Early on in my teaching career I had three symbols made for my first yoga studio. Each one was painted on a small canvas, so that I could move them along to future studios. Nearly thirty years on and I still have the yin-yang, AUM and The Way of Tao in my current studio. Symbols represent a practice, philosophy and a way of being. Exactly what “the way” may mean is open to individual perception, but the broad strokes are as follow:

Nourish this understanding, of Self, in Life, and you balance yin and yang (doing, non-doing, form and formless) with, according to The Way of the Tao, Lao Tzu’s poetic, deep mind experience of nature and inner nature (a lovely companion to Patajali’s 8 Limb Principles and Sutras). And of course all of this happens in the Universe, or All That Is. The undifferentiated A-U-M is the Totality, the sound mantra, is the vibration we make in our practice, and it resonates with the vibration or multiple octaves of matter and subtle energy frequencies of Everything. Jesus said for us to build our lives on the rock of the Love of his parents, God/Goddess, or call it Shiva-Shakti.

This is what we are to surrender to if we are to be in the flow of the great Yin and Yang of duality, within the liberating Non-Duality of Pure Awareness. Practice of the Yoga of Self-realisation, Union is a practical day-to-day reality. It is a process where yoga is self-development therapy that supports change. We are the change, made possible by our surrender in our practice. Nourish this Way, Know Self, Know the Way and Grow. Realise Self, Be Bliss.

Practice Yoga and keep warm – I write this from a wintery Yoga Studio,
on Muizenberg Beach, Cape Town, July 2019.
Regards, Johann.

Although we sometimes fall way short on this invaluable attitude when the going gets tough, “appreciation of appreciation” is nurtured by simply taking note of “what is”, when “it” is. And when not feeling so awesome, just let things be, and be grateful when things are awesome. With practice we learn to become aware of the glass being half full, not half empty. Which is, of course, a full glass. The uplifting energy of appreciation may just be enough momentum to carry us through the trough to the next peak. The bliss of that peak experience is the necessary fuel of life to inspire higher living. Or the energy to aspire to, and develop the life skills to achieve such a life.

A simple uplifting yoga practice

In yoga the practice of pranayama – to lengthen or alter the breath, and therefore contact with Life Force – is a great way to mix gratitude practice with meditation. Just sit in meditation, mindful of you, yourself, and the breath, in the body. Take a sow, deep breath,  and gently hold it, for a few moments, in awareness of the expansive potential of the moment, without holding on to the moment. Breathe out. Now place your hands in prayer, and be grateful, physically. Not the word or the concept, but the energy. Of course holding an inhale for a few relaxed, focussed moments, is in itself uplifting, so combine the above techniques. With practice we begin to feel how frequencies form our lives, and learn how to choose frequencies that form positive, life affirming patterns in our lives.

Gain altitude with the attitude of gratitude. Get into the habit to follow your bliss and your highest self.

Johann
27 June 2017

Sacred geometry water crystals from the page of Masaru Emoto, and texts from his book “Messages from water”.
PS. See yantra for another connection of yoga to frequency, form and appreciation.

We loosen the physical body to open up to more energy flow into it, and within it. This is why yoga is so simple, and so powerful, and why I emphasise the understanding and feeling that “looseness” unblocks body stress, caused by poor posture, incorrect body use and dominant emotional or mental aspects. For me yoga is not about its gymnastic potential, but about alignment and openness. Meditation let’s us feel our centre (or absence of), and is not meant to pacify, but to sharpen a connection “with everything”.

Integral yoga practice encourages inner awareness grows, holistically – otherwise disconnected, scattered aspects integrates. Asana combined with pranayama purifies and strengthens the body and mind, and in the process we develop awareness of a different kind of mental knowing and heart wisdom, one that encourages us to follow our bliss… so that we begin to do what we love, and love doing it, and feel more self love, and love for everything more.

We begin to experience our inner divine self. Don’t be misled to not make the journey. Don’t be afraid to go within. These are the journeys often suppressed by orthodoxy that often overlooks the fact that enlightenment is an inner process of reclaiming one’s inner divinity by making the body the temple, and not the dogma, rites and beliefs of the system.  The system that should never assumes power as intermediary between the heavens and the earth.

We are literally made of divine energy, life force, prone. There is no merit in a system that sells itself as purveyor of an external saviour.

Yoga beautifully suggests that as one becomes aware of the value of everything that is because everything, the whole universe, whatever that whole may be, is as an expression of god. And then guides the seeker on a journey of awareness, and consciousness, to find that connection inside, and become whole from within, going back home, to god, to consciousness, whatever you fancy (Yoga actually describes self-actualisation as a journey back to god, in so many words. It is bizarre when religion speak out against yoga, and even more absurd that so many people are told that they can be saved by handing over their inner journey to a system that claims exclusive representation of the universe).

More important perhaps is that all we need to know is that we should not let emotions and thoughts (in any form, ambition, ego, competitiveness, pride, hatred, etc) dominate our lives. That is unconscious, ignorance; yoga philosophy suggests that each of the sheaths or koshas is an appearance, or appearances of reality. As real as the world is, and the tangible reality, all is “maya”, an illusion. The life force, or prana, the energy that is you, the force that lets trees grow, or humans is the real force underneath all of those appearances. Spiritually we are pure, divine, eternal consciousness, all that is. This is one of the fundamental principles of antique, original yoga, as written in the Vedanta, the oldest recorded history of mankind. This is the knowledge and wisdom of yoga meditation too, and of course its origin is unknown – it goes back to times fittingly shrouded in the mysteries of time, as the techniques and wisdom it carries is timeless. In this way, the maya of the koshers are revealed for what it is. All perception except direct perception is veiled, a construct of some sort. Go within, through the layers of sheaths, and connect to the beautiful manifestations of the universal oneness at your own centre.

