Yoga in Chicago's topics - tribe.net

sliding-scale yoga is here!

2008-04-08T20:03:02Z

the acupuncture studio that i work for has begun offering yoga classes with a sliding-scale payment system. passing along the info:

sliding-scale yoga classes have begun at red flower acupuncture!

at red flower acupuncture, we feel that health care should be affordable and accessible to everyone, regardless of their financial situation. yoga is a vital tool for maintaining mental, spiritual, and physical health, both as preventative medicine and as a healing art.

classes are held at the studio on:
tuesdays 7:15pm-8:30pm
and
saturdays 11am-12:15pm

classes are open to all ages, skill/experience levels, and body types.
we will offer a no-questions-asked sliding scale of $5-12 per class.
bring your yoga mat if you have one. no worries if you don't - mats and props will be provided. bring a towel and water bottle.

space is limited, so call (312-997-9932) or e-mail (redfloweracupuncture@gmail.com) to reserve your spot.
visit www.redfloweracupuncture.com for more info.

namaste!

posted in Yoga in Chicago - 0 replies

Advice on starting sliding scale yoga in Chicago?

2008-03-07T20:11:45Z

Hi

I work for an acupuncture studio, and the owner would like to start offering sliding scale yoga classes. (The acupuncture is also sliding scale- we're big on affordable holistic health care.)

As her assistant, it's my job to do all the research and figure out how this is going to work. :)
Any suggestions as to yoga resources in Chicago to check out?

Some specific questions:
-how much $ is standard to pay a yoga instructor?
-are there specific websites that we could post an "instructor wanted" ad on, besides craigslist?
-how much would YOU like to pay for a sliding scale class?

Thanks! I'll be sure to post again with the info when we get this up and running! :)

posted in Yoga in Chicago - 2 replies

Natural Foodies Wanted!

2008-01-08T22:59:44Z

Are you a Natural Foodie??
Marketing/Promotional Reps Needed
for well known Natural Food Companies

Help promote national natural product companies at community events in your neighborhood—distribute free samples & communicate key nutritional and sales points in our promotional booths at local events. These events include music festivals, marathon expos, trade shows, health and wellness expos, and eco-conscious events. This is an amazing opportunity for outgoing, adventurous people who seek to gain valuable marketing experience in the organic and natural food industry, become involved in community events—and make great money!

COMPENSATION:
• $150 - $175 per day dependent on specific event and Natural Food Company.
• Invaluable experience in marketing & promotions for package-goods companies.

CANDIDATES MUST BE:
• RESPONSIBLE, outgoing, friendly and comfortable talking to a multitude of people.
• Interested in nutrition/organics.
• Comfortable in food service atmosphere.
• Able to lift 35 lbs.
• Computer literate (PC).
• Able to submit reports and meet post-event deadlines.
• Able to work long hours on your feet.

INTERESTED?
Email your resume and a one paragraph personal statement (“Who are you and why would you be perfect for the job?!”) to Angelina Favia at Angelina@tkpromotions.com

For more information on our agency please visit www.tkpromotions.com

posted in Yoga in Chicago - 0 replies

A New Year's Resolution? Free Yoga Classes

2008-01-02T03:14:21Z

Question: Ready for that "New Year's Resolution?"
Answer: ? (Didn't think so).

Well thanks to the "Grotto" at Sports Basement - you have a "free" chance to improve your well being ... ..

)n 01 December 2007, Sports Basement joined together with local yoga teachers to give a yoga gift to the community.
Next yoga class:

• Sunday, 30 December 2007 - 10:30 - 12:00 noon. -
• Yoga Flow - with Annie Leguennec
• http://www.sfgoju.com/

• Sports Basement --San Francisco
• 1590 Bryant St.
San Francisco, CA
(415) 575-3000
http://sportsbasement.com

And due to the very high turnout of yoga students, speed walkers, coach potatoes, Fat Tire Beer Specialist, snowboarders, and then some . . . Starting January 2008, Sports Basement will host free yoga classes each & every Sunday from 1:00 - 2:30pm.

Yoga Teachers of various styles (Iyengar Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, Vinyasa, Raja Yoga, Kundalini, Anasara Yoga, Yin Yoga, Power Yoga, Anna Forrest Yoga, etc.) will present their unique connection with the yogic path.

