Tuesday 19 September 2017

Retiro de Sun Power Yoga O Sol e os cinco elementos

Retiro de Sun Power Yoga O Sol e os cinco elementos: O Sol e os cinco elementos. Ativando a alquimia interna dos elementos sutis.Sao quase 25 horas de praticas em sangha com dois professors com qualificacoes internacionais nesse retiro de yoga e meditacao no Recife. Junte-se a nos!

Tuesday 12 September 2017

Mantra Yoga Relaxation Experience

Mantra Yoga Relaxation Experience rescheduled to 23rd September: The sacred Vedic chants called mantras are part of the ancient science Nada Yoga or the therapy of the sound (Nada). Mantras have many purposes from helping to memorize teachings of the old yoga books, to healing, concentration, open our heart, express gratitude, deepen our connection with the teacher, release and let go etc. Most importantly, it is said to be the highest bridge towards our souls. Come and experience 3h of the magical practice of relaxing yoga and meditation with mantras. You will be delighted by the beauty of melodies and their Sanskrit meanings. There is much more than what you see in the Yoga world. Do not miss out this opportunity to relax, learn, be inspired and feel good in such an exclusive and inspirational workshop.

Thursday 10 August 2017

Mantra Yoga Relaxation Experience

Mantra Yoga Relaxation Experience: The sacred Vedic chants called mantras are part of the ancient science Nada Yoga or the therapy of the sound (Nada). Do not miss out this opportunity to relax, learn, be inspired and feel good in such an exclusive and inspirational workshop.

Friday 21 July 2017

On the dark side of our moon, pink floyd and certain asanas


Makara, the host of our unconscious mind I’ve got a feeling that week 10 of the course Mythology of Asanas is a perfect mixture of prog rock , dharma and yoga. Will explain. One of the British rock bands that I most admire because of its musical refinement and elegant richness absorbed from the European classical music and also because of the deepness of its reflexive lyrics is Pink Floyd. They made a very famous album in the 70’s, the dark side of the moon. One of its tracks is the music Brain Damage.

This is a bit of this song: The lunatic is in my head/ The lunatic is in my head/ You raise the blade, you make the change/ You re-arrange me 'til I'm sane/ You lock the door/ And throw away the key/There's someone in my head but it's not me/ And if the cloud bursts, thunder in your ear/ You shout and no one seems to hear/ And if the band you're in starts playing different tunes/ I'll see you on the dark side of the moon /
The dark side of the moon is associated to the black moon  or Lilith, which is the representation of death and of an asura(nocturnes ghosts, right?). Lilith is the furthest point from the moon to the Earth. It takes a lot to overcome the darkness in order to send some light to the Earth. The bright moon would be an architype of our dreams, our most secret desires, romance whereas Lilith or the dark moon would be our unconsciousness, our hidden side, our subjective
dissatisfactions, our obscurities, our unlit potentials, our buried internal zones etc.

When Gheranda Samhita describes Makarasana it sort of gives me a hint of an asana that invites us to meet my obscure side like someone that explores the reptilian brain, the one that controls our most animal and instinctive behaviour . There are many ways to penetrate the mythical comprehension of this asana. These are some of them. Within the performance of makarasana, we shouldn’t yield to the gravity nor to the instincts. However the logics of the instincts themselves are not the one of fighting against the gravity. It’s like a lunatic in our head that is not ourselves.

Another way of seeing this asana is also of an invitation to get in touch with our most earthy world. Keeping high up the most superior part of the practitioner’s body, his mind/brain, at the same time trying to overcome the gravity and aspiring to heaven. This pose is definitely a big effort to defeat the gravity at its highest pressure point when the whole body is settled down on the ground but must rise up. With a wise support of danda( a staff ), made by the arms, the practitioner holds and pushes his head higher up.

There are many variations for this asana. I know it almost like savasana, corpse pose, but Iyengar presents it with the hands crossed behind the neck with neck, elbows and head lifted up. There are other ways of performing Makarasana like kurmasana which allegory of a turtle as a hybrid animal both from the water and the earth reminds us of makara too. In India this crocodile is represented, according to my teacher Carlos Eduardo, as a combination of an antelope and a fish. Take a look at the first image above and make your own philosophical trip.

