Balispirit.com Newsletter, September 2004

YOGAWAVES
A Balispirit Newsletter
September 2004

"From joy all beings have come, by joy they all live, and unto joy they all return."

— Taittiriya Upanishad

Namaste!

Welcome to the Balispirit newsletter. This month's newsletter written by our beloved Balispirit yoga instructor Julie Sumerta, focuses on the essence of yoga in Bali. It also provides information about all the ongoing classes and events at Balispirit Yoga Studio and partners.

More than any other time of the year, September has always been a time of change for me. It probably goes back to school days where each September promised a year of great change and growth. So, it is not surprising that this September Meghan, the founder of Balispirit.com, finds herself, new baby in tow, away in America visiting family and friends. I found myself in a new city — Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — teaching to a new group of students. It was a great time that challenged me in many ways and I am grateful for it. But, I have to say, it is always nice to be back home in Ubud teaching my normal classes at Balispirit.

There are a lot of new things happening in Ubud in the following months of September & October. First off there is lots of preparation for the first and hopefully annual Ubud Readers and Writer's festival that will take place from October 11-17 th, 2004. Then there is the continuation of Ateeka's Yoga workshops. In addition there the The Café, a new coffee, pastry and light food cafe will open Nov 1 on the first floor of the Balispirit Yoga Studio building. We can't wait!

Also, we must bring notice to a new, wonderful, healing space that has recently opened up in Ubud, on Jalan Tebesaya, across from the Jazz Cafe (a wonderful place for hanging out at night)!

Sukma, Bali's first and only integrated Tarot and holistic treatments space opened this past August. Sukma, which in Indonesian means 'soul' has an in-house tarot reader and offers a wide variety of treatments and counseling services, including Acupuncture, Reiki, Shiatsu, Aromatherapy, Thai and Swedish Massage and Nutritional guidance. Sukma also runs regular Tarot workshops for those who want to learn to read the Tarot as well as Qui Gong and Shiatsu workshops. Sukma has a private healing room with its own garden patio, a Cafe, a Gallery of Indonesian and Balinese art and a gift section selling tarot cards, crystals, jewelry and scented wood products.

For more info about how to find Sukma,

Back at Balispirit Studio, our schedule has some new and exciting changes for September. After a great summer season, we have revised the schedule to include a new Iyengar Inspired Hatha Yoga class, a Classical Hatha class, as well as our continuing morning Vinyasa Flow classes. Please see our updated schedule for full details.

After reading our newsletter, if you have further questions, please feel free to email to askme@balispirit.com.

Om Shanti!

This Month in YOGAWAVES

About Balispirit Studio

DID YOU KNOW? When you purchase a 5 or 10 YOGA class card with Balispirit, you are not only saving money on classes but also save 10% on selected items at our partners, Coffee & Silver, Hanoman Jus Ja, Sukma Healng and Tegun Galeri. Just show your card at any of the above locations and start saving now!

Classes at Balispirit Yoga Studio are held on a daily basis with Internationally Certified Yoga Teachers from around the world, some of whom do retreats and workshops in Bali. We at Balispirit strive to offer the BEST classes, workshops and information on all that is YOGA.

At Balispirit, we have a solid morning yoga schedule, afternoon yoga classes, beginner yoga classes and, White Crane Silat for Adults and Children in the afternoons as well as workshops at our studio on weekends and on some weekday afternoons.

Prices:

Classes cost Rp 50 000 for walk-ins.
5 and 10 class cards are also available for longer term students.
Yoga Theory classes are Rp 65,000 for walk-ins or Rp 450,000 for the entire series.
Weekend workshops are anywhere from Rp 150,000 to 200,000 per class.
Please check Balispirit.com for more details.
Straps, bolsters & blocks are available for free use.

Private instruction in our studio, or in your home or hotel room, is also available — call 08123843900 or email for information on how to schedule a private class.

In addition to having yoga classes and workshops, Balispirit sells Bali yoga props such as: yoga mats, yoga blocks, yoga bolsters, yoga straps, yoga books, yoga clothing and soothing lavender eye pillows... everything you need to practice at home or in a classroom setting can be found in Balispirit Yoga Shop.

