
Citta = mind/psyche Vritti=modification/control Nirodahah = cessation/restraint
This is the very definition and basis of Yoga. It means that "the cessation of the thought waves is yoga".
If you can control your mind, you control everything. There is nothing wrong with the world; you can make it a heaven or hell according to your mindset .
Monday, October 29, 2007
The Chakra SongOur clever yogi friend, Eric, calls the chakra bija meditation chant "the chakra song" : )
If you are interested in nada yoga (yoga of sound), there is a fabulous nada meditation every wednesday evening with Diksha.
I love Diksha's meditation. I try to go as often as I can. and I LOVE her meditation den ! it is so small and cute and at the same time sooo exotic and spiritual. Wear comfortable, loose or stretchy clothes since you will be sitting for the meditation.
As a Fulbright scholar, Diksha spent quite a few years in India studying Eastern Music. She is a professional musician and teacher by day, and a yoga and meditation teacher the rest of the time! http://www.yogavanimission.org/
Just tell her Lee sent you !
Meditation is every Wednesday at 7pm-9pm. $15 donation.
The Meditation Den
415 West 44th Street, NYC (Please buzz #8 )
We had a fabulous time at our yoga retreat !!
Our little group of yogis were great, the Autumn rain poured down on us, the deer ate the apples on the ground, the trees were resplendent in their Fall colors, Roop Verma played his celestial music for us, we did lots of yoga practice and meditation, and we ate lots of delicious, satvic vegetarian food !
Our little group of yogis were great, the Autumn rain poured down on us, the deer ate the apples on the ground, the trees were resplendent in their Fall colors, Roop Verma played his celestial music for us, we did lots of yoga practice and meditation, and we ate lots of delicious, satvic vegetarian food !
Our most sincere thanks to all who participated with us !
.... oceans of bliss surround us.
(we'll do it again in February!)
.... oceans of bliss surround us.
(we'll do it again in February!)
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Pet Safety on Halloween
My lovely friend Kamaniya (the chanting goddess) sent me an email reminding me to post something about keeping your pets safe on Halloween.
Please keep your pets safely locked in a bedroom (with a light on) where they won't be scared by strange people dressed in costumes coming to your home. Keeping them safely locked in a bedroom also prevents your pet from being able to bolt out your front door when you open the door for trick or treaters.
Don't leave your animals outside on Halloween night. It is just asking for trouble. Every year, pets are deliberately harmed -- burned, stabbed, tortured, poisoned -- on Halloween night. Black cats in particular are at risk. Keep ALL your pets safely inside the house.
Dont let your pets get into the Halloween candy. Sugar overload is no good for you, and it's no good for our furry friends.
Check out Kamaniya's blogsite -- she has even more information on her blog.
http://kamaniya.blogspot.com/
My lovely friend Kamaniya (the chanting goddess) sent me an email reminding me to post something about keeping your pets safe on Halloween.
Please keep your pets safely locked in a bedroom (with a light on) where they won't be scared by strange people dressed in costumes coming to your home. Keeping them safely locked in a bedroom also prevents your pet from being able to bolt out your front door when you open the door for trick or treaters.
Don't leave your animals outside on Halloween night. It is just asking for trouble. Every year, pets are deliberately harmed -- burned, stabbed, tortured, poisoned -- on Halloween night. Black cats in particular are at risk. Keep ALL your pets safely inside the house.
Dont let your pets get into the Halloween candy. Sugar overload is no good for you, and it's no good for our furry friends.
Check out Kamaniya's blogsite -- she has even more information on her blog.
http://kamaniya.blogspot.com/
Friday, October 05, 2007
Integrative Nutrition Book Launch Oct 10th
This month, Joshua Rosenthal – Director and Founder of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition – is releasing a must-have reference book for all who write about nutrition, diet and food: Integrative Nutrition – Feed Your Hunger for Health and Happiness. We invite you to attend the Integrative Nutrition book launch party on Wednesday evening, October 10 from 5:30 – 8:00 pm at The Martinelli Penthouse in the Buckingham Hotel 101 West 57th Street @ 6thAvenue, New York City Phone: 888.511.1900
At the book launch, you will receive a gift bag including a complimentary copy of the new book, and Joshua Rosenthal will give a short talk on the future of nutrition
Click here for directions: http://www.buckinghamhotel.com /The_Penthouse/the_penthouse .cfm.
This month, Joshua Rosenthal – Director and Founder of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition – is releasing a must-have reference book for all who write about nutrition, diet and food: Integrative Nutrition – Feed Your Hunger for Health and Happiness. We invite you to attend the Integrative Nutrition book launch party on Wednesday evening, October 10 from 5:30 – 8:00 pm at The Martinelli Penthouse in the Buckingham Hotel 101 West 57th Street @ 6thAvenue, New York City Phone: 888.511.1900
At the book launch, you will receive a gift bag including a complimentary copy of the new book, and Joshua Rosenthal will give a short talk on the future of nutrition
Click here for directions: http://www.buckinghamhotel.com /The_Penthouse/the_penthouse .cfm.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Weekend Yoga Retreat October 26-28
Many of my students are thinking about coming to the yoga weekend retreat up at the ashram with me October 26-28. I encourage you all to come. When we did this in February, we had such a good time that our students requested that we do it again. I co-host the weekend with Kristina Lanuza and Rikard Skogberg, both fabulous Anusara teachers.
Ananda Ashram is 1 hour out of NYC, by bus at the Port Authority.
Dorm room: $330
Semi Private room: $375
Prices includes your accommodations, yoga classes, vegetarian meals, meditation, sitar concert, ashram programs, fire ceremony etc...
see previous posts on this blog for more info or email me. We would love to have you join us.
Namaste
Many of my students are thinking about coming to the yoga weekend retreat up at the ashram with me October 26-28. I encourage you all to come. When we did this in February, we had such a good time that our students requested that we do it again. I co-host the weekend with Kristina Lanuza and Rikard Skogberg, both fabulous Anusara teachers.
Ananda Ashram is 1 hour out of NYC, by bus at the Port Authority.
Dorm room: $330
Semi Private room: $375
Prices includes your accommodations, yoga classes, vegetarian meals, meditation, sitar concert, ashram programs, fire ceremony etc...
see previous posts on this blog for more info or email me. We would love to have you join us.
Namaste
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Non-slip yoga mats....
There is a heavy, black yoga mat that is the king of non-slip mats -- but I am allergic to it !!! I need something to prevent me from sliding off my mat during vinyasa practice -- so the search was on this summer for the "perfect" mat --- well, I'll spare you the expensive details, but many disapointments and returned merchandise transactions later, my conclusions are as follows :
1) Hemp mats don't work -- the idea sounds good, but I ended up with hemp stuck to me, head to toe, and all over the studio. Very annoying.
2) Yoga rugs work in theory -- but they are heavy to drag around town with you. And they are too bulky to fit in your yoga bag. Once it gets wet, then you are dragging a wet and even heavier yoga rug around. Slow to dry. And too bulky to throw in the laundry machine.
3) I resisted buying this but the Yogitoes Skidless towels work well. Thin. Lightweight. Dries quickly. Easy to throw in the washing machine. Should have bought this in the first place and saved a lot of aggravation. Note: the bumpy side goes down onto the mat. Secondary use is that it is a clean barrier between you and a maybe not so clean mat. Cute colors too .
4) Surya Towel by Prana. it is a super thin and superlight cloth to put over your mat. It fits in your yoga bag. I just got this, havent had the opportunity to use it yet, but I think it looks like it will work. It is weightless -- and that is important when you are dragging your yoga gear all over NYC .
I must mention that Prana was one of the sellers to which I needed to return/exchange merchandise -- and that they were absolutely wonderful. They stand behind their products, no questions asked, and they shipped the new merchandise to me free of charge. They want you to be happy. Very yogic.
If you like my blog, please pass my blogsite address on to your friends --- let's build a NY yoga community.
Satsang
In the Indian tradition, groups of people get together for Satsang. Basically, it means a group gathers to listen to a teacher (guru) speak words of wisdom on how to think, how to live your life. It might sound boring, but I go pretty regularly, and there is always something to learn, something to think about --- and quite often, it would seem that by some magic, the teacher addresses the exact problem that you have been facing. so many people leave feeling as if the whole evening was designed exactly for them.
anyway, here is my paraphrasing of a recent satsang.
Why do we keep thinking about the past? past regrets? past relationships?
Obsessing about the past instead of focusing on the present is nothing but a habit. We need to break free of old tendancies. It is your ego that is involved in this and your ego is pulling you down instead of allowing you to move on. Observe yourself. Your ego will fight you. Your ego wants to hang onto the past. Observe that too.
Life is a play and we each have our part to play on stage. Just play your part. Nothing is real. No need to identify with the part that you play -- just witness your part in the drama.
When you become established in meditation, you can become established in witnessing yourself. When your mind becomes quiet, that is when you can gain some distance and objectivity.
What will change your destiny is a change in your understanding. To evolve, you have to come out of the person you have grown to be.
In the Indian tradition, groups of people get together for Satsang. Basically, it means a group gathers to listen to a teacher (guru) speak words of wisdom on how to think, how to live your life. It might sound boring, but I go pretty regularly, and there is always something to learn, something to think about --- and quite often, it would seem that by some magic, the teacher addresses the exact problem that you have been facing. so many people leave feeling as if the whole evening was designed exactly for them.
anyway, here is my paraphrasing of a recent satsang.
Why do we keep thinking about the past? past regrets? past relationships?
Obsessing about the past instead of focusing on the present is nothing but a habit. We need to break free of old tendancies. It is your ego that is involved in this and your ego is pulling you down instead of allowing you to move on. Observe yourself. Your ego will fight you. Your ego wants to hang onto the past. Observe that too.
Life is a play and we each have our part to play on stage. Just play your part. Nothing is real. No need to identify with the part that you play -- just witness your part in the drama.
When you become established in meditation, you can become established in witnessing yourself. When your mind becomes quiet, that is when you can gain some distance and objectivity.
