Bhakti Yoga is the Yoga of Devotion. It’s all about the heart, and includes kirtan and mantra and music. On the last Saturday of every month, Tyag and other Satyananda Yogis come together at Te Aro Astanga on Cuba Street, Wellington for a 90 minute practice. Never much one for singing, it was a whole new world for me, but I was smitten from the very first opening chant - one we do 108 times.

And there was Tyag, perched in easy pose, his knees effortlessly lying flat to the floor, playing the guitar and using his prayer beads to count out the 108 rounds. His presence is both light and open, and it’s rare to see him without a smile.

It is my pleasure to introduce the second of my profiles of Wellington Yoga Teachers. I found Tyag and his Satyananda classes through a retreat I booked for, but was unable to attend. It was enough to get me on his mailing list though, and when I saw a Bhakti Yoga night advertised in my inbox, I was intrigued, and went along. Read the rest of this entry »

It has been some time since I acknowledged on the website the sources of my Kundalini Yoga knowledge, so before I proceed I would like to mention that these techniques were taught to me by Ravi Singh, who was a student of Yogi Bhajan.  My deepest gratitude to both of them for sharing this priceless wisdom with all of us.Having said the above, there are techniques, of course, that allow you to stir and awaken Kundalini directly, and rise up from the state of pure potentiality in which she resides at the base of the spine.  In this article I will present such a technique, but it should not be used in isolation.  It is though a valuable technique to learn and employ as part of a complete Kundalini Yoga practice.  Especially if your practice has matured to a certain degree, and you have developed a strong body and nervous system as a result of it.

An important aspect of dealing with Kundalini Shakti (energy) is to concentrate your efforts on the purification and strengthening of your systems and nadis (energy channels), and not prematurely use direct methods to awaken Kundalini.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with Kundalini Shakti and Kundalini Yoga, you may want to first read the following 2 articles: Introduction to the Science of Kundalini Yoga & Kundalini Yoga’s Seven Chakra System Overview. Read the rest of this entry »

Blessed with the radiance of those who practice yoga regularly, Ali of course seemed a decade younger than her chronological age (something very common to yoga teachers!). Her compact frame literally radiated prana - despite her height, this is not a woman I would like to meet in a dark ally if I was a mugger!

She spoke with passion about her yoga journey, and often stopped to pay homage to the divine or her guru. We didn’t practice yoga on a yoga mat or meditate during our time together, but I left with that clarity one gains from spending time in pranayama, asana, or meditation.

I had the pleasure of meeting her at her ashram in Lyall Bay. We sat in her meditation room with stunning views of Wellington, sipping tea, and talking yoga. Her artwork adorned the walls, and the room was spacious, light, and dedicated to the practice of yoga - complete with shrines. Two hours flew past as Ali shared with me some of her yoga story.

As a result of our connection, Ali agreed to answer the following questions, and be the first yoga teacher profiled in this series of posts.

Read the rest of this entry »

For information about the New York City performances on Oct. 25 and Nov. 16, please visit donttellmamanyc.com or call 212-757-0788. Kahmic Yoga returns to the Meeting House of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the South Fork, 977 Bridgehampton-Sag Harbor Turnpike (directly across from Ziggy’s Restaurant) on Saturday, Oct. 18 at 8 p.m. Seats, $15 each and we will present you a good yoga mat, can be reserved by calling 631-899-3181, or purchased at the door.

The charismatic Yogi G, spiritual funnyman and purveyor of Kahmic Yoga, offers one more session in the Hamptons before his NYC debut. Kahmic Yoga is a one-yogi show written and performed by Geoffrey Paul Gordon, Sag Harbor resident, award-winning playwright, teacher and longtime yoga lover.

Whether you’re an experienced Yoga Teacher needing to re-certify or a beginner looking to become a yoga teacher - you’ve come to the right place. Our Free Yoga Teacher Community will help you find what you’re looking for.

with the praise I’ve received for the original camp-in-a-box, I’ve been inspired to create a full collection of home study courses for popular and important Yoga Teacher Certification, such as Restorative Yoga Teacher, Kid’s Yoga Teacher, Chair Yoga Teacher, Pre-natal & Post-natal Yoga Teacher, Yoga Teacher Trainer (level II), Vinyasa Yoga, Meditation Teacher, Yoga Anatomy and yoga mat.