This antelope that runs quickly and lightly has a dark spot on its face. Carlos Eduardo says this is a warning for us to see through it our own darkness and unconscious mind that confront us but once lit up totally transformes us. It´s our ancestral memory that teaches us to fight or flight, in order to survive and to carry on. Some people even say that modern civilization is ruled by this brain which is incapable of feeling, of learning, of getting adapted to changes, of reflecting and of elaborating critical thoughts. A crazy side?


Makarasana applies the wisdom that comes from danda to look at our unknown strengths that surf within ourselves for us to transcend the one that is in our head but is not ourselves or our true Self(There's someone in my head but it's not me). The ego. Makara is also in the representation of swadhisthana chakra, the second of seven major chakras, 4 inches below the belly button, in our sexual area where water is predominant. This chakra is seen as a crescent moon, denoting the aspiration of the practitioner to find his Dharma. Again according to Carlos Eduardo it would be a life full of yoga, filled in with a deep meaning. This would be the genuine wisdom, the one that overcomes the ego.

Vasistha and Vishvamitra, a dispute – My teacher says that Vishva means everything and everyone and mitra, friend. He would be everybody´s friend.  Vishvamitrasana however does not seem that “friendly” pose to me. It requires an extreme effort, an excellent hip opener, lots of strength and balance. I was introduced to a more simple variation of this super demanding pose that I show it here. Yet I am still on the way to this asana. In this present life or in the immediate following life hope to master it so it becomes Sthirah Sukha Asanam.

An important detail, as Carlos Eduardo says, is the one about the guru represented within the Vishhvamitra allegory. We already know that the guru is the one that removes us from darkness and that guides us towards light, exactly as Makara´s appeal.  Vishvamitra Guru is not only an enlighted holy being devoted to a spiritual life, but also one that fights and that teaches remarkable skills in the military arts. Like Drona in kurukshetra battle, where Krishna also had to fight . In other words, Vishvamitrasana is a seat inside a war zone within ourselves that we must face in order to search for an internal light shining like a thousand suns . As a dark dormant kundalini that would shine endlessly whilst a mastered prana flows forever.  
It is said that Vishvamitra was a very egocentric king who once riding his horse in the forest with his army discovered a kingdom where tigers, lions and cows used to eat and live together and in peace as if they were great friends. Curious about how this could be possible, he decided to meet the sage Vasistha, who was supposed to be the promoter of this amazing peace in the forest. When he arrived at Vasistha´s hut he immediately recognised his spiritual greatness. Vasistha offered his large army a best dinner. Vishvamitra could not understand how he could be able to host him and his whole army with such a hospitality and abundance. When the king asked him how a humble sage living in a hut could afford to do it, Vasistha introduced to the king his cow Nandini , who was supposed to be the real abundance of that place.
The king, possessed by desire and envy, orders the cow to be given to him which was denied. Angry, Vishvamitra starts a war but Vasistha wins it. Vishvamitra decides to seek refugee for a thousand years in practice and sacrifice to the Gods in order to overcome the sage Vasistha. Finally one day the Gods grant him a Brahmarish Vishvamitra title, the greatest Brahma´s sage, master of all penances. Vishvamitra returns to Vasistha, once he mastered all his egocentric feelings and then they become equal and friends. A king that became a sage only after overcoming envy, anger, desire and greed. Again the true wisdom that comes from overcoming ourselves .

To Brahmarishi Vishvamitra 
is also credited the creation of the Gayatri mantra or the maha solar mantra, dedicated to Savitri, the Sun deity . Another warning for us to aspire what really matters in this pose in which ideally we have only a hand and a foot on the floor, Vishvamitrasana is an asana where the true mythological seat resides in the movement to ascend from the mundane egocentric condition to the true altruistic spiritual Self. Even if it takes a thousand years of austerity for one to access it . What about myself thinking about mastering it next life?


