Welcome to The Yoga Way

Beating Yoga or something

2012-01-22T11:12:00.000-08:00

Today the word Yoga is indeed a hot and loaded one. You can't say it without it bringing up some kind of intense emotional response. Take the latest article in the New York Times as an example, How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body. A provocative article on extreme cases in which people tore ligaments and tendons doing down-ward dog and broke their ribs in a spinal twist.

Having taught yoga for over 17 years I have yet to see this happen in even the most aggressive student. Still, yoga is a household word sparkling up lots of nonsense articles. The one thing I can tell you is that not done properly, yes, yoga is not good and no one should practice it. These kinds of articles elicit fear and drama. Anyone can break their leg skating, dislocate a joint swimming and get killed walking across the street. Most people do not practice yoga properly at all. BKS Iyengar (a living Yoga Master with over 75 years of experience) states very clearly that improper practice will weaken you mentally, physically and spiritually. And by the way, it is not always the fault of a bad teacher but being a bad student.

People are either obsessed with Yoga or criticize it. Because of these extremes, I often dread making a call to a service provider. As soon as I mention the magic word I am met with a multitude of reactions. People suddenly want to tell me all about their experiences, ask me if their son should get into it or find out what kind of yoga I teach. My latest conversation was with Bell Mobility (a phone company in Canada).

Bell: So you are the owner, I can see that here...Heather Morton. What is the name of the business?

Me: The Yoga Way.

Bell: Okay, Heather what can I do for you today?

Me: I want to review my options. (Subtext: About my phone, of course).

Bell: Hm, give me one second while my system looks for your profile. What does your business do?

Me: It’s a yoga school. (Subtext: Just dropped the bomb.)

Bell: Yoga?!!!! WOW! Really that is GRr-ATE!

Me: Yes. (Subtext: Oh no, prepare for blast off.)

Bell: So I heard that you can beat yoga.

Me: Beat yoga? (Subtext: Yikes. This guy is a live-wire.)

Bell: Yah, I heard that yoga is the kind of thing that you can beat.

Me: What do you mean? (Subtext: I can’t believe I am actually asking.)

Bell: I heard that you can beat it in terms of learning everything there is to know. But I think one could learn yoga as a life experience, you know.

Me: Right, it is for your life. (Subtext: I find myself at a loss for words.)

Bell: So you could do all kinds of neat things like touch your toes and put your butt to the wall. Ha, ha, ha.

Me: Hm, I guess you could! (Subtext: Blank.)

Bell: Do you own more than one school at many locations across Canada?

Me: No, this is a sole-proprietorship. (Subtext: Not sure why I volunteer this info.)

Bell: That's cool...so you basically do yoga for the love of it?!!?

Me: Right. (Subtext: I see, because I haven't made a cash-cow out of my business I am doing it for love?)

Bell: Wow, that’s so great! Let me put you on hold for a minute.

Me: (Subtext: Maybe he`s gone to do yoga.)

Moral of the Story: I really wish someone would draw a cool caricature of me and Bell.

After India Comes India

2011-12-29T07:39:00.000-08:00

Nothing compares to being in India and especially learning Yoga there. Travelling to its homeland, India and yoga have the potency to remove you from your comforts and into the flames of the unforeseen. Precisely what this vast and often misunderstood subject should be doing.

After 13 trips (now totaling 2 years in India), I still believe there is something more ‘spiritual’ and less materialistic in India than in the West. Mind you, roaming around the airport and hanging out on MG road (Mahatma Gandhi) in Bangalore might not give this impression. The billboards are triple the size leaving one to wonder where the stereotypical images of decrepit and demolished buildings with beggars have gone. These can be found if you venture past the tourist traps and out of the main cities; experiencing what Gandhi referred to as the ‘real’ India.

The real India, the real thing in general. It is an interesting idea to ponder (re: the question of real).

For me, real is that which brings us to our center, our inner nature and why we are living. Real is the on-going journey to experience our relationship to ourselves, each other and the earth. But real is also far more than this ramble of idealistic thoughts and dreams. It is what Buddhist nun Pema Chodron coined as the kitchen sink mentality; the kind of mentality that slaps us back into everyday life, the mundane and perhaps even the boring. It is like one Swami said about meditation. That is, if you want bright lights and action go downtown. Simply put, it is the kind of mentality that is not about running off to the mountain tops for enlightenment or hiding in a cave, but bringing beauty and peace to even the smallest detail of life. This might include how to brush your teeth and clean the bathroom.

Getting started with yoga presents an on-going journey toward coming to know your center and what is called your true nature or your real calling. Each day that I teach yoga I have students who have entrusted me with some of their life's events. They share what is happening from a bitter divorce, death, new baby and marriage to accidents and illnesses. Faced with the rawness and freshness of life I see clearly that life often throws some serious curve balls as well as joys. Yoga then becomes the ground in a somewhat insecure and groundless world. But getting to the mat is just a quarter of the effort. It is challenging to strike up a practice each and every day especially when the body is tired and the mind dull from sleep. When the Japanese writer Murkami who had taken up running as passion was asked in an interview if running was difficult for him. He later remarked this was a stupid question and let the interviewer answer the question. It is not easy to push yourself even if you know you need to. For who else will do it for you?

Life is not that easy and many things can get in the way of practice. Even if you have a 'good' life perhaps your travel and job keep you from a regular practice. As well, it is relatively easy to get caught up with the mundane, the petty, the trivial and the feeling of just trying to get by. I know this state well because while running my yoga school sometimes the details appear bigger than the main reason for teaching and/or practising yoga. No one mentioned bookkeeping, cleaning the toilet and the other jobs that are a part of maintaining a school. Still, it is from my regular practice and certainly my teachers whom I continuously return to for guidance and inspiration. I have always found both of these consistently in India.

Being immersed in the culture of India for longer than a month (sometimes 2 or 3 months at a time) is different than studying elsewhere. It presents its own challenges especially that of bringing the concepts of the practice to the West. In the West, yoga is more known for `body`exercise. Most people derive pleasure from this aspect and find meditation boring or something they can do while moving around in an asana. But it may come as a surprise to know that the teachings of Yoga including most of what we understand as Buddhism have been tweaked in order to help Westerner's understand something other than exercise or austere practices like sitting in an ice river to strengthen your mind. (Yogananada Paramahansa wrote about this in The Divine Romance).

For certain every practice of Hatha-yoga that we know today has ultimately been adapted to suit its audience; whether it be for cultural, social or political reasons. Most do not know that BKS Iyengar stopped teaching Ashtanga-yoga in Pune, India, namely because his students were older and no one was able to keep up with the practice. He talked about how he had to change the practice and work with his students using belts, straps and other props which later became his trademark. Case in point is also my own experience as a teacher and student of yoga. How I was taught is not the same as I teach; it would not work for a number of reasons. One of these being I am not my teacher teaching and two, the context is totally different. When I showed my manual on backbending to my teacher after thumbing quietly through the pages he looked blankly at me and stated, “This is not traditional”. In my defense I explained, "But, Yogacharya, no one can do it otherwise”. This might sound like it meant no one is physically adept but it actually was meant to imply that there is a lack of mental endurance and an openness to take a path that is not focused on ‘getting postures’. Under my teacher I learned this lesson well when he only allowed me to practice extremely simple postures for a month. It taught me a lot about my Western mind's need to perform, achieve and to get it. The process was about ‘being’ and not doing. In fact, the word simple is an understatement because some of the postures were held for extended periods. The mountain pose, tree or lotus no longer look 'easy' at this margin.

Paradoxically, however, it is through the practice of the postures that we come to know and feel we are ultimately working on something deeper; perhaps even divine. Physical limitations remind us of our physical and mental restrictions as well as the body’s innate (non-verbal) wisdom. You cannot force the knee to bend if you do not understand how to remove the stiffness or the residue that comes from a lack of practice. The practice of the yogasanas constantly brings this message back to us whether we are ready to receive it or not. That is, we may practice for body pleasure called preyas yoga or we may gradually reach deeper for something called shreyas yoga (yoga for liberation and emancipation).

So what can be next after yoga in India and my teacher? Probably nothing unless of course another trip takes the place of the last one.

Naturally then after India comes India.

51 Breaths

2011-09-28T14:29:00.001-07:00

Arriving in Bangalore I am greeted by Ravi, a taxi driver whom I have known for several years. There is something settling in being greeted by a familiar face when so far away from home. It is 4:30 a.m. but it feels like midday from the activity at the airport. Heading toward the car and into the cool morning I comment on the weather being cold. Ravi replies, “Not hot madam, medium temperature.”

As we make our way along the Bangalore-Mysore road the one thing in my mind is starting practice again with my teacher. The traffic is surprisingly heavy as we pass oversized billboards and tour from one side of the road to the other. In a way the Bangalore motorway is a kind of analogy for practice. There are clear parts, troubled areas, challenges and continual disturbances. The honking horns (an accepted protocol in India) are like the endless fluctuations or vrittis that enter the mind during practice.

Returning to my teacher is a check-ín point as to where I am in the scale of practice. However, over the last few years the physical practice is not under inspection but something far beyond. My teacher Yogacharya whom I have studied regularly with for 11 years now is not one for judging the external practice (i.e., how far you bend or twist). In fact many years ago his first comment after watching me practice was on how my the practice is too external. (Is that an oxymoron?) It's hard to fathom what these Acharya´s mean and I dare not ask too many questions for fear of looking like I am too busy mentally. What he looks for is how yoga works on you mentally. Last year I received a severe tongue lashing when I was told I have been doing only "bodily exercise but nothing on the mind."

Going to practice under my teacher also keeps the practice on par. Am I just trying to accomplish more asanas? Do I identify my progress with the physical result? Can I challenge myself to remember the ultimate connection between the body and mind? What effect is the pose having mentally? And moreover, who do I think is driving the practice my body or mind? Is it both? Who came first? For Yogacharaya all is clear. He does not ask the questions. He makes the statement, “It is all mind.” And for him there are no arguments.

Several years ago when conferences were given on Saturday afternoon Yogacharya spoke about satisfying only the physical. Stating how the practice is too physically driven points out how we might be going in circles and not penetrating the deeper regions of the soul. It is repeatedly mentioned in the Yoga Sutras, a text written 2,000 years ago, that the practice will not be understood by the asanas alone. And yet the third rung out of the eight limbs is a huge step to move beyond since we are human beings living in a material world and dealing with the physical body all the time. So what can we do?

Something that has eluded many Western practitioners is stepping beyond bodily activity and working on the fluctuations of mind through the asanas (Paul Brunton, A Search of Secret India, 1934). This sort of practice usually starts by focusing readily on holding a posture longer and watching the breath. While this may seem like an uncomplicated approach it is the method for which real Yogis practice. What I mean by real is the theoretical and the practical dilemma between preyas and shreyas yoga. That is yoga for physical pleasure or yoga for the purpose of enlightenment. And this is a genuine conflict concerning all serious practitioners, students, scholars and teachers of yoga (Georg Feuerstein, The Lost Teachings of Yoga, 2003).

Yogacharaya´s teachings today are more centred on the internal base than it ever was. I sometimes get the feeling he only taught the physical asanas as a way to gather a few students; some having dropped off while others continue to go further with this understanding. Even new students are initiated more readily into the internal focus method. But for Yogacharya I have no doubt this has been the focus all the time anyway. His ways are not of the typical teacher. He will not applaud your efforts and he will not unnecessarily please a student (the same thing). He might even tell you to do self-practice and point out where you are blocked mentally.

Over the course of several week or months only a few postures are practised, which can seem monotonous and perhaps to the point of boredom. It is not the fashionable way that yoga has slowly been moulded in physical achievement. Yogacharaya has not given in and demands the tradition is maintained. Having travelled in this direction with him and trusting the process the one thing I know is that holding postures for over 30 continuous breathings and focusing on less asanas is more difficult than running through 50 postures with each being held at 5 breaths.

When I enter the doors of the kutira (a hut constructed for the practices of Yoga) I will be flooded by memories of previous practices, my teacher and all that Yoga stands for.

We are still on the Bangalore-Mysore road, which seems like a never-ending line of construction. Hm, it is so much like practice! And given the amount of reckless driving it is somewhat of a miracle to not have an accident. I am reminded of what Iyengar once wrote in that it is not yoga’s fault if there are accidents (re: injuries), but rather the aggression of the student (The Tree of Yoga, 1988). Even though the highway will end soon the practice of course does not. It is a continual journey for which I am grateful for in building, rebuilding and to a large degree dismantling the mental agitations and fluctuations.

Because at the 51st breath I am indeed ready to take a pit-stop. And for now this has to be Mysore.

Note: There is no significance to holding a yoga posture for exactly 51 breaths. It is a marker in which 10 breaths are done in 1 minute. Holding a posture for 5 minutes is a starting point toward a therapeutic approach and need, not one for physical ascetics but internal endurance. Breathing less and more deeply is a central aim of many ancient Yogis in which life is not calculated by one's years but one's breath. Because of the stresses of modern life people often breathe too rapidly and harshly. Less breathing is understood as increasing one's life span and well-being.

Notes from Abroad

2011-09-24T14:51:00.000-07:00

Being in the Motherland of inspiration, India possesses ‘something’ that most people who travel here understand. In my old beaten up copy of the Lonely Planet there is a brief introduction on traveller’s either loving or hating India; many swearing never to return again. A more accurate travel advisory, however, would read that India is both: the great adventure in challenging your comfort levels and capturing your heart.

Certainly a country like India is not without its challenges. The poverty and the pollution are just some of them; juxtaposed with incredible beauty and historic reverie. For me, these are the reasons I need to return to India. That is, challenging my tolerance for the hectic and chaotic but above all to renew my spirit. The mountain range and a child's face do not look different. India promises to provide both the terrible as well as the wonderful. It is like a cross-reference experience in getting to know extremes.

My attraction for India grew solely out of my interest in yoga. Yet over the years it has become an equal drive to know both better. This fall marked another study trip to Mysore, India; the home of my primary teacher Yogacharya Venkatesha and the place where much of what we understand as being Ashtanga yoga evolved. While in India I am happy to become a student again as well as a wandering wilbury. Taking the time to learn more about India; her people, the customs and whatever else I can indulge in is a daily adventure. Visiting the temples, palaces, historic sites and museums is all part of this as well. But I truly believe that engaging with the people and being open to whatever 'unique' circumstances arise has had more lessons than being guided through a 12th century temple. In other words, it is the person telling me about the temple not the temple itself that is worth spending time with.

My India or rather 'my kind' of India is best understood from the list below of interactions with some of the local people in Mysore. Surprisingly enough it is also not wrapped around the yoga kutira. As I said, it is the 'locals' and my interactions with them from buying dinner, shopping in the market to getting in a rickshaw.

Misc. Exchanges
~ I order papad (a flat crispy bread like a chip) and get tandoori fish!

~ I ask to speak with another clerk at the hotel's front desk who speaks better English. The response is, “You want the wine list, mam?”

~ I rent a scooter and every 2-3 days receive a phone call from the vendor which goes something like this:

“Hello, madam, any problems? Any problems madam you just call me. Any problems.”

While in Mysore the seat lock breaks. We make arrangements for him to come the following day but he never shows up. The next day I get another call (repeat the line above).

~ I am 75 rupees short when buying a gift at the market. The vendor agrees with me that I can come back in an hour to pay. Be aware, he has never seen me before, does not know my name or where I am staying. He doesn't ask. He flashes only an unspoken look of, "Can I trust this person?"

~ In the local shops it is a common courtesy to be offered chai (tea) especially if you are a paying or potential customer.

~ I repair my shoe heel for $1 dollar. THe cobbler marks the price in pen on the sole of the shoe. While waiting the police officer stops to ask, "What country you?" and the cobbler demands, "You take foto."

~ I have a silver key chain welded in 10 minutes for 10 rupees (approx. 25 cents).

~ I spend several minutes exchanging clumsy arm and hand movements with one of the Muslim washers regarding when and where I can pick up my clothes.

~ The waiters at a local restaurant exclaim:

“You come long back. When you come now exactly?”

This is nice, really nice and I forget about the black toilets at the back.

~ “Did you have your breakfast?” “Had your lunch?” "How is your mother?”

A random set of questions from hotel staff, clerks, vendors and even strangers on teh street passing by.

~ A fellow motorist informs me there are police officers checking for people who are not wearing their helmets. I stop to put on the helmet and am grateful for the warning.

~ This year I learn what should have been the first lesson last on scooter driving. That is, how to lift the scooter up and onto the stand. I am a good laugh for the teacher who doubles as a bell-boy at the hotel.

"After 10 years you learn the first at the end."

Truly the best, however, can only be summed up by a photo not through words.

The jumbo elephants are finishing their practice for the upcoming festival of Dasara in October. Walking elegantly down the road in a single moment they epitomize all that India offers for a foreigner. That is, something of an open-air zoo in the middle of downtown Mysore. In order not to miss this I actually ran down to the center at the same time I knew they would be passing by.

Ah, India... it is always better expressed in a photo.

Healthy Living: The Globe and Mail

2011-07-22T12:27:00.001-07:00

Watch Yoga for Older Newbies.

Last week The Globe and Mail dropped by and we put together a video on learning to practice yoga postures. Geared toward beginners and people over 40 there are several modifications offered for each pose. It was shot and edited by Rosa Park, one of their in-house journalists.

I have to say this "over 40 thing" is a bit over-rated and inflated. What I mean by that is yoga can be practiced at any age! Ideally the sooner you start the better, but just because you are 60 does not mean you are a hopeless case. I have 20-year students who can't touch their toes and 60-year old's you can! So go figure.

One student wrote me to comment on the article and video. He said he was very relieved to know he can practice all! Of course, he was being sarcastic. He is 65 and practising Ashtanga-yoga and backbending.

In the West, age is equal to performance, ability and capacity. Many people believe they cannot develop anything past a certain age. Perhaps they are biological facts in place but you can also beat the odds if you try.

For myself, a lot of people perceive my flexibility as being natural. However, as a kid I could not do the splits, sit in lotus or flatten my back. I tried and it did not work. At 27, I started learning yoga seriously and it took me 5 years to be able to do the lotus pose, the splits and many other flexy-bendy postures. I also became much more flexbile in my mid and late 30's than in my 20's. However, it was not just working on my body as it was also meditating and breathing. Mind and body go together; a flexible body does not equal to having knowledge of a posture or even yoga itself. Flexibility is not the goal but a by-product.

What people do not see or understand is that everything takes time, dedication and working out a system for yourself. Nothing comes from a hap-hazard approach. Age is not the issue but attitude.

And those are just the facts.

How I Came to Yoga

2011-07-16T14:51:00.000-07:00

We all come to yoga for an assorted range of reasons and motivations. We all seek it out consciously or unconsciously from a list of experiences and even problems. But nevertheless, somehow Yoga becomes very important. For myself it became so important that my whole life has revolved around it. Sometimes too the past behaviour, ideas or understandings that one had is surprising; if not completely 'off'. I don't think that showing up in a fur coat to my first yoga class 20 years ago says too much about my understanding of things. In fact, it speaks to the reverse.

What's more interesting, however, is that the journey is never as straightforward, clean-cut or as solid as it may appear. More often than not it is filled with twists, turns, difficulties, resistances and struggles.

I share a bit of this in a recent article that was just featured on MY LIFE YOGA.

~ Enjoy!

The Healing Rock: Switzerland

2011-06-09T09:26:00.001-07:00

Away from Toronto last week on a research excursion and back again to life here. After 8 hours of flying, a 4 hour drive to the airport, a dash to TBM's (Toronto Body Mind)) house-warming party on Saturday, it was no wonder friends here asked, "Hey, how come you don't say hi when I see you?"

My mind was not in this body; my body was not mine either!

Travelling to Switerland was a planned affair in which I visited a village in the Northern part (German speaking) called Wuerenlos (near Baden). No one should try to pronouce this who cannot speak German well! I conducted qualitative research (i.e, focusing on depth rather than breadth) on the effects of the healing properities in a cave known for its healing powers and energy fields. People from all over the world book individual sessions to spend time in the cave to heal their body, mind and spirit.

From the inside out
Founded by Emma Kunz (1892 to 1963, a nurse, healer, researcher and artist), her work has been thoughtfully preserved by Anton Meyer in 1986, the Director of the Center. As background when Anton fell ill in 1941 by becoming completely paralyzed, Emma began conducting research on natural healing remedies. From this she discovered there were special properities not only in the rock itself but energy fields surrounding the structure of the cave called Grutto in German. Emma discovered the healing properities of a rock called AION A (a Latin word meaning without limitations). In Europe a piece of the rock can be purchased at local pharmacies called Apotheke in German. The rock is often prescribed by doctors and pharmacists as a part of the patient's healing process. Learn more: The Cave

From the outside in
Emma also worked with pendulums creating over 70 pieces of artwork; each peice resembling an elaborate mandalas. The designs are unique and contain very special messages. She is quoted as having said,

"One day people will understand my work."
Certainly without being an expert one can see her creations were not put together on-the-fly, but created over several weeks if not months of intense labour, thought and devotion. Each design is understood as manifesting from a natural instinct and urge, emotion and expression of her inner core. All of them were generated from being open to the energetic fields of healing and not from a clever or well-constructed intellect.

A good portion of my research and interest was to observe the levels of sensitivity while in the cave and afterwards. The prerequisite to this research was my personal practice of meditation and regular pranayama (i.e., a series of exercises that channel the energy through body by using the breath). In addition, I did not study or examine the energy map that lays out the exact fields of energy in the cave from the highest to lowest points. Since there are many visitors it was no easy feat to get a time slot. As fate designed it I was able to have a half hour period shared by 2 fellow travellers (one of them, a German fellow was healing a bad back). Time slots are given for each person to visit as only 1-2 people are permitted per visit for half hour durations.

When I entered the cave I walked along the side and felt the cool, damp and dark feeling of the ground underneath my feet. I was drawn to the far right and sat near the side on some of the rocks, which formed a step-ladder on the wall. I later learned where I was sitting was the field to charge the chakras as well as for spiritual impulses (the highest vibration in the cave).

In the cave, I had two clear reactions: 1) an intense feeling of the left side of my face being frozen and as if the muscles were gripping, and 2) a steady steam of air coming out of the left nostril as if it had no end. After sitting for 25 minutes, I felt the 'impulse' to do yoga (that is, yoga exercise).

Sleeping in the cave for the night wasn't half bad either; another adventure in connecting to nature and her healing elements. Interestingly enough, it was not until several days later that I felt the presence of the cave with me; an indescribable feeling of a protective shield around me. It was as if my mental field and aura had been restored.

Emma Kunz Center

PS: Taking photos of yourself is never cracked up to be an easy job.

These were taken with no flash, a 10 second timer (set, run, do) and standing on a rock. :-0

Emma Kunz, Healer

2011-06-08T10:30:00.000-07:00

Below are some of the abstracts created by Emma Kunz; a Swiss woman who discovered healing minerals in a rock called AION A (a Latin word meaning 'without limitations'). Although Emma did not consider herself an artist she left behind an incredible legacy of healing, power and restoration. Living in the Swiss villages for most of her life she was a telepathic healer.

