Namaskar June 2012

namaskar 

A VOICE FOR THE YOGA COMMUNITY OF ASIA JUNE 2012 

Karma Emotional Balance Swara Yoga

2

Inside 

JUNE 2012 

Dristi Karma 

Choices, 12 

Does the concept of karma have any 

scientific basis, asks Mihaiela. 

Karmic Bliss, 13 

A Buddhist upbringing introduced Robin 

to karma from a young age. 

Just one Look, 14 

AYC faculty member Paul Dallaghan 

introduces karma. 

Karma & me, 16 

Spiritual Research Foundation’s Zubin 

explains how karma works. 

Karma in Action, 17 

Rosie introduces the Tabitha Foundation. 

Regular Contributions 

NEWS, WORKSHOPS, RETREATS & TEACHER 

TRAININGS, 5 

TEACHER’S VOICE, 25 

AYURVEDA, 31 

EVENT REVIEW, 32 

WORKSHOP REVIEW, 35 

TEACHER TRAINING REVIEW, 36 

KIDS YOGA, 39 

RECIPE, 41 

TEACHER & STUDIO LISTINGS, 45 

Special Features 

Emotional Balance, 19 AYC 

faculty member Bo Forbes explains how 

we can find peace with our emotions. 

Yoga, Patriarchy & Disease, 21 

Yogi explains a little about where modern 

yoga came from, and what really is Tantra. 

Swara Yoga, 24 Yogiuday introduces 

this subtle pranic yoga practice. 

Love Your Body, 27 Treat your body 

with the respect it deservces, says Kayla. 

Your way to a better Planet, 

28 AYC faculty Janet Lau shares her less 

mainstreams ways of being green. 

HIgh Intelligence, 42 Stephen and 

James’ perspective on the importance of 

high quality food to our wellbeing. 

Who reads Namaskar? 

5,000 copies are distributed for free in 

Australia, Cambodia, China, Czech 

Republic, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, 

Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, 

Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, 

Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, 

Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, UK, USA, 

Vietnam 

If you would like to offer Namaskar to 

your students or customers, email 

fgairns@netvigator.com 

About Namaskar 

Namaskar provides a voice for the yoga 

community around the world. The publication 

is a vehicle for practitioners on a yogic path to 

share their knowledge, learnings and 

experiences with others. 

Namaskar, is published quarterly in January, 

April, June (coinciding with Asia Yoga 

Conference) and October. 

We welcome unsolicited submissions, therefore 

the opinions expressed within these pages are 

not necessarily those of Namaskar or its 

volunteers. 

Namaskar is distributed at no charge through 

yoga studios, fitness centres, retail outlets, food 

& beverage outlets and other yoga-friendly 

locations. 

For more information, to contribute or to order 

Namaskar, please contact:: 

Carol, Administration 

carol@caroladams.hk 

Wai-Ling, News Editor & Copy Editor 

wailing.tse@gmail.com 

Frances, Editor & Publisher 

fgairns@netvigator.com /+ 852 9460 1967 

Deadline for October 2012 issue: 

September 15, 2012 

3

namaskar 

Welcome to all Asia Yoga Conference delegates. I hope you find this issue interesting and 

inspiring. Or at the very least, find it helps you pass some time between your workshops! 

If this is your first time reading Namaskar, and would like to share it with your studio and 

students, please email me and we’ll be happy to add you to our distribution list. This year’s 

schedule looks dynamic and diverse, so thanks and congratulations to Alda and her 

organizing team for this wonderful contribution to the yoga community. 

Regular readers of Namaskar might be surprised by my photo this month. I have not 

joined a nunnery, nor am I undergoing chemotherapy, nor have I lost a bet. This is how I 

have looked each summer for the past three years. And though it was a big scary step the 

first time, I now look forward to the beginning of July, when my husband and our 

children make a fun family activity of shaving my head. I was prompted to share this 

picture, taken last year, by Kayla’s article on self-love and Janet’s article on being creatively 

green. If you find time to read them, you’ll understand the sentiment. 

I hope you will also be much informed and inspired by the dristi of this June issue - Karma. 

A big subject of which we’ve just scraped the surface with articles by Mihaiela, Paul, Robin, 

Rosie and Zubin. 

If you are spending more time than usual with children over the summer, perhaps you can 

try some of Laura and June’s ideas about kids yoga. And if, like me, your summers are 

sometimes over-indulgent, then Stephen and James’ article on the importance of good 

food quality and Moosa’s healthy recipe should help keep some balance. 

In the spirit of yoga, this is a magazine of sharing freely. Thanks to contributing writers 

Bo, Jenny, Mahesh, Nelson, Shervin, Yogi, Yogiuday and Yoko for being so generous of 

time and effort. Thanks to Wai-Ling, our news editor and Carol who handles all our 

administration. And to Kazuya for his awesome pose on this cover. 

Finally, I invite your suggestions for how to improve this magazine. We are in the process 

of brainstorming a re-vamp of Namaskar from January 2013, and we’d love to have your 

feedback on what new sections and topics you’d like to see, also what you’d like us to keep 

going and what you think we should put to rest. Please email me on 

fgairns@netvigator.com with your suggestions and/or offers to contribute. 

In the meantime, I wish you an enlightening summer. 

Frances Gairns 

Editor 

4 

SOMETHING TO SHARE? 

If you have something to share with the yoga community, please email 

fgairns@netvigator.com

NEWS 

WIND HORSE: INTERNATIONAL 

FORREST YOGA CONFERENCE 

Snow Mountain Ranch, 

Colorado, USA 

17-20 August 

The name of this conference 

emerged from the phrase, 

“Ride your Wind Horse,” a cue 

Ana Forrest coined for 

deepening the breath and 

creating change. This discipline 

was created by Ana Forrest, 

Medicine Woman, Master Yogi, 

teacher, and author of Fierce 

Medicine. 

Forrest Yoga’s pillars are breath, 

strength, integrity, and spirit. 

Forrest Yoga teachers undergo 

rigorous training to start on the 

path toward Forrest Yoga 

Certification. Set in an amazing 

natural landscape, with many 

scheduled events for training, 

practice, and reflection, this 

event contains all the 

ingredients for a perfect 

summer holiday away from the 

humidity of Asian summers. 

For more information 

www.forrestyoga.com 

THE SANCTUARY FOR YOGA & 

HEALING OPENS IN HONG KONG 

The Sanctuary is a new healing 

centre in Central, Hong Kong, 

which welcomes everyone to a 

peaceful and secure haven 

where energy healing, spiritual 

awakening and self-realization 

can take place. 

The new space offers group 

classes in Tai Chi, Qigong, 

Meditation, Sound Healing, 

Yoga and Pilates, as well as 

various healing modalities for 

private sessions, including 

Hypnotherapy, Hot Stone 

Healing, Vibrational 

Attunement, Animal 

Communication, Sekhem and 

Aromatherapy. The focus is 

mainly on healing and selfconnection 

with an array of 

workshops and courses that 

encourage and reinforce 

spiritual growth. 


www.thesanctuary.com.hk; 

Over 10,000 yogis took part in an outdoor yoga event in Taipei, organised by Pure Yoga 

info@thesanctuary.com.hk; or 

+852 2537 1373 

ULTRA PURE EXPERIENCE 

Taipei City Hall 

13 November 2011 

In this first mega outdoor yoga 

event in Taiwan, 10,000 

participants took to the streets. 

Taking the practice from the 

studio to outdoors did more 

than provide a change of 

scenery – the energy created by 

so many yogis practicing 

together dissolved all the 

pressures (at least momentarily) 

of those who attended. The 

next event will take place on 11 

November 2012 in Taipei. 

NEWS FROM BIKRAM YOGA, 

INDONESIA 

Check out the newly-renovated 

Bikram Bali studio and 

relaunch of their new website. 

A posture clinic was held in 

Jakarta in April and Precision 

classes with Lauren, Marcelo 

and Mony offering personal 

corrections and adjustments 

were held in May. 


www.bikrambali.com; 

www.bikramyogajakarta.com 

The new Sanctuary offers yoga and lots of healing treatments 

BEING IN YOGA - NEW YOGA 

CENTRE IN SINGAPORE 

Dedicated to the teachings of 

the late Professor T 

Krishnamacharya and his son 

and student TKV Desikachar 

(Chennai, India). Accredited by 

the KHYF (Krishnamacharya 

Healing Yoga Foundation, 

Chennai). The Centre in 

Singapore is directed by Valerie 

Faneco, KHYF certified Yoga 

Teacher Trainer. They offer yoga 

therapy, teacher training, yoga 

studies, weekly group classes 

for children and adults, family 

program, pre and post natal 

classes. 


www.beinginyoga.com; +65 

9830 3808 

Ana Forrest, always ready to 

turn things upside down 

5

WORKSHOPS 

FREE CLASSES AT LULULEMON 

SHOWROOM IN HONG KONG 

Complimentary yoga & fitness 

classes every Saturday morning 

9:30-10:30am featuring 

amazing instructors from all 

over Hong Kong. Open to all 

levels. Showroom address : 

2701 Citicorp Centre, 18 

Whitfield Road, Causeway Bay. 


www.lululemon.com/ 

hongkong ; +852 2238 5555 

SEEKING YOGA TEACHERS 

AROUND ASIA 

Yoga company looking for 

registered, experienced yoga 

teachers in Hong Kong, 

Shanghai, Singapore and Tokyo 

to teach yoga and Pilates classes 

to groups and individuals. 


info@yoga-privates.com; +852 

6504 4280 

HK IYENGAR YOGA COMMUNITY 

EVENT 

28-30 September 

Featuring senior international 

teacher and trainer, Jawahar 

from Mumbai, this event is for 

experienced practitioners with 

community classes for anyone 

who would like to try. 


www.iyengaryogahongkong.com; 

www.yogacentral.com.hk; 

www.yogasalahk.com 

VOLUNTEER TEACHERS FOR TUNG 

WAH IN HONG KONG 

Seeking Chinese-speaking yoga 

teacher volunteers for Tung 

Wah Group of Hospital’s 

Patient Empowerment 

Programme. This programme 

started in March 2011, at the 

Wan Chai Ko Wong Mo Ching 

Memorial Holistic Healthcare 

Centre. The second location is 

in Homantin and currently 

seven volunteers teach at the 

two locations. 

CONSCIOUS BIRTHING WORKSHOP 

FOR COUPLES WITH PEGGY CHIU 

The Yoga Room, Hong Kong 

9 June 

3-6:30pm Cost: HK$1,000 

regular, Early Bird (before 26 

May) HK$800 

For more information +852 

2544 8398; 

www.yogaroomhk.com 

INTRODUCTION TO TANTRIC 

RITUALS 

Agama Yoga, Koh Phangan, 

Thailand 

18-22 June 

Go deeper into the amazing 

subject of Tantric Rituals. 


www.agamayoga.com; 

info@agamayoga.com; +66 

892 330 217 

YOGA AND SCIENCE 


Thailand 

16-20 July 

A new workshop that explains 

the mysteries of yoga in a more 

scientific way. 




892 330 217 

YOGA KIDS SUMMER WORKSHOPS 

The Yoga Room, Hong Kong 

June and July 

For more information +852 

2544 8398; 

www.yogaroomhk.com 

FULL MOON KUNDALINI YOGA 

SERIES WITH NEIL IRWIN 

Shakti Healing Circle, Hong 

Kong 

30 June - Full Moon in 

Capricorn: Rooting and 

Grounding 

28 July - Full Moon in 

Aquarius: Yoga for the 

Information Age 

28 July - Full Moon in Pisces: 

Cosmic Tides 

1 September - Opening to the 

Intuitive Flow 

29 September - Full Moon in 

Aries: Warrior Workout 

All workshops from 2-6 pm; 

each workshop is HK$500. 


www.shaktihealingcircle.com; 

+852 2521 5099 

IYENGAR YOGA WEEKEND 

INTENSIVE 

Yoga Central, Hong Kong 

30 June-2 July 

Taught by Sue Scott, JI3 

Iyengar-certified teacher and 

trainer from Melbourne. Open 

to all levels. 


www.yogacentral.com.hk 

BORN TO RUN & DO YOGA WITH 

BORN TO RUN’S BAREFOOT TED 

AND YOGI PAUL DALLAGHAN 

Samahita Retreat, Koh Samui 

7-14 July 

The natural, uplifting force of 

running barefoot or minimalist 

goes hand-in-hand with the 

natural barefoot style of yoga. 

Both can uplift when learned 

correctly and practiced sincerely. 

To work with the body, channel 

the breath and centre the mind 

is behind this practical and fun 

experience in both running and 

yoga asana practice. There will 

be morning runs led by Ted, 

short asana sessions, post 

running to keep the body open 

and injury free; followed by 

“Born to Sit” sessions with 

breath and power of the mind. 


For more 

information janet.lau@pureyoga.com 

www.yoga-thailand.com/yogarunning.html 

YOGA & THE ART OF BEING WITH 

SHARYN GALINDO 


14-21 July 

In the world of multi -tasking, 

high technology and hectic 

schedules it is difficult to relax. 

Finding balance and 

functioning in the present 

without the constant concern 

of performing a task or doing 

something constructive is 

difficult. Morning practices will 

begin with meditation and 

pranayama , followed by asana 

practice that will include Led 

Ashtanga, Mysore, and some 

creative and fun Vinyasa Flow. 

Afternoon sessions include: Q 

& A, more detail on 

philosophy, Ayurveda, poses, 

breathwork, meditation and 

end with a yin/restorative 

practice. 


www.yoga-thailand.com/yogabeing.html 

PRANAYAMA & THE BHAGAVAD 

GITA WITH SRI O.P. TIWARI & PAUL 

DALLAGHAN 


22 July-4 August 

The Bhagavad Gita is full of 

wisdom for anyone in life. It is 

also a foremost teaching text in 

yoga. Quite different to the 

Yoga Sutras, it delivers the 

various teachings of yoga in the 

form of a great dialogue. 

Tiwari-ji is personally very close 

6

to this teaching both from a 

practicing yogic point of view 

and being immersed in Indian 

culture. A rare opportunity to 

go over this text with him, 

perhaps the last chance to cover 

this text with him as he winds 

down his teaching over the 

next few years. 

The primary focus will be 

Pranayama practice with indepth 

pulse reading of each 

student, varying as necessary. 

Mantra recitation will also be 

practiced. Some evenings will 

include tratak practice. Daily 

asana practice will be led by Paul 

and his assistants. They will 

cater for all types of practices, 

including Ashtanga and other 

approaches. 


www.yoga-thailand.com/ 

training-philosophy.html 

ASANA, PRANAYAMA & 

PHILOSOPHY WITH PAUL 

DALLAGHAN & PROFESSOR 

NAGARAJ RAO 


5-18 August 

The focus will be on the 

principles of asana and vinyasa, 

exploring the postures of 

Ashtanga Yoga’s primary and 

intermediate series. Also on 

how to structure practice and 

adapt the series or any sequence 

of postures so it works for you 

and your timeframe. They will 

also cover pranayama theory 

and its practical aspects. 

Vijnanabhikshu helps explain 

yoga in a very clear light 

through this text. Professor 

Nagaraja Rao is very familiar 

with the text and is one of the 

top Sanskrit experts from 

India. 


www.yoga-thailand.com/ 

training-course-asana.html 

RELATING WITH YOUR SELF 

Sai Kung, Hong Kong 

11-12 August 

How do you relate with your 

Self? Have you ever thought 

how your relationship with 

others has a lot to do with the 

way you relate with yourself? 

How do you relate with your 

body? How do you manage 

your mind ? Is it tough to 

manage your relationships with 

others ? And beyond all this 

how do you connect with your 

Loving Inner Self ? 

As we all know the world is 

going through a major shift in 

its energy, so it is even more 

important now that we start 

looking at yoga as something 

more than just postures and 

body science. This workshop 

with Prasad Rangnekar is for 

those who want to explore 

yoga in all its aspects, especially 

in the aspect of complete self 

transformation of body, mind 

and heart. Join Prasad for a 

serious asana practice, lighter 

breath work, honest reflection, 

deeper meditations and loving 

togetherness. 

Price: HK$2,300; HK$400 

Early bird discount till 1 July; 

HK$200 discount for Prasad’s 

past participants and Yoyo’s 

students 


info@yoyoyoga.net; +852 9302 

3931; www.yogaprasad.in 

ASHTANGA BY THE SEA 

Thailand 

17 - 19 August 

Presented by Yoga Journal 

Thailand and Jade Yoga Mats, 

this two-day workshop at 

Regent Chalet Beach Chaamwill 

be taught by Authorized 

Ashtanga teachers Kranti Atmo 

and Sasha. 


yj_thailand@yahoo.com; +66 

2635 5185. 

STHIRA SUKHAM ASANAM: STABLE 

AND GROUNDED YET FREE AND 

OPEN WORKSHOP WITH BASIA 

Space Yoga, Taipei 

25-26 August 

Cultivating stability to discover 

freedom, softening and 

opening to find power. To 

stabilize and free the shoulders 

and awaken the core and hips. 

Part of the workshop will be 

dedicated to working with 

therapy balls to release tension 

in the body. 


www.withinspace.com 

IYENGAR IMMERSION WITH PETER 

SCOTT 


16- 21 September 



IYENGAR WORKSHOP 

WITH PETER SCOTT 





INTRODUCTION TO HOMEOPATHY 

White Lotus Centre, Central, 

Hong Kong 

This specialist series introduces 

Homeopathy and first aid 

remedies to use at home. 

Suitable for therapists, carers, 

parents and teachers alike, and 

welcome to attend just one or 

all three. Taught by Mina 

Weight, Founder of 

Homeopathy to Health and 

presented by Gecko Yoga. 