Makara, o anfitriao do inconsciente Eu tenho a sensação de que o tema da semana 10 é um misto perfeito de rock progressivo, dharma e yoga. Vou explicar. Uma das bandas inglesas do estilo de rock que mais admiro por sua refinada e elegante riqueza musical, absorvida da música clássica europeia e por sua letras profundamente reflexivas é o Pink Floyd. Eles têm um LP muito famoso da década de 70 que se chama The Dark side of the moon ou O lado escuro da lua. Uma das faixas desse LP é a música Brain Damage ou Lesão cerebral. 

A letra fala assim: The lunatic is in my head/ O louco esta na minha cabeça/ The lunatic is in my head/ O louco está na minha cabeça/ You raise the blade, you make the change/ Você ergue a lamina, você faz a mudança/ You re-arrange me 'til I'm sane/ Você me reorganiza até eu ficar são /You lock the door/ Você tranca a porta/And throw away the key/ E joga a chave fora/ There's someone in my head but it's not me/ Há alguém em minha cabeça, mas não sou eu/ And if the cloud bursts, thunder in your ear/ E se a nuvem explodir, trovejar em seu ouvido/ You shout and no one seems to hear/ Você grita e ninguém parece ouvir/ And if the band you're in starts playing different tunes/ E se a banda em que você está começar a tocar melodias diferentes/ I'll see you on the dark side of the moon / Eu te verei no lado escuro da lua

O lado escuro da lua também é associado à lua negra ou Lilith que é representação da morte como um asura( fantasmas são noturnos, certo). Lilith é o ponto mais distante da lua à terra. Custa vencer as trevas para enviar seus raios nessa distância. A lua clara seria um arquétipo de nossos sonhos, nossos desejos mais secretos, nosso romantismo enquanto que Lilith ou a lua escura; nosso inconsciente, nosso lado oculto, nossas insatisfações subjetivas, nossas obscuridades, nossas potencialidades apagadas, nossas zonas soterradas etc.

Quando o Gheranda Samhita descreve o Makarasana, me dá um pouco essa dica do asana nos convidando a conhecer nosso lado obscuro como se explora o cérebro reptiliano, que controla nosso comportamento mais animal e instintivo. Ha diversos modos de penetrar a compreensão mítica deste asana.  Esses são alguns deles. Na execução do makarasana, não deveríamos ceder à gravidade nem aos instintos. Contudo os próprios instintos nunca desejam lutar contra a lei da gravidade. É como aquele lunático que está dentro de nós, ainda que nos não sejamos este lunático.

Outro seria um convite a entrar em contato com o nosso mundo mais terreno possível tendo o cuidado de preservar elevada a parte mais superior do corpo do praticante, seu cérebro, tentando vencer a gravidade e aspirar ao alto. Esta pose é definitivamente um esforço de vencer a gravidade nos seu ponto máximo de pressão, quando toda a superfície do corpo se estabelece no chão, mas deve ascender. Com o apoio da sabedoria do danda(o bastão) feito pelos braços, segura e eleva a cabeça para o alto.

Há muitas variações desse asana. Conheço-a quase como uma variação do savasana, pose do cadáver, mas Iyengar a apresenta por exemplo com as mãos cruzadas atrás do pescoço e os cotovelos e a cabeça para cima. Há outras variações que se assemelham ao kurmasana, cuja alegoria de tartaruga como animal híbrido de terra e água também nos lembra o crocodilo makara . No entanto, na Índia, ele (que é um crocodilo) aparece representado, segundo meu professor Carlos Eduardo Barbosa, como uma combinação de antílope negro e peixe. Veja a primeira imagem acima e faça a sua própria viagem filosófica. 

Esse antílope, que corre leve e rápido, tem uma mancha negra na face. Carlos Eduardo diz que isso é um aviso para olharmos, através do antílope, as nossas trevas e o nosso inconsciente que nos confrontam e que, uma vez iluminados, nos transformam. É a nossa memória ancestral, que nos ensina a lutar ou fugir, a fim de sobreviver e continuarmos. Há quem diga que a civilização moderna é regida por este cérebro que é incapaz de sentir, emocionar-se, aprender, adaptar-se, refletir, elaborar etc. Um lado louco? Para não termos que acertar contas no lado escuro da lua, a prática nesse asana é a de iluminar e ascender.

