mahayoga – All Life is Yoga

5 July, 20155 July, 2015

A week of self purification workshops with Swami Vidyanand

SELF PURIFICATION AND SELF TRANSFORMATION
WORKSHOPS WITH SWAMI VIDYANAND

Monday 6th to Friday 10th July
6.30pm – 9pm each eveningCableyoga
Studio 301, 566 Cable Street, London E1W 3HB

We are delighted to invite you to join Swami Vidyanand as he comes to London this July to lead self-purification workshops, every evening from Monday 6th to Friday 10th July. Come to as many evening workshops as you would like to – up to 5 days of purification through transformational integral hatha yoga.

Drop in from Monday 6th to Friday 11th July, 18:30 – 21:00. Donations only – we do not want finances to be a limiting factor to you taking part (suggested donation: £25 per workshop)

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We are delighted to invite you to join Swami Vidyanand as he comes to London this July to lead self-purification workshops, every evening from Monday 6th to Friday 10th July.

Gain a deeper understanding of your physical body and your subtle bodies (emotions, mind and heart) and participate in this integral approach to self-purification and transformation – to cleanse, detox and recharge, and activate your inner guidance power.

Each evening will consist of a different focus and rhythm as Swamiji explains, and we explore, the physical, prana, mental, psychic and spiritual aspects of ourselves through Transformational Integral Hatha Yoga, with asana, pranayama and mantra.

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Sri Swami Vidyanand is a renowned yoga master and the founder of Transformational Yoga. Hailing from a long line of renowned Bhakti yogis, he received yoga knowledge from his early age. Under lineage of Sri Aurobindo and Swami Satyananda Paramhansa (from whom he received direct teaching), with Transformational Yoga he shares a complete and modern method following traditional yogic principles.

“Transformational Yoga is a means to relax, clean and awaken all seven chakras through yogasana, pranayama and mantra.” – Swami Vidyanand

Inspired by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Transformational Yoga aims to awaken all five bodies and seven chakras in order to experience a continuous state of physical health and stamina, emotional balance, higher mental guidance, unconditional love and faith, and spiritual bliss consciousness.

SriMa – the Mother – is the inspiring fountainhead of all that is taught at SriMa International School of Transformational Yoga.

“From the point of view of a spiritual life, it is not what you do that matters most, but the way in which it is done and the consciousness you put into it.”

www.srimatransformationalyoga.com

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Contact Katy on srima.katy@gmail.com or +447748849829 if you would like to meet Swamiji for any individual or smaller group sessions.

3 March, 2015

Embrace

Embrace the power of the mind
And use it for Love.
Wow –
The intelligence at your service.
Discovering this
in each moment,
again and again.
I need to get into my heart,
and lose my head!
And help others do the same!
But Love –
Losing your head is not the solution.
It is having your head
at your heart’s service –
That’s when the magic happens.

26 February, 20153 March, 2015

Rainbow

Each colour represents a different path
A different journey
Leading to the one truth
Light
Love
She is beautiful
Is beauty
My eyes cannot see
But my skin can feel
Absorbing
Sensing
Accepting
The light and love
Firing in technicolor
Time stops for no man
They say
But time stands still
All we have is now
To feel is bliss
To breathe is bliss
The bud awakens
Discovers space, it’s new neighbour
Greets it with every ounce of its being
Growing up
Growing out
Growing within
Good morning beautiful
Love to you in this special moment

16 February, 20153 March, 2015

Sweet soul brother

Sweet soul brother,
Love flows from one heart to another
It feels like a heart breaking
But no, it’s expanding –
Expanding, contracting, then expanding some more
Breathtaking love,
Pure joy
Every cell is smiling
With her delight and beauty and grace.
We thought it was an ache,
But it doesn’t hurt,
It moves,
We move,
Together
As one.
We are one.

9 August, 20149 August, 2014

Coconut oil and apple cider vinegar for healthy skin

Coconut oil and apple cider vinegar have many amazing uses. Right now I’m using them as natural detox remedies to clear my skin as I suffer from acne rosacea and would like to cure this condition from within.

