namaskar july 2014

namaskarA VOICE FOR THE YOGA COMMUNITY OF ASIA July 2014

SHAVASANA

An important celebration of our yoga practice

that everyone should make time for ..............p19

KARMA YOGA

Help a boy and some elephants you’ve never met

and probably never will ...................................p17

TEACHING YOGA

Is it for me? Am I ready? What does it take to be

really good at it? ...........................................p26

Ashtangi Kino MacGregor on the streets of Singapore, photo by Anwar Sadhana

2 NAMASKAR

July 2014 3

NAMASKAR - JULY 2014

ABOUT NAMASKAR

ADMINISTRATION Carol Adams, [email protected]

NEWS EDITOR Wai-Ling Tse, [email protected]

CIRCULATION Angela Sun, [email protected]

EDITOR & PUBLISHER Frances Gairns, [email protected]

Namaskar provides a voice for the yoga community in Asia and aroundthe world. The publication is an opportunity for practitioners on ayogic path to selflessly offer their knowledge, learnings andexperiences with others.

We welcome unsolicited submissions, therefore the opinionsexpressed within these pages are not necessarily those of Namaskar orits volunteers.

Articles and photographs in Namaskar are contributed at no charge.Advertising income covers production, distribution, administrativecosts and discretionary contributions to selected charities and causes.

Namaskar, is published quarterly in January, April, July and October.About 5,000 copies per issue are printed and distributed for free toyoga studios, teachers, fitness centres, retail outlets, restaurants &cafes and other yoga-friendly outlets. Mostly distributed in HongKong, with 1,500 copies mailed to readers in 25 other countries. Afurther 1,000 soft copies are distributed by email.

LETTER FROMTHE EDITORAs the intensity of our practiceincreases, so too must thedepth of our breath.

In This Issue

DRISTI - TEACHING YOGA

KNOW THYSELF 26

Get to know yourself before you teach others

BODY & SPIRIT 29

OTHER SIDE OF THE MAT 31

What a student thinks makes a good teacher

TEACHER QUIZ 32

Are you cut out to teach yoga?

SURVIVING YOUR FIRST YEAR 32

How to make it as a yoga teacher

SPECIAL FEATURES

HELPING THE KARMA YOGIS 17

How we can help two people out there makinga difference

SHAVASANA 19

Deserves to be enjoyed, not rushed through

YOGA ON THE GO 23

A teacher’s app for her travelling students

REGULAR CONTRIBUTIONSKULA UPDATES, WORKSHOPS,RETREATS, TEACHER TRAININGS 6

PHOTO ESSAY 14I HEARD OFF THE MAT 20TEACHER FEATURE 35

MUDRAS IN BRIEF 39MYTHOLOGY 40MUDRAS IN BRIEF 39

BOOK REVIEW 41DVD REVIEW 42RECIPE 47

DIRECTORY 48

So too in life, if the intensity of our livesmounts, so too must we be able to increasethe positive energy coming in.As it is only us who can breathe for ourselves, it is each of our responsibilities to maintain our

own balance.

I’ve always thought myself a balanced person - physically, mentally and emotionally, ready to

take on a myriad challenges.

However this year’s offered many more challenges to me than usual, and I’ve become depleted.

It’s only now, half way into the year, I realise I haven’t been replenishing my own reserves.

Fortunately, in a few days we leave for two months in the beautiful mountains of Whistler,

Canada, where I will take a two-month savasana!

Azmi talks about the importance and beauty of this asana in this issue.

I recently completed my first solo teacher training, a part-time hot yoga programme attended

by 15 amazing women. For them, as well as the many thousands of other students considering

taking one, we offer “Teaching Yoga” as our dristi.

Does completing a 200- or even 500-hour course, automatically qualify you to go out and

teach? On the other hand, might someone be an amazing teacher through the efforts of their

own study and practice, without ever having taken a course at all? Articles by Cassandra, Kim

and Chan look at who could teach and what it takes. While Nina and Melissa look at the subject

from the perspective of a student and new teacher respectively.

While we can learn a lot from traditional teachers, we can also learn so much from others as

well. Louise Rogerson and Yogiuday are two people we can all learn from, been inspired by.

Louise runs a charity for elephants aptly named EARS and Yogiuday is using his home-made

sweets business in India to raise money for the education of underprivileged children there.

Both have traded traditional lifestyles for causes bigger than themselves. After you have read

about their efforts, I hope you will join Namaskar in supporting their worthwhile work.

I hope you will take the time to read the many other articles herein, all represent the generous

and selfless efforts of our contributors.

Hope you too will enjoy your Summer-vasana!

On the cover is Kino MacGregor, certified Ashtanga yoga

teacher

4 NAMASKAR

CONTRIBUTORS

AZMI SAMDJAGA

Although groomed to be an

architect, Azmi changed his life

course after a training in India. He

has been teaching for 15 years in

Indonesia, Singapore and Japan.

He has studied under Sri Pattabhi

Jois, Matthew Sweeney, Lance

Schuler and Louisa Sears. An

Ashtangi by training with a

background in dance and massage,

Azmi shares the grace of his

practice and emphasizes stillness

in the classes he teaches. He

currently teaches at Sadhana

Sanctuary in Singapore.

[email protected]

BARBARA PASSY

Barbara is a certified Forrest Yoga

teacher and works for a bank in

Chicago, Illinois.

[email protected]

CAROL ADAMS

Carol takes care of Namaskar

administration and invoicing. She

works from home which gives her

the freedom to be a stay-at-home

mom to an 8-year-old son. Carol

teaches yoga regularly.

[email protected]

CASSANDRA KISH

Cassandra, founder of Vidyaa Yoga,

currently lives in Paris, France. She

offers yoga/surf retreats in Baleal,

Portugal - Yoga Surf Sleep Eat.

[email protected]

CHAN CUDENNEC

Chan is the founder of SOL

Wellness. She was a stressed out

banker and management

consultant, who today is a multi-

disciplinary holistic practitioner

committed to finding the best

healing solutions for her clients.

She is also a Kundalini yoga

teacher. [email protected]

FRANCES GAIRNS

Frances is the editor and publisher

of Namaskar. She teaches at Pure

Yoga in Hong Kong and has two

children. [email protected]

MELISSA MAK

Based in Singapore, Melissa’s yoga

journey started in 2007 when her

good friend dragged her to her first

yoga class. She completed her

RYT200 training at Sivananda Yoga

Vedanta in Kerala, India. Currently

a physical educator, she is trying to

start a yoga club in her school with

her 118 willing students. Her public

classes are available at the 1Fiesta

Fitness studio in Tampines,

Singapore.

[email protected]

KIM ROBERTS

Kim is on staff at New Life

Foundation in Chiang Rai,

Thailand, where she teaches and

counsels. [email protected],

www.toolsofevolution.org

KRISHNAA KINKARIDAS

Krishnaa lives in London. Her yoga

and philosophy interest began in

the 1960s in India. She had the

privilege to study with B.K.S.

Iyengar over several years in

Mumbai and Pune. She runs

classes in London and teaches

‘Sanskrit and Mudras for Yoga’ for

Yoga Alliance and British wheel of

Yoga trainee teachers. She is the

author of nine books on Bhakti

Yoga. [email protected]

July 2014 5

namaskarcurrent & past issues are at:www.issuu.com/caroladams

October’s dristi:The Branding of Yoga

Some headlines to consider:• How branding helps and hinders yoga.• Branding yoga makes teachers/schools stand out and ensures

better quality teaching.• Branding is consumerism, it has no place in yoga.• How to brand yourself in this crowded market.

We hope this topic will prompt a lively debate. If you would liketo contribute an article on this subject, or others, to Namaskar,please email Frances at [email protected] with yourthoughts first. That way we can let you know if anothercontributor is already covering that angle. Final articles arewelcome before September 10.

MOOSA AL-ISSA

Moosa is Executive Director of

Life Café and Director of Just

Green Organic Convenience

Stores in HK.

[email protected]

NINA GASSAUER

Originally from Munich, Germany,

Nina is a devoted yoga student and

journalist based in Hong Kong.

Among other topics, Nina

observes the Asian yoga scene and

expresses her opinion in various

magazines. [email protected]

SUE YEN WAN

Ying has been a freelance Yoga

instructor since 1998. Striving to

honour, the mind body and spirit

provoking self awareness to be in

the present moment.

[email protected]

www.sueyenwan.com

TIA SINHA

Tia spends a few months a year in

solitary retreat at Dongyu Gatsal

Ling Nunnery, Himachal, India and

teaches Hatha Yoga to the nuns

there. She also teaches Tibetean

Buddhist philosophy and

meditation, yoga asana and yoga

philosophy elsewhere.

[email protected]

WAI-LING TSE

Wai-Ling teaches and practises

yoga, mindfulness, therapy and is

News Editor of Namaskar. She

loves connecting with people in

everyday life through yoga,

nature, food and music.

[email protected]

6 NAMASKAR

KULAUpdates

AUSTRALIA

SoulCentreAcademy &SoulKids open inSydneyThe Academy will open its doors in

January 2015 and will offer

SoulKids programs in addition to

one-on-one coaching for

children.Meditation programs will

also be available from beginner to

master level.

For more information

[email protected]

CHINA

2nd China-IndiaSummit7-12 July

Dali City, Yunnan Province

Organised by the Consulate

General of the Republic of India in

Guangzhou and supported by the

government of Yunnan province. It

is one of the core projectsfor

China-India cultural and friendship

exchange in 2014. Teachers and

guests will include Geeta S

Iyengar, HR Nagendra, Manivanna

Ramachandran, Joseph H Pereira,

Birjoo H. Mehta, Rajvi Mehta,

Firooza Ali and many more.


www.yogasummit.org /

[email protected] /(86)

2038863669

FRANCE

EuropeanKundalini YogaFestival2-10 August

Join Chan Cudennec and her

friends at this transformational 8

days of Kundalini Yoga, meditation

and cleansing ayurvedic diet in the

countryside of central France.

For more information www.3ho-

europe.org/en/eventsactivities/

european-yoga-festival/

HONG KONG

Natural livingdirectorywelcomesmembersSupport positive ecological,

personal and social change in Hong

Kong and beyond. Get fresh

content and connections for

natural choices every day. Find

what you’re looking for, even when

you’re not sure what you’re looking

for. Register for a Yoga listing in

Natural Hong Kong. Post your

event on the heartbeat calendar.

Subscribe to the free email

newsletter and stay in touch with

what’s new and what’s on in Hong

Kong - naturally. Join now for pre-

launch member rates and get

connected with your local

community. Visit the website at

heartbeat.com.hk - a natural guide

for life in the fast lane. Listen to

your own heartbeat.


[email protected] /

(852) 6628 6153

Opening of YogaBam BamSheung Wan

The opening party of Yoga Bam

Bam in May was 12-hours of non

stop Yoga, dance, aerial silks,

shopping, vegetarian food, reggae,

live music, rapping and friendly

smiles. Their vibe is earthy refined

by minimalistic design and taste.

The beautiful tiny studio is set on a

pedestrian tree lined terrace with

both an outdoor and indoor

deck.The studio was created as a

space for Yoga teachers, friends

and artists to fully express

themselves; and is a haven of calm

in a neighbourhood full of

independent art galleries, cafés

and shops. No membership fees,

just sign in to reserve your booking

online and pay the teacher in cash

after the class.


www.YogaBamBam.com /

www.facebook.com/YogaBamBam

/[email protected]

Healing Circle atSOL WellnessCentral

SOL Wellness offers 15-minute

healing sessions between 1-2pm

every Wednesday by

donation.Therapies on offer are

EFT, oracle card readings, ancient

Thai massage, Tibetan singing

bowl therapy, Reiki, NLP, Violet

prayer therapy, Yuen method and

Sekhem healing. 100% of

donations collected will go

towards helping victims of

domestic violence at Bethane

House or buying safety beepers

for the elderly. Book your session

in advance.

For more information (852) 2581

9699 / [email protected]

Yoga CentralSummer TreatSummer treat forstudents during

July to August. Any class on their

schedule under ‘general’ or ‘basics’

for HK$100 per class.Check out

their schedule on their website or

Facebook Page: Iyengar-Central


[email protected] /

www.yogacentral.com.hk

September OpenHouse at YogaCentral

Free community classes and

history of Iyengar Yoga with lucky

draw and gifts to share. Charity

organizations are most welcome to

contact Karen at (852) 2982 4308;

[email protected] to

arrange free classes for the under-

privileged.


[email protected] /


A Day of Fashion,Yoga and ArtPMQ, Central

On 22 MayFrench fashion designer

Fé and photographer Beatrice Lee

in collaboration with other

partners held an exhibition based

on the theme of ‘With Love from

Hong Kong’ – The Yogi. Fé

launched her new Yoga-inspired

spring/summer collection, while

Beatrice displayed her stunning

images from a series of

photoshoots done with a few of

Hong Kong’s top yogis. Their

mission being to bring together a

collection of works that shows

French fashion designer, Fé (left),

collaborated with photographer Beatrice

Lee to launch Fé yoga-inspired clothing

line.

