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AGAMA YOGA MAY 2010 NEWSLETTER: ONE JOYFUL STORY FROM THAILAND….
The Agama Yoga 2010 season recently passed its halfway point… a newsletter is overdue! Apologies… we will try to
return to a format more frequent than quarterly! 
The year has so far brought fresh energy to our school. Our new land with its splendid halls and gardens was blessed and opened to students, our Winter 2010 TTC graduation was held in Shakti Hall, the workshop and retreat schedule is providing dynamism in an otherwise quieter year (without construction!), both Swami Vivekananda and Claudiu Trandafir have offered weekly lecture series, and the general feeling is one of serenity, thankfulness, and abundance!
Here below are some highlights of our season thus far….
Swami Vivekananda had very ambitious ideas for his various lecture series continuing throughout this season. Beginning in February and concluding in May, he has given a five-part lecture series on the nature of spiritual tests (Course Level 2 and up), and also led a Thursday evening series on evolution, Kali Yuga, and the spiritual practitioner (open to all). In March he reprised the Yoga in Daily Life series (first presented in 2006) and also presented the highly important What Is Shambhala discourse.... Claudiu Trandafir introduced a continuing series on the Spandakarika - one of the most important texts of Kashmiri Shaivism - which concludes in early summer.
Mahashivaratri, or "the Great Night of Shiva," fell on 13 February this year. Agama Yoga organized an evening celebration for the entire community to join together in meditation, ritual, and devotion to Shiva. Some members of the Shakti Group prepared themselves with a tapas as well as a private group ritual the day before the actual night of Shiva. They transformed Shakti Hall into a temple of red, white, and gold with candlelight bathing the Shiva lingam, the dancing Shiva, and the meditating Shiva statues.
The evening celebration began with members of the Vira Group entering the hall in procession. Swami elucidated each aspect of Shiva for the devotees gathered and then one Vira gave a physical presentation of the aspect. This was followed by a short meditation to commemorate each aspect, with bhajans or music for 10 or 20 minutes while anyone who desired could go forward to show devotion to the Shiva lingam. It was bathed in milk, curd, honey, and ghee, while flowers and candles were offered. Om Namah Shivaya echoed in our hearts for many days after this beautiful event….
Upcoming Workshops and Retreats
The workshop calendar this year presents an abundance of choices for further teachings in spiritual and healing-related subjects. Workshops as diverse as Metaphysics, Mystical Belly Dance 2 - for which a cadre of very excited shaktis gave a gorgeous Seven Veils performance! - Naturopathic and Yogic Healing, Yogic Chiropractic, Kashmiri Shaivism and Yogic Meditation, and of course, Tantra 1 and 2 are offered. Regrettably, Emma Warmington sustained an injury recently and Anusara Inspired Yoga (scheduled for August) has been canceled.
In retreat news, we welcomed back our loving teacher, Claudiu, who returned to lead a series of his heart-opening meditation retreats, for which attendance this season has nearly doubled. Next week he leads an Advanced Hridaya Retreat (17 days: 28 May-13 June), which has the school buzzing.... In addition this season, Moses Maimon led the first-ever Third Eye Retreat, which was universally praised and is already requested by many people for next season.
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Mystical Belly Dance 1 helps women express their Divine
Feminine nature
By Anastacia Gheyysen
Read revew
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New Third Eye Retreat was a big hit - already requested for 2011
By Anastacia Gheyysen
Read revew
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The Hridaya Retreat opens participants to unity at the
level of the Spiritual Heart
By Anastacia Gheyysen
Read review
Fertility, Abundance, Blossoming … and Gardening
All meditations (including morning Hridaya Yoga and afternoon Laya Yoga sessions) as well as retreats have been moved to Shiva and Shakti Halls, along with many Yoga classes and all workshops. The new energy here matches the lushness of the gardens this year, as well as the new name of the all-vegetarian restaurant at our Srithanu Campus: Prana! Last August, our Seva Day focused on cleaning the area between the newly built Shakti and Shiva Halls, which had been the mixing area for cement and painting projects. Eager Agama students ranged over the site, removing topsoil, building rubble, and concrete that had been compacted into a thick crust over the soil.
Though the fertility of this area was questionable after all the building residue, with hope we planted 50 banana and papaya trees, 40 bamboo trees, lime trees, one pomelo and one mango tree, and many flowering shrubs. Despite pump problems and a monsoon season that wasn't (there was no rain in autumn), karma yogis Ayla and Mithok nurtured this new growth, even watering by bucket in some areas. This year, we are tending carefully the areas already planted, and have new landscaping projects planned. Each Sunday morning is "seva-in-the-garden time," from early until it gets too hot. Nurture your muladhara - join us for some earthy seva in the garden!
With a fresh coat of yellow paint on the walls and a new front garden, the Agama Healing Center opened with a splash in the 2010 season. A new large banner helped the visibility of the center, which remains nearly opposite Bovy driveway.
