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One
Yoga Center |
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Recognizing
Nature at Work: The world as we experience it according to the Samkhya Yoga philosophy is colored by three animating qualities or gunas. The gunas are the means through which the creative power of consciousness, Purusa, expresses itself as Prakriti, the creative power of nature, in order to see itself and experience the delightful drama of Beingness in form. The gunas stir up, sustain, and transform this tangible Creation- yet they are innately sprung of the One, indivisible, omniscient truth which possesses everything necessary to create that which is, was, and is going to be. So there is a place beyond the gunas that we are attempting to contact within ourselves in our practice, an experience of freedom from the reinforcement of this notion of a separate self which is part and parcel of our blessed oneness-as-diversity thanks to the gunas' influence! This is said with humor and a salt-dash of warning against sheer verticalism as the three gunas are also responsible for all of the creative delights and genius of this world and for the very journey of meeting love through-the-mirror which is the pursuit of the soul. (more...) |
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Effort
(Abhyasa) and detachment
(Vairagyam) When we come to or practice, whether it is asana or meditation, dance, art or any of the thousands of techniques for centering, there is often a kind of yatra or pilgrimage in just getting there! A yatra involves making sacrifices in order to reach a place of purity that rewards us with an immutable vision of peace and energy that we can draw from, and we don't have to go to the Himalayas to find it (although I highly recommend it!) Obstacles surface even before we physically arrive at the space we define for inner work...a busy schedule full of commitments to people and deadlines to prove yourself to, or emotional difficulties cause us to reach out desperately for things to stabilize ourselves that can, paradoxically, distract and prevent us from being where we truly need to be, showing up consistently for whatever discipline has chosen us. Sometimes we forget about our basic self-care, the little things that count like eating regularly, keeping company with people who inspire us and uplift us, and spending time in nature. We can turn to food or drinking or numbing activities to "fill up the void" or get waylaid by worldly people and situations, then wonder where the time and energy for our practice went. Throughout all of these permutations of samsara there is a common way back to peace and a view of the world around us as full of innate wisdom and enlightened substance---we can stop where we are, take a breath, and recognize the choice we have: to continue following those habits which lead us into more confusion, or to remain still inside if even for just a moment and see what happens. Practice irregardless of how you feel in the moment Yoga addresses
the body and mind together as indivisible and provides so many techniques
for diving deeper into the Self, the center of wisdom, empathy,
and love in all things that is always guiding us to respect ourselves
and each other and take the right action when it is called for.
Whether you do formal Yogic practices or something else, practice
comes down to the pure action itself of what we do to center ourselves,
be it sitting meditation, pranayama, asana, mindful walking in nature,
dance, chanting, or whatever it is that we do. Showing up is the
most important thing. Ironically, everything else that was hounding
us up until that moment we decide to show up simply falls away.
By just coming to our mat, zafu, or some quiet place of creative
introspection, the energy of a consistent practice will suffuse
everything that truly needs to be resolved, everything that is truly
worth your attention, with clarity and purpose. The flotsam and
jetsam of worries and anxieties about things which we are imagining
to be real--conversations with people we have going in our heads,
or things that haven't happened yet that are fraught with uncertainty--take
their place in the dark, moist earth of a stable, quiet mind and
rest until they can re-emerge as clear directives for us to follow
when the time is right. A humorous teaching from the Buddhist tradition
points out that we often treat our practice with an allopathic attitude,
as if it is a source of health like a doctor to whom we go to desperately
when we feel out of balance, but forget about acknowledging when
we feel alright or great. Whether you "have stuff going on"
or feel absolutely fine, keeping a consistent practice grows reserves
of stability, mental and emotional flexibility and wisdom for the
times that we need it the most, with surprising availability as
the strength of our sadhana increases. |
 This
trip has been lovingly crafted out of the relationships Phoenix has
with several Dineh (Navajo) elders who are open to sharing themselves
with sincere people who want to learn more about their traditions,
and to explore the history the ancestors of the land and their places
along the desert cliffs and canyons.The weeklong journey through Sedona, Flagstaff area, and Navajo land includes four Yoga classes, guided tours of Monument Valley and Canyon de Chelly, and visits to many ruins belonging to the Hopi, Navajo, Sinagua, and Hohokam peoples from up to a thousand years ago. To make this trip available to everyone regardless of financial consideration, there are varied options for accomodation ranging from hotels to camping. We will spend time with elders in the Kayenta area and near Chinle, and you will be able to participate in a traditional sweatlodge ceremony led by Emerson Gorman at the end of the trip. (more details) |
200 Hour Teacher Training
in India |
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 October 4-18, 2008 |
Twice-daily,
complete practice in pranayam, asana, meditation with special courses
in philosophy and chanting near the Ganga river. Meet with modern
siddhas and explore the living Yogic culture. On this relaxing but
well-paced trip we take one week of practice in at Parmarth Niketan
Ashram in Rishikesh, then two days in Haridwar, where we will visit
a wildlife reserve. On either end of the trip we will stay over
in Delhi and Agra to see various places of interest. In Delhi, we
visit the Red Fort, Humayun's Tomb, Jama Masjid and the shrine of
Sufi saint Nizam'ud-din. In Agra we take in more art and architecture with the stunningTaj Mahal, Black Taj, a Mughal garden, and the Agra Red Fort.There are other excursions to local temples, Vasisth cave, and historic sites. Follow your heart to the amazing people and traditions of India... (more details) |
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Join us
on a journey that will nourish your Spirit through twice-daily practices
of pranayama, asana, and meditation, in sight of the lapis blue
Aegean and Libyan seas bordering Crete, and the stunning cliffs
of Santorini. This Yoga retreat includes seminars on Minoan culture
and guided tours during several excursions for those coming on the
two-weeks session. During week one in Crete, we stay at the stunning
and remote Triopetra
Yoga center, with awesome
views of the Libyan sea, a lovely Yoga room, and exquisite vegetarian
food influenced by Greek cuisine. During week one we visit the traditional
Cretan village of Spili, the Venetian port town of Rethymno, and
the lush river Preveli which meets the sea... At the beginning of week two we will visit the Minoan Palace of Knossos, which was a center of trade between ancient peoples of the Mediterranean, as well as the epicenter of Minoan religious activity, culture and government; and the incredible National Archaelogical Museum of Crete. In Santorini we'll visit Nea Kameni volcano by boat and the adjacent ocean hotsprings and see the Minoan settlement of Akrotiri and Akrotiri Museum. Variegated beaches and mixed colorings of geological layers make the islands of southern Greece an unforgettable place to inspire our daily practice, swim in the warm sweet waters, make friends with the locals, and grow together as a travelling sangha. |
Ganga Haiku Pale
citrine morning Hidden
in the smile |
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