Yoga Sanga

Meet Shukra the Venus Equivalent in the Vedas

2011-02-10T12:26:00.000-08:00

Now that most western societies are ready to celebrate one more year of Valentine's day let's take a step away from the chocolates, pricey flowers and cupid to look at an interesting symbolism of Venus in the Vedic tradition.

The Vedic wisdom was developed by the ancient sages of India about 5000 years ago. The Vedas include sciences such as Ayurveda, Vastu (architecture), Jyotish (astrology) and Yoga. This ancient literature details the relationships between astronomy, astrology and human beings.

Like in western astrology, planets have an influence in many aspects of life on Earth. Komilla Sutton in her book "Indian Astrology" describe the planets as "representation of the seven level of consciousness that are encasing the evolving soul and the universal law of time."(1)

Shukra is the name of Venus in Sanskrit and is a male deity in the Vedas. As in his western counterpart, Shukra is related to the arts, refinement, pleasure, money, love; in excess greed, jealousy and materialistic views.

Shukra is the teacher of the Rakshashas (demons). Demon is a word derived from Latin that meant divinity, spirit and it was until late Latin came around that the use of daemon meant evil spirit.

Vedic astrology has a relation to the old Latin meaning as they use demons as highly evolved souls who have lost their purpose. For that reason we as humans are more related to demons in nature because of our greed and desires. "Venus as the adviser of the demons is a spiritual teacher who guides the demons towards their lost soul" (2) Komilla Sutton explains.

The lesson of Shukra is the recognition that even fulfilling all our desires, there is no warranty of happiness unless you share your wealth with others and find a deeper meaning in life. At the moment I am writing this, the images of Charlie Sheen and Lindsay Lohan come to mind as an example of great artistic talent wasted by excesses. On the other hand I saw a recent interview with Bill Gates, another talented man whose goal has been to use part of his wealth to eradicate harmful diseases in the the world.

As for most of us who don't ave that amount of resources, it is important to reflect on the symbolism of the demon with so much potential but has forgotten the reason of his existence. Another important lesson of Shukra is to recognize that everyone is doing the best they can with what they have. We all are facing different challenges so less judgment and more compassion are needed in the world and should start with a continuous practice of compassion.

One thing is clear, if you have loved unconditionally and unselfishly, you know it is a powerful force that lets you see the connection among all making you less fearful and much more compassionate.

(1)(2) Indian Astrology by Kolilla Sutton. Viking Studio 2000. Page 14.

It hurts to grow up!

2011-01-27T13:40:00.000-08:00

By Rocio Morales

During the holiday season, I had opportunity to visit and spend time with the youngsters in the family. Many of them are teenagers or in their early twenties now. I like to talk to them because they are full of energy, hopes and aspirations. Interestingly at different times they mentioned in the conversation “I didn’t know it hurts when you grow up!” or “I didn’t expect life to be hard when you grow up!”

I understood exactly what they were trying to say. When you are young, you depend mostly of your parents and the decisions they take for you whether you have a Tiger mom or a more slacking parent, you will mostly do what they say because they say so and more importantly you will learn from their actions that will have a heavier weight on you than the pep talks. At teenagers years, you don’t have this idealized idea of your parents and usually the teens try to break free from them acting up and looking for options that would make them unique and different.
At the late teens kids stop fighting with the authority figures and start accepting them for being just humans; at this moment if they are aware they will be able to see glimpses of those adults and their impact in their life; something that can be quite disturbing.

I guess the hurting comes from the realization that you are the creator of your life, regardless of the baggage; you are the one taking decisions and watching the consequences unfold.

Sages of all times have tried to answer the question how to live fully?

Here are some points that might help to anyone awakening to the human experience:

a) Recognize that life is impermanent
b) Be aware of you baggage, sort it out and let go of what you don’t need
c) Be objective yet compassionate with others and yourself
d) Become aware of the contents of your mind and how it reacts to daily events.
e) Learn to control your emotions and think twice before acting
f) Be humble, mistakes are part of the human experience, the more you learn from them the easiest will be to avoid them in the future
g) Ask for help when you need it. You are not alone. There are many who have experienced the same as you and found ways to overcome the challenges
h) Find someone who will inspire you by his/her actions and integrity and commitment to be better and leave a better world
i) Learn from the foolish actions that you or others make
j) Attune to life everyday by looking at the sunrise, the trees, the kid trying to walk and all that inspires you and opens your heart

In Yoga the purpose of the human experience is to be aware of who we are in many levels of our psyche and open up to Reality. That is really the purpose behind the poses, and twists and turns. When the mind is resting it is easier to pay attention to the miracle of Life.

Ayurveda Day in Austin

2010-10-23T15:02:00.000-07:00

During the first week of October, a small group of people interested in Ayurveda got together to celebrate the first Ayurveda Day in Austin.

AAPNA (Association of Ayurvedic Professionals of North America) has declared that the first Monday of every October each year will be "Ayurveda Day". Ayurveda Day falls on the eve of the birth celebrations of Dhanwantari. Lord Dhanwantari is the creator of Ayurveda.

AAPNA started as a discussion amongst a group of Ayurvedic Professionals back in 2003 and officially incorporated in December of 2007 as a non-profit 501(c)(6) corporation in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, USA.

Ayurveda is one of the world's oldest medical systems. Like Yoga, the origins are traced back to India. The maing goal of Ayurveda is to integrate and balance the body, mind, and spirit using hebs, massage and yoga.

Narender Pati organized the Ayurveda Day bringing a paned of experts in Ayurveda and Joytish (Indian Astrology) to discussed health in the US and how Ayurveda can become a support system to the US as complementary medicine.

Kerry Meath an Ayurveda practitioner and now a Master degree student of Public Health mentioned that 28% or Texas residents are obese and 30% overweight. Also 10% of the population in Texas has diabetes and only 45% of youth get regular physical exercise. In terms of cost to the society, the cost of obesity is 5.4 million dollars.

She thinks that Ayurveda principle of understanding the seasons and what to eat depending on each person's dosha (body's constitution) could help to iprove quality of life and health.

Renu Namjoshi a joytish practitioner mentioned that Ayurveda along with Indian astrology can help people recover from illnesses and keep their body in balance. She mentioned that in India, many of the important actitivies of a person are established after consulting the joytish astrologer.

Rocco Bruno mentioned simple tips to improve health like avoiding eating late, exercise frequently, the importance of fresh air and sun's exposure, and cultivation of love.

Though the attendance to this event was modest, they were deeply interested in the subject and eager to learn more about these two sciences that have endured thousands of years.

For more pictures from the event click here .

For more information about this and other Ayurveda events in the area contact Narender Pati at aumayurveda@yahoo.com or visit www.iwfusa.org

Yoga Sanga First Anniversary Celebration!

2010-10-06T16:56:00.001-07:00

Hard to believe a year ago we started with the first Yoga Sanga Magazine issue! It has been a great experience to meet great yogis and yoginis commited to their practice and to share what Yoga is about in a deeper sense with the community.

To all those who have written for us, given us an interview or supported the magazine, we thank you so very much!

To celebrate our first anniversary we invited the community in Austin to share with us an evening on a Forum format with the main theme as Yoga & Consciousness.

The speakers gave very interesting and deep reflections related to the theme. We had great food, door giveaways and a very unique Kirtan led by our guest Sant Dharamananda from Wisconsin.

The event was possible because of the generosity of the speakers: Charles MacInerney, Keith Kachtick , Peggy Kelley, Craig Williams, and Sant Dharamananda who came from Wisconsin to celebrate with us. We were so blessed on counting of such great teachers that together have more than 100 years of yoga practice!

Here are some notes from the Forum.

Charles took us into a journey on how life had emerged on Earth and the 200,000 years humans have walked on this planet. He made a point on how technology affect consciousness and the YSF28. Yoga Sanga Magazineexponential rhythm of it that will change our future dramatically. He recommends being mindful and using meditation to accept all the aspects of reality.

Keith used the second sutra of Patanjali's fist book "Yogah cittavritti nirodhah" to make us realize that when we meditate is not much to quiet the mind but at first is the recognition of the mental mechanisms that the mind operates with, with time and practice the awareness will expand to understand Consciousness in a more expanding way.

Peggy used Patanjali's Yoga Sutras to remind us the goal of Yoga, that goes beyond the physical twists and turns of the Asanas. Those poses at the end will prepare the body to explore subtle areas of our being.

YSA17-150x150Craig Williams talked about the western civilization proclivity to commodify everything, including yoga. As an ayurvedic practitioner, he uses this ancient healing science and sister of yoga along with Vedic astrology to help the body open its recuperative healing qualities. All the spiritual practices help to bring our awareness back to what is internal and never dying, our spirit.He invited us to turn inside and to remember who we really are.

Sant Dharamananda talked about the Bhagavad Gita and how Hatha Yoga, Yoga of Knowledge, and Dhyana (meditation)are tools to recognize who we really are. He mentioned that we are spiritual beings trying to live a human life. When we realized that and act in accordance to life, we will ys Forum30become the butterfly we really are.

After enjoying some great food from Chola Indian Restaurant in Round Rock, we all enjoy a wonderful Kirtan led by Sant Dharamananda accompanied by Mark and Gloria Uridel.

Thank y'all for making this a wonderful evening!!!

Rocio Morales

Reassess and Proceed!

2010-08-14T15:24:00.001-07:00

Why is spiritually important to understand the impermanence of life?

I have been thinking a lot about the word impermanence lately. Not only because of all the changes I see around me but the experiences that those close to me have gone through.

A dear student recently lost her husband from one minute to the next. An apparently heart problem took a seemingly healthy and active man by surprised, leaving my student and her teenage son trying to make sense of his passing and moving on with their lives.

Although we are aware of Life and Death, we spend little time reflecting on the Impermanence of life. In spite of the fact that we watch the seasons and the moon phases passed it is often hard to realize that Life is change and no matter what we do, frequently we find ourselves adapting to change with some degree of resistance. In itself changes are not bad, they can be uncomfortable, challenging, and a bit distressing but they Can be a great opportunity to grow, adapt and become stronger.

For Buddhists and yogis, impermanence is a cornerstone to understand the plane of existence we live in and how much mindfulness can help to adapt to circumstances.

In her book "Living like dying" Freda Naylor, a doctor who courageously kept a diary as she died of cancer. wrote:
"I have had experiences which I never would have had, for which I have to thank the cancer. Humility, coming to terms with my own mortality, knowledge of my inner strength, which continually surprises me, and more things about myself which I have discovered because I have had to stop in my tracks, reassess and proceed."

When we understand that life is change and no matter how much we resist those changes they will happen. We come to terms with life and its changing nature and we open our spirit to manifest its strength, ability to adapt and regardless of the situation find time to be happy and even grateful for the experiences.

When we listen to the difficult situations someone close to us is going through, besides tending a helping hand, listen to their struggle we can also offer a prayer or meditation to them so they can heal in a harmonious way.
Those experiences give us a great opportunity of putting issues into perspective and gain strength and maturity when the challenging situations know to our door.

In his book "The Tibetan book of Living and Dying" Sogyal Rinpoche comments on impermanence: "So each time the losses and deceptions of life teach us about impermanence, they bring us closer to the truth. When you fall from great height, there is only one possible place to land: on the ground, the ground of truth. And if you have the understanding that comes from spiritual practice, then falling is in no way a disaster but the discovery of an inner refuge. Difficulties and obstacles, if properly understood and used, can often turn out to be an unexpected source of strength."

What is really behind the Ogre in your dream?

2010-07-23T20:21:00.000-07:00

What about transforming him into a prince?
By Rocio Morales

It is always exciting to read about scientists and researchers that have been working for many years trying to understand human dreams.
Even more so is to read their recommendations on how to deal with nightmares and its relation to ancient yogic practices.

It seems that we will be talking a lot about dreams because of the release of the new movie "Inception" where a thief is able to steal secrets from the subconscious and even produce a nightmare on the subjects he is stealing from.

In a recent article by Melinda Beck in The Wall Street Journal, she mentions about dreams that "Once thought to represent repressed sexual urges, or simply neurons firing randomly, dreams are now believed to be mash-ups created by the unconscious mind as it processes, sorts and stores emotions from the day"

In many yoga traditions specially in Kriya Yoga we learn to pay attention to our dreams as a way to decipher the symbols that come from the subconscious mind. We do this not only because they will show the emotions we have been dealing with and the unresolved issues in our awake state but also because learning the meaning of those symbols can have an impact in the near future.

Nowadays a small group of psychologist and psychiatrist like Shelby Freedman Harris, director of the Behavioural Sleep Medicine Program at Montefiore Medical Center in N.Y. uses Image Rehearsal Therapy to help people who have frequent nightmares and those with post traumatic stress disorder. The therapy consists in recalling the nightmare in detail and write a new script that they envision several times during the day. This technique gives the patient control over the symbols making them less threatening.

If you are a lucid dreamer, you know that dreams can have different qualities, some of them can definitely relate to our emotions and activities from the day and others have an almost prophetical quality.
How to know the difference? It is recommendable to have a dream journal, it will help to write the memory of the dream and to relate to those symbols 72 h after the dream. This can be a very useful technique to gain control over the symbol and to neutralize the situations that might come around.

Want to have lucidity in your dreams? Do what Yogis and Buddhists have known for centuries:

a) Go to sleep with the intention to remember your dreams
b) Prepare yourself to sleep, turn off the TV, the lights and any other noise around you in other words, slow down.
c) Have a dream journal at hand where you can write the dream symbols as soon as you wake up. On one side (usually the right, write the most important events in your day and on the left the dream symbols)
d) Check some days after the dream and analyze if any of the symbols can relate to that event.
e) If you have a nightmare, as soon as you wake up, go back to the dream (visualize it in your mind) and recreate another ending, make the Ogre a prince and the tarantula a bird.
f) Give your dreams a name
g) Watch for recurrent symbols and its relation to actual events in your life.
h) Most importantly have a sense of wonder and playfulness.

You might be surprised by the frequency and the lucidity of the dreams in a short period of time.

Above all, remember that symbols in your dreams are the language of your subconscious mind. Also it is normal to have periods in your life where you can't remember your dreams.Give yourself time and prepare to fly in your magic carpet!

Fun week of testosterone, soccer and more!

2010-07-12T18:33:00.000-07:00

What an interesting week i has been! Besides having my home full of testosterone and soccer as we are hosting three teenagers visiting from Chicago plus my son and husband; I have met wonderful yogis and yoginis.

Having a full house when it is usually very quiet has been a joyful and noisy experience. All the kids are filming a short movie and I like the sound effects and how they direct each other, needless to say the creativity and fun are very high when the budget is very limited!

I went to a luncheon of yoga teachers from Round Rock, Sun City and Georgetown! The ladies work hard to teach yoga. Some of them teach yoga to pregnant ladies, others teach to seniors in closed communities, some teach at dance studios, gyms and park districts. Click on the pictures to meet other lovely yoga teachers in these cities!

I also attended an Astrology meeting from ASA (Astrological Society of Austin). The group meets every month and this week we had a well known yogi, Methab. He gave a presentation on Jotish (Vedic Astrology) and the chakras. Unfortunately there wasn't enough time to go deeper into this interesting subject. Nevertheless Mehtab was great at giving us a reminder of the chakras, the difference among traditions and time and how each chakra is related to planetary forces.
His humor and great knowledge made a very interesting time. He is such a caring, approachable man!

As for today, Ruth Jansa invited me to one of her classes. We are working together to make a proposal for Yoga for MS. Her students are so welcoming and enjoy yoga very much, some of them are recovering from different ailments and it was amazing to see them doing traditional poses using support. The average age in that class was 60 years old but the spirit was remarkable jovial!. I learned so much from them today.

This week I invite you to listen to our latest interview with Sant Dharamananda, the preceptor of the Himalayan Education Center, this center hosts disadvantaged students. In this center residents practice hatha yoga, meditation, eat vegetarian food and attend the University of Stout in Wisconsin. Click here to go to page in our website to listen to the interview.

