PEACE LOVE YOGA: Ashtanga Yoga Workshop

Burnt To Ash

"All Inquiry is meant for one purpose; to take you experientially into the unknown as efficiently as possible. Once you get there, simply be still because inquiry has delivered you to its destination. The rest is up to Grace. Do not hold onto any knowledge that comes your way. Even the greatest revelations much not be clung to, or you will end up with a head full of memories and a heart empty of substance. The truth is ever new, existing only in the now. The highest truth is beyond knowledge and experience. It is beyond time and space, and beyond beingness, consciousness, and oneness. Just remember that all direct path techniques are meant simply to undermine, to cut away, the one who is performing them. No matter what spiritual path you've walked or what teachings you've followed, they must lead you back to no path and no teaching. A true teaching is like a blazing fire that consumes the itself. The teaching must not only consume you, but consume itself as well. All must be burned to ash, and then the ash must be burned. The, and only then, is the Ultimate realized. True Enlightenment destroys enlightenment. As long as you can refer back to yourself and say, 'I'm enlightened', you not. Enlightenment is authentic only when there is no one left to be enlightened. Even to say 'I am nobody', is one too many. There's a point when you intuitively realize that to be Free you have to give up your attachment to Freedom. You have to quit asking yourself: Is it still there? Am I okay? You have to decide to never look over your shoulder again to see if you're free or if others know you're free. You just have to let yourself burn there - no matter what. This isn't something I can help you with. I can tell you what you need to do, but you have to do it. In the beginning, teachers can help a lot. But the deeper you go, all they can do is point, and clarify, and tell you what you need to do. Only you can take this step. Nobody can push you in to this place."

- Adyashanti

No Expectations

A spirit that lives in this world

and does not wear the shirt of love,

such an existence is a deep disgrace.

Be foolishly in love,

because love is all there is.

There is no way into presence

except through a love exchange.

If someone asks, But what is love?

answer, Dissolving the will.

True freedom comes to those

who have escaped the questions

of freewill and fate.

Love is an emperor.

The two worlds play across him.

He barely notices their tumbling game.

Love and lover live in eternity.

Other desires are substitutes

for that way of being.

How long do you lay embracing a corpse?

Love rather the soul, which cannot be held.

Anything born in spring dies in the fall,

but love is not seasonal.

With wine pressed from grapes,

expect a hangover.

But this love path has no expectations.

You are uneasy riding the body?

Dismount. Travel lighter.

Wings will be given.

Be clear like a mirror

reflecting nothing.

Be clean of pictures and the worry

that comes with images.

Gaze into what is not ashamed

or afraid of any truth.

Contain all human faces in your own

without any judgement of them.

Be pure emptiness.

What is inside that? you ask.

Silence is all I can say.

Lovers have some secrets

that they keep.

(Rumi)

Prague

27.3.16

Prague! Last weekend I had the pleasure of visiting this beautiful city for the first time. With already a number of fist time visits this year I have to say Prague is another special city that is sometimes missed for those who tour Europe from abroad. Put it on your list. I wouldn't miss it.

Most importantly, I was there to teach an Ashtanga yoga workshop to an awesome bunch in a spectacular venue. The picture below shows the ceiling of where the event was held. I'm a big fan of architecture and design so I took an active interest and had to snap the shot. However, what was going on down below was even better. The energy and attentive interest from the yoga community here was amazing. I left so grateful for the experience.

Thank you Prague!

Amsterdam

26.3.16

Amsterdam Ashtangis

Backbending Techniques

The second weekend of March I had the pleasure of teaching an Ashtanga yoga workshop in Amsterdam at the beautiful Conservatorium Hotel. I had such a lovely time with this enthusiastic and vibrant group of Ashtanga yoga practitioners in the beautiful setting of the city. This was my first time visiting Amsterdam and I loved every bit of it. With a huge biking culture, much like Copenhagen, there are many meandering streets with quaint shops and cafes. I simply loved it. There is more of an alternative vibe, for instance versus Stockholm which has its own different kind of charm.

I also had the pleasure of having a number of people who I have seen elsewhere such as my retreats or workshops from other countries come to this workshop. This is the special part of doing this work is running into people who have become dear friends. I always count my blessings in this regard.

Thank you Amsterdam!

Afternoon Tea

Amsterdam Canals

Tea with David

Dhanurasana Demonstration

Cape Town, South Africa

25.3.16

Cape of Good Hope

View of Cape Town from Robben Island

Nelson Mandela's Prison Cell

Cape Town

Enjoying the Sunset

The last two weeks of February I had the honor of being invited to teach both in Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa. My first trip to the country, I arrived free of expectation but definitely with a sense of curiosity. Unfortunately, soon after I landed in Johannesburg I came down with the flu. Ugh. What an experience. It was the first time in a long time I had ever gotten that sick. The timing was awful but I made the best of it and thankfully my host Claire made sure I was as comfortable as possible. It was a heavy mixture of body aches, fever, cough, congestion, fatigue and digestive distress. When it rains it pours. Which besides being sick I had the opportunity to sit in on a few strong thunderstorms. Since moving to Sweden I've obviously experienced loads of rain but it doesn't thunderstorm here. Something I've missed being from the midwest of the USA. So, I didn't really have the opportunity or the motivation to take pictures while in Johannesburg. However, I truly enjoyed the Ashtanga Yoga community there. They were absolutely lovely.

My second week in South Africa was spent in Cape Town. After recovering from the flu I felt much better by the time I arrived, thankfully. It is much easier to take in the landscape when feeling yourself and in that regard, well this was a place you have to soak in. The scenery is stunning!

Ashtanga Yoga Workshop in Bangkok, Thailand

1.12.14

What: Ashtanga Yoga Weekend Workshop with Laruga Glaser
Where: Ashtanga Yoga Center of Bangkok, Thailand
When: 12 - 14 December 2014

The Program

Friday
12 December

7:00 - 9:00 Led Primary Series
12:00 - 2:30 Arm Balance with Power and Grace

Saturday
13 December

Intermediate Series in Detail
8:00 - 10:30 1st half
1:00 - 3:30 2nd half

Sunday
14 December

8:00 - 10:00 Led Primary Series
1:00 - 3:30 The Art of Ashtanga Yoga

For more information and booking email: contact@aybkk.com

Budapest

29.11.14

A few weeks back I had the pleasure of visiting the young and thriving Ashtanga yoga community at Bandha Works in Budapest, Hungary, and what a community it was! Enthusiastic, thirsty to learn, this community was formed only a year ago and the energy and unity they created within the year was truly inspirational to witness as well as experience. I loved every minute of my contact with the students and left deeply touched by their willingness and sincerity to dive into the heart of the practice with both feet! It warmed my heart. It energized my teaching. There's no doubt that heart of the student enlivens the heart of the teacher, and the learning goes both ways!

As a city I can't say enough about the beauty and history that is Budapest. The architecture, the history, the people! Everyone speaks of Paris, London, and Rome when planning to visit Europe but if you have the opportunity I would definitely put Budapest on the list!

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PEACE LOVE YOGA

R. Sharath Jois

Burnt To Ash

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