Yes I did spend two months in India and now have been back on the Island for longer than that. It was an extraordinary time and I will share that with you as I integrate and fully digest the experience.

I am reading a book by Mukunda Stiles called Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy, thats what I am, an Ayurvedic Yoga Therapist, I am finding it interesting. Often people ask what 'kind' of Yoga I am teaching, mostly because they want to talk about it with their friends, so I thought this would be a good forum to put my answer in print. Mukunda has a section on 'The varieties of Yoga' in his book and he explains this so well that I am going to be paraphrasing him, read the book if you want more explanation or please come and talk to me in person or call or email. .

With all these different forms of yoga being promoted it is difficult for a beginner when searching for a class. Some of the brand names come from creative teachers names like Sivananda, Iyengar, Kripalu and Bikram. Others are based on a method like Ashtanga Yoga, Power Yoga, Jivamukti , Anusara,and Vjnana. All of these forms are varieties of Hatha Yoga, they all have wonderful health benefits.

Continue reading "April 2008" »

Posted by Sandra Shotton at 12:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hari Om Friends and Yogis!
We have been home for a few weeks now and enjoying being back on beautiful Vancouver Island. Our trip to the Ashram took us also to Nelson to visit good friends and then a slow meander up the Slocan Valley to Revelstoke, my old home town. It is refreshing to venture away from the usual and I certainly feel rested now and ready for the next season of classes. It is only the beginning of August but already time to make plans for the fall session.

With all of this time to reflect on changes that I would like to make in the program and in my personal life I have come up with a few thoughts that I would like to share. Each summer I undertake to immerse myself in a yoga program, either another teacher training or a retreat. This has been an essential part of my journey, especially as one teaching yoga. After an immersion in yoga like this the challenge is always to keep the practice and ideals alive in ones regular life. I know many of you face the same challenge. A weekly class gives us connection to others with similar ideals as well as a renewal to the practice, yet sometimes there still needs to be more.

Most teachers will recommend at least a three week stay yearly in a spiritual environment like an Ashram as a break from the distractions of everyday life and an opportunity to go deeper into the practice of yoga. What I realized for myself on this short summer excursion was that for me it is time to return to India. It has been almost five years since I have been there. This will affect the program here just a little. I will leave early in December and return early in January. My destination is Rikhia, at the Alakh Bara(place of sadhana) of Paramahansa Satyananda and the Festival called Sat Chandi Mahayagna, an uplifting, powerful and auspiciuos event with a tantric fire ceremony called Raj Sooya.. I will stay on at the Ashram after the event and be involved in further training in Kriya Yoga and Tattwa Shuddhi. If you are interested in knowing more about any of this please visit www.yogavision.net There is still apparently a little accomodation left at the Ashram, if anyone would like to join me, now is the time to make the commitment as it will be full soon. This is a very exciting opportunity! continued. .

Posted by Sandra Shotton at 02:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)