Yoga Sanga July issue is out!

2010-07-02T18:59:00.000-07:00

Our July issue is out!!

Please take some time to visit the Yoga Sanga website and read what our writers have prepared for you.

We are pleased to offer an interview with Dr. Karen Mustian where she talks about her research with Yoga and Cancer survivors. Go to the article section to listen to the results from this study.
On this issue you will find: the best way to practice Vinyasa to avoid injuries by Kim Schwartz; an interesting look at Bramacharya by Aileen Hansen; if you are a yoga teacher, Cheryl Alexander wrote a very complete and clear article on health insurance for you; Meet Keith Kachtick, the founder of Dharma Yoga in our teacher's profile section; don't miss Liz Belile interview on how yoga can support fertility treatments.

We are giving the Yoga Sanga Karma Yoga award, to the Himalayan Education Center, a unique place for students to live in an Ashram like environment and attend college in Wisconsin; Kerry Meath will help you understand what Ayurveda is about and much more!

Looking for an event? check our calendar and you can also find a teacher in our directory.

Join our e-mail list and you will earn yoga stuff!

Enjoy the Summer and try something new as Leila Kalmbach suggests in her article for this issue!

Shanti,
Rocio Morales

Have you wondered what is going on in the sky? An eclipse is coming your way!

2010-06-25T13:09:00.000-07:00

by Rocio Morales

Some Sundays have a better appealing than the others. For many of us it is a time to relax, and enjoy family and friends. It is also time to start thinking on Monday and all that is around the beginning of the week.

Last Sunday I was excited. After what seemed like a long time, I was ready to connect with my group on a Telesanga. It is the opportunity to listen to my Spiritual guide (Guru) Enoch Dasa Giri, the thought of what he was going to say was in my mind all day.

His message was clear, and as a good Guide he talked about events that are coming our way and how to prepare to face those challenges.

As you may know, Yoga and Astrology are very connected in some traditions more than in others. The reason? for the yogi and astrologer, life is cyclical.
In the same way seasons come and go, events that happened to you when you were for instance, 7, 12, or 28 can determine to some extend what you can expect in the future.
Yogis in their core are "spiritual scientists"; we observe, reflect and hopefully learn form he past to prepare for the future.

When I read a chart for a friend ( I am still pretty much a student on this area), it is always interesting to sense what is the best way to deliver the message found in the natal chart, transits and progressions. Some people just want to hear what pleases the ego and others want to hear it all!
There are few that though they want to know everything, they also feel powerless in the face of the challenges delineated on the chart and don't want to hear about negative events coming their way.
In my humble opinion, they miss to recognize that knowing the future will give us tools to change it, to prepare and to learn how to respond to those events.

Well, the message was about aspects that slow moving planets are forming in the sky right now. The effect depends on how each of our natal chart is delineating and the experiences we are going through.

Here are some of those aspects and a brief explanation to each of them.

* Not too long ago (January 26, 2008) the symbol of transformation (Pluto) went into a new sign (Capricorn); in a nutshell all the structures in your life will change, what doesn't work any more will be hard to maintain, what is weak will crumble opening a space to rebuild. It is the symbol of the Phoenix that sours from its own ashes. To do that a lot of subconscious forces will emerge. For some astrologer the strength of this planet will be seen when Pluto goes into the first decanate (10 degrees or more in Capricorn).

* In June 26, 2010 there will be a Lunar Eclipse, in the words of Linda Sprague's "On June 26 the Lunar Eclipse brings the Moon in Capricorn into a tight conjunction with intense/powerful Pluto. This Full Moon eclipse is forming a Grand Square with the Sun and others planets. Think of a square box. The Sun and Mercury (in Cancer) are one point on the box. Saturn (retrograde in late Pisces) is another point. Jupiter and Uranus (conjunct in Aries) the third point. The Moon exactly conjunct Pluto is the fourth point. We are sitting inside a big heavenly box with tons of pressure and it feels like we can’t get out of it. Fortunately Jupiter and Uranus moved into energetic Aries a few weeks ago. We can get out of this enclosure. The trick is to be innovative and to think out of the box."
Click here to go to NASA's website on information about this event.

* In July 22, 2010 the disciplinarian, hard teacher, builder of structures (Saturn) will move into Libra and stay there for 2 years or so. This will bring conflict between our desire to keep living the way we have and the new energy that will move us to clean up and rebuild.

* To make things interesting, the symbol of sudden changes, rebellion and creativity (Uranus) moved into Aries on May 28, 2010, marking a time of tension and inner search. Last time Pluto and Uranus formed a square was 40 years ago, when the 60s where ending. It will offer challenges to authorities that will find a lot of opposition releasing tremendous energy.

* Jupiter also moved into Aries on June 7, 2010. Bringing good energy to start new enterprises, innovations and new ideas to improve life.

* The last aspect will be Neptune moving into Pisces on February 4, 2012. Neptune is related with mysterious conditions, secret affairs, and the ocean. It is also related to deception/ self-deception and over-indulgence. It gives the opportunity to attune to higher vibrations.

Neptune stays in every sign around 13 years.; Jupiter 1year, Uranus 7 years; Saturn 2.5 years; and Pluto 20 years.

Interestingly all the slower moving planets will have a play in the following years.

What did the master advice?

a) Take a moment to review your own chart and see where those planets are and the interaction with them. If you have your exact birth time, date and place you can get it in many websites.

b) Regardless of what life brings to you, keep performing an spiritual practice. If you don't have one, learn a couple until you find the one that is right to you.

c) Build merit. Recognize that we are here not to be served but to served not only our fellow man, but all the beings that are living around us and Nature in general. What can you do within your means to improve the life of those around you? do it and find joy serving!

This is a great time to unfold, ask questions and find your spiritual path and place in the Universe, good luck!!

Three practices to heal the Earth in the Gulf of Mexico

2010-06-21T10:43:00.000-07:00

Watching the pictures coming from the Gulf of Mexico are really heart breaking. I don't think we are aware of the impact in the following months and years that it will have on the Ecology of this body of water, shores and live in general.

As you might know there are things you can do to help with money, time and resources.

At an internal level, this week I would like to offer you three spiritual practices to help stop the gushing of thousands of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.

Please take a moment and join us on on an effort to heal the Earth.

*The first one is from Colin Ryane. Colin is a Dallas, Tx resident and has been studying, practicing, Instructing QiGong with Master Chunyi Lin of Spring Forest and he is also a long time meditator.
-Master Lin We love the earth, Chunyi, what can we do to help the oil leaking in the Gulf?
- This huge oil gush in the Gulf is part of Mother Earth's body and could be compared to bleeding. Something we can all do together is to visualize the oil leak surrounded in green light with love and the message sent to Earth to stop the bleeding and be completely healed.  There is power when many come together to send love and healing.

*The second practice was sent by Dr. Masaru Emoto in May on a letter written to the world after the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

"Now let’s give energy of love and gratitude to all the living creatures in Mexico Gulf by praying like this:
I send the energy of love and gratitude to the water and all the living creatures in the Gulf of Mexico and its surroundings. To the whales, dolphins, pelicans, fish, shellfish, planktons, corals, algae and all living creatures.....I am sorry. Please forgive me. Thank you. I love you." Click here to read Dr. Emoto's letter.

*The third practice is an ancient Yoga practice and shared in many spiritual traditions. It is penance. Stop doing something you like for three or four days or avoid doing a negative habit like gossiping or being jealous for this time. Every time you think on what you are refraining from think that your effort, coming from the bottom of your heart will help fix the oil spill and allow the Earth to heal faster.

Hope you will join this crusade to heal the Earth internally and remembering that we all are connected and what happens to our beautiful planet affect all of us.

Shanti,
Rocio Morales

52 days and counting... Do you think greed is responsible for the BP mess?

2010-06-10T14:14:00.000-07:00

What can you accomplished in 52 days? By the end of the second month of a baby's life he will have more control over his neck, he will be able to keep his head up when you hold him in a sitting position. His hands also start to unfold. At this time the baby will pack on as much as half a pound a week.
In 52 days the 2010 Soccer World Cup that is starting on June 11th will be a dream and many will go back to their routine and the yelling and excitement to the TV will be all gone.

52 days of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and the worst is not over. Time's magazine this week reported "by the end of May, according to the best estimates of the daily leakage rate, the well had poured at least 20 million gal of crude into the Gulf" On the same note The USA Today's headline on June 9th reads "Even the 'best' outcome won't be good."
On that newspaper they estimate that even with the cap in place over the leaking well, 10,000 barrels will still flow into the open water each day.

There is no doubt that this is an ecological catastrophe that no one knows for sure how much it will affect the Gulf ecosystem, from shoreline to deep sea. What the scientist forecast is disastrous.

The question remains, what really happened? was it avoidable if better technology and safety features might have been in place and working? what this the result of negligence?

If you are not a scientist, fishermen or even live in the coastal areas of the Gulf of Mexico, should you care about this problem? I hope you do.
I hope you can stop for a moment and reflect on your livelihood and its relationship to the oil spill. Most people want a big house, a big truck (we even have the Texas Edition), an air conditioning unit blasting under 70 degrees on hot days and rarely we stop to think on our impact to the environment we live in; and the resources needed to have all the commodities of the modern life at our fingertips. How much is greed at fault of this environmental disaster?

In yoga we practice Aparigraha, one of the Yamas or abstentions. It means non-greed. Some teachers believe that this is one of the most important yamas and the key to control prana (life-force).

When a yogi practices Aparigraha, he lives within his means and gives back a portion of what he has to a nobler cause.
Sri Goswami Kriyananda on Aparigraha mentions "craving for pleasures... intensifies and activates beyond normalcy the organs of the senses, causing a person to commit violence, in one way or another, against others, and against his own self" 1

Aparigraha allows the yogi to look at the mind and watch its cravings and desires, the mind will never be satisfied and that is the nature of the mind. The yogi reflecting on this starts getting away from the identification with the mind and start becoming happier living a balanced, comfortable and creating a livelihood within his means.

The consequences of the oils spill will affect all of us, take some time and see what can you do to live within your means, protecting the environment you are in and giving back to those less fortunate than you.

Make this oil spill be a lesson for all of us from the oil companies to our children so we can learn to venerate the environment we are in and look for ways to diminish our impact on it.

Here is a link to the WWF where you will find information and how to help with the clean up and recovery of the Gulf of Mexico.

1 Sri Goswami Kriyananda (1976) The Spiritual Science of Kriya Yoga. Published by the Temple of Kriya Yoga. p16-19

Do you Satya?

2010-05-27T13:11:00.000-07:00

The practice of Truthfulness
By Rocio Morales

If you are new to yoga, soon you will realize that Yoga is more than the poses you practice. It is a way of living and has 8 limbs to guide you to Enlightenment. Practicing those eight limbs will help the yoga practitioner to gain knowledge from the living experience and with time a deep understanding of the Reality.

The eight limbs of yoga are: Yama (abstentions), Niyama (Observances), Asan (postures), Pranayama (life-force control), Pratyahara (Sense-withdrawal), Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (Meditation) and Samadhi(Contemplation). As you can see these eight limbs cover not only the physical but also the mental and spiritual layers of who you are.

This week I would like to explore Satya (truthfulness). Satya is one the five Yamas (abstentions).
In almost any religion we find that telling the truth is positive not only at a moral but also at a psychological level. If someone lies, he needs to put so much energy to keep the lie going to the point that it becomes a big burden.

There is no doubt that we all know the value for being truthful, tough practicing it might be a challenge .
I recently received a call of a distress yogi who was fired from a studio who according to him has non-truthful practices. Allegedly the studio owner encourages teachers to post fake comments on the website and other places using fake names to promote the studio. At the same time if a teacher develops something (training manuals, videos, etc) for that studio, the name of that teacher won't appear credited by the studio.

Without taking any responsibility to the studio owner untruthful way of doing business I wonder, how come those issues became a problem after this yogi was fired.? At what extent a person is responsible for following untruthful actions.? I understand there is not an easy answer to this; the social pressure and the need for a job can be a big challenge.

Following the eight limbs in a society that is going in the opposite direction is not easy and I think that is the reason why the wise souls who came before us and practiced yoga said that yoga is a practice, it takes time and great awareness to live by them in this society but is doable. It all depends on our goals and the way of living that we are looking for. Yoga at the end is a set of techniques that should be done and practice consciously at all times.

At some point everyone should stand up for what we think is right and truthful and act in consequence, other times life give us the opportunity to calibrate and follow our principles. As for this yogi, I am happy to say he is finding other great ways to share his experience of yoga and support his family.
Want to practice Satya? Follow the recommendation of Sri Goswami Kriyananda as he writes his book "The Spiritual Science of Kriya Yoga, "you should examine all your words before speaking, and utter them only if they are useful and good. Complications arise when virtuous words lead to hurt"

Georg Feurstein in The Shambhala Encyclopedia of Yoga, mentions that in the Yoga -Bhashya, "Vyasa states that if one speaks at all, it should be for the communication of one's knowledge and as a service to others, and hence the communication should not be deceitful, erroneous, or barren."

Are you a fixer and a doer?

2010-05-20T19:29:00.001-07:00

By Rocio Morales

I think in the modern world, most of us are. We live an a society where it is expected to come up with solutions or ways to fix things.
If a kid comes to you with a bruise, you will look for a way to clean the affected area and then put a band-aid to where the bruise is. If a friend tells another friend about her problem, you would hear the listener suggesting ways to solve the issue almost automatically.

We are use to do and fix, and when life challenges in some situations where regardless of the impulse to act, the effect is minimal; such experience becomes an an interesting one and a wonderful opportunity to grow.

Some years ago my grandmother passed away, she was without a doubt the link between all the family, her presence and kindness hold the family together. When she passed, all that connection changed and hasn't been the same since then. A result of her passing, my mother went into a severe depression and no matter what we tried to do or say she was going downfall. Watching her in this state made me realize the little control we have over those we love.
After trying different approaches (and spending time and resources trying to "fix her") my siblings, and myself realized that she needed time to break the cycle of depression and came out of it at her own time and terms. I am happy to report that she did.

There is an old Zen proverb that applies to this experience: "Sitting quietly, doing nothing, spring comes, and the grass grows by itself"

Yoga allows you to experience this type of situations not only at a physical but also at a mental level and even spiritually. For instance if your hamstrings are tight, no matter what you do, they will take time to lengthen. Forcing those muscles to lengthen, will injure them and the healing process can be long. On the other hand if you have a good disposition, meaning you will allow your body to open and feel OK when some people can bend and touch the floor and you can't even pass you knees, the body little by little will open. At a physical level Yoga helps to remove the old habits and open an space in your body for those muscles to relax and lengthen.

At a mental level Yoga gives you the opportunity to watch your mind and all the stuff that is in there when you go into a pose, are you too competitive that every pose is a challenge to be master forcefully? or do you acknowledge the restrictions in your body and keep working with them without feeling embarrassed.?

Next time before jumping to fixing and doing, resist the impulse and listen more, be open to possibilities and let go of the desire to control or to make everything perfect. To me that is one of the biggest gifts I have received from my yoga practice. Not everything is about doing and fixing, many times is better to let go, decide not to become a victim and open a space to heal and grow with the resources we have at hand at this moment, the present where we have more control over our life.

Sitting doing nothing Spring will come...

Ayurveda and Yoga itips for the Summer

2010-05-06T19:24:00.000-07:00

In Texas we have been enjoying a fresh and wet Spring for the most part. Nevertheless some days you can feel the Summer coming closer and closer with temperatures above 90 degrees.
For that reason I decided to take an interesting workshop with Mandy Eubanks and Kerry Meath called "How to beat the Summer Heat with Ayurveda and Yoga".

Ayurveda is the sister system of Yoga and means the Science of life. Kerry mentioned "Interestingly the Caraka Samhita, the oldest Ayurvedic book ever found describes many of the ailments that we suffer today."
In Ayurveda everyone has a unique body type made of the interaction of five elements: Ether, Fire, Water, Air and Earth.