What will change your destiny is a change in your understanding. To evolve, you have to come out of the person you have grown to be.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Meditation....
You know all that chatter that comes to your brain the minute you try to sit down and meditate? Well, the Buddhists call those thoughts "Hindrances". They hinder you from having a quiet mind and being able to connect to your inner Self. The trick is to realize that you cant stop them. Just accept them and observe the thoughts. Dont waste your energy trying to fight it -- use your energy to find some space for your mind. Just observe the thoughts. Dont judge yourself. Be compassionate with yourself.
Observation makes you have a different relationship to life's events. You can be with things in different ways. No judgement is needed. That is where the learning happens -- with no judgement -- learn to let go and just be there.
Sharon Salzberg told me this... she gives lectures on meditation at the Tibet House on a regular basis. I highly recommend attending her talks.
You know all that chatter that comes to your brain the minute you try to sit down and meditate? Well, the Buddhists call those thoughts "Hindrances". They hinder you from having a quiet mind and being able to connect to your inner Self. The trick is to realize that you cant stop them. Just accept them and observe the thoughts. Dont waste your energy trying to fight it -- use your energy to find some space for your mind. Just observe the thoughts. Dont judge yourself. Be compassionate with yourself.
Observation makes you have a different relationship to life's events. You can be with things in different ways. No judgement is needed. That is where the learning happens -- with no judgement -- learn to let go and just be there.
Sharon Salzberg told me this... she gives lectures on meditation at the Tibet House on a regular basis. I highly recommend attending her talks.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Massage Therapist Extraordinaire !
Looking for a great deep tissue massage ? Elizabeth is here for you !
She works at a women-only spa in SoHo and she is a fabulous massage therapist (and a yogini) ! Elizabeth leans more towards a deep medical massage and uses a "firm hand". Perfect for helping you heal or getting the kinks out.
SoHo Sanctuary -- 119 Mercer Street, NYC (between Prince and Spring) 212-334-5550.
Looking for a great deep tissue massage ? Elizabeth is here for you !
She works at a women-only spa in SoHo and she is a fabulous massage therapist (and a yogini) ! Elizabeth leans more towards a deep medical massage and uses a "firm hand". Perfect for helping you heal or getting the kinks out.
SoHo Sanctuary -- 119 Mercer Street, NYC (between Prince and Spring) 212-334-5550.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Weekend Yoga Retreat October 26-28
Many of my students are thinking about coming to the yoga weekend retreat up at the ashram with me October 26-28. I encourage you all to come. When we did this in February, we had such a good time that our students requested that we do it again.
Here are some FAQ:
Where is the ashram?
The ashram is 1 hour outside of NYC. Close to Bear Mountain or Woodbury Commons Mall. The ashram is on 85 acres of beautiful land with woods, hiking trails and a small lake.
How do I get there?
You can get a bus from Port Authority to Monroe, NY or Woodbury Commons. It is about a 1 hour ride and the round trip ticket is about $34. When you get to Monroe or Woodbury Commons, you take a local taxi to the ashram (10 minute ride) -- taxi fare about $10-12. If anyone is driving up, we try to organize a car pool so some of you can come up together. It doesnt always work, but we try.
When do I have to get there?
We have not yet decided our teaching schedule, but the general idea is for everybody to get to the ashram by around 6-7pm on Friday evening. We have an introduction meeting, get you all settled and maybe have a meditation. Of course, if you want to come up earlier and hang out by yourself at the ashram all day Friday, that's cool too. I do that.
What is the cost ?
$330 dorm room, and $375 semi-private room. The price is all inclusive. That includes your room, 3 vegetarian meals a day, Anusara yoga classes, yoga nidra with Roop Verma's sitar, my pranic meditation, satsang, kirtan, fire purification ceremony, walks around the lake.... everything is included. We work hard to keep our prices low so that everyone can afford to come. The only way you could incur additional costs is if you shop at the small gift store or make an appointment for a private massage.
Can I get a private room?
Not really. This is an ashram and everything is shared. The rooms have a minimum of 2 single beds or 6 bunk beds (dorm). The bathrooms are down the hall. Everything is kept clean and immaculate for you. By the way, there are no locks on the doors so leave valuables at home. And yes, the dorms are uni-sex.
Can I share a room with my friend ?
of course. The earlier you make reservations, the better we can try to accommodate your room requests.
Many of my students are thinking about coming to the yoga weekend retreat up at the ashram with me October 26-28. I encourage you all to come. When we did this in February, we had such a good time that our students requested that we do it again.
Here are some FAQ:
Where is the ashram?
The ashram is 1 hour outside of NYC. Close to Bear Mountain or Woodbury Commons Mall. The ashram is on 85 acres of beautiful land with woods, hiking trails and a small lake.
How do I get there?
You can get a bus from Port Authority to Monroe, NY or Woodbury Commons. It is about a 1 hour ride and the round trip ticket is about $34. When you get to Monroe or Woodbury Commons, you take a local taxi to the ashram (10 minute ride) -- taxi fare about $10-12. If anyone is driving up, we try to organize a car pool so some of you can come up together. It doesnt always work, but we try.
When do I have to get there?
We have not yet decided our teaching schedule, but the general idea is for everybody to get to the ashram by around 6-7pm on Friday evening. We have an introduction meeting, get you all settled and maybe have a meditation. Of course, if you want to come up earlier and hang out by yourself at the ashram all day Friday, that's cool too. I do that.
What is the cost ?
$330 dorm room, and $375 semi-private room. The price is all inclusive. That includes your room, 3 vegetarian meals a day, Anusara yoga classes, yoga nidra with Roop Verma's sitar, my pranic meditation, satsang, kirtan, fire purification ceremony, walks around the lake.... everything is included. We work hard to keep our prices low so that everyone can afford to come. The only way you could incur additional costs is if you shop at the small gift store or make an appointment for a private massage.
Can I get a private room?
Not really. This is an ashram and everything is shared. The rooms have a minimum of 2 single beds or 6 bunk beds (dorm). The bathrooms are down the hall. Everything is kept clean and immaculate for you. By the way, there are no locks on the doors so leave valuables at home. And yes, the dorms are uni-sex.
Can I share a room with my friend ?
of course. The earlier you make reservations, the better we can try to accommodate your room requests.
What if I am a beginner in yoga?
No matter! we welcome beginners ! In fact, it would be a great experience for you if you are a beginner because it would be an opportunity for you to feel the true experience of yoga.
Are there any rules ?
We are at an ashram. We do not allow smoking, drinking alcohol, drugs or any other behaviour that is harmful to your health or others. All food is vegan or vegetarian. And honestly, caffeine is hard to come by there too (but you can smuggle in some instant coffee).
If you have any questions about the yoga weekend retreat, feel free to contact me by email via this blogsite.
or email me at quietyoga@msn.com
Are there any rules ?
We are at an ashram. We do not allow smoking, drinking alcohol, drugs or any other behaviour that is harmful to your health or others. All food is vegan or vegetarian. And honestly, caffeine is hard to come by there too (but you can smuggle in some instant coffee).
If you have any questions about the yoga weekend retreat, feel free to contact me by email via this blogsite.
or email me at quietyoga@msn.com
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Chief Looking Horse at IYI on Oct 4th, 2007
Native American Chief Looking Horse is a well recognized messenger of Peace and founder of the World Peace and Prayer Day. He has won multiple international peace prizes, including recognition from the United Nations with the Juliet Hollister Award.
IYI is hosting this special guest. Come and participate with us, learn the peace traditions and wisdom from a spiritual leader of our Native American people.
Thurs Oct 4th- 8.30PM $25
Integral Yoga Institute
227 West 13th Street, NYC
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
AHIMSA
Ahimsa means "nonviolence" or "do no harm" -- this extends to not killing animals for food or fur, not spreading mean gossip about another person, and to treat your neighbor as you would like to be treated. Non violence also includes how you treat yourself -- be kind to yourself. If your yoga practice is not what you had hoped today, dont be down on yourself. Just try again tomorrow.
Martin Luther King learned of Ahimsa through reading about Mahatma Gandhi and his peaceful movement to liberate India from British rule, and through the principles of non-violence, Dr. King led peaceful demonstrations for the civil rights movement in America.
"Nonviolence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man.
Literally speaking, ahimsa means non-violence towards life but it has much higher meaning. It means that you may not offend anybody; you may not harbor uncharitable thought, even in connection with those whom you consider your enemies. To one who follows this doctrine, there are no enemies. A man who believes in the efficacy of this doctrine finds in the ultimate stage, when he is about to reach the goal, the whole world at his feet. If you express your love—ahimsa—in such a manner that it impresses itself indelibly upon your so-called enemy, he must return that love.
This doctrine tells us that we may guard the honor of those under our charge by delivering our own lives into the hands of the man who would commit the sacrilege. And that requires far greater courage than delivering of blows.
Ahimsa or non-injury, of course, implies non-killing. But, non-injury is not merely non-killing. In its comprehensive meaning, ahimsa or non-injury means entire abstinence from causing any pain or harm to another living being, either by thought, word, or deed. Non-injury requires a harmless mind, mouth, and hand. " - Mahatma Gandhi
Friday, July 06, 2007
Come to a Weekend Yoga Retreat in October with me !
I know it seems early, but I want you all to get this on your schedule !!
I will be co-hosting a yoga weekend retreat October 26-28, 2007 at Ananda Ashram in the Catskills . October seems a long way off, but we have limited space and we want to let you all know about it so you can reserve the date and let us know if you're coming. Kristina, Rikard(both Anusara teachers) and I did this retreat back in February and it was just FANTASTIC !! so we are doing it again ! And some wonderful students have already signed up and given us deposits.
Beginner yogis are welcome !!
That same weekend, Roop Verma, a world class, internationally known sitar player (really!) will be at the ashram and he will be leading his deep yoga nidra meditation, accompanied by his heavenly sitar music -- and we have organized it so you can participate !
$330 for dorm (max 6 beds/unisex)
$375 for semi-private room (2 beds).