Her drawings are reflective of the 'unforseen' happenings in the tangible world. Of interest, she was once asked to "repolarize" the energy field of Audolf Hitler from a distance. It is said the pendulum in which she used to form the shapes and feelings of her drawings started flying around the room. She was cited as having said there was too much 'negative' energy.

Yoga is a Great Adventure. I Think the Greatest of All.

2011-05-06T11:01:00.001-07:00

“Yoga is a great adventure. I think it is the greatest adventure of all. It will take you into completely new territory and confront you with the tallest peaks of spiritual realization and the deepest trenches at the bottom of your own subconscious. If you allow Yoga to transform you it will do so at the physical, mental, moral and spiritual level. Whatever type of Yoga you pursue, in the end, it will send you inwardly free. It will bring you understanding, joy and the capacity to face any situation FEARLESSLY.

~ G. Feuerstein

Listen to a preview of The Lost Teachings of Yoga

Reading these words, I wish I could say they were my own. I truly believe Yoga IS the great adventure. Since 1997, Yoga has been the center of my professional and personal life. It is a wonderful adventure which has taken me to India as well as given me the joy of practice and a clear path to cultivate a spiritual life. These were, however, never my original aspirations; I wanted to be an actress not a yoga teacher.

In high school, I had the lead role in almost every school play. I was often working on a script or reading poetry. I remember a play in which we depicted the scenes from everyday life. I listed off the different areas as work/career, school, play and family. I recall asking my fellow classmates, "Is that it?" Something for me felt like it was missing. We all agreed we had covered the basics and there was nothing else. But the missing 'something' is today what I deem as the spiritual and what may people have come to articulate as the lack of an inner life (Dr. Jack Miller, OISE, University of Toronto). The West says gather material wealth and status while the East says develop your inner life. The East also takes it one step further in stating that the spiritual and material are not separate worlds (Yogananda Paramahansa).

The spiritual realm is where Yoga ultimately takes us. But in the West as Georg Feuerstein writes we are often involved with a type of Yoga that is far removed from these roots. It is rather ironic that over 30 million practise Yoga, but less than 10 per cent practice it for enlightened reasons. I first became acquainted with Georg Feuerstein's work while thumbing through books on Yoga philosophy and history during my early dabblings. I revisited his work while writing my Master's thesis. His work became the necessary back-up for my research on Yoga in school both in India and North America (2005/06).

Feuerstein points to the loss of ‘authentic’ Yoga and the dilemma in defining ‘traditional’ Yoga. What we call tradition is relative, because Yoga’s evolution is not as straight-forward as most people assume. In fact, many people equate Yoga to Hinduism but Yoga is also interwoven into the fabric of Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism. In The Lost Teaching of Yoga, in which Feuerstein clarifies to mean that Yoga is not really lost but misplaced he states:

1. Contemporary Yoga is flat and it does not go to the core;
2. Traditional Yoga goes to the core and to the spirit;
3. Most people run away when they hear this!
First, I think we need to define what is contemporary and traditional. Contemporary Yoga and most of what is called Hatha-yoga and Ashtanga-yoga has generally been reduced to exercise. Even the fact that teachers claim Ashtanga-yoga is 'the authentic Yoga' is debatable. Krishnamacharya, the Guru of Gurus, who handed it down to others went on to develop another type of Yoga based on his evolution. Is this later Yoga any less authentic? As well, many practitioners say you will ‘eventually’ be led to deeper experiences by practice alone. I think it is fair to say one does not necessarily follow the other. In comparison, meditation teachers have said they sat on 'stuff’ for years, never really penetrating the hidden caverns of their mind. The deeper realm is the potential to wake up to our mental habits, tendencies, issues, et cetra. Practice without this understanding will not lead to higher consciousness unless we deliberately intend to do so.

Conversely, traditional Yoga takes you off the mat and into the world. What is meant by this is the understanding (not necessarily the experience) that Yoga is a spiritual practice first and foremost. Everything else including the postures, the vinyasas and the exercise is secondary. That is, the asanas which seemed to be the goal are the tool to gain mental stability, ease, peace and joy. Shri K. Pattabi Jois was known to say, "it is just bending". And my own teacher Yogacharya Venkatesha often said, "the postures are imaginings".

These utterings might create confusion in us. After all why invest time, money and energy to bend your body only to find out you missed the point! But truthfully this is not Yoga's fault. Dr. David Frawley (a teacher of the Vedic tradition) said:
"Yoga has been, if not misrepresented, at least only superficially presented in the West in which its deeper transformative principles and practices easily get lost in purely physical or personal concerns"
~(pg. xii, Yoga and the Sacred Fire).
In the end, we have ourselves to blame for our misconceptions and prejudices. Like many people I also began with no intention to learn the theory or history of Yoga. This was in part due to the representation of Yoga in the media and my own superficial quests. Living in the East and having a few good teachers has thankfully shaped my path. Each one of my primary teachers has been an Indian Master and there were very clear reasons for this. I had already understood a long time ago that in the West Yoga practices were "watered-down" (Georg Feuerstein). Agreeing with this I sought to study and learn directly from the source. But at one time while young and immature I hated listening to the Swamis at the ashram repeat the "Niyamas and Yamas” (the morals and ethicial practices of Yoga). My samskaras (Sanskrit word for impressions on the psyche) were entrenched in the physical. My teacher Yogacharya taught me to remember, "asana is not the goal."

Today, we really need to find the context to fit the "lost teachings of Yoga" into our world. Rather than looking for ways to make this ‘comfortable’ we need to understand the best lessons stem from being challenged. In other words, it is not only the good lessons that teach us well, but the difficulties.

This is not to imply Yoga should not be enjoyed. It is rather that we begin to see how health, fitness and well-being are knee-deep reactions; the stuff we are always concerned with. Isn't it time we strive for a bit more than the seemingly accessible? Yoga offers greater possibilities of freedom on all levels. If the practices of Hatha-yoga/Ashtanga-yoga are taken up we can strive to feel freer: it is possible, it is real, it is obtainable and it is available.

Indian Photo Albums

2011-04-17T15:23:00.001-07:00

Indian railway station, Jodphur, Rajasthani.

View more photos at India Gallery

Doin' Meditation: The Horse Way

2011-04-12T10:39:00.001-07:00

One of the reasons why I encourage people to take up meditation is because of the deep relaxation it elicits. When you learn how to let go, your body softens and you go further and deeper into the asana (postures of yoga). There is a release in the posture rather than a 'fight' and 'struggle' to get it, maintain it and achieve it. This idea may set up the practice of yoga with a hidden agenda, but it also be a good starting point for meditation, if not a motivator to try it.

Meditation is the only path that offers a way to understand ourselves fully; going beyond decursive thinking by lessening the mental noise. One of the greatest misunderstandings is that your mind becomes blank. While it is impossible to stop the mind, the practice of meditation decreases the rambling and internal chatter. It also increases energy and decreases our identification to the body. It is an experience in deep aloneness (not loneliness) and oneness with ourself. While meditation is often taken up for health reasons, the anicent practice was to become God realized. That is, to know yourself beyond the physical body.

As an aside, a man I had met briefly at a party told me he used to do yoga but gave it up. However, it should be said that yoga is meditation but this is a topic for another time. When I asked him why he stopped yoga (assuming he was talking about the physical postures) he said, "Because I was always in pain." As a teacher, I was not surprised to hear this because today so many people have turned yoga into an exercise in physical fitness only. So he left yoga and tried pilates!

Of course, there is a kind of inherent struggle built into the practice of the yoga postures. The saying "no pain no gain" is around for a reason. Yet it also involves making friends not enemies with the difficulties, the limitations and the restrictions of both our body and mind. The struggle becomes intensified when you 'force' it like you might a rubber ball from staying under the water's surface. It just bounces right back up! Paradoxically, 'making friends' and softening wiht ourselves creates a release, a letting go and a way of melting into the posture.

Today, there is truly an over-emphasis on Yoga exercise. What about breathing? Sitting? Relaxation? When the breathing exercises are done propery and consistently it can become as hard-core as doing hand-stands or push-ups. Unbelievable but true. During one of my practice studies with my teacher in Mysore he only taught simple exercises such as stretching the toes and ankles, and rotating the wrists and neck. I was drenched with sweat at the end. Intellectually it was a struggle for me because I wanted "to show" the lotus, headstand and wheel. But I can honestly say these remain some of my most vibrant memories of focus, concentration and being completely immersed into practice.

The over-emphasis on physical fitness can be blamed on our culture, but that is just an easy out. It has more to do with the way Yoga has been advertised. People often like to say if you practice the poses you will gradually be lead to the more 'spiritual' dimensions. I personally think you can spend a lot of time and even years 'doing' asanas and never feel the freedom of the body, reach higher spiritual levels and/or quieten your mind. But interestingly enough it also works both ways. There are meditation teachers who have written they only 'sat' on 'stuff' for years never really penetrating the deeper regions of their minds. They only created a veneer of quiet time but never reached a deeper understanding of self.

I feel the notion the more you practice the postures the more you might be lead to the spiritual growth is somewhat misleading. How does it follow if one never thinks about removing the darkness from the soul, the dirt from the mind and/or purifying desires. I don't think it 'just' happens because you take up yoga postures. At the Sivananda organization a resident Swami once remarked the people who do yogasana practice are often more body conscious than those who do not.

The one difficult aspect to yoga being limited to exercise is that it provides only one slice of the benefits. Swami Vivekanada went so far as to say that Hatha-yoga never leads to spirtual growth. And Paramahansa Yogananda also felt that if you practise the postures you might lose your bliss! But leaving all of this aside, the practice of only side of yoga provides one side of the benefits. And the truth is the benefits should be met in a full practice that includes meditation, breathing, relaxation and self-study.

The axiom, "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make 'em drink" comes to my mind. I started off like this with my teacher telling me to meditate for years. I guess it is part of being human in having difficulty to follow through with what you know is important to practice. Until one day the teacher who kept mentioning meditation becomes your own inner voice.

Crisis 101

2011-03-24T17:17:00.000-07:00

In Chinese the characters making up the word 'crisis' are described as consisting of two elements. The first is danger and the second is opportunity. Understood as a fashionable and perhaps esoteric way of decoding Chinese characters, it is meant to imply a crisis equals a challenge or benefit.

Some linguists, however, disagree with this interpretation stating that it is muddled way of not only unravelling Chinese characters but looking at life. Victor Mair (a Chinese professor) states the understanding of the characters as implying an opportunity in the midst of danger is inaccurate. Furthermore, he feels it is foolish to go looking for benefits during a crisis. Mair's position is one in which he feels many people have been led "astray" by a romantic notion of there being a benefit from an unstable situation. Read: danger + crisis

Being curious about these arguments it is interesting how several self-help books and pseudo spiritual ones have rested on this description. But when a crisis like the recent one in Japan happens, it is almost a human need to try to find the good in this serious bad. Such a crisis can feel unreal, unfathomable and somehow distant. This distance should heighten not decrease the seriousness of the state of our world today. Is it enough, however, to recognize the global warning? Do we see this, but fail to commit ourselves to how we can make a difference? Why does it take a crisis to wake us up?

We probably need to be reminded how we are all part of this crisis (both near and far away). If we fail to recognize our part it is similiar to what the Buddhists and Yogis claim as ‘wrong-view’ or avidya (i.e., lacking the right understanding or perception). While it seems as if we are losing sensitivity and becoming disconnected to nature, each other and events around the world the truth is we are interconnected, and interdependent. What happens over there affect us on a global level, if not on a personal one. Slowly, slowly, we are seeing the effects of this on many levels; i.e., food, environment, products, water, air, etc., etc.

The crisis in Japan has become a call all over the world for help and to ACT. In many ways, it also forces us to re-evaluate our position; both economically and socially. Some people write blogs, tweet or send out mass e-mails. Some people are more private in their reflection. But no one stands immune.

In the West we live in a relatively comfortable environment. Few of us know or fear war or natural disasters. After making a dozen trips to India and having lived in South Korea for two yeras, there is a difference in the way Eastern people see, react and view life. What Georg Feuerstein (a Sanskrit scholar and historian) referred to as the West not having the context to insert the traditions of the East in, is now a growing concern in how we live and see ourselves in relation to others. He states in Yoga Unveiled (a DVD documentary on the history and tradition of Yoga) that the East is closer to death and impermanence; in the West we cover it up. While this may feel like a huge generalization it carries validity. People are more isolated in the West (re: a larger number of people live alone) and often lack a sense of family and possibly even community.

Far too often we have begun to see and treat each other as separate; moving away from our connection to the Earth itself. A recent study found that people who live closer to nature are less aggressive than those who are around a single tree (reference source from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn). Other studies have also shown there is a part of the brain understood to be rejuvenated by spending time in nature as well as animals. This explains why people feel refreshed by taking a walk or going to the park.

But why don’t we respect nature more?

Just the other day I watched someone throw their garbage out their car window. It is this kind of ignorance on a small level that ruins Mother Earth. We can rationalize our way out of our behaviours, but in the end it only speaks to the sense of ‘lack’, non-caring and disconnectedness.

According to the ancient texts we are living in the Kali Yuga age (the Dark or Iron age). This is understood as a time in which human beings are the furtherest away from the divine, inner peace and even God (if you will). There is no doubt we live in very uncertain, unsteady and unexpected times. Swami Veda Bharati (a direct disciple of Swami Rama and meditation teacher) wrote the following in reaction to the Japanese crisis:

It is said in the Puranas (the great cosmological epics of India in Sanskrit) that when the earth can bear no more the burden of human sins, she, our mother, turns on her sides and we all come tumbling down all over.

Some people may claim this is hog-wash and a natural disaster is a natural disaster. But are we not to blame for the imbalances that exist in the world? Or take responsibility? Krishnamurti (a great Indian spiritual teacher) used to say if we blame society we should blame ourselves as well. After all who is society? There are so many troubles going on right now. It has already been predicted in the year 2050 we will have lost 20% of our birds. The ocean will be more corroded than in its entire history of existence. Who has caused this to happen? Who lives on this planet Earth? Krishnamurti's questions are right on.

I started this essay with the confusion over the elements of the Chinese characters in the word 'crisis'. It often being described as the equation DANGER = OPPORTUNITY. While I do not think anyone would naturally go looking for this, I am prone to believe we almost have to come to this conclusion or at least consider the possibility. That is, what good can arise from the bad? It is perhaps a human need to make sense of the senseless even if illogical and inaccurate. If we cannot change the world, perhaps it will be enough to reflect on what we are doing right now. When we eat something, buy something, gather more possessions or decide to do anything, can we remind ourselves of its greater impact? Does it hurt me? The environment? Other people?

The rock band Coldplay puts it nicely, “Am I a part of the cure or Am I a part of the disease?”

Join me at The Yoga Way on April 2nd for a Karma Class in support of the crisis in Japan!
Visit The Yoga Way News for more details.

Assaulted Women's Help-line, Toronto

2011-03-10T09:56:00.001-08:00

Remember the donation box at the school? With everyone's loose change The Yoga Way raised $323.66! This is a wonderful charity for women. A very important resource and haven that hopefully many of us will not need to use. The money helps improve telephone lines and in different lanaguages (157, as I was told)....great.

This ought to cheer us up on a dreary March day; same with this interesting photo. Sort of resonates starkness, clarity, coolness and perspective.

Check out...

Twitter updates too. The monies raised for SSO recently was great as well.

SSO March 5, 2011

2011-03-08T08:17:00.000-08:00

It was a great day at the school. Long standing students, new ones, a teacher from another tradition, sacred friends and my next door neighbour came out to show their support!

This class took place as a part of the 6th annual Yogathon to raise money for SSO, the Schizophrenia Society of Ontario. In terms of energy (and as a great believer in this) we ran the class simultaneously to many other yoga classes taking place across the GTA. Fun and doing something for a very good cause definitely go together well.

For this class I opened it up; not teaching it in the traditional style of AtmaVikasa (http://theyogaway.com/yoga-meditation.html). Taking the suggestions from the participants we worked on konasansa (everyone's favorite), forward bends and the beloved squat. I threw in a few arm pressure postures, which I think everyone should learn to do.

We raised...a decent $423.00! For a single class it is not half bad.

So very special thanks to everyone involved. Including, as well, those students who donated but could not make it.

What is the Sound of One Hand???

2011-02-15T12:19:00.000-08:00

Ah, trick question no doubt! Tasty question though from the Zen Master Hakuim Ekaku (1685-1768)...he came up with this neat little koan.

Known first as a spiritual seeker and teacher he was immersed into Zen Buddhism at the age of 14. He gained considerable fame as monks and ordinary people flocked to hear him lecturing, etc. It was not until he was 60 that he began painting. (So who says age has something to do with learning?). He was no dabbler as he created abstract works containing mythological figures and something of a satirical touch. Hakuim was named a 'master' of it, however.

One of his calligraphy pieces depicts a monkey writing on a wall and another of a blind man consulting a one-eyed goblin. His poetry, however, is very much in-line with all that Yoga talks about (not yoga exercise but yoga yoga....just to be clear).

An ant goes round and round without rest
Like all beings in the six realms of existence,
Born here and dying there without release,
Now becoming a hungry ghost, then an animal.
If you are searching for freedom from this suffering
You must hear the sound of one hand.
These are still resonant words.
Take a break from the clamorous rat race of modern life.
Just listen.

Rats, squirrels and other rodents remind me of my father. Losing his self-control and almost out of desperation he said quite passionately to me,

"I just don't want you to end up like me. Like a squirrel going around in a cage."

He was talking about his life in the corporate world.

Funny, what you remember...and what a poem can uncover.

The Best Teachers are the Best Students

2011-02-07T12:07:00.001-08:00

Check out... 'Is Your Yoga Teacher Qualified?'

It's a good discussion including why 'The Best Teachers are the Best Students'

HOLD THAT POSE!

2011-02-03T10:55:00.001-08:00

Hold That Pose on March 5-Ontarians to Roll Out Their Yoga Mats in Support of Schizophrenia Society of Ontario.

The Yoga Way (Toronto's home to structured programs) is proud to be offering a class on Saturday March 5th at 2:30 p.m.

R.V.S.P. your attendance!

For more information....Go to SSO Event

Mysore-Mystore

2011-02-02T10:52:00.000-08:00

The heart of it all....Today, I had 5 e-mails from my friends in Mysore...One question:

How come I am not there and here?

Ehhh, there is no reasonable answer.

One friend was writing to tell me about his new job and how much money he will make. The other mails were on general stuff like feeling really happy about being in Mysore, the guys at the bookstore about my order for the world's smallest Bhagavad Gita, my friend's 80 plus academic rating (very important in a country like India) and best wishes for Sankranti (the festival marking the beginning of the harvest season). The only downer amongst the messages was the last one. When I returned the mail it was pointed out to me that the Sankranti message was not for me.

Message: "Not for you ma'am".

Me/ma'am: So why am I on the list?

Well, all things being equal I wish them all a nice "HI" in return!

Ah, yes the heart of it all....Mysore, aka: Yoga, Ashtanga (i.e., Krishnamacharya, Pattaabhi Jois, Yogacharya Venkatesha) and now countless other wanna-bees. Right. Too many yoga teachers and too little (or none at all) teaching standards (this is material for another post). Anyway...

In thinking about Mysore it is interesting how much it has changed and is changing all the time. Mysore, Mystore, has changed a lot from my first visit in 1999. It went from an old-charming suburb to pretty much a big city. 10 years ago the Lonely Planet stated there were 100,000 people. Today, I would guess there are at least over 1 million. My hotel buddies always say it is not as bad as Bangalore (yet) in terms of traffic. And I certainly hope it remains that way.

On the note of commericalization, however, believe it or not there is a store in Mysore named My-store. Funny. I find it funny.

Another funny is My-"sore". There was an actor who studied under Pattbai Jois years ago and he jokingly referred to the city as My-sore; making reference to the fact that you cannot leave the city and not be sore if you practise Ashtanga!

That is also funny.

Hearing from my pals in Mysore certainly drums up many memories. Nice to hear from them while it continues to snows here :-0

Kahlil Gibran

2011-01-30T15:47:00.000-08:00

!883-1930...why are the greats living such short lives...Or is it that their mission is complete and thus they depart?

Kahlil Gibran...the Austrian post said of his greatest book, "The Prophet" that he held onto it for four years before submitting it to his publisher. He said he wanted to be sure, really sure that every word was right. This man, whose literary power is understood to have come from some deep "reservoir of spiritual life," is yet to be surpassed. Each word is truly a masterpiece...each line a gift...and each chapter a book onto itself.

I am personally brought to tears when I read his work. It touches the heart so profoundly; even making the most ignorant and selfish person fall to their knees.

"Long were the days of pain I have spent within its walls, and long were the nights of aloneness; and who can depart from his pain and his aloneness without regret?"

"Too many fragments of the spirit have I scatterd in these streets, and too many are the children of my longing that walk naked among these hills, and I cannot withdraw from them without a bruden and an ache."

"It is not a garment I cast off this day, but a skin that I tear with my own hands."

"Nor is it a thought I leave behind me, but a heart made sweet with hunger and with thirst."

the Godfather of Fitness

2011-01-27T12:58:00.001-08:00

It's always sad when a 'great' person dies. Someone who has contributed a lot to society; affecting how people live, think and get along in life. And to be honest, I feel each time we lose one of these guys or gals there is no one to replace them.

It's not as if they are replaceable but there are very few people with the depth, insight and background of some of these 'greats' today. I suppose it's all relative but when Shri K. Pattabhi Jois, the Ashtanga Guru, passed away this was a loss. The same goes for the more recent departure of Jack LaLanne.

A lot of LaLanne's messages dealt with getting out of your rut, stopping feeling tired, learning to become happier and generally striving for all you can be. He said he worked out like he was running for the Mr. America contest. It is rare to encounter such people who possess such drive and energy. A lot of times people can really be the reverse; wet rags! And probably not even aware of how down they are.

Since his death there have been a lot of reviews on his life. An interesting comment was on how he changed the way people looked at exercise but he did not change their bodies. Apparently there are more obese people in the US than ever before! I hazard to guess that he did not change their bodies because he did not change their minds.

The age-old understanding according to Yogis and Buddhists is that mind controls body. If people are still working on themselves physically then it is only knee-deep (so to speak). Changing your body will ultimately involve changing your mind.

I believe this is 2000 per cent true. However, I don't think many people understand what this actually means. It does not mean that because you have a stocky build or short legs that suddenly you will have the legs of a run-way model. It means you will CHANGE your perception of your body. And this, people, changes your life!

A good example is people who are a bit overweight but look great. Yes, they do and they hide the extra tummy flab really, really well. My ex-partner or boyfriend (or whatever you want to refer to him as) was once upon a time quite overweight. Because of his air of self-confidence he did not appear to be. He looked good.

So there is a living example of what I am talking about!

How do you change your mind? The only way I know that is legal and free is by learning to meditate. No amount of yogasana will ultimately have this same effect. How can I make such a bold statement? Because I have exhausted asanas and still never learned to benefit from meditation. Maybe hard to believe but it was the case back in the early 2000's.

Today, it is popular for people to talk of meditation-in-motion and doing this while in a posture. But without being rude this is not correct. They are 2 different things and they should not be confused.

It is right you can meditate while in motion but it should not be confused with a formal sit-down session of meditation. These are 2 different conversations. It's like talking while walking and not talking while walking. Or better yet, sitting down for a meal with yourself versus standing up and eating.

