choose peace - iyta

VolumeXVI,No.1,February2009

Continued on Page 4

InsideChoose Peace by Sri Swami Satchidananda p. 1Letter from the Editor p. 2Light in the Night of Folly by Sri Swami Sivananda p. 3 Teaching Weight Loss Through Yoga by Bhanu Passalacqua p. 6More Reflections on the 2008 Teachers Conference by Anandi Tallman p. 7Your Key to Financial Security by Swami Sharadananda p. 8Gems from the Thirukural p. 9

Twists by Lakshmi Sutter p. 10Dealing with the Difficult Yoga Student by Anjali Somerstein p. 12Self-Mastery by Prahaladan Mandelkorn p. 13Connecting our Students to the Divine by by Arjuna Guttadauro p. 14Upcoming Continuing Education Opportunities p. 17Senior Speakers Schedule p. 18Calendar of Upcoming Programs at Yogaville p. 19

Choose Peaceby Sri Swami Satchidananda

Let us talk a little about samadhi. In India, normally if you say “He has attained samadhi,” that means he has died and is buried. That is the normal connotation for that term. In a way, samadhi is like that. You are dead, yet you are alive. My Master Sri Swami Sivanandaji used to sing this song: “When shall I see Thee? When ‘I’ ceases to be.” He was asking this question of the Lord. “Lord, when can I see you? I know that will be when ‘I’ ceases to be.” That means that if the ego or “I” dies, you can truly live.

If the little egoistic “I” goes away from you, you are free from the ego. You are clean, pure. At that stage you are fit to go to heaven, to experience the highest knowledge or the highest truth. That is what we call samadhi. This is the essence of all spiritual teachings, and practices—it doesn’t matter what label they have. One can be a Catholic, a Protestant, a Jew, a Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, or any religion. Even if you don’t have any faith at all or don’t even believe in any organized religion, it doesn’t matter. That is not the criteria to have this realization. All you have to accomplish is to see that all selfishness goes away.

Where does the “I” dwell? In the ego. Where does the ego live? In the mind. The ego is, in a way, the very source of mind. All developments are part of ego. So the sum total of all these things—thinking, feeling, willing—could be put together under one term, “mind.” If the mind gets completely purified, then it’s no longer an obstruction to your experience of the Truth. When it is clean and clear, the mind doesn’t color the appearance of the pure Self. It becomes a pure reflector for the Self to see its own true nature. That is the essence of Yoga.

Waveless Ocean

The spirit doesn’t have to attain samadhi. The spirit is the God in you. The Bible calls it the image of God. Can God ever get disturbed, colored, disappointed? No. The real you, as the image of God, is always pure. The Bhagavad Gita says, “I am unborn, undying, I am eternal, never-changing. I am always the same.” The Self doesn’t need samadhi. It is always the same. The Self doesn’t need samadhi. It is already in that state.

What looks for samadhi? The mind or the chittam. Samadhi means that the mind comes to a tranquil state, like waveless water. A Tamil saint gives this example of samadhi: “When I attain, experience the samadhi, my mind will be like a waveless ocean….like a lamp without any soot covering it, always eternally brilliant light.” Another example he gives

The Goal of Integral Yoga

The goal of Integral Yoga, and the birthright of every individual is to realize the spiritual unity behind all the diversities in the entire creation and to live harmoniously as members of one universal family.

This goal is achieved by maintaining our natural condition of a body of optimum health and strength, senses under total control, a mind well-disciplined, clear and calm, an intellect as sharp as a razor, a will as strong and pliable as steel, a heart full of unconditional love and compassion, an ego as pure as a crystal, and a life filled with Supreme Peace and Joy.

Attain this through asanas, pranayama, chanting of Holy Names, self discipline, selfless action, mantra japa, meditation, study and reflection.

Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti.

Ever yours in Yoga,

Integral Yoga® Teachers AssociationFounder: Sri Swami Satchidananda

The Integral Yoga Teachers Association is a membership association open to all Integral Yoga teachers. Its mission is to provide mutual support and spiritual fellowship, to share information, to provide inspiration, and to conduct ongoing training and guidance.

Director: Lakshmi SutterNewsletter Editor: Rev. Prakasha ShaktiAssistant Editor: Arjuna GuttadauroGraphic Design: Anand Shiva HervéPhotos: Richard DiMaria, Sraddha Van DykeCopy Editors: Lakshmi Sutter, Bhagerati GuttadauroMembership Coordinator: Andrew GodreauIYTA Assistant: Sushila Bales

Integral Yoga Teachers AssociationSatchidananda Ashram–Yogaville108 Yogaville WayBuckingham, VA 23921 USATel: 434.969.3121, ext. 177Fax: 434.969.1303E-mail (Newsletter): [email protected] (Membership): [email protected] (Director): [email protected]: www.iyta.org

Letter From The Editor

Hari Om, beloved Teachers. I hope that your 2009 is off to a great start and that it will be a marvelous year for you and your students.

With this first issue of the new year, I’m delighted to introduce to you and to welcome Arjuna Guttadauro. Arjuna is now serving as Assistant Editor of this newsletter, and he will be taking over more and more responsibility in the months ahead.

Some of you already know Arjuna. He has been on the staff for several TT’s and has been an Integral Yoga teacher for many years.

He started studying Yoga at the IYI in Boston, Massachusetts, in the mid1970’s and took teacher training in 1978. I conducted that Boston TT, and I’m proud to say that Arjuna has come a long way—taking all the Yoga teachings to heart, using them in his life and sharing them with others through his own example.

Arjuna ran the Integral Yoga Teaching Center in Worcester, Massachusetts, and taught for the Harvard HMO. In 1995, he completed Advanced TT. Arjuna was off to Coimbatore in

2000 and spent three months as a teacher there. After moving to Oregon, he taught private and public Yoga classes.

Now, at last, Arjuna and his wonderful wife, Bhagerati have moved to Yogaville. Bhagerati has also been a dedicated Integral Yoga teacher for many years and is now assisting Karuna Howeth in running the Yogaville Vidyalayam, our excellent school for children.

It is truly a joy to have Arjuna and Bhagerati—consummate Karma Yogis and simply great people—here with us. Arjuna’s enthusiasm and experience have already made a difference in our newsletter. It’s so good to have you on our staff, Arjuna!

You can learn more about Arjuna, and gain some inspiration, by reading his article on page 14.

OM Shanti Shanti Shanti.

Rev. Prakasha Shakti

IYTA Newsletter • February 2009 •


Svadhyaya (spiritual study) inspires and elevates the mind to high spiritual altitude. It clears doubts. It weeds out unholy ideas. It cuts new spiritual grooves for the mind to move on. It reduces wandering of the mind or Vikshepa. It helps concentration. It forms a kind of lower samadhi (superconscious state). It serves as pasture for the mind to graze upon. When you study the sacred books, you are in tune with the authors who are realized souls. You draw inspiration and become ecstatic.