Doug Keller will be teaching 

several workshops at Space, 

Taipei later this year 

13 October - Introduction to 

Homeopathy & First Aid 

Remedies for All the Family 

20 October - Homeopathy for 

Mothers to Be, Childbirth & 

Infants 

27 October - Balancing your 

Mental & Physical Health 

Cost: HK$700 per 3-hour 

workshop or early bird for all 

three HK$1,800. 


info@geckoyoga.com; +852 

6973 1792 

INSIGHT YOGA WORKSHOP WITH 

SARAH POWERS 

Osaka, Japan 

2-4 November 


www.spirityogastudio.com 

INSIGHT YOGA INTENSIVE WITH 

SARAH POWERS 

Tokyo, Japan 

8-11 November 

Continuing education for 

teachers. 


www.underthelight.jp 

INTRODUCTION TO THE MOTOR 

DEVELOPMENT ANATOMY & 

PHYSIOLOGY OF CHILDREN 


Hong Kong 

Childhood education specialist, 

Carol will be at White Lotus 

Centre 

7

RETREATS 

Taught by Helen Binge and 

presented by Gecko Yoga. This 

specialist series introduces 

children’s physical development 

for those working with children 

and families in health and social 

care sector. This is suitable for 

therapists, carers, parents and 

teachers alike, you are welcome 

to attend just one or all three. 

Special discount for those 

attending all three workshops. 

Cost: HK$600 per 3 hour 

workshop or Early bird all 

three for HK$1,500. 

10 November - Development 

of the infant from birth to 

walking 


of the child from age 1 to 7 

years 


of the child through 

adolescence 


info@geckoyoga.com, +852 

6973 1792 

PRACTICAL TRAINING FOR YOGA 

THERAPISTS – ADAPTIVE YOGA 

FOR CHILDREN WITH MODERATE 

LEARNING DIFFICULTIES 


Hong Kong 

24 November 

A workshop to demystify yoga 

therapy and present the 

common concerns for those 

people who are yoga teachers, 

parents or educators working 

with children with learning 

difficulties. This training will 

help show which poses are 

great for the spectrum of 

children’s learning difficulties as 

well as their contraindications. 

Taught by Carol Chapman who 

has over 30 years experience in 

this arena of childhood 

education along with Sanjukta 

Sharma who teaches yoga to 

children of all ages and abilities. 

Cost HK$650 



6973 1792 

SACRED INDIAN DANCE 

WORKSHOP 


Thailand 

2-7 December 

A rare opportunity outside 

India to learn this sacred 

Indian art form. 



info@agamayoga.com; +66 (0) 

892 330 217 

YOGA AS THERAPY IMMERSION 

WITH DOUG KELLER 


10-14 December 

This course provides a firm 

foundation in the practice of 

Yoga as therapy. It will begin 

with learning assessment tools 

and the most essential aspects 

of anatomy and action in 

asana, then focus on the major 

areas of the most common 

therapeutic problems that can 

be helped through yoga, 

including sacrum and lower 

back, the lower and upper 

body. 



PRACTICAL WISDOM: MAKING 

YOUR YOGA WORK FOR YOU 

YOGA THERAPY WORKSHOP WITH 

DOUG KELLER 


15-16 December 

This workshop will look at 

having healthy hips and 

hamstrings that will benefit the 

knees and lower back. It will 

also take an in-depth look at 

the psoas, the development of 

the ‘core’ and its relationship 

of the alignment of the upper 

body. This therapeutic 

workshop will be rich with 

‘news you can use’ in these 

areas of the body, with plenty 

of user-friendly tips for making 

the most of your practice. 



DETOXIFY BODY AND MIND AND 

DEVELOP A YOGA PRACTICE 


30 June-7 July 

This detox and Yoga program 

is the ultimate opportunity to 

take your wellbeing to a new 

level with Claudia Jones. This 

fully supported detox program 

will lead you through a 

transformative process both on 

a physical and mental level to 

leave you feeling light, energetic 

and uplifted. This detox retreat 

can help you to normalize your 

weight, balance your eating 

habits and transition into a 

healthful way of living. 


www.wellness-thailand.com/ 

detox-yoga-retreats.html 

HRIDAYA RETREAT 


Thailand 

29 June-8 July; 27 July-5 

August 

A 10-day silent meditation 

retreat that focuses on the 

opening of the spiritual heart. 




892 330 217 

AWAKENING THE SPIRIT RETREAT 


Thailand 

24 August-2 September; 21-30 

September, 19-28 October 

Agama Yoga’s new 10-day 

silent Meditation retreat that 

explores the awakening of the 

true Spirit. 




892 330 217 

AMANJIWO INWARD JOURNEY 

RETREAT 


The retreat begins with a predinner 

blessing and an 

introduction to the purpose of 

a spiritual journey. Khandro- 

Las will reveal how these 

journeys help to develop the 

qualities of an open and joyous 

heart that is strong and can 

help navigate the many 

challenges presented in life. In 

Buddhism, this is the 

definition of pilgrimage. 


www.amanresorts.com; 

reservations@amanresorts.com; 

+94 77-7743500 

YIN YOGA RETREAT 

Temple Tree Resort & Spa, 

Phokara, Nepal 

8-14 October 

Transform yourself under the 

snow mountain with Yin Yoga 

and the words of the Buddhas 

with Victor Chng. 

This will be an amazing retreat 

where you can experience 

staying in Temple Tree Resort, 

the tranquility of Yin Yoga 

practice, watching morning 

sunrise among the snow 

mountains, Nepal culture 

shows, spa and exploring along 

the Phewa Lake, just outside 

the resort. 

Victor is one of the most 

experienced Yin Yoga teachers 

in Asia. He travels all over Asia 

yearly to share his knowledge 

on Yoga. His retreats are highly 

crafted for serious students 

who are spiritual seekers. As a 

Tibetan Buddhist, he visits 

Kathmandu yearly for 

pilgrimage and to receive 

spiritual practice from his 

Lama. Victor is a skilful teacher 

and an avid seeker who will 

share his knowledge relentlessly 

during the retreat. 

Tao of Yoga is a special practice 

which combines Yin Yoga with 

Dynamic Yang flow. It is a 

practice that starts with 

stabilizing your internal 

environment and steadily 

transiting into a yang flow. The 

practice serves to provide both 

strength and flexibility to the 

body. It also helps in 

expanding one’s life force (Chi) 

and brings calmness to the 

inner body. 

8


www.yinyogainasia.com; 

yammieymwong@gmail.com; 

+60 12-3222018 

THE ART AND SCIENCE OF YOUR 

YOGA PRACTICE 

A THERAPEUTIC APPROACH 

Como Shambhala Estate, 

Indonesia 

8-14 October 

At Amanjiwo’s Inward Journey retreat, you could waked up to this 

view every morning. (image courtesy of Aman Resorts) 

The Borobudur at sunrise at Amanjiwo is sure to put you in a 

peaceful mood. (image courtesy of Aman Resorts) 

Led by Judy Krupp, this retreat 

will explore the deeper 

openings of the moving body. 

Exploring beyond the 

muscular skeletal to work more 

organically. Judy’s teaching 

reflects her training in the 

Iyengar system and work as a 

Myotherapy body therapist to 

help habit-prone bodies 

increase strength and flexibility. 

Her multi-faceted approach 

blends her passion for the art 

of asana practice with the 

science of the mechanics of 

movement. 


cse.comoshambhala.bz; 

res@cse.comoshambhala.bz; 

+62 361 978 888 

INSIGHT YOGA RETREAT & 

TRAINING FOR TEACHERS 

Koh Samui, Thailand 

6-16 December 


insightyoga@gmail.com 

TEACHER TRAININGS 

200-HOUR YOGA TTC 

Lullaby Yoga, Bangkok, 

Thailand 

June 

Led by Mark Scoderallo, an 

experienced Vinyasa Yoga 

Teacher (E-RYT 200) together 

with experts from around the 

globe in various fields; Yoga 

Philosophy (Prof. Narasimna), 

Anatomy (Les Smith) and 

Guest Teacher (Bo Srey), as well 

as a select team of advanced 

teachers. The training 

includes asana practices 

& techniques, Yoga Sutras & 

philosophy, alignment 

& Vinyasa, mantras & chanting, 

hands-on assists, ethics & 

charity, anatomy & physiology, 

Sanskrit, meditation, and 

strategic planning in setting-up 

your own Yoga studio/profile. 

Scholarship available. 


www.lullaby-yoga.com; 

info@lullaby-yoga.com 

NEXT GENERATION YOGA 

TEACHER TRAINING FOR 2-7 YR 

OLDS 

Amico Studio, Wanchai, Hong 

Kong 


Taught by Jodi Komitor, 

Founder of Next Generation 

Yoga and hosted by Gecko 

Yoga. This NGY Teacher 

Training is an inspiring 

program that shares Yoga 

for rapidly growing and everchanging 

2-7 year old Yoginis. 

Cost: HK$6,200 



6973 1792 

Or join Victor Chng’s Yin retreat in Pokaara, Nepal and be greeted 

by this magnificent view 

NEXT GENERATION YOGA 

TEACHER TRAINING FOR 8-13 YR 

OLDS 

Amico Studio, Wanchai, Hong 

Kong 


Taught by Master Kids Yoga 

Teacher - Jodi Komitor, 



Yoga. Next Generation Yoga 

Teacher Training is a 

9

Sarah Powers is offering 

various workshops, TTCs & 

retreats in Asia 

comprehensive exploration of 

yoga for the maturing minds 

and budding bodies of 8-13 

year oldss. Cost: HK$6,200 



6973 1792 

NEXT GENERATION YOGA TRAIN 

THE TRAINER FOR 2-7 YR OLDS 


Hong Kong 


Taught by Master Kids Yoga 

Teacher - Jodi Komitor, 



Yoga. You will learn how to 

lead NGY Teacher Trainings for 

2-7 year olds, how to 

successfully set up your own 

NGY Teacher Trainings and 

expand your kids yoga 

business. Cost: HK$10,000 



6973 1792 

BIRTHLIGHT TT - PERINATAL YOGA 


Hong Kong 

2-5 July 

Taught by Sally Lomas, 

Birthlight Tutor and hosted by 

Gecko Yoga.The course 

consists of three modules: 

First Module is Part 1: 2-5 July; 

Second Module is self-practice 

over a period of approximately 

six months; Third Module is 

Part 2: 2 Days (in Hong Kong 

Rachel Hull is director of the 

Shakti Spirit TTC in Bali 

late January 2013) The course 

includes a detailed review of 

students’ coursework and 

teaching experiences, followed 

by tuition on yoga applied to 

special ailments, yoga from the 

pregnancy class to the labour 

ward and yoga to help new 

mothers who have experienced 

a difficult birth or postpartum. 

Students have a maximum of 

24 months to complete the 

Diploma from the time of 

their Part 1 course. 

This course is for teachers who 

hold a recognised yoga teaching 

qualification; Cost: 

HK$10,100; AYC Special Offer: 

HK$9,090. For both Perinatal 

Yoga and Baby Yoga courses 

HK$15,470; AYC Special Offer 

for both courses HK$14,560. 



6973 1792 

BIRTHLIGHT TT – BABY YOGA 


Hong Kong 

6-8 July 

Taught by Sally Lomas, 

Birthlight Tutor and hosted by 

Gecko Yoga. The course 

consists of three modules: 

First Module is Part 1: 6-8 July; 

Second Module is self-practice 

over a period of approximately 

six months; Third Module is 

Part 2: 2 Days (coming to 

Hong Kong late January 2013). 

The course includes a detailed 

review of students’ coursework 

and teaching experiences, 

followed by tuition on Yoga 

for mobile babies, babies with 

Les Smith will teach the 

anatomy portion of Lullaby 

Yoga’s TTC in Bangkok 

Special Needs, Tinies and more 

“advanced moves”. Students 

have a maximum of 24 

months to complete the 

Diploma from the time of 

their Part 1 course. 

Open to all health practitioners 

working with babies, yoga 

teachers with experience of 

babies and to mothers who are 

motivated to teach other 

mothers. It is not necessary to 

have a previous qualification in 

infant massage to enrol on this 

course or be a qualified yoga 

teacher. 

Cost: HK$8,100; AYC Special 

Offer Price: HK$7,290 

For both Perinatal Yoga and 

Baby Yoga courses HK$15,470; 

AYC Special Offer for both 

courses HK$14,560. 



6973 1792 

200-HOUR HATHA YOGA TTC WITH 

DEV KAPIL 

One Wellness Fitness Club, 

Singapore 

17 August-30 September (7 

weekends course) 

Develop your knowledge and 

deepen your understanding of 

Hatha yoga as you practice, 

explore and learn to teach 54 

basic and advanced postures in 

this 200-hour teacher training. 


Valerie Faneco of Being in Yoga, 

is offering a TTC in Singapore 

in the teachings of 

Krishnamacharya 

www1.onewellness.com.sg; 

+65 6221 9663; 

enquiry@onewellness.com.sg 

INTEGRAL YOGA TTC 

Founded by Sri Swami 

Satchidananda, this TTC is one 

of the oldest and respected 

teacher training programs in the 

world. Coming to Hong 

Kong for the first time, the 

Hatha 1 Teacher Training will 

be delivered as a part-time 

training, taking place one 

weekend each month from 

September 2012 to June 2013. 

Participants receive a wealth of 

knowledge about the complete 

system of yoga. The 

curriculum covers all the 

essential information on asana 

and anatomy, but also the Yoga 

Sutras of Patanjali, branches of 

Integral Yoga, diet and lifestyle. 


www.hershayoga.com; Hersha 

+852 6103 9642; 

info@hershayoga.com 

SHAKTI SPIRIT YOGA & AYURVEDA 

LEVEL 1 TTC 

Ubud, Bali 

9 September-21 October 

The Shakti Spirit Yoga and 

Ayurveda Level 1 Teacher 

Training is designed for 

practitioners who love the 

Hatha Yoga system, including 

postural safety and alignment, 

prop usage and Vinyasa Flow 

Yoga, and would like to learn 

more about integrating their 

practice with Ayurveda and 

Yoga philosophy. 

In this 6-week, 230-hour 

intensive, students learn the art 

10

Dev Kapil is offering a 200- 

hour Hatha TTC in Singapore 

of sequencing, adjusting, and 

conducting safe and successful 

Yoga classes. Senior teacher and 

Director, Rachel Hull (E-RYT 

500 – Asana, Pranayama, 

Ayurveda), is joined by an 

internationally experienced 

team of senior teachers, 

including Emil Wendel 

(Pranayama, Meditation & 

Yogic Philosophy), Dr Sujatha 

Kekada (Ayurveda 

Consultations & Cooking), 

James Newman (E-RYT 500 – 

Anatomy & Yoga Therapy), 

and Anna Smallwood (Asana). 


www.shaktispirit.com 

SIVANANDA YOGA TTC 

Phu Chaisai Mountain Resort 

and Spa, Chiang Rai, Thailand 

7 October-2 November 

Four-week theoretical and 

practical training in all aspects 

of Yoga. Internationally 

recognised certificate from the 

Sivananda Yoga Vedanta 

Centres, the oldest yoga TTC in 

the West (since 1969), with over 

1,000 graduates per year. 

Phu Chaisai Mountain Resort 

& Spa is one of the first 

boutique hotels in northern 

Thailand. 


www.sivananda.org/thailand; 

registrations@sivananda.org 

Past participants of the Shakti Spirit TTC 

HATHA VINYASA 200-HOUR TTC 

WITH STEPHEN THOMAS 

Samahita Retreat, Koh Samui, 

Thailand 

8 November-6 December 


www.centeredyoga.com 

YOGA PRASAD TTC AND SELF 

DEVELOPMENT IMMERSION 

January - August 2013 

Launching for the first time in 

Hong Kong a TTC with study 

modules in both Hong Kong 

and India. They believe in not 

just making you a Yoga teacher 

but also transforming you 

from within so you live what 

you teach and help others 

transform their lives. That’s 

why this course is not just a 

TTC but also a consciously 

created self-development 

immersion. For students 

seeking a deeper exploration of 

yoga and are serious about their 

own spiritual transformation. 


www.yogaprasad.in; 

yoga@yogaprasad.in 

500-HR AGAMA YOGA TTC 


Thailand 

7 January-30 March & 27 May- 

17 August 2013 

Learn how to teach yoga in this 

very intensive 500-hour+ TTC 

on a tropical island 

paradise! 




892 330 217 

BEING IN YOGA 500+HRS YOGA 

TTC, IN THE TRADITION OF 

T. KRISHNAMACHARYA (KHYF 

L1000 LEVEL) 

Singapore 

Jan 2013-July 2015 

In-depth training in yoga for 

teaching and personal 

evolution, and introduction to 

Yoga as a healing system. The 

course syllabus is set, reviewed 

and updated regularly under 

the direct supervision of TKV 

Desikachar (Chennai), son and 

student of the late Professor T. 

Krishnamacharya. Valerie, the 

course director is a KHYF 

certified Teacher Trainer. This is 

a 2.5 years program (average 6 

weekends + a one-week 

seminar per year) designed for 

students from all around Asia. 


www.beinginyoga.com; Valerie 

Faneco +65-9830-3808 

MYSTICAL DANCE TTC 


Thailand 

4 March-13 April 2013 

Become a teacher of Mystical 

Dance classes in this 6-week 

immersive training with 

Monika Nataraj. 




892 330 217 

Wai-Ling compiles and edits this 

section of news, workshops, 

retreats & teacher trainings. 

Email her directly on 

wailing.tse@gmail.com 

11

Dristi Karma 

THE POWER OF PRESENT MOMENT CHOICES 

Dr. Mihaiela Pentiuc 

A long time ago a rebellious yoga student complained to me about the fact that yogis talk 

so much about karma – the Indian concept of destiny, the law of causality ruling our lives. 

There is no scientific proof of its existence and, thus, why do we even consider it? 

My mind stopped in a kind of Zen moment. The truth is I had never carefully considered 

this perspective before. Karma is such a common concept in the East and a kind of axiom 

for yoga culture. Fundamentally in yoga we aim for samadhi, the condition of consciousness 

underlying the liberation from chains of karmic suffering. We all look forward to an escape 

from suffering, but how much do we really understand karma? 

