YOGI Magazine

7/28/2019 YOGI Magazine

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1MAY 2013

VOL 1

250 kr

MODERN YOGA

GIM A G A Z I N E

OY

THE RICHHISTORY OF

YOGA- Why you should practise yoga


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2 MAY 2013

MIND AND SPIRIT

KNOWLEDGE

LIFESTYLE

JIWAMUKI

AFRICA

Index

_____________The Editor`s view on how to get content in life _______________________________06

_____________________Get more knowledge about the rich history of yoga _________________________16

_______________________Meet Louise Smethway and read her inspiring story _________________________22

________________________What is it like to be a guru in year 2013 ________________________________________32

______________________________Take a look at some pictures from Yoga Project Africa ______________________36

38

You make a powerfulcommitment to change

the world for one personat a time.

Kim AndersonYoga project Africa >>


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3MAY 2013

Editor and adm. DirektorTerese lberg

RedaksjonssjeAstrid lillemo

Reportasjer

Lene Helleland

BilledredaktorNils Stakkeland

VaktsjeMarius Kristensen

Mia AndersonKatrin Kristensen

DeskErlend VassveitAsle snottveit

Silje Sveland

JournalisterKari Sola

Smith MartinsonKine Akervik

Linda Vasshus

Foto

ommy AuaneSigrid LihusAntony Milhouse

OmslagsbildeC/O smithland AS

Carolin AlkismoSilje Enoksen

rykkStal Graphic

Mikael SivertsenKaren AssosiatedMaren Sivertsen

Inge Aune

AdresseGamle konge vei 60

7043 RONDHEIMNORWAY

Tis magazine is made ather the becareul poster. Te magazine have the rights to publish

all les.22Mia SivertsonThe Yogi-life >>

32DavidA modern guru

>>GIM A G A Z I N EOY

www.yogimagazine.com


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4 MAY 2013

Crown


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5MAY 2013

Chakras play an important role in the main surviving branch

o Indian Vajrayana, ibetan Buddhism. Tey play a pivotal

role in completion stage practices, where an attempt is made

to bring the subtle winds o the body into the central channel,to realise the clear light o bliss. Te Vajrayana system states

that the central channel (avadht) begins at the point o the

third eye, curves up to the crown o the head, and then goes

straight down to the lower body. Tere are two side channels,

the rasan and lalan, wzhich start at their respective nostrilsand then travel down to the lower body.

THE HIGHER SELFDalay Lamaalso called His Holiness is a highly respectedleader, just like the crown in the characer, he knows how to

look at the positive aspects of life.

TEKSTSIMEN V. GONSHOLT


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6 MAY 2013

When you are discontent, you always want more,

more, more. Your desire can never be satised.

But when you decide that you are truly content,

you can say to yoursel, Oh yes I already have

everything that I really need. I eel honored to

be carrying this torch that has been carried by

many. Yoga has done so much good in my lie.

We are a amily o great students and teachers.

Te light o this torch is dispelling darkness,

with just a little yoga. Im having the time o

my lie studying and teaching yoga. Light your

ame, and dont waste anymore time. Hope you

enjoy the magazine.

From the Editor

Yoga reminds me to appreciate the

time I have and to choose more wisely how I

use it. It helps me to slow down and be more

present. When we are present we spend our time

the way it was intended. When we dwell on the

past, or worry about the uture, we are trying to

manipulate time, to control time, or steal time.

Te best way to understand time is to know that

time has a rhythm. It is that perpetual tick-tock

that time always unctions on, an even swingingmotion that allows time to stay balanced. So, i

it is balance that we are looking or, then maybe

we should learn more about time.

I

When we dwell on the past, or worry about

the future, we are trying to manipulate time,

to control time, or steal time.

so

HIGH

m

:


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Phoro:PrivatThereseOlberg


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8 MAY 2013

Throat

KnowI dont think youll nd it

surprising that your throat chakra is

your communication center. Tereor

it is important to remember that com-

munication is not just about you talkin

its also about listening.

An imbalanced throat chakra can

display itsel in many ways. Some signs

o imbalance are lying, arrogance,

talking too much, being manipulative,ear and timidity. On the other hand,

a person with a balanced throat chakra

can express him or hersel well and this

expression isnt always verbal. Artistic

expression and contentment in career

are other ways that we experience throat

chakra harmony.

