Yogafly2

The Six Schools of Indian Philosophy

I kinda like to title a blog post with the word "Six" and have a picture of Guruji - Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati, Ramamurti S. Mishra holding up his hand - as if to denote "Five".  This first Weekend of Yoga Illumined, we went over the Six Schools of Indian Philosophy.   I've added a picture of Guruji - because on so many levels, his books, CDs, writings, teachings come from all six schools of Philosophy --- a large amount of his teachings come from two of the schools - Yoga and Vedanta, and he also refers to Sankhya a lot --- and the other schools of philosophy are also all incredibly helpful.  The School of Doubt - Nyaya - for instance is important, you can't believe everything you hear - you must test it and see if it's true.  Scratch the surface, see what's underneath type thing.

So I met Swami J at Ananda Ashram a few years ago.  And I love how he breaks down the Six Schools of Indian Philosophy on his Web site:  http://swamij.com/six-schools-indian-philosophy.htm

1) Yoga - as described in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

2) Sankhya - describes how Consciousness and Energy brought everything into being

3) Vedanta - with the Mahavakyas and the Upanishads

4) Vaisheshika - physical sciences

5) Nyaya - reasoning and doubt

6) Mimasa - foundation for the laws of Karma

It's intriguing to look at these schools from a purely philosophical standpoint - and quite another to put them all to the test.  And on so many levels when you've got a teacher like Guruji, he's constantly asking you (me) the aspirant to put all these schools to the test and see how Yoga (Union) manifests in you at every given moment.

On so many levels, I realize that having been raised in Western academic institutions, one of my favorite ways to figure out whether or not something is good or real is through Doubt - skepticism.  It's been so important for me to have this - then I don't believe anything at face-value.  I test stuff.  Which is a whole heck of a lot of fun.  

I love this as an approach to all of the above philosophies - this Test and Learn type of thing.  We learn Yoga first through mimicking our teachers - strike a pose.  See what happens.  Simon - the yoga teacher - says breathe - and you breathe.  Simon - the yoga teacher says - relax and you relax.  And eventually, you strike poses, breathe and relax without Simon, the yoga teacher.  

And then suddenly you become Simon, the yoga teacher.  But it's not that simple, yes?  A teacher's role is to transmit energy into a student so that eventually each student can be his or her own greatest teacher.  To me, this is the essence of teaching folks how to be Yoga teachers.  The essence of teaching Yoga is to help people wash away any debris that keeps them from knowing and loving themselves.  The Yoga teacher tests his or her own ability to teach by how much one knows and has tested the material on him or herself.  I can say that yeah - some lovely magic happens every single time I consciously put myself on the yoga mat or sit in meditation.  And at other times (yes - aside from every single time), it all seems totally pointless.  And then the magic seeps in and voila!  Yoga Yoga Yoga everywhere.  Chidananda Rupam Shivo'Ham Shivo'Ham.  Bliss-consciousness-embodied.  I-AM Shiva.  I-AM Shiva. (Okay, the English translation holds not a candle to what the Sanskrit is actually embodying, but we try, try, try with the English language.  Everyone, learn Sanskrit NOW).

As Zoe Mantarakis explained this past weekend in class, the need is there for the Teacher, for the reminders of who we are because we are in the Leela (leeeeela, the play of consciousness) and in this play we remember and we forget.  We remember that we are Complete and Ananda Itself and then we forget.  So we have these reminders through our teachers of Yoga, through our practices of Yoga, through our studies of the Six schools of Indian philosophy.   And we Inhale and Exhale.  

Hare Om.

Yoga Illumined is NOW a 200-Hr. Registered Yoga School with Yoga Alliance

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am pleased to announce that Yoga Illumined is now a 200 Hour Registered Yoga School with the Yoga Alliance.  What does this mean?  It means that those who graduate and have graduated from this program that I am now co-teaching with Zoe Mantarakis will be able to get their 200 Hour Registrations with the Yoga Alliance - www.yogaalliance.org.  Yoga Illumined 2011 graduates can now Register.  Woohoo!

It's interesting to note that just a few years ago, I wasn't sure it was necessary to be Yoga Allianced as a school.  Let me explain.  I know Yogis who have been teaching and practicing Yoga for lifetimes who have no certificates, no diplomas, no calling cards, no business cards - who hands down are what I would give the name Yogi to with a capital Y.  What is a Yogi?  A yogi is someone who is at ONE - completely at ONE with the Source of All that IS.  The rest of us are simply working on it.  Including yours truly.  

