you are great - iyta · problem; “l’m not the body, not the mind immortal self i am! i am...

Volume XXI, No. 3, August 2012

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You Are GreatBy Sri Swami Satchidananda

Always, always remember that — at any time, for any problem; “l’m not the body, not the mind Immortal Self I am! I am Existence-Knowledge-Bliss, Bliss Absolute!” Simply blow depression away. If you feel discouraged or depressed, shout at the top of your voice: “I am blissful! I am joyful! I am easeful!” Affirm your true nature. You are nothing less than that.

Don’t constantly hypnotize yourself day after day. Do you think you will enjoy saying, “Oh, I am a sinner. I am no good at that life. I am a terrible yogi,” and so on. You are not those things, but if you keep thinking that way you will appear to become that. As you think so you become. Think that you are great, and you are great. Think that you are hopeless, and certainly you will be hopeless. It is the thinking that makes you so. Always have positive thinking. Don’t give room for negative thinking. Even if such thinking comes into the mind, don’t give it room to develop. Don’t contemplate it. See the bright side of it.

As I recently said, people who rush for gold go through tons of crude rocks. lf they concentrate on the crudeness of that they will just throw everything out and forget their search. Fortunately, their eye is focused on the few ounces of gold hidden behind that crude dust. Never lose sight of that gold in you. You might have accumulated a lot of dirt and dust; it doesn’t matter. Take time to clean it out. Put the emphasis on the goal, the gold you are looking for.

When you plant something thousands of weeds grow around it, but you constantly take time to pull them out so that the plant will grow well. The seeds of peace have been

InsideYou Are Great by Sri Swami Satchidananda p. 1

Letter from the Editor by Bharata Wingham p. 2

The IYTA Column by Brahmi Milliman p. 3

Theory of Concentration by Sri Swami Sivananda p. 4

Bhagavad Gita Study by Swami Asokananda p. 5

When the Going Gets Tough: Yoga for Difficult Times

by Swami Ramananda p. 6

Surrender, Faith & Experience by Swami Suddhananda p. 8

Restorative Yoga by Satya Greenstone p. 9

Chakra Frequencies by Jonathan & Andi Goldman p. 12

Yoga for People with Diabetes by Robin Jaya Johnson p. 14

Marketing Hatha Yoga Classes from IY Teacher Manual p. 15

Yogaville Recipes p. 17

Senior Speakers’ Schedules p. 18

Calendar of Upcoming Programs at Yogaville p. 19

The Goal of Integral Yoga

The goal of Integral Yoga, and the birthright of every individual is to realize the spiritual unity behind all the diversities in the entire creation and to live harmoniously as members of one universal family.

This goal is achieved by maintaining our natural condition of a body of optimum health and strength, senses under total control, a mind well-disciplined, clear and calm, an intellect as sharp as a razor, a will as strong and pliable as steel, a heart full of unconditional love and compassion, an ego as pure as a crystal, and a life filled with Supreme Peace and Joy.

Attain this through asanas, pranayama, chanting of Holy Names, self-discipline, selfless action, mantra japa, meditation, study and reflection.

Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti. Ever yours in Yoga,

Integral Yoga® Teachers Association

The Integral Yoga Teachers Association is a membership association open to all Integral Yoga teachers. Its mission is to provide mutual support and spiritual fellowship, to share information, to provide inspiration, and to conduct ongoing training and guidance.

Director: Gopal WatkinsNewsletter Editor: Bharata WinghamGraphic Design: Anand Shiva HervéPhotos: Madhavan Aubert ArchivesCopy Editors: Lilavati Eberle, Jeff Curry, Brahmi Milliman Swami SharadanandaMembership Coordinator: Brahmi Milliman

Integral Yoga Teachers AssociationSatchidananda Ashram–Yogaville108 Yogaville Way, Buckingham, VA 23921 USATel: 434.969.3121, ext. 177 Fax: 434.969.1303E-mail (Newsletter): [email protected] (Membership): [email protected] (Director): [email protected] Website: www.iyta.org

Letter From The EditorA book is a mood. I am saying that poetically. When I travel I may take ten or fifteen books with me knowing that I am likely to fall into a particular mood that only a particular book will satisfy.

On a recent trip to see my mother in Richmond, VA I fell under the sway of a book by Ken Wilber called, The Marriage of Sense and Soul. Looking back from a post-modern perspective, he discusses the effects that modernity has had on us, both the negative and positive. What he refers to as the “dignity” and “disaster” of modernity. If you would like to know how he treats a two-edged modernity, I would suggest you read it. I gained a lot from it.

What I think is relevant to our Newsletter is that the scientific world (Sense) is beginning to take notice of a lot of the ideas that, Yoga (Soul) in general and Sri Swami Satchidananda in particular, have brought to the West. And the idea that there may be a happy marriage awaiting them in the future after all.

A couple of examples are in the hospital where I visited my mother recently, there sat a sign in the hallway announcing an organization called Breathworks, and its dot org website helping with diseases of the lungs. Also, a hospital monitoring system uses a visual vibration frequency machine that indicates the ups and downs rhythms of the heartbeat.

In this issue you can witness a “marriage of sense and soul” in the article on diabetes by Jaya Johnson; a “dis-ease” which has run in my family.

Jonathan and Annie Goldman discuss that, “Everything that vibrates has its own resonant frequency… [there is] An experiment that is frequently used to demonstrate resonance in science classes is to hit a tuning fork and watch as the sound wave travels to another tuning fork of the same frequency, setting it in motion.” They go on to explain that “sound healing” uses this principle which can put our body back into harmony with its natural resonance. This is another example of the marriage of sense and soul, the outer and inner correspondence–a vibration which shares a common ground with music, health and physics.

Closer to Yogaville, Brahmi Milliman invited a past Living Yoga Training participant to share some of her experiences of serving and learning here. Swami Suddhananda shares her experience of living with an affirmation of surrender given to her by Sri Gurudev, “God is taking complete care of me.”

And Satya Greenstone contributes some theory and practices of Therapeutic Yoga with gentle asanas, using appropriate props to “…literally hold and maintain the position of the body as one releases mental and physical tension.”

We hope you enjoy these writers and the other contributors who have generously given of their time and writing talents to help us utilize the magnificent gifts that Yoga has brought to us in the West.

Om Shanti, Bharata

IYTA Newsletter August 2012

The IYTA Columnby Brahmi Milliman

It’s summertime and the living is easy here at the ashram. I have been barefoot for several months now and have two gentle bee-stings to show for it. Our local biting creatures are plentiful as is the farm produce. The red kale is particularly delicious right now.

For this column I am featuring the Living Yoga Training Program or (LYT program) at Yogaville, as seen through the eyes of Renee Hudgins, a regular visitor and proud mother of one of our ashram kitchen interns. “The LYT (Living Yoga Training) program at Yogaville is a wonderful opportunity to learn about life at an ashram. I decided to take the plunge and invited my husband to join me. He declined, but my 23 year old son, John, accepted the offer and off we went. It was a unique and marvelous experience. As I disconnected from the outside world and merged into the ashram’s way of life, I found myself very connected to the intimate community that is Yogaville. The LYT program schedule requirements were busy, but not taxing and there was plenty of time for contemplation and relaxation. Scripture classes offered me a chance to delve deeper into different beliefs and to interact with very knowledgeable and deeply spiritual members of Yogaville. Providing service to the

community, which is a big part of the program, made me feel like a productive member of Yogaville. “

“The month passed quickly and it was time to go. My son stayed at Yogaville when I returned home. He continued with the LYT program for the entire 3 months and then continued as an “Ashram Yogi.” He is now in the kitchen internship, enjoying learning about and preparing healthy vegetarian fare. “

I returned a few months later with my husband, John (he had become curious about what interested us) where we both served in the LYT program. John enjoyed the camaraderie of the LYT participants and was especially fond of Satsang, the Saturday evening program. He also enjoyed the beautiful countryside where Yogaville is located and the uniqueness of his experience. For me, it was another great month of service, meditation, hatha and a delightful sense of community.”

If you are a member of the IYTA you receive a substantial discount on long-term stays at the ashram as a LYT, Kitchen Intern, Farm Intern, or as General Support Staff. For more information about IYTA benefits go to www.iyta.org.