July 2014 7

women at their best, all with very

different journeys coming

together to share this strong bond

of Yoga. The images displayed the

beauty of the female body and

fluidity of movement in their home

city of Hong Kong.


[email protected]

Cancer-freeLiving Talk by Dr.Graham Player21 July, 15 September& 10

November (7-8:30pm)

SOL Wellness, Central

Learn about cancer from a holistic

perspective and understand

numerous options and strategies

to take control of your life and how

complementary therapies such as

meditation, Yoga, emotional

healing, raw food and moreare

being used by thousands of people

who are successfully reversing

their cancer.Dr. Graham Player is a

cancer researcher and coach and

has researched the topic of cancer

for over 30 years. With a Ph.D. in

Health Sciences and a degree in

traditional Chinese medicine, he

has practiced traditional Chinese

medicine in Australia, England and

Hong Kong where he has lived

since the mid 1980s. By donation

only and registration is required.



/ www.sol-wellness.com

Detox & YogaSummerPromotion at SOLWellnessCentral

Reboot your health and slim down

with a gentle yet highly effective

SOL Green Detox without feeling

hungry. This package includes:

holistic health check, de-toxing

ancient massage, natural

supplements, 2 Yoga classes, and 2

far-infrared sauna.




Yoga in the Parkwith LingThis is a free Yoga community

event organized by LING, Yoga and

Wellbeing, to connect people,

Yoga and nature in Hong Kong.

Yoga classes will be held in various

outdoor open areas such as public

parks, beaches, playgrounds in

order to practice Yoga with nature

and with the community. Held

every two weeks on a Saturday/

Sunday. Suitable for all levels

including beginners, just BYOM

(Bring Your Own Mat)!

For more

information www.meetup.com/

yogainthepark;

www.facebook.com/yogawithling /

[email protected]

Barbara Passy attended Wanderlust Chicago last month with a few of her friends!

New Classes atSOLSOLWellness, Central

Men’s Yoga, Mindfulness Yoga,

Kundalini Yoga, Yin Yanga nd De-

Stress Yin Yoga are available in a

tranquil wellness Centre in the

heart of Hong Kong. Small classes

with personal attention and

interaction with teachers and

fellow practitioners.




Flex opening inCentralFlex will open a second studio in

mid-August on lower Wyndham

Street. Flex Central will have a

private Pilates apparatus room, and

one group multi-purpose studio

offering Pilates Allegro,

XtendBarre, Yoga, and other

fitness conditioning classes. It will

be fully equipped with showers

and lockers.

For more

informationwww.flexhk.com

Yoga on the Beachwith Nora & TheYoga Room14 September (5-6pm)

Repulse Bay Beach

Practise yoga on the beach with

waves, sand, sea and music. Free.


www.yogaroomhk.com/ (852)

25448398

Cancer expert Graham Player gives a talk

in Hong Kong.

Talk on HowDental ToxinsCauses Cancer13 October (7-8.30pm)


There is scientific evidence that

dental toxins from amalgams, root

canals and crowns may be the

cause of severe health conditions

such as cancer, heart diseases etc.




Seeking YogaTeachersInspire Yoga is looking for part

time teachers who have at least

200 hours ofteacher training

qualification and some teaching

experience is preferred. They seek

teachers to teach private classes

with focus on Hatha Yoga, Iyengar

Yoga and Yoga Therapy.


[email protected]

SINGAPORE

SoulKids opens inSingaporeSoulKids opened in June with a

talk by Vikas Malkani on 3 Secrets

to inspire children. The Academy

will offer SoulKids programs in

addition to one-on-one coaching

for children.


[email protected]

8 NAMASKAR

KULAWorkshops

HONG KONG

Full Moon inCapricorn withNeil Irwin12 July

Shakti Healing Circle, Central

Yoga for grounding and alignment.


[email protected]

Light inMovement &Healing with Dr.Susan Jamieson12 July, 9 August & 27 September –

Pure Yoga

Family physician, Dr Susan

Jamieson leads experiential

workshops where students will

learn how to both feel and work

with the body’s ‘light systems’ such

as the heart energy, chakras and

meridians.

For more information www.pure-

yoga.com / events@pure-

yoga.com

Summer Kidsworkshop: Fire &Water14, 16, 18 July

The Yoga Room, Sheung Wan

4-7 years: 2-3:30pm; 7-13 years: 4-

5:30pm

Students will create energetic,

fiery Yoga poses including sun

salutations as well as calming,

creative movements such as moon

salutations to develop strong,

flexible bodies and clear, focused

minds.



25448398

Yoga Workshopswith StephenEwashkiw2 & 3 August


Stephen Ewashkiw from Los

Angeles, who is in the final months

of his 15-month world bicycle tour,

is back in Hong Kong:

2 August - Get Up, Stand Up -

Standing Poses for all levels

(10am-12:30pm)

Straighten Up and Fly Right - Arm

Balances and Inversions for

intermediate/advanced (2 -5pm)

3 August - From Strength to

Strength- 10am-12:30pm

Hip Openers and Arm Balances

(All levels).

Backbending & Beyond for

intermediate/advanced (2-5pm)



25448398

Summer Kidsworkshop: Space11, 13, 15 August


4-7 years: 9:30-11am; 7-13 years:

11:30am-1pm

Students will develop

concentration, co-ordination and

spatial awareness through playful

yoga, creative body movements

and visualizations based on space

and the universe.



25448398

Curb YourCravings withFalguni Mather18 August


Falguni Mather is a counsellor, EFT

practitioner and energy therapist.

Effectively manage stress around

foods you crave.




BodyTalk AccessSeminar withAngie Tourani23 August

Five techniques in 10 minutes a

day can lead to a healthy and

balanced life. This one-day

seminar teaches you tools to

strengthen your immune

system,enhance your child’s focus

and memory, address your child’s

learning difficulties, peaceful

sleep, reduce stress and keeping

your family healthy, without

medication.


www.bodytalksystem.com.hk

VinyasaConditioning withDario Calvaruso30 August

Pure Yoga

Float and Flow: Set your

foundations for an advanced,

energetic Vinyasa practice.


yoga.com / dario.calvaruso@pure-

international.com

Fermented FoodsWorkshop withChan Cudennec1 September (7-9pm)


Fermented Foods for a healthy gut.

Learn how to make kim-chee,

sauerkraut and dairy-free cheese.




Stephen has been biking around the world for 15 months, teaching yoga and filming as he goes. He stops at The Yoga Room in Hong

Kong. 9 - 10 August he’ll be at Raja Yoga in Shanghai, then 16 - 17 August at Raja Yoga in Hangzhou.

July 2014 9

Introduction toSekhem LivingLight Energy withChan Cudennec3 September (7-9pm)


Learn about this ancient energetic

system that originates from Egypt.

Receive a temporary attunement

and experience an energy session.




Full Moon inPisces with NeilIrwin6 September

Shakti Healing Circle

Yoga for experiencing infinity and

your true identity.


[email protected]

Sekhem Level 1Class with ChanCudennec12 September (4-9pm) & 14

September(9am-5pm)


Learn about this high vibrational

energy system.




Raw & LivingFood: AuthenticThai Flavourswith ChanCudennec23 September (7-9pm)


Learn how to make delicious

classic Thai favourites; vegan fish

cakes, green papaya pumpkin salad

and Cocothaii dessert.




9-day Awaken toYour Power withTryphena Chia19-27 September

Pure Yoga

This is a quick and simple detox

programme to help you reconnect

with yourself physically and

mentally.



yoga.com

VinyasaMultilevel Serieswith DarioCalvarusoSeptember

Pure Yoga

A full immersion in amulti-level

Vinyasa series.


yoga.com / dario.calvaruso@pure-

international.com

Iyengar Workshop1 - 4 October

Yoga Central

Jawahar Bangera, senior Iyengar

has been a direct student of Mr.

BKS Iyengar for over three

decades.


[email protected] /


SINGAPORE

30-day Hot YogaChallenge withRene Ekeheien5 July-3 August

Pure Yoga

Sweat. Smile. Shine - Harness the

power of collective discipline and

make hot yoga your newest habit

for a lifetime of glowing health.



yoga.com

Yin/Insight YogaWorkshop withSarah Powers7 November

True Yoga


www.trueyoga.com.sg/home

TAIWAN

AshtangaIntermediate

Series Immersionwith AdarshWilliams12-13 and 19-20 July

SPACE YOGA, Taipei

For dedicated students and

teachers detailing the alignments,

adjustments and modifications of

the 2nd Series of Ashtanga.


www.withinspace.com

Yin YogaWeekend with JoPhee1-3 August

True Yoga Taiwan


[email protected]/

www.trueyoga.com.tw

5-day Immersion:Total Mind/Bodymake-over withBasia Going25-29 August

SPACE YOGA, Taipei

Transform your habitual patterns

inside and out in this unique

immersion. Explore how to

recognize and be free from your

mindless patterns of thinking and

resulting patterns of behaviour.

For more information visit

www.withinspace.com

Balance YourNervous SystemTherapeutic Yogawith Hart Lazer15-16 November

SPACE YOGA, Taipei

Be free from the common human

conditions of chronic pain, anxiety,

depression, stress and trauma.


www.withinspace.com

Jo gets down to the bones in her Yin Yoga workshop

Canadian teacher Basia Going will be at

SPACE in Taiwan

10 NAMASKAR

CHINA

The Energetics ofExcellence - 100-hr Advanced TT &CET with PatrickCreelman6-15 August - Pure Yoga, Shanghai

This training is designed to

empower and educate

experienced teachers to the next

level of their teaching. Learn how

to own the space of each

classroom, empower your voice

when speaking in front of an

audience, and find your deeper

purpose of being in the seat of the

teacher.



yoga.com

Yin/Insight YogaTT Intensive withSarah Powers30 October-2 November

Yoga Yard, Beijing


www.yogayard.com/en/index.html

GREECE

100-Hour YinFascial YogaImmersion I TT9-19 October

Okreblue Seaside Retreat Center

Spa, Paros

Refine and strengthen your

teaching skills, as you dive into the

world of Yin Yoga. You will

practise this meditative style of

Yoga daily, learn all about self-

myofascial release using tennis

balls and blocks, and gain a deeper

understanding of Daoism and

meridians, chakras and

Mindfulness meditation. This

immersion includes 10 hours of on

the mat Myofascial release,

providing you with a powerful

healing journey, full of self-

development and self-discovery.


betalisboa.com /

[email protected]

HONG KONG

Yoga Therapy TTwith ChandrikaGibson & GarrettLane7-16 July - Pure Yoga

This course brings together the

therapeutic indications and

techniques from classical Yoga

texts with the latest in Yoga

therapy research and evidence-

based practices from other health

professions. The course is

coordinated by Dr Jean Byrne PhD

and Chandrika Gibson.

KULATeacher Trainings

Deepen & RefineYour Backbendswith Hart Lazer17-20 November

SPACE YOGA, Taipei

Gain a wealth of knowledge from

master teacher of teachers, Hart

Lazer, on this often

misunderstood part of the

practice.


www.withinspace.com

OptimalMusculoskeletalHealth with SteveMaxwell9-14 December

SPACE YOGA, Taipei

As one of the Top 100 trainers

named by Men’s Journal, Steve has

over four decades of experience in

physical wellness, culminating in

his unique synergy of various

disciplines of Yoga and physical

fitness.


www.withinspace.com

THAILAND

Yin YogaWeekend with JoPhee8-10 August

True Yoga, Bangkok


[email protected] /

www.truefitness.co.th



yoga.com

Yoga for theSpecialChild Basic 1CertificationProgram withSonia Sumar25-31 August

This method of Yogais safe and

gentle for children with

developmental ages from 0-12

with Down’s Syndrome, Autism,

Cerebral Palsy, Microcephaly,

ADD/ADHD and other

developmental disabilities. Sonia

Sumar is the founder and pioneer

in the field of Yoga for children

with special needs.


[email protected]

Ann Da Silva leads a pre-natal teacher training at The Yoga Room

July 2014 11

85-Hour YogaAlliance CertifiedPrenatal TT withAnn da SilvaSeptember-November


This is suitable for Yoga teachers,

midwives, doulas and other health

professionals who are interested

in teaching Yoga to mothers. All

participants must have completed

a 200-hour basic teacher training

or at least three years of Yoga

practice.

Level I: Prenatal Yoga Fundamental

Training (55 Hours)

20-21 & 27-28 September, 18-19 &

25-26 October

Level II: Advanced Prenatal Yoga

Teacher Training (30 Hours)

8-9 & 15-16 November



25448398

The Energetics ofExcellence - 100-hr Advanced TT &CET with PatrickCreelman20-29 September

Pure Yoga


empower and educate


level ofteaching. Learn how to own

the space of each classroom,

empower your voice when

speaking in front of an audience,

and find your deeper purpose of

being in the seat of the teacher.



yoga.com

200-hourClassical HathaYoga TT withMichelle RicailleSeptember 2014-May 2015

Flex Studio

The training will consist of

technique training and practice,

anatomy andphysiology, Sanskrit

training and general applications of

Yoga in daily life. The schedule is

structured to allow for busy work

people and parents, during Friday-

Sunday, one weekend per month.

