Blog Student News Trainees/Teacher News

Dear Yogis,

What a wonderful life we live.  Yesterday I was hugely busy, and yes looking at one item at a time you could consider in a way it was a “challenge”, but everything worked out very well.

I managed to iron out the wrinkle that had developed in zoom ( a huge achievement) without frustration a melt down or other negative emotion.  This meant that we could have a yoga class and then the tarot class, and they both went smoothly.  We are all learning how to help each other achieve as best we can, at the same time dealing with the ‘fluctuations’ on zoom.

Then I had a lovely meal, and watched “ABOUT TIME” with Bill Nighy (what an utterly gorgeous human being, so kind).  I learned from this to live every day as if you had ordered it specifically, no matter how it started or what happened.  Being grateful for every moment.  We learn that in our yoga journey, but it is good to be reminded from time to time. That is my message for today.  How can I make my message to you any better?  I can’t.  It is the complete package.

This “ABOUT TIME”  viewpoint is most important as we travel through the covid experience – it will take us to some dark places if we let it. Just don’t let it, or if you find yourself there, just observe it and talk to Spirit or whomever you go to.. “what has this got to teach me – what can I learn from this”.  Everything has a message, especially the not so nice things.  Take responsibility, joyfully.  SMILE.

By the way.  The class decided that they wanted to do the MAKE YOUR OWN TAROT class, and we would start next Saturday at 2pm, running straight on from the class we are doing at the moment.  If you want to join us, then do so.  Let me know.  It is 450 for three sessions…. and then we will decide what comes next.

THE BATTLEFIELD OF LIFE:  What comes next for me is the BHAGAVADGITA CLASS this morning at 10am.  Join me if you can.  Email me for the ID, and pay ($20) if you haven’t via the donate button at the bottom of the home page.  If you can’t do the class, watch the film ‘BAGGER VANCE” with Matt Damon, Charlize Theron and Will Smith.  You might think it is about golf, it is not.  It is about The ‘Gita.  If you pay this morning, you can watch the repeat of our class next week at the same time FREE.

HAVE A WONDERFUL SUNDAY.

NAMASTE. JAHNE

 

 

Dear Yogis,

We had such a fantastic time in our ZOOM CAFE YOGA meet-up on Friday at 11, you should have been here.  Here is a partial shot of the group.  There were others present.  Thanks Caroline for the photograph – I never think to do this.  I gave a short intro on how to tie a scarf, and most were so comfortable wearing it that they kept it on throughout our meeting, not even lifting it to have a coffee.   One of the newcomers noted that I had ‘A GROUP OF QUIRKY WOMEN AT THE CAFE”… well yes, I guess we are, that is why it is so much fun.  Nothing much is “out of bounds”.  

I know that we had fun but I had not expected to notice the deep quietness in my house after we closed the meeting.  I remember when my children had left home and came to visit, that same quietness I had to get used to again when they left.  So thank you girls for enlivening my life and the atmosphere in the studio.  We all look forward to this girl time together.  I went into the kitchen afterwards and out of habit sanitised my hands… I must have felt at a deep level that we had been THAT CLOSE.  Please don’t miss it.  Next Friday our project is something that we have made with a Coles bag, the red and white ones.  Crochet, knit, weave…whatever.

ZOOM THIS WEEKEND:

1. RESTORATIVE YOGA Saturday 12.30,
2. TAROT TRAINING CLASS Saturday 2pm to 4pm,
3. BHAGAVADGITA is the topic of TEACHER TRAINING Sunday at 10am,

and 4. MAKE YOUR OWN TAROT CARDS… Sunday at 2pm.  Bring paper and pencil for notes, a number of SMALL paper or plastic bags, and some magazines that you like….  No glue,  cardboard, or paint needed at this stage.  

 

THE JOURNEY

Since I started out in yoga and massage all those years ago, I have “treated” hundreds of women suffering from fatigue, stress, grief, PMS, infertility, depression, menopaws(?), and various life threatening conditions…all too common today.  I am not a Western trained doctor, but a long time yogi trained in other modalities, massage being a stand-out.

NEED A BREAK? In this time of isolation I invite you to come along for a “THAI HAND REFLEXOLOGY MASSAGE”.  All the covid requirements can be met and I will be doing a temp check, signing in, etc etc.  No disrobing of any kind except the hands required, (a hazmat suit optional#!?).  You and I will be wearing masks, and sanitising ourselves until our skin falls off (I am moisturising my hands after each wash). The all important cost? $50 for half an hour…

My aim is not to fix or cure, but to rebalance the body,  to relax and restore my clients so that they can come to a new understanding of their body and emotions, and how through preventative self-care, they can improve their health, increase vitality and avoid illness.  If we build the Chi it will protect us from all ills.

ZEN SAYING:   “If you bring forth what is within you it will save you.
If you DO NOT bring forth what is within you – it will destroy you” 

 

SOUP – a soup for “what ails you” 
You might need to search for a couple of the ingredients..  This soup helps the liver energy to flow, activates the flow of Chi, nourishes and invigorates the blood and invigorates the spleen.