For more information on the LYT program visit www.yogaville.org/programs/living-yoga-training/


sown in you long ago. You have them always. Know that. Know that you are that pure, supreme, blissful Self. The Bible calls you the image of God. The Hindu scriptures call you Atman. Buddhism calls you the Buddha. Constantly dwell on this. Don’t give room for all these superficial, temporary, momentary depressions.

Things will come and go. Nothing is permanent in this world, but you—the Self behind the body and mind—are permanent. That True Self is immortal. Put the emphasis on that real you.

When you play soccer, you kick the ball around; the ball is tossed. It goes through all the changes, but you are playing. You enjoy the movements of the ball; those movements make the game possible. Likewise, think of your mind as your soccer ball. Let it go up and down, let it jump; but you enjoy that jumping. Just as you normally enjoy saying, “Hey, l’m happy!” you should learn to enjoy saying, “Hey, l’m unhappy today!”

Changes are to be admired, appreciated, and enjoyed. Life without depression would be boring. Yes, it is true. Imagine if everything goes on smoothly, smoothly, smoothly, day after day. Do you think you will enjoy that life? No, not at all because there is no contrast, no change. To enjoy beautiful writing on a board, the board should be a dark color because the chalk is white. You can only enjoy the white writing because there is something dark behind it. Don’t forget that. Life without these contrasting factors would be very dull. Nature always has these two sides. lf you want to be able to

enjoy both the pleasure and pain you should not get caught in either of them. Be the witness.

When do you enjoy a play? When you sit in the audience you enjoy the hero, the heroine, the villain. ls it not so? A play without a villain or a problem is no play at all. lt is boring; the audience will walk out. Life is like that. Don’t ever look for only one side of the coin. There are always two sides, but you are the user of the coin. You are neither the tail nor the head; you simply use it. You can use your pain and use your pleasure but stay mentally aloof. No matter what happens you are just a witness. You see it happening; you know it is happening. You are the knower. “l know l was happy.” “l know l am unhappy and l know l will be happy again.” “Today l know l am sick, but l know l will be all right tomorrow.” The common phrase is “l know.”

We really do know. We are the knowers; we are the seers. Affirm that truth always. Apply this when you are in a depressed state. Don’t just sit and dwell on your depression. Jump up, shake it off and say, “Hey! l am a lion, not a mouse! These troubles are all just temporary. l have come across things like this before. lt will go away.” You can heal yourself of all mental difficulties this way. Your mind is a fantastic machine. There is a beautiful part of the mind — the powerful part of the mind which can always get you out of any problems. Use that part — the brilliant part, the bright part. Don’t succumb to the other side of the mind. When you are always using that bright part of the mind, you experience Sahaja Yoga or Sahaja Samadhi. Sahaja means natural. Naturally you are in samadhi. Naturally you are tranquil, you are balanced. Even in the midst of a lot of activity you are balanced. You can do that even now. Try it!

You Are Great

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What is Concentration?

“Desa-bandhas-chittasya dharana”: Concentration is fixing the mind on an external object or an internal point. Once a Sanskrit scholar approached Kabir and asked him, “O Kabir, what are you doing now‘?” Kabir replied, “O Pandit, I am detaching the mind from worldly objects and attaching it to the Lotus Feet of the Lord.” This is concentration. Right conduct, posture, pranayama and abstraction from sensual objects will pave a long way in achieving rapid success in concentration. Concentration is the sixth step in the Yogic Ladder. There can be no concentration without something upon which the mind may rest. A definite purpose, interest, attention will bring success in concentration. The senses draw you out and perturb your peace of mind. If your mind is restless, you cannot make any progress. When the rays of the mind are collected by practice, the mind becomes concentrated and you get Ananda from within. Silence the bubbling thoughts and calm the emotions.

You should have patience, adamantine will and untiring persistence. You must be very regular in your practices. Otherwise laziness and adverse forces will take you away from the Lakshya. A well-trained mind can be fixed at will upon any object either inside or outside to the exclusion of all other thoughts. Everybody possesses some ability to concentrate on some lines. But for spiritual progress concentration should be developed to a very high degree. A man with an appreciable degree of concentration has more earning capacity and turns out more work in a shorter time. In concentration there should be no strain on the brain. You should not fight or wrestle with the mind.

A man whose mind is filled with passion and all sorts of fantastic desires can hardly concentrate on any object even for a second. Celibacy, pranayama, reduction of wants and activities, renunciation of sensual objects, solitude, silence, discipline of the senses, annihilation of lust, greed, anger, non-mixing with undesirable persons, giving up of newspaper reading and visiting cinemas, all increase the power of concentration.

Concentration is the only way to get rid of worldly miseries and tribulations. The practitioner will have very good health and a cheerful mental vision. He can get the penetrative insight. He can do any work with greater efficiency. Concentration purifies and calms the surging emotions, strengthens the current of thought and clarifies the ideas. Purify the mind through Yama and Niyama. Concentration without purity is of no use. Japa of any Mantra and pranayama will steady the mind, remove Vikshepa and increase the power of concentration. Concentration can be done only if you are free from all distractions. Concentrate on anything that appeals to you as good or anything which the mind likes best. The mind should be trained to concentrate on gross

THEORY OF CONCENTRATIONBy Sri Swami Sivananda

objects in the beginning, and later on you can successfully concentrate on subtle objects and abstract ideas. Regularity in the practice is of paramount importance.

Gross forms: Concentrate on a black dot on the wall, a candle-flame, a bright star, the moon, the picture of OM (AUM), Lord Siva, Rama, Krishna, Devi or your Ishta Devata in front of you with open eyes.

Subtle forms: Sit before the picture of your Ishta Devata and close your eyes. Keep a mental picture of your Ishta Devata at the space between the two eyebrows or in the heart. Concentrate on muladhara, anahata, ajna or any other internal chakra. Concentrate on the Divine qualities such as love, mercy, or any other abstract idea.



Bhagavad Gita StudyCommentary by Swami Asokananda

Chapter 2/Verse 8: “Arjuna said: I don’t think anything can extinguish this fire of grief raging within me—even if I were to become the prosperous and unrivaled ruler of the earth and even over the heavens.“

Through our application of the teachings of Yoga, we are all probably making some progress in not getting as upset about things as we used to. As we get more strong and steady, we are more ready to face the difficult karmas that have yet to come. We know that purification is needed to remove the veil that is covering our eyes, and we have more trust that we will be given the resources to pass through the challenges we must undergo.

But occasionally in our lives we find ourselves in a situation like Arjuna where the time has come to face a special karma—one that truly brings us to our knees. We start to shake in our boots, doubt replaces trust, and rather than feeling we are being purified, we may feel that we are being crushed.

Practices like pratipaksha bhavana--cultivating the opposite positive thought--might help. But there are some situations where it just seems that the mind that got itself into this mess will not be able to think its way out of it.

Have you ever been in this place? How have you dealt with it? It can help to find someone we can open our hearts to who can listen with a quiet, empathic mind. In this verse, we find Arjuna pouring out his distress to Sri Krishna—his innermost Self and the Heart of the Universe.

Through this burning “fire of grief,” Arjuna is starting to get a sense of vairagya—the understanding that nothing in this world or the next will bring enduring fulfillment. He says here that if he was the unrivaled ruler of this world, and if there is a higher world, he was also the ruler there, it still would

not alleviate the pain he is experiencing. This type of internal grief cannot be assuaged by the external situation.

Both the Yoga Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita speak of the need for both abhasya—practice—and vairagya. Vairagya without abhyasa can lead to the sense of emptiness and purposelessness that Arjuna is feeling. Abhasya is needed to give him something to hold onto. Abhasya without vairagya is like rowing a boat without untying the rope holding it to the dock. You can end up working really hard but not getting very far.

Krishna is about to help Arjuna out of his despair. Through a combination of discovering a higher goal and letting go of habits and thought patterns that block his way, Arjuna will begin to steady his mind and regain his enthusiasm for the spiritual life. Thank God we also have this scripture, as well as Sri Gurudev’s beautiful teachings, available to us to guide our way Home.

Swami Asokananda, a monk since 1973, is one of Integral Yoga® ’s foremost teachers, known for his warmth, intelligence and good humor. His teaching comes out of his own practice and experience, having absorbed the wisdom of his Guru, Sri Swami Satchidananda, since the age of nineteen.

