Peter Sanson: Started yoga practice in 1985 and has dedicated his life to the

Peter in Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana

practice and study of Ashtanga Yoga. He spent 21 years studying under the late Yoga master Guru Sri K. Pattabhi Jois in Mysore, Sth India. During this time,Peter also studied Sanskrit, yoga philosophy and Bhagavad Gita chanting under the instruction of renowned professor Sri Narayanacharya.
Peter holds an Advanced B, 4th series teaching certificate by Guruji. He is one of only a handful of students worldwide at this level of certification.

We are very fortunate to be hosting Peter again. 5 morning Mysore style classes, 6-8am Wed. to Fri., 9-11am Sat. and Sun. Cost is $125 for all 5 sessions or $30 per session casually. Booking essential. To book click here or Ph. 04 565 4060.

In the end, I have approached the problem from the other end. I practice and teach a method of awakening spiritual awareness and after 18 years of practice and 12 years of full time teaching, I cannot say for sure that there is a God. I have my suspicions, but am not certain. I wonder if it really matters. I think that what matters is how you live your life and here, my practice has definitely provided some answers. It shows me that if you live your life with honesty, respect and compassion then you will live a peaceful life.

It is interesting that when you consider honesty, respect and compassion, that they operate on 2 levels, or in 2 directions. You need to be honest to yourself, respect yourself and have compassion for yourself, but all 3 attributes also apply in your dealings with others and with your environment. Whatever your spiritual practice may be, whether it is attending church, chanting kirtan, practicing asana, running along a beach at sunrise or a combination of many things, the result of these practices should be to bring honesty, respect and compassion into your life. If your practice has the effect of insulating you from life and the realities of living, then the trap is that it may become a self-indulgence. Yes, we do need to look deeply inside ourselves, but it is on the interface of ourselves and life that we discover how to live a good life. A practice should not rule the lives of those around you, or your own life. It should, instead, be a joy to yourself and to others.

What has this got to do with Learning to Listen? To get back to Kara-Leah’s question, I am not sure I have learned anything, but I am learning lots. One of the biggest things the Astanga Vinyasa Yoga practice continues to teach me is to listen. I am learning to listen better to my body, my heart, and to those around me, my family and my students. I still have a long way to go, but my practice is teaching me. To really hear, you need to create silence within yourself and that is what my Yoga practice is slowly leading me towards.

We are closing the school for a Mid-Winter break. There will be no classes from Sat. 10th to Sun. 18th July. Classes resume as normal on Monday 19th July.

Stay warm. A friend of mine once said “there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad dressing.” Dress warm. Plenty of layers and plenty of wool. I have also found that oiling my body helps to keep me warm. I use a beeswax based body wax but any vegetable oil will do. Not only is this good for the skin, but it keeps you warm. Drink warming drinks like lemon, honey and ginger. Heat up your practice space. If you don’t have a warm space at home to practice, then come into the school. It is always warm.

Do plenty of Suryanamaskara. In his “Yoga Mala” Sri K Pattabhi Jois writes;

“If we reflect on the saying, “Arogyam bhaskarad icchet [One should desire health from the sun], it is clear that those blessed by the Sun God live healthy lives. Therefore, for health—the greatest wealth of all—to be attained, the blessings of the Sun God must alone be sought.”

You cannot do too many Sun Salutations. When you begin your practice, keep doing Surynamaskara until you can feel that your body has begun to generate some heat. If this means doing 10 A’s and 10 B’s, then do them. There is no harm in getting the Sun God on your side, especially in Winter.

Practice less but more often. This is always true, but doing less more often will make it easier to get started on those cold, cold days when the burden of doing your full practice can sometimes feel like a mountain too high to climb. Winter is the perfect time to purchase a membership or concession card and get into the Yoga school as often as you can while outdoor activities are less appealing. Practice with lightness of body and of spirit. Accept that in the cold of Winter your body is not going to be able to go as deep into Asana as in the warmth of Summer. A light, brisk practice is the best way to bring some warmth into your life. Laugh and enjoy practicing.

Change the focus of your practice. Make your intention the mastering of the combination of Ujjayi breath, Bandhas, and Dristi. These three combined will bring lightness and suppleness and warmth to your body. I often find myself saying to people in class, “tuck your tummy and breathe steadily” and I don’t think people realise how powerful these actions can be. It is the combination of Breath, Bandha and Dristi that stimulate the internal fire. It is this combination that drives the Prana around the body, healing and de-toxifying. Whatever Asana you are doing, it doesn’t matter, as long as these three aspects are in place, it will be beneficial.

Listen to your body. The cold goes to your joints. This is not the time of year to push your knees!! Be gentle with yourself and remember that every practice you do is another step on the journey. Don’t be in a hurry. Always let your body decide the pace of your practice, not your ego. Most of all, ENJOY!!

There will be no classes on Sunday 6th or Monday 7th June in celebration of Queen’s Birthday. Classes resume as normal on Tuesday 8th. Enjoy the long weekend.

The next Beginners Courses start on Wed. 2nd June and 21st July. Only 3 places left on 2nd June so book now!!

Sunday 23rd May, 10am: Please join us for 108 Suryanamaskara A in memory of “Guruji”, Sri K Pattabhi Jois and any others close to us that we have lost recently. If you have never tried 108 Sun Salutations before, it is an amazing and uplifting experience and not as physically demanding as you might think. We will shorten the Salutes, so will not be holding the “Down Dog” position for 5 breaths. You will be able to rest at any stage and then join back in if you need to. There will be a Koha collected with all proceeds going to Project  Air. Chai and snacks will be avaiable afterwards.

First Fri. of the Month Mini-Workshop:

Our new 1st Fri. of every month format will start on Friday 7th May. These will be mini-workshops where Mike works closely with 4 people on the specific issues they may be having with their practice. Obviously, booking will be essential and preference will be given to people who have not already had a session and people with memberships (year pass holders and people paying by AP). Unless all those booked want to start earlier, these classes will start at 6pm and end at 7.30. We can go out for a meal afterwards as well.  No extra charges apply to these sessions. To book click here or contact Mike on 565 4060.