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Sri Swami Satchidananda
You quickly learn your weaknesses while serving others. The
world is like a big mirror—it shows you your ugly spots, your
weaknesses. Through service you can learn to recognize your own
weaknesses and work to correct them.
Sometimes the best test is what you call menial work. You
often hear how great sages tested themselves in this way. To see
if he had become proud after becoming a big guru, Ramakrishna
went to the slum areas and washed the toilets with his hair. Jesus
washed the feet of his followers. Great men have done this. So
go, take the dirtiest, nastiest job. Remember that you are not doing
the job for the sake of the work as much as for yourself. It’s easy
to simply go to the corner and meditate. But there’s another form
of meditation—action. During Karma Yoga you meditate on what
The Greatest Joy
Swami Vidyananda & Bharati Gardino
The basics concepts of Raja Yoga are very powerful
tools to help eliminate stress. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
teach us how to understand and remold the thought
waves in the mind, and are based on the understanding
that our essential nature is pure Spirit. As pure Spirit,
there is no stress.
Concentration is an invaluable tool for calming the
mind so that we can experience the natural peace within.
Concentration provides an opportunity for us to go
inside ourselves to have a look at all the thoughts that
we find ourselves thinking all day long. In so doing we
can decide which thoughts help us to be peaceful, easeful
and useful, and which thoughts do nothing more than
create untold agitation and stress.
Once we have gotten to know what our mind thinks
and have decided what we want to encourage and what
we would much rather do without, we can daily use
the following four “Elements” as a way of gently
remolding what goes on in our minds. Then we can ride
the waves of life’s ocean—and enjoy it!
The following techniques use pratipaksha bhavana
(raising the opposing thought wave) as a way to combat
stress in the midst of daily activity.
ElementsOf StressManagement4
Integral Yoga® TeachersAssociation Newsletter
Volume X, No. 2 May 2004
i n s i d eThe Greatest JoySri Swami Satchidananda............................. Page 1
4 Elements of Stress ManagementSwami Vidyananda ....................................... Page 1
Academy Building Dedication .......Page 3Integral Yoga Update ......................Page 4
Wall Sun SalutationVimala Ren Fields ........................................ Page 6
Lives of the LuminariesLord Jesus..................................................... Page 7
Bring Raja & Jnana Yoga into ClassRhadeya Michael Plasha.............................. Page 8
Interview: Swami BeyondanandaKarma........................................................... Page 10
Healing with Light EssencesSwami Gitananda ......................................... Page 12
From the Forum..............................Page 13Speakers Schedule ..........................Page 18Yogaville Calendar .........................Page 19
Greetings and Hari OM to all,
Welcome back to the Spring Integral Yoga Teachers
Association Newsletter. In the past few months I have seen
much fresh energy expressed here in Yogaville, as well as in
my own experiences.
We have seen the opening of the TT Academy building
and major upgrades to
Sivananda Hall and the
Kitchen. The entire
campus is blossoming
with a fresh bouquet of
beautiful flowers and
dramatic landscaping
thanks to our talented
landscaper.
I have just completed
the first 2 weeks of split
Basic TT as well as
completing training to
become an Ayurvedic
Massage Therapist,
which has given me an understanding of the ancient healing
art of Ayurveda.
My TT session has given me a new outlook on the depth
of the practice and techniques of Integral Yoga. Sri
Gurudev’s message as expressed through the wisdom of
Integral Yoga is inspirational. The scope of the information
and materials, combined with the grasp and knowledge of
the teachers, create a program of the highest caliber. All of
the classes and bonding that took place during the Spring
TT have touched me at the deepest levels of my being. This
experience has left me with a great sense of gratitude and
appreciation for the knowledge that has been passed on to
me.
Come visit us and experience the new Integral Yoga
Academy. It has two spacious classrooms, a cozy student
lounge, an open deck, and plenty of office space. Check out
the pictures and report on page 3.
This month’s theme is on Joy and the amazing power of
Laughter. There are some very interesting articles and a
hilarious interview with Swami Beyondananda, who will be
offering a Healing Humor workshop the weekend of
July 16–18.
We are always looking for good articles, human-interest
stories, and even personal experiences from our teachers in
the field. Please forward any articles, comments and feedback
to me at [email protected]. Thank you again for your
continued encouragement and support. I hope you all have
a great spring filled with lots of joy and much happiness.
Peace be with you,
INTEGRAL YOGA ®
TEACHERSASSOCIATION
Founder: Sri Swami Satchidananda
The Integral Yoga Teachers Association is amembership association open to all IntegralYoga teachers. Its mission is to provide mutualsupport and spiritual fellowship, to share informa-tion, to provide inspiration, and to conductongoing training and guidance.
Director: Dave ThompsonManaging Editor: KarmaContributing Editors: Dave Thompson,LJ Dentz, Saraswati Connolly,Ram Vignola, Swami Hamsananda
Please contact us at:Integral Yoga Teachers AssociationYogaville, Buckingham, VA 23921 USATel: 434.969.3121, ext. 137Fax: 434.969.1303E-mail: [email protected]: [email protected]: www.iyta.org
The formal opening ceremony for the Integral YogaAcademy held on March 6, 2004 was attended by overone hundred residents and guests. Swami Karunanandaperformed a beautiful puja and offered deep gratitudeand love to Sri Gurudev on behalf of all our sangha.Swami Asokananda thanked the main people whosededicated effort made this building possible: RameshMcCaw, Bhagavan Metro, Mitra Metro, and Hope Mell.
He spoke of how RamWiener, Satya Greenstone,Usha Piscini and otherscreated the original ideas forthe design of this buildingabout 2 years ago. There wasa great energy generated bythe celebration of the opening.As the puja progressed theentire building was filled withjoy. After the puja, the sanghamembers went around thebuilding blessing each roomand space with chanting, holy water, incense, light, andflower petals.
The IY Academy is a new facility for the sole purposeof conducting our ever-increasing Teacher Trainings andYogaville programs. It is a two story building located nextto Guru Bhavan, Ashram’s main meditation hall. We will
now be able to betterserve those coming tothe Ashram to learnthe teachings ofIntegral Yoga.The large, upperclassroom, namedSamadhi, is about2400 square feet and
can seat around 300 people for programs and around 75students for hatha classes. It has a cathedral ceiling, andthe large windows on both sides allow the light to streaminto the entire room, creating the sense of openspaciousness. The soft and warm yellow color of theceiling and the walls welcome those who enter theclassroom with the vibration of gentleness and peace.
