Blog Student News Trainees/Teacher News

Hi there Yogis,

ZOOM: Monday 6.30pm Mary Magdalen.  I just think the knots and tangles the Catholic Church has got itself into trying to explain away a female Minister/Healer/Teacher that Mary clearly was, is so funny.  Come on the journey with us.
Tuesday 7.30 THE RUMI GROUP.  When we finish this and we are getting close, we have a couple of options.  We could do Mary Magdalene…?
Sunday 10am.  The ‘GITA.  We are almost finished this too, and i think we are all agreed that we will move to THE TIBETAN BOOK OF THE DEAD/THE KING JAMES ED. OF THE BIBLE.  You may not thinks they have anything in common, but yes they do.

SATURDAY – STUDIO.  1pm to 2pm TATTOO AND (CBD) INFORMATION SESSION.  for those people who would like to come and chat about TATTOOS (TINY TATTOOS) and see our designs.  They are tiny, they are meaningful, and i can do a design (and a tattoo) just for you.  I like henna colour.  It is what I use for me.

CBD.  Under certain conditions CBD was made ‘SEMI-LEGAL” in February.  Lets talk about CBD, Cannabis and you.  1pm to 2pm

SATURDAY STUDIO:  2pm to 4pm the ART GROUP.  I think we are going to work on craft.  Get self sufficient with knitting and crochet.  If you want to join us.  Please do.  $25 for the class.  From  2pm to 4pm.

 

More and more interesting..

said the “Mad-Hatter”? “Alice”?  Maybe it’s the “Red Pill” makes all the difference.  But whatever it is, a lot of fabulous things have happened.  I have met with students I haven’t seen for years – and they are coming back to class.  Something is moving, and I am so pleased.  Welcome.

 

THE FIBRE BIBLE for Happy Guts.

One of our long time yogis (Pete Heine) has written this fabulous book, and before I had even had it an hour, I had put together one meal, and planned two more.  The photos are stunning, the directions are clear and well planned out, and easy to follow without a mountain of ingredients, and pages of method.  If I can make a meal look and taste fantastic – YOU CAN TOO.

You all know I don’t have a stove, but even with my very basic implements, I was able to put together a great meal.  Good food, close to the earth (not meat), but satisfying, easy and nutritious.  On Friday and then on Saturday I have people coming over, and I am cooking from this book.  It is all quick, simple and looks like Donna Hay is in the kitchen to help out.

My guts are very important to me, and yours should be too.  This is what I had from the book for lunch (pic to the right).  I had made this type of food in the past, but hadn’t put it together in this way,  or as beautifully.  But this lunch time I did.  No thermomix required!

To see more recipes, and to buy a copy – mine was a bargain I will use over and over again – and under $20 at our Trading Post which is always the first with the latest. You can buy the digital version for $10.  Go to WWW.THEFIBREBIBLE.COM

MARY MAGDALEN MONDAY 6.30pm

We started our Mary Magdalen group on Monday.  The Catholic Church has portrayed her as a harlot, penitent yes, but a sinner all the same. Nowhere, nowhere in the bible does it say so.  It does say there is a Mary who qualifies, but it is quite clear that “Mary the Sinner” and Mary Magdalen are two different Marys, but very convenient for the Church.

When I was researching for the MARY TAROT I am making, the hard part was finding images of Mary which made her look “useful” (hard to find the right word here).  Mostly she is looking sad, looking around for Jesus or looking to the heavens for help, hands in a prayer position.

There was only one picture that I could find of her teaching a multitude, and then, there is a very interesting, over-looked painting by Caravaggio (I think in The Louvre) of her in “ecstasy”.  However, if you look with human eyes you see why she is feeling pretty pleased with herself, and exhausted,  and it has nothing to do with Jesus – this is my opinion and the opinion of other art historians.  You can make up your own mind.  Pope Gregory who branded her a whore would have had a hard time with this painting..