Prices include bed, board, meals, yoga, meditation and ashram programs (such as satsang and the fire ceremony for purification and peace).
Please contact me about more information (you can email me via this blog)! And tell your friends ! We really want you all to come !!!
And for those of you who want to come to my Quiet Yoga meditation class in NYC -- dont worry, I havent forgotten you -- I am just working to get the logistics together ( boring stuff like insurance etc..) and I've been super busy so haven't been able to get around to being organized !
Have a great weekend !! : )
OM
I know it seems early, but I want you all to get this on your schedule !!
I will be co-hosting a yoga weekend retreat October 26-28, 2007 at Ananda Ashram in the Catskills . October seems a long way off, but we have limited space and we want to let you all know about it so you can reserve the date and let us know if you're coming. Kristina, Rikard(both Anusara teachers) and I did this retreat back in February and it was just FANTASTIC !! so we are doing it again ! And some wonderful students have already signed up and given us deposits.
Beginner yogis are welcome !!
That same weekend, Roop Verma, a world class, internationally known sitar player (really!) will be at the ashram and he will be leading his deep yoga nidra meditation, accompanied by his heavenly sitar music -- and we have organized it so you can participate !
$330 for dorm (max 6 beds/unisex)
$375 for semi-private room (2 beds).
Prices include bed, board, meals, yoga, meditation and ashram programs (such as satsang and the fire ceremony for purification and peace).
Please contact me about more information (you can email me via this blog)! And tell your friends ! We really want you all to come !!!
And for those of you who want to come to my Quiet Yoga meditation class in NYC -- dont worry, I havent forgotten you -- I am just working to get the logistics together ( boring stuff like insurance etc..) and I've been super busy so haven't been able to get around to being organized !
Have a great weekend !! : )
OM
Friday, June 29, 2007
Beware of Maya
Maya is a Hindu Goddess -- but mostly she is referred to as "illusion" -- all the illusions that prevent us from connecting with our true Selves. The work of a yogi is to clear away all illusions so that we can see our own Truth -- who we really are, and how we fit into the Divine Cosmic Universe.
What is illusion ? All the things that you think you are that separates you from others -- I am smarter,dumber, better, more attractive/uglier than "them".... I have a great job, a great car and that makes me more important -- I am rich, I am poor, I am different, I will never be in that terrible situation ..... I am better at yoga than that guy.....
When you embark on the yogic path, many think it is so "relaxing" -- but the reality is that when you start yoga, that is when your problems begin. Everything you fear most will come forward in your mind again and again until you face it and deal with it.
Yoga is confrontational -- it brings up all the stuff you didnt want to look at -- the bad marriage you're stuck in but do nothing about, the stagnant job you hold onto, the passive acceptance of your own indecision etc etc... But when you finally face it, you wake up and take control of your life. Everything that is an illusion drops away and you can see your True Self calmly, courageously and with a peaceful heart. Yoga helps you shed all the armour, all the illusions -- and be at peace with yourself. You conquer Maya through letting go -- and when you conquer Maya, you can think with your heart instead of your head. Then you will always know the Truth.
Maya is a Hindu Goddess -- but mostly she is referred to as "illusion" -- all the illusions that prevent us from connecting with our true Selves. The work of a yogi is to clear away all illusions so that we can see our own Truth -- who we really are, and how we fit into the Divine Cosmic Universe.
What is illusion ? All the things that you think you are that separates you from others -- I am smarter,dumber, better, more attractive/uglier than "them".... I have a great job, a great car and that makes me more important -- I am rich, I am poor, I am different, I will never be in that terrible situation ..... I am better at yoga than that guy.....
When you embark on the yogic path, many think it is so "relaxing" -- but the reality is that when you start yoga, that is when your problems begin. Everything you fear most will come forward in your mind again and again until you face it and deal with it.
Yoga is confrontational -- it brings up all the stuff you didnt want to look at -- the bad marriage you're stuck in but do nothing about, the stagnant job you hold onto, the passive acceptance of your own indecision etc etc... But when you finally face it, you wake up and take control of your life. Everything that is an illusion drops away and you can see your True Self calmly, courageously and with a peaceful heart. Yoga helps you shed all the armour, all the illusions -- and be at peace with yourself. You conquer Maya through letting go -- and when you conquer Maya, you can think with your heart instead of your head. Then you will always know the Truth.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Don't be afraid of change because you are changing all the time !
This is taken from a newsletter from Dr. Deepak Chopra. I believe it is extracted from his book
"The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success" (one of my favorite books, by the way)
I find Dr. Chopra explains change, and our fear of it, so well.
See if you like it too ....
"...change comes in each moment. You are not the same person you were when you began to read this. Those few sentences above are now part of your make-up. Every interaction, conversation, meal, thought, and activity you engage in today will shift your physiology and your emotional state. We’re often not aware of these subtle shifts because they happen so incrementally. Yet by tomorrow, you will be changed – even if only a bit.
Transformation is a magnificent process that takes you from one state of existence into the next. One of the reasons we fear this change is that we think that once we change , we will be stuck there – doomed for eternity to suffer the scenario you feared most. But what if you could embrace the fact that your transformation never stops. That wherever you are in your mind will change and wherever you end up, that too will change. The person you will be tomorrow will transform again into the person of the next day and the next.
Now you are able to see not just the static aspects of yourself but the ever growing, ever re-birthing, ever-evolving aspect of you. And there’s a bonus…each time you transform…you open yourself to an abundance of possibilities which means you have the ability to be reborn in each moment.
In every moment we have a choice. Whatever we choose, we are opening ourselves to transformation and the abundance of possibilities it offers us. This Namaste recommends embracing the transformation of our body, mind, and soul and smiling with the knowledge that you will be reborn in every moment, every day, in every year of your life. "
This is taken from a newsletter from Dr. Deepak Chopra. I believe it is extracted from his book
"The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success" (one of my favorite books, by the way)
I find Dr. Chopra explains change, and our fear of it, so well.
See if you like it too ....
"...change comes in each moment. You are not the same person you were when you began to read this. Those few sentences above are now part of your make-up. Every interaction, conversation, meal, thought, and activity you engage in today will shift your physiology and your emotional state. We’re often not aware of these subtle shifts because they happen so incrementally. Yet by tomorrow, you will be changed – even if only a bit.
Transformation is a magnificent process that takes you from one state of existence into the next. One of the reasons we fear this change is that we think that once we change , we will be stuck there – doomed for eternity to suffer the scenario you feared most. But what if you could embrace the fact that your transformation never stops. That wherever you are in your mind will change and wherever you end up, that too will change. The person you will be tomorrow will transform again into the person of the next day and the next.
Now you are able to see not just the static aspects of yourself but the ever growing, ever re-birthing, ever-evolving aspect of you. And there’s a bonus…each time you transform…you open yourself to an abundance of possibilities which means you have the ability to be reborn in each moment.
In every moment we have a choice. Whatever we choose, we are opening ourselves to transformation and the abundance of possibilities it offers us. This Namaste recommends embracing the transformation of our body, mind, and soul and smiling with the knowledge that you will be reborn in every moment, every day, in every year of your life. "
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Quiet Yoga Meditation with Me !!
At long last, I think I have found a lovely studio space that I can rent for my Quiet Yoga pranic healing mediation !
the space is close to 26th Street and Sixth Ave.
I am thinking of doing this meditation 6.30-830pm during the week If there is enough interest, then we can do this on a more reguar basis and the effects can become cumulative, and you can learn to go deeper into the healing pranic visualizations.
The class is mostly sitting in meditation or lying down in yoga nidra with a little asana thrown in so you dont get stiff. This is not a class where you get a big workout -- but knowledge of yoga and yogic breathing is helpful.
So, if anyone out there is interested, let me know so I can get an idea of the size of the group. This is only going to happen if students sign up for the class !!
I need a minimum of 5 people to do this. I will charge $17 for a 2 hour class. Please bring your own mat.
pls respond to quietyoga@msn.com
thanks !!!
Into Zen Bhuddism ?
Check out the Village Zendo (in Soho)
588 Broadway, Suite 910
New York City 10012
They have meditation, dharma talks and workshops www.villagezendo.org
It is a small --- but beautiful and simple meditation space.
You have to love NYC. This isnt happening in Ohio, you know what I mean?
Check out the Village Zendo (in Soho)
588 Broadway, Suite 910
New York City 10012
They have meditation, dharma talks and workshops www.villagezendo.org
It is a small --- but beautiful and simple meditation space.
You have to love NYC. This isnt happening in Ohio, you know what I mean?
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
"...the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom" - Anais Nin
I tell my students to surrender to yoga. Surrender does not mean defeat, it means that you allow your heart to open. Then yoga becomes a healing practice for you. So surrender to yoga. Surrender to the love of yourself. Just let go.
I tell my students to surrender to yoga. Surrender does not mean defeat, it means that you allow your heart to open. Then yoga becomes a healing practice for you. So surrender to yoga. Surrender to the love of yourself. Just let go.
Friday, May 11, 2007
You can now contact me now through this blog
Just click on "my complete profile" at the top left corner of the page and then click on "email" -- and you will be able to send me an email.
FYI -- the email address is quietyoga@msn.com
Thank you for all your support and your continued interest in yoga. Have a great weekend.
Just click on "my complete profile" at the top left corner of the page and then click on "email" -- and you will be able to send me an email.
FYI -- the email address is quietyoga@msn.com
Thank you for all your support and your continued interest in yoga. Have a great weekend.
Friday, May 04, 2007
Remember Ahimsa ? The yogic law of "do no harm" ?
If you are still just thinking about becoming a vegetarian or you are interested in how your food gets to your plate (hmmm... thinking about the Chinese poisoned wheat fed to the live stock and poultry in this country, perhaps? and that is now on your plate ? ) then read this book.
Dominion: The Power of Man, the Suffering of Animals, and the Call to Mercy by Matthew Scully
Make conscious choices in everything you do. Yoga is about COMPASSION for all sentient beings. Yoga is about being aware.
Available at Amazon, bookstores, Jivamukti or at the library.