When you cannot get positive teaching from spiritual masters in person, Svadhyaya clears doubts. It strengthens the flickering faith. It induces strong yearning for Liberation or aspiration. It gives encouragement and illumination. It places before you a list of saints who trod the path, encountered and removed difficulties and thus cheers you up with hope and vigor. It fills the mind with purity; it inspires and elevates the mind. It helps concentration and meditation. It cuts new sattwic (pure, balanced) grooves and makes the mind run in these new grooves.

To translate the precepts contained in the books of the sages and saints into action is to have your afflicted body soothed, to have your bruised soul healed and to save yourself from all kinds of ills of life that are due to ignorance. Spiritual books act as consoling companions under all vexing circumstances, ideal teachers in all difficulties, as guiding lights in the nights of nescience and folly, as a panacea for evils, and as shapers of destiny.

Scriptures contain the wisdom of sages and saints, philosophers, and mystics. By Svadhyaya, master the secrets of all scriptures, know the exact nature of things, and tune your localized being or individualized personality with the workings of the Divine Nature of the Laws of Truth. Wisdom is the key to the plenitude of power and joy. Wisdom annuls countless sufferings, innumerable sins, cuts the root of ignorance, and confers upon you peaceful harmony and absolute perfection.

Be regular in the study of spiritual books. If you reflect on the ideas of these books and fix the mind on these ideas, this itself is a form of samadhi. Study of scriptures purifies the heart and fills the mind with sublime and elevating thoughts.

Therefore, study of scriptures, bearing the sacred truths propounded by men of wisdom, listening to the Lilas of the Lord are never to be given up by sincere spiritual seekers, at whatever stage of spiritual evolution they may be. Be forever a spiritual seeker. Be forever a thirsting aspirant after spiritual knowledge. Be forever a student. He alone is an old man who feels that he has learnt enough and has need for no more

knowledge. He is a man dead while alive who does not feel a compelling eagerness to listen to the stories of the Lord.

Back-Sliding

Forget not that on all sides you are surrounded by materialistic influences. If you are slack even for a day, the undesirable influences around you will find their opportunity and play

havoc. The ball dropped on the top of the staircase takes less than a split-second to reach the ground, whereas it took much longer to take it up. In a moment of heedlessness, much could be lost. Life is short, time is fleeting; you cannot afford to lose an inch of the ground that you have gained with so much effort.

Do not let this monkey mind have a minute’s respite. It is here that satsanga (company of the Truth) and spiritual literature come to your great aid. They are your saviors. How many sublime thoughts are brought to your very doors by the scriptures? Study the pages in the scriptures carefully. Underline the sentences that strike you as having a direct bearing on your life. Reflect on them in your leisure moments. Thus, will you find that you are able

to surmount many obstacles and jump over many pitfalls. Is the mind disinclined to read these passages over and over again? That is Maya’s (illusion’s) potent weapon to put you to sleep. Beware! Are you not eating the same food over and over again? You will have to go on reading and rereading the same spiritual sentences til they are indelibly engraved on the tablet of your heart, til they become part and parcel of your inner nature.

A devotee should study books that place before him the ideals of devotion; the glory and sweetness of the Lord; the stories of the saints; and the practices that help him to cultivate devotion. Devotion develops by the study of such devotional scriptures.

Repetition gives strength. Repetition pushes the ideas into the innermost chambers of your heart and mind. Then the ideas will percolate your subconscious mind. The evil thoughts lurking there will be scorched and annihilated. You may not even know what wonders have been effected within you. Such is the salutary influence of repeatedly studying the same spiritual text. That is why our ancestors insisted on our ceremoniously reading great spiritual texts daily, regularly, with faith and devotion. They will augment your inner strength. You will grow stronger. When thus the entire inner nature is transformed into a divine one, then a single effort to meditate will lead you the highest samadhi. You will then realize God in the twinkling of an eye.

from Bliss Divine

Light In The Night of FollyBy Sri Swami Sivananda


says, “My mind should be like the pointer of a scale that doesn’t get influenced either by a lump of gold or a lump of clay.” The scale simply gives you the weight. It doesn’t get excited if a lump of gold is put there and want to lean more toward that. It is not influenced by the material, it weighs all the same. That is what we want in a balanced mind.

When would you want to prove yourself to have attained that balanced state? During adversities. When everything goes smoothly and nicely, then you are easily balanced. “Ahh, wonderful. I am so peaceful.” Fine, but what if somebody comes and says, “Hey, you rogue! What are you doing here?” Your mind should still say, “Ahh, how peaceful I am.”

Situations will arise to test you. You may think that you are in a peaceful state and have attained complete tranquility. All of a sudden somebody will insult you. You should still be able to smile at that person and say, “Oh yes. That’s the way you see me. That’s fine. You are free to think any way you want.” One person might see you as a rogue. Fine. The other fellow might see you as a guru. Fine. If you know who you are, if you have attained the state of tranquility, nothing should affect or sway you.

Once in a village there lived a wise man. He was very peaceful; nobody had ever seen him disturbed. All the villagers said, “Oh, he is such a peaceful person. It’s hard to find someone like that.”

One fellow became a little jealous and said “Ha! What kind of peaceful man? You just wait and see. I’ll make him angry.” So he went to where the wise man was sitting and said “Hey! Swami! What kind of man are you? It looks to me like you’re cheating people, presenting yourself as a big guru, getting Guru Poornima and birthday gifts!”. The wise man didn’t react; he simply smiled. So the challenger started calling him all kinds of foul names. Still the wise man smiled and said nothing. Finally the man yelled, “Hey, Swami! I’m talking to you! I’m saying all this about you. Don’t you want to say something?”

The wise man spoke calmly: “My dear friend, suppose I give you an apple and you say, ‘I’m not ready to accept it.’ What should I do? Should I throw it out? I’ll take it back, is it not so? You want to give something and the person is not interested in accepting it. You won’t dispose of it. You will take it back, put it in your pocket and go home. In the same way, you are trying to give me something, but I am not interested in accepting it so take it back. It’s yours!

Testing

Your equanimity should be tested now and then. It’s easy to say “I’m totally peaceful,” but being that way is another story

Once a swami went into a cave and stayed there for almost ten years. He didn’t see anybody. People used to come and leave some food for him; and then when they left, he would come and take it. After ten years, one day he decided to

Choose Peace (Continued from Page 1) come out and meet the people. Everybody came running. “The swami is out of the cave now! He is seeing everybody, given darshan to everybody.” Thousands came to see him. “Swami, Swami, by sitting in the cave these ten years what did you gain?”

He replied, “Years ago I used to be very angry. Even a little thing would disturb me. But for the past ten years, no anger at all. I conquered anger. That is a big achievement.”

Someone got up and said,”Swami, how can you remember all that happened for the past ten years? Maybe one day you might have forgotten and become a little angry.”

“No, not at all. Not even once did I get angry.”

Another fellow stood up. “Sir, it is hard to believe. Are you sure that there wasn’t one time when you were angry?”

The swami sounded a little impatient. “Absolutely not.”

Still another person asked, “Really? Didn’t you even feel slightly angry?”

The swami’s voice roared with anger, “Never! Never! Did you hear me? I totally conquered anger!”

