Yoga Club

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Music:

Contest 3: Project Playlist, the Coolest Yoga Mix... Submit the smoothest flowing mix of eclectic music that you practice or teach Yoga to in ProjectPlaylist format. That's the music player you are listening to on the left side of the page.

Go make your mix by clicking on the Banner below and then submit it to the contest as a blog comment. Make sure it isn't set to autoplay otherwise a dozen or so players playing at once will stall the page. Have fun!

Movies:

The Razor's Edge, the Bill Murray version.

Television:

No… Go do something productive with your life. Like read the news blogs of MahaMondo .

January 31st…Agustin Aguerreberry : Partner Yoga

I am just back from a long day in the OC ( Orange County ) , and since the AcroYoga vids were such a hit, here is Agustin A. via our friends @ www.fordmodels.tv demoing Partner Yoga . Yoga means union!

January 29th… YYoga Movie / Now Available & MahaMondo Ts

" After 9-11, upset,not knowing what to do, I left my office in the middle of the day and wandered into a yoga class. This initiated a journey which has forever changed my life."

Film maker Arthur Klein's YYoga , an American Yogic Journey, pre-release LTD. Edition is now available. Please email : [email protected] for details.

Thanks for the screener copy Arthur, MAHA bumping into you before Bryan Kest's class last Sunday. Just like Arthur, 9-11 was the catalyst for my personal voyage with yoga. We also share the amazing Ashley Turner , as one of our OG teachers, from 6years back.

My teachers have been the key to maintaining focused & balanced on this path. There was a sense of fulfillment in being able to gift ASHLEY TURNER , VYTAS BASKAUSKAS & JEROME MERCIER with the 1st production runs of the MahaMondo T by I LOVE YOGA . Big ups pranam -

What would you do to show appreciation to your teachers?

January 25th… Acro Yoga with I Love Yoga Part 2 Here is Tamara from ILY with a Crash Test Dummy @ their booth in Century City. The dynamics of Acro Yoga is akin to a relationship with a principal teacher. It involves TRUST & SURRENDER. ( And a good dose of HUMOR) With roots in Thai Yoga, Acrobatics & more, AY gives one the sensation of carving through air. Would you relinquish control in order to be weightless?

January 23rd… Acro Yoga with I Love Yoga Part 1 Moses & Tamara , 2/3rds of the I Love Yoga Team fly on the floor of the LA Yoga Evolution Conference. Partner Suzanne was watching from the sidelines. Mosi, thanks for coming through with the Mahamondo Ts. They are absolutely excellent.

January 21st… Equinox : Happily Ever Big ups pranam to www.souljerky.com for the head's up on this viral video. Equinox poses the question : " What's Your Happily Ever " or" Happy Ending via Urdhva Danurasana ", heh heh.

January 21st… Yoga Etiquette c/o Danurasana : Uno Mas

As that cliche' goes , "because common sense is not that common ", or "why do you have to act so common? " . This is expressly for those who need to be reminded of RESPECT . This was first posted back in 2006 :

"The world is really getting smaller what with all the cross cultural pollination by electronic media and devices. And some issues that necessitate yoga etiquette are apparently as prevalent in Asia as they are here in Santa Monica.

Danurasana Brunei has this funny but to the point reminder for all newbies:

Come to class with an open mind and heart. And if you are just starting out, and am thinking, why am i here? Read this . Come with good intention.Do come in time for classes. If you are late, check to make sure you do not disturb the class during tuning in sessions where noise will be a distraction and oft times to most students, an annoyance. Do sit outside awhile and settle in the class once the warm ups have started.Mobile phones on silent . Its really just plain rude to others.Silence in observed in class, giggles are allowed but not at the expense of others. Laughing at yourself through those almost impossible poses are encouraged.Make sure you do not obstruct the view of other students in the class and position your mats in considerate manner. Obstruction of view with the intention of showing off your almost perfect behind to that cute guy you want to ask out is permissible.Plumber's bum and excessive cleavage , however, is illegal.Do not chew gum, distract others and slouch in class. We do not expect you to be perfect. But please be present. Goofing off is not cool.Yoga teachers can smell what you had for lunch or dinner. Coming to class with B.O is human cruelty. Teachers will NOT come near you to adjust.Comments and questions are made AFTER the class.Please fold your own mats and wipe after your own sweat. They cannot move by themselves.While waiting for the class to start, please speak softly as there will be others who come and relax to prepare for their practice. Treat yoga studios as it is. Not a market.

All in all, rules are not meant to stifle but should be observed for everyone's comfort. We are not tight asses, really. Courtesy is cool and it is IN!"

