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Tadaa! February 2008 Volume 11, Issue # 2 Published by SATYA (Svaroopa® Association of Teachers & Yogis) © Copyright 2008, S.T.C. Inc., All Rights Reserved. Please do not copy without written permission.

SVAROOPA, EMBODYMENT, YOGABODY and AMAYA are registered service marks of S.T.C. Inc. and are used by permission.

TABLE OF CONTENTS: 1. Am I Doing Enough? by Rama

2. Continuing Ed Standards

3. Teaching Assistant

4. Rama’s Interactive Teaching, by Robert McMahon

5. Master Yoga News

TTT – Becoming A Teacher Trainer

“Making More Money”

Geo Center – One-Click Access

Senior Teachers

Retiring Board Member

6. This Stuff Works

7. In the News –

“Lengthen Tailbone” says Yoga Journal

Elizabeth McKenty

Tarlika Margery Anderson

Michaelynn Meyers

Kathy Preston Speaks on Yoga

8. Teacher Updates

A Svaroopa® yoga love story:

Newly Wed

New Studio in St. Paul MN

ATT Certificates Awarded

9. Sevites

10. Donations Received in Honor of

11. Special Event Donations

12. Teaching Tips – Let There Be Light!

13. Pose Pointers

Ardha Mandukasana (Half Frog Pose)

Prasarita Padottanasana (Slow Motion Dive) in the chair

Jathara Parivrttanasana

Teaching the Pregnant Mom

1. AM I DOING ENOUGH? — BY RAMA BERCH

I have recently been informed that two yoga teachers have gone to study elsewhere. This is not the first time, of course. I fully respect their right to make decisions about where they get the most valuable teachings. They also decide

what teachings they carry to their students. But I am intrigued that this happened after they were years behind on their Continuing Ed. It could be that they were not continuing their training because they were losing interest in

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Svaroopa® yoga. They could have been “stale-dated” because they had no interest in going any farther with the methodology and teachings I have compiled. While I considered this as a possibility, I don’t believe that is what happened with these two teachers. I have seen other teachers that I could believe it to be true of, particularly ones interested in working physically hard and fast, instead of slow and with focused intelligence. These two were always very forthcoming about what they were getting from Svaroopa® yoga. They spoke up in their trainings. They were so generous in their support for their students and as well as Master Yoga. They had cultivated a personal relationship with me over many years of study and practice, plus hosted me to teach workshops for their students. They offered seva for Master Yoga throughout the years, making a real contribution to what we offer. They had done several ATT trainings. I thought they were on track, even when they weren’t up to date with their Continuing Ed. How wrong I was! I fully accept their decisions but, as a yogi, I must look to see if I contributed to them going off track. Did I fail them as a teacher? This is an important question for me, and it brings up several follow-up questions which I will share with you here.

a) How deep is this well?

b) How did they get diverted into external goals?

c) Did I communicate the true potential of this practice and the true goal effectively?

d) Did I motivate and inspire them? Did I lead by example?

e) Could I have seen the indicators earlier and done something to help them get over the hurdle?

f) How do I lead others in “going for the gold” now?

I am writing this so you can see how deeply I consider my seva to you and others. Beyond that, hopefully you will consider some of these questions for yourself. Additionally, you can learn from other people’s experiences. The Yoga Vasishtha says, “The wise one learns from the experiences of others, without having to repeat them herself or himself.”

a) How deep is this well? If I claimed to be the creator of Svaroopa® yoga, I could easily get caught in the delusion that I had created the ultimate pathway to consciousness. Fortunately this is not one of the delusions I am saddled with! I call myself the originator, not the creator of Svaroopa® yoga because I didn’t make this up with my own creative energy. It is not even a synthesis of what I learned in multiple places. Neither is it a variation on what I was taught in the 6 different styles of asana I trained in. I am the point of origin, but it doesn’t come FROM me – just as Gangotri, the point of origin of the Ganga (Ganges River), is a cave in the Himalayas, but the river is made of the water itself, which is runoff from the glacier behind the mountain. I know that I am merely translating something that was given to me – translating it into a different culture, teaching people who are balancing busy lives instead of living in an ashram with their focus solely on enlightenment. Because I received Svaroopa® yoga from one who offered more (more than you can even imagine), the whole of yoga is intact within it. You can become realized from the opening of your spine. It is much faster and easier when you also work with your breath and with your mind along the way – but the spinal opening alone can do it. This well is very deep. I know because I have been digging this well, in this one place, for decades. What you have seen from your inner explorations so far is still only the beginning of what is available.

b) How did they get diverted into external goals?

The power of spinal opening is incredibly deceptive, mainly because it is so easy. It is so simple – if you want improvement in your body or your life, just begin at your tailbone. If you want to know who you truly are, just begin at your tailbone. Everything you need will happen along the way. I coined a phrase to describe that “everything else” that happens:

healing, transformation and illumination.

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I think this phrase has helped bring people out of a detour that pulled some teachers away previously. We have had teachers leave Svaroopa® yoga to study and teach other yoga styles. We had teachers leave to create their own yoga style and their own Teacher Training – offshoots from Svaroopa® yoga. In a sense, it is a great compliment – they wanted to work with what they learned here; yet in another sense, it is a horrific insult – they perceive Svaroopa® yoga as being incomplete and think they can create something better. I freely accept both the compliment and the insult. Physical mastery of the poses, depicted in yoga magazines and calendars, is a very powerful motivator. It is especially seductive when it coincides with your own beliefs about body and beauty, or about desirability and longevity. Add on the way you construct your sense of self-worth based on your appearance or on what other people see in you, and it gets incredibly dense and complex. Because Svaroopa® yoga gives you such fast physical changes, you can use it to support your mastery of other physical activities. Many people have told me:

“Svaroopa® yoga improves my golf game." “Svaroopa® yoga keeps me from getting injured in hockey.” “Svaroopa® yoga improves my poses in the other yoga class I take.” “Svaroopa® yoga improves my jogging – I’ll be able to keep running longer because of this yoga!”

I celebrate their happiness, even as I despair that they don’t understand what is really happening. They take the profound practice of core opening and downgrade it into mundane physical benefits. The saving grace in this is that all those other things they want to do with their body will reach a dead-end. They’ll be ready to focus on Svaroopa® yoga when they injure themselves, or when their pain expands beyond their already high pain threshold. Maybe then, just maybe, they’ll be ready to hear that life is not about pushing your body. It’s not about pushing yourself. It’s not about pushing, not at all. Fortunately, Svaroopa® yoga seems to have gotten over the stage where teachers are getting diverted into the goal of physical mastery. Think of it this way: if beauty and

physical mastery were the goal, gymnasts and ice skaters would be enlightened. The newest diversion seems to be about healing others. Both of the teachers that started me into this contemplation have gotten caught up in healing as the goal. Each in her own way has decided to focus her time, money and energy into becoming a great healer. Now, I do agree that healers are important. I have benefited from the ministrations of many gifted healers, both within and outside of mainstream medicine. I confess though, once I realized I knew how to heal myself, I stopped using them, and I dedicated myself to sharing this methodology. But the real bottom line is something more important – yoga isn’t about healing. Yoga is about much, much more. While Svaroopa® yoga provides tremendous healing on all levels (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual), healing is not the goal. The healing happens because the flow of consciousness through your spine is no longer blocked – core opening unblocked it. Consciousness heals everything. When you can open the blockages along your spine for yourself or, better yet, live in a continuity of consciousness because your spine is staying open, then you don’t need healing any more. Your body may still need some further opening, and will certainly need continued maintenance throughout your whole life, but you won’t need healing. In other words, healing happens in Svaroopa® yoga, but it is not the goal. Yet you are teaching your students how to heal themselves, while supporting and speeding the healing process in classes and Yoga Therapy sessions. When the teacher thinks that the goal is mere healing, both the teacher and the student lose out. Worse, when the teacher thinks the healing is coming from her/him, everyone gets lost in delusion. Transformation is the next word in the phrase because it is usually the next thing that students notice as a benefit. As their mind becomes more clear, and their heart becomes more open, and their life begins to open up, they realize that their yoga practice is changing everything for them. They are being transformed into the self that they always wanted to be: kind, peaceful, committed, effective, efficient, loving, generous, creative

