$25 loan can help start a business
By Jen Haley CNN
(CNN) -- Lovisa Asinde is a Ugandan widow who supports herself and her five children selling food. She started the small business eight years ago, and planned to open a larger restaurant in the center of her town.

Lovisa Asinde of Uganda was able to fund her restaurant business with the help of foreign investors.

But when one of her children fell ill she was unable to work, and she lacked the $500 needed to buy saucepans, plates and food staples.
So, strange as it may seem, Asinde went looking for international investors. She found several.
New Yorker Bill Gilroy invested $100 in her business along with eight other investors from as far away as the Netherlands.
Gilroy has never met Asinde. In fact, all he knows about her he found on Kiva.org -- a Web site that connects entrepreneurs in developing nations to investors in the United States and abroad.
This is microfinancing. It allows everyday people to invest as little as $25 to help people in developing countries climb out of poverty. The concept of microfinancing is nothing new. At its essence, it's making small loans to the working poor. The loans are used to establish or expand small businesses to help families earn more money.
The industry's assets total about $34 billion, according to Microfinance Information Exchange, and there are as many as 10,000 microfinancing institutions -- known as MFIs -- around the world, according to Microcredit Summit Campaign, a coalition of advocates, donor agencies and educational institutions. Some of the industry's contributors include Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, TIAA-CREF and J.P. Morgan.
Premal Shah founded Kiva three years ago. The Web site posts profiles of entrepreneurs from 80 countries looking to start a business. Visitors can click through the pictures and personal stories to choose the business they want to fund, whether it's a dairy farmer in Bolivia or a young woman in Peru who wants to open a grocery store.
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In Depth: Right On Your Money
The entrepreneur generally repays the loan within six months to a year, the company says. During repayment, investors can see individual progress reports as they are posted to the site.
The investor doesn't receive interest on the money, but Shah says Kiva lenders usually don't want to earn a rate of return.
With MicroPlace, on the other hand, people loan money to the working poor through the Internet and receive a small amount of interest.
Lenders for the eBay-owned MicroPlace purchase securities instead of funding individual cases. The money generated by these sales is invested in microfinance institutions around the world. These microfinance institutions, in turn, find the entrepreneurs, make loans and collect payments. Most loans are paid off, with interest, within one to four years, according to MicroPlace founder Tracey Turner.
Contrary to expectations, repayment rates for microfinancing are high: Kiva's repayment rate is about 97.2 percent, according to Shah, and Turner says the historic repayment rate on microfinance loans in general has averaged 97 percent.
That's because people respect their obligations, says Peter Hall, the director of the Microfinance Information Exchange.
"It's not a society where people are very mobile. It's very family-based, community based. People aren't flight risks. They are grounded in a certain time and place. They do everything they can to improve their place in society," he says.
That's not to say there aren't challenges to microfinancing.
"The reality is that 80 percent of poor don't have access to microfinance," says Shah. "It costs a lot of money to go out and serve the poor. Banks are risk-averse institutions," he says.
As a result, interest rates on microfinance loans can be anywhere from 18 to 60 percent.
Some people argue that poor borrowers are more conservative in their loans, avoiding risks such as investing in new technology or expanding the workforce. And it's exactly these risks that turn profits.
Microfinancing also presents cultural challenges.
For example, there is a great reluctance for Afghan women to pose in pictures, and in Iraq, photos are blurred for security reasons.
But some problems can lead to cultural lessons.
Shah relates the story of a Cambodian woman who wanted a loan so she could start a spinach farm. Once she got the money, she used it for her daughter's wedding. The loan officer noted this on the site. Of course, investors were enraged. But that was only until they were told that weddings are one of the most important events in that culture.
Neither Shah nor Turner view microfinancing as a cure-all for global poverty.
"It can only help the working poor who are self-employed, entrepreneurial and want to improve their lives. There are many people in the world who are poor but do not fit this definition," says Turner.
But in the meantime, sites like Kiva.org and MicroPlace.com are helping to connect people all over the world in a common goal.
"I'm always on the Internet," says Gilroy. "I have disposable cash and it's rewarding; to put 100 bucks out there with a commitment on the other end. It's not like you're throwing money over the wall. It comes back to you. There is a sense of every little bit you do, helps," he says.
And in fact, Gilroy got his money back from his loan, in full.
Asinde succeeded in her mission. She bought furniture, saucepans, plates and new ladles. The loan also afforded her chicken, fish and passion fruit, in addition to a kitchen renovation. According to a journal update, her children are attending school and the restaurant is becoming well-known in the community.
"For years I have been selling cooked food through thick and thin," Asinde writes on her Kiva profile. "I struggled to look after my family. I thank God for the loan money you gave me. The people are now served according to their preferences unlike before when I used to sell only posho and beans."
Microfinancing is on track to help 100 million people this year, according to the Microcredit Summit Campaign. But no matter how large the field becomes, Shah says there is one simple thing to keep in mind.
"It's people helping people," he says. "That's a powerful concept."