How to meditate and why? I'll write about this in another post. I will add that many years ago I had a student who encouraged me to PUSH mediation as much as I do the asana practice. However, my experience has been you can lead someone to it but you cannot do it for them. In other words, I can become the great cheer-leader for meditation, but ultimately people have to make these decisions for themselves in understanding the great benefit.

For now, I want to pay homeage to Jack LaLanne; losing a 'great' is always a loss for everyone.

“Tara Stiles has got to be the coolest yoga teacher ever.”

2011-01-25T17:01:00.000-08:00

Really, I thought I was. No, just kidding. As the Yoga World continues to spiral out of control this is the latest news...

Actually, I do recall hearing about this gal a few years ago who is now referred to as the YOGA REBEL....It is a whole bunch of hoopla about a former model doing yoga in her bedroom, in her socks and telling students, "it's no big deal if you stretch a little or not."

You can read the New York Times article here entitled, Yoga Rebels. A friend of mine in the US sent it over (good to have informed friends)!

The quote above is what people are saying about her. But that's only on one side of the fence. On the other, the purits are scolding her. I personally find it best not to get too involved in any of these conversations, which are basically going no where. I mean, if she were my daughter I’d probably be cheering her on. If, however, she were my competition I’d probably be envious. If she was my friend or teacher I’d be wanting to get on her good side and if I were a man...well, you get the picture.

In today’s yoga map world being a yoga teacher is also on the 'cool' list! No wonder Eddie Stern, a long time practitioner of Ashtanga-yoga, once wrote it was embarrassing to be a yoga teacher or rather to say you teach yoga.

Nothing against being cool....but has it missed the point (a bit)?

I feel like shouting from a mountain top...

WILL THE REAL YOGA AND ITS TEACHERS PLEASE STAND UP....

(Silence)...

?

?

?

!

Sadhus & Toy Cars

2011-01-23T16:05:00.001-08:00

Taken in Hardiwar near the Ganges. When I saw this guy (often referred to as a Sadhu) I just had to snap a picture. I love the paradox it provokes. I also love the way it challenges the assumption that Sadhus (those who are seeking a spiritually inclined life) don't have fun. In fact, many of them are recovering drug addicts. I suspect they have had far too much fun and need a bit of balance.

So whose says Sahdus can't have fun or inspect a new toy car? It makes them lovingly human with all their weaknesses, fragilities and desires.

Truth is, no teaching, no teacher, no taught

2011-01-20T08:40:00.000-08:00

These lines might feel like unhelpful directions to a person looking to be told where to go, how to do it and what to do. But according to the Avadhoot Gita, a non-dual text, and interpreted by Mark Whitwell in Yoga of Heart this is how it really is.

The truth is, "no teaching, no teacher, no taught" is the path of Yoga and many other practices that ultimately are about the inner quest.

Funny, as connected to this esoteric discussion are the timeless questions of why are we here? what is the purpose? and who am I? I write funny because posing these questions to the modern-day student seems to provoke no reaction at all (as if they have been answered already) OR hostility in that this is getting "too deep".

Too bad, because these are the age-old questions that have been asked a thousand times over by the Masters, saints, sages and all those who have gone before in search of their earthly purpose. But in yoga's popularity today, it doesn't seem many people care to ask the questions or to know more. Perhaps it is fair to say that it is a portion of yoga that is losing face temporarily while exercise takes over. People will naturally evolve into the deeper realms just by keeping up the practice. While this is a seductive point it can also be argued that if the deeper meanings of yoga are not addressed one could miss the point for several years of their practice.

I have always found it interesting to learn how Zen Masters sat and meditated for years with no progress. They literally said, "they sat on stuff". It was not until they understood something of themselves and the deeper elements of practice (or were OPEN to receiving it) that they moved forward.

When I first read the line "no teacher, no taught" I was reminded of the book entitled, "If you Meet the Buddha on the Road Kill Him." This book, which gained some noterity in the 80's, sugggests a similiar notion in that someone 'teaching' you is a myth, a lie. No teacher can teach you anything unless you are prepared to walk the path and to test it out. If a teacher tells you this is the way and I will teach it to you, it is akin to meeting someone selling tickets to englighenment. The Buddha and the teacher are not outside; they are within.

It is also similiar to what the poet Gibran said on teaching...

Re: The teacher leads you to the threshold of your own mind.

This is how I see Yoga. This is why I practice. This is also why I teach.

The body is the external means, it is not the end. It is a journey in learning and being reminded of how we keep coming back to the body level only to be fooled again. We do many things with the body, but what do we do with the mind? People like to discuss how body/mind are linked and what you do with the body, you have done with your mind. Or, is it that you just keep repeating the same thing with no higher awareness. Kind of like going through the motions, brushing your teeth and all things that become routine.

Hm, this also sounds a bit like the dilemma of, "Which came first? The chicken or the egg?" According to the texts of yoga, however, the body came second and the mind created it.

These are of course murky waters. For how do we explain why people get into accidents? Why are some people born crippled? Why are some people less intelligent and others brillant? Buddhists say it is karma. And while this may seem a bit trite it is fashionable today to blame your situation on either karma or your parents!

Still, and getting back to being taught or not being taught it is all about taking responsibility. In my own journey, my teachers have not "taught" me anything at all.

Really.

They have set out a frame-work and a structure from which it has been up to me to explore. One of the misleading and vast assumptions made is that the teacher's role is to "teach" you. As a teacher, I feel the only way around this is not to enter into the arguement as to how people should see things better or even a particular way. But rather to lead them in a way that brings them to closer to this simple point.

For example, when someone learns to do the headstand pose (shirshasana), who has taught themselves how to get there? It certainly is not me. I only showed what could be done technically to get there...the rest was up to them. The student has done headstand not the teacher. The student has taught themselves based on what the teacher guided them to do.

In part, education can be blamed for the attitude that the teacher will show you the way in 'every-way'. Modern education provides very little importance to self-exploration and inquiry. And as Jack Miller, a professor at U of Toronto has stated in books on a holistic education, "education ignores the inner life."

Starting off with Yoga may begin at the physical level. But the truth is, as well, it does not end there and teachers should make no mistake in reminding their students of this. This never takes away from becoming more flexible, strong and agile, but according to Sage Patanjalim these were secondary not primary goals. They were the by-products of yoga but not the central aim.

Many times, and for fleeting moments, I have discovered and felt the time-limited quality of this body (re: death). We may 'think' we understand this basic idea, but the notion of it actually being this way is something entirely different. A bit scary also since I am not familiar with death yet.

I, myself, started with Yoga as a means for body 'perfection'. But this very desire has, fortunately, lead to an understanding of the way that the body is decaying, subject to injury, prone to decay and never the same each day. And what's more, how deeply rooted the mind is to one's body identity and image.

Ah, body identity...a thousand images competing with each other. Which one is true, which one is real, which one is "me"? Being fat, thin, short, long, lean, tall, stocky, petite, small, large, etc...etc...There are no end to the adverbs.

Once many years ago I had the questions enter my mind:

"If you were not this body and this identity to this body WHO would I be?"

"What choices would have been different?"

Give Yoga 2011

2011-01-11T08:27:00.000-08:00

2011 Charity of Yoga: Events & Donations

I am proud to support and contribute to the following events below. From karma classes to a donation box these are some of the places where the money raised will be going. Small steps for big reasons.

The Schizophrenia Society of Ontario (SSO) launched its Peace of Minds campaign earlier this year, and on March 5, 2011, they host the sixth annual Yogathon for Schizophrenia to benefit the campaign. The Yoga Way will be participating to the SSO for the week of March 1st-6th by offering a FREE (that's right free) KARMA CLASS.

Save the Date: Sat. March 5th at 2:30 p.m. to 3:40 p.m. Suggested donation of $15-20 for the class. Bring your own mat. Pre-pay or pay when you arrive.

Big Brother and Big Sisters of Toronto: Yoga Classes. During the month of January and February I will be teaching several classes in the GTA for the Go Girls Program. This is a a part of the BB & BS non-profit organization, which will help girls (ages 11-13 years old), with the skills and knowledge of living an active lifestyle, through balanced exercises, breathing and promoting positive self esteem.

Applegrove Community Complex: Serving as a non-profit organization for the Riverdale Community in Toronto. Holding their 5th annual Yoga-thon in 108 sun salutations. Bring a mat, bring a friend and donate what you can! Find out more Applegrove

Assaulated Women's Helpline: Donation Box. For December to mid-February there is a donation box making its home at the school. Leave a $1 or $2 when you come to class. All of the funds will go to maintaining and supporting phone lines in over 150 languages (including for the deaf and blind). What I love about this is that the money supports all the areas that the Ontario government does not provide funding for. Even better is that it is not going to admininstrative costs!

Yoga in Motion 2011. At the school find brouchures for this event to see how you can become part of a very special day. Combine fun with fitness and (bonus, support research for cancer. Did you know...

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among Canadian women. In 2008, an estimated 22,400 Canadian women and 170 men were diagnosed with breast cancer and over 5,000 did not survive.

Sadly, I have known and know too many people both friends of my family as well as family members of prior students who have died of cancer. A great event...Learn more at Yoga.

You Don't Have to Practise Any of That Stuff.....

2011-01-06T09:31:00.000-08:00

Whenever I read very nice sounding words on love, peace, joy and extending out a big energy vibe to the world and those around us, I get a little bit nervous. It's not because I don't believe in it or feel passionate. It's more to do with the fact that it is easy to get caught up in words and "feel greats", which are in the end short-lived. Something of a Roman candle.

Today I was surfing around and reading what a few other people had to say. As I continued with one blog on what it means to be 'spiritual' (and that's a loaded word anyway) it had a few interesting catch-phrases.

The arguement or rather dialogue was laid-out as a series of questions on what it means to be spiritual? Do you have to join a meditation group? Do you have to repeat mantras? Do you have to become a convert of some practice?

The next line read you don't have to do any of those things. Really?

It is right you don't have to do any of those particular things, but you do have to do something. Gautama Siddhartha (The Buddha) did not become Buddha by sitting on his ass and reading a book on love. By doing something I am referring to practice. What struck me as misleading is the way people suck up well-sounding words, repeat them for themselves and others to hear and read. They fail to really look into the deeper meaning or even question their meaning, and relevancy.

It's not that we have to pick issue with everything we hear and read, but it is good to become a bit more critically minded and discuss rather than blindly accept. In fact, Swami Vivekananda clearly stated many times that you should not believe anything he says. Get out there and find it for yourself.

How's that? By practising.

Eh?

The fact is practice (and not words) is the only way to understand anything related to spiriutality. It cannot be understood through words alone. And this is precisly the problem with a lot of Western pop-self-help books today. They candy coat the hard work of practice and the continous struggle of it.

We can all talk up a good storm and story (lawyers are too clever on that), but in the end do you practice?

Today there is a huge arena to choose from. Practice could be yogasana, breathing, sitting, meditation, mantras (as was poo-poohed earlier), walking meditation....It really does not matter....It's that you have some kind of framework from which to learn to dance within. And something to practice what the 'word' cheer-leader professes can be skipped.

Many practises, one path

As the Buddhist Monk Choygam Trungpa said there are 3 basic points to being on the path (or a path):
1) you have a teacher;
2) you have a practice and;
3) you practice.

One of the greatest blind spots that Master Sivananda spoke about was that 'real' spiriutality has to do with burning off your asuric (Sanskrit word) tendencies. These are the negative qualities of being human. He went onto say that one should never believe they are even close to the goal. Because who among us has truly freed themselves from greed, lust, anger, resentment, hate and pride?

It is practice...and practice alone which is the "REAL" teacher....and only practice that will bring one closer to understanding what love is, what repsect is, what a hug means and how we can become kinder people not just meaning well but 'doing' well.

What I understand from "you don't have to do any of that stuff" is that it gets you off the hook and appeases laziness. It's similiar to the advice that the Moscow Art Director Constantin Stanislavsky gave his actors.

He said something to the effect of, "Fear your admirers for they will never tell you the truth about your art." I don't think he meant be afraid literally (there is already way too much fear in the world). I believe he meant one should be on their toes and not give in to well-sounding words.

Keep practising...All the Greats say it.

If I can practice, you can practice.

What you practise is, of course, up to you.

Sunset

Jamaicaaaa

2011-01-03T08:30:00.000-08:00

Ya man...Jamaica in 2010...and January 1st, 2011!

Left Toronto on December 25th and arrived in Montego Bay, staying at the Negril Yoga Centre. (I will speak about that experience later which consisted of the walls shaking and interesting sounds coming from above our heads on the first night....Okay, no one said this was a club for celibacy). But still it could be a great place for a retreat:-

It was definitely surreal sitting at the beach on Christmas day with swollen ankles from the flight and on TO (Toronto) brain-waves. Still, getting away from it all is unmatched from what we met up with in Jamaica.

I learned to cook the national food (akee), a fruit that is absolutely delicious, rented a scooter and paid a security guard to allow us to have a guided 5-minute walk-about tour on the plantation (a complete scam). I was so furious my corel stoned bracelet got scared and popped off. So not only was I ripped off in Jamaica but I lost precious jewellery.

On the beach there was every attempt on my part to stay secluded while being sold everything and anything from fruits, bowels, shells, grass and drum-sticks. (I just threw in the latter for effect.) It was what I came to refer to as 'Highway Beach Robbery.' One morning I bought an avacado for $200 Jamaican (about $1.90 CDN). At those prices I could have stayed in Canada and shopped at Whole Foods.

So stay tuned for the upcoming posts on:

Highway Beach Robbery

Akee & Irie
(the national dish & the Jamaican word for 'great')

Morgan Freeman at the Negril Craft Market

and

the Jamaican Handshake

P.S: It will take some time to get this done. And it will take some time to get un-done.

Winter Solstice

2010-12-23T19:20:00.000-08:00

As the year comes to an end it is wonderful time for shopping, good cheer and spending time with family, and friends. However, it is also a special time for reflection. December 21st marked a very important date in Vedic Astrology with respect to the full moon and the eclipse.

The winter solstice is not only the shortest day of the year but a lunar eclipse took place. And this, by the way, only happens ever 375 years. With the moon at its highest point in the northern hemisphere the energies of Shiva (male) and Shakti (female) are said to be vital and strong. It is also a full moon in Gemini representing improvements in communication both in the written and spoken word.

Usually in the camps of Ashtanga-yoga, practice is not taken on both full and new moons. My teacher Yogacharya once said he did not follow this. However, while in India we strictly followed many note-able dates in which there was no practice. These were Krishna's birthday, the Ganesha festival and others. I guess you could say all of India was following these except for the "spiritually uninclined" in which it was a bank holiday.

At the end of this year, it is a time to reflect and give thanks for what has taken place, what has been accomplished and who have been a part of it. My students are a big part of the school. And without them there would be no school at all. Sounds obvious, but it is true. It reminds me of an e-mail I wrote to a student thanking her the gift she gave me.

I wrote, "We should start a "Thank you, No, thank you" group."

On the other side of things, however, it may become easy to see how much there is still left to do...and/or what lies ahead. Yet practising to be grateful for whatever comes up and to the many obstacles that may arise in practice (yes, the obstacles), in life or otherwise is all a part of the path. A fitting Sanskrit line is that of:

Jai Ma! Jai Ma! (Glory to all)

Sorry if I sound like a recovering Hindu or a converted Christain. I am not, however. Once during a lecture at a private school in Toronto I was asked by a high school student if I was Hindu. I wished I had said,

"No, my mother would kill me!"

Instead, I said I was not. (Sorry to disappoint.) I wish I had said, "I am an un-Hindu". This is actually what a great spiritual teacher said when he was described as being a 'Hindu'. He also went on to say we should "undo" many of our hidden or rather deep-seated issues that might be undoing our progress in some of the important areas of this life.

These areas are: love, relatonships and love.

So with the passing of the winter solstice and the end of the year it is a good time to look within. We can look to the many great teachings and the teachers. But as a friend of mine recently told me,

"Don't look to the lofty ideals of the Vedic teachings but to the daily interactions you have. These will tell you more about how much you are progressing than anything else and/or how much home-work you have yet to really do."

On this wise note, so long 2010...and hello 2011.

Seekers in TO

2010-12-12T16:45:00.000-08:00

Every once in a while I pop into Seekers Bookstore on Bloor Street West. I like this bookstore a lot and enjoy nosing around. I decided to drop by today and ask again if they had any books by Dr. David Frawley. While the conversation I had with the clerk was brief it was a good reflection on how yoga has been taken up in this culture.

Me: "Hi. Do you have any books by Dr. David Frawley?"

Clerk: "Hm, the name sounds familiar. What would it be under?"

Me: "Probably Yoga and Ayurveda."

Clerk: "Hmmm, would that be yoga meditation or yoga exercise?"

Me: (pause) "Hmmm" (I know I have less than 2 seconds to just answer the question and by-pass why yoga is yoga and NOT yoga meditation or yoga exercise or yoga hola-hooping.) ... "probably yoga meditation" (sounds more artsy).

Clerk: "If it is any where, it is here."

_________________

What struck me as curious is the total distinction made between yoga meditation and yoga exercise. It is actually very interesting how culturally it has evolved into this understanding and placed into different camps. In many ways it is similiar to the way people have come to understand Ashtanga-yoga and what everyone else is practising (re: Hatha-yoga).

Interesting, as well, since the definition of Hatha-yoga is:

"Hatha Yoga describes any of the physical practices of yoga. (Remember that yoga has eight limbs, only one of which, asana, involves doing yoga poses.) When you do Iyengar, this is hatha yoga; when you do Ashtanga, this is hatha yoga too. “Hatha yoga” can be used interchangeably with “yoga.” "

Whenever I clear the air on what they each mean I find myself saying something like:

"Hatha-yoga is the umbrella term. Ashtanga is a part of it...sometimes called power-yoga. It was also popularized when people like Madonna and Sting said they practised it."

My trite definition is usually met with a knowing glance and accepted at face value. It just gets confusing when all yogas are called Ashtanga-yoga because most people have left out the fact that the foundation to ALL yoga is Ashtanga-yoga (meaning 8 limbs involving the practice of ethics, morals, observances and meditation).

Leaving this aside, however, what is more interesting is that even in India people don't necessarily have a clearer understanding of what Yoga is; an assumption easily made given Yoga's origin. At a hotel in Bangalore, the concerige and I had a quick chat on yoga. This was during the same year that I was conducting research on yoga in the Indian school system. Being both a foreigner and a yoga teacher drummed up some superficial interest. Our conversation went like this:

Concerige: This yoga, I am interested in that.

Me: Yes, it is becoming popular.

Concerige: I hear a lot about it. Is it good for losing weight?

___________________________

Frankly speaking, I don't recall how the conversation ended but I am sure it ended quickly. I was surprised at the direct relationship to how yoga was about weight loss as it was to mental control, focus, calm and/or relaxation. What is indeed curious is the way that the West's influence has reflected itself back into the very country that yoga originated from. How ironic!

Yoga Master B.K.S. Iyengar states in the The Tree of Yoga (1988) how Indian people began to value yoga because of the West. He was quite indignant when it came to this point because he felt that Indians should show 'pride' and 'respect' in their roots first, and not when Westerners show up and claim it is great. Iyengar goes on to say that being a yoga teacher was not well respected in his early career. He did not gain popularity until he was introduced to the world by the great musician Yeudu Menduian (also ironic). While he was trying to build up his yoga practice and teaching abilities people called him a "mad-cap." Most Indian men were chasing the Western dream of becoming a lawyer or doctor. Yoga was for sadhus, renounicants (i.e., those who leave convention and seek a more spiritually minded way of living) or the very poor.

I am not sure this attitude has changed all that much within India. A yoga student's father laughed at me when he heard I had come to India to study yoga. He told me they think about putting food on their table. Talk about a slap in the face and a reality-check. While there may be exceptions, it appears that being a yoga teacher is still not all that respected especially for women in India. To date, there are very few women teachers who make their living soley from teaching yoga. And even if they do they have not established themselves in the yoga community/world like their male counterparts have. Can you name a well-known Indian woman teacher (who is not associated with a man)?

This may slowly be changing as one of the Indian students involved in my research and also a champion of yoga was starting to teach in India. It does remain, however, a very different scene from the Western one in which there are more female yoga teachers than males. Not only are there more females teaching but more females "into" yoga. A quick look at the demographics of The Yoga Journal show that 89% of the subscribers are female.

Yet, teaching yoga in North America is not neceassarily deemed as a wonderful career either by the way. As yoga's popularity increased being a teacher is something that nearly every-one is doing (re: as a side job for extra cash, as a way to meet like-minded people, etc.). Not necessarily a bad thing, but it leaves the teaching profession of yoga (let alone being a 'yoga' teacher) open-ended and in many ways shaped by those who are in it. Teaching yoga today may be seen as 'cool' but it is also felt to be something embarassing. Eddie Stern (director of Ashtanga Yoga New York and Ganesha Temple in NYC) points out in a recent Huffington Post article,

"I am at the point where I am almost embarrassed to say that it is what I do because it can sound like such a cliche."

Read: Bent on Learning

Sadly, I agree with this; happily, I am not alone.

_____________________

So, you know, all good things to mull over while chopping on a carrot stick.

In end, there were no books today by Dr. David Frawley.

Yoga-Phone Madness

2010-11-24T08:49:00.000-08:00

What's all the talk on dharma, relationships and how to get along in life if we can't put it to the test? Without going mad? Without getting just a bit p*&%* d off?

Ah-aaa! That's when the real test comes.

As background, I have been dealing with Bell over many issues that are now 7 months old. To date, I have been called "Cindy", have 5 ticket numbers for services that went AWOL and a guy named Marshall asking, "You having trouble with your line?"

Waiting to be served (again)
Let me count the problems on a business line:
1. fax line...there is no fax;
2. no signal/line...dead;
3. competing line even though I got there first;
4. busy signal when folks try to call in;
5. cut line due to construction;
6. the voice-mail does not pick up;
7. com'on there must be another one!

Progress is extremely slow.

Explaining the issues (again)
PS: They better not ask if they can take a survey.

Happy BA Customer

2010-11-18T12:22:00.000-08:00

If you were following my post about my BA complaint letter in poor customer service on my recent flight home from India, I finally received a reply.

As anticipated I got the "we are sorry" bit and "thanks for your patience". I also got a $15 cheque for the monies I spent on food in London and few thousand miles added to my account. I also got the standard and overused line about how they are not responsible and try to do their best. And because the flight was not cancelled it does not fall under the recently new refund/compensation act called EU Compensation.

Well, heck no, the flight was never cancelled; it just left on-time and without a lot of the passengars!

In the end, I had the sense British Airways was a bit more humane than other airlines in that they "try to listen, learn and improve." I was surprised at the free miles so at least that says something.

But as I read the line about the $15 cheque they were sending, I wondered why didn't I order a steak, a wine, a beer, a cream puff pie....??? (even if I don't eat those kind of foods)...I could have hung around longer and chatted up the guy next to me at the bar. He was interested in my travels while shoving fresh fries into his mouth.

Ah, dealing with the customer relations of an airline.......all part of the adventure.