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and supportive. You can add many more words to this list, I am sure! The contemplation articles are a pivotal piece that helps Svaroopis understand what is happening to them – both so they can cooperate with it more consciously, as well as to keep them motivated to continue their yoga practice, even when life gets so easy that they no longer “need” it. I love teaching teachers how to lead the philosophy discussion groups. They are always startled to discover, in the first group they lead, how much their students already know! Their lives have become so yoigified, without them ever telling their teacher about it, that their contributions to the discussion group are inspiring to everyone, including their own teacher. As important as the transformation is, the illumined experience of your own essence is the purpose and goal of Svaroopa® yoga. My recent contemplation article, “Cultivating Awareness,” speaks to it very directly. As you know from your own experience, core opening creates these inner experiences. Your students are having them, sometimes in their very first class. The first two stages of healing and transformation are merely ways of preparing your body, mind and heart to surrender to the continuity of consciousness, which is your destiny and your life’s purpose. How did these two teachers, and perhaps others, get diverted into settling for mere healing or just transformation? Perhaps their true work in this life is to be a healer. I don’t presume to know, and certainly cannot decide for them. They have the right to focus on healing instead of “going for the gold.” They have the right to choose how they will serve. For them, Svaroopa® yoga may have been just one stair step into their own life and work – I accept that without any qualms whatsoever. I now see that my concern is if I failed them as a teacher – which is the subject of the next questions.

c) Did I communicate the true potential of this practice and the true goal effectively?

In every contemplation article, I include things that the new student will resonate with, even as

I turn the focus to the ultimate goal – the Knowing of your own Self. In Teacher Training, every day includes consciousness practices, not just physical practices. We present the ancient teachings of yoga philosophy, introducing the breadth of this ancient science of consciousness. Most teachers-in-training end up saying, “This is my favorite part!” This was true for the 2 teachers who started me on this contemplation – and I now realize I must say thank you to both of them for doing so. This contemplation is not about them, really – it is about me and the way I serve. I know the whole of yoga is woven through every level of the Svaroopa® yoga teachings. Even the new students are exposed to it through the contemplation quotes you share at the end of class. But as a teacher, I am not simply responsible for giving the teachings – I am responsible for the student’s learning. That is the meaning of the word “effectively” in the question I am considering now. I must take responsibility for not doing something I should have done. I don’t yet know what it would have been, but I know I have to do more than I was doing before. I accept that task, which is why I am writing this article – though it is actually more like a letter. So, I commit to being more outspoken. I commit to making the ancient teachings more accessible, more clear, and more “in-your-face” than before. I commit to being more proactive with teachers who may be drifting away, and I will use all the resources of Master Yoga to do so (with the approval of the Board). I commit to communicating how much I care about you and your students more clearly. I can do nothing about those who are already looking elsewhere, but I can do a lot more to help all of you find what is sitting under your nose.

d) Did I motivate and inspire them? Did I lead by example?

I know that I bring clarity and depth with me into everything I do. This is the promise of yoga, actually only part of yoga’s much bigger promise. I rely on the yoga to shine through me, to provide reciprocal adaptation for everyone in the room. I don’t “try” to impact you – that would come from ego. I work hard at

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getting out of the way of that “inner flow,” so that your reciprocal adaptation is to consciousness, not to the “me” that it flows through. Still, that is not the same as being motivating and inspiring. Of course, everything is easier to see in others than in yourself. I look around me and see wonderful teachers who unfortunately become cul-de-sacs. They have lots of committed students, but those students never imagine that they could know what their teacher knows. For them, their teacher is such an expert, or such a great caretaker, or such a great healer (or whatever), that the students feel fortunate to be taken care of by her or him. I also see teachers who are super-highways. I know teachers who inspired their students to take Foundations or go on to Teacher Training when the teacher herself/himself was still in YTT. There are many teachers who, without even trying, inspire others to think they can get more, they can do more, they can go after what their teacher has. We created the Senior Teacher program to acknowledge and support those super-highway teachers, and make them better able to serve all Svaroopis. So, my question becomes this – am I a cul-de-sac or am I a super-highway? My answer begins with my repeated effort to send you all to a Guru. I want to see you get what I got – or even to surpass me. The only way I know to do that is to send you to the place I went to. Reciprocal adaptation is at its best when you are sitting at the feet of an enlightened being! Still, I can do more. I must do more. I am grateful to a few teachers who have come to me and asked, “If you see that I need something, and I’m not asking, please tell me.” Their request pushes me into a new level of responsibility. Until now, I have been more like a smorgasbord restaurant – come and take what you want. The reality about those restaurants is that you can have a really healthy meal or you can make yourself sick – it all depends on your choices. Perhaps I have erred on the side of allowing too much choice. Certainly I have to customize the teachings based on the level of the student, but by the time someone is in ATT, I need to be more directive – more “teacher-like.” Instead of being the “walking yoga encyclopedia,” I can step more fully into the personal relationship. I do see that I need to consider this one more

fully – both to consider what is my responsibility as a teacher, as well as to see how I can do it without getting to fiery.

e) Could I have seen the indicators earlier and done something to help them get over the hurdle?

With the 2 wonderful yogis who prompted this contemplation for me, I have to say no, I couldn’t have seen it any earlier. The only hint I had was that they were not in good standing with their Continuing Ed. I did hear comments about each of them from the grapevine. The Svaroopa® yoga community is pretty good about staying in communication – it shows the depth of your caring, thank you. In one case, what I heard did not concern me. In the other case, I was concerned but did not communicate it. My answers to my earlier questions have already made me realize I should have acted – to express my concern and caring, as well as to protect the integrity of the Svaroopa® yoga practice. So I have learned from that mistake. But the other thing I have learned is how important the Continuing Ed requirements are. You learn so much in your trainings that you have enough of the proverbial rope to hang yourself. When you are left alone out there for too long, you can end up leading others astray. Worse, you can get lost. I am so grateful to the pioneering Svaroopa® yoga teachers who created the Continuing Ed standards for us, over 10 years ago. Their vision and foresight laid the foundation for protecting Svaroopa® yoga and its teachers. And I am grateful to Master Yoga, its Board of directors and Education Committee, and its entire staff for being willing to be proactive about these standards now. Based on their work on this issue, we will be soon contacting teachers who are behind on their Continuing Ed to work with them on planning their update.

f) How do I lead others in “going for the gold” now?

I have made several commitments above. Plus I am still considering some aspects of question #d. These will definitely make changes in how I teach. Yet I have to look at one more thing. I confess that I have been holding myself back. In the interest of masquerading as “normal,” I have erred on the side of caution. I don’t have

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a problem with having done so in the past, but it is time for me to step forward – more in integrity with who I really am. Plus I must take full responsibility for what my Guru gave me. I don’t yet know exactly what all of that looks like, but I am wiling to live in the “don’t know.” I know that the process has already begun, for I have been in the above contemplation for several months already. You may have already heard about the changes in me as a teacher. I invite you to talk about me behind my back.

Please post your comments or responses to my above contemplations, for everyone to participate in, through our Svaroopa® yoga E-group – Svaroopa@yahoogroups.com. If you are not signed up on that, contact Michael Newman (email – of_bliss@yahoo.com). If you have something private to share with me, please email me at rama@masteryoga.org. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Namaste.