Daily meditation makes 

the gray matter thicker, 

while fear kills neurons 

12 

The universal law of cause and effect. The 

origin of ignorance and bondage. The 

seminal point of our very existence. Really? 

How far does this determinism go? How 

much can my mind conceive of this 

layering within existence? 

There is no demonstration needed to 

prove my present situation is the result of 

a past choice. I am in this place because of a 

choice to turn right or stay home. People 

call me doctor or teacher because of certain 

decisions I took regarding my education. 

My cholesterol level runs high because I 

love cheese so much. There is no need for 

sophisticated Sanskrit names or advanced 

metaphysics in order for us to accept such a 

simple sophism. 

Causality is a fact but how far can we afford 

to stretch it while still keeping its logic and 

practicality intact? 

Fundamental yogic texts describe the 

content of our mind as being the cause of 

our bondage and distress. Yoga says 

samskaras (impressions of past events) and 

vasanas (overwhelming, insatiable desires) 

pollute the mind and prevent us from 

experiencing the truth of our freedom. 

Modern science recently proved mental 

activity influences the structure of our 

brain. The quality of our thoughts is 

transmitted to all body parts via chemical 

and neural signals and produces specific 

connections between our nervous cells. 

Daily meditation makes the gray matter 

thicker (reference Sara Lazar’s study, for 

example) while fear kills neurons. Every 

type of seriously maintained training 

creates new neuronal pathways, while a lack 

of repetition of certain information 

weakens synaptic connections, leading to 

forgetfulness. 

What does this have to do with karma? 

Karma can be defined as the power of 

choice. Our future condition depends on 

our present choices. I choose to go out and 

party or stay home and meditate. I order a 

pizza or a salad if I go out to eat, I get 

married or go to India. 

Besides the obvious consequences of these 

decisions, every repeated choice reinforces in 

the brain a specific and complex connection 

between neurons. All other possible neural 

relationships are slowly weakened and 

forgotten. Every time we face the same 

situation in the future will also bring a 

more limited range of freedom. Our 

predominant thoughts shape our brains. 

Function influences structure and structure 

supports good function. 

From this perspective clearly karma is not a 

big bogeyman protecting the gates of 

heaven with a merciless face. It is not a 

fierce God in the skies counting our sins. It 

is in our brain. What we learned, what we 

repeated, what we chose in the past makes 

us more likely to take the same path, to 

“see the same solution,” to roam into the 

same range of mental patterns. 

The emotional storage in the limbic system 

of our brain determines the instinctual 

reactions to present events; yogis speak 

about samskaras, the impressions that 

shape our minds and create bondage. What 

a beautiful metaphor to poetically describe 

the meat of anatomy and physiology. 

These impressions, all desires, the content 

of mind or the structure of the brain create 

a destiny for us. 

Karma: the power of choice. How much are 

we aware of all the choices available to us? 

How much do we dare to take another 

path or even to investigate different 

alternatives? How elastic is our brain? 

Here is a simple example: Most people list 

being stuck in traffic as a very stressful 

condition. While stress is meant to generate 

efficient protective reactions, a traffic jam is 

not exactly the equivalent of lifethreatening 

aggression. On the contrary, 

one could play nice relaxing music, enjoy 

the comfortable seat and temperature of 

one’s car, or cherish the close presence of a 

dear person. Worrying is not going to

change the colour of the traffic light. It is 

so obvious the stress originates mostly 

from the mind and yet, how much control 

do we have to stop it? What if I am late, 

what if he leaves, what if the shop is 

closing, what if my boss needs me? All the 

“what ifs” are productions of many stored 

memories of misfortune and suffering or 

projections of a hyperactive monkey mind. 

Brain structure and chemistry. Karmic chains 

of samskaras and vasanas, if using yogic 

language. 

How much liberty do we have to choose 

between a smile or frown when cars are not 

moving and we are already late? There 

always remains the choice of enjoying a 

short break. Will we take it? Will the sweaty 

or smiling face arrive at one’s job or home 

or other destination? Is this face going to 

freeze in front of her boss or shout at her 

kids? In time will we become stress-addled 

or the friendly bon homme citizen? Choices, 

causes, effects, karma, and something we 

can do right now, without the need 

for complicated metaphysics, unusual body 

postures, or a comfortable yoga mat. 

In yoga vasanas and samskaras are “burned” 

by the power of practice. Meditation, kriyas 

(purification techniques), karma yoga, and 

specific kundalini techniques are 

recommended by the guru. Through their 

practice the degrees of mental clarity and 

freedom rise and one can ultimately make 

the choice of resting in one’s true Self. 

Nevertheless what is gained on the yoga 

mat or meditation cushion must permeate 

the whole of a yogi’s life. More and more 

wise choices will extend one’s sadhana into 

more and more moments. 

One of my favorite jokes from childhood 

is a story about the power of free choice. 

The almighty king of the jungle, the lion, 

decides one day to make offerings to the 

gods and sends Big Bear to collect the 

victims. The bear enlists all the animal 

families and proceeds with the painful task. 

First the wolves are visited – despair 

appears and tears flow from their tribes as 

the dearest son dies. Foxes and deer, 

vultures and mice follow, and soon the 

entire forest resounds with painful cries. In 

the end Big Bear meets with the rabbit, 

telling him: You are next on my list to die 

for the gods. Arrange your affairs and 

follow me. The rabbit is desperate, 

scratches its long right ear, moves from one 

paw to another, hesitates, shrieks, and then 

asks: Oh, you most wise of animals, is 

there a possibility to erase me from your 

list? The Big Bear looks at his feared list: 

Nobody asked until now but, yes, I do 

have an eraser which I never used. Why 

not? There, you are no longer present on 

the sacrificial list! 

I have not seen the ruling gods of karma 

although the Puranas speak about them. 

Maybe it is not scientifically accurate to refer 

to destiny and predetermination. Still the 

power of our predominant present choices 

clearly shapes the future and this is a 

scientific fact. Also it is psychology in 

science that demonstrates the profound 

expressivity of metaphors and symbols. 

My Path towar 

ards Karmic Blis 

liss 

Robin Giang 

Synaptic neuronal pathways are difficult to 

fathom but the word karma describes them 

as well. Yoga, legends, folklore, common 

beliefs, and neuroscience all speak in 

different terms about the power of our 

present choices. What is beyond this 

present time might not be so easy to prove 

or deny but the 

practical yogi does not 

need to look into his 

or her actions further 

than now in order to 

change future karma. 

Mihaiela is a senior 

Agama Yoga teacher, 

medical doctor and 

specialist in holistic 

healing methods. 

As a child, I was taught to be virtuous - humble, honest, kind and helpful. Doing so, 

according to my family’s Buddhist belief, would lead to fortunate rewards for me in this 

lifetime and into the next life in the areas of relationships, fortune and health. As I got 

older, the path toward a life of virtue, according to my circle of Christian-valued brothers 

and sisters, was to avoid succumbing to the seven deadly sins. Doing so would evade the 

Gate of Heaven and to suffer in the afterlife in eternal hell. So early on the concept of 

karma – the dualistic judgment of good and bad and the ramifications of my angelic and 

devilish deeds – was already introduced to me to help shape my moral fiber and character. 

With discipline and practice I managed to deepen my virtuous roots as I moved into 

adulthood. Along with new and heightened experiences, however, I started to be aware my 

actions (along with my thoughts and feelings) and their outcomes do have immediate 

ripple effects far beyond me. Karma as I have come to know it manifests itself as a pure 

reflection of my own intention toward an outcome and more notably it manifests itself 

very quickly in the here and now. 

The karmic relationship I am conscious of and experience at every given moment in time is 

the dynamic synergy I have with everyone and everything I relate to. With every choice I 

make, every word I speak and every wish I cast upon the stars, I am aware of the outcome 

I create for myself, others and the planet. This outcome may not be deemed as good or 

bad any longer, but simply an outcome to be fully expressed, experienced, cultivated and 

transformed over and over again, even well into the afterlife until again there is rebirth. 

From this perspective, karma serves as an infinite opportunity and possibility for everyone 

to reinvent themselves through purposeful life lessons. To transform and be reborn when 

we are ready to move onto a different level of experience and existence is a karmic bliss in 

disguise. As such we are all creators in transition and in progress, picking our color, our 

melody, our rhythm that suite our senses to ignite the passions within our lives. 

This summer may your karmic inspirations lead you toward ground 

breaking transformation that will allow you to reconnect to your past, 

to appreciate your present, in order to build your future to create 

much love, abundance and wellness in your life. Through this action 

alone karma will automatically manifests itself onto everything you 

connect with. 

Robin is a Communication and Behavioral Coach at Cosmo Kids. 

robin.giang@cosmokids.net (852) 2915 8138 

13

Dristi Karma 

JUST ONE LOOK 

Paul Dallaghan 

More than 30 years ago one would not find much use of the word karma in Western 

vocabulary. Yet in the last 10 years karma has entered the mainstream, young and old use it, 

even nightclubs and dance music albums have sequestered the title. How so? What is the 

karma of the use of the word karma? 

I am fortunate to have a very close, direct relationship with my teacher. That is my karma. 

What I do with it is part of my dharma. I have adopted many of his phrases over the years, 

as happens by osmosis when two people share much and spend time together. One of 

my favorites is “their karma” or “your karma” or even “my karma”. It is said in a way that is 

fully integrated in the bones and blood. I understand it so well that no explanation or 

translation is needed, yet it is a foreign concept to the culture I grew up in. 

Just as foreign as my teacher, or any non-modern, Western-culture person, saying: “hey 

dude”. Today I can say to my 80-year-old father “hey dude, it’s your karma”. Both phrases 

are equally foreign to him, yet he’s heard them over the years via the ever-expanding and 

homogenizing media. A perplexed look will remain on his face wondering if I am 

ridiculous, from another country or another time? 

Perhaps the karma of Sanskrit terms entering our Western culture, is equaled by Gen-X, 

Gen-Y and beyond Gen-Y terms entering non-Western cultures. Perhaps this karmic duty 

has been carried out by popular music, MTV and watching movies. Equally many in music 

and movies have embraced these Eastern paths. There’s no escaping the karma, no force or 

tide can undo. 

The Sanskrit root of the word karma is “kr”, which means “to do”, so karma means 

“doing”. This is something we cannot avoid in life. One of the greatest teachings on 

karma is in the Bhagavad Gita. A perplexed student (Arjuna) asks his guide and teacher if 

the path of complete understanding and true knowledge, is greater than the path of doing 

things, then why do any of these things at all, especially if they don’t look too favorable? 

Here comes the first problem of karma: it’s easy to use it to make excuses and justify any 

action or non-action. Ironically, its meaning is really the opposite of this: do what has to 

be done; accept what you have done and what comes from it and; know what you do now 

affects all that comes. 

Karma is a vast and complex subject and cannot be dealt with in an article like this, an 

academic paper, or even a book. It has to be imbibed, soaked up, explained and then 

allowed to vibrate within each cell. As soon as you think you understand it, a situation will 

come up to confuse you. It is often asked: why nothing bad happens to those who do 

I must take responsibility for all my actions, 

words and watch my thoughts 

bad? We have a childlike mind when we 

look at the world, human behavior and 

what it all means. How could we fathom a 

concept as complex and tricky as the 

mystery of the universe itself? 

To put it in perspective, one must 

surrender to the fact there is much beyond 

what we know. There are billions of years 

of life on this planet alone, billions of stars 

with their own galaxies and planets, 

trillions of life forms, and still our human 

race has not figured out completely how 

our own brain works. The subtle 

experiences of that realm confound the 

hard fact scientist. 

At a discussion recently between one of the 

world’s top neuroscientists and a Buddhist 

monk, the scientist stated if these extrasensory 

perceptions are valid and possible, 

sort of uber-brain activity, then the field of 

neuroscience is in trouble - well it is in 

trouble! 

This field of karma is tricky to figure out. 

One can look at one’s own life and feel 

injustice, but none of us really have any 

idea of our past actions. Some teachings 

and texts list karmic causes and effects. 

However these cannot be taken absolutely. 

Two people may kill, one may go on to a 

prosperous next life and one may be 

damned. The unknown is the content of 

one’s heart at the time of the act, plus the 

store of previous deeds’ effects. In 

addition to these is how one lives life 

beyond such an act, changing their path, 

moving completely away from the old 

methods and habits. 

There is a famous true story of 

Angulimala, the Buddha’s disciple. A mass 

murderer, about to murder his onethousandth 

victim, his own mother, he ran 

into the Buddha on the way. He 

subsequently adopted the ascetic path, a 

completely different life focused on inner 

growth and care for others, which led him 

to realization. Still there was no escaping 

the karma of his previous deeds and he 

died a violent death at the hands of his 

victims’ realtives. 

Buddhist and yogic literature is filled with 

definitions of karma and its theory. But for 

now, if we simply understand there is 

stored karma, meaning the effects of our 

past actions (some are predetermined to 

ripen in this life, some are minor karmas 

that pop up along the way), and there are 

14

karmas happening now. From a personal 

perspective, how we respond to this issue is 

the key that affects the future course. This is 

why much emphasis was placed on practice, 

to clean up our karmic load and affect our 

current use of time and activity in a nonkarma 

adding way. 

The best approach to karma is to look at 

ourselves: I must take responsibility for all 

my actions, words and watch my thoughts. 

What is going on in my life is a direct result 

of my own particular mindset, how I live, 

how I treat people, how I respond. 

In the second chapter of the yoga sutras, 

Patanjali deals magnificently with karma, 

building on how Sankhya philosophy 

presents it. At one point we are told all 

future suffering can be avoided. Just after 

we are told the situation we are in right 

now can be used to work on ourselves, 

transform ourselves. It all comes down to 

how we handle our current circumstances. 

It may seem unfair what just happened to 

me, or others, but how I approach it is key. 

And this avoids adding to my karmic load, 

increasing suffering. 

I cannot over-emphasize this point – 

turning to spiritual practices of yoga and 

meditative techniques for insight, calm and 

relief is a good thing, but it is not enough. 

Doing what has to be done is essential and 

part of your practice. A crisis may come. It 

can be valuable to sit quietly, reflect, give 

some space, but nothing can replace doing 

what has to be done. So don’t just resort to 

practices in times of difficulty, do not 

procrastinate (which only causes further 

suffering), instead do, but with awareness. 

“Doing with Awareness” leads us back to 

the teacher in the Gita teaching Arjuna to 

do what has to be done. The two central 

tenets of the whole teaching are “nishkama 

karma”, desireless action, and 

“karmasukaushalam”, skill in action. If you 

personally adopt these two aspects you will 

understand karma in a personal sense, by 

observing life unfolding right in front of 

your eyes. 

To do what has to be done and not get 

caught up in forcing your selfish end on it, 

is the essence of “nishkama karma”. Every 

moment we are tempted to argue for our 

own agenda (based on some form of 

attachment), we may be convinced we are 

right and deserve justice. This is where 

karma becomes a tricky because we feel the 

Try to really, really care. 

Then do everything with awareness. 

karma should work out the way we are looking at it. Fortunately, karma is far less personal 

than that and operates on more of a universal set of principles. So best we can do is check 

our own motivation and selfish intent behind all of our doings. This is not easy, but as I 

have found, to achieve any peace, it must be part of our life. 

To do what has to be done without causing another reaction is it often termed the “nondoing 

of doing, and the doing of non-doing.” This is also the meaning behind 

“karmasukaushalam.” To behave in a way that checks our intentions, we need to function 

skillfully. The simplest way I can translate this, and how I try to apply it in my life, is by 

caring. 

If I care for the environment I will do my best not to waste water. This doesn’t mean I 

don’t use water, but I just use enough. It is a skill to not over-use it and a refined mental 

attitude to not get caught up in “it’s my right” or whining “I’m thirsty.” The same when 

using toilet paper in public bathrooms - how much is wasted and thrown on the floor 

carelessly? This attitude applies when eating food and dealing with people. To do it well 

requires the “normal-plus,” meaning you care enough to do what has to be done and put 

your own interests, sensual pulls and desires second. 

I recently attended a very inspiring talk by an Irish man who was shot in the face by a 

British soldier 40 years ago when he was 10, and has been blind ever since. He went on to 

set up “Children in Crossfire,” an organization which gives thousands of young children, 

particularly in Africa, opportunities. Though he was poor, from a family of 12, and with an 

unemployed father, he had three things going for him. He was from a good family; a good 

community; and had opportunities. He realized many children in the world had their 

eyesight but none of these three factors. 

From the day he was shot he said he has never felt anger or hatred towards the soldier. 

They even met about seven years ago and became good friends. All he wanted to share 

with him was that he held no animosity or ill will towards his shooter and only possessed 

forgiveness. His whole life has been colored by this attitude, this aspect of character. He 

realized the only person anger would hurt was himself. He couldn’t change what 

happened, but he could change what he was doing and thinking now, and therefore what 

would happen. This has led to a fulfilled life in which he actively helps and shares with 

others. 

These personal examples of a life well lived without a dominance of controlled outcome, 

are the best way to understand karma and to apply it in your life. Know we cannot answer 

everything or solve every issue. But understand the bit we do has to 

be done, and should be done well, including our practice, eating, 

working, relationships and so on. Though I cannot help everyone I 

can help some. See what comes in front of you in life and “do” that. 

Try to really, really care. Then do everything with awareness. 

Paul is director of Samahita Retreat and Yoga Thailand www.yogathailand.com 

Paul’s schedule at AYC 

9 June, 10:30am - 12:30pm - Pranayama: The Key Practice of Yoga 

10 June, 10:30am - 12:30pm - Asana for Pranayama and Meditation 

15

Dristi Karma 

Karma & Me 

Zubin Nalladaru 

Rahul’s car was hit by a drunk driver and he 

is being airlifted to a nearby hospital. Rahul 

will never be able to walk again. 

Little Amit is five, but the cancer that afflicts 

him mean he will not live to his sixth 

birthday. 

