Archive for the ‘yoga teachers’ Category

John Malherbe recently started a new yoga class at the centre. I haven’t had the opportunity to experience it yet, but after feedback about his Saturday classes, I’m sure they’re great.

John says:

I started my exploration into Yoga in 2005 with my practice in Kundalini Yoga at Ishta – As a dedicated student with a general love for the effects and awareness created by this discipline I decided to expand three years later, combining and incorporating Ashtanga Yoga into my practice. With the further inclusion of strong Hatha yoga I felt satisfied and positively challenged in what Yoga was offering me. My teachers Pritam, Debbie and Anne helped me greatly to deepen and develop within these forms, to a level where I felt competent and inspired to hold the teaching space myself.

Predominantly guided by intuition, a keen sense of energy awareness and a need for physical challenge and endurance; I have developed a style of Yoga which is best described as HATHA FUSION: My sets follow a defined structure with Pranayam, Warm up postures, Twists, Suria Namaskar sequences, Holding postures, Balancing postures, Cooling Down postures and relaxation. Each set is different and I try to keep the sets interesting and fresh to stimulate the body and consciousness in a way that leaves a tangible energetic result.

I believe my classes will appeal to yoga practitioners who enjoy a strong
solid yoga practice, combining the best aspects of my own yoga experiences to become a modality for personal development.

With respect JOHN

John teaches ASHTANGA
Saturday 7am – 8h30
Sunday   8am – 9h15

HATHA FUSION
Wednesday 7:30am – 8h45

If you’ve enjoyed the class already, please leave a comment here.

Class is great! A man who looked like he stepped out of WWF put a remote-controlled farting device on the teacher’s bench. The cushion farted noisily, I raised my eye brow, puzzled.. And it reminded of my birthday last year. I asked each one to bring a poem, dance, song, story or joke and to dress the part. And what glorious offerings they brought! Zann wore a long blond wig and narrated a story from ‘Women who Run with the Wolves’, Ravi performed an amazing dance, Ishvara dressed in authentic berber gear, narrated a riddle about camels, Adi Shakti sang a song whilst Liz swiftly completed an OM sign painting and Karin demonstrated Pavan Mukt Arsana! Her explanation of the pose was delivered with a mouth-full-of-marbles, pretty good, fake Indian accent – not bad at all, seeing that she spent about 1/2 year in Mumbai, riding a motorbike through Indian streets when necessary – that alone being worthy of deep admiration! Okay, let’s defrag this Sanskrit: Wind Liberating Pose, with emphasis on the ARS-ana. Under her shawl on the floor she concealed a fart pillow, positioned herself on it, drew her knees to her chest and off it went! Such a success it was she had to repeat the skit! Well, the fartology device got switched off and we proceeded to do yoga. The meditation that followed was for the ego, helping us sift through the attachments and thought processes that don’t serve.. Lovely class.

In Yoga Class.. taken from Pritam’s blog at:

Kundalini Yoga Fan

Creative energy.. We worry it is something only for some and not for others.. Yogi Bhajan reminds us that we all are creators and creatresses and unique expression of the creator. We are the vessels for the unstoppable force of the universal creative energy to flow through. One of the best ways, he says, to be a creative person, is to not attach to the outcome of your actions. Keep allowing the creative energy to flow through. In the lecture on elementary stress (Nov 8, 1989, Vitality and Stress Manual), he says, ‘We accept elementary stress: I don’t like today; I am not with you today. I don’t want to say anything, I want to go away. Rather than to send away our insecurity, our corruption, our negativity. No, we fundamentally want to go away.’
The CREATIVE ENERGY set is a beautiful way to break through and creatively undo our tendency to shrink and withdraw. It is a long set; like a massage that works one over this way and that. It is so long that you don’t want to spend a lot of time with warm up exercises. Except perhaps one; do 3 minutes of spinal flex accompanied by breath of fire to get ready for that second exercise which is shoulder stand.
Every good transformative set must loosen up the lower chakra triangle for the warming and limbering of our creative forces. The lower chakras are set and slow-moving and need some mobilisation. The first exercise, lying on your back, drumming your heel with the breath to your buttock, makes one smile. Why should we kick our own butts? So life doesn’t kick us..?! Second exercise, walking shoulder stand, walk your talk. Life nerve stretch. Then onto an arched back series of locust, king cobra and bow to lift the prana into opening the heart. Not one but two leg exercises, crows and frogs to work the energy through the main structural muscles so we can feel and ‘own’ this energy (though it doesn’t belong to us it is ours to use..). Ex13, moaning, groaning, shouting. So hard sometimes to liberate the voice and yet so necessary to express in an unedited flow. More and more, people in class understand this quite naturally (even polite, well adjusted, conservative South Africans.. Give the mad woman, the mad man in you 2 minutes time out then s/he is peaceful and well mannered the rest of the day. The next exercises 14 – 19 take the energy and beneficiate it to Udana Vayu, the resting of prana in the heart and head area. Especially ex 15 – thumbs in the arm pits stimulating the nervous system, fingers on the shoulders, raising and lowering the elbows – often brings little neural twitches in the face. These exercises also send the energy into your aura which is where we reconcile what we think with how we feel. Udana Vayu harmonises and makes aware the interface between conscious and subconscious and so gives us a new level-headed and heart-warmed sense of reality to think the thoughts and act from the heart… The very last exercise is sweet, sufi grind to ‘put the genie back in the bottle’, to dissipate and lock the prana into your being. A deep relaxation at the end is what you’ve been waiting for. (Currently, after teaching this level 2 course, I follow it with the magical meditation from the Vitality & Stress manual, POWER OF THE MIND OVER THE BODY. ) CREATIVE ENERGY liberates a sense of joyfulness, boldness, spirit of adventure, being able to flow with life. Not being too withholding or judgemental with regards to life. God’s flow can be chaotic whilst everything is unfolding in its own, often hidden sense of perfection. CREATIVE ENERGY allows us to present ourselves to life as life is.

CREATIVE ENERGY p80-84 taken from Pritam’s blog at:

Kundalini Yoga Fan

Today we did the set that in Guru Rattan Kaur’s manual is called THYMUS AND IMMUNITY SET and in I AM A WOMAN it is WITHSTAND THE PRESSURE OF TIME.. It is beautiful; the two first exercises are dancing sitting and standing. This type of dancing allows the internal organs to relate afresh with each other, with resulting deep relaxation and healing of the nervous system. The set works a lot on the second and the fifth chakra. they are related. When through the second chakra we are at ease in our self-worth, we are able to share this gracefully and in an uplifting manner through the fifth chakra. Ilana from Cape Town was here on her way to the Yoga Festival in France and said they shared this very set the other day at Aromaspa Studio.. Amazing – but perhaps not – that we’re into similar things. Perhaps the times call to us and divine grace whispers inspiration of what to share from the great storehouse of Yogi Bhajan’s legacy.. Then we did the MEDITATION FOR STRONG NERVES (from the Kundalini Yoga Fan) and chatted ’bout the mega amounts of methane that are stored at the ocean bed and occasionally come up toxically as polar ice melts – but also the methane that is constantly produced through livestock. Dr Zwally, NASA climate scientist, predicts all the polar ice could be GONE! by end of summer 2012. So please don’t eat what has a mother and encourage others to do so as well! This cuts down on the methane that is emitted by the animals we love too much – we love them so that we eat them.. There are sooo many nourishing vegetarian foods.. Make sure you get nice vegetarian proteins and have plenty of green foods, including green juices.. They thoroughly nurture your body, nervous system, brain and cells..