For more information (852) 2813-

2212 / info@flexstudio

Evolve Yourself:30-hourContinuingEducation withMarcus Leung23-31 September

Pure Yoga

Includes four-day morning

intensive practice and workshops

with focus on pelvic and spine;

shoulders, elbows and wrists; hip,

knee and ankle joints; energy flow

as well as self-practice and

homework assignments.



yoga.com

The Foundation –Preparing toTeach: 200-hr TTwith PatrickCreelman9-19 October and 15-25 January

2015 – Pure Yoga

This training is a time tested

program with graduates currently

teaching in major studios all over

the world and has proven to be a

professional step towards being a

fully accredited Yoga teacher and a

huge leap into your own

empowerment.


yoga.com / teachertraining@pure-

yoga.com

50-Hour Basic YinYoga TT withVictor Chng1-6 November

Studio Bliss

Yin Yoga is a unique approach to

Yoga practice that works on

releasing fascia tensions in the

body. Fascia is the basic fabric of

our body. Studies have shown that

fascia can contract which causes

tightness, tension and pain to

different body parts, particularly in

our lower back, neck and shoulder.

Healthy fascia is important for

structure integrity as well as

energy flow. Yin Yoga focuses on

the pelvis by releasing tension and

tightness around the hips and

lower back, all other areas of your

body will start to open.


www.studio-bliss-hk.com

JAPAN

30-Hours YinYoga TT with JoPhee16-20 July

Spirit Yoga Osaka

For more

[email protected]/

www.spirityogastudio.com

SINGAPORE

200-hr Hot YogaTT with CopperCrow8-28 September

Pure Yoga

You will learn the skills needed to

master the art and science of

teaching, especially for those who

wish to take their practice to

another level.Gaining the skills

required to effectively teach a

wide array of students through the

practice of Hot Yoga, as well as

beginner Hatha and Vinyasa

classes.



yoga.com

Victor will offer a basic Yin training at

Studio Bliss

Sarah will be leading retreats and trainings at various venues around Asia

Leah Kim leads a full-time training at

Hom Yoga in Singapore

12 NAMASKAR

TT with Leah Kim7-27 November

Hom Yoga

Full time training course with

Nike’s global Yoga ambassador,

Leah Kim, certified by the Yoga

Alliance.


homyoga.com/training

TAIWAN

Evolve Yourself:30-hourContinuingEducation withMarcus Leung9-17 September

Pure Yoga, Taipei

Includes four-day morning

intensive practice and workshops

with focus on pelvic and spine;

shoulders, elbows and wrists; hip,

knee and ankle joints; energy flow

as well as self-practice and

homework assignments.



yoga.com

Rainbow KidsYoga TT26-28 September

SPACE YOGA, Taipei

A comprehensive, intensive and

practical certification course,

perfect for anyone who loves

working with kidsand Yoga. This

fun-filled course will provide you

with immediate tangible

knowledge and ideas to create

original, captivating and fun Yoga

experiences for kids of all ages.

You do not need to be a Yoga

teacher to take the course.


www.withinspace.com

Pre & Post-natalYoga TT withSamantha Chan13-22 October

Pure Yoga, Taipei

This training offers an in-depth

review of the anatomy and

physiology of pregnancy, labour

and birth. Trainees will gain

extensive experience with asanas

well suited to pregnant women and

a thorough understanding of

contra-indications during

pregnancy. Copper will be holding a Hot TT at Pure Yoga in Singapore


yoga.com / teachertraining@pure-

yoga.com

The Energetics ofExcellence - 100-hr Advanced TT &CET with PatrickCreelman24 November-3 December – Pure

Yoga, Taipei


empower and educate


level of their teaching. Learn how

to own the space of each

classroom, empower your voice

when speaking in front of an

audience, and find your deeper

purpose of being in the seat of the

teacher.



yoga.com

THAILAND

200-Hour VikasaYoga TT13 July-10 August; 9 November-7

December

Vikasa Yoga, Koh Samui

Key principles and rules of Yoga

are taught, allowing the teachers

and dedicated practitioners to

become free from any routines by

gaining understanding, knowledge

and insight into the methodology

and the effects of practice. This

method will produce maximum

results in the minimum amount of

time, bringing your awareness and

focus from external to internal,

leading to meditative states and

awakening of consciousness and

creativity. The idea is to integrate

and balance all aspects of the

human body, such as physical,

energetic, emotional, intellectual

and karmic through systematic

practice of Yoga.

For more

informationwww.evolutionofyoga.com/

yoga-teacher-training-thailand/

300/500-HourJivani YogaAdvanced TT7 September-17 October

The Sanctuary, Koh Phangan

Open for Yoga teachers and

serious students of Yoga only. The

schedule is intensive and both

physically and emotionally

demanding. Aligning with their

philosophy of awakening, healing

and personal transformation, this

course will not only develop your

personal practice and refine your

craft as a professional, skilled Yoga

teacher, but also focus on breaking

through limiting beliefs and

igniting your personal power.


www.jivaniyoga.com/

[email protected]

100-Hour Yin/Insight Yoga TT12-23 November

Absolute Sanctuary, Koh Samui


www.sarahpowers.com/teacher-

training-thailand-2014.html

100-hrs VikasaAdvanced YogaTT7-21 December

Vikasa Yoga Retreat, Koh Samui

This course is considered the third

part of the full 700-hour Vikasa

Yoga TT Program. With focus on

advanced sequencing in

HathaYoga, using rules and

principles of Himalayan vinyasa

and mandala sequencing. Different

sub-styles of Yoga will also be

introduced with practices that

challenge experienced students

and are accessible to all levels of

practitioners. Students will be

challenged to explore and expand

upon their personal yoga practice

in order to develop creative,

conscious and intelligent teaching

techniques.


www.evolutionofyoga.com/

advancedyogateachertraining/

July 2014 13

KULARetreats

HONG KONG

Inner AwakeningThrough YogaRetreat1-5 October

Salesian Retreat House, Cheung

Chau

Swami Gyan Dharma, a disciple of

Swami Satyananda, is a profound

yogi who has practiced yoga for 40

years and is an expert on Sanskrit

and classic yoga scriptures. Based

in the UK, he travels around the

world spreading yoga knowledge

and how to apply the yoga attitude

into everyday life.


[email protected]

INDIA

Inner Awakening- Yoga &MeditationRetreat15 July-4 August

Haridwar

This program works on shaking off

the deeperlevel of patterns that

have become part of our bio-

memory and behaviour that rapidly

evolves our understanding of life.

The transformation is deepened

through a series of direct

initiations by Paramahamsa

Nithyananda.


www.innerawakening.org

USA:Enriching Temple: (1) 800-

265-3386 / Ma Praba Swami: (1)

909-908-8080

India:Ma Jnanatma Swami (91)

7760980635

Empowerment &TransformationYoga RetreatRishikesh

9 September-7 October

Immerse yourself in the spiritual

nurturing that Rishikesh has to

offer: daily Yoga classes,

meditation, philosophy classes by

guest lecturers and Indian cultural

performances.


www.avocadodevelopment.com

INDONESIA

Bali Bliss: A YogaRetreat withJacque Manalastas

14-20 July

Soulshing – Bali Villa and Retreat

Oasis

Treat yourself to a yogic lifestyle

retreat on the beautiful island of

Bali.



yoga.com

SRI LANKA

Nourish YourSpirit andEnchant YourSoul with WendyWyvill7-14 September

Barberyn Beach Ayurveda Resort

Wendy invites you on a journey

into the sacred. This week of Yoga

and Ayurveda treatment will be an

adventure of healing and self-

purification.Sign up before 31 July

to catch the early-bird discount.



yoga.com

THAILAND

Yoga andMeditationRetreat10-16 August

Vikasa Yoga Retreat, Koh Samui

This is suitable for those searching

for peace, harmony and serenity

into their lives and reconnect with

themselves and nature.


www.evolutionofyoga.com/

meditationretreat/

Jivamukti and YinYoga Retreat withNora Lim &The

Swami Gyan Dharma (left) is leading a retreat in Hong Kong.

Yoga Room1-5 October

Kaomai Lanna Resort, Chiang Mai

A time of reflection and

reconnection with the Self.

Immerse yourself in mindful asana

and develop insightful

understanding of anatomy, Yoga

philosophy, meditation, chanting

and Kirtan as Nora shares her

practice of yoga and life.

For more information: corporate@

yogaroomhk.com /

www.yogaroomhk.com/

(852) 25448398

5 Day Yin/InsightYoga SilentRetreat withSarah Powers20-26 October

The Spa Resort,Chiang Mai


www.sarahpowers.com/silent-

retreat-thailand-2014.html

Yoga & PilatesAyurvedic Retreatwith HeatherThomas Shalabiand MichelleRicaille4-8 November

Kamalaya Wellness Resort and

Sanctuary

Hosted by Flex with two hours of

daily Yoga and 90 minutes of

Pilates, in addition to specially

selected Ayurvedic treatments

from Kamalaya’s award-winning

wellness centre.

For more information (852) 2813-

2212 / info@flexstudio

14 NAMASKAR

1

PHOTO ESSAY

PADMASANA IN PARADISEUp from the mud, the lotusblossoms.The lotus flower’s unique ability to rise up from the murky depths by day to blossom, then retreat back down by

night has inspired Hindus, Jainists, Buddhists and even ancient Egyptians. The benefits of lotus pose are said to

be improved digestion and posture, relaxed mind, keeps lower limbs loose and limber. Although it has the

reputation as being the ultimate sitting position, padmasana is not suitable for everybody. There are plenty of

other sitting options for pranayama or meditation, which are preferable to forcing yourself in and risk damaging

knees and hips.

photo from Eco Nikko, Japan

July 2014 15

photo courtesy of Heather Bonker

photo from Alex Medinphoto from Clayton Horton

Paul Dallaghan by Anne-Sophie Maestracci

16 NAMASKAR

July 2014 17

Uday is 17 years old. When he was young he

lived in the mountains of Mussoorie in a tiny

shoebox of a concrete room with barely any

light. His father carried stones on his back

for a living. Any kind of future was bleak yet

Uday was a happy and smiling young boy with

giant eyes and joyful giggle. His family sent

him to an NGO hostel in Rishikesh where he

could get food, education, medical care and

attention.

Today Uday has just two years of school left

and he dreams of being a commercial pilot -

however this costs about US$58,000! Far

out of reach of the son of a stone carrier.

And the story would end there except for a

karma yogi and long-time Namaskar

contributor Yogiuday. A Canadian who lived

more many years in Hong Kong where he

kick-started the city’s gelato craze with the

first hand-make gelato shop in town - XTC

on ICE Gelato. Yogiuday moved to Rishikesh

after selling his business to devote himself to

his practice. Ever since Yogiuday has been

volunteering at the orphanage where Uday

was sent. He has known Uday for almost 10

years . “Not once have I seen him angry. He

takes his studies seriously and is always in

the 90s coming first or second in his class.

He is a star amongst stars, helping others

with their chores, never complaining. He is a

superb cricket player, a natural leader who

effortlessly receives great respect from his

peers, younger children and adults alike. His

natural wisdom, happiness and generosity

denote his spiritual nature and the kindness

and sensitivity he shows to his girlfriend

make him a wonderful role model.”

Yogiuday tells us, “I am hoping, with a little

magic, we can help his dream come true. If

any young man has it in him to make a

positive change in our troubled world, it is

Uday. When I told him it would cost some

US$58,000 for the full training, his eyes and

face dropped; a dream crashed.”

Namaskar has pledged HK$1,500 to this

effort which Yogiuday is spearheading. If you

KARMA YOGA

BE THE WIND BENEATH HIS WINGSCan you help this boy learn to fly?

Uday, 17, dreams of being a pilot

Inspired by Ganesha, the popular Hindu

deity with the head of an elephant, we

introduce readers to the work of Elephant

Asia Rescue and Survival Foundation

(EARS). Founded by Louise Rogerson in

2010 to promote the plight of Asian elephants

used, often barbarically, for tourist

entertainment such as rides, circus

performances, picture painting, begging and

at beachfronts and hotel. EARS also oversees

the care of privately-owned elephants and

works with sanctuaries and projects

throughout Asia.

EARS is currently seeking funding to

continue caring for two teenage elephants,

Kiri and Seila in Cambodia, which costs

US$770 per month.

The money will be used to keep the elephants

Kiri is a male (bull) elephant and has tusks, whereas

Seila, who is a female, has no tusks (actually she has

short tusks called tushes)

fed with a comprehensive and natural diet on

a monthly basis, and their enclosure properly

maintained. EARS also provides enrichment

items within their enclosure such as

scratching posts, tyres, and special strong

elephant toys! Funds will also enable EARS to

act quickly when they hear of emergency

medical care needed for a specific elephant,

rescue cases, or a project they have

previously researched and worked with,

which is in need of financial assistance.