On Teaching

2010-11-15T17:13:00.000-08:00

A student recently asked me to write down some of the lines I say in class. He feels they are 'classics' and worth remembering. Well, good that one of us thinks so, because I often have a hard time recalling what the heck I said since it happens on the spur of the moment. And besides, like many things in life ‘you sort of had to be there' to appreciate what was said. Taking it out of context looks like I might have the yoga whip close by. This is not true....just let me reassure you.

That said, here’s a few lines which are good enough to make public. To help things remain in their proper context, I have prefaced each line with what was happening.

To a student who was not breathing:

“Only dead people do not breathe.”

Instructing a student in warrior pose:

“Straighten your leg. In yoga straight has a new meaning. Straight is straighter.”

Giving an adjustment to a student in cobra:

“If I had another set of arms I’d really be able to help you out here.”

When a student misinterpreted the instructions and went to the resting pose:

“I know you are already at the resting pose. But sorry, we have a bit to get through.“

In shoulder stand posture:

“Don’t go for plastic surgery practise more shoulder stands. Marilyn Munroe practised this routinely. (Pause with laughter)...Also good for the boobs” (More laughter).

To be honest, I think a yoga class without a few good laughs at yourself, the teacher or just life in general is not worth taking or attending.

I could probably write a book on teaching, the art of it, its challenges, the intense way it makes you strive to be a better communicator and the way it challenges me to understand people, including myself. Because if I can't explain this to someone else I might not understand it properly either. I am pretty sure, however, that a lot of people do not understand that the teacher is also learning. In the West we are more accustomed to the G-E-T the degree and S-E-T-T-L-E down mentality. It was the Great Yoga Master B.K.S. Iyengar who said that ALL Yoga teachers are learning. He also said he was a beginner and this is well over 75 years of teaching and practising. So if he is a beginner then I must be back at the embryo stage.

It is the beginner mind that remains fresh, open, relaxed, non-judgemental and non-defensive. In zen they call it "no" mind and in yoga e-ka-gra-ta (one pointedness). Remaining beginner-minded is probably the toughest thing to do especially after practising for many years. It is something to be reminded of and in many ways the most important lesson of yoga.

I recently read a quote on someone’s blog entitled the Reluctant Ashtangi about when you fall, learn to fall better. There is some hidden poetic justice in there....re: fall better. It was nice and uplifting, because usually when we think of falling we see it as a failure. Maybe it is only words but it better to have tried and failed then to never have done anything.

backbending

2010-11-15T14:04:00.000-08:00

"Just as a piece of iron is forced to bend when placed into the fire,
the body too will fold when heated and sustained within a posture."

Journeys

2010-11-08T14:16:00.000-08:00

Often we think of a journey in the literal sense as going to a specific place and returning home. Journeys, however, can take place right in our very home, our families and within the hum-drum of everyday existence. Perhaps it is then that they are even more significance in that the ordinary becomes extra-ordinary. Too bad we seem too thick to catch it!

In India there is a beautiful saying on how journeys are forever. People come and go....and when it is sad to leave the line is:

I go so that I may return

I do not personallly believe that one has to travel around the world to have the feeling that they have embarked on a journey. They don't HAVE to but probably they should! The journey can also lie in the every day activities. It might entail being in the process of moving, writing a blog, calling up a friend, doing something for someone else or saying a kind word to help brighten another person's day.

The journey takes place everyday not just when we hop on a plane, bus or train. But to be honest, I was in my traveller's state of mind while writing this and feeling homesick for India. I could happily jump a plane tomorrow.

Spirituality

2010-11-06T09:34:00.000-07:00

Nearly everytime you talk about spirituality or any related topic people tend to cringe and jump to the conclusion you are discussing religion. Much of the literature on spirituality does not help either by calling it the Big "S" word. I remember this from the material I thumbed through while writing my thesis on Yoga in the Indian School System. And since Yoga is historically attached to spirituality it became a 'meaty' topic to fill up a few chapters (no vegetarian pun intended).

My thesis discussion was mainly focused on what does spirituality refer to? And how to re-educate parents, children, administrators and in general the entire Western educational system from placing religion and spirituality in the same pot. (I know a bit pretentious to think the entire system could be revamped, but not without merit.) Getting back to the point, however, when we talk about "spirituality" what do we mean or not mean?

As per my 'lecture for today' during the meditation class I asked the students what thoughts and ideas come to mind when they hear the word 'spirituality'. Here’s what came up:

Internal Energy
Belief
Faith
God
Related to religion

Generally in this culture (re: North America) we have tended to equate spirituality with faith, devotion, a type of religion and the church. But is this how Yoga sees it? Is this how the Great Yogis have explained it? As an aside when I refer to the Great Yogis I am talking about human beings who went beyond the asana (posture) stage and toward the deeper and higher realms of consciousness. In the asana world these people are hardly known or in some camps of Yoga they might not be known at all!

One man who comes readily to mind is Swami Sivananda: a great man who pretty much stands in his own class. For those not familiar with him he was a medical doctor before renouncing both family and wordly life. He dedicated the remainder of his mission on earth to healing the sick, caring for the needy, building ashrams, sending his disciple Vishnu-Devananda to the West and wrote over 300 books on spiritual life. He also created the Divine Life Society.

Sivananda's view and definition of spirituality is very different from what most of us have been conditioned to understand as spirituality. He said spirituality is eradicating and lessening the negative qualities (the asuric aspects) of our personality. These negative qualities are irritation, depression, envy, jealousy, competitiveness, anger and pride. He also went on to say that no one should ever believe they are even remotely close to that goal. By reducing the negative tendencies the following arises:
Kindness
Ego (less sense of “I”)
Purity
This, he said, is the meaning of TRUE spirituality. Frankly speaking I wished I had read or rather understood this sooner. I could have cut to the chase earlier while doing my thesis research.

Bringing forth this definition is really interesting, because no where does Sivananda say anything about God, church, religion, having faith and/or devotion. The latter may arise after lessening the negative tendencies of one's personality, but no where does he state you HAVE to start with it. Taking this point a bit further, Swami Vivekananda also remarks in the Raja Yoga that you should not believe in anything blindly. If I may be so bold as to paraphrase Swami Vivekananda's words he felt one should get out there and find out for themselves. The Buddha also talked about this in that one would be better off learning by "direct experience"; a similiar viewpoint taken by Sage Patanjalim in the Yoga Sutras. That is, direct experience alone is the only truth. (Yoga Sutras: Samadhi, Verses 7-13.)

In one of Sivananda's letters he wrote on spirituality: Remember what it means.

Kindness
Less Ego
Purification

Hm, maybe someone can use this for their sermon in church on Sunday!

Pathetically Funny

2010-11-06T03:15:00.000-07:00

If I had a sense of humour I would find the bolded line in the itemized list below of British Airway's bad customer service funny. But since this actually happened to me I do not find it all that funny (well, maybe in 10 years)...

On the way back from what was a wonderful trip to India and a stop-over in Zurich with a surprise hop to Matterhorn, it ended with the saga of BA. The flight home was missed due to bad weather conditions in Zurich. What happened afterwards was so pathetic it had to be funny.

In a recent letter to BA's customer relations in which I am attempting to get back my 9 Euro dinner (I know, that's also good for a laugh, but it is the principle of the matter), I wrote the following:

While delays and missing planes are common it was the behaviour and treatment we received as passengers that was absolutely terrible. This is an itemized list of the poor consumer service:

1) Standing in line for 6 hours to rebook the ticket;
2) Bad information provided by BA staff such as advising passengers to pick-up their luggage and/or go to another ticketing booth, which resulted in passengers losing their spot in the long queue;
3) Passing out a number to call the BA reservation center to speed up the process but who (byw) do not handle ticket rebookings (more bad info);
4) Only 3 BA staff members to serve over 150 economy class passengers and 2 BA staff members to serve 20 people in First Class;
5) Reaching a hotel for the night who served one half eaten pasta dish and a cream-puff pie for dessert;
6) Being informed by the manager of the hotel it was BA’s fault for not giving sufficient notice that 200 people were arriving.

I'll let you know the end result, which will probably be:

Thanks for writing and sorry for your trouble.

the Smallest B.G.

2010-11-02T16:24:00.001-07:00

Today I received a package I had ordered from Mysore. Two of the smallest editions of the B.G. (Bhagavad Gita meaning the Song of Devotion or God's Song). This book is often known as the Hindu bible, but stands equally as strong as one of the greatest epics on life; how to live, think and understand karma, attachment and culture.

Written in 18 chapters with 700 powerful verses on all aspects of Yoga; right thinking, purfiication, battling inner and outer demons, and practising non-attachment. Unforunately, this kind of text has become somewhat under-rated and left unread. Many savvy yogis might even think of it as being too abstract, boring, irrevelant and high-spirited. Yet it is bang on when it comes to what Yoga is truly about; i.e., moving beyond asana practice and into the heart of the matter.

So for those who have a really short attention span the B.G. is available in this handy pocket sized version. Probably not only the smallest B.G. in size, but the smallest in content.

To illustrate just how small it is the B.G. was taken next to a pencil in this photo!

To Talk of God

2010-10-11T12:03:00.000-07:00

Returning home to Canada after being in India for 7 weeks is like entering another 'world' of understandings, customs and thinking. Stay tuned for the next post on how North Amercia's climate of culture and emphasis on material goods is different from India's deep-rooted tradition on the G-word (God).

In India, spirituality tends to permeate through the air like the aroma of a good cup of coffee. People talk openly about God and it is not meant in a literal way. God may mean the blue sky, eternity and a beautiful sunset. It is generally understood and assumed that God created everything. Because Hinduism gives rise to many different faces of God it is hard to know as a Westerner which one is being spoken about. However, this is precisely the point: God's image is not fixed on an exact form or vision like many Western images of God tend to be.

the Alps

2010-09-30T08:27:00.000-07:00

On my way back from India I made a pit-stop in Zurich, Switerland. I have always wanted to visit or rather see the Alps. There is of course a world-wide aura around the Swiss Alps, Swiss banks and Swiss chocolate. In fact, the legendery Toblerone chocolate was shaped after the infamous Matterhorn; a beautiful part of the Alps. Matterhorn stands at 4, 478 meters (approximately 14, 000 feet) and lies between the Swizterland and Italy border.

In the ski town of Zermatt, Matterhorn is the center-piece no matter what direction you are moving. Zermatt is filled with beautiful chalets, hotels, lots of restaurants, cafes and shopping. It can be difficult to find food for a vegan, but ´Grand-Pi´s Pizzeria´ had a great green pasta dish with wild mountain mushrooms.

Although Matterhorn is the last Alpine peak, and a part of the Pennine Alps lying motherly to the side, it is definitely a mountain onto itself. Known as one of the deadliest mountains many people have died during their ascent. There is a cemetery honouring all those who have fallen for their passion; some of the grave stones even include the climber´s ax. The interesting part is most of the deaths occured on their descent and not on the way up. I would have thought getting there is the hardest part, but perhaps it is the way down that is much more dangerous and when the climber is tired.

Getting to Zermatt is first by car, then a train-car (you drive onto a train in single file) and again followed by train, but a passengar one. Around Zermatt are electrically driven cars so indeed the air is cleaner and better than probably most places in the world. We were fortunate to have dry, sunny days with good views of the mountain region. There was this wonderful feeling of being smothered by the mountains and such freah clean air; a welcome encounter after India.

Outside of skiing there is hiking, shopping and eating (don´t mind if I do all three). At the end of these stressful days most hotels offer evening sauna and solarium time (don´t mind if I try both)....And it would not have been right to have skipped practising Yogasanas with Matterhorn as the perfect backdrop.

India Sojourn

2010-09-30T02:42:00.000-07:00

My Indian sojourn has slowly come to a close. I hope you had a chance to catch up with the news by reading the various posts. It has been a wonderful period of study, travel, rekindling friendships and seeking new teachers.

These journeys are an extremely important time for me both professionally and personally. When I took my first trip in 1999 it was for the sole purpose of learning yoga. These last few trips, I have to admit, have also been for my love of India; the people, the culture, the food and the incredible landscape.

This year marked my 12th annual trip. In Hindu mythology, the number twelve represents growth and maturity. Since I am not sure about how much one ever “matures” I will suspend any comments. But these opportunities to continually learn, study and travel are well worth everything that takes place to make it happen. I never take it for granted that I will be heading to India EACH year. I work hard for 10 and a half months out of the year to be able to afford such a trip (the bills never stop while away). From the time I get back to Toronto, I am saving, planning and organizing the ´next´ sojourn. And being self-employed does not allow me to get the company to pay for it, because I am the company.

Over the years I have made and maintained many good relationships with the people in India. So much in fact that when I end up owing them money they trust I will repay it the following year. It’s funny since a debt owing to people in my own country has been asked for within a few weeks. It is so sweet as well when street vendors, shop-keepers, hotel staff and friends are now customized to asking, "Next year Madam?"

And they add, "I will wait for you."

On my way from Bangalore to Mysore this September (today a smooth 3-hour journey by car, in prior years it was a nightmare), I was thinking about how I would never exchange these experiences for the world...(well, okay, if it came with a chai...maybe...or the chance to stay in India forever.)

If you missed my blog (it is never too late to get started). There were posts on Kolkatta, Haridwar, the land of the Gods, the Himalayans, dancing in the street and taking a dip in the Ganges. The more recent ones were on crashing an Indian wedding, the cost of living in Mysore, teaching Indian children and head massages.

Thanks for your read and being a part of this remarkable journey.

Head Massages

2010-09-30T02:04:00.000-07:00

No sooner had I sat down on a cofy chair in the reception area the attendant said, "It is ready, Madam." Being lead to a small dimmly lite room, I was escorted by Gita, my favourite massage therapist, into the change area.

"Change your dress, mam."

Following these instructions as if I had entered a dream world I hung up my shirt, pants and took off my shoes. Each of the towels had flower-heads arranged on them. I felt a bit funny destroying the presentation, but this is how it was meant to be. Entering the massage room with soft waterfall music playing in the background and Gita standing by is like a dream world far away from many of the things I know of India and life. Inside of these walls there is nothing to do but relax.

Sitting on a chair, Gita chants a short Hindu prayer for healing, restoration and energy before the session started. She then started to apply hot oil with a continual separation of each part of my hair until my entire head was drenched in hot sticky oil.

"Temperature okay?" asks Gita.

So far all is smooth, soft, serene, slow and gentle until we get to the actual head massage. Watch out is my advice because this can be rather non-relaxing. Pulling at the strands from the roots this is suppposed to promote hair growth. Rubbing vigorously on the scalp prevents hair loss and pre-mature greying. Pushing each part of the hair back and forth is understood to promote hair strength. The pressure is firm and Gita doesn´t react to my occasional whinces or wines.

She asks softly, "Pressure okay, mam." Not wanting to look like a wimp I tell her it´s all okay.

"Ah, Eee, Oooo...",the massage continues with my head being pushed forward and backward while she folds my ears over and covers my eyes. This time there is very little hair on the floor from the hair pulling. I comment about it to Gita.

"More protein, mam."

With regular hair oil treatments, shampooing and a bunch of treatments I had in Kolkatta at the Vedic Spa, I have noticed a definite thickness and decrease in the loss of hair. One of the oils that was recommended to me promotes an Indian woman with long thick black hair down to her knees. I asked the doctor at the clinc if I would have such long, lusty hair. His reply was a short laugh. I took that to be a possible ´maybe´ if I used the stuff regularly.

It could be Bollywood time...and I could look like this...In India having long thick wavey hair is the fashion. Most Indian woman despite wearing it in a pony-tail have this fabulous long flowing mane. And talk about THICK! It's like four times the amount of mine.

After the head massage comes the neck and shoulder treatment which is divine. Sort of makes up for the hair pulling! Full head rolls, left and right and shoulder movements backward and forward. I specficially had asked for Gita because she has these long spindle-like fingers that give both great pressure and the tinkles.

"S´okay mam," asks Gita as I nod off during the treatment.

"Hm fine," I say while being jostled out of the dream-world.

The treatment ends with the ritual of hot steamed towels on the back, head and face.

One of them was pretty hot and I have act to confess to being the whimp and yelping in my chair. Gita removed the towel and fanned it around before reapplying it.

The session ends with Om Shanti....I say it along with Gita and go back to the dressing room. Gita had thoughtfully placed a small red flower on top of my shirt as I slowly bring myself back to earth with the mundane task of getting dressed.

To help the scalp and hair absorb the medicated oils it is recommended that you do not take a shower or wash for 24 hours. Gita had braided my hair into a tight pony-tail which helped keep some of the oil on my hair and not my clothes. But during the day most of it was on the back of my shirt.

Back out at the reception area and paying the bill reality was not all that shocking with a cost of $15 for the 30-minute treatment. And just as I prepared to leave a group of white swans with one duck in the middle marched by in a single file. They walked in perfect unison with one another and it was a delightful vision to follow.

Looking amazed the attendant asked me if this is something I would see in my country.

I only laughed as I signed the receipt and left. We all know that swans are not walking around freely even in the best of places.

English Fun

2010-09-30T01:59:00.001-07:00

I love teaching English to the Indian children. I love the interaction as much as I do the chance to feel as though I am helping them in a small way. The children are full of life, love, purity and passion. It feels very rewarding especially when they ask or rather demand that I keep teaching:

“Keep going, Miss.”
“Yah, more Miss….more opposite words.”
“Good teaching, Miss”
“Really Nice, Miss”
“You a teacher in your country?”
“Stay longer, Miss”

Our latest lesson was on finding opposites and making sentences with the new word. It was a strain on my brain to figure out how to explain the meaning of some of the English words. English is weird especially when I assumed I understood it well enough to explain to others but also end up getting stumped. In Korea, I had this same problem when a student once asked me what did falling in love mean.

That’s a tough one.

How do you explain it?

Ah, falling down, getting hurt, becoming stupid and losing your good sense, getting into trouble, going insane, crazy or mad.

Or, being on a cloud (something else that needs explaining), feeling light, happy, excited, like you died and went to heaven….

With the Indian kids, I did not encounter this problem but we did have a few interesting words that needed clarification:

Clouded
Briskly
Coccoon

At the end of the class all of the children stood up and shouted in unison, “Thank you, Miss.” Entering the classroom was also with a similar fan-fare (re: all the children standing up like a military drill). I thought my duty was over but as I headed for the doorway the children had other plans for me. They barricaded the entrance to the class so they could have their school books signed. Picture 55 kids shoving a notebook in your face with a pen!

`”Here Miss take mine.”
“I am here Miss.”
“See me Miss, I am sitting nicely here Miss.”

Definitely hard to say no. And once you start with one you start with all of them.

The wonderful part is being made to feel like a bit of a celebrity rather than a lowly English teacher. Some jobs indeed have their perks. And seeing how happy the children were as I signed their book made me smile so much. Sometimes it is the simple things in life that matter.....and the things we cannot pay for which are truly the most valuable. Those things are indeed the smile of a child.

An Indian Wedding

2010-09-27T05:12:00.000-07:00

For the last several years part of my daily routine in Mysore has been teaching English at a local private school. One of the first things the staff asked me about was my absence at the Independence celebration. It was sweet to hear that some of the parents were asking for me. And also a bit strange as I have never met or seen any of these people.

Since 2003 and after finishing my thesis paper on yoga in school, I started attending the celebrations on August 15th (Independence Day). As I became a regular guest, I was soon asked to say a few words on India, my experiences and thoughts on their school. It was again sweet to hear that even though I was not there they still mentioned me as ”Hee´ther Morton, the foreigner” as I am known to them.

The principal of the school, Jayashree, is a very nice traditional woman; always dressed in a sari and carrying her handy (re: a cell phone). She was interested in how I had gotten to the school because she wanted me to come to her home. I assumed she meant in the evening, but she was talking about right then and there (re: the middle of the school day). She´s the boss so we cut school and left on my scooter with her driving. I regret not having a picture (re: an Indian principal and a foreigner doubling on a scooter).

(This is one of the amazing things about India. RE: Everything else becomes secondary in relation to social activities.)

Her home was a lovely 3-storey house with teek covered walls, marble floors and a beautiful rain shower. As far as I understand 3-storey dwellings used to be pretty rare but these days, with the growing economy, many people are putting lots of rupees into their home. In India it is referred to as ground level with a first and second floor.

When her husband, Venkatesh, arrived we got into his car and drove off to a relative´s wedding. Like the truly uninvited and unannounced guest, I entered the reception area like nobody´s business, greeted the other guests, the bride and groom, and proceeded to take part in the food! Sitting down to the wedding meal without a formal invitation would never take place in my country. To top off this experience I walked away with a gift. A coconut!

(This is the second amazing thing about India. RE: Total inclusion unlike most religions that exclude others for not being the right colour, race or religion.)

It was a beautiful traditional thai served on a banana leaf. Eaten with my right hand, of course, made it taste that much better. My money-changer in India and now a good friend said he felt the food is more delicious eaten this way. I definitely agree with him.

(The third amazing thing in India. RE: Eating with your hands and NO one thinks you are rude.)

Frankly, I´d LOVE to eat with my hands at home, but I doubt it would go over well. My brother and mother once scolded me for how I was sitting when I returned to India. I guess they have something against the squat-position. So imagine if I threw in the hand-eating manner.

Family: "We are not in India, you know."

Me: "Too bad."

Each part of the thali is served and eaten in a specific order. The curd with rice is taken at the end because it aids digestion. Of course, this all depends on how observant you are to FOOD rules. Another Indian friend told me,

“Ah sure, rules, but you can eat however you wish and I do the same.”

On my way out and with a full stomach, I was curious about how much such a wedding would cost. Venkatesh, the principal’s husband, told me it´s about 700,000 rupees (That´s almost the same as a very small wedding in Toronto...10, 000 to 20, 000 dollars). Cheap in our standards but expensive to Indian ones.

“And yah”, added Venkatesh. “A sort of meaningless waste of money.”

Of course, he knows that he will have to do the same when his daughter wants to get married. Something he may look forward to with both trepidation and excitement. But even in spite of one´s personal view it is a cultural and an expected ritual for each family. I felt sorry, however, when I thought of those men who might have 4 daughters and be a poor family. Generally it is the father of the bride who will pay for the wedding. There is a lot social pressure over these things including being a girl and not coming from a rich family.

After the wedding feast, I was off to my back bending class. The next day at the school Jayahsree asked me if I was a little full. She also admitted it´s a lot for them too.

Hm, yah slightly. Heavy back bending and a full thali stomach do not go well together.

(And the fourth amazing thing about India. RE: Eating too much good food.)

Practice

2010-09-27T03:00:00.000-07:00

This year Yogacharya moved into a beautiful new kutira (hut). He did a wonderful job along with his wife Hema in renovating it and redoing the structure from bamboo to cement. An additional room was also added for more practice at the back. Much of the work was still being completed while I was having my classes. This was the unlucky part: noisy and smelly. The lucky part was in being the only student (at least for the first week as Yogacharya was not admitting any other people).

Each year I look forward to my time with Yogacharya. I have known him since 2000 so he feels like an old friend, not just a teacher. And in spite of all the changes in my life and his own (those I know about and those I probably have no clue about), I feel there is a deep karmic connection. Along the way I have had a few doubts about whether he was my teacher with no adjustments, no vinyasas and no applause at my performance. In fact, with Yogacharya I have the feeling he is not even looking at me as a body. I am energy, consciousness and air. I am not Heather in Canada, brown hair and blue eyes and with a certain body type. I just ´´am´´.