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Dancing Set.. taken from Pritam’s blog at:

Kundalini Yoga Fan

Hari Bhajan (My son) and I are going to Summer Solstice..
(to the tune of: We’re off to see the wizard..
We created a complimentary bookmark type card with a set from the KUNDALINI YOGA FAN on the one side – SAT KRIYA FOR THE CHAKRAS – and a beautiful atmospheric solstice photo and calendar for next year on the other side! It’ll be in your registration package.. And may it be with you throughout the year and remind us all to draw into sangat and community at solstices again and again.. (It’ll ‘only’ take us two days to get there, but hay, we’re going via Egypt = value-added excursion, ha ha..) Yogi Bhajan’s and the ancient Hopis’ vibrations and blessings will be with us.
SEE YOU AT SUMMER SOLSTICE – we’ll be with the South African homies! Love, Pritam Hari Kaur & Hari Bhajan Singh

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Summer Solstice and the bookmark! taken from Pritam’s blog at:

Kundalini Yoga Fan

We did this meditation in class tonight; it is a cozy posture with the arms wrapped around yourself! The 16 word Ajai Alai Mantra (Ek Achri Chand meaning ‘Being one like the moon with what you say!’) creates a very soothing sound current; Satkirin’s tune (from JAAP) is a soft lullabye to the self. It is an invocation upon one’s true nature, the way in which the infinite exists within the self.. By calling upon that we rebuild our original self, which shares itself through the radiant body.  Always such a privilege to meditate within a group.. Towards the end, the group energy released with a sigh and little bursts of Kundalini energy were felt, just for a tiny moment of grace.

I’ll venture a translation in native German; the original words are Gurmukhi and Persian. Why do we use them? Because their sound captures and expresses the meaning. Try let the beautiful words melt on your tongue…

AJAI unbesiegbar ALAI unzerstorbar ABHAI furchtlos ABAI unveranderbar ABHU ungeformt AJU ungeboren ANAS unverganglich AKAS atherisch AGANJ unzerbrechlich ABHANJ undurchdringlich ALAKH unsichtbar/ ungesehen ABAKH unbeirrbar AKAL unsterblich DYAL voller Gnade ALEK unbeschreiblich ABHEK unbekleidet ANAM namenlos AKAM wunschlos AGAH unerfassbar ADHAH unkorruptierbar ANATEH unveranderlich PARMATEH Aufloser AJOONEE jenseits von Geburt AMOONIE jenseits von Stille NA RANGAY jenseits von Liebe NA RANGAY jenseits Farbe NA ROOPAY jenseits Form NA RAYKAY jenseits Figur AKARMANG jenseits Karma ABHARMANG jenseits Zweifel AGANJAY unbesiegbar  ALAYKHAY unbeschreiblich …

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Meditation for Depression with the Ek Achri Chand Mantra taken from Pritam’s blog at:

Kundalini Yoga Fan

I am very grateful to the art and science of Kundalini Yoga.. Yoga practitioners often marvel about this ‘effect’ – the sensation of feeling protected, expanded, sort of like we’re witnessing the universe and the universe witnessing us.. I was introduced to KY in 1981.. I was privileged to live and work at Guru Ram Das Ashram in Hamburg, Germany for eight years, with enough (!) tutelage of beloved Yogi Bhajan.. In 1987 he requested me to go to South Africa.. Request is a big word – when Yogi Bhajan ‘requests’ it is both gentle and matter-of-fact with no trace of hesitation on his part.. 1987 was the dark days of apartheid.. I so did not know what I let myself in for.. My ashram brethren collected newspaper clippings every day re the scandalous shenanigans here! RSA (Republic of South Africa) sure made headlines every day. It only made the job feel yet more ethereal or unfathomable..  Ah well, off to a total adventure.. When I listened to Guru Ram Das’ whisper, it felt sealed, signed and covered by grace..
(..to be continued

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Hi, Pritam here.. taken from Pritam’s blog at:

Kundalini Yoga Fan

It is winter time here in the deep South (Southern hemisphere.. South Africa.. 14 degrees in the early morning in my sadhana space..) At the moment I am re-discovering KUNDALINI YOGA FOR YOUTH AND JOY!
I remember this with a wistful feeling, being there in 1983 when Yogi Bhajan taught this class..
The yoga was really intense.. 1983.. the year when practically every set was accompanied by Ragi Sat Nam Singh’s version of Jaap Sahib.. EXERCISE SET FOR FEAR AND RELAXATION, ex. 9, moving the arms to Dukh Bhanjan. ‘one can go into a state of ecstasy’. it is true, I remember losing sense of time and space in that exercise.. how blessed, in the presence of our master Kundalini energy would be released in us.. But I do also believe – because I have seen this – that when he looked at us, he also was happy and ‘rejoiced’ at our experience.. A great big happy belly laugh..
yes, so Kundalini energy gets released – and then what? Then we realise what we have to work on.. We process and plough through our ’stuff’ ’til our state feels more consolidated.
Warmly, Pritam Hari Kaur
khalsa@kundaliniyoga.co.za

