We held our restorative yoga workshops yesterday led by our dear visiting teacher, Ms Sara Duke. And what a wonderful day it turned out to be.
The early session featured an investigative experience into deep relaxation where all had opportunity to experiment with props to find support for achieving release and rest. Sara brought with her a wealth of knowledge and techniques for enabling all participants to feel degrees of deep relaxation in various positions. One of Sara’s key approaches is to recognize that we are all different physically (and mentally) so there was wonderful scope within her guidelines for personal variation and trial. And I think that really allowed people to experience Sara’s motto: Go 50%, i.e. using that degree of engagement to find greater release and decompression.
The second workshop was a unique look into our inner core. Sara introduced the bandhas (mula bandha and jalandar bandha etc) and offered descriptive guidelines for finding the pelvic floor and isolating those inner, smaller core muscles, (need I say without engaging the hip flexors!). There was also very interesting work with the neck – all who attended can never forget how Sara’s head weighs 50lbs! Some of the other therapeutic approaches featured isolated and dual usage of the abductors and adductors. It was really a very eye-opening, intense, and specialized presentation – one which we will certainly incorporate little by little into our own classes and practice.
All in all it was a wonderful weekend with Sara & her partner Dave. Starting with the potluck on Friday evening (40 attendees and enough great food to feed half of South County) where we all got opportunity to talk and share, and culminating with Sara’s excellent seminars yesterday. As much as we appreciated her skills and insights, certainly it was her demeanor, manner and way that we all found so comforting and charming. This was the fist time I had a visiting yoga teacher come in and lead and I personally felt 100% comfortable – in all aspects. As I told those in the second seminar, I felt like I was with my sister all weekend long – and the feeling remains. I know many of you were also touched by her presence and we all truly hope she one day returns to South County – certainly she will be most welcome!
Our first-ever vegetarian potluck was nothing short of a complete, smashing success. Thanks to all of you! We had great turnout of about 40 people – and the dishes everyone brought were just outstanding.
Everyone was so creative in food preparation. It was a feast fit for queens and kings – make that yoginis and yogis: Tasty as can be and healthy too!
We literally had 30+ dishes: Appetizers, soup, many main dishes, salads, & desserts. And plenty, plenty to go around. It was a veritable feast and the company was great! And yes, everyone got to meet Sara – our visiting restorative yoga teachers and guest of honor.
There was community feeling, smiles, laughs, stories, sharing – and of course face painting for all those 8 and below! We had it all and when it was time to go I truly felt I was heading home from a wonderful, family gathering.
And like I said the food was extraordinary – I really should have written down the names of the various dishes – because everyone did some really inspired cooking!!
This weekend while reviewing karma-samskara theory with a friend – (what else are weekends for!?!) – one key point arose.
The teaching was that one must undergo the reaction for all bad and good actions independently. That means a good act does not cancel out a bad one. In both cases one must undergo the reaction.
How many times in life do we think that we should do something to make up for a less-than-desirable act. For instance, we blow-up at a friend or loved one and try to make up for it by behaving angelic next time. Well guess what? Here’s news for you. From a karmic perspective, the fruits of that angelic behaviour do not cancel out the doom of your lesser behaviour. The reactions of both will have to be undergone.
That means even if your angelic behaviour was worth +1000 karma points and your other behaviour was worth -10 karma points, the result is not +990. Rather the result is two separate actions, one worth +1000 and the other worth -10.
An original action cannot be wiped off the board completely; the reaction must be experienced.
So where does that leave us? With the plan to keep the mind steady and balanced at all times so we may address each and every situation with equanimity.
Invariably that will help us side-step any missteps and bring our best to each and every situation. Then we have the greatest opportunity of filling our lives with plus points and not inviting any negative reactions.
The final aspect of the discussion was the concept of grace. While as humans we are bound up in our samsakaras (unexpressed reactions of past actions), Cosmic Grace is above and beyond and can always wipe our slate clean. From our side though we should not indulge in misdeeds thinking that grace is just around the corner and all will be well.
We are to use our free will and act in a way that is decidedly proper: In a way that brings benevolence to all. That is the best we can do.