While he enjoys sharing the practical wisdom of the yogic philosophy (especially the Bhagavad Gita), he also loves his practice of Hatha Yoga and is one of our primary instructors for Intermediate and Advanced Hatha Yoga Teacher Training. In the past, he has served as the President of Satchidananda Ashram–Yogaville® and Integral Yoga International, and he is now the President of the New York Integral Yoga Institute.

Join Swami Asokanandaji for the “Yoga of Communication,” workshop at Yogaville, September 7–9, 2012. Register at: www.yogaville.org

1. An Increased tendency to let things happen rather than make them happen.

2. Frequent attacks of smiling.

3. Feelings of being connected with others and nature.

4. Frequent overwhelming episodes of appreciation.

5. A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than from fears based on past experience.

6. An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment.

Twelve Symptoms of Spiritual AwakeningAuthor Unknown

7. A loss of ability to worry.

8. A loss of interest in conflict.

9. A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others.

10. A loss of interest in judging others.

11. A loss of interest in judging self.

12. Gaining the ability to love without expecting anything.


When the Going Gets Tough: Yoga for Difficult Timesby Swami Ramananda

doable but committed effort. Practicing this way develops will-power, a baseline of calmness, an ability to observe our own thoughts and feelings without being swept away by them, and the power of choice. By choice, I mean our ability to consciously choose how to respond to a situation, instead of falling into an old and unhealthy pattern.

This ability is invaluable—we can be present to both what is happening around us, and to the feelings arising within us, and make wise decisions that cause no harm to ourselves or to others. Imagine for example, when being criticized unfairly, having the poise to choose not to be defensive or take it personally. Instead, we may be able to observe that the person saying hurtful things is upset or suffering in some way.

Another benefit of a regular practice is that we can use the same methods that we use when meditating, during a stressful event, to promote physical and mental balance. Slow steady breathing and/or the inner repetition of a mantra can be effective allies when fear or anger rise up and threaten to take over.

Here are three other strategies that are excellent approaches to difficulty, each correlating to a different aspect of our being. The first strategy is to act with compassion, both toward ourselves and toward others. When we are struggling, we may be tempted to become defensive, circling our wagons in order to protect ourselves. But to withdraw in defense builds armor around our hearts and prevents us from being fully engaged with life. Sri Gurudev beautifully encapsulated this idea when speaking about the root cause of disease, by pointing out the “I” in Illness and the “We” in Wellness.

It can be a very simple but powerful guideline to ask ourselves, in a time of crisis, “How can I act with compassion towards the others involved, while at the same time maintaining my own well-being?” If we “lose it,” we won’t be of help to anyone. If we can take care of ourselves, with the intention of sustaining our ability to serve others, then we have already brought a more peaceful presence into any situation.

If we can maintain a little equanimity, we can make use of a second approach--analyze the situation. We can do this in a number of ways. We can make note of where we have no control, like tasks we are assigned at work or what another person thinks about us, and where we do. It is often the case that the only place over which we do have control is in how we respond, and we can focus our attention there versus obsessing about what we wish would not have occurred.

We can also analyze whatever strong feelings arise in a time of difficulty, like frustration, anger or anxiety. Sri Gurudev often pointed out that the root cause of our distress is fear, either over not getting something we want, or of getting what we don’t want. If we can see clearly that we are suffering from

We live in an age characterized by an increasing sense of insecurity. The specter of a fragile economy looms over us, and our workaholic culture is rampant with greed, deception, and “image is everything” messages. The different forms of pressure we encounter in our daily lives are generally manageable when they are low in intensity and don’t arrive all at once. But it’s not unusual to have a few challenges manifest at the same time and compound one another. When we are anxious or stressed, we often make poor choices that only make things worse.

When we have a “bad day” at work for example, and we come home to a tense interaction in a relationship, we may find ourselves eating foods that we normally are mindful to avoid, while parked in front of the TV. Unhealthy food selections may be comforting for the mind, but ultimately decrease our energy levels, and can undermine our sleep and our sadhana, leading to more unhealthy choices.

If, on top of these normal challenges, we experience the loss of a parent or break up with a long time partner and have to move, our decision making can lead us unconsciously into a downward spiral for weeks at a time. Emotional upset, combined with harmful choices that affect our physical well-being, can make us more susceptible to disease, lose our will power and look for happiness in the old places that bring temporary pleasure but deplete us as well. Hafiz says it well in this stanza of the poem, Cast All Your Votes for Dancing:

Learn to recognize the counterfeit coinsThat may buy you just a moment of pleasure,

But then drag you for daysLike a broken man

Behind a farting camel.

The teachings of Yoga offer us practical ways to both cope with stressful stretches of life, and to maintain our momentum towards the ultimate resolution of all our suffering, the experience of the unchanging joy within. The first step in this direction is the cultivation of equanimity through some regular meditative practice. Before we can expect to have the clarity and presence of mind to respond in a mindful way to a challenging situation, or a string of them, we must build in ourselves a strong, balanced foundation.

A tree grows slowly with very little change in appearance even over the course of a year. But what we cannot see is the growth of the root system that gives the tree its ability to withstand strong winds. In the same way, a regular practice of calming and focusing the mind in some way, develops a steadiness deep within us. Even if we don’t feel especially focused, we are getting the benefits—even recent scientific studies verify that.

Like any new habit that we want to sustain, a meditative practice is best developed gradually by starting with a very


our own expectation of some desired outcome, we become empowered to change the situation by simply letting it go, and accepting things as they are.

We may be more successful at letting go of something we are holding onto if we replace it with something else. So if we can step back and see the thoughts that are disturbing our minds, we can consciously adopt healthier thoughts that won’t cause us any harm. Many of us have experienced losing someone we love and most of us probably reacted with sadness and/or depression. Deep down, there may well be a fear that we will not be happy without that relationship intact.

Sri Gurudev taught us that, even as we grieve, we may benefit from thinking of those who have departed as having graduated from this school and moving on to the next grade up. We can picture them free and at peace as they continue their education journey. We can also experience healing in our hearts when we send our loving thoughts and prayers to them, rather than dwelling on ourselves.

The third strategy I wanted to share can be used along with the others or if nothing else seems to help. It is simply to surrender. This can take many forms, but they all involve an acknowledgement of the truth of our suffering, and a humble admission that we need help. Using whatever form or concept we have for a Higher Power or Divine Presence, we can pour out our hearts and open ourselves to the Grace that is no doubt there for us if we are receptive.

We can find relief in remembering that our lives and the events around us are always unfolding according to some Divine Plan that is often beyond our ability to understand. Especially if we have developed a faith that all that comes to us is ultimately for good, we can pray for the support to accept even that which makes us suffer. Humbling ourselves this way helps us escape the false sense of control that our ego likes to sustain, and opens us to learning in new ways. Humility can also make it easier for us to simply ask others for help.

Opening our hearts this way to others and/or to God, relieves the unconscious sense of separation that may be a root cause of our unhappiness, compelling us to search for fulfillment in myriad ways. In a sense, all the difficulties we face are teaching us to let go of the things that we believe we need to be happy, and guide us to find the unchanging source of peace within. If we can see this principle at play in our lives, challenges become easier to accept, knowing as Rumi puts it, that “…. each has been sent as a guide from beyond.”

The Guest House

This being human is a guest house.

Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,

some momentary awareness comes

as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!

Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows,

who violently sweep your house

empty of its furniture,

still, treat each guest honorably.

He may be clearing you out

for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,

meet them at the door laughing,

and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes,

because each has been sent

as a guide from beyond.

— Rumi

Swami Ramananda is the Executive Director of the San Francisco Integral Yoga® Institute and has been teaching Yoga for more than twenty-five years. He conducts Teacher Training Programs for Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced Hatha Yoga and Stress Management. Swami Ramananda

teaches and lectures internationally and at Yoga Journal and Omega Institute national conferences.


I surrender if I know one of two things:1) I am not in charge of what happens2) God is doing a better job than I could do

I am cooking dinner for friends. I am opening a can of tomato sauce. The grip on the can is lost. I catch it before it hits the floor (the benefit of meditation) but not before tomato sauce is spilled all over me, my socks, and across the kitchen floor to the far wall. This was not in my plans for making dinner! I begin to giggle, then laugh, then laugh so hard my belly hurts and tears are running down my face. What a sight! God is playing with me. How do I get the tomato soaked clothes into the wash without making pink tracks across the wall-to-wall white carpet? I take them off in the kitchen, wash them in the sink and carry them to the laundry, careful not to disturb the (still soaked in tomato sauce) floor. The clothes are taken care of, floor is cleaned and back to cooking, all with a good laugh, because I have surrendered my plan, surrendered myself, to being fully present to the events of the moment.