Take 1 tbsp of coconut oil and gargle in your mouth for 15-20 minutes, until it becomes white and frothy, then spit it out. Do this every morning for a month before eating or drinking anything. Then clean your mouth out afterwards – gargle with some water and clean your teeth as usual.

Then drink 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar in at least 25cl water.

Then go have your breakfast!

27 May, 201428 May, 2014

Transformational Yoga Chakra Set

I hope you find this visual guide of the Chakra Set of Transformational Yoga useful for your own self practice.

While in each asana or posture, meditate on your 4 bodies in succession:

Physical body: observe your physical body and blocked energy pockets
Prana body clearing with Kapalbhati
Mental body clearing with Brahmari
Psychic body clearing with Om Ma

Om shanti.

27 May, 201427 May, 2014

Chakra Mantras for Self Purification

The following mantras should be used as part of your purification routine, and support the pranayama, asanas and chanting of Transformational Yoga.

Each mantra to be repeated 3 times, whilst observing the vibrations created by the sound, starting with the relaxation mantras, followed by the cleansing mantras, and lastly the activation mantras.

CHAKRA	RELAXATION	PURIFICATION	ACTIVATION
Mooladhara	SA	LAM	OM LAM MA
Swadisthana	RE	VAM	OM VAM MA
Manipura	GA	RAM	OM RAM MA
Anahata	MA	YAM	OM YAM MA
Vishuddhi	PA	HAM	OM HAM MA
Ajna	DA	CHAM	OM CHAM MA
Sahasrara	NI	SHRI	OM SHRI MA

The mantras are very powerful and effective as they work on all 4 bodies and all 7 chakras simultaneously. The above mentioned mantras are often a base used by different traditions of yoga and tantra in order to prepare for higher practices.

Om shanti.

27 March, 20143 March, 2015

A unique retreat in beautiful surroundings with a true yoga master

Come for a joyful Indian experience here in the UK!

Transformational Yoga Weekend with Swami Vidyanand on Thursday 22nd – Sunday 25th May 2014 at the Quadrangle Trust, Shoreham, Kent (40 mins from London).

Each day will consist of a gentle rhythm of yoga and meditation sessions, time and space for reading and walks, vegetarian meals and group discussion. All experience levels and abilities welcome, from absolute beginner to yoga master.

We will practice Transformational Yoga through asanas (physical postures), pranayama (breathing exercises) and dhyana (mantra meditation), to purify our physical body and awaken our subtle bodies. Our practice will be focused on the chakras and understanding of the wheels of energy. A great puriﬁcation, even for the teachers among us to re-energize your practice. For beginners it is a step into consciousness.

Schedule
Arrive from Thursday afternoon for a 7pm start
The retreat ends on Sunday at around 2pm

Cost (3 nights, all inclusive)
Dormitory £260
Camping £220
Non residential £200
Private room (limited spaces) £340
15% discount on early bird bookings (before 14th April)

Sri Swami Vidyanand is a renowned yoga master and the founder of Transformational Yoga. Hailing from a long line of renowned Bhakti yogis, he received yoga knowledge from his early age. Under lineage of Sri Aurobindo and Swami Satyananda Paramhansa (from whom he received direct teaching), with Transformational Yoga he shares a complete and modern method following traditional yogic principles. srimatransformationalyoga.com

Katy Robinson teaches yoga in Brixton and central London. She has been practising since 1999, leading her into deeper studies with different forms, and continues to explore the science of Transformational Yoga with Swami Vidyanand at the SriMa School in India. Katy aims to equip students with the tools they need for a balanced and healthy life, leading to self-transformation, inner peace and harmony within.