OM Tat Sat (all that is existing, the truth and without form or name)

Before coming down to Mysore I was up north doing a meditation program. I wrote about this in the blog called Silence in Rishikesh. I loved being in the mountains and was going to change the entire plan to stay north and go further into silence.

Being in the mountains and at an ashram is the ideal place for meditation. Mysore is getting too much into the business of yoga. (Getting is definitely an understatement because it has already happened!) There are very strong asana Gurus and teachers in Mysore but not in meditation. This is why many of the great saints, masters, sages and meditators have lived in the mountains. An incredible book to read is Swami Roma’s account on living with the Himalayan Masters. It is a look into a very rare and inspiring lifestyle as well as learning and tutelage experience. Today this kind of learning and upbringing is dead. The entire Guru-Disciple tradition is absent in the world of yoga business, you-tube messages, circus acts and mass class teaching. Rare and authentic teachers are not out selling themselves. I have always believed that the ones you truly want to learn from are living quietly, doing their Sadhana (practice).

One of the attractions in studying under Yogacharya is that he not interested in 90 students per class or building a huge shala (school). He is not into the hugging and smiling Western way of doing things either. Many people don´t understand it and I also understand that from the Western point of view. But at the same time, I can fully appreciate his no-nonesense and straight-forward approach. Some yogis, I know, have taken this to mean his is uninterested. However, a great deal has to do with the Western approach of appeasing the teacher, looking for recognition and feeling the need to work hard at practice. Yogachara banks with different figures.

What I appreciate is that I know for a fact whatever Yogacharya has said to me has only been to me. I never have to worry that he has told the same thing to another student with all the ´good´, ´great´, etc...I know he hasn’t. What he says is to me only and not a parrot-like persona. This is traditional teaching with one-to-one contact.

As I made my decision to stay or go (a general theme that seems to be emerging in my life), I called Yogacharya while up North. How cool to call from the mountains on a cell (mobile in India). I can still see myself standing out in an open field with the Himalayan mountains lingering silently in the background. They were just watching the drama unfold...and me a little player in it.

Yogaharya asked me where I was and replied, “You come”.

It was as if he was calling one of his lost sheep back home. I also felt it was right so called a taxi and within a few hours was on my way to Delhi from the hills. That night I stayed at the Swami Rama guest house in Delhi for 4 hours before catching the plane at 6 a.m. I shared it with a big cock-roach. I told him or her:

"You sleep in the washroom and I´ll sleep in the bedroom, Thanks."

_______________________________________________

So back home in Mysore I had a 3-hour class in the morning, which included a 20 minute discussion. It was not just a question and answer period, but a time in which Yogacharya dicussed philosophical issues and insights on practice, life and people. A lot of his questions also revealed certain aspects of my own mind. And this indeed is a remarkable thing. That is, to reveal to a student both directly and indirectly the state of their own mind.

The poet Khail Gibran in his book entitled, “The Prophet” has a beautiful passage On Teaching. In it he describes that the true teacher is the one who leads you to the threshold of your own mind. I have read and re-read that passage many many times with tears in my eyes. It is so moving and wonderful. Because to be able to see your own mind (like seeing your nose) is something we can spend a whole life-time never understanding.

It is relatively easy for a yoga teacher to point out to a student what they are doing wrong in their physical practice. All the technical stuff can become very mundane. A Japanese friend of mine and long-standing practitioner of yoga told me that a yogasana teacher will always have something to point out. There has to be something...:-)

But to lead a student to the threshold of their own mind takes a much different talent and ability than roughly pushing or pulling people into various body poses. During one of our first discussions, Yogcharya told me that Ashtanga people do not understand how he is teaching. This might be hard to explain but I understand what he means. I think one of the most important things to help frame this discussion is being aware of the mind-set of best or better yoga types. Most of the time people are approaching yoga with physical intentions. With this outlook you can lose sight of the subtle intentions (not the gross) if unconsciously comparing the approach to a more physical practice like Ashtanga. I certainly don’t look down upon the whole body workout thing because I was not much better and consciously knew this is what I was looking for. The trick of course is not to get stuck. This can happen if the practice is only centred on the body.

There is a vital argument that thru the body you can work on the mind. But this is not going to happen unless you are consciously working with this theory all the time. Most of the time we hear that it starts with the body first. However, according to Patanjalim´s yoga it starts with the mind. There is only one verse on yogasana. Yogacharya´s classes are not focused on how many asanas you are doing, how many you can do, getting thru the routine in record time or performance. The focus is:

INTENTION, ALIGNMENT AND INTERNAL AWARENESS
INTENTION, ALIGNMENT AND INTERNAL AWARENESS
INTENTION, ALIGNMENT AND INTERNAL AWARENESS

It is an interesting journey in learning to investigate if it is your body falling apart or your mind. Many times in class my legs went numb after 10 minutes of holding a posture and my breath completely faulty. During another class my body did well and my mind was fighting.

So I wonder...and continue to explore.

Only in India

2010-09-27T01:36:00.000-07:00

In Mysore there are several yogis/yoginis who have made it their permanent home. Although India does not come without its problems and struggles, I can understand why many people are drawn to this part of the world.

Even in spite some of the obvious headaches there are many wonderful things that can only happen in India. I often think it is probably these little things which make it so worth while. Like everything in life you learn to take the plus with the minus and hopefully with the latter never outweighing the former. And even if it does, it is something you work, live with and learn from. If not, you leave! I have yet to encounter any situation or relationship that is 100 per cent perfect (and if there is such a place or a relationship I wish someone would point me to it).

In India, life is definitely rural. If you don´t have money for a generator, there will be frequent power-outs, you cannot drink the running water unless you have a filter system and there may not be hot water 24/7 (only in the morning).

All of these experiences make me appreciate the simple fact of taking a hot shower back home whenever I please, having regular electricity and running water from the tap. These are the little things we consider part of ´normal´ living. But in India it is just not that way.

A few days ago one of those remarkable experiences took place that emphasizes life in India....and only in India. My friend, who lives in Mysore permanently, had blown a tire on her scooter. She dropped off her scooter and within an hour it was ready to be picked up. I had been hanging around her home so when she returned I drove her back to the shop.

The amazing part was not that it was ready in 1 hour but the cost....Get ready for this...20 rupees! (50 cents in Canadian dollars, 50 cents in US dollars....my god).

When she handed over the paper note to the shop-keeper I had to say, "That´s incredible." She smiled and bobbed her head side-ways (a common Indian gesture meaning ´that´s just the way it is´.)

And just the way it is, is pretty great and close to perfect.

Shoes & the Cost of Living

2010-09-14T01:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went shopping for shoes. I know, that’s a mundane thing to write about. However, if you read any of B.K.S. Iyengar´s work he'll tell you your brain is in your feet (so maybe our shoes have something important to tell us).

I went shopping to replace the old, haggard ones I was wearing. Boy, putting on a new pair sure felt swell. I decided to wear the new shoes out and get rid of the old ones. I pointed to my old shoes and said to the shop-keeper, "These garbage."

"Put out?" he asked.

"Yes," I replied. "Bye-bye."

He then took the shoes from me, put them in a plastic bag, went to the front of the door and threw them out onto the street. They landed near the gutter and next to a sleeping dog.

Well, that's one way of handling the matter.

It reminded me of the time I was having troubling getting onto the Internet in Mysore. This was over 10 years ago and long before the explosin of Internet cafes and wi-fi. The attendant at the shop picked up the computer and started banging it on the desk. He turned to me and said, "Now you try, mad'am."

"Err, the computer or hotmail?"

___________________

The cost of living is something can really make you smile. Here’s an itemized list of how much things cost in Mysore:

Groceries: 10 rupees for 2 cucumbers (the little kid wanted 10 rupees for 1!)
Customized items: 50 rupees to have a shirt stitched and 40 rupees to replace a zipper.
(India has the worst zippers. I once wore a new shirt made for me at a concert in India and the zipper spilt open! Luckily, the zipper was at the back and not the front. )
Dinner: 20 rupees for 1 rice, 1 curd and 2 chappitis.
Sweets: 1 rupee for candy or gum.
Snacks: 18 rupees for 100 grams of cookies or chips.
Spiritual: 5 rupees for a pack of incense.
Fashion: 10 rupees for a bracelet.
Health Food: 100 rupees for 5 large apples.
Study: 15 rupees for a writing book.

CONVERSION CHART
43.3 rupees is 1 Canadian Dollar.

September 11th

2010-09-14T01:36:00.000-07:00

At the Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Ashrama (ashram) in Mysore, South India, there is a large auditorium dedicated to the power of music as well as magnificent gardens for medicinal purposes. (Ashram means place of spiritual dwelling.) The belief is that music heals and nature aligns us to our inner-self. One of the gardens is a unique collection of herbs while the other is an exquisite display of bonsai ('bon' means tray-like and 'sai' small tree). The art of bonsai originated from China and Japan in the 10th and 12th century. There are also clear indications of these miniature trees in the Ramayama (one of India’s great epic).

Okay but what does this have to do with September 11th?

Situated in the middle of the herbal garden is a very interesting statue. Upon first site it looks like an overly bumpy replica of displaced arms and faces coming out from all directions. Getting closer to it you can see that there are actually small heads, which make-up the entire surface.

The pillar is called a Stoopa; a terracotta figure in honour of all those who died untimely deaths either by accident, natural disaster or suicide. Those who approach the Stoopa should offer prayers to the deceased as it represents the idea of elevation and liberation (moksha) for the soul’s journey to peace. On the bottom of the pillar is a plate that reads: "This is a YOGA conception.”

Indeed it is the higher Yoga; the ultimate purpose of practice to relieve suffering, obtain liberation and break the cycle of death, and rebirth.

Given the recent passing of September 11th this pillar is more than appropriate.

Dipa Ma Calls: Kolkatta

2010-09-13T01:12:00.001-07:00

One thing I said to myself when returning to India is that I am NOT going to, definitely NOT and most certainly NOT going to, Kolkatta.

Right.

So how did I change my mind and end up in Kolkatta? It had to be for one good reason and one reason only. That was, to visit with Dipa Ma's only daughter Dipa.
Let it be known I am prone to changing my mind as well as not going any where unless I have a good purpose. Sure, it's nice to bum around and be a bit of a wanderer but after a while that makes me a litle nervous. So going to Kolkatta was not to see another dirty Indian city. Besides which I had been a little scared off by the city when I heard that one yogini was fondled by men in the streets! This memory was revisited when the woman at the airport check-in counter looked at me with curiosity when I said I was going to Kolkatta.

“Oh, Dum-Dum city,” she said "Kolkatta's other name."

My interest lay not in being a tourist or a well-wisher but in geniunely visitng someone who knew Dipa Ma intimately. Who would be closer than a relative? My only purpose was then to meet Dipa; an unknown woman to many people today but the only daughter of Dipa Ma, a Buddhist nun and Burnese woman.

Dipa Ma herself was a very rare and special woman as she was understood to have entered several stages of enlightenment. But perhaps even more important was that she studied and practised meditation at a time when women were not recognized for doing so and to some degree frowned upon. She also developed incredible insight and knowledge after enduring many hardships that included the death of her husband dying, a child and a severe illness.

Today in the United States there are several well-known meditation teachers who had the special privilege of studying under Dipa Ma. She was a true and authentic teacher who was not seeking fame, fortune or popularity. When she died in the late 90’s there were about 400 students who came to Kolkatta to pay their respects. Some of her more prominent students are Sharon Salzberg and Jack Kornfield. Like the Buddha, she believed that if you did not reach one of stage of enlightenment you had wasted your human birth. And since obtaining a human birth is extremely precious one should not squander it, as it is understood.

Getting to Dipa, however, was a bit of a jigsaw puzzle because I first had to figure out where she lived, if she was available and how to get there. I first contacted one of Dipa Ma's first students Sharon Salzberg. She suggested I write to the director of the Insight Meditation Center who suggested I contact one of the teachers who suggested I write to her grand-son.

(God, I thought, will I ever get there?)

Back and forth with e-mails and finally to Rishi, her grandson, I received firm directions on how to get there as well as a warm welcome that Dipa would be so happy to meet me.

Wonderful! This was reassuring news, because my travel partner felt I might be seen as a noisy tourist. I might be a curious Joe, but I am definitely not noisy.

Getting to India involved first getting to Delhi, a 17 hour flight. I rested at the Maidens hotel for about 6 hours and headed out the next evening for a 17 hour train to Kolkatta. (As an aside, the Maidens Hotel is an old colonial-style hotel that was established in 1903. I have stayed there regularly since 2000 and it remains one of my favourite heritage hotels in India. With high ceilings, white columns and even a few friendly faces that remember me, it is always a treat.)

One thing I never seem to be too practical about is the length of time it takes to get from A to B in India. I imagine it is doable but the reality is something else. Because spending the entire day travelling leaves you spending the next day resting. At any rate, by the time this entire Indian trip is over I will have gone from one end of India to the other and sideways.

I wonder, how many kilometers is that?

Anyway, notwithstanding the fact that Kolkatta is another dirty, ridiculously overcrowded and congested city, it is the city of lovers, poets, mystics and great saints. I could dream about these facts on the train ride there. Many important persons have spent a great deal of time in Kolkatta such as Mother Theresa, Swami Vivekananda and his Master Ramakrishna. The latter, a great saint and self-realized man, spent 16 years at the Dakshineswar temple in Kolkatta.

In this temple, which we had a chance to visit are 13 inner cells dedicated to Lord Shiva and an inner one to Kali (the black goddess). The temple is situated near the Ganges where Ramakrishna experienced many spiritual visions in uniting all religions. Unlike many other temples throughout India, this is the places where non-Hindus many also enter the inner sanctum.

On the way to Kolkatta was in the first class coach train. The level or quality of first class is entirely questionable but okay it was better than the cattle car. First we received a wilted rose, a paper wash cloth, small juice and a snack before dinner at 8 p.m. Dinner was not so bad and consisted of rice, sambar and samosa. Breakfast was, however, horrible. It was 4 fresh fries (literally), 2 vegetable cutlets (they looked like they were dead), mouldy toast (and that was after I had taken a bite) and instant coffee. Talk about spoiling the diet regime of healthy living. My companion seemed pretty good with that. I tossed them aside.

Kolkatta Train Station

Upon arrival in Kolkatta and generally being harassed by every richshaw driver available we drove 3 hours to the right and left to take a look at 3 different hotels. According to the Internet they were ‘lovely.’ In reality, they were shitty. Nothing but run down and completely in the middle of nowhere. We ended up driving all the way back to the left and right and settled in on a very nice resort. Our first choice anyway!

Spa Towels

After my wonderful train breakfast (read above if you skipped to here) and the miscellaneous drive out to no-where it was a pleasure to be greeted with flowers, towels and massage treatments. That evening I nervously called Dipa. She was soft and tender hearted as she wondered if we would stay for lunch.

"Lunch? Wow, we would love it."

On the following as we drove out to see see Dipa it rained and rained. Because of this we were about an hour late. When I called Dipa to tell her she seemed to think we were NOT coming.

"NOOOOOOOOOOO", I said on the mobile. I thought this will be terrible if she just disappears on us.

When we finally arrived Dipa had waited the entire time outside for us in the rain at the subway station near to her apartment. Apart from the rain, however, we were also up against at few other obstacles...

Too many animals

Dipa still resides in the same home that her mother Dipa Ma was living and past away in. I found this so beautiful as we sat in the very room that she greeted many foreigners in, meditated and eventually passed away in. Many Western students have written about how the room was very small but had an incredible feeling of lightness and space. It was but so much more.

Inside of Dipa's home

Yes, a small room, simply decorated but with a big, big heart. It had an extremely good feeling of comfort, ease and peace. Several meaningful pictures of family, monks, teachers and the Buddha also brought life to this simple, quiet room.

There is probably so much more that I could share about my visit with Dipa. However, I think the only important part worth mentioning is how exceptionally kind she was. She offered her bed to me to rest, served lunch and talked about her mother in a gentle way. At one point she started to weep and said,

“I lost a gem in my mother, my only friend.”

In that moment I felt deeply for her as I tried to understand her loss as best as I could, which really was not much more than a stranger. These are such personal matters that I do not think anyone can rightfully say they understand. And frankly, I can't believe it could be any other way.

After I met Dipa it felt so very right that I had made these steps toward her. She is a small woman, but a strong one. When our visit came to an end she walked us back to the taxi where the driver was waiting for us. Even in spite of the busy traffic with cars, taxis, cows, bicycles and of course the goats, Dipa stood out like a light. She waved good-bye and said gently, “I will miss you.”

With Dipa and apartment pics

I still see her standing there. We parted but as I took a few steps away, I looked back. She was looking back too and waved again. I waved again and tried to memorize that fleeting moment of good-bye in my heart.

Ashram Gardens

2010-09-13T00:43:00.000-07:00

Children

2010-09-13T00:39:00.001-07:00

Flow of the Ganges

2010-09-12T02:29:00.001-07:00

The Ganges is not only recognized in India but all over the world as being a body of water that signifies evolution, the cleansing of karma, Indian culture and religion, as well as a sacred stream of holiness. Some people consider it unfit and unclean for even their baby toe to enter. Others, however, consider it to be the other way around (re: it is us who is unclean and the water that is clean). Nevertheless, the Ganges is an immeasurable container and like many of the texts arising from Indian culture (e.g., the Vedas, Upanishads and the Great Epics) it cannot be controlled or completely understood.

During one of my first trips to India I visited Varansi, Bernas; the ideal place for a bath. Mark Twain made reference to Varansi by naming it the holiest of the holy. I still have the little brass container that held water from the Ganges. And I still fondly remember the old man who shared with me in great detail his daily ritual at the water to heal his bad foot. With his back to me I took a quick snap-shot of his private ritual. The picture showed his white coloured dhoti just barely touching the water and his grey hair glistening in the morning sun.

Many books, poems, songs and legends speak about the holy Ganges. One interesting book entitled, “The Flow of the Ganges” (Ganga Lahari) is said to have been written by a Sanskrit scholar, Panditaraja Jagannatha. The book was named the 'waves' of the Ganga to signify the ever-moving and present waves of the mind. Pandit wrote the book in order to cleanse his sin of marrying a foreigner.

The background on how the book came to be written begins with a chess game. During the game the Emperor was about to defeat Pandit so he challenged him that if he lost he would grant him anything he wanted. Just at that moment a beautiful Muslim princess entered the room. If he won the game, Pandit requested that he be able to marry her. As luck would have it, Pandit won the game and the Emperor granted him his wish.

But this story does not have a happy ending. After Pandit finished his duties he was deemed an outcast for marrying outside of his religion and forced to leave his home. Tormented by this disgrace, he went to one of the bathing ghats to try to cleanse himself of his actions. But the Ganga also seemed to forsake him and began to recede.

Feeling very distraught by this he began to chant. He wrote the 53 slokas that comprise the “Flow of the Ganges”. It is understood that with each sloka (verse) the water returned until finally the last verse was written. It was then that the Ganga embraced him and cleansed him of his suffering.

I was inspired to take a dip in the sacred waters when a local artist and business man asked me if I had bathed yet. When I told him I had not gone he was very straight in saying, “Just one time, once you should do. In my community it is holy water.”

The next day when I saw him I was happy to report that I had taken a bath. “All day?” he asked as if it might be true. “No” just in the morning I told him and he smiled brightly. I felt happy to have taken a dip in the holy water. It was bright, cold and stimulating. Even the sand as I learned from my artist friend has medicinal purposes, which should be rubbed on the body.

Silence, Rishikesh, Northern India

2010-09-12T02:22:00.000-07:00

I am just catching up with my writing after a long period of silence. So before this trip looks like yesterday I will begin with a few entries.

Starting from the mid-way point of my journey I was in Rishikesh, the land of yoga ashrams, retreats and spas. Not only are there plenty of ashrams to choose from, a very popular reason to head to Rishikesh, but people say the meditative vibration is higher and purer there. Many great saints and sages went up to the mountains seeking solitude from their worldly existence. The word 'Rishikesh' is literally translated as the land of the preserver, Vishu. Some people also say if you want to be closer to God then you go to Rishikesh.

When I first visited Rishikesh in 2000 it was with the firm idea that I would never return. The heat, the dryness, the congestion, the sadhus running around, my own irritation, lack of attention and inability to figure out what was driving me to stay in such a place made me blind to all that was around me. But one should never say never because I have been back 3 times.

Why the silence? It was a deliberate withdrawal from the external world and including interactions with people, computers, internet and phone. As Swami Veda (a senior disciple of Swami Rama) says “at some point in one’s spiritual progress an urge to silence arises uninvited; a wave that carries the mind self-ward, atma-ward)." The best place to do this is in the north of India which is closer to the parents of spirituality. That is, the Himalayan father and the Mother Ganga. Swami Rama often laid claim that these were his ‘real’ parents (both the mountains and the water).

Swami Rama Meditation Hall, Ashram

A journey into silence is from the gross level to the more subtle one. There are preparations before taking such a journey but the process cannot be rushed, directed or controlled. In fact, everything that one learns in yoga is understood as treading the path to this means. The journey to Atma, the eternal ‘self’ (re: that which I am) is beyond the modifications of the sense organs (indriyas) and actions. It is the inner state of ‘being’. In European languages Atma means “auto” and in German it is Atmen, to breathe. To realize Atma (self) is to understand eternity, body without form, mind without limits and freedom from the past as well as the future. Ideally it is also coming to understand that this body is not who we think we are. It is an illusion, a dream and a configuration of the mind. All suffering, pains, disappointments are also illusions. This is a hard concept to fully unerstand. Because if this is true why do we suffer at all?

The Buddha says it stems from attachment and not understating the impermanence of all relationships, circumstances and self-created identifies. I once read a good way of putting it in that you don’t wear the same shirt you had when you were 5 years old. Just as you change your shirt with age, you change also your attitudes. You learn to adjust and to understand that all things are moving even when they appear still.

The ancient texts describe the mind as being like a cow out to pasture. It has no consistent stream of thought and moves from one idea to the next, reacting and responding out of habit and conditioning. Taking a step toward silence is not just a literal one in terms of ‘no talking’ but a return to the natural state of being in which the flow of the energy (the prana) rises from within.

Undergoing such a period of silence is not a program in learning new techniques. In fact as many Swamis have already said, ”There is nothing new to learn.” The key is to apply (at one’s very best) what you know. There are of course guidelines to follow, but it is not about mechanical learning or drills. It is a practice in staying present moment to moment, embracing the energy of healing, expanding the life force and cultivating the internal world. As Swami Rama put it, “we are citizens to the inner and outer world.” Most of the time we have only learned to expand externally, not inwardly.

While I was up north and in silence it rained for 4 days straight. The clap of thunder from over the mountains and the pouring of rain was like the endless 'hum' of a vacuum cleaner. Life at the ashram is simple food, prayer, chants, karma yoga, self-study, meditation and a bit of hatha-yoga. To me, the mountains lay stretched out to my right like a lazy dog while the Ganga was to the left rushing, running and forever moving.

