Would you or anyone you know like to come for a free Yoga class this week? We would very much appreciate you offering your time and your participation. These are the graduation classes for our soon to be certified new teachers.

There are 4 classes available. You can come to one or all if you like. The class will be Level 1 Ashtanga. If you want to take part you must let me know that you plan to attend. Space is limited! Classes will be held in West Hampstead NW6, well connected by pubic transport.

Thursday, January 12
class 1 – 10:00-11:30
class 2 – 12:00-1:30

Friday, January 13
class 3 – 10:00-11:30
class 4 – 12:00-1:30

We look forward to hearing from you and possibly seeing you in class!

Being a yogi means orienting your whole life towards your highest potential, from the deepest realization of who you truly are to the unbounded expression of that truth in the world. Being a Yoga teacher is a commitment to awaken others to the insights of Yoga, a great gift to the world to be undertaken with honour, humility and a sense of humour.

In this course we will work closely together, molding your training according to where you are in your understanding and practice. My intention is to properly train serious yoga students to become strong, confident, knowledgeable teachers. In addition to all the relevant information about Yoga philosophy and theory I will put a strong emphasis on developing your personal practice and cultivating your personal growth. What you have to share as a teacher comes from your own experience. The deeper your realization of Yoga, the more naturally your teaching will flow.

You know the Zen koan, “What is the sound of one hand clapping?” Usually, of course, we need two hands to clap—and that is the structure of typical experience. We have a sense of ourselves as a subject in here, and the world as an object out there. We have these “two hands” of experience, the subject and the object. And typical experience is a smashing of these two hands together to make a commotion, a sound. The object out there smashes into me as a subject, and I have an experience—the two hands clap together, and experience emerges.

And so the typical structure of experience is like a punch in the face. The ordinary self is the battered self—it is utterly battered by the universe “out there.” The ordinary self is a series of bruises, of scars, the results of these two hands of experience smashing together. This bruising is called duhkha, suffering. As Krishmamurti used to say, in that gap between the subject and the object lies the entire misery of humankind.

But with the nondual state, suddenly there are not two hands. Suddenly, the subject and the object are one hand. Suddenly, there is nothing outside of you to smash into you, bruise you, torment you.

Suddenly, you do not have an experience, you are every experience that arises, and so you are instantly released into all space: you and the entire Kosmos are one hand, one experience, one display, one gesture of great Perfection. There is nothing outside of you that you can want, or desire, or seek, or grasp—your soul expands to the corners of the universe and embraces all with infinite delight. You are utterly full, utterly saturated, so full and saturated that the boundaries to the Kosmos completely explode and leave you without date or duration, time or location, awash in an ocean of infinite care. You are released into the All, as the All—you are the self-seen radiant Kosmos, you are the universe of One Taste, and the taste is utterly infinite.

So what is the sound of that one hand clapping? What is the taste of that One Taste? When there is nothing outside of you that can hit you, hurt you, push you, pull you—what is the sound of that one hand clapping?

Continued…

For many people who are new to yoga or don’t know the ashtanga series by memory, self practice might seem scary. No need to worry, mysore self-practice is for all levels, from complete beginners to advanced practitioners. The only requirement is a willingness to learn.

Book now

Ashtanga Yoga consists of a series of postures strung together with the breath. Once you begin to learn the basics of this sequence you are ready to dive in and explore the practice at your own pace according to your own individual needs. Learning the Ashtanga series so that you are able to practice on your own allows you to progress in areas you might not be able to in regular guided classes. It also gives you a practice that you will have for the rest of your life. You can take it with you wherever you go.

In this workshop you will learn everything you need to know to get started. We will start with some background information about Ashtanga, the fundamental elements of the practice, the beginning sun salutation sequences and the first few standing postures. You will be given a sheet with the series printed on it so you can begin to internalize the sequences. Ryan will answer any questions or address any concerns you might have.

If you’re ready to take your yoga practice to the next level come along!

Dear Teacher,

I have been wanting to write this to you for a few weeks now, but somehow never found the right moment.

Because of you and your teachings, I find my morning practice very soothing and invigorating at the same time, both physical and intellectually. Although you are teaching me about how to go about a certain asana, the words you say actually apply to a great many things in life, and they have helped me to overcome many problems I encounter in my daily life.

A few weeks ago I asked about how an asana should be properly done, and you replied that it “could” be done in a certain way. It was very illuminating! By substituting the word “should” with “could”, you took away all the anxiety, stress and unreal expectations from me. “Should” implies a duty, an entitlement, a must…which all cause stress because I think if it doesn’t happen, then I’d be cheated out of something unfairly.

Whereas “could” implies a possibility, a potential, a hope…something I can work toward. And if I’m dilligent enough, I might achieve it one day, but while working toward it I’ll be improving everyday. This enlightenment made me realise that I am in control, I can do it, maybe not now, maybe never quite like how it’s done on the books, but tomorrow I can always be better than how I am today. “Could” also means it’s my own responsibility to make it happen.

So I started substituting “should” with “could” in various usually stressful situations, and voilà!! My mood improved instantly, nothing irritates me anymore, the positive energy sweeps away the negative one and I’m happy again! Magic!

Allow me to give you a very big hug!

Namaste,

If you are considering becoming a Yoga teacher or looking to take your Ashtanga practice to the next level join me for an insightful, informative and in-depth course. This training will awaken your body, mind and spirit and prepare you to become a confident and compassionate teacher.

You can find all course details here.

The Atman is reading this sentence, the Self, the radical, mysterious Subject that is looking out of your eyes. Atman is the subjective nature of all beings, the amazing, inexplicable phenomenon of consciousness.

Brahman, the unqualifiable reality is the undeniable, impersonal truth of existence. It is the fact that there is something rather than nothing. At the deepest level, the ultimate or absolute level of reality, existence is a fact, yet it is impossible to say what it is, “vibrating strings”, “energy”, “the quantum field.” It is beyond description, beyond labels, beyond definable qualities, yet it is.

Atman, self-ness, is embedded in the fabric of the universe. Every vibration of energy, particle, atom, molecule, cell all the way up to the complex organisms that we are has an interior, has an inside, has a subjective sense. This is a radical statement. All matter is conscious. The consciousness of the material comes from the conscious field from which it arises, Atman itself, the Self.

The ultimate realization in Yoga is the unshakeable knowledge that Atman is Brahman. The Self, that which is reading this sentence, you, is none other than the field from which all matter arises, from which all distinctions are made. The Subject and the Object while apparently separate, are actually one and the same.

The nature of this realization is called Sat-chit-anand.
Sat – Being, Truth, Is-ness, the fact there is something rather than nothing.
Chit – Consciousness. Consciousness is embedded in the something.
Anand – Bliss. Bliss is the natural state that arises when consciousness knows itself, when the very ground of Awareness knows itself as awareness. When Sat knows Chit and Chit knows Sat

This reorients life in a radically different way. No longer am I fighting for survival. No longer am I separate from the rest of the world. I am That. I am Life itself. This is not an egoic, self-centered position. This recognition completely annihilates the ego, the sense of separateness. It means total humility, vulnerability, without defense. It means freedom from the confines of this limited human form. I am the joy and suffering of every being. I am the evolution of the cosmos, exploding stars and empty space. I am birth and death and beyond. Everything is allowed to be as it is, including my own mind. It means total acceptance of what is, as it is.

The recognition of this truth is your birthright. It is who you truly are. It is absolutely possible to live life in and as this understanding. If your absolute priority is to see through the delusions that veil the truth of Atman and Brahman then true freedom is your destiny.

Enjoy!