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Inversions

In hatha yoga, inverted postures are recommended during the hot months of the year. In the subtle anatomy of yoga, when we raise the pelvis above the forehead, the moon is above the sun. Moon’s cooling nectar drips down to cool the sun’s heat. Shitali pranayama is a cooling addition to a summertime practice. AUM

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Escape from Samsara

The name of a legendary late 90´s techno-trance night in London.  Also, a very worthy endeavour.  Samsara is the name given to the soul’s endless cycles of birth, life and death.  To escape samsara is to attain enlightenment and cease to be reborn, cease suffering.
At this time of great uncertainty in Europe, many of us are overwhelmed by the constant stream of bad news.  I, personally, find myself working harder than ever to earn fewer euros.  Those that I do earn are permanently destined to rent(s), tax(es), insurance(s), gas etc etc.  Yes, we lived in a glorious bubble through the late nineties and early noughties.  It was fun, but it had to end.  The trouble is, our expectations have been inflated and it´s hard to crash down to reality.  As a mother, I like to have enough spare cash to indulge my child in ice cream or shiny baubles.  But, I increasingly find myself saying no, because I actually can’t afford to indulge her.  Maybe that’s a good thing.  I know that when I was a child my parents didn’t buy me ice cream every time I asked!
But, I look at how I am living and see duplication and excess everywhere.  My wants are greater than my needs.  My work is to make my wants equal my needs.  I need to be less greedy and be more easily pleased.  Probably my greatest excess in recent months has been moving house.  Leaving behind a perfectly fine but somewhat small flat, we moved to a rented house in the campo.  The sunrises are glorious and the birdsong a treat.  But I am not in a position to have two residences, two sets of bills etc etc.  It is sad, but also liberating, to freely judge that I, too, must live within my means.  So, adios campo.
I also received the unwelcome news that I, the all-knowing Rachel, have been the victim of a scam.  Look up Greenleaf Global insolvency if you want to know more.  They say that if something appears too good to be true, it probably is.  Well, the scheme was.  Ah, I guess one can’t be called a real 21st century human if one hasn’t been caught out at least once, eh?  It is sad that a supposedly green and ethical investment turns out to be a total sham.  I guess us softies are an easy target.
All this makes me want to retire alone and meditate quietly until my mind is calm.  It is hard to remain clear, calm and sure when samsara is all around.  But, I put one foot in front of the other, for the journey is long.  At least I should endeavour to carry as little baggage as possible, in order to make my footfalls lighter.
 

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Glimpses of the eternal

Yoga is an experiential science. There are plenty of books about yogic techniques, but it can only be learned and internalized by practice. Whenever I give a class, I try to reach that moment of expansive stillness that offers us a glimpse of the eternal.  I usually do a savasana mid-class, then sing or chant mantra.  The changing (prakriti) gives way to the stillness of silence and I can feel that wonderful ephemeral relaxation descend upon the group.  I gently ease back into movement, first observing the mind, inviting it to remain present for the rest of the practice, before doing some gentle pranic postures, like apanasana or dvipada-pitham with bandhas, before sitting for pranayama.  It’s just my way of constructing a class, my humble offering. AUM.

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Beginnner's yoga class – Yoga para principiantes

This Wednesday, we are starting a new beginner’s hathayoga class at Prana in Benidorm. We will meet once per week, from 09:00-09:45. The class is full already, but keep it in mind for mid-May if you feel like dipping a toe in the water…
Empezamos una nueva clase de hathayoga a partir de éste miércoles. Quedamos una vez a la semana en Prana, Benidorm, de 09:00-09:45. La clase ya está llena, pero tenla en cuenta por mitad de mayo si se animan para probar el yoga…

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Transdermal Magnesium Therapy

Sorry to abuse my yoga page with thoughts about massage. For me, the two go hand in hand. I have been working lately with magnesium therapy and hot stone massage. I have used Bishofit for the past two years, and stones for the past 8 months. And lately, I have begun using them together. My routine is: 1º apply Bishofit to virgin skin (before oil, I mean). 2ª Apply hot stones to focus zones. 3º massage another area, leaving heat and magnesium to penetrate. 4º return to first area, remove stones and massage with oil using hands or other hot stones. This seems to work very well in that the heat opens and the magnesium penetrates, helping to release tension before the manual work. This means less force is needed, and we work more within the comfort zone of the client. Have fun!

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The Human Revolution

The question has been there forever.  What can I do to make the world a better place?  The answer is simple:  Human Revolution.
I first heard this term used as the title of a book by Daisaku Ikeda of the Soka Gokkai International.  This international Buddhist organization, with origins in Japan, use rapid mantra chant as their main tool of transformation. I joined the SGI in London and chanted Nam Myoho Renge Kyo with intent for about a year and a half.  But, like everything organizational, I grew disillusioned with the, erm, organization, and took my search upon new roads.  Coming full circle twelve years later, I uplift myself with Sanskrit mantra, carrying on the transformation.
Like most of us, my teenage mind was inquiring and doubtful of the status quo.  I took to protesting, letter writing, boycotting, even some direct action-lite.  But, again, I grew disillusioned with the way that individual good intentions seemed to get lost when the masses convened.  Really, peaceful anarchist punks who seem to always been raising their fists?  No, thanks.
So, the question has been there for a long time.  But the answer took its time to coalesce.  Nowadays, I meditate upon the fact that only by beginning with ourselves can we change the world around us. Also, we need to be humble enough to recognize that we can’t change the whole world.  Too many youthful flowers turn into mid-20’s rot when, disillusioned, we give up entirely and sit upon our sofas, waiting for the end.
I think that what we need to learn is patience and humility.  Oh yes, and we have to have faith.  I have seen through personal experience that we really can begin to take change out of the personal realm and into the world when we integrate ourselves so completely as to become completely sincere and transparent.  It’s hard- I’m not patting my back here.  But I do know that what I transmit in my yoga classes, and in my life (I hope) is a sincere belief in the finer qualities of the human being.  When we begin to manifest our True Nature, our Purusha, we grow calm, compassionate and loving.  With those qualities, we share smiles when there are only frowns.  We hug warmly when there might otherwise be only a perfunctory “dos besos” (two kisses).  And, most importantly, we begin to share our selves, our wealth, open our homes to and generally offer and be prepared for true deep connection with others.  This is the Human Revolution:  we care for and prepare ourselves to be sane, reasonable, non-judging, generous and accepting.  With these qualities, we touch lives.  At no point are we on any pedestals, nor do we offer ourselves congratulations.  We just find the inner joy, radiate it.  That is the reward.
I really don’t know much.  But this I know:  The real revolution begins within.