Tis charakas is inthe throat, and is thesymbol or knowledgeand communication.

TEXTMARTIN OLSNES

ILLUSTRATIONS THERESE LBERG


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9MAY 2013

ledge1. Sing. Singing is an amazing

throat chakra cleanser, so sing

a song.

2. Drink lot`s of water.

3. Hips dont lie. Next time you

practice deep hip-openers on

your yoga mat, pay attention to

how you also feel a release in

your throat.

4. Get a massage.

5.Speak the truth.

E X E R C I S E


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10 MAY 2013

Yoga

is union.

In a world thatbombards us with

clichs regarding a mind,body, and spirit connection, it

very important. But, in real peopleterms, what is the connectio between the

(pranayama), philosophy, and Westernpsychology? David Frawley, author o Yoga and

Ayurveda writes: Yogic methods cover the entire eldo our existence rom the physical, sensory, emotional,

mental, and spiritual to the highest Sel-realization. It in-cludes all methods o higher evolution in humanity physicalpostures, ethical postures, breath control, sensory methods,

armations and visualizations, prayer and mantra, andcomplex meditative disciplines. Yoga understands thenature and interrelationships o the physical, subtle andormless universes into the boundless innite beyond

time and space, and shows us how these also existwithin each human individual. But, even more

basic than that, Why Does Yoga Help?Hereare some key reasons why yoga works: 1.Yoga reduces stress by triggering the

Relaxation Response. Tis is achievedthrough conscious breathing, prac-ticing poses, learning relaxationtechniques, and meditation. Teantidote to the Stress Response isthe Relaxation Response, whichactivates the parasympathetic nervous

system. More importantly, yoga teachesus how to remain peaceul in the ace

o discomort and challenge. 2. We learnrom yoga the art o relaxation. Yoga makes us

pay atention.We become more sel-aware physically,mentally and emotionally. Tis begins by paying attention

to our breath (and all its habits), along with the cycle o ourthoughts and where we hold tension in our bodies. 3. Yoga is a heal-

ing practice. Te poses, conscious breathing and visualization serve as atherapy to reduce physical pain as well as emotional anxiety. We learn practical

methods o sel-comort. And through active efort, we advance our practice into

one o sel-love and sel-acceptance. 4. Yoga breaks our bad habits. We unlearn patternso being in our bodies that are hurting us. Tis teaches us discipline and health.

Charakas

Learn the basics

Yogic methods cover the entireeld o our existence.

Yoga reduces stress by triggering theRelaxation Response.

Yoga teaches us how toremain peaceul in the

ace o discomort andchallenge.


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BrowTe third eye, intuition,

insight, imagination, peace o mindand wisdom.

CrownMind and spirit, the higher sel,

exploration o individual.

TroatCommunication, truth and

knowledge. Conveyed throughthoughtul speech.

HeartLove and understanding, eelings o

balance and harmony.

Solar plexusFocus point o orce and transormation.Orgin o corecentration, discipline, control

use o internal energies to afect outside.Naval

acts o giving and receiving physicaleelings o love, passion, sexuality.ocused eeling during harmony,

generosity and group creativity.

RootConnection to material world,

mastering the body

AnahathaTe heart chakra, is the seat o balance within

the body. Tere is no longer any concern withattacments to worldly pleasures, honors or

humiliations.


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300 MILLIONyoga practitioners world wide

18.3MILLION

Americans that donot practice yoga butare interested in it.

Americans whocurrently practice yoga.

21MILLION

300 M

80 M

1980 1990 2000 2011

Popularity o yoga in the world

About YogaYoga is a physical disipline that ocuses

on developing control o the mind and

body through postures (asanas) and

breath (prana).

Benets o Yoga- Calm the mind- Relieve efects o stress

- Enchance the mind-body connection.

Introduction


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Use yoga as a method toget more energy.45% Te usual yoga person ownes ahouse, and have a good economy.

Everyday issues can add emotional stress, too counseling a

riend through a breakup, regretting a disagreement with a

parent, weighing an important decision, or stressing over

whether youll make nal cuts or the varsity team. With

lots on your mind, its easy to eel stressed.

