Namaskar - Oct 2006

Namaskar 

A Voice for the Yoga Community in Asia October2006 

IN THIS ISSUE 

Letting Go• Is Yoga Religion • Tantra 

Photo courtesy of Nigel Gregory 

ngstudio@mac.com

Namaskar • A Voice for Yoga in Asia 

2

October 2006 • Namaskar 

EDITOR’S NOTE 

In this Issue 

Franc 

ances s Gairns 

We thought letting go would be an appropriate dristi for a 

two reasons: as we near the end of the year we take time to 

consider letting go of things which no longer serve us; as the 

Yoga Society has now closed, Namaskar has to let go of the 

“protection” and guidance of the Society it has been used to and forge our 

own path. 

Three yogis generously share their knowledge loosely related to this theme: 

Sri Radihka on Samskaras, Dylan on Aparigraha and Laura on Pain. Thanks 

to all, and to our other contributors, without whom this issue would not have 

been possible: Clayton for a lovely meditation technique; Paul for his strong 

views on practice; Kim for her insightful observations; Allen for his visit to 

Rishikesh; Linda for her voice; Frank for his comparison of yoga and religion; 

Alice for reporting on luxury retreats; Yoganaath for demystifying Tantra; 

Karen for being brave enough to write; Ken for reliving six grueling weeks; 

Valerie for tasting new foods; Tia for being sending us three contributions; 

Nigel for his cover photograph and finally Jenny for her thorough editing 

and constant support. 

And finally, what a wonderful show of confidence that yoga is here to stay, 

that in November, we see the launch of Yoga Journal’s Hong Kong edition. 

This bi-lingual publication will be published every other month and is a 

franchise of the U.S.-based magazine we have all be reading for years. It will 

contain articles from the U.S. as well as a lot of news and articles about yoga 

in Hong Kong. Look for it on your news stands. 

Dristi Letting Go 

Samskaras..............................................................7 

Aparigraha....................................................................9 

Good and Bad Pain............................................10 

Special Features 

Book review.........................................................12 

Internal Sunrise Meditation............................13 

Is yoga a religion................................................14 

Rishikesh.................................................................17 

Opinion - Doing what my body wants...........18 

Deepening into Practice.................................20 

Luxury Retreats.................................................21 

Awakening Tantra............................................23 

Lecture review...................................................24 

Teacher Training...............................................26 

Regular Contributions 

Yoga News...........................................................5 

Teacher’s Voice..................................................15 

Crossword ..........................................................28 

Recipe.........................................................................29 

Kids Yoga.............................................................31 

Hathi Yogi............................................................31 

Teacher & Studio listings................................35 

Enjoy the rest of your year, and look forward to seeing you again in January. 

Note to Teachers & Studio Managers 

If you would like to list your details in the back page of Namaskar 

throughout 2007, please send your payment by December 15 to guarantee 

your listing will appear in January, April, July & October 2007 issues: 

Individual teacher HK$500 or Studio HK$1,000 

Please make your cheque payable to: 

Yoga Services Ltd 

c/o Frances Gairns, G/F, Flat 1, 12 Shouson Hill Road West, Hong Kong 

Something to Share? 

If there is something you would like 

to share with the yoga community in 

Hong Kong and elsewhere (we 

distribute around Asia and even 

further), please email 

fgairns@netvigator.com 

3


EDITORIAL Environmental Yamas 

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle 

After practicing for a while an awareness develops that “yoga” does not end 

when we step off our mat. On the contrary, this is where our practice starts in 

earnest. 

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras lay out five rules of conduct or yamas to live by. These 

precepts give us guidance on how to act with our fellow man. If we look deeper 

they can also guide us in our actions as the current caretakers of our planet. 

The first yama is Ahimsa, or non-harming, non-maliciousness in actions, thoughts 

and speech. It is a commonly-held view that this non-harming should be extended 

to all creatures great and small, but what of our planet? With melting ice caps, 

holes in the ozone and air unfit to breath, surely it is time to look at the way we 

are treating “Mother Earth”. If we continue at the rate we are going we will 

collectively be responsible for ending the lives of many - so much for nonviolence! 

Another yama is Asteya, or non-stealing. This includes not taking what belongs to 

another without permission. Aren’t we taking resources our children and their 

children will need to survive in their lifetime? Would they give us the permission 

to do that? Or are we are stealing from the future to support our non-sustainable 

practices today? 

And what of Satya or truthfulness? This is the highest rule of conduct or 

morality. Are we being honest as individuals, or as countries, about the terrible 

legacy we are creating by our lack of regard for sustainability and environmental 

pollution? 

As individuals we are all works in progress, constantly changing and evolving. As 

yogis we know we have to practice daily to evolve towards an ideal. In order to 

make some changes to our global environment we need to put this same ethic 

into effect. We need to ask ourselves what small or large thing can we do, or 

refrain from doing, that will help the environment. All of our individual choices 

add up to making the world a better or worse place to be. Therefore, we are all 

responsible. 

First Reduce This critical first step of 

waste prevention has been a little 

overshadowed by the focus on 

recycling. 

Reduce stuff Simplify your life as 

much as possible. Only keep belongings 

you use on a regular basis. Make the 

effort to reduce what you own, and you 

will naturally purchase less and create 

less waste in the future. 

Reduce waste Switch from disposable 

to reusable: food and beverage 

containers, pens, razors, diapers, paper 

towels, shopping bags etc. 

Reduce tree products At home try to 

use less products from trees: 

• Use cloth napkins and cleaning rags 

instead of paper napkins and kitchen 

towel 

• Buy bleach-free toilet paper made 

from recycled paper with the highest 

post-consumer waste content available 

• Create and use note pads from once 

used paper, use a message board. 

Reduce energy Change to energy 

saving bulbs, switch off appliances and 

lights not in use. Only run the 

dishwasher and washing machine when 

they are full and choose the shortest 

wash possible. 

Over the next few issues we would like to introduce some tips that may help you 

put your good intentions into concrete action, or give you some ideas on how you 

can help. 

4 

Reduce water Turn water off while 

brushing teeth, washing hands or 

dishes. Take shorter showers. Wash 

clothes, towels, linens only when 

necessary and choose a cycle that is 

short and uses low water volume.


YOGA NEWS 

Detox Retreat in Koh 

Samui 

Cleanse your body, lift your spirits, and 

deepen your yoga practice during this 4 

day/4 night retreat on Koh Samui, 11 – 

15 October. The programme includes 

juice fasting, twice daily yoga, nutrition 

and cooking classes, goal-setting 

workshops, music, dancing, and 

meditation. Prices include 

accommodation, juices/food/ 

supplements, all yoga classes, events, 

and airport transfers. Flight not 

included. THB 16,500 / HKD 3,400 

(shared room), THB 20,000 / HKD 

4,150 (private room). For more 

information contact: 

lucas@absoluteyogasamui.com / (66) 1 

557 5103 / absoluteyogasamui.com Iyengar Workshops in Hong Kong 

Shirley Daventry French returns to 

The Iyengar Yoga Centre of Hong Kong 

About Namaskar 

ar 

Namaskar provides a voice for the yoga 

community around Asia. The publication is a 

vehicle for practitioners on a yogic path to 

share their own knowledge, learnings and 

experiences with others. 

Namaskar, is published by Yoga Services Ltd, 

quarterly in January, April, July and October. 

We welcome unsolicited submissions, 

therefore the opinions expressed within 

these pages are not necessarily those of the 

Yoga Services Ltd. 

Namaskar is distributed at no charge through 

yoga studios, fitness centres, retail outlets, 

food & beverage outlets and other yoga 

friendly locations throughout Hong Kong and 

elsewhere in Asia. 

For more information, to contribute or to 

order Namaskar, please contact: 

Frances, Editor 

fgairns@netvigator.com / 9460 1967 

Jenny, Deputy Editor 

jenthomas@netvigator.com / 9889 2022 

Deadline for January 2007 

issue: December 15, 2006 

Yoga Cen 

entr 

tral al Adop 

dopts s Co-Op format 

Hong Kong’s first yoga studio has 

stayed open iunder the stewardship of 

a former student. The eight-year-old 

studio opened by Robin Tassie, will be 

run on a co-operative basis, with 

teachers treating the studio as their 

own. Principle teachers: Nicole 

Ponsford, Kathy Cook, Randa Westland, 

Jesse Tong and Ingrid Wong will be 

teaching there. As well there will be 

Kids Yoga and Pilates on offer. New 

teachers are welcome to use the studio 

as a place to hone their skills with small 

classes. For more information contact 

Karen: yogacentralhk@yahoo.com / 

yogacentral.com.hk 

The Higher Teachings 

Vikas Malkani returns to Yogasana in 

January 2007 for three workshops on 

yoga philosophy: Higher Teachings of 

Yoga Level 1 & 2; Higher Teachings of 

Baghavad Gita; and Soulkids for 

children ages 6.5 to 13. For more 

information contact: (852) 2511 8893 / 

info@yogasana.com.hk 

November 17 – 22 for nine workshops 

for all levels of practitioners. She is a 

senior level Iyengar teacher and has 

worked closely with B.K.S. Iyengar. 

And in January, Birjoo Mehta will 

hosting workshops January 25 -28. 

Birjoo Mehta is an advanced Iyengar 

Yoga practitioner and teacher from Mumbai . He has been a student of B.K.S. 

Iyengar since 1975. Since 1984 Birjoo has accompanied Mr. Iyengar on most of his 

international journeys and conferences. Mr. Iyengar has often used him as a 

model on stage when teaching. In recent years, Birjoo has been giving Iyengar 

yoga workshops internationally. For more information contact: 

info@iyengaryogahongkong.com / (852) 2541 0401 / iyengaryogahongkong.com 

Yogasana Seeks 

Teacher 

Yogasana in Hong Kong is looking for a 

Ashtanga vinyasa teacher with two 

year’s experience, who has completed a 

200 hour certifcation and is registered 

with Yoga Alliance. For more 

information contact: Michel (852) 2511 

8893 / info@yogasana.com.hk 

5


YOGA NEWS 

New w Organic 

Supermark 

upermarket t to 

open in Hong 

Kong 

When Three Sixty opens its 23,000 

square foot store in November it 

expects to be the largest retailer of 

natural and organic foods in Hong 

Kong. A divison of Dairy Farm, the 

store will be on the 3 and 4 floors of 

The Landmark in Central. Inspired by 

WholeFoods of the US, ThreeSixty will 

source its produce from traditional 

artisans and producers from around 

the world. For more information visit: 

threesixtyhk.com 

New Packages in 

October at The Farm 

The Farm at San Benito, a holistic 

resort in the Philippines launches 

“Learning and Healing Weekends” in 

October only. The 5-days/4nights 

package comes with accommodations, 

yoga, culinary workshops on raw foods 

preparation, therapeutic art programs, 

spa treats and musical evenings at the 

resort’s amphitheatre. The special 

package, priced at USD 690/person 

based on twin sharing, is available 

September 29 - October 3 / October 6 - 

10 / October 13 - 17. 

Indian Feng Shui in Hong Kong 

Vaastu Shastra is the Vedic science of 

spiritual architecture, which teaches 

how to influence Nature so it works for 

you, not against you. Vaastu is enjoying 

a resurgence and is being used to 

inspire home selection and remodelling. 

Vaastu is used by practitioners to 

create happiness, health, fix 

relationships and financial problems 

and receive greatest divine blessings. 

Seeking Hot yoga 

Teachers in Thailand 

Bliss Hot Yoga is seeking yoga teachers 

with at least one year’s experience in 

Hot Hatha yoga for their studios in the 

beach communities of Rayong and 

Phuket, Thailand. Teachers will be 

expected to teach about 12 90-minute 

classes per week and should be willing 

to commit to at least one year. For 

more information contact Dylan: 

dylanniall@yahoo.com / (66) 9 249 

3306 

Certified Vaastu consultant 

Ramakrishna is coming to Hong Kong 

to offer Vaastu consultations for home 

and office and to teach Vaastu 

seminars in November. He studied with 

India’s top Vaastu experts and saints 

and travels to clients all around the 

world. 