Check back each month and see who’s in the mix – free yoga classes by yoga teachers of all walks of life. Official Website: http://ynottony.com/yoga1.htm

And, if you are a yoga teacher (or a soon to graduate yoga teacher) looking to share your knowledge, practice karma yoga (community service), and put yourself in the public eye, come join in & volunteer your services making yoga affordable for every individual. Pick one Sunday per month . . Teach as many months as you would enjoy doing. . . .

Yoga teachers will receive a $25.00 gift certificate from Sports Basement (per yoga class) & can use the platform as a way of promoting themselves and their unique yoga experience.

Regardless, it's a grand opportunity to start the year on the right path, meet some like minded individuals, see life in a different light, & calm the mind.

* Yoga teachers of all schools of yoga are invited to teach.
* Yoga students of all levels are invited to attend.

For more information or to get your name on the yoga teacher's list - contact: Iyengar Yoga Teacher, tony at:: http://ynottony.com/contact.php

1. Send a brief Yoga Bio
2. Send a list of your available Sundays in January, February & March - 2008.
3. Send a link to your website, personal profile (Myspace, Zaadz, Tribe, Yelp review, etc) or something which speaks highly of you
4. Start advertising your yoga class

Wishing the best of all possible worlds,
tony
http://ynottony.com

posted in Yoga in Chicago - 1 reply

Lakulish Yogasan Championships 2008: Feb. 22; 23; & 24th, - City of Surat, Gujarat State, India

2007-12-10T11:24:25Z

For details and application forms, please refer to: http://www.lifemission.org/ and under "New" go to item #4 and click on "World Open Yogasan Championships".

Please note, to optimize your India trip and your experience of Lakulish Yoga you could attend or participate in the Yogasan Championships and also take in the 3 week Certificate Yoga Training Course being offered at Swami Rajarshi Muni's Malav Ashram from January 30 -February 20th. For details on the training go to http://www.lifemission.org/ and under "New" click on item # 5 " "Overseas Students Annual Yoga Certificate Training Program"

posted in Yoga in Chicago - 0 replies

Acroyoga & Thai Massage Weekend

2007-11-25T06:59:46Z

Acroyoga Workshops at Nature Yoga Sanctuary (www.natureyoga.com)
with Jennifer Yarro and Jonny Nobleza
Dates: Dec 7 & 8
Price: Friday $35 ($45 after Nov 31st.)
Saturday $35 ($45 after Nov 31st.)

Trust, Connection, Playfulness: AcroYoga Fundamentals

Friday Dec 7. 6-9pm
Open your practice with the ease, comfort and the support of a partner. This workshop touches upon all the disciplines that AcroYoga offers, combining Yoga, Acrobatics, and Thai Massage. The class experience includes: Circle Ceremony, Mirrored Asana, Partner Yoga Flow, Assisted Inversions, Partner Acrobatics, Flying Sequences and Thai Massage. Grounded in the breath, we will draw upon the natural forces of gravity and "metta" loving kindness to encourage the body to let go of fear and tension. Students are requested to have familiarity with yoga. No partner necessary!

LOVE, LIGHT & FLIGHT, Flying & Thai Massage

Saturday Dec 8. 3-6pm
Flying is a dance between Shiva & Shakti, that utilizes the compliments of strong grounding energy and fluid receptive energy. It is a practice of giving and receiving, honoring and accepting, inhaling and exhaling that will take both yogis into a new place of union and bliss. The base is the partner that creates a stable platform for the flyer to explore inverted aerial asana flows. The relationship between partners deepens as they exchange roles as flyer and base, increasing their capacity for trust and communication. The flyer receives spinal and muscular release while the base is the recipient of Thai Massage and the Buddhist practice of metta loving kindness. No partner needed.

Acroyoga Fly and Thai Massage Intensive with Jennifer Yarro and Jonny Nobleza at Moksha Yoga Center Riverwest (www.mokshayoga.com)
Date: Sun, Dec 9, 2007
Time: 10am-1pm & 2:305:30pm
Price Per Session: $45 ($55 after Nov 29)
Both Sessions: $80 ($100 after Nov 29)

Thai Yoga Massage
Sunday Dec 9th. 10am-1pm
This unique practice combines assisted yoga postures, massage and the mindfulness of Metta (loving kindness) into a flowing dance of continuous rhythmic motion. Through this rhythmic dance, the giver experiences meditation in motion while the receiver is in a state of balanced energy and tranquility. Join us as we study, experience, and explore the unique benefits, techniques, and healing qualities of this ancient living art form through practice. This workshop will be experiential partner bodywork. No past yoga or Thai Yoga experience required.