& Chatasana is not a pose -

January 20th… Temple Bhajan Band / Jerome Mercier 6 AM * Arvind, an emigre' from India, was SHOCKED when he first came to the US of A and saw how yoga was treated here as something just done on a mat. He created www.yogimilan.com as a platform wherein yogis can increase their knowledge & awareness of the TOTAL yogic path. As he mentioned, the higher one goes in consciousness, the more difficult it becomes to find companionship in the same realm. Hari Om , that's the truth. Bhakti Yoga, among all the yogas is termed the easiest path as it involves opening one's heart through bhajans and surrendering to the Divine. Surya Das of the Temple Bhajan Band regaled us with tales of his visits to the holy city of Vrindavan. Tamaso Ma Jyoti Gamayah : Out of the Darkness & Into the Light - ** Jerome Mercier's 6 AM class this morning was lit by a single candle ; this from a teacher who never repeats a format. The QUALITY of his EXPERIENCE has always consistently been marked by attention to detail & education. He used a word today to describe this morning's session : CAMARADERIE , which was most appropriate , as he has a following of the best , advanced students with the right attitudes. I bring this up as my practice yesterday afternoon was marred by having to listen to the disrespectful chatter of newbies before class; a couple of them didn't even bother to can their stage whispering once my teacher had commenced. Have people become so CALLOUS because of mobile phones ? What has happened to the concept of yoga as an oasis of tranquility? I've been reading this book which describes QUALITY & EXPERIENCE using the analogy of the restaurant business. There are the CLASSICS that have withstood the initial surge of heat ( any of the Chaya restos come to mind) and have kept on due to their attention to loyal customers & quality of food, ambience , service,etc. On the other hand, there are the "flash-in-the-pans" who built their rep with the initial buzz, but once they commenced to pander to the LCD (lowest common denominator) and got sloppy , the initial base of customers then decided to move on. And the restaurants , once hot , are history. So Jerome M. , muito obrigado for expressing your gratitude for my being present . I really felt it. You are a CLASSIC.

January 18th… Yoga Evolution LA : Jan.23-25

" Hope all is going well. I've been meaning to write you each day, but as I'm sure you can imagine, sometimes my to-do list is way too long. I know this is coming up soon, but I wanted to invite you to the Fit Yoga conference next week, January 23-25, Hyatt Regency Century City".

That's a portion of an email I received from LA Yoga Magazine 's Editor , Felicia Tomasko. I will be there one of those evenings ,as both Moses of I Love Yoga Miami and Felicia have extended invitations. Can't make it for the conferences during the workday as my present life equation is REALITY = RESPONSIBILITY + OPPORTUNITY.

But if I could, I would catch Moses' discourse on THE YOGA OF BUSINESS, Felicia waxing on CULTIVATING PRANA, Vinnie Marino's WAKE UP & FLOW & Mas Vidal :UNITING YOGA & AYURVEDA.

Speaking of work, the practice has been a MAHA resource for maintaining equanimity & humor while on the road. Case in point , not reacting ( or losing my breakfast) plus thinking on my feet ( i.e. call the in-house computer geek squad PRONTO to email our presentation via FTP from LA ) when confronted with a "What , they don't have WI-FI in their conference room !" , prior to a presentation. Heh heh.

Kasey of YogaMates has also interviewed Moses during the last Las Vegas Conference; check it out on Yoga TV. Mosi, I am so stoked to see the prototypes of the MahaMondo CoLab Tshirts you screened.

Please visit www.fityoga.com for all the conference details -

January 16th… YogiMilan Kirtan : Kula Santa Monica

Big thanks to Psalm Isadora , who is currently in MOTHER INDIA , for linking me up with Arvind & Meghan of the soon to launch on line yoga community , YogiMilan.

The launch is via kirtan this Saturday , January 19th , 7-9:30 PM @ Kula Santa Monica , 1231 Lincoln Blvd.

You will have to RSVP via [email protected] to attend as space is limited. The amazing Suryadas & the Temple Bhajan Band will lead the kirtan wallas.

Maha pranam likewise to Hege Hansen @ Essence Barcelona : "We have just discovered you web site and we like it a lot! The information and articles are very interesting and we would like to ask if it's
possible to get a link to our studio, posted on your site?"

No hay problema Hege. Barcelona & Pamplona are on my shortlist after Rio & India ( specifically the Sivanand Ashram in Rishikesh) of places to visit -

January 14th… Free Yoga :New York Magazine

This week's issue of New York Magazine 's theme is peace & tranquility. So I'm not the only traditionalist who regards practicing as a NON-SPORT , NON-COMPETE vehicle for physical, mental & spiritual transcendence. Hari Om!