Ganesha is known as the remover of

obstacles, and we encourage you to help

remove obstacles to a decent life for these

gentle and majestic giants. Namaskar has

donated HK$10,000 to EARS. Please join us

in contributing through their website

www.earsasia.org/donate.html or email

[email protected]

KARMA YOGA

ELEPHANTS IN NEEDGentle giants deserve to be treated well

are interested to help, please email him on

[email protected]

18 NAMASKAR

July 2014 19

ASANA

If having a cigar or champagne denotes

celebrating successful endeavors, then going

into Shavasana is a celebration of each yoga

practice. “During Shavasana, the body

assimilates all the energies created during the

practice and channels them through the

entire system,” says noted-Ashtanga teacher

David Swenson. Thus, we can fully acquire

the benefits of yoga and truly enjoy its

rewards.

Shavasana means Corpse Pose where at the

end of each yoga practice, one is to lie down,

face up with legs apart, limply flop the feet to

the sides, relax the arms and place them

slightly away from the body, and softly open

the palms up to the sky. A state of total

relaxation, a plight of letting go of your

discomforts and abdicating to utter stillness,

where one allows the entire body to calm

down and the mind to be quite.

“The key word to this pose is dissolve.” says

power yoga teacher Bryan Kest. It is in the

state of repose that we permit our mind to

function satisfactorily for us to be able to

deal with our worldly issues. It is in that

same state that allows us to attain

equanimity, a balance in life and be in

peaceful harmony with everything that is

around us.

To abstain from being in Shavasana is to be

in an unnatural state of suffering. Not

allowing the body to rest is denying its needs

for rejuvenation and is akin to exhausting its

energies inanely, thus inhibiting its role in us.

The beautiful element about being in

Shavasana is that it reduces anxiety, the

most infamous of life’s many agonies.

Therefore it is detrimental to ignore the

importance of Shavasana.

“The ugliest of all egos is the spiritual ego.”

says Australian yogini Louisa Sears. At times

we find ourselves battling with our egos by

not fulfilling our bodies’ need for survival,

i.e. replenishing it of oxygen, energy and rest,

which are literally food for the soul and

nutrients for the mind. Instead, we force

ourselves to get into complicated and

challenging postures even though we struggle

in doing so. We end up worrying about what

people perceive us as and thus, we want to do

our best, or so we thought; not to let people

think we are inadequate. Eventually we lose

sight of our inabilities and push ourselves

over the limitations of our abilities.

Ultimately, something gives way and we get

hurt. If it’s a minor issue, we are lucky,

however irreparable damages may in due

time leave ugly ramifications. Having said

that, Shavasana becomes something of a

necessity, something that is of prime

importance to the practice of yoga and rest to

the living of life, for that matter.

We celebrate our successes by enjoying

ourselves, going on holidays or simply by

having a nice drink to show that we

acknowledge our victory. Likewise, we

celebrate our yoga practice with Shavasana

to acknowledge our triumph in prevailing

over its challenges.

In Shavasana, the body is in an anabolic state

where organ and muscle repair development

occurs. Activities requiring the body to

switch back to the highly active catabolic

state of metabolism are therefore introduced

sensitively, consequently preparing us to

undertake the demands of life.

In the same way with our profession, the

Shavasana we take may be in the form of

going away for a holiday, not one of those

busman’s holidays but a complete break

from our jobs, unwinding in a peaceful

environment. In such circumstances,

Shavasana becomes mandatory to our

health.

On top of all the great things that have been

mentioned above about Shavasana, the most

significant is it helps in relieving stress and

SHAVASANAA Celebration of Life Through YogaBY AZMI SAMDJAGA

mild depression. It reduces headaches,

fatigue and insomnia besides helping to lower

the blood pressure. For these reasons alone,

it would seem fatuous not to indulge in

Shavasana when it proffers a world of

benefits and well being, that consecutively

turn out to be of paramount importance to

having a happy and healthy life.

In a nutshell, we cannot take Shavasana or

rest uncaringly. It is part of what makes us

alive, be human, have conscience and be

compassionate. It allows us to sharpen our

thoughts so we will not be confused, it

teaches us patience so we avoid being

indignant and in the fullness of time, it makes

us a better person so we can live our lives as

paradigms to others.

So let’s not miss this celebration by taking it

for granted. Let’s respect and honor our

body, mind and spirit by rewarding them

with a state of serenity that each of them

deserves. After all, they are entities that

define who we are and what we have become.

Shavasana, the corpse pose

20 NAMASKAR

I HEARD IT OFF THE MAT

YOGA & RESEARCH IN THE NEWSCOMPILED BY SUE-YEN WAN

Can Yoga ease stress forpregnant women?Practicing yoga during pregnancy can help

you reap health benefits like stress reduction

and a decrease in a woman’s fear of

childbirth, according to researchers. A new

report from Manchester University

researchers finds that it can ease stress and

reduce women’s fear of childbirth by a third.

In addition to its many other health benefits

for pregnant women, including reduced

cortisol levels, less difficult birth plus more

full term and healthy weight neonates,

pregnancy yoga is a low cost intervention too.

‘Yoga is a wonderful exercise to try during

pregnancy, when you naturally want to take it

a bit easier. It’s ideal to ease many of the

ailments that women suffer from when

they’re pregnant such as backache, sciatica

and general aches and pains. By maintaining a

regular yoga practice during pregnancy the

positions will become second nature with the

aim being that the woman can have a more

active labour with less intervention.

Yoga finds a new homein FinlandYoga is set to get a new home in Finland when

a studio is opened at the airport of this

capital of the Nordic country. Finavia, the

operator of Finland’s airports and air

navigation systems, has decided to open the

studio based on passenger feeback on new

services. ‘At a yoga studio set to be opened at

Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, passengers can

limber up following their flights, either in

guided sessions or independently,’ Good

News Finland said. Ville Haapasaari, vice-

president of Finavia, said that the goal was to

create genuine experiences and services for

passengers, which would have a real impact

on their travel experience.

New Mexico inmates tobe offered yoga classesThe New Mexico Department of Corrections

is using a new method to prepare inmates for

life outside prison - yoga.Corrections

officials recently launched a “yoga and

mindfulness” program as part of the

department’s many rehabilitation efforts.

According to the department, the yoga

classes will “help incarcerated individuals on

their path to self-discovery, healing, and

ultimately into living differently.”Officials

say the other prisons systems are using yoga

classes as a method for increasing inmate and

public safety, and lowering rates of

recidivism rates.

Yoga To Help ‘De-Stress’Primary StudentsChildren at a Primary School near

Huntingdon, California, are having yoga

sessions to help them relax before their SATs

exams.

“Obviously tests can be stressful for young

children, so we do the yoga, to teach them

life-skills. “It’s to help them be relaxed and

ready for their SATs, and show them how to

cope with stressful situations.” Children at

the school also told us they thought it was

really working, “I really calms you down and

puts you in a good mood.”

Sleep helps learning &memoryThe BBC Health reports that the way a good

night’s sleep improves learning and memory

has been discovered by a team of scientist in

China and the US.

By using advanced microscopy, the team saw

how new connections between brain cells in

living brains formed during sleep. And that

intense training could not make up for lost

sleep.

Their study showed that sleeping mice

formed significantly more new connections

between neurons - they were learning more.

And by disrupting specific phases of sleep,

the research group showed deep or slow-

wave sleep was necessary for memory

formation.

During this stage, the brain was “replaying”

the activity from earlier in the day.

Cynicism may lead toDementiaA Finnish study suggests that people who are

cynically distrustful of others could be twice

as likely of developing dementia. Dementia is

a syndrome characterised by declining

memory, thinking speed, mental agility,

language, understanding and judgement.

Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia. About 10%

of people over 65 and up to 50% of those

over 85 develop dementia.

The study was started in 1998 with 622

volunteers with an average age of 71 years.

They were asked to rate their agreement with

statements like “I think people lie to get

ahead,” or “it is safer to trust nobody.”

In the following decades, 46 of the volunteers

developed dementia. Fourteen of the 164

people who had high distrust developed

dementia, compared with just 9 of the 212

people with low levels of distrust.

Yoga may be the answerto infertilityToo much stress may cause infertility among

women, says a new research. An expert

suggests that yoga and meditation could help

in battling with the problem.

Stress affects the normal hormone balance in

women’s body and can be a contributor to

infertility. Trying to become pregnant can

add even more pressure to an already

stressed women. In the modern world,

women often switch into chronic stress,

resulting in many possible imbalances,

including adrenal depletion, thyroid over or

under function and shifts in sexual hormone

balance, resulting in sexual dysfunction.

Yoga breathing combined with yoga postures

are known not only to be an effective stress

reliever but also a tool to habitually ease the

symptoms of anxiety.”Yoga practice is well-

known for optimising the work of the

endocrine system, thereby balancing the

hormones. Practicing yoga will bring more

blood to the pelvis, improving the sexual

health, whilst mindful breathing will shut the

constant chatter of the mind, decrease the

heart rate and instantly relax.”

July 2014 21

22 NAMASKAR

July 2014 23

TECHNOLOGY

Allison English, a Chicago-based yogi and

senior teacher, has developed an app called

Yoga + Travel to allow students to practice

when out of town. An interview is excerpted:

WHAT WAS YOUR INTENT IN CREATING

YOGA+ TRAVEL? WHAT DID YOU

LEARN WHILE CREATING IT?

My intent for creating Yoga+Travel was to

provide a simple, introductory app that

people could easily take with them to practice

when they were unable to make their regular

classes. I wanted a product that could help

people get in their practice no matter where

they were.

While creating it, I learned the importance of

speaking even more clearly and concisely

about yoga than ever before! If someone

halfway around the world downloaded the

app and needed to know how to get into a

relatively easy pose or concept of the

practice, I had to make sure they could easily

understand what I was asking them to do.

Creating the app has made me more aware of

my own communication skills. It has

heightened my sensitivity to and creativity

with sequencing classes.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN BENEFITS &

DISADVANTAGES OF THIS

TECHNOLOGY?

The main benefits of app technology are the

portability of the practice, the relative ease of

reaching a much wider audience than a single

person could ever meet, and steady content.

The disadvantages of app technology are the

limitations of space (if an app gets too big or

too expensive no one will use it, and

additional content means the app takes up

more space).

WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE NEXT STEP

IN TECH EVOLUTION? WHERE ARE YOU

PLANNING TO HEAD WITH THIS APP?

The trends in technology are showing that

portable content is here to stay! Users of

tablets, cell phones and the like are only on

the rise around the world. Content that is

streaming or available on mobile devices will

be an increasingly common way that

communities separated by geography stay

connected to each other. Allison English, yoga teacher & yoga app developer

YOGA ON THE GOHow technology is helping yogis keep up their practice on the roadBY BARBARA PASSY

24 NAMASKAR

July 2014 25

26 NAMASKAR

DRISTI - TEACHING YOGA

KNOW THYSELFBefore you even think about teaching others,take a long, hard look at yourself in the mirror.

BY CASSANDRA KISH

BODY & SPIRIT

Teachers are responsible for their

students’ insides as well ...........29

FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF

THE MAT

A student’s perspective of what

makes a good teacher................31

PRE-TEACHER QUIZ

Do you have what it takes to be a

great yoga teacher?....................32

YOUR FIRST YEAR TEACHING

Three tips for making the best of

it.............................................................32

July 2014 27

Dario CalvarusoSamrat teaches in the urban jungle, in Hong Kong at Pure Yoga

photo by Siuman Yuen @ Siuman Photography

28 NAMASKAR

Teaching yoga can be a full time endeavour,

and it can be a joy and the source of much

happiness. The other side is it can be the bane

of your experience, draining your energy and

basically making you hate your life.

It depends on what type of person you are,

your level of self motivation, your ability to

present ideas, theories and sequences in

front of people, your own personal ability to

find happiness, to have fun and most

important your level of true self confidence. I

bring up self confidence because if the

teacher is not dependant on my feedback to

identify who he or she is, then I enjoy the

class much more. It is like a real life

experience, we are really doing something

together, an adventure an exploration.

The other side of the issue is a teacher who is

teaching as a means of self identification.

Which is not quite as much fun as having a

teacher who is passionate about their chosen

work and has an opinion about it.

One of the trappings of being a new teacher is

the title of yoga teacher. I live in Paris and in

French we are called professors of yoga,

which carries some responsibility with it, the

requirements here to be a yoga teacher are

quite stringent, most have a degree in

Exercise Science. In any case and at any level

of education, I find new teachers have a base

assumption about the students who show up

at their class. It is a very wrong assumption

that every student who shows up is at a lower

level of training and experience than you.

This belief leaves the newer teacher

unprepared for all the possibilities.

Consequently experienced inquisitive fun

students pose a threat to a confidence lacking

proof . A quick note here as a teacher, never

assume you have the most beautiful practice

or are the most experienced person in the

room.

Best course of action to identify “what you’ve

got” (meaning an idea of the level of

experience and emotional attitude of the

crowd that has found their way to your

class), my opinion, is get “them in Down-dog

then forward fold,” first two postures, and

their level of experience will be screaming at

you.

Super experience people with good practices

in your class, allow a door to open that would

have remained closed without their presence.

In general among the students who come

regularly, a “Best Student” will emerge,

someone who has a good practice and seems

pretty happy. This student sets the bar for

the highest level everyone in your class will be

striving for, a new experienced student will

raise the bar.