Yes, when there is nobody to irritate you, you are totally peaceful. When there are no pretty girls or boys around, everybody is celibate. When there is no food, you say “I am fasting.” That won’t prove that you have conquered the situation. You should have ample opportunities to be disturbed. If such opportunities come and you still remain peaceful, then only you have proved that you have achieved something. Of course sometimes we need a protective, supportive environment in which to grow strong. But we should never think that we are hiding from the world.

Make Mistakes

Religion is studied and experienced to learn to be free. If you cannot have freedom in religion, you are not going to have freedom in anything else. Religion is used to free you from bondage. The aim is to be fully liberated. To help you attain that freedom, a guru or spiritual teacher will not bind you. He or she can give you some guidelines and some disciplinary practices, but it should not be a bondage.

If you make mistakes, it doesn’t matter. Make mistakes and learn. The best teachers are your own mistakes. You learn even faster by your mistakes. Once I was at a conference with the modern great scientist, Buckminster Fuller. He was the Leonardo da Vinci of this age. He stood up and said, “Friends, forget about all the ‘Do this. Don’t do that’ business. Commit as many mistakes as possible, as soon as possible. You’ll become great!”

It’s true. Every failure is a stepping stone. Remember though that you can’t have the same stone for each step. Every time it should be a new stone. That means, don’t keep making the


same mistake. Learn well from each one. That is the trouble with many people, they commit the same mistake over and over. Even then, they will eventually learn from that mistake and move on. Experience is the best teacher, and one should learn in his or her own way.

That is the reason why we even call this “Integral Yoga.” Sometimes I hear people limiting it: “If you don’t do such and such, you are not an Integral Yogi.”

Whatever you do, you are an Integral Yogi. That’s our approach. As long as you want to be a yogi, that’s enough for me. You choose whatever way you like. All the paths lead to Rome. Even if you take a wrong direction, it doesn’t matter. Take it. You will learn something. Don’t just stand in the middle doing nothing. That’s what is terrible.

A good teacher should say “This is the way I know. It is positively helpful. If you like, follow it.

Suppose you say “I don’t want to go that way. I want to go in the opposite direction.” The teacher will say, “All right. Go ahead. Do it.”

Then you go in the wrong direction, bump against a wall, and say “Ahh. I made a mistake. It’s the wrong direction. I’ll go the other way.” That’s what experience means. Nature itself teaches us, allows us to make mistakes.

Didn’t God allow Adam to eat at the fruit? Though He said “Adam, don’t eat the apple,” did He stop it when Adam reached for the apple? He certainly could have stopped it. Instead, he simply allowed him to make the mistake because He wanted Adam to learn the lesson.

Learning should be a freedom. You learn in your own way. The duty of a teacher is to see if there are any impediments on the path and clear them so you can go on. He should help you to experience in your way, and not block you. In that manner---going here and there, bumping into obstacles---very soon you understand the truth: “Wherever I go, ultimately, I end up with a problem. This ego is creating a lot of problems. Every time I go with my ego it gets me into trouble. I simply give up. All these days I have been following my ego. Now I don’t want to follow it anymore.”

Sri Thaimanuvar said, “Lord, I have been constantly following this monkey mind, and its dragging me all over the jungle. I am fed up with that. I’m not going to follow it anymore. Please direct me to the right path.” With that attitude one becomes a proper student. One begins to listen.

How simple it is. The great saint, Sir Ramakrishna presented this truth in a very simple story. Once a father wanted to take his little son to a carnival. It was heavily crowded, but the boy said “Dad I want to do it all by myself. I’ll just hold your hand. You take me to various places. I’ll walk on my own.” It was a big crowd and as they walked, the child often lost hold of his father’s hand. Then the child would start crying, “Dad! Dad, where are you?” The father would find the child and

take his hand again. This happened many times. The child was getting pushed here and there by the crowd, getting crushed. After a while he got tired. “Dad, I don’t think this is sensible. I can’t do it. I’m too little. Even if I stand here I can’t see anything. All I see are human bodies pushing here and there. If you really want to show me, please pick me up, put me on your shoulders and carry me. Take me wherever you want to go “Immediately the father picked him up, put him on his shoulders. Then the boy could see everything clearly and never had to worry about getting lost or crushed.

It is the same when we try with our ego to do it on our own. Finally we really get tired. Then we look up to that “Dad”. God, in a way, waits for that occasion. He only waits for you to say “I give up,” for you to renounce your ego.

Watch Carefully

When you renounce your ego, you have renounced everything. When the ego is renounced completely you are totally at ease, you are in the samadhi state. In that state you experience the great godly qualities in yourself. You can become a yogi in millions of ways, but keep this thought in mind, “Ultimately I want to be at ease. I want to be free from all this mental turmoil.” Keep that in mind and whatever you do, watch carefully. “Is this leading me toward that goal?” In your life, everything that comes should be measured in this way, “Will I be able to maintain my Peace if I get this? Or will it disturb my Peace?” judge everything this way---things that you like to do, people you want to be with, possessions that you want to acquire. Always consider, “Will this rob my Peace?” If the answer is “yes,” which one would you prefer? Peace or the other thing? You should always choose Peace. If the answer comes: “Yes, I can have that and still be peaceful. My Peace will not be disturbed by it,” okay, have it.

That Peace should be our aim. If you keep the Peace and get the whole world, fine. But if you are going to lose that Peace and get the whole world, what is the point?

The first and foremost thing that you should look for is the Peace. Seek that first. Seek that Kingdom of Heaven first. Once you get yourself rooted in that, established in the Peace, then it doesn’t matter what you have or what you don’t have.

The miracle is that once you get established in that Peace, everything comes to you whether you want it or not. That is what is meant by “Everything else will be added unto you.” I always love that beautiful sentence. It does not say, “You will get everything.” There is a big difference between getting things and their being added. Whether you want it or not, whatever you need will be added to you. Once you get God, you don’t have to say “God, I want some nice friends. I want a little fame.” Instead your feeling will be, “God, I got You, that’s enough for me.” But still, God will bring everything to you.

We should keep that in mind always. “Peace, Peace, Peace. That is my goal. That is my God. I’m not going to compromise Peace for anything.” With this attitude, you are on the right road to being a Yogi..


For the past six years, I’ve had the privilege of working with people who want to lose weight. After years of struggling with weight issues, I found my way to Yoga. Yoga provided a base from which I was able to find connection with myself. This enabled me to live in a more sattwic way, which included losing weight (100 pounds). I now help others find their path, which is incredibly rewarding.

Anyone who has had the experience of Yoga asana and pranayama is aware that it is more than just a physical experience. Through our practice, we affect all levels of our being. It is especially important to remember this when working with people for weight loss. The reasons why a person is overweight are complex. As Yoga teachers, our job is to guide our students toward having their own authentic experience so that they can receive insight. This insight is the catalyst for lasting change.

The first step of teaching Yoga for weight loss is to give students a practice that allows them to feel relaxation and peace. For most individuals, this is not a fast-paced practice. This is important to remember, as most people have been taught that burning off calories through aerobic exercise is the best way to lose weight.