In the past, I had a personality that tended to get attached to my job, my service, my responsibilities. I had an idea of how things should turn out and a fairly fixed idea of my role in the situation. A lot of suffering arose from these ideas because, of course, things did not often turn out the way I envisioned them, and I could not fulfill my role the way I thought it should be done. After many such experiences, it dawned upon me that, quite possibly, God’s plan is better than mine. This sounds funny, I know, but it was a deep surrendering. I began to notice that things do work out in the Grace and Mercy of the Divine. Trusting that this is the Truth allows me to experience that energy of Grace and Mercy, no matter what the circumstances are.

This was shown to me yesterday [once.] The body was in pain—not unusual for me; it happens. I said, “Okay Gurudev, I know you are helping me through allowing me to have this experience.” (Feel free to insert your own name of the Divine, of course, if you want to adopt this form.) I deeply believed

in the Truth of what I was saying. A sense of Peace, Grace and Mercy enveloped me. The physical pain didn’t change. My experience of it did. “But Suddhananda,” I hear you say, “there are terrible things we go through in life: sustained abuse, terror, fear, loss of a child or loved one. What about that? Do we trust God then? What do we do then?” I say, with eyes open to terrible suffering, this is when we need deep faith the most. This is when we need to reach out to the Divine the most, and if we can’t do that (if the mind is in shock, the heart too angry, or too afraid) then it is the time to say, “God, I am on my knees. I can’t feel you. I don’t even want to talk to you.” And, eventually, “You have to help me.” Then (this is the tough part for some of us) we have to allow and accept the help that comes.

How do we develop Faith? I love Gurudev’s teaching about this. We develop Faith by noticing all of the gifts that we have been given in life (in my case, I wrote a list). Additionally, Gurudev recommended that we repeat, for one week, the following statement: “God is taking complete care of me.” Notice your experience in that week.

Let us realize and know in our deepest heart that God, Gurudev, the Divine, loves us and is taking care of us every moment—much better than we can do ourselves. May we surrender into Divine Grace, Mercy and Love, and be in Peace.

Surrender, Faith and Experienceby Swami Suddhananda

Swami Suddhananda currently serves as a personal and group consultant for the Yogaville and the larger Buckingham communities. With an MA in Clinical Psychology and also having had to face the challenges related to life-long cerebral palsy, her gentle, compassionate approach

is coupled with a strong faith in our innate emotional health and the tender mercy of the Divine. Swami Suddhananda is available through e-mail for consultation. Her email address is [email protected] A donation to Yogaville, in exchange for this service, is appreciated.


Restorative Yoga Satya Greenstone

Samatvam yoga ucyate Equanimity is Yoga.

—Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 2 Sloka 48

The Bhagavad Gita defines Yoga as a condition of perfect balance. Restorative Yoga practices enable one to return to this natural state of balance physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Restorative Yoga is the practice of placing the body into a specific Yoga asana using the support of props such as: bolsters, pillows, blocks, blankets, or chairs. These gentle asanas literally hold and maintain the position of the body as one releases mental and physical tension. In this supported state, the asana can be held for a significantly longer period of time which facilitates a state of deeper relaxation. This extended duration allows the innate intelligence of the body to reintegrate the system to its natural state of balance and peace as the tension dissolves and melts away.

Oftentimes people think that Restorative Yoga is only for the elderly, infirmed or injured student. However, Restorative poses can benefit all Yoga practitioners regardless of one’s level of asana practice. Sri Gurudev, Swami Satchidananda, suggests that as one advances in asana practice, one should perform fewer poses, holding each pose for a longer time, and subsequently give more time for pranayama and meditation.

Swami Venkatesananda, of The Divine Life Society and brother monk to Sri Gurudev, elaborates this point in his book Yoga: “A posture is for being held: a posture repeated becomes more of a movement. This is unavoidable in the beginning; but the central principle should not be forgotten. When the posture is held, the yogi feels that certain parts of the body are squeezed, tensed and relaxed. The posture is obviously not the way the body is normally; hence sectors of the body which did not receive attention in one’s normal life, do so now. This attention (which is different from tension) draws the mysterious life force or prana to these sectors of the body. Such attention is effective only if the posture is held for a few minutes at least; if there is constant movement, the attention is disturbed and the benefit is lost.”

Accordingly, a comfortable Restorative pose is the perfect opportunity to hold a pose for a longer time without strain. An asana, when performed with a meditative attitude, brings about tranquility of the mind by reducing stress and anxiety. Without the interference of the mind, (i.e. the stress, anxiety and worries of day to day life), the functioning of the vital organs, endocrine glands, circulatory, nervous and other systems return to their naturally efficient condition of balance. This reversal of the stress reaction leads to the overall well-being of the body. The body wants to do its job and heal itself. Frequently the mind interferes. A meditative Hatha Yoga practice can remove this interference of the mind.

The Restorative practice creates a healing environment. While holding a pose for 10-15 minutes, tension is released, blockages are removed, and the prana flows freely, energizing the entire system. One comes out of the pose refreshed and rejuvenated both physically and mentally.

“An ounce of practice is worth a ton of theory”—Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj

Getting Started: Try it for yourself.

Initially, some people might be resistant to trying Restorative Yoga because of the props. They may find the props cumbersome and bothersome. Trying to adjust one’s own body into a pose that is unfamiliar, moving pillows and bolsters here and there can sometimes be frustrating.

The best way to fully experience the effects and benefits of a Restorative Yoga practice is to take a full (hour and a half to 2 hour) Restorative Yoga class from a competent, gentle and loving teacher. Go to a Yoga center or studio where all the necessary props are provided and set up for the practice. The teacher should guide, instruct and adjust each student with ease and efficiency, providing a secure environment and the support which allows for one to go deep and experience the practice as a meditation. The props should be a comfort, eventually disappearing into the background.

If such a class is not available to you, the next best thing would be to have the necessary props at home and practice with a Restorative Yoga DVD such as Yoga for Relaxation with Patricia Walden. This way you can follow the instructions and demonstration for using the props, set yourself up, and then let go into the asana, as the sequencing and timing of each pose is guided by the DVD.

After experiencing a complete and balanced Restorative practice several times, you may be attracted to one or two poses that really feel wonderful for your body. Make these poses your own. Incorporate them into your daily life and practice. Try your favorite restorative pose when you are finished with your work day, a major project, or physical workout. Take time to transition from one activity to the next.


For example, a part of my daily practice is taking a long walk around Yogaville. After every walk, I come home and immediately go into Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose for at least 10 minutes. It is both relaxing and refreshing. It relieves any heat or swelling that has built up in the feet, ankles and legs.

Gradually, as you try the poses yourself, you will feel more comfortable with the set-up, manipulation and adjustment of props. You may find opportunities to share poses with your students, friends, family and loved ones. You might find yourself using Restorative poses more in your teaching and even offering a full Restorative practice for your students. The Restorative Yoga poses may be suggested as an alternative to regular asanas when one is low in energy, during times of stress (either mental or physical), as well as during a time of physical illness, healing or crisis.

“Take it easy, but don’t be lazy.”—Sri Swami Satchidananda

Supported Savasana: Savasana is a very important pose in Integral Yoga Hatha. We use savasana for the extended guided relaxation or Yoga Nidra at the finish of every asana practice. This is the gem in each Integral Yoga class. For some students Savasana may not be a comfortable pose because of strain in the lower back or other area, when lying on the back for 15 minutes. The simple use of props can make a big difference in the level of comfort and the depth of release the student experiences in the pose.

Savasana Variation with spinal pad and bolster

Basic Set Up: Fold a blanket into thirds and arrange it vertically on the mat. This will serve as a support for the entire spine. Sit with the legs over a bolster and the base of the spine at one end of the spinal pad. Gently lie back with spine supported by the folded blanket. Adjust a folded blanket or pillow under the head and/or neck. Let the arms lie comfortably out to the sides with palms face up. The arms and hands may also be supported with folded blankets, especially if there is any discomfort in the shoulder area. Relax in Supported Savasana for 10 - 15 minutes.

“Let go and let God. Complete Surrender means to give up totally and depend entirely on God.”

—Swami Satchidananda

I like to think of Restorative Yoga as a combination of two limbs of Yoga practice: Asana and Ishwara Pranidhanam.