The smaller ground floor classroom, named Jyothi, isabout 900 square feet and canseat up to 125 people forprograms and up to 25students for hatha class. Alsolocated on the ground floorare administration office anda lounge for the students withtwo computer stations.
The offices of Integral YogaAcademy are located on thelower level. One large officefunctions as the nerve centerfor all the activities of Integral
Yoga Teachers Trainings and the Integral Yoga TeachersAssociation. Ram Vignola is currently the director of theAcademy and shares the office with other staff members.Next to it is a large office/work space for theadministrative assistants and Teacher Training staff. Thereis another smaller office for the use of the head teacherswho conduct various trainings throughout the year. Thereare two phone booths located on this floor.
Along the west side of the building, right outside ofthe lounge, is a 800 square foot deck where the studentscan enjoy reading or simply sitting outdoors between theclasses.
We have already been enjoying using this new facilityand welcome all to come and join us.
Integral Yoga Academy DedicationYogaville: Spring 2004
Samadhi classroom
Kirtan w/ Robert & Srihari
Integral Yoga UpdateAshram Renovations
The major renovations that the kitchen and Sivananda
Hall underwent last winter are now complete. The kitchen
now has full-spectrum lighting,
new walls, ceiling and floors,
as well as stainless steel
appliances, shelving and a new
dry storage shed. As one of the
kitchen moms, I can tell you
that cooking in the kitchen has never been more easeful
and enjoyable.
Sivananda Hall’s makeover included new paint, carpet,
tiles, altar and curtains. Now as you are enter Sivananda
Hall, there is a fresh and uplifting feeling. Future plans
for the Hall include moving the Gift shop into the MPR
and remodeling the reception area.
The Lotus Shrine is nearing completion. The white
protective coating has been added to the petals, and this
fall,the Lotus will be ready for its beautiful finishing coat.
This summer we are all looking forward to the Lotus
Anniversary celebration, which is scheduled for July 4,
2004.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the
many people who contributed their time and energy to
this amazing project.
New Integral Yoga Center
A new Integral Yoga Center opened in London,
England in March 2004. Through the inspiration of Sri
Gurudev and his
teachings, Integral
Yoga London will
reach many people
seeking inner peace in
this great city.
Congratulations go
out to Richard Mason,
and all the sangha who
have helped to bring this dream into fruition and create a
spiritual home in London to share these rich teachings.
For more information on the London IYC, please contact
Richard Mason at 44-208-455-5027 or email at
Stories & Adventures with Sri Gurudev
Dear Friends
I am putting together a book of “old-timer” stories
and adventures concerning Sri Gurudev: the lessons, the
fun, all that we want to keep alive and all that we want
to tell and remember. These stories will be for generations
to come. The tentative title is Sacred Stories: 108 Stories
about Sri Gurudev and Life in the Ashrams and Other Places.
You can write as many stories as you want, just please
keep them short, a single paragraph or two pages
maximum. It may be your personal experience or
something you were witness to. It is best if there were
some lesson you learned, but that is not absolutely
necessary. It could be a funny or amusing anecdote.
Preferably, write as though you were telling this story to
your best friends.
Send your stories by e-mail as a file attachment, using
some version of MS Word and a simple font such as
Courier New 10 point. Send e-mails to Swami
Murugananda at [email protected].
First Annual West Coast IY Teachers Conference
This spring the San Francisco IYI held the First Annual
West Coast Integral Yoga Teachers Conference. It was a
great success. The
conference was an
event whose time
had come, and our
teachers were very
eager to sign up. We
were full to capacity
and with many
people on a wait list.
With San Francisco
being such a hub for Yoga, and with so many teachers
graduating from the Teacher Trainings in San Francisco,
we feel this event will continue to grow.
It was truly a blessing to have Swamis Asokananda
and Karunananda present for this first conference. The
theme of the conference was “Go Deep,” and they
certainly took us there. They led us in some wonderful
workshops on Hatha Yoga, Pranayama and Meditation.
Integral Yoga Update
Yoga Alliance—Continuing Education Standards
Effective January 1, 2004, Yoga Alliance has approved
their Continuing Education (CE) policy.
Yoga Alliance is aware that many Registered Yoga
Teachers (RYT’s) already pursue continuing education
and seek to provide the best possible experience for their
students. The purpose of these CE standards is to ensure
that all RYT’s continue to strive for an ever-higher level
of understanding of Yoga and its spiritual tradition, refine
their teaching skills, and offer inspiration to their students
by maintaining the creative edge in their own practice and
teaching. Also, as with the original RYT standards, a
primary purpose of CE standards is to protect Yoga
teachers from outside regulation by showing that they are
trained professionals, so that they can be accepted as such
by institutions that value such credentials.
The continuing education standards call for a certain
amount of training and teaching experience every three
years. To continue to be part of the registry, an RYT 200 or
500 will need to do the following two things in each three-
year period:
1. Teach 45 classroom hours of yoga.
2. Accumulate 30 CEU’s (Continuing Education
Units, at least 10 of which must be in the physical presence
of a teacher.)
For more information, contact the Yoga Alliance at
877-964-2255, email them at [email protected], or visit
their website at www.yogaalliance.org
Yoga Alliance—Proposed Code of Conduct
The Yoga Alliance is proposing the following Code
of Conduct. They are open for comments until May 31,
2004. Contact the Yoga Alliance at 877-964-2255, email
them at [email protected], or visit their website at
www.yogaalliance.org.
I agree to uphold the following standards of ethical
behavior and will:
1. Uphold the integrity of my vocation by conducting
myself in a professional and conscientious manner.
2. Acknowledge the limitations of my skills and scope
of practice and refer students to seek alternative
instruction, advice, treatment or direction where
appropriate.
3. Create and maintain a safe, clean and comfortable
environment for the practice of yoga.
4. Actively encourage diversity by including all
students regardless of race, creed, gender, ethnicity,
religion affiliation or sexual orientation.
5. Respect the rights, dignity and privacy of all students.
6. Avoid words and actions that constitute sexual
harassment of any kind, including overt and covert
seductive speech or gestures.
7. Adhere to the traditional yoga principles as written
in the Yamas and Niyamas.
8. Obey all local government and national laws.
Opportunity for Spiritual Growth in Yogaville
We are looking for an experienced full-time
receptionist at the Sivananda Hall Reception area in
exchange for room and board, and participation in most
group meditations, plus one taught Hatha Yoga class
most days.