The Quadrangle Trust is run as a centre for sustainable living and the creative arts. The garden runs down through an orchard to the River Darent and a field and small woodland beyond. It’s setting in the valley is extraordinarily rural and peaceful in that it is only 20 miles from Piccadilly Circus as the crow flies. thequadrangletrust.com

>> Download, print and share our UK Transformational Yoga Retreat Poster

>> Book onto the retreat

For more information please contact Katy on +447748849829 or mahayogaschool@gmail.com

27 March, 201427 March, 2014

Strength through stillness

The holiday season is but a distant memory, we’re not sure whether Summer really is on the horizon, and we’re only just re-remembering that Spring always dances a merry dance of sunshine and cold, cold rain. At this time of year, we are yearning for stability in our lives even more than usual, and with a grounding Transformational Yoga practice we can find our strength through stillness.

The term grounding means connecting to the earth, and is associated with feelings of balance, centeredness and connection.

For many of us it requires a shift in our thinking mind, as we’ve become used to leading goal-oriented lives: going forward, moving up, growing up, waking up…which we can still be and do, though it’s also important to have strong foundations, healthy roots.

According to the chakra system (energy centres linked to our endocrine system) and in Ayurveda (traditional Indian medicine), “root” issues (like family, security, boundaries and new beginnings) often manifest physically (for instance in the back, legs, feet and bones). To counter these root issues, let’s go outside and relax into nature…

A simple practice

Either standing or sitting, take a minute to ground yourself. Feel the strength and security in your feet, up through your legs and up and outwards across your hips. You are a part of the earth, you are fully supported. Breathe in, grow upwards; breathe out, ground downwards.

Grounding through asanas

	Tadasana, or mountain pose, is one of the most balancing poses in yoga. Tada means mountain, and in the pose, your feet are firmly rooted to the ground while the crown of your head acknowledges the sky. While in tadasana, imagine your feet sprouting roots that draw deeply down into the ground. Benefits: Improves posture // Strengthens thighs, knees, and ankles // Firms abdomen and buttocks // Relieves sciatica // Reduces flat feet
Virabhadrasana II (Virabhadra = the name of a fierce warrior, an incarnation of Shiva, described as having a thousand heads, a thousand eyes, and a thousand feet, wielding a thousand clubs, and wearing a tiger’s skin), or Warrior II requires concentration and core strength. With an unbalanced muladhara (root) chakra, your fight or flight instinct is activated. Virabhadrasana gives you the strength to face your fears. Benefits: Strengthens and stretches the legs and ankles // Stretches the groins, chest and lungs, shoulders // Stimulates abdominal organs // Increases stamina // Relieves backaches, especially through second trimester of pregnancy // Therapeutic for carpal tunnel syndrome, flat feet, infertility, osteoporosis, and sciatica
	Uttanasana, or standing forward bend, helps soothe the mind from “monkey mind” or anxious thoughts. Stress and anxiety are hallmarks of unbalanced muladhara (root) chakra. Coupling uttanasana with deep breathing stabilizes and focuses the mind. Benefits: Calms the brain and helps relieve stress and mild depression // Stimulates the liver and kidneys // Stretches the hamstrings, calves, and hips // Strengthens the thighs and knees // Improves digestion // Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause // Reduces fatigue and anxiety // Relieves headache and insomnia // Therapeutic for asthma, high blood pressure, infertility, osteoporosis, and sinusitis
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana is bridge pose, another grounding pose that stabilizes the core and deepens as the feet become more firmly rooted in the floor. Setu bandha sarvangasana lifts the spirit with the heart, establishing a bond between our physical, emotional, mental and spiritual bodies. Benefits: Stretches the chest, neck, and spine // Calms the brain and helps alleviate stress and mild depression // Stimulates abdominal organs, lungs, and thyroid // Rejuvenates tired legs // Improves digestion // Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause // Relieves menstrual discomfort when done supported // Reduces anxiety, fatigue, backache, headache, and insomnia // Therapeutic for asthma, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and sinusitis

Hug a tree

Whether with yoga asanas, a tree visualisation, getting back to nature or by hugging a tree, we can treat our “nature deficit disorder”.

Hug a tree – it’s science, don’t you know?! (Yes you can, no one’s looking. And if they were, they might just want to join in!)