Kirtan with WAH!
WAH! will be leading Kirtan at Integral Yoga on Saturday evening March 29

For more info go to the website : www.iyiny.org

Bikram Yoga

There are a few Bikram studios around Manhattan ... these 2 are offering unlimited yoga for a week.

Warning: Bikram yoga is done in a very hot room (100 degrees?) and NOT recommended if you have high blood pressure or heart problems.

Bikram Yoga Union Square - One week unlimited yoga for $20 www.bikramyogaunionsquare.com.

Bikram Yoga 797 8th Ave (48th St) one week unlimited yoga for $23
www.bikramyoganyc.com

Satsang in the City with Joan Suval

Joan is back from California. Satsang is the first Wednesday of the month.
7-9pm by donation.

Location:
The ARCH Space
66 West 39th Street betw. 5th & 6th Ave. (closer to 6th Ave.), 3rd floor
phone 212.924.0718

Yoga weekend retreat March 21-23

Come welcome Spring with us up at Ananda Ashram !! Our weekend yoga retreat is just 2 weeks away ! If you are interested in joining us, please let me know ASAP !

you can email me for more information via this blog ... quietyoga@msn.com
Bring your friends ! Tell your friends !
Namaste

CityStretch - guide to NYC Yoga studios

This is a Zagat-like rating guide to yoga studios in NYC. It costs $15 but includes $450 in vouchers for free yoga classes around town.

Wish I had thought of this..... oh well.

http://www.citystretch.com/

Going to the Dogs ....
This has nothing to do with yoga (except the notion of being considerate of all sentient beings) but it is so inventive and crazy that I had to put it on my blog ... so for all you dog lovers out there.... hey, I'm sure your kids could use it too !! You can own one for $30 !

Click on the link : http://www.petpeek.info/index.htm

Leave a comment !!! : )

YOGA TO THE PEOPLE
I have mentioned this yoga studio before --and I hope you all went there to check it out. They are in the E. Village on 8th St and give awesome intermediate level vinyasa yoga classes for a donation of $10 per class. You pay what you can and it's no problem.

now they have some of their classes online... so if you're too lazy to leave the house, you can still participate in a class at home-- for free !!

Click here to get the video link :
http://www.yogatothepeople.com/tryOnlineClass.shtml

YOGA RETREAT March 21-23, 2008

Come join Rikard Skogberg (Anusara Yoga Teacher) and myself for a weekend of yoga and bliss up at Ananda Ashram -- just one hour out of NYC.

We will be in the beautiful Catskill Mountains (near Bear Mountain) to enjoy delicious, healing vegetarian food, participate in yoga, meditation, fire purification ceremonies, and satsang ....

Come join us !! Feel free to contact me for more information. We'd love to have you participate with us!
email: quietyoga@msn.com

Searching for happiness

Everyone and everything wants to be happy. A chicken has it's own happiness.... to run around outside, eat well and have the company of other chickens... a plant will turn itself and grow towards the sun... a cat will luxuriate in the sofness of your bed, knowing she is safe, warm and well fed. Everyone wants to be happy.

Humans really want to be happy. A new car, a new job, a bigger house... always looking for something external to give them the illusion of happiness. People even expect their spouses to make them happy. But according to yoga, happiness is already within you. Nobody can make you happy because you are already happy -- it's inside of you.

do you have the courage to stop looking for happiness?

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.

