Dear Yogis,

Doing a newsletter every day is amazing – and I thank you all for your feedback.  I know that you are all “zoomsters” and that is why I am doing dailies.  You are getting the asanas, but are you getting the rest? I looked at the records of how many of you are accessing the videos that have come as part of your teaching package, and it is very few.  Keep in mind that if you have no teacher, you are reliant on these for your 160 hours – AND I WILL BE CHECKING. You have paid for them – now watch them, take notes.  You have time.

People have said to me that without their job, with no coffee shop contact, being thrown into their own company, they felt aimless and useless, and this was what was the hardest to deal with.    People, this is the time when the most advances personally can be made.   There is always study and reading that can be done to assist in our understanding and get us ready for the next phase of our life.

For myself, I am doing Advanced Bach Studies at the moment as I have said to you.  It is fascinating.  The basics which I did in the 1980’s  (how time flies)  were “interesting” but the advanced studies, as with everything, is where it all comes together and is very, very relevant to where we find ourselves today.  You will find that in your yoga studies, just when you felt you “didn’t need this” you will find the pearl.

The herbal remedies as Bach wrote in his papers entitled “Some Fundamentals of Disease and Cure” would have “the power to elevate our vibrations and thus draw down spiritual power, which cleanses mind and body and heals.”

In the book “Heal Thyself”, Bach stresses the importance of happiness in life, for not only does it bring health in its train, but it indicates that the individual is living his life on earth to the full, uninfluenced by others; and in so doing, being of the greatest help and service to his fellow men.  So students – get happy to get healthy.

A project I have just started in the garden is some gardens out of car tyres, and will soon be planting the seeds I have rescued from the plants I have been foraging.  It is the perfect time.  I have heaps and heaps of leaves to use as mulch and as a weed mat. I know you probably don’t think tyres are attractive, but I have ivy in my garden, and soon you won’t be able to see much of the tyres.  I did watch a permaculture video last week of a big garden in the USA and they have done away with compost heaps on the basis that there are no compost heaps in nature, and gone back to delivering scraps straight to garden beds.  Car tyres make this an easy revolution.

Although I know that potatoes like being in the tyres and will propagate beautifully, I don’t know how my foraged seeds  will like being cultivated in this way  Doing it like this means I will be able to keep track of what is happening which is what I want, and I  will be able to control the environment.  I even have some salt bush which I am really looking forward to growing – “Old Man Weed”.  I have done a bit of research and its a very versatile plant.  Not just medicinal but also culinary, and fodder for animals.  Who knew?  Learning, learning, learning every day.  There is so much left to know, so much I want to do.

By the way.  I have had some donations into the Foundation which will enable me to  offer scholarships for the new Bach Therapy Course.  Start thinking about it.

Keep learning, stay well, and above all stay happy,

Namaste – Jahne

 

DEAR YOGIS,

Because this break in our usual way we work has happened, we are able to do those things in the house, in our study and teaching that we have always said we haven’t had time for.  Today as I was standing under the shower,  I thought about how appreciative I am that I decided to go for that little extra work, that extra study, that extra writing.

It made me think. Isn’t life and success defined by that “little extra”? It’s not the dramatic, far-reaching, overly-impressive actions or risks we take that push us forward, it is those small decisions that carry us along…. It’s those small things we change that free up the backlog behind them..

It’s simple,  and I have spoken to you about it in teacher training session after teacher training session.

It’s the extra showing up. The extra giving to others. The extra learning. The extra asanas, the extra meditation sessions. This is what over time, makes the difference to our life and to our contribution during our lifetime. Ask any expert at anything and they’ll agree.   There’s nothing mystical about a having big, generous life. It’s consistency, and the willingness to do, to give, and become just a little bit more.

While I was considering this message to you, I realised that a little extra, in fact, means A WHOLE LOT.  It means everything.

And then I thought… where has this been true for me so far?

• As I move into this COVID experience, I work on learning and giving every day… a little extra than ever before.
• I have academic success because I do my daily research and follow up… that little bit extra.
• I’m a content and optimistic human because I invest in my mind… a little bit extra than most.
• When I started out as a yoga teacher,  I gave it extra everything… and it has worked for 50 plus years..