Kerry explained that in the Summer there is more heat, humidity and sunlight therefore the predominant elements are fire and water. The fire element is associated with the PittaDosha (Ayurveda mind and body type).
Some characteristics of the Pitta type are that people tend to have skin problems, quick temper and headaches. They are smart, curious and have drive. Too much heat produces allergic reactions, rashes, heavy sweating, heart burn, etc. Kerry recommends to cool down the body to avoid inflammation and liver problems.
Here are some tips:
Avoid hot, spicy or oily foods; avoid coffee and alcohol, sun exposure and rigorous exercise.
As for your yoga practice, Mandy and Kerry recommend:

a) Keep a relaxed hold
b) Instead of lifting your eyes in your practice, keep your gaze forward and soften it.
c) Use twits to help the body to eliminate better and release toxins.
d) Use Sitali breath to cool the body down as pranayama

During the Summer, try to sleep and wake up earlier.

In other words, refresh yourself frequently, specially if you have a pitta constitution to avoid overheating and inflammation.

I felt great after a gentle practice and with great ideas to abate my fiery disposition. Summer bring it on, I will be better prepared!

Kerry and Mandy have schedule classes like this one to go over every season. Check the Castle Hill Events calendar for more information at http://www.castlehillyoga.com/
To contact Kerry Meath go to http://www.timelesshealthsolutions.com/

Yoga Sanga May issue is out!

2010-05-04T08:15:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

The Yoga Sanga team is pleased to present our May issue!

Please take time to visit our website and read the great and interesting articles we have prepared for you.

This issue we are giving a special recognition is to Rita Karydas a talented teacher who lives in San Marcos http://www.yogasanga.net/?p=7538 and to The Art of Living Foundation specially the volunteers in the Austin chapter) for being the recipients of the Yoga Sanga Karma Yoga Recognition Award, take time to listen to the interview with Arvind Raghunatan to learn more about this organization and the visit of a Swami and healer from India to Texas in May. http://www.yogasanga.net/?p=7601

Can you guess what would be the yogic quality that would help you grow spiritually? Check your answer here http://www.yogasanga.net/?p=7511

How did Ganesh loose his head? http://www.yogasanga.net/?p=7595

Here you will find an article on the work force commission and its plan to regulate yoga teacher’s training programs as vocational schools. There is plenty of information to have an informed opinion. http://www.yogasanga.net/?p=7529

Have your heard of Spiritual Phytoessenceing? Find it here how aromatherapy has gone one step forward to bring your spirit in harmony. http://www.yogasanga.net/?p=7507

People associate Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga with movement and exertion, we ask a long time practitioner, author and yoga teacher, Gregor Maehle about this yoga style http://www.yogasanga.net/?p=7514

If you would like to deepen not only your practice but understanding of yoga, we have a list of committed teachers and programs in Texas (and some correspondence / online ones for those who need more flexibility) http://www.yogasanga.net/?p=7541

May is a good month to appreciate mom, what about start showing appreciation more frequently for those closest to us? Read why here http://www.yogasanga.net/?p=7534

If you couldn't make it to the Texas Yoga Conference in February in Houston, here is an overview of the conference. http://www.yogasanga.net/?p=7525

Can Homeopathy help those allergy sufferers during spring and summer? We ask a Homeopath and here are her answers. http://www.yogasanga.net/?p=7497

As for yoga events in May, check our calendar at http://www.yogasanga.net/?page_id=10

I would love to hear your suggestions for articles, karma yoga recognition or just to say hello; just send a message to yogasangatx@gmail.com

Share the journey and live your yoga in and outside the mat!

Namaste,

Rocio Morales

Honoring the Earth, a yogic reflection

2010-04-22T05:27:00.000-07:00

Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect. ~Chief Seattle, 1855

Today is the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, the words of Chief Seattle are reminder of our place and responsibility in this world.
As in any celebration this day is an opportunity to reflect on how we are treating our only home so far and hopefully realize that there are ways we can help to slow the deterioration of our planet. It is the occasion to be more responsible of what we buy, how we use it, and what are we leaving behind.
The practice of Yoga should open our minds and body to the Universe and to make us aware how connected we are to all that is alive. When we practice Asana we honor the Earth element when we include poses that will touch the Earth like child's pose, table pose, downward facing dog, plank, and of course Savasana where we can be supported by the Earth an allow the body to release the gripping and tension completely. Those poses should not only ground us, with time they will open the body and prepare it to be still on meditation when we can reunite the earth with the subtle air element.
At a more subtle level, in Astrology there are four elements: air, water, fire and earth. If your natal chart has a prevalence of the earth element, according to Sri Goswami Kriyananda in his book The Wisdom and Way of Astrology he mentions that "Earth symbolizes a force that is practical, down-to- earth and cautious... the signs that represent more of the Earth element are Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn." This is just a general rule as when you look closely to any natal chart you could see that someone born under the Taurus sign can have a lot of the fire element on it. When the earth element is well balanced the person is dependable and practical, to extremes they are very rational and hard to get in touch with their feelings. The elements in the chart can also tell how compatible a person could be to another. If someone has a lot of the Earth element, anyone with a predominance of Air will "dry" that Earth quality; a fiery predominance will dried up it and water would refresh the Earth quality.
There is so much controversy on how we came to this planet, what is not a question is that so far it is the only one we have and the clear effects of the destructive nature of our greed and ambition.
Let's reconnect to the Earth at a deeper level and start caring for it with reverence not only for our own good but for the benefit of future generations.
For information and tips on green gardening, how to eat sustainably, start a compost pile and more go to http://earthday.nature.org/garden/
Read 8 steps to save the Earth at http://www.ehow.com/how_136632_save-earth.html
Recycle your mat http://www.recycleyourmat.com/
Recycle your mat in Austin, TX go to http://www.yogasanga.net/?p=7332

Honor Earth day and recycle your mat

2010-04-19T17:42:00.001-07:00

The Earth day will be on April 22, to celebrate and honor that day, Yoga Sanga and Austin Yoga Institute are joining efforts to help the community to recycle yoga mats. If you have an old mat or ready to buy an Eco-friendly one just drop off your clean mat at Austin Yoga Institute located at 1122-C South Lamar Blvd, 78704. In order to help with the expense of shipping and handling we ask you to contribute with $2.00 per mat.
Drop off dates are: Monday April 19- Monday April 26.
For every 5 mats that we send, the Recycle yourmat program will send one recycled wool blanket that we will give away among participants.
Recycle Your Mat is a program that provides socially responsible yoga mat recycling, up cycling and reuse services for yoga practitioners and yoga studios. The program supports US-based manufacturers by providing recycled materials for new product production.
For more information and to join this effort go to http://www.recycleyourmat.com/locations.html#send

Questions? send a message to yogasangatx@gmail.com

What to do with the memories that haunt us?

2010-04-15T20:06:00.001-07:00

From the time we are born our brain stores so many memories. Some of those memories are positive and some others negative and even traumatic. The most traumatic experiences many times, change the way we interact with the events in our life many years after the event.
According to Cahil, Prins, Weber and McGaugh in a 1999 article on Nature “Emotional events tend to be recalled with more frequency and clarity than memories not associated with extreme emotions.”

In a world with people suffering so much after car accidents, combat, rape or even the loss of a family member, doctors are looking for ways to alter those memories and even work with some of the phobias that patients experience and limit their lives.

If you watched the Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) you may get a little uneasy about the idea of replacing memories. We are far from that, today doctors are trying instead of erasing a traumatic memory, to follow a method to reduce or eliminate the fear that comes with that memory. No one really knows how we store our memories, nevertheless in a recent article on the matter on the Wall Street Journal, Shirley S. Wang mentions that “lately doctors think that memories are stored like individual files on a shelf, each time they are pulled down for viewing, they can be altered before being put back into storage.”

How do they do that? One of the simplest ways is to allow the patient to recall, modify and store the experience over and over again. Every time the patient recalls the incident (sometimes doctors use some drugs to relax the patient) there will be less emotionality coming from that memory. As you can see the memory is still there but the emotions will lessen to a point that people can start living a “normal” life.

For those of us that don’t suffer from phobias or those traumatic memories but would like to improve our sense of being and become less emotional, yoga offers meditation.
In the yoga tradition, meditation (Dhyana) is one of the 8 limbs of Yoga. In meditation we hold a space where not only we can see the mind and all its craziness but also after a while we can get to the point where the mind becomes quiet and the emotionality disappears. At that point in the words of Sri Goswami Kriyananda: “there is an expansion of awareness to an understanding of the totality of things”

Is it possible to alter our memories? Yes! When we practice meditation we have the opportunity to see our mind in an objective way and make the choice to change and respond less and less to events and situations that come to our life.

Here is a simple technique that you can do two or three times a day.
1) If you have an asana practice, after Savasana sit on your mat for 20-30 seconds with your back lengthen and without paying attention to your breath, be quiet and enjoy the after effects of your practice and the calmness of your mind.
2) During the day try to come to that feeling of peace and stillness. If you don’t practice asana daily, then as soon as you wake up, seat on your bead close, keep your back straight and close your eyes; allow the mind to be quiet for 20-30 seconds, open your eyes and get ready for your day.
3) Go back to that place in your mind throughout the day just for 20-30 seconds.
4) With time you will be able to extend the time you can keep the mind still without putting effort on it.

Whether you use meditation or the new doctor's procedures to recover from a traumatic episode, remember that is the practice and time that will make the practice fruitful. Little by little you are removing the emotionality that the event triggers and you will regain control over the responses of the mind.

Are you a fundamentalist yogi/yogini?

2010-04-08T14:59:00.000-07:00

I hope not. I have met many yogis and yoginis and I have to say I haven't encountered many yoga fundamentalists.

A fundamentalist according to the dictionary is someone that "has rigid adherence to principles or points of view, and often by intolerance of others views." Like many things in Yoga, it is all about the balance and usually it seems like walking the razor's edge.
There is a difference when you are passionate about the style you practice and have the desire to share those wonderful benefits with others and pushing people to do what you do or criticize what they do or believe.

Yoga Sanga has given me the opportunity to meet fascinating yogis and yoginis and ask them questions to portrait who they are and their yoga experience. The maturity of the yoga community is amazing especially in those who have been practicing in and out the mat for a while.

Nevertheless, I once met a yogi that told me " It is so sad what is happening in the US related to Yoga... no one teaches the spiritual path any more and that is why our school is the best of all..." I respectfully disagree and told him that though not everyone is looking for the spiritual part that yoga offers, I have found many schools of yoga that train teachers and guide students to look beyond the asanas in order to have a better understanding of what yoga is about.

With all that, the question remains, what is the balance between your passion and disregarding other styles just because they are not for you?

Here are some points that I have been pondering on to answer that question:

a) It is OK to introduce yourself to a new group or in a job interview and explain what style of yoga do you practice and what is it that you find valuable in that style.
b) Your students and people around you don't need a label to sense if you live what you practice, your interaction with them will motivate them to go deeper into their practice or find another teacher that will offer a better understanding of yoga.
c)Usually the practice changes and evolves depending on the age, the life challenges that people face, etc. At some point students will find peace chasing those arm balances that might not become a reality into their bodies and decide to look deeper into meditation, pranayama and the others limbs of yoga.

At the end, what is really importance is to understand that the practice of yoga or any other spiritual path, should open our hearts to compassion, and to perceive the interconnectedness of life.
Unless you have really immerse yourself in a style of yoga, you shouldn't judge it.

Live your own style and understand that there might be something for everyone in those other different styles.

Tell us how have you handled a situation involving a fundamentalist.

Overcome the allergy symptoms with easy tips

2010-03-23T20:09:00.000-07:00

Spring has finally arrived. And with the long-awaited beautiful weatherand the shades of green painting our landscape, come the fragrances ofspring and summer-flowers, tree blossoms, and cut grass, which can meanpuffy eyes, sneezing, coughing, and sinus pressure for millions ofAmericans.
* Take a whole food based Vitamin C. – Vitamin C acts as a naturalantihistamine. Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn, NY found that taking vitaminC daily, significantly reduced blood histamine levels.

* Magnesium eases breathing – Some immunologists suggest taking 400milligrams of magnesium daily helps with nasal allergies and breathingproblems. If you want to supplement your diet with magnesium-rich foods, thebest sources are nuts, beans, whole grains, green leafy vegetables, andbananas.

* Wear sunglasses when going outside – Allergic rhinitis, or hay fever,creates a certain amount of photosensitivity. Wearing sunglasses helpsreduce your sensitivity to light and thus helps your eyes from excessivewatering.

* Drink a lot of cool water – It probably seems counterintuitive, torecommend drinking water with all of that liquid in your sinuses, nose andeyes. But re-hydrating is one of the best ways to eliminate toxins from yourbody. Besides, it cools you down and provides some symptom relief.* Check the local pollen count – If you have severe allergies, you mightconsider wearing a mask on days when the pollen count is unusually high.

* Stay away from dairy – I know, it is summer and that means ice cream.But if you have hay fever, eating dairy will produce even more phlegm andmake you feel worse.

* Use your bathroom exhaust fan when taking a shower – This will helpprevent to growth of mold in the shower. Cleaning your bathtub or showerliner is also important. Better yet, replace your liner every month or two,if you have mold sensitivities or asthma.* Keep your dryer vent clear – Build-up of lint in the dryer vent willcause an excess of dust in your house. Have your vents cleaned regularly toavoid aggravating your allergy symptoms.

* Use a vacuum with a HEPA Filter – HEPA filter vacuums do not recirculateback into the air the polluting particles that the vacuum has just pickedup. Make sure you have a true HEPA filter and not a HEPA-like filter. Youcan tell by looking at the manufacturer’s test results of their filter. Atrue HEPA filter will have test results stating that .3 microns are 99.97percent or above.

* Get rid of clutter – Allergy sufferers need to be especially carefulabout controlling dust in their homes. And clutter is a major source ofdust and dust mites. If you can’t see your floors or walls in closets andbasements, you have a clutter problem. Just as clutter clogs your house and obstructs the free flow of energy in your home, clutter also clogs your nose and obstructs the free flow of life-giving air into your body.

For more information, please visit http://www.chicagohealers.com/.

Why is Yoga so confusing?

2010-03-17T18:39:00.000-07:00

I enjoy being and advisor for a Hatha Yoga Teacher’s Training; it allows me to review the material frequently and to support new teachers in their yogic learning experience.
I recently received a great question from one of my advisees: “One of my students asked me why if I take a class from any of the five teachers in this studio, I receive a different explanation or instruction for the same pose?” She said the question took her by surprise and did not know what to answer and wanted some feedback on that.
What a great question! There are some different explanations to this. The difference between the verbal instructions or emphasis might be based on the teacher’s experience and the training she had. Some people go to weekend training and they think they can teach yoga, others go trough a long and more demanding training.
The type of yoga they teach will also put the emphasis on the breath, on the movement, on the alignment or in all of them.
Yoga is a living and evolving Science of the mind and body, new styles are created quiet often and though most of the them resemble the original teacher they had, the teacher adapt the teachings to their own style and personality.
As far as we know there were six schools of classical Indian philosophy. Those schools from all the yoga styles we know today evolved from are Samkhya, Raja , Vedanta, Nyaya, Mimamsa, and Vaisheshika.
Yoga is like a big and old tree, full of branches from where other branches are evolving and adapting to the needs of the time and society they live in.
Is one yoga style better than the other? I don’t think so. It all depends on what the student or teacher are looking for. Is it strength, relaxation, the develop of a breathing technique, or more of an athletic goal?
It is up to the student to determine what they are looking for and if they feel safe in the class’ environment created by the teacher.
Here is just a cautionary guideline, if the teacher pushes the students without giving them permission to rest or to give preparatory poses, that might not be a safe environment to learn yoga. If you have a special condition, you need to make the teacher aware so he can decide if we can help you or not. Try different teachers, levels and styles until you found what you are looking for. All yoga styles when the teacher has been well trained will offer something important and special, the student needs to decide if that is what they are looking for.
After trying different styles, a serious student will choose a path and fully immerse herself on it until it is time to move on.
Maybe yoga is not confusing after all but a living tradition!