So I know Yogis who have never struck a pose, done any Pranayamas, chanted in Sanskrit nor meditated.  Yes I do.  These are people whose Hearts are so Wide open, the sun has no light in comparison.  The rest of us are simply working on this - and today's Yogis - the ones, like me that need to be known as a Yogi - are basically plastering a sign on ourselves that says "Hey, I'm not enlightened, but I'm working on it.  I'm working on it."  And the ones who teach Yoga and tell others about it have this sign on:  "Hey, I'm not enlightened, I'm working on it - won't you work on this thing called enlightenment with me too?"

And now I realize that Yoga Alliance is necessary in the West.  In the United States, we value diplomas and accreditations.  Yoga Alliance is a simple way to acknowledge one's self as a Teacher of Yoga.  It's a forum to show that one has done quite a bit of work as a Teacher of Yoga and that one stands by some basic guidelines and ethics when working with the public.   

What we teach in Yoga classes are techniques, techniques to help you and me become Yogis.  Got that?  Doing an asana does not immediately mean you are Yogi - on one level, yes you are a Yogi - on another level - you just found yourself in a class upside down with a lot of people gazing at their navels or between their legs and breathing heavily.  

What we teach in Yoga Illumined are techniques - and I have so many Yoga techniques up my sleeve, it ain't even funny.  And in Yoga Illumined we have 80 publicized classroom hours on the flyer that we post and over 160 Hours of private time with me and Zoe in-between, plus observations in our public classes and then some.  So on so many levels, what we offer in Yoga Illumined is well beyond 200 Hours, if you decide, and if you do as I suggest - then what you will be practicing with Yoga Illumined is Yoga every single milli-second of the day.

And it's a Practice.

Yes, indeed it's a Practice.  Because we are not born knowing we are One with the Source of All that Is.  Even Ramana Maharshi experienced Nirvikalpa Samadhi only when he was 16 years old, not when he was born, not when he popped out of his mama, but 16 years later.  We need the techniques and the practices of Yoga to remind us of who we are.  Otherwise, we get caught up in the petty things. 

With Yoga Illumined, we teach you how to incorporate the practices in your everyday relationships, in corporate America, with your children, with your pets, with your friends, with your family and with your Self.  We teach that the Practice of Yoga is more important than the Teaching of Yoga.  That without the constant and daily practice of Yoga, then there is nothing to teach.  I can only teach the way I have learned.  And I'm a stubborn learner.  I can regurgitate easily, I can puppet easily, but this is not learning.  Learning is in itself a shift into another level of consciousness that wipes out former levels of consciousness.  Until I absolutely understood what my Pineal gland did, it was just an abstract thing on paper that I learned about in my studies in Biology.

I don't want folks to know they have a Pineal gland that relates to their 6th chakra.  I want folks to feel their Pineal gland working and how their 6th chakra relates to the way they think, process and go about their days.  It's a completely different way of learning.  And it's challenging.  Because I rely a lot on the student to do the practices of Yoga with me and on their own.  Without the practices of Yoga at every second - yes - even when I'm working at my corporate job, I'm practicing Yoga. I'm not necessarily striking a Chaturanga Dandasana at my desk or doing drop-backs (sometimes I do this) -  but I do watch my breath, I watch my reactions, the moments when I am impatient, the moments when I talk too much or when I don't talk enough.  I watch the Yogini working out her kinks with others as she relates with them - and I work with my Self.  If I need to calm down, I might go take a walk.  If I need to chant but I'm in my office with a lot of people around me, I chant silently in my Heart until I get to my car or go Home.  This is my Yoga.  

So during the day, I work at a brokerage company.  This yogini loves this brokerage company.  It's the best.  I mean it, it's got some of the sweetest, kindest people you'll ever meet, conscious and smart, working there. You know the moment I knew I would get a job at brokerage firm?  It was when I listened to Guruji (Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati, Ramamurti S. Mishra, M.D.) on CD talk about the stock market.  He related the stock market to the mind and meditation.  He said the mind should stay even - at peace - even when the market went down and up, up and down.  He compared it to life - the stock market.  It goes up and it goes down.  Up and down.  But the Yogi remains centered, calm, at ease with all that is.

I'm still working on this.  