Sneha passed with 92% in her pre-university 

examination exams and then was the top of 

her class in university. Twenty years later, life 

has not been kind to her. She has not been 

able to find a job that suits her. She is ill 

treated by her husband, been through bouts 

of depression and has had thoughts of 

committing suicide a couple of times. 

Sometimes the best student in university 

may not do well in life. 

instance, the law of gravity prevents us from 

floating into space or falling off the earth. It 

is equivalent to Newton’s law of ‘every 

action must have an equal and opposite 

reaction’. When we think, speak or act we 

initiate a force that will react accordingly. This 

returning force maybe modified, changed or 

suspended, but most people will not be 

able to eradicate it. This law of cause and 

effect is not punishment, but is wholly for 

the sake of education or learning. According 

to the Law of Karma every positive deed 

earning karma. The accumulation of good 

(merits) or bad karma (demerits) dictates 

what we have to face in each life. This 

accumulated account is known as ‘Sanchit 

Karma’ in Sanskrit. 

Now the Law of Karma and how the giveand-take 

plays out is complex and depends 

on various factors. These factors also 

determine the intensity of the account 

created whether positive or negative. 

• Intention behind the act – for example a 

for an average person in the era of Kaliyuga, 65% 

of life is destined and 35% is willful action 

Omar was born in a terrorism-affected area. 

He will never have a proper education and 

will only know violence and hunger 

throughout his life. 

These are some examples from around the 

world. Life hands us happy or unhappy 

situations without even asking for it. 

This brings to mind a question for the 

inquiring mind; why would Providence, the 

Supreme Power or God provide the 

ultimate luxury for one child while another 

does not even get enough for sustenance? 

Why would He let one person be born 

physically impaired and the other healthy? Is 

there some Universal rationale behind which 

all of us are granted different circumstances 

in our lives? Let us understand this with the 

Law of Karma. 

DEFINITION OF KARMA AND THE LAW OF KARMA 

- THE GOLDEN RULE 

Karma is Sanskrit for action. However it 

means action and the consequences of 

action we have to live through. 

There are many universal laws, which are 

above the laws of any country. To quote a 

few, there are laws of gravity, electricity, 

interstellar planetary forces, weather, and the 

earth revolving on its own axis. These are 

the laws no country or international laws or 

dictator can annul or eradicate. The law that 

affects us the most is the Law of Karma also 

known as the ‘Law of Give and Take’. 

There is a reason for every universal law; for 

16 

generates a ‘Merit’ while every negative deed 

generates a ‘Demerit’. Every person has to 

undergo the consequences of the merits and 

demerits of accounts created by him. 

KARMA BROUGHT ME HERE 

Let’s look at an example of the Law of 

Karma playing out. 

Person A swindles person B and give him 5 

units of pain. As a result Person A creates a 

negative account with B. Consequently 

Person A will have to suffer 5 units of pain 

from Person B for the negative account to 

be settled. Now this is the important part: 

If the account cannot be settled in the 

current lifetime for some reason it will need 

to be settled when both Person A and 

Person B reincarnate on Earth together in a 

future lifetime. 

When they reincarnate together the events 

will play out something like this. 

When Person B meets person A, he will for 

no apparent reason have an innate dislike 

for Person A. He will look for opportunities 

to give pain to person A. When Person A 

does get 5 units of pain because of Person 

B he will wonder why Person B is so intent 

on hurting him. But little do they both 

know that the answer lies in an account that 

was created in a previous lifetime. As soon 

as the account is settled there may be a 

change in person B’s attitude to A. 

We have free will from the very first 

incarnation, and subsequently we start 

person killing for money as opposed to a 

person killing in self-defence. 

• Severity or extent of the act – for 

example swindling an individual of a little 

money or a lifetime’s earning. 

• Situation at that time – whether the 

money was to have a party or to pay for a 

family member’s operation. 

• Happiness or anguish faced by the 

person affected 

• Who has been affected (an average 

person or a seeker of God or a Saint, a 

spiritual organisation etc.). Killing a Saint 

constitutes the biggest sin or demerit. 

As per the Law of Karma, unless we settle all 

our accounts we cannot gain liberation from 

the cycle of birth and death and because 

most of us continue living without doing 

any substantial spiritual practice we 

accumulate more karma and hence keep 

getting reincarnated on Earth to settle our 

give and take accounts. Every time we are 

born, we bring with us a small part of the 

accumulated accounts in our Sanchit Karma 

to settle. The portion of our accumulated 

account that we have to settle in our current 

lifetime is known as our destiny. 

Every birth is endowed with forgetfulness 

of past events; otherwise it is impossible to 

go forward in our journey; for example if 

we had the knowledge that someone close 

to us was an enemy in a previous lifetime it 

will influence our interaction with that 

individual. If we sincerely practice spirituality 

under the guidance of a realized Master we

are able to develop forgiveness and other 

Divine qualities which help us to move 

forward and hence even our adversaries can 

promote our spiritual progress. 

Through spiritual research we have found 

that for an average person in the current era 

of Kaliyuga, 65% of his life is destined and 

35% is willful action. This means we have 

no control over approximately 65% of the 

events that happen in our lives. 

Our main aim is to learn through experience 

to become better souls. It is only through 

the process of purification by experiencing 

what life has to teach us that we will become 

perfect. In this way we will finally return to 

the Source or Absolute. 

The spiritual purpose of our lives is to: 

1. Complete our destiny and subsequently 

our accumulated account i.e. experience 

happiness or sadness according to our 

destiny 

2. Practice spirituality to grow spiritually and 

come out of the cycle of birth and death. 

This classroom of planet earth is a very 

varied one. We have to learn all manner of 

occupations, professions and vocations to 

experience greed, anger, selfishness and 

pride. After acquiring these selfish traits in 

the separate self we then have to relinquish 

them to return to interconnectedness that 

means we have to be not only in all trades, 

but all nationalities, all sexes and all grades 

of criminals as well as all classes of 

Saintliness. With hundreds or thousands of 

incarnations, we start to let go and 

transform ourselves to better souls. 

When we practise spirituality per the basic 

principles of spirituality, it helps us face a 

difficult destiny and grow spiritually. 

Zubin is a heart 

surgeon by profession. 

His interest in 

spirituality was kindled 

when he realized 

patients with a spiritual 

bent recovered quickly 

and with fewer 

complications from 

major surgery than 

others. He has been 

doing spiritual practice under the Spiritual 

Research Foundation for the past 10 years. 

www.SpiritualResearchFoundation.org; 

dr.zubin@spiritualresearchfoundation.org 

Karma in Action 

Rosie Deane 

A few years back, my son - then in 

kindergarten - was eating a mandarin 

orange. He found some pips in it and 

asked what they were. I explained they were 

seeds and if you planted them, they would 

grow into a mandarin tree and perhaps one 

day produce mandarin oranges. So he said, 

“Let’s do it!”. We live in an apartment in 

Singapore with a very small balcony, but 

undaunted, we found a pot and some soil 

and planted the pips. Sure enough, with a 

little care and nurturing, they started to 

grow. Over the years we have re-potted 

them, given some away as they started to 

take up too much space and now have one 

remaining mandarin tree, well over 6’ tall. 

What does this have to do with Karma? 

Karma is often defined as “what goes 

around, comes around”, or the Law of 

Cause and Effect. But the Sanscrit word 

Tabitha Foundation’s Jannes Ritskes 

teaches people to escape poverty by microsaving 

karma simply means “Action”. When we first have any thought, it can only be made real, or 

manifested, through our action. Every thought has the potential to grow into something 

greater, given some action. This is equally true for positive and negative thoughts. Say we 

read about a terrible famine and think, “I must donate some money to help those people”, 

this is a positive thought, born of compassion. But without some action on part i.e. 

making the effort to write a cheque, our good thought evaporates to nought. 

Thoughts are like seeds we plant in the fertile garden of our mind. By taking action based 

on those thoughts, we can become truly powerful, even changing the direction of our lives 

- this is the true meaning of karma. 

Last year I was reading a blog by an amazing woman living in Cambodia, by the name of 

Janne Ritskes, who runs an organisation called the Tabitha Foundation. The aim of 

Tabitha is to release people, often women, from the cycle of poverty through micro-savings 

schemes. But although this has been hugely successful over the years, the process 

sometimes breaks down when the woman falls sick and is unable to afford adequate 

medical treatment. So Janne decided to do something about this and build a hospital for 

women in Phnom Penh - a daunting task you might think! But through her action, and 

the actions of others around the world, this is becoming a reality. After reading her blog, I 

decided it would be a good idea to organise a walkathon in Singapore. With a little action 

on my part and some assistance from the wonderful ladies in the Tabitha Foundation in 

Singapore, on International Women’s Day (8th March) around 150 women (plus a couple 

of brave men) walked the 10km length of the East Coast Park, raising over US$10,000. 

Thanks to a private foundation, this amount has been trebled and along with the other 

events around the world, almost US$1 million has been raised - the figure required to start 

the building process. What great things can come from a small thought. 

To donate to the hospital visit http://nokor-tep.net or 

www.tabithasingapore.com 

Rosie has been teaching yoga in Singapore since 2004. She started 

practising yoga in London almost 18 years ago. Rosie recently 

completed a Meditation TTC and will soon be teaching Meditation Made 

Simple and Meditation in Action. rosiehdeane@gmail.com / 

www.streetdirectory.com/yoga 

17

18

Psychology 

Yoga for Emotional Health & Balance 

Bo Forbes 

Last year, during a workshop in London, a participant asked, “How 

do we find emotional balance inside ourselves when there’s so 

much chaos and imbalance in the world around us?” His probing 

question gets to the heart of why anxiety and depression have 

reached such epidemic proportions today. In fact, it’s our outer 

focus—and what it does to our minds and bodies—that lies at the 

heart of our emotional struggles. 

Recently, a new yoga teacher came to me for advice. After only one 

year of teaching, he was exhausted and disillusioned. As we talked, 

the reason for his fatigue became clear: he taught 16-18 classes per 

week. Plus, he wanted to teach on the national circuit, so he posted 

on facebook several times a day, did frequent photo shoots to 

update his media kit, taught as many local workshops as possible, 

e-stalked the editor of the New York Times’ Health Sciences 

section for extra press coverage, and generally ran himself into the 

ground. When I asked him why he wanted to be on the national 

circuit, he looked at me as though I were crazy. “What do you 

mean?” he asked. “That’s what everyone wants!” But when I asked 

him again why he wanted it, he had no answer. 

WHAT GETS IN THE WAY OF EMOTIONAL BALANCE 

Today’s professional climate demands we perform at high levels 

externally, but gives us no guidance for assessing our inner spiritual 

progress. So we measure ourselves and one another by our output: 

where we live, where our children go to school, how successful we 

are in our jobs, how much work we produce. Our modern 

yardstick for success now includes how many facebook friends and 

fans, twitter followers, or Youtube subscribers we have. We have 

only to surf facebook to see a fellow yogini has baked homemade 

vegan curry, designed a new website, taught three yoga classes, 

volunteered for the local yoga benefit, and written an article for a 

yoga magazine, all by 5 pm! Now she’s heading off to take a yoga 

class, followed by a swim in the local pond and dinner with close 

friends. I imagine soon, someone will create a reality T.V. show 

called “The Amazing Race to Enlightenment,” where winning 

depends on hours logged in meditation, the ability to wrap one’s 

legs behind one’s head, and the amount of esoteric spiritual 

knowledge one can accumulate. 

So how do we move at our own organic pace when everyone seems 

to be racing along at lightning speed? And how do we focus 

inward when it feels like the world demands we attend to things 

outside ourselves? There’s no way around it: this outer focus and 

pressure to perform keep us from looking inward—and looking 

inward is the first step in developing emotional balance. So what is 

emotional balance, and how do we cultivate it? 

WHAT IS EMOTIONAL BALANCE? 

A yogi friend of mine remarked over tea the other day that his wife, 

long known for her strict emotional control, was suffering from 

acute colitis. She meditated every day, he told me, but she looked 

deeply unhappy during and after her meditations. “Sometimes I 

wish she’d just let her anger out!” he said wistfully. “All I ever get 

from her is the silent treatment.” His wife’s stomach problems told 

the story: the anger she couldn’t express was devouring her from 

the inside out. “Zen on the outside, chaos on the inside,” he 

observed sadly. 

It can be tempting to think emotional balance means mastery over 

our emotions: that we don’t feel them deeply, or maybe at all. Yet 

we are biologically primed for reaction: emotions are wired into us. 

Few of us, even yogis, can encounter a dramatic display of anger 

without an answering burst of our own, or weather a romantic 

rejection without taking a hit to our self-esteem. Even the most 

disruptive emotions, like grief and anger, add richness and spice to 

our lives. 

True emotional balance is not about getting rid of emotions, or 

only feeling positive ones. It has to do with how we relate to our 

emotions and to the residue they leave behind. After we’ve shot an 

emotional arrow into a loved one, for instance, can we reduce the 

angry aftereffects, or do we keep the fight alive? When our heart has 

been broken, how long does it take to restore our self-esteem? 

When we’re emotionally balanced, we experience the full range and 

richness of fear, anger, sadness, or shame. We may even briefly 

submerge in them. 

The important thing for emotional 

health is to feel them fully, and then 

let go and return to center 

The important thing for emotional health is that we learn to be 

present with our emotions: to feel them fully, and then let go and 

return to center. And this requires a dynamic balance between the 

activating and resting parts of our nervous system. 

Emotions are mediated through the autonomic nervous system 

(ANS). The ANS has two branches: the sympathetic (fight-flightfreeze) 

and parasympathetic (rest-and-digest). This two-pronged 

system structures our emotional well-being. Think of a car: the 

sympathetic nervous system is like the accelerator. It revs us up and 

provokes an emotional response. The parasympathetic system is 

like the brake; it slows down the nervous system overdrive and 

returns us to our emotional center. The more we press the 

accelerator and move into nervous system overdrive, the more 

deeply we wire in that pattern. Eventually, overdrive becomes our 

default mode, and it’s harder to step on the brakes and find our 

balance. 

YOGA FOR EMOTIONAL BALANCE 

How, then, do we learn to balance the nervous system? This is 

where yoga and mindfulness practices come into play. 

Neuroscientists have studied the effects of mindfulness, and more 

recently yoga, on emotional health. We know through research the 

tools of yoga and mindfulness help balance the nervous system 

19

yoga and mindfulness help balance 

the nervous system 

and create emotional health in the following ways: 

• The contemplative practices of yoga, such as meditation and 

Restorative yoga, help to calm the nervous system and build 

resilience to stress 

• Contemplative, relaxation-based practices such as Restorative 

Yoga help reduce anxiety and depression 

• Even a 10-minute daily yoga practice increases stress resilience 

and helps with emotional balance—perhaps even more, research 

suggests, than a twice-weekly 90-minute practice 

MAKING YOUR ACTIVE PRACTICE MORE THERAPEUTIC 

Does all this research mean if we love a fast-paced vinyasa class set 

to music that we need to give it up in favor of something less 

active or fun? As a former teacher training student once remarked, 

“I like being on auto-pilot and ‘going with the flow’ for 90 

minutes. It’s like a car wash—so cleansing!” 

The bottom line: we don’t need to give up the yoga we know and 

love. The true alchemy of yoga therapeutics, however, is when we 

marry yoga’s contemplative practices with its active ones. In this 

way, it’s not so much about what you practice, but how you practice. 

Infrastructure interventions are powerful tools that shift the entire 

structure of your practice. These tools help make your yoga practice 

more therapeutic: they balance the nervous system, strengthen the 

immune system, promote physical health, and build resilience to 

stress, anxiety, and depression. You can integrate them into any 

style of practice to make it more therapeutic, or craft an entire yoga 

practice using them. Here are several suggestions for making your 

current asana practice more therapeutic: 

• Slow down your practice and lengthen the transitions between 

poses: this makes your practice more challenging, yet it helps all 

movement emanate from core strength and integrity. If you 

practice Ashtanga or Power Yoga, you needn’t give that up. Just try 

slowing the pace a little, adding alignment focus, or taking one day 

a week to do a slower, alignment-based vinyasa practice 

• Work more closely with pranayama, the regulation (and 

lengthening) of the breath. You can add specific pranayama 

exercises before you initiate movement, and you can also deepen 

ujjayi pranayama in the vinyasa practice. 

• Use alignment therapeutically to awaken ‘sleeping spaces’ in the 

body and release tight fascia. The freedom and space you create will 

reverberate throughout your entire Mind-Body Network. 

• Access the deep, intrinsic muscles of your core body to help 

reinforce your centeredness and your internal boundaries. This will 

also strengthen the immune system, and supports your spine and 

internal organs. 

EMOTIONAL BALANCE ON AND OFF THE MAT 

Andrea, a yoga therapy client, came to me for help with her anxiety. 

Her most debilitating symptoms were insomnia, panic attacks, and 

the habit of continually mentally rehearsing conversations and 

conflicts with others—before they’d even occurred. She’d imagine 

every possible permutation so she could be prepared. The trouble 

with her strategy: these challenging future interactions felt as real to 

her brain as though they were actually happening. Not knowing the 

difference between perceived and actual stress, her brain simply 

registered these fantasies as real-life stress. A longtime power yoga 

practitioner, Andrea found it easier to motor through her practice; 

exhausting her physical body gave her a small measure of 

relaxation. It took some convincing to get her to practice restorative 

yoga, which wouldn’t give her the tight butt, flat abs, and highoctane 

calorie-burn she was used to. 

So she added in one restorative pose (savasana) after each of her 

power practices. Yet almost from the beginning, she felt a 

difference. Her mind began to slow, and her thoughts didn’t jump 

to the worst-case scenario setting to which they’d been wired. As 

she learned to focus more in the present moment, Andrea’s 

narratives about conflict began to soften. She developed more 

confidence in her emotional resilience: her ability to handle 

challenging situations as they arose and then return to center. She 

also felt more self-compassion, and was more understanding when 

people close to her overreacted. 