There are many branches to yoga:

Yama (suggestions for social behaviour), Niyama (suggestions for personal disciplines), Asana (physical postures), Pranayama (breathing exercises) Pratyahara (sense withdrawal) Dharana(concentration) Dhyana (meditation) and Samadhi (Super consciousness).

I have written about Ahimsa (non-harming) many times on this blog. But I thought I would list the Yamas and Niyamas for you as food for thought and you help you in your practice :

Niyamas:
Saucha - Cleanliness. Not only a means of keeping our bodies clean and healthy, but a practice of keeping a clear mind.
Samtosha - Happiness and modesty. To be happy with what you have, instead of being unhappy over what you dont have.
Tapah - 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 - Surrender. 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 harm anyone by action, word or thought. Do not show cruelty to any sentient being. Treat every life with respect and compassion. Do not cause injury by your spoken word -- do not gossip, do not lie, do not insult. Do not use other people or animals.
Satya - Truthfulness/honesty. Do not mislead people through lying or half truths. Do not mislead by omission.
Asteya - Non stealing. It's not referrring to stealing just material things. It means do not steal somebody's time (dont be late, dont stay in a relationship with people in whom you are not sincerely interested), do not steal somebody's trust, do not steal somebody's love.
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. Clear out your closets. Do not take or use more than is necessary (dont buy something just because it's on sale, dont overload your plate at a buffet, dont drive a gas hog). 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.

Virtual Stock Market Game

Here is a link to another virtual stock market portfolio you can play with to learn about the financial markets.... you start out with one million "dollars" and you can play the market in real time. it is free to sign up... so go play and learn.
http://www.marketocracy.com/

Undercover Investigation Reveals Rampant Animal Cruelty at California Slaughter Plant – A Major Beef Supplier to America’s School Lunch Program
January 30, 2008

go to the Humane Society web by clicking on this link : http://www.hsus.org/farm/news/ournews/undercover_investigation.html
See video from the undercover investigation, and take action to stop this cruelty. WARNING: Very graphic images of cruelty.Video evidence compiled by The Humane Society of the United States shows inhumane handling methods that may have endangered the health of children.

A shocking undercover investigation by The Humane Society of the United States reveals widespread mistreatment of "downed" dairy cows—those who are too sick or injured to walk—at a Southern California slaughter plant.

The investigation at the Hallmark Meat Packing Co., of Chino, pulls open a curtain on the scandalous treatment of animals slaughtered to supply the National School Lunch Program and other federal aid programs.

Video evidence obtained by an HSUS investigator shows slaughter plant workers displaying complete disregard for the pain and misery they inflicted as they repeatedly attempted to force "downed" animals onto their feet and into the human food chain.

Cruelties that Defy Belief
In the video, workers are seen kicking cows, ramming them with the blades of a forklift, jabbing them in the eyes, applying painful electrical shocks and even torturing them with a hose and water in attempts to force sick or injured animals to walk to slaughter.

"This torture is right out of the waterboarding manual. To see the extreme cruelties shown in The HSUS video challenges comprehension," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The HSUS.

"This must serve as a five-alarm call to action for Congress and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Our government simply must act quickly both to guarantee the most basic level of humane treatment for farm animals and to protect America's most vulnerable people, our children, needy families and the elderly from potentially dangerous food."

Beef Distributed for School Lunches and the Needy
Hallmark's Chino, Calif., slaughter plant supplies the Westland Meat Co., which processes the carcasses. The facility is the second-largest supplier of beef to USDA's Commodity Procurement Branch, which distributes the beef to needy families, the elderly and also to schools through the National School Lunch Program. Westland was named a USDA "supplier of the year" for 2004-2005 and has delivered beef to schools in 36 states. More than 100,000 schools and child care facilities nationwide receive meat through the lunch program.
Hallmark Meat Packing has no connection to Hallmark Cards, Inc.

Temple Grandin, a renowned expert on animal agriculture and professor at Colorado State University, called the images captured in the investigation "one of the worst animal abuse videos I have ever viewed."

A Demand for Action
The HSUS recently completed its six-week undercover investigation at the federally-inspected slaughter plant. Videotape evidence and investigative background have been given to law enforcement authorities in San Bernardino County, Calif.