Tere are many diferent ways to cope with stress. alking

with riends, exercising, and seeing a school counselor are

just a ew. Yoga can help reduce stress because it promotesrelaxation, which is the natural opposite o stress. Yoga can

benet three aspects o ourselves that are oten afected

by stress: our body, mind, and breathing.

You dont have to wait to eel stressed out to do yoga, and

you shouldnt! People who do a little bit o yoga each day

oten nd theyre better able to handle things when lie

gets a little crazy. Practicing yoga builds your ability to

calm, ocus, balance, and

relaxe yoursel, yoga is more than just stretching. Lots o

people think o yoga as stretching or twisting the bodyinto various impossible-looking pretzel shapes. But yoga

is easier than it looks. Tere are simple poses as well as

complicated ones, so theres something or every ability.

Yoga requires no special equipment, so you can do it al-

most anywhere, at home, outdoors and so on.

Yoga poses are good exercise and can help loosen up the

tense muscles in your body. Te areas o the body that

tend to carry the most stress are the neck, shoulders, and

back. But other parts o the body (like the ace, ngers,

or wrists) also can benet rom simple yoga stretches.

Yoga is so much more than just physical exercise, though.Te key to getting the best out o each pose is to ocus not

only on your body, but also on your mind and breathing.

Getting the Most Out o Yoga

When youre in a yoga pose, think about how you can

unite your body, mind, and breathing. Even a simple pose

like mountain pose is a stress reliever when you ocus

on keeping your breathing slow and even, and visualize

yoursel as rm and steady.

EX SINE NILSSON ILLUSRAIONS HERESE OLBERG

Life can be stressful, For starters, theres your

busy schedule, waking up super early for school,studying late at night for tests, juggling sportspractice, homework, and meals.


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Basic facts7 acts you always wanted to know. Yogas huge cannon o tradition,history and philosophy means this ancient practice can sometimesseem mysterious. Let`s take a look at the nuts-and-bolts of yoga.

Learn

What is Yoga?Yoga is an ancient orm o meditation; an awareness

practice that synchronises body, mind and breath. Te

practice has numerous physical and psychological benet,

including: improved strength, muscle tone, exibility

and joint mobility; better sleep, enhanced eelings o

wellbeing, and relie rom stress, anxiety and depression.

What does the word yoga mean?Te word is derived rom the Sanskrit word yuj, which

means to uniy or to yoke.

What is the diference o yoga and pilates?A common asked question that is oten answered incorrect-

ly. In essence, yoga ia an ancient mind-body system o well

being that ultimately aims to still the mind. Pilates is

a series o exercises aimed at strengthening the core.

Who was Patanjali?Patanjali is known as the ather o Yoga. He wrote

a series o verses, or scriptures, known as Te Yoga

Sutras, that are the core o all yoga practices. For more

on Patanjali, we recommend this Yoga Journal piece.

What is the goal o yoga?Te ultimate goal o yoga is Citta Vritti Nirodhah:

Cessation o uctuations o the mind. Tis one

Sutra holds the key and the goal to all yoga

practice. Te entire science o yoga is based

on this one Sutra: I you can control the

uctuations o the mind you will experience Yoga.

What the eight limbs?Te Patanjalis Yoga Sutras are a set o liestyle and

philosophical guidelines: Te Yama-abstinence,

Niyama-observance, Asana-posture, Pranayama-breath control, Pratyahara - sense withdrawal,

Dharana- concentration, Dhyana - meditation,

Samadhi - contemplation or absorption.

Why don`t yogis traditionally eat meat?Tis is not because o the vow o Ahimsa (non

violence), because meat is dead, so there is no Pranic

Value (lie orce) within it. As yoga practice is de-

signed to increase your Prana (lie orce), meat does

little to enhance it.

14 MAY 2013


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15MAY 201315MAY 2013


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3.

Learn

1

3 MEEORAis an area in Tessaly

(Greece) and Kalampaka is the city under therock towers o Meteora.

1 HE KHAJURAHOGroup oMonuments in Khajuraho, a town in theIndian state o Madhya Pradesh, located inChatarpur District.

4 SANSKRI the language o Yogaand Ayurveda, Sanskrit is also a historicalIndo-Aryan language, the primary liturgicallanguage o Hinduism and a literary andscholarly language in Buddhism and Jainism

2 NAMASEis derived rom Sanskritand is a combination o two words, Namasteliterally means salutations to you.

5 HE GREA BUDDHAoKamakura is a monumental outdoor bronzestatue o Amitbha Buddha located at theKtoku-in emple in Kamakura Japan.It was built during the ang Dynasty

(618907AD).

