GOOD MORNING PRECIOUS ONES
Honouring the Universe – The philosophy of The Australasian Yoga Institute….
Over the past few months I have encouraged you to take part in a few challenges. More of you have hidden away than have moved forward… Here is another challenge, prompted by the philosophy class I am giving tomorrow at Innisfree and by Desmond TuTu.
How many of you have heard of Michael Lapsley, Priest and Social Justice activist? He was born in New Zealand in June 1949, came to Australia and was ordained to the priesthood here in Australia where he joined the Religious Order – The Society of the Sacred Mission. In 1973 he journeyed to South Africa and during the height of the apartheid repression became chaplain to students both black and white in the universities in Durban. In 1976 he began to speak out on behalf of children who were being shot, tortured and detained.
In September 1976 he was expelled from the country and went to live in Lesotho where he continued his work. In 1982 he moved to Zimbabwe, and it was here in 1990, three months after Mandela's release, that he was targeted, sent a letter bomb hidden inside a magazine and lost both hands, the sight of one eye and was seriously burned.
Undaunted, in 1993 he became Chaplain at the Trauma Centre for Victims of Violence and Torture in Cape Town. Many books have been written about him, he has many honorary degrees and citations, and Nelson Mandela said of him "Michael's life represents a compelling metaphor…a foreigner who came to our country and was transformed… Desmond Tutu has said that Michael was one of the most impressive and joyful people he has ever met.
How committed are you to becoming the person you were meant to be? Courage and forgiveness are two critical ingredients, and can be seen in abundance in the life of Michael Lapsley. Coeur is the French word for "heart" and is the origin of the word "courage'.
Through all the learning, and all the ups and downs of life, you have to know your own courage to follow the desires of your heart, and never cease to fulfil them in your life, no matter what it looks like. Courage has to do with embracing the destiny within you and living it fully. It is about being open to what that destiny is, and then acting like you mean it now. It is earnestness in everything we do – the little things as well as the large, the grand as well as the unnoticed.
DESMOND TUTU'S FORGIVENESS CHALLENGE (www.forgiveness challenge.com)
Before we can become the people that we need to be, we have to work on forgiveness. It is no accident that it plays a large part in the AA 12 STEP PROGRAM. Whatever your reason, go look at the web site, and if you are not doing the reading, or fasting challenge, perhaps you could try this one. It could change not just your life, but your world.
INTENTION and the "30-30 CHALLENGE"
Because I too am studying, it is part of the plan to be reading, reading, reading with a pen in hand to keep up with you all. If you are just reading (no notes, not studying), well, you can do that any time. Make this a time to study something in depth. You don't have to wait until I say "let's start a new challenge", you can start one at any time. If you want to know more, please contact me at yogafirst@netcon.net.au
THE ELECTIVE
To those of you doing the Teacher Training. Here is the low-down on the elective.
1. It cannot be something you have got a certificate for in the past. Some students have tried to squeeze this through – it may work if you haven't written on your initial application that you already have "…….." certificates! Remember The Yamas – be honest.
2. It is not just an essay. There has to be 30 hours of work, and I have to be able to see that this has been carried out honestly.
3. You are training to be a professional and it should show. Your elective should have a goal, progress report, time sheet (how long you have taken, when and where) case histories, and a bibliography.
Keep these points in mind. Work out early on what you want to do, your topic, then start collecting data so that when you are ready to go you already have a head start. It is not easy – it wasn't meant to be.
"Look at these worlds spinning out of nothingness. That is within your power".(Rumi)
THE SUTRAS, AND RESEARCH
You are a TRAINEE YOGA TEACHER. Answer every question as if a student has asked you the question. In such a situation you will need to know the complex answer in your head, but you will have to know enough about it so that you can give a simple, but referenced, answer to your student right then and there. "Yes", or "no", or a few words probably won't do for them – AND IT WON'T DO FOR ME! Lets get serious.
I am thinking of having a stamp made "MORE WORDS PLEASE!"
This isn't the sort of course where you just have to look up a page, write it out, and say that you have done the work. If you are having trouble with the sutras, first get a copy of "the essential sutras" it is free at www.holybooks.com and then read, and then interpret. You can do cross referencing. Remember that when Patanjali compiled the sutras yoga was very different to what it is today. Yoga actually meant sitting/meditating, not asana.
PLEASE NOTE: Patanjali (the Leonardo Da Vinci of his time) was not the author of the sutras. They occurred first in the Mahabaharata and the Upanishads. These are both very long texts (The Mahabaharata alone comprises 100,000 verses), and Patanjali, as I understand it from my studies, took the sutras out of these texts, ordered them and put them in a more accessible form. Imagine having to wade through 100,000 verses of Sanskrit to get to the Sutras yourself?