I invite you to join me in any of my public classes I teach around Austin to work on this enlightenment thing together.  There's also 4 more days until this year's Yoga Illumined starts on Saturday, February 25.  It's your last chance to join us this year.  E-mail me at yogafly@yahoo.com or call me at 917-446-0936 to register.

If you can't make it this year, of course, there's always next year, God and Guruji willing...

Om Namah Shivaya !!!  Om Namah Shivaya !!!  (I'll write more about this mantra later - but it's 10,000-30,000x more powerful to chant this today - on Maha-Shivaratri).  Don't believe me when I say this.  Try it your Self.  Om Namah Shivaya!

 

Yogafly Retreat with Sumukhi and Vicharini at Ananda Ashram - April 20-22, 2012

Please join me and Vicharini at Ananda Ashram (www.anandaashram.org) in Monroe, New York for a weekend Yoga retreat.  Here is the schedule for the weekend:

Friday, April 20

Arrive - 3-5:30 pm, check-in, get settled
Dinner - 5:30 - 6:30 pm
Welcome event - 7:00-8:30 pm - Blue Sky Center

Saturday, April 21

Hatha Yoga with Sumukhi and Vicharini - 7-8 am, Blue Sky Center

Breakfast - 8-9 am

Ashram Program - Fire Ceremony/Meditation - 9-9:45 am 

Ashram Program - 9:45 am Yoga-Vedanta/Chanting

Ashram Program - 11 am - Open Sanskrit Class

Lunch - 12:30-1:30

Yoga with Sumukhi and Vicharini - 2:30-4:30 - Blue Sky Center

Dinner - 5-6 pm

Evening Ashram Program with Readings from the Masters by Joan Suval - 7 pm

Sunday, April 22

Yoga with Sumukhi and Vicharini - 7-8 am, Blue Sky Center 

Breakfast - 8-9 am

Ashram Program - Fire Ceremony/Meditation - 9-9:45 am 

Yoga with Sumukhi and Vicharini 11 am-12:30, Blue Sky Center

Lunch - 12:30-1:30 

 

Retreat Prices - includes lodging, meals and all yoga programs listed above, does not include your travel to the Ashram expenses - 

$300 - Semi-private - share with one other person

$250 - Dorm - share with up to 5 Females or Males

$150 - Camping - bring tent and own camping gear

Please bring your own soap and shampoo 

All methods of payment accepted.  This is an Ashram rental, therefore please make all checks payable to Kristina Lanuza.

Some Ashram ground rules:

1) Don't feed the bears (smile)

2) Ananda Ashram is vegetarian, leave your meat at home.

3) Ananda Ashram is a place for meditation.  Try to keep talking to a minimum for the retreat time.

4) Ananda Ashram has some hotspots - but a retreat is time for you to leave your cell phones, laptops mostly unplugged.  Use electronics sparingly, and you'll get more out of your retreat experience.

5) Ashram is shared space with many, many other Yogis/Yoginis from all over the world and NYC, try to maintain your areas as cleanly as possible.  

6)  Please don't stretch your legs towards the teacher who is leading in front of the room, unless we ask you to do this.  Why is this?  When you sit with legs crossed, you are maintaining your energy within your boundaries.  Boundaries are important at spiritual centers - lots of Spirits galore.

If you would like to join or would like more information, please e-mail me at yogafly@yahoo.com or call me at 917-446-0936.  For those flying in from Austin, I will have a rental car and can pick people up at any of the major airports in New York on Friday with an expected arrival time at the ashram by 3 pm to greet folks.  Please make sure to coordinate this with me.  

If you are flying into New York for the retreat, the closest airport is Stewart International Airport - it's one exit away from Harriman/Monroe.  But I get the best flight deals into any of the major NYC airports - Newark, LaGuardia and JFK.  I like to go to kayak.com for the best flight deals.

Looking forward to seeing everyone in New York!

Om Namah Shivaya,

Sumukhi

www.yogafly.com

 

The Lotus Feet of Yoga

This beautiful image was given or posted on my Facebook wall by Anya Ananya.  It is such a remarkably beautiful picture that reminds us of the beauty of devotion.  On one level, it just looks like a huge outpouring of roses but I know that these are roses bestowed on the feet of AmmaKarunamayi Ma - a great teacher in today's age with whom you can study and meet as she travels the world to teach. 

