Thank you to all involved. Hope to see you there!

- Andy

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Shri K. Pattabhi Jois left this plane recently. His Ashtanga Yoga teachings have impacted my life in a strong and ongoing way.

I made it to Mysore in February 2007. He helped me with dropbacks and backbends a couple of times. He was 91 at the time. I was amazed at his dedication, focus and strength.

The led classes were remarkable experiences as well. The opening and closing prayers were powerful. What a voice, somehow resonating his decades of teaching and experience.

I send my gratitude to him, and to his daughter Saraswathi, and his grandson R. Sharath.

Moreover, to the wonderful yoga teachers I’ve been lucky to practice with, from any paths.

There are many interesting photos of him. I particularly like this one by Mike Hill on the cover of Namarupa. I like how it speaks to their mutual roots with Krishnamacharya, and to the warmth that can be cultivated between branches of yoga, or branches of anything.

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http://thebaulsofbengal.blip.tv/#1811819

“International Art, Literature and Culture”(IALC). The course is intended to generate space around these skills, space that would bring them into close intimate contact with creative practitioners in the arts as well as in humanities; through “Encounters”, they will have the opportunity to experience the life of an artist, and a sense of adventure and joy that surrounds the life long commitment to whatever they decide to do. The Freshman class at Whistling Woods had a very rewarding experience recently, when they were invited to actively participate in a high energy performance of world music by Babukishan Baul, internationally renowned as the Baul Prince”

The film project “A Kind of Tuning In” was shown twice this fall, once in Laguna Niguel California by Jayashree for her friends there, and once in Victoria B.C. at Yoga Together by the wonderful Eila and Liila. At the screening in Victoria, the golden-voiced Mark Dadson and I played live - a kind of Kirtan fusion.

Thank you to all who came. Your generous donations have been sent to Swami Vivekananda Kudil Children’s School in Ramesawaram, Tamil Nadu, South India.

I continue to feel the film should be edited more, and that it could evolve. Have had a notion to add some footage from here in BC which might be interesting. I think one of the most important things I learned from traveling in India is to apply some of her ways back here. Seeing how a mountain is considered sacred at Arunachala, helps me see how Cypress mountain here, is sacred too.

And acquaintance Murray suggested another idea of using some of the India footage to project while playing live for a kind multi-media show.

So there are some ideas brewing.

In other news…

Have been going through an injury this fall. A hamstring/glute/sciatica thing. Learning much through it (hopefully!). On & off the mat. Seeds. Alignment. Trigger Points. Acupuncture from the good Dr. Steinberg. Turmeric. Glucosamine. Better acceptance of things. More shamanic work. A refocusing on music.

It’s been serious enough to postpone further movement into yoga teaching, and is requiring a fair bit of time and energy - thus this website’s seeming hibernation. I will continue to post blurbs here, but probably sporadically.

Below are 2 films I’ve enjoyed this fall: Encounters at the Edge of the World and Man on Wire.

Wishing you a peaceful and relaxing holiday season and many blessings in 2009.

/a

More information & booking here 

Get the book here

I find his discussion of “defocalizing” very powerful. 

Here is a short summary interview on the book. Get it at Banyen

Oh, and Psychonautica has just podcast a lecture by Mr. Narby:
psychonautica042.mp3 

…looking at Australian Aboriginal art differently now, and wishing you the same…

Also, I’ve felt some hesitation to posting this next link as Yoga is sacred to me (and of course to many that practice it). However, this made me chuckle more than once and I sense it’s put out by someone who loves and has a deep respect for Ashtanga Vinyasa and all Yoga:

Visions of Cody Podcast #22

Here’s a podcast interview of Tsakiris interviewing Sheldrake.

And here’s a video clip of Tsakiris’ Trial #1: 

Sita is a goddess separated from her beloved Lord and husband Rama. Nina is an animator whose husband moves to India, then dumps her by email. Three hilarious shadow puppets narrate both ancient tragedy and modern comedy in this beautifully animated interpretation of the Indian epicRamayana. Set to the 1920’s jazz vocals of Annette Hanshaw, Sita Sings the Blues earns its tagline as “The Greatest Break-Up Story Ever Told.” 

Entheogen: Awakening the Divine Within
A great film screened at Luminance IV

Am interested to see Rod Mann’s next film, I think it’s called ‘Eschatology’…

So here are some direct links: 
other albums on iTunes / on Amazon / web site / myspace 

Check out some other beautiful Mercan Dede music with images of Istanbul:

“Terence McKenna in dialogue with some of the foremost thinkers of the Global Consciousness movement today. Footage was shot on location in Prague, Czechoslovakia during the International Transpersonal Conference in June 1992. Terence engages in mind expanding conversations with Ram Dass, Angeles Arrien, Kenneth Ring, Rupert Sheldrake, Jill Purce, David White and Alexander Shulgin.”

Playlist (1-13) all embedded:

I saw somewhere that McKenna had started a film on Alchemy? John Dee? Robert Fludd? I wonder what the status of that film is. It’s so nice that video & audio gems keep turning up from these luminaries.
 

Jill Purce

Institute of Noetic Science

Psi Wars

Documentary on Dr. Rupert Sheldrake

Interesting look at planet Earth

And another

Hi-res fly over the Moon / Mars

Edgar Mitchell :: on returning to Earth

http://www.gifttool.com/athon/MyFundraisingPage?ID=1237&AID=230&PID=38516

About:

“On July 12th two thousand people will participate in the Camp Moomba Yogathon to raise funds for children impacted by HIV/AIDS. Participants collect pledges prior to the event and then on the event day they convene to perform 108 minutes of yoga.”

About Camp Moomba:

“Established in 1997, Camp Moomba is a specialized summer camp program for kids age 6—17 who are impacted by HIV/AIDS. Many of the children that attend Camp Moomba are confronted by similar issues in their lives, many live in difficult socio-economic situations. By coming together each year they are able to find the type of support that can only come from understanding.

“Moomba” is an Australian Aboriginal word that means “join together to have fun” and forms our camp’s philosophy: Friends Together Having Fun.”

giving this blogging thing a try!