Summer Day Celebration

Everyday is suppose to be a celebration of life, breath and much more gratitude for the things we take for granted. I want to use this opportunity to thank you each and everyone of you personally for joining me and sharing your practice with me. In respective of where you are in your practice, I saw a lot of change  in this short period.  Like I always emphaize in  myclass, yoga is a journey. You do not have to go through this journey alone. I always here for guidance.

I am glad for those of you who were able to join me for the last day of class in the park.For those who could not make it, we sent love to us. There were plenty of food and drinks even games courtesty Nathanial B.I thank each and everyone for your coming and sharing your practice. Please continue to practice even in your respective home. Make a space enough to fit your mat, practice whenever time permit and be patient. Even observing silence, closing your eye, and relaxing your thoughts that might come to mind during this period of silence. Find your breath. You might forget the sequence. Just trust in yourself, and your body will remember, and the mind will follow.

I am available for any questions you might have. Feel free to email me.

Namaste and enjoy your indoor practice till next year summer.

Forgiveness Day "Kshamavani"

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Sometimes, we go through life without knowing whether we have hurt someone very special to us or just a friend or a co-worker. This is could be in various form through non-verbal and verbal communication. I ask you to join me today to ask for the universe for forgiveness. We are all are suffering from pain more especially. In your meditation, ask for forgiveness from the creator, universe, make a call if it make sense.

Trust me, we are not a perfect being. You are not going to please everyone. You can give everything and still offend someone or even lose who are you. You might have lost a loved one during 9-11, disearse or just simply death. May be you did not get to say I love you. Ask for forgiveness in meditation. Find peace through asking for forgiveness. Call a friend and ask for forgiveness. I am sorry, my friends and fellow yogis and yoginis. Please forgive me if I have offend you in anyway. I am so sorry.

People are walkking around with so much anger because of what happen to them during their youth or as an adult they are still suffering. When can you begin to let go. Even though it is hard, through constant meditation, and yoga practice. Practice forgiveness and meditate. It was not fault that someone took advantage at your weakest point or your expectation.

Today and this present time is time to forgive yourself and others. This is part of yoga to practice forgiveness just like in many religion.

I leave you with video from Guruji

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKLxTsgpCw0

Namaste

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Everybody worries about time

As many people in the world worries about time, one must have to pause what is good to worry and hurry without noticing the little things in life. I reflect on time, for everything under the earth there is time for everything. Time to sleep, time to eat, time to practice, time to meditate, time to chant, time for yourself. Find the time for yourself.

I share with you this song by Ziggy Marley where I got my inspiration on time.

everybody's worried about time


but i just keep that shit off my mind

people living on twenty four hour clocks

but we're on a ride that never stops


hey mister bee the world change but you remain the same

and i wonder how you'll survive with the environment going down the drain

hey miss dragonfly i see you look at me with your beautiful eyes

you must be wondering what type of creature am i


a dog looked at me and said ziggy why can't we trust man

puss and me get together why can't you all just understand

an old tree stood there silently listening to every word we said

as a tear fell he cried what type of creature is man


i said hey mister tree the world change but you remain the same

and i wonder how you survive with the environment going down the drain

hey miss butterfly I see you look at me with your beautiful eyes

you must be wondering what kind of creature am i

you must be wondering what kind of creature am i



everybody's worried about time

but i just keep that shit off my mind

people living on twenty four hour clocks

but we're on a ride yes we're on a ride we're on a ride that never stops



hey mister bee the world change but you remain the same

and i hope you'll survive with the environment going down the drain

hey miss butterfly i see you look at me with your beautiful eyes

you must be wondering what type of creature am i

you must be wondering what type of creature is man

__________________________________________________________________________________
As I reflect on time, I start to even appreciate my time on earth and even the small time. Find my breathe every time.

Namaste

Yoga Practice

As a Yoga Practitioner and a longtime yoga student, I ofter wonder what yoga practice mean to others. I can only speak for myself.

As I started practicing yoga trying to find balance among other acticities. It was not to replace any other activity that I like such running, biking or playing soccer or dancing. When I am on my mat, I try my very best to remember to breathe, to concentrateof my own practice, I keep reminding others to find comfortable and steady posture. I try to embrace the true feeling with each and every asana. I am kind to my thoughts and I try not to judge my practice or others because each day my body is new to yoga. I focus on how to better each posture. I only try each asana by the courage of my breather and surrendering to the posture. It is different from lifting weight. Yoga is a therapy in respect to people will rather say it is form of exercise. It is only an exercise when you muscle through each posture, but you would last the ideal 2 to 3 hours doing that.