● Physical (Anamaya kosha)
● Energy (Pranamaya kosha)
● Mental (Manamaya kosha)
● Wisdom (Vijnanamaya kosha)
● Bliss (Anandamaya kasha)
● Self (Realisation, Actualisation of Atman)

Herewith, as inspiration, a remainder: when we hold our bodies, as yoga suggests, in loose arrangement of muscle and bone, it is free from stress. This feels better, from the inside, and looks more graceful. And that outer poise of Zen art comes from inner strength – from strong core muscles cultivated by correct breathing, and assorted other asana practices, and meditation, to feel the inner centre, and make its connection to the greater life force.

This helps us balance our physical, mental and emotional aspects, to let us harmonise body, mind, and spirit. It is actually quite simple. In practice of course, it gets complicated – when we over-intecltualize it, or refuse to surrender to god, within, and without, or within and without. Just go back to with, and connect in direct perception with the breath.

Read more about loosening the body, inner focus and cosmic connection.

Namaste – Spirit in me, honours Spirit in you

Johann, in yoga,
Muizenburg
8 December 2016

Attend a Chakra Mantra Workshop to understand and learn more about yoga,
and the remarkable positive force it can be in your life

●  Understand what “Divine Essence” is and what “to activate” it means.
●  To help bring on and advance this activation we will look at some concepts of what yoga is,
●  learn specific yoga techniques (breath, sound and mantra),
●  Investigate and experience the chakras,
●  learn how to access and apply yoga’s metaphysical and holistic approach to anatomy, to
●  develop awareness (mindfulness) practices to achieve greater consciousness and personal evolution.

In a workshop you will

●  Tone a Sacred Seed Syllable for each chakra centre
●  Understand the chakras and the role the chakra system play in your life
●  Experience a direct connection to your Divine Essence
●  Learn to develop your own practice

With the ever increasing dazzle and frazzle of the world around us we simply have to step up our game of consciousness, to cope with the instabilities, and transform our personal world into greater coherence.

Where and when

OM Chakra Mantra Divine Essence Cape Town Workshop 2016 in 3 parts. Saturdays, 10.30 -12.
19 November 2016
● Part 1: To cultivate an experience and understanding of consciousness and self-realisation with the traditional OM, the Chakra system and the Chakra Seed Sound (Elements) Mantra.  We connect with our divine essence to learn how it may manifest as inner peace and soul purpose.
3 December 2016
● Part 2: Healing the chakra system. We look deeper into how we relate to the world via our chakras, and how to process and release our limited beliefs and limiting emotions – else we remain trapped in the planetary karma of deception, pain and pleasure. Create a safe space within where you can nurture yourself, and connect to the world around you from
Saturday 10 December 2016.
10 December 2016
● Part 3: Advancing your yoga with simple advanced practices and commitment requires razor sharp focus, and a big hearted will and surrender to the Life Force or Godhead. The advanced yoga here is not difficult; rather simple but essential versions of mudras and bandhas, fanning the fire, breath retention and abdominal lifts, knowledge of the energy bodies (sheaths), titbits of Vedas and Bhagevad Gita, Patanjali’s Sutras and the importance of devotion and prayer. Essential to escape negativity earth trap energies. 

Cost (Launching 2016 fee) is a normal class credit per workshop (excludes morning class) whatever rate your are paying (10 card = R55, 5 card = 65, drop-in = R80).
If you’re on an Unlimited Month cost is also R 55.
Free class for my students  10 Dec. R80 drop-in. 

More dates to be announced for 2016 & 2017.
Online Chakra Mantra Workshops available soon.
(5/12/2016)

How activating the chakras helps your life

This experience helps you gain a clearer understanding of who and what you are as a human being, and how to engage with your personal process of evolution to help bring about the realisation of the bliss you experience in the workshop, into your ordinary life.

Simultaneous meditation and concentration on the chakras, the sounding of the Seed Syllables, and repeated sounding of the OM, purifies and balance the chakra system. The crown chakra is aligned with the other chakras, aligned with higher self and the cosmic intelligence, to reveal the Bliss of Divine Essence.

● Expand and focus your Yoga Practice
● Find your soul purpose
● Align your life with your soul purpose
● Bring you greater fulfilment and joy

About the Chakra Mantra Workshop 

●  90 Minutes long
●  Initiate a firm basic and advanced chakra understanding
●  You will learn how to use the Chakra Mantra Meditation Audio Program

Chakra Mantra Meditation Audio Program

More about the benefits

You will be shown to optimise your chakra system to be more centred, better process challenges and stress, to be peaceful, creative, happy and more fulfilled.

●  Purify and balance the chakras and the chakra system
●  Purify and balance the bodymind with environmental energies
●  Direct, experiential understanding of the chakras
●  Imparts the wisdom of consciousness, in the body, to activate the Light Body
●  You may think of your soul purpose as a quest for conscious incarnation and inner peace

Who can do a Chakra Mantra Workshop?

Any person on a quest for self development. Yoga practitioners, yoga teachers and therapists.

Chakra Mantra Meditation track and playlist

ॐ
OM Blessings
In Yoga, Cape Town
Johann

Related Chakra Blogs

●  The Seven Chakra Magnificent Essence of Yoga
●  OM-NIPOTENCE Chant & Divine Essence
●  Chakra Mantra to Activate Divine Essence