I am very inspired by the Mary in the Gospel of Mary.  The actual Gospel which was dropped from the bible by Constantine.  Herod was trying to enlist Constantine’s help (on the basis of ganging followers and making money), and if it meant dropping gospel or two, it made no difference to him.  It has made a big difference to us!  Imagine having the gospels of  Matthew,Mark, Luke, John,  Thomas and Mary.  Then, women would have had to be let into the teaching and ministry, and in real life had the opportunities afforded to men.  Not all, but most.

This decision to exclude women, and have them presumed sinners, temptresses, of weak mind, and wanton has changed the way that women have been viewed.  We can’t change the past, but maybe we can influence the future.

First we have to rescue Mary from the tawdry Papal implications, and see her as she really was and is..  You can’t change Mary by standing outside her story – you have to get right into it.  You are teachers.  Study – Teach!!!!

 

I will see you on the mat.

Namaste – Jahne

 

Dear Yogis,

ZOOM (and Studio) Classes:
Monday 6.30pm –  Tuesday, 7.30pm RUMI STUDY GROUP – Saturday (22nd) The Art/Craft Studio Group, Sunday 10am ‘Gita

Please join us.  I will be opening the Studio from 1pm this coming Saturday so that you can catch up with me in person, see what we have been doing, and CHOOSE A TINY TATTOO DESIGN PERHAPS (and wander in the garden if the weather is good).  The  art/craft Group starts at 2pm to 4pm as usual.

If you come to the studio early,  and once you have chosen a design, we can make an appointment to complete in either black, red, or my favourite – henna colour.

 

MONDAY FREE TEACHER TRAINING.  6.30 (Mary Magdalen)
Starting this Monday at 6.30 we are going to be exploring the Gospel of Mary Magdalen.  This is just a taster as on Tuesdays  we are almost finished contemplating Rumi (which could become a lifetime study if one were so inclined?), and we will probably use the Tuesday 7.30 time slot for this MM Study (Monday is only an hour) but Tuesday is an hour and a half.

In studying this Gospel we will be considering the unknown part of ourselves, which at the same time is the most essential and valuable part of us.  We learned in Rumi that due to this mediating contact between the higher and lower parts of ourselves, the deeper intimate experience of conscious love could be experienced.

Where does Mary fit in this? She is the Minister, not the Whore.  Once Mary had been released of  “The Seven Demons” she could see the world and Jesus as they really are.  Like us, above the material, in the depth of silence that contains everything, she could know her real nature, made not just to love, but to serve.

Remember the bargain Shams had with God.  He was looking “…..for someone he could pour his knowledge into, who would use it, and change the world”.  For this, he would give his life.  It is interesting that both Jesus and Shams had a three year ministry.   In the Jesus story,  Mary  mirrors Rumi.  Someone who intimately knows the spirit, who intimately knows God and takes the teaching into the world.

You are training to be a yoga teacher, or have graduated, and like Mary you have a job – a reason to be.  Not just to use yoga, and be perfect (no-one can be this), but to also take your knowledge to the world to serve not only God but to serve your neighbour, and through this the world.  This is why we have been created.

You signed up for a very big job.  That you have changed your mind, or didn’t understand what you were signing up for is not the question, but there are Karmic consequences of your actions (of course). A very good song to remind us of our humanness is from Jesus Christ Superstar  “GESTHEMANE” where Jesus is asking God to “take the cup from me…”, reminding God that he had “exceeded expectations”, but in the end gives in to the will of God, the way,  “thy will not mine be done Lord”.

SMOKIN’ THE YOGA OF SMOKE (www.myyogabooks.etsy.com)

If you or your loved ones smoke, if you are aching, anxious,  depressed, then give up nicotine, and try herbs instead.  You can use the herbs in a pipe, in roll-your-own, as incense, and in little bags tucked into your pillow.  In this book I even show you how to make your own pipe.  The book is almost 50 pages jammed with information about herbs, herb magic and Ayurvedic smoking herbs to balance your doshas (What, how and when you smoke is important in Ayurveda).  I even talk about and have drawings of pipes so you can make your own, and make your own clay.