For more information contact Swathi 

Maa: swathimaa@mailworks.org / 

www.kaleshwaravaastu.com 

Sri Aurobindo Society 

Starting October 11, there will be 

bimonthly readings of Sri Aurobindo’s 

works. All are welcome. DVDs of 

Sraddhalu Ranade’s recent lectures in 

Hong Kong are available in DVD format 

for just $150. The Society welcomes a 

visitor from Auroville, Pondicherry, 

October 20 - 23, 28 - 30, and November 

15-17 selling handmade natural 

products such as shampoo, oils, 

incence. For more information on these 

activities contact Nirmala Dani: (852) 

23674897 / nimudani@netvigator.com 

Mark Whitwell Tours Asia 

Mark Whitwell collaborates with Pure Yoga for his first Asian tour, visiting 

Singapore (October 6 – 8), Hong Kong (October 10 – 15), and Taipei (October 16 – 

18). Mark Whitwell has enjoyed a 

lifelong relationship with the teachings 

of Professor T. Krishnamacharya “the 

teacher of the teachers.” Mark has 

studied with Krishnamacharya’s son 

Desikachar since 1973. Mark places 

strong emphasis on yoga from the 

heart for the heart and will be 

presenting several workshops on how 

to integrate yoga into daily life. For 

more information call (852) 2971 0055 

/ pure-yoga.com 

6



SAMSKARAS 

Sri Radhika 

The word samskara, from the Sanskrit word 

“sam-s-kara” means “perfect deed” and has 

a two-fold meaning. Samskaras are subtle 

imprints (impressions) formed in the mind 

whenever we perform an action. Impressions are different 

from memories, but memories are formed from 

impressions, just like a photograph is developed from a 

negative. Generally, we only retain memories from recent 

impressions. Yet, we have countless impressions 

(samskaras) from many, many lives. Most of these 

impressions no longer have memories associated with them. 

In other words, the impressions (samskaras) from many, 

many lifetimes are affecting us but we do not generally 

know how or why they affect us, because we have no 

recollection of our past actions that caused the impressions. 

Samskaras are part of the cycle of Karma, which can be 

described as: 

Action (karma) -> Impression (samskara) -> Tendency 

(vasana) -> Thought Pattern (vritti) -> Action (karma) 

Our tendencies create thought patterns in the mind. In other 

words, our thinking becomes motivated by our tendencies. 

These thought patterns form our attitudes, our mental 

disposition and our general outlook on life. When a thought 

pattern registers again and again in the mind, a samskara 

(impression) is created. Accordingly, our thinking pattern 

leads to action (karma). We act in a certain way because 

our mind tells us that is how we will satisfy our desires and 

tendencies, which arose from the impression (samskara) 

made in the mind from an earlier action. A person’s likes 

and dislikes, indeed his whole character, is fashioned by the 

different samskaras he or she has accumulated through 

many lifetimes. Each object, each new experience, each 

new information acquired, is analysed by that person from 

the perspective of past impressions (samskaras). 

Needless to say, it is very important to be aware of the 

effect of impressions we form, and to consciously create 

positive samskaras within ourselves. As a simple example, 

if we meditate constantly on the form of a loved one, this 

form will eventually impress itself on our mind. Hence, 

many transcendentalists are wary of thoughts, sounds and 

forms that might create unfavourable samskaras. Even the 

most hidden thought pattern may suddenly resurface one 

day. Many yogis therefore try to engage in nivritti-marga 

(giving up all material impressions) to try and destroy all 

forms of thought patterns. Some even decide to forego all 

action in a bid to achieve this objective. 

Bhakti yogis however, adopt the path of bhakti-marga - 

engaging in devotional service to the Divine. By doing so, 

they rewrite new samskaras over the old. The following 

analogy illustrates this point: samskaras are like files 

written on a computer’s hard disk. When we delete these 

files, they are not necessarily destroyed, but their access 

paths are erased. The files still remain on the disk where 

they may be recovered intact later on (just as a thought 

pattern may reappear at some point in future). On the 

other hand, if a new file is written over an old one, the latter 

will disappear for good, and is replaced by the new one. 

Samskaras also mean traditional ceremonies, specially 

recommended in the Vedas for the benefit of humanity. 

These are purificatory ceremonies prescribed for every 

civilised person, from birth to death. Vedic Sacraments are 

performed at particular times during a person’s life and are 

considered rites of passage. Different milestones of life are 

marked by ceremonies that enhance the journey of the soul 

while on this planet. Since these occasions are very special 

such as conception, birth, the start of education and 

marriage, these milestones are marked by special sacrifices 

to invoke the blessings of the Supreme Lord and the 

assembled community members. 

Samskaras or Vedic Sacraments are highly beneficial in 

sanctifying and increasing auspicious influences. They help 

one to progress peacefully in life to the ultimate goal - 

attaining Absolute Truth - by smoothing the path of spiritual 

progress. They also work to rectify and sanctify 

relationships between family and friends, parents and 

children, husband and wife, master and disciple, and 

between all human beings on earth. They drive away 

negative influences and attract the blessings of the Divine. 

7



Some of the principal samskaras are: vivaha (marriage), 

garbhadhana (conception rites), simantonnayana 

(protection from evil influences), jata-karma (birth of child), 

nama-karana (name giving ceremony), anna-prasanna 

(feeding of the first grains to the child), cuda-karana (first 

haircut), vidyarambha (beginning of schooling), upanayana 

(spiritual initiation), and antyesti-kriya (funeral rites). 

What is the real purpose of these 

samskaras (purificatory rites)? 

Many mistakenly perform samskaras as an obligatory ritual, 

simply following a tradition that has been handed down for 

generations, without understanding its meaning or its goals. 

Still others use it as a means to obtain some material 

benefit, such as wealth, power or good fortune. 

According to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami 

Prabhupada, arguably the greatest exponent of the 

principles of Bhagavad Gita and Vedic Culture in modern 

times, “the true purpose of samskaras is to elevate one 

from ignorance to the platform of real knowledge - spiritual 

knowledge. By birth, everyone is without any knowledge. 

The performance of samskaras gradually brings a person 

who has no knowledge of spiritual life to the spiritual 

platform. As it is said, by the purificatory processes, one 

attains spiritual rebirth. That is essential. Human life is the 

opportunity for understanding what one is and what the aim 

of one’s life is. After all, we are part and parcel of the Divine. 

Somehow or other, we are now in this material existence. So 

the real aim of life is to return to the spiritual world, where 

there is no struggle for existence - only a blissful, joyful life. 

We want an unending blissful life, but it is not possible in this 

material world. That eternal happiness is in the spiritual 

world. So our aim should be to go there, and every human 

being should be given the opportunity to do so. That is called 

samskara, the process of purification”. 

How are they performed? 

Having established the importance and true aim of 

samskaras, the next question is: how can each of us observe 

these samskaras to attain the ultimate results? Generally, 

in this present age of Kali Yuga, the age of decadence and 

quarrel, few people are interested in observing any 

samskaras, as they are deemed too difficult. Some even 

call them regressive, due to a lack of understanding of the 

true value of samskaras. There is also a lack of qualified 

priests (brahmanas) who can correctly perform the 

purificatory rites. The Vedas clearly state the samskaras 

should be performed by persons who are qualified and well 

trained in this process. 

Some recommend practicing the eight-limbed Asthanga 

yoga path, comprising Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, 

Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi, to attain the 

same results of observing samskaras. Certainly this is one 

method, but in reality, it is no less difficult to perform. To 

correctly practice all the progressive stages of Asthanga 

yoga up to Samadhi (enlightenment), requires many 

lifetimes, as demonstrated by the great rishis (sages) of 

ancient India. For those of us whose life expectancy is 

barely 80 years, and focusing one’s mind on a single task for 

any length of time is practically impossible, it will take many 

more lifetimes to attain the desired results. 

Therefore, for the population of this day and age, the Vedas 

recommend one simple samskara that gives the same 

benefit as observing all other samskaras separately: the 

process of Bhakti Yoga and hari-nama sankirtana, or reciting 

the Holy Names of God. Specifically, the recitation of the 

Maha Mantra is highly recommended: 

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare 

Hare Rama Hare Rama 

Rama Rama Hare Hare 

This mantra is not some mundane prose whimsically 

composed by a poet in modern times. It is an ancient 

Sanskrit sound vibration that has existed since time 

immemorial. Neither is this mantra an artificial imposition 

on the mind. Rather, the transcendental sound vibration 

produced by reciting the Maha Mantra washes away the 

impurities of unfavourable samskaras (impressions) in the 

mind and heart accumulated over many lifetimes, and 

creates auspicious impressions in the individual, gradually 

re-awakening the divine nature inherent within him/her. 

What’s more, it is well within the capacity of every individual 

to perform this samskara himself. Whether one recites 

alone softly (japa), or recites loudly together with a group of 

people (kirtan). If one recites the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra 

correctly and with the right attitude, under the guidance of a 

8


spiritual master, all the above mentioned samskaras 

(purificatory rites) automatically become fulfilled. 

Auspicious samskaras (impressions) are then formed within 

the individual, and finally one is reawakened to his original 

spiritual identity. 

Sri Radhik 

adhika a is a qualified ied Ayurv 

yurvedic therapis 

apist t and 

studen 

udent t of Vendan 

endanta a philosoph 

ophy. . Toge 

ogether with her 

husband Vinod Sharma, Radhik 

adhika a runs an Ayurv 

yurvedic 

cen 

entr 

tre, , AyurY 

yurYoga International in Hong Kong. 

veera@iohk.com 

Aparigraha, A Practical 

Approach to Being a 

Happy Yogini 

Dylan Haddock 

The Yoga Sutra is a great book which almost 

all schools of yoga respect. It helps us see 

our commonality, and that we’re all on the 

same path towards unity. 

Aparigraha, one of the five Yamas which comprise the first 

limb of Patanjali’s Ashtanga yoga, is mentioned in chapter 

two of the Yoga Sutra. Aparigraha means non-possession or 

non-possessiveness. And there is one sutra which 

specifically mentions aparigraha and the effects of 

practicing it: 

Aparigraha Sthairye Janma Kathamta Sambodhah 

Chapter 2 Verse 39 Yoga Sutra of Patanjali 

This basically means: “By staying firm in nonpossessiveness, 

the Yogini will have knowledge of the 

manner in which she is born.” She will know how she comes 

to be born and thus will know of her past and future lives, as 

well as the present life. So that this and future lives can be 

better planned. 

In Hinduism samskaras are 

tendencies inherited from 

previous births which form a 

person’s propensities in this 

life. 

In Buddhism, samskaras are 

the product of ignorance and 

conditioned consciousness. 

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 

clopedia 

By letting go of our grasp on things, understand the past, 

live more happily in the present, and deal with whatever the 

future might hold. I myself have benefited greatly from 

learning to let go and letting God be exactly as it is. 

For example, when I am stressed, I try to let go of what is 

causing me stress and direct my attention to what is now. By 

letting go and letting God manifest in the present, I see I 

actually have more control than I ever could by holding on 

rigidly to an idea about how life either: (i) isn’t as it should 

be now; (ii) wasn’t as it should’ve been before or; (iii) won’t 

be later, which was causing me stress or anxiety in the first 

place. 

One of the most effective ways I’ve found to exit stress, 

and move into love and happiness is to repeat an exercise I 

learned from a book by the Vietnamese Buddhist monk 

9



Thich Naht Hahn. I start on the inhale and breath twice, 

repeating mentally: “inhaling, I calm my body, exhaling, I 

smile. Dwelling in the present moment, I know this a perfect 

moment.” 

“You have a choice. You can 

either choose to see that 

everything is a miracle, or 

that there are no miracles.” 

Anytime you need a little more peace and joy please try 

this. It can be applied and repeated anytime or place. 

The idea that this is a perfect moment is a great example of 

letting go completely, of aparigraha. You see each moment, 

but then it is gone. You can not hold on to it. If you do, you 

get stuck. Instead, simply breathe and see each moment as 

a perfect moment and you will have the key to being happy. 

Albert Einstein once said, and I paraphrase, “You have a 

choice. You can either choose to see that everything is a 

miracle, or that there are no miracles.” Personally I find it 

much more enjoyable to live in a miraculous universe. When 

I choose to see it is all a miracle, there is no reason to hold 

on too much to any one part of it. 

Holding on to something rigidly, including one’s thoughts, can 

result in a loss of our ability to appreciate the present 

moment and see where we’re going. Whereas simply being 

present gives us the power to determine our state, to move 

from stress into bliss. Thus we can start to see how we 

create our state and how we are borne. We can learn more 

about how our influence on reality works, and appreciate the 

lessons of the past, use the present in a worthwhile way, and 

plan for a future life of greater contentment. 

