KonaYoga.com

Teachers, Teaching

John Leebold sent this picture of himself seated next to Guruji, a couple of months ago and I was reminded of it while reading The Lion of Pune, Rumi and I this morning. I've heard many stories about  B.K.S. Iyengar from his students, who became my teachers and it's so inspiring to hear that he still maintains a strong practice, well into his 90s.

Now doesn't that make you want to expand your yoga knowledge and experience? There are some highly qualified teachers about to hold workshops in Hawaii that you might like to consider:

 

• Steve Salkin at Big Island Yoga Center, February 10. (Update 2/8/13, 7:48 p.m. I just called to check and there's still space available for Sunday). 
• Aadil Palkhivala at Big Island Yoga Center, February 22 to 25.
• Kofi Busia at East Honolulu Yoga Center, March 13 to 17.
• Jehangir Palkhivala at East Honolulu Yoga Center, April 11 to 14.

 

Image: Courtesy of John Leebold 

 

Kofi Busia: in Honolulu, March 13 - 17, 2013

 

Kofi Busia returns to Elaine Chung's East Honolulu Yoga Center in Hawaii Kai for a five day workshop.

Classes will be held at the Center, 6650 Hawaii Kai Drive, Suite 104 in Honolulu.

Download a combined schedule, tuition information, and registration form here.

For more information contact Elaine Chung at 808 396-2208 or at [email protected] 

 

Image: Awakening 360

 

The End of the Beginning

Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.

-Winston Churchill

Those of you who have been attending classes this past month, already know that I've decided to close Kona Yoga at the end of August. While it may come as a surprise to some of you, it's been in the back of my mind for a long time.

 

The lease contract for the studio ended in November and it's been on a month-to-month basis ever since. The intention to close has been there for several years, the final decision, arrived a few months ago.

 

In a 2008 newsletter article, I wrote:

 

The more that I'm willing to accept and allow into my life and the wider I open my arms...the more life rushes in to fill the space.

 

Teaching weekly yoga classes for the past nine years, in one special spot, allowed me to define, and then refine, a joy-filled existence. The open-heart-centered yoga that I practiced and taught, has permeated my life and I now feel the need for more space and expression. It's time for the next best step.

   

But it's not time for "goodbyes", yet. Wouldn't it be nice to celebrate what yoga has brought into our lives during the next eight weeks and to create ways to keep allowing those gifts to flow?

 

 

 

Photo: Om and Mo, are faces on the studio floor that have been with me through every class.

April 2011 Workshop Features Jehangir Palkhivala

Jehangir Palkhivala returns to Kona Yoga, April 8-11, for yet another fascinating workshop filled with his knowledge of yoga, and many years of experience with the healing wonders of the human body. Jehangir travels annually to the U.S. from Mumbai, India, where he lives with his family and teaches yoga.

 

WORKSHOP

The Prasarita Sequence
Saturday, April 9: 9am-12noon, 2pm-5pm
Sunday, April 10: 9am-12noon, 2pm-5pm

The Prasarita (The Open Heart) Sequence offers practitioners a great sense of joy and freedom. This practice opens out the body, helps the mind become expansive and allows the heart to blossom. Jehangir will start by taking students through the 'Ujjayi Effect' and help them experience the 'Nada of Enjoyment' - “to settle the mind happily in the heart”. Jehangir will take students through a fresh sequence with their focus on an open body, and expansive mind and blossoming heart. He will also take them through a step-by-step experience of heart purification in the light of Patanjali.

The intention is to free our hearts with Patanjali's beautiful concept of Sorrowless Flame and the Being beyond Attachments. These allow our spirits to open up to the source of infinite joy. (Much depends on the heart of the practitioner – its willingness to surrender, its desire to bloom).

Please carry writing material with you.

TALKS

Komalan Shariram
Friday, April 8
5pm - 7pm
A unique technique that originated in the Mumbai Advanced Class, where the participants group into sets of five or six and with the help of bolsters and each other, learn to soften and ease the nerves and muscles into a state of intense relaxation. The aim is to eventually, replicate and achieve this state without the use of external aids.

Healing with Food
Monday, April 11
5pm – 7:30pm
This talk is based on new information, research and experiments collected through the course of the year. If you've ever attended any of Jehangir's workshops, you'll remember his numerous suggestions and recipes for all types of ailments through the use of whole foods.