Let me ask you this May, where can you give a little extra?  Where do you want to grow?  What do you want to become?  If you want to grow and change, the opportunity has arrived – it may be a long time until it comes again. Don’t miss it. Don’t let it fly by and look back in regret.  Don’t miss this opportunity for growth. Don’t get bogged down in grey thoughts, loneliness, empty wishes… “Do what you can with what you have where you are” as the Buddha taught.

The greatest gift you can give to others is to be happy and hopeful yourself, then you draw others out of their despondency.  I have found with the Bach Herbal Remedies I make and use is they “cure” not by attacking disease, but by flooding our body with the beautiful vibrations of our higher nature, in the presence of which, disease just melts away. Never more important than in this moment of “invisible invaders”.

The invaders in the photo are “ORBS”.  They are “Positive Presences” which are with us all the time, not everyone sees them. But they are there.

There is no true healing unless there is a change in outlook, peace of mind and inner happiness. Remember fear only attacks what you are afraid to lose.

Keep well, keep warm, keep happy, and keep on learning.

Namaste Jahne

Dear Yogis,

I am sure you have heard the story that demonstrated UBUNTU.  A foreign anthropologist is visiting India.  He sets up an experiment, and places up a bag of fruit under a tree.  He then asks children from a local village to stand behind a line and get ready to fetch the basket when he signals “go”.  The understanding was that the first person to reach the basket would win the basket.    To his great surprise, when he signalled the word “go”, the children held hands and ran to the basket together.

Then under the tree they enjoyed the fruit, together.  When they were asked why they did that, a little girl answered with a question “How can any one of us be happy when the others are sad?”.

Years later Desmond Tutu explained UBUNTU (or, “I am because we are”) as the philosophy behind the girl’s answer.  In this Divine Time, it could be that this philosophy that might ease the collective stress. In the spirit of Ubuntu we could walk towards our common humanity and hopefully pave the way for a more empathetic future.

Talking about the common future and humanity… To all you lovely people who are enjoying Zoom yoga.   All kinds of yoga – nidra, pranayama etc.. not just hatha.  The advertisers have sat up and taken notice. Yoga philosophy is not the basis for an advertising response, however,  as there has been an average increase of about 4,000% in people tuning in to on-line yoga (they may not have been actually doing it) . .there will be an advertising response.

For some time,  I have been videoing aspects of yoga that asks my viewers to re-assess needs and wants.  A message of SIMPLICITY.  I do not expect that advertisers will swamp my site… or my viewers with the “more, more, more” message, and I have not monetised any of my sites.  I ask my viewers to chuck their lycra, the designer mats, the decor blocks etc in favour of comfortable – My message of simplicity is not an advertisers dream.  Think about it.  Do your children really need “Micky Mouse” mats, or can you cut an old mat to fit?  Do we need to share our physique with the class, diamonds in the navel, tattoos on the  rear? Will the latest colour or style change the substance?  What do you want?

When I was teaching large classes of people in recovery, it was always easy to see who actually was recovering.  Not just those who met the physical criteria of “cured”.  People who were actually recovering came to every class (or massage/consultation session) early and sat in the quiet after helping put out the mats  – they didn’t sit on the deck smoking and flirting, or planning the after-class coffees.  They helped others get organised, waited until the class had left before leaving, and made sure the room was as it was when they arrived.  They walked back to the residence quietly.  Yoga changed them and they wanted to know how.  They cared about the experience, not just theirs, but the experience of others.  What do you want?  What do you have? What will you do when you get what you want? Why will you do it?

This can be a time of Peace, Forgiveness and Growth.  It will soon be over (until the next time).  I am taking this time to do advanced herbal therapy study, more philosophy, more of everything I can to help you when you come back to class and to the studio..  YOU are why I do what I do.   I like personal emails,  or you – the whole person –  to be WITH ME in the studio….

To do yoga, it’s your mind that matters.

Keep warm, keep safe, share.

Namaste – JAHNE