If you are still just thinking about becoming a vegetarian or you are interested in how your food gets to your plate (hmmm... thinking about the Chinese poisoned wheat fed to the live stock and poultry in this country, perhaps? and that is now on your plate ? ) then read this book.
Dominion: The Power of Man, the Suffering of Animals, and the Call to Mercy by Matthew Scully
Make conscious choices in everything you do. Yoga is about COMPASSION for all sentient beings. Yoga is about being aware.
Available at Amazon, bookstores, Jivamukti or at the library.
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Weekend yoga retreat in October
I will be co-hosting a yoga weekend retreat October 26-28, 2007 at Ananda Ashram in the Catskills. I know it seems a long way off, but we have limited space and we want to let you all know about it so you can reserve the date and let us know if you're coming. Kristina, Rikard and I did this retreat back in February and it was just FANTASTIC !! so we are doing it again ! Beginner yogis are welcome !!
That same weekend, Roop Verma, a world class, internationally known sitar player (really!) will be at the ashram and he will be leading his deep yoga nidra meditation, accompanied by his heavenly sitar music -- and we have organized it so you can participate !
Ananda Ashram is just one hour north of NYC by bus from Port Authority. Easy to get to.
Accommodations at the ashram will be either semi private rooms (2 beds) or dorm (6 beds max). Shared bathrooms are down the hall. All meals are vegetarian and delicious !
Just to give you an idea of our plans (tentative - it's still too early) :
Friday:
Afternoon check in
Evening Yoga with Anusara style Hatha Yoga teachers, Rikard and Kristina
Saturday:
Morning Yoga, afternoon yoga meditation, evening Ashram programs, fire purification ceremony, satsang, maybe chanting.
Sunday:
Morning yoga nidra with Roop Verma
Afternoon yoga.
Cost : Because it is still early, nothing is set in stone yet, but we really try to keep the cost down so that more people can afford to come. My guesstimate is in the $350-$400 range for the whole weekend. Price is all inclusive. Bed, board, food, all yoga classes and meditation included.
Ayurvedic Massage is available at additional cost.
Beginner yoga students are welcome. so mark your calendars ! I do hope you can come join us.
OM
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Hayfever time is upon us... I found a homeopathic medicine that works very well !
it's called Pollen/hayfever Relief by BioAllers.
about $8 for 1 oz bottle.
You just put a few drops of this liquid under your tongue and you get relief for about 4 hours without the sleepy side effects.
Available at health food stores. I found it at Whole Foods and the IYI Natural Pharmacy.
OM Shanthi
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
My Teaching Schedule :
Integral Yoga in Greenwich Village :
Tuesday April 3 6.30PM Hatha I/II
Monday April 9 6.00PM Yoga Nidra / Deep Relaxation
Integral Yoga in Greenwich Village :
Tuesday April 3 6.30PM Hatha I/II
Monday April 9 6.00PM Yoga Nidra / Deep Relaxation
Tuesday April 10 6.30PM Hatha I/II
Tuesday April 17 6.30PM Hatha I/II
Tuesday April 24 6.30PM Hatha I/II
Tuesday May 1st 6.30PM Hatha I/II
Tuesday May 8th 6.30PM Hatha I/II
Classes are 90 minutes (but I tend to go over....)
Tuesday May 1st 6.30PM Hatha I/II
Tuesday May 8th 6.30PM Hatha I/II
Classes are 90 minutes (but I tend to go over....)
East West Yoga - 14th Street/Fifth Ave
Saturday May 12 10AM- 11.15AM Hatha Open Level
I will be doing the Thurs night classes in Soho with Dawn soon.....
yoga by candlelight... how wonderful.
Golden Bridge Yoga NYC
New yoga place in town from San Francisco ! Golden Bridge is known for its Kundalini and vinyasa yoga and it's the "in" place on the West Coast. They are located downtown by Chinatown/Little Italy and occupy a lovely brownstone building. Satya Jewelry shares the ground floor level so should you be interested in a little shopping, it's all there for you.
If you are a new student, they have a special introductory rate of $40 for one month's worth of unlimited classes ! Make sure you ask about it before you take a class !
Saturdays they have a Community class at 430PM -- and the fee is by donation. They donate the proceeds to a local project (like a school.... )
At the end of class, their closing chant is most lovely. I offer the blessing here for you :
May the long time sun shine upon you
All Love surround you
And the pure Light within you
Guide your way on
Golden Bridge Yoga
253 Centre Street - B'tween Broome and Grand Streets
NYC
212 343 8191
Just do yoga.
OM
New yoga place in town from San Francisco ! Golden Bridge is known for its Kundalini and vinyasa yoga and it's the "in" place on the West Coast. They are located downtown by Chinatown/Little Italy and occupy a lovely brownstone building. Satya Jewelry shares the ground floor level so should you be interested in a little shopping, it's all there for you.
If you are a new student, they have a special introductory rate of $40 for one month's worth of unlimited classes ! Make sure you ask about it before you take a class !
Saturdays they have a Community class at 430PM -- and the fee is by donation. They donate the proceeds to a local project (like a school.... )
At the end of class, their closing chant is most lovely. I offer the blessing here for you :
May the long time sun shine upon you
All Love surround you
And the pure Light within you
Guide your way on
Golden Bridge Yoga
253 Centre Street - B'tween Broome and Grand Streets
NYC
212 343 8191
Just do yoga.
OM
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Ravi Singh, a great kundalini teacher, sent me an email and I extracted this little story from it for you.
"Swami Satchidananda told a story, in a DVD presented at our event last weekend at Yogaville in Virginia, which illustrates this point: We spend our lives running after our shadows, which remain always just out of our reach. When finally, out of frustration, we turn away from our shadows and towards the light, our shadows run after us.
Kundalini Yoga is both a path and a process. As with all forms of self discipline, there is a dynamic tension created between where we've been and where we're going. Remember, it's darkest before the dawn. Keep your eyes on the prize! We hope you will be inspired to keep up and blossom."
Yoga Accessories
Don't know about you, but I frequently feel I am being gouged when I see the prices of yoga accessories...so at last, I found a place that sells reasonably priced yoga stuff !
They have everything you could want, bolsters, straps, mats, DVDs ....
www.yogaaccessories.com
Just do yoga.
And it's raining in NYC.
OM Shanti
Don't know about you, but I frequently feel I am being gouged when I see the prices of yoga accessories...so at last, I found a place that sells reasonably priced yoga stuff !
They have everything you could want, bolsters, straps, mats, DVDs ....
www.yogaaccessories.com
Just do yoga.
And it's raining in NYC.
OM Shanti
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
TIBET HOUSE MEDITATION
With Sharon Salzberg
This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about meditation with one of our leading Masters. Sharon Salzberg is a Buddhist monk, and a wonderful speaker. She is casual, funny and confused at the rest of us, yet brings the ancient Buddhist teachings to life for us today as we run around NYC. This lecture series is well worth attending. $10 suggested Donation per evening.
She has written many highly acclaimed books, you can check them out at your local bookstore. Sharon also has a meditation retreat up in New England.
The lectures are held on Tues evenings at 7PM - 9PM.
May 15- May 29
June 12 - June 26
Tibet House -- 22 West 15th Street, NYC
We are so lucky to live here in NYC. It is only here that we have the opportunity to be so easily exposed to these great teachers of yoga and meditation. I hope you take advantage of this.
Hari OM.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
45 Minute Yoga Class at Jivamukti Yoga
I was at Jivamukti last night and I noticed that they have a monthly $108 unlimited yoga for their 45 minute classes. Seems pretty darn good to me. And their schedule provides lots of these classes so you dont have to rearrange your life to fit one in (I guess that's the point).
Double checked their website today , but didnt see any prices listed.
They charge $2 rental for their mats.
But I think it is certainly worth looking into this ! they have an uptown school and the main one at Union Square.
Just do YOGA !!
Hari OM : )
I was at Jivamukti last night and I noticed that they have a monthly $108 unlimited yoga for their 45 minute classes. Seems pretty darn good to me. And their schedule provides lots of these classes so you dont have to rearrange your life to fit one in (I guess that's the point).
Double checked their website today , but didnt see any prices listed.
They charge $2 rental for their mats.
But I think it is certainly worth looking into this ! they have an uptown school and the main one at Union Square.
Just do YOGA !!
Hari OM : )
Sunday, April 01, 2007
TANTRIC YOGA
That got your attention, right ?
Before we get started, yes, Tantra does/can involve sex but it is more about opening your chakras and feeling the energy of Shiva Shakti merge into the ONE energy that we already are. Tan means Expansion. Tra means Liberation. It's about being aware. It is raising your consciousness, using the vehicle of love making, and allowing you to feel the cosmic energies rising in the shushumna. once you experience that, the idea is to be able to control that power and break through barriers that hold you back and focus it into your daily life for success and abundance and self enlightenment. Sexual energy is the most powerful energy and tantra is about learning how to contain that power so that you can use it in a constructive way.
Secondly, be warned that anything with the word tantra in the title attracts sex wierdos in the audience. That is why a lot of the tantric lectures are expensive... it's a way of weeding out people who are not serious, or people who think they are going to participate in a free orgy. Thirdly, please be aware that tantra is a spiritual practice -- in it's purest form, sex is but a miniscule part of the practice -- the true practice is to find your own Divine Bliss through non-duality.
Charles Muir is an acclaimed teacher and interpreter of the ancient tantric practices. you can look up his books on Amazon.com.
Tantra, the art of conscious loving
presented by Charles Muir and Leah Alchin
** no nudity or sexual activity involved. couples and singles are welcome.***
Fri May 4 7-11PM
Sat & Sun May 5-6 10AM-9PM Fee: $450
212 777 0794
www.sourcetantra.com
Free preview
April 10 6-9pm Meta Center 214 W 29th Street 16th Floor NYC
Hey, leave me a comment --- just love to hear from my students -- and it encourages me to write more.
That got your attention, right ?