It would be of great advantage if you were already
familiar with the teachings of Integral Yoga. However, if
you love being a receptionist and are willing to learn
quickly, we will be happy to train you.
If you are also willing to make a one-year commitment
(or at least 6-months) after having completed a 4-week
trial period, please contact Swami Gitananda by phone
434-969-3121 ext 171 or email [email protected].
It was a good time for our sangha, for practicing and
studying, and for just having fun. Our second annual
conference is scheduled for February 4–6, 2005. You can
contact the San Francisco IYI at 415-821-1117, email at
[email protected], or visit our website at
www.integralyogaSF.org.
It was also exciting to open our door and minds to
teachers from other great schools. Laura Cornell, from the
Kripalu tradition, taught an extended workshop on how
to teach the Moon Salutation. Kate Holcomb, from the
Krishnamacharya lineage, shared with us tools and
principles from that approach.
I am come—a light—into the world, that whosoeverbelieveth on me should not abide in darkness
Jesus Christ
These stories of the Saints and Sages whose photos are displayed at Sivananda Hall, Yogaville, are taken from
the Integral Yoga Publication, Lives of Luminaries, which is available through Integral Yoga Distribution.
Christ Jesus, knowing that he had comefrom God and would soon be returning toGod, arose from supper and laid aside hisgarments; and he took a towel, and wrappedit around himself.
He poured water into a basin, and beganto wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe themwith the towel around his waist. After he hadwashed their feet, and had taken up hisgarments, and had sat down again, he saidunto them, “Know ye what I have done toyou?
“Ye call me Master and Lord; and ye saywell, for I am. If I then, your Lord and Master,have washed your feet, ye also ought to washanother’s feet. For I have given you anexample, that ye should do as I have done toyou. For the servant is no greater than themaster, and whosoever would be greatestamong you, must be the least.
“This is my commandment, that ye loveone another as I have loved you. Greater lovehath no one than this: that he lay down hislife for his friends.
“By this all people know ye are mydisciples, if ye have love one for another.”
One of the most powerful influences the Westernworld has known was the birth, life, and resurrectionof Jesus of Nazareth some 2000 years ago. He wasborn of a virgin mother, taught with great authority,worked many miracles, was crucified, died and wasburied, and rose again from the dead. The great lessonof his love, obedience and sacrifice—proved God’s owngreat love, power and mercy for all His children. Hisbirth is traditionally celebrated at Christmas(December 25) and his resurrection at Easter.
LORD JESUS
Saints and Sages
How to Bring Raja and Jnana into Hatha Classesby Rhadeya Michael Plasha
Sri Gurudev once said that Hatha Yoga is the calling card
for Raja Yoga. We teach Hatha classes, but how do we create
a context for the Raja experience as well as other Yogas like
Jnana, Bhakti and Karma? Many students start Yoga through
Hatha classes and may not be drawn to listen to lectures and
discussions on the Yoga Sutras, the Bhagavad Gita and Advaita
Vedanta. The beauty of the Integral Yoga Hatha class is that it
is gentle, holistic and meditative and that there are already
elements of these other Yogas at play. We concentrate on
alignment and where the energy is
centered in each pose. We practice
pranayama and meditation. We witness
the koshas in Yoga Nidra—Raja. We chant
at the beginning and end—Bhakti. We
might be aware of how our personalities
are relating to the asanas—Jnana. We
might notice if we are looking for
outcomes or can we let go of
expectations so the action is inherently
satisfying—Karma. But how might we
take it to the next level?
Can we provide a more direct and
deeper experience of these other Yogas?
I have been giving workshops
nationwide on this theme to teacher
trainings and students from other
schools of Yoga. They have a good
understanding of alignment,
modifications and sequencing, what I
call the “outer-directed” approach to teaching. At its most
basic annamaya kosha level, these Hatha classes feel like exotic
stretching or a fitness workout. Few teach chanting,
pranayama and Yoga Nidra, and most are unfamiliar with
these other Yogas: What I describe here as the “inner-
directed” approach to teaching. We understand that stress
starts in the mind and becomes deposited in the body. As we
think, so shall we become. Sri Gurudev describes the body
as crystallized mind. My experience of the outer-directed
approach to Hatha is that it releases stored tension held in
the body, but it may not root out the cause of tension—the
mind. The inner-directed approach provides a context for
bringing into the fire of awareness mentally conditioned or
habitual ways of thinking, the sources of tension.
Who we are is what we bring to the yoga mat. If I tend to
be a competitive, lazy or impatient person, I will probably
have that type of Hatha practice. What can we learn about
ourselves on the mat so we can become free of these causes
of tension off the mat? Without this approach, the Hatha class
is like taking a Yoga pill. We feel good afterwards, like a
massage. But if we get into the car and three blocks later fly
into road rage due to impatience, are we really practicing
Yoga? “Who am I in the asana?” “Am I peace?” “ What can I
be aware of in a non-judgmental way?” “Who am I in Yoga
Nidra?” “Am I the body, the mind, or the eternal witness?”
The skillful part of this, as a teacher, is knowing when to
bring awareness cues into a class and at
what level. I tend to keep it very simple
with new students. During our
centering at the start of a class I might
say, “Let’s dedicate our practice to
ahimsa: non-harming all living things
in thought, word and deed. We include
ourselves by not compromising the
breath for the posture, by avoiding
strain and by cultivating positive self-
talk, letting go of even a hint of self-
criticism.” You can repeat a few more
times throughout the class, “What is
your present experience of Ahimsa?”
The students are beginning to learn
about Raja. All of the other Yamas and
Niyamas can be integrated this way as
separate themes in each class.
For more experienced students, I try
to bring in more subtleties. Most
teachers provide a signal to let students know when to come
out of an asana. I let students know they can always come
out of a posture before I give the signal, especially if they
have already had a complete experience or are beginning to
have non-ahimsa thoughts about Yoga and me. The holding
of a posture is a great place for a Jnana Yoga teaching. “Who
am I in the posture?” “Am I holding to the bloody end,
perhaps even though I am straining? Do I do that in my daily
life?” ”Am I trying to look good or seek approval? Does this
tendency still serve me well?” “Am I coming out of the
posture perhaps because I am impatient, restless, bored?”
“Am I at the edge emotionally? Can I watch those energies
without being controlled by them? Can I do that in my daily
life?” “Who am I?”