See the extended first-person investigator's video and take action to stop this cruelty. WARNING: Extremely graphic images of cruelty.
In releasing footage from the investigation, The HSUS demands that the USDA move swiftly to tighten its confusing regulations on the slaughter of downed cattle. Downer cows must not be used for food—plain and simple. As The HSUS video shows, this is necessary to protect animals from suffering. As science has made clear, this is necessary to protect food safety. The practice of slaughtering downed cows is especially troubling now that the link between downed cattle and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), also known as mad cow disease, has been firmly established. Of the 15 known cases of BSE-infected animals discovered in North America, at least 12 involved downed animals.

At the same time, The HSUS is urging Congress to intervene. The Farm Animal Stewardship Purchasing Act (H.R. 1726) would set modest animal welfare standards, including humane euthanasia of any downed animals, for producers who sell food to federal government programs, and the Downed Animal Protection Act (S. 394 and H.R. 661) would ban any slaughtering of downed animals for human consumption.

Events around town in February

Feb 5 Bhagavad Gita Advanced Course (8 weeks) Tues 8.15PM -9.45PM at Jivamukti. Led by Joshua Greene, PhD $120

Feb 8th Kirtan with Krishna Das 8.00PM at Dharma Mittra Yoga Center 297 Third Ave/ 23rd Street. $28

Feb 24 George Harrison Musical Tribute 7.00PM at Jivamukti. Live music and slide presentation to celebrate George Harrison's birthday. $20

Have fun !!