A new student will force the teacher to

change the parameters of their teaching style,

because they should offer the next few

variations in some of the postures so the

experienced person also feels pushed a tiny

bit. Consequently the teacher instantly

becomes an all levels teacher. An experienced

student forces us to adapt how we do

physical adjustments, for example if a

student has great balance a good split and a

killer backbend, they should nail Dancer’s

pose. But what if they are just shy of that full

split?

Advice - shuffle your bum over there and sort

out how to make the adjustment, then revel

in this beautiful pose.

I like experienced students who have great

lotus. After 27 years I am still not a pro

Lotus-er, so the student with a great lotus

allows me to play with lotus in all sorts of

positions, a kind of vicarious lotus..

Teaching yoga is a joy, it has been a joy for me

for 27 years, I love it. Teaching full time

can be a harrowing experience if you are not

prepared. The preparation I am referring to

is self reflection, others might call it

excruciating self examination. Whatever you

call it, it is a good idea to know who you are.

You should make a study of yourself, your

likes, dislikes discover your own comfort

level in different situations. Do this to see if

you have the basic components necessary to

be a successful teacher. I think personality

characteristics are not taken into

consideration to the extent they should be.

Ask yourself:

• Am I comfortable speaking and

presenting in front of people?

• Am I able to handle tough questions

about the manner in which I do things?

• Am I able to take something that can be

repetitive and mundane and make it exciting?

(Hint - look at your marriage)

• Do you have an internal compass

regarding the physical body?

• Have you truly experienced the amazing

feeling of meditation?

• Are you process-oriented or result-

oriented?

So before taking on a teacher training,

explore yourself and see if it is for you. It is a

big endeavour that can make or break your

happiness.

[teachers] never assume you have themost beautiful practice or are the mostexperienced person in the room

July 2014 29

Kim teaches close to nature in Chiang Rai, Thailand at the New Life Foundation

DRISTI

BODY &SPIRITA yoga teacheris a spiritualteacher as wellBY CHAN CUDENNEC

A true yoga teacher’s responsibility is to

provide guidance and support to elevate

students and to awaken the inner guru in

them. Sadly, many teachers teach yoga as

another form of exercise rather than a body

and spirit connection.

What is the purpose of yoga? Many people do

not understand the goals and process of

yoga. Some think it is physical exercise for

vitality and health. Some think it is a religion.

Some think it is psychological system that

that develops the potential of the psyche.

Yoga is a relationship. The word ‘yoga’ comes

from the word yoke, to join together or to

unite. Yoga is the union of the individual’s

consciousness with infinite consciousness

In the Kundalini yoga tradition as taught by

Yogi Bhajan, the teacher training is called the

Aquarian teacher. The teacher is a spiritual

guide rather than a controller. The teacher

should have endurance, patience and hold the

space for students to practice safely.

In the age of Aquarius which we are

immersed in, many people feel out of

alignment, pain and emptiness and they

would seek a spiritual teacher to help them

transition to another level of consciousness

and being. Kundalini yoga teachers are

trained to help students to establish an

aligned relationship between the body, mind

and the soul to achieve transformation. Thus

a yoga teacher’s is really that of a spiritual

facilitator through physical discipline.

A yoga teacher’s role to help students to

understand that knowledge becomes wisdom

when they experience it with their own heart

and being, i.e. when it becomes their personal

experience.

As Kundalini yoga teachers, we have the

responsibility of passing the lineage of the

mastery of both the inner dimension of the

Self and the outer expression of the universe.

Kundalini yoga is actually a transmission of

this wisdom and as teachers, we are

beholders of its integrity.

In this tradition, meditation is part of the

practice. Through meditation we can calm

the mind and develop our intuition to

recognize what is real and important for us.

A responsible yoga teacher regardless of

tradition should have the total wellness of

the student in mind. Thus, when teaching, the

teacher demonstrates and then observes the

students rather than practices with the class.

A great yoga teacher is one who has self

mastery with a regular personal practice.

The teacher is a spiritual guide ratherthan a controller

30 NAMASKAR

Ana Forrest, photo by Kadri Kurgun

Ana Forrest, photo by Kadri Kurgun

Real learning comes about whenthe competitive spirit has ceased. - Jiddu Krishnamurti

July 2014 31

DRISTI

FROM THEOTHERSIDE OFTHE MATBeing a yogateacher isrewarding &hard work, justlike being astudentBY NINA GASSAUER

Usually, students are impressed when Karen

puts her head and hands on the floor and

swings her legs up in the air. This

Wednesday, things were different. What was

supposed to be a graceful headstand - the

king of all yoga poses - ends up as a belly

landing. Having just recovered from the flu,

Karen lost her usual control. The illness

forces her to go back to the start - at least for

a while.

STUDENT & TEACHER - WORLD’S

APART?

“You definitely become humble,” Karen

concludes at the end of the class. “Besides,

you develop a deeper understanding of your

students. I always thought: What? How on

earth are you not able to do this exercise? It‘s

such an easy one! And all of a sudden I can’t

do it either.” Karen’s understanding is a

quality, students appreciate very much: She

remembers what it feels like to be a beginner

and is showing empathy.

“With good yoga it is crucial that the

exercises are adapt to the students and that

the students don´t have to adapt to the

exercise,” Martin Soder explains. The

German physician and yoga therapist, author

of the book The Yoga Art of Healing–Modern

Yoga Therapy adds: “This means you have to

vary the exercises and adapt them in a way

that they are feasible and beneficial for the

students.”

In a yoga class, there should be no

competition, superiority or ignorance. Yet in

reality, teachers and advanced students often

don’t seem to understand what new students

are going through.

And this ignorance, according to the Yoga

Sutras and the Four Noble Truths of

Buddhism, is the cause for suffering. Only by

appreciating others are we led to the third

noble truth: the end of suffering itself. For a

teacher this means seeing and acknowledging

the individual abilities and efforts of all

students.

WAYS OF COMMUNICATION

“Enjoying the classes and feeling good – that

is what students want in the first place,”

explains Hema Mirpuri, owner of the Yoga

Room in Hong Kong. “Different students

have different needs, especially at the

beginners level. Some like to be corrected,

others do not like to be in the centre of

attention.”

Before and after every class, Hema talks to

her students; the delicate woman wants to

know about their concerns. The interaction

beyond verbal communication plays a vital

role: Hema‘s sensitive antennas absorb the

atmosphere in the room and are

automatically interpreting gestures and facial

expressions, providing her with the

information for actual needs.

After her Vinyasa class, Kim McMahon,

teacher at local primary school, Hong Kong

resident for five years and a dedicated yoga

practitioner, adjusts her neon green

headband, slowly rolls up the yoga mat and

confirms: “Teachers have to know what the

students in their class need. All good

teachers will walk into their class with a plan,

a set of poses in mind, but better teacher use

their intuition to tweak the class and to meet

the needs of the students at that moment.

This can extend to things like the kind of

music to play - or no music at all - and how

much philosophy to insert into the practice

as the class moves through the poses.”

The relationship between a teacher and a

student works only if a student is able to rely

on being accompanied according to his or her

mood, abilities and energy level. Depending

on the actual condition of the day, a class can

be surprising, funny or exhausting. Thus it is

important to communicate honestly. “I

spoke in a very open manner to all of my

teachers. I was never put under pressure or

pushed to do anything,” Armin Klarsays, who

started yoga at the age of 60. “Spiritual

maturing is based on trust and inspiration –

and of course on your own effort and

understanding.”

FOCUS ON A HOLISTIC APPROACH

Armin refers to something that, especially in

the Western world, is being neglected all too

often: the holistic spirit of the yoga lesson. It

is a distinct science, a philosophy and a path

of life, consisting of eight limbs, altogether

leading equally important to spiritual

serenity and fulfilment. During the yoga

lessons, each of those limbs should be

considered. “Of course you need a sound

body to develop a sound mind,” Joy Wang,

architect, yoga teacher and devoted student

explains. “But yoga is about achieving

freedom on a physical and spiritual level!”

A student who embarks on the journey by

practicing yoga is – consciously or

unconsciously – exactly looking for this:

freedom on a physical and spiritual level.

Only focussing on asana in a class makes

progress more difficult, whereas

information, clarification and mental

stimulation act as catalysts.

RESPECT, RESPECT!

New-Zealand born Swami Govindananda has

committed his life to spreading the yoga

philosophy around the world. The yogi

consistently points out that teachers should

not restrain on teaching asanas to their

students. At the Asia Yoga Conference 2014

he emphasizes that respect should stand

above it all: “Regardless of whether you are a

student or a teacher of yoga, you should

always be humble and respectful towards all.

To be humble is to be open, perceptive,

aware, gentle, non egoistic, to nurture and

give naturally. When you are respectful, you

treat others as you would like to be treated

yourself. It is to acknowledge the divine

energy of the atma, the soul, within all of us.

All sense of superiority vanishes when true

respect manifests in the heart of the

teacher!”

Some weeks after her hard landing, Karen is

dynamic and strong in her poses again.

Headstand or side crow, she elegantly carries

out her exercises like a dancer, weightless as

a feather. But something has definitely

changed: Karen meets her students with a

knowing kind of respect - now more than

ever! A great feeling for Karen and all those

taking her classes.

32 NAMASKAR

DRISTI

TAKE THEQUIZDo you havewhat it takesto be a greatyoga teacher?BY KIM ROBERTS

So, you want to teach yoga. You do your

teacher training. You learn how to sequence

and adjust asanas, and how to lead a good

yoga class. But what is the difference

between leading a yoga class and inspiring

your students? Take the quiz below to find

out if you have what it takes to be a great yoga

teacher.

1. DO YOU HAVE A DEDICATED

COMMITTED DAILY SELF-PRACTICE?

Taking classes is not the same as having your

own practice. When you show up for

yourself, whether or not anyone else is

watching, your practice develops depth.

People can see this. Great teachers have

enough understanding of the tools of yoga to

create and maintain their own practice that

supports them through life’s ups and downs.

2. DO YOU HAVE A TEACHER?

It’s so important to have someone you can go

to when you need guidance. You’ve learned

the foundations of yoga practice with a wise

and compassionate teacher who has devoted

years to the practice, someone who has been

there before you.

3. DO YOU HAVE A MEDITATION

PRACTICE?

The Yoga Sutra names one asana, which is the

most important one—that of sitting for

meditation. Speaking of which.

4. HAVE YOU STUDIED(OR AT LEAST

READ) THE YOGA SUTRAS OF

PATANJALI?

And perhaps the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Shiva

Samhita, Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads.

Practice is important. So is study.

5. HAVE YOU ADDRESSED YOUR OWN

PSYCHOLOGICAL GARBAGE?

I cannot stress this enough. Obviously you

don’t have to wait until you are completely

neurosis-free (goodluck with that!) but

please, don’t burden your students or fellow

teachers with unfinished psychological

business. You are responsible for your own

state of mind, but in this situation, as a yoga

teacher, you are also responsible for guiding,

protecting and expanding the state of mind of

your student as well. It’s a big responsibility.

Please take care.

6. DO YOU HAVE HEALTHY

BOUNDARIES?

Do I need to say this? Please recognize the

power differential and the position you hold

as a yoga teacher. Don’t make a habit of

sleeping with your students, and understand

the difference between a student and a

friend.

7. CAN YOU ACCEPT WHERE YOUR

STUDENTS ARE?

Allowing is the first step to working with any

habitual pattern. Can you have “bad”

students without trying to change them?If

you as a teacher cannot accept a student’s

weakness, how do you expect them to? It’s

about the student, not you.

8. ARE YOU STILL (AND ALWAYS) A

STUDENT?

If you always continue to be a student, you

will retain what SuzukiRoshi called,

Beginner’s Mind. “In the beginner’s mind

there are many possibilities; in the expert’s

mind, there are few.” Keep evolving through

regular intensive practice and study, retreats

and continuing education.

9. DO YOU LIVE WHAT YOU TEACH?

Practice what you preach, not because it’s

expected of you, or out of a sense of duty, but

out of joy from experiencing the fruits of

practice.

10. DO YOU SHARE FROM YOUR HEART?

Trust your inner wisdom and experience to

guide you.

11. ARE YOU ABLE TO SAY “I DON’T

KNOW?”

My first teacher Richard Freeman gave me

great advice when I first started teaching. He

said, “Teach from your heart and teach only

what you know.”Words of wisdom that I still

follow.

12. CAN YOUACCEPT OTHER TEACHERS

AND TRADITIONS?

Please don’t badmouth other styles of yoga,

or other teachers; it’s just not good practice.

We are all making our own way through this

treacherous terrain called life, doing the best

we can. If you have found a spiritual path that

helps you, that is wonderful. Please respect

my path as being valid, for me.

13. CAN YOU LAUGH AT YOURSELF?

This may be the most important qualification

to be a great teacher. Relax and enjoy! You’ve

discovered a practice that you love enough to

teach, and you get to help people at the same

time! Lucky you! If you make a mistake, use it

as material to prove to your students how

yoga can make you a flexible, compassionate

and wise human being.

DRISTI

SURVIVINGYOURFIRSTYEAR AS ATEACHERTop three tipsBY MELISSA MAK

Congratulations on becoming a yoga teacher!