6 cups water, 1 cup black rice, half a cup of dried longan fruit (available at Asian stores or good health food stores),
10 dates, 2 tablespoons raw cane sugar (half an inch of raw ginger peeled and thinly sliced add to finished soup).

Place all ingredients into a large heavy saucepan.  Bring to boil over medium heat.  Reduce heat and gently simmer for 2 hours (or in a crockpot) stirring occasionally.  The finished congee will have the consistency of soup.  Ladle into a bowl and sprinkle with the ginger slices.  EAT.


Typically of Chinese medicine, we need to bring the YIN AND YANG back into balance.
 Many practices TCM recommends, in particular self-help like the soup above,  are common sense, and yes they are.  I have found that common sense is not all the “common”.  In these stressed times, interesting times, common sense practices are sometimes hard to carry out.  For example, the most important considerations are –  try not to get too stressed, too overworked, or overtired.  This is not so easy to achieve, but it is an investment in a healthy,  long life.

 

I LOOK FORWARD TO YOU JOINING ME.. I AM HERE FOR THE LONG HAUL – AND YOU?

NAMASTE – JAHNE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Yogis,

I have had an interesting day off.  I needed some top of the line printing done locally.  Not as easy as it once was.  Make an appointment then go to Gisborne, wait for the printing, limited paper stock, etc etc…..  All worth it.  I now have a small number of copies of our COMPLETE REVELATION TAROT BOOK, including The GATES AND GUARDIANS.  They are A4 size, bound by me (I did a beautiful job, and they look rather good).  The same sort of paper that Vogue is printed on.  Your book looks and feels good.  If you would like a copy let me know.  Pay for it the usual way – on the DONATE BUTTON on the home page of the web site.  $59 including postage).

At our YOGA CAFE we will be practising winding a Hijab style mask, great if you wear glasses, have a hearing aid, or just hate elastic around the ears.  Come to the cafe with your large square scarf, and we will play.  One of our graduates says she is going to dress in a vintage Rajasthani Wedding sari.  I can’t wait.  I like touching and feeling vintage fabrics, which of course will not possible at the moment.  You are welcome to join us at 11am. Let me know if you would like to come.  I will be sending our a ZOOM ID this evening.

ZOOM DATES
FRIDAY: 11am CAFE YOGA, 5.30 Restorative Yoga with Weights and Straps.
SATURDAY: 12.30 Restorative yoga (weights and straps optional). 2pm Tarot Training classes
SUNDAY: 10am Yoga Teacher Training 2pm, Topic, Bahgavadgita.  Free repeat class only accessible if you pay for this class. Sunday 2pm MAKING YOUR OWN TAROT/ORACLE CLASS.  Bring 10 small sandwich type bags, magazines, scissors, and a pad and pen to make notes. Cost: $50 for three sessions.  All welcome.  No artistic skills required.

IMPERMANENCE


We grow up and we grow old.  
Ask me about it!.  We human beings are in a constant process of change.  We change, recreate, grow, and die every second.  You are not the same person you were a second ago.  Your cells have died, reproduced, divided.  You have had new thoughts, experienced something differently, realised an insight, experienced a new and different feeling.  Each moment comes and goes.  Once one thought goes another takes its place, in moments many take its place.

Our lives are in a constant state of becoming.  It is this process of change that we are resistant to.  We wish for the past or what we can’t have.  Our lives pass us by and yet we are in this constant state of hoping and wishing.  The Buddha has taught us that accepting the impermanence of everything will give us peace. It will bring us release from suffering…

Impermanence when (we thing about it rationally) is totally apparent to us.  This being the case we put it to the back of our minds.  We forget about it, or we don’t want to think about it.  We can accept changes to things around us, but what about the impermanence of the human being, of us.  Now this is a bit harder to accept. Our egos are at stake here. We live in a society that denies death.  That spends thousands of dollars to pretend that age is immaterial, that we can defeat it.  The denial of ageing is the denial of death.

Holding on to the vision we have of a younger self, and our longing to return to that, if not in reality at least with the aid of a plastic surgeon causes many great distress.  Ageing with wisdom and peace is about accepting the changes that will happen whether or not we flow with them.

So often we try to ignore, deny or suppress the fullness of our humanity – wanting only happiness, success, health and certainly youth in our lives.  We are not perfect.  Nothing is perfect, existence is not perfect.  Life is rarely fair, nor satisfactory or even kind.  We know if we move towards wholeness, except the yin and yang in everything we will move towards wholeness.  Living this way will allow us to accept the transitory nature of our existence.

As we open to our spirituality, to forgiveness, to acceptance of our selves in every part of our being,  we are then open to new possibilities.  When we do this,  new growth is possible and begins, is nurtured, and we embrace it.

LOVE AND BLESSINGS,

NAMASTE – JAHNE