234


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THE TRADITIONALpurpose o Yoga, has always been

to bring a proound transormation in the person through

the transcendence o the ego. In Hinduism, Buddhism

and Jainism the word yoga means spiritual discipline.

People oten associate yoga with the postures and stances

that make up the physical activity o the exercise, but ater

closer inspection it becomes clear that there are many more

aspects o yoga.

IT IS AN ACTIVITYthat has been practiced or thousands

o years, and it is something that has evolved and changed

over time. Diferent actions o yoga have developed since

its conception. Te exact history and origins o yoga is un-

certain; however, there are pieces that have been connected

and allow us to make some conclusions. It is known that

yoga originated rom the East.

HE EARLIES SIGNSo yoga appeared in the ancient

Shamanism. Evidence o yoga postures ound on artiacts

that date back to 3000 B.C. Yoga originally ocused most

on applying and understanding the world. Its ocus later

changed to the sel. Sel-enlightenment also became the

ultimate goal. It was not until the sixth century B.C. that

the poses and meditation became a critical element. Teywere implimented by Buddhist teachings.

The

5

H I S TORYOf

yoga


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18 MAY 2013

honestlook

yourat

lifeWe all have habits and tendencies, somethat work and some that dont work or us. Iyoure anything like me, you probably ebb and ow

between the two. With more yoga, a healthier diet,

and an honest look at your lie, youlzl eel a stronger

and more efortless pull towards a liestyle that works

best or you. We are here to grow ater all. Whynot participate in the process and have a great ride?

What does your ideal day look like? And what would

each week, month and year look like i they were

lled with your ideal days? Everyday you have the

potential to make changes and choices that will create

a lie you love! ake a look at the questions below and

answer them honestly. Tese questions will also give you

an idea o how we can work together. More Health &More Yoga = More Possibilities & a More Exciting Lie!

With more yoga you can get a better lie and center yoursel to get more ocused andconcentrate on what really matters in lie. Answer the questions on the next page to

get a better view o where you are in lie now.


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4. Do you eel alive, healthy and energized on most days?

2. What could you add to your lie to eel even healthier?

3. Are you creating a lie you eel excited about?

1. Do you love your work and career?

5. Do you surround yoursel with supportive and inspiring people?

Questions to consider:


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20 MAY 2013

Photo

-Philip

Morrise

One becomes rmly established inpractice only ater attending to it or

a long time, without interruptionand with an attitude o devotion.

- Yoga Sutra I.14

20 FEBRUARY 2013

Solar plexus


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How would you like to be unconditionally

loved, just as you are, without having to be

or do anything special? What would it be like

to eel truly, completely, radically accepted,

without eeling as though you had to hide or

deny or apologize or any aspect o yoursel?

We crave this kind o love and acceptance,

but ew can honestly say we ofer ourselves

such unconditional regard. Te trouble is, i

we cannot love and accept ourselves just as we

are, we will nd it dicult to truly love any-

one else in such a limitless way. And, perhaps

even more unsettling to contemplate, i we

are ortunate enough to nd someone who

accepts and loves us unconditionally, how can

we be open to receiving that love rom some-

one else i we havent ully accepted ourselves?

Unconditional love becomes possible when

you practice cultivating the our states o the

mind known as the brahmaviharas. Collec-

tively, these our qualities o riendliness or

lovingkindness (metta), compassion (karuna),

joy (mudita), and equanimity (upekkha) are

the qualities o true, authentic, and uncon-

ditional love. Both Patanjali, the Indian sage

who compiled the Yoga Sutra in the second

century BCE, and the Buddha is a symbole

o love it sel in many.

EX MARK FILMORE

THE CORE OF LIFETe solar Plexus, which show you theway to a kinder and more compassionaterelationship with ourselves and others,show you how to become calm within andtruly love yoursel.


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22 MAY 2013

Lifestyle


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23MAY 2013

mymeditation

My passion in lie is ellowship, Buddah and bulldogs, Imeditate every day to senter mysel, and to gure out what

I should ocus mye attention on this day.