Equally important, I’ve developed courses and tools to help Yoga Teachers run successful Yoga Teacher businesses. After all, it’s one thing to devote yourself to doing what you love (Yoga), but it’s quite another to be able to support yourself comfortably and securely while doing it. You won’t learn these skills at a typical Yoga Teacher Camp.

Study Yoga Teacher Certification

How to add or modify a Yoga Teacher Certification: If you would like to add or modify a listing, just send an email with the basic information using the same format as the listings below.

Read the rest of this entry »

What: We will be offering the yoga classes in 4-week sessions. Possible scholarships are available if needed. Contact Lydia. Edgewater Parks and Recreation is now offering kids yoga class! Yoga for kids emphasizes movement and play. We keep it simple. More than learning the poses, the yoga experience will encourage kids to explore the unfamiliar with open minds and be comfortable in their bodies. It will also give them a much needed physical outlet in a noncompetitive environment.

The first yoga session starts on Wednesday, Oct. 15.
There is a $20 fee for the 4-week session.

Where: Recreation Room, 5845 W 25th Ave in Edgewater
When: 5:30-6:15pm and 6:30-7:15pm
Event Dates: This event takes place every Wednesday from 10/15/2008 through 11/5/2008.

Sessions: wholesale yoga mats
3 and 4 year olds : Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m-6:15 p.m Dates: 10/15-11/05
Ages 5 through 7: Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m.-7:15 p.m., Dates: 10/15-11/05

Register now by calling 303-238-7803 Ext. 28

 Iyengar yoga
The Iyengar method of yoga is initially learnt through the in-depth study of sanas (posture) and pranayama (breath control).

Iyengar has systematised over 200 classical yoga Asanas and 14 different types of Pranayamas (with variations of many of them), from the simple to the incredibly difficult. These have been structured and categorised so as to allow beginners to progress surely and safely from basic postures to the most advanced as they gain flexibility, strength and sensitivity of mind, body and spirit.

Integral Ishta
Integral Ishta (integrated science of Hatha, Tantra, and Ayurveda) is a flexible combination of specific methods designed to develop every aspect of the physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual aspects of the individual.

It is a scientific system, which integrates the various branches of yoga in order to bring about a complete and harmonious development.

Postures, visualisations, and meditation are used to open energy channels throughout the body.

Ishta is a joyful, beginner-friendly mix of 15 kinds of yoga, including athletic Ashtanga, flowing Viniyoga, and precise Iyengar, combined with Tantric meditation techniques and Ayurvedic practices, used to rebalance one’s life.

Ashtanga yoga
From the teachings of Krishnamacharya in India, this method involves synchronising the breath with a progressive series of postures guaranteed to produce internal heat and create purifying sweat to detoxify muscles and organs.

Apart from building strength and stamina, Ashtanga yoga produces a quiet mind and a sense of lightness and balance.

Hatha yoga
This type of yoga begins with a purification of the mind and spirit, and then progresses to the body via body postures and breath. Hatha yoga is what most people associate with the word “yoga” and is mainly practiced for mental, physical health, and vitality purposes, outside of India.

Hatha yoga lays emphasis on asanas, pranayama and dhyana (meditation). Another important facet is that it aims at balancing different energy flows within the human body.

About half of the nearly 200 Hatha yoga asanas are popular in the West. The Hatha Yoga postures range from the basic to the complex, from the easy ones to the very challenging.

Every movement is planned and controlled. As a result, they are revitalising for both mind and body.

Hatha yoga exercises are intended to ease tense muscles, to tone the internal organs, and to improve the body flexibility. The aim of accurate yoga exercise is to improve flexibility and strength of the body.

When practiced in combination with breathing techniques, Hatha yoga postures stimulate circulation and digestion, as well as the nervous and endocrine systems of the body.