Sthira Sukham Asanam.“Asana is a steady, comfortable posture.”

Patanjali Yoga Sutras: Book 2 Sutra 46

Samadhi Siddhir Isvarapranidhanat.“By total surrender to God, Samadhi is attained.”

Patanjali Yoga Sutras: Book 2 Sutra 45

First, put the body in an asana. Next, stop doing! Let go of all expectation. Surrender to the Divine. While relaxing into the supported asana, one can observe the mind and begin to let go of the thoughts. Total surrender means letting go, releasing, giving up the effort to control. How to let go? Relax the grip.

“Your only responsibility is to surrender yourself into God’s hands and allow Him/Her to do everything.

Literally speaking, none of us is doing anything here. There’s only one doer: the Cosmic Intelligence

that does everything and works through everybody. If we can understand this…..we will always be in bliss.”

—Swami Satchidananda

The Restorative Teacher Training Program at Yogaville offers you 10 days in the peace of Satchidananda Ashram to practice and experience the deep meditative and healing benefits of Restorative poses. You will practice with your fellow classmates: adjusting props and getting used to putting various different body types into the poses. Additionally, you have the great opportunity to be the student yourself. Let another Yoga teacher pamper you and adjust every detail of your comfort in the poses. Experience the Bliss!

Some of the topics covered in the Restorative T. T. include:· How to use props: what props to use & when to use them· Balanced sequences of supported poses· Poses for general relaxation and rejuvenation· Poses for special needs· How to incorporate restorative poses into a regular Hatha

Yoga class or practice· Yoga Nidra: supported relaxation poses· Supported poses to enhance breathing· Other healing aspects of Yoga practice


What Yoga teachers who previously participated in Restorative T. T. have to say about their experience

“There are many Restorative poses and so many variations possible. In creating Restorative classes, one really needs the time to explore and practice. There is a bit of an art and perhaps even a bit (or a lot) of intuition needed here as well. The teacher needs to sense whether a student is fully relaxing or whether they need props adjusted to help them become completely comfortable, as opposed to merely comfortable. Since the poses are held longer it is crucial to help students settle into the most comfortable position possible, in order to experience the most profound peace. This is a very important component in the training. Teacher-trainers need the practical, personal experience before taking it to their studios.”—IY Teacher, MD.

“The Restorative T. T. seemed to bring out the mothering energy in everyone. As adults, we aren’t often supported, held or touched with gentleness and love. With Restorative Yoga we can allow ourselves permission to give and receive in this way. The results are magical.

I have used some of the poses with friends and family and as variations in my regular classes. I get the same response every time...amazement at how good it feels.”—IY Teacher, PA.

“Restorative Yoga has become a part of my personal practice and my husband’s also. My husband was experiencing heart palpitations at a rate of several per hour, all day long. I read about a study being done in Nebraska about the effect of Yoga on arrhythmia and thought we (my husband and I) could give it a try. We have committed to twice a week sessions (aiming for thrice) and he now only has several events per week.

For me, I find Restorative Yoga helps me gain perspective on the day. It is like a peaceful long walk. I use it in my classes as a “special treat” and it’s always a hit. Students tell me they feel so relaxed. I believe it’s a format to give permission to a person to “simply be” with no expectations.”—Yoga teacher, NC.

“Last fall I had the opportunity to share Restorative with my uncle who is a physician. From the beginning he was curious as he is in his late 70’s, a cancer survivor, has limited energy and wanted to know what Yoga had to offer with his limited range of motion. From the first pose he looked like he was at home, a look of satisfaction. For the next hour or so, he could not have looked more peaceful, comfortable and in a state of complete bliss. Assisting him through the transitions of poses, small adjustments and blanket tucks allowed me to give back to a family member I have always felt somewhat separated from. Looking back on this experience, I am not sure who benefited more. I am sure that this bonding experience provided an opportunity that no amount of words could ever equal.” —IY teacher, NH.

“I took the Restorative Yoga Teacher training because I live in a retirement community and knew I would be able to help my friends and students who have limited mobility or injuries. What I found beyond that was that there’s an entire

population who are not necessarily old but are just worn out with stress and worry.

I had the privilege of working with a friend’s mother who was undergoing chemo and radiation for lung cancer. She was on oxygen and hyperventilating as well as in terrible pain in her clenched hands. She left the oxygen behind for the session and I placed her in supported bound angle and encouraged relaxation and soft, smooth breathing. I breathed with her as she sank into the support of the props. I said some prayers. I then placed her in a gentle twist and then a final relaxation pose.

At the end of the session, she felt so happy, relaxed and amazingly, free of pain (!) which lasted for another two days before returning.

I’ve since worked with a student with Multiple Sclerosis who, prior to the session, was very anxious, and was able to surrender to the love and caring that this practice offers. She felt calm and peaceful and renewed after the session.

Restorative Yoga is simply a gift of loving kindness. I’m grateful to Satya and Sadasiva for painstakingly and so thoroughly planning this brilliant training. Everyone can benefit from even one session. It’s an invaluable tool and practice.”—IY Teacher, FL.

Recommended Books on Restorative Yoga:

Relax and Renew by Judith LasaterTherapeutic Yoga Kit by Cheri Clampett & Biff Mithoefer

The Integral Yoga Teaching Academy is offering the Restorative Yoga Teacher Training Certification Course at two different times.The upcoming course is on October 12 -21, 2012 and June 7 - 16, 2013. (See course catalogue or website for more details.)

Satya Greenstone has been a student of Sri Swami Satchidananda for over 40 years, sharing the teachings of Integral Yoga in many diverse settings with students of all ages and backgrounds. Since 1999 she has been a primary teacher for the Basic Yoga Teacher Training program. While serving as Teacher Training Coordinator, she helped to develop and teach the Gentle Yoga TT program. Satya has been practicing and teaching Restorative Yoga for many years, gently adapting the Yoga practices to any individual needs and always finding a way to encourage and inspire.

For more information or questions please contact: [email protected]


Chakara Frequencies By Jonathan and Andi Goldman

In the beginning: The Power Sound

Sound is the unifying aspect of Tantra, the web that connects all existence. Sound is the source of all being; vibration is the basis of all our reality. If you examine the basic tenets of the various religions and mystical paths on this planet, they all have awareness that sound is the principal creative force in the universe. This knowledge and understanding seem to be prevalent in most of the ancient spiritual teachings and centers throughout the world including Rome, Athens, Egypt, Tibet, and many other Mystery schools. To the Tibetan Buddhist, for example, the world is not only created through sound, it is constantly being re-created every moment of every day through the combination of thoughts and sounds. With this understanding comes awareness of the power of sound to heal and transform.

In the New Testament, it is written: “In the Beginning was the Word and the Word was God.” The Hindu holy books, the Vedas, state: “In the beginning was Brahman with whom was the Word and the Word was Brahman.” From Genesis in the Old Testament, we are told Sound is the first creative act of God, preceding the manifestation of Light; it is the act of speaking that creates the energy of Light. “And the Lord said ‘Let there be Light!’ and there was Light!”

The Hopi legends tell the story of the Spider Woman who sang the song of creation over all the inanimate forms on the planet and brought them to life. From the Mayan holy book, Popol Vuh, the first men and women were created solely through the power of sound. In ancient Egypt, the god Thoth would think of an object, speak its name, and bring it into being. In the Hebrew mystical path of Kabbalah, an object and its true name are identical. In the East, gods and goddesses blow conch shells or hit giant gongs, bringing the universe into creation. Stories, legends, and myths about sound as the basic creative force are found in all the countries and cultures of this planet.

Pythagoras and Sound

Many are aware that Pythagoras, the Greek mathematician from the sixth century B.C., is acknowledged as the father of geometry. However, few know that he had a school that taught not only the mystery of numbers, but also the use of sound to affect and heal the body, mind, and spirit. The first level of initiates learned the secrets of acoustical proportions. Pythagoras believed that the “Music of the Spheres,” the sounds of the heavenly bodies as they moved through space, could be realized and was reflected in the sounds of vibrating strings. The second level of students learned further secrets of mathematics and numbers while they went through a stage of purification to receive this information. The third level of initiates was given direct knowledge of the transmuting and healing energies of sound and music.