2. CONTINUING ED STANDARDS In order to maintain your Good Standing as a teacher of Svaroopa® yoga, you must successfully complete Continuing Education on a regular basis. The frequency depends on your level of training. The courses that qualify include:

1. Any Advanced Teacher Training (ATT) course.

2. Any Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) course or YTT Review course

Foundations of Svaroopa® Yoga

Foundations Review

YTT Levels 1, 2, 3 or 4

Experiential Anatomy

Embodyment® Yoga Therapy

Embodyment® Weekend

3. Svaroopa® Yoga Teachers conference (Teacher Track)

4. Enrich Your Teaching Skills (EYTS) courses that include poses, including:

New & Renew – Level 1

New & Renew – Level 2

Special Needs Yoga

Deceptive Flexibility

Embodyment® PLUS

and others as they are created

5. TTT courses

The frequency of your Continuing Ed requirements depends on the level of your training:

CSYT’s (Certified Svaroopa® Yoga Teachers)

Successfully complete one of the above every 2 years (within 24 months of your last qualifying training)

Have completed Foundations OR are currently enrolled in YTT

Successfully complete one of the above every 6 months (within 6 months of your last qualifying training)

Teacher-in-training, having completed YTT Level 2

Successfully complete one of the above every year (within 12 months of your last qualifying training)

Senior Teacher Successfully complete one of the above every year (within 12 months of your last qualifying training)

Returning to Good Standing – if you are not in Good Standing, you can return to Good Standing by successfully completing one of these courses:

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Foundations

Foundations Review

Embodyment® Yoga Therapy

Experiential Anatomy

Repeat any YTT level you have completed previously

A Teaching Review (by video or in person)

Please contact our Enrollment Advisor with any questions or to get her support in creating your Continuing Ed plan, or to consult with her if extenuating circumstances affect your ability to remain in Good Standing.

3. TEACHING ASSISTANT Sign up to serve as a teaching assistant in our professional trainings or Yogimmersions. Your offering of your seva in this way is one of the most beautiful of all yoga’s practices – karma yoga. While you receive many practical benefits from assisting, the most important part is that you have a chance to give back to your own teachers and to Master Yoga, the organization that supports and protects Svaroopa® yoga. Simultaneously, karma yoga teaches you how to live your life in the world as a yogi. Professional Trainings: You will enjoy nurturing the next generation of teachers when you serve as a teaching assistant in our professional trainings. You benefit from one-on-one assistant meetings with the Trainers, which clarify the details and precision of the pose, which prepares you to help teachers-in-training work in their partner pairings. You also get involved with behind-the-scenes needs. You will love the extra training you get as, well as the opportunity to lead new teachers down a path that is already familiar to you. There is no tuition cost for you, though you cover your own travel and on-site expenses. You receive full credit for participating in the course, and may use it to maintain your Continuing Ed requirements. Yogimmersions: Your seva in Yogimmersions, in their many different locations, is very important in our larger programs, which includes when Rama is teaching in Retreat Centers and Yoga Conferences. While the host teacher often serves as the teaching assistant, a larger class group may also need extra assistants. We are committed to keeping the student-teacher ratio low, so everyone gets the personal attention they want and deserve. You help with student alignments and adjustments in the poses while the Trainer is leading the asanas, as well as with behind-the-scenes needs. Again, you pay no tuition, though you are responsible for your travel and other expenses. These are not professional trainings, but you will learn many things not covered in Teacher Training, especially in the afternoon presentations on anatomy and/or yoga philosophy. Prerequisites and Contact Information:

For Foundations, YTT and Experiential Anatomy – you have successfully completed Level 4. Contact cheryl@masteryoga.org For Yogimmersions – you are a Certified Svaroopa® Yoga Teacher, or have successfully completed DTS 4 and are working on completing your certification paperwork. Contact margo@masteryoga.org For ATT – you are a Certified Svaroopa® Yoga Teacher in Good Standing PLUS you have successfully completed that specific ATT course and the homework. Contact cheryl@masteryoga.org

4. RAMA’S INTERACTIVE TEACHING – BY ROBERT MCMAHON

“The ability to do something, and the ability to teach another to do it, are two distinct and different abilities.” Michael Oakeshott, 20th Century British Philosopher

The first time I saw Rama teach was a Yoga Pain Clinic in San Diego. I was so impressed by her teaching that I sought her out afterward. She began with a clear presentation of Svaroopa® yoga principles and then invited us to ask her questions about our individual aches and pains. She worked

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beautifully with each person, answering to their needs yet teaching the group at the same time. Like every master teacher, she made it look easy. But I know it isn’t. I have spent thirty years teaching Comparative Literature at every level from seventh grade through graduate school, four of them coaching high school and college basketball and track. I have lectured to 100 students, taught graduate seminars of 15, and had conferences with individuals on every aspect of writing. Rama’s manner – charming yet straightforward, easy yet serious – impressed me, but did not surprise me. She had been doing this sort of thing for a long time, and she had the natural manner of a professional in public speaking. Her presentation of Svaroopa® yoga principles was exceptionally clear, but that did not surprise me either. If the founder of Svaroopa® yoga cannot explain it, who can? But her explanation had something more than clarity. At first I called it “clarity-plus.” Like any good lecture, it was clear because it was orderly and well paced. Rama paused often to ask if there were any questions, and occasionally there were. She answered these and always made sure that the questioner understood her answer. For the most part, however, her talk made everything clear. She demonstrated her main points with her own body – “It all, begins at the tailbone: see.” Because she can move parts of her body that no one else can, her physical illustrations were telling, and often funny. She engaged and delighted us. Rama’s “clarity-plus” talk was highly effective, and I was impressed. But during the second part of the program, as she worked with individuals in pain, I was dazzled! When you teach by lecturing, you have control of your presentation, even if you take questions. You have a plan. You know what you will cover, in what order, with how much time for each point. If you don’t have an outline in front of you, you have one in your head. If you understand your material and your audience, the rest is easy. All you need is practice. But when Rama began to work with individuals in pain, she was no longer in control. She had no idea what might be coming and how. She had to listen, not talk. She had to learn about their concerns, which they did not express clearly, at first. Rama would have to ask them where they hurt, how it was caused, how the hurt felt, how often they felt it, and so on. Before she could work with their pains concretely, she had to understand them fully. The person in pain would then come to the front of the room, and Rama would teach the individual and the group at the same time. She went back to Svaroopa® yoga and anatomical principles to show how the pain worked in the body. Usually she used her own extraordinary moving parts to make her explanation visible. Sometimes she put the person into a pose and asked what that person noticed. The person in pain always felt some relief right away, and we all understood how and why. All this was improvised. You can improvise like this only when you grasp your material, with all its interconnections, thoroughly. Otherwise you cannot work on the spot with the unexpected. Very few people ever understand anything this thoroughly, and even complete expertise is not enough. Even fewer attempt to teach this way because it is so difficult. Aside from the need to know your material through and through, in order to improvise as Rama does, you have to care enough about others to listen fully to them. You have to listen for what they want or need to say, even though they don’t know how. You have to help them say it so that they can recognize it clearly in themselves. And you have to respond to them in ways they can grasp and appreciate. The more ways you can do this, the better. The longer I watched Rama that evening, the more I appreciated how superb a listener she is. She reminded me, by contrast, of a friend of my parents, a highly successful salesman. “When you talk to Werner,” my mother says, “he makes you feel that you’re the most important person in the world.” Werner listens with a warm attention that bathes you in approval and encourages you to speak freely. He makes you feel that he cares about what you say. But it’s a salesman’s technique: the warmth of his care does not last beyond the conversation. A week later, he does not remember what you said. Rama listens with less warmth but with more light and greater concern. She was fully present to every person she worked with that evening. My brother was one of them. He’s a Zen Roshi who has been practicing Zen meditation for thirty years and so he knows something about paying attention. As we

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drove home, he praised Rama for her clarity of speech and action and, above all, for the luminous peace of her presence. As she explained his pains and showed him how Svaroopa® yoga could relieve them, he recognized her caring concern and non-attachment. “The most effective caring,” he said, “is always non-attached. Rama is a true Master.” The pain clinic lasted over two hours, but no one got fidgety or looked bored. No one left early. Two hours is a long time to pay attention to a teacher, but it didn’t seem long. When Rama interacted with individuals, she always involved the group. She brought us back to Svaroopa® yoga principles over and over again. She let us into her thought processes of diagnosis and the potential therapy always grounded in these same principles. She engaged our minds directly and our bodies indirectly. There was plenty of laughter and lots of learning. I did not present a pain to her, but I felt that she spoke directly to me. She made me wish I were a better teacher and she showed me how. A few weeks later, I began practicing Svaroopa® yoga