AMERICANcitizen, but was born in South

Arica in 1985.

UNEXSPECTEDis the word I would use to

describe the road my lie has taken, I never

thought I would become a yogini.

GURUis my goal, I`m a teacher now, but

my dream in lie is to be a respected guru

and live by my sel in India.

LOVE is when I practise yoga in the nature

or in my livingroom, with my dog watching.

- How did it all start or you?

Yoga was something I had been

wanting to try or a while, and they ofered

classes at my gym, so I began practicing a

couple o days a week. Ive always been really

athletic and competitive, so I was pretty

skeptical at rst. But I slowly learned to

surrender, and my yoga practice took over

and replaced all my other exercise routines

(besides walking the dogs and riding a

bike or transportation). I actually didntbecome certied as a teacher until just this

past August - Ive only been practicing or

two years! I had some money saved and the

ModPo lming was ending, so I had some

ree time, and it seemed like a good time to

do a teacher training. I did a month-long

intensive YogaWorks 200-hour training at

my local studio, Dhyana, and began ofering

donation classes pretty much immediately

aterward. Within a couple o months, I was

subbing a ton and managed to snag my own

class at one o the big gyms here in the city.

I know rst-hand, that it is not completely

the stress-ree a job it might seem. Tell me

a little about what sorts o yoga practices

you lead.

My rst instinct was to teach very

intense Vinyasa ow

classes [a aster paced, more choreographed

practice]. But as I begin to ease into my skin

as a teacher, Im nding that my priorities

are alignment and ocus. I do like to ow,

but I like to do so in a very meditative man-

ner. I like to hold poses or a long time to

really lock them in, achieve the ull benets,

and challenge mysel and my students. Tats

something I learned rom my teacher JoanHyman, once you nd the pose, and you >>

TEKSTNILS ANKE RFOTOSIGURD FANDAGO


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24 MAY 2013

Lifestyle


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25MAY 2013

It teaches me to be gentle with myself. Ithelps me to turn outward, to share and teach,

when Id rather hide. It humbles me

stay quiet in it or more than a ew breaths,

thats where you nd the yoga.

What is your stress personality? Some peo-

ple know how to let it roll of o their back,

while others ruminate, tossing them in

their heads all day. How do you prioritize

what to stress about? What is your best

stress-busting tip?

I tend to get stuck in my head a

lot. Its been a pretty tumultuous year - I did

my Yoga eacher raining, then let a ve-

year relationship, accidentally moved in with

a crazy roommate who happened to work at

my restaurant, had to move a second time

within a two-month periodso you can

imagine the nancial/physical/emotional tur-

moil Ive been through in the last six months.

You can see it on my ace toward the end o

some o the ModPo videos. Poetry does make

me cry, but there were other actors at work

there. Yoga is my stress-buster. Its my way o

turning of the voices in my head telling me

that lie is too hard, that I made too many

mistakes, that Im not doing the right thing.Yoga - and not just asana (the poses); Im also

talking about the other seven limbs, particu-

larly the ones related to meditation - helps

me see clearly. It helps me nd gratitude

when my immediate reaction is to complain

or cry. It gives me a community to turn to.

It makes me laugh. It gives immediate goals

to work or. It teaches me to be gentle with

mysel. It helps me to turn outward, to share

and teach, when Id rather hide. It humbles

me.

How do you combine the artsy side with the

business side? Many artists I know, mysel

included, have a really hard time with this.

What advice do you have or people trying

to meld their right and let brains?

I still have a really hard time

with all o that. Im really dependent on my

iPhone calendar to remind me when things

are due or when I have meetings or classes. I

denitely think the best strategy is asking or

help - Im always turning to my mentors or

business advice, and reaching out to riends

or help with accounting/web stuf/photogra-

phy/pitching/making contacts/etc. For me, ittakes a village to do anything! O course, the

golden rule is to always, make a list.

sel-employed, which lessens stress in one

sense. You are your own boss so you dont

have to worry about bureaucracy, displeas-

ing ignorant higher-up bosses who have

never set oot in your class. Yet it heightens

it in another, everything is your responsi-

bility.

First o all, there is always

bureaucracy. When I reelance, editors want

certain things. I I want to continue writing

and get paid, I need to keep them happy.

