Dear Yogis,

This piece by David Michie (a Buddhist Monk) was submitted to me by one of our graduates.

……….When I heard the news of her death, I immediately recalled a specific insight often mentioned by my cherished teacher Geshe Thubten Loden: “On the day she dies,” he often used to tell his Australian students. “The Queen and the kookaburra will be the same.”

The point he made was that whatever status, wealth, social connections or power we may enjoy in this lifetime we lose the moment we die. After our last exhalation, physical and mental dissolution follow. All that continues, whether we are the Queen or a kookaburra, is subtle consciousness which carries the imprints of our actions, predisposing us to experience reality in a particular way.

I never met the Queen, but I know people who did, and who worked for her. Guided from a young age to perform her unique role, she had a powerful sense of purpose – one that was fundamentally benevolent, encouraging others to be their best selves. As a result, I feel sure that her subtle consciousness will continue in an auspicious way.

On the passing of a high lama or revered yogi, the appearance of rainbows in the sky is often said to be a sign of such auspiciousness. That rainbows appeared above both Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle – among other places – at the time of the Queen’s passing may just be an indication of the air moisture in England… but I like to believe not.

May the Queen, and all who have recently passed into bardo,
Quickly and easily attain complete and perfect enlightenment.
May all of us who feel gratitude for what she gave us,
Live up to her own ideal to be our best selves.
May love, compassion, joy and equanimity,
Pervade the hearts and minds of all limitless beings
Throughout universal space.

STUDIO YOGA CLASS TIMES
Fees FROM 3rd October (new term) $220 per term.

Monday – the 1pm class deferred until term 4 (re-starting 3rd October).  This hopefully will allow everyone to take care of families and school holidays for that 1 hour per week.
Monday 2.15 class as usual
Tuesday 1.30 Teaching at Windarring
Wednesday 1pm Hatha and 2.15 teacher training
Friday 2.15 as usual.

NEW SPRING CLASSES:
I am considering a Tuesday and Friday 7pm class to take advantage of the warmer weather of term 4.   Please indicate if you are interested – email yogafirst2@bigpond.com

NEW – SATURDAY BOTANICAL ART CLASS: “GIVE IT A GO” with Jahne.  4 x 2 hour classes from Saturday 9th October, 2.30pm to 4.30 $75 for members of The Botanical Art Society of Australia, ($85 non-members). Location: Woodend, Victoria.
To Book: Email yogafirst2@bigpond.com.  Details on www.jhwilliams.online.

ZOOM TEACHER TRAINING 6.30 Monday (The Sutras)  STUDIO TEACHER TRAINING 2.15 Wednesday in the Studio.

TEDDY BEAR YOGA.  I am having such fabulous fun teaching this at Windarring and have been collecting teddies to refurbish so everyone has a bear.  If you teach in aged care, or in any kind of rehab community, then you might like to try this.  It is such fun – much more yoga than usual gets done and much more enthusiastically.

SHOPPING THE PRE-CHRISTMAS STUDIO SHOW – Date to be determined – probably end of November. As I am exhibiting in other galleries, I have to see how they are planning their shows and will fit around my appearances at those venues.  If you want to purchase dolls or have one made for Christmas (or a Christmas stocking made for a special person or child), please let me know.

If you have comments, or would like to express your interest in the new evening classes (or others), Please email me: yogafirst2@bigpond.com

I will see you on the mat

Namaste – Jahne

Good morning Yogis,

No matter where we are in the world, our politics, or denomination, I am sure the world is saddened to hear the news that the Queen died last night,  (in her 96th year).  She was a woman of great fortitude, courage and steadfastness who never complained and never explained – just did her duty to the end.  She lived the Purushatras and has gone home.  In your prayers and meditations spare some time for this extraordinary woman, and include her family, who at this time more than any other will need our spiritual strength.  They have lost their guiding light, or maybe will now realise the gift they were given in her.  “Nothing can happen that is not ordained by God. Trust this” – The Qur’an

“Years ago, anthropologist Margaret Mead was asked by a student what she considered to be the first sign of civilization in a culture. The student expected Mead to talk about fishhooks or clay pots or grinding stones.

But no. Mead said that the first sign of civilization in an ancient culture was a femur (thighbone) that had been broken and then healed. Mead explained that in the animal kingdom, if you break your leg, you die. You cannot run from danger, get to the river for a drink or hunt for food. You are meat for prowling beasts. No animal survives a broken leg long enough for the bone to heal.

A broken femur that has healed is evidence that someone has taken time to stay with the one who fell, has bound up the wound, has carried the person to safety and has tended the person through recovery. Helping someone else through difficulty is where civilization starts, Mead said.

We are at our best when we serve others.”

THIS IS JUST A CATCH UP
Hardly anyone has replied to my new hours and charges for the new term, so I will take that as a “YES”.  To recap.

THE FEES:
Since Covid it has been On-Again-Off-Again Yoga for many of you.   I spoke to students and the suggestion (to retain the classes) that was put forward to me,  was to charge by the term.  I thought that was good, raised it in a newsletter, no comments, so I take that as a “YES”.

TERM CHARGES (starting 3rd October) WILL BE $220 for the last term.  I also suggested that and had no comments, so I take that as also a “YES”, especially as there is a little saving built in to the fees.  Starting 3rd October, finishing the week of 12th December.  We will go with that and see how we manage, and review when we see how it works.  There will be no refunds for classes you can’t be present for, although you will be able to take a replacement class in the same week.