 

FEES

Entire Experience: Workshop + 2 Talks $300.00

Single Classes $ 65.00

Friday 4/8 Talk $ 40.00

Monday 4/11 Talk $ 40.00

Both Talks, no Workshop $ 70.00

Workshop Only $240.00

Workshop + 1 Talk $270.00

 

 

REGISTRATION FORM

The above information, as well as a Registration Form, is available in PDF format as a 2 page, tri-fold brochure.

 

CONTACT

[email protected]

 

Anatomy and Asana

John Leebold will be at Kona Yoga October 15 through 17 for a series of yoga workshops focusing on the human anatomy and yoga postures (asanas). John began practicing Iyengar Yoga in 1973 and holds and Advanced Iyengar Teaching Certificate. 

He is one of the founding Iyengar Yoga teachers in Australia and has been a registered, practicing osteopath since 1983.

During the three day workshop, John will explore the structure and movement of the human body in various asanas. The position of the bones and actions of the muscles will be considered, using human models and audio visual aids.  All levels of yoga experience are welcome.

Schedule:

• Friday, October 15:  9am - 12noon
• Friday, October 15:  2pm - 5pm
• Saturday, October 16: 9am - 12noon
• Saturday, October 16: 2pm - 5pm
• Sunday, October 17: 9am - 12noon
• Sunday, October 17: 2pm - 5pm

Individual Class Fees are $45.00, take the Entire Workshop for $225.00.

For a printable flier and registration form, download here. Space is limited and confirmed through a "first paid basis".

Take It Off Hawaii

Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.

-Jim Rohn

"Take It Off Hawaii" is getting ready to launch this year's ten-week challenge. Between September 6 and November 10, participants will have the chance to rack up Lifestyle points by creating healthy habits in eating, exercise and stress reduction.

Teams of 4 to 10 participants will begin the challenge by registering their starting weight and blood pressure. Team members will then be able to earn points based on a pre-determined list of "good" lifestyle habits such as eating a minimum of 5 vegetable and fruit servings per day (1 point) and taking 10,000 steps (5 miles) per day (2 points). For the complete list, see Lifestyle Points.

"Last year, more than 1,000 pounds were shed by the participants of Take It Off Hawai'i," said Robin Mullin, executive director, Five Mountains Hawai'i," but there are many other benefits that "outweigh" the weight loss. Participants reported higher energy levels, lower blood pressure, and overall profound changes in their lives. This was accomplished through programs that focused on nutrition, activity/exercise, stress resilience, and a bit of friendly/healthy competition."

I'm a board member of Five Mountains Hawaii and this year I've decided to form a Kona Yoga team. I'll be creating and teaching some flowing yoga sequences that could be used to gain physical activity points, as well as  organizing walks and weekly support meetings.

If you're interested in joining us, please send me an e-mail: [email protected]. Teams are limited to ten participants and I have five spots remaining. If you live off-island, you can still participate online with all of the forms and resources made available by Take It Off Hawaii.

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• Take It Off Hawaii - 2010 (guavabee.com)

Jehangir Palkhivala returns to Kona Yoga: April 16-18

Jehangir Palkhivala will be returning to Kona Yoga next month, April 16-18. There will be a Friday evening talk, Shitali Karana, on the 16th, from 6 to 8pm. According to Swami Rama, "There is no exercise known to be higher, and better than this exercise to alleviate stress." No yoga experience is necessary for this talk, as well as the one scheduled for Saturday evening, April 17, "Healing Foods, Healing Practices" (6-8pm).

Jehangir will also be offering yoga classes on the following days and times:

• Friday, April 16: 9am - 12noon
• Saturday, April 17: 9am - 12noon
• Sunday, April 18: 9am - 12noon and 2pm - 5pm

More details, fee information and a registration form are included on a flier available at the studio or may be downloaded as a PDF form. Reservations are on a "Paid First System" and if you have any questions about your ability to attend yoga classes, please e-mail me at Barbara@konayoga. I'll be available by phone from Monday, March 29.

Jehangir is a master teacher who has many years of experience helping folks with a wide assortment of injuries and ailments. At the very least, plan to attend the Saturday evening talk to hear how people are maintaining optimum health through whole foods and yoga.

"Inhale Joy" with Jehangir Palkhivala
April 16,17,& 18
at Kona Yoga

Workshop Flier and Schedule..