Welcome spring as you cleanse, energize and reconnect through our Herbal Spring Workshop. We will discuss common wild spring plants easily found locally, describe these plants and their respective properties, investigate where we can find them, and learn how to prepare and use them in spring tonics, infusions, teas and food.
We will also reconnect with the earth by learning how to make a small garden and discuss the many benefits of gardening. We will have hands-on projects throughout the workshop – including preparations such as infusions, teas, and wild food dishes for the table.
To top it off we will prepare a gardener’s herbal salve to protect your hands and feet (just in case you like to garden barefoot!)
Hope you will join us for this unique springtime celebration!
Sharon Brewer is a clinical herbalist with a masters degree in herbal medicine from the Tai Sophia Institute (Laurel, Md). Sharon also runs a small business, Green Violet Herbs, in Fairhaven, and is a regular attendee of our yoga classes. Her first herbal workshop with us back in Sep 2011 was a great success!
Spring is upon us – it officially begins tomorrow, March 20. Though the weather has been quite springlike for some time now.
One of the themes of spring is cleaning or purification. Often we do this with our doors and windows – the ol’ spring cleaning.
Since long the yogis have been doing this with the mind as well, varnarghyadan, or offering colors of the mind. That means all those mental tendencies that have been disturbing and distracting you should be offered, thereby making the mind clean.
Here is a short yogic song (PS #104)about spring translated from original Bengali:
In the beats of dance, in the rhythm of dance,
Spring comes, it comes
The fog-shrouded trees glitter with light
They smile with the new flowers and leaves
Covering the earth’s body with ornaments of wildflowers
Spreading her disheveled hair all over the sky
Spring rushes in the rhythm of the purvasha dance
Adorning nature with with beauty in this month of sweetness
Spring comes, it comes
Waves of sea breeze waft aloft
The warm ocean laughs and smiles
And all the departed charms return again
The One who is the source of this sweetness and splendour
My mind blissfully floats in thoughts of the Divine
Spring comes, it comes
Fri, Mar 30, 6p – 8:30p
Christ Church Parish Hall
(204 Owensville Rd)
RSVP Below…
We are very pleased to announce the first-ever Renaissance Yoga vegetarian potluck on Friday evening March 30, from 6p – 8:30p. All are invited: Yoga practitioners, spouses, friends, neighbors, kids, cousins – ALL.
Getting Together & Meeting Sara: This potluck is a time for us all to get together “off the mat” as well as a time to meet our visiting teacher, Sara Duke, who will be leading the restorative yoga workshops on Sunday, April 1.
This hall is an ideal location as it can turn into an indoor / outdoor affair (weather dependent).
RSVP: To best organize this joyous and sumptuous gathering, kindly respond in the comment section below. 1. Write your name; and, 2. What you plan to bring (more about this below).
By scanning the various comments we will organically organize our feast!
What to Bring: You are requested to bring any vegetarian dish of your choosing: Appetizer, main dish, salad, dessert, or beverage. (Note: No alcohol please.)
Going Green: To make this a green event, please bring your own place setting: Plate, bowl and utensils. Consider bringing containers just in case there is extra to take home.
What is Vegetarian: One question that may arise is what is meant by vegetarian. Well for this occasion we will use the lacto-vegetarian model. That means all kinds of grains, pastas, legumes (beans), nuts, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. So there is lots to choose from. You may follow a recipe or use your own innate talents. Kindly refrain from using any eggs or meat or fish of any kind.
Ingredient Flags: Please include a list of ingredients that you used to prepare your dish, including what spices you used. This has multiple benefits. That way we can all learn about new ways of preparing food as well as what things to shop for, and those with allergies can easily know what dishes they can eat.
Participation, Participation, Participation: Your participation in this event – and it is an event(!) – is highly valued. This is a time to see old friends and meet new ones, a gathering to socialize and share, and so much more. More than any dish, your presence is the main ingredient that will make this successful. Look forward to seeing you there!
Yes I Am Coming: Ok great – so you will be attending. Now just write your name in the comment section and tell us what you might like to bring. (Click on the “add yours” link below and type away!)