Pay as usual via PayPal – go to the home page and click on PayPal.  www.yogabeautiful.com.au

If you want to change classes please email me first to make sure there is a vacancy. yogafirst2@bigpond.com 

STUDIO YOGA CLASS TIMES
Monday – the 1pm class deferred until term 4 (starting 3rd October).  This hopefully will allow everyone to take care of families and school holidays for that 1 hour per week.
Monday 2.15 class as usual
Wednesday 1pm and 2.15 teacher training
Friday 2.15 as usual.

NEW SPRING CLASSES
I am considering a Tuesday and Friday 7pm class to take advantage of the warmer weather of term 4.

ZOOM TEACHER TRAINING 6.30 Monday (The Sutras)  STUDIO TEACHER TRAINING 2.15 Wednesday in the Studio.

TEDDY BEAR YOGA.  I am having such fabulous fun teaching this at Windarring and have been collecting teddies to refurbish so everyone has a bear.  If you teach in aged care, or in any kind of rehab community, then you might like to try this.  It is such fun – much more yoga than usual gets done and much more enthusiastically.

SHOPPING THE PRE-CHRISTMAS STUDIO SHOW – Date to be determined – probably end of November. As I am exhibiting in other galleries, I have to see how they are planning their shows and will fit around my appearances at those venues.  If you want to purchase dolls or have one made for Christmas (or a Christmas stocking made for a special person or child), please let me know.

If you have comments, or would like to express your interest in the new evening classes (or others), Please email me: yogafirst2@bigpond.com

I will see you on the mat

Namaste – Jahne

Dear Yogis,

NEW, NEW, NEW.  I am not alone in the yoga community coming to grips with the changes post-covid – the “new normal”.  I have been very concerned about our yoga classes over the last few weeks because of the way families have re-arranged themselves since covid, catching up with occasions they have missed.

This has meant that yoga is an on-again-off-again activity for a lot of students.  All good for them, not very workable  for me.  I was speaking to a group of my senior students and they put forward the idea that they could pay their yoga fees by the term.  That would mean that they could choose to come or not, and I could know that the class was stable.  So I am going with that. Thank you class for the suggestion.

NEW STUDIO CHARGES FOR YOGA FOR NEXT TERM
3RD OCTOBER TO THE 12TH DECEMBER – $220 PER TERM, PER CLASS.
(Childrens Teddy Bear Yoga $150 per term per child).

THE YOGA CLASSES – please book before you arrive.  They are small classes and one unplanned extra may not be able to join. Covid rules in place of course.

IRON AND YOU

Everyone is all over the place at the moment.  Concentration and commitment are nowhere to be seen.  Maybe after lockdowns, covid anxiety etc we are all undernourished in certain areas.  In the States 50% of the population is obese, that not only tells us that they are eating the wrong things and not exercising correctly, it means they are undernourished, particularly I would say in B vitamins and iron, depressed, lethargic.

I had a group come on the weekend.  I know that one of them is so severely iron deficient that she needs injections regularly.  However, when she came I could see she was very overweight, and was carrying two trays of sweet pastries.  Whilst I appreciate the thought, it was unnecessary – however  this gesture showed me the problem.  Food choices.

The anaemic person cannot be supplied with sufficient oxygen, therefore energy production decreases and they experience weakness, dizziness, shortness of breath on exertion, consciousness of a pounding heartbeat, palpitations and continuous tiredness and depression.  Does this sound like you?  PLUS are you compounding the problem with antacid tablets? 

In a mixed diet only 50% of the iron ingested can be used, the remainder is lost in the feces.  In experiments in which anaemia was treated with single foods, Liver was found to contain the most haemoglobin, kidneys second, apricots third and eggs fourth.  Many foods which contained as much or more iron failed to be good blood builders.  Part of the iron in leafy vegetables is held in insoluble compounds which cannot be absorbed.  In general, the softer the the texture of any food containing iron, the more completely absorbed.

It is complex.  Anaemic persons usually don’t have the concentrations of hydrochloric acid in their stomachs to allow iron rich foods to be digested, and because large numbers take alkalinising preparations which prohibit or dilute this acid, iron is not absorbed.  Vegan and vegetarians have this problem and have to make sure they are eating acres of spinach and leafy greens, taking brewers yeast and molasses in order to supercharge their iron requirements.

Don’t be part smart.  Before you rush off to the doctor or the counsellor for a quick fix, check your diet.  If necessary get a multi vitamin, and an iron supplement until you have sorted out a diet that works –  not just satisfying what you think your mouth wants, but what you NEED.  (and it is not trays of sweet pastry).  AND DON’T SMOKE.  Remember there is ONLY ONE WAY to lose weight – use more calories in exercise than you consume as food.

SOOTY and TEDDY BEAR YOGA

Does anyone watch the “SOOTY SHOW” any more.  I do – I tube it for a bit of fun. I have been a fan for many years, love bears as you know, and I also renew and renovate bears for those in need.  Well, I have been teaching TEDDY BEAR YOGA to my lovely Windarring clients.  Students with physical and intellectual challenges.  I just love it and so do they.  At the end of a class they are still engaged, laughing, having fun.  And next week they get their very own bear – It is going to be a fabulous class.  You should try it.  I am going to have TEDDY BEAR YOGA here in the studio for children next term.  The bears have opened a whole new identity for me, and I am loving it.

I will see you on the mat (with Teddy)

NAMASTE – JAHNE