Teacher training 2011 - KUALA LUMPUR

Coming back to KL to teach!

Welcome onboard, the six new brave souls!

It's going to be a rough road ahead for you all, and as with all parts of life, preparation makes the journey easier! Therefore, I would like you to start on the following before you step into the Lioness' Den on 14th of March:

Sutra

I want you to start your Sutra studies immediately (this is often considered the most difficult part of the course). Read Live Patanjali from cover to cover, highlight all the aphorisms. You are required to know Pada 1 and Pada 2 in its entirety, but you are only required to have a working knowledge of Pada 3 and Pada 4.

Philosophy

For PEL, I would like you to study with the Brahma Kumari in KL (because to be honest with you, we are not ‘hardcore’ when it comes to spirituality). The Brahma Kumari course takes up 5 evenings, a couple of hours each evening (I think you can change the days around by arrangement with your teacher). This course is free, and is in Bangsar. Perhaps you can internet-search Brahma Kumari Kuala Lumpur and liaise with each other when you’d like to start (2nd week of your arrival, I should think). There is also a Vedanta study group going on in KL which is run by my friend – you are more than welcome to join, it’s a By-Donation class.

Philosophy 2
Can you please google J Krishnamoorthy and Geshe Michael Roche. Have a rough idea whose teachings resonate with you because you need to lead a satsang on either one of these two with a partner. I just lead a satsang last weekend, and will download the summary on YouTube when i get around to doing it.

Teaching Methodology

When you arrive, our 30 Day Challenge will be in full-swing in Sun Yoga (it starts on the 28th). This is a wonderful place to start assisting because the same sequence is taught everyday for 30 days. So I would like you to start assisting straight away to build up your Practicum Hours. Attend a couple first as students to get a feel of it – and to kick start your fitness programme!

Techniques

You have to attend 10 classes at Sun Yoga for your Techniques. These classes are good for you J. Go to http://www.sunyogakl.com/ and check out the timetable for class schedule. You also have to write a Critique for 3 classes that you attend (refer to the big white teaching textbook that you both have).

Practicum

You have to recruit students (from the Sun Yoga regulars) and teach at least 2 classes that you design from scratch. So you might want to start thinking about your biography to go into a simple handout. I would also like to put up your profile in the shala – Sun Yoga KL is like a family home, the regulars would like to know who’s in their ‘home’. So email me a write-up introducing yourself and a photo too.

I need a photocopy of your passport emailed to me because you will be going to the Medical School at Universiti Malaya to do part of your Anatomy & Physiology. Please keep this blog lively - it would be a good way for your loved ones to keep in touch with what you are up to, since you will be disappearing from their lives for three weeks!

see you all at the shala, 9am on the 14th.

Anatomy Assignment

Filming of Raymond to see muscles in movement during yogasana. Nice!

The Vedanta students

Weds 7.30pm meet-up. Come!

Vedanta part 2

Poster on the wall of Sun Yoga KL:

Sweet, strong words from my three Sun Yoga men re my previous Vedanta posting!

I have been studying more (Patanjali, who else!) and spending time contemplating and meditating. You know, when I was sick, I was studying another kind of Patanjali :-). Try comtemplating and meditating on this:

the beautiful the frozen
hour of our other lie
temple lost music
just later from
shouting while
in doomed nothingness
was

Sometimes, it's beauty is so poignant that it takes my breath away.

Vedanta

Believe or not, it was a night of philosophy and deep conversation and, ok, un peu de vin! That's Marie-Do, Margot, Alex and I converging on Carol's to study Vedanta Philosophy with Sri Vinay Kumar. Carol has been studying with Guruji for 2 years every Wednesday night. It was a deeply interesting evening that has led me to some soul-searching questions. We talked about Destiny and Karma, two of my favourite subjects! And then Law of Causation and the Supreme Law, which appealed to the scientist in me.

Sri Vinay Kumar said "Vedanta begins where Science ends", which resonates with me, but really, the greatest piece of wisdom he gave me was "You always get what you deserve and not what you desire".

It sounds like a bad thing, right? Actually not, if you stop and think about it, and I thank Vedanta for this lesson. I have a desire which has led me to great pain and needless suffering, one which, according to Vedanta, I will never get, because we never get what we desire. But what I deserve is actually truly a blessing: five beautiful children with their wonderful father, David who showed me that impossible is nothing ten years ago (and hence the birth of Sun Yoga), Adam, Katya, and all other Sun Yogis who keep that pure love alive. From a conversation in a restaurant in Mayfair to this big loving, global family of over 500!

So I must have done good somewhere along the line to deserve all this! I continue to count my blessings from this verdant tree. Everyday, almost without exception, I get something on the email everyday from some Sun Yogi somewhere, sweet messages that lifts my soul. Today, it was from Sandra and Alverd (thank you, you both - and the 20 emails from your group!).

Counting my blessings for what I deserve, jkX

Vedanta

Iyengar Yoga

Hey, Zerina, you frightened us Ashtanga yogis with your stunt. X

Vritti

Margot's gâteau de chocolat. Hey Alex, we are waiting for your tarte tartin.

Family Day at Sun Yoga

Fun was had by all, especially Carol and crew! (well, I had a good time!)

backbending asanas

Does anyone have any experienced techniques to share in backbending asanas for both seated and standing series? Is it due to tightness of pectoralis major, rectus abdominis and psoas muscle? Or could it be the tightness in hip and quadriceps muscle?
Namaste.