Obviously, when we do this is a skill. That’s a lot to chew
on in bow pose, but doable in a forward bend. Before lifting
into bow, I might say, “Can you feel this posture with a heart
unclouded by wanting, and practice aparigraha, non-greed,
by not taking more from your body than your body is able
to give you?” After coming out I might add, “How does your
heart center feel when perhaps you are not greedy on or off
the mat?” They have just received a profound Raja teaching.
Notice I say “perhaps” a lot. This way I am not making
assumptions about anything. I might be in a room full of
Yoga masters for all I know! It is important to be very non-
shaming and general with this approach.
How might we teach pratipaksha bhavanam? “How would
our asanas feel if they arose from the pranic body instead of
the physical body?” “Do I deepen through effort (tapas) or
surrender (Ishvarapranidhana)?” “How might I practice
brahmacharya on and off the mat, especially if I am not a
Swami?” “How might I weave in the classic Vedanta themes
of viveka (discrimination) and vairagya (dispassion)?” “Where
are the sthiram and the sukham in the posture?” I find this
endlessly fascinating and a wonderful way to introduce
powerful spiritual and psychological teachings in a Hatha
context.
I hope this has reinforced your own approach, or perhaps
introduced a fresh way to approach a Hatha class. We will
go much deeper into this during my workshop, Exploring
the Deeper Teachings of Yoga, on August 27-29, in Yogaville.
Michael will also be presenting at this year’s Integral Yoga
Teachers Conference in Yogaville, September 2-6, 2004
Rhadeya Michael Plasha, RYT is director of Plasha Yoga
Studio in Erie, PA. He is certified to teach beginner, intermediate,
prenatal and Yoga of the Heart. Richard Rosen of Yoga Journal
said, “Plasha had mastered his material,” as part of his review of
Plasha’s CD Raja Yoga for Beginners. He has been practicing
yoga for 30 years. For complete reviews of his CD and workshops
please visit www.plashayoga.com
Beloved,
You Exist within all things,
Your Name is sacred; as we repeat it,
it brings us to your Presence
There is no place that is not Your Kingdom.
Your Will permeates all things,
within and without.
I trust that You will provide
exactly what I need.
Help me to practice Forgiveness—
of myself and of all others
Grant me the strength to walk
away from temptation and
Destroy that which keeps me
separate from You
You are the only Existence.
All power is from your Grace and Love.
All praise is Yours.
Eternally.
Om.
Poetry CornerThe Lord’s Prayer
i thank you God
for most this amazing day,
for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky,
and for everything which is natural
which is infinite which is you.
—e e cummings
h h
Interview with Steve Bhaermanaka Swami Beyondananda
by KarmaSteve Bhaerman is an author, humorist and educator who has spentthe past sixteen years as a full-time comedian and teacher of heal-ing humor. In the guise of the comic Swami Beyondananda, Stevehas entertained millions with his comedy disguised as wisdom—or is it wisdom disguised as comedy? As the Swami, Steve haswritten three books, Driving Your Own Karma, When You Seea Sacred Cow Milk It for All It’s Worth, and Duck Soup forthe Soul: The Way of Living Louder and Laughing Longer.
K: What did you do prior to becoming SwamiBeyondananda?
S: In my previous incarnations in this life, I taught historyand creative writing at the college level, started an alterna-tive high school, wrote serious books about education andhow to meet people, and had numerous odd jobs (being oddmade me particularly suited for thiswork.) In 1980 I started a publicationcalled Pathways in Ann Arbor, Michi-gan, and that’s where Swami wasborn. He just flew into my head oneday, and the best way to describe it is,I got struck by enlightening during abrainstorm.
K: How did you become Swami?
S: I started out by doing a monthlycolumn poking gentle fun at spiritu-ality and personal growth. You mightsay I was a sacred cow poke. We didarticles like Everything You AlwaysWanted to Know About Sects and TeachYour Dog to Heal. In 1985, I met my fu-ture wife Trudy. A year later we tookoff on the road, and I began to appear as the Swami. Now,he’s so much a part of me that I can’t tell if I’m channelinghim or he is channeling me.
K: What directed you to an Eastern mystical-type charac-ter?
S: The Swami found me. I was intrigued with his name,and he just sort of invented himself. As a Jewish kid whospent my deformative years in Brooklyn, I never would haveimagined becoming a Swami, least of all a fake Swami. ButGod does indeed have a sense of humor, and this is what Hedecided to do with me.
K: Your puns are amazingly clever. How do they come toyou?
S: I studied in the Punjab. Seriously, I am very fortunate tobe working with the English language which is rich in multi-layered meanings. And I “hear funny.” I’ve always enjoyedword play just to amuse myself. In fact, my mother caughtme amusing myself ... oh, never mind.
K: What is Swami’s basic message?
S: Swami has a number of messages. As a FUNdamentalist(accent on fun), Swami believes that life is a joke. HoweverGod is laughing with us, not at us. The Creator is watchingthe Comedy Channel, and WE are what’s on. And ifGod is laughing, who are we not to laugh?
The other message is that we humans are here to awakenand awaken others. So Swami says, “Wake up laughing andleave laughter in your wake.”
Finally, the Swami says the secret of happiness is tocultivate your own and allow others to have theirs. In otherwords, “Drive your karma; curb your dogma.”
K: What have you discovered regarding the power oflaughter?
S: Well, we’ve all by now heard thestory of Norman Cousins, who healedhimself of a life-threatening illness bychecking into a hotel room with MarxBrothers movies and Candid Camerare-runs. When he got well, the medicalestablishment decided to study thehealing power of humor—kind of like,well it works in practice, but does itwork in theory? Doctors found thatlaughter produces hormones called en-dorphins, our natural pain killer.Laughter improves immune function.Laughter lowers the blood pressure,because when we laugh it causes theblood vessels to dilate—which is bet-ter than having them die early.
But laughter doesn’t just heal physi-cally. Emotionally, mentally and spiritually, open-heartedlaughter and cosmic comedy heal the heart and free the mind.Comedy gives us perspective, helps us become more com-passionate and improves communication. As Victor Borgesaid, “Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.”
K: Please tell us about being a teacher of Healing Humor.