One of my most vibrant memories was walking to breakfast in knee-deep water. I had borrowed or rather an aspirant living at the ashram had taken an umbrella from another foreigner and given it to me. We could only walk small tiny steps to get from the cottages to the breakfast hall. A walk of 2 minutes now took us 8. I remember one Indian fellow in front looking backward to see if we were all together. I lifted my umbrella and gestured that all was fine. He laughed and kept walking. Inwardly I laughed too; what a precious moment in time.

Maintaining silence was not difficult (re: the not talking part). There are so many others ways to communicate (eyes, facial expressions, hand gestures) that I felt as though I was communicating all day long. I broke my silence verbally twice when I said hi to a one-month year old calf and to a cat. The practice, however, was difficult in remaining present, staying disciplined and not nodding off due to boredom, exhaustion or just plain laziness.

At the end, I broke my silence with the word, “om”. But even afterwards, I did not feel like talking. It was a divine time with many layers.

Haridwar, Northern India

2010-09-12T02:17:00.000-07:00

The Gateway of the Gods. Haridwar is a sacred and divine place. It is the entry point to four of the major Hindu pilgrimages: Badrinath, Kedarnath, Yamontri and Gangotri. One day I will do all four of them. To date, I have done the trip to Gangotri, which was 10 hours driving up and around two mountains. It's a long way and many areas of the roads were completely washed out. We waited over an hour at one spot while fellow drivers jumped out of their cars to clear the rumble from the road.

Each of the four points led into the Himalayan region, over 3000 meters. Millions of people flock to Haridwar or take the journey further north to wash away their worldly sins. Given the power and depth of the Ganges it is a shame if you take such a trip and do not bathe in the Ganges. My only thought and advice on that is to check your self-preservation at the door and be free.

Haridwar itself is situated on the right of the Ganga; the land of wandering monks, sadhus, spiritual seekers and gurus. Many of the sadhus are thought to be recovering drug-addicts (and mostly still in the process of recovery). Some people feel that those who are serious about spirituality stay in Haridwar and those more spa or ashram-oriented travel further north to Rishikesh.

Every morning at sunrise and evening at sunset there is a beautiful aarti (worship of light) along the Ganges.

It is a celebration and ceremony of light, emotion, music and chant. It is a magical time with burning lights, prosad (offerings) and chanting. Even if one does not attend the public service with hundreds of people, there are other ceremonies taking place within the community.

These are held in much of the same manner as the larger one but on a smaller, private scale.

Faces of Haridwar

2010-09-12T01:58:00.000-07:00

Many Faces: Only One Haridwar

Ganesha Festival: Dance, Dance, Dance

2010-09-11T23:04:00.000-07:00

Even Indian people say that there are so many festivals and ceremonies taking place they cannot possibly follow them all. In my humble attempt to learn more about Indian culture, ritual and belief, I found myself increasingly lost in the ‘more information’ syndrome.

It is true the more you learn the less you remember.

Many street parades take place during the festivals, inviting everyone to participate. Being pulled from the sidelines and into the activity was a total surprise to me but lots of fun. The video below is an excerpt of exactly how much fun it was dancing with strangers. Afterwards they thanked me whole-heartedly for joining them and gave us candies for our efforts.

It is just amazing how everyone sees you first in India because I was just minding my own business.

Ganesha signifies the remover of obstacles and is understood to bring good luck as well as happiness.

Dancing in the Streets of Haridwar

Let's do it again!

The Rain Main

2010-09-11T22:39:00.000-07:00

Because of the heavy rains in the north there are handy body wraps (ponchos) that you can buy for 10 rupees (25 cents). India’s rain were said to have broken a 15-year record with many roadways shut down because of landslides and floods.

So here’s to the rain man . . . and to the hundred of Rudrakshas in the background.

In Haridwar there are about as heavy sales on Rudraksha as there was the rain. I had never seen such an array of styles, sizes and colours. Usually they are deep red but for the fashion-oriented and deviant obtain wooden and clear ones are also available.

Rudrakshas represent the third EYE of SHIVA and are understood to ward off evil spirits. Sometimes men wear up to 5-6 necklaces at a time or wrapped around their wrists.

Wish Fulfilling Goddess

2010-09-11T22:33:00.000-07:00

Situated on a small bill, the Bilwa Parvat, in Haridwar there are pujas and devotees flocking from one shrine to the next. The Wish Fulfilling Goddess, Maa Mansadevi Siddhpeeth, is understood to fulfill your deepest wishes. Legends say that the Goddess, Mansadevi, was born from the mind of Rishi Kashyap. The statue of Mansadevi has 3 faces and 5 arms (others usually have 8 arms); and that's more than enough to get the laundry done, the cooking and the cleaning at the same time! After tying a thread and making a wish, and after it is fulfilled, one should return to untie the thread.

It’s not clear to me if it is the same thread, but I assume so.

Ah! Good luck. This may take some time...Re: in retracing my steps and finding the thread I tied or for as long as my wish lies unfulfilled...

Bush Advice

2010-07-11T16:41:00.001-07:00

Priceless

2010-07-11T10:34:00.001-07:00

Some posts do not need any words.

Mission Accomplished

2010-07-11T08:58:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in my prior post, I have been administering pills to my neighbour's cat, Chester. This morning was our 2nd and last encounter. It went a lot faster today. Yesterday I spent time cuddling him up, but it didn't make any difference. In fact, he was more stand-offish afterwards as compared to today went I headed straight for the task; no monkeying around.

After getting him settled on my lap, I pried open his mouth, popped the pill down, massaged his throat, dropped him back on the floor and jumped up to leave.

He had nothing to say but headed for his scratch pad.

My mission is accomplished and my neighbour's will return today.

I wonder if Chester will miss me...probably not.

101 Meds to Cats

2010-07-10T05:34:00.000-07:00

Okay, so it's hard enough giving your own cat a pill but what about giving a pill to a cat you barely know?

My neighbours were out for the week-end and called upon me to administer the last of Chester's meds. Chester is a beautiful male cat who loves to body-check. While hanging around the house on my prior cat sitting adventures, he seemed to love to body-check me. Never met a cat who liked doing that as much as Chester.

Yet hangin' around to give out a few treats is quite a bit different from shoving a pill down his throat.

My first question was, "Can I do it?" Chris, my neighbour, gave me the 101 on opening his jaw and throwing the pill down his throat. While watching I could not help but notice those nice, long, lean, finely sharpened teeth...(eek).

So this morning at 6 a.m. I headed over to their house. I started off by re-introducing myself to Chester and pretending to be a sweet neighbour; not someone who was just about to tie him down and pry his mouth open.

After two failed attempts with the pink pill rolling sideways to the ground, I envisioned myself writing a note to say I was not successful. I even searched their utensil drawer wondering if I could smash the pill and give it to him another way. After picking up the end of "I don't know what" I decided that wouldn't work.

I gave it one more try...and with some luck got that done.....Whew.

Afterwards we sat on the chairs next to the wall in the dining room looking at each other.

Me: Sorry, I had to be so mean

Chester: You's is mean.

Me: Well, you know, you gotta do what you gotta do

Chester: You's is mean.

Me: I know. Life is good though, right.

Chester: Who are you kidding?

Me: Well, I was reading in the buddha book you gotta take the bad with the good.

Chester: Sounds pretty profound.

Me: So, that means all medicines are good for you.

Chester: Typical female twisting the whole thing around.

Me: Hmmmmm.

Chester: (blank)

So now for tomorrow's adventures in giving more meds to Chester. As I left, Chester was sharpening his claws in preparation for the next encounter. Smart cat.

Joseph

2010-06-18T17:08:00.000-07:00

Love both of these pics of Joseph.

Two pictures to show the different seasons. One for the summer and fall, and one for the new year. Both radiate his spirit and soul.

I was shocked and sad to recently hear that Joseph Dunham passed away suddenly in Cambodia. For those who have no idea who Joseph was he might be best described as the “right-hand man" to Pattabhi Jois (the Master of Ashtanga-yoga) and how Joseph described himself.

Joseph, like those of us interested in yoga, headed directly to the source by travelling to India to take a few classes. As the story goes he had no intention of making it his life. This was back in the 70's. Without a master plan he had originally decided to stay in Mysore (the home of Pattabhi Jois) for 4 weeks. He ended up staying, however, for over 20 years and making Mysore his permanent home. According to Joseph he never actually "moved" to Mysore but gradually admitted that he lived there.

I personally found Joseph not only a gentle soul but a bit of a "mystery". First, I understood he had not chosen to lead a conventional life-style. He had not settled down, gotten married or taken a full-time mainstream job. Second, he had decided to offer his life as a service to Guruji, Pattabhi Jois.

When I first met Joseph I was unaware of his deep connection to the Jois family. I knew he was someone with 'experience', a seasoned yogi, lived in Mysore and appeared to have a clear idea of what he was doing. What I understood about him first was he was kind and helpful, and stood tall without an "attitude". In 2003, during a crowded gathering for Pattabhi Jois’s birthday, I was standing at the side. Joseph (without not even knowing me) made a point of trying to find me a chair. This was even after offering me his own (to which I refused) and locating a spare one.

For each of the years that I returned to Mysore, it became a part of the landscape to "bump" into Joseph. This was usually at the Southern Star (a popular hotel) where he had his daily swim at the pool and dropped off his linens. (In India, it's hard to wash your own stuff...and you're better off dropping it off at a washer.) Everyone was familiar with Joseph and knew he was around because of his famous motorcycle parked outside of the hotel. Each year we had breakfast or lunch together and spent time talking about yoga, life, work, teaching, the new shala and whatever else that came up. I can still see Joseph talking about the new shala (school) being built in place of the old one in Lakshmipuram.

“Oh even when the first shovel hit the ground people were crying.”

Joseph was an important figure in Mysore, both as a well seasoned teacher and student of yoga and his generous spirit. Better known as "Mr. Joseph", he was the local guide that many new-comers went to for advice or housing. He also had his own home, which was wonderfully decorated and extremely comfortable. To those who stayed there and friends, he was the king of the famous fruit salad. He called his housing “Chez Joseph” and rented it out to many Ashtanga students. For some reason, I always recall the “very young” picture of Joseph with Guruji in his living room. In that picture he was wearing a very pale yellow t-shirt...Funny, what you remember.

I don’t believe, however, that most local people in Mysore looked at him quite the same way as the yogi crowd (and not that it matters at all). A taxi driver once remarked on how he knew Joseph and talked about him as “alone”, "not married" and "alone". In a culture where family and marriage are predominant, his loner status was probably not well understood.

Yet what I always felt was special about Joseph was the way he seemed to mingle with the Ashtanga crowd and still remain somehow aloof, untouched.

When a person's life ends, and this becomes especially true if you knew them personally, there are many images that run sporadically through your mind.

As I remember Joseph I see him:

-walking away from the pool at the hotel;
-laughing his big hearty laugh;
-offering me a chocolate truffle;
-sitting on his bike talking about tax in the US and housing in Mysore, and;
-demanding cloth napkins at the hotel rather than the cheap paper ones.

So here’s to Joseph! To living life on his own terms, to his light and for his love of Guruji. Joseph told me a few years ago that he was not just a student but a friend...And he added, “Guruji would never say that about anyone unless it is true...”

Strangely, last year I did not see Joseph. Our last talk was in 2008. At that time, Guruji was becoming very unwell. Joseph talked about how the family was in denial and no one was really prepared for Guruji to pass away. I recall Joseph also telling me that once Guruji passes, his work will be done...he will also leave Mysore....

If we are indeed remembered by our deeds when we die and not by our status and jobs, Joseph will undeniably be remembered for all those he personally helped, for his kindness and for this devotion to his Guru.

Good-bye dear Joseph. Much love is there.

PS: Joseph was the one who corrected me on the fact that Ashtanga-yoga "is" Hatha-yoga...not Hatha-yoga and Ashtanga-yoga as being 2 separate yogas as they are known today. Each time I remind my students of this, I think of Joseph.

G20 and Traffic

2010-06-12T02:31:00.001-07:00

When the G20 meeting gets started in late June in Toronto, it`s hard to imagine the traffic could get worse, but it will. This morning at 4 a.m., I was already taking detours because of the construction. Is there any area in Toronto that is not under construction?

Last night, it was not much better with several cars lined up and everyone stuck at a major interaction, which was conveniently blocked off. Yikes!

I felt pretty smart, however, sailing by on my bicycle! A great investment given that so many roads are closed off and will continue to be closed off....As one student told me, "Time to invest in a bike." He was only half a kilometre from the school and missed his class while sitting in traffic.

Rumi

2010-06-07T10:29:00.000-07:00

There is a life-force within your soul,
seek that life.

There is a gem in the mountain of your body,
seek that mine.

O traveler, if you are in search of That
Don't look outside,

Look inside yourself and seek That.

This aloneness is worth more than a thousand lives.
This freedom is worth more than all the lands on earth.

To be one with the truth for just a moment,
Is worth more than the world and life itself.

Jalāl ad-Dīn Muḥammad, but known to the world as Rumi was a Perisan poet and Sufi Mystic. He was born in 1207 and died in 1273. His name 'Rumi' is described as meaning "The Roman"....as he lived most of his life in an area called "Rum" which was ruled by the Eastern Roman Empire.

Rumi's work is profound, deep and moving. He weaves the events of daily life into a tapestry of moving images, feelings and thoughts. Much of his work is based on tawhid. That is, the union with the beloved (one's lover) with whom/which he has been cut off and his desires to restore the bond.

He believed that art, music and poetry were the paths that lead to God. While Buddhists may understand that the path leads to God through meditation, Rumi encouraged sama; listening to music and dancing. Sivanada, the Master of the Sivananda system of yoga, as well as a great Swami and medical doctor, also taught that there were many paths. He called this a synthesis in which you follow the path that suits or strikes your inner nature.

Yoga, while today somehow limited to the forms and exercises that many equate as being yoga, also embraces more than one path. Yoga can take the form of Bhaki-yoga (devotional yoga in chanting, praying), Karma-yoga (selfless service) or Jnana-yoga (the yoga of knowledge). From each of these entry points the journey begins. The packaging and the actions may appear differently and diversely, but the direction in reaching toward the divine (blissfulness) is the same.

Summertime

2010-06-05T09:35:00.000-07:00

"Summertime....and the livin' is E-zee."

"Summertime...and the cotton is high."

"Well, your daddy's rich and your ma is good-lookin'."

"So hush, ba-bee don't you cry."

Billie Holiday was an amazing, inspirational and very gifted woman. Every summer I hear her voice inside of my head. Nicknamed as "Lady Day" she is one of the 'greats' and in many ways an immortal mortal. What's striking about her, beyond her talent, voice and undeniable presence, was her background. She had a difficult childhood, was estranged from her mother and she learned to sing in a brothel.

What I understand from this is that great art and great people, more often than not, comes from pain...there doesn't seem to be any other way.

Earwig Font

2010-06-05T05:32:00.000-07:00

While searching for a font to add to a graphic design, I came across the EARWIG-FACTORY font... Nice name.

As a bit of trivia...Earwigs came over from Europe to help solve an ahpid problem with vegetables and plants being consumed. They multiple readily and are a real annoyance to all gardeners. My mother believes they arrived on a boat from China. The name earwig is derived from the myth that they crawl into your "ear" while sleeping and "wig"-"gle" around (I just made up the last part, but the first is true).

Headstands

2010-06-03T08:20:00.000-07:00

The King of all asanas dropped by last night for a workshop. Formally named as Salambha (supported) Shirshasana (headstand), this posture has a series of benefits that range from developing balance to reversing the blood flow to transcending the constraints of our physical bodies.

Below is a list of do’s and do not's. Some of these are pretty obvious. However, getting on your head can make you forget even the simplest, most logical thing...

Do

Warm your body by practising 1-2 rounds of the sun salutations
Breathe through your nose for more steady and even breaths
Rest between the sets in bakrasana (child’s pose)
Place the pressure on the center of your head (top)
Practice lengthening postures such as forward bends
or twists to relieve the muscles and to create fluidity
Visualize your body in the posture while sitting quietly
Practice conditioning exercises regularly
Practice one step of the headstand regularly

Do Not

Begin your practice with the headstand
Place a lot of pressure on your head
Lift your head suddenly from the posture
Forget to breathe
Relax your legs or hip muscles
Lift your arms or elbows
Place your hands under your head
Squeeze or tense your shoulders
Jump or throw yourself into the pose
Use your head to lift your body

Responses and reactions:

“I just wanted to tell you that the workshop last night was outstanding! I am still amazed at how you feel after spending so much time on your head.” Andrea

“I really enjoyed the class. I really know now it’s a matter of time and, of course, practice!” Terry

"The pictures are absolutely terrific to have, what a bonus." Catherine
_____________________________________________________________________________________

As a part of my teaching, I started to take regular photos of the students in the workshops. My teacher Yogacharya in Mysore once recommended that he take photos of me. This sparked the idea to do this as both a teaching and learning tool.

As a yoga student, I found it helpful since usually our perception of "what we think is happening" is quite different from "what is actually taking place". For the last several years, I have taken photos during back bending, headstands and handstand workshops. As a teacher it's a bit of a juggling act to teach, snap a photo, give an instruction and assist someone. However, as a teacher you learn to grow 4 arms (sort of like Saraswati, the consort of Brahma (the creator) and the goddess of intelligence, music and art.)

Twist n'Shout

2010-06-02T11:03:00.001-07:00

Okay, maybe don't shout (unless you feel the urge), but definitely learn a spinal twist!

When we think about moving our bodies we may only envision this as either forward or backward. Movements to the side are often skipped, neglected or underestimated. Spinal twists, however, open a whole new arena in both our understanding of ourselves and development. They are also excellent counter postures in moving forward and backward in developing a more holistic approach to ourselves.

While I generally consider all of the postures of yoga as a learning tool (and should not be isolated from the 'whole'), there are certain aspects that spinal twists bring out in the body and mind that a forward bend does not. This makes them dynamic and unique in their own right while still working in harmony with the other postures. Twists can reveal mental habits, patterns, unintentional body patterns and habits, and unconscious preferences toward certain movements as well as aversions.

There are 2 important points to consider in learning twists. One is that the rotation of the spine starts from the bottom up. Usually we feel the pressure from the top down or mid-spine. Yet, to create a firmer and more stable twist, a strong base or foundation from which to support the movement needs to be created. Grounding the sit bones and pelvis develops a firmer seat (re: asana) from which the spine can twist against and away from. Without lifting the hips, the abdomen and waist move upward and sideways as they are contracted and squeezed. Using the hips as the base, creates the movement coming bottom up; the spine in turn moves deeper.

The second point is the use of the breath. The ‘in’ breath is the signal for new energy, oxygen and life. It opens the body and prepares for the movement. Inhalations allow the mind to become centered on the present moment. The ‘out’ breath is either the reinforcement of the movement or an extension; a supporting counter part to the 'in' breath. It may also be used to exert more pressure on the body as well as to release, let go and extend the spine.

Moving from side to side creates growth, support and balance. Because both sides of our body support each other, twists aid in the process of finding balance and harmony. Both the front and the back sides of the body work together with the sides. The inside and the outside also work together for growth and support. Twists create the space for a deeper conversation between the mind, the breath and the body.

All postures should create a conversation between the breath and your body. Twists are a good receiver. Moving with the breath develops a rapport between the right and left sides of the body addressing misalignments and correcting imbalances. Allowing the posture to speak to you is one of the most useful aspects of practice. This stops the ‘normal’ mind from its chatter, insistent noise, judgements and comments. A sense of observing ‘what is’ (not what you want it to be), but a simple acceptance of how it is can emerge.

Prashat Iyengar, the famous Yoga Master's son said: "Sthira Sukham Asanam"

Explore what is....

Visa Update

2010-05-18T10:20:00.000-07:00

To all those for whom this may concern or for the curious (hey, me too), the situation regarding studying yoga in India is that you indeed need a Yoga Visa.

What you need to do:

1) Contact the institution that you will be studying with and obtain a study application (required for both the visa and while in India);
2) Contact your local Indian Consulate and apply for a STUDENT visa with all the required documents. In Toronto it's $115;

Of course, there is no actual yoga visa and a quick call to your consulate will confirm this. In Toronto, the attendant on the phone had no idea what I was talking about. I had to find 3 different ways of asking the same thing before he finally understood and replied, "There is no yoga visa."

It would appear as though there is a place on the student visa that allows for you to write down where you will be studying. However, I am only assuming this because the guy I spoke to at the consulate only agreed with me. He never actually said so himself and seemed a bit unsure as to what I was referring to.

Unfortunately, none of this answers the question regarding studying at more than one school while in India. And I have no idea if this applies to Northern India.

Check out the below descriptions at the Ashtanga institute in Mysore: http://www.kpjayi.org/practice.html

From March 2010, all students coming to study at KPJAYI must enter India on a yoga visa, as required by Indian law. You may email shala@kpjayi.org for admission letters from our Institute to include with your visa application form to the Indian Embassy in your country. Upon arrival, students should follow the relevant registration formalities with the Foreigners Registration Office (FRO) in Mysore.

Read also the details from Yogacharya's school: www.atmavikasayoga.com

"Ministry of external affairs has now made Y visa [yoga visa] mandatory to all foreign nationals interested in studying yoga in India. The rules are very strict and the local Police authorities are implementing it very seriously. Kindly oblige and apply for a yoga visa [not just a tourist visa] when you plan a yoga trip to India. You will need a letter of admission from a reputed Yoga organization to obtain a visa. Please write to atmavikasa@gmail.com to know the admission rules at Atmavikasa."

The Yoga Visa

2010-04-29T09:52:00.000-07:00

Just a few days ago, I received an e-mail from my teacher in Mysore explaining the "new" developments in Mysore regarding visa regulations. These are a rather lengthy procedure that will ensure that any one who plans on studying yoga in Mysore will have a Yoga Visa.

My teacher sent out a four-part list indicating all the areas that need to be satisfied. These include:

1) A study letter should be sent to a student clearly mentioning the date of study and the duration;
2) A yoga visa cannot be issued for more than one year;
3) Any student who visits us once cannot return to India within 2 months of departure (maximum stay is 180 days). We must take a copy of confimed travel arrangements of the student and file it;
4) The name of the yoga center where the student wishes to study will be stamped on the visa and the students cannot study elsewhere, and
5) A copy of all student visa should be filed by the institution and submitted to the commissioner's office periodically for verification.

So let's talk about making the entire process more complicated not only for people travelling to India to study but also for the schools themselves. But rather than it being the Indian Government issuing this demand it's the local police of Mysore. Hence, the term yoga visa. To my knowledge, the Toronto Consulate of India does not issue such a thing. The standard visas are Tourist, Business and Student.

Having been to Mysore for the past 11 years, I know that the police were slowly cracking down on the number of people driving scooters. I was told by the General Manager of a popular hotel located in central Mysore that they were looking for Westerners. Being a Westerner in India comes often (if not all the time) with the assumption that you are rich or at least have 'extra' cash to burn. And in Mysore there might be up to 1000 foreigners (notwithstanding the fact that many yoga people usually travel in, and around, the same areas). I suppose with such a steady increase of Westerners this was a strange phenomenon to the local police giving them the grounds to seize control over the situation.

To date, the police have charged schools and yoga students in Mysore who violated these standards. There have also been schools (shalas) shut down, which is certainly not nice for those making an honest living and offering a valuable service.

