Ishta Yoga Studio Sandton Johannesburg South Africa

Some time during the December holidays in 2008, I helped Suniti with this documentary on the different Yoga styles in South Africa. “Yoga in Africa” was flighted last year and had an amazing response. And now its back!

Yoga in Africa is a local documentary that explores the ancient origins and spiritual
significance of yoga. Interweaving insights from various yogic schools of thought,
it demystifies commonly held perceptions of yoga as just a health and fitness modality
and beautifully illustrates that it’s a sacred science integrating body, mind and spirit instead.

The documentary also takes a look at yoga in the context of some of the specific challenges
facing Africa such as HIV / AIDS, disability, crime rehabilitation and healing from trauma.
Internationally respected teachers Swami Niranjananda, Swami Pragyamurti and Deepak
Chopra are featured alongside many well-known names from the local yoga community.

Yoga in Africa is produced by Moksham Productions and directed
by Suniti Kala. (www.mokshamproductions.com)

We’ve got 10 copies of this DVD to give to a few lucky people. All you need to do is leave a comment on this blog, with the answer to the following question, and you could win a copy of this doccie.

Question

Who is the director of Yoga in Africa?

Love wholeheartedly, be surprised, give thanks and praise – then you will discover the fullness of your life.
Brother David Steindl-Rast

Life is better lived with a generous supply of Freedom. Your creative spirit is released when you have control over how you spend your day
W.Beavis

Some help others in order to receive blessings and admiration. This is simply meaningless. Some cultivate themselves in part to serve others, in part to serve their own pride. They will understand, at best, half of the truth. But those who improve themselves for the sake of the world – to these, the whole truth of the universe will be revealed.
Lao Tzu

Your best shot at happiness, self-worth and personal satisfaction – the things that constitute real success – is not in earning as much as you can but in performing as well as you can something that you consider worthwhile.
William Raspberry

is like this: You feel cold so I reach for a blanket
to cover our shivering feet

A hunger comes into your body
so I run to my garden
and start digging potatoes

You ask for a few words of comfort and guidance
I quickly kneel at your side offering you
This whole book-as a gift

You ache with loneliness one night
so much you weep
and i say
heres a rope
tie it around me
Hafiz will be your companion
for life.

(Hafiz)

My friend Chris Tokalon, http://soundman.co.za did a sound journey at the Ishta Yoga Studio recently, and I took these pics.

From Sound Journey, posted by Haroun Kola on 4/28/2010 (16 items)

Generated by Facebook Photo Fetcher

Forget everything you have learned and you will remember everything you have forgotten.
Alan Cohen.

Practice is the seedbed of miracles.
Michael Murphy

No person was ever wise by chance.
Seneca

Music without words means leaving behind the mind. And leaving behind the mind is meditation. Meditation returns you to the source. And the source of all is sound.
Kabir

No favor can win gratitude from a cat.
Jean de La Fontaine

I’ve just uploaded a new meditation by Nandiva, its called “I exist I am”. At the moment its only available for those who who have the Om Narayanaya Meditation.

I’ll post a snippet of it here soon

In the meantime, some of you have downloaded this meditation already, please let me know your feedback on it in the comments section.

Namaste

Life-long yogi and musical legend in South Africa, Steve Newman, comes together with classically trained kirtan singer Dasi Karnamrita and master table player Ashish Joshi for a musical offering of devotion. Karnamrita has spent the past months in South Africa and is just about to leave again. This is their last musical gift to us in this ensemble as a warm note of gratitude to the beautiful, hospitable people in South Africa she has met.

The sufi poet Rumi says, ‘We rarely hear the inward music, but we all dance to it nevertheless.’ This is a meditative offering from one yogi to another to tune the ear to the inward sound of the universe.
Not to be missed!

Bring a cushion to sit comfortably and bring your friends!
Sunday, 18th April, 4 p.m at the ISHTA Centre, 121 Athol Road, Atholl-Oaklands.

This is a donation concert; suggested donation R50

This pregnancy workshops will help you explore the mystery that you and your baby share, in a fun and expressive way. Using simple, holistic tools you will be guided to access your intuition, trust your body and bond with your baby. If this is your first, second or third pregnancy, give this baby your attention and focus for one afternoon to allow for a deeply connection.

You can enjoy this workshop at any stage during your pregnancy. We will utilize the transformative qualities of yoga and breathing, visualization, deep relaxation and sound.

What’s included: tea, light snacks, great experience….

What to bring: Yourself, pillow and blanket, an open mind and heart…mat if you have

When: 17th April 2010 , Saturday, 13h30 start 14h00 to 16h00

Where: ‘Joyspace’ 37 10th Avenue, Highlands North

Cost: R 250.00 per person  (mom and baby is 1 person for now)  R225 if you have been attending regular pregnancy yoga classes.

R 100 deposit secures your space.

SPACE LIMITED TO 15 PEOPLE ONLY, BOOK NOW!

For any information or queries, please do not hesitate to call me on 083 229 3253 or email…

Much love

Theoni

This workshop will be of equal value to those moms expecting a C- section birth. Sadly, there is still very little dignity or respect shown to this kind of birth. It is still as miraculous and transformative a process, bringing the gift of life.

Here are the banking details:

ABSA Bank

Account No: 38028311670

Account Name: T.Papoutsis

Branch: Balfour Park (632005)

Type: Savings

What moms have expressed after the workshop:

I felt so connect to my baby during and after the workshop, and it it still with me and mom is just 3 weeks old…

I so in awe of the process that I was speechless afterwards…

I found the workshop so gentle and at the same time so powerful, highly recommended…

What a grand thing, to be loved! What a grander thing still, to love!
Victor Hugo

This too shall pass! We are shaped by our thoughts. We become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.
Buddha

Who sees all beings in his own self & his own self in all beings, loses all fear.
Isa Upanishad

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.
Aristotle

Weakness of attitude becomes weakness of character.
Albert Einstein

For everything that lives is holy, life delights in life.
William Blake

You can chain me, you can torture me, you can even destroy this body, but you will never imprison my mind.
Mahatma Gandhi

If it’s mine I can’t lose it and if it isn’t mine, I don’t want it.- Florence Scovel Shinn

You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off you.
Maya Angelou

This sky where we live is no place to lose your wings so love, love, love.
Hafiz

To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people
and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest
critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty;
to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by
a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to
know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.

This is to have succeeded.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

The pride of youth is in strength & beauty, the pride of old age is in discretion.
Democritus