5. MASTER YOGA NEWS

TTT – Becoming a Teacher Trainer The first group of trailblazers are already on board for our upcoming TTT training in April, and there is still room for you to join us and be part of the first group of teachers in our exciting new venture. You will create the next generation of Svaroopa® yoga teachers by training them yourself, in your own home town or wherever you go. This is the vision that Master Yoga’s Board committed us to last year, when they unveiled our new Vision and Mission. Why? Because when we keep it all “in-house,” we keep it small. If we were a for-profit organization, we would hold tightly to our methodology, keeping it secret and charging people as much as possible for their healing, transformation and illumination. We are a not-for-profit organization, supported by your generous donations as well as our program fees, which we keep as low as possible in order to make Svaroopa® yoga accessible to everyone. Our scholarship program also helps many take programs and trainings they could otherwise not afford. Because we are committed to making Svaroopa® yoga accessible, we need more teachers, which means we need more Teacher Trainers. So our new training track begins soon! First announced at our November 07 conference, the full information was slow in getting out due to the delay in our catalogue, but you probably have it by now. Rama describes it this way:

When I was teaching weekly yoga classes, some of the students wanted to learn how to do it. So I created a Teacher Training and gave my classes to them. My Embodyment® clients wanted to learn how I did this magic to them, so I created a training and taught them how. Then I gave them my Embodyment® clients to work on, while I continued with the Yoga Therapy clients. Then teachers and therapists wanted to learn the Yoga Therapy I did, so I trained them and gave away all my clients and classes. Then I taught weekend workshops, and others wanted to learn that, so I created that training and gave away that teaching – now I teach only a few each year. Similarly, I am now giving away YTT, beginning with Foundations. It’s amazing – every time I give away what I know, I grow into knowing more. The more I give away, the more I have. I love it! Plus I love seeing each yogi grow to the fullest extent that she or he is interested in.

So Master Yoga is giving away the Foundations courses as soon as we have fully trained Foundations Trainers who will take over. To become a Foundations Trainer, you have to take two levels of training, creatively titled “A” and “B.” Foundations A prepares you to be a Secondary Teacher, meaning you present poses and lead partner-pairing for about 40% of the Foundations course, so you are teamed with a Primary Teacher who teaches the rest. Foundations B prepares you to be the Primary Teacher,

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so you can teach the whole course alone, or you can team with a Secondary Teacher to present the training. Ellen Sichel, our Executive Director, held a phone meeting to answer questions a few weeks ago. One of the points discussed was the financial potential in running your own Teacher Trainings. The call was well attended and brought out a lot of good information. If you are interested in the minutes from this meeting, contact Cheryl at cheryl@masteryoga.org and she will be happy to send them to you. This is an entrepreneurial model. This means, once you have completed your first training course, you create local Foundations courses, in your home town or by partnering with a host. You won’t become a Master Yoga Teacher Trainer – you’ll be a Svaroopa® Yoga Teacher Trainer. You won’t be employed by Master Yoga – you’ll be licensed to present Svaroopa® Yoga Teacher Trainings. but you won’t be competing with Master Yoga, because Master Yoga won’t be offering Foundations any more, as of the end of 2009 or early 2010. Only the licensed Foundations Teacher Trainers will be teaching Foundations. By then, we will have begun the TTT for Level 1, and follow on through all the YTT levels. Rama means what she says above – we are giving it away. For those of you who are now concerned for the future of Master Yoga, please be assured that Rama and our other Trainers have many wonderful things to teach. Once all of you are training the teachers, Master Yoga will continue to take you and them deeper – as yogis and as teachers. There’s enough of Svaroopa® yoga to go around for everyone!

“Making More Money” Exciting news from some of the teachers who were in one of the calls with Rama – they got immediate and impressive results:

Mazzi M. reports that she got six new students in the two weeks after the phone call. Janet A. got three new students right away. Kalpana R. says, “I took Rama’s advice and took out four ads in January. The first ad brought in enough business to pay for all of them – within two days. I also have five new Embodyment® clients from talking to them as Rama suggested. Thanks for the expert advice!”

Kalpana added, “I realized my fear is not about spending money at all and is about something else.” Rama responds, “Everything that I covered in the phone course is covered in the Yoga Business Skills trainings. The thing I love about these trainings is that I have the time needed to go into the important details, as well as help you with any resistances or fears that arise. It’s amazing how money brings up fear!”

Geo Center – One-Click Access Check it out! The Geo Center links are up and running on our Teacher Directory. When you go there you will see cities where we have a high concentration of Svaroopa® yoga teachers. These cities are:

Atlanta GA Philadelphia PA Baton Rouge LA Queensland Australia Boston MA Reading PA Calgary Alberta Canada Rehoboth Beach DE Chicago IL Sacramento and Bay Area CA Ithaca NY San Diego CA Orange County CA

Programs that Geo Centers can host include the Yogimmersions as well as MAHA Studies programs, which is a greater variety of programming due to the local concentration of Svaroopa® yoga teachers

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and students. Plus their ability to work together to host these programs means they can invite Master Yoga’s Trainers more frequently. Upcoming programs with the dates and the Geo Center are:

Yoga's Timeless Teachings in San Diego CA, on 3/29/08 The Breath Course in Calgary Alberta, Canada, beginning 4/11/2008 Finding Center, Dissolving Boundaries in Sacramento and Bay Area CA, beginning 4/12/2008 Foundations Review in Queensland Australia, beginning 4/30/08 More Health, Vitality, Peace in Boston MA, beginning 5/10/2008 Meditation Made Easy in Queensland Australia, beginning 5/17/08 Foundations in Chicago IL, beginning 6/20/08 Foundations in Boston MA, beginning 7/25/08 Yoga, Vitality & Joy in Queensland Australia, beginning 9/20/08 Discover Your Inner Knowing in Sacramento and Bay Area CA, beginning 9/20/08 Discover Your Inner Knowing in Baton Rouge LA, beginning 10/11/08 Meditation Made Easy in Atlanta GA, beginning 11/1/2008 Bliss Yoga Weekend in Chicago IL, beginning 11/15/08 Living on Target in Calgary Alberta, Canada, beginning 11/22/08

Senior Teachers We deeply apologize to 3 Senior Teachers whose names were omitted from the list of Senior Teachers in the last “Tadaa!” These wonderful teachers are:

Kim Abplanalp Clair Oaks Nora Smith

Thanks to each of you for all you do to support other teachers, MAHA Studies yogis and Master Yoga Foundation!

Retiring Board Member While we are sorry to see her go, we congratulate Clair Oaks as she turns her focus to expanding the number of teachers in her studio and deepening her commitment to music. She has served on Master Yoga’s Board of Directors for 4 years, working closely with Master Yoga’s Trainers and staff as well as with other Board members. Thank you!

6. THIS STUFF WORKS! These are some of the reports from yoga therapists who are completing their ATT Yoga Therapy homework. The names of the clients have been changed to provide anonymity.

Lyme Disease, reported by Jody Ermold Bev has suffered two separate episodes of Lyme disease in the past two years and has been on numerous regimes of antibiotics to combat the virus. The disease affected her nervous system so drastically that it left her with vision problems, hearing loss in her right ear, arthritis in her right knee and the right side of her body, and various other symptoms like plantar fasciitis, fatigue and difficulties with memory and verbalization. She had sought help through massage therapy, Reiki, cranial-sacral work, and other types of body work. She finally came to see me knowing how much Embodyment® had helped her in the past. She had stopped attending yoga classes two years ago when the disease first struck her. After one session of

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yoga therapy and Ujjayi Pranayama, she reported that her foot no longer hurt, the arthritis had improved in her right knee, and she had been sleeping better for several nights in a row.

Knees, reported by Jody Ermold Richard sits in front of a computer all day for his job and plays acoustic guitar on the weekends. He suffers from hiatal hernia, lower back pain (which he doesn’t notice except in yoga class) and wrist pain. His knees felt like “cobblestones” and knee replacement has been recommended. He does various strength training exercises – lifting weights, running a treadmill, and working out along with workout videos. He scheduled Overlap Healing with me and promised to put his workout routine “on hold” during the series. Richard’s biggest improvement was his awareness. He became aware of EVERYTHING in his life. Through some vichara, he became aware of how his choices were contributing to his physical aches and pains. He became more aware of how he stands, how he sits, and even how he holds the guitar. He began to understand the way he made food choices, decisions with his wife, and decisions about other people. His communication skills changed. He became aware of the person contributing to the ache behind his heart and decided to “let some things go” in his personal life, including some of the guitar jobs that were no longer fulfilling his needs and were contributing to his physical aches.