The trouble is how does this work if a person wants to study yoga for 3 weeks and tour India for another month? Is there a yoga/tourist visa? Or what about the case if someone wants to study meditation? Is there a meditation visa available? And finally, what if someone wants to study in the North and then later in the South? The point is this procedure is somewhat absurd.

All of this confirms the fact that today Yoga is a business; a fashionable trend that allows everyone to become a part of it both directly and indirectly. What a vast change from how things used to be in India. Many years ago (like over 10) even charging money for classes was a bit of an 'uncomfortable' gesture. Ashrams and retreats did not have fixed fees but rather requested that you leave a donation. As a student conducting research on yoga, I still remember being laughed at by locals who could not understand why I would come to study Yoga in India. As one father put it, "We are concerned with putting food on the table, not relaxing." But within the tourist market of India, there are posters and advertisements that speak quite differently. Both in Delhi and Bangalore airports there are large billboards sporting the postures of yoga to promote tourism.

Ah, someone should begin the demand for meditation visas.

10 Steps to Meditation

2010-04-10T05:18:00.000-07:00

Many people often have the perception that starting a regular practice of meditation is only reserved for the disciplined, the radically spiritual types and/or when you are "ready". These are some of the biggest misconceptions about meditation. You will never be "ready"; you can prepare yourself but you'll never be really ready to start. And with that kind of attitude another few years will have passed in which you are still "thinking" about doing it.

First, it is helpful to briefly explain what meditation is. Simply put, meditation is a conscious attempt or effort to focus our scattered minds. I find the best way to understand meditation is by thinking of it as the highest and purest level of concentration. You don't need to be "ready" or "into" spiritually. You do, however, need to be prepared to commit yourself to establishing a regular practice. If you learn to sit one day and never return to this for several weeks you'll find it hard to make any progress. It's also helpful to understand that your sitting practice is not much different than other habits you have such as taking a shower or brushing your teeth. Certainly, most of us would never leave the house or apartment without doing so (we hope). Meditation is a similar routine that can be established into your daily habits.

It is usually helpful to have a teacher who can assist you with the basics. The 10 steps below are a general outline and guide to starting your practice. It may also be helpful to find a teacher with whom you can discuss how to sit (re: finding the most appropriate position for you). In the meantime, these 10 steps are straightforward and will help you to get started.

1. Choose a regular time to sit.
2. Meditate in a quiet place.
3. Select a sitting position.
4. Keep your head, neck & shoulders aligned.
5. Focus your mind on your breath.
6. Repeat in your mind "I am sitting."
7. Practice for 10 - 15 minutes.
8. When distracting thoughts arise label them as "thinking".
9. Let go of expectations & looking for results.
10. Close your session by repeating the word 'peace'.

Coco Chanel

2010-02-20T13:40:00.000-08:00

I like reading about women who have left their mark in life. One such woman born Gabrielle Bonheur "Coco" Chanel will forever be remembered by her invention of the "little" black dress as well as for changing the face of fashion. It's funny that when you read a few lines about such a person you immediately get an "idea" about them. However, if you dig a bit deeper that first impression tends to expand itself and you might get a more accurate "idea" about who they were. I say all this because I read one review about Coco in which it made it sound like she had opened a shop in Paris and her career took off from there. Well, not exactly.

After opening her first boutique in Paris, which sold hats (a love of she first developed as a hobby), she was forced to forfeit the property and its content when it went out of business. She later met an influential man who assisted her in setting up a similiar shop with greater success. Of interest, she never married but had affairs with many influential men. She was proposed to by the Duke of Westminister and quoted as saying, "There have been many Duchesses of Westminister. There is only one Chanel." Boy, does this woman have it so right.

And yet this did not stop the Duke of Westminister from having the double C's (her logo) embedded on the posts inside of the city of Westminister (London).

Another interesting fact about her life is that she fabricated several points about her life in order not to be stigmized from having come from a lower-class family. She lied about her birth saying she was born in 1893 and not 1883. She also said her mother died when she was very young and her father left for America to get rich; leaving her to be raised by two old and cold, bitch spinster aunts. She did not use those exact words (I did).

I thought she was really cool until I came across the quote that read, "Any woman who does not wear parfume does not have a future."

Ahhhhhh. No. Sorry, I do not agree. This statement is not to be taken too seriously, however. I am sure she probably said it in passing (re: a'tongue and cheek' remark). Some might argue such as Osho that covering ourselves with fancy parfumes will not bring us into the future, but hinder our progress by remaining focused on externals. Osho (often nick-named as the Sex Guru), had some interesting things to say about the way we spend a lot time working on the outside, but allow the inside to fester. We think if we run more, do yoga, exercise, become thinner or leaner will be become better people....and as a result we might have a brighter future. And yet, the inner work remains undone. This reminds me of Swami Vishu-Devananda who referred to meditation as the 'cleaning of the dirt of the mind.' Cleaning out our pettiness, meanness, judgemental attitudes and various envies. The more parfume you slapped on that the more you'll end up with a very stinky brew.

Coco Chanel is, however, a fascinating woman with a truly savvy entrepreneurial spirit.... for changing the face of fashion and for forcing her competitors to bow to more simple lines and curves after losing many customers to Chanel. She symbolizes a woman's strength of spirit, living life on your own terms and making it happen.

Can we be friends?

The Meaning of a Full or New Moon

2010-02-13T16:36:00.000-08:00

The next time you look at the moon do you know which one you are gazing at? Full or a new moon? Many traditions of yoga follow these cycles by either taking days off from the practice or meditating. Why?

Because the body is made up of 70% water, the moon naturally has a strong impact on both the human body and mind. The full and new moon cycles symbolize completion and celebration. In one year there are about 24 to 25 new and full moons. Some of these relate to the Buddha moon of birth, the Mother Earth and the ancient masters, sages and saints. Guru Purnima (a day to honour and give respect to our teachers) is best done just after the moon has risen and with direct contact to the rays of the moon. According to the lunar cycles, the moon also has a large impact on ocean tides.

During a full moon the sun and the moon are in opposition to each another while in the new moon cycle they are in conjunction. These positions create different energies on the earth, which correlate to the cycles of the breath. The full moon relates to the end of the inhalation; the rising of prana (energy). This is the vital life source that rises upward, expands and increases energy both physically and mentally. A characteristic during full moons is that of becoming head strong. Conversely, the new moon relates to the end of the exhalation; the emerging apana (downward energy). This is understood to develop feelings of earthiness, calmness and physical exhaustion.

Honouring these cycles is a way of aligning ourselves to the planetary forces that are always around. They also help us to live and breathe in harmony with nature. In Ashtanga–yoga, the practice is not taken on both new and full moons. In classical hatha-yoga and the Himalyan traidtion meditation is recommended on full moons. This is considered an especially auspicious time as you tune yourself inwardly to the energies beyond materialism and toward the cosmos.

I first learned about new and full moons, and their relationship to the physical practice during the my studies under Pattabi Jois in Mysore. As a beginner, I had no idea what it meant or why. In fact, I showed up for class one morning at 3:30 a.m. and could not figure out why no one else was there. Strangely enough, as well, I had very little problems getting to class that morning. I had been coming from the downtown core of Mysore into the district of Lakshmipuram where Pattabhi Jois first had his shala (school). Every morning was a fiasco to find a rickshaw. And if that was not enough, trying to give directions to a Kannada-speaking driver who never heard of Pattabhi Jois made it more frustrating. This, of course, shattered my illusion that all Indians knew yoga, do yoga and definitely knew of PJ. It was just sort of strange that things went really smoothly from getting to the hotel to the school.

While wondering why no one was around, I sat down on the front steps of the school. By then it was closer to 4 a.m. Being alone and a woman, I started to imagine the worse when I heard ruffling noises. Jumping up and ready to defend myself, I noticed a bull-frog gracefully landing beside me. I had to laugh. For the next few minutes, I watched him/her jump around until I finally decided to leave. It was about a 6 km walk back to the hotel. On my way I vaguely remembered something being said by Sharath (PJ's grandson) about “no practice, you take rest...new moon.”

Well, it all made sense.

Crossing Borders

2009-10-24T11:27:00.000-07:00

Was it dangerous to be at the border? No. Exciting? Yes. Nationalist? Extremely.

To be honest, it was more like being at a foot-ball game than at a ceremony that celebrates independence, identity and culture. It was a maze of anticipation before the half hour ceremony called "lowering of the flag" began. People were dancing on the road, the border security were directing the crowd "how" to cackle and officers tried unsuccessfully to get people to sit down. The ritual takes place every evening from about 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. I say 'about' because on our way to the border there seemed to be a lot of confusion as to when it actually started. The hotel receptionist insisted we get there before 4:30 p.m., the taxi driver assured us that getting there by 5:30 p.m. was fine and the vendors at the border told us that nothing gets started until closer to 6 p.m. It was like asking directions for the same place but getting five different answers.

Once at the border, which was organized more like a stadium, I could not see much more than the heads in front of me. To make up for this the man next to me kept creating shrill-like calls that lasted for far too many seconds! I have to say that being there had a certain alluring quality, but I started to think about many things.

I started to think if people's desires, motivations and intentions are not completely misguided. It's not that the border ceremony is unimportant. It's more the possibility of channeling all this energy to create world peace as well as ending poverty, child-labour, domestic violence and abuse. Somehow I was only reminded of the superificality of our so-called 'good' intentions as well as the lack of consciousness we have regarding what we are doing and why we are doing it.

When in Doubt Go to an Ashram

2009-10-24T11:17:00.001-07:00

During my trip to India this year I planned to visit Rishikesh again. This time, it was for the purpose of visiting Swami Rama's ashram. The first time I visited Rishikesh was in 2000 and it was mainly to kick around. I had heard it was nick-named yoga town; being littered with yoga ashrams on the banks of the Ganges. I was curious about the place and wanted to be a wanderer. Rishikesh was also the same place where the Beatles met their Guru and studied Transdental Meditation (TM). My second trip to Rishikesh was in 2005. This was mainly as a pit-stop in order to take a 10-hour drive up the mountains to reach the Sivananda Ashram in Gangotri. Because I had visited Rishikesh in the hot summer and stayed in the main city, my memories were of a dusty, over-crowded city with lots of sadhus walking around. I did not have nice memories of mountains or a peaceful atmosphere.

I made plans to visit the ashram after unexpectedly meeting Swami Veda (a disciple of Swami Rama's) at a yoga conference in Los Angeles. It's funny how through a series of unforeseen events one thing led to another. Had I not been invited to the conference in LA, had I not befriended a woman doctor at the conference who was a student of Swami Veda's and had she not told me about the 'secret' meditation that Swami Veda was holding in his room, I never would have met Swami Veda! When he told me he would be at the ashram in the middle of India, I knew I had to try to arrange my schedule to see him. Fortunately it fit perfectly as I would be able to finish my training with my teacher in Mysore (the south of India) and still have time to do some travelling in between before getting to the ashram.

We arrived at the ashram after taking the overnight train from Amristar. For anyone who has NOT seen the Golden Temple, I highly recommend taking the time to visit Punjab! We got to the the ashram in the late afternoon after changing drivers twice and getting the directions from a Swami at the wrong ashram.

It has always bloggled my mind as to why driver A takes you about 4-5 km's, gets out of the car and is replaced with driver B and C. Or, asks you to get out and into another vehicle with a driver looking very pleased to take over. The first time this happened to me, I was alone and pissed off. The second, third and fourth time, I came to the understanding that these guys must have some bizarre social network in which everyone does and says the same thing. While driver A switches with driver B and/or C he always reassures you with the same thing. "No charge!" I have always thought, "Okay, that's very nice, but you haven't gone any where yet!" And it gets even stranger because from the time driver A had met us, it was all about "no problem", "he knows it" and "come, I take you." Hence, I have learned not to trust any of this and to expect the unexpected. So, after getting 2 new drivers (B and C), we headed off to what we thought would be Swami Rama's ashram.

As it happens, we first paid a visit to a local ashram, which I am sure was the first one the drivers spotted. Here, I met up with an orange clad-swami man, who told us we were at the wrong ashram. Certainly it did not look anything like the pictures I had seen! Normally the drive from the Hardiwar train station to Rishikesh should have been 30-40 minutes, but in this case it was more like 2 hours. Okay, no problem, we had time to spare (I guess). Our drivers, who looked about 16 years old, were certainly in no rush and offered us a "smoke." They looked so disappointed when I said, "I don't smoke." But this should have come as no surprise since Indian people (re: men) tend to make many assumptions about travelling Westerners; in particular females. I have read about Indian men thinking that Western women show up to India in pursuit of sex. Well, to be frank, if that was the case, which it is not, I highly doubt that any of us would travel all the way to India. It would make more sense to go to a single's club or an all-inclusive resort!

When we arrived at the ashram I was impressed with the service we received as the first thing that Gloria, our host and personal greeter, did was tell the drivers they were over-charging. Tired and not willing to get upset over an extra $5 bucks, I said it was okay. We got our bags and headed into the receiption area.

The ashram provides extremely well kept and comfortable huts. Each hut has a full kitchen (re: stocked with plates, cups, etc.), separate bedrooms and an attached toilet with a shower. I had the feeling that if you wanted to stay for a long period of time you would be very comfortable. At other ashrams I was either in a tent or a dormitory with only a small room (250 square feet). Staying a month was a good exercise in 'basic' living. At the Sivanada ashram in Trivadram I even stayed in the 'newer' addition, which ended up having an unfixable clogged sink and not much privacy.

The ashram was very relaxing and appealing. This was my first time at this particular ashram having only been to Sivanada ashrams in Canada, the United States and India. Although my prior stays were as a serious yoga student than as a tourist, I did spend time at the Sivananda Ashram in Quebec as a guest and still felt I was in "training." Generally speaking, if you go as a tourist or guest you will tend to experience things thru a very different filter as compared to someone on a holiday. From the yogic point of view, the tourist who goes to India accumulates more karma while the yogi burns off karma. That said, however, I felt that there was an air of relaxation and ease at the Rishikesh ashram that I had not experienced at the Sivananda ashrams, which tend to be more traditional. At most Sivananda ashrams attendance is mandatory even as a guest for all the classes. As well, couples have separate quarters unless they are married. In Rishikesh they were more relaxed about these things, including what classes you wanted to take and how you were going to spend your day. Bear in mind, too, we only stayed a few days so perhaps the powers in-charge were letting us off easy. Still, I felt a sense of warmth and friendliness not only in the more relaxed schedule but from the people themselves.

I made several good connections at the ashram. The people made a 'real' effort to know our names, were interested in what we were doing, what we had done and were happy to share about themselves as well. My prior experiences at some of the Sivananda ashrams were of 'pretensious know-it'alls' who seemed to have an 'in-group' mentality. In Rishikesh, the people made us feel 'good' that we had come and expressed an interest in the classes we were taking. We also had the good fortune of being taught by a senior yoga teacher and physiotherapist, Peter, who provided a private class to myself and my partner. He made some very accurate insights about my body alginment and posture. I was impressed by this as he made these fairly quickly by observing how I was sitting for meditation and not by seeing me do any of the postures of yoga. Peter, like many of the others working at the ashram, had 'normal' lives with children, wives, husbands, etc., Yet, like Peter, they had taken several weeks off or even years away from their lives to stay at the ashram. This was a time for seva (re: work done without monetary gain) and to establish their on-going sadhana (re: spiritual practice).

Aside from the people and the schedule, one aspect of ashram life that tends to be univeral amongst all ashrams are the beautiful grounds littered with lovely flower beds and the great food. The surrounding view of the mountains in Rishikesh were wonderful and inspirational. And the food, as always, was simple but excellent! Personally I enjoy going to ashrams for the home-cooked meals. You can feel the love and care taken in preparing the food. The dining area had both low wooden tables for sitting on the floor (Indian-style) and 'normal' tables and chairs for the Westerners. At many 'traditional' ashrams you will only find one option (re: you sit on the floor). As well, there are usually signs indicating that eating is sacred and to eat in silence. Here, I did not see any notices. If you wanted to be left alone you could and if you wanted to mingle with others and chat this was okay too.

At the Himalayan insitute there was also a 'real' focus on meditation. I say 'real' because unlike the Sivanada ashram in which it is a synthesis of all 4 parts of yoga (re: raja/hatha-yoga, bhakti yoga, karma yoga and jnana yoga), there was a very good 'starter' class on the sitting practice. Although the ashram also offered classes on breathing, hatha-yoga, chanting, etc., there was an emphasis from the start on meditation. In comparison to my experiences at the Sivananda ashrams where the focus tended to be more on the hatha classes and kirtan (re: chanting) than on meditation in which people came and sat in on the sessions. It was my understanding that before you could do this in Rishikesh, they first wanted to go over with you several key points that are unique to the Himalayan tradition of meditation.

On a final note, this ashram was established by Swami Rama's disciple, Swami Veda; my meditation teacher. To this day, people say that Swami Rama's spirit is still there and he is influencing many things. They also say this about the ashram in Val Morin, Quebec, where Swami Vishnu-Devananda (the disciplie of Swami Sivananda) spent a lot of time. Hmmmm, who is this infamous "they"...? Well, in the end, I believe, you have to travel to these places to understand if this is the case or not.

You Don't Have to be Sikh

2009-10-23T15:57:00.000-07:00

You certainly do not have to be Sikh or even know much about the religion to be able to appreciate the incredible architecture and the ambience of The Golden Temple in Amristar, Punjab. Everyone and anyone can enter provided they leave their shoes outside and place a handerchief or hat on their head. There is also a waiting pool to dip your feet into while passing thru the entrance; another small requirement for entering the grounds of the temple. These preliminary requirements are small indeed and you don't waste your time thinking it over. It's not important how many people wore this handerchief and/or how the pool is a good breeding ground for foot fungus. Nah....these are petty concerns in comparison to seeing the temple in 'real' life!

The temple is situated within a large water tank that is accesible from a marble platform. From any and all sides of the rectangle-shaped platform there is a perfect view of the temple. The most amazing part is the magical feeling that lingers there especially at night. Literally hundreds of people come daily to worship and pray from 6 a.m. until it closes at 11 p.m. Because of this there is an incredible energy of devotion; you don't have to be Sikh to feel it.

While sitting on the marble platform, I was capitvated by the temple as I watched people moving from across the tank and into the temple or from behind me. There is a dream-like effect inside of the temple with women's colorful saris swaying back and forth and men's turbans bouncing up, and down, as they walk in a clock-wise direction in slow, and deliberate steps. Time stands still in such a place; I had the feeling I could have stayed all night. There was a kind of erry peacefulness, however, especially if you are familiar with the history of the tank and/of or Punjab. In particular, thousands of Indian people were shot down on April 13, 1909, by the British without any warning while listening, ironcially, to a speech on liberation and independence.

One of the most memoriable aspects of being at the temple was the way that the Sikh people were so welcoming. In other Indian cities if you look lost people either ignore you or stare back at you. In Amristar strangers were very quick to ask, "What are you looking for...Can I help?" Inside of the temple was no different (although we probably looked very lost). People went out of their way to tell us how we had to watch the "closing" ceremony and showed us how to eat the prasad (offering) at the ceremony. Another one of those small things in which you don't want to think about where the hands of the guy serving the brown sticky stuff have been or what this stuff is made out of! Instead you think, "This is good. How do I clean my heads?" To my surprise, Sikh people were also very conscientious of being in the way of me trying to take a photo and "placed" or rather pushed me into a better spot!

The hotel we stayed at was located right outside of the temple. From the hotel window, there was a full view of the temple and the tank. The room was advertised as being the "luxury room" and "spacious." What this really meant was a large window, a bed and about 2 feet around the bed from the wall. I wondered why they bothered to leave any space at all. Believe it or not, there was still a writing desk, a TV and a closet. As I had mentioned earlier in this blog, I usually ordered all the furniture out of the room to practice yoga. However, in this case that would have meant throwing everything out the window.

Still, I managed to find space in this cramped room to practice! If you looked for me over the bed, I was there. And if need be, I would have practised under the bed...Should I ever find a hotel room smaller than this one in India.

Mountains for Breakfast

2009-10-22T08:02:00.001-07:00

This ain't breakfast at Tiffany's, but breakfast in the Himalayas (and it will be more than sufficient!). In the Kangra valley within the state of HP (Himachal Pradesh) is Dharamsala; a refuge for Tibetians and the seat of the Dali Lama. We stayed in a suburb called McLeod Ganj, which is elevated about 2000 m (or 6000 feet).

The view was breathtaking of the white mountains or known as Dhauladhar. It ranges up to 5000 m (17, 000 fett). The state of HP has the advantage of having all the major Himalayan peaks represented within it. Imagine walking out of your little hut each morning to look at this view? I could not help but wonder what kind of person I might be had I grown up around the mountains rather than in the city. I have always had a romantic notion that being in the mountains brings you closer to God. And if there is a God, this is what God would look like.

In the mountains it is "easier" to comtemplate on what's important in life; how petty the thoughts can churn and how low the ideas can run in comparison to just how big life actually is. Questions of life arise such as what is love? What is the true nature of pain? What is life? Who am I? Why am I here? These are all the questions that spiritual seekers have sought to ask for thousands of years. And this is why 'sat' (true) seekers have generally headed to the mountains; the ego is less here and worldly concerns far away.

There are three regions here; the upper part called McLeod Ganj, the middle region of the Kotwali Bazar and the lower area of Kaccheri. After an extensive search for the 'right' place to stay, I decided upon Uduchee Huts in the upper region. All the travel guides and on-line advisors I had consulted said the same thing. That is, it was inconveniently located but had an awesome view of the mountain range. (And this was not a lie.) Being here made life in Mysore, travelling throughout Europe and life back in Canada seem like a dream I had.

Within this region there are many good treks. We choose a 15 kilometer trek that took up most of the day. Some of it was very challenging as we moved up and around the mountain region. We were headed to Devi Guru Temple and when we arrived I had the distinct feeling that not many tourists find their way here. It was completley deserted. There was only one man there who crunched down near where we were resting. As he prepared to roll a smoke, he smiled grimly and puffed away.

On the way back down, we stopped at this River Cafe; a make-shift cafe that sold a few snacks, chai (tea) and drinks. It looked homely, run-down, dirty, old and limited. It reminded me of an apartment I once wanted to rent near the beaches in Toronto. It was advertised as having a "lake-view". What it had was a square foot window. My father told me, "I wouldn't shake a stick at it." I liked it. I am sure there are many who would turn their noses at this place too. We felt it was 'perfect'.

PS: We did not order the chow-mein

Dancing Naked

2009-10-21T15:37:00.000-07:00

After leaving Mysore, I headed to the Rishikesh (the foothills of the Himilayas) to meet with my meditation teacher, Swami Veda, the oldest disciple of Swami Rama (1925 to 1996). We flew from Bangalore to Delhi and took the overnight train to Haridwar. Finding a taxi driver from the train station is always fun since they don’t speak English well in North India. They never seem to know “where” you want to go, but you don’t find this out until you have been travelling for close to an hour. It became obvious the drivers were confused when they stopped every few minutes to ask for directions. In the end, they brought us to the wrong ashram where I got the 'right' directions from a helpful orange-robed Swami. Along the journey, our drivers (probably not much older than 16 years old) invited me to have a smoke. They looked pretty disappointed that I did not share in the fun! "No smoke, mam?" "Nooo."