" F irst-timers pay nothing at Yoga Sutra (501 Fifth Ave., nr. 42nd St.; 212-490-1443), which caters to Bryant Park office workers grabbing some sun salutations on their lunch breaks. Depending on which style of class you choose, you could be sore tomorrow. The Vinyasa course, with its flowing series of chest arches and leg lunges, is especially challenging. Less strenuous: the Iyengar class, filled with slow-moving spine twists and prop-aided stretches.

Newcomers also get a free tryout at Atmananda Yoga Sequence (324 Lafayette St., nr. Bleecker St.; 212-625-1511), where the crowd’s exactly what you’d expect at a Noho wellness loft: fashionable vegans, limber models, and late-rising artists. Classes flow rapidly through 69 movements, focusing on proper alignment and breathing techniques. Occasionally instructors burn incense or massage students’ temples with jasmine oil.

At Integral Yoga Institute (227 W. 13th St., nr. Seventh Ave.; 212-929-0586), free Saturday-morning intro classes (beginning at 10:15) draw a mix of health-conscious hippies, trendy moms, and other West Villagers seeking some slower-paced exercise. Newbies are encouraged to ask questions while learning to sit properly, relieve lower-back tension with gentle torso bends, and experiment with shoulder stands.

It’s mostly experienced yogis at Chelsea’s Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center (243 W. 24th St., nr. Seventh Ave.; 212-255-4560), with only one class open to beginners. The first class—usually filled with classic inversions and standing postures—is free. Workouts are strenuous, but there’s ample time for meditation between poses.

And though not technically gratis, classes at Yoga to the People (12 St. Marks Pl., nr. Third Ave.; 917-573-9642) are open to the public for a suggested donation of $10. Expect St. Marks–style serenity: Teachers might pop in some John Lennon during stretching and read inspirational quotes for the after-class warmdown, and classes are often packed toes to fingertips with NYU students."

Speaking of beginners, please reign in your AHAMKARA (ego) when you attempt to impress only yourself by rocking an asana. Flailing around indicates that you need to PRACTICE, PRACTICE , PRACTICE -

January 14th…Sting's Macrobiotic Yoga - Heavy Life on the Road

Riffing on my previous post regarding balance while "on the road" is this bit via the Huffington Post :

"Yes, indeed, things have changed. Sting, you see -- not a regular vegetarian -- is on a strict macrobiotic diet. His personal chef makes him mock tuna wraps and "crunchy" soup.

Since The Police's wildly successful reunion tour began on May 28 in Vancouver, he's eschewed liquor and just about everything else that rockers of a certain era might have embraced or delighted in as a reward for having 20,000 fans stand through an entire concert cheering, screaming, applauding and singing along to nearly all his lyrics by heart.

At almost 56, Sting's most decadent pleasures are being turned into a pretzel by his yoga instructor ( DANNY PARADISE) an hour before show time and taking post-show pictures with four of his six kids (the youngest two are in school".

January 12th…Kimpton Hotels :Yoga for Business Travellers

Just back from spending the better part of the week in Dallas , Texas. Our team stayed @ the Hotel Palomar ,which is part of the Kimpton Hotels boutique group. It was not only well situated, adjacent to our meetings in the Highland Park & Preston Hollow enclaves , but was also very calm and spacious.

After a couple of days immersed in my present world of "material lifestyle " , i.e. discussing $ 10- $30 MM residential projects of oil & tech fortunes , the Kimpton in-house " MIND-BODY-SPA" experience for business travelers took me back on track to my personal focus. The Palomar is not only the location of the Dallas branch of Exhale ( group classes) , but has a dedicated cable channel with Rodney Yee , Guided Meditation , Pilates & more available 24-7. One can request a yoga mat& props from the Concierge. So I did practice with Rodney Y. in the AM and did guided meditation Thursday evening before dinner.

Central 214, the in-house resto @ the Palomar has great vegetarian options for breakfast & dinner :Egg white omelets with asparagus, Portobello mushroom ravioli, great baguette & hummus ( mais oui, my French associates approved ). The airiness of the public spaces felt great to decompress in after the end of the workday ; the absence of a frenetic lobby "scene" like a W or 60 Thompson Hotel was an added bonus.

January 5th… Pure Yoga New York

Hah, am I plugged into the Universe? On the heels of the last post referencing Pure Yoga HK comes this 411 via New York Magazine 's Intelligencer :

"Y oga studios around the city should keep a close eye on their yogis and yoginis—a deep-pocketed competitor is coming to town and has been secretly negotiating to lure top instructors. PURE YOGA , the Hong Kong–based center that drew 3,000 practitioners to its last yoga conference, has signed a deal with EQUINOX, and the fitness conglomerate will be opening Pure Yoga outposts in the United States, starting in the spring with a nearly 20,000-square-foot space on East 86th Street. “Yoga is in great demand, and that continues to grow,” says Equinox CEO Harvey Spevak. (It’s currently a $3 billion industry.) Spevak says the new club will be “design and amenity driven,” which means the usual Equinox high-end gloss, five rooms simultaneously offering classes in different styles, and an emphasis on customer service, including the ability to book the exact floor space for your mat online. “It’s a natural extension of Equinox,” says Spevak, “and we will continue to expand and pursue an aggressive yoga strategy.”