The therapeutic practices of yoga are antidotes to the performance 

pressure and endless comparison that pervade our culture. And as 

they did for my client Andrea, they balance the nervous system. 

And when we practice these seemingly small and subtle practices 

day after day with awareness, they build on one another. Our mind 

and body have time to assimilate them. Together, these small and 

subtle practices add up to something big. They help unravel the 

deeply woven emotional patterns of anxiety and depression. They 

create the embodied awareness that leads to lasting change. And 

they help us engage with our emotions as messengers, gifts that are 

sent from the deepest self. 

Bo Forbes is a yoga teacher, integrative yoga 

therapist, and clinical psychologist with over 

22 years of clinical experience in mind-body 

healing. She is the founder of Integrative Yoga 

Therapeutics and director of training at the 

New England School of Integrative Yoga 

Therapeutics. She is also the co-founder of 

Embodied Awareness, which offers online 

trainings in Integrative Yoga Therapeutics. 

Bo’s schedule at AYC 

7 June, 2 - 5pm - Injuries and Chronic Pain Disorders: Awakening our Pathways to Healing 

7 June, 5:30 - 7:30pm - Change Your Body, Change Your Mind: Neuroscience and Yoga 

8 June, 2 - 5pm - Crafting a Therapeutic Vinyasa Practice: Yoga as Mind Body Medicine 

9 June, 5 - 7pm - Restorative Yoga Therapeutics for Mental and Emotional Healing 

10 June, 8 - 10am - Gateway to Prana: Empowering the Neck/Shoulder Axis in our Practice 

10 June, 5 - 7pm - Yoga for the Nervous System: Healing Anxiety, Insomnia & Chronic Stress 

20

Philosophy 

Yoga, Ayurv 

yurveda, 

Patriar 

atriarch 

chy & Diseas 

ase 

Yogesvara Saravati 

The yoga and ayurveda teachings popularized in the West (now 

also spanning the modern world) were mostly spread by a minority 

of practitioners with a particular view. Yoga is originally part of the 

religion and practice of the majority living in India. The adherents 

of this overall way of life, which included yoga and ayurveda, were 

largely householders with families, community roles, etc. However, 

the people who were most able to spread yoga due to position, 

status, wealth, education and sex, were largely of the “elite” class 

and almost entirely male. 

This class of people were (and are) a very small percentage of the 

population. This class posits a transcendental view of reality. These 

“elites” were considered to be superior and thus their opinions 

the people most able to spread yoga 

were largely the elite class and 

almost entirely male 

Steve Merkley 

were given more weight. Furthermore, it was the job of these 

people to travel and teach - and they had the means, financially and 

otherwise, to do so. 

The vast majority of original yoga and ayurveda was practiced by 

the “people” – who had neither means, nor time (as householders) 

to travel and teach. If they did, though, modernity would have 

received a set of yoga teachings that were much more practical, 

healthy and effective for householders. 

The aim of transcendental practice is to “get up and out of the 

body”, freeing the atman (soul) from the impurities of life 

(prakriti). Therefore, the physical body is treated as an 

impediment to spiritual practice and liberation. The body is to be 

purified and cleansed by any and all means that will enable the 

atman to literally “fly” into the heavenly realm of “Parusa” and 

experience “samadhi.” 

This perspective caught on like wildfire in the West because it is 

essentially the same view (that matter/flesh is sinful and we must 

purify and shed the body to get to heaven) as the Abrahamic 

religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam). Transcendental, dualistic 

yoga is foreign and exotic enough to attract those in modernity 

who are disillusioned by their religious upbringing, but familiar 

enough at the base to be comfortable, even if only subconsciously. 

The views and practices of transcendental, dualistic yoga - the roots 

of which have spawned the very vast majority of modern, 

commercial yoga – emphasize drying up the body’s sexual fluids so 

as to purge oneself from the temptations of the flesh. 

Furthermore, the dualistic, transcendental traditions overemphasize 

the cultivation of “lightness” and “purity” because the 

21

22

aim is to float into samadhi and not be dragged down by the weight 

of the world. Therefore it is considered best, highest or most 

spiritual to renounce the world (become a monk), and practice 

celibacy. 

At least when these practices were undertaken in antiquity, or in 

certain enclaves today, practitioners knew this aim and intentionally 

went for this result (transcendence). Now, most people just assume 

that anything packaged and sold as yoga is good for them even if 

it actually contradicts their desire for a life of pleasure and 

fulfillment that is simultaneously spiritual. 

Transcendental views are synonymous with “worship” of the 

“masculine” principle of life – and they are often espoused by men. 

Considering transcendental views and lifestyles as superior often 

results in degradation of women and feminine energy as a whole. 

The “evils” of imminence: sin, temptation, matters of the flesh, 

sex, etc have long been associated with the devil, witchcraft, pagan 

religions and women. 

The original root of yoga and ayurveda is Tantra, which aims for 

liberation while living – here, now and fully embodied. Tantra is a 

system of practice that yields a fruit of enlightened experience that 

is not only both transcendent and imminent but also a state that is 

beyond and inclusive of both transcendence and imminence. 

Therefore, Tantrikas honor life in totality – including all the yucky 

stuff and see the body’s health as the only means to experience 

realization. This life-affirming view emphasizes “worship” of the 

feminine principle. We cultivate sexual energy, have families, hold 

positions in society, practice arts of enjoyment and emphasize 

making the body juicy and vital as a means to spiritual liberation. 

Modern neo-tantra uses the authentic perspective of Tantra to 

justify all sorts of unbridled hedonism – but that is also a limited 

extreme. Nevertheless, it is true that authentic Tantrikas 

intentionally build sexual creative force in order to transmute 

limited individual sexual energy into an experience of universal 

awareness, compassion, love and bliss. 

Diet is a huge part of both of these strategies: the path of drying 

up or that of juicing up. Vegeterianism and raw foodism as rules, 

not eating garlic, onions, etc. are dictates hailing from the camp of 

transcendental, dualistic religion propagated by Brahmin/monk/ 

sanyassin/renunciate (and male) supremacy. These limited views 

and practices are now often considered standard ideals by the 

modern yoga and ayurveda movement. 

On the flip side, non-dual Tantrikas are known to be a-moral, 

meaning without rules. Instead, non-dual Tantrikas adhere to 

principles, the first of which is: “for whom and when.” One 

person’s medicine is another person’s poison and what is medicine 

for one person at one time might be poison for the same person at 

another time. This principle is always held in the overall context of 

moving towards becoming more healthy, juicy, vital, and strong, 

while cultivating surrender and openness. The Tantrik aim is to 

build and build energy in order to expand and expand. 

Tantrikas seek to be so fully here (imminence, pleasure, joy, power, 

feminine Sakti, etc) that we penetrate the mysteries of our depths 

and realize our oneness with all. We find, at Energy of Mind : A 

Sauhu Therapy (which treats many people experiencing the pitfalls 

of spiritual practice) that many modern practitioners think they are 

practicing something in line with their desire for a healthy, full, 

vibrant and spiritual experience of imminence. When, in fact, they 

are practicing methods born from views that are aiming towards 

transcendence only. 

The resulting phenomenon is what my teacher’s guru, 

Paramahamsa Satyananda Saraswati calls spiritual schitzophrenia, 

which is characterized by anxiety, doubt, lack of grounding, 

delusional experiences (often thought to be spiritual), inner 

conflict, anger and the myriad of physical health problems that arise 

from drying the body with harsh disciplines and strenuous effort. 

That all being said, it is important to remember, again, that nondual 

Tantra is a-moral. So, sometimes it might be appropriate to 

adhere to a vegetarian diet. Sometimes it might be appropriate to 

eat mostly, or even only raw foods. One must undergo a study of 

Tantrik Ayurveda in order to effectively make these discernments. 

But, as a general principle most householders require meat protein 

to be healthy, sane, and happy and to achieve the goals of yogic 

sadhana (spiritual practice). Also, generally speaking, most meals 

should be cooked for the proper nourishment to take place, with a 

smattering of raw food sprinkled in to provide certain qualities to 

the meal. 

original texts of ayurveda have 

countless recipes for meat-based 

remedies and cooking 

We could write tomes on this topic but will have to summarize by 

saying the original texts of ayurveda and non-dual hatha yoga have 

countless recipes for meat-based remedies and cooking. The 

popular notions of yoga and ayurveda that abound today are not 

only creating the negative symptoms listed non-exhaustively above; 

they are also not producing the awesome, beneficial fruits promised 

by these texts of the non-dual traditions. Instead, the textual 

promises of extraordinary siddhi (great accomplishments) are 

relegated to analogy and given psychological equivalents. 

At best, the modern state of yoga produces psychologically welladjusted 

individuals who are physically healthier than the average 

person who pays little attention to their body’s needs. Though this 

is a great result, it is the baby-beginner step to what is really 

possible from a complete yoga practice. At worst, and all too often, 

modern notions of yoga are teaching things about diet, bandhas, 

pranayamas, asana, etc. that are genuinely problematic. These 

practices generate severe problems that can go unnoticed for years 

after one has established major disturbances in the pranic body, 

which then manifest as serious physical and mental disease. 

Yogi, co-founder of Energy of Mind Therapy 

(www.energyofmindtherapy.com) works with 

clients online and at Kailash Askhara retreat 

(www.adiyoga.com) in Northeast Thailand. 

23

Yoga Styles 

Swar 

ara a Yoga 

Yogiuday 

Swara yoga is the awareness and 

manipulation of the prana as it moves 

between ida, pingala and sushumna nadis. 

Swara in this instance, means flow, and it is 

the flow of energy between these two 

polarizing channels which brings harmony 

to our being on every level. 

Very simply speaking, pingala nadi runs up 

the right side of the body from muladhara 

chakra to ajna chakra. Ida runs up the left 

side. These are the two principle nadis that 

crossover at each chakra bringing balance to 

the energy centres and overall health and 

well being to the body and mind. 

The influence of pingala is heating, 

extroverted, active, physical energy, logical, 

analytical, or male energy, as it is called. The 

influence of ida is cooling, introverted, 

passive, mental energy, receptive, intuitive, 

emotional, or female energy. Pingala 

connects with the power of the sun and ida 

connects with the softness and surrender of 

the moon. We require both of these swara in 

equal amounts to be healthy. 

People who have more firey pitta dosha in 

their system, may also tend towards a more 

dominant pingala, whereas cooling and 

anxious vata and cooling and emotional 

kapha may tend towards ida. 

Normally, one side is more dominant, and 

every 90 minutes or so, the dominant nadi 

will switch. And this rotation, with one 

swara always more active at sunrise, follows 

the cycle of the moon switching sides at the 

time of the new and full moons. You can 

observe which nadi is stronger at any given 

time by observing the breath at your 

nostrils. When pingala is flowing, the right 

nostril is more open and the left side of the 

brain is active. When ida is flowing, the left 

nostril is more open, and the right side of 

the brain is active. Sometimes, in the 

beginning, it is hard to ascertain, but it is 

simply a matter of practice, like everything. 

During the change over from one nadi to the 

other is a short period when they are 

balanced, when neither active nor mental 

energy is dominant and this is the time 

when prana is flowing more freely through 

sushumna nadi and spiritual energy is active. 

It is the best time for all spiritual practice. 

The purpose of yogasana is to open the 

24 

nadis. The purpose of many separate and 

alternate nostril pranayamas is to open, and 

more importantly, balance ida and pingala so 

that the time sushumna is flowing is longer 

and the prana is stronger, offering a 

significantly enhanced opportunity for 

meditation, god awareness and ecstasy. 

Ida on the left is the cooling, introverted, 

feminine, moon energy 

This is the simple story of swara yoga; as 

you become more and more aware, swara 

yoga can ultimately offer to you all the 

secrets of existence. For beginners, it is best 

just to start watching the breath first thing 

in the morning, when you first sit down for 

any physical sadhana and meditation, and 

afterwards. Check every 2 hours and keep a 

log. If you are healthy, you will find the 

swara shifting as required. Problems arise 

when normal transference between nadis 

stops and one stays dominant for longer. 

Recently my body became ill - my stomach, 

throat and head were distressed. As I was 

lying in bed most of the afternoon and 

night, my lower spine became swollen, my 

hip and pelvis became swollen and my brain 

was swollen. This body was on fire. 

Then I realised that pingala was very open 

and ida was totally blocked, even lying on my 

right side, (which normally opens the 

alternate nostril) ida would not open even 

the tiniest...hence all the swelling and fever. 

Maybe the fever was being useful to get rid 

of some god-given invader, but when I 

was finally able to help ida open, the 

inflammation went away almost 

immediately; my eyes which were burning, 

started to feel normal and my brain started 

to calm down. 

Another time, some years ago, I was getting 

particularly chilled, my mind was morose, 

my body felt like a lump and I was watching 

thoughts circle and circle in my mind 

without escape. 

Sure enough, ida was very open and pingala 

was totally blocked, and after some effort to 

open pingala, warmth and physical energy 

began to flow and useless thoughts flew 

away from my mind without effort. In the 

normal course of events it is often quite 

easy to shift from one swara to the other, but 

when dominancy starts to create these kinds 

of imbalances, it may be somewhat more 

difficult. If one swara becomes too 

dominant for even three days you will 

witness its powerful effects. 

After you become aware of swara, it 

becomes possible to manipulate it for your 

well being. If pingala is flowing you will be 

much more efficient at any physical activity; 

ida, mental activity. Maybe you have had this 

experience in your life. You are quietly 

reading a book. Most likely ida is flowing. 

Suddenly you feel the need to put the book 

down close your eyes and do nothing. 

Within a short period, you have jumped up 

and are into some activity more physical. 

This is the normal shift from ida to 

sushumna to pingala. Start observing and you 

will see. If you need to run a marathon, it is 

much better that pingala is flowing. If you 

want to plan a class in your mind you will 

Pingala on the right is the firey, 

extroverted, masculine, sun energy 

be much more efficient if ida is flowing. 

And it becomes possible to plan ahead once 

you know the natural cycle of your swara, 

thus maximizing your efficiency in all 

activities. 

Some ways to shift swara: 

1) lying down on one side will open the 

alternate nostril 

2) concentrating on the closed side with the 

intention for it to open 

3) various pranayamas 

4) all asana, though certain side bending and 

twists will have more specific effects 

5) make a fist with your left hand and push 

it up under your right armpit, keeping your 

arms tight to your body. This will help to 

open ida and vice versa. 

Swara yoga practices take time, commitment

and discipline. Like all yogic activities, it is best to go slowly with full 

awareness and have a teacher on hand who can guide you through 

any dangers or questions. The spiritual effects and possibilities are 

enormous and while not for the beginner, any greater 

understanding of who we really are and how we work will benefit 

everyone. 

Swara yoga can help people to regain trust and confidence in their 

own wisdom and ability to heal themselves, taking responsibility 

for their own health and well being, and take our society away from 

its physically, mentally, spiritually and financially crippling 

dependence on dangerous pharmaceuticals. 

The longer and stronger you can enjoy the flow of spiritual energy 

through sushumna, the greater detachment you will find from the 

worldly desires of ego, and the easier to surrender to the Divine and 

all the glory, peace and love that will offer: it is the ultimate goal of 

all yogic practices; the culmination of experiences in the human 

form. 

Recommended reading by Swami 

Muktibodhananda, published by 

Yoga Publications Trust 

Formerly a 

resident of 

Hong Kong 

and 

Canada, 

Yogiuday 

now lives 

mostly in 

Rishikesh, 

India, where he operates a small 

business called Yogi Yum Yums, 

from which all profits go to 

supporting the education of 

local children. 

Teacher’s Voice 

Jennifer Rockowitz 

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM 

THIS? 

My struggle with this posture, 

and many others, has taught me 

to develop the attitudes of 

patience, persistence and 

acceptance. 

WHAT IS YOUR MOST CHALLENGING 

ASANA AND WHY? 

At this point in my practice I 

find a lot of asanas challenging! 

If I have to pick just one I 

would say paschimottanasana. I 

feel limited by lots of restriction 

and unevenness in my lower 

back, and general tightness in 

my hamstring and calf muscles. 

So this makes for a very 

humbling experience in this 

posture. 

WHAT IS THE MOST CHALLENGING 

ASPECT OF YOUR PRACTICE? 

I think the most challenging 

aspect of my practice at this 

stage of life is finding the time 

to visit my mat on a regular 

basis. Without a consistent 

practice I find it hard to effect 

change in the physical body. Two 

steps forward, one step 

back. Thankfully to 

counterbalance this, it seems 

with age and experience the 

other mental and spiritual 

disciplines of yoga seem to 

come more easily, and life cooperates 

by presenting a 

multitude of opportunities to 

practice them. 

Jennifer is a mother of four who 

has been a student of yoga for 

16 years. She has been teaching 

Ashtanga, Power and Yin Yoga 

for 10 years. She currently 

teaches at Flex in Hong Kong. 

www.flexhk.com 

25

26

Personal Growth 

HOW MUCH DO YOU LOVE YOUR BODY? 

Kayla Leung 

Are you one of the countless women (and 

men) who are not happy about your body? 

Do you think your body can be better after 

losing a little fat here or there? Or do you 

wish you could be taller by an inch or two 

and are blaming your inferior genes? 

In today’s modern world, we are living 

under tremendous stress and are 

incessantly bombarded by media’s 

messages and idealizations of the perfect 

body types. In the world of fashion and in 

Asia, women all strive for the fragilely 

Stop doing the pinch test! Accepting your 

body is the first step in self-love 

skinny look while women in the Western 

hemisphere tend to prefer a toned, slender 

body. Men generally work out for the wellchiseled 

body. Of course, there are also 

other “ideal” body preferences out there; 

yet all these preferences are shaped by our 

culture. We are continuously working to 

attain that physical perfection of our 

cultures, but what is the physical perfection 

for you? What do you, as an individual, 

want for your body? Or what does your 

body want for you? Are you in 

communion with your body to know what 

it wants? 