S: In my humor workshops (or playshops), what I do firstand foremost is give people an experience of humor. So thereis a whole lot of laughing going on, and that in itself is ben-eficial. I don’t teach people how to be funny, but I do teachpeople how to see funny, how to notice the everyday com-edy that passes most of us by. This is particularly true whenpeople are so used to hearing or seeing words that they nolonger notice what might seem funny to someone else. Anexample: Last year I was asked to speak to biofeedback sci-entists at an event called the Winter Brain Meeting. As I stoodoutside the banquet room waiting to go on, I glanced up atthe marquee announcing the banquet and it said, Winter Brain
Swami Beyondananda’sGuidelines For Enlightenment
1. Be a FUNdamentalist. Make sure that the funalways comes before the mental. Realize that lifeis a situation comedy that will never be canceled,a laugh track has been provided, and the reasonwe are put in the material world is to get morematerial. Have a good laughsitive twice a day,which will insure regularhilarity.2. Remember that each of us has been given aspecial gift just for entering ~ so you are alreadya winner!3. The most powerful tool on the planet today istell-a-vision. That is where I tell a vision to you,and you tell a vision to me. That way, if we don’tlike the programming we’re getting, we can changethe channel.4. Life is like photography. You use the negativeto develop. And no matter what adversity youface, be reassured: Of course God loves you ~He’s just not ready to make a commitment.5. It is true. As we go through life thinking heavythoughts, thought particles tend to get caughtbetween the ears, causing a condition called “truthdecay”. So be sure to use mental floss twice aday.
6. If we want world peace, we must let go of ourattachments and truly live like nomads. That’swhere I no mad at you, you no mad at me. Thatway, there will surely be nomadness on the planet.And peace begins with each of us. A little peacehere, a little peace there, and pretty soon all thepeaces will fit together to make one big peaceeverywhere.7. I know great Earth changes have beenpredicted for the future, so if you’re looking toavoid earthquakes, my advice is simple. When youfind a fault, don’t dwell on it.8. There’s no need to change the world. All wehave to do is toilet train the world, and we’ll neverhave to change it again.9. If you’re looking to find the key to theUniverse, I have some bad news and some goodnews. The bad news is, there is no key to theuniverse. The good news is, it has been leftunlocked.10. Finally, everything I have told you is channeled.That way, if you don’t like it, it’s not my fault.And remember, enlightenment is not abureaucracy. So you don’t have to go throughchannels.
Dinner. So when the Swami came out, he told the group, “Iloved the Winter Brain Dinner, but I must confess, it tasted alot like chicken to me.”
By immersing ourselves in comedy–just like immersing our-selves in any other art form—we gain a new appreciation,and also a new facility for the craft. What is even more excit-ing for me about the workshop is that it gives participants achance to reflect on their own “laugh story”–their life, seenthrough the eyes of humor. Indeed, levity helps us rise tosee from a higher perspective, and quite often it’s a God’s-eye-view.
K: What are you currently working on?
S: At this moment, April Fool’s Day, I am finishing upSwami’s latest book, Swami for Precedent: A Seven-Step Planto Heal the Body Politic and Cure Electile Dysfunction. I guessI’ve become a “political guru” and uncommontator becauseI want to tickle the body politic into more functional behav-ior. I believe in the American Evolution ... and karmicallyspeaking, well it’s time to trade in that old Dodge for anEvolvo.
The Swami’s audio products include comedy cassettes Yogi FromMuskogee, Enlightening Strikes Again, Don’t Squeeze theShaman, and Beyondananda and Beyond: Two Takes on theHealing Power of Humor. He has also produced two CDs, DriveYour Karma, Curb Your Dogma and The Fool’s Journey. Formore info please check out Swami’s website atwww.wakeuplaughing.com
Steve has presented keynotes and workshops on Comedy as aHealing Art for numerous health, educational, spiritual, psycho-logical and business groups including the Institute of Noetic Sci-ences, the Association of Humanistic Psychology, the InternationalConference on Science and Consciousness, the Health Show, theHumor Project and many, many more. His presentation is guar-anteed to be funny and filled with insight and practical ideas.
Steve Bhaerman will be presenting a Cosmic Comedy and Heal-ing Humor workshop at Yogaville on July 16–18, 2004. See theSpring–Summer Programs Guide for more details or call1-800-858-YOGA (9642).
The Light
E x p r e s s i o n
Essences serve as
a tool to assist us
in our quest for
wholeness and
oneness with All
That Is. They
bring clarity and
insight to those
who are ready for
change. These
essences not only assist human beings including babies, they
also help harmonize and heal animals, plants and the soil.
Healing Garden
In our Healing Garden, which is being created now, we
will be using the Light Expression Essences as well as
homeopathic remedies to harmonize the soil and the
atmosphere. This will guarantee the highest quality healing
plants. Of course, the most important ingredient is the
gardeners’ loving attitude toward all life, including the life
of the soil.
The garden will be in the shape of a medicine wheel
aligned with the four directions. Decorative benches and
hammocks will surround it for people to relax and enjoy the
by Light Expression Essences PractitionerSwami Gitananda
tranquility and the natural aroma wafting from the nearby
herbs and flowers. Of course, the garden will be organic. It
is located past Satchidananda Farm in a beautiful corner
where a dancing creek joins the James River. The inner circle
is almost ready to be planted. The outer circle and the paths
still need to be prepared.
Some of the plants will be used to make healing creams,
lotions and potions, and Yogaville essences.
Wish List
• Volunteers to measure the beds and the paths and
prepare them, to collect stones for the borders, to sow
and plant, water, weed.
• Gardening tools in good condition (spading forks,
spades, hand tools).
• Two big rain barrels (like the 75 gallon connecting
barrels www.gardeners.com makes).
• Trellises for climbing roses.
• Flat garden stones for the paths and beautiful stones to
make planters.
• A roadworthy station wagon in good condition.
If you feel inspired to be part of this beautiful project, or
if you would like to make an appointment for a session with
the Essences, please contact Swami Gitananda at (434) 969-
3121 ext. 171 or send an email to [email protected].
“Yoga is experienced in that mind, which has ceased to identify itself with its vacillating waves of perception. When this happens, then the Seer
is revealed resting in its own essential nature, and one realizes the true Self. Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Sutras number 2 & 3
Translation by Mukunda Stiles
FROM THE FORUM
Yoga studio with no windows
I run the Integral Yoga Center in Richmond. It is not
too big or too small. It fits 12 people comfortably lying
on their mats, 16–18 somewhat crowded, or about 50
sitting in chairs and cushions on the floor for lectures
and Satsangs. Before we rented the space, it was a just a
big space next to a health food store. We built a wall to
allow space for a bookstore and a reception area that
would not disturb the class. I feel that natural light is
important, but we cannot get everything we want. We
always need to see what our choices are and make
decisions based on our priorities, knowing that they may
change later on. Being next to an important health food
store and being centrally located were my priorities, even
though I was not too happy with the lack of a natural
setting and the lack of natural ventilation and natural
light. Although we had no windows, I did build a long
strip of windows at the top of the wall that separates the
classroom from the bookstore and added a glass door to
get as much light as I could from the bookstore storefront.