Namaste,
Rocio Morales

Ready to be manipulated by your hearing sense?

2010-03-10T06:54:00.000-08:00

If the words, sounds and colors of ads on the media are not enough to make you want to buy "the car" or "the shoes", not to worry the next frontier when it comes to marketing is called neural advertising.

In an low economy, marketing is still generating $34 billion a year according Jeffrey Kluger on a recent Times article. If you are skipping the ads on your TV using DVR, wait what neuromarketing research is exploring. Martin Lindstrom in his book Buyology explains how people have gone under research to monitor brain activity, pupil dilation, an all physical responses to different stimuli.
These researchers have found that sound is as engaging as sight. Just try to remember your favorite jingle or how your stomach react to the sound of percolating coffee. Guess what is the most appealing sound of all for most people? it is not a kiss, or the ocean waves, it is a baby giggle!
How will marketers apply this results is very simple, you already have meaning to different sounds, so it is just a matter of play them in a specific place over an over to have a reaction on you. Don't be surprise to walk down the aisle in a supermarket and hear the sizzling sound of food, or a birdsong when you are looking for a vacation package, and even lapping water in the sportswear fragrance.
How we, regular mortals can avoid being manipulated? First thing is to recognize that our mind is very susceptible to manipulation, be aware of what you watch, for how long and the effects on you. For instance , what is it in an action/violent movie that attract people so much? If there are not explosions, gore or guns people get bored with the content easily.
It is also important to disengage from all the overload we receive. One of the yogic techniques and in many other spiritual paths is Mouna or silence. For one day a month, don't turn on the TV, radio, computer (hard), and don't talk (for many even harder). Just do your regular routine without talking. This will open not only a space for reflection but also an opportunity to watch your mind closely.
And if doing it by yourself is hard, look for a silent meditation retreat or day, it is quite of an experience!
We nee to practice disengage frequently otherwise let me tell you a secret revealed by Mr. Lindstrom's testing, "people respond to a sound better when it's subtler." If you don't do anything you won't even notice when they are moving you to act!

The positive side of the coin is that we can also use this information for positive means. As a yoga teacher I like to play very soft sounds and relaxing music to have a pleasant response on my students, uplifting phrases can also induce a behavior to mention along with a soft tone of voice. Self-hypnosis is another way to retrain the subconscious mind to respond different.

At the end of the day, even it is not getting easier it is up to us to respond or not to the environment.

Can yoga by donation really work?

2010-03-07T10:08:00.000-08:00

Last week was an interesting and exciting week of events.
I had a chance to meet with a group of teachers and students in a new yoga collective called Seva Yoga. Seva is a Sanskrit word that means, service a work that is offered to the Divine. Seva yoga is innovative because it is a complete donation based studio in Austin that wants to showcase all styles of yoga. Part of the proceeds go to a charity designated by the teacher. Here is the link to watch the interview they gave to Yoga Sanga Seva Yoga interview

There was also the Rise Event in Austin. Rise organized for third year a week of activities where they included more than 150 sessions where entrepreneurs share their experience all around Austin to other entrepreneurs. It was amazing to be with this people full of expectations, hard work and enthusiasm to make their ideas work. I took classes in building, dance studios, art studios and conference rooms. Rise is a free event for the participants.

As for events this week you will find:

Austin: If you practice Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, David Williams will be in town. There will be a workshop on how to balance the solar and lunar centers and how to recharge with Kundalini.

Dallas: There will a free Kriya Yoga introduction, a restorative yoga workshop and how to learn adjustments to help and support your partner. Also a workshop on yogabhyasa (persistent practice)

Houston: Shiva shakti book club, Meditation workshop and a Journey for peace.

San Antonio: Continues with Kundalini foundation series and iRest meditation.

New Baunfels: How to approach safely arm balance poses

Don't miss the multimedia section, every other week we are giving away books, DVDs and at the end of March 2 itunes-downloads for a 45 min. practice! Just enroll in our e-mail list for free. Your information won't be sold or share with anyone else.

Check our Calendar of events, and see how alive and committed is the Yoga Community in Texas!

Share the journey and Namaste!

Rocio Morales

Photo courtesy of Julia Land. Golden-cheeked Warbler. Click on the picture to see more pictures.

Yoga Sanga March issue

2010-03-01T14:24:00.001-08:00

Yoga Sanga March issue is out visit us at www.yogasanga.net. I have met wonderful people in the area and in the country so more interviews are on its way! We will continue to give you updates on how the Texas Yoga Association is consolidating to meet the requirements of the law in our state and be an unified voice for the Yoga community.

Please take a moment to read about decluttering your life and mind, how your legs can lenghten your spine in Mr. Boustany's unique way, we also have some reflections about how to practice asana and pranayama. This issue our Karma Award goes to Ruth Jansa for her efforts to bring yoga to people with disabilities, don't miss to learn about a great yogini who not only leads the free day of yoga in Dallas but is also helping Bellur (where BKS was born)her name is Michelle Mock; and much more!

Check our Calendar of events, and see how alive and committed is the Yoga Community in Texas!

Visit us at www.yogasanga.net

What is Karma anyways?

2010-02-22T07:34:00.000-08:00

Karma is a concept that you hear frequently among conversations but usually misunderstood.
There is no doubt that in Yoga and other Easter traditions, the concept is pivotal in the understanding of how the world works and the effect that our actions have on it.

Even for some traditions like Jainism, their understanding of the world is intrinsic to their understanding of Karma. In the words of Dr. Christopher Chappel, Professor of Indic and comparative Theology "In Jainism, karma is the basic principle within an overarching psycho-cosmology, in which human moral actions form the basis of the transmigration of the soul (jiva)—constrained within the temporal world (samsara)—until one achieves liberation (moksa) from this cycle, by following a path of purification."

With more than 30 years of studying Yoga, Swami Dasa came to Texas to gives us a more practical, modern and down to Earth understanding of this concept.
In his lecture, Swami Enoch Dasa Giri explained to the audience that the most important concept to understand about Karma is that it is not a law of punishment or retribution, it is not "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" it is simply the law of cause and effect. We need to understand that our actions have repercussions and we are the solely responsible of those actions.
Nevertheless the way we respond to life has a deep root on how we have responded to the events in the past. Swami Dasa said, "It really doesn't matter if you believe in reincarnation or not; if you grasp that who you are now is the result of how you reacted yesterday to events an people, and though some of those actions were valid at some point in the past you need to decide if they fit in your present, otherwise let them go..." "Yoga with the understanding of Karma allows the practitioner to regain control over their life, that to me is liberating."

Swami Dasa used the example of a dog coming into a room where two kids are playing. For one boy, a dog might be a good and fun animal, for the other the dog is a source of fear and threat. We rarely see the dog for what it is. We respond to life based on our experiences, prejudices and emotionality. At some point we need to understand at a deep level that not all dogs mean harm to us. That is the beginning of taking control over the emotional response of our mind and over our universe.

Karma is a mechanism to allow us to see how our mind responds, how we affect the world and how the world can affect us. Swami Dasa mentioned too that in terms of Karma our intent to do or think something will propel responses in our environment that we will have to deal with.

As yoga practitioners we can see the biases in our bodies and it is easier to work with them in hatha yoga. Nevertheless, he reminded us that we have too keep in mind that Asana practice is only 1/8th of the whole system of Yoga. The first two limbs are important practices to be mindful and aware of how we should live our lives. For that we need to understand the Yamas as restrains: Non-violence, Truthfulness, Non-stealing, Moderation and Non-greed)and the Niyamas as observances: Purity, Contentment, Austerity, Self-study, Surrender to the indwelling Reality.

Swami Dasa helped us to understand how the upper limbs like concentration and meditation, allow the mind to be quiet, to turn the consciousness inward to see clearly and without emotional responses what lies there and how to change it for the better.

In other words what get us into trouble in our daily lives is many time our emotional response to the events that come to us. Practicing the eight limbs of Yoga give us the opportunity to regain control over our life and therefore have a positive impact on the universe we exist within.

Yoga Sanga interview with Judith H. Lasater

2010-02-09T04:28:00.000-08:00

We would like to share with you the interview that Judith Hanson Lasater gave to Yoga Sanga. In this interview she talks about how she found Yoga, her relation to BKS Iyengar and her new yoga book called "Yoga Body"

Click here to listen to the interview.

Judith Lasater has taught yoga since 1971. She holds a doctorate in East-West psychology and is a physical therapist. Judith is president of the California Yoga Teacher's Association.

Her yoga training includes study with B. K. S. Iyengar in India and the United States. She teaches ongoing yoga classes and trains yoga teachers in kinesiology, yoga therapeutics, and the Yoga Sutra in the San Francisco Bay Area. Judith also gives workshops throughout the United States, and has taught in Canada, England, France, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Peru, and Russia.

Judith H. Lasater is also the author of 8 books. For more information about Mrs. Lasater go to her website at www.judithlasater.com

Where are the Yoga Warriors?

2010-02-03T18:36:00.000-08:00

It seems like an oxymoron phrase, yoga is balance, quietude and tranquility. Warrior on the other hand brings to mind passion, fervency, energy and even anger. Nevertheless after meditating on it and latest experiences I think both can be reconciled.

As you may know life brings challenges in front of you that if you are willing to overcome, can bring the most amazing rewards.

Not too long ago I received a request for a class. It wasn't a class I felt confident in teaching though the challenge seemed interesting. It was the opportunity to teach a class for people with MS (Multiple Sclerosis).
Teaching gentle classes wasn't alien for me, however this type of class would require all my skills and willingness to study and learn more about this disease.
I was open and honest with the ladies and told them I had no previous experience but consider an honor to teach them if they were willing to give me this opportunity.

After six weeks I have to say this has been a very special experience. As usually happens, the teacher is transformed by the students willingness to try different things and explore the limits of what their body can do.

MS is a chronic, inflammatory condition that can cause an array of debilitating symptoms including fatigue, vision problems and even paralysis.

Some of my students in this group were diagnosed 20 years ago and others, just recently.
They are an amazing group of women that come together once a week to support each other and stretch their bodies the best they can. We use support during the poses to keep them safe and stable as balance can be compromised with this disease.

Being a witness of the fortitude of the human spirit is amazing. They don't complain, always willing to try a pose to see how their bodies feel and helping one another constantly. Couple of them have been practicing yoga for the last 8 years and have noticed the benefits that a yoga practice can have not only in the body but also as a way to slow down the recurrence recurrence of the episodes. Gentle inversions, forward bends and twists are great ways to move the spine and keep the nervous system and muscles active. The relaxation (Savasana) part of the class helps the students to learn ways to cope with frustration, sadness, and depression.

So where are the yoga warriors? They are in classes like this one where being passive and feeling hopeless would be the easy way out, but instead they show up to class, they participate to the best of their abilities and keep a big smile in their faces.
They are the true yoga warriors, individuals that don't don't surrender in font of adversity.
In one of the classes sharing these thoughts with them, one of them said, "I think we are OK, there are worst things we could have..."
Rocio Morales

Bird photo: Painted Bunting,courtesy of Julia Land, a yogini in the MS class. Click on the link to see more beautiful bird's pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/Sashapaco

How to have a healthy neck

2010-01-25T08:56:00.000-08:00

Saturday was a great morning for many reasons, the main one was that a group of yoga practitioners came together to learn from a knowledgeable, inspiring and friendly yoga teacher: Mark Uridel.
You may not think that the neck area requires much attention unless you feel the heavy weight on your shoulders, tension headaches or just the sensation of having a head that weights like a ton over your shoulders.

Mark gave a round and amazingly clear class in about 2h. We became aware that the reason our neck can feel tight is for basically four reasons:
1) Tension
2) Upper chest breathing
3) Weakness of usually front muscles
4) Bad posture

The solution? Awareness!
Simple isn't it? During the day be aware of how you breath, take some time during the day to breath on your belly, relax, try to stretch the muscles on your neck and release the shoulders from tension with a good gentle yoga practice and to check your posture he recommends to be more aware of it and use a gentle chin tuck to align the cervical area and the shoulders.

Though the neck muscles need to stretch and strength, Mark recommended to be gentle as over-stretching this area can be as detrimental as having lack of strength.

We also moved into a yoga practice using sidhasana, vajrasana, virabhadrasana I, trikonasana, to mention some of the poses but gaining special attention on how we move neck and shoulders.

After a relaxing Savasana, with our minds clear and body happy after the stretches, we enjoyed chanting some mantras and affirmations to heal the area around the mercury chakra or Vishuddha.

After the class, a 67 year old man who had never done yoga, told me how good he felt after the practice and hopefully he will continue to use the practice to heal some of his tightness in the neck area.

We all left with a sense of openness and grateful for having this great teacher in our area.

Mark has a DVD call Yoga for a Healthy Neck with a 20 and 40 minutes practice included. For more information follow the link http://www.healingartsstudios.com/products.html
Mark has 23 years of experience and training in the health care field. He is a Licensed Physical Therapist, Registered Massage Therapist and Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher. He is a professional member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists. Mark integrates modern Medical Research with ancient Yoga Practices to provide a healing and transformational experience.

What is Hatha Yoga?

2010-01-20T15:04:00.000-08:00

Question submitted by Luceli L.

Dear Luceli,
As you may know Yoga has been around for probably more than five thousand years.
Yoga means "to yoke, to harness." The term Yoga has been used as a way to awaken spirituality through the control of the mind. Yoga is a system of techniques that allows the practitioner to achieve Samadhi or Enlightenment.

There are many schools or branches of Yoga. One way to achieve that self-control and attainment of Samadhi is via Hatha Yoga which translation means "forceful Yoga" In "The Shamabhala Encyclopedia of Yoga" by Georg Feuerstein, the term hatha yoga is "applied in general to the vast body of doctrines and practices reared toward Self-realization by means of perfecting the body."

Commonly you will hear yoga teachers mention that "Ha" usually refers to the solar energy and "tha" to the lunar energy. Hatha Yoga therefore is the union of those energies to bring Self-Realization.

All the poses that you take in a regular yoga class, have been developed trough time and many have been recorded in ancient texts. All comes down to the understanding of how the body moves in relation to space.

The poses in sanskrit are called asana (seat) and depending on different texts you can find from 16-200 poses that are more useful to human beings.

Hatha Yoga is also one of the limbs of the Eight fold path. In the practice of Hatha Yoga, the teacher instructs the students in the use of Locks (bandhas) and seals (mudras) "all of them designated to control and regulate the flow of life force (prana) in the body" Feurstein Encyclopedia of Yoga.

Next time you come to your mat, take time to breath and center your energies, be present and mindful during all the poses as they have not only an effect on your body but also on your mind.

Reference:
The Shamabhala Encyclopedia of Yoga by Georg Feurstein pp. 34-35, 118-121

It is official: watching TV can kill you!

2010-01-14T18:51:00.000-08:00

You can blame the Australians for a change this time. On a recent study by Australian researches who traced more than 8000 people for an average of six years found that "those who said they watched TV for more than four hours a day were 46% more likely to die of any cause and 80% more likely to die of cardiovascular disease than people who reported spending less than two hours a day in front of the tube" as reported on the Wall street Journal last Tuesday.

What is shocking is that these results not only affect people that don't exercise, it affects those who exercise too. How come.? Well, the problem is the inactivity that brings to watch TV for long periods of time.
Think about those long football games that many men watch for more than three hours or the long hours you spend in front of the computer (ouch!) and you can have something else to be worry about.

And those results are only in relation to the TV, what about the amount of violence that you can watch in less than two hours. This information goes directly to your subconscious mind without even notice it. No none really knows the effects but I wonder if all those stimuli have anything to do with our moods and ways that we respond to our environment.