Dylan teaches and lives in Rayong, Thailand, a coastal 

city about three hours from Bangkok. There he is 

helping open a new w studio called Blis 

liss s Hot t Yoga and 

invites all to come practice by the beaches of Rayong. 

dylanniall@yahoo.com 

Good and Bad 

Pain ain in Yoga 

Laura a Walsh 

Pain is universal. We’ve all felt, at some 

point and to some degree, what the 

Encyclopaedia Britannica defines as “a 

physical response to a harmful stimulus 

followed by an emotional response to that event”. What is 

unique, though, is our personal interpretation of this 

experience called pain. It turns out pain is more of a 

perception and less of an automatic response to your body 

being hurt. According to psychologist Dennis Turk, ‘“pain 

affects our thoughts, memories, attitudes and emotions, 

movements and behaviours and in turn is affected by all of 

these”. Many experts believe, including my son’s karate 

instructor, pain to be an amazing teacher. “Pain is neither 

good nor bad. It’s your body’s way of telling you something 

interesting is happening”, shouts Si Fu as he guides his 

martial arts class. Others, including Sravaniya DiPecoraro 

and Michel Besnard, both yoga teachers for more than 20 

years, agree. “When pain comes up, you’re learning”, 

explains Sravaniya. This is not to say pain is a figment of 

our imagination and doesn’t really exist. Far from it. Pain is 

a real survival tool our bodies use to warn and protect us 

from harm. The goal when you practice yoga, is to 

distinguish between a pain that leads to an injury, from a 

pain sending you feedback on whether your body’s ready for 

a certain asana or if you’re even doing the posture properly. 

Sport or exercise in general, including Hatha yoga, will 

always produce some physical aches and pains. For a 

muscle to become stronger, it must be stressed at a higher 

level than it’s used to. Often referred to as “the burn”, it’s a 

sign the individual has pushed their physiology. As long as 

this discomfort disappears within a few minutes to a few 

hours and is followed by rest, health and fitness experts 

agree this type of “pain” is okay. Another form of muscle 

soreness occurring during exercise is called “delayed onset 

muscle soreness” or DOMS. Muscles that haven’t been 

exercised for long periods of time, respond to increases in 

10


stress levels by feeling almost bruised. This dull ache in the 

muscle usually peaks somewhere between 24 to 48 hours 

after you finish exercising. Even if you’re really fit, you’ll 

experience DOMS by going harder or longer than your body 

is used to. Again this discomfort is okay as long as it doesn’t 

continue for too long. 

Bad pain as a result of exercise almost always occurs in the 

soft tissues such as tendons, ligaments and cartilage. Too 

much stress placed on weak muscles causes the soft tissue 

to take over the workload. And since soft tissue responds 

quite slowly to the stress of exercise, they will tear, stretch 

or pop if worked too hard, too quickly. Although this type of 

pain is to be avoided, it often happens to people whose 

focus is solely on beating themselves or their competition. 

By not listening to the signals their bodies send them and 

only wanting to “win”, they invite injury. 

Yoga’s often assumed to be the “safe” alternative for 

exercise enthusiasts striving for good health. Many times a 

health expert will prescribe yoga to people already suffering 

from aches and pains. And yes, compared to other forms of 

exercise, yoga is definitely one of the most gentle on the 

body. According to statistics from the US, there are only 0.2 

injuries for every 1,000 times yoga is practiced. Up against 

running at three times that rate, and yoga appears pretty 

safe. Yet there still are people walking out of yoga classes 

with sore backs, pulled muscles and tendons. As in sport, 

the physical reactions to pushing your body past your limits 

are the same. If your muscle strength and flexibility aren’t 

ready for a certain asana but you force it anyway, your 

joints and ligaments will try to do the work. If they can’t, 

your body sends signals through receptors—nociceptors and 

proprioceptors to protect the muscle against 

overstretching, injury and pain. If you ignore these 

messages and force your body into “positions and work 

through the receptor pain, it’s a recipe for injury”, explains 

Rabia Shah, a Physiotherapist and Pilates instructor in Hong 

Kong who also has a regular yoga practice. 

Rabia Shah 

Just like in sport, injuries do happen if the intention of the 

yoga practice is misconstrued. For example, injury in sport 

tends to be tied to either the athlete competing against 

themselves or others. The same thing can happen in yoga. 

If you’re practicing to achieve something other than selfknowledge, 

it’s easier to become hurt. “There is no room for 

the ego,” explains Shah. People coming from a results 

orientated background will focus on making the posture 

“perfect” or trying to keep up with the person on the next 

mat. But in the long run, this kind of mental attitude only 

causes physical problems. When soft tissue pain hits, it can 

be a signal you’re not mentally and/or physically ready for 

that asana, you’re not doing the asana properly or as 

Sravaniya clarifies, “your pride has made you go further 

than you should”. She further explains that the power of 

pride is so strong, “everyone who practices gets puffed up! 

Staying humble takes real effort and discrimination.” 

But pride or ego may not be the only reasons for feeling 

pain in yoga. Some yoga teachers believe aches and pains 

arising while practicing are simply trapped emotions being 

released. “If you stop practicing because of the pain, then 

the pain goes back inside the body”, states Michel. “Only a 

consistent and mindful yoga practice will eliminate these 

aches and pains.” Carmen Ling Sephton – also a yoga 

teacher in Hong Kong agrees. “Yoga brings all the hidden 

pains and aches out to the surface. By modifying the 

posture or not going so deep, the energy keeps moving and 

brings blood to that area that is aching and helps to heal. 

You’ll see that the pain soon goes and that area will be 

stronger than before”, she explains. 

Yet, practicing yoga isn’t about developing a pain free 

existence. Rather, yoga provides us with the awareness to 

judge and often be indifferent to certain discomforts that 

come with practicing, just as it shows us how to be more 

accepting of the aches and pains in everyday life. Put 

another way, Sravaniya recently quoted Judith Lasater 

during a teacher training program by saying, “the body’s 

always full of discomfort, aches and pains. The only choice 

we have is the pain of not doing yoga or the pain of doing it!” 

Yoga is about gaining self-knowledge. It allows you to ask 

yourself why do I feel what I do whenever I do this or that 

asana. Pain gives us the raw data about our bodies and 

minds and it’s up to us to interpret this discomfort. 

With the tools yoga gives us, focusing on the breath 

11



(pranayama), meditation and the physical asanas, pain need 

not be feared or ignored. “In learning how to breathe evenly 

and deeply, as well as acquiring the ability to control the 

mind, injuries in yoga can be avoided”, says Shah. 

Meditation is the mental exercise that prepares your mind 

and gives your body the energy for the work it is about to 

do. It provides the relaxation necessary to do the postures 

so again we aren’t succumbing to unnecessary injuries. 

Regardless of why pain happens in yoga, according to Shah, 

“it’s the individual’s responsibility to be aware of what 

signals the body gives and adapt their practice accordingly. 

Thus a big lesson yoga gives us is, with no other person to 

beat in your yoga practice, not even yourself, there’s no 

point in pushing past your limits. As Patanjali suggests in 

the Yoga Sutra, “ the only requirements for asana is that it 

be “steady and comfortable”. Whether or not you chose to 

ignore or learn from the information often determines if 

you’ll have a long and safe practice or one riddled with 

injuries. Pain is your body’s way of communicating. You just 

need to learn the language. 

Laura is freelance fitness writer currently living in 

Carmen with daughter Mala 

Hong Kong. Before she began her journey on the yoga 

path, ath, she was as a triathlete, , runner and adven 

entur 

ure e rac 

acer 

er. 

It was while pregnant four years ago, that she became 

enamoured ed with yoga and now w practic 

actices s regularly 

egularly. 

Book Review 

A New Earth, 

Awakening to Your 

Life’s Purpose, by 

Eckhart Tolle 

Tia Sinha 

The German spiritual 

master, Eckhart Tolle, 

author of The Power of 

Now, wrote A New Earth 

to help people awaken. Awaken to the 

realization that emotions, thoughts, 

mind, body and ego have been 

masquerading as us, when they are not 

us. Awaken to the purpose of our lives, 

discovering our true nature. 

Using simple English, Tolle avoids 

spiritual jargon and confusing 

philosophical debate. He offers 

practical tips to handle the everthinking 

mind, stormy emotions, the 

pain-body and the hard crust of ego 

around our hearts. Tolle identifies over 

a hundred ways to spot the ego as it 

arises in one’s behaviour and thoughts. 

He suggests watching the ego and painbody 

without judgment rather than 

fighting them. The technique of 

watching without judgment is a doubleedged 

sword. It enables us to accept 

ourselves as we are. At the same time, 

it gradually dissolves the ego and painbody, 

transforming our character, 

taking us towards a more natural way 

12


Special Feature 

The Internal 

Sunrise 

Meditation 

Clayton Horton 

The Inner Sunrise is a 

style of meditation 

which aims to connect 

us with natural 

planetary rhythms. 

Traditionally yogis, fakirs, shamans and 

monks have awakened before sunrise 

to conduct their spiritual practice. All 

life on Earth awakens as the Sun’s 

early rays begin to fall upon the planet. 

The atmosphere is highly charged and 

provides the essential food to all living 

organisms. Being still and quieting the 

mind at this auspicious time of day is 

transformational on cellular, glandular 

of being, in harmony with others. 

As human beings, we have overemphasized 

the human aspect of our 

lives. The result - violence, greed, 

unhappiness, and the systematic 

destruction of the earth. Change for 

the better will come as we realize the 

purpose of human life, which is to bring 

into existence the being aspect. Chaos 

in the world today is a reflection of 

inner chaos, chaos in our minds. By 

creating a new heaven in our minds, 

each of us, without exception, can 

create a new earth. Tolle shows us how. 

Tia worked as a producer for Star 

TV in Hong Kong. She is travelling 

for or a year 

ar. 

(endocrine), energetic and spiritual 

levels. 

This practice is simple and can be 

experienced by anyone. Arise before 

dawn, have some tea, empty the 

bowels, sit in a comfortable upright 

position with a straight spine. Close 

your eyes, gently drop the chin a bit, 

softly place the tongue at the roof of 

the mouth where the front teeth meet 

the gums. Begin to turn your attention 

inward. Make a conscious effort to 

reduce the activity of the mind by 

listening to the sound of your breath. 

As the mind, body and breath become 

still, bring your inner gaze to the middle 

of the head where the right and left 

hemispheres of the brain meet. It can 

be helpful to visualise a small point of 

light, Yantra, Deity or Patron Saint. 

If you are familiar with the chakra 

system, spend three to seven breaths 

at each chakra. Begin at the base of 

the spine, Muladhara chakra. Move 

upwards one centre at a time, with 

discipline (Tapas) and concentration 

(Dharana). Work your way up the spinal 

axis to the crown centre, Sahasrara 

chakra. Eventually bringing your 

awareness to Ajna chakra (third eye) at 

the centre of the head. 

According to the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, 

the breath is the carrier of our subtle 

vital energy or Prana. And the Prana 

flows where our attention goes. 

Working with the practice of the 

Internal Sunrise meditation, one is able 

to harmonically distribute Prana in the 

body on a daily basis from the lower 

centres (root, sexual and navel) 

towards the heart and higher centres in 

the brain. 

“...meditation practice at sunrise will 

allow the practitioner to re-establish 

their own inner clock with planet 

Earth...” 

Living at today’s rapid pace, much of 

humankind has become disconnected 

from the natural rhythm within and 

without. This meditation practice at 

sunrise allows the practitioner to reestablish 

their own inner clock with 

Earth’s diurnal cycle of light and dark. 

Individuals will come to experience how 

their thoughts and moods throughout 

the day can be positively enhanced. 

Latent and dormant parts of the brain 

will begin to awaken. The pineal gland 

in particular is stimulated and the 

practitioner is able to establish a clear, 

illuminated way of being, known in 

yogic terminology as Sattvic. 

The primary purpose of yoga is to 

connect with the inner-divine. 

According to Patanjali, the compiler of 

the Yoga Sutras, a state of harmony 

with nature is attainable when the 

effort is sincere, consistent, and the 

practitioner is not attached to the 

results. 

Clayton is the director of 

Greenp 

eenpath Yoga Studio 

(www 

www.gr 

greenp 

eenpath 

athyoga. 

oga.or 

org) g) in San 

Francis 

ancisco. 

13



Is Yoga a 

Religion 

eligion? 

Frank Jude Boc 

occio 

cio 

When people ask if yoga 

is a religion, it first 

makes sense to ask 

them what they mean 

by “religion.” If what they mean is a 

creed of beliefs and dogma that must 

be adhered to, according to an 

established institution – most usually 

hierarchical and authoritarian – then 

the short answer is “No.” But if we take 

a deeper look into the original meaning 

of the word “religion,” we find that its 

root is in the Latin word “religio” which 

means “to tie or bind back”. It was a 

word used in horticulture, used to refer 

to the binding and pruning of branches 

in order to create a stronger and more 

aesthetic tree of shrub. 