Anti-Gravitational Thai Massage Techniques
Sunday Dec 9th. 3-6pm
AcroYoga Therapeutics facilitates release on both the physical and energetic level, by using gravity to our advantage in relationship to a partner. The healing touch of Thai Massage applied to flying asanas will unravel fear and tension, and reveal our natural alignment with ourselves and with one another. Highly recommended for massage therapists and private yoga instructors. No partner needed, intermediate yoga practice recommended.

Jennifer Yarro is the co-founder of the Thai Yoga School of New England. She has trained in Thailand with Lek Chaiya, Baan Nit, Master Nipha, and at the TMC School , and in America with Kam Thye Chow. She is also a Licensed Massage Therapist, Reiki Master, Doula, and a certified yoga teacher. Please do visit her websites for a full bio and more information.

http://www.jenniferyarro.com/index.htm
http://www.atouchofcompassion.com/

thank you thank you!
peace and metta,
jonny
630-915-9009
www.acroyoga.org

posted in Yoga in Chicago - 0 replies

Empty Bowls at Oakton

2007-11-20T18:26:50Z

Every year Oakton Community College’s Ceramics Studio hosts an Empty Bowls event. That means everyone who works at the studio, as well as other area ceramics artists and students, makes and donates a bunch of bowls.

Then on a certain day a lot of people come to Oakton to admire the hundreds of bowls that have been donated. They pay $12, pick a bowl they really like, fill it with soup, grab a hunk of bread, and enjoy—and when they’re finished eating, they get to keep the bowl. There’s also a raffle (tickets are $3, or 4 for $10) and silent auction for some bigger art pieces donated by better known artists. All the proceeds go to local charities; last year $12,000 was raised and donated to the Greater Chicago Food Depository. There will be some tunes by several student bands, including a band called "Patchouli" (the name scares me a bit, but you never know).

This year’s Empty Bowls event will be on December 8th, 2007, from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Oakton Community College, 1600 E. Golf Rd., Des Plaines, IL 60016. The earlier you get there, the better the selection of bowls will be. So come on out and get yourself a nice bowl, and support a good cause while you’re at it!

Here's a photo from last year’s event:

<IMG SRC=” http://www.meetin.org/city/MEETinCHICAGO/PhotoGalery3.cfm?PhotoName=MEETinCHICAGO10146ID99445%2Ejpg&Notes=Some%20of%20the%20600%2B%20bowls%20for%20sale”>

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X-posted: Time did an article on yoga

2007-10-30T03:14:01Z

Time magazine did and article on yoga entitled, "When Yoga Hurts." Did anyone else see it? What do people think?

It's online here:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1668470,00.html

posted in Yoga in Chicago - 5 replies

Evolution: A yoga kirtan dance gathering on Saturday 10/13!

2007-10-08T14:46:18Z

We invite you to experience the yoga journey of Evolution; a universal tantric vinyasa practice accompanied by live music. The evening will weave together multi-dimensional yoga, pranayam, kirtan, guided movement, and dance into waves of consciousness-raising movement meditations.

WHAT TO EXPECT: Our inward journey begins by tuning in through the chanting of sacred mantras. As our hearts expand through singing, our bodies will be guided through multi-dimentional asanas and movements based on sacred geometry. As we turn on to the universal knowledge that lies within, we allow our minds to drop out and our bodies to trance-form into ecstatic dance.

Guided by Tatiana Cira Sanchez.
Live music by Josh Brill.
All levels welcome. $20-30 sliding scale (no one turned away for lack of funds).
For more information please visit www.joshbrill.com/evolution

posted in Yoga in Chicago - 2 replies

Acroyoga Workshop in Chicago

2007-09-04T17:22:36Z

hello friends,

two amazing beings will be leading an acroyoga workshop at akal yoga Sept 11 and 13th 6-9pm. It will be amazing. do come

http://www.akalyoga.com/acroyoga_flyer.pdf

love
jonny

posted in Yoga in Chicago - 0 replies

New to Chicago

2007-08-14T02:46:36Z

Hi all,

I recently moved to Chicago and looking to not only meet people but also find some yoga and meditation classes downtown. Anyone know if there are yoga related events in the city? Love the help and advice! Thanks!

posted in Yoga in Chicago - 6 replies

Svaroopa

2007-03-19T03:56:39Z

Does any one know of this? Or the Enbodiments sessions?
I was just at a weekend with Rama.

And was wondering

posted in Yoga in Chicago - 0 replies

Nude yoga?