Is there a solution? Yes! do a little bit of exercise if you are in front of the TV for a long period of time, fold clothes, put the elliptical in front of it and actually use it!, move around, take the dishes out of the dishwasher, and stretch every so often.
Not only watching TV can affect you, long commutes, long flights, and any activity that requires you to be seated for hours should be a concern.
Dr. Dunstan, a researcher at Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, in Melbourne mentions that the "research shows the important role of muscle movement in how the body processes blood sugar and blood fats. the absence of movement can slow down or metabolic processes"

Here are simple yoga exercises that can help you move your muscles after a long time in front of the TV or computer. Take breaks every hour or so and stretch!

a) Shoulder rolls. Sit on the edge of your chair. Keep your back straight, breath. On your next inhale start rolling your shoulders towards the back. After 3-5 times, stop check that your back is straight and change the direction of the movement.

b) Twists. Sit again on the edge of your chair, put your left hand on the table in front of your right shoulder, right hand towards the back of the chair or in a place that is comfortable for you. Turn your whole back towards the right, be gentle with your neck. Take 3-4 breaths, release and go to the other side.

c) Neck turns. Same position as before, keep your chin level with the floor and slowly turn your head towards the right, then center it and turn towards the left and center again. Alternate the sides. Inhaling turn to the right, exhaling turn to the center and do the same to the other side.

d) Arm stretch. Bring your arms up to the sides of your head, release your shoulders and if you can interlace your fingers and bring palms up to the ceiling. Stretch your arms up and to the sides, breath.

e) Stretch your legs. From siting , bring your hands under your right knee and lift the leg closer to your belly. With the leg on the air, extend the leg completely towards the front level to the floor, keep alternating bending and stretching for 4-5 times and then do the same with your left leg.

f) Bound angle pose. This is a great way to work out and watch TV. Sit on the floor or on top of a blanket, extend your legs forward, bring your right hand towards the back of your right knee and gently bend the knee and bring the sole of your foot towards the side of your left leg. Any part of the side or your tight is fine or close to your pubic bone. Do the same with your left leg and bring the soles of your feet together, keep your back straight and take 5-6 breaths. Relax.

Caution:
As with any workout, please ask your doctor if you have any health concerns before starting any of these exercises.

Artic cold has arrived, good time to have a home yoga practice!

2010-01-07T19:00:00.000-08:00

Home yoga practice

In Central Texas we are expecting a cold night, probable in the low 17 F and wind at 15 to 25 mph, brrr!

Of course compare with the folks up north this is not much. If it gets too hard on you, remember that soon we will be in the 100's F.

It is what it is and we should enjoy what comes into our way.

This week has been an interesting one for Yoga in the news. CNN started with the question " Is Yoga a Cult?" after having an interview with a lady suing one of the member of Dahn Yoga for harassment. Yesterday Dr. OZ talked about alternative healing therapies and included Yoga with a more positive outlook than the CNN's piece.

Today Martha Stewart is doing Yoga. The episode was shot this week in front of an audience of 51 yogis, who practiced yoga for the entire hour-long taping. There was a "warrior" workout with Trudie Styler, and an overview of three different styles of yoga: Ashtanga, Iyengar, and Vinyasa.

All that is great as we need to use the energy of the new year to avoid the toll that the winter can take on the body.

We as yoga practitioners/ teachers should be aware of them and encourage our students to start or keep their home practice. For instance, you could think that hip and bone fractures have nothing to do with winter. Well, a 10 year long study in New York City showed that "fractures were highest in winter, specially in the coldest and windiest days." reported USA today last December. Not only the icy conditions can be to blame, it is winter inactivity! said Dr. Zuckerman one of the orthopedic surgeon who helped conduct the study and president of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. "Winter inactivity weakens muscles, making falls more likely, indoors and outdoors. Also, low vitamin D levels, lined with weak muscles and brittle bones, might also play an important role in fractures" Dr. Zuckerman concluded.

As you can imagine, a good home yoga practice (if going out is not an option) can be very beneficial for bones and muscles. You don't need a long hard practice, 20 minutes a day really make a difference in your practice.

A sustained practice will improve your range of motion, flexibility, strength and most importantly it will develop body and mind awareness. This is also an opportunity to take a break and refresh your energies during the day.
You can choose from a variety of poses. Our next blog we will recommend a sequence.
For now flexing of the spine in different directions, opening the hips, arm's strengthening poses, and of course the relaxation pose (savasana) will give you a round sequence.
Find a place at home free from distractions on a wooden or low carpeted floor. Make the room comfortable and play some classical music or Nature's sounds, otherwise silence works just fine.

As for props having a mat, chair maybe blocks and a strap will help you deepen your practice.
Videos are OK as long as they are right for you. I have seen videos labeled as beginners that are not suitable for someone that is starting a yoga practice. Go to your public library and try some of them.
There are also websites and books that are very helpful. To mentioned some visit yoga journal (www.yogajournal.com) Yoga + Joyful Living Magazine (www.himalayaninstitute.org/yogaplus)

As for books it all depends on the style of yoga that you are practicing. Ask your regular teacher about some books that can support your home practice.

A question some students have asked me is "If I do all that, I don't need to go to a studio again!" Going to a class will always be on your benefit as it is hard to see our bodies when we are practicing. A good teacher should help you to go deeper into the poses and understand where the imbalances are in your body. It is always a good idea to have a good guide.

In following blogs we will feature some sequences for you to practice.

Warm yourself up and enjoy!

Photos courtesy of Dick D./ The Martha Stewart Show

Happy 2010, visit our January issue!

2010-01-01T17:40:00.000-08:00

We are starting a new year, hurray!

At the same time we are pleased to offer to the Yoga Community our January issue in this starting 2010. We are starting the year with great content and new writers contributing to Yoga Sanga. They are passionate about yoga and the spiritual path and eager to share their views and experiences with our readers.

Some of the articles that you will find are: In the Karma Yoga recognition section we praise Roslyn Earle from Houston for her amazing job in Yoga for peace, you will find information about Eco-friendly mats. Don't miss the fascinating article about Esther Vexler, a 92 year old practitioner and yoga teacher in San Antonio. Already forgetting your new year's resolutions? check Leila's article to understand why do we fail to follow them through. Have you ever been in a Sweat Lodge? learn more about this ancient practice with Whitney Whiteman. To visit us follow www.yogasanga.net

Don't miss our multimedia section with an interview with Dr. Miller on iRest and a great book on the intermediate series of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga by Gregor Maehle. And much more!

Keep sending us your special activities to post them in our calendar. Also review our new prices to make advertising with us more affordable.

May all your dreams and goals come true during this 2010 and years to come,

May your spirit be filled with the light that is in and around you,

May laughter, and the simple things in life lift your spirit,

And, may you find the joy of living even under challenging times.

With deep respect and appreciation,

Rocio Morales

Not so naughty fudge

2009-12-25T18:30:00.001-08:00

By Camella Nair

Ingredients:

3 cups shredded dried coconut

1/3 cup raw agave1

tsp vanilla

1/2 cup raw carob powder

1cup alfalfa seeds.

In a food processor bring together the coconut, raw agave, vanilla, and carob powder. Add the alfalfa seeds and pulse again to form a paste. Roll into balls and nuts and chill.

The winter solstice

2009-12-19T14:36:00.000-08:00

The winter solstice.

By Swami Enoch Dasa Giri

As spiritual entities we are travelers in time, spirit in form (kala purusha). We exist in a universe that is a matrix of consciousness. This universe is composed of an infinite number of patterns or cycles such as: birth/death, day/night, inhalation/exhalation, and the rotation of the seasons – each with its traditional kriya or ritual. I thought you might find some reflections on the symbolism of the winter solstice and this important holiday season to be meaningful.

The winter solstice and the celebrations of the sun’s return (Hanukkah, Christmas) are festivals of light that remind us of this vital spiritual principal. We are not permanent residents down here, though some of us act as if we may be. We come and we go. We descend and we ascend. We inhale and we exhale. We give and we receive. But as mystics we are always seeking the point of equilibrium, of stillness, of balance and self-awareness.

There are great lessons to be learned from observing nature. There are great lessons to be learned from observing your nature. In yoga this practice is called svadhyaya or self-study. Yet to learn from nature necessitates removing your subjective emotional filters and seeing yourself, seeing Life as it is, not as you desire it to be or fear it to be, but as it is – wondrous and beautiful. Beholding Life as it is (and you are part of Life) is not easy because you have to renounce your expectations and projections. In Japanese philosophy there is a concept referred to as shabuhi. It means that nature is not man’s concept of nature. Nature is not a perfect square or a perfect circle. It is certainly not formed out of straight lines. The pattern of the solar year is not 360 days; it is 365 and a quarter days. Shabuhi expresses the organic nature of life. It reveals that we, like the universe, are not moving in a circle but in a spiral – an ever expansive movement toward greater balance.

Kriya is an esoteric school of yogic thought. It is concerned with inner experiences and dynamics. The root of the word kriya means an action, rite, or ritual – an inner, conscious one. Holidays or Holy Days are like inns upon the path that offer you as a traveler in time an opportunity to stop and reflect at particularly auspicious points upon your journey. Where have you been, where are you now, and toward what are you traveling? Are you moving in a circle or a spiral? Is your path a conscious movement (kriya) or an unconscious karmic pattern?

The winter solstice (December 21st) is the point where the sun enters the zodiacal sign of Capricorn, its extreme southern declination. The sun has descended lower in the sky than it will all year. For three days it stops moving north or south (ascending or descending) and is “still.” It then begins to ascend again on the 25th, the high holy day of Christmas – the festival of the Sun’s return. To the mystic, Christmas and other festivals of this season (Hanukkah, Dawali and Kwanzaa) are celebrations of Light, reminding us that as spirit we too ascend and descend. We have descended into form and shall ascend once again at the appointed time.

The Mystical Significance of the Winter Solstice
The solstice also holds a deeper symbolic meaning. There is an old mystical hermetic axiom: “As above, so below. As within, so without.” Within your astral body (which is a solar system in miniature), there is an astral sun. This sun rotates each year “ascending and descending” around the twelve mansions of your astral spine, the idic and pingalic hemispheres of your six chakras. At the winter solstice, the astral sun moves (transits) into the Capricorn section of your Saturn chakra, the lowest point of your chakric universe. During the Sun’s movement through your Saturn chakra tremendous spiritual energies take “form”, which are then released in the next solar cycle of your existence.

Though it may seem as though there is little or no creative activity at work place right now – either within you or in the nature that surrounds you – there most definitely is. Do not make the mistake of thinking that just because you do not see something (or more accurately are not aware of something) that nothing is happening. The formed arises from the unformed. The very structure of the next cycle of Life, of your life, is being generated at this time. My teaching for you at this time is simple. Make it a kriya, a conscious ritual of creation.

How can you do this? How can you make your life a kriya, a conscious movement through time? One way is to create a map, something that gives you a reference point for where you are, where you have been, and where you wish to go. This could be the cycle of the seasons, the cycles of astrology, or the cycle of the breath. For most people it is the cycle of the holy days (holidays) to which Christmas and Hanukkah belong. Here we are taught to celebrate and reflect on our life through a rich tradition of rituals and observances (kriyas). We begin to see the cycles of our life as part of a whole, part of a larger pattern – the Bharva Chakra (the wheel of existence). We stop to get our bearings, to make sure we are moving forward and not just going in a circle. We slow down our busy lives for a moment and become quiet enough to see afresh the pattern of our lives and the path we are on, just like we do in meditation.

By making our lives a kriya we come to the realization that independent of the cycle or universe in which we find ourselves – physical embodiment, the dream world, marriage, parenthood – it is the hub of our self-awareness that brings clarity of purpose, direction, and the strength to walk the path before us, which we and we alone have created. This insight allows us to refrain from fragmenting or distorting our experience of Life because we no longer fear it, judge it, or blame others for our karma. When we make our lives a conscious ritual each act, each thought, each word becomes a means to become more conscious (a sacrament in Christian thought), to remember from whence we have come, who we are, and why we have come here.

May you find peace, harmony and joy throughout this season and the year to come!

Swami Dasa will visit Texas in February. He will offer a lecture on Karma: beyond the myths and misunderstandings. For information please go to http://www.yogasanga.net/?p=2729

2009-12-15T11:46:00.000-08:00

  The results of family surveys reflect that lately people living in the US practice what is known as serial monogamy, a movement from marriage to divorce to marriage again and again.  As for religious practices there has been some information on the subject from the beginning of the year and the latest is from last week.

The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life found that in general the US population changes their religious affiliation more than once in their life.  Not only a third of those who attend services usually go to a different church but nearly a quarter attend services held by another religion. Besides practicing an organized religion they also affirm beliefs that could have lifted eyebrows 100 years ago: 23% of those who consider themselves Christians believe in astrology, 22% in reincarnation, 26% find spiritual energy in physical things, and 21% believe yoga is a spiritual practice.   

Mr. Prothero wrote for The Wall Street Journal on Friday that "religious promiscuity is nothing new; many early Christians were also practicing Jews. And in China the "Three Teachings" of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism have co-existed for centuries, with many believers turning to Confucianism for etiquette, Taoism for freedom and Buddhism for enlightenment" For Mr. Prothero, a professor of religion at Boston University this might be a sign that people are loosing the sense of the sacred.   

There is not doubt that many times people change religion just because their favorite movie star is doing so, others get bored without even studying the basics of the religion they practice.  Nevertheless, I don't see this trend as a problem; I like to think that there is something deeper happening, a search for meaning.

People might change their affiliation because they are looking for something more meaningful and less threatening; they want to have a personal experience that can bring them closer to the divine regardless of name or affiliation.   Let me ad another interesting piece of data reported by the American Religious Identification Survey last March, "the percentage of people who call themselves Christians has dropped more than 11% in a generation, and so many people declined any religious label that the "nones", now 15% of the USA, are the third largest "religious group" after Catholics and Baptist”   According to the Pew's 2008 U.S. Religious Landscape survey 92% or the population believe in a God 70% said many religions can lead to eternal life, and 68% said there is more than one true way to interpret the teachings of my religion.   

Could all these changes affect society or how our kids develop a sense of goodness and even morality? Is this tendency making them confused and have a cynic relation to God? Maybe.
The other side of the coin is that questioning the belief system we grew up with can become a search for truth and understanding, a way to trust our own experience and relation with the Divine without dogma.   

It seems to me that all this data represent a new take on religion. People are being more open and willing to understand the others point of view, recognizing that Truth does not belong to anyone though there are ways to approach it.   This is the foundation of a mystical or spiritual way of understanding, and yoga has been one of those paths for more than 5000 years old. Sages of all times have said it: Yoga gives a series of techniques. If you want to have an experience, you should try them and see where they can take you.   

As for me as a yoga practitioner, I am glad the perception of Yoga has gone beyond the stretches and pretzel-like poses, little by little Yoga is taking its right place as a spiritual practice though not the only one. I truly believe that any search, devoting time and a desire to learn, will transform your life forever.

What is generosity?

2009-12-05T09:45:00.000-08:00

Want to feel generous this holiday season?

I met John Kissick recently and his story moved my heart.He might be on his late 40s and has recently started a new company. In this economy, starting a business means a lot. He didn't stop there, he told me that three years ago he was living on the streets with all that is involved around this circumstance.
One day, an stranger offered him a hand, not only in terms of shelter or food, this person offered him an opportunity to learn a way of standing up and walking in his own two feet.
Today, John has a dream. He is starting The Homeless Angels Foundation in Austin (homelessangelsnetwork.org website is under construction now) to give people on the streets an opportunity to learn, work and come back to the social structure.

After talking with him, I couldn't stop thinking, what does it means to be truly generous? The Merrian-Webster's dictionary says that a generous person is "characterized by a noble or forbearing spirit, liberal in giving, marked by abundance or ample proportions"
For Jonh Kissick, having been homeless will help him to understand those he wants to help and to develop successful strategies do to so.