In this sense, we find a similarity with 

the original meaning of the word yoga, 

which comes from the root “yuj”, which 

means to “yoke or to harness.” The 

English word yoke is actually derived 

from the Sanskrit, and both 

connotations of that word apply to the 

word yoga. It can mean “union,” or “to 

join together,” and it can also mean “to 

harness” or “to restrain,” and so by 

extension it has come to signify 

spiritual endeavor, especially the 

disciplining of the mind and the senses. 

Free of its institutional forms and 

meanings, the similar meaning of these 

two words point to the essentially 

religious purpose of all yoga practice. 

Yoga, as such, is the generic name for 

the various Indian philosophies and 

practices (disciplines), the purpose of 

which is to liberate the practitioner 

from the existential human situation 

described as duhkha. This is the 

experience of discontent, 

dissatisfaction and unease that we feel 

in subtle and not so subtle ways. 

Duhkha is often translated as 

“suffering,” but it was a word used to 

describe an axle that was not centred 

in its wheel. 

It is this sense of being “uncentred” or 

“imbalanced” in our way of life that is 

meant by duhkha. Yoga has been called 

“the psychospiritual technology 

specific to the great civilization of 

India” by one notable teacher. 

Now, out of this greater Yoga Tradition 

emerged what we may call the three 

major Yogic religious-cultural 

complexes of India: Hinduism, 

Buddhism and Jainism. So, in the giveand-take 

that is a natural process of 

“yoga can and is practiced by people 

with widely varying philosophies and 

beliefs.” 

history, the teachings of yoga became 

suffused with concepts shared with 

these three religious cultures. Yet none 

of these cultures are “religions” in the 

way defined in my opening paragraph. 

That is to say, none of them require 

adherence to a set creed. Indeed, there 

are contradictory teachings in these 

three “religions.” Also, none of them 

are centralised under a totalistic 

institutional authority. 

Many practitioners of yoga find it 

What do others say? 

We Googled “Is yoga a religion?” and here’s a sample of 

what came back: 

Yoga is not a religion and should not [affiliate] with any 

religion. T.K. 

.K.V. . Desik 

sikachar 

Yoga is the practical aspect of the inner side of man’s 

religion. Sri Swami Chidananda 

Yes. The words Yoga and Religion have an identical meaning. 

Yoga comes from the Sanskrit Yuj which means “to yoke” to 

the spirit. Religion comes from the Latin Religio which 

means “to link-back” to the spirit. Religion is also about 

ethical rules, regulations and religious rituals which are also 

found in the many aspects of Yoga. Classic 

sical al Yoga Hindu 

Academy 

No, yoga is contained within religions. Religion is not 

contained within yoga. Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati 

Instead of undermining their personal faith, Yoga can 

actually deepen it. Georg g Feuer 

euerstein 

ein 

14


Teacher’s Voice 

difficult to accept the teachings of 

karma, reincarnation and the many 

deities that are spoken about. And 

indeed there are yoga masters 

throughout history who have rejected 

these ideas. The notion of deities in 

yoga is more similar the idea of angels, 

or even more abstractly to Jungian 

archetypes of the collective 

unconscious. 

Basically, all forms of yoga agree we as 

humans have not even begun to tap 

our fullest potential. All forms of yoga 

assert we are mistaken in identifying 

ourselves with our body, thoughts and 

emotions, and posit we are something 

much more – boundless, limitless and 

unconditionally free. Yoga doesn’t 

expect us nor want us to just accept 

this idea on faith, but challenges us to 

test the hypothesis for ourselves by 

experimenting through asana, 

meditation, pranayama and other yogic 

technologies. In this sense, yoga is a 

kind of science, where the practitioner 

is both laboratory and researcher. 

Rather than accept anything on faith, 

we are free to allow our personal 

experience and realisation to shape our 

understanding. 

For this reason, yoga can and is 

practiced by people with widely varying 

philosophies and beliefs. One can 

practice from the perspective of a 

believer in God who wishes to devote 

her life to honouring and surrendering 

to God, or as an atheistic humanist 

intent on maximizing his fullest human 

potential of compassion, joy, and 

peace. Some believe in a personal God, 

while others believe in a more 

impersonal Ultimate Reality, and others 

have no interest in such metaphysical 

speculation. Yoga is primarily a tool for 

exploring the depths of human nature, 

of diving deep into the mysteries of the 

mind and body. 

Whether you identify yourself as a 

religious or spiritual person, as a 

Christian, Jew, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, 

an atheist, agnostic or whatever, yoga 

can aid all in becoming a more 

peaceful, calm, loving, compassionate, 

authentic person. The practices of yoga 

help to balance the nervous system, 

support the immune system, 

strengthen the skeletal and muscular 

system and help calm the mind. More 

than that, who can find fault with the 

yogic recommendations to live a 

virtuous life dedicating oneself to nonharming, 

truthfulness, compassion, 

tolerance, generosity and freedom 

from greed, anger and ignorance? 

Ultimately, through the consistent and 

dedicated practice of true yoga – which 

is essentially meditative – whoever 

takes up the practice of yoga will find 

themselves less conditioned and 

reactive in their life, and freer and 

more creative in their response to all 

their experiences and relationships. 

And that is the greatest gift of a yoga 

practice – liberation from our 

conditioned patterns of thinking and 

behaviour – freedom! 

Linda Shevloff 

What is your most challenging asana 

and why? 

It may sound strange, but I would have 

to say tadasana is my most challenging 

asana. It is the most basic pose – 

simply standing erect and alert in 

correct postural alignment with a quiet 

mind. However, when I stand in 

tadasana I am challenged by 

misalignments in my body that create 

imbalance. For example, at the very 

base of the pose, I must take extra 

time to connect my feet correctly. My 

big toes have a tendency to grow 

inward, so joining them and spreading 

my toes takes some concentration. 

From there I am aware my right leg and 

left leg are not the same, the right calf 

bowing out more than the left so my 

knees do not come together as they 

ought to. I bring my legs in as much as I 

can. The imbalance continues up into 

my torso where I have a slight scoliosis. 

I work to lengthen evenly on the right 

and left sides and to bring my 

shoulders in line. If I am not attentive, 

my right shoulder will drop below the 

Frank Jude Boc 

occio cio is a Yoga 

Teacher 

acher, , Interf 

erfaith Minister 

er, , member 

of the Tiep Hien Order of Thich 

Nhat Hanh, and student of Zen 

Master 

er, , Samu Sunim. The author of 

Mindfulness s Yoga: The Awak 

akened 

Union of Breath, Body 

ody, , and Mind, he 

travels wherever invited, offering 

workshops and retreats. 

judekaruna@aol.com continued on page 33 

15


16



Gone to 

Rishikesh 

Allen Fu 

John Lennon and 

George Harrison put 

Rishikesh on the “map”, 

in the eyes of the West, 

when they went there to study 

transcendental meditation in 1968 

Since then this town in the north of 

India has grown to be the yoga capital 

of the world. 

Rishikesh is located on the banks of the 

Ganges, with hills on both sides. The 

Ganges is one of India’s seven sacred 

rivers and is well maintained and clear. 

In the ancient Indian writings, 

Mahabharata and Ramayana, the 

Ganges is said to flow from the foot of 

Hindu God Vishnu, Preserver of the 

Universe. 

Every year in February/March an 

International Yoga Festival is held in 

Rishikesh. The Ganga Aarti festival 

includes classes on asanas, meditation, 

pranayama, demonstrations, lectures 

and special cultural programmes such 

as singing and dancing. 

When I arrived at Rishikesh, I found 

accommodation in an ashram which 

offered daily Iyengar classes. The yoga 

class started at 4 p.m. and lasted for 

two hours. Usually participants arrived 

at the studio an hour before to do their 

own practice. Unlike most yoga classes 

outside India, almost two thirds of the 

participants here were male. 

During my free time, I explored the 

area. With two bridges, Lakshma Jhula 

and Shivanand Jhula linking both 

banks, I easily accessed the various 

parts of Rishikesh on foot. The whole 

area has a very strong yoga 

atmosphere, lots of yogis from around 

the world come to study here. Posters 

advertising yoga courses, talks, 

pranayama, shatkarmas, meditation 

and retreat are easily found. Besides 

ashrams, most of the guesthouses and 

hotels offer classes on different types 

of yoga (Hatha, Iyengar, Asthanga, etc) 

and meditation. Apart from yoga, 

classes on Ayurveda, stretching, Indian 

dance, music, philosophy and 

spirituality are also found. 

Whether you come to Rishikesh for 

sightseeing, yoga, study or shopping, 

you will not be disappointed. The Ganga 

Aarti which attracts hundreds of people 

is performed by Parmarth Niketan 

Ashram on the bank of the Ganges 

every evening at sunset. The Aarti is a 

ceremony of respect to the river 

Ganga. 

During the Aarti, groups of priests and 

children sit in rows with deepas (oil 

lamps) along each side of the river. 

They chant prayers, sing devotional 

songs and offer their homage to 

Ganga, Shiva, Sun and the whole 

Universe. Devotees and visitors join in 

chanting and singing. They also bring 

diyas (bowl of flowers with a wick lamp) 

and launch them in the Ganga. The 

golden reflection of floral diyas in the 

river Ganges at twilight is one of the 

most enchanting sights of the Ganga’s 

Aarti ceremony. 

Since the Ganga is a sacred river, the 

water is considered clean and clear. 

Many people swim or bathe in the river, 

especially in the early morning. During 

the sunrise and sunset, visitors and 

priests meditate on the rocks along 

both sides of the bank. 

Rishikesh is one of the best places in 

the world to get books and CDs on 

yoga, spiritual, philosophy and 

Ayurveda. You don’t have to worry 

about over weight luggage, as most of 

the book shops offer packing and 

mailing services. It is also a good place 

to get rudraksh mala (a string of beads 

made of seeds of rudraksh tree), said 

to be the tear drops of Shiva. Besides 

ashrams, many pharmacy shops sell 

Ayuverdic medicines and health 

products. One has to bear in mind that 

Rishikesh is a place for holy 

pilgrimages and so is predominantly 

vegetarian. But if you’re missing home, 

don’t worry, you can also find Italian 

and French food there too. 

Allen Fu is a cer 

ertif 

tified ied personal 

fitness trainer who has been 

practicing yoga since e 1997. . He has 

completed his yoga teacher 

training in Hong Kong and India. 

17


Opinion 

Doing what my 

body wan 

ants 

Paul Dallaghan 

A line often mentioned by students about 

their practice is “I did what my body felt like 

today”. I believe it is good to listen to the 

body, as this indicates a highly developed 

inner sense. If this sense is operating accurately then one 

must have achieved a certain level in yoga. 

I would say when the body is fatigued, or when there is a 

fever, then this is the time to modify or not practice. But 

what I often see is students ignoring signs telling them not 

to practice , or more commonly, students using any 

condition to change or back out of a practice. 

Yoga is a powerful practice which has been given to us so 

our true self may be revealed. Yoga says our true nature is 

covered up by many layers, our thought processes and 

ability to comprehend things are clouded. The path of yoga 

has been passed on to help clean us up and pull us out of 

confusion. We all have within us the capabilities and the 

need to find this clarity, we just need to practice according 

to the science of yoga. 

It is self-defeating to say “I did what my body wants today” 

as such an approach keeps one in the same rut, going 

around in circles without any hope of growth. It is ego driven 

to think that “I” know better and go against what those 

wiser than us have passed on. The decision to not practice 

or deviate from what your teacher has prescribed is usually 

an emotionally-driven whim. 

If one follows a prescribed course for a period of time, one 

will see the results, observing rationally what needs to be 

changed or done next. But when we fluctuate with daily 

whims we achieve nothing. 

In the Yoga Sutras, the authoritative text on yoga, Patanjali 

points out the obstacles that get in the way of our practice. 

They are physical ailment, lethargy, unreasonable doubt, 

carelessness, laziness, undisciplined senses, imaginations, 

inability to reach higher experiences, and non-retention of 

the achieved experiences. 

Practicing according to “how I feel” falls under these 

obstacles. To conquer them Patanjali advises students to 

practice sincerely over time, with a focused mind and 

following the one-pointed practice a teacher has given you. 

Patanjali acknowledges obstacles will arise and one must 

practice to overcome them, even when one is injured. 

Perhaps a period of rest is necessary, followed by 

modification in practice. Through consistency and time the 

physical or mental ailment is conquered. By practicing even 

when we don’t feel like it, other obstacles aren’t given the 

space to sprout up and affect us even more. 