Pure Yoga HK has done everything properly from my viewpoint in terms of branding, marketing & in typical Hong Kong fashion , marrying STYLE & COMMERCE. Even their websites & blogs rock. Several of their teachers are yogic stars ( Yogananth Andiappan is one ) in the Asia-Pacific region. This should be an interesting development as once NYC has launched, Los Angeles will definitely be next. I welcome Pure's entry into the US market as they will be able to generate the buzz for teachers (and they will snag the best) & conferences plus ensure the attendance that these events deserve ( yup Global Mala , great idea but what happened?) . They also respect YOGIC TRADITION , whether it be Ashtanga or Jivamukti ; so the PURE experience will not have a " BYWB" ( bring your water bottle ) , wear your "YO" (yoga outfit) & "CA" (cellphones allowed) LCD ( lowest common denominator ) vibe -

* Regarding the drinking of water during practice : It is traditionally not encouraged as it puts out the "AGNI" , which is being stoked . And it is plain & simple common sense that you cannot bend, balance or twist with facility if H2O is sloshing around in your gut.

January 5th… David Swenson : Pure Yoga HK Here's a vdo taken by our friend , the awesome DANURASANA from Brunei , of David Swenson @ Pure Yoga Hong Kong. Great teachers FLOW , and that is one sure fire exterior determinant in my book. Much respect -

January 5th…Ashtanga Yoga :The Practice Manual

I got a copy of David Swenson's Ashtanga Yoga : The Practice Manual over the holidays . It has proven to be an invaluable resource. My present work schedule no longer allows the gift of an almost daily practice that I had with my teachers.

This manual has helped with the creation of a road map for daily self-practice . David breaks down all the asanas & series and distills them so one can apply practice for 15 , 30 minutes or even an hour. It is spiral bound so you can lay the manual by the mat in order to practice the asana or vinyasa. Excellent -

I had mentioned to my primary teacher after his class today that David Swenson captured the RASA of Patanjali's Ashtanga ( 8 limbs of yoga ) in a MODERN treatment :

" Through regulation of practice, the eight limbs are nourished. Personal insights begin to manifest. We become aware of what we put in our bodies and how we interact with the world around us. From this type of introspection, the qualities of YAMA & NIYAMA begin to develop. ASANAS & PRANAYAMA grow when focused , awareness of the breath is applied while practicing each posture.As we keep the mind fixed on the sound & quality of our breath, the senses are encouraged to turn inward & the element of PRATYAHARA manifests.

As we improve our abilities of controlling the senses from wandering during practice, the subtle quality of concentration deepens in the form of DHARANA. In time, the practice moves further internally and refinement of concentration develops as our ability to remain present is enhanced. The practice then moves further into a deep meditative experience known as DHYANA. At this stage,we are creating greater potential to explore the finest realms of yoga known as SAMADHI, in which we realize the pure essence of all that exists. "

And this is why yoga TRANSFORMS . Can you call yourself an advanced practitioner if the above elements are missing?

January 3rd…Play Yoga :Adidas

Via www.adidas.com :

"In spring/summer ’08 adidas takes yoga beyond its spiritual roots and shows in its global campaign “Play Yoga” that yoga is a sport which helps athletes of all levels to get better at whatever sport they do. The face of the integrated women’s campaign will be yoga professional Rainbeau Mars who takes first-rate and internationally known athletes such as Laila Ali or Stefanie Graf as well as 100m freestyle world record holder Britta Steffen and Tae-Kwan-Do standout Iridia Salazar on a journey with yoga on a DVD available in selected adidas sports performance stores. "

Alright Adidas, you know Christy Turlington was rocking Puma &Yoga via Nuala back in the day. So waddup with "Play Yoga" ? It's bad enough we have those gym bunnies starting to practice , water bottles & all . Yoga as a sport , now that's a marketing concept. Just like the lycra in your clothing, it's a bit of a stretch, heh heh.

You should have used a pic of Shiva with his trademark " 3 STRIPES" as your new logo . They symbolize the "spiritual" practice of yoga -

Books:

Anatomy of Hatha Yoga by Coulter, The Bhagavad Gita, The Upanishads, Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by B.K.S. Iyengar, Light on Yoga by B.K.S. Iyengar.

Heroes:

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