Loving and accepting your body is the first 

step in self-love, the first step in what 

psychologists called self-actualization. In 

trying to achieve the hard-to-reach bodily 

ideals of our society, we are simultaneously 

disempowering ourselves because we 

judge, reject, recant and dislike the natural 

state of our physical being that is reflected 

by our bodies. How can you reach your 

highest potential without loving yourself 

wholeheartedly? How can you leave your 

body out of the equation of self-love? 

Our body is the temple for our soul: it is 

the home we have for this lifetime, if you 

believe in incarnation. People pay homage 

to temples: they love and respect the 

sacredness of the place. Shouldn’t we treat 

our bodies in the same manner? 

If you are on the spiritual path, perhaps 

you overlook the importance of physicality 

and bodily needs. The body can sometimes 

be perceived as having lower vibrations and 

is being regarded as a vessel that will 

ultimately be disposed of at the end of a 

lifetime. As infinite beings, we feel we 

should focus on nourishing our soul for 

spiritual growth and, ultimately, 

enlightenment. However, like any ideas, 

concepts and theories, this “knowing” of 

us creates the polarized notion that we are 

finite in physical forms, which further 

creates an underlying notion that the 

physical body is not (as) important and 

does not require as much nourishment— 

love, in this case—as the soul. 

I would like to now invite you to ditch the 

belief the body is secondary to the soul. 

Treat your body with equal respect as your 

soul: you need “soul foods”, but you need 

foods for your body, too. Try to establish a 

more conscious and mindful connection to 

your body. How does it feel? Are there any 

discomforts or points of unease within 

your body? Does it want water, food, or 

rest? Also, please ditch your beliefs and 

knowledge about what kind of foods and 

supplements are supposed to be good for 

you—your body knows better. Just try to 

tune in and listen to your body’s needs. 

Cravings are not always just cravings—they 

can be your body’s way to tell you what 

nutrients or foods it wants. In The Yoga of 

Eating, Charles Eisenstein states “each 

person is the ultimate authority on his or 

her bodily requirements, and that the body 

will reveal its requirements given sufficient 

attention and trust.” 

Perhaps some of you have read articles 

regarding the specific food cravings and 

their corresponding nutrient deficiencies: a 

craving for chocolates can translate to a 

magnesium deficiency, yet on the emotional 

level you might just want some love and 

happiness. Feel like some freshly baked 

bread? You probably need some nitrogen 

(as found in high protein foods such as 

chicken), and you might also want more 

security and comfort in life. Isn’t it 

fascinating how much you can learn about 

yourself by really tuning into the body? 

Learn to respect your body as an intelligent 

being. It knows what it needs better than 

your conscious mind does—unless, of 

course, you have already mastered 

respecting, loving and listening to your 

body with an open heart. Do not try to 

counteract your bodily needs. If you are on 

a diet and the diet is somehow making you 

grouchy and is suppressing desires for 

specific foods, then stop it. Of course, if 

you persevere through determination and 

self-discipline, your efforts will be paid 

off—for a while. But in the long-run, you 

are suppressing yourself more and more 

and you will come to the point of 

explosion because you have been fighting 

against your body’s needs through 

willpower. Instead of trying hard, why 

can’t we just go with the flow? As Charles 

Eisenstein puts it: “It is to trust your 

natural desire for pleasure, and to trust that 

your body indeed gets the most pleasure 

from meeting real needs. You trust your 

body and accept its requests. Instead, you 

come to a deeper and deeper understanding 

of what you want and what feels good. 

You relax into freedom.” 

This is the point where you not only come 

into balance and have peace with your body, 

you also start to love this physical aspect of 

you as part of the whole package. Try 

pampering your body. If you read a good 

book or listen to great music to feed your 

soul, why not try to have a good massage 

or good workout for your body? Try 

showing more love to your body from 

now on—it will be grateful and will reward 

you immensely. 

Kayla is an Access Consciousness 

Facilitator, Spiritual Response Therapy 

practitioner, aspiring psychotherapist, 

hypnotherapist and astrologer. 

kaylaleung@ymail.com 

27

Green Yogi 

Finding your Own Way to a Better Planet 

Janet Lau 

I was growing my hair long a few months ago, then changed 

changed my mind and cut it short again. Many were surprised to 

see me with this new look and asked me why I cut my hair so 

short. I told them, “as I was growing my hair, I noticed I started to 

use more conditioner, had more reasons to buy hair accessories, 

earrings (because earrings look better with longer hair)... and I 

thought to myself, ‘I could save more resources including time (my 

shower time was a lot shorter when I had short hair versus long 

hair), electricity (no need to blow dry my hair), water (quicker 

shower = saving water), money (no need to buy hair pieces and 

earrings), and other material resources (earrings and hair pieces are 

made from natural resources, and the environment is being 

polluted during the production process), so why don’t I just keep 

my hair short so I have more time to do things that are more 

important in my life?’ That’s why I decided to keep my hair short.” 

This illustration shows us that for you to read this article, there are 

many many conditions needed – some are more immediate (e.g. 

you have the time to read this article, Janet wrote this article), and 

some conditions are further down the path (e.g. the parents giving 

birth to the people who work at the paper factories, our interest in 

spiritual understanding). The fact you are reading this article has to 

do with many conditions coming together. We cannot pin-point 

one thing or event that stands alone without having a relationship 

with another thing, person, or event. This is what we mean by 

dependent origination, and it can also be called emptiness. 

I was surprised that most of my friends found it difficult to 

believe my reasons, and I realised we have many concepts about 

saving the environment and we do not challenge ourselves to look 

outside the box. There are many ways to take care of Mother Earth. 

I used to think saving the environment was just something we 

should do because lots of people said it is a good thing. I thought 

helping the environment was important, but somehow I did not 

see the urgency of protecting the environment. Many campaigns 

mention that to protect our environment is to protect future 

generations. I guess because I was not married then and had no 

children, I did not see any connection between me and the future 

generations. I thought, “by the time the global warming issue 

comes to a critical point, I’ll be dead, and so it wasn’t my 

problem.” Having said that, I would recycle whenever I could but I 

did not see the urgency to act now. 

Until one day, I heard a teaching by Zen Buddisht teacher Thich 

Nhat Hanh in which he explained how everything is interconnected 

and nothing can stand on its own as a separate identity. 

This is a non-dualistic thinking. 

We are raised with the notion we are ourselves, I am Janet and you 

are you. I have nothing to do with you and what you do does not 

affect me. This is dualistic thinking. However, if we look closer 

within ourselves, we cannot find one thing that can stand alone 

without having any relationship with other things, and this is called 

the law of dependent origination. Let me give you an example: 

I am writing this article because my friends were surprised to see 

my short hair, and I have short hair because my stylist helped me 

with the cut. My stylist has the skills to cut hair because he works at 

a hair salon and he chose to study hair styling. My stylist had the 

money to study hair styling because his parents supported him. 

His parents had the money because of their jobs. They had their 

jobs because there was a demand and clients were happy with the 

service provided. And you are reading this because there is 

Namaskar, this magazine is made of paper. To have the paper, 

there have to be factories to make paper, and there are workers at 

the factories, there are machines to make the paper, and there are 

factories to make the machineries. This could go on and on. 

Dependent origination and emptiness seem to be two different 

ideas, but they are describing the same thing. Dependent 

origination means in order for one thing to happen, it’s 

manifestation depends on having the right conditions. When the 

conditions are sufficient, the thing manifests; when the conditions 

are not sufficient, the thing does not manifest. 

Studying the above example, if we miss anything mentioned (e.g. 

paper factory workers go on strike or there is no Namaskar), you 

would not be reading this article. So we say this article is empty of a 

separate self because it’s manifestation depends on many other 

conditions. As you can see here, emptiness does not mean 

nothingness; it means there is a lack of a separate identity, or it is 

full of everything else. Thich Nhat Hanh would say this article is 

full of non-article elements. And because this article is full of nonarticle 

elements, is why this article is this article. 

When we understand dependent origination in our lives, we start 

to realize our well-being depends on the well-being of everything 

else. To be healthy, we need fresh and healthy food, clean water, 

fresh air, a healthy society, a harmonious community, and many 

other things. Because we know without clean water, clean air, a 

balanced eco-system, we would not be healthy. So, to protect the 

human race, we need to protect the non-human elements, which 

means we have to protect everything else with our best effort. 

When we understand our intimate relationship with other 

elements, then it comes naturally that we want to protect our 

resources, rather than just thinking it is a good thing to do. Because 

we know others’ happiness equals our happiness, and our 

28

happiness depends on the well-being of 

others. The health of the planet equals the 

wellness of human beings. When we have 

a deep understanding of our intimate 

relationship with everything else, then we 

instinctively want to protect the 

environment just like we want to protect 

our own children. 

There are many ways we can protect the 

environment, and one way is to live a 

simple life. The second mindfulness 

training* provides us a guides us 

beautifully in living simply and tapping 

into true happiness: 

Aware of the suffering caused by 

exploitation, social injustice, stealing, and 

oppression, I am committed to practicing 

generosity in my thinking, speaking, and 

acting. I am determined not to steal and 

not to possess anything that should 

belong to others; and I will share my time, 

energy, and material resources with those 

who are in need. I will practice looking 

deeply to see that the happiness and 

suffering of others are not separate from 

my own happiness and suffering; that true 

happiness is not possible without 

understanding and compassion; and 

running after wealth, fame, power and 

sensual pleasures can bring much suffering 

and despair. I am aware happiness depends 

on my mental attitude and not on external 

conditions, and I can live happily in the 

present moment simply by remembering I 

already have more than enough to be 

happy. I am committed to practicing Right 

Livelihood so I can help reduce the 

suffering of living beings on Earth and 

reverse the process of global warming. 

Protecting the environment is not limited 

to recycling and reusing. It also includes 

reducing. The simpler we live, the less 

resources we require, and the more we can 

preserve our environment. The more we 

observe our way of living, the more 

creative ways we can find to protect our 

Mother Earth, so for me it is to keep my 

hair short, for you, it can be to turn off the 

lights when you leave the room, for yoga 

teachers it can be to turn off the stereo after 

ending a class. 

Combining our small individual actions 

can make a huge difference. We can all make 

the world a better place, let’s join our effort 

together for a healthier planet and happier 

living beings. 

A committed 

student of 

Buddhism and yoga, 

Janet teaches at 

Pure Yoga, 

Causeway Bay in 

Hong Kong. 

*The Five 

Mindfulness 

Trainings can be 

found on the Plum 

Village’s website: 

http:// 

www.plumvillage.org/ 

mindfulness-trainings/3-the-fivemindfulness-trainings.html 

Janet’s AYC schedule 

7 June, 5:30pm - 7:30pm - How to 

Introduce Meditation Into Our Practice 

29

30

Ayurveda 

Karma & Health 

Mahesh Sabade 

Commonly we focus on karma as the effect 

of actions / illegitimate behavior that turn 

out to be a cause for bad fate. The meaning 

of the word karma is not limited to this. 

The word karma comes from Sanskrit word 

‘kru’ which means to do. So karma is the 

action and also the effect. 

Ayurveda and philosophical texts, 

emphasise the concept of karma. From the 

philosophical point of view as well as from 

the health point of view we see a definite 

connection between a cause and effect - 

karma. There’s a fundamental concept in 

Ayurveda called ‘Karya Karan bhava’ which is 

derived from Darshan Shastras (ancient texts 

that explain logic and the study of decision 

making). It says there can’t be an effect 

unless there’s some cause. This concept is 

explained with different types of causes 

which have the potential to create an effect. 

The principle of Cause and Effect is very 

commonly used in all theories. The science 

of Ayurved uses it at every level. The 

formation of a disease is always in relation 

with some causative factor. Seasonal 

changes, dietary, behavioral changes, 

thoughts all play a major role on the 

human mind as well as body. These 

changes, actions, indulgence in wrong 

habits can be seen as karma as can their 

effects on body. 

From minor health issues to major 

conditions, there are certain causes which 

trigger these ailments. There are certain 

diseases which are considered specific effects 

of illicit behavior. “Sinful acts” like 

disrespecting / misbehaving with elders, 

SadVrutta – the moral tenets, behavioral 

pattern that connects us to good health. 

Recently published research papers states a 

good lifestyle has potential to change the 

genetic makeup. A healthy lifestyle is 

nothing but the tool to manage karma. 

Furthermore strengthening the tissues and 

organs of the body will lead towards 

wellbeing at every level. This concept of 

building the tissues (improving immunity) 

is called as Sarata in Ayurveda. Having 

excellence of tissues yields good health as 

well as great virtues like happiness and 

success. In a way this turns out to be good 

karma to have fitness, vigor, and happiness 

throughout life. 

certain diseases are considered the effect of 

illicit behavior 

Yatra yatra dhuma: tatra tatra Vahni: 

(Sanskrit quote) - which means wherever 

you see smoke, there’s fire. 

This line explains the relationship between 

cause and the effect. It is in context with 

making diagnostic decisions using logic 

with available factors. This theory strongly 

believes nothing will happen unless there’s 

some cause / reason. 

Newton’s first law also is in the same line 

with this theory – every body persists in its 

state of being at rest or of moving 

uniformly unless it is acted upon by an 

external force. The concept of force is very 

important to create a change in the present 

state. This will help to understand any 

effect will be seen when some cause is 

acting there. 

Karma can be good as well as bad 

depending on the cause. In the spiritual 

texts, it’s always believed unlawful acts 

create a karma cloud which we carry 

throughout our life and further. This has a 

strong potential to create disturbance with 

the physical, mental and spiritual health. 

On the contrary good karmas make the 

mind and body healthier and the good 

effects can be seen in the form of good 

health, bliss and overall wellbeing. 

The concept of karma has a great depth. 

Technically what you do is karma (action) 

and what you achieve is also karma (effect). 

parents, Guru, Gods are considered 

causative factors for those diseases. A 

scientific mind might find it ludicrous as 

well as superstitious. For most of us the 

mind is such a great tool for regulating 

various functions of the body – directly or 

indirectly. When a person has created such 

an act, it produces tremendous turbulence 

on a psychological plane. This creates 

disturbance with body physiology and this 

in turn can create imbalance in the body 

leading to certain diseases. 

Our mind is a very powerful tool to keep 

us fit and healthy. It produces certain 

vibrations that in turn have specific effect 

on physical health, mental health and 

spiritual health. These vibrations which we 

understand by karma can either construct or 

destruct health. 

Mind, body and lifestyle including food, 

behavior and thoughts support each other. 

In other words a healthy lifestyle creates 

equilibrium in mind/body and creates 

health. Likewise a peaceful mind supports 

body, and healthy body supports mind. By 

having good karma of healthy lifestyle, one 

can build a stronger, healthier structure. 

Most cultures and traditions have social 

tenets, behavioral patterns recommended 

in society. Similarly Indian culture extracts 

its principles from Vedas and Ayurveda. 

The traditions, festivals, diet and related 

behavior have an effect that shows good 

karma on all levels. Ayurveda explains 

In the classification of disease, Ayurveda 

explains Adhidaivik as one of the types of 

diseases which emerge due to certain karma 

which lead to these illnesses. The treatment 

mentioned here is to use precious stones; 

chanting some specific mantras etc. This 

modality of the treatment focuses on 

creating certain vibrations in our body and 

help correct the karma related-bad effects. 

As explained by Swami Vivekananda, karma 

- the action is truly important to gain the 

knowledge which is the true goal of 

mankind, and not the pleasure. When we 

tend to gain pleasure more and more, we 

slip from the path and indulge in causative 

factors which cause imbalance in body and 

may create a disease. 

Karma yoga, the connection with good 

karmas will lead towards the fruitful karma 

of mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing. 

Mahesh is a doctor of 

Ayurveda, Anchor 

Teacher Vedika 

Gurukul CA, USA, Hon. 

Ayurved Physician to 

Governor of 

Maharashtra, India and 

Hon. Ayurved 

Consultant to Health 

Centre University of Pune, India. 

www.Ayurved.Net.In , 

Ayurved.net.in@gmail.com 

31

Event Review 

BaliSpirit Festival Sparking Worldwide Wave of ‘Yogactivism’ 

Shervin Boloorian 

BaliSpirit Festival is going from strength to 

strength. This year’s event which took place 

28 March – 1 April was declared Bali’s first 

really green festival, for its pioneering 

recycling policies. It also brought to 

US$70,000 the amount raised for various 

charities over the past five years. And the 

culmination is a potent new wave of 

“Yogactivism” to reshape the yoga world’s 

capacity to impact the world. 

In five years, community-focused “Spirit 

Festivals” in Indonesia (BaliSpirit), 

Australia (Byron Spirit), USA (East-West 

Spirit and Hawaii Spirit) and one planned 

for India (Goa Spirit) are sending signals 

that yoga’s civic engagement power is 

beginning to match its vast potential. 

One of the hallmarks of the original Spirit 

festival, according to BaliSpirit Festival cofounder, 

Meghan Pappenheim is putting 

the local community first. “I wanted to 

create an experience that would inspire 

people to not just reflect inwardly but to go 

out into the world and make a difference,” 

says Pappenheim. 

In 2008, the very first BaliSpirit Festival was 

initiated in the town of Ubud, which 

opened its first yoga studio (the Yoga 

Barn) in the prior year, and has since 

evolved into a yoga Mecca in Bali and Asia. 

Offering over 20 forms of yoga, dance and 

wellness workshops, the Festival’s unique 

blend of yogic mindfulness, uplifting 

entertainment, and inspiration for social 

action every year produces positive results 

for the Bali community. 

It’s the third year in a row the BaliSpirit 

Festival has supported the HIV/AIDS 

awareness and prevention program for 

Balinese school-aged children. HIV/AIDS 

in Indonesia is reaching epidemic 

proportions, according to Wikipedia and 

Bali’s recent up-tick in infection rates 

among locals has seen it flagged as a 

threatened area. 