January 24, 2008 - article from The New York Times
Bending, Posing and Teaching Beyond the Mat
By KATIE ZEZIMA
BOSTON
LIVING in a spartan cottage for eight days during a boot camp for aspiring yoga teachers in Hawaii, Sue Jones practiced from 7 a.m. to midnight, silently watched the rhythms of the Pacific Ocean from a bluff and, she said, gained the confidence to return to Boston and mend her marriage.
But Ms. Jones made another discovery that gnawed at her.
“Everyone had enough money to pay $4,000 to get to Hawaii,” she said, “and I thought, ‘Oh, my God, there are 100 people here and thousands of trainings every year, and I don’t hear anyone talking about teaching yoga to people who can’t afford it.’ ”
After returning to Boston, Ms. Jones started teaching yoga at a substance-abuse treatment center. She asked fellow teachers to help and received a flood of responses.
In May 2006, Ms. Jones started YogaHope, an organization that teaches yoga at eight Boston-area women’s homeless shelters, substance-abuse treatment programs and domestic-violence safe houses, as well as two programs in Seattle. The focus is on teaching restorative yoga, and though many teachers have completed at least 200 hours of training, it is not a requirement.
Driven by a sometimes missionary zeal and a sense that yoga has become an exclusive pursuit, a small but growing number of yoga practitioners are forming organizations that teach yoga in prisons and juvenile detention centers in Oakland, Calif.; Los Angeles, Seattle and Indianapolis. They are working with the addicted and the homeless in Portland, Ore., and with public-school students in New York City.
Though concern about the cost of yoga is an issue (studio classes can cost $20 for a drop-in session, though some offer free or low-cost classes taught by less experienced teachers), most of the practitioners are motived by a desire to introduce yoga to those who might need it most, but wouldn’t think to do it on their own.
Ms. Jones of YogaHope said she saw a change in the first women she taught after only one class: they held their heads higher, amazed at what their bodies could do. At that moment, she decided to spread yoga to other women. “We’re like Christian missionaries,” said Ms. Jones, a petite blonde whose green eyes flash with emotion as she speaks. “We really want to offer it to people who don’t know better or can’t access it.”
Those who teach or do research on yoga say these programs have increased in recent years as more yoga devotees decide to spread its gospel.
“You can’t do all those prostrations without it doing something to you,” said James Wvinner, the founder and director of yoga, tribe and culture films for Acacia Lifestyle, a distributor of mind, body and spirit DVDs.
Mr. Wvinner, who taught yoga at a federal prison and fondly recalls the sociopath who never missed a class, said more yogis are working in prisons and social-service centers.
Others believe bringing yoga to such places harkens to the ancient practice of karma yoga, or the yoga of action and selfless service. “What it speaks to,” said Kaitlin Quistgaard, the editor-in-chief of Yoga Journal, “is that social activism is becoming more and more a part of mainstream American yoga. People are realizing it’s almost a requirement to give back.”
Research in the United States on yoga’s effectiveness in helping treat drug addiction or mental illness is limited. Most studies have been done on a small scale in India, and the findings aren’t universally accepted.
But yoga’s function as a stress reliever is not in dispute. “Yoga and meditation do several things, and perhaps one of the most important is that they allow individuals to cope with stress better,” said Sat Bir Khalsa, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School who studies the medical effects of yoga. “At the core of a lot of addiction is a search for that kind of relief from the stressful world.”
Patricia Gerbarg, a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at New York Medical College, in Valhalla, N.Y., taught yogic breathing to survivors of the 2004 tsunami in Indonesia, and found that tests scores that measure post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression dropped dramatically.
One recent night at the Volunteers of America Hello House, a residential substance-abuse treatment center for women in Boston, about 15 women lunged on their mats, which were squeezed into a common area.
“Tap into your breath to deal with the unknown,” said Amanda Richter, a YogaHope teacher. As they moved into the downward dog position, deep breathing filled the room. “Whatever hurts, whatever bad energy you have in your life, you can let it go here,” she said.
The women said yoga enabled them to do something that was frightening at first: focus inward. “The teacher always says how you’re a good person and to love yourself,” said Katey Sullivan, 39. “That makes you feel good about yourself, and you want to stay clean.”
That lesson was initially hard for Nikki Meyers. She dabbled with yoga in the 1970s, but soon “men and drugs and sex took priority,” she said. In the early 1990s, she got off drugs with the help of a 12-step program and yoga, which she started teaching to children in Boston.
Ms. Meyers moved to Indianapolis and opened Cityoga, a studio and health center. Certified under a 500-hour teacher-training program, she also teaches at the Hamilton County Juvenile Services Center outside Indianapolis. “I tell them that they did movement, breath, and a little sitting still for an hour,” she said, “and went from irritated and angry to calm and relaxed without taking a drug, without taking a drink, without having alienated your family.”
Bidyut Bose, who grew up in India and learned yoga from his father, started teaching it to seniors in 1998 at the Downtown Berkeley Y.M.C.A. in California. As he saw the students gaining in strength and self-esteem, he started to wonder about others who could benefit. Mr. Bose began contacting treatment centers, hospitals and homeless shelters. “If millions of Americans are doing yoga, then there are millions who are not getting it, not coming to a studio, not able to afford classes,” he said.
Mr. Bose later founded Niroga, an organization in Oakland, Calif., that teaches yoga to people in drug rehabilitation programs and juvenile detention centers, formerly homeless veterans and victims of domestic abuse. He is also training black youths to become yoga teachers throughout Oakland.
Alex Briscoe, assistant director at the Alameda County Health Care Services Agency, which pays for the yoga classes taught by Niroga and another agency, said that yoga for children has allowed psychiatrists to better treat them.
One hurdle in teaching yoga, especially to teenagers, is debunking ideas that it is a wacky, new-age practice. “There’s resistance, shyness, embarrassment,” said Anne Desmond, who taught yoga at New York City schools and formed Bent on Learning in 2001. The organization, which offers yoga instruction to students and youth centers, teaches at nine schools.
“There’s such a transformation,” she said, “from this not knowing about yoga and resisting it to really loving it.”

High Definition Televisions

As you know, next year , they are changing the broadcast system for television.. but apparently, you will be ok if you have a cable or satellite connection already. You dont need a new TV, and you dont have to buy a HD tv. If you dont have a cable connection, you have to get a converter box for your TV-- and the government will give you $40 towards that purchase.

A lot of people are still going out to buy new HD televisions -- there is one interesting thing that nobody is pointing out -- these new HD tvs use a lot more energy than your old tv and you will see that reflected in your ConEd bill.

I'm no engineer, but here is what I have gathered :
The bigger the TV, the more energy it will use. a 52" TV will use almost twice the energy of a 32" TV.

Plasma vs. LCD : Plasma HDTV uses about 50% more energy than the LCD HD televisions.

So think it over. Think Green. Think about how you use the Earth's resources.

