Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha

Wishing you a beautiful, peaceful, obstacle-free day.!

In traditional yoga, malas (flower garlands) are used as offerings for revered teachers and in devotional rituals.  

Marigolds are popular as their bright color is reminiscent of the fires of transformation as well as the cheerfulness and resilience required on the path of self-realization.  

The seeds for these marigolds came from the Peace Garden at the Sivananda Ashram in Val Morin and have been empowered with decades of the mantra "Om Namo Narayanaya" and the wish for world peace.  

The perishable nature of a flower garland is a reminder of the fragility of beauty and life.  Nonetheless, the seeds can be saved, grown, and shared for generations to come.

Namaste PAC 156

Prince Arjuna and his Charioteer Krishna

Here are some links to further whet your appetite for the Language and Literature of Yoga.

There are many more resources collected here in Kali's Kitchen.  Make yourself at home.

As one of the most important symbols of yoga, Om is a whole subject in and of itself.  As a starting point, you may like to read this Kali's Kitchen post on The Meaning of Om.

The Cambridge Introduction to Sanskrit is the best text I've seen on the subject and is the text used in the University of Alberta's Sanskrit courses.  You can find alphabet charts, sample chapters, practice sheets, and more here.

Here you can contemplate more of the Vedantic Nyayas or metaphors about illusion (maya) and reality, like the examples I gave of "The Rope and the Snake" (Rajjusarpa-Nyaya) and "Water off a Lotus Leaf" (Padmapatra-Nyaya).

And most importantly for your studies, here is a previous post with a full and detailed recap of my lecture.

Thank you for this opportunity!  Best wishes on your path!

Thank You Edmonton

Thank you all for being such caring, respectful community members and staying home as much as possible during this pandemic.

Here are a few resources in the Edmonton area to support your physical, mental, and emotional wellness during this challenging time.

Free Online Yoga Classes by Donation from Yoga Within

Free Online Pranayama and Meditation Classes from Sun Yoga

Free meals for people who need them from Ganesh Sweets

Online Music and Sound Therapy from local Musician and Music Therapist, Tiffany of  Sparrow Harmonix

Online Grief Support from local expert Sandy Ayre

Namaste, MacEwan Yogis and Yoginis

Devanagari writing of the Sanskrit Maha Mantra

Here is a link to a summary of my presentation on The Language and Literature of Yoga.

A couple of additional notes:

- The aspirated "th" sound in the word Hatha which we practiced pronouncing is listed with the cerebral consonants on the Sanskrit Alphabet chart because the tongue is placed at the roof of the mouth.  If you find that too difficult to pronounce, just remember that the "th" sounds more like a "t" with a puff of air than like the English words "this" or "think".

If you're interested in more in-depth study of the Sanskrit language, I recommend The Sanskrit Channel on YouTube as a starting point.

- Also, regarding the "Key Definitions of Yoga" given in my presentation and summary, be aware that these are not the only classical definitions of Yoga.  However, they are widely accepted as representative of key concepts in each of these works of literature and of the practice of yoga in general.  

- In case you would like to read the full verse from the Bhagavad Gita, it is found in Chapter 2, Verse 50.

Live Streaming Satsangs from Sivananda, Bahamas

Carved Om on the beach at the Sivananda Ashram, Bahamas

Hello Yogis and Yoginis!

Head's up!  The Sivananda Yoga Retreat in the Bahamas is now live-streaming their morning and evening satsangs (and even some of their workshops) on Facebook!

I know it's not the same as being there with the sun on your skin and sand between your toes, but I feel like it's the next best thing, like somehow we have been blessed with a siddhi to transcend time and space!  And in case you can't catch the events in real-time, please note that you can watch the recordings at your convenience.

I'd like to bring your attention in particular to this workshop with Krishna Das from last weekend's Yoga of Chant Retreat.  I found the questions very timely, and the answers are truly beautiful. 

The ashram cat also makes a special appearance at a particularly poignant moment that you won't want to miss. 😉  Forget Netflix for a night.  Watch this instead.  I think you'll be glad you did.

Sivananda Yoga Retreat, Workshop with Krishna Das, Saturday, February 22, 2020

Happy Mahashivaratri 2020!

Om Namah Shivaya

Tonight many yogis will be fasting, keeping vigil, meditating and chanting all night long in celebration of Lord Shiva, the Adiyogi, or "first yogi".

If you're in the Edmonton area, you can join celebrations at the Bhartiya Cultural Society starting at 6 pm.

If you'd rather participate from home, you can join Krishna Das  live online at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat, Bahamas' Facebook Page for the Mahashivaratri vigil starting at 8:45 pm tonight and continuing all night long!

Om Namah Shivaya!

Har Har Mahadev!

Jai Shiva Shambo!

A $30 Gift for you from SPUD!

Origami Folded by Tara

I can't believe it's already February 2020!  I hope your new year has been filled with inner peace, self-love, radiant health and a crystal clear commitment to your resolutions.

This year, I resolved to practice ahimsa by minimizing my impact on the environment.  So far it's going very well!

One big aid in avoiding plastic packaging and supporting local businesses has been ordering products from SPUD.ca, Canada's most sustainable grocery delivery company.

How does it work?

It's easy!  SPUD curates the best in local, organic and sustainable groceries by working directly with farmers and producers.  All you have to do is sign up and start shopping.  There are no subscriptions or contracts.  Just order what you want, when you want.  Your order is packed in a sturdy reusable box and delivered right to your door.  Because they have no in-store displays, SPUD has the lowest food waste of any grocery chain in Canada!  That also means your order is always fresh and 100% satisfaction guaranteed.  SPUD's Blog has lots of green tips and recipes, and opportunities to help with worthy causes in your community. 

How do I get my $30 gift?

That's easy too!  During the month of February, pick out your first order of $75 in groceries from the vast selection of fresh and frozen foods, produce, meat, and even local craft breweries and apply my personal referral code below at the check-out. Voila, you get $30 off your order! 

What are my favorite items to order?

I love the $0.99 avocados and Que Pasa Tortilla Chips, which are always less expensive than my local grocery store.  The Traditional Hutterite Eggs are delicious and it's such a novelty to have the Italian Centre's famous house-made Pizza Dough delivered right to my door!  

Whatever you choose, Bon Appetit!

Referral Code:  CREDM-WOLTAC