As interest for yoga picks up globally, there

are more aspiring yoga teachers. Finding

work is challenging, especially for the newer

teachers. It seems every studio and gym hires

the experienced. While you can work on your

practice or send the universe positive intent

to find work, realistic issues like bills, food

and rental have to be taken care of. Thus,

finding work is important. There are many

different pathways to making yoga your

career and lifestyle. No magic formula. Just

sheer hard work, with a small dose of luck.

“Teaching yoga is different from doing yoga.

Being good at doing yoga doesn’t mean that

you will be good at teaching it. Be prepared to

have things go wrong and to make mistakes.

Understand that it is part of the process of

learning how to teach. Like yoga, the more

you practice teaching, the better you’ll get.”

Neil Keleher (Taichung, Taiwan), Yoga

Teacher for 15 years

I was among 250 graduates from the RYT200

programme of Sivananda Yoga Vedanta

Kerala India in February 2013. Everyone at

the ashram talked about being a yoga teacher

when they returned home. Most yoga schools

provide substantive teaching in anatomy,

alignment and philosophy. But nobody taught

us how to find work.

In my first year, I spent hours figuring how

to make yoga work out as a career. Today, I

have yet to roll out my first yoga retreat or

open my own studio. However, I had the

opportunity to teach yoga as physical

education in a school, taught private lessons,

got a permanent studio slot and even signed

my own corporate yoga class.

This article is the culmination of my

experience and from the many yogis I had

connected with for it. Thank you all for

taking time to be interviewed and providing

valuable insights.

TIP ONE: TALK.

July 2014 33

Talk to everyone and anyone on your yoga

journey. Most new teachers lack the

confidence in their newly minted teacher

status. There is nothing to be shy about. If

you had been a yoga practitioner prior, that

time actually counts. If you had been a

teacher in another capacity, that time also

counts – your mode of delivery will be

smoother and more confident than someone

who had never had the opportunity to teach.

To help you do the talking while you are

sleeping, set up a website!

Megan Macgregor of The Core Factory

(Sydney, Australia) qualified in 2011 and ran

some classes for friends. She soon realised

she needed to actively marketing herself to

studios. Megan set up a Facebook page and

got friends to like her page. She also

commented actively on local studios’

Facebook pages. Her online presence

allowed studio directors to know her. When

Megan visited, she easily landed her first

teaching gig. That became other classes from

networking with fellow teachers at

workshops.

Talk about your karma yoga classes too. In

2012, Nancy Siy of Manila Jiva

(Philippines)offered “Free-for-all” classes in

the park as part of her karma yoga. The

attendance was dismal till she talked about

the classes on her website. On top of her

current privates and studio classes, Nancy

continues to offer “Free-for-all” on Sundays

between 9:30 - 11 am at Legazi Active Park,

Manila.

TIP TWO: MOVE & SEEK YOUR

COMMUNITY

Elizabeth Gay first completed her training in

San Diego, United States in April 2013. There

was little opportunity to teach as there were

existing teachers. Even the rotating donation

class for recent graduates had a long waitlist.

Competition is stiff.

Hoping to gather her courage to start

teaching, Elizabeth worked at the front desk

of a yoga studio. Yet something stopped her

from taking the first step into teaching. An

awakening came finally when she realised she

wanted to leave San Diego.

By December 2013, Elizabeth found herself

in Seoul, Korea teaching English and yoga.

She now works in a great little yoga

community, where she is at home. Her

teaching voice and courage blossomed.

Answer that call of wanderlust. You might

just find what you are looking for.

“Use your yoga passport to move around!”

Elizabeth Gay, Yoga Lizard

(www.yogalizard.net).

TIP THREE: TAKE EVERY OPPORTUNITY

Ashley Lou, owner of the newly-opened

Yoga, Inc studio (Singapore), suggested new

teachers should take every opportunity given

to them. Every bit of practice and class given

to you teaches you so much more about

yourself and your clients.

However, it is important to be realistic to

know how much resources you have, when

you take the plunge to become a full-time

yoga teacher. Ashley pointed out how it takes

time to transit whilethere are bills to be paid.

Her first year insights included – distance

from studio to home; the number of back-to-

back lessons; waiting time in between

lessons; amount of guaranteed classes; and

the no-show or one-student-in-class studio

policy. These questions are tough, yet

important to ensure that your financial

survival.

Studios will arrange for mock classes to try

out the potential teacher. Sometimes, these

involve teaching an actual scheduled class

with paying clients. If the owner feels

comfortable letting you teach a real class, you

are good enough and should be duly paid.

Trust yourself and ask to be paid for the

mock class. Do not be shortchanged because

you are new.

Ashley shared her perspective as a studio

owner. New studios need time to grow its

business. Thus, they are usually open to

exploring new talents. If you are a new

teacher, take that brave step to approach a

new studio. If you provide an open schedule,

the studio director will thank you for making

their rostering easy.

Be understanding and respect the studio’s

house-rules. There is a reason why each

studio has its own unique vibe. You have to

find a studio whose culture you fit into. A

yoga teacher’s job is very much a job like

every other, except you are now contributing

to the well-being of your fellow man and

woman.

In learning you will teach &in teaching you will learn.- Phil Collins

photo by Siuman Yuen @ Siuman Photography

34 NAMASKAR

July 2014 35

If you’re a seasoned practitioner, you’ve

probably considered teaching at some point

in your life. To help you decide if now’s the

time, or if you have what it takes to be a

teacher, we asked three yoga teachers, from

quite different backgrounds, for their advice.

HOW DOES ONE KNOW THAT ONE IS

READY TO TEACH?

Dr JayadevaDr JayadevaDr JayadevaDr JayadevaDr Jayadeva: Yoga is not something that

can be learnt solely by reading a book. It is

aexperiential science of life. Hence when you

practice yourself you understand how it

helps you.

When one keeps practicing the time comes

your instinct becomes strong to spread what

you know and how it has benefitted you so

the society at large is benefitted too. The

purpose should be to serve the community.It

is an important you only teach those yoga

techniques that you have yourself practised.

WHAT SHOULD NEW TEACHERS

CONSIDER BEFORE STARTING TO

TEACH?

Dr JayadevaDr JayadevaDr JayadevaDr JayadevaDr Jayadeva: Firstly, the teacher should be

physically healthy and mentally balanced.

Secondly, the motive behind teaching yoga

should not be just to earn money. The prime

motive should be to share yoga awareness for

sharing is caring. The idea behind teaching

yoga should be to teach different type of

people in different ways according to their

age, health, their circumstances and

atmosphere in their lifeas the doctor

diagnoses each patient. For every student is

at different level of physical, mental, spiritual

and spiritual fitness. Thus yoga is individual.

Ana ForrestAna ForrestAna ForrestAna ForrestAna Forrest: Here are my top seven things

yogis should know or do before starting out a

yoga career:

1. Do a daily yoga practice that builds your

passion. Schedule it in like you would a

private class. That time is booked! Keep your

commitments to yourself and your

profession. Be on time and show up as you

agreed. Stop indulging in recreational drugs

and alcohol.

2. Make part of your intent to learn

something new each day.

3. Deliberately cultivate and grow your love

— love needs tending.

4. At first, take as many different teaching

opportunities as possible - with as many

different kinds of people - to get versatile and

flexible in your problem-solving with your

students. As your student body grows, then

weed out the classes that aren’t working for

you, i.e. the enrollment numbers

are constantly low or the venue is

consistently difficult to work with.

5. I recommend at least for the first year

(maybe 2 years) to keep your regular-paying

job as well as teach. This gives your baby yoga

teacher some time to get seasoned and grow

up. It’s an unnecessary hardship to put all of

your living expenses on this newly

burgeoning teacher. It’s easy to suffocate

inspiration by giving your young yoga teacher

too much financial responsibility too fast, i.e.

paying the mortgage.

6. When you go to work with someone, get a

contract. Have the agreements in writing,

keep a copy — advocate for yourself.

7. Breathe deeply as you practice and live.

Risk perceiving as much of the truth as you

can encompass each day. Deliberately create

experiences and moments where Beauty

dances in your heart.

HOW IS TEACHING YOGA DIFFERENT

FROM TEACHING IN AN EXERCISE

CLASS?

Dr JayadevaDr JayadevaDr JayadevaDr JayadevaDr Jayadeva: The major focus of any

exercise class is on various forms of workout

regimes to give maximum physical training.

Yoga, however, is quite different. Even the

TEACHER FEATURE

SPREADING THE YOGA MESSAGEA guide for aspiring yoga teachers

Dr Jayadeva is the president of The Yoga Institute,

Santacruz in Mumbai. Established in 1918, the institute

started offering teacher trainings 50 years ago.

Ana Forrest is an American teacher, whose trainings are

well-known for their transformative effect.

Angela Sun is a Hong Kong-based part-time yoga

teacher and full-time accountant. She is also the

circulation manager of Namaskar.

36 NAMASKAR

Asanas and Pranayams are designed to train

the mind. The physical benefits being only the

bye-products and bonus.There is deep

philosophy and various other effective

techniques like kriyasthat constitute yoga.

Yoga is holistic and teaches an entire way of

life - how to breathe right to how to

concentrate better and how to develop a

positive attitude towards circumstances. It

helps the individual transcends the material

ideology and reach a blissful state of mind.

Angela SunAngela SunAngela SunAngela SunAngela Sun: The intention of a personal

training client and yoga student is always

different, however there are some general

similarities for most of the people I have

taught: obtaining relaxation for stress-relief,

challenging their physical body, at the same

time connecting to something else other than

their physical body. Like an “out of body”

experience, ironic isn’t it? One needs to get

IN to their body, in order to get OUT of their

body. The difference is in the delivery. With

weight training, I focus more on challenging a

client’s particular muscle group until its

fatigued and/or obtain a certain heart rate

range to train their cardiovascular capacity.

For yoga, I focus more on keeping the

student’s awareness in the present moment

as they flow from pose to pose, as well as

challenging their flexibility and strength. For

both activities, physical and mental results

do matter, i.e. decrease in body fat, increase

in strength and flexibility, having peace of

mind, etc, however, I consider it a success if I

can get the student out of their head and into

their body, even for a brief moment.

IS THERE ANY RECOMMENDED

TEACHING APPROACH?

Dr JayadevaDr JayadevaDr JayadevaDr JayadevaDr Jayadeva: the first step is to be a good

teacher certified by an authentic yoga

training institute. Teachers should go from

physical to interpersonal relations then to

breathing techniques, then to meditative

techniques then to time table and routines,

food, diet and so on. They should very

systematically move from one step to the

next.

Ana ForrestAna ForrestAna ForrestAna ForrestAna Forrest: My Foundation and Advanced

Teacher Trainings are specifically designed

to get trainees to work through the internal

chatter that often plays out in life as a lack of

confidence or arrogance, for example. I equip

my teachers with some fantastic tools for life

as well as for teaching. These tools help them

to become their brilliant, authentic selves.

Teaching from that place is much more

exciting for the teacher and inspiring for

their students.

One of the best ways for me to help teacher

trainees to become extraordinary teachers is

to coach them to stop indulging in their

bullshit. Next, re-deploy their focus on what

matters most. For example, breathing deeply

while they teach and getting their students to

breathe deeply and feel. From there, the

journey begins...

Part of what my trainees learn is how to

recognize and honor their wins every day and

that’s very encouraging. As they get more

skillful at being nourished by their wins, they

begin to heal the neediness within. That also

makes them a more whole human being and

therefore a more powerful teacher.

IS TEACHING YOGA FINANCIALLY

VIABLE?

Dr JayadevaDr JayadevaDr JayadevaDr JayadevaDr Jayadeva: Yes, if you are honest. If you

lead a simple, truthful and meaningful life

then yoga can provide you everything that you

may possibly need - name, fame, money,

health, etc. It will fulfil all your needs not the

wants for the wants are infinite and yoga

teacher needs to restrain on unnecessary

worldly desires. You can then live a very

satisfied and peaceful life. Most importantly

you can contribute your bit to the society and

that may give you great pride and self-

satisfaction in life.

Ana ForrestAna ForrestAna ForrestAna ForrestAna Forrest: I feel yoga teachers deserve

to be financially comfortable. Here are some

tips:

1. Be as impeccable with your money flow of

energy as you are with flows of energy

through your body and in your class. It’s not

wrong to make a profit out of teaching yoga.

When we have those beliefs of it being wrong,

we get set up for pain and failure.

2. Rewrite your principles so they embrace

you thriving. I have been poor and starving

and I am prosperous now... I much prefer

prosperous. I use the money I now have to

reach more people and fulfill my Spirit

pledge, and fund my adventures.

3. Create business ethics that make your

proud of the way you do your yoga business.

Angela SunAngela SunAngela SunAngela SunAngela Sun: This is a difficult question to

answer. There are many people in the world

who earn their living around yoga. Some have

been more successful than others and earn

more than some people in a corporate

profession. There is no doubt that building a

successful yoga practice is challenging,

however that is similar to many professions.

I guess it boils down to what stage you are at

in life, what your expectations are and the

type of lifestyle you want.