"HELP US AT YARN-BOMBING"
We have been getting a "full-house" at yarn bombing and the various knit shops and op shops tell me that the school children are coming in and buying wool to knit in their lunch times – so it is catching. We have already started covering tree trunks and park benches with the things that we have knitted and sewn. (One for the books - Last week we had a lady come and drop in a few sweaters she had knitted and wanted us to sew them up for her. One of the girls did, but PLEASE, we are working for the community, not a free knitting service!!!!)
PAINTING
For years and years and years I relied on painting whilst yoga was being established in the studio and in the world. I am now painting flowers, and the next thing I think will be small Buddhist Icons. Watch this space.
HOW ABOUT AFFILIATING NOW?
Some of our senior graduates with Yoga Schools of their own are taking the plunge. Why be a yoga teacher, when you can be a teacher of yoga teachers? Those girls in far flung Australian outposts of Yoga First (or even International Outposts), please consider becoming an AFFILIATE. That means you will be me where you are. You can be a teacher training centre, and you could be one by next week if you meet our criteria which is not onerous. If you have done our course, we know you and are happy to have you become a teacher training centre. Think about it. Then Do it.
"People don't grow old. When they stop growing, they become old". (Anon)
YOGA CLASSES
STUDIO WITH JAHNE: Monday, Tuesdays and Friday at 6.30.
Saturday 12.30 - Restorative Yoga - "The Strawberries and Cream" of yoga.
WOODEND COMMUNITY CENTRE: Wed. 12.30 and Saturday at 10. $5 pp per class, bring a mat. Families, babies, toddlers and children welcome at the Wednesday and Saturday class.
INNISFREE: Yoga/Yoga Nidra: Mondays 2.30 to 5.30, Yoga/Philosophy: Wed. 2.30 to 5.30, Yoga: Sat. 2.30 to 4pm Bookings required.
* The Yoga Nidra (Meditation) classes at Innisfree are wonderful. Please join us. 2.30 to 3.30 Mondays ($10). Bookings are required email: yogafirst@netcon.net.au.
WEEKLY TEACHER TRAINING MORNING – THE NEXT ONE – Tuesday 3RD JUNE AT 9AM Starting from 3rd of June I am going back to monthly trainings. The Tuesday is a wonderful time, but obviously, not EVERY Tuesday. You have voted with your feet, and I have listened.
YOUR MODULES: Please don't guess about the chakras and the YAMAS, or give me a garbled sentence on each, where I can hardly tell the difference between one chakra, or yama from the next. I have written a small booklet on each of these, and they are available from ETSY www.myyogabooks.etsy.com. If you are stumbling about, please, get the little books and immerse yourself. There is no reason for you not to know these subjects enough to write at least 100 ACCURATE words on each yama and chakra.
The KRIYAS. Once again, I know what they are, I need to know that YOU KNOW HOW TO TEACH THEM. I can tell right away. Don't copy what you see on Utube, I have been doing this for almost 40 years and I know what I am looking at and hearing….. There are enough easy Kriyas, and 100 words FOR EACH KRIYA is a minimum.
THE SHOP and ETSY
ETSY – A market place site and we are putting all our little goodies up there. Very exciting. Please have a browse if you never have been before. If you want to buy from us on ETSY, please go to www.myyogabooks.etsy.com You probably have noticed that I am having trouble getting the photos to sit properly on the page. This does not effect the way that you get them – it just happens with the photos.
THE REVELATION TAROT: This is back on our site. As you know I did the drawings, I produce it, and I take the time to do all the packaging. It is totally and "in house – artist project". I love doing it, and when I know you want a pack I have great pride and satisfaction to send you one knowing that we have done it entirely ourselves. I think that this counts don't you?
HOW-TO BOOKLET…..If you are "fence sitting", deciding whether to be a yoga teacher, to move from the "introduction course" to the full professional certification, then you would do well to read " HOW TO BECOME A YOGA TEACHER BY HOME STUDY" $2.99 and it is available by emailing deb or me and we can make sure you get a copy. If you are an Affiliate and have some students you would like to enrol in your teacher training course, then this may be a good investment. This book has just been made Available on iBooks too.
THE CHAKRAS - A COLOURING-IN BOOK and a REFERENCE BOOKLET -
CHAKRA CHARTS: The chakra colouring-in charts are on easy, and ready for you to start on yours today. They are a modern, abstract interpretation – my own – on the Chakras. So if you want something for your wall, you might like to get a set of these, and colour them in. You can go to Etsy or just contact us on our email and we will take it from there. The cost is $43.50 and we will post it anywhere in Australia free postage. Or go to www.myyogabooks.etsy.com and you can paypal it.