This is a casual affair – come when you can – drop in anytime – all are encouraged to arrive at 6p to get things going!!
So the facts are in – more and more Americans are going meatless – & liking it! (Link below)
It isn’t just Bill Clinton, but many are getting the benefits of a plant-based diet.
Some are doing Meatless Mondays, while others are taking a deeper look at their eating patterns throughout the week.
Wherever you may stand, certainly we all benefit from a refinement in our food choices: Weight loss, lower BP, lower cholesterol, and the benefits go on and on.
For those looking to go further, try these options to gain insight and ideas about a plant-based diet:
Great having everyone out for this afternoon’s seminar, Meditation: History, Culture & Practice. We had a very healthy and active community of 18 for the program.
As stated at the beginning, the aim was to cover several thousand years of human thought and realization in a 2 1/2 hr time slot!
The first half-hour was introductions followed by a discussion of big questions: Do you have a mind? Can you show me your mind? What is meditation? What is spirituality? What is the relationship between yoga and meditation? What is the relationship between mind and body?
From these grand queries we delved into the practice of breathing (svarshastra) and its many components and benefits. This was our base that we returned to again and again.
Basically, with everyone’s interest and participation the seminar became an interplay of theory and practice wherein we discussed philosophical and technical teachings and then put those into real application.
Further topics addressed & practiced: Visualization, chakras, mantra, mental health, pranayama and spiritual approach. Plus the all important point: How to set-up a home practice.
That meant discussing the theory and aims of the practices and then putting those yogic principles to work for us, in concrete ways. How do we apply these tools to our meditation and daily living patterns. How does it all fit together and what are the benefits.
Naturally more practice led to more inquiry which led to deeper reflection and inspiration. Really, it is just not possible to capture in this blog the overall flow and feeling of the session. All who came brought such an earnest and honest approach; and that made for a great communal gathering – both internally and externally.
More than tell about the seminar per se, I hope this blog will serve as a springboard for others to share their experiences. You never know how your sharing might inspire others – your words may be just what the next person needed to hear. So I hope you will consider recounting at least a little of what you experienced.
Thanks again for all who came out and made this such a worthwhile gathering.
As human beings we have a reflected consciousness which gives us the ability to help others (other creatures) in all kinds of ways. That and compassion are two of our greatest qualities. These should be cultivated more and more…
It is a mystery why 30 dolphins grounded themselves on a Brazilian beach, but what is not mysterious is how and why people came forward to help.
The banyan tree is commonly found in much of the Indian subcontinent. As such the yogis have given some great metaphorical teachings based on the unique structure of this most remarkable tree.
First a few lines from Wikipedia: Older banyan trees are characterized by their aerial prop roots that grow into thick woody trunks which, with age, can become indistinguishable from the main trunk. Old trees can spread out laterally using these prop roots to cover a wide area.
In a nutshell, as the tree grows it branches out laterally and from those branches root systems grow downwards into the earth. This creates a net or mesh of growth from all aspects of the tree into the ground. These aerial or secondary roots can be as strong and as thick as the original tree trunk.
Here are two yogic teachings based on this tree:
1) No true aspirant – no sincere human – shall live in a way that resembles the growth of the banyan tree. The banyan grows out laterally across the earth – taking up more and more space, more and more ground – whereby nothing else can grow or survive beneath it. By its sheer domination, no other plant life can live in the vicinity of the banyan. Its shade benefits no other plant. Likewise, as humans we should not grow to be so arrogant and uruly that no other human can bear our company nor benefit from our existence. We should not be like the banyan in this respect, rather we should be as humble as the grass.
(2) Secondly, when the banyan tree first takes root nearby your house, you must weed it out. Otherwise that banyan tree will grow up and around your house and spread its roots downwards through the flooring and foundation of your domicile. The tree will completely envelope your home. The only solution will be to tear down the house entirely. Similarly, as soon as we recognize any defect, bad habit, or dogma (irrational idea) taking root within our own personae, we should act swiftly and remove that harmful trait. If we do not, that trait will dominate and ultimately devour our whole existence, just like the banyan tree annihilates the house.
