Yogistar asked to remove deity mats from online store
Hindu statesman, Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, has thanked Yogistar for immediate action and for listening to the sentiments of about a one billion strong worldwide Hindu community.
Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, in a statement on this issue on January 19, had said that Hindu deities were meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines and not to be trampled under one’s feet while doing yoga, as in some of Yogistar yogamats.
Rajan Zed had argued that these deities were highly revered in Hinduism and inappropriate usage of Hindu deities or concepts for commercial or other agenda was not okay as it hurt the devotees.
Hinduism is the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about one billion adherents and a rich philosophical thought and it should not be taken lightly. Symbols of any faith, larger or smaller, should not be mishandled, Zed had stressed.
Some of the products shown on Yogistar website on January 19 that many Hindu devotees would find inappropriate included yogamats carrying images of Hindu deities Shiva, Lakshmi and Ganesha, which were classified as “Yogamatte Götter-Edition” with each carrying a price tag of 24.90 Euros, (about R250); and these were reportedly no longer seen on the website today.
Yogistar Vertriebs with tagline “designed fur yoga”, which sells online at “yogistar.com”, in addition to yogamats also carries yoga related products.
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What are your views on this?
A school in New Zealand has “Sanskrit Language Studies” program and claims that learning Sanskrit accelerates a child’s reading ability.
Ficino School in Mt Eden area of Auckland (New Zealand), which calls itself “values-based academic institution” and offers education for girls and boys from year one to eight, says about Sanskrit: “It has a wonderful system of sound and grammar, which gives the child an excellent base for the study of any language. Children love its order and beauty.”
Hindu statesman Rajan Zed has applauded Ficino School for fostering universal virtues and encouraging Sanskrit studies and adds that Sanskrit has a close relationship with other classical languages like Latin, Greek, French, German, etc. According to Peter Crompton, principal of this school founded in 1997 where curriculum includes “food for the mind, food for the spirit, food for the body”, “Sanskrit with its almost perfect grammatical system…provides children with a roadmap for understanding English.” Sanskrit not only gives young learners a clear understanding of the structure of language, it also heightens their awareness of the process of speech, creating a greater understanding of and ability to, enunciate words clearly, Crompton adds.
Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, pointed out that Sanskrit should be restored to its rightful place and needed to be brought to the mainstream and hidden scientific truths in ancient Sanskrit literature should be brought to light.
Rajan Zed strongly criticized India Government for not doing enough for Sanskrit promotion. He asked India Government to do much more for the development, propagation, encouragement and promotion of Sanskrit in India and the world, which was essential for the development of India and preservation of its cultural heritage. Sanskrit also provided the theoretical foundation of ancient sciences.
Besides Hindu scriptures, a vast amount of Buddhist and Jain scriptures were also written in Sanskrit, which is known as “the language of the gods”. According to tradition, self-born God created Sanskrit, which is everlasting and divine. Oldest scripture of mankind still in common use, Rig-Veda, was written in Sanskrit, Zed added.
Mahatma Gandhi said, “Without the study of Sanskrit, one cannot become a true learned man.” German philologist Max Muller added, “Sanskrit is the greatest language of the world.”
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By Rajan Zed
Image supplied by Amber Land
4 Feb 2012 – Yoga Market
Come join all the local yogis for a fun yoga-filled day at the Tokai Library and pick up some of your favourite yoga goodies.
4 Feb 2012 – Satyananda Yoga Workshop
Come join Chaitanyananda and Sangeeta from the Satyananda Yoga School for a deeper exploration of yoga.
This workshop is open for all yoga teachers as well as experienced yoga practitioners who would like to deepen their personal practice.
* Booking essential, please email Nina at info@yogaaa.co.za to book your space.
4 Feb 2012 – Yoga Market Free Yoga Class
An open invitation to everyone (even if you have never done yoga before), to come and join Nina and all the local yogis for an awesome day of yoga and fun at the first Yoga Market for 2012!
Join us for a free yoga session outdoors under the trees at the Tokai Library at 10am on Saturday 4 Feb 2012.
* bring your yoga mat or towel, your family, friends and children for a relaxed morning of yoga under the trees.
Hot Yoga Bliss
Yoga Zone Student, Beth Vale, explains why Hot Yoga is her bliss…
A few months ago – at a point when I had reached my intellectual, emotional and physical tether – I made the spontaneous decision to start hot yoga. I looked up the closest studio and set off with mixture of nerves and excitement. Although I went in as a complete novice, I felt welcome and calm the moment I walked into the incense-infused Yoga Zone. I started with the free beginners class and by the time the hour was over, I was hooked! The next day, I purchased a discounted package of 10 classes in two weeks. And don’t get me wrong – it was hard! For two weeks, my body ached – I pushed my strength and endurance levels to the limit and would sometimes feel faint in class. But the challenge grabbed at my ambitious spirit and I was determined to master every pose.
After about a month of obsessive yoga, some wise words from a masterful yogini helped me realize that yoga was not the space for my perpetual striving. Instead, I needed to use yoga as a place where I could simply be, rather than do. Today, I practice yoga by listening to my body and trusting it – often times it surprises me in what it can do without my forcing it!
While some people may dread the sweaty heat of a 36-degree heated studio, I relish an hour of perspiration in a space that feels distinctly different from the rest of the world. The moment I enter the heated room, I enter a new space, where I can re-connect with my body after a full day of difficult mind-work. And even though I still find many of the poses challenging, and often get tired during a full-on Vinyasa class, I always leave feeling invigorated, refreshed and physically worked. Better still, the introspective atmosphere in class makes me feel as though I am the only person in the room, despite frequently crowded sessions. I would recommend hot yoga to anyone in need of some personal renewal. Just remember to drink lots of water before and after and leave your self-consciousness at home!