CHAKRA BOOKLET: I have just submitted a booklet on the Chakras with small reproductions of the Big Posters to colour in. This booklet will help you understand the CHAKRAS, and to accompany the CHAKRA CHARTS, and will put it on Etsy when I am finished.
"AGELESS BODY – AGELESS MIND" - I was doing a book for childen, but I sat down and a whole other book just flowed out of me. I will be putting it up on Etsy soon $7.99.
I move with the infinite in nature's power. I hold the fire of the soul. I hold the life and healing". (Rig Veda)
REGISTRATION/INSURANCE www.yogabeautiful.com.au
We are giving you total choice now, although it may be a bit more expensive…..
REGISTRATION AND INSURANCE HAVE BEEN UNCOUPLED. YOU CAN BUY THEM SEPARATELY. DEARER, BUT IT SEEMS THAT IS WHAT YOU WANT. WE AIM TO PLEASE.
YOUR TEACHER TRAINING YEAR (or so):
If you are a trainee Yoga Teacher who has been working on the course for more than a year please understand that your course fee only gives you FREE classes with me for your first training year – the first 12 months only.
Imagine if what would happen to our Institute if you took three years to finish your course and you could still come to classes free for the entire course. It wouldn't be fair. We do our fee calculation based on 12 months of free yoga classes. As you know if you are making your living running yoga classes, they are not free to the studio owner. We have to pay all the costs associated with running a class whether you pay a class fee or not. Your training fees cover you for a year, after that we ask you to pay $10 per class. Still way under the usual out there in real life.
"If you were to destroy in mankind the belief in immortality, not only love but every living force maintaining the life of the world would at once be dried up". (Dostoevsky)
VIDEOS: THEY ARE NOT OPTIONAL – THEY ARE NECESSARY! Only $275 per annum.
Please look down the list of the videos before you try to do stick drawings, or organise your journal. I have shown you what I recommend.. All you have to do is download.
If you are a trainee YOU SHOULD HAVE THE VIDEOS, they are really not optional. Apart from the information they contain, every time you log on you get a point that counts towards your CONTACT HOURS. It lessens the classes you actually need to do with a teacher.
If you are a teacher, the videos are a vital addition to your own growth. The cost is small in comparison with the time you would have to take to get these learnings.
If you just like yoga and want to join in: These are in 15 minute grabs, are all indexed, and you can do what you feel like doing right now. Worth the annual fee of $275 (equals just 10 classes at a good studio)
THE RECIPES –
SALTED PRESERVED LEMONS
This is such an easy recipe, and looks fabulous, especially if you have a gorgeous BIG jar. When the lemons are preserved you will be using the rind, not the pulp.
INGREDIENTS: A big glass jar with an airtight lid, enough lemons to fill the jar, a big bag of sea salt (550g? Depending on jar and lemons) Coriander, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, chillis.
HOW TO: In the jar, mix the spices into the sea salt. Cut across the lemons almost to their base so that they stay together. Push the seasoned salt into the lemons and squoosh them one at a time into the jar firmly, adding salt and lemons so that the lemons are surrounded by salt. The less space between the lemons the better and you won't need to use as much salt. The lemons will be ready after one month of preserving and will last for about 2 years.
USE: For seasoning rice and couscous – it works like salt and makes the dish lemon scented. You can put the rind into a foil bag when you are cooking fish also to season stews and soup.
END OF THE WEEK PESTO: Get as much green stuff as you can. Kale leaves, nettles, dandelion, chicory, parsley, nasturtium, chives, mint whatever you have. Put this chopped roughly into your blender. Whizz it up with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. Add fluids slowly because you are not looking to make soup! Then, add garlic either from your garden, or minced out of a jar. By now you should have a sludge. Add whatever nuts and seeds you have together with cheese. This will firm up your sludge and make it into a paste. The cheese can be parmesan or odds and ends of other cheese. You can add chilli to taste. Enjoy on toast, on polenta, rice or pasta, or just off the spoon.
I make this often during the winter, and it satisfies my need for concentrated, great tasting green stuff.
NUT MILK BAGS
I have purchased "out of date yoghurt" recently from Coles. I get a big tub sometimes for 20cents!! True! When this happens I pop it all into the nut milk bag, hang it overnight, and voila, beautiful smooth cream cheese. You could do this too. Nothing is more simple. Was a treat during the $2 a day challenge.