Before we get started, yes, Tantra does/can involve sex but it is more about opening your chakras and feeling the energy of Shiva Shakti merge into the ONE energy that we already are. Tan means Expansion. Tra means Liberation. It's about being aware. It is raising your consciousness, using the vehicle of love making, and allowing you to feel the cosmic energies rising in the shushumna. once you experience that, the idea is to be able to control that power and break through barriers that hold you back and focus it into your daily life for success and abundance and self enlightenment. Sexual energy is the most powerful energy and tantra is about learning how to contain that power so that you can use it in a constructive way.
Secondly, be warned that anything with the word tantra in the title attracts sex wierdos in the audience. That is why a lot of the tantric lectures are expensive... it's a way of weeding out people who are not serious, or people who think they are going to participate in a free orgy. Thirdly, please be aware that tantra is a spiritual practice -- in it's purest form, sex is but a miniscule part of the practice -- the true practice is to find your own Divine Bliss through non-duality.
Charles Muir is an acclaimed teacher and interpreter of the ancient tantric practices. you can look up his books on Amazon.com.
Tantra, the art of conscious loving
presented by Charles Muir and Leah Alchin
** no nudity or sexual activity involved. couples and singles are welcome.***
Fri May 4 7-11PM
Sat & Sun May 5-6 10AM-9PM Fee: $450
212 777 0794
www.sourcetantra.com
Free preview
April 10 6-9pm Meta Center 214 W 29th Street 16th Floor NYC
Hey, leave me a comment --- just love to hear from my students -- and it encourages me to write more.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Helping others through Micro Loans
This is really cool. I read about it today in the NYTimes.
Think you can spare $25 or so to lend to someone so they can start a business?
Kiva is an organization that organizes small business loans to people in very poor areas in the world -- and they are using the internet to do it !! And when I say small loan, I mean tiny -- as little as $500 can be enough to start a business. These small loans help these people grow their businesses so they can take care of their families, and it encourages entrepreneurship and independance.
So if there is a baker in Somalia who needs $75 to buy a new oven, Kiva puts his story up on their website and anyone can contribute to raising the $75 for him. You dont have to put up the whole $75 -- you can lend as little as $25. When the money is raised, the money is sent to a local organizer and then given directly to the baker. No fees,no interest, no middleman. You get your $25 loan back in about a year, at which time you can choose to keep your money or re-invest in another business.
Go read about it at their website : http://www.kiva.org/about
I love this stuff.
If you like what you read about on this blog, please introduce your friends to my blog !
Yogis take over the world !!
This is really cool. I read about it today in the NYTimes.
Think you can spare $25 or so to lend to someone so they can start a business?
Kiva is an organization that organizes small business loans to people in very poor areas in the world -- and they are using the internet to do it !! And when I say small loan, I mean tiny -- as little as $500 can be enough to start a business. These small loans help these people grow their businesses so they can take care of their families, and it encourages entrepreneurship and independance.
So if there is a baker in Somalia who needs $75 to buy a new oven, Kiva puts his story up on their website and anyone can contribute to raising the $75 for him. You dont have to put up the whole $75 -- you can lend as little as $25. When the money is raised, the money is sent to a local organizer and then given directly to the baker. No fees,no interest, no middleman. You get your $25 loan back in about a year, at which time you can choose to keep your money or re-invest in another business.
Go read about it at their website : http://www.kiva.org/about
I love this stuff.
If you like what you read about on this blog, please introduce your friends to my blog !
Yogis take over the world !!
Saturday, March 24, 2007
New Hatha Yoga class
Thurs 3/29 7pm - 8.30pm $10.00
Location : 477-Broadway (between Broome and Grand Streets) 4th floor / Soho area
cell is 718-926-0704 (Dawn)
I think this is a monthly thing for me --- I am helping Dawn try to get this class up and running for Thurs nights == maybe different teachers will rotate each week which is cool and it is only $10 per class -- and part of that is donated to Leukemia research. This class was actually started by Dawn as a Yoga Project because she wants to make yoga affordable and available to everybody. So if you are a starving artist, or you're unemployed, just talk to us since we really want you to attend.
The class is in Soho, the space is huge and I get to teach by candlelight --- what could be better?
Please bring your own mats -- I dont think they have very many there. and bring a tee shirt to wear during yoga nidra.
So please come downtown this Thurs evening ! Class will be open level and it will be a really good thing. Hope to see you there .
Thanks so much.
Lee
Thurs 3/29 7pm - 8.30pm $10.00
Location : 477-Broadway (between Broome and Grand Streets) 4th floor / Soho area
cell is 718-926-0704 (Dawn)
I think this is a monthly thing for me --- I am helping Dawn try to get this class up and running for Thurs nights == maybe different teachers will rotate each week which is cool and it is only $10 per class -- and part of that is donated to Leukemia research. This class was actually started by Dawn as a Yoga Project because she wants to make yoga affordable and available to everybody. So if you are a starving artist, or you're unemployed, just talk to us since we really want you to attend.
The class is in Soho, the space is huge and I get to teach by candlelight --- what could be better?
Please bring your own mats -- I dont think they have very many there. and bring a tee shirt to wear during yoga nidra.
So please come downtown this Thurs evening ! Class will be open level and it will be a really good thing. Hope to see you there .
Thanks so much.
Lee
Monday, March 19, 2007
Hands on Healing
Feeling like a little healing energy?
Stop by the Johrei Fellowship on Lexington and 26th Street for a 20 minute healing session. They are mostly open 6-8pm but call them to check their schedule. Closed Monday. By Donation
Johrei Fellowship - NY Center
116 Lexington Ave, 2nd Fl (Above La Petite Auberge Restaurant)
212 684-0009
Feeling like a little healing energy?
Stop by the Johrei Fellowship on Lexington and 26th Street for a 20 minute healing session. They are mostly open 6-8pm but call them to check their schedule. Closed Monday. By Donation
Johrei Fellowship - NY Center
116 Lexington Ave, 2nd Fl (Above La Petite Auberge Restaurant)
212 684-0009
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Remember ahimsa ? "Do no harm" or "non-violence" as a philosophy of life and the basis of a vegetarian lifestyle ?
Well, here is a reprint of an article in today's NY Times, and it talks about how live stock is treated by the food industry. It happens to be about pigs, but it applies to chickens, cows, goats and any other living creature that is unlucky enough to be bred for consumption.
Vegans refuse to eat or use anything that comes from an animal (no wool, no dairy products) for the very reasons that you will see put forth in this article.
Jonathon Rosen / New York Times 3/15/07
WITH some fanfare, the world’s largest pork producer, Smithfield Foods, recently announced that it intended to phase out certain cages for its breeding females. Called gestation crates, the cages virtually immobilize pigs during their pregnancies in metal stalls so narrow they are unable to turn around.
Numerous studies have documented crated sows exhibiting behavior characteristic of humans with severe depression and mental illness. Getting rid of gestation crates (already on their way out in the European Union) is welcome and long overdue, but more action is needed to end inhumane conditions at America’s hog farms.
Of the 60 million pigs in the United States, over 95 percent are continuously confined in metal buildings, including the almost five million sows in crates. In such setups, feed is automatically delivered to animals who are forced to urinate and defecate where they eat and sleep. Their waste festers in large pits a few feet below their hooves. Intense ammonia and hydrogen sulfide fumes from these pits fill pigs’ lungs and sensitive nostrils. No straw is provided to the animals because that would gum up the works (as it would if you tossed straw into your toilet).
In my work as an environmental lawyer, I’ve toured a dozen hog confinement operations and seen hundreds from the outside. My task was to evaluate their polluting potential, which was considerable. But what haunted me was the miserable creatures inside.
They were crowded into pens and cages, never allowed outdoors, and never even provided a soft place to lie down. Their tails had been cut off without anesthetic. Regardless of how well the operations are managed, the pigs subsist in inherently hostile settings. (Disclosure: my husband founded a network of farms that raise pigs using traditional, non-confinement methods.)
The stress, crowding and contamination inside confinement buildings foster disease, especially respiratory illnesses. In addition to toxic fumes, bacteria, yeast and molds have been recorded in swine buildings at a level more than 1,000 times higher than in normal air. To prevent disease outbreaks (and to stimulate faster growth), the hog industry adds more than 10 million pounds of antibiotics to its feed, the Union of Concerned Scientists estimates. This mountain of drugs — a staggering three times more than all antibiotics used to treat human illnesses — is a grim yardstick of the wretchedness of these facilities.
There are other reasons that merely phasing out gestation crates does not go nearly far enough. Keeping animals in such barren environments is a serious deprivation. Pigs in nature are active, curious creatures that typically spend 10 hours a day foraging, rooting and roaming.
Veterinarians consider pigs as smart as dogs. Imagine keeping a dog in a tight cage or crowded pen day after day with absolutely nothing to chew on, play with or otherwise occupy its mind. Americans would universally denounce that as inhumane. Extreme boredom is considered the main reason pigs in confinement are prone to biting one another’s tails and engaging in other aggressive behavior.
Finally, even if the gestation crate is abandoned, pork producers will still keep a sow in a narrow metal cage once she gives birth to her piglets. This slightly larger cage, called a farrowing crate, severely restricts a sow’s movements and makes normal interactions between mother and piglets impossible.
Because confinement buildings are far from cities and lack windows, all of this is shielded from public view. But such treatment of pigs contrasts sharply with what people say they want for farm animals. Surveys consistently find that Americans believe all animals, including those raised for food, deserve humane treatment. A 2004 survey by Ohio State University found that 81 percent of respondents felt that the well-being of livestock is as important as that of pets.
Such sentiment was behind the widely supported Humane Slaughter Act of 1958, which sought to improve treatment of cattle and hogs at slaughterhouses. But it’s clear that Americans expect more — they want animals to be humanely treated throughout their lives, not just at slaughter. To ensure this, Congress should ban gestation crates altogether and mandate that animal anti-cruelty laws be applied to farm animals.
As a cattle rancher, I am comfortable raising animals for human consumption, but they should not be made to suffer. Because we ask the ultimate sacrifice of these creatures, it is incumbent on us to ensure that they have decent lives. Let us view the elimination of gestation crates as just a small first step in the right direction.