As for the rest of us, there are many ways we can help.Maybe before buying gifts that we really don't care on giving but feel pressure to do; there is an alternative that would make us feel better.The alternative is GoodShop.JJ Ramberg, one of the founders of GoodShop told us that when you buy from brands or retailers that have made a commitment with GoodShop, you can determine a school or charity you would like to donate to. After your sale is done, they will donate up to 30% or your purchase to your cause.

They promise that you won't pay extra and what you spend will be reflected on your charity. You might even save money if you use their coupons and free shipping deals!
Some of the Yoga retailers that you will find are: Gaiam, Yoga Accessories.com, Paragon Sports, Sports Authority, Amazon (and more than 1,400 other retailers)
As for the non profits that are Texas based. Mr. Rangerg game some examples: Ananda Dallas Meditation and Yoga Center, The American Red Cross, The Nature Conservancy, The NRDC, American Heart Association, Kids Making A Difference (Texas), United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) - Greater Houston, Tiger Creek Wildlife Rescue (Texas), ASPCA. Mr. Ramberg mentioned that GoodShopwork work with more than 84,000 nonprofits

Next time you need to buy a present, check www.goodshop.com and feel good about buying here!And if you can't find what you are looking for, use GoodSearch. In this website, after you designate your favorite charity, just for looking around, they will donate a penny to their cause.To use GoodSearch1. go to www.goodsearch.com2. designate your favorite charity or school in the “Who do you GoodSearch for” box3. search as you normally would in the Yahoo powered search box. Each time you do a search, about a penny is donated to your cause

Enjoy the Holiday and feel good about it!
Rocio Morales

Yoga Class for a Healthy Neck with Mark Uridel

2009-12-05T09:41:00.000-08:00

Yoga for a Healthy Neck: Asana, Bandha, Pranayama and Mantra

Yoga Sanga is pleased to invite you to a workshop in Round Rock with Mark Uridel.

When: Saturday January 23, 2010
Where: Allen R. Baca Center Room 1. Located at 301 Bagdad St. Suite 250, Round Rock TX 78664.
Time: 9:30 – 11:15 AM
Cost: Sign in before January 6th and pay $30.00. After January 7th, $40.00
What to bring: Mat, blanket and a strap.

Please send a check to Yoga Sanga to: PO Box 5717. Round Rock, TX 78683

Class description.
The latest medical research reports that most people with neck pain respond positively to specifically designed exercises. Join Mark Uridel, for an integrative and holistic yoga class designed for the health of your neck.
We will explore 5 ways Yoga can help to keep your neck healthy:
1. Relaxes your muscle tension.
2. Improves your posture and body awareness.
3. Strengthens the muscles that support your neck.
4. Reduces stress and mental tension.
5. Engages your whole body, mind and breath.

Space is limited, sign in early to reserve your place!

About Mark Uridel.

Mark, MSPT, RMT, ERYT has 20 years of training and experience in Yoga. A member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists, he integrates his Physical Therapy expertise into his Yoga classes to provide an educational, healing and transformational experience. Mark teaches Anatomy of Movement for Yoga and Yoga Therapeutics nationally and provides Physical Therapy consultation and personalized Yoga programs for his patients. Mark has appeared in the Yoga Journal and presented at the Body-Mind-Spirit Educational Conference in Santa Clara, California, at the Southwest Yoga Conference and at the Texas Yoga Retreat.

Karma: beyong the myths and misunderstandings

2009-12-05T09:36:00.000-08:00

Yoga Sanga is pleased to host Swami Enoch Dasa Giri‘s first visit to Texas .

Swami Dasa will give a 2-hour lecture open to the anyone interested in understanding the concept of Karma more in depth and beyond misunderstandings. He will offer techniques to soften and neutralize karma as well as how to understand this concept from an esoteric perspective.

Dallas: Friday February 19, 2010
At Ranjana’s Yoga from 7:30-9:30 PM
13614 Midway Rd., Suite 101. Dallas, TX 75244

Austin: Saturday February 20, 2010
At Casa de Luz Auditorium from 7-9 PM
1701 Toomey Rd. Austin TX, 78704

Houston: Sunday February 21, 2010
From 10:30 AM-12:30 PM
At The Yoga Institute located at 2150 Portsmouth Street. Houston, Texas 77098

Swami Enoch Dasa Giri is an inspirational teacher, born in Chicago; who shares the living tradition of yoga with warmth, humor, and sincerity. He is a direct disciple of Sri Goswami Kriyananda who carries the flame of the Kriya lineage brought to this country by Paramahansa Yogananda.
Dasaji has devoted himself to the study and practice of the Kriya tradition for over 30 years. His life is dedicated to helping those that wish to open their minds to deeper knowledge, their hearts to greater kindness, and their lives to unselfish service.
In 1998 he was ordained into the yogic priesthood, where he received the title Swami Enoch Dasa Giri. Through his work as an ordained priest, teacher, professional astrologer, and successful restaurateur, he understands first-hand the joys and challenges of being a householder on the yogic pathway.

For more information or questions send us a message to yogasangatx@gmail.com or call Rocio Morales at 1800-6623901.

Suggested donation $15.00 per person

Join us to learn and clarify your questions related to Karma!

The missing piece in the Fort Hood incident

2009-11-24T18:13:00.000-08:00

Time is ticking, lists have been made and refrigerators are getting full to receive the guest for the Thanksgiving celebration.

Those who will be cooking and cleaning will be worry about who will be attending dinner and if the old feuds will resurface again. For the most part the food will be excellent and there will be some ready to enjoy the black Friday as a "consuming celebration."

Like any other year, some families will be missing a love one and others still in disbelieve after loosing someone close in a violent act, whether is on the street, fighting the war far away or by the hand of one of their own.

So much ink has been used in trying to understand what happened in Fort Hood. What is missing is the reflection that each one of us needs to make regarding our loyalties, sense of righteousness and beliefs.

We can use this time while being among our relatives to see a reflection of who we are and how we react to events. There is Louis who decide to become a Hare Krishna follower, and grandpa Samuel who still is a devoted Jewish and my aunt Lara who prays the rosary every week on her knees even though she is 70!
All these people think their belief is the right one. Fortunately for one dinner, they are able to eat with someone that might think differently and be at peace with that.

My favorite part of the Thanksgiving celebration is that it does not require a religious or political affiliation, it is time to come together and be thankful for all we have and sometimes for things we lost. It is time to remember that this land is not ours and was taken in a violent way and we should honor those cultures that though we don't comprehend, have still so much to teach us.

We should have more of these dinners to move beyond our beliefs, and see that though they seem different and everyone has the right to express their opinion, in the fundamentals they are not that much different. Only by tolerance and keeping an open mind we will be able to live in peace in our inner circle and have hope for the matters of the planet.
At the end of the day, whether they are right or wrong, it really doesn't matter because, the fundamental principle of creation in this plane is not subjected by our puerile beliefs.
The hope is that in every household in the US, this thanksgiving will be a time to get together and to practice tolerance and kindness.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Rocio Morales

Esher Vexler and Juan Anguiano at the Texas Yoga Retreat

2009-11-14T10:54:00.000-08:00

As a yoga teacher I know there are some classes that you have to plan very carefully to give the student the opportunity to receive all the benefits. One of the biggest challenge is partner yoga; not because is hard, or students can injure themselves, no, that is not the issue. The issue is that is so easy to become a loud, unfocused class.

Yoga doesn't really allows for social interaction, you keep your personal space, listen carefully to the instructions and at the end you feel refresh and renew.
In partner yoga all those rules are gone and you enjoy interacting with others.

Last week at the Yoga for Texas Retreat I had the opportunity to enjoy a partner yoga class led by the oldest teacher in Texas: Esther Vexler.
She came from San Antonio. Esther is 92 years old, with a lovely presence and kind energy.
My partner was a 65 years old lovely former dancer and yoga teacher. Ria was very flexible and we were able to do all of the poses.

As expected the class was a bit distracting but full of joy. We did tree poses, triangle, back-bends, forward bends with a partner. Miss Vexler was very patient and we had to pay attention to understand the pose we were about to do.
There were lots of laughs and bodies projected to the floor without injuries. Esther did her best keeping us engaged and remind us to appreciate the trust of our partner .
Without a doubt, it was a fun experience!

On another class, Juan Anguiano gave directions so we could had a closer and experiential look at Mula bhanda. He looks like 20 though he told me he is in his mid thirties.
Juan gave us different exercises to start feeling the lifting of the pelvic floor and how that sensation can be handle in other poses like triangle, warrior pose or cross legged pose.
Unfortunately the time didn't allow to go deeper into the meaning of the bandhas in a yoga practice.
By the end everyone was able to feel the lifting and support of the root lock.

As for the organization of the Texas Yoga Retreat, I have to say that they were very attentive of our needs and participants' comments.
Barsana Dham is a beautiful and quiet place that allows people to focus and enjoy the retreat, the food was great!
Some of us even got some beautiful kurtas for an amazing price. One day the lady form the gift shop showed us how to wrap around a Sari.

At the end I came back home through a pouring rain but with a big smile and appreciation for having renew energies and have met very interesting people.

Thank you!

Class with Robert Boustany

2009-11-10T19:12:00.000-08:00

The 3 hours class I attended at the Texas Yoga Retreat had a long title " Moving deeper into hips & legs, a technically deeper approach toward forward & back-bends." The teacher was Robert Boustany.

Boustany's 40 years of yoga practice has taken form in his own style called Pralaya Yoga. I will explore this concept further in the January issue of Yoga Sanga.

Robert has studied very closely not only the anatomy of the human body but how different muscles that apparently have nothing in common can be used to strengthen and release two different areas.

With a background in Physics, he gives special attention to alignment and lengthening of the spine, not for the sake of it but as a way to increase energy and strength. He told us "strength and flexibility come together, therefore working with the spine is a must"

Boustany asked us to explore having the arm lifted and inclining the head away from that arm to notice how the head and arm can work to release the neck.
He also showed us how to do an abdominal work and then feel how the quadriceps are connected with them . "Strengthening the abs lengthens the quadriceps" he added.

"What is a stretch? Proper relaxation and contraction of the muscles" Robert told us.

He recommends to be present not only when we practice yoga but at all times, living in the past or the future can make an impression in the way our bodies move.
"If we learn to align the spine, if the spine is long, a surge of vitality will be reflected in all our organs" Boustany commented

"Alignment is uniform pressure in the joints. Yoga gives temporary relief from the insanity of the mind." Robert recommends to be mindful of our bodies, "muscles doesn't know how old you are, but the mind can freak you out!" he mentioned.

Being mindful of your body will help to avoid injuries. "The pose is over when the muscle cannot support itself" he added at the end of the class.

When we finished that class we had a feeling of a deep stretch in the hips, abs and quadriceps plus very interesting reflections to think about.

Shanti,

Rocio

Richard Miller and iRest

2009-11-09T15:41:00.000-08:00

What a weekend! It has been intense in terms of all the great experiences and the yogis and yoginis I had the opportunity to interact with.

Let me start with last Friday and work my way through Sunday. On Friday there was a free event at one of YogaYoga studios. The room was almost full and everyone was ready to listen and meet Richard Miller Ph.D.

Dr. Miller is author of Yoga Nidra: The Meditative Heart of Yoga; he is a clinical psychologist and contemporary spiritual teacher of non-dualism. Richard Miller is the founding president of the Center of Timeless Being, co-founder and CO-president of the Institute for Spirituality and Psychology, and co-founder of the International Association of Yoga Therapy.

He told us about his first encounter with yoga back in 1970. To his surprise, (he was expecting an active class) his first class was a Yoga Nidra class. From that class he found a mentor that guided him into yoga and psychotherapy. During those years he even taught some classes for Bikram for a couple of years.
During his presentation, Dr. Miller said “Yoga is knowing feelingly and exponentially that what I see is part of me, it awakens the 7 senses and moves us from the illusion of separation”

He has come to understand that all the practices are skillful means to explore the mind. Miller had a realization after being able to have his foot behind his head that “I wasn’t any better than anyone just for doing that.” At that moment he decided to become a witness in presence.

The difference between Yoga Nidra and iRest is that we use a more western language and approach so the practice is available to everyone. Dr. Miller said that in India the practice of YogaNidra seems a little bit like an imposition in terms of the symbols this practice use. He let the student decide which symbols to use and explore his own space.

Dr. Miller started applying it to post traumatic stress disorder patients; “ the military wanted to have a clear and simple way to use it,” he ads. The result was the title of Integrative restoration (iRest)
As for what he expects to see in the future of Yoga, Dr. Miller wishes that Meditation will become more prevalent in the studios so we can have a better understanding of the mind. “Violence only arises as a sense of separation,” he concluded.

To learn more about the Center of Timeless Being and Integrative Restoration iRest Yoga Nidra programs please visit CTB's website: www.nondual.com.

The practice of gratitude

2009-11-04T18:53:00.001-08:00

November is finally here!

Regardless of the economical challenges that every family have felt during the recession I think we still have a lot to be grateful for.
Some say that this crisis is a wake up call for the people in the US to the problems that most people in the world have suffered for generations.

There is no question that this land is rich, productive and abundant to the point that as a culture we have wasted many resources. Nevertheless, the positive side of any crisis is that there is always time to learn and adapt and humans are wonderful at that.

I invite you to explore a little deeper the concept of gratitude and hopefully by the end of this blog you will be compelled to practice it more frequently.

The dictionary mentions that gratitude is to be conscious of the benefit received. The awareness make us thankful, pleased, and glad. These positive feelings promote a sense of well-being and a desire to help others.

David DeSteno, an associate professor of psychology at Northeastern University. suggests that feeling thankful can lead to greater social good as people are more inclined to give back—and not only to the person who helped them.
DeSteno observed the behavior of two groups after one was helped by an outsider. The gratitude that this group felt might have been one of the reasons why when it came to offer assistance or raised resources for a cause they had a better response to the request than the group that didn't have any help.

At a deeper level gratitude helps us to realize all the events that need to happen in order to be the beneficiary of a "thankful moment."

Let's say tomorrow you go to the store to buy clementines (tangerines), meanwhile you wait to pay for them, you realize that having the clementines in your hands is the result of the farmer cultivating the soil in a proper way, plus the drivers that bring them to the distribution center, the store manager who assigns a fair price, the cashier who will put them carefully into your paper bag to avoid being smashed on the way home; all that so when you wash and eat them you will be happy and grateful for a great buy!

It reminds me of the Vedic God Indra, the king of the Gods whose net hangs over his palace on Mount Meru. Indra's net has a multifaceted jewel at each vertex, and each jewel is reflected in all of the other jewels as a symbol of interconnectedness in the Universe.

Our actions for small that they might seem at a certain moment, can have great repercussions in the well-being of others.

Let's practice during this month gratefulness for all the little joys in life, remember what is really important can not be bought with money...

Shanti,
Rocio

What is the link between Halloween, the Day of the Dead and Yoga?

2009-10-30T19:02:00.001-07:00

I received this fascinating question after posting the Halloween blog. I would like to share some thoughts with you
about that.

As you read from the previous blog Halloween started as a Celtic ceremony by the
druids who were the Celtic priest.
Interestingly enough the day of the dead celebrates the same as the Celts; it was a well known and common celebration by many indigenous groups (Mayas, Mexicas/Aztecs, Purepechas, Nahuatls, Totonacas), and also celebrated 3000 years ago.

In the Aztec tradition they dedicated this festivity to the goddess Mictecacihuatl (Lady of the night) and whose husband was Mictlantecuhtli (Lord of the land of the dead)
They used to honor children and relatives that have passed away.

For the Aztecs, death had not a moral connotation, there was no hell or heaven, what was important is the way people died, this would determine where to go after life.

Some of those places where:
Tlalocan (Tlaloc's paradise) Any death related to water, and children sacrificed would go here. It was a place or tranquility and abundance. They would buried them as seed to germinate later on.