O Makarasana usa a sabedoria do bastão ou o danda para olhar as forças desconhecidas que navegam ali, a fim de transcender esse alguém que esta na nossa cabeça, mas não é o Self (There's someone in my head but it's not me/ Há alguém em minha cabeça, mas não sou eu). O ego. O Makara está também na representação do swadhisthana chakra, o segundo dos sete mais importantes chakras, quatro dedos abaixo do umbigo, na nossa zona sexual, predominância do elemento água. Esse chakra aparece com uma lua crescente denotando a aspiração do ser em superar seu inconsciente e encontrar seu Dharma, que – segundo Carlos Eduardo – seria uma vida cheia de yoga, preenchida de significado. Essa sim seria a genuína sabedoria, a que vence seu próprio ego ou esse lunático na  nossa cabeça. LEIA ESSE ARTIGO – MUITO LEGAL!

Vishvamitra, o vencedor de si mesmo


Vasistha e Vishvamitra, a disputaMeu professor diz que Vishva que dizer tudo ou todos e mitra, amigo. Então ele seria o amigo de todos. A pose, no entanto, não parece tão amigável para mim; requer um extremo esforço, uma excelente abertura pélvica, forca de sustentação e equilíbrio. Eu conheci recentemente a variação mais simples dessa pose superexigente e que mostro acima. Contudo ainda estou no caminho desse asana. Nesta ou na vida imediatamente a seguir eu a dominarei e ela se tornará Sthirah Sukha Asanam.

O detalhe aqui, segundo Carlos Eduardo, é como se apresenta o Guru na alegoria ligada a Vishhvamitra. Já sabemos que o guru é aquele que nos remove das trevas e nos conduz à luz, tal qual é o apelo de Makara. No entanto, aqui o Guru Vishvamitra não é apenas um ser iluminado e devoto à vida espiritual, mas aquele que guerreia e que ensina habilidades notáveis na “arte militar”, tal qual Drona na batalha de kurukshetra, onde Krishna teve de lutar. Ou seja, Vishvamitrasana é um assento em um zona de guerra interior, que temos de travar na busca da luz interna que brilha como mil sois. A kundalini escura adormecida brilharia infinitamente quando o prana for dominado e quando fluir para sempre livre.

Diz-se que Vishvamitra era um rei muito egocêntrico que, ao cavalgar com seu exército pela floresta, encontrou um reino onde tigres, leões e vacas se alimentavam e conviviam em paz como se fossem grandes amigos. Curioso em como isso seria possível, foi conhecer o sábio Vasistha, que se dizia ser o promotor dessa paz na floresta. Lá chegando reconheceu sua magnitude espiritual, mas não entendeu como era capaz de recebê-lo e ao seu exército com tamanha fartura. Vasistha foi capaz de prover o seu numeroso exército com o melhor jantar. Ao perguntar como isso era possível para um sábio que Morava de modo humilde em uma cabana, Vasistha apresentou a vaca Nandini que era a fartura daquele local. O rei, possuído pelo desejo e inveja, ordena que lhe seja dada a vaca, ao que foi negado. Com raiva( lembra disso: 
E se a nuvem explodir, trovejar em seu ouvido ?) , Vishvamitra inicia uma guerra, mas Vasistha vence. Vishvamitra então se recolhe por mil anos em penitência e sacrifícios aos deuses para superar e vencer o sábio. Finalmente os deuses lhe concedem o título de Brahmarish Vishvamitra, o maior sábio de Brahma, mas também o mestre de todas as penitências. Ele retorna à cabana de Vasistha, tendo dominado todos os seus sentimentos egocêntricos e se tornam amigos e iguais. Um rei que se tornou um sábio, tendo vencido a inveja, a cobiça, o desejo e a raiva. Mais uma vez, a verdadeira sabedoria que está em vencer a si mesmo.