Nicolette Hahn Niman, a lawyer and cattle rancher, is writing a book about the meat industry.
Well, here is a reprint of an article in today's NY Times, and it talks about how live stock is treated by the food industry. It happens to be about pigs, but it applies to chickens, cows, goats and any other living creature that is unlucky enough to be bred for consumption.
Vegans refuse to eat or use anything that comes from an animal (no wool, no dairy products) for the very reasons that you will see put forth in this article.
Jonathon Rosen / New York Times 3/15/07
WITH some fanfare, the world’s largest pork producer, Smithfield Foods, recently announced that it intended to phase out certain cages for its breeding females. Called gestation crates, the cages virtually immobilize pigs during their pregnancies in metal stalls so narrow they are unable to turn around.
Numerous studies have documented crated sows exhibiting behavior characteristic of humans with severe depression and mental illness. Getting rid of gestation crates (already on their way out in the European Union) is welcome and long overdue, but more action is needed to end inhumane conditions at America’s hog farms.
Of the 60 million pigs in the United States, over 95 percent are continuously confined in metal buildings, including the almost five million sows in crates. In such setups, feed is automatically delivered to animals who are forced to urinate and defecate where they eat and sleep. Their waste festers in large pits a few feet below their hooves. Intense ammonia and hydrogen sulfide fumes from these pits fill pigs’ lungs and sensitive nostrils. No straw is provided to the animals because that would gum up the works (as it would if you tossed straw into your toilet).
In my work as an environmental lawyer, I’ve toured a dozen hog confinement operations and seen hundreds from the outside. My task was to evaluate their polluting potential, which was considerable. But what haunted me was the miserable creatures inside.
They were crowded into pens and cages, never allowed outdoors, and never even provided a soft place to lie down. Their tails had been cut off without anesthetic. Regardless of how well the operations are managed, the pigs subsist in inherently hostile settings. (Disclosure: my husband founded a network of farms that raise pigs using traditional, non-confinement methods.)
The stress, crowding and contamination inside confinement buildings foster disease, especially respiratory illnesses. In addition to toxic fumes, bacteria, yeast and molds have been recorded in swine buildings at a level more than 1,000 times higher than in normal air. To prevent disease outbreaks (and to stimulate faster growth), the hog industry adds more than 10 million pounds of antibiotics to its feed, the Union of Concerned Scientists estimates. This mountain of drugs — a staggering three times more than all antibiotics used to treat human illnesses — is a grim yardstick of the wretchedness of these facilities.
There are other reasons that merely phasing out gestation crates does not go nearly far enough. Keeping animals in such barren environments is a serious deprivation. Pigs in nature are active, curious creatures that typically spend 10 hours a day foraging, rooting and roaming.
Veterinarians consider pigs as smart as dogs. Imagine keeping a dog in a tight cage or crowded pen day after day with absolutely nothing to chew on, play with or otherwise occupy its mind. Americans would universally denounce that as inhumane. Extreme boredom is considered the main reason pigs in confinement are prone to biting one another’s tails and engaging in other aggressive behavior.
Finally, even if the gestation crate is abandoned, pork producers will still keep a sow in a narrow metal cage once she gives birth to her piglets. This slightly larger cage, called a farrowing crate, severely restricts a sow’s movements and makes normal interactions between mother and piglets impossible.
Because confinement buildings are far from cities and lack windows, all of this is shielded from public view. But such treatment of pigs contrasts sharply with what people say they want for farm animals. Surveys consistently find that Americans believe all animals, including those raised for food, deserve humane treatment. A 2004 survey by Ohio State University found that 81 percent of respondents felt that the well-being of livestock is as important as that of pets.
Such sentiment was behind the widely supported Humane Slaughter Act of 1958, which sought to improve treatment of cattle and hogs at slaughterhouses. But it’s clear that Americans expect more — they want animals to be humanely treated throughout their lives, not just at slaughter. To ensure this, Congress should ban gestation crates altogether and mandate that animal anti-cruelty laws be applied to farm animals.
As a cattle rancher, I am comfortable raising animals for human consumption, but they should not be made to suffer. Because we ask the ultimate sacrifice of these creatures, it is incumbent on us to ensure that they have decent lives. Let us view the elimination of gestation crates as just a small first step in the right direction.
Nicolette Hahn Niman, a lawyer and cattle rancher, is writing a book about the meat industry.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Ever sent off an email and instantly regretted it ?
Ever accidentally clicked on the wrong name (like your ex-boy/girl friend) in your address book and didnt realize it until after you sent the email ? YIKES !!
Well, I just found out this very useful bit of info from NY Magazine :
What to do: As long as the message hasn’t been opened, you can retrieve it !!
PC Outlook users can go into the Sent Items folder, open the offending e-mail, and select “Recall This Message” from the Actions pull-down. Just remember: He could see the recall alert, which might pique his curiosity further.
If this actually works, you can thank me later ! : )
Ever accidentally clicked on the wrong name (like your ex-boy/girl friend) in your address book and didnt realize it until after you sent the email ? YIKES !!
Well, I just found out this very useful bit of info from NY Magazine :
What to do: As long as the message hasn’t been opened, you can retrieve it !!
PC Outlook users can go into the Sent Items folder, open the offending e-mail, and select “Recall This Message” from the Actions pull-down. Just remember: He could see the recall alert, which might pique his curiosity further.
If this actually works, you can thank me later ! : )
Fasting and Detoxification Workshop
Here's a workshop to learn about the benefits of fasting and fasting methods, using water, juices and specific foods and herbs to detoxify your system.
The workshop is led by Manu Dawson, manager of the IYI Natural Apothocary -- and he is awesome !! Really, he is a fountain of information on all things regarding your health !
When : Sat March 17 1.15PM - 3.15PM
Where : Integral Yoga Institute - 227 W 13th St NYC
Price: $24.00
Here's a workshop to learn about the benefits of fasting and fasting methods, using water, juices and specific foods and herbs to detoxify your system.
The workshop is led by Manu Dawson, manager of the IYI Natural Apothocary -- and he is awesome !! Really, he is a fountain of information on all things regarding your health !
When : Sat March 17 1.15PM - 3.15PM
Where : Integral Yoga Institute - 227 W 13th St NYC
Price: $24.00
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Jivamukti Yoga
has a 4 week beginner course -- 4 classes for $50 ! (drop in class is $19)
Their new yoga center is by Union Square. And while you're there, check out the vegetarian/vegan cafe they have there -- the lentil soup is delicious !
Downtown Center: 841 Broadway, 2nd Floor , New York , NY 10003
Phone: (212) 353-0214
has a 4 week beginner course -- 4 classes for $50 ! (drop in class is $19)
Their new yoga center is by Union Square. And while you're there, check out the vegetarian/vegan cafe they have there -- the lentil soup is delicious !
Downtown Center: 841 Broadway, 2nd Floor , New York , NY 10003
Phone: (212) 353-0214
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Chakra Meditation with Diksha
Every Wednesday evening, Diksha leads a sound (chant) meditation which I LOVE !
The Meditation Den
415 West 44th Street NYC (Please buzz #8 ) $15.00 by donation
212-581-5200
www.yogavanimission.org
The sound of chanting is very healing and vibrational and opens up your chakras. Diksha leads you through each chakra with their specific "bija" (seed) sounds , clearing and opening your chakras and nadi system. It is a fabulous practice.
Diksha is a professional musician and teacher. So she is very attuned to the finer points of sound. She also studied music with Indian musicians and Masters for several years in India.
Diksha also made her own meditation CD to lead you through the chakras and you can use it at home to supplement your practice. I own this CD and I think it is really, really good. Definately worth having.
Every Wednesday evening, Diksha leads a sound (chant) meditation which I LOVE !
The Meditation Den
415 West 44th Street NYC (Please buzz #8 ) $15.00 by donation
212-581-5200
www.yogavanimission.org
The sound of chanting is very healing and vibrational and opens up your chakras. Diksha leads you through each chakra with their specific "bija" (seed) sounds , clearing and opening your chakras and nadi system. It is a fabulous practice.
Diksha is a professional musician and teacher. So she is very attuned to the finer points of sound. She also studied music with Indian musicians and Masters for several years in India.
Diksha also made her own meditation CD to lead you through the chakras and you can use it at home to supplement your practice. I own this CD and I think it is really, really good. Definately worth having.
Monday, February 26, 2007
Aparigraha -"non-hoarding" or "non-attachment"
One of the laws of yoga is Aparigraha. Most people describe this as non-hoarding or being non-materialistic and they throw out all their stuff. But it is easy to lean on the superficial behavior of being possession-less ( you can even get your ego involved in this -- I have less stuff than you do... etc ) , it is the intention behind it that is important.
The point of the law is to be non attached to "stuff" -- relinquishing the idea that something outside of you will make you happy -- that car, that dress, that relationship. Which cant happen because things change, the car will rust, the dress will go out of fashion, the relationship will morph into something else.
So, nobody is saying you cant have nice stuff, it's just that you have to observe your attachment to it. Giving up the idea that you "own" something is another thing --- that if you can just hold onto something for long enough it is truly yours and you have it under control.
Now go beyond material things -- what else do you think you "own" (control) ? your relationship? your kids ? your job or status? your good looks? your time ? your beliefs?
Can you let go of these things ? Can they let go of you ?
Aparigraha or non-attachment can maybe be better defined as non-clinging. Loss is inevitable because nothing stays the same. It is resistance to change that causes pain. Clinging onto something sure doesnt help. Clinging onto that tattered, old pair of jeans, clinging onto old relationships.... I'm not saying this is easy. People dont like change -- especially if the change is perceived as a loss.
Spring Cleaning time is coming soon... start thinking about what old stuff you can clear out of your life and your closets.
One of the laws of yoga is Aparigraha. Most people describe this as non-hoarding or being non-materialistic and they throw out all their stuff. But it is easy to lean on the superficial behavior of being possession-less ( you can even get your ego involved in this -- I have less stuff than you do... etc ) , it is the intention behind it that is important.