BaliSpirit’s global impact is reflected by its 

ability to unify a diverse range of 

visionaries from over 47 countries at one 

forum. A series of discussion panels are 

planned for 2013, with one that will unite 

yoga practitioners from Iran, and countries 

Seeing the world from a new perspective - practitioners at BaliSpirit and other Spirit 

Festivals around the world are making a difference 

politically at odds with Iran, like the USA. 

The Festival has also joined forces with the 

Africa Yoga Project, an organization linking 

yoga to health education and community 

activism in parts of East Africa. 

Iranian yoga instructor and studio owner, 

Nobieh Kianyfard expressed how BaliSpirit 

Festival had inspired her before flying back 

to Tehran. She also noted how the practice 

of yoga was spreading like wildfire in 

Iranian cities; in part, she believes, because 

yoga serves as a way of bringing joy and 

celebration back to a community that she 

says has been isolated by years of economic 

sanctions and the threat of war. 

The BaliSpirit Festival features live 

entertainment from international stage 

artists who are also social activists in their 

home countries, expanding the scope of 

the Festival’s reach beyond just the yoga 

community. 

Back in 2007, Pappenheim predicted 

Ubud’s emergence as a holistic center in 

Asia, she may have also envisioned how 

yoga’s growing global appeal and its 

support for personal awareness and 

proactive social consciousness can be 

brought to bear to create significant benefts 

for society at large. 

BaliSpirit Festival will return to Ubud, 20 - 

24 March 2013 www.balispiritfestival.com 

A writer and peace 

activist, Shervin 

served as a 

government and 

community relations 

advisor for Middle 

East peace, proenvironment, 

and 

nuclear disarmament 

campaigns in 

Washington D.C. He is 

a certified sound 

therapy practitioner 

and graduate of the Tama-Do “Way of the 

Soul” Academy. He currently manages 

communications for the BaliSpirit Group. 

32

33

34

Workshop Review 

Ashtanga Vin 

inyas 

asa, a, Japane 

anese-s 

e-style 

Yoko Kikuchi & Nelson Ng 

This month’s cover features Japanese Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga student and teacher Kazuya 

Yanagimoto in an extreme variation of Eka Pada Sirasana C. He was in Hong Kong recently 

leading a four-day workshop which Yoko and Nelson had pleasure of attending. Here’s 

more about this soulful teacher. 

Devoted Ashtangi and surfer, Kazuya 

Yanagimoto was in Hong Kong recently 

for his first workshop here. His joyful yet 

challenging workshop combined Ashtanga 

and Stretch Yoga, and was very effective for 

hip opening and strengthening. 

A genuinely humble teacher, Kazuya taught 

us enthusiastically through a English 

translator (for the non-Japanese speaking 

students). And although it was his first 

time teaching in this was through a 

translator, all went well. 

Kazuya presented such a nice balance 

between freedom and strength. Too often 

rigidity is mistaken for strength; one may 

feel weak inside and therefore create an 

outer rigidity that gives a false feeling of 

strength. But freedom comes from having 

the inner strength necessary to let go of the 

outer. With his muscular body and extreme 

flexibility, Kazuya showed us outer 

softness is not weakness, just as there is 

strength in the flexibility of the willow tree. 

But on the other hand, one must not 

mistake flexibility for inner strength. There 

must be a balance between strength and 

flexibility, between inner and outer, 

between surrendering and resisting, in 

order for one to practice in the spirit of 

yoga. And this is how the practice asana 

represents the spiritual essence of yoga. 

Kazuya’s way of teaching is different from 

other Japanese instructors, because he does 

lots of hands-on adjustments. Perhaps it is 

his background in Shaolin Kung Fu, which 

he started practicing (age 4), which makes 

his style so different from other Japanese 

teachers. Or perhaps it is his love of surfing 

and being so connected to his 

environment. It was actually through 

surfing that Kazuya found yoga. He was in 

Bali, his regular surf destination that he 

was introduced to yoga. And to his 

pleasure his lower back tightness and 

repetitive injuries cleared up very quickly. 

In Japan Kazuya is in high demand as a 

teacher. In addition to being the head 

teacher at Udaya Yoga Studio, he also 

teaches at Be My Self, Yoga Tree, Under The 

Light and Wired Café Fit. 

In Hong Kong, however, the pace was of 

the four-day workshops was relaxed, with 

lots of time to get into poses and of 

course, lots of challenges. We all made 

progress physically, and in attitude, from 

the very positive energy we received from 

Kazuya. He kept reminding us not to push 

too hard to go beyond our capacity (which 

we tend to do when we start practicing 

asana). By teaching us Ashtanga and Stretch 

yoga together, he hoped to help avoid 

injury, release tension and calm our mind, 

as Kazuya said. 

Thanks to Kazuya and his joyous and 

humble spirit, we saw the essence of 

creativity lies in the balance between control 

and surrender. Yoga teaches you to have 

the strength to take life in your own hands 

and direct it, as well as the wisdom to 

know when to let go so life can lead you. 

Yoko was introduced 

to yoga in 2009 when 

she wanted to 

strengthen her 

muscles for 

marathon. Since then 

she has taken an 

Advanced Hatha Yoga 

teacher training in 

Hong Kong with 

Yogananth Andiappan, and her practice 

now explores the spiritual aspects of yoga. 

Nelson, a yoga and 

Tai-chi practitioner, 

employs holistic bodycentered 

approaches 

to assist people in 

integrating and 

transforming 

themselves through 

movement. He is also a 

Hong Kong-based 

registered physiotherapist and Gyrotonic ® 

instructor. 

Kazuya Yanagimoto 

Upon his return to Tokyo, Kazuya went on 

to study with Japan’s most famous 

Ashtangi Ken Harakuma, and also Goabased 

Ashtanga teachers Rolf and Marci. 

35

Teacher Training Review 

Rainbow Kids Yoga Teacher Training - Going Beyond Yourself 

June Chan 

Who could have thought children have 

inspired me the most in my journey of 

personal growth? For the past three years, 

I’ve been working with them. Children 

have pure souls. They’re not afraid to 

express themselves through their body 

language. They tell you what’s going on in 

their little brain, without filtering anything 

out. Somehow they motivated me to join 

Rainbow Kids Yoga this past April. It was 

a three-day “Yoga for Kids and Families” 

teacher training in Hong Kong. 

I felt the energetic vibe the moment I 

stepped into the studio. The class was 

welcomed by Lei, our trainer who is based 

in Japan and is the Asian ambassador for 

Rainbow Kids Yoga. She is definitely one 

of the craziest yoga teachers I’ve ever met. 

She laughs like thunder, screams like a mad 

woman, moves like a monkey and has a 

strong voice that commands attention 

instantly. She showed us how to open a 

class through “Human Mandala”. We sat in 

a circle with our knees touching, rubbing 

our hands together and then placing our 

heated palms on each other’s cheeks. This 

was followed by group shoulder and foot 

massage. This exercise broke the ice 

amongst the group in no time. 

Our first group Surya Namaskar – “The 

Sun Dance” began with Lei. First, the 

leader, struck a pose. Then the person on 

the right followed and so that pose flowed 

around the circle until it reached back to Lei, 

where the second pose began and 

continued in the circle like a wave. It was 

definitely a challenge as we needed pure 

focus. The moment your mind wandered, 

the cycle of the wave would be disrupted. 

Just when I thought “The Sun Dance” was 

mind blowing, Lei wowed us with even 

more innovative yoga practices with the use 

of props. 

For kids yoga, props are the core of each 

class. The selection can be anything from 

the most common yoga cards, storybooks 

and animal soft toys to outrageous choices 

like pirate kits to create themed yoga classes. 

Sticks ranging from chopsticks to 

drumsticks are also clever props to form 

bonds and trust between two people. Each 

pair balances two sticks by pushing them 

against each other to walk around the room 

or even to strike a pose – all without 

dropping the sticks. All these alternative 

Learning a lot from acting like a kid, June and the other trainees at the Rainbow Kids TTC 

ways to practice yoga opened my eyes and 

pushed me out of my comfort zone. I had 

to get wild to be present to enjoy the 

training to the fullest. We had a crazy 

morning that slowed down with seated 

lectures in the afternoon. We learned which 

types of sequences are good for different 

age groups and of course how to organise 

and manage a class of up to 20 active kids 

who can’t wait to do yoga with props. 

On day two, we kicked off the morning 

with acrobat yoga. We learned to work with 

a partner as well as in a group. The acrobat 

yoga led to “Yoga Gym”, which was a 

series of sweaty workouts from training 

the core to thighs. In Rainbow Kids Yoga, 

all their poses and flows have creative 

names. At the training, we were encouraged 

to come up with our own sets of lesson 

plans, which pushed us to think outside 

the box. After the morning training had 

zoomed past, we had hands-on experience 

working with the kids and families in the 

afternoon through a public community 

yoga class. We got to observe and help Lei 

organise, prepare and assist the group class. 

More practical skills were introduced to us 

on the last day. Ending a children’s yoga 

class doesn’t necessarily need to be still and 

in silence. “Quiet Time” can still be 

achieved with breathing exercises, listening 

to stories or massaging each other before 

they go to Savasana, which is usually guided 

imagination to take them onto a magical 

journey within themselves. 

My experience from this training was 

unexpected. It inspired me, in more ways 

than one, to apply the things I learned even 

to adult yoga classes. Yoga practice can be a 

beautiful story in itself. As a teacher, I can 

take my students on yoga journeys to give 

them room for imagination, while 

combining yoga to assist each person to 

reach their destination. The unity involved 

in kids yoga allows me to truly experience 

“yoke” – the Sanskrit word for yoga, 

meaning to join and to unite. 

It always takes time for a person to warm 

up and feel confident in a group. Yet in 

kids yoga, the second you walk into the 

studio, you’ve leapt out of your comfort 

zone. My biggest weakness is breaking the 

ice with strangers. Learning to go beyond 

myself is a continuous test. With this 

training, I’m proud to say I’m one step 

closer. 

June is a former 

journalist who now 

teaches yoga at 

various studios in 

Hong Kong. 

chanjunews@gmail.com 

36

37

38

Kids Yoga 

Enjoying Yoga with Children 

Laura Shore 

Yoga for children is gaining popularity. 

Children can take classes at yoga studios, or 

they may enjoy yoga breaks in the 

classroom at school. There are many 

excellent books and DVDs available, which 

make yoga fun and accessible for children 

of all ages. 

Children do not always have the time or 

attention span to take a full 45 minute or 

one hour class, especially if they are new to 

yoga. As a yoga practitioner or parent, you 

may like to try a light-hearted introduction 

by sharing some quick and easy yoga poses 

with the children in your life. You can share 

yoga (by modeling the pose yourself) with 

children of any age. Trust your instinct and 

you will know which poses will work best 

and be the most fun for the kids you 

know. Once you get into the flow you can 

invent your own poses or modify the 

poses from your own practice to suit your 

mini practitioner(s). Here are a few ideas to 

get you started. 

Because they are breathing they are relaxed 

and because they can see you they can focus 

on what you are saying. Because their 

mouth is covered they might not answer 

you back! 

kitchen. Take down some tomatoes and as 

you breathe out, spread them on your toes, 

legs, body, and right up into your hair 

(yukky!). Reach up again for the next 

ingredient and repeat as many times as you 

POLAR BEAR POSE 

(adapted from YogaKids) 

Take child’s pose with open knees but 

rather than stretching your arms out in 

front or behind, interlace your hands and 

cup them over your nose and mouth. 

Breathe slowly. Kids love this pose! They 

are grounded (close to the earth) and enjoy 

the sensation of their warm breath on their 

hands. They feel safe because they can still 

see you and they feel nurtured because they 

can feel their breath. Engage them whilst in 

the pose by asking them why the Polar Bear 

covers its nose in this way? (Answer: Polar 

Bears are white all over except for their black 

nose. To camouflage themselves in the 

snow they cover their nose with their paws 

so predators cannot spot them). 

This pose can also be done sitting at a table 

– eg as a ‘take 5’ from homework or from 

schoolwork. I also use this pose if I have a 

message that I want to get across to a child. 

TREE POSE 

Most children are not able to balance on 

one leg until around 3 years old but 

younger children will nevertheless enjoy 

having a go at this pose. Use any variation 

of tree pose you enjoy. 

With younger children, try the following 

simple verbal instructions: 

Say: Tree Pose! Foot goes here (place foot 

on calf or thigh) 

Say: Hands ready (as you place hands in 

prayer pose) 

Say: Tall Tree! (as you reach your hands up) 

Engage the children by talking about trees 

whilst they balance and breathe in the pose. 

Talk about where there are trees in your 

local environment and what colour the 

trees are. You can discuss how trees help us 

to breathe and how we can take care of 

trees. If children get frustrated when they 

wobble, make it into a game by pretending 

the wind is blowing and encourage them to 

ground both legs so they are stable. 

SANDWICH POSE 

(based on Paschimottanasana) 

You’ve practised a few yoga poses and now 

you’re feeling hungry. Breathe in and reach 

your arms up to the top shelf in the 

like. On the final repetition, take a piece of 

bread to put on the top of your sandwich 

and then gobble it up from you toes to 

your tummy. This is a fun way to stretch 

out the spine, shoulders and hamstrings. 

Traditional yoga texts say paschimottanasana 

increases the appetite, so you may find 

yourself heading to the kitchen for real! 

LEGS UP THE WALL POSE 

For some reason, the children I’ve been 

teaching seem to warm to this pose much 

more than a traditional Shavasana. I think it 

could be the slight naughtiness of having 

your legs in a place where you don’t 

normally put them which appeals to them. 

Or perhaps, like many of us, they are 

simply drawn to the therapeutic benefits of 

this pose. Find a space big enough to 

practice side by side and use blankets and 

supports if you would like to. Relax and 

breathe for as long as feels good. You can 

place a small soft toy or a small plastic 

figure on the child’s tummy as their 

breathing buddy and encourage them to 

watch their breathing buddy going up and 

down as they breathe in and out. 

Here are a few more ideas you could try. 

Experiment to find what suits and as 

mentioned above, trust your instinct! 

39

TO RELIEVE RESTLESSNESS 

Bicycle Legs - alone or with a partner - 

stimulates the navel point 

Shoulder Stand or Legs Up (alternative) - 

can balance the thyroid to help relieve 

anxiety 

Table Pose - can strengthen and relax the 

nervous system 

Child’s Pose - relaxes the whole body 

TO ENCOURAGE BREATH WORK 

Children’s inhalations and exhalations are 

generally shorter than adults due to their 

lung size. 

Flower Power Breath - Reach out in front 

of you and pretend to pick a flower. 

Bring the imaginary flower to your nose 

and breathe in deeply through your nose. 

Breathe out slowly through your nose as 

you open your hand like a blossoming 

flower. 

Repeat with your other hand. Try to take 

five to six flower power breaths. 

Lion’s Breath (Simhahsanna) - Fun for 

children of all ages. 

Take 5 (from YogaKids) - this is supersimple 

but surprisingly effective. 

Sit in a cross legged position, close your 

eyes (optional) and hold up five fingers on 

one hand. 

As you inhale and exhale deeply, fold 

down one finger for each complete breath. 

Count 5 breaths like this. 

PEBBLE MEDITATION BY THICH NHAT HANH 

If you have a little more time, you could 

try practicing Pebble Meditation together. 

This can really capture a child’s imagination 

if he or she has the time to select and then 

decorate his / her own pebbles. Here is a 

brief summary of the activity: 

Sit up straight and relaxed and place four 

pebbles on the ground next to each of 

you. Pick up the first pebble and say: 

Breathing in, I see myself as a flower. 

Breathing out, I feel fresh. Flower, fresh (3 

breaths) 

Continue to practice the keywords silently 

“flower, fresh” and breathe together quietly 

for three in and out breaths, really being a 

flower and becoming fresh. The next three 

pebbles are: 

Breathing in I see myself as a mountain, 

breathing out, I feel solid. Mountain, solid. 

(3 breaths) 

Breathing in I see myself as still, clear water, 

breathing out, I reflect things as they really 

are. Clear water, reflecting. (3 breaths) 

Breathing in I see myself as space, 

breathing out, I feel free. Space, free. (3 

breaths) 

Details of Thich Nhat 

Hanh’s Pebble 

Meditation and 

templates at http:// 

mindfulkids.wordpress.com 

Laura teaches yoga to 

kids and families 

around Hong Kong. 

laura@greenfrog.com.hk 

or 

www.facebook.com/ 

greenfrogyoga 

40

Recipe 

A Super Raw Breakfast 

Moosa Al-Issa 

Starting your day with a nutritious breakfast helps set your physical 

energy and mental focus at a high level and keeps it there. Most 

people complain about not having time in the morning, but the 

good news is it’s easy to prepare a delicious breakfast smoothie in 

just a few minutes. My favorite smoothie is a combination of raw 

oats, raw cacao, almond milk, banana and hemp seeds. This shake 

is packed with vitamins, minerals, protein, fiber, and raw cacao; a 

super food that boosts serotonin levels to naturally increase one’s 

sense of wellbeing. 

Super Raw Breakfast Smoothie 

Because this recipe makes two 

large smoothies feel free to cut 

the recipe in half or make 

smoothies on two successive 

days. 

INGREDIENTS 

3/4 cup Organic steel cut oats, 

soaked overnight and drained 

2 cups Organic almond milk 

1 Banana, peeled and chopped 

½ cup Organic hemp seeds 

2 tablespoons Organic raw cacao 

powder 

3 drops Organic vanilla extract 

¼ teaspoon Organic ground 

cinnamon 

Agave nectar to taste (optional) 

METHOD 

In a blender combine the oats, hemp seeds and 1 cup of the 

almond milk and blend till it is a smooth paste. 

Add the banana, second cup of almond milk, cacao, vanilla and 

agave if you prefer a sweeter smoothie and blend till smooth. If 

you prefer a thinner consistency to your smoothie, add a little juice 

or water. 

Pour into glasses and enjoy your breakfast! 