Migraine Miracle, reported by Annette Bongiorno Susan suffers from frequent migraines. She has been coming sporadically to a weekly class for three or four months. She was working with a team of practitioners who offered acupuncture and herbal remedies. Unfortunately, her migraines were not helped by these treatments. I spoke to her about Yoga Therapy and she committed to three sessions. In the first session, I focused on the importance of Ujjayi Pranayama, and stressed the importance of a daily practice of 20 minutes a day. She agreed to try it daily, working up to the 20 minutes. By her third Yoga Therapy session, she had increased her Ujjayi to ten minutes and was doing it daily. Her migraines were less frequent and less intense. She was pleased with the process. I also gave here a series of poses to do every day. She began practicing yoga at home. To me, the miracle is not that her migraines improved, but that she is now committed to doing yoga as a treatment for her migraines.

Ujjayi Prompts Self-Care, reported by Annette Bongiorno I have been giving Embodyment® sessions to a long-time Svaroopi for two years, mostly coaching her through the physical and emotional pain that has come with the opening of her spine and the re-patterning of her old self-destructive patterns. While I have only given her three Yoga Therapy sessions, I have continued to stress the importance of Ujjayi Pranayama. She has been able to increase her practice to 20 minutes, twice daily. Through the Ujjayi practice, she is now able to move through her emotional and physical pain, and to recover more quickly. She shows a commitment to taking care of herself that I had not seen before these sessions. It is beautiful to see.

Cancer, reported by Melissa Parsons One of the members of my extended family was diagnosed with peritoneal cancer and taking radiation treatments on a tumor. This woman is very private and not used to being touched. She was also very scared. I told her about my Yoga Therapy training and asked if she would like a treatment. She said yes and we scheduled to meet. I was expecting her to cancel, but she didn’t. I brought a stack of blankets and set her up in Shavasana, did adjustments and coached her in Ujjayi Pranayama for ten minutes. I also did Embodyment® on her, following the High-Risk protocols. I asked two vichara questions of her. She was so open and responsive. The fear had left her eyes, her body had softened, and she said she felt like a new person. We sat around and chatted for awhile with a cup of tea and decided to go out for lunch.

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This was the only time I worked on her as she went back to work part-time. Since then the cancer has been in remission. She now raves about what I do to my other family members and even encourages them to try it out. It felt so good to be able to offer her a pathway into the healing process. I could imagine how alone she must have felt. Teaching the Ujjayi was so powerful and I could see the effects immediately. She was so calm and peaceful.

Walking Without Pain, reported by Mary Stracensky Jenny had a constant ache in her right hip. She was unable to bear her full weight on her right leg and consequently walked with a slight limp. Her x-rays and MRI showed arthritis, spondylosis L4-5, and her bone density was down 15% from the previous year. Her MD prescribed physical therapy and medication to increase bone density. She went through four months of physical therapy but got little pain relief. The medication for bone density upset her stomach and gave her heartburn. She began seeing an osteopath who told her that she had a tight SI joint. Jenny was referred to me by a friend who had done Svaroopa® Yoga Therapy sessions with me. She agreed to do a series of six weekly sessions. With tight finances, as a single mother, she could not plan to do more than that. Her goal was to decrease the pain in her hip and to walk easily and more evenly. After talking about what she wanted, we decided that working with the extreme stress in her life would be a good place to start. She had already experienced what yoga could do for stress, so it was easy to start her on an Ujjayi Pranayama practice at home. She already knew the mechanics of Ujjayi from her past yoga experiences. The challenge was for her to make the breath easier, softer, and less of an effort. She began her twice daily Ujjayi practice and, after two weeks, she felt a big difference in her body. During her sessions, we practiced her Ujjayi every session and I did Yoga Therapy poses, slowly and gradually opening her spine. By her final session, her right hip was pain-free and she could put full weight on her leg. I suggested that she had come very far very fast, and to keep the openings in her body, she should attend a weekly yoga class and keep her daily practice. She has quit her other yoga class and is now attending a weekly Svaroopa® yoga class.

Piano Teacher, reported by Melissa Parsons Carol is a piano teacher with degenerative arthritis in her hands and fingers. Doctors have told her that the cartilage around her finger joints is gone and that there is nothing that can be done about the swelling and pain except pain medication. Although she continues to play the piano, she has limited mobility in her hands. Her fingers, especially on her left hand, are swollen and she can not bend them all the way. Many days she wakes up with sharp pain in her fingers. It has been a long time since she has been able to make a fist. Although Carol was attending class once a week and doing the Magic Four at home (when she remembered to), she wanted to try Yoga Therapy. She was curious about what it would be like and prepaid a series of four sessions. During her second session, she was lying in a well-supported Yoga Therapy pose, and started wiggling her fingers and hands. Then she said. “Something is releasing in my hands.” I replied, “Hmmm.” At the end of the session she was very excited. She showed me how far she could bend her fingers, almost twice as far as before, and said they felt better than they had in a long time. She wanted to know what had happened and I told her that because of her yoga practice her body had been ready for a deep release. Her dramatic change went away after a few days but there was still an improvement, and it was a great incentive for her to make the Magic Four a daily practice again. Her report at the end of the four sessions was that she had not expected it, but Yoga Therapy had really helped her hands. Overall, the pain in her fingers and hands had decreased and her mobility had increased. Also, she realized that when she keeps up with her yoga practice these improvements stay with her.

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7. IN THE NEWS--

“Lengthen Tailbone” says Yoga Journal February’s issue features information about Marichyasana III by Richard Rosen with a photo giving teaching points. The photo has a number of arrows pointing to specific body parts with related comments. One of them points to the tailbone and says, “Lengthen tailbone downward.” Hooray! Rama reports that this is the second time she has seen a printed instruction that says to lengthen the tailbone (outside of Svaroopa® yoga). This means that, after more than twenty years of Svaroopa® yoga being out there, the society of Anonymous Tail Tuckers is beginning to realize they have a choice. Svaroopa® yoga is making inroads into the establishment. Get the magazine or obtain a copy from your local library and share it with your students. This little tidbit is very important – it is the first indicator that we have gotten to the beginning of the end of core strengthening.

Elizabeth McKenty in Middletown Press A front page article in Elizabeth’s local paper reported, “New yoga studio helps students explore possibilities.” She started her new studio about eight months earlier, and timed a Grand Opening event for the new year. She reports that she more than doubled her student body as a result of this article and her Grand Opening. The article featured many photos and many wonderful comments, including these.

Elizabeth McKenty of Yoga Possibilities guarantees a positive mental or physical change in just one Svaroopa® yoga class. And her students attest to the truth in that statement.” “I knew from the first class,” said Vicki Sivicny of Meriden. “I said this is what I’m looking for, without the pain and the strain, but with deeper results.” Several students after the Thursday evening continuing class insisted they felt changes immediately upon, beginning the yoga style. They applauded the class for positive effects on their bodies, minds and spirits. “The feeling of support that you get from this type of yoga — physically and mentally,” said Sivicny, “you feel like somebody is hugging you.”

For the full article follow this link: http://www.middletownpress.com/WebApp/appmanager/JRC/BigDaily?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pg_article&r21.content=%2FMAIN_REP%2FArticle%2F2008%2F01%2F28%2F1488475

Tarlika Margery Anderson in “Her” This magazine describes itself as being for Vermont women, and is distributed as an insert in the Rutland Observer. Tarlika and Mountain Yoga are the cover story of the Fall/Winter 2007 issue, with the cover photograph showing Tarlika in a beautiful Seated Side Stretch with a radiant smile. This featured article describes her teaching, the philosophy of Svaroopa® yoga, and the benefits that will be reaped by anyone who studies at her studio. In response to the interviewer’s question about yoga helping women lose weight, Tarlika said, “If they need to lose five pounds, I tell them at the end of six weeks they’ll have either lost the five pounds or they won’t have lost the five pounds, but either way they’ll feel better.” Tarlika is further quoted, “Generally people come for physical issues; that’s what gets them in the door… With new students, I give them five classes and a video, because I really want them to start at home right away.” The article ends with Tarlika saying, “Eventually you’ll get to the point where you just don’t want to start your day until you’ve done your yoga. It’s not something you’ve added to your life; it’s something like brushing your teeth – you just can’t conceive of a day without it.”