The pipe to the left is a favourite.  It is small (palm size) and feels like a living thing.  A small animal, a piece of jewellery.  It is a fully functioning pipe, but because of its size there is not a huge bowl, so it is a small smoke, but enough, and very gentle….  I made the air-dry clay myself, so there would be no chemicals in the smoke…  The three little mesh things beside it are the pipe mesh (herb holders) that I put in all my pipes so you won’t inhale bits and pieces of herb!  Not a good thing.  If you want me to make you one especially with a special colour or beads in mind, let me know and I can do one especially for you (or a gift for a loved one).  Just email me. yogafirst2@bigpond.com.

YOGA AND TAROT – Have you tried handing your TAROT cards out at the beginning of the class and at the end? One card per person per time?  You will be surprised how the energy changes from the beginning of the class to the end.  Try it.  It is a great way to get closer to the class, to discover deep issues, and see how your students have resolved them in the yoga session.

 

WHERE EVER YOU ARE, WHATEVER YOU DO, I WILL MEET YOU ON THE MAT.

NAMASTE – JAHNE

 

 

Dear Yogis,

ZOOM: SUNDAY 10AM THE GITA STUDY.  If you want to join us, everyone is welcome.  Please pay by going to the web site and clicking on PAY VIA PAYPAL.

Friday already.. and heaps achieved.  Even did everything I could see with my new Karcher Steam Cleaner – The YOGA OF STEAM.  If you want to get chemicals out of your life get a steam cleaner (not a window vacuum thingy).  Kmart has one for half the price, but be aware, we are talking about high pressure steam – you may not want a cheaper model, although those students who have one say they are fantastic.

HAVE YOU CONSIDERED A “RESTORATIVE YOGA COURSE”
to add to your current qualifications.  If you have graduated, I have updated a SHORT Restorative Course – the first steps in this wonderful discipline which will inform all your teaching.   Once you have done this course you will be able to teach the basics, and can add to them if you want with a full course later.  You will love to take this to your senior students, those coming out of surgery, people who are anxious, depressed, those with life threatening illness, or those who just want to relax….  Hugely helpful in this time of COVID.

Cost: $75 pre-paid for this short course, or $25 per month for 4 months with a Certificate of Attainment.  Don’t under estimate the value of this course.  You will love it, and you will be able to add it to your class menu in about a month if you work hard at the course.   Please contact me if you want more information:  yogafirst2@bigpond.com

 

DEATH ANYONE?

I thought you would be interested in PAINTING YOUR OWN COFFIN.  One of my clients recently died, and as part of her Last Wishes she had all her friends paint the casket and pop meaningful items in with her.  I think this is quite beautiful, and to me, looks like a boat…  a very Egyptian ending.    You can buy flat-pack cardboard coffins… why not start yours now? Don’t leave it to friends to imagine what you want after you have “moved on”.

 

THE STUDIO:

QUOTE OF THE DAY:  When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.  – Henry Ford

I have been re-learning about how to work both in and on the Studio.  We all had a bit of a rest and a time to restructure and re-consider during the lock-downs, and now it definitely is BACK TO BUSINESS, and is so relaxing to be here.

Thank you all for your support – writing the newsletter, keeping in contact,  takes time and dedication, and getting your support means everything to me.  Thank you.

I can’t massage or tattoo on Zoom, but I can do a TAROT READING ON ZOOM  FOR THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED.  After being on zoom almost every day during the great rest, it is quite different to be back in the studio,.  I miss seeing my students from all over the country, all over the world.  It has been most interesting.  But now, with everyone getting their jab, we are in a different place. It doesn’t mean we are back to normal, or things are as they were, but it does mean that once again we have the time to look at our lives and become more self sufficient.  Like the coffin, don’t leave it for other people to do.  Prepare now.

Something is coming – we can’t know what, we are yogis, we can think, we can wait and we can breathe.  As the Qur’an says.  Nothing can happen that is not the will of Allah.  Trust this” .  When you do trust what is coming, then life becomes most exciting, without the worry of having to organise the future.

 

I WILL SEE YOU ON THE (OR ON THE ZOOM) SOON.

NAMASTE – JAHNE