Category: Beautiful Places

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Authentic 

Equipped with so much wisdom and knowledge ! That’s how I would describe Saraswathi Devi, who has been inspiring and teaching yoga for over 40 years. She is known in Berkeley as founder and lead instructor of CalStar Yoga program on UC Berkeley campus. 

Such a treat to learn from her this weekend at Niroga Institute with other Karma Yogis!  

One of the cohorts, always profound Ms. J, expressed our sentiment so well when she said

“Thank you for doing what you do.”

When we see a yogi in service, it’s instantly recognizable – that feeling of reverence we have when we are in presence before one who serves with love, compassion and equanimity even when faced with adversity. I can only hope to cultivate that kind of generosity in my service to others… besides, I appreciate the humor she shares with “unbridled joy”. (her words – ah… her voice has the deepest rich vibrations she could have been an opera singer; her flowing language so poetic, her humor so dead-on.)

Thank you for the training Niroga; thank you for the teachings Saraswathi Devi.
& Thank you for her students who came and shared their stories with us so that we know to recognize their whole being, their humanity – they are no different than us, just more brave, more patient, more …amazing!

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Beautiful Places

Stormy @ Tokyo Tower

Cool thing about being on a high-rise building where I can be roaming all the way up to 30th and 31st floors (lovely yoga class there!) is that I can appreciate all kinds of weather patterns and lighting both natural and man-made. Iphone camera is pretty good but could not capture the big white moon shining by the red glowing tower … a juxtaposition of super-metropolis and the beauty of nature in one shot as you walk between the the Tokyo skyscrapers. Then on and off elevators like a yoyo. Being grounded is more important than ever when your life revolves around elevators to get to places – what? Take the stairs for health? Ummm, C’mon, not to 31st floor … break a leg.

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Beautiful People Beautiful Places Yoga

In Berkeley 

Yoga and Addiction is such a grim dark subject (NOT!), I had to counter it by upping my happiness quotient through good deeds – meaningful actions.  Got the above  for a teen who accompanied me to assist an Adaptive Yoga class at UC Berkeley Friday. 

So a little reward for spending 2+ hours on campus just observing yoga teachers aiding an Adaptive Yoga class.  To assist one must be min 18 years old so – unfortunately he could not help. I worked with 30-something young lady and her caretaker – This thirty-something, why don’t we call her “Anna” is normally wheelchair bound and has a conputer monitor to convey her words as Anna cannot speak. Yet she squeals  in joy when some movement or touch feels good to her – I learned a lot from Anna.Thank you Anna for allowing me to figure things out about our body and mind; what’s normal, what’s the new normal … what is it like to not have freedom and control over one’s motor functions. 

After the class – went to North Berkeley and stumbled into a French bakery. Treated this well-meaning teen to a Raspberry Dark Chocolate Cake – ahhh could not resist taking a little bite – ouuuuu – so sweet. Anyone addicted to sugar? That’s an addiction – food addiction, alcohol addiction, screen-addiction, hedonistic addictions, prescription drugs addictions … there are many kinds of addictions us weak mortals exhibit destructive behaviors with – why is that? How would a yoga practice help ? It’s an interesting module full of surprises. How does a mindfulness practice inherent in a yoga practice help heal?

*** Next months’s module is “Adaptive Yoga” and here we are, doing our homework before that actual intensive …

When Cal students come back, then these yoga students are in for a real treat as there will be such high ratio of assistants. Yeah hooray they get to get out of that wheelchair and move their limbs! You will be lifted out of immobility !!! 

Experience that freedom to feel alive ! That we all take for granted. 

Thank you for a valuable experience.