The first time I visited Rishikesh was in 2000. My memory consists of watching a large pig peeing in the Ganges while a man dressed as Hanuman diligently wiped off body make-up just a few yards away. "Hmmmm", I thought, "the holy waters of purification." I also walked several kilometers from where I was staying to avoid being cheated by any overpriced rickshaw driver. I can't believe I would argue over 50 cents; the 40 degree weather must have shifted my common sense to zero cents. I walked to and fro from the Ganges in which there are literally hundreds of ashrams stacked on top of each other. I remember walking past the sign for the Sivananda ashram, Omkaranada ashram, Swami Rama Ashram, the Vivekanada Institute....etc, etc. I was on a strange mission in those days and kept up a brisk pace.

In the latter part of the 60’s Rishikesh became quite well known to the West as the Beatles travelled there and met with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. It also became nick-named as Yoga-town because of the large number of ashrams located in one central area. For tourists, there is something for every budjet, level of comfort, level of study, interest and non-interest in the spiritual path.

For Hindus, it is a totally different matter; it really is a sacred city. The name “H-rishikesh” is Sanskrit for Vishnu (the preserver) and means “the lord of the senses.” Certainly it is an array of sensations for the senses with many sadhus, wandering monks and swamis walking around. One Swami, whom, I know I had never met before, was convinced he knew me. "Yes, I saw you here 10 years ago!" Ironically, I have returned 10 years later, but this is 10 years in the future not the past.

The banks of the Ganges are also well visited by locals who perform pujas, rituals and other ceremonies understood to cleanse their karmas of both past and present lives. A group of boys were no exception to the rule as they played along the river banks without a care in the world. They reminded me of the freedom of being able to run naked. Once they spotted me taking their photo, they were very eager to see it. I cannot explain what it meant to be surrounded by several naked Indian boys jumping up and down. It was one of those moments in which there are no words.

Ah, the invention of digital, the innocence of childhood and the freedom of the body.

Mother & Child

2009-09-29T07:10:00.000-07:00

What I love about India are the children....and their mothers. Their faces tell a story untold...a way of life vastly different than I could ever pretend to understand. The children are full of curiousity, life, love and vigor. Such youthful bright faces with wise eyes. Their mothers are protective, serene and strong.

Dasara

2009-09-29T01:40:00.000-07:00

In the Wodeyar tradition (Maharajas of Mysore), the final day of Dasara ends with a magnificent procession (called Jumboo Savari). The procession begins inside of the Mysore Palace and makes its way through the city.

Several hours before the parade got started hundreds of people were already sitting along the road, with many areas blocked off. As an eager spectator and my first time to Dasara, we had purchased "GOLD CARD" seats inside of the palace. It was no joke finding our way by foot to the palace. The streets slowly became a crazy maze of people, animals and vehicles. Unfortunately, we started off in the wrong direction and ended up running around the palace (a good kilometre) to get to the ‘main’ entrance for "GOLD CARD" members. The fastest way to get thru the crowd was to join the traffic by running down the middle of the road (not something you tell your mother). When we arrived at the gate we huddled like cattle behind the iron fences with all the other card holders; our gold status was rapidly diminishing. Finally after being pushed and shoved sideways and backwards we made our way to the next queue, and into the palace.

Meanwhile this sort of event brings out the worst in yourself as well as those around you. I became very irritated and angry and started yelling at my companion to run faster as well as to push himself thru the crowd so that we were not separated.

When we got to our seats, we were quickly approached by hungry reporters who wanted the foreigner's veiw on Dasara. Given my mood and the events that had taken place to get there, I blew my shot at getting on live-radio and my name in the Indian Express. Had I told the reporters how magnificent it was, how wonderful to see the elephants, etc., etc., it would have been published news for sure. Today the headlines read, “and the homemakers were mesmerised” (The Times of India). Instead, my comments were on the people shoving, pushing, crying and fighting. I was not pointing my finger at Indian society as you would find the same thing at a rock concert in North America or at Carnival in Rio. I suppose I found myself thinking about what really takes place; i.e., the 7-10 day journey the elephants make to get to Mysore as well as the poor living conditions of the villagers who maintain them. The truth, however, is not newsworthy.

Yet I am no better than that of which I complained about. I was also amongst the lakhs (100,000's) of people who came out to watch the procession and who pushed their way thru.

Locals told me you have to experience this at least once in a lifetime. However, if this experience has anything to do with "organized chaos" then my memory lies more in being lead astray by police officers, jumping fences and barricades to get to our “assured" seats, and becoming desperate to get inside of the palace. It has less to do with the pagentry of this great event.

Still, I guess can say, “I attended Dasara.”

The Teacher and the Student

2009-09-24T23:58:00.000-07:00

There is a good zen saying (well, there are actually many great zen sayings), but this one is particularly relevant to the teacher-student relationship. It reminds us as students to empty ourselves if we want to learn from a teacher. The zen phrase states it beautifully by using the image of a tea pot and a cup. The tea pot is the teacher and the cup is the student. When the teacher teaches they pour out their knowledge and into the student. If the student's cup is empty they can receive the teachings. However, if their cup is already full they cannot receive anything and the tea (re: knowledge) is wasted.

The trouble, however, with many 'good' sayings is just that. They sound good, but are hard to follow. It can be relatively easy to believe that you are open-minded and that there should be no problems with learning under a 'new' teacher. And yet when in a 'real-live' teacher-student situation one may find that this is not ex-actly the case. One may feel very resistant to everything the teacher says and/or how they say it.

Last Friday, Yogacharya offered a talk on how it is important to be open to the teachings. He said that he cannot teach us if we are closed; there is nothing he can offer. But how do you become open? What does it truly mean to be 'empty'? Is it really possible given the hundreds of thousands of ideas and impressions we carry with us from all of our experiences? How can we truly become open?

Years ago in the time of 'true' Masters and Gurus, it was very common for the Master to provide lessons in humility (re: lessening pride, ego and arrogance) as well as testing the sincerity of the student. Many swamis such as Swami Rama and Vishnu-devnanada describe the lessons they received in humility from their Master. Today, I think this type of teaching is dead. In fact, if many yoga teachers to test or to treat their students in a similiar fashion they would probably find they had no students. I really feel, however, that many of these lessons were important in order for the student to progress. Without them they would have at best remained the same or at worst regressed. Today many of these lessons have not been well understood by Western students who sneer at the austere practices of the Master or consider it "bullyin". We just don't understand what it means to surrender ego. Some people even take offense from the word, "surrener". But the fact is we live in a totally different time, context and era....

Teaching is a 2-way street; something that should be kept in mind. Essentially the more open one becomes the more one can learn and receive the teachings.

Today during class Yogacharya instructed 3 of the students undergoing the AtmaVikasa Teacher Training program to hold a posture. He said, "Hold it until I tell you to come out". A few seconds later one of the students gave an instruction to her fellow collague. A few seconds after that Yogacharya asked her, "Why are you telling the student what to do? Did someone give you authority? Am I not here?"

This was followed by a few defensive comments by the student in question. Yogacharya lost his patience and told the her, "Roll up your mat. Your practice is over." This was also followed by a few more defensive comments including one of the students jumping to the rescue of the accused. Yogacharya continued, "When I tell you to stay in a posture, you stay. If I give you the authority to talk then you can talk. Otherwise you have no such authority in the class."

The student rolled up her mat and left.

I know as a teacher it can be very tempting to want to say something to another student especially if you see they are doing something incorrectly and/or you feel your suggesstion would benefit them. But why? Really? I know, as well, when one is undergoing a training program it can feel good to be able to spread your wings a bit by applying what you know. One of my students did this to me while she was undergoing a teacher training program I was running at the school. Not only was it not her place to do so, but the instructions she gave to her fellow student was incorrect.

Overall, these are good lessons in understanding that:
1) it may only be your ego wanting you to tell another person to do something, which should be saved for your own classes (if you are a teacher) and,
2) when you are a student in a class enjoy being a student and do not mix your roles.

There is also another good zen saying:

When walking just walk,
When talking just talk,
When eating just eat,
And when sleeping just sleep.

This also relates to the role of the teacher and the student. When you are a student be a student, with the mind of a child. When you are a teacher be a teacher, with the mind of a student.

It's pretty straight-forward.

First Lesson

2009-09-23T07:07:00.001-07:00

This post stands-alone because it highlights the entire approach that Yogacharya is offering.

August 30

During my first class, Yogacharya explained how I was practising to reach the mind thru the body. Now, I will learn to practice how to reach the body thru the mind. And he stated:

"Maybe...this time...you will learn something."

Today's Lesson

2009-09-23T06:59:00.001-07:00

Yogacharya: "Expand your intelligence in the posture."

Hema (who teaches me Sanskrit and the sutras): "Here's some money. You don't want to be driving around and be met with a flat tire." (Re: I had forgotten my wallet, ID, etc., in my room.)

Yog-ah

2009-09-22T04:42:00.000-07:00

This year's practice includes the 2nd series of AtmaVikasa yoga, a series that Acharya developed consisting of 30 postures. The overall sequence contains 2 versions of the sun saluations, standing postures, sitting postures with various combinations of the lotus including kukutasana and parvatasana. The closing sequence also involves an intermediate series of the lotus in shoulderstand and headstand.

Throughout my classes with Yogacharya I have been given many comments, suggestions and commands. After my first class I was not able to complete the full sequence within the 2 hour slot. I had some concerns about how to sequence the postures (re: what to leave in, what to leave out). The next class, however, Yogacharya told me, "Pick 2 postures. These will be the ones you practice for the rest of the time here."

It's amazing to reflect on the array of attitudes that grew inside my mind from such a simple statement. This year would involve no elite back bends and coming out of class drenched in sweat; having given it my all! I wondered if I would become bored. I also wondered if I could manage holding postures for 20 minutes; maybe longer if required. I did not feel deprived by his recommendation (re: in the sense that doing less would also equal to receiving less). Even if you have your doubts, however, following the lead of the teacher is a lesson that gets repeated if you want to learn. I have learned this lesson every year from Yogacharya.

Right now, my own practice has done a full circle. I began in 2000 only learning the sun salutations (a series of 11 postures) for 1 hour. One year I spent the first 2 weeks only practising conditioning exercises. What hell that was for me and my ego. I already had done the primary series of Ashtanga under Pattabi Jois and knew a few advanced asanas. This really felt like moving backward and not forward. I felt extreme resistance to the simple wrist, neck and leg exercises. However, I was really surprised when I found that these concentrated exercises were more difficult than some of the advanced postures I had learned.

Over the years with Yogacharya, the individual asanas (postures) were gradually and slowly added. Slowly is a key word. In the years that followed the routine got more demanding and the sequence changed as my practice evolved. To date, I feel I have "maxed" out my body potential. There is a inner need to learn something deeper beyond asana practice....which as far as I can tell can become more like ass-anna practice!

Below is a brief description of the some of these classes thus far:

September 21

Today one of the pictures in the shala (school) fell down during shavasana (resting). I was the only one startled by it and looked over to see if it had fallen on the woman beside me. She was, however, completely oblivious; resting peacefully in the corpse pose.

After the prayer Aharya told me, “See you have some fear...”
"True." I said. "I thought it was falling on someone."
He smiled brightly and said, "When something falls down it is related to bad karma. And even if it falls on you then it’s okay.....Even if a bomb was beside you, its’ still okay. Let it come. Death is fantastic."

Today's lesson: You can not escape Death. Embrace, welcome and relax with it.

September 15

While holding the forward bend lotus posture (ardha baddha padma-pashchimottanasana), I came out earlier from the left side. Yogacharya told me to hold each of the postures the same length. This particular morning I was only aware of the severe pain travelling up my right leg.

"Watch the breath and not your body. Observe the nature of the pain," he said as if I should have known this already.

Ahhhh, to know is one thing...but to practice is quite another. And come to think of it I was telling myself this while in the position....

September 10

It is easy to zone-out and to see how the mind can become very complacent after holding the same posture for 10 mintues. It is also easy to see how conditioned the mind is to activity, sweating, working hard....and labelling this as yoga. What is yoga then? What is yoga-asana?

During this practice Yogacharya told me not to go for the final position. "Don’t even bother. Concentrate on the process. Concentrate on the breath. Watch your thoughts, feel your body and then you might get an idea of what yogasana is."

He walked away.

September 3

For 2 hours I practiced the sun saluations (simple yoga postures) and 2 rounds. This process teaches a lot about patience, the process, becoming mindful of the breath, feeling the body and watching both the mind and the body. Initially I wondered if I would get bored. Surprisingly enough boredom is the last thing which has visited me. How the mind wanders, the lack of awareness of the breath, how it’s easy or rather a habit to move the body and not think of the breath, how it’s a habit to want to get to the final position....are many of the observations I have made. Of course, I could say I was always learning this indirectly. However, holding postures for no more than 5 breaths will not break down your mental wanderings. One of the most interesting aspects to this process is watching how the mind when doing something it feels it knows and understand is automatically assuming many things. It's an interesting experiment to approach the sequence on the basis as Yogacharya said, "You don't know anything. You only think you know."

My-sur, My-SUR, MY-SUR!

2009-09-16T01:19:00.000-07:00

At the bus station the gruff calls of "My-sur, My-SUR, MY-SUR!" sound more like an auctioneer's call for the final bid than it does for the bus into the quaint city known for its sandalwood oil, incense and silk saris. From Bangalore to Mysore its a mere 125 Rupees ($2.50 CDN) for the semi-deluxe bus. Cheap. Very cheap by North American standards when you consider it's at least a 3-4 hour journey. Mysore is such a lovely city to be as it still possesss an old-world charm. So far the growing population has not ruined it with Mysore's population increasing by 20 per cent increase from 1991 to 2001. A census conducted in 1931 showed there were just over 100,000 people. Today, there are about 900,000 people.

It's always funny talking to any local as one of the first things they will remark upon is how easily you can get around. It's not like Bangalore, which has about 6 million people! But Delhi and Mumbai they say is "too much crowded." I learned recently that Mysore holds the largest number of Indians who were not born here as compared to other cities. It's sort of interesting when you probably assumed that everyone is from 'here'.

I first came to Mysore in 1999. I visited the zoo, roamed around the Maharaja's Palace (royalty of India) and witnessed the 90,000 lights that came alive from the palace. Every Sunday from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. the palace becomes a glowing array of lights for one hour. During my brief 3 day visit, I did not know that Mysore was the home of many famous yoga teachers, the most well-known being Shri K. Pattabi Jois. I also never imagined I would continue to return to this city after meeting Yogacharya Venkatesh in 2000. Funny, too, as for years I was saying the name incorrectly. Many local people showed me their pride by shouting at me, "My-sur". But with so many different accents and helpful people, I grew confused as to whether it was My-sur, My-sir or My-sore! Many yoga students have simply stuck to My-"s-o-r-e" and for obvious reasons. Last year, the department of tourism officially changed the name to My-su-ru! This seemed to make things easier, but I have yet to hear anyone refer to it as such.

Right now is a very exciting time to be in Mysore because on Friday, September 18th the Dasara fesitval will begin; a 10-day fesitval that commemorates the victory of good over evil, light from the dark, knowledge from ignorance and bliss from sorrow. There are performances and processions that mark this very special time. Probably one of the biggest event is the last day when the 4900 kg gold "howkah" (seat of the Maharaja) is placed on the back of an elephant. During the festival there are also nine rituals performed that are understood to break the attachment to the body and the mind; bringing forth the divine love of the mother (also known as Navaratri).

The daily scene, however, appears the same as usual. This photo is typical of the Indians who are busy with their mobile phones. Here they call it the "handy". It does not matter if they are driving a scooter, walking along the street or talking amongst friends, everyone seems to be on their handy. If you have any problems, for sure, they will know how to resolve it. Very savvy 21st century crowd.

Famous Questions

2009-09-13T10:39:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago I arrived in India. On the same day that I got into Mysore city I also had a meeting at 8 a.m. with Yogacharya Venkatesh. It is customary to visit the teacher first before starting the classes. These discussions while brief have usually consisted of Yogacharya's two famous questions: “How’s your practice?“ and “What do you want to learn this year?” Since 2000, I have been studying under Yogacharya and as far as I can recall his questions have never changed.

It was a speedy ride from the Bangalore airport into Mysore. My driver, Ravi, told me we would probably only arrive at 9 a.m. “Hmm, not good,” I thought. So I asked, “Can you drive a little fast?” “I will do my best,” said Ravi and off we went into the bumper to bumper traffic at 5:30 a.m. with the classic horn blowing throughout our ride. As the road gods would have it I arrived at 7:55 a.m.! I waited outside of the shala (school) for Yogacharya to appear.

No smile. No gesture. No expression at all. Only a slight nod from Yogacharya as he opened the gate. “Hello,” I said fumbling to place my hands in prayer position. "Come"..."You sit," he replied. Yogacharya placed a woolen mat on the marble floor for me to sit on while he sat across from me on another. Next came his two famous questions.

Yogacharya listened intently as I rambled on about being consist in practice but also experiencing many bodily pains during the year. Yogacharya told me that whenever you practice very intense and advanced asanas many difficulties will arise due to the alignment. And when the alignment is not the perfect many problems can come. Unlike many other years, however, I did not have the same deep desire to continue to push the edges of my asana (posture) practice. I felt as though I have reached the summit (for now) and need to go in a different direction that is deeper and beyond the physical mastery of the asanas. I had already started to feel that no matter how many asanas I practice or how many new levels I may encounter, there remains something within me that is unsatisfied. The pain-staking evolution of time and practice has revealed to me that while the impossible is possible the body is limited.

The three most important things from pratice are:

1) Consistenty;
2) Devotion;
3) Inner faith.

The interesting thing is how each of these are tied to each other. Devotion only arises from practice and faith only comes from having some devotion. Both are lost and cannot be developed if practice is not consistent.

Usually I have looked to Yogacharya to advise me if I should be doing a deeper program on meditation or asana practice or both. I can never figure out why I do this because Yogacharya’s position has always remained the same. That is, he has never tried to influence me one way or another by telling me what to do. He may recommend something, but never points to it as being an absolute. Instead, he has always reflected back to me my current state and reaffirmed to me that I, indeed, know better.

This time is no different. I decide to focus more on meditation, pranayama and only the second series of Atma Vikasa. I will miss the advanced asana practice of back bending, but there are lessons in detachment...and this is one of them as far as I can tell. I also feel that sometimes you have to leave something completely in order to come back to it later with a fresh and clearer mind... I will still practice on my own and that will be a better test anyway in terms of discipline.

In Yogacharya's teachings there are 10 sequences of the AtmaVikasa yoga system. He has only taught the second series to a few foreigners. We agree this year to focus on the second series, which is a similar format to the primary series of Ashtanga, but without the vinyasas. Postures are held from 20 to 30 breathings (sometimes more), with a focus on the internal alignment to stabilize the body, and mind.

“Come to practice on Monday”....Yogacharya tells me. This ends our meeting.

Getting Settled

2009-09-12T07:16:00.000-07:00

Getting settled in India happens fast. Within just a few hours of arrival not only have I set up my classes, but I have done the following:

-Gotten a scooter;
-Had the money changer drop-by;
-Bought necessary toiletries (i.e., sandalwood soap, detergent, hair oil);
-Arranged for a head-massage;
-Had a wonderful breakfast of papaya, bananas, pineapple and curds;
-Cleared the room of its furnishings except the bed and;
-Received calls from my friends asking when I will come for dinner.

Life is good and I am ready to begin classes on Monday at 5 a.m.

This year the schedule looks like this:

5 a.m. to 7 a.m. 2nd series AtmaVikasa
8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Meditation
10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Bhajans (chanting)
3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Sanskrit and sutra class

In between there is self-practice and consultations with Yogacharya.

Leaving for India

2009-08-27T11:10:00.001-07:00

In preparing to leave for India there is always a long "to-do" list. Some people have often asked me how do you pack for 2-3 months. I think the only way you can: selectively. Far beyond the usual stuff, however, of visas, medical insurance, immunization shots, airline tickets and packing my bag, this year also included packing The Yoga Way.

The Yoga Way had made its home in a beautiful studio located in a 150 year old building in Toronto. I started the school in 1997 and with 4 students. At the time, there was no gas fireplace, separate entrance, chocolate-maroon coloured office, sunshine yellow bathroom or a personlized shower that doubled as a change room. My office sat at the back of the practice room. I still recall the time a student was sitting behind the desk! I guess it was considered public domain and anyone could sit there.

It was a humble beginning with the school starting off in a space once used for offices. The carpets showed their wear and the walls needed a fresh coat of paint. In 2003, The Yoga Way was renovated to suit exactly the needs of the school. The entrance to the school was no longer a part of the main building, a tiled hallway was added and the office was separated from the practice room.

Now after 12 years of teaching, practice, travel and running the school, there was no doubt a fair amount of stuff I had accumulated. The purge that begins with all moves ended with 15 boxes that now encase the life and times of The Yoga Way. It's funny to think of it this way.

Although The Yoga Way will begin its new home in the coach-house (just a walk across the parking lot on the same premises), I had grown very attached to the place. I think some of my students even felt the same way when they wanted to come for their "last" class. I like to think of this as a new beginning and not a sad ending. I also like to think there was some decent teaching taking place, some good practice and valuable times spent there. In many ways it had become my home with practice starting and ending each day.

All paths speak of non-clinging and the practice of detachment. When presented with a real life situation it is not difficult to see how easy it is to cling and to possess. It also seems natural that we become attached to a place we call "ours". There is a certain pain in moving out (although I feel packing was probably more painful). However, if we are to become more whole and balanced then there will be lessons both in being attached and becoming unattached.

Tour d'Europe

2009-08-25T00:11:00.000-07:00

First things first: Europe. On my way to India this year, I have been travelling to Germany, France, Swizterland and Holland. By car, plane, taxi and bicycle, it has been an enjoyable yet sometimes arduous journey. The only thing left out was by boat!

Keeping up with practice while on the road is a 'required' effort. But it only confirms that one can indeed practice just about any where, under any condition and circumstance. I have generally found that practising in 'strange' places creates a new awareness about practice. This is not only in terms of oneself, but the environment. You also start to appreciate why practice in the morning is best; you will probably never get around to it otherwise. And you learn early that just because there is enough space for the mat in the hotel room does not mean there is enough for you! Some asanas tend to spill over the parameters. Rearranging the furniture (or more actually described as getting rid of it) is first on my list. The hotel staff usually appear baffled when I no longer want the television, the coffee table, the lounge chaheirs, the floor lamp or the stool. What's left is the bed and (only if there is room) the writing desk.

In the first pada (chapter) of the Yoga Sutras it states, "Success is immediate where effort is intense" (1:21). For the sake of argument, let's argee that the word 'success' is referring to simply keeping up a daily practice; not how elite or un-elite the practice is. While travelling the effort to continue with practice requires intense measures in staying focused. There are a lot of distractions with places to go, people to see and things to do. However, bringing yoga off the mat and into the world can prove to be a means in practising in the "now".

Here's a few examples:
Teaching others to rotate their shoulders while standing in queue.
Practising pranayama (i.e., exercises using the breath) on the plane.
Using the moola bandha (i.e., anus lock) to lift upward from the car seat.
Twisting your spine sideways in a chair with a long exhalation.