As  I was practicing my asana and pranayama sequence this morning, I spent a little bit of time looking at my feet.  And I thought a moment about the fact that they are in shoes most of the day (well, I take them off a lot at work and sneak around barefoot but I do work at a corporation so this can't happen all day long) - but how much more beautiful they feel when I soak them in oil (yes I do this) and wash them and pedicure them and massage them.  As I look at the picture above - I realize how perhaps I should soak them in roses...hmmm.

I say all of this because yes, I do have a couple of feet pictures in my house - Lotus feet of a couple of Gurus - including Shri Shri Shri Shivabalayogi and Amma Karunamayi Ma.  They are both shrouded in decoration, kum kum red on Ma's feet and flowers on Shivabalayogi - and I get a lot of comments.  Most of which I ignore - because there's no use explaining these things sometimes.  But here I am blogging about this very phenomenon of devotion.

The feet are warehouses of Shakti - the universe's expanding energy.  Try to get foot reflexology done - OUCH when they push on certain sections that correspond to different bodily organs that need a little attention.  And then you'll get it.  They also take you everwhere - they walk you, run you, dance you around the world.  And as I said in Yoga class yesterday, if you are not grounded in the feet - then you will never feel safe in the world. 

I see Yoga practice in so many dimensions - including this one - the Asanas - or physical postures of Yoga help you ground your energy into your feet - so that you can feel safe.  So that everywhere that you step is a garland of roses instead of thorns.  Shri Guru Charanam, Shri Hari Sharanam.

This Week with Yogafly: One Om - February 8 and Yoga Illumined sneak peek - February 9

Yogafly loves a great cocoon in February.   Home is like a cocoon, sitting on my couch with a great book, drinking tea, snuggling with my dog.  And so is Yoga.  Yoga practice is like building yourself a walking, breathing, cocoon for your very sensitive Self.   With Yoga practice, you learn how to get so cozy in all of your power centers (the 7 chakras - click here for more info) that you simply take your cocoon anywhere and everywhere with you.  

I'd love to invite you to some Yoga events this February - love-filled, fabulous February to help you build your cozy, powerful portable cocoon -- 

This Wednesday, February 8 at Mercury Hall, 6:30 - 8:30 pm at 615 Cardinal Lane, Austin, TX 78704 - join me and fellow yoga teachers, Gioconda Parker (event organizer), Iva Drtina-Hall, Mike Matthews, Melissa Spamer and Leeah Taylor for One Om - a fundraiser for MADA - which supports sustainable development and microeconomics for the people of Madagascar.  A Suggested donation of $25 is what we are asking.  

In the two hour class - we will take turns leading you in Hatha Yoga, Pranayama and Meditation.  It's a wonderful way to bring the Austin yoga community together, helps us all stay connected with you and each other while providing Seva (selfless service) - a wonderful tenet of Yoga.  Bring your own yoga mat and any props you like to have for your Hatha Yoga practice.

And on Thursday, this week, February 9 - please join us for sneak peek into the Yoga Illumined Teacher Training course Zoe Mantarakis and I are co-leading.  From 7:30-8:30 pm, Zoe and I will lead a Free Yoga practice at lululemon athletica at the Domain and answer questions about the 200 Hour Training Course we are offering at Casa de Luz.  Try to get there early to get a good spot -  the exact adress is 116 11600 Century Oaks Terrace, Austin, TX 78758, but yes, it is an outdoor mall, you should give yourself time to find parking.  

lululemon is gifting $100 towards tuition for folks who sign up for the Year-long training at this event.  It's a great way to meet the group that has already signed up for the course as we start the last weekend of February  - February 25 and 26 at Casa de Luz's Cielo South room - upstairs, 2-6 pm on Saturday and Sunday.

I hope you all can join us for these events.  I'm also teaching four weekly classes in Austin now.  Class times:  

- Mondays, 8-9 pm at be yoga, 43 Rainey Street

- Tuesdays, 6-7:15 pm pm at Amala Austin - 1006 S. 8th Street

- Fridays, 12-12:50 pm at Mind Body Yoga - 12636 Research Blvd.

- Sundays, 9-10:30 am at Casa de Luz - 1701 Toomey Road

But you know every moment is yoga -  every single microsecond.  We practice together so that meditation and yoga become who you are at every moment - the mat practice helps with the rest of your life.  It's a great blessing.  May February and every moment of 2012 be filled with Love.  Love.  Love.