We should acknowledge that it is normal for the mind to 

rebel and lead us astray. And then we should remember this 

when the mind seeks variety, or a reason to not practice. If I 

am weak or have a fever then to limit, or stop my practice is 

justifiable. When I am not, then it is of most benefit to follow 

the teacher’s instructions and just practice. The state of 

yoga is a calm, undistracted mental state, ultimately beyond 

the fluctuations of the mind. 

There is typically a lack of understanding, by the student, of 

the subtle inner process that is taking place during practice. 

Only towards the end of a “clearing” or progression in their 

practice is the process understood. Changing or stopping in 

the middle of this inner change is like pulling a cake out of 

the oven before it is ready. 

So the practice of yoga focuses and calms the mind; in 

essence it builds tremendous mental strength. This can only 

be achieved when one follows the prescribed practice daily. 

If we pull back the wheel of time and look out over, 10 to 20 

years we will find much variation in practice. Yet we will see 

that it has come from progression. A certain practice was 

followed, a stage achieved, the next step moved on to, and 

so on. But we can so often get stuck in the immediate and 

suffer from this impatience and weakness of mind. 

The truest and greatest benefit comes from following a 

teacher-given practice each day. That practice then 

18


becomes yours to work within, to enjoy and experience. 

After a period of time a barrier is crossed and strength of 

mind and an awareness of the results is gained. When 

practice is done to one’s whim, constantly changing it around 

because “I feel this or that” the student will be left at 

ground zero going around in circles. 

So fight the urge to play around, stick to your practice and 

watch the mind develop and the heart open. Even when 

practicing the same system for so many months in a row, 

the experience within is constantly changing. To benefit 

from yoga, trust in the practices and advice, of those who 

have gone before us and achieved its end. 

Paul aul is the founder and direct 

ector or of the Cen 

enter 

ered ed Yoga 

oga 

Instit 

titut 

ute e which leads ads training progr 

ogramme 

ammes s and Yoga 

Thailand Retreat Centre on Ko Samui, Thailand. He 

enjoys his regular visits to Hong Kong and all the 

students at the different workshops he gets to lead. 

www.cen 

enter 

eredy 

edyoga. 

oga.com om / www.yoga-thailand. 

oga-thailand.com 

om 

19



Deepening 

into 

Practic 

actice 

Kimberly Roberts 

Somewhere between 

the extremes of effort 

and surrender lies the 

harmonious equilibrium 

called yoga. If what we mean by yoga 

is “union”, then we could say it is this 

union of opposites that makes the 

asana practice such a valuable tool. 

Each set of opposites meets 

somewhere in the middle, where the 

mind holds both extremes at the same 

time, essentially short-circuiting the 

traditional understanding of our 

learned, and thus limited, belief 

systems. I think of asana practice as 

the physical counterpart to “Koan” 

practice, the Zen tradition of using 

impossible questions to stop the mind 

in its tracks. In any posture it is 

possible to find these opposites and 

play on them. From this perspective, 

what does it mean to deepen our 

practice? 

A balance of opposites creates stability 

and harmony in the postures. These 

same qualities will also eventually be 

reflected in the larger context of your 

life. It is very difficult to find this 

balance without a formal discipline to 

practice. Not to show others how 

perfect our form is, but to learn the 

most effortless, graceful, delicious way 

to hold the form. Balance is about 

taking what life throws at you and 

using that energy constructively, so as 

not to be thrown or deterred. This is 

where deepening occurs. Not in 

striving or resisting, but in accepting 

and allowing. 

Practice is like a map: it can help us 

find our way, but unless we know our 

location on the map, it won’t be much 

help. We need reference points. When 

we practice, we learn our individual 

tendencies and habits: our particular 

styles of chaos. When we acknowledge 

where we are to begin with, we will then 

know how to proceed. 

“Obstacles are part of the practice. 

The edges of our experience show us 

where we can grow.” 

By concentrating our practice to a 

precise formula, we keep the mind 

happy by giving it something to pay 

attention to - a project. Eventually, we 

realise the project is transparent, that 

it is just a tool to help us see how the 

mind works. The mind is a continuously 

evolving process of impermanent 

content. So we begin to focus more on 

the process than the content. We take 

a posture, it disappears. While we do it, 

it is the most important thing, it takes 

all our attention, and we put forth our 

best effort to take the posture. Then 

we let it go and proceed with the next 

phase of our practice, with our life. 

Obstacles are part of the practice. The 

edges of our experience show us where 

we can grow. They are gifts reminding 

us to pay attention. This does not 

mean we let our obstacles take control. 

But unless we first accept our 

obstacles, and give them centre stage 

for a moment, we will have no 

understanding with which to develop 

new approaches. Our task is to find out 

where we are too tight and where we 

are too loose, and compensate 

accordingly. 

We all have obstacles: we make 

mistakes, and we have limitations or 

tendencies we wish we didn’t. But an 

obstacle, whatever form it takes, 

provides a structure from which we 

may view ourselves and go deeper. 

Obstacles are just reference points. 

Therefore obstacles are our teachers. 

How we handle them determines 

whether we deepen our practice, or use 

our practice as another mask for the 

ego. Our greatest strength is to be 

found in our most annoying weakness. 

Yoga practice teaches us how to relax 

into intensity. It shows us how to make 

our way into a challenging situation — 

how indeed to seek them out — and 

learn to breath there, without 

immediately looking for the escape 

route. Some of us will be able to 

achieve even difficult postures with 

ease right from the start. Some of us 

will never get beyond the simplest 

postures. If you accept your situation, 

obstacles and all, you will often find the 

key to change. It helps to understand 

that getting what we want does not 

necessarily make us any happier. A 

deepening in the practice occurs 

through tolerating the phases when we 

20


W 

don’t get what we want. 

People seem to be in such a hurry to 

advance — being a beginner is 

humbling. And humility can be a 

profound teacher, if we are brave 

enough to face it. Being stuck at the 

beginning feels like punishment, 

especially in a system such as 

Ashtanga where there seems to be a 

linear path to the advanced practice. 

The truth is, it makes no difference 

what the practice is if the intent is 

wrong. I have had students with 

gorgeous asana practices who have 

bad attitudes. I have had students with 

“bad” asana practices and gorgeous 

attitudes. I find the latter to be the 

more advanced student, and much 

better company. A healthy sense of 

humour is infinitely more important 

than whether or not we can touch our 

toes. Will it really matter on our 

deathbed how limber we are? 

What determines the depth of practice 

is the quality of awareness: remaining 

open to learning, being curious, having 

a childlike attitude of wonder. Asking, 

“What is this all about?” instead of, 

“Until we learn to be aware of our 

experience, we remain prisoners of 

our belief systems...” 

Yoga Retreats on the 

rise in Asia 

Alice Berke 

“How can I get it right?” It is so adultlike 

to want to do things right. 

Awareness does not make distinctions. 

Whether something is lovely or 

horrible, awareness stays present. 

Judgment is a sure sign awareness is 

lacking: it denotes an unwillingness to 

engage directly and personally. 

Judgment is a refusal to take 

responsibility for one’s own experience. 

Experience is the stuff of life. If we let 

it go by judged or unnoticed, we are 

missing our lives. Why do we practice, 

if not to connect more fully and 

The increasing number of yoga retreats 

being offered by studios here is a testament 

to the value people are placing on their yoga 

practice. And whereas traditionally yoga 

retreats have been more grassroots, the new breed of yoga 

retreat is truly five-star. Yogasana led the field with its 

retreats to The Farm in the Philippines, Pure Yoga is offering 

its second retreat to Kamalaya in Koh Samui, and perhaps 

setting a new standard for luxury retreats is Ming Lee, 

authentically with our lives? 

Meditation and yoga practice give us 

tools to tune into our personal 

experience, without judgment. As 

someone so wisely put it, “God is in the 

details.” Until we learn to be aware of 

our experience, we remain prisoners of 

our belief systems, with the key just in 

front of our eyes. 

A deep practice means the ability to be 

there for yourself, no matter what the 

weather may bring. If it means saying, 

“No!” and thereby provoking the 

dismay of others, then so be it. It may 

mean reaching out for help when you 

like to think of yourself as strong and 

independent. Depth means being fully 

present, whatever the situation. Above 

all it means being kind and smiling in 

the face of life’s continual changes. 

Kimberly has been studying 

Ashtanga with Richard d Freeman for 

10 years. She also studied with Sri 

Pattabhi Jois in Mysore and is 

authorized to teach the Ashtanga 

system. Kim teaches at The 

Landmark Mandarin Oriental in 

Hong Kong. 

former chairman of the Yoga Society, a certified Iyengar 

teacher and founder of YogaWithMing Retreats, 

who will be leading a retreat to the notoriously pricey 

kingdom of Bhutan. 

Ming shares her thoughts on why yoga retreats are on the 

rise: 

What has evolved in the last few 

years in the yoga development in 

Asia? 

ML: Yoga has grown from a small cottage industry in Asia to 

a full blown, trend setting industry as demonstrated by the 

proliferation of dedicated yoga studios, teacher training 

continues on page 34 

21


22



Awak 

akening 

Tan 

antr 

tra 

Yoganaath Dileep 

self-realization. Historically masters 

kept the science as a secret. This 

secrecy, lead common people to view 

the system as black magic, just like 

witchcraft was in the West. Centuries 

ago Rishis (sages) found that in the 

physical body there is a great force, 

two methods of practice: dakshina 

marga (right hand path) and vama 

marga (left hand path). It is this left 

path which combines sexual life with 

yogic practices with a view to exploring 

the dormant energy centers. This 

method was widely criticized by 

After giving some 

instructions to his 

disciples, Sri 

Sankaracharya 

(Advaida philosopher) entered the 

dead body of the king. By using the 

king’s body, he mastered Kamasastra 

(science of sex) to prepare himself for 

a debate with Ubhaya Bharati, a 

scholar and wife of Mandana Mishra. 

It is believed people who practice 

Tantra gain some psychic powers. This 

is one of the psychic powers or Sidhis 

known as Parakaya pravesa. Such 

beliefs have added to the mystical 

image of Tantra. To many Westerners, 

Tantra is perceived as a technique to 

enhance sexual pleasure, or a path that 

encourages free sex as a way to divine 

bliss. But some Western practitioners 

like Julius Evola point out that the 

Western interpretations of Tantra are 

based on sensationalism rather than 

the ancient teachings. 

Tantra is a short cut to self-realization 

or spiritual enlightenment. The word 

Tantra is derived from two words – 

tanoti and trayati, which respectively 

mean expansion and liberation. It is a 

pure science, which shows us the way 

to expand our consciousness and to 

liberate dormant energy. 

Tantra originated from India, and was 

practiced by many people to attain 

“Western interpretations of Tantra 

are based on sensationalism rather 

than the ancient teachings.” 

which they called Kundalini. This 

cosmic force is the greatest discovery 

of both yoga and Tantra. Activating 

this dormant force is the aim of Tantra, 

because through it one can attain the 

blissful state of Samadhi. 

Although the term Tantra has become 

quite well known today, people 

mistakenly think it is all about sex, 

rather than sex being an element of 

one of its paths. There are basically 

orthodox people because of barriers 

surrounding sexual life. 

It is believed Lord Shiva is the original 

founder of Tantra. According to 

Kashmiri Shaiva philosophy, which is 

closely related to Tantra , the entire 

universe is the cosmic dance of Shiva. 

In Tantric, life and consciousness are 

known respectively as Shakti and 

Shiva. And when Shakti unites with 

Shiva, then cosmic consciousness (or 

enlightenment) will be experienced. 

Tantra is relevant today because it is a 

practical path towards spiritual 

enlightenment. Raja Yoga and other 

forms of meditation demand certain 

disciplines over life. Tantra emphasizes 

practice to awaken the dormant 

kundalini (cosmic power). This energy 

awakened through practice will pass 

through sushumna nadi and at this 

stage all the charkas (energy centers) 

will open. 

Practice of tantra 

In Tantra, some practice of Hatha yoga 

is essential. One can start with asana 

practices including vipareetha karani, 

pranayamas such as Ujjayi and mudras 

23


Lecture 

such as Khechari. 

The first step in Tantra is to know the 

limits and strengths of our body and 

mind. The next step is to practice 

some techniques for expanding 

consciousness and liberating dormant 

energy. During the practice of Tantra 

the powerful mathematical forms of 

yantras and mandalas are used 

continuously. Yantra (literally 

translated as instrument) represents 

aspects of Divinity through interlocking 

metrics of geometry. Mandalas are 

charts, which represent the entire 

cosmos. Symbolically the Mandala is a 

microcosm of this universe from the 

perspective of the human being. 

According to Carl Jung it is a 

representation of the unconscious self 

- memories, dreams, reflections. 

Why Tantra? 