2006-11-27T04:25:05Z

I have been taking yoga for about a year here in Milwaukee.

Just read an online article about nude yoga in San Fran.

What's the deal with that?

posted in Yoga in Chicago - 1 reply

what is yoga?

2006-11-16T03:43:24Z

What is yoga? Yoga is a Sanskrit word which means "to add two things together." There must be two things. For example if you want to add two bricks together, then ce ment, water and other substances are needed.

Similarly, yoga means to connect two persons: one is the Supreme Lord and the other is the unlimited souls. Because we have forgotten that Supreme Lord, we are greatly suffering. Sometimes we suffer as donkeys, asses, dogs, pigs and so on, and sometimes as demigods; we have passed through all the various species of life.

Sri Krsna is so merciful that, by His causeless mercy, He has now given us this human form. This human form is very temporary however; we do not know when we will die. We are all suffering because we think that we are this body. Actually, this body is a bag of urine, stool, blood and other unwanted things. Still we think we are this body, and we endeavor only to please this body – not the mind and soul.

The easiest way to meet with Krsna is through yoga. You should know that the soul is part and parcel of God – the eternal servant of God – but don't think in te rms of worldly servants. The service of Krsna is very loving and beautiful. It is like the service of a friend, mother, father and son, or like the service of a lover towards his most beloved. Sri Krsna's servants are all very loving. Yoga is that process by which a soul can be with Krsna – this is actually the meaning of yoga.

What is taught as yoga in this world today – especially in China and Hong Kong, as well as in other countries – is the exercise of the body. If you will do these exercises for your whole life, or thousands of lives, still you will not be happy. You will have to get old, and one day you will have to give up this body.

We are discussing real yoga. Sri Krsna is the Supreme Lord and we are part and parcels of that Supreme Lord. By what process can we meet Him and join with Him? By cement? By mud? No. It is through love and affection.

By giving our love to Krsna, we can attain that perfect stage in which we will be happy forever. But what is that process? How can we have prema (pure love of God)?

anyabhilasita-sunyam
jnana-karmady-anavrtam
anukulyena krsnanu-
silanam bhaktir uttama

["Uttama-bhakti, or pure devotional service, is the cultivation of activities that are meant exclusively for the pleasure of Sri Krsna, or in other words the uninterrupted flow of service to Sri Krsna, performed through all endeavours of the body, mind and speech, and through the expression of various spiritual sentiments (bhavas), which is not covered by jnana (knowledge aimed at impersonal liberation) and karma (reward-seeking activity), and which is devoid of all desires other than the aspiration to bring happiness to Sri Krsna." (Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.1.11)]

This is the definition of uttama-bhakti (pure devotion). By this love and affection for the Supreme Lord, you can meet with Him and serve Him. In another scripture it written: "Paranuraktir isvare." Such deep and strong affection to Isvara (the Supreme Controller) Sri Krsna is the only transcendental religion of the soul.

sa vai pumsam paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhoksaje
ahaituky apratihata
yayatma suprasidati

["The supreme occupation for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self ". (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 1.2.6)]

Spontaneous lo ve and affection for the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna is the transcendental and eternal religion of the soul (parama-dharma). The teachings of present day religions are not truly dharma. If these religious teachings would indicate devotion to Sri Krsna (krsna-bhakti) then they would be dharma, but the adherents of all religions, such as Christianity, Islam and Buddhism, don't accept the transcendental form of the Supreme Lord. They say there are no qualities in Him.

What would be the use of accepting God if He has no mercy and no attributes, and if He is like zero? We should not accept such false ideas. Spontaneous service to Sri Krsna is parama-dharma.

There should be no selfishness. Whatever you do should be to please Krsna. You should think, "What I am going to do – will it please Krsna or not? Will it please my Gurudeva or not?" If your endeavour will please them, only then should you do it. We should strongly reject that which is unfavo rable for bhakti. This is bhakti, and it begins from its smallest fraction, which is called sraddha (faith).

adau sraddha tatah sadhu-
sango 'tha bhajana-kriya
tato 'nartha-nivrttih syat
tato nistha rucis tatah

athasaktis tato bhavas
tatah premabhyudancati
sadhakanam ayam premnah
pradurbhave bhavet kramah