When I go into a new gym/studio and

audition, I have to make the owner/director

happy i I want to get hired. I have to keep

my numbers up i I want to keep my classes.

I think being sel-employed is really a lot

more dicult, but I nd that its worth it

to be able to make my own schedule, spend

time at home, etc. And Im doing what I

love, which is worth a lot.


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26 MAY 2013

I love to travel, meand my wife havebeen all over theworld with thees

suitcases.

My yogi life

This scarycreature i foundin Bali when Ifrst met with

my guru, he hasbeen with me for

2 years now.

This is the maskI use when I`min a play every

winter. It makesme feel like a

different person.

26 MAY 2013


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27MAY 2013

This is my wife,our life together isnot all about yoga,but she sure is a

devoted yogini.

Asle Adamson

Believes lie is about nding

yoursel and make peace with

who you really are. Get to

know this Yogi and learn about

the normal lie o a yogini.

WORK

Yoga guru and teacher in

New York.

YOGA STYLEJoravi yoga

GURU

Wayn Illunion (India)

These owers I

get for my wifeevery summer,

they are from thespeacial place,Gili Trawagan.

I found this

scalletheadinIndia when we

frst meet our

guru, it`s about100 yearsold!

Asle Adamson

27MAY 2013


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28 MAY 2013

Yoga art


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29MAY 2013

Alongside paintings on cave walls created by early

humans over 30,000 years ago, we also nd hand-

prints and ochre deposits suggesting body paint-

ing. Some o the earliest mummies known like the

Ice Man rom the Italian-Austrian Alps, known

as Otzi, and others rom central Asia, Egypt and

Europe all date back to 5000 years. People were

buried with ornaments that would have been worn

through body piercings, and remains o others show

intentionally elongated or attened skulls. Head

shaping was practiced 5000 years ago in Chile and

until the 18th century in France. Stone and ceramic

gurines ound in the ancient graves depict people

with every kind o body art. known today. People

have always marked their bodies with

signs o individuality. Body art takes on specic

meanings in diferent cultures. It can serve as a

link with the ancestors, deities, or spirits. Besides

being decorative, tattoos, paint, and scars it can

mediate the relationships between people and the

supernatural world. Te decorated body can serve

as a shield to repel evil or as a means o attracting

good ortune. attoos in central Borneo had the

same designs as objects o everyday use and shielded

people rom dangerous spirits. Selknam men in

ierra del Fuego painted their bodies to transorm

themselves into spirits or initiation ceremonies.

Australian painted similar designs on cave walls and

their bodies to indicate the location o sacred places

revealed in dreams. ransitions in status, identity,

or example the transition between childhood and

adulthood, are oten seen as times o danger. Body

art protects a vulnerable person, whether an initiate,

a bride, or a deceased person.

Bodyart is not just the latest fashion. Inact, the impulse to create art is one othe dening signs o humanity.

Mode

rn

bodya

rt


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30 MAY 2013

The Heart

Tis characas is called the Heart, it is the symbolfor love and understanding, feelings of balance andharmony. It`s important to relax and breath in a while,in a busy city the perspective and meaning o lie caneasely ade away.

PRES


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31MAY 2013

ENT

The Dalai Lama, when asked what surprised him

most about humanity, answered;

Man. Because he sacrifices his health in

order to make mony. Then he sacrifices

money to recuperate his health. And then

he is so anxiousabout the future that he

does not enjoy the present; the result

being that he does not live in the present

or the future; he lives as if he is never

going to die, and then dies having never

really lived.


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32 MAY 2013

Jiwamuki


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33MAY 2013

How did you meet?

David Lie : Sharons band, Audio Letter,

toured New York City rom Seattle in 1983.

I [owned] Lie Ca in the East Village, and

it was a venue or new music, poetry, and art.

We met when Audio Letter played at the ca.

Sharon Gannon : I was the vocalist/violinist in

the band. David was very nice to us and seemed

to like our music. Later on, he actually joined

the band and played musical instruments he

made himsel.

YG: How did you rst encounter yoga?