Kundalini yoga
Kundalini yoga is a meditative discipline focusing on psycho-spiritual growth and the body’s potential for maturation.

The practice of Kundalini yoga, with life energy at its heart, consists of a number of bodily postures, expressive movements and utterances, characterological cultivations, breathing patterns and degrees of concentration.

Kundalini yoga postures and movement strengthen and increase the flexibility of the spine, which is intended to help improve memory and health.

“In the West, we gauge our age by our memory. In the East, it’s the flexibility of the spine,” says Sumler, who has studied yoga for 35 years. “We have certain exercises that are used for moving the spinal fluid through the spine, which in turn improves our memory.”

Sumler teaches Kundalini yoga at M. D. Anderson’s Place … of wellness, part of the cancer center’s Integrative Medicine Program. The practices offered at the Place … of wellness are available to M. D. Anderson patients, cancer patients receiving therapy at other institutions, their family members and caregivers.

Kundalini yoga is a practice that uses a series of postures, movement, sound, breathing and meditation to free energy starting from the lower body and moving upward. The goal is to reach a state of clarity and peace.

This process, called “awakening the awareness” (or activating the potential within every person), comes about by stimulating the endocrine system, which includes the pituitary gland, the hormone-manufacturing gland at the base of the brain.

One way to stimulate the pituitary gland is to keep your eyes opened one-tenth and focus your gaze on different areas, including the tip of your nose, says Sat Siri Sumler, a yoga teacher-trainer for the International Kundalini yoga Teachers Association (IKYTA) and a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) with the national registry of the Yoga Alliance.

Dahn Yoga is a system of body-mind fitness exercises that work on all the systems affecting the lower back, especially bones, muscles, and blood. Dahn Yoga is built on traditional Asian health practices that date back more than 5,000 years. For the past 30 years, they have been updated with modern medical findings, especially regarding brain functions and healing, by Ilchi Lee (http://www.ilchi.com), founder and president of the International Brain Education Association. Dahn means “bright energy”, flowing through meridian channels to heal the body.

1. Sweeping down the back of the legs. Place your hands on your lower back and rub them up and down to warm up your lower back. With your hands placed behind your waist, inhale. Bend your upper body from the trunk. Sweep down the back of your legs (bladder meridian), and hold your ankles. Exert slight tension as you pull on your ankles to place your head between your legs. Maintain this posture and attempt to stretch further. Feel the strengthening in your lower abdomen, waist, and lower back. If you have severe backaches, avoid overdoing this exercise. Exhale. Repeat twice.
2. Bouncing hips while on your back. Lie on your back. Raise your knees. Place your feet flat on the floor, and your hands on the floor with your palms faced down. Raise your hips and waist. Bounce up and down for five minutes at first, and longer as you continue practicing this exercise. Avoid straining your lower back and your lower body.
3.  Intestine exercises. Warm up by doing intestinal exercises. Build up the number slowly. Intestinal exercises heat up your lower abdomen, build elasticity in your lower back, and improve energy and blood circulation.
4. Twisting with bent knees. Lie on your back. Spread out both arms, palms facing down. Lift your knees and bend them, keeping them together throughout the exercise. Inhale and bring your knees to your chest. Turn your head to the left while turning your knees to the right. Exhale and switch to the opposite direction, placing your head to the right while turning your knees to the left. Repeat three times.

I met with Choudhury, who won the National India Yoga Competition as a 13-year-old, when he recently swept through town. I first took a vigorous 90-minute class at Chicago’s Bikram Yoga in the City led by the studio’s director, Mike Frayer, though Choudhury popped in several times to assist with poses. Then Choudhury and I sat down together. Here’s an edited transcript of the interview:

Q: You designed your sequence of 26 poses almost 40 years ago. But there are 86 poses in the original sequence. Do you regret leaving any out?

A: In 1965, when I did it, I was not as much sure (that it was right) as I am now.

Q: Really? What about (the inverted yoga pose) Downward Facing Dog?

A: That’s not yoga. That’s American circus.

Q: You’re often criticized for your love of material goods.