Throughout history, we have had great philosophers and scientists who have acknowledged the power of sound to heal and transform. Music was not an art form, but a way of using energy and power to be respected and studied as a sacred science. The principles of vibration, which are at the core of these ancient beliefs, are still as relevant and true today as they were thousands of years ago. Unfortunately, today, much of this ancient knowledge has been forgotten.

Gratefully, we are on the cutting edge of a reemergence of the understanding about sound as a vehicle for self-transformation and healing. In April 2003, Jonathan presented at the “Science and Consciousness” conference; also presenting was Dr. Michio Kaku, one of the world’s preeminent physicists, whose talk was on the unified field theory. He began explaining that Einstein and other great scientists weren’t entirely correct. It wasn’t simply E=mc2. It was something greater than that. “Everything is music!” he declared. This statement came from a man whose widely hailed interpretation of the superstring theory postulates that there are many parallel dimensions that are interrelated through harmonically related vibrations. Dr. Kaku’s statement that “Everything is music!” echoed what Jonathan had declared in his workshop. As the ancient Hindus have told us, Nada Brahma—the world is sound!

Sound as a Wave

Sound travels as a waveform, which, just like a wave in the ocean, goes up and down. These waves of sound are measured in cycles per second (called Hertz and abbreviated as Hz). This measurement is called the frequency of a sound. Slow-moving waves make bass sounds. Fast-moving waves make treble sounds. The lowest note on a piano makes a deep bass sound and has a frequency of 27.5 Hz. The highest note on a piano makes a treble sound and has a frequency of 4,186 Hz. We hear from around 16 Hz to around 16,000 Hz. Younger people whose hearing has not deteriorated due to auditory damage or age can hear up to 18,000 Hz or higher.

Just because we can’t hear a sound doesn’t mean it is not there. Dolphins can project and receive frequencies upwards of 180,000 cycles per second. That’s more than ten times beyond our limit of hearing sound. Thus we’d like you to contemplate the idea that stems from the phrase “In the Beginning”——that everything and anything is sound. From the electrons moving around the nucleus of an atom to planets in distant galaxies moving around stars, everything is in motion. And if something is in motion, it is (conceptually, at least) putting out a vibration that may be perceived as sound, whether audible or not.

Everything that vibrates has its own resonant frequency—that is, the frequency or vibration that is most natural and harmonious to it. We’ve all seen examples of resonance. When singers are


able to shatter glass by making a sound, they’ve matched the resonance of the glass. An experiment that is frequently used to demonstrate resonance in science classes is to hit a tuning fork and watch as the sound wave travels to another tuning fork of the same frequency, setting it in motion. This is often done by mounting the tuning forks on wooden boxes to help us hear the sound. If you listen closely, you can hear the tuning fork that has not been struck putting out a sound as a result of resonance with the struck one.

Everything in the universe vibrates and everything also has its own resonant frequency. This includes the chair you may be sitting on, the pages of this book, and, of course, your own body. Every organ, bone, tissue, and every part of your body is in a state of vibration and has its own resonance. Every part of your body is putting out a sound that is contributing to creating an overall harmonic of health. Our body is like a wonderful orchestra with each section playing the proper notes for what could be called the “Suite of the Self.” This is analogous to a condition of health. In fact, when we are in a state of good health, we call this “sound” health. However, what happens when the second violin player loses his sheet music? He begins to play out of key, out of tune, out of rhythm and harmony with the rest of the orchestra. This is analogous to the condition of disease.

The basic principle of sound healing as well as any vibrational medicine is this: to restore the correct vibratory resonance to that part of the body that is vibrating out of harmony. To continue with our metaphor, it is giving back the correct sheet music to the second violin player who has lost his music, so he can again play in tune with the orchestra, that is, our human body.

This basic principle of sound healing can be applied in numerous ways to situations in our lives, whether the situation is that a portion of our body is vibrating out of harmony and manifesting disease, or a portion of our psyche is out of tune with ourselves or others and is manifesting dysfunctional relationships. Just as we can use sound to restore the sheet music to that violin player, we can use sound to heal all aspects of being.

Through the use of sound healing techniques it is possible to examine many aspects of our existence, and come to new

understandings about the way we live. We can enhance our daily lives. The simple laws of physics such as resonance that dictate how sound waves operate can also mirror aspects of our lives. Ancient mystics who created the Hermetic philosophy encoded these principles of sound and vibration with statements like, “As above, so below,” realizing that the vibrations of a simple string mirrored many universal principles.

The waveform phenomenon of sound can be observed throughout life—everything is cyclical and has pulsations just like sound. Our seasons, our days, even our breath, demonstrate periodicity—the cyclical nature of waves. The next time you’re caught in a huge traffic jam, realize that you’re at the peak of a traffic waveform, and when it seems like there’s no one else on the road, you’re at the opposite end of this wave. Waves go up and down, just like the ocean.

Awareness of the waveform phenomena of life can be helpful, particularly if you are undergoing a calamitous episode in your life. If we remember that what we’re going through is part of a wave, temporary and not permanent, this knowledge can help in stressful times.

Jonathan Goldman is an international authority on sound healing and a pioneer in the field of harmonics. Jonathan is author of Healing Sounds, The 7 Secrets of Sound Healing, Chakra Frequencies (co-authored with his wife Andi), winner of the Visionary Award for “Best Alternative Health Book” of the year, and his latest from Hay House, The

Divine Name: The Sound That Can Change the World, 2011 Visionary Award Winner for “Best Healing Book” of the year. He is director of the Sound Healers Association and president of Spirit Music, Inc. in Boulder, Colorado.

Andi Goldman, M.A., L.P.C., is a licensed psychotherapist, specializing in holistic counseling and sound therapy. She co-authored with Jonathan, Chakra Frequencies: Tantra of Sound, winner of the 2006 Visionary Award for Best Alternative Health Book of the Year. She is the Director

of the Healing Sounds® Seminars and Director of the Sound Healers Association.

—Ananda Yogi: “Do you understand that you don’t really exist?” —Pupil: “To whom are you speaking?”

When teaching Kapalabhati breathing: “If you begin to feel faint or dizzy, stop breathing and relax.”

The best vitamin to be a happy person is B1.

Q: How many yogis does it take to change a light bulb? A: Into what?

Yoga Jokes


Yoga for People with Diabetes By Robin Jaya Johnson, M. Ed., CHES, RYT

Most of us have, knowingly or unknowingly, taught someone who has diabetes in one of our classes. And Yoga has benefited those people as it benefits almost everyone. To enhance our students’ safety, and increase the benefit that yoga provides, this is the first of a two-part series about yoga and diabetes. This issue we will look at diabetes and complications that can occur when it is undiagnosed or poorly controlled. Next month, we will talk about asana, adaptations and other Yoga practices that can enrich the life of a person with diabetes.

Diabetes has several forms, as individual as the people who have it. So while this article will say some things that apply to all people with diabetes, it is not intended to speak about every individual. Anyone who suspects that they have diabetes should talk to their health care provider. Yoga teachers should ask any student with diabetes for any safety information or restrictions that may be needed.

Diabetes occurs when there is too much glucose in a person’s blood. The carbohydrates that we eat, found in grains and starchy vegetables, fruit and milk products, are digested into glucose (sugar) and move into our blood to be transported throughout our body for the cells to use for energy. This happens in everyone, but for people with diabetes, something interrupts the sugar’s ability to move into our cells for energy. Over time, the amount of sugar in the blood becomes so great that it begins to cause damage.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. In type 2 diabetes, either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin.

Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults but can occur at any age. In type 1 diabetes, the body does not produce insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to allow the body to use carbohydrate for energy.

Symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes• Frequent urination • Unusual thirst • Extreme hunger • Unusual weight loss • Extreme fatigue and irritability

Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes*• Any of the type 1 symptoms • Frequent infections • Blurred vision • Cuts/bruises that are slow to heal • Tingling/numbness in the hands/feet • Recurring skin, gum, or bladder infections * Often people with type 2 diabetes have no symptoms.

Thus, people with diabetes are always balancing their energy (food) intake with their body’s ability to use the energy. The energy use can be balanced by getting sugar into the cells

more efficiently or by lowering the amount of sugar and starch that are eaten, or both. The severity of diabetes varies from person to person. Some may be able to manage their blood glucose by diet and exercise, while others may also need to take oral medicine or insulin shots.