What you have to say
Thanks to everyone for your wonderful feedback and birthday wishes…
Yoga Awakening Africa is now 5 years old and we have got some great things in store for you.
There will be a Yoga Market Day on the 4th Feb 2012 at the Tokai Library from 10am-2pm.
Awesome store holders like:
Shakti Shanti Clothing
Cigar Clothing
Hamsa Clothing
Billy the Bee yoga goodies
Shambhavi Ayurvedic Skin Care Products
And of course all the Yoga Awakening Africa goodies.
Not only will there be great yoga items on sale, but there will also be a free yoga class for all and anyone wanting to try yoga
Free out door yoga class will be given by me (Nina) from 10-11am.
There will also be a Yoga Teachers Workshop for yoga teachers and committed yoga practitioners (to be confirmed) from 11-2pm.
So be sure to pop in and say hi, meet the local yogis down in the southern suburbs and enjoy a day of fun in the sun with the whole family.
We’ve also updated our About Us page – so click here to find out more about us and what goes on behind the scenes.
And check out some of the cool comments our fans have sent in over the years. And share your views too…
Mudras and Bandhas
At the very heart of Hatha Yoga are the all-important practices of Mudras and Bandhas. These are important because the essence of Hatha Yoga and particularly Pranayama is to regulate, harmonise and channel the Prana so that it can be utilised for the higher purposes of Yoga.
In asana and pranayama we purify the nadis so that the prana can flow freely. This itself is the harmonising of the prana. However prana leaks out of the body through the various apertures The Yogi wishes to retain and then channel the prana, which will then be used for meditation.
In order to retain the prana mudras are used. The word means a seal. These are techniques that close the apertures which prevent the prana from escaping. In this way all the prana that is absorbed through the Yoga practice is kept. This increases the energy levels and brings a greater feeling of harmony and wholeness.
Bandhas are practices in order to then channel the prana. Bandha means to bind, so we are binding the prana to the focus of meditation.
Mudras and bandhas are very subtly practices and should ideally be learnt from a teacher who can help to ensure that it is done correctly.
The first mudra I would like to share with you is a very simple practice. It is called Yoni Mudra. Yoni means womb and the idea is that through this practice one can enter into the inner silence as if in a womb.
The openings of the head are closed in this mudra. Place your right and left thumbs respectively on the right and left ears. The top pads of the index fingers are respectively placed on the closed eye lids. Do this gently without applying pressure on the eyes. The tips of the middle fingers are placed on the respective fleshy parts of the nostrils. Do not close the nostrils unless specifically practising kumbhaka. The ring fingers are placed just above the upper lip and the little fingers are placed just below the lower lip. As the arms are now bent, keep the elbows at the level of your shoulders and in line with your shoulders. Also ensure that you are not projecting your head but keep the head in line with the spine.
This mudra can be combined with a number of different practices. Two of such practices are:
- Simply listen to the inner silence.
- Practice brahmari for 12 breaths. Then stop and listen to the sound that remains.
Once you begin to utilise mudras and bandhas in your practice, you will notice how your practice deepens and you will be able to have a deeper and fuller sense of self. There will be more inner strength and greater equilibrium. You will be able to have better meditation as well.
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Written by: Swami Vidyananda, resident monk at Ananda Kutir Ashrama. | www.anandakutir.org.za
Image KGS Berlin: http://www.kgsberlin.de/archiv/eintrag/art53811.html?PHPSESSID=tof
Happy 5th Birthday Yoga Awakening Africa
Today YAA turns 5!
Here are the 6 awesome issues we have published to date.
More news to follow a little later today…
20-22 January 2012: Michael Gannon back in town!
Michael Gannon will be back in South Africa for 20-22 January. He’ll be running master classes at Ekam and also a workshop at Bikram Illovo/Go Yoga. The current schedule is as follows though there may be changes/updates:
- Asana, Pranayama, Dhyana 20 January, 6-8:30pm (R350), info@ekamyoga.co.za
We start with pre-asana pranayama; this stokes our agni, charges the body with prana and scrubs the mind calm, then a full asana practice finishing with a deep guided relaxation. We continue with Q&A, additional pranayama and guided meditation.
- Asana Playground 22 January, 11am-1pm (R350) , info@ekamyoga.co.za
How to get in or out of a particular asana? How to deepen your experience in a posture that has been challenging you? Ask for special tricks for any part of the practice that frustrates you. As the name implies-very fun stuff!!!
- Adjustments Session 22 January, 2-4pm Ekam Yoga (R350) , info@ekamyoga.co.za
The power of words and talking with your hands; more is less in this simple yet powerful approach. Working with partners, we will learn subtle adjustments that are as important to understand while you are being adjusted as they are when you are giving adjustments.
This Master Class is for yoga teachers only. We need 20 yoga teachers confirmed and paid in order to run this master class. If we don’t hear from you by 13 January we will cancel this once-in-a-lifetime event.
- Breath, Bandhas and Arm Balances 21 January, 1-3:30pm, contact info@bikramyoga.co.za to confirm your space.
The fun stuff that we used to do with our bodies as indestructible tykes. We used to be so much more comfortable being upside down when we were kids, and so much closer to the ground. Use your yoga practice in a way that can help you defy the laws of gravity again- as a big kid. All levels, all styles of practitioners.
*Event info thanks to Ekam