The 12 Nights of Christmas, 2009

In 2007, I participated in the Twelve Nights of Christmas as created by Lynn Jericho, from December 25 to January 5. Lynn presented a new theme each day and we were to spend twelve minutes nightly, on each topic.

Inner Christmas is a nightly practice of inner work. I recommend "twelve minutes" of practice each night. Because twelve is the number of completion, "twelve minutes" is however many minutes of contemplative inner work it takes for you to find a new insight or relationship to yourself. You will know you have reached this completion when you feel an inner "aha" or an inner bell starts to chime in your soul. It may come quickly some evenings. Or it may take longer in clock measured minutes.

Remember wonder and wisdom live in questions, not answers. When an answer comes into your thoughts work with it until it transforms into a new question. Do not be surprised to find the cosmic bell ringing in your soul when you find your own questions.

The "twelve minutes" can also be spiritually measured as the time it takes for new light to dawn in your soul, illuminating some new aspect of your life. You begin the practice in the darkness of soul night and end it with the dawning of a new soul day. It is a joy to experience the inner Sun rising in your soul.

In our busy, chaotic lives it is often difficult to devote any time to the stillness of inner work. If all you can manage is the time it takes to read the Twelve Holy Nights' messages, be glad. The spiritual world does not work within the earthly measurements of time and can provide your soul with great renewal in a moment. Read the message with your seeking heart - the love of the spiritual world will meet you. You may find earthly time expands through this openness.

This year, I decided to do the same but utilizing the images created by Penelope Clement, a frequent Kona Yoga attendee, and asked this past Saturday's Yoga for Women class to select the cards/topics. I chose the order that they'll be presented and Penny has graciously sent a brief comment for each card. Each day, beginning Christmas Night and ending on January 5,  I'll post a picture of the chosen card along with comments, insights and suggestions. If you'd like to, here are ways to participate:

• Log on to LessonsInBalance.com to read the day's post.

• Send me an e-mail address that you'd like to have each day's post delivered to (December 25-January 5 only).

• Share your thoughts and opinions through the Comments section.

If anything, check-in to see the twelve striking images that were chosen, sight unseen by six different people. The deck is one of the best gifts I gave myself this year.

Image The High Priestess  by Penelope Clement: "Direct connection to the divine through intuition. The sacred feminine principle. What is your intuition telling you today?" Oil & acrylic, 3'X4'.

The Completed Circle

When our eyes see our hands doing the work of our hearts, the circle of Creation is completed inside us, the doors of our souls fly open, and love steps forth to heal everything in sight. -Michael Bridge





Have you ever found yourself at the end of a yoga class, not wanting to get up and leave right away? You sit there on your mat and wish that you could stay in that bubble of softness and bliss, forever. Those of us in Jehangir Palkhivala's workshop this past weekend did just that and it's taking me a few more days to get back into the rhythm of daily life.

This is an abridged newsletter to announce the cancellation of Sunday's class, in observance of Easter, April 12. All other classes will be held as scheduled.

Also, I have been asked to start classes for men and classes for children. If you have any interest, please give me some feedback on preferred days and times.

I will close with a few of Jehangir's Words of Wisdom:

"...to judge how well your practice went, notice the rest of your day."

Always ask while doing yoga, "For whom am I practicing?"

Our Food Drive Contest

The Food Basket warehouse in Kona is located on Kuakini Highway, between Teshima's and Higashihara Park. Just drive up to the front, grab a shopping cart and unload your bounty. It's like shopping in reverse!

The friendly folks there will then weigh your contribution. That's our 90 pounds of food on the scale, taken yesterday. The gentleman who assisted me said that folks in Kona have been so generous with their time and donations.

 

The shelves looked well stocked this time, as opposed to the last time I visited in October.

Mahalo to all of you who support the Food Basket and especially those who brought goods and money to our Win a Massage Contest:

• Melissa Allen
• Robbin Turner
• Leilani Sigrah
• Jean Grissom
• Stephen Nies
• Marta Ciancio
• Janet Maeda
• Diane Quitiquit
• Sandra Yoshioka
• Lynn McCall
• Sharon Yeck
• Susan Wong
• Diedra DeCoito
• Kim Killino
• Those who donated but did not enter the drawing.

Congratulations to winners of the drawing:

Leilani Sigrah - massage by Moku-Wai Busch, LMT and
Marta Ciancio - massage by Barbara Uechi, LMT