Namaste yogis and yoginis!
I remember back in the old daaaays…we used to finish early on the last day of school term and that was it!!!! Nowadaaays…(gee I sound like an old fogey don’t I?) everyone’s winding down weeks ahead. Can’t do this project, assignment, job, fitness plan… because it’s almost Christmas! And it takes a good few weeks to crank up again after the hols as well. At the risk of sounding like scrooge…phooey!!! This attitude wastes so much good time, and then we feel pressured. Keep focused and maintain a steady pace and we’ll not only end up being more productive but we’ll feel better! I promise! (are there any other old fogeys out there who know what I’m saying??) What does this have to do with yoga? Simply this, maintain a steady practice and you will feel less rushed, get more done and feel less worn out by the xmas and holiday season. Of course there’s a little more socialising to be done than usual, but if you keep even a gentle or modified practice going it will counteract some of the normal “hangovers” we feel, and you’ll enjoy the fun parts more too! Regularity is more important than intensity and November is too soon to start winding down!!
WHAT’S NEW??????
Well, there’s new stuff on the website! We try to keep the website up to date, so if you have any queries about what’s on, it’s usually there. www.goldcoastyogacentre.com.
There are some new articles to be read including a must-read article called “the year 2050”. It’s important we maintain mindfulness on the collective impact of our actions as well as our individual actions. We try to put new stuff on regularly to keep it interesting, let us know what you think. For those not online, we can print copies for you, and we keep info on the noticeboard and answer machine as well.
There’s a November special on: a free meditation class with the purchase of every pass. Kam’s meditation classes are the natural progression from the asana practice - softening the body by softening the mind, now’s your chance to give them a try. Kam will be offering his annual meditation week again this year, so if you really want to increase your depth of experience, now’s the time! Mon Dec 25 - Sun Dec 31 (an alternate way to celebrate the holidays!)
Mon-Sat 7am, Mon-Sat 6pm (except thurs night) and Sun 31st at 7pm
DIARY
Nov 18: a very exciting date. Our last chance this year to get together socially, with a beautiful night planned. Margs will be there with her delicious food for sale. She is offering a prepaid special of food, cake and chai for only $10 paid by Friday. As well as a bit of a discount, it helps her prepare the right amount of food etc. One occasion we had a bigger than expected group and she ran out of chai, I tell you, there were tears!!!
After eating & chatting for a while, the wonderful Loren will play. I’ve seen him a few times and leave delighted and I hope you will too. Once the music starts, please try and keep chatting to a minimum inside. Unfortunately the acoustics make it pretty rowdy in the yoga room even when just chatting quietly. Thanks in advance for your co-operation and peace. There is a $5 donation that goes totally to Loren. These nights are important to us, these are the nights when fellow students become friends, and the yoga centre turns into community. We hope you enjoy them and appreciate your support in return.
Nov 25; “Restorative practice” workshop, 2-4pm (ish) $15. Knowing how to practice in this way is important any time that your energy is low, whether through illness, injury, busy-ness or indulgence. We are very used to expending energy but we don’t often take time to put it back in. This practice will show you how. There will also be practical experience of our eaten-too-much pose to counteract too much xmas pudding.
Nov 26: Kirtan night, chanting is known as bhakti yoga (the yoga of devotion) and promotes joyous mind and alleviation of negative thinking. The only way to know if it works for you is give it a go! 6.30pm start, gold coin donation appreciated.
Dec 2; Menstruation workshop; as well as being one of our popular workshops, and an essential for every yogini (to help her keep balanced and confident in her practice at this time) it is also Kath’s first workshop she is running. So come along and support her, and learn something very valuable in the process. $15 2-4pm (ish).
Dec 22; xmas timetable begins, please make sure to grab a timetable/check the website.
GREEN THOUGHTS
Unplug electronics from the wall when not using them! Even when turned off, items like hair dryers, phone chargers and TVs us energy. In fact the energy used to keep display clocks lit and memory chips working accounts for 5% total domestic energy consumption and spews 18 million tons of carbon into the atmosphere every year. (yoga & joyful living)
Reducing energy use is one part of the equation, on the flip side we have to protect our natural allies in reducing greenhouse gases – the trees. Living vegetation removes huge quantities of carbon from the air as it grows, and releases carbon back into the atmosphere when it is logged or burnt. Today, logging and tree clearing are the world’s second biggest greenhouse polluters after fossil fuels, producing 20-25% of global greenhouse emissions. One of the best things you and I can do to reduce greenhouse pollution is to keep our trees in the ground. It’s as simple as that. (from wilderness society website)
Some interesting websites to learn more about being “carbon neutral” include www.climatecrisis.net, www.wilderness.org.au, www.acfonline.org.au and www.earthgarden.com.au. And an important movie to watch is “an inconvenient truth”. It’s important to be informed, and as yogis part of our responsibility to live in harmony with the earth and all beings.
RECIPE FOR MENTAL TRANQUILITY
• Practice the 4 immeasurable qualities 1: friendliness (maitri) 2:compassion (karuna) 3:empathetic joy (mudita) and 4:equanimity (upeksha)
• Pranayama (nadi shodhana/alternate nostril is a safe and effective pranayama practise)
• Deity meditation, contemplating the qualities of the ideal
• Contemplate perfected/ideal beings e.g gurus, siddhas, teachers
• Contemplate the meanings and lessons of dreams and experiences
• Meditation (that leads to a steady mind)
As passed on by Rami Sivan. Rami is a swami, a nurse and teaches philosophy in Sydney, Brisbane and has a regular column in Australian Yoga Life. Check out copies of AYL in the reception area. AYL is a great, locally produced yoga mag and deserves our support!
CHANT TRANSLATION
Every now and again I will try to provide popular chants for those who are interested. If you are interested in chanting come along to our Kirtan night, or chat with Suzanne for some ideas:
Guru Brahma, Guru Vishnu, Guru Devo Maheshwara, Guru saakshat para Brahma, Tasmai sri Guruve namaha.
I bow to the teacher, who like Brahma creates knowledge, like Vishnu maintains intelligence, and like Shiva destroys ignorance and is the abode of ultimate realization.
This is a popular chant said at the beginning of some process of learning. Remember chants are not part of a religious idea, but to keep us mindful of certain qualities. So this chant reminds us to be thankful for having knowledge passed down to us that makes positive difference in our lives.
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