A: I have so many choices in America; it’s home to so many good things. I’m smart enough to enjoy all the good things that are offered.

Q: It’s not very yogilike to have lots of stuff.

A: Why not? There’s nothing wrong with material things as long as you don’t lie, cheat and steal.

Q: How much is that worth? (I point to his Piaget watch).

A: $58,000. A student gave it to me. (He pauses.) Let me ask you, what is the worth of one human life? It’s priceless. I give that life to people. Next to that, what is a watch? Having doesn’t mean anything unless you know how to use it. My job is to pick up the good of the East and the good of the West. I don’t want to starve to death in India, and I don’t want to be a billionaire living in a mental hospital in the U.S. Maintaining spirituality and humanism are the keys to success. It’s a balance.

Q: Why are you so strict with your teachers?

A: In India we say an empty barn is much better than one full of naughty cows.

I control my kingdom like a gangster. (He laughs.) It’s the only way it works. In America your biggest problem is you have a second choice. So you have an abuse of choices and too much freedom. It’s like a loaded gun in a kid’s hand. I just bring India here to you. It works only one way.

Q: But people have been doing yoga for centuries before Bikram yoga came along. It seemed to be working for people.

A: Up to a point. I used to teach 17 people in one day. Now 50 million people are doing Bikram around the globe. Could I do that? A horse can carry one. A 747 can carry 500 people. I created 6,000 yoga teachers all over the world.

If everyone does yoga, we have a better life. No drugs, no crime or alcohol.

In India, we have no Prozac, no crime. Why? We have the philosophy.

We know when to put on the brake. You build the best country in the world, the best science, art, sports and business. At the end of the day, you’re not happy. What good is that? Michael Moore told me he wants to get started in yoga. Can you help him?

Q:

A: (Choudhury smiles.) Oh yes. I like Michael Moore.

Q: You’ve created a lot of controversy by copyrighting your sequence of yoga moves.

A: Who cares?

Q: Do you think Bikram yoga is cheapened because it’s franchised?

A: Not at all. It’s more disciplined, people are more believing. My investment has been protected.

Q: How many Rolls-Royces do you have?

A: I don’t know. 35? I give every staff member of mine a car, something like a Jeep Cherokee. I have 17 vans.

Q: Are you generous?

A: You have to ask them! (He laughs.) I am more than generous. I take care of people like I am their own father and mother. That’s a key to my success.

I take care of people, and they take care of me.

That’s yoga.

Q: Can you demonstrate your favorite pose?

A: (He smiles and stands up.) I’m the best in the world (at triangle pose).

It’s the most difficult posture we do in the beginning sequence.

Q: Why do you call yoga teachers “clowns”?

A: Because they are clowns.

Circus clowns. They completely (expletive) up yoga. They crucified hatha yoga in America. There is no yoga called kundalini, power, vinyasa, dog yoga.

We follow 4,400 years of Patanjali’s “The Yoga Sutra.” There are eight kinds of yoga — karma, hatha, raja, vedanta, bhakti, mantra, jnana and laya. What the hell is vinyasa? And Iyengar school (which uses props) looks like a Santa Monica sex shop.

You don’t need those things to do yoga.

They make so many stupid things here (in America). I am teaching the exact same postures as my guru (Bishnu Ghosh) taught me.

Q: Can kids do Bikram yoga?

A: Why not? They might do 20 minutes, then come out. They should not do the standing postures.

With everyone doing yoga, we don’t need a Defense Department. All the money into guns. We are not civilized. We are a totally (expletive) up society.

Q: Any parting thoughts?

A: The body is a temple, the finest machine in the world. It’s so sensitive, but if you treat it nasty for too long, of course it will backfire.

Q: What if your guru was wrong?

A: Then the whole world is wrong. That’s an abstract question. What are they eating for breakfast on Jupiter? My guru’s way treats each part of the organ according to the problem — respiratory, circulatory, spinal or nervous system. The 26 postures use 500 organs and help whether you have a problem or not.

Why is it right? I prove it every single day of my life around the globe.

Q: Is it safe for everyone?

A: Most of the students in my classes are people who got injured in other classes.