At night when most classes are offered, it really does not
have a big impact. Our outdoor space is a big parking
lot anyway. So, having windows just to have windows
is not helpful if you do not have clean air and a nice
landscape to look at. In that case, it is better not to have
windows and create a nice environment inside. A good
air filter, dimmer lights, and minimal, sattvic decoration
are conducive to a meditative practice.
Does anyone own or has anyone been in a Yoga studiowith no windows? If so, how was it put together? I havean opportunity to run a studio, but there are no windowsnor are there any chances for windows. Please give mesome advice and share your experience on this subject.
I have practiced Yoga in a studio with low lighting.
Though it is not my preference, the studio is well
attended. The overhead lighting is covered with a sheet
and there are no mirrors. There are 2 reasons for high
attendance: some like practicing in low lighting because
it calms and focuses the mind, and they all come for the
excellent instruction.
I have a studio in Des Moines, Iowa on the lower level
of a building. It has no windows and it is wonderful!
The teacher has complete control of the light. I was able
to design the space (Divine guidance) and had sconce
lights installed on the outer walls with a dimmer switch.
During class the lights are on but quite dim. It makes the
yoga class a wonderfully meditative experience. During
Yoga Nidra the lights are turned off completely and the
only light in the room is from a single candle. Our
students have remarked about how they love coming
into the serenity of our space. I’ve found that having no
windows is clearly an advantage!
There are all kinds of wonderful explorations open to
you! There are lovely feelings that can be evoked from
such a room… like a cave, or a catacomb, or a womb, or
a sanctuary of an old church or temple. What mood do
you wish to create? Light can create and direct moods.
For instance, Japanese paper lanterns create a soft muted
light, and can quietly create a Zen-like feeling. Stained
glass lamps create another kind of feeling. I recommend
using (at least in part) full spectrum light bulbs.
Candlelight can also create a certain feeling. Also, explore
the various moods and feelings evoked though different
paint colors. I like a high gloss in a cave-like room,
because the light catches on the gloss and makes it quietly
beautiful. The scent of the air, as well as the pattern of
the floor are also becomes important. In short, you have
all kinds of fascinating aspects to explore. Take your time
and ask yourself what kind of mood/feeling/
atmosphere would inspire and invigorate your class, and
then work backwards from there!
I teach in a health club in a basement room with no
windows. We use lighting with a dimmer switch, which
really makes quite a difference. Outside of that, there is
not much which would invite the spirit of Yoga into the
room–except for the wonderful class. The attitude and
motivation of the teacher are very important.
Stress Management—
continued from page 1
1. Upgrade desires to preferences.
There is nothing wrong with having
desires. They provide our motivation
in life, and we can have a good laugh
over some of them. The problem comes
when we become angry, depressed,
and anxious because a desire is not
being fulfilled: when we don’t get what
we want, when we want it.
It can be very helpful if we learn
how to upgrade a desire to a
preference. When a desire is troubling
you, ask yourself: “Is there anything
ultimately at stake here? Does my life
depend on it right now?” If the answer
is no, then I can”“prefer” a certain
outcome rather than demand it.
For example: “I would prefer that
my son clean his room,” instead of,”
“My son must clean his room!” When
you talk to your son about the matter,
he will respond very differently if he
hears it as a preference. He can more
easily hear your feelings. It leaves room
for his input. You may even reach an
agreement instead of engaging in a war
with a resentful” “enemy.” And
remember, it’s OK that there are
consequences when you prefer his
room to be clean and he leaves it dirty.
The consequences can be part of the
agreement that he is free to choose, not
a unilateral punishment inflicted by a
cruel parent.
If we observe closely, we see that we
often try to satisfy selfish desires at the
cost of our peace of mind, health,
friendships and family relationships. If
you are not convinced of this, spend
one week as the neutral witness of your
desires, and their consequences. Or
spend an hour listening to Country
Music, and counting how many sad
love songs there are for every happy
one!
2. Make your desires selfless
Selfless desires invite us to expand
our consciousness beyond thinking
only of ourselves, inviting us to think
of the needs of others. If a selfless desire
is not fulfilled, we are far less apt to feel
sad, angry or resentful. We can think,
“I did my best; it didn’t happen. So if it
didn’t work out, what did I lose? I’ll
try a new approach tomorrow. I even
enjoyed the effort I made because it was
peaceful and interesting.”
Selfish people get tense even before
the result is in, anxiously calculating
and manipulating to get what they
want. Where is the fun in that? Life
becomes a roller coaster of ups and
downs as they succeed or fail. Stress
level increases with both success and
failure, because they are fearful of what
will happen next.
When we give, our satisfaction
comes from seeing others happy and
from the joy of feeling creative through
our actions. Giving also leads to a deep
feeling of being connected to others,
and this spiritual intimacy is very
rewarding.
Murshid Sam Lewis, the wonderful,
eccentric Sufi master, used to listen very
compassionately to another person’s
woes. Then he would say, “Could be
worse. Could be me!” On the relative
level, you may find this statement
funny. On the absolute level, we are
pure Spirit. That is our true nature. So
any catastrophe isn’t really about Me.
It’s about my body, my mind, my
family, my job, etc. None of these things
are really Me.
Behaving selflessly makes us aware
that we don’t need to identify with the
problems of other people. We can help
them with real enthusiasm, but still feel
free of stress. Gradually, it makes us
aware that we don’t need to identify
with most of our own problems either.
And, finally, we don’t even identify
with our passing ego—identity. This is
powerful stress management indeed!
And when things just don’t go our
way, we can always choose to:
3. See life as an adventure.
When we’re having an adventure,
we feel that there is nothing to lose.
We don’t get tense about even the big
risks involved, and we have no
expectations of the outcome. We’re just
having fun. We don’t know exactly
what’s going to happen, and that’s
okay. If it turns out that we did not
enjoy ourselves during the adventure,
we chalk it up to experience and relate
the harrowing tale to entertain our
friends. Tomorrow will be another
adventure, and we’ll see what that
brings. How wonderful to live our
whole life that way!