I would offer that the best physical practice for weight loss is one that allows a person to de-stress and be in his/her body. This allows the person to find distance from rapidly arising, confusing, often counter-productive thoughts that the mind produces.

To this end, I give most of my students an asana practice that combines movement with breath. It is usually as simple as we can make it. We are looking to produce a feeling of calm. I also give students a guided Yoga nidra to calm the nervous system. As a student progresses, other ways of working with breath and asana are added, always with the aim of feeling less stressed and more mentally clear.

Other parts of the work include lifestyle modifications geared toward increasing an individual’s energy levels. We examine

eating patterns, food choices, sleep patterns, work patterns, social life, etc. I ask my students to constantly evaluate whether the choices they are making have the net effect of leaving them feeling more energetic.

There are subtleties to this process, of course. But, as people find patterns in their lives that leave them feeling healthy and energetic, they are also moving toward eating in a way that promotes weight loss. In Yogic terms, they are learning to bring in and hold more prana. Individuals develop a positive relationship with food and movement. The relationships become nourishing instead of harmful.

Overweight people are immersed in a culture that promotes shame and fear. There are constant messages telling us that if we struggle with weight issues, we are damaged in some fundamental way. As Yoga teachers we can play an important role; we can help friends break through this illusion. Yoga practice can point individuals toward the Self, so that they can claim their birthright of a healthy body, mind and spirit.

Brandt Bhanu Passalacqua is a Yoga therapist practicing in New York City and Northampton, Massachusetts. After struggling with weight, food and substance addiction, and serious illness he found his way to Yoga practice. He has maintained his health and lost 100 pounds by being kind to his body. Brandt is the author of “Peaceful Weight Loss through Yoga.” Brandt will offer a 10-day retreat for weight loss at Yogaville in April.

Teaching Peaceful Weight Loss Through Yoga By Brandt Bhanu Passalacqua

Bhanu Passalacqua

There are many fine things which you mean to do some day, under what you think will be more favorable circumstances. But the only time that is yours is the present.

—Grenville Kleiser

Do not look for rest in any pleasure, because you were not created for pleasure: you were created for Joy. And if you do not know the difference between pleasure and joy you

have not yet begun to live.

—Thomas Merton


More Reflections on the 2008 I. Y. Teachers Conference by Anandi Jennifer Tallman

Supreme Bliss: The Gift of GivingAn Overview

Having written a piece on each of the major presentations offered during the Teachers Conference, I felt it would be nice to highlight some of the parts of the conference that may have been overshadowed.

The Hatha classes were top notch, as is always the case at Yogaville. I’d like to thank all of the teachers who shared their talents with us. It was wonderful to see the many styles of teaching that come from Gurudev through each of you.

The food was also excellent! I had pancakes for the first time ever at Yogaville! I tend to get excited over vegan food that I don’t have to cook. I offer gratitude to the kitchen staff for all their hard work in feeding us over this special weekend.

Meditations were wonderful, as always. It was a special treat to be able to participate in Darshan at Ananda Kutir. Meditation at the feet of Gurudev at his residence was a highlight of my experience at the Teachers Conference.

We made a trip to the farm stand on Sunday. This was a nice opportunity to get out and enjoy the sun and pick up some organic snacks. The Lotus Garden had some lovely blooms too see as well. I also had fun driving the van on the bumpy dirt road to the stand!

The Line and Circle Dancing class with Dhivya Berthoud was a great workout and so much fun. I think we laughed more during that session than we would have in a laughing meditation. It was great to learn so many traditional dances, and the music was beautiful too.

Lastly, the puja at Chidambaram on Monday morning was a perfect way to start the last day of the conference. It was

made even more special by the collective energies that gathered at the feet of Gurudev for the sacred ceremony.

Thank you, Yogaville and IYTA for another job well done! Om Shanthi!

Inspiring Stories and Poems

On the last morning of the Teacher’s Conference, we gathered in Jyothi classroom to hear from Rev. Prakasha Shakti Capen about storytelling. Sharing our stories can be a way to bond with our students and to bridge the gap that might form between their mats and ours.

Rev. Prakasha says that stories don’t have to be written or planned. Stories are everywhere. They’re those tales told around a fire and the details we reveal about life events or objects. They are also a way to get through to students and a way to heal.

Coming full circle form the first day when we talked with Swami Asokananda about being placed on a pedestal by students, stories are a way to come down off the pedestal. Rev. Prakasha suggests using stories that are personally moving to you or that are your own personal stories.

We were then offered the opportunity to share stories with our fellow teachers. Several amusing stories were told. They ran the gamut—first teaching experiences, attendance woes, kids and dogs in Yoga classes, slips of the tongue during teaching, and interesting and amusing messages that come to mind during meditations.

After laughing together and chanting together, we adjourned to our closing circle, where we shared our experiences—in great storytelling fashion—filled out our evaluations, and said our goodbyes.

We invite you to write an article share your insight and experience with other Integral Yoga teachers to be published in the IYTA Newsletter. Being an Integral Yoga teacher myself, I perceive that most of you are walking around with a Yoga article inside you. You have or you do something special and unique that you bring to the Yoga class with you, something that you would be delighted to share with other IY teachers.

It could be about anything relating to Hatha Yoga. Postures, classes, pricing, billing, special students, how to get jobs, how to get students, how to stay enthusiastic, how to keep

students coming back, what supplies work, how to decorate a work space, how to keep students centered, how to touch, how not to touch, the list goes on and on.

The length could from a couple of hundred words to two thousand words. Pictures could accompany the article, helping explain what you’re trying to say. A short biography and a digital photo are usually included.

Don’t wait, we are standing by ready to work with you and assist in writing the article if needed. Contact Arjuna at [email protected].

Call for Articles from Teachers to Teachers a note from Arjuna


There is good news during this time of global financial crisis, and here it is: God does not have a cash flow problem. I repeat: God does not have a cash flow problem. In fact, God does not have any kind of problem; and furthermore, God is willing to take on yours. (If you are having trouble with the word “God,” please substitute “Universe.”)

Every spiritual philosophy emphasizes the importance of giving: giving up, giving to others, and giving back to your Source. The giving up and giving to others, we easily grasp. But giving to God, the Cosmos, the All? Why would we need to do that? For a simple reason: this practice, called tithing, is a gift to us, not from us, and it is the key to our financial security.

Most people think tithing only benefits the recipient of your hard-earned money. Not so. Tithing keeps the flood-gates open so that the river of abundance keeps flowing into your life. By acknowledging our Source (preferably with humility and gratitude), we draw more from that source. This is a universal law. It really is that simple, and it really works.

Yet, this simple practice brings many profound material and spiritual benefits. I encourage you to discover your own, but here’s a few for you to mull over:

1. If you can trust God with your money, you will find you can trust God in every area of your life.

2. Tithing reveals where God stands in our life - first, last or somewhere in between.

3. You can never go wrong by following the laws of the universe.

4. When you take your little shovel and give, the big cosmic shovel pours blessing and goodness on you.

5. Tithing blesses the nine--tenths that remains, and all that you do with it.

I once saw a man on television who calls himself a tithe generator. He had been a truck driver, just getting by, when he decided that rather than tithing according to what he was making, he would tithe according to what he would like to make. Each time he increased his tithe, his salary caught up to it. You simply cannot outgive God. Today the man owns his own transport company with a fleet of trucks and offices across the country, and he has houses in three states.