["In the beginning one must have a preliminary desire for self-realization. This will bring one to the stage of trying to associate with persons who are spiritually elevated. In the next stage one becomes initiated by an elevated spiritual master, and under his instruction the neophyte devotee begins the process of devotional service. By execution of devotional service under the guidance of the spiritual master, one becomes free from all material attachment, attains steadiness in self-realization, and acquires a taste for hearing about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna. This taste leads one fur ther forward to attachment for Krsna consciousness, which is matured in bhava, or the preliminary stage of transcendental love of God. Real love for God is called prema, the highest perfectional stage of life." (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.4.15-16)]

What is sraddha? It is the strong faith that, "If I perform Krsna-bhakti, then the fulfilment of all other endeavours of my entire life have automatically been accomplished." You should know that sraddha is actually the tendency to serve Krsna (Krsna-seva-vasana), and its outer symptom is very strong faith in the words of Krsna, scriptures and Guru. This is the real sraddha. How does sraddha come? It comes only by sadhu-sanga – being in the association of sadhus. But this refers to a real sadhu, not a so-called sadhu.

Sadhu-sanga first creates faith in the words of Krsna, Guru and Vaisnavas. After that, the sadhu will say that you must take initiation – harinama and diksa. Then the s tudent selects a bona fide guru, and after that he learns the process of performing bhakti.

Bhakti is of two kinds: vaidhi-bhakti and raganuga-bhakti. Vaidhi-bhakti-prema (the development of love of God attained by worshiping Him in awe and reverence) will lead you to Vaikuntha-dhama (the abode of Sri Krsna in His opulent feature as Lord Narayana), and raganuga-bhakti will take you to Krsna-dhama. You are lucky to come in the line of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. One day you will be able to really achieve raganuga-bhakti, by reading Caitanya-caritamrta, Srimad-Bhagavatam and the books of the Gosvamis.

Gurudeva will teach us sixty-four processes of bhakti. Of these, the first is to serve Gurudeva – to fulfill the desire of Gurudeva – and thus hear and follow the process strongly. Other processes are there, and of the sixty-four, nine are prominent:

sravanam kirtanam visnoh
smaranam pada-sevanam
arcanam vandanam dasyam
s akhyam atma-nivedanam

["Prahlada Maharaja said: 'Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Visnu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one's best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind and words)-these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service.'" (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 7.5.23)]

Of these nine processes, five are most prominent:

sadhu-sanga, nama-kirtana, bhagavata-sravana
mathura-vasa, sri-murtira sraddhaya sevana

["One should associate with devotees, chant the holy name of the Lord, hear Srimad-Bhagavatam, reside at Mathura Mandala (which includes Vrndavana) and worship the Deity with faith and veneration. (Caitanya-car itamrta, Madhya-lila 22.128)]

And of these five, three are most prominent: sravanam (hearing), kirtanam (chanting) and smaranam (remembering). Of these three, one is most prominent – kirtana of Krsna's name. If you chant and remember Sri Krsna's name, all things will come.

harer nama harer nama
harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva
nasty eva gatir anyatha

["In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy the only means of deliverance is chanting the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way." (Caitanya-caritamrta. Adi-lila 17.21)]

If you follow all of these processes, then all anarthas (unwanted habits) will go away. What are these anarthas? The first is nama-aparadha (offences to the holy name), of which there are ten kinds. Don't criticize any Vaisnava, don't beat them, don't be envious of them, don't disobey your Gurudeva, and do try to totally foll ow what he and other Vaisnavas teach us. At the time of chanting the holy name, don't sleep or be lazy. Chant, "Hare Krsna Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare." Chant your Gurudeva's diksa-mantra, and know the meaning of its eight or nine mantras. You should chant daily.

Anarthas include nama-aparadha, seva-aparadha and so on. *[See Endnote 1] If you follow the process, these anarthas will all go away and then nistha will come. Nistha means steadiness of mind: "I may die, but I will not give up chanting the holy name." Srila Haridasa Thakura was beaten in twenty-two market places. *[See Endnote 2] As they beat him, the miscreant government followers were telling him, "You should chant Allah! Hoda! Don't chant Hare Krsna!" But he continued to chant, "Hare Krsna Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare." At last he became almost like a skeleton – bloody and only some skin remaining – and finally they threw him in the Ganges.

Srila Haridasa Thakura came out of the Ganges as if nothing had happened, and was still chanting, "Hare Krsna Hare Krsna." At that time his prosecutors begged pardon at his lotus feet. This is nistha.

