October 1st Mastering the Inner Game, six session intensive. Click below to learn more--Still room to sign up. Private session will catch you up. :)
September 16th
--Yoga Essentials
Class filled. Two additional spaces opened. --Sunset Serenity Meditation 11-week series
September 20th --Saturday Morning Yoga/Meditation a few spaces left...
Leena is now a certified as an
E-RYT--Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher by Yoga Alliance as of August 6th, 2008. This is a small milestone after logging more than 1,000 yoga meditation teaching hours since certification as an RYT in August 2006. Certification offers the opportunity to train new yoga teachers and offer continuing education to yoga teachers. _________________
Check out these sources for information and divergent views from "Corporate Media"
Great yoga master and international spiritual leader Amma (Mata Amritanandamayi) instructs all (except those with the swami designation) who live in Her ashram in India to vote.
Mohandas K. Gandhi said, "Be the change you want to see in the world."
Per Wikipedia:"Politics is the process by which groups of people make decisions. The term is generally applied to behavior within civil governments, but politics has been observed in all human group interactions, including corporate, academic and religious institutions."
Each person's vote is an opportunity to put one's energy and intentions into the community. "Republican" and "Democrat" are labels which are charged and limiting. They often lead to arguements instead of dialogue and discernment.
What criteria would a yogi apply to decide for whom to vote in the upcoming election?
Patangali's Yog Sutras, the codification of one of the major yogic philosophies, offers guidelines for social and. similarly, political conduct akin to the Ten Commandments: Yamas (restraints) and Niyamas (observances). Here are the five yamas and how we might apply them to guide us:
Satya (truth) —to develop honesty; to avoid deceiving self or other including exaggeration, rationalization, pretense or other variations of deceit. Which candidate is telling the truth? (Yes, this may be relative to one another...) This requires personal responsibility to study both sides of issues and learn about how laws are made, how elections are run, how the economy works, and have some understanding about our relationships with other countries. Taking time to do this is seva, selfless service.
Ahimsa (non-harming)—to refrain from causing pain to any living being including oneself either by action, word or thought. How do candidates treat each other? How do their platform, living habits and past performance show honoring of all people, animals and the environment?
Asteya (non-stealing)—non-stealing or mis-appropriating material or non-material things (undeserved praise, for example). Which candidate shows more evidence or propensity for appropriate use of public and private materials and money?
Brahmacharya (continence)--to conserve and redirect sexual energy. Literally: to walk on God’s path—purity of thought, word and deed. Per Wikipedia adds: Celibate when single, faithful when married.
Aparigraha (non-hoarding or possessiveness)--To avoid accumulation of unnecessary possessions. Think: Financial crisis and Wall Street bailout. Which candidates lifestyle and legislation have supported the examples of excessive accumulation of wealth?
When you use these aga-old guidelines, which candidates demonstrate evidence of social/political leadership?
The state of yoga is doing the right action at the right place and at the right time. It is vital that people of yogic consciousness and practice get involved in this process. It's not about winning or losing or whether the election is rigged. It's not about pithy sarcasm and sound bites. It's about doing all that we can in the current political process to lift vibration of our country and world at this critical moment...and then stay involved.
For more information on the eight limbs of yoga (Ashtanga Yoga) in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, go to: http://www.ompeace.com/yogaashtanga.html.
How Yoga Works by Geshe Michael Roach and Christie McNally --a real page-turner for yogis
When a manager of Gateways Books in Santa Cruz and long-time yoga practitioner gives you a book for your birthday, you read it. I can hardly put it down to write this newsletter.
"How Yoga Works" opens with a 17-year-old yogini wandering through India looking for her new master teacher. She gets stopped, as a poor drifter, and it put in jail in a small village. When she meets the police "Captain", he decides to keep her in jail indefinitely until she can prove that she knows yoga by teaching him how to heal his chronic back pain. The story weaves the profound teachings of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras and basics of subtle body theory throughout the novel leading the Captain, yogini and reader on a journey of contemplation and transformation.
Anyone who's ever opened a book of the Sanskrit Sutras, or taken a class knows that the study can be tedious and dry on the surface. These authors bring them to life in story so the reader can understand and even apply them to their own yoga practice--no small feat.
The ancient sage, Patanjali, is considered the first to systematize the
practices of Ashtanga Yoga that date back more than 5,000 years ago.
Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras (sutra means "thread") compile one of the major yogic philosophies of the ages. For more information on Ashtanga Yoga, click here. You can find the book at Gateway's in Santa Cruz or online. If you have an interest in studying Patanjali's Yoga Sutra's, let me know. I'm considering putting together a study group.Om...Peace...
Interfaith Blessing of the Animals 10/5 Danville--activities for kids of all ages
Peace Lutheran Church on Camino Tassahara will again host a ragional fesitval of faiths from 2-5:30pm. Join in the spirit of peace with singing, dancing, chanting, eating, praying and networking. For more information and directions, go to http://peacejourney.org.
This year, the popular Blessing of the Animals will be an additional celebration on October 5th, also at the church. There will be face painting, animal experts, an animal art exhibit and crafts for kids.
Both events are free, so just show up and connect with like-spirited people.
Teach Your Children Well--Al Gore's Climate Project Comes to San Ramon in Fun Free Training for Children 8 and Up
An Al Gore-trained instructor will provide training to young children and their families at the M. A. Center on Crow Canyon Road on October 4th from 9:30am to 12:30pm. The morning of science and hands-on activities will teach composting, climate change, global warming and recycling. For information, click here.