As a teacher now, I find strength in my student to instruct yoga practice. I often will tell fellow yogi, that yoga comprises of other aspect apart from physical asana (posture), it is also the breathe work, meditation and much more. There is no reason to invent my own version of yoga. The eight limbs of Astanga Yoga was based Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Of these eight limbs, the first five limbs are bahiranga sadhana or external practices while the last three represent antaranga sadhana or internal practices.

According  to Pantanjali Sutra, the first limb is Yama. This is to develop our attitude towards the world around us. The five components of Yama, which is as follows: Ahimsa (the principle of non-violence), Satya (the principle of truthfulness, Asteya (the principle of non-stealing), Bramhacharya (Continence / Celibacy), and Aparigaha (the principle of non-possessiveness)

The second limb is Niyamas, which is to self-regulate and to develop and maintain a positive environment in which to grow. The five components of Niyama should be practiced for purifying the physical and mental body. These components are  are as follows: Sauca (the art of purficiation) which comprises of yoga breathing techniques or kriya, yoga massage, and pure and flawless diet. The second component is Santosa (Contentment), Tapas (Endurance), Swadhyaya (self study of scriptures), and Ishvara Pranidhana is dedication and complete surrender to God.

Third limb is Asana - steady and comfortable posture. If it is not comfotable and steady, it is not Asana.

The fourth limb is Pranayama or yogi breathe. Pranayama is to regulate the proper flow of “Prana” in the body, make the body lighter and to increase the Life-Span. It is important to note that Patanjali expressly advises the practitioner to practice pranayama only after attaining perfection in asana.

The fifth limb is Prathyara - :withdrawal of “Pancha-Indriya” or five senses organs & Control over “Sada-Ripu” or Six enemies.
The sisth limb is Dharana or Concentration the stage of concentration whereby one gathers the scattered mind in one place and get it to concentrate on a certain object.

The seventh limb is Dhyana or Meditation - maintaining constant uninterrupted flow of attention on one point or region and meditating on it

The Eighth limb is Samadhi- this stage when the object of meditation becomes the subject and whereby self-awareness is lost.

There is no reason to forward explain each of the limbs; one could see that we can incorporate yoga as we walk, run, eat, sleep, shopping and many other activities that you do. Yoga is not when you carry your mat to yoga class. Obviously, most studios have made it hard to instruct all these in a 50 minutes class. My practice are usually last for a minimium of 90 minutes to 2 hours.

Yoga is not consicous about time. If you are consicous of tme, then you are not practicing yoga. How can you look ahead in the future. That also mean you are not present. Where are you going to? If the body, mind, and spirit is not in union that is not yoga. I understand we all have work, meeting, and many other things. Devote time to your yoga practice whether on the mat and off the mat.

Namaste
Hare Krishna

Picture is a thousand words

On a beautiful morning, I woke up and embrak on a journey to reconnect with friends in NYC. I happen to love my big city as well as I was missing going to India this year. I went to NYC by bus. It was adventure. I took one called DC2NY. We were in the worst traffic. I relearned being patient and meditate while I patient with myself. I got to NYC. I love the roasted almond. I bought some almond. I love walking around big city. I see everyone rushing to the next available thing to do. I watched and smiled.

I stayed in Hamption Inn in. It was nice to stay on the top floor since the elevator must come to the very top. I would not mind taking stairs anyway. My room was small, but I was content. The next morning I got up around 7am, I walked around Manthan; it was quiet and peaceful. I could imagine considering the idea to live in NYC again. After my monring walk, I wanted to share my practice at The Universal Force Healing Center. In this studio, they teach nama yoga. The good thing is your first class is free to explore whether you like the style of teaching. I met a wonderful friend, Sounji. It seems like we spoke prior before we met at the Studio. She was  very kind to show me around NYC and even shared food together. We spoke at length. Sending her love and positive energy. I hope she will find her calling in yoga.

TheUniversal Force Healing Center

Sounji and I went to Bhakti temple and their resturant will open soon. Here I captured the Founders, deities, fellowers and devotees.

Below is the picture of the resturant. I will love to go back to eat authentic vegan food.

At the temple sharing a meal with others. It was peaceful.

Food. It was delicious abd chanted over.

To my greatest surprise, They opened the deities. It almost seem like I was home. My also new friend, Krishna took all these amazing pictures of the Deities. Thank you.

Hare Krishina

My friend and I left for Central Park. I love park and outdoors.

I want to thank all the men and women for their work in public safety. Thanks for your kindness. Thank you a million times. I wish I can offer yoga to our service men and women all over the world.

At last, it was hard to say goodbye to my friend, Sounji.I don't know whether there is another word to express my gratitude for taking the time to show me around NYC. My friend, you are like a sister to me. I pray for you and your family. Thank you. Jar Guru dev.