So if you are wise, you will tithe. Not 2 or 3 or 5%, but the full 10%, off the top—or even more if you dare. Do

Your Key to Financial Security (It really works!)

by Swami Sharadananda

Swami Sharadananda

it because you trust God to take care of you. If you don’t have that much faith, do it anyway and dare God to take care of you. Do it because it works. Do it because in a failing public economy, it is vitally important to take care of your personal economy.

It will please God, it will please your guru, and you will find that you are very pleased as well.

And for Integral Yoga teachers and centers - especially if you are making an income from teaching Integral Yoga - it is important to continue to support Sri Gurudev’s mission so that others can receive the same benefit we have been given. Otherwise, we leave this world as debtors.

OM Shanti

Swami Sharadananda Ma has been a disciple of Sri Swami Satchidananda for more than 30 years. She is presently serving as International Coordinator for Integral Yoga. She has now meditated long enough that she no longer counts the years. She has taught meditation and all aspects of Integral Yoga in many different setting in the USA, Canada and Europe, as a teacher, teacher trainer, and ecumenical speaker.


Nuts and Bolts:

the Facts and Fallacies of Tithing

Fallacy #1: Tithing means giving 10% of your income to God as His/Her/Its/Their due.

Nope. The fact is, 10% doesn’t belong to God, 100% belongs to God! So tithing means giving 10% back to the source from which it all came. None of it belongs to us. But love and compassion allows us to keep 90% as our allowance. Isn’t that amazing?

Fallacy #2: God needs or wants your pittance.

Not a drop in the ocean to the Almighty. The fact is, if you never give a dime to God, God will get by just fine. Then why should we tithe? Because God wants to give us more, and that’s the way it works. Life, love, money - it’s all a river, and a river will always flow through the pathways available to it. Giving back to God keeps the flood-gates open.

Fallacy #3: It’s okay to give 10% of your income after expenses.

Wrong again. It’s the Biblical first fruits, the cream off the top, you think of God first, and yourself after. (That’s why in Yoga we call it selfless and surrender.) So don’t be shy about giving God your first and your best! In return, you get God’s first and best! Who’s the winner?

Fallacy #4: If I can’t afford to pay my tithe this month, God will understand.

Yes, God will understand. But you must understand that when you postpone your tithe, you postpone the blessing that follows it. Keep that river flowing! If you are in financial crisis, you cannot afford not to tithe!

Fallacy #5: The ashram is always asking us to tithe because they need or want our money. No, again. The ashram encourages tithing because it is sound sadhana, and will protect you financially. Give to your local church, synagogue or temple if you have one. But if Integral Yoga is your spiritual path, it is very appropriate to make your tithe through the ashram.

Fallacy #6: I give to the United Way and PBS and sponsor a child in Africa - that’s the same thing as tithing.

Actually, it’s not. Although charitable giving is very important, and charities (including Yogaville) need those donations to survive, there is an element of control: I will decide what I want to do with my money. 10% off the top every time money comes in - whether from salary, a birthday gift, interest from the credit union or a dollar found on the street - is a daily sadhana of giving and remembrance. Once you get into the habit, you’ll find it easier to give to charity with trust and ease - and you’ll have more to give.

OM Shanti

Steadying Staff

Let a person learn without error or doubt

all that is worthy of learning;

After learning so,

Let him live up to that.

A well in sandy soil will well up

to the extent one digs;

Wisdom will grow in people

to the extent of their study.

The learning which

a person has acquired in one birth

Will stand him in good stead

For seven more births.

Words from the mouths of men

of righteous conduct

Are like a steadying staff

On slippery ground.

Gems From the ThirukuralOf Thiruvalluvar

From Integral Yoga Magazine, Pathways to Peace 9: Spiritual Study

Volume 12, No. 4, August 1981


Twists by Lakshmi Sutter, eRYT500

It’s probably safe to believe that we’ve all felt tired, or even lethargic, at some point in the past. Spinal twists can be exceptionally yummy to wake us up and rejuvenate the system, possibly by circulating fluids throughout the spine and brain.

I think I first learned the following twist in a workshop and then took it further in a Yogaville program offered by Karen Prior, our own IYTA member from Oklahoma who offers a delightful workshop that emphasizes opening the hips. I’ve also probably added my own interpretation informed by my own practice. For the purists out there, please note that I’ve not seen it in any ancient texts. I do find it absolutely delicious and appropriate for any practitioner beyond a pure beginner level.

While the feedback I get from the pose—both from myself and others—really addresses the back, there isn’t any pressure on the abdominal organs. Given that, I recommend that you use this twist in addition to poses like Arddha Matsyendraasana or make sure that abdominal pressure happens in plenty of other places throughout the class. I find that it is the repeated pressure on the abdominal area that makes Integral Yoga unique.

As with all twists, I’d proceed with caution with those with disk issues, osteopenia or osteoporosis.

Begin sitting on the sitting bones, knees bent and apart with the soles of the feet on the floor and wide apart. (Feel free to lean back on the hands while getting the base situated.)

Allow the knees to fall to the right and place the left knee directly into the curve of the right foot.

Let the right arm find a comfortable place to support the body while turning the torso forward and reaching the left arm up alongside the ear.


As with most twists, use the breath to initiate elongation and twist only after there is spaciousness in the spine. Gently begin to twist at the base of the spine—I often have students mentally find the part of the spine that lives between the pelvis and the rib cage—and twist to the right. Taking several breaths to complete the twist up the spine, inhale to initiate further length and exhale next into the area of the spine with ribs attached, and the shoulder and neck on the following breath. As the twist spirals around, let the left arm come down to the floor behind the body in a supportive way. Feel free to adjust the position of the already placed right arm.

Check at this time to see if you are getting a “juicy” experience. If your body feels as if it wants more, bend the elbows on exhalation and draw the forearms to the floor.

Be conscious to keep the head in a position that keeps the neck in line with the rest of the spine. If the body would still welcome further twisting, lay the torso on the floor with the arms outstretched.

For a final added benefit, you could extend the left leg with the toes curled under to press the twist out even further. The left arm could remain outstretched with the right hand pressing gently into the earth to deepen even further. Finally, turn the head and lay the left cheek on the floor.

Happy twisting!

I Didn’t Tell You Not to Hiss: Dealing with the Difficult Yoga Student

By Anjali Lynn Somerstein, PhD, RYT

Once upon a time a lithe and handsome snake slithered up to his Guru and said, “Oh, Guruji, everyone runs away when they see me. What can I do to make people like me??”

The guru said, “They run away because you bite everybody. Stop biting people, and then they will like you.”

A week later the snake returned, battered, and barely able to slither. “Oh, Guruj!” he moaned, “I stopped biting people as you told me, and they stopped running away, just as you said—but now they beat me whenever they see me, and here I am, all broken!”