Keeping the blood sugar in a relatively narrow range, between 70 and 130 mg/dl before meals (1), is very important. Even short periods of high blood sugar may cause damage, and even modest elevations over time can lead to long-term complications. Low blood sugars, below 70mg/dl, are also dangerous and can occur as a result of more activity than usual, too much diabetes medicine, or not enough food intake.

The risk factors for diabetes include: • Family history of diabetes• age of 45 or more• being overweight• not exercising regularly• having had diabetes when pregnant or having a baby

over 9 pounds at birth• having low HDL cholesterol or high triglycerides or high

blood pressure• being of African, Latino, Asian American, Pacific Islander

or Native American ancestry• anyone can get diabetes

The signs and symptoms of diabetes include: • increased thirst and urination• weight loss• fatigue• blurred vision• stomach pains, general aches, loss of appetite nausea

and vomiting• sores that will not heal or get easily infected• urinary tract infections.

A person with any of these symptoms should see her health care provider to be tested and to find out the best treatment. Occasionally, what a person will have can be difficult to control, even when all the “right” steps are taken. Glucose may sometimes vary wildly and for no obvious reason. When this student takes Yoga, the teacher must watch carefully.

Millions of people with diabetes manage their disease without a lot of fuss and live long happy lives. But for those who do not know they have diabetes, or who cannot keep their blood sugar in balance, complications can occur that impact their lives and also their Yoga practice.

High blood sugar levels increase inflammation in the blood vessels, and if the blood sugar stays elevated for a long time, this damages many organs as well. Persistent high blood sugar can lead to bladder and kidney infections. Kidney damage and eventual failure can also result.

Teacher’s Notebook MARKETING HATHA YOGA CLASSES

From the Integral Yoga Teacher Manual


Damaged blood vessels in the eyes make diabetes the leading cause of acquired blindness in the United States. Nerves whose blood vessels cannot feed them become inflamed and cause neuropathy, whose symptoms range from tingling in the feet and/or hands to unrelieved pain. Blood pressure damage can also lead to hearing loss and other complications.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in people with diabetes and is prominent because of inflammation and damage to the blood vessels along with build up of fatty plaque. This can cause heart attacks or rhythm problems. For this reason, people with diabetes are advised to keep their blood pressures lower than the general population (130/80) (1) and their cholesterol levels well controlled.

So, what does this mean for yoga classes? First, it is helpful for teachers to know whether any students have diabetes, then ask them what their needs are and if there are signs to watch for. Most of these students will manage their blood sugar very well themselves. There are only two problems that occur in class because of the diabetes itself, and one is very rare.

Encourage your students to bring their blood glucose monitors to class so they may test their sugar before and after class, and if any symptoms occur. Encourage them to bring a snack or treatment for low blood sugar with them. Because Yoga will lower blood sugar, the student may need a snack before driving home.

The most common emergency is low blood sugar. It needs immediate attention so the blood sugar does not become so low that the brain cannot work. This can occur when the person with diabetes has taken their diabetes medicine, which will help lower their blood sugar, skipped a meal or not eaten enough. With the extra activity of Yoga, their

blood sugar can fall too low, resulting in weakness; dizziness, sweating; disorientation; pounding heart; blurred vision; irritability or personality change. It can come on quickly, in the course of one class.

The first job of the teacher is to recognize the problem, and then the solution is simple. If they are awake and can swallow, the person needs a quick source of sugar, such as fruit juice, glucose tablets, gel or liquids that are made just for this purpose and are available from your local pharmacy. This should be followed by a snack with some protein, such as peanut butter or cheese crackers before the student resumes the class or leaves. The blood sugar should be in the target range above 70mg/dl after treating the low episode.

I hope that this has proved helpful. So, before the next issue, think for yourselves: How would I teach Yoga to someone who has diabetes? What part or parts of asana might prove particularly beneficial? What other limbs of Yoga would also be useful for these students? Think about it and the next issue will have the concluding article.

1. American Diabetes Association: Clinical Practice Recommendations, 2011. Diabetes Care: vol 34, supplement 1, Jan 2011.Another resource, the American Diabetes Association, www.diabetes.org

Robin Bewley Johnson is a Certified Health Education Specialist who has worked at Athens Regional Medical Center for over 30 years coordinating and teaching a wide variety of health promotion courses and programs.

A special thanks to Melanie Cassity, RN, Certified Diabetes Educator, for reviewing this article for accuracy.

Sri Gurudev advises, “Feel that you are an instrument in the hands of God and then you will succeed in all you do. Dedicate every thought, word and deed and be a pure instrument in His service.” In setting up Hatha Yoga classes, let us continually bring our focus back to our commitment to serve. This perspective will create the foundation that will always bring about the highest results. It will eliminate the tendency to worry about the outcome, or about our income.

Marketing is gathering information about the needs of your prospective students, defining your service, and identifying means by which your students can come to know about the service you provide. As yogis, we want to approach marketing as an act of service. Our goal is to allow people to know about the beautiful tool of Hatha Yoga to help meet

the challenges of modern life. Our way of doing this will be gentle and humble, performed as an offering for the good of all.

We all know that everything begins in the mind. So it’s not surprising that the first step in marketing is the very important process of creative thought. This is a time when you can be completely unrestricted by the constraints of the world. Let your imagination and your desire to serve lead you in picturing exactly what you would like your Hatha teaching practice to look like. Be specific and detailed. Visualize the setting, the number of students that feels best to you, the number of classes that you would like to teach each week or month. Visualize your students getting healthy, happy, and changing the world through their peaceful vibrations. Think


of how much income you need to earn in order to serve your family and to be able to lead a life of service. Be relaxed and have fun. Dare to envision the ideal situation, the best you can imagine. Write it down and put it on your altar. Offer your vision to God and His/Her service, knowing that you are an instrument in God’s hands.

Take the time to pursue this step of the process actively. Be systematic. Schedule time realistically for this activity and don’t let other obligations intrude. Let Divine Inspiration play an active role at this stage and make a resolve that your best talents and abilities will be made available to those who want the benefits that the Yoga teachings have to offer.

After having completed this step, you must completely let go of the outcome of your efforts. Accept whatever comes as God’s will. What unfolds may look nothing like your mental imaging. Rest assured that your resolve to serve has been received and answered, and trust and enjoy what happens as a result. It will be wonderful! You will be able to engage in this process on a regular basis, to make adjustments in your vision as God’s will for your teaching practice becomes more clear. It may appear to take time, but don’t worry or doubt. Know that through your efforts God will bring results that serve everyone.

This principle can be applied to any area of endeavor or concern in your life, with unfailing benefit. Engage the Higher Self, visualize in detail your heart’s desire. Then totally let go of the outcome, with faith and trust that you are being protected and guided to the highest good, even if it’s not immediately apparent or not exactly what you had in mind.

It is interesting to note that many Fortune 500 companies have found that they are able to achieve better results when they engage in visualization and goal setting in their marketing and sales strategies. To put it in psychological terms, this activity brings the function of the right brain into the process, allowing the intuitive aspects of the self to act in conjunction with the rational, logical mind.

To set the stage for the next part of the process, here is a Sufi saying: “Keep your mind on Heaven, but tie your camel to a post.” In the context of marketing this translates into “do your homework.” In order to prepare effectively for letting people know about the availability of your Hatha Yoga classes, you need to apply some systematic steps. These steps come under the heading of marketing.

Generic Elements of a Marketing Plan:1. Describe in detail the service you offer and the benefits

of that service. (For example, think deeply of the “dis-eases” of our society, and how much Hatha Yoga can help and heal).

2. Describe how your service is unique or distinct from that of others.

3. Identify others offering a similar service, and describe any strengths and weaknesses.

4. Identify those who might be interested in the service you offer, including individuals and/or groups.

5. Describe ways to reach those individuals or groups, to make them aware of your service.

6. Identify realistic goals: a. The income you would like to earn weekly/

monthly/annually. b. The time frame for starting/expanding your classes. c. Any altruistic goals. d. Any personal growth goals.7. Identify support materials needed to achieve

your goals, such as brochures, business cards, advertisements, handouts for classes.

8. Establish a time frame for development of support materials.

9. Identify resources needed to develop support materials and advertisements, if any, and resources available.

10. Identify methods of improving your service (such as developing a questionnaire for feedback on your classes, expanding your curriculum to include more Yoga-related material, i.e., on diet, meditation, etc., taking additional training in specialized areas).

