Blog Student News Trainees/Teacher News

Dear Yogis,

Another fabulous day in paradise!  

So much suffering in nirvana castles
So joyous to sink into this world.

When in old clothes you call yourself Buddha,
What do you call yourself in silk?

Wooden man went out with shoes at night,
Stone woman came back with hat in the morning.

You, for the first time, can perceive when you
Pick up the moon three times as it floats on the pond.
-Zen Master Seung Sahn. “Bone of Space”.

Although technically we are in winter, inexplicably spring has come.  Ask the Manchurian Pears, they will show you, they are just starting to bloom. The tiny buds are exploding out of the branches of the trees… bugs are everywhere taking advantage of the unseasonal sunshine.  I walk in the garden blessing the flowers, the new seeds popping out of the beds I prepared months ago.  Everything that is so small is so wonderful.

Monasteries in Asia are set up according to the seasons.  Three months of practice in the winter (tight dharma), followed by three months of of freedom in the spring (loose dharma), followed by three months of practice in the summer (tight dharma) followed by three months of of freedom in autumn (loose dharma). Like musical instruments we humans need tuning.  Living too tight for too long produces a tight person.  Living too loose produces a loose person.  To be in balance we need periods of both.

What will our period of hard (covid) practice give birth to?  The seasons will tell you.  They are part of us, we are part of them.  Nothing lasts forever – keep on chopping the wood.

Don’t forget.  Teacher Training via zoom on Sunday at 2pm.  Details on the web site www.yogabeautiful.com.au

Have a beautiful, sunny day. LIVE WELL AND PROSPER.

NAMASTE  JAHNE.

Dear Yogis,

Yesterday we did our first HYPERMOBILITY lecture.  Apart from the fact that one student (and me) had forgotten the time zone differences, everything went beautifully.  Yes we spoke about hyper- mobility, but more importantly it was a sharing time between long time yoga teachers.  Don’t forget teacher training on Sunday at 2pm.  $20.  DirectDeposit: BSB: 063 806 Account: 1019 1251.  Send me the Receipt,  and I will send you the ID.

On the basis of these times together on zoom I am looking at ways to do RESTORATIVE YOGA via Zoom.  I could be converted!

REGISTRATION:  Take this as a reminder that your Yearly Registration may be overdue.  We used to send out reminders, but since the Web update, we don’t.  Your Registration is an acknowledgement that you learned with us (even if you went to India afterwards).  We are your lineage.  Our lineage passes through the Gita School and further back into Madame Segesman’s training in India in the 1950’s and 60’s.

Support your school (us).  Register today.  Email me and I will send you an application form.  If you have done further yoga/training courses since you completed your course with us, you may be able to become MASTER YOGI certification. (500PLUS hours required). This is a two year registration… Email me and I will send you the CURRENT  Registration form. Get onto this today.    yogafirst2@bigpond.com

AN ASANA A DAY. TADASANA:  In practising an asana – and that is where most beginning yogis start – there is no particular focus.  The mind is all over the place.  In TADASANA the attention can first be on the name “MOUNTAIN: STANDING UP, STANDING STILL”.  Once this is pointed out, it will become immediately apparent that the mind is not willing or able to concentrate.  We have to find for our students a way to help them understand what is happening and what they are trying to achieve.  These are some words we may use in describing the posture for the class…

TADASANA: MOUNTAIN POSTURE, standing still, standing UP (NOT reaching the arms up over the head), bringing the mind to the action/condition of muscles, bones, ligaments structure.  The awareness of standing erect as opposed to all fours in the case of animals. Holding together.  Balancing, swaying. The actions of the stomach. The urge to move, as opposed to  STILLNESS.

The mountain is a symbol of our ascent towards the sacred self, towards purity, selflessness.  In this “elevated place” we can find the beginnings of quiet. The beginnings of meditation.  The Mountain is the symbol for the Centre where heaven and earth meet. The place where the battle of the Bhagavad-Gita occurs.  The mountain symbolises the climb towards one’s goal.  In countries where there are no mountains, we build them to achieve elevation.  eg the pyramids. Quietness, stillness may surface when the student learns to concentrate.  The mind recedes little by little and the division between stillness and action recedes, taking us to the top of the mountain which resides within.

For first time yogis, all such activities are aimed towards sense gratification.  But above the senses is the mind, and above the mind the intelligence, and above the intelligence is the soul.  Therefore the aim of  real education should be self-realisation – realisation of the spiritual values of the soul. Any education which does not lead to such realisation must be considered avidya (ignorance).

HAVE A GREAT DAY.

NAMASTE. JAHNE

 

 

Dear Yogis,

Have you ever read the Bible?  Most of you probably not on the basis that it is too difficult, or your parents read it therefore you don’t want to, or you believe you can’t learn anything from it.

Wrong on most counts particularly the last one.  The Bible is a “self help program”.  Get over the words that look strange and get a translation you can read easily, then with patience you will get it, and hopefully learn from it.  Forget the prejudice..

For instance; When Adam and Eve were in the garden of Eden.  They had everything they needed and more, however, they were human so guess what, like us when we have everything, we want something we can’t have.  We want to know what God knows, and Adam wanted just that, he didn’t want to be dependent.  He understood he wasn’t the captain of his soul or the master of his fate.   His value was not dependent on his wealth, status accomplishments or position.  When God said to Adam “Where are you?” he was not asking Adam to physically show himself.  God is all seeing, he knew where Adam physically was, but Adam was in a state of confusion.  God was asking Adam to look inside himself.  “Where are you?”.  

The apple and snake story was about them saying to God “we want to know what you know and provide for ourselves”.  Believing the serpent who told them that God was holding something back that would make everything clear, he was determined to KNOW no matter the cost, and it was great.  Their nakedness was not so much a lack of clothes as it was the complete vulnerability which they accepted when they cast aside their dependence for independence

Independence always comes at a high price, especially when it involves turning our back on the possibility of a Being greater than ourselves – which some call the Universe, or Spirit and which I call God.

Simplicity is a gift. It is a return to our  dependence on the gracious provision of God.  It allows us to live in a spirit of trust. Even in a time of Covid.  Try it.  Relax in the arms of a providing, embracing God.  Your day will expand, your stress levels will lower, and your moments of true happiness will increase. It is at the core of Simplicity.

Some students are so busy trying to be everything to everybody that they have lost site of what they actually have duty to, and they believe that they alone can provide for their family.  They would rather spend 15 minutes telling me what they can’t achieve than five minutes achieving something worthwhile. “WHERE ARE YOU”.

ZOOMING. (This means you don’t come to the studio – the lecture is on your computer –  for those who are not sure)

TUESDAY: (TODAY) 7.30 to 9.30pm for three sessions – Hypermobility lectures. $35
SATURDAY: TEA LEAF READING course – start date to be decided
SATURDAY: 2pm to 4pm – Tarot Training for three sessions ongoing
SUNDAY: 2pm to 4pm Teacher Training. First Sunday in the month. $20  (this Sunday)

METHOD
1. Contact me via email to notify me you want to attend. yogafirst2@bigpond.com
2. Put the fee into Direct Debit AND EMAIL ME THE RECEIPT.
Commonwealth Bank BSB: 063 806  Account: 1019 1251
3. When that has occurred i will send you the ZOOM ID in planty of time for you to join the     class.

ATTENTION:    If I don’t see the routine has been followed as above, and I don’t get the receipt, then I will presume you are not coming to class. Please have your mobile with you if you do Zoom.  If there is a tech hiccup you will be able to call me. PH: 0402088170

 

HAVE A GREAT DAY.

NAMASTE.  JAHNE