Omeyocan (Sun's paradise or Huitzilopochti's place) Here was the place for all warriors, prisoners that were sacrificed and women that would died in labor (as they died fighting a big battle)
They buried them in the Palace yard so they could accompany the sun in its daily trip from noon to dusk. It was a high privilege to go to this place after life, because there was everlasting joy and music. Those in there would come back after 4 years as birds with beautiful feather's colors. (For those with symbolism interest, notice the Mars to Mercury symbols!)

There was a place for those who died of natural causes (Mictlan) and for children (Chichihuacuauhco). Depending on the circumstances they would come back to the material plane after a while.

To celebrate this days ( could be up to two months in July and August) they used to choose a tree, bring it down and decorate with bright flowers; celebrations would go for two months with dances and food to honor the dead.

In the XVI century the Spaniards brought their own festivities and blended with the natives. Moving their calendar to the Catholic celebration of all saints.

Today on November 1st they honor children and infants whereas on November 2 it is the day to honor the adults.
The celebration in some places is to go to the cemetery, clean the graves, decorate them and bring food to remember the deceased. Skulls will be display as a symbol of death and rebirth.

Others will gather at homes where altars will be set up for the deceased with food (that they use to like when they were in the material plane), candles, sugar skulls, Mexican marygold flowers with deep yellow and orange colors, incense and special bread called bread of the dead.

So where is the connection to Yoga?

In Yoga we acknowledge the fact that we are in some ways the product of our blood line.
Subconsciously or consciously our reactions are a product of what our families believe and have been.

The name for them is samskaras or imprints from the past. The more we are aware of them, the more consciously we will see how they propel consciousness into action. Who we are is blend of actions of the past and the influences we have received from family and the society we live in. For that honoring the dead is a way to reconnect with those forces and make peace with them in order to remove the subliminal activators, gain awareness and set us free.

Confused about Halloween?

2009-10-25T20:01:00.000-07:00

I was talking with a group of women and after the talk, one woman asked to the group, what do you know about Halloween, I am conflicted because at church they told us it was evil and at the same time I have celebrated it with my kids.
The other women said, I like it and regardless of what they say I do it and it's good for my kids because they have fun!
I told them that many traditions in different religions started as pagan festivities and what those religions did is to adapt or change the name so it would be one of their traditions.
Here are some historic facts in case you want to know about Halloween.
The tradition related to Halloween started three thousand years ago in Ireland by the Celts. Their priest use to celebrate the last day of the harvest and the beginning of longer nights and shorter days. During this time the Celtic priest called Druids believed that the line between the dead and the living was thinner and spirits could come to the living plane. This celebration was call Samhain (November).
They considered that not all those visitors were friendly so in order to appease those unfriendly spirit they offered food and sweets. To placate them they also used masks and customs.
Celts also use animal offerings to bring the sun back in the Spring. This time was also used to predict the future. Many of those prophecies became stories that will go around Ireland and Europe by story tellers, each of them would add a piece of imagination to the stories.

At the same time in Rome there was a mystical ceremony called Pomona that would honor the goddess of gardens and fruit. It was the opportunity to thank for a good harvest. By 50 BC Rome had spread through Europe and spread Pomona to those places.

During the first century a religious movement (Christians) was getting organized and considered that the natural forces were hostile and against God. They thought that the Devil was deceiving pagans.
By 325 Constantine summoned the council of Nicaea, during that time the Christian doctrine was established. Pagan festivities were so deep in to the social fabric of many places that the new church tried different things to abolished them without much success. It was Pope Gregory III who decided to turn the pagan festivity into an all saints day (November 1st). Pope Gregory IV standardized the date of All Hallow's day . Hallows means to make holy, to sanctify and because it was celebrated in the evening it became Hallow's eve. As time went by you can notice how easy it could change into Halloween.

As you can see no witches have appeared so far neither fear of cats.

By 1400 the religious structure was male oriented and started to prosecute wicce (wise one). They were mostly women and many of them died burned or hanged.
It was until 1486 that Christianity linked the Devil with the Celtic rituals during Pope Innocent VIII ruling.

So how it came to the colonies?
Well, by 1600 the Catholic church was torn by the work of Martin Luther, specially in England. On November 5th, 1605 one catholic (Guy Fawkes) tried to burn the house of lords; that is the reason why in England, they celebrate this day in a similar way to Halloween (use of customs and parades).
When puritans got to the colonies they didn't like Halloween because it was either too catholic or too pagan. For that, each colony had a different approach to it; in Salem they killed around women accused of witchcraft meanwhile in Virginia Halloween became a very popular festivity. In Virginia they had divination games, carved pumpkins and games with apples.
When Irish people came to the US, many more games gained popularity and started using pumpkins as jack-o- lanterns.
In 1920 Anoka Minnesota trying to avoid pranks and vandalism during Halloween festivities, started a Halloween Parade and self proclaimed Anoka as the Halloween Capital of the World. After that the rest of the country followed its example and became a kids festivity.
Since the 70's more adults are celebrating Halloween as well, most of them grew up with this celebration and continue adding a fun way to celebrate and be a little crazy too.

Halloween is the second biggest festivity in the US after Christmas. It generates a 2.5 Billion of dollars and as you can imagine some religious groups condemn its pagan roots and keep linking it to the devil. Some places instead of celebrating Halloween they invite the parishioners to Hell-houses; nothing like instilling fear.
And talking about fear, Hollywood has helped to link Halloween with murderers and ghost movies, I guess fear is also good business.

Anyhow if you decide to go trick or treating, hope you remember that started as a way to thank the Earth for all its goodness and abundance and that trust is a big ingredient to keep all of those children safe.

Happy Halloween!

Rocio

Memories from an unique retreat and ordination

2009-10-20T18:22:00.001-07:00

Ah! feels good to come back to the warmer weather compare to Chicago. Nevertheless I felt so much warmth in my heart that the rain, cold and fog did little to upset my mood there.

On my way back, I called my mother to say hello and her first question was, so how should I call you now? I told her that I was the same, the only difference is that I took a vow to serve to the best of my abilities, the rest is really the same.
A friend who took care of my cats in my absence asked the same, and I said "really for the world I am the same, but if you ask me to marry you, or baptize you child or pray for a loved one, I will attune to the lineage I am part of and something good will come from it."

I also told her that Chicago has a special place in my heart, more specifically the Temple of Kriya community, a diverse and thriving community that comes twice a year to seat at the feet of Sri Goswami K. to laugh, learn and lift above the routine and its challenges and renovate their energies to deepen their sadhana (spiritual practice.) I have met so wonderful and dedicated souls, they are like my extended family in the US.

Sri Goswami K. has been teaching people for more than 60 years, yet his humor, kindness, and deep understanding of human psychology has enlightened our path and empower many lives. He is part of a householder lineage that practice how to balance their "physical" life with the desire to understand Reality. His message has always been practical and deep: "you deserve to be happy but to do that you have to stop trying to control life; adjust, adapt, acclimatize. Let go of your anger, let go of your old habits and patterns inherited by your blood line, arise and wake up!"

This retreat was unique, after being a Kriya student for almost 8 years, me and six other students received ordination from Sri Goswami.
Diwali (festival of lights) was starting, the new moon was in Libra, my daughter and husband were present, Sri Goswami ordained us after 10 years of not doing that, and a generous and kind community received us with an open heart. The vibration was high and the ritual had a profound effect in every one of us.

I have a new title now but I think there is still a long way to go in order to really earn it. Study, practice and being congruent in action and thought will guide me to be a better being.

I am deeply grateful not only to all who have walked the path before me, to those who are walking the path beside me and send many blessings for those who are coming behind.
Shanti,
Rocio Morales
(Swami Pushkaryananda)

So you will be a what?

2009-10-13T06:46:00.001-07:00

My Spiritual teacher (Guru), Dasaji frequently tells us "there are magic moments in life, portals that will open in front of you and that if you cross them your life will be transform forever"

For most humans that can be the birth of your child, a sunset, your wedding day, the day your boss gave you that big promotion, and also when you lose someone or when you realize there are things that you have very little control over.

I feel on the verge of one of those moments. Diwali is the festival of light in India and will be celebrated on Sunday at sunrise. At the same time a group of fellow seekers and I will be ordained in the Kriya Tradition as swamis (yogi priests.)

One friend asked me, -will I be able to see light coming out from your ears? -No I said. Another inquire, -will you be levitating and reading my mind? -Definitely no.
-So what is it and why are you doing this? another wanted to know.

Becoming a swami is very simple as I understand it. It is about taking a vow to serve
Life. For those with artistic talent, they will use this gift to share the beauty of life an rise awareness; for those who can teach, they will become teachers or writers; for those who can heal, they will counsel or heal the human body. In other words I will be doing what I am doing but with a conscious decision to be better.
As anyone who has studied the Eight Limbs of Yoga, should know this is not an easy feat but opens an amazing path to live one's life.
I foresee multiple attempts and falls and once in a while success.

So... my friends asked almost rising an eyebrow at the same time, there is nothing practical about becoming a Swami?
I smiled and said, there are couple of practical services in the community. Remember Yoga is not a religion and has no affiliation with any of them. Nevertheless some of the activities that a yogi priest offers to the community are: being able to marry people, blessing of a space, praying for a sick one, ritual of death and rebirth, baptism, and spiritual counseling to mention some.

The word swami means master of himself; in my case the commitment to master my mind, body and spirit for a higher purpose and connection with Life. I have no doubt that there will be a spark transmitted from the lineage at the moment of ordination but it is up to me to keep it alive and growing.

In light on Yoga, B.K.S. Iyengar captures the essence of the commitment I am about to embark. It is important to mention that you don't need to take a vow to do that, it just helps to be supported by an ancient lineage and living flame in the search for truth.

Here are Iyengar's words:
"He who works selflessly for the welfare of others with love in his heart is thrice blessed. But the man who combines within his mortal frame knowledge, love and selfless service is holy and becomes a place of pilgrimage, like the confluence of the rivers Ganga, Saraswati and Jamnuna. Those who meet him become calm and purified.
Mind is the king of the senses. One who has conquered his mind, senses, passions, thought and reason is a king among men. He is fit for Raja Yoga, the royal union with the Universal Spirit. He has Inner light"

What a goal (the one that might take thousands of incarnations)!
But every journey starts with a simple step, and I am ready to take it!

Ribbon cutting ceremony

2009-10-08T16:23:00.000-07:00

Ah! It is always nice to meet new people, specially if they have very little in common with you.
Today the Round Rock Chamber of Commerce had a little gathering to cut the ribbon for Yoga Sanga. Well, we are an online Magazine therefore there is no really a space or office beyond my studio at home, hard to cut anything on the computer...
For that they offered me the Chamber's offices. A very old and renovated house on Main Street in Round Rock.
I learned that over 90 percent of the membership is composed of small businesses interested in prospering and creating a healthy environment in which to conduct business. The Chamber is made up of people who realize that through the Chamber they can accomplish collectively what no one of them can do individually. The strength of the Chamber lies in attracting the greatest number of members, creating a pool of resources from which can be drawn ideas, energy and finances.

The members were talking about how they are facing the challenges of the recession and how innovative they have become to continue attracting customers.
Yoga Sanga wants to offer an affordable greener way to attract prospect students to classes, studios and special events. Also we want to be a place where new and old practitioners can find inspiration and information related to the eighth limbs of Yoga.
It was a fun ceremony, specially trying to hold those scissors almost as big as I am (not too of a challenge, I have to admit)

When I was ready to cut the ribbon, someone said you have to cut it with a fast and strong movement otherwise it won't cut. I use all my yoga energy and almost break the scissors, they laughed and said, guess that yoga thing really works! I am having a smile on my face for that.
Of course the food was great, catered by Angie's in Round Rock, so fresh and delicious, thanks for those great treats!
Thanks for those who came to say hello, your presence is deeply appreciated.
Shanti,
Rocio

2009-10-03T20:32:00.000-07:00

I love animals, they have been part of my life since I can remember.
According to the Humane Society in 2007-2008 there were approximately 74.8 million owned dogs in the US.
During my Summer early morning walks I saw a stray dog a few times, he (not sure) looks like an Scottish Collie, dirty and seemed lost.
As soon as he saw my dog and I he ran away.
Last Friday I saw him again. He has lost a lot of weight and seems curious but distant, if you try to approach him, he runs away.
I called animal control to report seeing him. A lady called a little after and said that she is aware of the dog and all the attempts to capture him have been vane. She thinks he is living on the golf course because of the reports she has received from neighbors.
No one has reported a lost animal like this one and she thinks someone might have dropped him and left.
The animal control lady said that finally a neighbor has accepted to set a trap close to where she thinks the dog lives and is hoping to catch him soon.
The sad news is that she thinks the dog might be sick and will have to euthanize him.
When I heard that my heart ached. I understand he might be sick but if a dog like this survives one of the hottest summers in Texas, lack of food, natural fauna and is still alive, he should deserve a better ending.
How many times we are unaware of the repercussions of our decisions and how much it can affect others?
I hope the dog will have a better ending and will live in a loving home for many more years. We'll see...

Forgiveness as a spiritual practice

2009-10-01T14:47:00.000-07:00

I was contemplating this picture of the Kinkaku Temple in Kyoto, Japan sent by my beloved host daughter and wishing to be there surrounded by the serenity of the place when I received a call from an old friend. He was excited and astonished from what happened to him recently.

He said he has been reading about forgiveness and trying to practice it after being layoff twice. He was angry, depressed and holding little hope for his future. So he decided to give the book a chance and committed to perform the forgiveness ritual that was suggested there.

In most spiritual traditions there is a ritual of forgiveness, an important practice to sweep clear our path and open our hearts.

Without telling anyone he performed the ritual and was taken by surprised when a couple of days after performing it his previous boss called (first contact after four years!) to say hello and apologize for how things were handled during his first layoff.

He made me smiled when he said, “ I did not expect this, I opened the door to heal this wound and now I will have to talk with my previous boss, that is going to be the real challenge!”

Some people get mad at someone and get over it very quickly and others find offense in every little thing and wait for years to get revenge or feel a victim. I know some things are just so hard to overcome, but forgiveness is the key to overcome the sense of powerless.

In the words of Isabelle Moiland in The Long Search “As long as you don’t forgive, who and whatever it is will occupy rent-free space in your mind”

Now that the harvesting season is starting, hope you will take a moment to reflect and let go of grudges that are holding you back.

Exciting news!

2009-09-23T18:00:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow morning finally you will be able to visit the Yoga Sanga website!

If you have started a business, you might remember all the time and energy that is behind this along with a passion to do something different.
Daring to step into the unknown is not easy, you walk in mud, sometimes it is hard to see clearly, falling quite frequently and some times not having a clear idea of the end result.

So why do you keep trying? because you believe is a good thing and there is always one or many caring hands that cheer you up. To them I express my profound gratitude.

Hope all of you will be able to visit the website www.yogasanga.net and send me your feedback. There might be a little glitch here and there but we are committed to work hard in order to offer a reliable, honest and inspiring magazine.

Share the journey!!!
Rocio

The Case for God

2009-09-21T19:03:00.001-07:00

I would like to share with you today a beautiful ritual that Karen Armstrong described on an NPR interview on NPR (Fresh air)today. Miss Armstrong wrote "The case for God" a fascinating point of view on the role of religion and compassion in the XXI century.

She mentions that some centuries ago (X BCE) in India, Brahmans had an interesting contest.
Students will come together to participate on a retreat where the activities were pranayama (breath control exercises), fasting and preparing the mind for the challenge. It was simple, each of them needed to define Brahman (the ultimate reality). One at a time students would give their definition an the others had to listen carefully and challenge it by giving their own and move on.
What is fascinating is that the winner would be the one who would bring everyone to silence. It was said that in that silence, Brahman was present.

Miss Armstrong says "A theology should be like poetry that takes us to the end of words"

In any yoga school that is the end result, being able to quiet the mind so we can transcend it and for a moment see Reality as it is not as we usually see it full of veils.