The yogis are always quick to learn from nature and the natural surroundings. Are not so many yoga postures derived from nature itself. Well it is not just limited to the asanas. Many teachings of yogic thought are given in the form of metaphors based on the natural world like the two above teachings about the banyan tree.
Lately, I’ve been getting the question more and more: “What type of yoga do we practice?”
The question is most valid and sometimes if asked, I also do not know how to respond. For practicality’s sake though, something has to be said.
So here are two basic answers to consider: The long(er) philosophical one and the shorter, contemporary version.
Let’s start with the latter: The shorter, contemporary one.
Suppose we are riding the super subway, or leaving a crowded movie theater, or talking to someone in the car next to us at a red light, and the question comes forth: “So tell me, what type of yoga do you practice?” (And believe me, I do get this question at red lights!)
Our reply will be: “Vinyasa.”
Vinyasa yoga is a broad term that denotes “flowing”, meaning when one pose flows into the next. That is the way or style in which our classes are led.
FYI, as a global society we are still adjusting to the use of Sanskrit on the international stage; thus, there are two very correct ways to say vinyasa. Both are fine. There is the 2-syllable or 3-syllable version, depending on whether we pronounce the last “a” or not. Both pronunciations are acceptable.
Vinyasa then is the short simple reply to the query, “What type of yoga do you practice?” And it works fine: Truthful and accurate.
If we examine the arena of contemporary yoga, there are so many different “types”: Kundalini yoga, Ashtanga yoga, Iyengar yoga, Para yoga, Hot yoga, Anusara yoga, Bikram yoga, Power yoga, Yoga In Hammocks, and the list goes on and on. There are so many types of yoga – and this list is growing each and every week. In our contemporary yoga movement, all these types carry a certain meaning. They offer a reference point – a way of communicating. So they have value.
Yet none of these actually represent yoga, or the totality of yoga. They are different approaches to one piece of yoga.
Nowadays, we forget that yoga and meditation are one and the same and that the whole essence of yoga is to make a connection between finite and infinite.
In this greater definition, there are not multiple types or styles of yoga. Yoga is that practice which helps free us from the bondages (diseases, selfishness, feelings of inferiority, partiality, and more) of the relative plane so that we may proceed onwards along the path of supreme benevolence, wherein all differences dissipate and a greater understanding of ourselves and the world around us prevails.
The one and only name of this type of yoga is Raja Yoga. In Sanskrit, raja means “king” and raja yoga is the king because it incorporates all 8 limbs of classical yoga or astaunga yoga, of which the yoga postures or asanas are but one step, i.e. limb #3.
Raja yoga recognises that yoga is a meditation-based practice that includes all kinds of lifestyle approaches including diet, fasting, pranayama, overall restraint, philosophical knowledge, kiirtan (devotional chanting), seva (service), concentration techniques (dharana), morality (yama & niyama), yoga nidra or restoration, many more approaches, and ultimately surrender.
In our approach we try to offer gateways into the many different components and limbs of raja yoga. No doubt, many of our classes are asana-based, in the vinyasa style, yet within that framework and through our meditation circle and seminars we aim to explore what the vast world of yoga has to offer.
All the many different labels of yoga in today’s western yoga movement are primarily different names for how they pursue their physical yoga practice. And that is fine. Let everyone come and be attracted in a way that suits them. Internally however we should recognize that yoga is far more than stretching and flexibility, or strength and balance. It is about gaining an outlook that brings connection between ourselves and the world around us, wherein a greater emphasis is placed on psychic and spiritual endeavors than materialistic gain.
Indeed, the world of yoga is vast – it is big enough for everyone. Everyone’s mind can become expanded, leaving all pettiness behind; and everyone can experience the boundless joy and happiness of tapping into their inner-self, and flowering into something they never ever thought possible.
Yoga is about making the unknown known, making a link between finite and infinite,and leading a life on this earth that is consistent with those aims. A person may call this whatever they wish. In yogic parlance, it is called raja yoga or even raja-dhiraj yoga. And that path is one, an all-inclusive journey for everyone.