The point of the law is to be non attached to "stuff" -- relinquishing the idea that something outside of you will make you happy -- that car, that dress, that relationship. Which cant happen because things change, the car will rust, the dress will go out of fashion, the relationship will morph into something else.
So, nobody is saying you cant have nice stuff, it's just that you have to observe your attachment to it. Giving up the idea that you "own" something is another thing --- that if you can just hold onto something for long enough it is truly yours and you have it under control.
Now go beyond material things -- what else do you think you "own" (control) ? your relationship? your kids ? your job or status? your good looks? your time ? your beliefs?
Can you let go of these things ? Can they let go of you ?
Aparigraha or non-attachment can maybe be better defined as non-clinging. Loss is inevitable because nothing stays the same. It is resistance to change that causes pain. Clinging onto something sure doesnt help. Clinging onto that tattered, old pair of jeans, clinging onto old relationships.... I'm not saying this is easy. People dont like change -- especially if the change is perceived as a loss.
Spring Cleaning time is coming soon... start thinking about what old stuff you can clear out of your life and your closets.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
We are all back from our weekend yoga retreat at Ananda Ashram..... we had a wonderful time and I am soooo grateful to all our students who came and participated with us. Yoga is such an internal process that we are all lucky to have had the opportunity to practice together surrounded by the beauty and power of Mother Nature. During yoga class with Rikard and Kristina, I positioned myself by the window so I could watch the squirrels running around the branches of the big fir tree during our asanas ! (and Kristina thought I was listening to her)
I would love to hear from our students to hear how they felt after having spent the weekend with us. Send me an email !
As you can see from the photo, the lake at the ashram was quite frozen -- some people
were brave enough to go walking on the ice!! : 0 Not me !!!
A huge thank you to Biljana who was kind enough to send me lots of photos of the ashram !
Hari OM
I saw this article today on the internet MSN Health and Fitness :
"Yoga: Not Just an Exercise
"Yoga: Not Just an Exercise
Yoga can help you beat depression.
By PsychologyToday.com
By PsychologyToday.com
In 1990, Jenny Smith was 41 years old. That year, her mental illness became so severe that she could barely walk or speak. After days of feeling wonderful one moment and hallucinating that spiders and bugs were crawling on her skin the next, she landed in the hospital for the second time that year.
Smith is a victim of bipolar disorder, a possibly hereditary illness characterized by oscillating feelings of elation and utter depression. And though she had tried 11 different medications for relief, some in combination, nothing seemed to work. Upon leaving the hospital, Smith was told that she could expect to be in and out of psychiatric hospitals for the rest of her life. Soon after her release, Smith decided to learn hatha yoga, which incorporates specific postures, meditation and pranayamas, deep abdominal breathing techniques that relax the body. As she practiced daily, Smith noticed that her panic attacks—a symptom of panic disorder, a disease that approximately 20% of bipolar disorder sufferers also contend with—were subsiding. She has since become a certified hatha yoga instructor, and with the help of only Paxil, an antidepressant that she'd taken before without effect, Smith's pattern of severe mood swings seems to have ended. She even taught her 11-year-old daughter—who had experienced panic attacks since age 7—the simple breathing technique of inhaling to the count of four and exhaling to the count of eight; as a result, her daughter's panic attacks subsided.
Key to reaping hatha yoga's mental benefits is reducing stress and anxiety. To that end, Jon Cabot-Zinn, Ph.D., of the University of Massachusetts, developed the Stress Reduction and Relaxation Program (SRRP), a system that emphasizes mindfulness, a meditation technique where practitioners observe their own mental process. SRRP has been the focus of several scientific studies in the last 20 years, and has been shown to significantly reduce anxiety and depression, and thus alleviate mental illness.
To date, the most persuasive evidence of the benefits of hatha yoga, and in particular pranayama, stems from research conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuroscience in India. New studies have shown a high success rate—up to 73%—for treating depression with sudharshan kriya, a pranayama technique taught in the U.S. as "The Healing Breath Technique." It involves breathing naturally through the nose, mouth closed, in three distinct rhythms.
According to Stephen Cope, MSW, LICSW, a psychotherapist and author of Yoga and the Quest for the True Self (Bantam, 1999), hatha yoga's postures improve mood by moving energy through places in the body where feelings of grief or anger are stored. "Hatha yoga is an accessible form of learning self-soothing," he says. "These blocked feelings can be released very quickly, [creating a] regular, systemic experience of well-being." Yoga students may also benefit from their relationship with the yoga instructor, Cope said, which can provide a "container" or a safe place for investigating, expressing and resolving emotional issues. The instructor's encouraging and accepting words may also help students defeat self-limiting notions.
Not all mental health practitioners are convinced of yoga's healing powers, but many agree it can be helpful when combined with more traditional treatments. Zindel Segal, Ph.D., a University of Toronto psychiatry professor, recently studied SRRP when used in conjunction with cognitive therapy. He asked 145 people who were at risk for depression to undergo cognitive therapy either alone or with the SRRP. Segal found that after eight weeks of treatment, those participants who received both types of therapy were much less likely to relapse into depression. "This means that people can learn about their emotions not just by writing down their thoughts, which is what cognitive therapy is all about, but also by paying attention to the way their emotions are expressed in their bodies," he says. "Both approaches allow people to observe their experience without judgment, an important first step in stepping out of depression."
While yoga's therapeutic capabilities are still under scientific scrutiny, Smith isn't waiting for more proof. Having lost her grandmother to depression—she was one of many bipolar sufferers who take their own life due to the disease—Smith is determined not to let the disorder get the best of her. Since 1994, she has practiced and taught hatha yoga to depression sufferers—passing on what she believes has literally saved her life. "
Thursday, February 15, 2007
I like knowing about people who come up with wonderful ideas of how to re-distribute wealth. It's not a matter of stealing from the rich to feed the poor, its a matter of re-channeling money and ideas to help set people up on their feet.
There is an article in FORTUNE magazine now about Mohammad Yunus, Nobel Peace Prize Winner, who is talking to major international companies about changing their traditional notions about performance and revenue -- what if a company could report on their financial statements how many lives were saved or improved by their product ? What if investors could make their decisions to buy stock based not just on yield and growth, but on the "social capital" of a company ? a social dividend for shareholders?
Danone is building a yoghurt factory in Bangladesh (at Mr. Yunus' suggestion). This provides local construction jobs, yoghurt making jobs, sales jobs, dairy cow sales, delivery service jobs.... etc etc... the idea is that it will eventually be a sustainable business run by the local people and that Danone will eventually see the return of its initial investment -- so it actually wont cost Danone anything in the end. This one small factory will provide income for 1600 people.
In addition, the yoghurt is fortified to fight malnutrition in children.
There is an article in FORTUNE magazine now about Mohammad Yunus, Nobel Peace Prize Winner, who is talking to major international companies about changing their traditional notions about performance and revenue -- what if a company could report on their financial statements how many lives were saved or improved by their product ? What if investors could make their decisions to buy stock based not just on yield and growth, but on the "social capital" of a company ? a social dividend for shareholders?
Danone is building a yoghurt factory in Bangladesh (at Mr. Yunus' suggestion). This provides local construction jobs, yoghurt making jobs, sales jobs, dairy cow sales, delivery service jobs.... etc etc... the idea is that it will eventually be a sustainable business run by the local people and that Danone will eventually see the return of its initial investment -- so it actually wont cost Danone anything in the end. This one small factory will provide income for 1600 people.
In addition, the yoghurt is fortified to fight malnutrition in children.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Well, we are back from our yoga weekend retreat (and we had a great time !!) and today, Valentine's Day has coincided with New York's first real snow fall this winter ! It's a snow-mixed-with-hail kind of precipitation, and quite painful when it hits you in the face. So we are all slushing around in our boots, trying to stay upright and navigating the puddles and the flower delivery guys.
I walked by a sidewalk florist I like on 8th Avenue and he has a multitude of dressy bouquets on display -- and all the flowers have a special sprinkling of sparkly snow on them. It looks soooo nice on a grey day!
Happy Valentine's Day !!!
Hey, feel free to leave comments -- I love hearing from you. Or if there is anything in particular you have a question about....
Happy Valentine's Day !!!
Hey, feel free to leave comments -- I love hearing from you. Or if there is anything in particular you have a question about....
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Tree Greetings
A new idea for gift buying ...
This is kind of like an e-card for birthdays etc.... you pay them $9 or $10 and a tree of your choice gets planted somewhere to support the ecosystem. Thinking Green here.
www.treegreetings.com
A new idea for gift buying ...
This is kind of like an e-card for birthdays etc.... you pay them $9 or $10 and a tree of your choice gets planted somewhere to support the ecosystem. Thinking Green here.
www.treegreetings.com
The Spiritual Cinema Circle
All you have to do is subscribe to this and they will send you DVDs of movies with a spiritual bent. They make it easy for you to find movies you might not have known about that open your heart.
www.spiritualcinemacircle.com
There is also another verison of the same idea but for books :
www.transformationalbookcircle.com
All you have to do is subscribe to this and they will send you DVDs of movies with a spiritual bent. They make it easy for you to find movies you might not have known about that open your heart.
www.spiritualcinemacircle.com
There is also another verison of the same idea but for books :
www.transformationalbookcircle.com
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Yoga Retreat Feb 9-11
I am co-hosting a weekend yoga retreat with Kristina and Rikard (both Anusara Yoga teachers) at the beautiful Ananda Ashram in the Catskills. Beginner Yogis are welcome.
The ashram is easily accessible by Shortline bus (from Port Authority) from Manhattan -- just a 60 minute bus ride and then 10 minutes by taxi.
We start the weekend on Friday evening with introductions at 7pm, followed by the ashram's Open Talent Show.
Saturday, we begin with my Quiet Yoga Guided Meditation in the Lake House with beautiful view of the lake , breakfast, and then Yoga Yoga Yoga with Kristina and Rikard. After lunch, more deep yoga meditation and then yoga class. Come evening, we will participate with the ashram programs of Kirtan (chanting), Fire Ceremony and satsang -- it will be loads of FUN !
