I just know you’ll be inspired by watching Joe in action, He’s a 67 year old pole vaulting champion, and his views on life make him an honorary Yogi. His simple message, “Live your passion.”
What’s yours, and how often do you make time for it? Joe says: “Better get on with it.” Share this one with a friend, (there’s a Facebook ‘like’ button below.)
Enjoy the clip, and I’ll see you in class. -j
p.s. Irene Solea’ Antonellis will join us to sing and play for our Sunday Peaceful Yoga on the 12th at 9am.
Namaste. Thanks so much for all the well wishes and welcome backs!
I've been on a relatively fast pace since returning from India, and really felt the need to sit in quiet reflection. I headed off to Ananda Ashram for a few days of Mauna, the practice of sacred silence.
Arriving at Ananda is like coming home. No matter where you've been, the ashram always takes you back, and it's like you never left. I always pause at the old iron gates to set an intention for my stay. When I looked inwards, what came back was 'quiet'
Sitting down for my first simple meal, I looked up and there was the radiant Shrimati Kankana Banerjee sitting across from me.
She smiled and said, more as a statement than a question: "You're coming to my class tomorrow?" Before I could even think about an answer, I felt my head nodding yes.
Turns out that Kankana is considered the best vocalist in india and she was at Ananda to teach a weeklong immersion in Classical Indian Singing.
You can't always get what you want.
I was a bit resistant to this idea of not just singing, but singing all-day… I mean, I made my vow not to speak for 3 days, I was committed, or rather – attached to my plan.
After some going back and forth in my mind, I finally surrendered to the new plan, the opposite of what I 'wanted.' That next morning, I fixed myself a really huge mug of green tea and settled in for my first lesson.
But if you try some time.
Kankana played an ancient harmonium, and led us in stringing many single syllables into beautiful – swimming melodies called Ragas.
You just might find.
Practicing the Raga scales is very meditative, There's a true sense of surrender to it She leads, you follow, it's simple, beautiful, and beyond mind.
My friend Kamaniya said "I didn't see you leave, but you were gone for some time, and I saw when you came back into your body. You were different."
You get what you need…
At some point, hours into the practice, I merged with the seductive sounds, sliding into a peace I've never experienced before. Words don't describe this new threshold, so I'll not even try.
Three days of Mauna practice may have been good for me, but surrender to the new plan was even better.
I grapple with decisions sometimes. When faced with several equally nice sounding options, my mind gets all attached, looking for the 'right' decision. Is one ever really more right than the other?
I've got this great opportunity to study with my teachers this October. It will take some effort to travel to Ohio to be with them for a few days. Planes, travel details and expenses… but mostly, being away from the students I'm so blessed to have.
As I churn this choice in my mind, and type this, it seems I still haven't fully grasped this lesson that surrender is best. That things tend to appear right when we need them, and often not in the tidy packages we are looking for.
To make room for them, we sometimes have to un-make our minds. Have you found yourself changing plans midstream, how did it work out?
I'll leave you with this beautiful video of Kankana singing:
Next Saturday August 28th is our free Open Mic Music Night at Yoga and Nia for Life. And note the Live Music Yoga class with special Guest Tom Lena – 9am Sunday September 5th. Om Shanti, I'll see you in class.
Watch this video of a 91 year old Yoga teacher who tangos in her spare time. Her philosophy is as inspiring as her youthfulness. A life lived in service of others. If you can't see the video in your email, got to my website and visit the blog.
Forward this post to a friend who could use some inspiration to get to Yoga:
You all asked, and we listened!
Danielle is coming out from New York City this weekend, she'll be assisting our 9am Yoga class this coming Sunday, and the Monday 4pm class.
Danielle is gifted at helping people find just the right depth of a posture. If you've not experienced her co-teaching, you're in for a real treat. Come just a bit early if you can, so we can get started right on time.
Looking ahead slightly, Our Open Mic Kirtan on Sat. the 24'th, a free event.. If you like Yoga music, come on down! That Sunday, the 25'th is Restorative Yoga, 12:30. might be the last of the season, unless I hear differently from you. Get the scoop at the events page.
Thanks again for all your kind emails and feedback, and of course, for coming to class! This Friday night I'm at Global in Stow, 5:45.
Om-Shanti, I'll see you in class,
-John
p.s. Two more interviews coming soon, Our Airbus pilot fellow Yogi, and David, the surgeon who just went back to Haiti to serve another tour in the camps. phew, wait till you read that one. subscribe to not miss anything, upper left hand corner. -j
At some recent point, the word Asana, (postures) became synonomous with Yoga.
Asana is a powerful vehicle for transformation, but without the framework of Yoga, it's exercise, and the benefits are fleeting.
Asana is third on the eight limbed path of Yoga. It comes after the ethical and purifying principles of the Yamas and Niyamas. Ways for a society to live together in harmony.
You see, Yoga is much much more than the postures. It's a path, a way of life handed down from the ancients. It's a carefully mapped out way to end suffering and find liberation in our lives.
John Philp was kind enough to send me a copy of his documentary Yoga, Inc. to review for you all. John's film addresses the sideshow that our national Yoga scene has become, Yoga (asana) competitions, lawsuits, franchises, infideliity and sexual misconduct. Here's a short clip:
Major players have pulled Asana from the context of Yoga to stand alone as a way to make tremendous amounts of Money. Many of these major 'stars' of Yoga mean very well, but some have lost their way. How can you tell? look at their actions, and how they treat others.
Thanks John, for making the film Yoga Inc.
It has become okay in some circles to abandon principle, call anything Yoga and peddle it as a means to make money.
Last year a heavily promoted, major "yoga" charity events headlining sponsor was a Factory Farm. The factory farms are major polluters, users of energy, and they wreak unmeasurable suffering on all involved. The tagline of the event "Come do Yoga to save Mother Earth!" Huh?
Am I the only one who sees the emperor has no clothes? Do we sidestep the teachings, and the idea of Karma when there's money involved?
Money is pure potential, what matters is how you got it, and what you do with it. Are these teachers at fault, or are they giving us what we want?
We don't have to go to these events.
The means do not justify the ends. Each and every dollar you spend is a vote for the world you'd like to live in. Who are your teachers, what do they stand for? How do their students act?
if you are a 'Yoga' teacher, what are you teaching? are your actions and words inline? Are your students getting more than buff?
Just posted this must-see youtube video to the blog. Stunning footage of our home planet, with a nice Ommmm… soundtrack. Tread lightly, John
P.S. Still a few spaces left in the November Yoga workshop on the 22′nd in W. Concord. We’ll have live Kirtan Music, a potluck, and movie night afterwards.