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Winter in South Africa taken from Pritam’s blog at:

Kundalini Yoga Fan

We did EXPERIENCE YOUR OWN STRENGTH and EXPERIENCE YOUR ELEMENTARY PERSONALITY from SELF KNOWLEDGE in the Sunday class..
Building ones ’strength’ can become nearly a scare word!
We try so hard to muscle up and achieve a goal ‘out there’ that the very thought may fill one with dread. this is where your affirmations can turn into sabotages..
We tire from the start. Another non-achievement becomes more ammo in the war on self.. The battle with our perceived lack of self discipline goes on..
The yogic path is more humble, compassionate as well as humorous and magical..
Do these exercises in the softest, most gentle manner: when you do bow pose, precede it with alternate leg stretches, yielding the heel to the bum to lengthen and soften thigh muscles and ready the knees..
Keep the focus at the navel when you’re up in bow pose. Build the posture into the rib cage and into the thighs away from the navel. Take a little rest in between if that feels right. Little mini relaxation so can be part of your keep up in an exercise..
Exercise 2 brings a relief to the second chakra where we may feel held hostage; feeling victimised, invalidated, small, incompetent. Stretch up and down and release it.
Exercises 3 and 4 are deeply meditative. The chant ARDAS BHAEE acknowledges the prayer from the heart and through the dance we come in touch with what it is we ask for.. In the very act of asking with sweet attitude an internal capacity comes forward and grace descends to match the asking..
Running in place ‘as fast as you can’ can mean different things to different people.. Many people have uncomfortable knees.. They can make fast mini steps and still get that sensation of running in place FAST!
As we surrender to the EXPERIENCE of this yoga set, we may discover a sense of strength was always there.. Acknowledging and knowing is the way to build and welcome our tools.
Yogi Bhajan sums it up by saying:
Happiness is your right. You can be totally happy. All you have to do is to find out who you are, what you are, what you can be, and then be so.

Here’s a joke from South Africa, where petty and not so petty crime has a strange commonplace:
A woman is late for her meeting with her girl friend at the mall: ‘Sorry, doll, I got held up.’
- ‘WHAT??!! You got held up??! Are you ALRIGHT??!! Oh, you poor babes..!’
- ‘Oh no, no.. Don’t worry. I didn’t get held up. What I meant to say is, I got delayed..’
- Oh, thank goodness..’ (So, watch what you’re saying..

I would very much love your feedback on this or your comments on this set or any yoga experience. Love, Pritam

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Yoga Set EXPERIENCE YOUR OWN STRENGTH taken from Pritam’s blog at:

Kundalini Yoga Fan

Yogi Bhajan shared so many Kundalini Yoga techniques with us. One of them is this Kriya for Addictions: After tuning in with ONG NAMO GURU DEV NAMO, sit in a comfortable position with a straight spine, place your thumbs on your temples. Gently connect your back molars. Alter the pressure in a manner that you feel a muscle move underneath your thumbs. Proceed in the rhythm of silent, internal SA TA NA MA (meaning birth, life, death, rebirth).

Much has been written about this kriya. The pressure on the molars need not be heavy or intense.. Delicate crowns do not exclude or excuse us from working on counterproductive habits.. This kriya creates a sense of stillness in your mind that gives you a chance to be you and not under the eternal pressure of habits. 5 minutes is a good start-up time.. In time, give yourself the gift of 11 minutes. Practice for 40 days and witness changes.. You may find yourself naturally going off some uncomfortable habits that seemed cast in stone..

With fond regards, Pritam Hari Kaur – currently at a KRI Level II Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training in Espanola! Yipee

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Kundalini Yoga Meditation for bad habits taken from Pritam’s blog at:

Kundalini Yoga Fan