David: In college, 1968, I took a couple o ree

yoga classes that did not impress me at all. I was

studying the great yogi Mahatma Gandhi and

his teachings o non-violence. I was involved

in protest actions against the Vietnam War

and was inspired by the Hindustani conceptso non-violent grassroots social change. ara

Rose, one o the waitresses at the Lie Ca in

New York, was a yoga teacher, we started study-

ing asana with her. In 1986, we began yearly

trips to India to study with many teachers like

Swami Nirmalananda, Pattabhi Jois, Shyam

Das and others. Sharon: In 1969, I went to

hear a lecture about yoga by Bob Freedie, who

did psychedelic light shows many teachers like

Swami Nirmalananda, Pattabhi Jois, Shyam

Das and others. Many teachers like Swami

Nirmalananda, Pattabhi Jois, Shyam Das and

other great teachers.

Sharon: In 1969, I went to hear a lecture about

yoga by Bob Freedie, who did psychedelic light

shows in Seattle; he was a devotee o Krishna-

murti. Tat`s where I got my rst introduction

to the Teosophical Society. Sometime shortly

ater that, I got a book by Richard Hittleman

and did my best to ollow the instructions and

mimic the poses pictured in the book. During

the seventies, I was a student at the University

o Washington, I studied Indian music, dance,

philosophy, and culture.

YG: When did you realize that you were

creating your own style o yoga?

David: Any yoga teacher can only teach the

methods and practices that worked or them.

We had many great teachers who inspired us

with methods and teachings that served them

well. We practiced yoga, and our riends asked

us to share the methods that resonated with

us. It was only ater the act that it came to be

called Jivamukti yoga. Sharon: It was a con-

scious decision to call the style Jivamukti, be-

cause we wanted a name which, when people

said it, they would connect to the aim o the

practice, which is enlightenment. Jivamukti is

actually an American rendition o the Sanskritword. Jivanmukti, which means liberated while

THE JIVAMUKTI GURUDavid Life and Sharon Gannon are the founders of Jivamukti Yoga, whichthey have been teaching out of their New York City yoga center since

1989. There are now Jivamukti centers and teachers worldwide.

>> JIVAMUKI. Tis style, which blends vigorousvinyasa practice with spiritual teachings, chanting,and an emphasis on how to bring yogas philosophyinto daily life, is at the forefront of yogas current

popularity. Life and Gannons methods are now evenmore accessible, thanks to their video Transform Your-self with Jivamukti Yoga. I was fortunate enough tobe able to ask them a few questions about how Jiva-mukti began.

BIRTH 1960 Notingham

WORK Guru in New York

GROWINGUP Shy and quiet child

STUDY Psycholagy

MARRIED to Sharon Gannon

HAS Three kids

AWARDS For new yogastyle

TEKSTNILS ANKER PHOTOSIGURD FANDAGO

DAVID LIFE


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34 MAY 2013

Jiwamuki

It was definitely an organic

process. I mean, we didnt wakeup one morning and decide weare going to be yoga teachers.


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35MAY 2013

our riends asked us to share the methods that

resonated with us. It was only ater the act that

it came to be called Jivamukti yoga. It was a

conscious decision to call the style Jivamukti,

because we wanted a name which, when people

said it, they would connect to the aim o the

practice, which is enlightenment. Jivamukti isactually an American rendition o the Sanskrit

word. Jivanmukti, which means liberated while

living. A Jivanmukta is one who is liberated and

lives to benet the lives o others.

How did it evolve?

It was denitely an organic process. I mean,

we didnt wake up one morning and decide we

are going to be yoga teachers, we are going to

create this method called Jivamukti yoga, and

we are going to rent a space and etc., etc. We

were artists who were also political activists, and

we were trying to shit the values o our culture

through our art. We recognized pretty much

immediately that the ethical percepts o yoga

were in line with our activist views and aspira-

tions, especially ahimsa and aparigraha. Speak-

ing or mysel, I was always trying to nd ways

to speak out or the animals and the environ-

ment in my art and, when I discovered yoga,

I saw it could certainly provide some space or

this type o activism. We began to incorporate

a lot o yoga into the perormances, and the

people who came to see those perormances

began to ask us to teach them. It seemed to

make more sense to teach people how to prac-

tice what we were practicing than to let them

sit in a theater or some place and watch us per-

orm some artistic rendition o it. But I think

with the meeting o our holy teachers, rst in

the orm o Swami Sankarananda and then

later Swami Nirmalananda, Shri K. Pattabhi

Jois and Shri Brahamananda Saraswati, we

received blessings and encouragement whichprovided us with a tremendous dose o shakit.