Osho Meditation

If you are interested in Osho, there is an Osho Mediation place in the West Village (Barrow St)
Here's the link : http://www.oshopadmameditation.us/calendar.asp

Weekend Yoga Retreat March 21-23, 2008

We are looking forward to Spring already !! Come welcome the Spring Equinox with us at Ananda Ashram ! I will co-host teaching with Rikard Skogberg (Anusara Yoga Teacher extraordinaire !!!) and together we will lead you deeper into your yoga and meditation practice. Beginner yogis welcome !

Spending the weekend at the ashram also allows you to experience "living your yoga" and helps you carry that back into your day-to-day life. The price for the weekend includes your room and board, 3 veggie meals a day, our yoga classes and the ashram programs.... Meditation, fire purification ceremony, satsang, kirtan etc.... Dorm room: $375 Semi Private room: $390

The ashram is on 85 acres of beautiful land and you can go for easy hikes in the woods, walk around the lake or feed the ashram deer.

Massage and Reiki therapists are available by appointment for an extra fee.

Rikard and I have done a few of these retreats now and our students always ask us to do another retreat ! So here we have it -- Come join us.

Please let me know as early as possible if you want to come to the retreat as we have to give the ashram bed reservation information ASAP. We will also need to ask you for a 50% deposit to hold your space.

The ashram is just 60 minutes by bus from Port Authority -- near Woodbury Commons.

Thank you so much for your interest and enthusiasm for our retreats -we love teaching you all !!
OM
email: quietyoga@msn.com

My Teaching Schedule
My regular class at Integral Yoga in Greenwich Village is:

Friday 630pm-800pm Intermediate Level Hatha Yoga (hatha II)
$15 for the class. Mat/props included

Just Do Yoga. OM

Three Jewels Yoga
Over by Astor Place, there is a small yoga school. They teach Tibetan Heart style yoga, meditation and Buddhist studies. This yoga belongs to the style of the Tibetan Dalai Lamas combining familiar yoga poses with special Tibetan poses and methods . It is a charming place and you should all try a class.

We are sooo lucky to live in New York and have all this at our fingertips. All these great teachers are here to teach us. Please take advantage of it.

$12.00 per class $ 95.00 10 classes

New students : $20 for a week of classes

http://www.threejewels.org/yoga.html

Ashtanga Yoga
I just found out there is a great Ashtanga yoga school in the East Village ! Check it out !
I read the bios of some of the teachers there and they have great backgrounds.

Ashtanga Yoga Shala 295 E 8th St (corner of Ave B) NYC
http://www.ashtangayogashala.net/

It's a new year ....

.... and here is my challenge to you :

Go to yoga class for 31 days straight.
no excuses. no skipping.
any yoga style. any yoga school.
can you do it ?

Just do yoga.

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

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

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 !

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/

"May the long time sun shine upon you, all love surround you, and the pure light within, guide your way on."

Free Ice Skating in Bryant Park

Bryant Park has a wonderful ice skating rink where you can skate for FREE ! They have skates you can rent. $10
42nd Street and 6th Ave.

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.

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 !!

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).

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.

"True love knows no bargains.

It is one way traffic: giving, giving, giving."

--Sri Swami Satchitananda

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.

Acupuncture

I highly recommend my acupuncturist! Suzanne really helped me with my shoulder pain when no one else could. She has all the chinese medicinal herbs, too.

... and she is a lovely person.

Suzanne Hill
Licensed Acupuncturist
212 557 6216

Midtown Manhattan

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 .

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.

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/

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 ....

HAPPY HALOWEEN !

When the cat of the house is black,

Love and prosperity you'll never lack !

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 .

The Chakra Song

Our 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 most sincere thanks to all who participated with us !

.... oceans of bliss surround us.

(we'll do it again in February!)

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/

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.

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

Fitting Spirituality into Everyday Activities

Here is an interesting website for you. Check out the e-courses with spiritual teachers such as Thich Nhat Hanh....

http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/

If you like my blog, please pass my blogsite address on to your friends.... and feel free to leave a comment !

Fall Allergies ?

I found this homeopathic remedy -- and it really works !

it's called Pollen/hayfever Relief by BioAllers.
about $8 for 1 oz bottle

available at health food stores and Whole Foods.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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. "

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?

"...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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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....)

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

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

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

www.tibethouse.org

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.

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 : )

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


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