Sunday, more Anusara yoga and deep meditation - guiding you with your breath, energizing your chakras and opening you up to the beauty of your own life energy. After lunch, you are free to take a walk around the lake, take a leisurely hike through the woods or go shopping at the little gift shop.
The prices include your accommodation for Friday and Saturday nights, all your (vegetarian) meals, yoga classes, meditation classes, the Talent Show and all the regular ashram programs.
Semi Private room (2 beds) $325 per person
Dorm room (6 beds maximum) $300 per person
**Bring a friend and get $50 discount per person **
If you want to pay by credit card, go to Kristina's website and you can pay via PayPal.
www.yogafly.com. You can contact me via her website too -- or leave a comment here.
So, all you international yogis and yoginis from Milano, London, Berlin, Madrid, Paris, Washington DC, Caracas etc etc who read my blog -- YOU are all invited to come too !! Get over here ! It's SO easy ! Come transform yourselves with us -- and bring a friend !
OM
I am co-hosting a weekend yoga retreat with Kristina and Rikard (both Anusara Yoga teachers) at the beautiful Ananda Ashram in the Catskills. Beginner Yogis are welcome.
The ashram is easily accessible by Shortline bus (from Port Authority) from Manhattan -- just a 60 minute bus ride and then 10 minutes by taxi.
We start the weekend on Friday evening with introductions at 7pm, followed by the ashram's Open Talent Show.
Saturday, we begin with my Quiet Yoga Guided Meditation in the Lake House with beautiful view of the lake , breakfast, and then Yoga Yoga Yoga with Kristina and Rikard. After lunch, more deep yoga meditation and then yoga class. Come evening, we will participate with the ashram programs of Kirtan (chanting), Fire Ceremony and satsang -- it will be loads of FUN !
Sunday, more Anusara yoga and deep meditation - guiding you with your breath, energizing your chakras and opening you up to the beauty of your own life energy. After lunch, you are free to take a walk around the lake, take a leisurely hike through the woods or go shopping at the little gift shop.
The prices include your accommodation for Friday and Saturday nights, all your (vegetarian) meals, yoga classes, meditation classes, the Talent Show and all the regular ashram programs.
Semi Private room (2 beds) $325 per person
Dorm room (6 beds maximum) $300 per person
**Bring a friend and get $50 discount per person **
If you want to pay by credit card, go to Kristina's website and you can pay via PayPal.
www.yogafly.com. You can contact me via her website too -- or leave a comment here.
So, all you international yogis and yoginis from Milano, London, Berlin, Madrid, Paris, Washington DC, Caracas etc etc who read my blog -- YOU are all invited to come too !! Get over here ! It's SO easy ! Come transform yourselves with us -- and bring a friend !
OM
Welcome to my blog !!
I am so thrilled that yogis from all over the world are reading my blog !! : )
It is so mind boggling what the internet can do. International yogis interested in what's happening in New York City.
Italy, Spain, France and the United Arab Emirates checked in today !!
-- not forgetting to mention Virginia, New York, California .... etc..
So please pass my blogsite info onto your friends -- I love having you all.
OM Shanti
I am so thrilled that yogis from all over the world are reading my blog !! : )
It is so mind boggling what the internet can do. International yogis interested in what's happening in New York City.
Italy, Spain, France and the United Arab Emirates checked in today !!
-- not forgetting to mention Virginia, New York, California .... etc..
So please pass my blogsite info onto your friends -- I love having you all.
OM Shanti
Monday, January 29, 2007
I was wandering around Soho and the Bowery a couple of weekends ago. There are lots of new luxury condos going up . The neighborhood is definately cleaning up -- not so sure I like this homogenization of Manhattan.
Anyway, there are some interesting boutiques and bars popping up. One of them is The Bowery Poetry Club at 308 Bowery (2nd Street). You can go there and relax, have a sandwich / salad /coffee in the afternoon or go in the evening and have a glass of wine and listen to the new poets of New York. They have lots of events and an open mic night, so try it out ! Go pretend you are in the 1950's and you're hanging out with beatniks.
They also have some connection with a film editing space -- where you can take classes in film editing or rent space/equipment and edit your own film. Just thought it would be useful info for all you budding film makers out there.
Anyway, there are some interesting boutiques and bars popping up. One of them is The Bowery Poetry Club at 308 Bowery (2nd Street). You can go there and relax, have a sandwich / salad /coffee in the afternoon or go in the evening and have a glass of wine and listen to the new poets of New York. They have lots of events and an open mic night, so try it out ! Go pretend you are in the 1950's and you're hanging out with beatniks.
They also have some connection with a film editing space -- where you can take classes in film editing or rent space/equipment and edit your own film. Just thought it would be useful info for all you budding film makers out there.
Dharma Yoga Center
For new students at the Dharma Yoga Center (23rd and 3rd Ave)
5 yoga classes for $40 (that's $8 per class !)
www.dharmayogacenter.com
212 889 8160
I hope you all take advantage of these opportunities to sample yoga classes at different yoga studios. I truly believe that you should try all different kinds of yoga to find what really speaks to you. And the more kinds of yoga you are exposed to, the more you learn !!!
Namaste
For new students at the Dharma Yoga Center (23rd and 3rd Ave)
5 yoga classes for $40 (that's $8 per class !)
www.dharmayogacenter.com
212 889 8160
I hope you all take advantage of these opportunities to sample yoga classes at different yoga studios. I truly believe that you should try all different kinds of yoga to find what really speaks to you. And the more kinds of yoga you are exposed to, the more you learn !!!
Namaste
"Those who receive love from others cannot be its recipients without giving a response, that, in itself, is the nature of Love.
True love is unconquerable and irresistible. It goes on gathering power and spreading itself until eventually it transforms everyone it touches. Humanity will attain a new mode of being and life through the free and unhampered interplay of pure love from the heart. "
Meher Baba
True love is unconquerable and irresistible. It goes on gathering power and spreading itself until eventually it transforms everyone it touches. Humanity will attain a new mode of being and life through the free and unhampered interplay of pure love from the heart. "
Meher Baba
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Integral Yoga Institute was started 40 years ago by Swami Satchitananda in NYC. He was a "hip" swami, well known as the Woodstock Guru, and friends with many artists and musicians of the 1960's.
As students, you may not realize it, but the school were you come to for yoga is actually an urban Ashram in the middle of NYC.
Shri Swami Satchitananda lived there (in "Heaven") until the end of his natural life. IYI still has swamis (monks) in permanent residence, as well as a handful of resident "ashramites" who help take care of the building and the school, making it a special place for you to come practice yoga.
So that is one of the reasons that IYI is so special -- it is not just another yoga studio, it is an ashram.
As students, you may not realize it, but the school were you come to for yoga is actually an urban Ashram in the middle of NYC.
Shri Swami Satchitananda lived there (in "Heaven") until the end of his natural life. IYI still has swamis (monks) in permanent residence, as well as a handful of resident "ashramites" who help take care of the building and the school, making it a special place for you to come practice yoga.
So that is one of the reasons that IYI is so special -- it is not just another yoga studio, it is an ashram.
"Don't run after anything. The only place to 'run' is within. All the philosophies, all the religions, sages, the saints, prophets, all unanimously say 'Know yourself.' You are yourself happy; you are yourself peaceful. Find the peace within you. Don't try to get it from outside. If you do, it's just a borrowed peace, a borrowed happiness.
So, look within. That's why the English term for God is spelled G-O-D. What does the name 'GOD' say? It's short for 'GO' and what else?: 'D.' It's short for GO DEEP! Not 'go out.' In the Tamil language of South India, God's name is 'Kadavul.' It breaks down to mean: 'Kada,' get, and 'vul,' within. Get within.
God bless you. Om Shanthi, Shanthi, Shanthi."
Shri Swami Satchitananda
Founder of Integral Yoga Institute NYC
So, look within. That's why the English term for God is spelled G-O-D. What does the name 'GOD' say? It's short for 'GO' and what else?: 'D.' It's short for GO DEEP! Not 'go out.' In the Tamil language of South India, God's name is 'Kadavul.' It breaks down to mean: 'Kada,' get, and 'vul,' within. Get within.
God bless you. Om Shanthi, Shanthi, Shanthi."
Shri Swami Satchitananda
Founder of Integral Yoga Institute NYC
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Participate with the abundance of the Universe
Did you know that you can use the internet to sign up for virtual stock market trading games ? You get to practice buying and selling stocks with fantasy money for the purpose of learning how the market works !! Actual stock market prices are used for a realistic experience and you can even compete against other "traders" if you like ! Is this not the best thing ever ?
People think that it is hard to get money. Well, money is actually pretty common stuff. Government mints are printing tons of it right now as you read this. Stock brokers are moving the stuff around the world by the truckload even as you sleep at night. There is plenty of money flying around everywhere --- the trick is figuring out how to make some of it land in your bank account (legally, of course!).
So here are some links to get you started on finding the game that suits you. You can find more if you do a google search. Have fun with it !
http://www.howthemarketworks.com/
http://www.simustock.com/
http://www.youngmoney.com/
Hey, if you like my blog, feel free to leave a comment. I love hearing from my students.
Did you know that you can use the internet to sign up for virtual stock market trading games ? You get to practice buying and selling stocks with fantasy money for the purpose of learning how the market works !! Actual stock market prices are used for a realistic experience and you can even compete against other "traders" if you like ! Is this not the best thing ever ?
People think that it is hard to get money. Well, money is actually pretty common stuff. Government mints are printing tons of it right now as you read this. Stock brokers are moving the stuff around the world by the truckload even as you sleep at night. There is plenty of money flying around everywhere --- the trick is figuring out how to make some of it land in your bank account (legally, of course!).
So here are some links to get you started on finding the game that suits you. You can find more if you do a google search. Have fun with it !
http://www.howthemarketworks.com/
http://www.simustock.com/
http://www.youngmoney.com/
Hey, if you like my blog, feel free to leave a comment. I love hearing from my students.
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