The modern world gives us many 

pleasures, but people still seem to be 

unhappy. People seeking happiness and 

stress release turn to yoga and 

24 

meditation. However, meditation can 

leave people feeling frustrated 

because they cannot control their 

minds in the early stages of practice. 

The average person may find 

meditation difficult if they try it before 

they have gained control of their body 

and breath through asana and 

pranayama. Only once this control is 

gained will meditation be successful. 

Tantra offers a scientific way to have 

transcendental experiences. To be 

successful in this path you should 

practice for at least three months 

under the guidance of an expert 

teacher. It is believed the energy will 

pass from the guru to the student 

directly while they practice together. 

When a guru (teacher) passes the 

energy gained by many years of 

constant practice to his student, he 

activates their Mooladhara chakra. 

The student then practices chakra 

meditation and chants bija mantras to 

raise Kudalini upward. The practice will 

continue until the Kundalini force 

reaches the Sahasrara chakra. At this 

point, the practitioner will experience 

cosmic consciousness. 

Born into a family of yogis in India, 

Deelip has been practicing yoga for 

the past 23 years. He has more 

than 8 years of teaching 

experience and has conducted 

many demonstrations around India. 

In 2003 he won the All Kerala State 

Yoga championship. . Dileep teache 

aches 

at mYoga & Calif 

alifornia Fitness s in 

Hong Kong. dileeptirur@yahoo.com 

All Life is 

Based on Yoga 

Karen Byrne 

Through the eloquent 

and beautifully-told 

story of our relationship 

with consciousness, a 

teacher of vast knowledge came to 

guide us through the myriad of 

sciences, human experience and 

potential. Here and now, this process is 

taking place. Here and now, we are 

catapulted into an inevitable 

movement of greater awareness which 

is changing our relationship with our 

selves, our lives, our planet and the 

universe, constantly. 

Sraddhalu Ranade from the Auroville, 

the Ashram of the Sri Aurobindo 

Society in Pondicherry, India came to 

Hong Kong recently and gave us a 

glimpse into possibilities beyond our 

current existence through a three-part 

series of two-hour talks at the Hong 

Kong Central Library in September. He 

tapped into his knowledge and 

experience as a teacher of many 

disciplines to explain an idea of 

consciousness we may be aware of but 

perhaps are not yet able to access. 

This consciousness started on the first 

day with “The Secret of Success” which 

asked listeners to question what our 

inner truth was. The answer, we were 

reminded, is love, peace, and seeking 

connection with a deeper truth. While 

we know these aspirations are evident, 

the daily activities of human life make 

it difficult to fulfill them. If we were to 

realise our true nature, the simple


realisation that everything we need is 

already within us becomes evident and 

we no longer struggle with what seems 

to be the way of the world. At this 

point, an alignment of the inner and 

outer world takes place, to bring about 

true success. We come to understand 

that our life embraces life, and this 

product of our consciousness leads to 

an evolution towards the beauty, love 

and bliss within. The expression of 

“Who I am” is the way of yoga, with the 

key point being that “what you are” is 

more important than “what you do.” 

The second day entitled “The 

Technology of Consciousness” 

triggered a few questions, and offered 

further insights and a more practical 

ways to identify with our 

consciousness. Identifying our personal 

space; our vital energy or prana (aura) 

is our environmental envelope which 

emanates most densely 1-2 inches 

around our body. When this energy is 

strong, we live in health; when it is 

weak, those areas become prone to 

invading particles, weakening our 

immune system. Sraddhalu reiterated 

that the simple act of changing one’s 

mental framework causes direct 

changes to our health. Thus we were 

brought closer to our conscious 

identification with the layer of energy 

around our body. This vital energy 

which could contain the blueprint of our 

existence, is also the energy around 

which our physical body grows and 

regenerates. It is a subtle matter which 

the mind can change. 

We were brought to the conscious 

awareness of the mind and the body, of 

the higher and the lower, 

interconnected somehow by this vital 

energy. Sraddhalu described 

experiments of biofeedback and yogis 

who demonstrated the mind’s ability by 

changing sub-conscious functions of 

their bodies. He explained the mind 

exists separate from the brain. This 

mind with its plasticity, its own set of 

senses and connection to the infinite 

source, has the ability to shift through 

the brain. As we inhabit our body, we 

carry the evolutionary process of all 

things that existed in the past. Our 

mind battles with our instinctual bodily 

habits, stifling the coexistence of our 

mind and body. 

The good news is we can change these 

habits. Through single-minded focus on 

the problem, together with the life 

force, previously unkown solutions or 

answers may arise. Any seeker of 

knowledge can use this awareness to 

break through and identify what they 

are seeking to understand. If we are 

seeking insight into a situation or a 

problem, gaining knowledge of the 

problem itself, then identifying with it, 

can bring a a solution. This 

concentration and will power is what it 

takes to bring about the truth - 

eventually into actuality. This is yoga. 

The key point here is to start with 

simple objectives and understand that 

will power only grows with application. 

On the third and final day, Sraddalu 

gave a succinct review of the previous 

talks: distinguishing between the 

subconscious and subliminal mind, then 

reminding us of our evolutionary path 

to recognise and actualise the 

potential of our minds. Then he went 

on to “Exploring Inner Worlds”, in 

which he highlighted the pinnacle of 

the mind, touching infinite and the 

revelation of the genius mind. 

As a loving, supportive teacher who 

truly wishes for their students to learn 

and experience the greatest gift, our 

speaker gently guided us through three 

meditations. Each one opened a 

gateway of awareness from different 

points of our body. Firstly, the point of 

“I am” consciousness from the mind’s 

self awareness or the third eye; then 

the point of the emotional “I am” 

consciousness or the higher heart 

chakra/thymus gland area; and thirdly, 

from the cosmic bridge of the crown. 

The most important lesson throughout 

was the bridging of our expanded state 

of consciousness with our lives and to 

respect the shrinking sensation we 

have as we return to our human 

existence. We were reminded the 

entire universe is a fragment of our 

oneness, and inner peace is an inner 

guide on which every decision could be 


25


Teacher Training 

A Pure 

Experience 

Kenneth Wong 

Pure Yoga recently held 

Hong Kong’s first fulltime 

yoga teacher 

training course and 39 

students successfully graduated from 

the programme on 19 August. 

Before undertaking the course, I was 

quite concerned it might be too 

rigorous. The tight schedule and long 

hours literally meant there would be no 

television, no newspapers, no going out 

and yes probably even less sleep than I 

was used to. So, was it all worth it? 

Looking back, definitely yes. The 

immersive nature of the programme 

was just what I needed to become 

more disciplined and dedicated to my 

goal to becoming a yoga teacher. 

In Week One, we were introduced to 

our two hour’s of vigorous Anusara 

yoga daily at 7 a.m. on weekdays and a 

3-hour practice at 9:30 a.m. every 

Saturday morning. The morning 

sessions were very often packed with 

up to 60 mats, as we shared our 

practice with other Pure Yoga students 

and teachers. With so many dedicated 

yogis, the atmosphere inside that 

studio was simply electrifying, which 

really helped us get going for the rest 

of the day’s jam-packed activities. This 

included lengthy group discussions, 

asana demonstrations and 

explanations by trainees, and paired 

teaching practices. After a long day of 

talking, chanting, and teaching 

practices, the day’s training would 

conclude with a one-hour asana 

practice that was somewhat less 

rigorous than the morning one. 

In Week Two, our regular morning 

practice and asana workshops were 

followed by afternoon anatomy lessons 

taught by Chris Kummer from 

Australia. His cheery, easy-going 

manner was a plus in helping us 

overcome our timidity with the 

technical nature of the subject. With 

the aid of Lee, our human skeleton, we 

got to explore the relationship of our 

muscles and bones within the context 

of some common yoga postures. Chris 

also gave us plenty of hands-on 

“The immersive nature of the 

programme was just what I needed to 

become more disciplined and 

dedicated to my goal...” 

exercises to explore various 

anatomical structures, during which 

time some of us gave each other muchneeded 

massages. Overall the anatomy 

and physiology sessions were fun, and 

at the end of the week we were sad to 

see Chris leave. 

Weeks Three and Four. With the 

morning practice and workshops now 

getting more intense, our attention was 

now focused on the philosophy and 

history of yoga which was taught by 

Frank Jude Boccio, a Buddhist teacher 

from New York and the author of the 

book Mindfulness Yoga. The lectures 

were very challenging as they involved 

many Sanskrit names and Buddhist 

concepts; yet I was riveted because I 

was delving into such subjects as never 

before. He also guided us through 

different meditation techniques that 

brought wonderful calmness to our 

classroom. Other subjects covered by 

Frank included the teaching methods of 

different types of yoga such as 

Kundalini and Bhakti. The complex 

Ayurveda system was also well 

presented and we learned to identify 

appropriate yoga practices for 

different types of doshas. Finally Frank 

signed off with a quick lesson on 

mindful hugging that I will certainly 

practice more frequently from now on. 

In Week Five, we were joined by eight 

new students for the final two weeks 

which was entitled “Preparing to 

Teach”. Their presence injected new 

energy to our class and everyone 

improved significantly in their teaching 

practice almost immediately. It was 

also the beginning of our video 

teaching in which six trainees were 

selected each day to teach portions of 

a 90-minute class. More senior 

instructors were also assigned to assist 

in our teaching practices which now had 

each individuals teaching more poses 

to a larger group. The extra 

instructors observed us very closely 

and offered many timely suggestions. 

By Week Six, with the end of the course 

approaching, all the trainees had been 

videoed by mid-week, allowing for more 

26


time for lessons on adjustment and 

sequencing of postures. Surprisingly we 

also got to spend time on guided 

journal writing in which we were given 

specific questions to answer. As the 

questions were of the soul-searching 

nature, it had a great emotional impact 

“...most powerful 

aspects of the 

course was the 

loving support 

that grew and 

grew...” 

on me. And finally, with the final 

examination completed and after a 

lovely closing song by one of the 

trainees, the course was over. Tears 

flowed as everyone spontaneously 

hugged in to form gigantic human ball, 

It was an emotional experience I don’t 

think I can truly describe in words. 

The emotional outpouring I think, was 

really a testament to the efforts of the 

two lead instructors, Patrick Creelman 

and Frances Gairns. They saw to it that 

everything ran smoothly and showed a 

great deal of understanding in how all 

the trainees were developing 

throughout the course. Both worked 

hard to impart to us what they learned 

from their years of experience - what 

works and what doesn’t. In fact, I think 

it is their teaching methods and style 

that has made Pure Yoga such a 

successful organisation. And learning 

from them is a sure-fire way to become 

a good teacher. 

More specifically, the asana workshops 

conducted by Patrick were really 

interesting as he led us step-by-step 

through the basic principles of 

alignment and the Anusara theories of 

energetic. His demonstrations and 

pointers were always easy to 

understand and we were always given 

ample time to ask questions. Perhaps 

even more effective though was the 

way Patrick conducted the review of 

our teaching performance on video. It 

was a real humbling experience for all, 

as Patrick pointed out the good and 

bad points. There were amusing 

moments and there were some brilliant 

ones, but it really didn’t matter 

because we learned from the bad and 

the good. Seeing ourselves teaching 

and receiving comments from fellow 

trainees and the instructors was a most 

effective tool in helping us learn the art 

of teaching and was certainly the 

climax of the programme. 

Finally, I should note that one of the 

most powerful aspects of the course 

was the loving support that grew and 

grew as the weeks went by. All of this 

was because the instructors 

themselves set the example and from 

their actions, we all learned to do the 

same. Their words were always 

positive, even when some of us 

deserved reprimanding And their 

words of encouragement were always 

very timely. The trainees just 

instinctively followed suit and like 

them, I was touched by all the loving 

support out in the crowd of bodies 

when it was my turn to face the 

camera. 

All in all, the six weeks was most 

interesting and invigorating, although it 

could be excruciating (from the asana 

practice) and even tedious sometimes, 

but altogether I have to say, it was a 

very fulfilling experience indeed. Yes, 

getting up even before Starbucks 

opens is tough, but as I fondly 

remember those days in the spacious 

sun-lit Tsim Sha Tsui studio which I 

called home for six weeks, it was really 

one heck of a ride. And as for teaching 

a real class? It will take a little more 

time and a bit more courage, but I am 

definitely on the right path. Oh, yes, I 

almost forgot to mention this, but 

some of my fellow trainees are already 

teaching and they are doing great, just 

as I predicted during the course. 

Formerly a corpor 

orporat 

ate 

communic 

ommunications trainer 

ainer, , Kenne 

enneth 

th 

now works as a freelance writer 

and English language tut 

utor 

or. . He has 

been diligently practicing yoga for 

3 1/2 2 year 

ars, , mostly at Pure e Yoga in 

Caus 

auseway y Bay. 