Think of a time when a friend
suggested something that you would
never, ever consider doing. You were
apprehensive but wanted to spend time
with that person, so you agreed. You
went, and to your surprise, the world
did not come to an end. You actually
had a good time or learned something
beneficial.
Life often presents options other
than the one we had chosen. Ordinarily
we might suffer from feelings of
inadequacy, frustration, anger, or hurt.
But, if we have a little faith and see life
as an adventure, we may find that an
unseen hand is helping us to expand
beyond our self-imposed limitation.
We may discover a totally new mental
environment that is satisfying, and free
from stress.
If we are not in an adventurous
mood when things are not going as we
had planned, we can also try to:
4. Live in the golden present.
Living in the golden present allows
us to appreciate all that we have been
given rather than to worry over what
does not exist. When we are in
appreciation, we are usually grateful,
content, relieved and relaxed—all
stress-free states of mind. After all,
some things simply cannot be changed
or made to happen no matter how
stressed out we become in the effort.
So why suffer for nothing?
you’re doing. You watch your feelings and watch your mind. It’s a mental training
program.
Practice Karma Yoga whenever you have the opportunity. In this practice you
see your limitations and drawbacks, you test yourself in the field. You will
understand your attitudes and moods better than when you’re alone. Through
Karma Yoga your heart, mind, and body will soon be cleansed. Of course, you
should not ignore other practices, and you need not do Karma Yoga twenty≠–
four hours each day. If you are very tired or have some sort of emotional or
psychological problem, come back, sit down quietly, and analyze your problem.
“I went there to serve him, but for some reason I became annoyed— probably
when he didn’t thank me. Yes, I expected his thanks. That’s not right. That’s how
my mind became disturbed. Next time, I’ll do the same thing, but I won’t look for
thanks.” This way you shape your mind well. By such analysis you can soon
reduce the tendency that disturbs your peace. If you ignore the disturbances and
simply try to continue your service, the problem will come back again and again.
Making a mistake is not really bad. The minute you realize you have made a
mistake, think, “Why? How? What caused this mistake? Where did I err? If I
hadn’t done that, this would not have happened. Okay, next time I won’t allow
that to happen.” An intelligent person will learn something from a mistake, but a
fool will make the same mistake again and again. We fall down and then we get
up and walk. Let our failures be stepping stones to our success. All the great
people, the sages and saints, have also fallen many times before they achieved
their goals.
Often you are still selfish in a subtle way even though you think you are not
attached to the fruits. If you insist others should be happy because of what you ‘re
doing, then you are still attached. You will build up anxiety, which makes you
unfit to help. Instead, it’s better just to think, “Well, I have done my duty to my
satisfaction; I am not the destiny maker.” If a man has done certain things and is
destined to be unhappy for some time, you cannot make him happy however
much you try. The satisfaction of having tried within your limit should be enough
for you. Do what you can within your limit, and then transfer the case to the
Higher Court.
Use wisdom to analyze your motive. Don’t always think simply which yogurt
tastes better to eat. That’s not deep analysis. Find out what will bring peace and
joy to yourself and others. Always analyze in those terms. Karma Yoga alone is
enough to save our soul. You won’t have to force yourself to serve others if you
know the benefits of such service. You’ll be frightened to be selfish for fear of
losing your peace. The greatest joy in life is doing something for somebody else.
Unfortunately, many people have never tasted real joy, but once you do, you will
never want to do something only for yourself again. You will look for opportunities
to serve. Whether it’s day or night, you won’t want to miss that extreme joy of
dedicated service. It will haunt your personality forever. Become a public food.
Offer yourself to others. Your life can be a beautiful fruit for all humanity to enjoy.
Even your eating can be an offering. Who is digesting your food?’ “I am the
digestive fire,” says the Lord, “I am also in the stomach. “ Don’t think that you are
eating for your own sake. The food goes into this divine fire.
Even when you take a shower, think, “I am washing the Lord’s temple. I am
dressing the Lord’s temple. He is seated here. I am feeding Him. “When you go to
Sri Swami Satchidananda: The Greatest Joy—
continued from page 1Being in the present also allows us
to take a dynamic action. There is only
one moment in which we can act: right
now. Everything else is a dream. When
we accept our current situation, we gain
the clarity of mind to see what needs
to be done. We can act without being
depressed by the past or fearful of the
future.
How many times do we spend an
hour (or more) involved in an internal
argument with our spouse or boss,
when s/he isn’t even in the room?
When we finally do see the person
again, we may discover that we
misunderstood them, or that the
problem has already been solved. All
of that stressful time was worse than
wasted: it was spent poisoning our own
system with anger, high blood pressure,
indigestion, and misery. Or, if the
problem still exists, our brooding has
often made us so angry that we explode
and handle the situation badly. If we
practice living the Golden Present, time
will often soothe our upset and allow
us to handle difficult situations without
further complicating them with
negative emotions.
The Taoists say, “Focus on your
peaceful mind, even in the presence of
troubles.” In other words, try to find the
peaceful center within at every moment
and watch the mind go through its
changes. If you want to focus on your
problems, you will spend your whole
life on one problem after another. And
if you want to focus on your peaceful
mind, it will always be there, even in
the face of death. All of us will die
eventually. So how will you choose to
live right now?
Adapted from the Integral Yoga Stress
Management Teachers Training Manual.
A Stress Management TT is being run this
summer at Yogaville, June 18–July 2, 2004.
Contact ARC at 1-800-858-9642 for more
information.
sleep, think,“ “I am putting Him to sleep.” Thus, every act
becomes an offering; your very life becomes an offering.
That’s the trick of Karma Yoga. When you do everything
for the sake and joy of just doing it, as benefit for the whole
world and not for your own personal benefit, you retain your
joy. Don’t think that you get joy by doing this. The joy is in
you always. You
must do something,
because you can’t
simply sit there
quietly doing
nothing. Your
actions allow you to
retain the Supreme
Joy.
To taste that joy,
begin by setting
apart a week once
every month or two.
Say,
“This is my
Karma Yoga week. I
should be totally
selfless the entire
week. I won’t do
anything for my
sake.” Or just choose
one day—like
fasting day—and
say,—“This is my
selfless day.” Everybody should set aside some time for this,
just to get a taste of that joy. Then you can expand it more
and more.
When you do this, don’t worry about others, such as your
friends or even your family members. Someone in your
family might say, “Hey, you’re constantly doing for others.