“I didn’t tell you not to hiss,” the Guru said.

Although most Yoga students are loving and respectful, some students seem to delight in provoking their teachers. An experienced teacher tries to hold and digest anger before expressing it, without denying uncomfortable feelings. Often new teachers want to get rid of their anger, but that just chases it someplace else, causing more trouble—making them less effective teachers-—because, to prove they are not angry, they let themselves get pushed around, while they seethe inside, feeling powerless.

Sometimes students need to be reminded how to behave properly in the Yoga studio. The biggest offenders are show offs, noise makers, and, less often, sleepers; they all attract attention to themselves, even the sleepers, by capturing the teacher’s awareness and distracting the other students, which means that everyone is less able to focus on doing, being Yoga.

What can the teacher do?

It can be enough to simply stare at the student, and the behavior will subside. A private word after class, or maybe several words after a few classes, will often correct the behavior. When that doesn’t work, the student may have to be asked to leave the class.

In one studio where I practice, two students took over the place. They began their practice early in the morning, when the studio was open to individuals doing Yoga on their own, but refused to leave when classes officially began. Their routine—there were two of them, two friends—was challenging, rajasic, a series of athletic postures that distracted people near them. The pair seemed to be rehearsing for the Olympics, or maybe the circus.

The teacher asked them to quiet down and join the class one week and gave the same request the next week. Finally, after she was ignored several times, she simply ordered them to leave. They shouted at her and threatened to have her fired, but she endured their angry protests and closed the studio door behind them, to everyone’s relief.

Another teacher was confronted with a student who simply slept through her class—this happened twice. The teacher told the student she would not be allowed to sleep in the studio again. She was firm. The student left in an angry huff.

A third teacher finally decided to close the class to a person who always showed up thirty minutes late, this after several months of asking the student to come on time, then telling her she had to come on time, then threatening to lock her out when she was late, and, finally, locking her out. It sounds shocking. I can hear you thinking, “Lock out a Yoga student? That’s not loving!” Except, it is loving, tough loving maybe. Sometimes the most loving response is to say, “That’s enough.” All of these teachers were experienced, compassionate, and firm. They did not act from an angry place, although they were at times angry and upset by their students’ behavior. The teachers acknowledged and digested their anger, and set clear limits that defined the boundaries of acceptable behavior in a Yoga class.

If the student is receptive, limits can be set in other more subtle ways. One of my own students habitually came late to class and entered noisily, throwing her backpack on the ground, dragging her equipment to her place, and taking time to settle down. This woman was always angry. When she first came to my class she made me angry too; she showed no respect for Yoga or for other members of the class, or for herself either. At least that’s how it seemed to me at first.

After watching her for a time, I realized that beneath her rage was great terror. I could tell by her body language—stiff and abrupt in the beginning—smoother but shaky later. I watched as she dealt with her fear. As the class progressed, and she came closer to her Self and her feelings, she looked more and more scared. Her anger was her defense against feeling afraid; it created a false sense of strength. I felt her honesty, courage and determination as she entered the Headstand. Eventually her fears subsided, and, by the time we began Yoga Nidra, she was more relaxed.


Even though she was horribly noisy she did really love Yoga; so I thought I could reach her. I don’t know what her experience was that had made her so fearful, but I wordlessly focused on her panic and joined her with my own quiet, deep breathing, which eventually had a calming effect.

Doing Yoga brings people very close to their feelings, one of the many benefits of Yoga practice, but some of those feelings can be hard to handle, both for teachers and for

students. The teacher has to protect the class as a whole while attending to the individual—including the teacher herself or himself—by standing up for herself, for her class, and for Yoga. Acknowledging your true feelings is another capacity that can be developed in Yoga practice, like learning how to honestly embody the asanas. Teachers who are able to deal with anger, their own and their students, invite those students to learn to sit with anger and digest it, rather than hold on to it or pretend it’s disappeared. This is part of being Yoga, embodying Yoga.

Self-Mastery: Controlling the Thoughts and the Mindby Prahaladan Mandelkorn


For thousands and thousands of years the Yoga sages have observed and taught their students that the mind is by nature “outward-turning.” That is, it tends to flit about from thought to thought capriciously and from subject to subject like a cork bouncing about in the open sea. The trouble with that is some places the mind bounces into are a whirlpool of not constructive thinking. And as you know, many thought patterns bring with them accompanying emotions—some of which are disturbing and even debilitating.

Thus, the teachers encourage us to re-train our minds, to actually take control of our minds—so “we choose” what thoughts the mind will focus on. This is self-mastery.

Probably the most effective tool for retraining the mind, for reversing its direction from naturally being outward-turning to naturally being inward-turning, is the practice of meditation. It’s like training a horse; it’s done in stages—and gently. The first stage is concentration (dharana in Sanskrit). You focus the mind on one thing or sound or image—over and over again. And whenever the mind wanders off to another thought (and it surely will for some time)—as soon as you notice that has occurred—gently bring the mind back to focus on your object of concentration/meditation.

After some practice, the mind will stay on what you’ve directed it to stay focusing on. You can tell that has happened because 15-20 minutes go by and it seems like two or three minutes. This is meditation, dhyana—unbroken flow of cognition from subject to object.

The final stage, samadhi or super-consciousness, is when the mind stays in meditation and it seems like subject and object have merged; there’s a feeling of oneness with the object of meditation. For example, if you’ve been focusing on a rose —then suddenly you feel -- “Hey, I ‘am’ the rose; it’s all rose. Wow, this is great!”

The only real practice or discipline is in the first stage, concentration, in which we consciously draw the mind back

to refocus on the object we have chosen to meditate on. Stages two and three, meditation and samadhi, just naturally occur with time; you can’t “practice” them. You just practice concentration.

Go for it!

A former US Navy Seal, Time Magazine Correspondent and speechwriter for Sen. Robert Kennedy, Prahaladan (Phil) Mandelkorn) has served the Integral Yoga Institutes and Ashrams for many years and in many positions, including as past Director of Advanced Teacher Training. He compiled and edited “To Know Your Self: the Essential Teachings of Swami Satchidananda” and “The Living Gita: A Commentary for Modern Readers by Sri Swami Satchidananda.”

Prahaladan Mandelkorn

Connecting Our Hatha Yoga Students to the Divineby Arjuna Guttadauro

Integral Hatha Yoga classes are helpful in many ways. They treat the whole person, physically, mentally and spiritually. The goal of this article is to enhance both the instructors’ and students’ experience of connecting to the Divine during each and every class.

What does “Connect to the Divine” mean? I am sure that everyone reading this article has connected to the Divine and, as a matter of fact, many times in most cases. This is where perception comes into play. Seeing that we all have had these experiences at some level does not mean that we describe it the same way. As a matter of fact, I’m sure that our perception of how we see the Divine differs and that we would explain our most memorable experiences differently from one another. I believe “Truth is One – Paths are Many,” which means to me that whatever you believe and however you perceive your experience is more than fine with me. I’m hoping you can relate to what I perceive my experiences to be.