Moosa is Executive Director of Life Cafe and 

Director of Just Green Organic Convenience 

Stores in Hong Kong. 

41

Diet 

Giving Bir 

irth to your Highest t Intelligenc 

elligence 

Stephen & James Costello 

“Sensitivity in its highest form is intelligence,” said Krishnamurti. 

His quote reminds us true intelligence is not a material intelligence. 

It is the intelligence of making your body the most efficient carrier 

of prana, Qi, or bio-photon energy. Doing this in a balanced way is 

what yoga, the union with the Divine, is all about. 

By contemplating the works of some of the world’s best minds, 

we understand what you allow in and out of the body, when done 

intelligently and in a balanced way, will enhance the body’s 

sensitivity, thereby creating intelligent life to which most aspire. 

Maxing your creativity and sensitivity will guarantee you give birth 

to the best manifestations in this life and beyond. As with yoga 

practice, it’s all waiting for you. You just have to make the effort. 

A SMALL PROBLEM 

Modern lifestyles of junk food, bad food, GMO, pesticides, 

herbicides, flavorings, preservatives, highly-heated foods, bad air, 

bad water, poor sleep, rob us of the basic working capital we need 

to create the most ideal future version of ourselves. Namely, it 

diminishes our energy and our Life-Force. 

If you can make a habit of accessing the best food, water, air and 

sleep every day, your reserves will be at their optimum and you’ll 

have ample energy to do what you like. You can create an even 

better future life for yourself as far as manifesting your ideal body, 

home, relationships and work experiences. You can consciously 

build your own intelligence and sensitivity to its highest form, by 

enhancing your prana, Qi, or bio-photon energy. 

OUR SYSTEMS ARE NOT CLOSED 

We breathe. We are connected to the atmosphere. We are not 

isolated in these divine “meat suits” but are intricately integrated 

with the earth, water, air, sun and stars. The breathing system is 

open. The air you breathe, its quality, rhythm and quality, all affect 

you in every moment. 

Drinking liquids is also an open system. The fluids of our bodies, 

like air, are constantly coming in and out. You are what you drink. 

Most of us know to drink as much clean, pure, non-chlorinated 

water as we should each day (1-2 litres, depending on your size). 

We touch the earth with bare feet to enhance our vitality. Yes, 

another open system. The ancient knowledge of the importance of 

connecting to Earth’s raw, free flow of energizing electrons is now 

being re-realized. If you haven’t checked out “Earthing”, please do. 

(www.Earthing.com) 

When you sleep you access the infinite energy of Source, Universal 

Energy, Non-Physical Energy. All resistance is released. Deep brainwave 

states are accessed. As we dream and forget, mind rejuvenates. 

Renewing and refreshing energy is accessed through the portal at 

the core of your being while you sleep. Dreaming and forgetting are 

essential to a healthy, balanced state of mind. 

And of course, the foods we eat affect us profoundly. Dr. Gabriel 

Cousens, MD says: “What you put in your mouth is both the 

cause, and the effect, of your awareness”. Research of the past 20 

years shows us a mostly raw, plant-based, whole food diet is the 

42 

key to healthy longevity and an energetic life. 

QUANTUM PHYSICS QUANTIFIES AND QUALIFIES 

During the 1990’s. Dr. Fritz Popp, an integrative biophysicist, came 

through with some game-changing science. He was studying cancer. 

Dr. Popp and his associates had developed highly-advanced 

instruments for measuring energy in living organisms. He saw 

people’s bio-photon energy was a way of communicating between 

cells and within the cells. In cancer he saw this communication 

broke down. There was chaos in the field. 

As yogis, meditators and intuitives, we know we can enhance and 

extend our life and its experience by consciously taking action to 

ramp up and maintain our bio-photon flow (prana flow). Food is 

important. Breathing is important. Water is important. Yoga is 

important. Earthing and good natural sleep is important. 

Below is a chart showing the results taken from Dr. Popp’s biophoton 

measuring devices. All peer-reviewed and independently 

replicated. Ref see: “Integrative Biophysics”, 2010 (Popp and 

Beloussov) 

HUMAN BIO-PHOTON SCORES 

Highest Record Holder 

114,000 units 

(Yogi/meditor who is fasting or eating raw, wild herbs, 

sprouted nuts& seeds) 

Organic Live foodist 83,000 units 

Baby 

43,000 units 

Organic vegan w/green superfoods 23,000 units 

Cooked organic food eater (vegan) 20,000 units 

Lowest Junk food eater 200-1000 units 

CONCLUSION 

As yogis we look to our practice of mind, body, and spirit to 

enhance our lives. Rather than constantly reminding yourself to 

stay positive, your sense of well-being can put you there 

effortlessly. You’ve got your vibe on. We can further our objectives 

by breathing, drinking, sleeping, dreaming and eating with a view 

to giving birth to a new and enhanced self in every moment. Dr. 

Popp’s works help to qualify in physical terms a simple way to 

engender the highest health and intelligence available to a human 

body: the intelligence of sensitivity. By incorporating these practices 

we will have the most functionally operative physical, mental and 

spiritual powers at our finger tips. Rather than letting life happen 

to you, you will happen to your Life. 

Brothers, and dentists by 

training, Stephen and 

James are founders of 

Stephen James Luxury 

Organics, a Macau-based 

line of food-on-the-go with 

minimal processing and no 

chemicals or additives. 

www.sjluxury.com

43

44

Yoga Teachers & Studios 

AGAMA YOGA SCHOOL 

& ANANDA WELLNESS 

RESORT 

42/4, Moo 8, Srithanu, Koh 

Phangan, Surat Thani 84280, 

Thailand 

s: Tantra, Kundalini, workshops, 

retreats, meditation 

l: English 

t: (66) 892 330 217 

e: info@agamayoga.com 

w: www.agamayayoga.com 

AMICO STUDIO 

2/4/F, 167 - 169 Hennessy Rd, 

Wanchai, Hong Kong 

s: Hot, Hatha, Ashtanga 

l: English, Cantonese 

t: (852) 2827 9233 

e: studio@amico.com.hk 

w: www.amico.com.hk 

ANAHATA VILLAS & 

SPA RESORT 

Ubud, Bali, Indonesia 

s: group retreats, yoga for 

privates & corporates. Studio 

rental available. 

l: Indonesian & English 

t: (62) 361 8987 991 / 8987 992 

f: (62) 361 8987 804 

e: sm@anahataresort.com / 

info@anahataresort.com 

w: www.anahataresort.com 

ANAHATA YOGA 

18/F Lyndhurst Tower, 1 

Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, Hong 

Kong 

s: Hatha, Ashtanga, Yoga 

therapy, Yin and more. Groups 

& privates 

t: (852) 2905 1922 

e: enquiry@anahatayoga.com.hk 

w: www.anahatayoga.com.hk 

B.K.S. IYENGAR YOGA 

INSTITUTE OF MACAU 

174 Rua de Pequim, Edif. Centro 

Com. Kong Fat, 7A, Macau 

s:Iyengar 

t:(853) 2882 3210 / 6662 0386 

e:yoga@macau.ctm.netw: 

www.iyengar-yoga-macauchina.com 

BODYWIZE YOGA & 

DAY SPA 

G/F & 2/F, 1 Wong Nai Chung 

Road, Happy Valley, Hong Kong 

s: Private and group classes, Yoga 

for stress management, Couple 

yoga, Tantra yoga for couple, 

Jivamukti, workshops, retreats, 

spa, wellness consulting, holistic 

therapy, nutritional advice. 

l: English 

t: (852) 2838 5686 

e: yoga@bodywize.com.hk 

w: www.bodywize.com.hk 

Dario Calvaruso 

d: Hong Kong, Bali, Thailand, 

Europe 

s: Hatha, Vinyasa, Detox, Yoga 

Therapy, Yoga for Stress 

Management, Partner Yoga, 

Tantra Yoga for couples 

l: English, Italian 

t: (852) 9247 3938 

e: info@dariocalvaruso.com 

w: www.dariocalvaruso.com 

Kathy Cook 

Retreats, workshops, privates 

d: Hong Kong, Bali &Thailand 

s: Iyengar (Junior Intermediate 2) 

l: English 

t: (852) 6292 5440/(62) 811 387781 

e: kcinasia@gmail.com 

w: www.yogawithkathy.com 

Misa Derhy 

Yoga teacher and life coach in 

Dublin & worlwide 

Classes, retreats, workshops 

s: Hatha, Yin 

l: English, French, Czech, 

Spanish 

t: (353) 427 9117 

e: freehugyoga@yahoo.fr 

w: www.freehugyoga.com / 

fhytimes.com 

FLEX 

1/F Regency Centre (Phase II), 

43 Wong Chuk Hang Road, 

Aberdeen, Hong Kong 

s: Hatha, Vinyasa, Yin Yang, 

Core Power Flow, Kids Yoga, 

Yoga for special needs 

t: (852) 2813 2212 

f: (852) 2813 2281 

e: info@flexhk.com 

w: www.flexhk.com 

IYENGAR YOGA 

CENTRE INDONESIA 

Ruko Simprug Gallery 

Jl. Teuku Nyak Arif No 10W 

Jakarta 12220, Indonesia 

s: Iyengar 

t:(62) 21 739 6904 

e:info@iyengaryogaindonesia.com 

w: www.iyengaryogaindonesia.com 

IYENGAR YOGA 

CENTRE OF HONG 

KONG 

Room 406 New Victory House, 

93- 103 Wing Lok St., Sheung 

Wan, Hong Kong 

s: Iyengar 

t: (852) 2541 0401 

e: info@iyengaryoga 

hongkong.com 

w: www.iyengaryoga 

hongkong.com 

IYENGAR YOGA 

CENTRE SINGAPORE 

149B Neil Road 

Singapore 088875 

s: Iyengar 

t:(65) 9052 3102 & 6220 4048 

e:info@iyengaryogasingapore.com 

w: iyengaryogasingapore.com 

KUNDALINI YOGA @ 

SOL WELLNESS 

16/F Tin On Sing Commercial 

Building, 41-43 Graham St, 

Central, Hong Kong 

s: Kundalini Yoga, Detox, Raw 

& Living Food Nutrition, 

Holographic Health Scan, 

Ultrasonic Acupuncture, 

Corporate Wellness, Children’s 

Health, Body treatments, 

Homeopathy, Counselling, 

Kinesiology 

t: (852) 2581 9699 

e: info@sol-wellness.com 

w: www.sol-wellness.com 

Ming Lee 

Privates, workshops 

s: Iyengar Certified teacher 

l: English, Cantonese, 

Putonghua 

t: (852) 9188 1277 

e: minglee@yogawithming.com 

LIFE MANAGEMENT 

YOGA CENTRE HK 

Non-profit Classical Yoga School 

d: Tsim Sha Tsui 

s: Patanjali yoga, Kids yoga, 

Seniors yoga, Corporates 


t: (852) 2191 9651 

t: (852) 6349 0639 (Chinese) 

e: life@yoga.org.hk 

w: www.yoga.org.hk 

Ursula Moser 

The Iyengar Yoga Centre of 

Hong Kong, Yoga Central, LRC 

d: Central 

s: Iyengar Certified (Junior 

Intermediate II) 

l: English 

t: (852) 2918 1798 / 9456 2149 

e: uschi.moser51@gmail.com 

Anna Ng 

Privates 

d: Hong Kong 

s: Hatha yoga 

l: Cantonese 

t: (852) 9483 1167 

e: gazebofl@netvigator.com 

PURE YOGA 

Hong Kong 

16/F The Centrium, 60 

Wyndham Street 

t: (852) 2971 0055 

25/F Soundwill Plaza, 38 Russell 

St, Causeway Bay 

t: (852) 2970 2299 

14/F Peninsula Office Tower, 18 

Middle Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, 

Kowloon 

t: (852) 8129 8800 

9/F Langham Place Office 

Tower, 8 Argyle Street, Kowloon 

t: (852) 3691 3691 

4/F Lincoln House, TaiKoo 

Place, 979 King’s Rd, Quarry Bay 

t: (852) 8129 1188 

Singapore 

391A Orchard Road, #18-00 

Ngee Ann City Tower A 

t: (65) 6733 8863 

30 Raffles Place, 04-00 Chevron 

House 

t: (65) 6304 2257 

Taiwan 

151 Chung Hsiao East Road, Sec 

4, Taipei 

t: (886) 02 8161 7888 

Jenny Rockowitz 

Group and privates at Flex 

d: Wong Chuk Hang 

s:Yin Yang, Vinyasa, Hatha 

l: English 

e: info@flexhk.com 

w: www.flexhk.com 

Jenny Smith 

s:Children’s Yoga teacher: Hatha 

RYT200 & Radiant Child Yoga 

Program (RCYP) Facilitator- 

Kundalini 

l: English 

t: +852 6973 1792 

e: info@geckogyoga.com 

w: www.geckoyoga.com 

SHAKTI HEALING 

CIRCLE 

3/F 34 Wyndham Street, Central, 

Hong Kong 

s: Kundalini, Qigong, Guided 

Kundalini meditation, Yoga for 

beginners, Restorative 

t: (852) 2521 5099 

e: info@shaktihealingcircle.com 

w: www.shaktihealingcircle.com 

SPACE YOGA 

16/F, 27 An-Ho Road, Section 

1, Taipei 106, Taiwan 

s: Hatha, Ashtanga, Anusara 

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Inspired, Flow, Yin, Restorative, 

Power, Hot, Meditation, 

Pranayama, Pilates, Sivananda, 

Jivamukti and Yoga Nidra 

l: English, Mandarin 

t: (886) 2 2773 8108 

e: 

teachertraining@withinspace.com 

w: www.withinspace.com 

THE BREATHING ROOM 

42A Joo Chiat Place, 

Singapore 427766 

s: Prenatal, Vinyasa, Yin, Kids, 

and AromaYoga. 

t: (65) 8112 5827 

e: ashley@sacredfunk.com 

w: www.sacredfunk.com 

THE YOGA ROOM 

3 & 4/F Xiu Ping Commercial 

Bld, 104 Jervois St, Sheung Wan, 

Hong Kong 

s:Hatha, Ashtanga, Yin, Yin 

Yang, Hota, Vinyasa, Asana & 

Pranayama, Yoga Therapy, Pilate, 

Pre- & Post-natal, Mom & Baby, 

Yoga Kids, Belly dance & more 

t: (852) 2544 8398 

e: info@yogaroomhk.com 

w: www.yogaroomhk.com 

TRUE YOGA 

Singapore 

9 Scotts Road, Level 4, Pacific 

Plaza 228210 

t: (65) 6733 9555 

10 Collyer Quay, Level 4, Ocean 

Financial Centre 049315 

t: (65) 6536 3390 

Taiwan 

563 Chung Hsiao East Road, 

Section 4, 1st & 2nd floor 

Taipei 

t :(886) 22764 8888 

337 Nanking East Road 

Section 3, 9/ & 10/F, Taipei 

t: (886) 22716 1234 

s: Hatha, Power, Ashtanga, 

Vinyasa, Yin, Gentle, Flow, Yoga 

Dance, Pre-natal 

e: operations@trueyoga.com.sg 

w: www.trueyoga.com.sg / 

www.trueyoga.com.tw 

Wai-Ling Tse 

Freelance, Privates and Groups 

d: Hong Kong 

s: Sivananda certified, Hatha, 

Svastha Yoga, Power, Hot, Yin, 

Pranayama and Meditation 


t: (852) 9465 6461 

e: wltse11@yahoo.com 

YOGA CENTRAL 

4/F Kai Kwong House, 13 

Wyndham St, Hong Kong 

s: Hatha/Iyengar clases, yoga 

teacher training workshops, 

private group classes, corporate 

health programs. 

t: (852) 2982 4308 

e: yogacentralhk@yahoo.com 

w: www.yogacentral.com.hk 

YOGA on CAINE ROAD 

@ COSMO KIDS 

1/F Jadestone Court, 138 Caine 

Road, Mid-Levels, Hong Kong 

s: Kids, Privates, Meditation & 

healing, studio rental 

t: (852) 2915 8138 

e: ask@cosmokids.net 

w: www.cosmokids.nets 

Yoga with YoYo 

Yoga Alliance ERYT200 & 

RYT200. Offering asana, 

pranayama, meditation and 

scripture study. 

d: Sai Kung, San Po Kong 

s: Sivananda and YogaPrasadinfluenced 

asana, pranayama, 

meditation and scripture study 

for small groups and privates 


t: (852) 9302 3931 

e: info@yoyoyoga.net 

w: www.yoyoyoga.net 

To list your details here for the 

last issue of 2012 (October), 

please email Frances on 

fgairns@netvigator.com 

The cost is HK$530 for 

individual teacher & HK$1,050 

for studio. 

NAMASKAR LISTING AND DISPLAY Y ADVER 

VERTISING RATE 

TES S FOR OR 2012 

012 

(IN HK DOLLARS) 

Sizes & Prices 

Outside back cover $21,000 210 mm x 297 mm 

Inside front cover $2,800 210 mm x 297 mm 

Inside back cover $2,300 210 mm x 297 mm 

Full page $1,800 210 mm x 297 mm 

1/2 page $1,050 horizontal - 188 mm x 137.5 mm 

vertical - 90 mm x 275 mm vertical 

1/4 page $580 90 mm x 137.5 mm 

1/8 page $370 90 mm x 63 mm 

Teacher listing $530 (January - October 2012) 

Studio listing $1,050 (January - October 2012) 

Notes 

Advertisements should be submitted as high resolution (300 dpi) tif 

files (no pdf or ai files please). 

Payment 

Advertising fees are payable in Hong Kong dollars only to: 

Namaskar 

c/o Carol Adams, 1/F 46 Leung Fai Ting Lower Road, 

Clearwater Bay, Hong Kong 

Information 

Carol (852) 9137 9992 /carol@caroladams.hk 

Frances (852) 9460 1967 / fgairns@netvigator.com 

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Namaskar June 2012

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