To buy the bag, log on to the shop at www.yogabeautiful.com.au or for recipes…..www.yoganoozle.blogspot.com
THE GARDEN:
The garden looks so beautiful in the autumn. Yes, the leaves are falling, but the colours are spectacular. I am still planting. Haven't got the broad beans in, but this Sunday I am going to plant horseradish, potatoes (in a garbage bin), more garlic, and some lavender. I am also going to plant pansies because I want to paint them. I wish it was time for canna lilies as I would love to paint their gorgeous red and orange colours. Brings light and life into the day.
THE BLOGS and the bees (and the wasps)!
This warm weather makes the bees very happy. They have certainly been out basking in the sun, and tripping to the pond.
If you are interested in old folk lore, like bees or would consider a "quest", then this book is for you. The book "THE SHAMANIC WAY OF THE BEE" has arrived. If you would like to reserve a copy email me yogafirst@netcon.net.au I am not sure of the cost. About $15 I would expect plus postage.
The wasp invasion is under control thank goodness. Though they did keep the possums quiet. The cat has had a hand in that too I think. Cuba doesn't seem to pay attention when they are out and about, but the cat certainly does. This is her place, and she will not put up with intruders.
While the wasps were in their last throes, we did get a mini invasion of bush flies. For a while it was like living in Egypt under the Pharaohs, you know, the seven plagues. All we needed were boils and rivers of blood. Thank goodness they haven't eventuated. The wasps and flies were "enough already"!.
YIN YOGA/ANATOMY/MEDITATION DVD's – all with Paul Grilley
We now have all three of Paul Grilley's DVD's. These DVD's are so popular because they are the best and will form the backbone of your yoga references. As I have told you before when I bought mine they cost $100 or so each. I thought that this was a good investment. I think half that is a steal! And that is what we are selling this for. Www.yogabeautiful.com.au
JAHNE'S MENTORING SESSIONS ….
Because Jahne has been teaching yoga teachers for more than 40 years, and running a business the Buddhist way for much longer than that (and successfully) she is often asked for advice. Asking course questions is free. This does not mean IDLE Yoga questions "just because you want to know" – She could spend her whole day answering those and getting no-where, in spite of the fact you may think your life will end if they are not answered.
…….but, if you wish to have Jahne help you with relationships, career, or just getting personally "unstuck" then that is coaching/mentoring and does come with a cost. Her charge per half hour for mentoring is $75 and $65 for student teachers. It is amazing how much you can shift in half an hour when you strip away the unnecessary chatter. It's the Buddhist way.
PLEASE NOTE: If you come to the Studio and you have travelled to "pick her brain" so to speak, please understand that her time is valuable and it is not free. You may be on a holiday, but she is not. Make sure that you have a list of questions you NEED answered, and have booked time. Such "counselling only" chat will cost $65 per half hour as usual. We have not changed the rates in years.
If you want to speed up your course by doing your exam one-to-one at the studio, or catching up on contact hours, Jahne is often asked to do this and is pleased to do it for you. Call Deb on a Tuesday or Wednesday and organise a time spot. Once again - It is not free. If you did 40 contact hours or more in a class it would cost a lot. We can get that much covered in an afternoon, so a $325 (average) cost with Jahne is a great saving of both time and money.nnnIf you want to talk to Jahne about questions you have re. your CURRENT course or your next step. That is part of the student-teacher contract and is free.
Remember the Studio is also her home (not a hotel or BnB). We always respect the mat and the Studio Space wherever we go, doubly so when your teacher lives there.
DONATE YOUR CAR:
That's right. If you have a spare car, donate it to KIDS UNDER COVER and 100% of the proceeds will help prevent youth homelessness. Www.donateyourcar.org.au
REGARDING DEBBIE – If you want to speak to Debbie about any aspect of the courses – she has done them, please remember that she only comes in on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. She is available on Ph: 0354 273 518. I am always here, and available preferably on email or text because I teach. Don't hesitate to email me and I will answer your email or text as soon as I can..
THE LAST WORD: Thank you to my students (and the Universe) for the abundance of abundance that is coming into the studio. It has been amazing, and has allowed us to share all manner of things. Wool, apples, lemons, vegetables, technology.……. And we are hugely thankful that you are thinking of us, and noticing how you can contribute. Even small things make a huge difference. Most grateful.
Log on to our Web site www.yogabeautiful.com.au,
and tune in to our videos daily.
ENJOY – Love and Blessings,
Namaste Jahne
This email was sent out by
The Australasian Yoga Institute/Yoga First
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