A Brahmarishi Vishvamitra é também atribuída a autoria do Gayatri mantra ou o maha mantra solar dedicado a Savitri, a deidade do Sol. Mais uma vez, um lembrete do que devemos aspirar nessa pose, em que idealmente só temos uma mão e um pé no chão. Um asana cujo verdadeiro assento mitológico está no movimento de ascender da condição terrena do ego para o altruísmo espiritual do ser, nem que para isso mil anos sejam necessários em prática austera. E eu que pensei que na próxima vida já daria...




Thursday 15 June 2017

Vivencia de Sun power yoga yoga em dupla e acrobasico

Vivencia de Sun power yoga yoga em dupla e acrobasico: Sol suor entusiasmo interacao graa voo e leveza. Junte-se a nos neste encontro solar e alegre para curtir uma pratica que estimule forca alongamento abertura respirao livre e coordenada com o movimento. concentração, relaxamento, confianca e interacao. Venha conhecer um método de yoga criativo, inspirador, desafiante, quente, dinâmico e pleno de conhecimentos, “vitaminado” com posturas curiosas e desafiantes em duplas , de voo e de solo. Sun Power Yoga foi desenvolvido na Inglaterra como parte da Escola Moderna Contemporânea de Yoga e é um misto de abordagens de 4 estilos tradicionais: filosofia e asanas clássicos do Hatha Yoga; alinhamento e consciência postural do Iyengar Yoga; a sabedoria do Sivananda Yoga para a mente sutil e os pranayamas junto a energia vigoriosa do Ashtanga Yoga.Esse workshop combina tres ferramentas maravilhosas do yoga(sun power yoga, acroyoga e yoga em dupla) para voce que gosta de novidades e curte sempre dar um pulinho fora da sua zona de conforto, abracando desafio e integracao em grupo na senda do Yoga. Prepare-se para a alegria de posturas basicas acrobaticas. Prepare-se para rir, trocar ideias e fazer/conhecer melhor amigos no yoga em dupla. Prepare-se para a energia do Sun Power Yoga. Criado com carinho para voce .
R$ 125
Reserve ja a sua vaga no Garuda Yoga
Publico: qualquer praticante de qualquer nivel disposto a intensificar sua pratica

Wednesday 14 June 2017

Vivencia de Sun power yoga yoga em dupla e acrobasico

Vivencia de Sun power yoga yoga em dupla e acrobasico: Sol suor entusiasmo interacao graca, voo e leveza. Junte-se a nos neste encontro solar e alegre para curtir uma pratica que estimule fora alongamento abertura respirao livre e coordenada com o movimento. Dia 15/7 das 9h45 as 12h45 no Soul Zen Yoga Shala, em Olinda

Wednesday 31 May 2017

Partner Yoga Workshop

Partner Yoga Workshop: Yoga means Union in Sanskrit. Partner Yoga is a fabulous way to integrate and to develop confidence trust communication and create a sense of laughter and lightness in your yoga practice. Join me on the 1st July at Stamford Yoga.

Family Yoga class - Lets go to the zoo



Family Yoga class - Lets go to the zoo: Who doesn't want calm, confident, happy children who have the skills to cope with the endless activities of their week? Family Yoga is a lovely way for children, parents, grandparents, uncles/aunties or carers to spend time together improving their health, friendship and wellbeing. Come and join Regina's fun class on the zoo theme.


Family yoga classes promote physical health along with improving self-confidence, concentration and learning skills in a playful and funny way. The class ends with time to cuddle, snuggle and relax together, leaving you feeling energised, refreshed and connected as a family.Children from 3-10 years old are very welcome. No experience is necessary. Children must be accompanied by an adult. £20 for the family

Sunday 9 April 2017

Yoga dance workshop

Yoga dance workshop: Come and join Sarah and Regina for this special Yoga with Dance event. Using a workshop format we will introduce you into the magical cross over of yoga and dance. All to make you feel light, graceful, worked out and relaxed in a safe and friendly environment for adults and children. Dance and Yoga are ancient practices that reveal our natural connection with our body, energy and mind. It’s said that Yoga first appeared in 2,500 BC as a sort of energetic and physical sequence called surya namaskar or sun salutation. This is made up of 12 asanas (poses) smoothly linked through fluid, dynamic and mindful movement. Since then it’s been developed into many different variations and styles of yoga flow like a dance.

