At Lulu Bandha's we believe that a huge part of being a yoga teacher is learning how to communicate about Yoga. From explaining the techniques, to discussing the texts, and sharing our intimate personal journeys.

Lao-tzu, the legendary Chinese philosopher and the author of the Tao te Ching, is rumored to have said, "Those who teach do not know, those who know, do not teach." And yet, by request of a guardsmen on his way out of town to live in the mountains, Lao-tzu produced a book of 500 characters. Alan Watts writes, "The core of Lao-tzu's written philosophy deals with the art of getting out of one's on way, learning how to act without forcing conclusions, and living in skillful harmony with the processes of nature instead of trying to push them around."

We are finding that writing is helping us to do this. The process allows us to see more clearly, to feel more accurately, to act in alignment and harmony with the Cosmos, which is the path of Yoga.

Simultaneously, it is within the tradition of yoga to record the teachings. Otherwise we would not have the Vedas, the Upanishads or the Sutras. Sri Aurobindo produced tomes and others recorded the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna for us. And Paramahansa Yoganada's Autobiography of a Yogi started the path for many.

We are so grateful to the mystical poets like Hafiz and Rumi and Rikle for saying what we feel and helping us find the words to describe the indescribable.

One of the homework assignments this last Teacher Training was to start a blog. And WOW! The range of voices is magical and wonderful. You will come to know that you are not alone. You will feel connected and maybe you too will be inspired to write. Keep us posted.

love

kira and friends

If you find it difficult to be aware, then experiment with writing down every thought and feeling that arises throughout the day; write down your reactions of jealousy, envy, vanity, sensuality, the intentions behind your words, and so on.

Spend some time before breakfast in writing them down—which may necessitate going to bed earlier and putting aside some social affair. If you write these things down whenever you can, and in the evening before sleeping look over all that you have written during the day, study and examine it without judgment, without condemnation, you will begin to discover the hidden causes of your thoughts and feelings, desires and words....

Now, the important thing in this is to study with free intelligence what you have written down, and in studying it you will become aware of your own state. In the flame of self-awareness, of self-knowledge, the causes of conflict are discovered and consumed. You should continue to write down your thoughts and feelings, intentions and reactions, not once or twice, but for a considerable number of days until you are able to be aware of them instantly....

Meditation is not only constant self-awareness, but constant abandonment of the self. Out of right thinking there is meditation, from which there comes the tranquility of wisdom; and in that serenity the highest is realized.

Writing down what one thinks and feels, one's desires and reactions, brings about an inward awareness, the cooperation of the unconscious with the conscious, and this in turn leads to integration and understanding.

He took the words right out of my mouth! There are many reasons I love Ojai. One of them is because of the organization called the Ojai Valley Youth Foundation. Its very cool to me that our community takes good care of its own. Continue Reading.

tight spot. i love the "magic" of yoga! i love how you can walk away and just come right back to it. i love how it magically makes you come face to face with those "tight spots" that you just stuff away so that you don't have to look at them. Continue Reading.