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Tarlika was especially touched by the Editor’s column in the magazine. Without mentioning the yoga article, Sallyann Majoya wrote of the need for women to take care of themselves, ending with, “When was the last time you noticed you were holding your breath?” She went on to summarize:

I know you have enough to juggle without adding more to your compendium, but I’m giving you three words that I hope you’ll accept:

Listen. Breathe. Notice.

Tarlika says on her website: “I really want yoga to be useful to people, to help them live more comfortable, happier lives.” http://www.mountainyoga.com

Michaelynn Meyers is featured in the Pocono Record The November 12, 2007 article was titled, “Finding that peaceful place within.” Some excerpts are listed here:

Myers said that what attracted her to yoga 15 years ago was the inner stillness that it provides. "I needed a place to de-stress and focus on myself," she said. She used to practice a different type of yoga, one that was "very physical. It was a real workout." When she and her family were on vacation in Florida, she discovered Svaroopa® yoga when she signed up for a yoga class at the hotel they were staying at. "I thought it was the type that I had been doing, but it wasn't." She said that she went to the class anyway because she had already paid for it — and she was hooked. "I was amazed at the inner peace I found after only one class," she said. That was 15 years ago. She started attending Svaroopa® yoga classes and has now been teaching them for five years. “This yoga is for everybody," Myers said. "It doesn't matter how old or young you are, or how many positions you can get into. You work at your own pace and according to your own body. This is yoga that anyone really can do." Myers says that she practices what she preaches. She practices every morning and evening, before her children get up and after they go to bed. "I don't know what I would do without Svaroopa® yoga," she said. "I feel so much stronger. It's a huge part of my life that I couldn't do without."

For the full article and photo, follow this link: http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071112/NEWS01/711120303

Kathy Preston Speaks on Yoga Kathy Preston gave a short talk in Atlanta at Marcia Wieder's “Inspiring Speaker Workshop” last October. Kathy spoke about her experience at “Beyond Your Limitations,” a Yogimmersion with Rama. The full text is below:

Who am I? This is the question that I was wrestling with the last few weeks and it made me angry. At this age in my life, I should have that figured out. Yet, all of the labels and identities that I used to know who I am were in transition and no longer quite fit. Months earlier, I had signed up for a yoga retreat. Although I felt like I was drowning with the question, "Who Am I", I showed up to the training. The Master, Rama explained that the weekend would be about going beyond your limitations. She asked us to journal about these limitations and I wrote, “I am angry. I am alone. I am afraid.” Rama then took us through a series of poses each one getting deeper, until we reached a pose that I physically was unable to do. As I was frustrated with the pose, the Master came to me, "I'll help you." She gently held my foot and invited me to soften into the pose.

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I had to give up anger to soften. I had to give up alone to be vulnerable and allow her to be there with me. I had to give up being afraid to trust myself in the process. As I surrendered and let go of these limitations, my knee bent into my chest and I extended my arms straight out and held my foot in both hands. It was then the Master looked me in the eye and said, “You have now gone beyond your limitations.”

You can listen to Kathy’s two minute talk at this link: http://www.audioacrobat.com/play/WPrJh1cQ

8. TEACHER UPDATES

A Svaroopa® Yoga Love Story Jody Grombach and Ian Boccio report from their new studio, Ananda Bhav Yoga in Atlanta GA

Many of you know that we met at YTT Level 1 in March of 2006. Here’s the update: Ian recently moved from Philadelphia to be here with me in Atlanta. We have now formed a bliss-induced partnership that also includes a business venture! Thanks to this transformative yoga practice, we have made space within ourselves for collaboration, healing and love. Ananda Bhav Yoga opened in October of 2007, just one month after Ian moved to Atlanta. We have an intimate space where we offer four weekly Svaroopa® yoga classes, in addition to weekly chanting and monthly workshops. Ian has been presenting Rama's chants and melodies to our students, as well as to the community at large. He was the featured artist at the annual Winter Solstice event sponsored by the International Sound Therapy Association, and presented the Universal Prayer as an introduction to the power of Sanskrit mantra. Our first Open House at the studio was Saturday, January 19. In spite of a rare southern snowstorm on that day, we had a sizeable turnout and a great response to the studio! We're very excited to be combining our energies in partnership – both in business and in love – and we're so grateful to have the grace of yoga gently guiding us. You can check us out on the web at www.anandabhav.com.

Newly Wed Congratulations to Judy Wolfe on her marriage – she is now Judy Zumas!

New Studio in St. Paul MN Leslie Johnson has opened Highland Yoga Center in St. Paul, MN, along with three other Svaroopa® yoga teachers: Susan Warden, Tammy (Lazzaro) Moothedan, and Nathan Matanich. Leslie says:

When I started YTT, I don't think I could have imagined this kind of support. About two-and-a-half years ago I took the leap and left my day job to teach full time. Ever since then my life has taken on a life of its own. I feel as though I am riding on the magic carpet of grace. My vision has come true. I am surrounded by yogis. It's heaven on earth. You can find me at www.theblissofyoga.com and the Highland Yoga Center at www.highlandyogacenter.com.

ATT Certificates Awarded The following students were not included in the list we published in the last “Tadaa!” We apologize for the error and commend them for their new levels of accomplishment:

Donna Criscuolo – Living Yoga–Business Certificate Jean Glover – Half-Day Workshops; Deeper Yoga–Level 2; Vinyasa Teacher (Themes: Lower

Spinal Release, Neck & Shoulders, Abdominals, Classical, Balance & Inversions, Lotus & Twists)

Elizabeth McKenty – Svaroopa® Yoga Therapist–Level 1; Pregnancy Yoga

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9. SEVITES Master Yoga would not exist without the support of so many generous yogis, including financial support as well as so many who offer their seva. The following people deserve our special thanks for their hard work, time and effort in recent months (or longer):

Teaching Assistants in recent Master Yoga programs

Kim Veach September 07 Foundations, Orange County CA

Leslie Johnson September 07 Embodyment® Yoga Therapy, Concordville

Sally Broadhurst September 07 Embodyment® Yoga Therapy, Rehoboth Beach

Ann Johnson September 07 Embodyment® Yoga Therapy, Concordville

February 08 Embodyment® Yoga Therapy, Malvern PA

Addie Alex, Sandy Courtney and Deborah Shapiro

October 07 Foundations, Westborough MA

Cheryl Davis Dec 07 Foundations, Fallbrook CA

Jaya Tara Boyce Crivello February 08 YTT Level 1, Fallbrook CA

Elizabeth McKenty Team Teacher with Rama for the March 08 Meditation Week, Joshua Tree CA

November 07 Conference – “Outside And Inside” An adventure of this size and complexity requires many helping hands to pull off, and this list will be incomplete at best, but we want to say thank you to:

Kelly Sharp Conference Coordinator and main magician

Clair Oaks Saturday night music for the divine beings

Donna Crisculo Conference Marketing, Communications, Printing & Posters (and lots more!)

