27th Annual Tibetan Bazaar

For more information go to Gaden Samten Ling's website

For the Love of Marigolds

Photo of Atul Dubey by Ken Hermann

You all know how much I love marigold flowers!

For that reason alone, Danish artist Ken Hermann might just be my new favorite photographer.

His series of Flower Men portraits shot in Kolkata on the banks of the Hooghly River is so spellbinding I had to share it with you.

This video really brings Ken's inspiration and the fascinating city of Kolkata to life.

Also, be sure to check out his series of portraits titled Holy Men.

Ok, I have to go make a marigold mala now, enjoy!

A Day at an Ashram, Sun Yoga Edmonton

A reading from the Sivananda Upanishad

Have you ever wondered what it's like to spend a day at a Sivananda Yoga Ashram?

Would you enjoy an opportunity to revisit your own retreat experience close to home?

Here is your chance!

I have so many fond memories of my times at Sivananda Ashrams around the world and as a fellow student with Sylvie in the Advanced Raja Yoga and Bhagavad Gita classes in the Bahamas.

I'm really looking forward to attending this unique event.  I'd love to share the experience with you!

A DAY AT THE ASHRAM

At Sun Yoga Edmonton

Sunday, September 15, 2019, 9:00 am- 3:00 pm

Led By: Sylvie Boisclair

Cost: $108 (Lunch, chai, and snacks are included)

THERE ARE ONLY 12 SPOTS for this unique workshop and it's ALMOST FULL!

Register Online to book your spot. It's only a week away!

This workshop is open to ALL LEVELS AND AGES. No prior yoga or meditation experience needed.

Namaste, 2019 Yoga Teacher Trainees at Yoga Within!

Marigolds, representing "Plasticity"

A heartfelt welcome to the new 2019/2020 class of Hatha Yoga Teacher Trainees at Yoga Within!

I wish you all the cheerfulness and flexibility you will need to navigate this lifelong journey of personal transformation.

I'm aware that in this age of prolific body-centered practice, studying the origin, history, and philosophy of yoga may seem a bit... extra.  

Yoga (or more precisely, the practice of yoga asanas) has become a global phenomenon and a multi-billion dollar industry.  Millions of people in Canada alone now participate in classes, workshops, and retreats.  Remarkably, the numbers keep growing.

While some think philosophy and history are irrelevant to yoga today or that philosophy is something "other people" think about, actually, There is no one who does not have a philosophy.  Learning about the origins and intentions of Classical Yoga can help us to identify and examine our own philosophy (and hypocrisy) in yoga and in life.

Knowing where the teachings come from, how they blended into modern culture, and how experts see them trending in the future can make you a more critical (I don't mean judgemental) and engaged student. It can also make you a more informed and professional Yoga Teacher.

Today's yoga teachers need to navigate issues of cultural and spiritual sensitivity.  They encounter students from many backgrounds and educational frameworks.  In order to address the wide range of physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and social issues students seek out yoga to address, it is essential to be aware of the "big picture".  Having as many tools in your box as possible allows you to excel when preparing and presenting yoga to individuals or groups and have a positive impact on your students and your community.

Many yoga teacher trainees are surprised to discover that this part of their education is not boring or dry.  It does not require a brilliant mind or running away to a cave.  Rather, it is a way to examine and articulate your own values and goals.  It allows you to engage with the purpose behind the practice.  It develops compassion and respect for the ideas and ideals of all Yogis and Yoginis, past, present, and future.

I hope to convey some of my enthusiasm and spark your curiosity about Yoga's original language, oral history, and works of world-literature as well as the fascinating cast of characters who have brought Yoga to Atha, or "this moment" which all of our previous experience, contemplation, education, and practice have prepared us for.

"And now the teaching on Yoga begins." P.Y.S. 1.1

Namaste,

Tara 

Sivananda Bahamas and Hurricane Dorian

Beauty blossoms at the Sivananda Yoga Retreat, Bahamas

Astonishingly, the Sivananda Yoga Retreat on Paradise Island has been undamaged by Hurricane Dorian.  Click here for the update.

However, as you've seen on the news, the rest of the Bahamas didn't fare so well.

Swami Vishnudevananda and all of the Yoga Retreat members since, cherish their Bahamian neighbors, friends, and family. 

If you can, please donate or attend the fundraising concert with Tanya and Paul Hanna on September 13&14.