This is how I explain my connection to the Divine: I feel connected to the Divine when I am in the present moment and not being affected by the past or scheming for the benefit of the future, just being in the “now.” I enter the quiet space within where I am the observer. My body and mind are at ease and connected to me as I am connected to all things near and far. My movements and thoughts are controlled and observed from that serene inner place.

During this time, I am not my thoughts. I am the observer of the thoughts. I am at peace with my thoughts, watching them as a father watches his children, knowing that they are growing and learning, making mistakes but learning in sweet innocence. I use the mind as a tool to aid in completing the tasks I accomplish.

I am not the body. I observe my body. I watch my breath as it gently regulates itself; I dictate the movements of my muscles. Never making a movement without first being aware of it, I know at the time that I am as connected to my body as I am connected to the air, ground, trees, sky and planets around me. I am as One with All.

This is what I try to have my Hatha Yoga students feel in each class. Yes, they may experience it differently, may explain it differently; but I know I have succeeded by seeing the glow of their faces, the ease of their movements, and the heavenly smiles.

There is only one time to connect to the Divine. It is in the present moment. It can only be done at the present moment. You can’t make it happen one second, or minute ago. The past already happened; you can’t change it. Let it go. You may connect in the future, but the future isn’t here yet.

The present moment is the only time you can connect, no exceptions.

So, that is my humble explanation of my connection to the Divine. I hope you can relate to it in your own way through experiences that you have had. I would like to share some of the ways that I enhance the already beautiful Integral Hatha Yoga class that is designed to bring about a conscious awakening in the students.

First by having a safe environment, we want our students to feel safe and able to let go, to relax. By following the Integral Hatha Yoga guidelines, your Hatha class is completely safe for your students. Reminding them to listen to their bodies at each moment so as not to strain, not to hold a pose longer than the body dictates, or simply not do a particular pose that day, creates an environment of easeful peace.

Our students come from all walks of life, some are coming from an especially stressful job or situation right into sitting cross-legged in front of you. Their body is definitely in front of you, but where is the mind? In many cases it is where they just left or looking toward what they will do after they leave the class. It is not hard to spot a mind that is off into the past/future.

One way to bring them out of the past/future and into the present is to have them concentrate on themselves. Have them mentally relax the body, elongating the spine, relaxing the neck and shoulders, centering the head. Have them go deeper into themselves, observing and controlling the breath. Do Deergha Swasam. These help bring us out of the past/future and into the present moment. It’s a good start to any Yoga class.

Another aid in bringing the students into the present moment on the way to connection to the Divine is opening chants. It can be as simple as three Om’s. I have been in many classrooms where the students have thought that chanting was weird. What works for me is too explain why we chant, what benefits chanting can bring to them, how to chant, and what changes to notice during and after the chant.

My explanation is something like this: I start and end all my Hatha Yoga classes with chants. Chanting uses Sanskrit, which is a language developed from sounds that are in vibrational harmony with us and all of creation; so, by making the chanting sounds, we connect ourselves vibrationally with the universe and bring a peaceful feeling within. We chant Om because it is said that great masters have heard that sound while in a very deep state of meditation, and it is the very sound in the center of the universe. A way to chant Om is to say Oooooooh… and switch the sound to Mmmmmmmmm.


While doing so, become aware of the vibration being created in the head. When the chants are over, notice the difference of how you feel because you have changed not only your vibration, but also the vibration of the room, the surrounding area and the world. Chanting is that powerful.

After that explanation, students are usually very comfortable and enjoy the opening and closing chants. This helps them forget the past/future and brings them into the present moment, a very big deal, and is necessary for the goal of connecting to the divine.

It’s obvious that during a Hatha Yoga class being in the present moment involves being aware of the body. During the posture time of the class I have my students concentrate on three things: centering, breathing and specific body parts.

There are many ways to center, and some students have their own way. I encourage them to stick with that. A centering technique that I learned from Sri Gurudev is to bring the awareness to the center in the middle of the head. By placing your fingers on your ears and imagining a line between the fingers and then placing a finger on your nose and the other finger on the back of your head and making another imaginary line, notice where they intercept. Bringing your awareness to that spot will help center a person. During class I frequently remind a student to re-center.

Breathing is another method of getting present. During rest periods I frequently ask the students to be aware of their breath. During poses it is quite common to mention breathing. I’m sure you all use this as part of your instructions. In the poses, I invite the students to notice the body part that is being worked. Between the poses is where students are especially prone to go off into the past/future. So I ask them to center (they now know how), focus on their breathing, and to imagine sending their breath to the body part that they have used during the last posture.

Keeping the mind occupied on what is happening right now is the key to keeping the students in the present. During the postures, I really work at knowing what muscles are being stretched so as I can bring the students’ awareness to those specific muscles. I ask the students to center, observe the area of the body that is being worked, and to send energy to that area. (To send energy to a specific area of the body is as easy as being aware of the body part with the mind and imagining the breath going to it.)

After the postures comes deep relaxation. We have now moved from bringing a person off the street to simple cross-legged relaxation while observing the breath, chanting, to

postures where they center, while observing the breath and specific parts of the body that are used during the postures, keeping the same theme during the resting between postures, heading for the feast of Deep Relaxation. I can’t help but feel the energy flowing at this great moment.

Deep Relaxation is enhanced by the preceding work of getting the students relaxed and into the present moment so as they can feel their connection to the Divine. Take your time here. Never hurry, always give this time of class its proper allowed time. The tightening and relaxing of the body parts, the slow, methodical, mental relaxing of each body part, the self-monitoring and self relaxation of all parts of the body, leading to observing but not controlling the breath (Where are they observing from? Maybe the quiet space behind the breath.), the observing of the mind, noticing the origin of thought and the releasing of each thought, and finally what the whole class is designed to do, the awareness of connection to the Divine, going to that place where we observed the breath and the mind, where we are at complete peace and harmony in the quiet place of the observer. Wow!

We now have completed our task. We have before us a group of angels. Each more Divine than when they walked in ninety minutes ago. We can gently do our pranayama, a short meditation, and our closing chants. We bow gracefully to our students, sincerely thank them for providing us with this great opportunity and rest in our own connection with the Divine. We know that we have just helped the world become a better place for one and all.

For more about Arjuna, see the Letter from the Editor.


Arjuna Guttadauro

Community u Support u Continuing Education

Member Benefits

• Quarterly IYTA Newsletter

• Members-only resource area within the IYTA website

• Online informational forum exchange of IY teachers

• Directory of IY Teachers–printed and online

• Contact person to answer your IY-related questions

• Discounted Yoga teacher liability insurance (US members only)

• 5% discount on Teacher Training programs in India, Mexico, New York, San Francisco or at Yogaville

• 40% discount at Integral Yoga Distribution

• IY Teacher Conferences

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• 10% discount on Integral Yoga Magazine

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Services Always Expanding

Enjoy all this for less than $6/month! Annual Dues: $70.00 (in USA)

108 Yogaville Way, Buckingham, VA 23921 • Tel 434-969-3121 ext. 177 • www.iyta.org • email: [email protected]


Inside the Yoga SutrasRev. Jaganath Carrera, Swami Karunananda & Rev. Paraman Barsel March 13–16, 2009

The teachings contained in the Yoga Sutras are gems of living wisdom—vibrant guides that can accompany students to higher levels of spiritual awareness. Take this rare opportunity to join three of our most experienced teachers of Raja Yoga as they continue their exploration of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.