That is what we aim to practice and share with all.
While we may not be able to impart this entire reply to the driver next to us at the red-light, so simply saying “vinyasa” is fine. Internally however, we should all keep in mind the greater aims of yoga and march forward arm-in-arm, encouraging everyone to proceed along the path of benevolence.
Be as humble as the grass and as tolerant as the trees,
give respect to those whom no one respects,
and always do chant the name of the Divine.
(Caetanya Mahaprabhu, 16 century mystic)
The above shloka (couplet) offers practical guidelines in all realms of life: Individual, collective or social, and spiritual. When we are as humble as the grass and as tolerant as the tree we will keep ourselves free from arrogance and ego, and remain resilient to all kinds of problems in life. With such humility and modesty, naturally others will gravitate towards us and the relation will be sweet.
Giving respect to the disrespected provides a great psychic support to those who feel unworthy. In today’s materialistic society, many feel unwanted, inferior, alienated and lowly, yet it those people in particular who need our encouragement. When they are treated with dignity, honesty and respect, they gain their footing and can become assets of society. Giving respect to the those with high stature is not the need of the day; already they feel respected. Rather giving respect to the downtrodden is our responsibility. All should feel valued and loved on this earth.
Finally, we are to chant the name of the Divine, in whatever form we feel inspired. This frees us from worldly thoughts and helps elevate the mind toward a grander place. For the aspirant, having a spiritual goal is key to achieving success.
Eliza showed up just after class concluded 2 Thursdays ago (Feb 9) when she was 9 1/2 months old and we got a little footage to share with all of you. As a point of contrast, just thought to make this short video clip as a before and after.
Here are more videos (and links to stories) of Ashleigh and Eliza:
I received this great brass Tibetan bell (thank you, Nancy B!) that might normally be used outside a door or in a garden or anywhere it can hang. I of course wanted to use it along with our meditation circle – hence I needed a stand so it could be self-supportive.
Without reflecting more than a second, I thought I would ask Kirk for some help in this regard. So one recent Saturday morning before class I told Kirk about the need for a stand and offered him to take the bell. Rather than take the bell, he casually eye-balled its size between his outstretched thumb and pinky and said, “Let me see what I can do.”
What you see above is the creative-genius type of outcome. Kirk was in his backyard and saw these twigs from his holly tree and then threaded one through the other as a joint or bracing point, and then flattened the ends so it would “stand” and then made a little niche where the bell could hang.
Is this not a work of natural beauty?
And yes, we did of course use it at last Thursday’s meditation circle and it made the gathering all the more charming…
Thank you Nancy and Kirk for your wonderful contributions of generosity and creativity.
Over the last 2 weeks, the John Friend scandal has been uncovered, if not blown open, and brought to the fore. A link describing the chain of events is below.
While there are many angles to evaluate this issue, perhaps the most beneficial one is that which forces us to (re)consider two fundamental questions: (1) What is yoga and (2) who is a yogi. These inquiries help in reconciling the John Friend scandal as well as preventing similar episodes in the future. Plus they fuel us with a grander vision for our practice.
We can say that yoga is about the transformation of the whole human personality from selfishness to selflessness, from crude materialistic desire to true spiritual longing. It is the process of converting jiivatman (unit consciousness) to Paramatman (Supreme Consciousness). That is what is expressed in the following sutra:
Saḿyogo yoga ityukto jiivátmá Paramátmanah.
Yoga then is not about having a big following, doing a particular posture, or “wowing” people with words. Yoga is far more about sincerity, honesty, and living for a high ideal. It is the journey from crude to subtle, through discipline, not indulgence.
If we try to define the yogi by materialistic standards like the size of their following, the slickness of their website, their physical appearance, or any other such manner, we are bound to be led astray. Unfortunately, in the contemporary American yoga movement, that seems to happen.
And when it does, we find inadequate people given far too much influence, respect and stature, and a terrible downfall ensues.
