Yoga is the Heineken that refreshes parts other beers cannot reach!

Remember those Heineken beer adverts that used to run with “Heineken refreshes parts other beers cannot reach”! Well, Yoga reaches parts other activities cannot reach! Those who do yoga regularly will testify to this. Yoga, the unionising of body breath and mind. The connection we make with our soul and consciousness when practicing yoga. No wonder it gets to parts others cannot reach! So then why on earth are we becoming more disconnected when yoga is suppose to connect us? Why are we isolating ourselves and living a life of selfishness and illusions? The hating is getting worse and the need for external substances to help us get through the day is at an epidemic. It seems we are doing yoga only on the mat and less off the mat! Having just graduated from the 100hr Advance Yoga Psychology training with the Nalanda Institute, we explored this psyche trend in detail. The honour and presence of Psyche Professors and Spiritual Masters assisted us on delving into this topic for 6 w’ends and one result amongst a few was as simple as this, lack of love! We all need love and compassion to survive. We are humans wired to the highest form unlike our animal world. When we lack ourselves with love we feel cold, bitter and inhuman. There is a story in the Vedas of “Our Mother Madalsa”. She taught all her 4 sons to attain Moksha (Liberation) by doing satsang and attain atma-kalyang (self realisation). Her princes grew to be fine strong compassionate sadhus and they did indeed attain Moksha. She always sung a special song to them called “Siddhosi Buddhosi”. This week I will like to focus on giving, allowing and promoting self love the healthy way, not the narcissist way, but in the way of accepting, just being and taking in all our faults and our qualities with pride and balanced confidence. If we can change our flaws to those of a yogi then great, small changes yield big results. Give yourself a hug, feel the power of the heart and just infuse yourself with loving kindness. On and off the mat!

Asana of the week: Surya Yantrasana

Sun Dial/ Compass Pose

With intelligent sequencing we can open up our spectrum for self love and just like a flower blooming make our way into this wonderful side body opener, twister and hip expander. Treating the right leg like it is a back pack or a bag strap, we gently place the leg on top of our right shoulder (the higher the better) and place the left hand on top of the right foot or the bottom heel. Then, bully the right hamstring back using our right upper arm and elbow strength. Put the right hand off to the side floor, ground both sitting bones and use the breath to open up the left side body as the heart turns towards the sun. Stay with this for a few breaths. When comfortable begin to bring the right thigh more towards the centre of the spine as you twist, open and reveal the chest to sky.

Mantra: Siddhosi Buddhosi

Suddhosi buddhosi Naranja nasee Samsara maya Parear jay daasi
Samsara swapanan Traja mohar nejrum Nanjama mrityor Jay satsvar rupee.

You are forever pure You are forever true  And the dream of this world Can never touch you. So give up your attachments And give up your confusions
And fly to the space  That’s beyond all ….illusions.