Ellen Sichel Leading the way through the present and sharing the future with everyone

JoAnn Morell, Clair Oaks, Tarlika Margery Andersen. Maria Abbruzzi. Caroline Kennedy. Sally Broadhurst and many others

Staffing our wonderful shop and helping in many other ways

Kim Abplanalp Creating the incredible yoga shop, with the specially-designed tees and mugs, plus bringing in so many wonderful things for us to all spend money on

Lissa Fountain, Addie Alex, Polly DiBella, JoAnn Morrell, Sally

Teaching your wonderful workshops and sharing your love of yoga with so many

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Broadhurst, Barbara Sayre Thompson

Maria Sichel Conference Brochure Coordinator Sally Broadhurst Sharing the beauty and power of Master Yoga’s Vision and

Mission

Everyone else… For being a blanket sherpa and helping out in all the big and little ways you all did

Interim Facilities Thanks for important help with the programs we held in interim facilities (when we were between our old burned-out site and our new Malvern PA campus) Clair Oaks Making her studio available for our annual Board retreat

and for our Embodyment® course (in Swarthmore PA); researching food options in Concordville

Ian Boccio Repairing and delivering the harmonium that we used in for programs we taught at the Concordville

Jennifer Gould & Stephanie Pirozzi Interior design for our new campus in Malvern Kim Abplanalp Loaning and delivering her harmonium for the

Embodyment® course in Rehoboth Beach. Maria Mazzi Arranging the Joshua Tree Retreat Center for the March

2008 Meditation Week Maureen Shortt, Denise Wall, & Diane Cozine

These three women unpacked and set up our yoga classroom at the Concordville

Phil Milgrom and Nancy Nowak Their generous gift of blankets for our new classroom Polly Dibella Loaning her skeleton for our courses – for months! Rehoboth Beach Yoga Center / Terry Gardner & Sally Broadhurst

Gathering props and supplies for our September Embodyment® course in Rehoboth Beach.

Rob Gold Single-handed construction and setup of Malvern facility

Behind-the-scenes and ongoing support in so many ways

Anna Priddy Compiles and edits “Tadaa!” Beth Cunningham Marketing seva, assisting with email graphics and

programming Bonnie Schindler Research for our new TTT Curriculum Elizabeth McKenty Types up the comments from students on their Feedback

Forms.a Janis Desmond Programming computers and training our staff on computers Michael Newman Moderating the Svaroopa® yoga e-group (for years!) Michele Gross Sends hand-written notes to the donation honorees. Sarah Mukti Rossiter Photography, Graphics Design and Management

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And thank you to our Board members

Annette Bongiorno Board Member and Treasurer Donna Criscuolo Board Member, Chair of Marketing Committee, Catalog

Coordinator Ellen Sichel Board Chairperson for 2 years Kaya Mindlin Board Member Kelly Sharp Board Member Kim Orr Board Member, SAT Q&A coordinator, and thanks for the

speaker telephone for our new office Rama Berch Board President Sally Broadhurst Board Member, Education Committee Member Sonya Moore Board Member Tish Roy Current Board Chairperson, served as Recording Secretary for

1 year We have worked hard to make this list as complete as possible, and still suspect that we left a few out – please let us know that we didn’t list you! Your support is important to us, and we want to thank you publicly. If you would like to offer your skills and professional experience to support Master Yoga, please let us know. You will not only support us and help us keep our fees low, but you will discover a whole new aspect of yoga – the generosity of your time and energy makes a difference in your life as well.

10. DONATIONS RECEIVED IN HONOR OF… We love offering you the opportunity to honor someone with your donation to Master Yoga Foundation, and deeply appreciate your generosity. When you make your gift in their honor, please give us the honoree’s address so we can send a gift card to them! They are also honored publicly in our next “Tadaa!”

Master Yoga has received the following donations in honor of…

Donation Made By In Honor Of

Alicia Penney Elizabeth McKenty

Barbara Rosenzweig Diane Wojciechowski

Clare Coleman Clair Oaks

Donna Flanagan Gerry Dromeshauser

Elinor Hecht Deena & Micki of Yoga Now

Ellen Sichel Dale Ingersoll

Foundation of New Jersey Jennifer Gould/Rainbow Connection Fund

Jane Stillman Kaya Mindlin

Janice James Dale Ingersoll

Jeanne Swartz Dr. James S. Wolf

Jennifer Neslon Francie Light

Jody Ermold Sarita Rocco

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Donation Made By In Honor Of

John White Tish Roy

Julie Sutton Mr. & Mrs. Clifford

Libby Guillory Kim Orr & Bob McMahon

Lisa Knight Polly DiBella & Clair Oaks

Louise Howlett Carol Ann Pala

Lynne Somerville Mrs. Edna Somerville

Margot Garritt Leah Garritt

Nadine Misiaszek Bonnie Schindler

Nancy Forster Melissa Parsons & Nicolas Dalton

Nancy Nowak Pat Morrison’s birthday

Nancy Nowak & Phil Milgrom Dale Ingersoll

Rama Berch Dale Ingersoll

Robert McMahon Kim Orr & Rama

Ruth Winslow Kris Montigny

Sandy Peace Susie Hollister-Schell

Sandy Van Oosten Tricia King Stebbing

Sheila McHugh Dale Ingersoll

Sonya Hansard-Weiner Zylpha H. Sullivan

Soraya Pereira Rama

Suzanne Martin Robert E. Martin

Wendy Singer Ron & Rita Singer

11. SPECIAL EVENT DONATIONS Our fund raising drive is proceeding very well, with a big boost over the holidays that helped us prepare to move into our new Malvern campus. Our Fundraising Committee is working on a more complete report for you, but wanted to acknowledge these teachers who sent in donations from their community, with beautiful stories about their students’ support and even special classes and events. Donations up to $ 99

Tarlika Anderson placed a donation box placed next to the Contemplations Article, where she has several articles in a rack. A number of students left donations on the puja (altar) in the programs we taught at one of our interim locations, the Concordville Hotel. Terri O’Connor held a class fundraiser

Donations between $ 100 and $ 499 Suzanne Connelly send in a group donation from her students Kim Orr’s Deeper Yoga Students send a group donation

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Jennifer Sebastian held a Pawanmuktasana Workshop and a Continuing Yoga Class with refreshments in between, and sent in her donation from those proceeds. Boston Geo Center teachers did a collection at a holiday chant, meditation & potluck which was held at Lissa Fountain’s home. Participating teachers were Lissa Fountain, Caroline Kutil, Deborah Shapiro, Annette Bongiorno, Marcia Costello, Maria Sichel, Becky Bronson, Addie Alex, & Carol Waite Helene Gibbens-Kent sent in donations from her students. Rebecca Rivers held benefit classes over the year-end holidays Level 4 Grads in October 07 gave their graduation gift to Master Yoga

Donations between $ 500 and $ 999 Marianne Steenvoorden, Margo Gebraski & Mary Jane Haley taught 2 classes held to benefit Master Yoga Polly DiBella & Sally McAfee sent in offerings from a group of Polly’s students who attend her Saturday programs and offer a donation weekly, PLUS a special fundraiser class by Sally McAfee Pat Weaver taught a series of benefit classes in December

Donations over $1,000 Jennifer Gould arranged a Community Foundation donation granted from Rainbow Connection Jeanne Ormiston solicited student donations and taught a workshop, plus she matched their donations personally Sandra Courtney held a benefit at Earthsong Yoga Center, courtesy of Pat Burke Elaine Nesta donated the percentage she receives as a host of a Yogimmersion Workshop Rosemary Nogue also donated the percentage she receives as a host of a Yogimmersion Workshop Kalpana Reddy spoke personally to donors and also offered donations from weekly programs

These enterprising yogis motivated their communities to send over $14,000 in donations to Master Yoga. We are overwhelmed and impressed! And very very grateful. We also suspect that there are other teachers who have held events or gotten their students involved in creating community support for Master Yoga. we’d love to tell your story – so please tell us. Email cheryl@masteryoga.org.

12. TEACHING TIPS – LET THERE BE LIGHT! Turn the lights down low during the beginning and end of class, but then turn the lights up to full light during the middle of class. There should be enough light that you could easily read the newspaper. This is true even in the advanced level of Svaroopa® yoga – Bliss Class. Why?

If you leave the lights low during the whole class, or even use candles as your lighting, students associate yoga with darkness. But yoga is about light! Yoga is the science of consciousness, which is also called the light of consciousness. The practices open up your access to the light of your own being, and give you more clarity in your life. You become more effective in the world – you don’t stumble around like Mr. Magoo.

Plus it also makes it easier for the teacher to teach. Not only can you see your students’ bodies better, they can see your demo better. And their mind works better when the room is well lit. They can follow instructions and even report the differences between the two sides more clearly.

When students associate yoga with half-lit rooms, they also think of it as another form of entertainment – relaxing, but something enjoyable that they add to their life. Low lighting is also linked up in their

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mind with romanticism, which ties into sex and love, and all kinds of other things that are about getting your fulfillment from an outer source. Yoga is about tapping into the inner source, and taking that with you into your life and your relationships, because when you are filled from the infinite reality within, you have plenty to share.