In addition to homeopathic and Yogic healing with Center Director Dr. Mihaiela Pentiuc, a wide range of therapies are currently offered. Explore the healing power of sound with Tibetan singing bowl therapy, have your back adjusted with Yogic chiropractic treatments, relax with Reiki, or experience Tibetan massage. Physiotherapy, holistic kinesiology with trigger point therapy, Bach flower treatments, Chi Nai Tsung, acupuncture, Dorn Therapy, clinical hypnotherapy, and parapsychology treatments are also available with trained and certified practitioners. Everyone is welcome!
At one end of Shakti Hall, we also now have a new library facility with more than triple the previous space for an expanded collection of spiritual, health, Tantra, and reference books as well as fiction, DVDs, and a large selection of books in various non-English languages. Thanks to your donations from 2009, we also have about 100 amazing new spiritual books on hand, but are always looking for more to add to the selection available. The library now also features a beautiful mural on two of the walls, featuring a resplendent leopard skin-clad Shiva and his gorgeous sky-dancing dakini consorts. The mural was painted as Karma Yoga by Ram, one of our artistically talented students.
International Views and News ...
Regrettably, we recently had to close our Chiang Mai branch center due to logistical issues. Ultimately, it was not possible for us to run two centers with our one staff on Koh Phangan, approximately 1,200 km away from this beautiful and cosmopolitan city in Northern Thailand. We still are very grateful for the large donation that made opening this center possible, and for the two years of spiritual teachings we were able to bring to this area. Additionally, we don't rule out future teachings in this charming area!
Our two Agama centers overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Mazunte are blossoming into something beautiful with a feeling of growth and community which has been consistent since November 2009. Many of the students are now camping or staying on-site, creating a retreat center-like intimacy. The center has been blessed with a super team of teachers led by Colin Reid and Geoff Torkington, while Sue, Maribel, Hector, Elisa, and Sissel got their feet wet with first teaching experiences following the 2009 TTC.
There is a good balance between the First Level Intensive, which is held five days a week, and additional Agama programs such as meditation retreats, an Agama introductory Yoga Workshop in Spanish, and an Introduction to Tantric Sexuality Workshop. In addition there is space for others to share their gifts when appropriate, including day sessions on healing, musical concerts, and chanting. There have also been guests such as world-class classical Indian musician Istvan and the ex-director of the Himalayan Institute, Rudy Valentine, giving darshan. The center is filled with optimism for what is forming and plans are in place to build on this foundation. Level 1 will be taught year-round Level 2 offered according to teacher availability. It is the hope and intention to begin offering more advanced levels from the end of 2010 and beyond. Anyone interested in teaching or studying in Mazunte can contact Geoff at info@agamayogamexico.com. For additional info, visit www.agamayogamexico.com.
Thomas and Ronela continue to make progress on the Northern BC ashram in Nass Valley / Terrace. Have a look at the gorgeous vistas, come volunteer as a karma yogi (room and board exchange provided, plus Thomas is able to offer advanced Agama Yoga course levels), and join the simple yogi community that springs up annually around this fledgling center….
Wendy and Darin also have big news for peaceful little Shanti Retreat: relocation to the 10,000 Lakes area of Ontario! The two are seizing on an amazing opportunity…. There will be no interruption in their teaching and retreat program throughout 2010, including the programs for Swami Vivekananda's teachings in September, but any karma yogis who wish to help the transition go smoothly are warmly welcomed!
Gabriella, Itay, and others have made great efforts this year toward better organization of courses in Tel Aviv and elsewhere, and additionally now offer Hridaya Meditation Retreats, following Claudiu's visit in November 2009. See website for details!
Ania is now teaching in London while Silvia continues classes in Bristol. These two supershaktis also hold other programs, meditations, and special events. If you are in UK, join us!
That's right, little Buda and Pest represent two growing centers in this Hungarian capital city, and this year Budapest - with teachers Eva, Kata, and Katalin - is holding the Red Sash Exam as well.
This very popular center in the northern Himalayas, now in its fourth season with teachers Monika and Manu, is growing and lately has even had to turn a few students away due to lack of space. The pair will be teaching here still another month. Reservations by email always taken - Tantra 2 coming up 28 June!
Please contact us if you would like to request Yoga course, workshop, or retreat teachings in your area. Requests must meet certain conditions - and not every teaching offered at our headquarters is available in other places - and additionally certain geographical areas may not be included. Level 5 senior teacher Moses Maimon teaches throughout Europe by request year-round. Visit his website for more information: www.bhairavayoga.com. Level 4 teachers Manu Mougenot and Monika Nataraj also teach worldwide. Write for details!
We can't tell you every exciting thing just around the corner, just yet… But we are about to finalize this coming weekend:
- the Yoga course teachings until January 2012
- all workshops and retreats until January 2012
- all details surrounding two new teacher training courses to be introduced in 2011!! This is very exciting - stay tuned!
All details will come within two weeks, plus some news and teachings about seva….
We are so eager to share Yoga with you here, to support each other through our blossoming and unveiling, to bring these pearls of authentic Yoga reverently to those who aspire to know themselves, to dedicate this life to the deepest truths…. We feel so grateful for this mission of spiritual teachings and studies, in this beautiful Eden-like paradise. We await you here by the sea and prana-filled forests of our island….
Much love from all of us at Agama!