The newest addition to our yoga shop is the colorful, fun and entirely wearable Remember To Breathe clothing line. All yoga products can be found on the second floor of our sister building Tegun Galeri.

Featured Pose — Bhujungasana (Cobra)

"Success in Yoga comes quickly to those who are intensely energetic."

— Patanjali from Yoga Sutras

"You carry with you, around you, in you, the atmosphere created by your actions, and if what you do is beautiful, good and harmonious your atmosphere is beautiful, good and harmonious."

— The Mother, The Sunlit Path

Yoga Theory — The Yamas and Niyamas "Satya"

Satya translates as "truthfulness" in English. Telling the truth in word, deed and thought. This means always being truthful to those around you and to yourself as well.

It is very easy to justify a "white lie" or to even fall into our own delusion of what is really happening to us. We start to believe at times that the lies we tell (or that other people lead us to believe!) are stronger and even more believable than our own truth.

Once one becomes caught in a web of lies and deceit, the lies and deceit have no choice but to continue if the one creating the web ultimately does not want to suffer the humiliation and pain of being ousted. This in itself can be very stressful — and dangerous. When a person is so caught up in a lie (or lies!) that there is no easy way out of, often times that person starts believing in the lies he or she is telling, not only creating a deceitful atmosphere for others but also delusion for themselves. And, as what normally happens, people start seeing the truth regardless as, simply put, the truth shines brighter than any lie going!

There is one loophole to the practice of Satya which is when the practice of Ahimsa or non harming (see last months Ahimsa article for information) is in conflict with Satya. What is meant by this? How can the practice of telling the truth and the practice of non-harming be in conflict? Most schools of Buddhism and Hinduism would say they are certainly not in conflict. However, it is advised in the teachings of both that when the truth is being told intentionally to hurt another person, it is better to hold the tongue. This does not mean to lie about a situation, but just to not say anything at all.

The old adage of “say something good or don't say anything at all” comes into play here. Of course, as every situation and person is different, one must carefully weigh the outcome of hurting a person with the truth against the outcome of not divulging potentially harmful information.

In conclusion we could say, be firstly truthful to yourself, extend truthfulness to others and watch your tongue in situations that could potentially hurt another person, taking into account both Satya and Ahimsa. If in telling the truth you find happiness and reality for yourself and others then surely the truth WILL set you free!

Featured Pose — Bhujungasana

A gentle yet invigorating backbend, Bhujungasana or Cobra is one of the best known asanas in the world of yoga. A great pose of beginners that can be extended for a more intense stretch, cobra works the flexibility of the spine, opens the heart and also works the arms and legs.

To come into Cobra, we start by lying on our stomach on our mat. Take few breaths here and just relax the body, preparing for the stretch and feeling the breath as it runs up and down the spine.

Bring your hands just beneath your shoulder and bring your feet close together so that the inner rims are touching. On an inhalation, rise up through the spine to preparatory position, lifting your head and chest about 3 inches off the floor without the help of the hands. Now staying in this position with elbows bent, lift your hands up off the floor and get a sensation of elongation through the spine. Drop your hands back to the floor and, with another inhalation, this time root down gently under the palms of the hands and use the strength of the arms to lift you up further into full position.

While in full position, take several long, deep breaths and bring your awareness into the spine. Again, try to direct the breath to the spine and feel the movement of the breath up and down the spinal column. Breath should not be held but should flow steadily and evenly. Open up the chest further, as you relax the shoulders down-shoulder blades dropping down the back. Make sure, also, not to lock your elbows but rather keep the arms relaxed yet strong as you gently press the palms of the hands into the floor. Keep your hips on the ground and gently root your upper legs down into the mat while keeping your feet as close together as you can. Keep your chin pulled in at all times unless you have the flexibility to let the head drop back. If you DO have the flexibility, you can now let the crown of the head drop back, leading the way for the neck to open up.

When you are ready to come out of position, do so slowly with an exhalation, using the strength of the arms to slowly straighten out the spine as you lower yourself back to a position of lying on the floor. Be sure now to take a few long and cleansing breaths before moving on to a counter position such as a seated forward bend.

This newsletter is available online at:
http://www.balispirit.com/newsletter/september_2004.html
For more information please email newsletter@balispirit.com

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