For me personally, I love teaching yoga and

see it as a hugely important part of my life,

however being an accountant enables me a

certain amount of financial stability that, at

this stage, I’m grateful for. Life, as we all

know, is full of surprises. So, who knows

what my future will hold, but as long as it

includes yoga, that’s fine by me!

The mediocre teacher tells.The good teacher explains.The superior teacher demonstrates.The great teacher inspires.- William Arthur Ward

July 2014 37

38 NAMASKAR

July 2014 39

IN BRIEF

MUDRASPractice makespermanentBY KRISHAA KINKARIDAS

There is a lovely quote “Correct practice

fuels its own motivation.” A large part of a

yoga teacher’s duty is to motivate students

and help them sustain their practice until it

begins to teach them from inside their heart.

Therefore it is essential a yoga teacher

practices everything they teach and the

practice arises from the very basis of yoga -

the Yamas and Niyamas.

Whilst a good asana practice will

undoubtedly train the mind of the sadhaka in

the qualities necessary to attain the goal, the

fundamental attitudes need to be intact, and,

as we read last time, the appropriate

renunciations should have been achieved and

brought into the living consciousness.

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras lead to the correct

understanding of the internal

transformations the process of yoga

facilitates. Teachers need to take time to

study (svadhyayaha)I have met more than a

few yoga teachers who have not even looked

at these guides ,the knowledge revealed

within is the eternal and ever-present Guru.

This is why Mudra is key in modern day

practice, a switch of consciousness readily

accessed, an integral method of ‘nice and

quickly’ tangible transformation.

Anyway, let’s look at three Mudra practices:

one which helps clear the mind, creating the

heart space; a Mudra to generate solid

enthusiasm and; then one to sustain the

consciousness in a satvic state, ready to

receive and observe and positively charged

with the tapas (burning zeal) which sustains

the process until satisfaction (santosam) is

reached.

USHA MUDRA, THE DAWN

Just as the rising sun awakens and inspires,

this Mudra knits the distracted

consciousness back together and allows very

clear and relaxed vision.

Best in Tadasana or start in Samasthitasana

and then loosen the arms. Adjust the posture

with the usual awareness between heels/

crown of head.

Relaxing the shoulders, interlink the fingers

of both hands making sure that the sensitive

parts of the skin in between the fingers can

be felt.

It is, in essence, pulling yourself together.

Self and self. The big ‘I’ of the ego stands in

between. The joining of the hands and thus

the yin/yang aspects of the brain summons

the awareness to the centre of the being, the

Agnya chakra awakes, clarity and vitality

ensue and the ego has to quieten as the divine

energy commands.

Combine with Ujjaiy Pranayama, hold for as

long as you like, building up the depth of

breath and shakti as you hold.

VAJRA MUDRA

Vajra Mudra can be nicely done in Vajrasana

although as per the general rule, sitting any

which way that is comfortable and

sustainable for the practitioner, is suitable.

With both hands at the same time align the

40 NAMASKAR

middle, ring and little finger nails, all

touching together. Place the tip of the thumb

at the corner of the middle finger and press it

at the same time pushing back in against that

force with the little finger. Sustain this press

from both sides whilst pointing out the index

finger. Palms can face up or in.

This dynamic juxtaposition stimulates the

gross and subtle elements of our “vessel of

enlightenment” and releases the air which

can sometimes build up and distract the mind

and senses when in excess. Determination

solidifies and we climb up to the next level!

HAKINI MUDRA

Put the hands together in prayer position.

Part the fingers slightly with the tips firmly

but sensitively touching. Open the palms

away from each other too. A enclosed space

is created between the palms into which one

can centre all ones energy and , almost like a

small greenhouse. Cherish and nourish that

precious jewel of heart energy through the

concentration of the vision and the breath

into that area. Hakini ,as a shakti, is the

doorkeeper of the 6th chakra and energy

thus experienced in between the hands

indicates enlightenment, thought control,

undivided attention, perfect concentration,

and unobstructed meditation .This is a

Mudra which is easily felt. Afterwards you

can rub your palms together , palm the eyes

and breath in the energy from between the

palms. Like a splash of water on the face it

refreshes the whole being. It is a space which

the sadhaka can readily visit ,a source of

pure and delightful mood. It is much simpler

than going on holiday and much cheaper as

well as much more regenerating!

MYTHOLOGY

VAISHNODEVIPilgrims come by foot,horseback or helicopterBY TIA SINHA

Nestled in a cave atop a mountain in Jammu,

Northern India, Vaishno Devi is a pilgrimage

spot for Hindus. Pilgrims brave 12 hours of

an often arduous climb to catch a glimpse of

the three headed statue of Devi in this cave.

The pilgrimage can also be undertaken on

horseback, in a palanquin or by helicopter.

Legend has it that once when anarchy and

lawlessness reigned on earth, the Trinity,

Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva threw up their

hands in despair. Their consorts, Saraswati,

Lakshmi and Parvati came to their rescue.

With their collective energy, the three

goddesses created a powerful young woman

called Vaishnavi.

Vaishnavi was endowed with indomitable

derring do and power. She vanquished

demons left, right and centre, quickly

restoring order to the earth. Vaishnavi then

reincarnated as the only daughter of humble

parents. Drawn to spiritual practice, she

shunned worldly life. When still a young

woman, she left home to meditate by herself

in lonely places by the sea and in mountain

caves. She was devoted to Lord Vishnu. As

July 2014 41

the story goes, she met Lord Rama when he

was looking for Sita. Vaishnavi wanted to

marry him. Rama asked her to wait.

Soon, Vaishnavi’s powers of healing began to

draw many to her. Struck by her fame and

curious about her, a yogi called Gorak Nath

sent his disciple Bhairo Nath to meet

Vaishnavi and to find out more about her.

When Bhairo saw the young woman, he was

smitten by her beauty, proposed to her and

when rejected, began to stalk her. Vaishnavi

hid in a cave for nine months. When a

persistent Bhairo stumbled upon her

hideout, Vaishnavi fled to another cave

higher up, assumed the wrathful form of Kali

and cut his head off with a sword. So

powerful was the blow struck by the enraged

Vaishnavi that Bhairo’s head fell at a

considerable distance.

Bhairo the yogi was humbled as he was dying.

He confessed to Vaishnavi he had been

blinded by arrogance and lust and begged her

forgiveness. Vaishnavi forgave him. She

returned to her cave, assumed the form of a

rock with three heads, signifying Maha

Saraswati, Maha Lakshmi and Maha Kali.

Two temples sprang up, the Vaishno Devi

temple around this rock and cave and the

Bhairo Nath temple where his head had

fallen. As Vaishnavi promised the repentant

and accomplished yogi, the pilgrimage to

Vaishno Devi is complete only when one has

also visited Bhairo Nath’s temple.

BOOK REVIEW

DON’TBELIEVEEVERY-THINGYOUTHINKby Thubten ChodronREVIEWED BY TIA SINHA

Don’t Believe Everything You Think is a book

that suggests ways to help us banish feelings

of hopelessness, self-deprecating thoughts

and rigid and mistaken ideas about ourselves

and about the world. Don’t Believe

Everything You Think suggests ways in which

we can reprogram our mind, replacing our

habitual harmful reactive patterns with

wholesome ways of thinking and behaving so

that we can live meaningful lives by making a

valuable positive contribution to the world.

Venerable Thubten Chodron , a well-known,

well-loved American born Tibetan Buddhist

nun has written several books on Buddhism

and teaches worldwide.

Don’t Believe Everything You Think explains

a Buddhist text called the Thirty-Seven

Practices of Bodhisattvas. This text belongs

to a class of Tibetan Buddhist texts called

lojong or mind training, composed by the

Kadampa masters in medieval Tibet. Like

42 NAMASKAR

other lojong texts, the Thirty-Seven

Practices of Bodhisattvas presents various

difficult situations we humans typically face

in our lives and advice on how to deal with

them, propelled not by habitual disturbing

emotions like anger, jealousy, pride or greed,

but guided by wisdom and compassion. The

Thirty-Seven Practices of Bodhisattvas was

composed by the monk, Gyelsay Togmay

Zangpo.

The text presents each of the thirty seven

practices in four verses each. For example,

‘All forms of suffering are like a child’s death

in a dream.

Holding illusory appearances to be true

makes you weary.

Therefore, when you meet with disagreeable

circumstances,

Seeing them as illusory - This is the practice

of bodhisattvas.’

And another,

‘When you encounter attractive objects,

Though they seem beautiful

Like a rainbow in summer, don’t regard them

as real

And give up attachment - This is the practice

of Bodhisattvas.’

What sets Venerable Chodron’s commentary

apart from other commentaries of the text is

that she has included in the book, anecdotes

of her students who tried to apply these

verses to deal with difficult situations in

their lives, without creating further misery

for themselves. With the help of these

verses, they were able to stop old, harmful

and painful ways of thinking and replace

them with positive ways of thinking.

Whether it was dealing with lack of support

from a colleague, surviving cancer, averting

abuse from an inmate in prison, dealing with

betrayal in a business deal, overcoming

loneliness and addictions, and many other

everyday difficulties, Venerable Chodron’s

students’ accounts of how these verses gave

them the wisdom and courage to change their

habitual negative reactions are inspiring.

We live in a world that bombards us with

images and messages promising us happiness

from things, other people and pleasant

situations. Seduced by sense objects,

mesmerized by mere mirages, chasing

chimeras, we are lost, settling for a life of

temporary pleasure that is really pain

masquerading as pleasure. We are lost,

looking for happiness where it just cannot be

found.

Don’t Believe Everything You Think is a clear

and heartfelt presentation of how to apply

the timeless wisdom of the sages in the

restless, times we live in. Instead of

drowning our sorrows with superficial

distractions or with addictions, this book

shows us how we can learn to live with grace

and dignity, develop genuine concern for

others and thus find genuine happiness

ourselves.

Don’t Believe Everything You Think is a

must-read, and not just because of its catchy

title!

DVD REVIEW

THIRUMOOLAR’SASHTANGAYOGAPresented by YogananthAndiappanREVIEWED BY FRANCES GAIRNS

Thirumoolar’s Ashtanga Yoga is a completely

separate and unrelated practice to the

Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga popularized by the

late K. Pattabhi Jois of Mysore, India.

Though both are comprehensive and

progressive.

July 2014 43

Thirumoolar’s Ashtanga Yoga was created by

Dr Asana Andiappan, based on his research

and study into the life and teaching of the

Siddha master Thirumoolar. This DVD is

presented by Dr. Andiappan’s son and

founder of the Hong Kong studio Anahata

Yoga, Yogananath Andiappan.

It include three sequences for home practice

- 30-minutes, 60-minutes and 90-minutes,

which are intended to take the practitioner

through a three-month period. So the 30-

minute sequence for the first month, the 60-

minute sequence for the second month and

the 90-minute sequence from the third

month.

Probably more suited to those with some

yoga experience as opposed to complete

beginners. Those from an Ashtanga Vinyasa

background might find the sequences quite

unusual, for example surya namaskar is at

the end of the sequence, after savasana.

However, those who are open to something

different should find this enjoyable and

beneficial. In addition to the asana, all

sequences include several pranayama

techniques and some time for sitting.

A nice point is during many of the postures,

practitioners are reminded about which

chakra to focus on. And for other postures,

there is an on-screen symbol denoting which

dosha the pose is supposed to support.

Some modifications are mentioned and

demonstrated for beginners. However I

would have liked to have heard more cautions

and reminders of individual differences.

Yogananth, the teacher demonstrating in the

video has an exceptionally strong and flexible

body, the result of practicing from aged 2 and

being genetically blessed. However few

practitioners could hope to perform the

asana as he does, after 30 years, let alone 3

months.

Accompanying the DVD is a small booklet

which in addition to introducing Dr.

Andiappan, Yogananth and Thirumoolar,

also offers various different sequences for

back pain, obesity, diabetes, hypertension,

insomnia, stress, asthma, constipation,

nervous disorders and sexual disorders.

All in all though a nice DVD to include in your

library, and a nice to have something from a

local teacher.

The DVD costs HK$128 and can be

purchased at Anahata Yoga Studio, HMV and

also online

http://www.anahatayoga.com.hk/

productsnew.php or http://

www.amazon.com/Thirumoolars-Ashtanga-

Yoga-DVD-English/dp/B00HCVX3TK/

ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392794210&sr=8-

1&keywords=yogananth+dvd

44 NAMASKAR

July 2014 45

46 NAMASKAR

July 2014 47

Mexican food is really popular and with good reason; fresh ingredients,

nice textures and deliciously spicy seasonings. Here’s a healthy vegan

and low fat recipe to help you satisfy your Mexican fix at home!

INGREDIENTS

1 lbs fresh tempeh, crumbled

1/4 head cauliflower, finely diced

1 cup grated vegan jack cheese

1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, diced small

1 small red onion, finely diced

1 avocado, pitted and diced small

1/4 cup fresh coriander, chopped

1 cup rocket leaves

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

2 teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoon cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1 small red chili pepper, finely diced with seeds removed

6 inch wheat or corn tortilla, if gluten free

METHOD - SALSA

In a medium bowl combine the tomato, avocado, 1/2 of the coriander, red

chili pepper, 2 tbs chopped onion, 1/2 of the lime juice, 1/4 tablespoon

minced garlic and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt. Place in the refrigerator till ready

to serve.