Thursday 30 March 2017

Family Yoga class for happy feet



Family Yoga class for happy feet: Who doesn't want calm, confident, happy children who have the skills to cope with the endless activities of their week? Family Yoga is a lovely way for children, parents, grandparents or carers to spend time together improving their health and wellbeing. Come and join Regina's fun class on the lovely Dr. Seuss's famous The Foot Book.Family yoga classes promote physical health along with improving self-confidence, concentration and learning skills in a playful and funny way. The class ends with time to cuddle, snuggle and relax together, leaving you feeling energised, refreshed and connected as a family.
Children from 3-10 years old are very welcome. No experience is necessary. Children must be accompanied by an adult. £20 for the family

Yoga Mudras Workshop

Yoga Mudras Workshop: Mudra means a symbolic and magnetic seal made with hands or with the whole body.We have been using our hands and fingers for such a long time and in so many different ways to communicate, to express feelings and also to lead/support the body movement. Most of these hands movements are unconscious or automatic. In the ancient time, yogis of Tantric traditions perceived this and went deeper into the practice of mudras in order to understand it as well as harness and elevate energy through them. Come and learn about the magical power of the hands and fingers in your yoga practice. The aim is to help you to align, refine, develop and elevate your energy in the Spring with Mudras associated to the asana practice.

Wednesday 15 March 2017

About Naths and Patanjali Karmas… and ours too. 
Why yoga yoga is seen Today as asanas ?
Just a quick thought on how the Nath tribe (Goraskhanath and Matsyendranath being some of their great intellectuals) intention in “cleaning” Patanjali’s Asthanga Yoga from the current Buddhist and Jainist influences had a price and still does nowadays for all of us practitioners…

In the beginning of the XIX century Yoga re-surges in India with the great contribution of the Naths (something to talk about later …but Yoga became a hidden and occult practice there for a while, after receiving a huge influence from the current traditions of the time).

The Naths wanted Yoga to get back to the Hindus roots and therefore they needed to divert the focus on the mind and on our true nature as an ultimate goal to the focus in the body as a vehicle to reach the mind and the true nature. It makes me think on how many footprints this intention left as a result of a historical time in which Hinduism fought to prevail. Something like: You clear the philosophy out of the practice, give a focus in the body etc…are we talking about Yoga in the XXI century in the West?


Had been Patanjali’s scientific/doctrinaire view of yoga a bit more firmer would we now have been practising 'real yoga' and not just asanas? If yamas and nyamas as they were had prevailed would the modern yoga have had a different outcome? At the same time, if the Naths haven’t enriched the yoga philosophy with their tantric approach, would we have had the same access to the mysteries and power of Kundalini as do now?

What do you think?
Everything has a price … and a karma…


Sobre o karma dos Nathas e de Patanjali… e o nosso tambem.
Por que Yoga e visto hoje como asanas ?
Apenas uma breve reflexao sobre o quanto a intencao dos Nathas de "limpar" o Asthanga Yoga de Patanjali das influencias jainistas e budisdas nos custou e tem custado...
No inicio do seculo XIX o Yoga resurge na India com a grande contribuicao dos Nathas (coisa pra se falar depois mas o Yoga se tornou uma pratica escondida e ovulta por la por um tempo depois de ter recebido uma massiva influencia das tradicoes da epoca).

Os Nathas queriam o Yoga de volta para a suas raizes Hinduista e , portanto, precisavam desviar o foco na mente e na natureza da mente como objetivo ultimo para o corpo como veiculo para alcancar a mente e a natureza da mente. Isso me faz pensar em quanto essa intencao, resultado de um periodo historico em que o Hisduismo tinha que prevalecer de novo, ate hoje deixa rastros.Voce tira a filosofia e da um foco no corpo…estamos falando de yoga no seculo XXI no Ocidente? 