Enjoy the night and the soon to come Fall Equinox tomorrow!
Rocio

For the full interview visit: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112968197

Retreat a breath of fresh air!

2009-09-20T17:43:00.000-07:00

Every year a group of students and a wise soul come together to spend some time. It is an opportunity to be away of the routine and reflect on life's purpose at a subtle and deeper level.

It happens all around the globe, some cultures are more use to it than others. In my case I found the solace of a retreat here in the US. I remember my mother saying six years ago "will you live your kids alone with your husband for three days?; that is so unusual" I said yes and I have done that many times.

The group I am part of got together in Minneapolis this year. It is always nice to see again those we are close to but only see each other once a year and the new comers with the desire to learn and answer fascinating questions that are hard to ask in other settings.

To help those that can't come to this event, we record the teachings and this is where I come inn, I am usually the messenger that sends the recordings after designing a disk label and a cover for the case.

It is a challenging process as I have no particular artistic talent; but gives me the opportunity to listen to the teachings again and always find answers and clarifications to issues that can be overheard when I am taking notes or checking up the recording levels at the retreat.

We were an awkward group of people surrounded by wedding rehearsals and banquets. One night people couldn't sleep as the groom found out something that upset him and was yelling drunk outside our rooms. Not a peaceful yogic way to wake up or fall sleep as it was very early in the morning. Luckily enough yoga always helps to make you more acceptable and adaptable.

Today running with a cold found the opportunity to slow down and prepare the packages for my fellow yogis and yoginis having my teacher Swami Dasa in the background. Ah! that was the best way to allow the body to recover and get stronger for the week.

Have you been in a special retreat? Any stories that you would like to share?

Pushing hard and hoping to have the website by the end of the week.

Have a great week!

Rocio

Compassion in action

2009-09-17T09:21:00.001-07:00

Can't believe a week has passed so fast!

I went to San Francisco to help my sister settling in. She just arrived to study her PhD wit a little 6 years old. To say the least it is and overwhelming time for her. I hope that with a little more time things will improve for her and her daughter.
Whether my husband and I were trying to choose some furniture for her minuscule and very expensive (for Texas) studio, or lifting the mattress through an endless staircase, a thought kept coming to mind that Sri Goswami Kriyananda always remarks, "clarity of purpose is key to a happy life."

Before coming back to Austin I told her -if you really want this, you will have to wake up every morning and remember why you are here and that every day the goal will get closer to you.

But it is not easy as life usually isn't, dealing with so many details for her and her daughter has been a daunting task. On the brighter side she has found a wonderful group of people that has helped them unselfishly. They don't have much, most of them students as well that understand the challenge of studying having to provide and take care of a kid. They represent the true compassion in action, you give not what you have to spare, you give from your own time and resources because it is the right thing to do.

No doubt there are heroes everywhere, be grateful if you have found one of them and feel good about yourself if you are one of those special kind souls that lift our hearts and give us hope that regardless of the challenges, things settle down.

If you have a story about someone helping you at a hard time, share it with us.

Shanti,
Rocio

The things we value

2009-09-09T04:54:00.000-07:00

There is no doubt that male and female brain in general value and appreciate different things.

For instance, I would never spend $500.00 or more for a Dallas Football game (though I know some women may) or thousands of dollars in an expensive car as a result of a midlife crisis.

Ah! but give me a romantic movie or spending a weekend doing Yoga and listening to an inspired soul and I am there.

If you haven't read Joel Stein's column on how he describes her wife's process of eating placenta, you haven't see how different and funny this experience can be for a couple Afterbirth: It\'s What\'s For Dinner
Reading this article made me confirm in a hilarious way how foreign some of the yoga practices can be for a new student.

Picture this, my husband had a stuffy nose and I suggested using the Neti Pot. He wanted to know what that was and as I am explaining the technique, his faced changed from surprised to horror and rejection before running away and saying "you yogis are crazy, I can't do that to my body!"

I have heard many students going to a class because they can practice without that "chanting and weird stuff some teachers do at the beginning of class", and some others might be looking for something beyond the poses. All that might be the reason why there are so many yoga styles. The goal of Yoga Sanga, is to offer points of view on different traditions so prospect students will find their match.

The website will be ready by the end of the week, I can't wait to share it with all of you!

Shanti,
Rocio

Patience is a virtue

2009-09-05T13:49:00.000-07:00

I remember being a kid and waiting for what it seemed an eternity to ride my new bike on Christmas break.
I had a very different upbringing for a child born in Mexico, in my case it was clear who bought all the presents. There was no mystery and we weren't allowed to tell other kids.
The great thing about this system is that we could go to the store and buy whatever wanted (assuming there was enough for seven kids). The down side was the time we had to wait to use them!!

My best present ever was my first bike, it had a shock in the frame and I thought it was an advance piece of engineering and special design. When time came I was elated to taste freedom. I remember waking up early many Saturdays and bike for a couple of hours around neighborhoods, feeling the cool breeze and enjoying my little independence.

In a way that is how I feel today, I cannot wait to share Yoga Sanga with you but ah! the pain; it is not ready yet. Programmer has promised it will be done by the end of the week (at this point I am not sure to trust that).

Bear with me and I will let you know as soon as it is out.
I cannot wait to share wonderful articles to the Texas Yoga Community!
Enjoy the long weekend!
Rocio

Ignorance and greed

2009-09-02T19:00:00.000-07:00

I hope I am not alone on this but I have noticed that my brain has a delay when I am in an inverted pose and my lovely teacher Peggy comes and says, "lift the shoulders, tailbone in, internal rotation of the legs..." I usually go blank and feel less than bright for not having that yogic control over my body.

Well I just felt like that after talking with my sister. Today two women stole not only jewelry, money and credit cards from my mother, they stole her dignity and confidence for people.

We still cannot understand how two women were able to fool my mother with a bizarre story; to the point that she drove them around!
Everyday you hear about people abusing the elderly and how much they are target of scams. It is hard to believe how people can abuse a benevolent heart.

My Guru's teacher, Sri Goswami Kriyananda tells a conversation he had with his Guru Shelliji in terms of ignorance and greed. I am paraphrasing it.

Kriyananda recalls talking to his Guru and asking him -why do people do actions that will bring them negative karma.?
Shelliji answered -they do it because they have forgotten the laws of life. If you pollute the lake sooner or later all the fishes will be dead and you will starve. Most of us don't think too far ahead, therefore we are usually moved by greed and laziness.
Then the solution is easy, people need to understand the laws of life thus they can release themselves from ignorance -Kriyananda replied.
-That is an important part of the solution but not all as each person needs to have the desire to learn. Shelliji commented

As for my mother and the rest of the family today, we had a harsh awakening.

Where is the crisis?

2009-08-31T17:46:00.000-07:00

I had the chance to sit down with a group of lovely ladies to talk about the economical recession and asked them how they are coping with the challenges that it has brought into their lives.
Most of them where very optimistic saying that not having a credit card debt have helped them realize how important is to use the money wisely. Others were grateful because even though their employers cut their hours back, they feel better compare to others that lost their job completely.

In the group there was a young lady that just moved to Texas from Michigan. She is trying to adapt to her new surroundings but misses Michigan quite a bit. She told us how after living there for 6 years she witnessed how the economy plummeted. She saw how residential areas were desolated and strip business areas completely closed converting small towns in ghost ones.

To contrast that idea during the weekend I dare to go to the Apple store to ask how much a Mac computer would cost me, I arrived at noon and it was packed.! People waited for 30 minutes to be helped and I saw white big boxes with Macs flying as if they were the cheapest computers in the world.

There is no doubt that compare with other states Texas has been fortunate and hopefully those who lost their jobs here will find one soon.

One of the columns that you will find at Yoga Sanga (hopefully by the end of the week, so the programmer keeps saying) is questions and answers. The question I chose for this issue is related to crisis in our lives and how to face them in a more balance way. Maybe it is not as much as to avoiding them as to learn how to face them differently.

Rocio

How come you missed it?

2009-08-29T05:18:00.000-07:00

That is what my students asked me in disbelief on Friday morning when they asked if I heard the storm that came into Austin Thursday night.
I looked at them and said did it rain? Most of them couldn't sleep because of the wind blowing around the houses.
My only excuse was I guess I have been a little sleep deprived and my body took the opportunity to catch up. No doubt my awareness was into my sleep state.

By the way talking about awareness, one of the articles that we will be featuring is written by Ramanand Patel (wonderful yoga teacher and a genius in the use of props and small movements that give you a fast reality check). In his article he explores consciousness and its relation with contentment.
Shantosha or contentment is an interesting and often misunderstood concept in the Yoga lingo, I am sure this article will bring some light to it.

Tell me if you have a story of complete unawareness about something going on around you.

Enjoy the weekend!
Rocio

Yoga practice

2009-08-27T16:48:00.000-07:00

A tired and little frustrated student asked me today, how much time should I practice yoga every day?
It really depends, if you talk only about the asana (poses) then everyday will be great; if you talk about the other 7 pillars, then is every day, every moment...- I answered

Her concern was that after 3 months of not doing any Yoga, her body struggled all through the class. Sounds familiar?

It is better to practice the poses everyday for a short period of time if that is all you have, than going to a class once a week. Muscles have memory and the more we stretch them gently the easier is to open and strengthen them.

I have an older student; she might be in her 50s and had two surgeries on her knee। When she started coming to class she was hesitant to move much. Little by little using support, her body started to open up and now she has reduced the use of props and gained not only strength but control over her body.

Don't be fool by the models in the magazines, everybody is different and though there is a model to follow in every pose, we have to adapt to what the body is able to do in every practice.

My teacher would say "constant practice and complete detachment bring the goal closer"
Have you made time for Yoga today?

Rocio

Yoga props

2009-08-26T19:33:00.000-07:00

It always surprises me how much a yoga teacher can do with props. This is one of the reasons why I enjoy going to yoga classes, it forces me to experience each pose in a different way. Plus it's always good to have someone else keeping an eye out for straight legs, aligned arms and level hips (hard to do when you are practicing alone).

Anyway today in class we used pretty much everything from blocks to wall to chairs, my favorite was supported shoulder stand. When the teacher came and adjusted my shoulders it felt sooo good!!

Tell me what has been the most creative way that you or a yoga teacher has used a prop in a class?

By the way Yoga Sanga will give a Karma Yoga Recognition if you would like to nominate someone who really practices selflessness in Texas, send me a message and I will follow up.

Have a good night, though the storm was a little rough around here (electricity went off for couple of seconds), the rain felt like a blessing to the Earth.

Rocio

Be heard!

2009-08-25T16:06:00.000-07:00

Yoga Sanga invites you to share and submit articles, poems, cartoons or anything related to Yoga. Our team will review it and will post some of the submissions on the website. Keep on the lookout for our first Teacher's Bio!
This is a magazine for the community and by the community!

what is that??

2009-08-25T15:11:00.000-07:00

That is what I heard yesterday when I dragged my reliable Mac into the store. An older couple even said to one another, "that is how the Mac used to look." I had to take a deep breath, swallow and move to the counter where a teenager laughed and said, uh...this is vintage, and I cannot even touch it because we don't make parts for it any more. Here is a list of places that might be able to help you and rescue your hard drive, good luck!
Vintage??? How can it be, vintage? I bought it in 2004! What does that make me!!
But hope is everlasting, every once in a while I push the power button hoping to have my old friend come back to life.
It is not only the financial loss, but the four years of information that I have that makes this so painful.

I guess the yogic way is to let go, start some things from scratch and continue using my son's Dell that hasn't been bad after all.
Thanks for your messages and interest, I have been sending the prices for those of the early subscribers (way to go!!).

Yoga Sanga will be up and running in couple of days (at least that is what the Programmer keeps telling me). Just like building a house, things take time and a lot of patience, but everything will come together at the end.
Cheers!

Yoga Sanga Adventures and Website update

2009-08-24T14:28:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

It is exciting to finally get the ball rolling and introduced Yoga Sanga to teachers and business owners, this is something that I have been working on for quite some time and I am thrilled, hopeful and a little bit scared to begin a new project and be part in its development from an idea to reality.

My dream is to bring the wonderful Yoga community together and share our paths, challenges and dreams as spiritual seekers for some and physical discipline for others.

I can't tell you how excited I am to have you join me in the biggest adventure of my life, besides being married for 21 years! To me yoga is more than practicing; it is a way of life. And let me tell you life always provides me with moments where I can practice the detachment and the centering that yoga offers. For example, just yesterday I came back from a trip to Merida, Yucatan in Mexico where my husband and I gave a talk about balancing work and life. I was working hard to finish the letters to the yoga teachers and studios and my husband accidentally spilled a full glass of water over the desk where my old iMac was!!! Four years of documents, pictures and songs where gone in a second. So far it hasn’t been able to turn on and tonight we will wait for the Mac geeks to give the final verdict. In moments like these, it's a challenge to remember to Breathe!

Anyway, just to let you know, we are working hard on the website and it will be up in couple of weeks.
Enjoy the day!
Rocio

2009-08-24T11:42:00.001-07:00

Dear Yoga teacher and/or studio owner,

I am pleased to introduce Yoga Sanga: an online Yoga magazine for the Texas Community. Our purpose is to bring together information to prospective students about the community and share our dreams, experiences and views on Yoga’s many schools of practice and philosophies.
Yoga Sanga will attract educated, affluent and open-minded buyers. Our online magazine stands out from the others by featuring inspiring and interesting articles and multimedia features such as videos, music, and a blog that will help users create an interactive atmosphere that appeals to people from a broad variety of lifestyles.

The magazine will feature articles written by Yoga teachers in the Community, special events and a state of the art directory where students will have an interactive map that will allow them to find either a teacher or a studio close to where they live.
Be part of an exclusively web-based approach connecting Yoga practitioners, studios and teachers through an inviting and interactive environment. Don’t lose the opportunity to expose your classes or studio to more than 15,000 new customers!

ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES
Premium Placement
Yoga Sanga provides an uncluttered environment consisting of fewer advertising units to enhance visitors’ experience—and your marketing message in a rotation banner.
Targeted Delivery
Through a combination of company, day-part and geographic targeting, Yoga Sanga delivers to your core target audience.

ADVERTISING PRICES
Call us if you are interested and check our affordable prices!
Special offer:
Sign in soon we are offering our lowest price to a limited number of teachers. And that is not all; Yoga Sanga will pay the tuition of one of those teachers to participate at the Yoga Texas retreat in November 6-8 (accommodations not included). Don’t miss out!!

PAYMENT METHODS

You choose the type of payment that is comfortable from a variety of options and you can either send a check or use Google checkout to apply payment to your credit card. If you need to cancel just send us an e-mail two weeks before expiration of term and we will take your logo down from our website.

REQUIRMENTS

To be part of Yoga Sanga all you need to do is send us your picture on a jpeg file on a 300 pix resolution or more, the link to your website, a brief bio, style of yoga, the name of the town where you teach and your phone number in an excel spreadsheet.

I will be pleased to discuss with you more about Yoga Sanga and the directory prices necessary to be part of it. Please contact me at the numbers shown above.
My best regards,

Rocio Morales
Director and Founder
Yoga Sanga Magazine

PO Box 5717, Round Rock, TX 78683
Phone 1800-662-3901, Fax 1-888-612-0992
E-mail: yogasangatx@gmail.com
Website: yogasanga.net

Welcome

2009-08-21T11:29:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it is finally happening, making Yoga Sanga into a reality has tested the limits of my patience and sanity, but it is here! I am happy to share with all of you Austin Texas premier resource for everything Yoga, from classes, teachers and studios.

My own discovery of Yoga was some years ago when my mother took me to one of her yoga classes, now growing up my family was loud, combative and insane, sound familiar? So you can imagine the bliss that I first encountered in that small yoga studio. I fell in love with the graceful yet strong movements and the peace of mind that could be harnessed from silent reflection.

Though it was much later, when I began my own path as a Yoga teacher I always remembered that moment when I saw the power of this beautiful practice.

~Rocio Morales