METHOD - TEMPEH

Bring frying pan to medium high heat. Add add one tablespoon of olive

oil, garlic, onions and fry for two minutes. Add the remaining salt, cumin,

paprika and cayenne and fry for 30 seconds then add two more

tablespoons of olive oil and the tempeh and fry for two more minutes.

Mix in the juice of one lime and the nutritional yeast, remove from heat

and reserve.

METHOD - TORTILLA

Heat a frying pan to high heat and fry the tortillas in a little oil for 30

seconds each side.

ASSEMBLY

Place the tortillas in the centre of four plates. Place the tempeh mixture,

cheese, cauliflower, and salsa on top of the tortillas in equal portions,

then garnish with rocket and the remaining chopped coriander.

Serves four as an appetiser.

RECIPE

VIVA LA VEGAN!Vegan Tempeh TostadasBY MOOSA AL-ISSA

WHAT IS TEMPEH?Originally an Indonesian dish, tempeh is fermented whole soybeans.

While obviously similar to tofu in its main ingredient, the two products

have quite different taste, texture and even nutritional content.

Because tempeh starts from the whole bean, its fibre, protein and

vitamin content is higher than tofu. However tempeh is also higer in

calorie and fat content to tofu.

3 OZ. SERVING FIRM TOFU TEMPEH

Calories 70 173

Fat (g) 3.5 6

Sodium (mg) 20 8

Carbs (g) 2 12

Fiber (g) <1 9

Protein (g) 8 16.6

48 NAMASKAR

DIRECTORYGuide to yoga studios& teachers

AGAMA YOGA SCHOOL42/4 moo 8, Koh Phangan,Suratthani 84280, Thailands: Tantra Yoga, Kundalini Yoga,Workshops, Retreats, Meditation,Yogic Healingl: Englisht: +66(0)892 330 217e: [email protected]: www.agamayoga.com

ANAHATA VILLAS & SPARESORTUbud, Bali, Indonesias: group retreats, yoga for private& corporates. Yoga studioavailable for rent. l: Indonesian & Englisht: +62 361 8987 991/ 8987 992 /+62 21 70743366 f: (62) 361 8987 804e: [email protected] /[email protected]: www.anahataresort.com

ANAHATA YOGA18/F Lyndhurst Tower, 1Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, HongKongs: Hatha, Ashtanga, Yoga therapy,Yin and more. Groups & privatest: +852 2905 1922e: [email protected]: www.anahatayoga.com.hk

ANANDA YOGA33 & 34/F, 69 Jervois StreetSheung Wan, Hong Kongs: Private and Group Classes :Yoga Therapy (neck, shoulder,back, hip, knee and joints), Hatha,Power, Ashtanga, Vinyasa,Detox, Yin Yang, Kundalini,Chakra Balancing, Pranayama,Meditationl: Englisht: (825)35639371e:[email protected]: www.anandayoga.hk

Anna NgPrivatesd: Hong Kongs: Hatha yogal: Cantonese

t: (852) 9483 1167e: [email protected]

AUMNIE YOGA WEARHong Kong - Room 1601, 99Wellington Street, Centralt: + 852 3188 0973Shanghai - 60 Xinle Road, 3/FXuhui Districtt: +86 21 5404 3135Korea - 533-16 Sinsa-DongGangham-Gu, Seoult: +82 26959 2558Retail, Wholesale, Shop OnlineFree Shipping WorldwideYoga Clothing and Accessoriese: [email protected]: www.aumnie.com

BEING IN YOGA2 Turf Club Rd # 02-01(Turf Ciy,Singapores: Yoga therapy (customizedpersonal practice), teachertraining (Yoga Alliance RYS 500hours+), in-depth yoga studies,small group classes for childrenand adults, pre & post natal yoga,sound meditation, Vedicchanting, evening sanga,community programs.t: +65 9830 3808e [email protected]: wwwbeinginyoga.com

B.K.S. IYENGAR YOGAASSOCIATION OF MACAU174, Rua de Pequim, Edif CentroCom. Kong Fat, 7A, Macaus: Iyengart:(853)2882 3210/6662 0386e:[email protected]:www.iyengar-yoga-macau-china.com

BRAIN & BODY YOGA1503 Keen Hung CommercialBuilding, 80 - 86 Queen’s RoadEast, Wanchai, Hong Kong (nextto LUXHOME)s: boutique yoga studio for holistichealing and mind body practicet: +852 3104 1156f: +852 3104 1157e: [email protected]: www.brainyoga.com.hk

BREATHING SPACE WITHDAVID WHITTON

d: Hong Kong

s: Meditation, Buddhist and

Yogic. Traditional Hatha and Raja

Yoga, Meditation. Pranayama &

Meditation. Groups, privates and

corporate. Full and half-day

retreats.

l: English

t: +852 5594 5111

e:

[email protected]

w: www.breathingspacehk.com

FLEX STUDIO308 - 310 One Island South, 2Heung Yip Street, Aberdeen,Hong Kongs: Vinyasa, Power, Detox, Hatha,Therapy, Kids Yogat: +852 2813 2212f: +852 2813 2281e: [email protected]: www.flexhk.com

GLEE YOGAPrivates, Groups, for Companies,Schools & Communitiesd: Hong Kong, Chinas: Yoga for ProfessionalSwimmers, Professional Runners,Pre-natal, Post-natal,Hatha, Vinyasa, Hot, BabiesMassage Workshopsl: English, Cantonese, Mandarint: +852 93343303e: [email protected]

Kathy CookRetreats, workshops, privatesd: Hong Kong, Bali & Thailands: Iyengar (Junior Intermediate 2)l: Englisht: +852 6292 5440 / +62 811387781e:[email protected]: www.yogawithkathy.com

KUNDALINI AT SHAKTI7/F Glenealy Tower, 1 Glenealy,Central, Hong Kong.s: Kundalini Yoga, GuidedKundalini Meditation, ReikiHealing, Angel Cards. Studiorental by day or hour

t: +852 2521 5099e: [email protected]: www.shaktihealingcircle.com

KUNDALINI @ SOL16/F Tin On Sing CommercialBuilding, 41-43 Graham St.Central, Hong Kongs: Kundalini, Yin-Yang, Hatha,Men’s, Mindfulness, Yindestress yoga, meditation,holographic healing, cancercoaching, stress/insomnia relief,detox/weight management,complete mind-body-soulservices.t: +852 2581 9699e: [email protected]: www.sol-wellness.com

LingYoga and WellbeingPrivate Yoga TeacherPrivates, Groups, Corporates,Free Yoga Community Event:Yoga in the Park with Lingwww.meetup.com/yogaintheparkhkd: Hong Kong, Chinas: Yoga Therapy, Sivananda,Hatha, Svastha, Mindfulness, Yin,Breathing (Pranayama), GuidedMeditation, Total Relaxation(Yoga Nidra)l: English, Cantonese, Mandarint: +852 9465 6461e: [email protected]: www.facebook.com/yogawithling

PURE YOGAHong Kong16/F The Centrium, 60 WyndhamStreet, Centralt: +852 2971 0055

25/F Soundwill Plaza, 38 RussellSt, Causeway Bayt: +852 2970 229914/F Peninsula Office Tower, 18Middle Road, Tsim Sha Tsui,Kowloont: +852 8129 8800

9/F Langham Place OfficeTower, 8 Argyle Street, Kowloont: +852 3691 3691

July 2014 49

4/F Lincoln House, TaiKooPlace, 979 King’s Rd, Quarry Bayt: +852 8129 1188

2/F Asia Standard Tower, 59Queen’s Road, Centralt: + 852 3524 7108

Singapore391A Orchard Road, #18-00Ngee Ann City Tower At: +65 6733 886330 Raffles Place, 04-00 ChevronHouset: +65 6304 2257

Taiwan151 Chung Hsiao East Road, Sec 4,Taipeit: +886 02 8161 7888

4/f Urban One, 1 Qingcheng St,Taipeit: +886 02 8161 7868

SADHANA SANCTUARYYOGA STUDIO103 Penang Road VisioncrestCommercial, #05-01 / 03Singapore 238467t: +65 6238 9320e: [email protected]: www.sadhanasanctuary.comFacebook.com/SadhanaSanctuaryYogaStudio/

SOULMADE YOGA &TEAROOM40, Soi Chareonjai (Ekamai 12),Klongton-Nua, WattanaBangkok 10110, Thailands. Kripalu, Hatha, Prenatal,Workshops, Healing Arts (Aura-Soma, Bodytalk, EFT)l. English, Thai, Frencht. +66 2 3814645e. [email protected]: www.facebook.com/soulmade

SPACE YOGAs: Hatha, Ashtanga, Advanced,Flow, Yin, Yin Yang, Restorative,Hot, Yin/Meditation, Pranayama,Mat Pilates, Jivamukti, Universal,Myo-fascial Release Yoga andYoga Nidral: English, Mandarinw: www.withinspace.comAn-Ho Studio16 /f, 27 An-Ho Road, Section 1Taipei, Taiwant: +886 2 2773 8108

Tien-Mu Studio5 Lane 43, Tian-Mu E. Road,Taipei, Taiwant: +886 2 2877 2108

THE YOGA ROOM3, 4, 6/F (Studios) & 15/F (Office)Xiu Ping Commercial Bldg,104 Jervois St, Sheung Wan,Hong Kongs: Hatha, Ashtanga, Vinyasa,Candlelight Yin, Yoga Therapy,Baptist Inspired, MindfulnessYoga, Detox Flow, Pre-natal Yoga,Pre-natal Pilates, Mat Pilates andKids yogat: +852 25448398

namaskarreaches6,000 yogapractitioners,across32countries,4 times a year.

DISPLAY ADVERTISING RATES & SIZESOutside back cover HK$21,800 210 mm x 297 mmInside front cover HK$3,000 210 mm x 297 mmInside back cover HK$2,400 210 mm x 297 mmFull page HK$1,900 210 mm x 297 mm1/2 page (horizontal)HK$1,200 180 mm x 133.5 mm1/2 page (vertical) HK$1,200 88 mm x 275 mm1/4 page HK$620 88 mm X 133.5 mm1/8 page HK$390 88 mm x 66 mm

LISTINGSCan include name, address, telephone, email, website, style andcertification, language of instruction. Approx. 35 wordsIndividual listing HK$550 for full or partial yearStudio listing HK$1,100 for full or partial year

PUBLICATION DATES, BOOKING & MATERIAL DEADLINESPublication date Booking Deadline Material DeadlineJanuary December 1 December 10April March 1 March 10July June 1 June 10October September 1 September 10

NOTESAdvertising materials should in black & white and submitted as300 dpi high resolution .tif files (no pdf or ai files please)Listings should be submitted as text only (35 words or less)

PAYMENTPayments should be made in Hong Kong dollars to Namaskar c/oCarol Adams, 72C Yung Shue O Village, Sai Kung, Hong Kong

INFORMATIONCarol (852) 9137 9992 / [email protected] (852) 9460 1967 / [email protected]

e: [email protected]: www.yogaroomhk.com

TRUE YOGASingapore9 Scotts Road, Level 4, PacificPlaza 228210t: +65 6733 9555

10 Collyer Quay, Level 4, OceanFinancial Centre 049315t: +65 6536 3390

Taiwan563 Chung Hsiao East Road,Section 4, 1st & 2nd floorTaipeit :+886 22764 8888

337 Nanking East RoadSection 3, 9 & 10/F, Taipeit: +886 22716 1234

68 Gongyi Road, West District12 & 13 /F, Taichungt: +886 43700 0000

s: Hatha, Power, Ashtanga,Vinyasa, Yin, Gentle, Flow, YogaDance, Pre-natale: [email protected]: www.trueyoga.com.sg /www.trueyoga.com.tw

Ursula MoserThe Iyengar Yoga Centre of HongKongd: Centrals: Iyengar Certified (JuniorIntermediate III)l: Englisht: +852 2918 1798 / 9456 2149e: [email protected]

WISE LIVING YOGAACADEMY198 Moo 2, Luang Nuea, DoiSaket, Chiang Mai, Thailands: Classical Yoga, Hatha Yoga,Yoga Therapyt: +66 8254 67995e: [email protected]: www.wiselivingyoga.com

YOGA CENTRAL - IYENGARCENTRAL2C Welley Bldg. 97 Wellington St.Central, Hong kongs: Iyengar Yoga studio for smallgroups, corporate wellness &workshops.t: +852 2982 4308e: [email protected]: www.yogacentral.com.hk

Yoga with YoYoYoga Alliance ERYT200 andRYT200. Asana, pranayama,meditation and scripture studyd: Sai Kung / San Po Kongs: small group and privatesadapted to students withknowledges of YogaPrasadinstitute, ParamahamsaNithyananda, Sivananda, Yogalimbs and morel: English, Cantoneset: +852 9302 3931e: [email protected]: www.yoyoyoga.net

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namaskar july 2014

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