Tivesse permanecido a visao cientifica/doutrinaria de Patanjali estariamos hoje de fato praticando yoga e nao meramente asanas? Teriam os yamas e nyamas prevalecido e dado um novo destino ao yoga moderno? Ao mesmo tempo, caso nao houvesse os Nathas enriquecido o yoga com sua abordagem tantrica, teriamos hoje o conhecimento dos misterios e poderes da kundalini?

O que acham?

Tudo tem seu preco...ou seu karma...

Saturday 11 March 2017




DO IT!

Kurmasana or the tortoise pose has been described by 3 important old yoga books: Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Gheranda Samhita and Rudra Yamala Uttaratantra. However not as it has been performed nowadays. According to the Uttaratantra, the pose starts with the retention of prana (life force)through pranayama, then carries on with the yogi opening and purifying his mind for him to be able to do samanasanan (not the pose but a long practice of reciting specific mantras). He sits in a very similar pose as in vajrasana( yes, the pose) however the top of the heel of one foot touches the anus and the other one touches the sexual organ. So it’s said that in this way the lingam rouse. Rather than the sexuality related to the lingam as we know, 3 stones rouse (yes, the book describes 3 stones or lingams inside our body, one on the bottom of the spine, other in the heart and another one in between the eyebrows).

Having said that I keep asking myself why modern masters such as Pattabhi Jois recreated the pose expressing the animal shape itself rather than just sticking with its original form? By the way it has happened before with other asanas...

However what surprises me more in my teacher Carlos Eduardo Barbosa 10th lesson on the mythology of the asanas are 5 points which I will describe here.

First of them is the fact that kurma comes from the root kr which is the root of the verb to do. Therefore might Kurma want to say DO IT?


Well, going deep in the water means sinking into our unconsciousness. The universe is represented by the ocean. We (meaning our temporarily egos or identities) are like waves that fluctuate over the ocean that is our true nature. The final destiny of any river is the ocean so of the waves. Does it mean this pose is an invitation for us to sink deeper into our inner world?

Kurma is also one of the forms of upa-prana or a sub-prana (life force) that generates the movement of opening and closing the eyes or the blinking. Does it mean in this pose the yogi has the perfect condition to open his eyes to the reality and see what is really true and close them for what is not?

The other aspect I love in his explanation is the one that sends me back to the manifestations of Vishnu in the Universe. It is said that the turtle is one of them, others being Krishna and Buda etc. So does it mean we are sent to a space where we should appreciate what is most stable, conserved, preserved, and protected inside ourselves which is what Vishnu represents, the conservation power in the Hindu trinity?

The other most obvious point about kurmasana is related to the pose as it is performed in the XX century as you see on my picture here. The heart being protected facing down in the same way our rib cage defends our heart inside our bodies. The heart is the centre!


There’s a great symbolism in the forms of the animals that inspire asanas. The turtle or tortoise goes deep into the oceans. What does it mean for us? Kurma or the turtle knows the occult, the invisible, subtle and profound in the world. However being a both terrestrial and maritime animal the turtle inside kurmasana has the potential to help us to connect with both worlds material and spiritual  too? So our Kurma has eyes wide open, intense appreciation and a solid and preserved shape that protects our hearts. Therefore we can truly see what goes beyond life and death. All of that in one special mythological sit, Kurmasana♡


Faca!
Kurmasana ou a postura da tartaruga foi descrita por 3 importantes livros antigos do Yoga: Hatha Yoga PradipikaGheranda Samhita e Rudra Yamala Uttaratantra. Contudo nao como vem sendo executada modernamente.  De acordo com a Uttaratantra, a pose comeca com a retencao do prana no pranayama, segue com o yogui expandindo e purificando a sua mente para poder fazer o samanasanam ( nao a pose mas uma longa pratica de recitacao de mantras especificos) . Ele senta em uma posicao similar ao vajrasana mas com o calcanhar de um dos pes tocando o anus e do outro pe tocando o orgao sexual . Entao e dito que o lingam se eleva, nao o sexual, mas pedras ( o livro descreve  3 delas que temos no corpo, uma na base da coluna. outra no coracao e outra entre as sobrancelhas).