You must have the lights up full during class – no boudoir lighting.

13. POSE POINTERS

Ardha Mandukasana (Half Frog Pose) – Prop: Blanket Platform Periodically we find that something we teach in Teacher Training goes awry, and this seems to be one of those situations. The Blanket Platform is not for everyone to use in Ardha Mandukasana. In a group of “normal” students, 30% or less will need it. Here’s how you tell: when they lie in the pose on the floor (no blanket platform), look at the slope of their sacrum. If it is tilted side-to-side at 45 degrees or more, they need a Blanket Platform. Use a minimum of 2 blankets, laid wide so that the edges protrude out from their sides. Be sure that their thighs are completely off the blanket, but their belly is completely on it; the edge of the blanket will be at their hip creases. While they are lying in the pose on the floor (no Blanket Platform), also check to see if they have a swayback. When the back of their waist dips toward the floor a lot, we call that a swayback. A person who truly has a swayback will also have their sacrum tilted – with the top of their sacrum (near their waist) lower toward the floor than the bottom of their sacrum (near their tailbone).

A mild swayback is a slope of 15-22 degrees; these yogis don’t need a Blanket Platform. A deep swayback is sloped 30 degrees or more; these yogis need a Blanket Platform. In addition, their hip creases will also probably be lifted off the floor, unless they have Deceptive Flexibility.

If more than 10% of your students need a Blanket Platform, you are actually teaching a Gentle Yoga class. That means that you need special training in order to truly meet the needs of the group of special needs yogis that you are attracting. You can take the ATT courses that provide you with a certification to teach Gentle Yoga on a long term basis, or they EYTS Special Needs course so you can teach a short series of classes for them (which can be repeated). From a business perspective, if you are attracting a lot of Gentle Yogis, you need to look at how you are marketing your classes or even how you think of yourself as a teacher. It’s wonderful if you want to develop this specialty, but it is a problem if you have lots of students like this. It’s not a problem with them; it’s a problem with your own perception of yourself. Vichara sessions or Yoga Business Skills can help with this. As an additional note: We have reintroduced the Sacrum Press – Thigh Twist adjustment in Foundations again. We took it out about two years ago because the students were having trouble learning how to do it. At that time, we replaced it with the Thigh Twist adjustment, which is wonderful and quite effective at providing a tailbone release. We now teach both in Foundations, because they are such important adjustments. For anyone who missed either (Thigh Twist or Sacrum Press – Thigh Twist), they are both included in Foundations Review as well as New & Renew – Level 1.

Prasarita Padottanasana (Slow Motion Dive) in the chair – Prop: Feet Cushions Do not use knee cushions (gardening pads) under students’ feet; only use wide blankets (minimum 2) if they need props their feet. The wide blankets allow them to move their feet side-to-side in order to bring them into the needed alignment. If they start with knee cushions under their feet, they never really check where their body is. It’s actually quite hard to move the knee cushions around, so they leave their feet in an easy angle or (worse) they move their knees instead. They will not get a tailbone opening.

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Plus, their body never really changes; their props always stay in the same place. What should be happening is that, every time you do the pose, you need to realign your feet to where your body is at that moment. Using wide blankets under the feet makes this possible. It is also very important to get their feet in good alignment. Their toes should be turned inward. We accept the outsides of their feet being parallel if they are not able to turn their toes inward, but it is a poor substitute. It is best when their toes turn inward a lot. If you have been letting your students merely line up the outer edges of their feet, see what happens when you have them turn their toes in farther. It is also important that the soles of their feet are flat, with their big toes and the ball joint at the base of their big toes at the same level as their heels and the outer edges of their feet. This is the one drawback to using the wide blankets under their feet. Many of them tend to lean more weight into the outer edges of their feet (due to tailbone tensions), and the blanket layers sink toward the floor. Thus, their big toes are touching the blanket but they are higher up (away from the floor) than the outer edges of their feet. That problem does not occur with the knee pads. Thus, the knee pads are better for getting the soles of their feet level, but the wide blankets are better for getting their feet aligned under their knees. So why do we say you should use wide blankets instead of knee cushions? The alignment of their feet under their knees is the most important alignment, which is why we teach you to put the wide blankets under their feet. The best choice would actually be to put a series of knee cushions, with their sides touching, in a band across the space in front of their chair. You would need 7 or 8 to give the width that a blanket provides, plus you would need 2 rows so they can move their feet forward or back. If you want to buy 16 knee pads for each student who needs this type of propping (or 32 for if they need two layers in order to get more lift), that would be great. Otherwise, use 2 wide blankets (or more). And tell them to put their big toes down (and the ball joint).

Jathara Parivrttanasana – Alignment: Elbow Bend The shoulder blade of the back arm (the one away from the bent knees) does NOT have to be on the floor. In fact, very few students will have that back shoulder blade on the floor. For those that do, you need to suspect that they have Deceptive Flexibility, which keeps them from getting the spinal release through their rib cage. Here are the details you need in order to fully understand and teach this pose:

When their back elbow is bent, make sure that it is their palm that is on their waist – not their fingers. Their thumb must not sneak around behind their waist, but rest alongside their other fingers. It is OK if they put their palm on the side of their lowest ribs, or if they tuck their fingers into their waistband so that their palm is resting on the side of their waist – but still make sure it is not their fingers on the side of their waist or ribs. This precision will create an important opening in their collarbone and the front of their shoulder. More importantly, it will provide a spinal release, which also moves their rib cage more deeply into the twist. When a student places her/his palm on the side of their waist (or ribs), AND their elbow lands on the floor, they may extend their arm out into the A-frame angle (like in Shavasana). If their bent elbow doesn’t land on the floor, they sometimes want to extend their arm out anyway, and their elbow might land on the floor when they do that. However, they are now stretching their shoulder ligaments, called the rotator cuff, which is not beneficial – it is detrimental. Additionally, when they overstretch ligaments, the adjacent area of the spine tightens – but this is the part of the spine that the pose is meant to release! For the most benefit, they should place their palm on the side of their waist to see if their elbow lands on the floor. If it does, they may extend their arm into the A-frame angle. Exceptions: In Intro or Continuing classes, students often want to go to the farthest angle. Thus, students who have a “floating elbow” (when it is bent) will want to extend their arm anyway. If the elbow of their extended arm lands on the floor, it is OK – but it is not beneficial. It may prevent them from getting the spinal release in their spine through the rib cage, but you can allow it anyway. The reason is that dealing with their mind is much harder than dealing with

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their body. After another few weeks or few months of core opening, they will be more willing to work with the precision of the practice.

Lastly, none of the above has to do with the shoulder blade being on the floor. We are not trying to get the shoulder blade onto the floor. You don’t even have to look at that back shoulder blade – just check their elbow.

Teaching the Pregnant Mom If you have a pregnant Svaroopi, she can work with almost everything you teach in Continuing Yoga. For Pregnancy Yoga, the full training is part of the ATT curriculum. For Continuing Yoga, It is completely safe for you to teach her, once she is in her 4th month, unless it is a difficult pregnancy (which her doctor would determine). Usually pregnant women are extraordinarily healthy! For safety, she must have completed her first trimester, meaning she has entered her 4th month. If she has been practicing Svaroopa® yoga before she became pregnant, she may continue her classes, sessions and home practice without taking a break. Special teaching considerations:

1. No Uddhiyana Bandha (Stomach Lifts). 2. Don’t let her create a big swayback, like Vidalasana 1. 3. After 5-6 months, have her do Shavasana lying on her left side. 4. She needs lots of tailbone release 5. She must do Navasana, but no Yoga Situps. 6. She needs to do Baddha Konasana every day. She should sit in it every time she sits

down. She can spend hours in it every day, even without a tailbone pose. 7. She can do poses that have her lying on her belly for as long as it is comfortable for her

– usually up to 5-6 months. The Svaroopa® yoga Pregnancy video will really help you (and her!), though it is not really a substitute for the full training you need if you want to teach new moms on a regular basis. The video is newly available on DVD.