Do you know Sri Prahlada Maharaja? His father tortured him and ordered him, "Don't speak the name of Visnu, my enemy!" But Prahlada never followed his order. He was always chanting, "Krsna, Krsna, Krsna." Oh, you should be like that – very strong. Don't become weak when I leave here. Krsna's mercy will then come to you.

After nistha, ruci will come. Taste in chanting, taste in reading books, taste in cooking for Krsna, and taste in all other devotional practices. There are two kinds of ruci: vastu-vaisista-apeksani and vastu-vaisista-anapeksani. If kirtana is going on with very nice instruments and very sweet voices, the de votee who has vastu-vaisista-apeksani ruci will try to hear it, whereas even if the singer has so much love and affection but is not singing in a melodious tune, he will not hear. If the Deity is decorated with gold ornaments and cloth, that devotee will offer obeisances, but if the same Deity is without decorations, he will not offer obeisances.

So, this is vastu-vaisista-apeksani. If all things in relation to the Deity are nice and sweet and well decorated, then he will offer obeisances.
When there is no need of all these things, when it does not make any difference whether or not the singer has a sweet voice, and only Krsna Himself is important, that type of ruci is called vastu-vaisista-anapeksani. Even if the voice is not good or sweet, but the singer has sraddha, nistha and ruci – we should hear him. Where there is a sweet tune (raga-ragina) but no bhakti, we should not hear that singer.

The second type of ruci will create asakti. Wh at is that asakti? Asakti means "attachment to the process of bhakti and to Sri Krsna." When one thinks, "Without chanting the holy name I cannot remain alive for a moment," this is asakti. The first attachment is for bhajana, and later it becomes attachment for bhajaniya (the object of bhajana, Sri Krsna), attachment to Krsna and to His associates. This is asakti, and when this asakti becomes perfect, then rati (transcendental mood) will come.

What is rati? It is very difficult to understand.

suddha-sattva-visesatma
prema-suryamsu-samya-bhak
rucibhis citta-masrnya-
krd asau bhava ucyate

["When devotional service is situated on the transcendental platform of pure goodness, it is like a ray of the sunlight of love for Krsna. At such a time, devotional service causes the heart to be softened by various tastes, and it is called bhava . (Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya-lila 23.5)]

Rati is on the plat form of suddha-sattva, which is also very difficult to understand. If anyone is doing bhajana – if he has left his wife, children, home, wealth, reputation and everything, and yet rati, suddha-sattva has not come, this stage is very critical. That is why we fall down. So many sannyasis and others are falling down. In an easy way, you should understand what suddha-sattva is.

There are two kinds of associates of Sri Krsna: ragatmika and raganuga. *[See Endnote 3] Mother Yasoda, Nanda Baba, Subala, Sridhama and the gopis are ragatmika – eternal associates in Goloka-Vrndavana dhama – and those who follow them are raganuga. When a raganuga-bhakta sadhaka (a practitioner of raganuga-bhakti) meditates upon the associates of Krsna, like Mother Yasoda, Nanda Baba, a cowherd friend (sakha) or Krsna's most beloved gopis, that sadhaka's (practitioner's) mood is called raganuga and his stage is called suddha-sattva. This is a very, very high thing – bh akti is not an ordinary thing.

After rati, prema will come. In that regard I wanted to explain a story, but now there is no time.

[Devotees:] There is time.

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] I will tell it in brief.

Sri Krsna is the Supreme Lord. He is quite independent. He is not dependent. He can do whatever He wants. Still, Mother Yasoda bound that powerful Krsna with a rope. When she did this, He began to weep. Though He is the Supreme Lord, Mother Yasoda told Him, "I will punish You," and He wept. Was He imitating? He was not imitating at all. He feels that if Mother Yasoda will not love and serve Him, He will not be able to remain alive for a second.

She tied Him to a grinding mortar. At first she threatened to beat Him, but instead she somehow bound Him. Actually she bound Him by her love and affection – Krsna was actually bound.

posted in Yoga in Chicago - 0 replies

Candlelight Yoga this weekend!

2006-09-20T14:47:32Z

Hello!!

I wanted to invite everyone to Core Studio in the South Loop this Saturday at 7:30pm!
Well have lots of Candles, Live Music and a Gentle Heart warming Yoga class.
Refreshments, snacks and socializing afterwards ;-)

Core Studio
1505 S. Michigan 2nd Floor

Time: 7:30pm

Cost: $20

Just South of Roosevelt.

www.corestudiochicago.com

Hope to see you there!!
Namaste
Mercedes

posted in Yoga in Chicago - 0 replies