Tendo dito isso eu fico me perguntando por que mestres modernos como Patthabi Jois recriou a posicao expressando a forma do animal e nao se manteve a forma original ? Por sinal, isso aconteceu antes com outros asanas...

Contudo o que me surpreende mais na 10a licao do meu professor Carlos na mitologia dos asanas sao 5 pontos que descreverei aqui.

O primeiro deles e que Kurma comeca com o radical KR que e o mesmo do verbo fazer. Isso quer dizer que Kurma diz FACA? 

Bem, ir fundo na agua significa mergulhar profundo no nosso inconsciente. O universo e representado pelo oceano. Nos (quero dizer nossos egos e identidades temporarias) sao como ondas que flutuam no oceano, que por sua vez e a nossa verdadeira natureza. O destino final de qualquer rio e o oceano assim como as ondas. Isso significa que  a pose e um convite  para nos mergulharmos profundamente nosso mundo interior?

Kurma e tambem um tipo de upa-prana ou sub-prana que gera o movimento dos olhos ou o piscar de olhos. Isso significa que a nessa pose o yogui tem a perfeita condicao de abrir seus olhos para realidade e ve-la como realmente e fecha-los para o que nao e? 

O outro aspecto que adoro na sua explicacao e a que me remete de volta as manifestacoes de Vishnu no universo. E dito que a tartaruga e uma delas, outras sendo Krishna, Buda etc. Entao isso quer dizer que nos somos colocados em um espaco onde podemos apreciar o que e mais estavel, conservado, preservado e protegido dentro de nos mesmos assim como Vishnu representa o poder de conservar na Trindade Hindu?  


O outro mais obvio ponto sobre o kurmasana esta relacionado a pose como e executada no seculo XX como voce ve na minha foto. O coracao protegido apontado para baixo da mesma forma que nossa caixa toracica defende o coracao nos nossos corpos. O coracao e o centro!

Existe um gradioso simbolismo nas formas animais que inspiram os asanas. A tartaruga vai profundo dentro do  oceano. O que isso significa para nos? Kurma ou a tartaruga conhece o oculto, o invisivel, sutil e profundo do mundo.  Contudo sendo um animal terrestre e tambem maritimo, a  tartaruga dentro da pose kurmasana tem o potencial de nos ajudar a nos conectar como ambos os mundos material e espiritual tambem? E entao ela tem seus olhos bem abertos, intensa apreciacao e uma solida e preservada forma que protege o coracao. Assim podemos ver o que esta alem da vida e da morte. Tudo isso em um assento mitologico especial, o kurmasana!

Monday 27 February 2017

Relaxation and Mindfulness workshop

Relaxation and Mindfulness workshop: The art of letting go - A wonderful opportunity to de-stress unwind and relax from any accumulated stuff. A time just to let it go and enjoy the journey from Winter to Spring.A great way to learn how to be in the here and in the now!

Tuesday 24 January 2017

Yoga Balance Workshop

Yoga Balance Workshop: Building up a strong foundation with balance . Balance is a key point in yoga as it helps us to understand more about how important it is to be centred and to root in life. It is also crucial in order to calm our whole system down, centralizing mind, energy and body.  It improves hugely our concentration, mind accuracy and intuition. Balance yoga activates ajna chakra, the centre of our equilibrium, which governs commandant glands in the brain.  You deserve a full workshop focused on balance to enhance your New Year's resolutions and a more harmonious and peaceful life. There is much more than what you see in the Yoga world. Do not miss out this opportunity to learn, be inspired and feel good in such an exclusive and workshop with REGINA PADMA RINTCHEN. Come along!

Family Yoga - superheroes here they come

Family Yoga - superheroes here they come: Welcome to my 1st Family Yoga class this year. Family yoga classes are funny and also physically mentally and emotionally beneficial for all ages as they improve body and breath condition concentration, calmness and learning skills. This class will be about super heroes which is great to for boy and girls to develop their imagination and 'super powers'. Finishing with a moment of lovely relaxation, a family yoga journey will engage kids and challenge parents in an environment of fun, learning and connection. Don’t forget that the family that moves together stays healthy together! Join me :-)