Discover the small, simple steps that lead to Self-realization. Learn how each day can be transformed from a get-through-the-day mentality to a joyous journey of self-exploration.

This workshop is perfect for anyone familiar with the Sutras and for enthusiastic beginners as well. It is also an ideal opportunity for Yoga teachers to deepen their understanding and experience of the teachings.

With a balance of discussion and plenty of time for your questions, the program focuses on deepening your understanding of the Sutras and discussing their practical application in day-to-day life. You will enjoy the benefit of exploring aspects of all four books of the Sutras.

Approx. VNA CNE Hours : 22 / Yoga Alliance Hours : 22 H RYT 500

Structure and Function of the Pelvic FloorBill Gallagher & Richard Sabel April 22–26, 2009

The pelvic floor is comprised of muscles that are often elusive and seem beyond our conscious control. Yet, the perineum and the pelvic girdle are an integral driving force behind most human function. By bringing awareness, strength and suppleness to these muscles, people can address incontinence, alleviate or lessen pain (especially in the pelvis, hips, knees and back), breathe more efficiently, increase sexual fulfillment, assist childbirth and facilitate many functional activities like lifting heavy objects, rising from chairs and walking up stairs.

Course participants will learn low-tech, non-invasive techniques that draw from Yoga, Tai Chi, Qigong, Feldenkrias and conventional rehab therapies, to guide people (clients, patients, students) toward improved health and function. This user-friendly program will also familiarize participants with the anatomy, pathology, pain mechanisms, physiology, kinesiology of the anatomical spine, the pelvic floor and their interrelationship with mind-body energetics and the chakra system.

By bridging East and West, and addressing mind and body, this program is designed for rehab professionals such as physical and occupational therapists, Yoga and Qigong therapists, Pilates teachers, fitness professionals, somatic therapists, midwives, dulas, etc.

Upcoming Continuing Education Opportunities


®

Bharata WinghamMarch 6–8, 2009

Rev. Jaganath Carrera, Swami Karunananda & Rev. Paraman BarselMarch 13–16, 2009

Doug KellerMarch 27–29, 2009

Gary KraftsowApril 17–19, 2009

Bill Gallagher & Richard SabelApril 22–26, 2009

Matt FlicksteinApril 30–May 3, 2009

Transforming Lives

Rev. Jaganath Carrera

Swami Karunananda

Rev. Paraman Barsel

Doug Keller

Gary Kraftsow

Matt Flickstein

INTEGRAL YOGA SENIOR SPEAKERS’ SCHEDULESPlease contact local representatives for times, costs, pre-enrollment requirements, schedule changes, etc.


Swami Karunananda

February 8–13 St. Petersburg, FL Contact: Haris Lender [email protected] Feb. 8, 1 - 5 pm Workshop, “Prioritize, Spiritualize, Actualize” 727-822-6192

Feb. 13, 7 pm, Satsang

Feb. 15, 11 am Sermon at Temple of the Living God Harini Lender [email protected]. 15, 1 pm Workshop at Temple of the Living God 727 420 1671

Mar. 13 – 16 Inside the Yoga Sutras at Satchidananda Ashram-Yogaville

March: Programs at New York IYI Contact: New York IYI

Raja Yoga for ATT

Mar. 28, 2 – 4 PM Public Talk

Mar. 29, 2 -4 PM Teachers Workshop

April: Programs in New Jersey Contact: Fairlawn, NJ IYI

Apr. 3, 7 – 9 pm, “Dynamic Power of the Breath”

Apr. 4, 2 -4, Workshop: “Prioritize, Spiritualize, Actualize” Contact: Siva at Naturally Yoga, 201 612 7330

Swami Ramananda

February: Program at New York IYI Contact: NYIYI: [email protected]

Feb 26 - May 21 Hatha III TT

March: Program at Sivananda Ashram, Bahamas Contact: www.sivanandabahamas.org/

March 27 – April 5 Stress Management Teacher Training

UPCOMING PROGRAMS AT YOGAvILLE


February 20096–8 Alignment of Body, Mind and Soul with Dhivya Berthoud13–15 Sweetheart Yoga: The Amazing Potential of Couple Relationships with Nina Priya David20–22 Restore, Renew, Refresh with Vimala Pozzi20–22 Sleep Enhancement with Mala Cunningham21 Mahasivaratri27–Mar 1 Relieving Your Anxiety: An Integration of Wisdom from East and West with Boris Bhagavan Pisman, MS, NCC27–Mar 1 Back to Basics: Introductory Yoga Weekend with Lakshmi Sutter

March 20096–8 Laugh-a Yoga Certification Workshop with Bharata Wingham6–8 Organic Gardening with Brad and Lyndsay Constable13–16 Inside the Yoga Sutras with Rev. Jaganath Carrera, Swami Karunananda & Rev. Paraman Barsel13–15 Thai Yoga Massage: Lotus Palm School Introductory Workshop with Rishi Dion20–22 Mindful Stress Reduction: A Spiritual Journey with Susan Carol Stone, Ph.D.20–22 Meditation and Yoga as Medication with Dr. Amrita McLanahan & Swami Dayananda27–29 Essential Women’s Health Retreat: An East-West Approach to Building Bone and Core Strength with Nadiya Nottingham and Dr. Susan Brown27–29 Hatha Yoga: The Natural Awakening of the Heart with Doug Keller

April 20092–5 Spring Silent Retreat: Blossoming From Within with Rev. Lakshmi Barsel as Spiritual Director9 Passover Celebration10–12 Mini-Retreat: Communing with Yourself-Communicating with Others12 Easter Celebration17–19 Yoga Therapy: Viniyoga for Structural, Physiological & PsychoEmotional Conditions with Gary Karftsow17–19 Peaceful Weight Loss Workshop with Bhanu Passalacqua17–26 Peaceful Weight Loss 10-Day Retreat with Bhanu Passalacqua22–26 Structure and Function of the Pelvic Floor with Bill Gallagher and Richard Sabel24–26 From Sounds of the Heart to the Depth of Silent Consciousness with Paul jj Alix30–May 3 Retreat: Erasing the Boundaries to Freedom with Matt Flickstein

May 20091–3 Yoga for Freer Hips with Karen Prior3–10 Teaching Yoga to People with Cancer with Jnani Chapman8–10 Steady and Comfortable in Asana with Swami Priyaananda10 Mothers’ Day13–14 Homa: The Sacred Fire Ritual with Marudhachalam Adigalar15–17 Experiencing the Ancient Wisdom Traditions of South India with Marudhachalam Adigalar15–17 Tantric Massage with Peter Ross V.22–25 Krishna Das Chanting Retreat29–31 Introduction to Yoga Anatomy with Leslie Kaminoff29–31 Heart Patient Retreat with Amrita McLanahan, M.D.


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