We will be focusing on these grounding asanas in our Transformational Yoga practice, every Wednesday morning and Sunday evening at Brixton BASS. Book onto a new block of 6 classes beginning April 2nd.

10 February, 201426 March, 2014

Yoga nidra for complete mental, emotional and physical relaxation

We all accumulate tensions going about our daily life – these may be muscular tensions, emotional tensions or mental tensions. And with many people’s lives becoming more and more fast-paced and demanding we are constantly looking for ways to relax. But whether we are out socialising, chilling out in front of the TV or simply relaxing in a quiet place, in most people the mind remains in a state of arousal and tension. Without being free of our tensions we are never truly relaxed.

Yoga nidra is a guided meditation and relaxation practice, during which we learn how to relax consciously – to completely relax physically, mentally and emotionally – by focussing inwards, away from outer distractions.

The practice of yoga nidra generally lasts for 20 to 40 minutes. Lying in savasana – on your back, arms and legs spread, eyes closed, whole body soft and relaxed, breathing at a natural pace – you will be guided with instructions that will lead your awareness to your own body, your own breath, your own mind and your own consciousness; away from the distractions of the outside world.

There are many benefits to yoga nidra, including:

Reducing tensions
Relaxing the mind
Counteracting stress
Promoting mindfulness
Awakening creativity
Enhancing memory and learning capacity

Many practitioners find yoga nidra as restorative as sleep, or even more so. With the practice of yoga nidra you allow yourself time and space to truly relax.

Relax with us at Sunday evening Yoga Nidra – 7.30pm-8pm (30 min class)
Brixton BASS (nearest tube: Brixton)
Tunstall Studios, 34-44 Tunstall Road, Brixton SW9 8DA
6 week block booking = £20
or drop in for £5 per class

Call or text Katy on 07748 849 829 or email mahayogaschool@gmail.com to book your place.

7 February, 201417 February, 2014

Capturing the divine light

I have a friend. A multi-dimensional friend. He has many gifts.

I may not recall them all here, but I’ll give it a go:

Son.
Brother.
Husband.
Artist.
Painter.
Writer.
Designer.
Photographer.
Storyteller.
Musician.
Teacher.
Student.
Yogi.
Friend.

While we were teaching, studying and learning at the SriMa International School of Transformational Yoga in Auroville this January – a special place to deepen our knowledge and connect with the divine mother energy – he took the time, while being all of these things, to capture some fantastic images of the students, teachers and masters.

Thank you Uttar Kashi, Bombay Yogi.

Here I’m practicing the first asana set of our Transformational Yoga practice – the Chakra Set. I hope you find these images of the sequence useful.

15 November, 20133 February, 2014

Starting our practice with the Invocation Mantra

We open and close our Transformational Yoga practice with the Invocation of Divine Mother Light Mantra.

We invite the Divine Mother Light, Bliss, Consciousness and Truth into our four bodies – our physical body, our breath, our mind and our heart – for eternity.

Invocation of Divine Mother Light Mantra

OM
The universal sound

ANANADA MAYEE
We invoke Supreme Bliss into our bodies

CHAITANYA MAYEE
We invoke Awakened Supreme Consciousness into our bodies

SATYA MAYEE
We invoke Supreme Truth into our bodies

PARAMEEY
Eternally

What is the Divine?

The root of the word Divine is literally godlike, from the Latin deus, related to Greek zeus, div in Persian and deva in Sanskrit.

To some, the Divine is God. To others the Divine is the Mother, Mother Nature, Pachamama. The Divine is our True Self, our shining light.

Importance of the Invocation Mantra

– Forming a protective energy field around us and the area surrounding
– Awakening our inner light and true nature
– Opening the heart to Divine Light
– Connecting or communicating with our higher being

We invoke Divine Light directly; this is the source of all light, source of the Universe – the Supreme Mother Light, our source and creator. The source of truth, knowledge, consciousness, bliss, harmony, beauty, joy, all of which our true self embodies.

Om shanti.