Pricing and Prices

This kind of information can vary all over the place. Two suggestions: First, years ago I got a copy of Larry Payne’s book The Business of Teaching Yoga–while pricey, it is well worth the expense. Second, talk to everybody you can in your local area (the info for California won’t do you much good). Gather every flier and info on hours, rates, etc. for existing local classes. Look for opportuni-ties, i.e., if no gentle classes exist, start one. It is much harder to go directly against existing teachers and estab-lished classes.

I did some workshops at a chiropractor’s office, and she charged me 25% of whatever I made. I am bringing in another Integral Yoga teacher for Saturday classes and charging him 25% of whatever he makes. He will also help out proportionately with the advertising costs, but I haven’t figured out how much, yet.

I pay my teachers 70% of the take, but I would recommend 60%, especially with new teachers. Or pay 60% with you advertising and 70% with them in charge of their own ads. You can vary it with specialty teachers such as prenatal teachers getting more since they are trained like no other.

This Teachers Notebook is a compilation of suggestions, comments, and experiences that were shared primarily by IY Teachers on the Integral Yoga Teachers Association (IYTA) Forum, an email forum of IY teachers around the world. Their comments are compiled here for Integral Yoga teachers, especially those graduating from a Basic TT. The suggestions are as they came from the teachers. Think of these ideas as suggestions. Some will resonate with you; some may not. In the end, you must find your own dharma as a Yoga teacher. Please feel free to contact us at iyta.org or [email protected] if we can be of further assistance.

Yogaville RecipesCurried Green Beans

Serves 9

Trim and cut into 2 “ pieces

Green Beans 3 pounds

Saute in heavy saucepan or dutch oven until seeds

are grey and “pop”

Oil 2 Tablespoons Brown Mustard Seed 1 Tablespoon

Add and cook until toasty

Channa Dahl 1 Tablespoon Urad Dahl 1 Tablespoon

Add and saute a little while longer

Curry Leaves crumbled, a few Turmeric 1/2 teaspoon Red Chilis, dry, whole 1 or 2 Garlic Powder 1/2 teaspoon Onion Powder 1/2 teaspoon

Add prepared beans to spice mixture, with

Water 1/2 cup

Salt to taste

Stir all together. Cook gently until beans are very tender,

adding a little more water as necessary.

This is a “dry” curry,

and almost all the water should be evaporated.

Garnish with Coconut 2 Tablespoons

Variation: Replace half of green beans with peeled, diced potato. Omit coconut.

—From the Ashram bestseller, Yogaville Recipes


www.yogaville.org 1-800-858-9642

Transforming Lives

Summer/Fall Programs

I am Bliss andSo Are You! Amy WeintraubSeptember 28–30, 2012

Yoga for Balance and Strength Lakshmi SutterOctober 19–21, 2012

Hands-On Adjustments and Cueing in Hatha Yoga Mark StephensOctober 24–28, 2012

Yoga for the Female Pelvic FloorLeslie HowardAugust 24–26, 2012

Yogic Path to Manifesting Your Deepest Potential Antonio SausysSeptember 14–16, 2012

Kirtan College: A Weekend Intensive David Newman ( Durga Das) & MiraSeptember 27–30, 2012

Asana

Pranayama,

Mudra,

Meditation,

Jnana (Yoga

Philosophy),

Pravachan

(Q&A),

Chanting/

Satsanga

TriYoga® Retreat :Yogini KalijiOctober 12-14, 2012

Enjoy fresh air and a serene country setting.

Integral Yoga Senior Speakers’ SchedulesPlease contact local representatives for times, costs, pre-enrollment requirements, schedule changes, etc.


Swami Asokananda Contact

July 29–Aug. 19 Intermediate Teacher Training—Yogaville, VA http://bit.ly/IYmgE5

August 24–27 Colourfest—Dorset, England Rowen Cobelli

[email protected]

http://colourfest.co.uk

Sept. 7–9 Yoga of Communication—Yogaville, VA http://bit.ly/KfeiXA

Sept. 14–16 Integral Yoga Weekend—Boulder, CO Padma Habib

[email protected]

Sept. 20–27 Programs in Russia—Russia Igor Zanoff: [email protected]

Oct. 2–Dec. 15 Intermediate Teacher Training—New York IYI Sevika: [email protected]

http://bit.ly/I7WmIm

Swami Karunananda

July 30–Aug. 19 Raja Yoga Teacher Training— Yogaville, VA [email protected]

Oct. 4–7 Fall Silent Retreat— Yogaville, VA [email protected]

Oct. 21–Nov. 18 Raja Yoga for Basic Teacher Training— Yogaville, VA [email protected]

Swami Ramananda

August 14 & 21 Workshop: Hatha Yoga as a Spiritual Path—SF IYI [email protected]

415-821-1117, ext. 301

Sept. 5–Oct. 13 Adapting Yoga for Any Setting,

Stress Management Teacher Training—SF IYI Rev. Jivana Heyman

415-821-1117 ext. 375

[email protected]

Satya Greenstone

Oct. 12–21 Restorative Yoga Teacher Training Certification Program

—Yogaville, VA ��

iytt�i yiva.org �

[email protected]

Upcoming Programs at Yogaville


August

2–5 Yoga of Recovery :Retreat Wholehearted Recovery with Durga Leela

3–5 My Body is a Temple: Yoga as a Path to Wholeness with Christina Sell

10–19 Interfaith Ten-Day Silent Retreat: Honoring the Light That Shines In Us All with Rev. Lakshmi Barsel as Retreat Director

18–19 Mahasamadhi 10th Anniversary Memorial

24–26 Yoga for the Female Pelvic Floor: Demystifying “Down There” with Leslie Howard

24–26 Laugh-a-Yoga® Certification with Bharata Wingham

24–Sept. 2 Gentle Hatha Yoga Teacher Training with Judi Hamsa Spagnola

31–Sept. 3 Radiant Health Labor Day Weekend Retreat with Muktan Sullivan, Renata Gregori & Amrita McLanahan, M.D.

31–Sept. 2 The Great Yogic Transmission: Living the Teachings that Changed the World with Philip Goldberg

September

7–9 Yoga of Communication with Swami Asokananda

7–9 Healing and Balancing Your Emotions with Mala Cunningham, Ph. D.

8 Master Sivananda Jayanthi Satsang

9–16 Yoga as Medicine: The Yogic Prescription for Health and Healing with Timothy McCall, M.D.

14–16 The Yogic Path to Manifesting Your Deepest Potential with Antonio Sausys

14–16 Aligning the Body, Aligning the Spirit with Trace Sahaja Bonner

16 Rosh Hashanah Celebration

16–30 Split Basic Hatha Yoga Teacher Training Part 1 with Swami Dayananda & Snehan Born

19–23 Yoga Retreat: A Journey Through the Koshas with Rev. Padma Priya

21–23 Achieve the Ultimate Freedom of the Soul with Acharya Guru Karma Tanpai Gyaltshen Rinpoche

21–28 Yoga for the Special Child® with Sivakami Sonia Sumar

27–30 Kirtan College: A Weekend Intensive with David Newman (Durga Das) & Mira

28–30 I am Bliss and So Are You! LifeForce Yoga® for Mood Management with Amy Weintraub

30–Oct. 7 Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy Teacher Training with Mukunda Stiles & Chinnamasta

October

4–7 Fall Silent Retreat: Let Go into Peace and Joy with Rev. Paraman Barsel, Retreat Director

12–14 Creating the Work You Love with Rick Jarow

12–14 TriYoga® Retreat: Asana, Pranayama, Mudra, Meditation, Jnana (Yoga Philosophy), Questions & Answers, Chanting & Satsanga with Yogini Kaliji (Kali Ray)

12–21 Restorative Yoga Teacher Training with Satya Greenstone

16–25 Navaratri and Vijaya Daasami

19–21 Phoenix Rising Yoga Workshop: Yoga with a Different Twist with Michael Lee

19–21 Yoga for Balance and Strength with Lakshmi Sutter

21–Nov. 18 Fall Basic Hatha Teacher Training with Leticia Marques and Lilavati Eberle

24–28 Hands-On Adjustments and Cueing in Hatha Yoga with Mark Stephens

25–Nov.4 The Yoga of Recovery Certificate Course for Counselors & Teachers with Durga Leela

26–28 Embracing Life, Reducing Stress: The Spiritual Journey of Mindfulness with Susan Stone, Ph.D.

Integral Yoga® Teachers Association108 Yogaville WayBuckingham, VA 23921

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