On the path of yoga and spirituality, the only way to measure a person’s progress is by their conduct: The totality thereof, not just how one behaves when on stage. Rather we must examine each and every iota of how a person lives – eating, sleeping, drinking, spending, talking, & more – and then we can best understand the quality of their mind. Then we can understand their mental standard.
What a person contemplates will be transformed into action, sooner or later. A person cannot do something that they did not first think about doing. First comes the thought, then the action. A person cannot hit someone else without that idea of hitting taking form in the mind; a person cannot sit for meditation without first thinking of doing meditation. That is why it is said, as you think, so you become. A person’s life takes the shape of their thought process, i.e what they contemplate.
The path of yoga then is all about one’s mental ideation or standard of thought. And that inner thought becomes evident as it gets transformed into external action. So yoga itself is the journey toward a sublime ideal and the yogi is one whose conduct reflects that pure state of mind that will lead them to that ideal.
To name someone as a yogi without considering the above formula is bound to create problems. Undeserving candidates will be glorified with the title of yogi, when in fact their mental status has nothing to do with yoga. That is what happened with John Friend and others like him in the contemporary yoga movement where establishments like Yoga Journal etc are quick to appoint one as yogi-raj, when that person has not the least bit quality for such a coronation. Naturally, a mess ensues. That is why materialistic standards can never be used to evaluate who is a yogi.
Ultimately, this John Friend scandal has nothing to do with yoga and everything to do with the contemporary American yoga movement or yoga scene. Witnessing such a demise will hopefully lead us to reconsider our standards. That will help tremendously in bringing today’s yoga scene onto the path of yoga – the path of benevolence and supreme fulfillment where discipline and conduct, not indulgence and popularity, are our guiding principles.
That will be of tremendous benefit to all: Teachers, seekers, students, aspirants – everybody. And it will bring integrity to the contemporary American yoga movement.
Note: For those not aware, the blogger Yoga Dork was the first to report the John Friend scandal and this post is a time-line of the events with links to many of the related stories.
The early session featured an investigative experience into deep relaxation where all had opportunity to experiment with props to find support for achieving release and rest. Sara brought with her a wealth of knowledge and techniques for enabling all participants to feel degrees of deep relaxation in various positions. One of Sara’s key approaches is to recognize that we are all different physically (and mentally) so there was wonderful scope within her guidelines for personal variation and trial. And I think that really allowed people to experience Sara’s motto: Go 50%, i.e. using that degree of engagement to find greater release and decompression.
All in all it was a wonderful weekend with Sara & her partner Dave. Starting with the potluck on Friday evening (40 attendees and enough great food to feed half of South County) where we all got opportunity to talk and share, and culminating with Sara’s excellent seminars yesterday. As much as we appreciated her skills and insights, certainly it was her demeanor, manner and way that we all found so comforting and charming. This was the fist time I had a visiting yoga teacher come in and lead and I personally felt 100% comfortable – in all aspects. As I told those in the second seminar, I felt like I was with my sister all weekend long – and the feeling remains. I know many of you were also touched by her presence and we all truly hope she one day returns to South County – certainly she will be most welcome!
Our first-ever vegetarian potluck was nothing short of a complete, smashing success. Thanks to all of you! We had great turnout of about 40 people – and the dishes everyone brought were just outstanding.
This weekend while reviewing karma-samskara theory with a friend – (what else are weekends for!?!) – one key point arose.
So where does that leave us? With the plan to keep the mind steady and balanced at all times so we may address each and every situation with equanimity.
We will also reconnect with the earth by learning how to make a small garden and discuss the many benefits of gardening. We will have hands-on projects throughout the workshop – including preparations such as infusions, teas, and wild food dishes for the table.
Spring is upon us – it officially begins tomorrow, March 20. Though the weather has been quite springlike for some time now.
The banyan tree is commonly found in much of the Indian subcontinent. As such the yogis have given some great metaphorical teachings based on the unique structure of this most remarkable tree.
Lately, I’ve been getting the question more and more: “What type of yoga do we practice?”
Here is a favorite teaching that has great social and spiritual import.
Over the last 2 weeks, the John Friend scandal has been uncovered, if not blown open, and brought to the fore. A link describing the chain of events is below.