27


Tia’s Crossword 

ACROSS 

1. Inverted in Sanskrit. (8) 

3. First word of Sanskrit for Sanskrit 

for fierce one-pointed determination… 

“I Should do it, I Have to do it, I Must do 

it, I Can do it, I Will do it.” (6) 

5. Bow down for this intense stretch. 

(6) 

7. Third word of “Sutra which defines 

yoga as an end to the fluctuations of 

the mind.” (8) 

10. Language of yoga. (8) 

11. Sanskrit for ‘inference’, one of the 

three ways of arriving at right 

knowledge. (7) 

13. Sixth limb of Ashtanga yoga. 

Concentrate your mind! (7) 

14. Dangling asana! Hint, the movie, 

‘Run … Run’. (4) 

16. Faculty of the eyes or the mind to 

look inwards. It’s a way of arriving at 

right knowledge through direct 

perception, through knowing and not 

just knowledge. It’s a knowledge the 

mind knows nothing of, the highest 

form of knowledge there can be. (7) 

19. Yoke, Union etc. (4) 

20. Meditative Buddhism typically 

associated with Japan. (3) 

21. Universal language that can fire the 

heart with devotion. (5) 

23. Samsara, an eye-opening ….. on the 

workings of a monk’s mind, set in 

Laddakh. (4) 

25. Second word of important yogic 

text. (5) 

26. Second word of “Sutra which 

defines yoga as an end to the 

fluctuations of the mind.” (6) 

27. Kipling’s book that talks about a 

quest for the river of deliverance. (3) 

29. Manifestation of Purusha (the 

soul), meaning ‘nature’ in Sanskrit. (8) 

30. First word of Svatmarama’s text 

on yoga. (5) 

DOWN 

2. Author of Yoga Sutra. 

3. All in Sanskrit. (5) 

4. ‘Who am I’ in Sanskrit. (5) 

6. Crocodile asana. (5) 

8. … Bai, Indian princess who devoted 

her life to singing songs in praise of her 

beloved Lord Krishna, much to the 

discomfort of her husband. (4) 

9. Jumble ‘I mash a chap’ for Sanskrit 

prefix meaning west and referring to 

the back of the body. (9) 

10. The eight supernatural powers that 

could be acquired by yogis, but if 

acquired, they could become obstacles 

on the path to God. (6) 

12. Hindu goddess of dawn. (3) 

14. Padma in Padmasana and Padme in 

Om Mani Padme Hum both refer to this 

flower that usually grows in muck. (5) 

15. Third word of Svatmarama’s text on 

yoga. (9) 

17 Second word of Sanskrit for Sanskrit 

for fierce one-pointed determination… 

“I Should do it, I Have to do it, I Must do 

it, I Can do it, I Will do it.” (6) 

18. Jumble ‘hug amok’ for this asana 

named after the source of River Ganga 

or the face of a cow. (7) 

22. Second word of “Sutra that defines 

yoga as an end to the fluctuations of 

the mind.” (6) 

24. Reclining in Sanskrit. (5) 

26. Heroic asana. (4) 

28. Initials of Indian freedom fighter 

who passionately followed the two 

yamas of non-violence (ahimsa) and 

truth (satya). (3) 

Need a bit of help? ? Turn to page 30 

for the answers. 

28


Ayurveda Recipe 

Ayurvedic 

Cooking 

Valerie Wils 

ilson Trower 

The concept of 

Ayurvedic food (from 

Ayur-Veda: life science, a 

native Indian system of 

medicine) is 

complementary to a yogic practice. In 

fact one might say, Ayurveda is yoga 

therapy. Based on 5,000 year’s 

practice, Ayurvedic principles divide 

people into a combination of three 

categories or doshas: Vatta, Pitta, and 

Kapha. Analysis of the doshas and a 

diet of correction brings them in to 

balance improving health and wellbeing. 

You can read more about the 

symptoms and traits of each dosha, by 

visiting the website at the end of this 

article which was recommended by Yogi 

Vishveketu and Chetana Panwar during 

their workshop at Pure Yoga in 2005. 

Whilst it is possible to be analysed and 

be treated using Ayurvedic medicine in 

India, I was delighted to find that 

Ayurvedic knowledge is increasing here 

in Hong Kong. Laksmi Harilela, a chef 

and Swiss-trained hotel manager 

explained: “Ayurvedic food is a balance, 

colour, texture, emotion, and thoughts. 

It’s not just the physical appearance of 

the food. It has something to do with 

energy and nourishment.” 

Laksmi became interested in Ayurvedic 

cooking after close family members 

became ill and were suffering from side 

effects of Western medical treatment. 

She noticed her own health improved as 

she aligned her diet with Ayurvedic 

principles: “I was fed-up ailments, pills, 

and bad-skin. I wanted something to 

cure the cause, not the symptoms.” As 

she explained, Ayurvedic living is a way 

of life not just a way of cooking. A 

graduate of the New York-based, 

Natural Gourmet Cooking School run by 

author Anne Marie Colbin, Laksmi later 

trained as an Ayurvedic therapist 

learning to prepare raw food and 

macrobiotic diets. Lakshmi spent her 

internship making vegan wedding cakes 

for a New York catering company and 

later worked for Greens in San Fransico 

before returning to Hong Kong where 

she has established her own business 

supplying Ayurvedic private catering 

for parties, teaching Ayurvedic cookery 

techniques, and developing menus for 

people with special diet needs. 

Her past clients have included an 

organic food party for dogs and their 

owners in Sai Kung; an Ayurvedic tridosha 

(all three doshas) dinner party 

for eight people; teaching Basic, 

Intermediate, and Advanced cookery 

programmes in small classes 

(maximum eight people), and a 

“Kitchen Pharmacy” course - basically a 

wardrobe make-over for the kitchen: 

replacing ingredients with Ayurvedic 

approved ones. Laksmi is developing an 

organic course for helpers and has seen 

the benefit an Ayurvedic diet has 

brought to her and her family members 

including clearer skin, improved voice 

and memory, and gradual weight 

reduction (again caused by the side 

effects of Western medicine). 

Dhananjaya (or Dhana as he is usually 

known), is an Ayurvedic practitioner 

and yoga teacher whose family 

practiced Ayurvedic living without much 

explanation: “When I was growing up we 

all took Granny’s remedies, like hot milk 

with turmeric for a sore throat. It 

wasn’t until I became interested in 

Ayurvedic living two to three years ago 

that I understood that turmeric is an 

astringent: it is drying. It dries the 

mucus in the nose.” Dhana explained 

the seasonality of Ayurvedic cooking is 

important. For example, mangoes 

should not be eaten in the summer as 

they are heating. And rising before 6 

Dhana 

am each day prevents colds. Vatta 

levels are high in the atmosphere until 

6 am, after which Kapha increases. 

Kapha is associated with the earth and 

with mucus. As Dhana observes: “Why 

is Mysore practiced at dawn? Because 

Pattabhi Jois knows this too.” A close 

family member who took his advice has 

not suffered nasal congestion since she 

began to rise earlier, and chanting and 

meditating during her morning walk. 

Dhana notices he has had no reason to 

see the doctor since he began to 

observe an Ayurvedic lifestyle. As he 

explained, life is about choices: to 

practice an Ayurvedic lifestyle does 

29


mean giving up a party-life style. 

Dhana offers Ayurvedic diagnosis, an 

explanation of Ayurvedic principles, 

and advice on an Ayurvedic life-style. 

He sees this as a form of seva, service, 

in addition to yoga teaching, explaining 

that simple things which do not cost 

money can make a significant 

difference to well-being. He notes that 

changes do require determination and 

courage, and summarises: “It’s not a 

cure or a miracle. Practitioners do have 

to do the work. No one can heal you, 

you have to heal yourself: you make a 

choice!” 

Lakskmi can be contacted at 

LTF@LoveTrueFood.com / 

www.lovetruefood.com 

Dhana can be contacted on 6129 4266, 

nitch@netvigator.com / 

www.barefootphilosopher.com 

Ayurvedic test and information web 

site: www.holistic-online.com/ 

ayurveda/ayv_home.htm 

Scroll down the pink column on the 

right side. See Diagnostic tests. 

Valerie follo 

ollows s the Siddha 

Meditation path, teache 

aches s at mYoga 

and practic 

actices s Mysor 

ore e at Pure e Yoga. 

Laksmi’s Cardoman and Cinnamon Pineapple 

Ingredients: 

1 pineapple 

1 tablespoon organic maple syrup 

1 tablespoon of pure water 

1/4 teaspoon crushed fresh cardoman 

1/4 teaspoon crushed fresh cinnamon (purchase in stick form, crush yourself) 

Method: 

1 Cut of the outer edge of the pineapple and cut in to horizontal slices. 

2 Mix together the maple syrup, water, cardoman, and cinnamon. 

3 Brush the pineapple with the mixture. Place under a hot grill for 2 minutes. 

4 Turn, brush with the mixture, grill for a further 2 minutes. 

5 Garnish with an additional sprinkle of the remaining spices. Serve warm. 

Note: 

The spices act as an aid to digestion according to Ayurvedic philosophy. The 

spices in this recipe are tailored for Vata and Kapha, but the sweetener (maple 

syrup) is tailored 

for Pitta and Vata. 

Therefore the 

recipe is best for 

Vata and Pitta 

types, but can be 

tolerated by 

Kapha people in 

moderation. So it 

ranks: Vata- 1st, 

Pitta- 2 nd , and 

Kapha- 3 rd . The 

time of the day it 

is consumed 

should also be 

considered. 

Crossword Answers 

ACROSS: 1.Viparita 3. Shakti 5. Uttana 7. Nirodhah 10. 

Sanskrit 11. Anumana 13. Dharana 14. Lola 16. Insight 19. Yoga 

20. Zen 21. Music 23. Film 25. Sutra 26. Vritti 27. Kim 29. 

Prakriti 30. Hatha 

DOWN: 2. Patanjali 3. Sarva 4. Koham 6. Nakra 8. Mira 9. 

Pashchima 10. Siddhi 12. Uma 14. Lotus 15. Pradipika 

17. Sankalpa 18. Gomukha 22. Chitta 24. Supta 26. Vira 28. 

MKG 

30


Kids Yoga 

A Cult 

ultur 

ure e of f Peac 

ace e through 

Yoga for Children 

en 

Mira Binzen 

Children come running into class. “Can we 

play the Name Game?” one excited six-yearold 

shouts. The children take out their yoga 

mats and place them on the floor with 

varying degrees of proficiency and order. All sit quietly for a 

moment anticipating the fun that lies ahead. The class 

begins with the Name Game. Everyone gets a turn to say 

their name and a favourite animal. All the students then 

move into the yoga pose that represents that animal. If a 

child chooses a dog, everyone stretches into Adho Mukha 

Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog) while barking and 

wagging their tails. The children love it. When a child 

chooses an animal not associated with a yoga pose such as 

an aardvark, no problem. Kids love to make up their own 

poses and show what they can do 

As adults we practice yoga for many reasons. The 

numerous benefits we experience in our own practice are 

the same benefits available to children. In addition to 

increased flexibility, coordination and strength of mind and 

body, children who practice yoga often experience 

increased self-esteem and are better able to handle stress 

in their lives. Studies have shown a decrease in disruptive 

behaviour and an increase in concentration when school 

children practice yoga regularly. 

Learning to unwind and calm down seems to be one of the 

most appealing aspects of yoga for kids of all ages. Nishta, 

a 13-year-old student says, “It’s relaxing. You get to stretch 

your body and do things you didn’t think you could do. You 

get to explore.” 

In addition to the practical benefits children mention, there 

is the more profound benefit of a greater sense of peace 

31


and contentment. Anyone who has practiced yoga for some 

time has probably experienced this loosening of attachment 

to something more or something better, and has found a 

deep sense of ease in simply being. 

Sharing yoga with children goes a long way towards 

cultivating a culture of peace. These children feel good 

about who they are, know how to relax, think clearly and 

have fostered healthy habits. These qualities are carried 

into adulthood, as they become heads of business, political 

leaders, teachers and parents. 