Don’t you know that you have a husband, you have a wife,
you have children. They are missing their benefits.” It’s not
that you should ignore them. But don’t continually spend
all your money, energy, and time serving one or two people
alone. The husband might demand all the wife’s service. “You
are my wife. You take care of me first.” You can simply say,
“Sir, there are certain things that you deserve and need. I do
them for you. But the rest of the time other people need me
more. Sometimes, my dear, you demand too much.” You can
say that. There’s nothing wrong in it. No one can own you.
If there is an opportunity to do something more important
for the public, that’s God’s work. Don’t forget you have first
responsibilities to your husband or wife, but see that they
don’t demand more than they are due. Your life must be well
divided this way. It’s something like having five children. If
In this practice
you see your
limitations and
drawbacks, you
test yourself in
the field. You will
understand your
attitudes and
moods better than
when you’re alone
one child constantly demands your attention: “Carry me,
Mom. Carry me,” and you always do as he asks, you will
ignore all the other children.
Subramanya Bharati, a great and saintly poet, lived in
India earlier in this century. He had foresight and his words
were awakening. He knew a great deal about Yoga. In one
poem he wrote, “The essence of scriptures is Karma Yoga.
That alone can save us. Service, service, service, that is
enough for us.”
Master Sivananda always said, “Serve and love. Service
comes first. Serve with love, because without love you cannot
serve. Without control of your passions and selflessness you
cannot serve. You become a Yogi just by serving. Everything
else comes automatically. Lose not even a single opportunity
to serve others.”
A thousand hours of asanatrying to get better.A thousand more on the witness seat
watch the endless cloud paradeacross the mental sky
a glimpse of inner sun,days spent in the fog.
But when the silent heart bell rings even onceall is home
the resume slips from your handseeing everyone on the porch
even the people we bombed in the night
Strugglinglonging for recognition, for some relief.
Then the river of love is in floodand sweeps away everythingeven the desires moored long before,the ideas and the plans
Head bowed to the floorthe mind empties itself in surrenderSilence rainsA flower opens
Swami Ramananda
Yogaville Opportunities for IYTA membersAs an IYTA member, you can participate—either full-time or half-time—in Yogaville’s
Support Staff program or Living Yoga Training (LYT) program. Both programs are free of
charge to IYTA members. The Support Staff program is for individuals who can come to
Yogaville for one to three weeks, whereas the LYT program is for those who can stay from one
to three months. With full-time participation in either program, IYTA members can also earn
credits toward TTs and other programs at Yogaville.
Being in either program is a wonderful opportunity to live at the Ashram and to enjoy the
support of its spiritual environment, including daily meditation, Hatha Yoga, workshops,
classes, and being with other Integral Yoga teachers and sangha members.
(up to a 3-week stay)
Half–Time: Free room and board.
Full-Time (5 1/2 days per week): Free room and
board plus a $50 credit for each week spent in
the Support Staff program.
For more information, contact Swami Sarvaanada
at 434-969-3121. ext.175 or e-mail at
(1 to 3 months)
Half–Time: Free room and board.
Full–Time (5 1/2 days per week): Free room and
board plus a $200 credit for each month spent in
the LYT Program.
For more information, contact Kumari DeSachy
434-969-3121, ext. 117 or e-mail at
LYT / SENIOR LYT PROGRAM SUPPORT STAFF
Jun 18–Jul 2 Stress Management TT Satchidananda Ashram–Yogaville
Buckingham, VA
800-858-YOGA or 434-969-2048
Jul 15 Teachers Workshop San Francisco IYI
Jul 16 ITT Retreat 415-821-1117
Jul 17 Public Talk [email protected]
Sep 4–5 Speaker at Teachers Conference Satchidananda Ashram–Yogaville
Buckingham, VA
800-858-YOGA or 434-969-2048
Jun 27–Jul 18 Intermediate Teacher Training Satchidananda Ashram–Yogaville
Buckingham, VA
800-858-YOGA or 434-969-2048
Aug 27–29 Yoga As Complementary Medicine Melborne, Australia
Contact: Mr. Ragu
Vivekananda Yoga Education
Research & Therapy Institute, Inc.
Tel: 9380 5337
Swami Asokananda
Swami Ramananda
Swami Karunananda
Please contact local representatives for times, costs, pre-enrollment requirements, schedule changes, etc.
Jul 19 – Aug 7 Raja Yoga TT Satchidananda Ashram–Yogaville
Buckingham, VA
800-858-YOGA or 434-969-2048
Sep 10–12 Retreat Integral Yoga Center
New Berlin, PA
Contact: Sudharman Fenton
(570) 966-2484
Sep 25–26 Transformational Workshop: New York Integral Yoga Institute
How We Get Stuck & New York, NY
How To Make Positive Changes (212) 929-0586
In Your Life. [email protected]
Integral Yoga Senior Speakers Schedules
Yogaville CalendarTo make a reservation or to receive a Yogaville Programs Guide or a Teachers Training Programs Guide,
contact the Ashram Reservation Center at 800-858-YOGA(9642), or 434-969-2048, or email at [email protected]
JUNE4–6 Alive and Raw Food Workshop5 Vidyalam Spring Fest11–13 Thai Yoga Massage Introductory Workshop17–27 Cardiac Yoga Teacher Training18–Jul 2 Stress Management Teacher Training18–27 10–Day Silent Retreat20–27 Camp Yogaville27–Jul 18 Intermediate Yoga Teacher Training
JULY3 Guru Poornima4 LOTUS Anniversary4 Independence Day Celebration4–25 Bharata Natyam Dance Camp 19–11 Seven Techniques for Stress Management9–18 Gentle Yoga Teacher Training16-18 Swami Beyondananda: Wake Up Laughing18–Aug 15 Summer Basic Yoga Teacher Training19–Aug 7 Raja Yoga Teacher Training23–25 Osteoporosis, Yoga and Bone-Building26–Aug 9 Bharata Natyam Dance Camp 230–Aug 1 Yoga and Ayurveda
AUGUST4-8 Yoga and the Emotions8-22 Prenatal/Labor Yoga Teacher Training11–15 Sri Yogi Hari: Yoga Sadhana Intensive21 Memorial Anniversary22 Nataraj Shrine Anniversary22–26 Postnatal Yoga Teacher Training27–29 Exploring the Deeper Teachings of Yoga30-Sep 2 Teacher Pre-Conference Mukunda Stiles: Structural Yoga Therapy
SEPTEMBER2–6 8th Annual Teachers Conference10–12 Meditation I16–19 Bhagavan Das: Nada Yoga21–26 Thai Yoga Massage II