David: Tere was no yoga scene in 1983 in

the city New York. Yoga was neither popular

nor practiced much. However there was a small

Iyengar community, Sivananda and Integral

yoga centers. Norman Allen had begun to teach

Ashtanga Vinyasa in the 70s in New York, and

many o his students continued to teach. O

course, Dharma Mitra was a teacher to us and

many others in the early days.

It was a great time to experience the wonderul

teachers rom India that brought the teachings

to the west, like J. Krishnamurti, Yogi Bhajan,

Swami Satchidananda, BKS Iyengar, Vishnu

devananda, Swami Dhayananda Saraswati,

Brahmananda Saraswati, and others, who were

all in New York at some point.

Sharon: I am not a very historian so I eel

very inadequate to speak on this subject, but

I know that Swami Prabhupada came to New

York rom India perhaps in the 1960s or 70s.

He rst came to ompkins Square Park, which

is across the street rom where we live in the

East Village. Tere is a large tree right in the

middle o the park, which is always adorned

with ower garlands, put there by Krishna DevOtees in remembrance o the act that Swami

Prabhupada chanted the Hari Krishna mantra

around that tree on his rst visit to America.

Our teacher, Shri Brahmananda Saraswati,

started the Yoga Society o New York in the

1960s. But when I moved to New York City

in 1983, I was not aware o it. Te main yoga

schools which I was aware o at that time were

the Sivananda Center, the Integral Center,

Dharma Mittras, and Swami Bua taught out

o his apartment. I think there must have been

an Iyengar Center, but I never visited there. I

dont know i people practiced at home or in

yoga centers at that time.

YG: Was anyone teaching vinyasa-style yoga

back then?

Sharon: Norman Allan, who was a student o

Pattabhi Joiss, taught Ashtanga yoga, I think

in the 1970s in New York City. I know that he

taught Swami Sankarananda because we learned

about Norman Allan through S.Sankarananda.

Our rst teacher in New York City, ara Rose,

besides being a Sivananda trained teacher, was

a student o a man who had studied Norman

Allan. She incorporated Vinyasa aspects into

her classes back then.

It was a great time toexperience the wonderful

teachers from India thatbrought the teachings to

the west.


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36 MAY 2013

The RootThe Root

PROJECT

YOGAAFRICA

Tey educates, empowers, elevates andemploys youth rom Arica using the

transormational practice o yoga.


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37MAY 2013

- The Root chakra, being the last chakra,is the most physical one. This means thatany activity that makes one more aware

of the body, will strengthen this chakra.


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38 MAY 2013

Africa Yoga Project

Yoga is apractice I use to clean out the unnecessary

and walk with mindulness in our world. As an artist,

yoga is a poetic human expression celebrating our

sincere desire to be better human beings. I ound Arica

Yoga Project a ew months ago and knew, without

question, I wanted to be o service to this remarkable

organization. Te ollowing images are o my rst

ew days as a resident artist or Arica Yoga Project,

whose work is dedicated to healing and empowering

individuals. I these pictures inspire you, pass them on.

I want the world to know about Arica Yoga Project.

You can help the project envolve by going to www.

aricayogaproject.com and donate some money.

Empowering through the power of yogaEMPOWERSover

250,00 Kenyans a year.

52 EACHERS who is

seeing no boundaries.

PRACICE in prisons,

shools, special need centers,

and deaf schools.

PHOO - Kim Anderson having a great time at one of the yogasessions in Kenya


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39MAY 2013

photo crediting

http://jivamuktiyoga.com

http://jivamuktiyoga.com/about/gurus

http://www.africayogaproject.org/pages/about-us

http://www.beluminousyoga.com/africa-yoga-project

http://www.dailycupofyoga.com

http://yogapins.org/the-history-of-yoga

http://www.yogamagazine.com/

http://theresurrectionofhumptydumpty.com

http://christineykim.blogspot.no

http://pinterest.com/lalorenza/yoga/

http://www.breathandbodyyoga.com

Text crediting

http://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chakra

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khajuraho_Group_of_Monument


http://www.yogajournal.com/basics/ba-sics_column

http://www.dailycupofyoga.com

http://yogapins.org/the-history-of-yoga


http://www.mindbodygreen.com


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