That leaves us just one generation from a culture of peace 

if we begin now. Only five years ago when asking kids if 

they had tried yoga, one or two would raise a hand. Now, 

Kids Yoga in Hong Kong 

Mondays 

10:45 - 11:35 YogaKids (6 - 12 months) at Yoga Central 

3 - 4 pm YogaKids (4 - 6 years) at Medi Yoga 

4:15 - 5:15 pm YogaKids (7 - 12 years) at Medi Yoga 

Wednesdays 

9:30 - 10:15 am YogaKids (0 - 5 months) at YWCA 

10:30 - 11:15 am YogaKids (6 - 12 months) at YWCA 

11:30 - 12:30 pm YogaKids (13 - 36 months) at YWCA 

4 - 6 pm YogaKids (4 - 6 years) at Yoga Central 

Thursdays 

3 - 4 pm YogaKids (4 - 6 years) at Yoga Central 

4:15 - 5:15 pm YogaKids (7 - 9 years) at Yoga Central 

Fridays 

4:30 - 5:30 pm Pure Yoga Causeway Bay 

Saturdays 

10:30 - 11:30 am Pure Yoga Causeway Bay 

12:45 - 1:45 am Pure Yoga Central 

1:15 - 2:15 pm YogaKids (7 - 12 years) at Yoga Central 

3:10 - 4 pm YogaKids (13 - 36 months) at Medi Yoga 

4:10 - 5 pm YogaKids (6 - 12 months) at Medi Yoga 

For or more e information about YogaKids con 

ontact Amelie 

on (852) 6079 1861 / amelie.philibert@yogakids.com 

For or Kids yoga at Pure e Yoga visit puree-yoga. 

oga.com 

om 

32


virtually every child shoots a hand into the air. A parent 

does yoga at home with her daughter. A teacher shares 

some yoga poses with his students. Some of these adults 

have formal training in children’s yoga while others just try 

out what they have learned in their adult classes. 

Although benefits are similar for children and adults, the 

methods can be very different. Here are some ideas to get 

you started if you know a child who would enjoy the practice 

you have come to love. Important elements to include when 

sharing yoga with children: 

Noise Although you may relish the silence of your own 

practice, chatter, animal sounds and laughter are all a part 

of children’s yoga. 

Toys and games Asanas and philosophy of yoga can be 

engagingly presented to kids through games and the use of 

stuffed animals and cards. Stuffed animals can be placed 

on the belly for deep abdominal breathing. Animal or yoga 

pose cards can teach the poses and play card games. 

Children’s games can be turned into yoga games by taking 

out the competitive element and leaving in the fun. 

Lots of activity Children love to move, shake, hop and 

dance. Hold Garudasana (eagle pose) and then fly around 

the room with eagle wings outstretched coming back to land 

in the nest (the yoga mat). Jump feet together and apart 

again between each wide leg standing pose. Create a 

Continued here 

balance of stillness and movement. 

Rest This is the most important part of the practice and the 

most appreciated. Children may squirm and make silly 

noises to start but eventually they will come to cherish the 

experience. Something they all love is “Noodle Legs.” While 

a child is lying on his back, gently pick up his legs and wiggle 

them. Encourage him to let his legs be relaxed and soft, like 

cooked noodles. 

Namaste This greeting roughly translates as “the light in 

me sees the light in you.” When we relate to children with 

this greeting in mind, they feel it and really begin to shine. 

Yoga and children go together naturally. The organic 

movements along with interesting animals and nature 

features make the practice engaging for children when 

presented in a dynamic way. There is no need to be too 

serious at first. Children will learn to quiet and become still 

over time. Be present with each child and be who you are. 

This will ensure a fun and beneficial experience of yoga for 

the children in your life. 

Mira a is a cer 

ertif 

tified ied yoga teacher 

acher, , yoga therapis 

apist t and co- 

founder of Global al Family Yoga, a teacher training 

programme based in Chicago, focusing on children 

and familie 

amilies. . Trainings in Singapore e are e offer 

ered ed 17-19 

19 

and 24 -26 November 

ember. . www.glob 

globalf 

alfamilyyy 

amilyyyoga. 

oga.or 

org 


from page 15 

level of my left. Tadasana is always 

humbling for me, especially since I 

have been a yoga practitioner for many 

years and have not yet mastered it. 

What have you learned from this 

asana? 

I have learned that seemingly simple 

things may not be so simple after all, 

and the basics are very important. It 

may be that I can go deeply into 

forward bends, back bends and twists, 

yet the imbalance of tadasana still 

affects me in all of these postures. 

Sirsasana (headstand) is really just 

tadasana upside down, so of course the 

imbalance of tadasana affects my 

alignment is sirsasana too. I know how 

to compensate to create the other 

yoga poses, but these would be better 

if my alignment in tadasana was better. 

Guruji, B.K.S.Iyengar has said a lot 

about tadasana. He has said if we knew 

how to do tadasana well, then the other 

poses would not be necessary. My 

practice of various asanas is definitely 

necessary as it helps me to come closer 

to the median line. 

The median line of the body is a 

concept that Iyengar yoga students are 

familiar with. It is the centre from 

which we move and balance. It is a 


33


Continued here 


from page 33 

physical, mental and spiritual concept. 

At one point Guruji said “ God is the 

median line.” In seeking balance, we 

are seeking the Supreme. This thought 

adds an extra dimension to my yoga 

practice. 

What is the most difficult aspect of 

your practice? 

I don’t think of my practice as difficult, 

though the poses I am doing may be 

difficult for me to perform. I enjoy the 

time I have to do my practice and I 

have learned to approach poses as an 

ongoing journey into my self. 

One of Hong Kong’ 

ong’s s fir 

irst t yoga 

teachers, Linda is the director and 

principal teacher of the Iyengar 

Yoga oga Cen 

entr 

tre e of Hong Kong. 

Yoga Retreats 

from page 21 

programmes and the number of local 

teachers in the region. Previously, 

yoga in Asia was the bastion of the 

expatriate community which has now 

become part of the local landscape. It 

has morphed from an unpopular form 

of exercise and esoteric form of 

spirituality, into an understanding that 

yoga is a holistic approach to a 

healthier lifestyle. 

While Qigong and Taichi have always 

had a place in Asian culture, yoga 

outside India has not had a broad 

following until recently. I believe the 

physical component of the practice 

gives people the chance to workout 

with yoga and pursue a greater 

spirituality or deeper physical practice 

at their own pace. Also, our society is 

34 

experiencing greater levels of stress in 

daily life due to technological 

improvements, and increased 

productivity in the business world. As a 

result, people have realised one’s job 

does not give one the same 

satisfaction as in the past and are 

searching for greater meaning in life. 

Yoga provides a doorway for such a 

journey. 

What are the catalysts 

of the yoga explosion 

in Asia? 

ML: In the late 1990’s, the Yoga Society 

of Hong Kong regularly organised 

teacher workshops at local venues 

featuring international teachers such 

as Rodney Yee, David Life and Sarah 

Powers. Hong Kong was blessed that 

Rodne 

odney y Yee 

ee 

these renowned teachers were 

interested in helping grow and educate 

the local population by making our city 

a favorite destination spot. 

Yoga’s popularity took a huge leap 

forward when mega studios began to 

pop up a few years ago. These studios 

were backed by successful 

entrepreneurs with a vision to convert 

yoga from a teacher-owned studio to a 

financially-scalable business. 

Who are the luxury 

retreat organisers and 

retreat goers? 

ML: It is the joint effort between luxury 

spas and resorts, and international 

celebrities teachers. Rodney Yee is the 

obvious example. He has been 

teaching retreats at Christina Ong’s 

famous Parrot Cay resort in the 

Caribbean for years and has attracted 

a following of celebrities including 

Donna Karan and Demi Moore. When 

Christina began to develop the Como 

Hotel and Resort Spas in her backyard, 

it was natural that she turn to Rodney 

for support. Teachers like Rodney Yee 

attract many followers and although 

his students come from all walks of life, 

they are not adverse to spending a lot 

of money. These types of luxury 

retreats are becoming ever more 

popular as busy, corporate executives 

look for ways to reduce stress, live a 

healthier lifestyle, and who don’t want 

to compromise the luxuries a top 

facility can offer. 

Alice has been practicing Iyengar 

yoga for 6 years. She has recently 

quit her corporate job for the 

wellne 

ellness s path through a Yoga 

oga 

Retr 

treat at and Raw w Food business. 

All Life... 

from page 25 

based on. Finally, Joyous Growth was 

the most natural method for evolution. 

So folks, please remember there is 

never any pain or struggle involved. 

Karen was introduced to Sri 

Aur 

urobindo 

obindo’s s teachings two year 

ars 

ago, , but only after er Sraddhalu’ 

addhalu’s s fir 

irst 

visit in February 

ebruary, , did the integr 

egrat 

ated 

nature of this yoga become 

apparent. She has been practicing 

yoga for the past four years and 

holds classes at the Healing Circle.


Yoga Teachers & Studios 

Phyllis Arthur 

Yogasana 

d: Wanchai 

s: Ashtanga 

l: English 

t: (852) 2511 8892 

e: info@yogasana.com.hk 

Michel Besnard 

Yogasana 

d: Wanchai 

s: Ashtanga 

l: English 

t: (852) 2511 8892 


Kathy Cook 

The Iyengar Yoga Centre of 

Hong Kong, LRC, Privates, 

Workshops 

d: Hong Kong 

s: Iyengar (certified) 

l: English 

t: (852) 6292 5440 

e: kcinasia@netvigator.com 

Flex at Stanley 

1/F Woodleigh House 

80 Stanley Village Road 

Stanley, Hong Kong 

s: Iyengar, Kirpalu, Kids 

t: (852) 2813 2212 

e: info@flexhk.com 

w: www.flexhk.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@iyengaryogahongkong.com 

w: iyengaryogahongkong.com 

Kavita Khosa 

Yogasana 

d: Wanchai 

s: Iyengar 

l: English 

t: (852) 2511 8892 


Ming Lee 

Privates, workshops 

s: Iyengar 

l: English, Cantonese, 

Putonghua 

t: (852) 9188 1277 

e: mleeyoga@netvigator.com 

Ursula Moser 

The Iyengar Yoga Centre of 

Hong Kong 

d: Central 

s: Iyengar (3 rd year teacher 

training) 

l: English, German 

t: (852) 2918 1798 

e: umoser@netvigator.com 

Cheuk Na 

Yogasana 

d: Wanchai 

s: Ashtanga 

l: English, Cantonese 

t: (852) 2511 8892 


Anna Ng 

Privates 

d: Hong Kong 

s: Hatha yoga 

l: Cantonese 

t: (852) 9483 1167 

e: gazebofl@netvigator.com 

Pure Yoga 

16/F The Centrium 

60 Wyndham Street, Central, 

Hong Kong 

t: (852) 2971 0055 

25/F Soundwill Plaza 

38 Russell Street, Causeway 

Bay, Hong Kong 

t: (852) 2970 2299 

14/F The Peninsula Office Tower 

18 Middle Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, 

Kowloon, Hong Kong 

t: (852) 8129 8800 

9/f Langham Place Office Tower, 

8 Argyle Street, Kowloon 

Hong Kong 

t: (852) 3691 3691 

391A Orchard Road, #18-00 

Ngee Ann City Tower A, 

Singapore 

t: (65) 6733 8863 

151 Chung Hsiao East Road, Sec 

4, Taipei, Taiwan 

t: (886) 02 8161 7888 

s: Hot, Power, Hatha, Yin, 

Ashtanga, Dance, Kids 


e: info@pure-yoga.com 

w: www.pure-yoga.com 

Randa Westland 

Freelance 

d: Kowloon, Hong Kong 

s: Iyengar certified 

l: English, Arabic 

t: 9353 7910 

e: rwestland@hotmail.com 

Kitty Wong 

Yoga Senses 

d: Tsimshatsui, Jordan 

s: Iyengar style, Hatha 

l: Cantonese, English 

t: (852) 9438 9995 

e: 001.happy@gmail.com 

Connie Yan 

Yogasana 

d: Wanchai 

s: Ashtanga, Yin 


t: (852) 2511 8892 


Yoga Central 

4/F 13 Wyndham Street, 

Central, Hong Kong 

s: Iyengar, Hatha, Kids, Pilates 

t: (852) 2982 4308 

e: yogacentralhk@yahoo.com 

w: yogacentral.com.hk 

Yoga Senses 

11/F, Bowa House, 

180 Nathan Road, 

Tsimshatsui 

s: Hatha, Yoga Alliance 

Certification, Iyengar style 

l: Cantonese, English 

t: (852) 2375 7799 

e: cs@yogasenses.com 

w: yogasenses.com 

Yogasana 

3/F, Century Court 

239 Jaffe Road, Wanchai 

s: Ashtanga, Iyengar, Yin 


t: (852) 2511 8892 


w: www.yogasana.com.hk 

Namaskar Listing and Display Advertising Rates 

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(92 mm x 265 mm vertical) 

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Effective July 2006, advertising fees are payable to: 

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