I have loved doing Gita Talk.  The only additional wish I have is to hear directly from a lot more of you readers! Please write and tell me what’s on your mind.

YOGA IN AMERICA
Passion, Diversity, and Enlightenment
In the Words of Some of
Yoga’s Most Ardent Teachers

Edited by Deborah Bernstein and Bob Weisenberg

Gita Talk #14: A Warm and Wonderful Article by Special Guest Amy Champ

This week I am very pleased to bring you special guest Amy Champ to talk about a type of Yoga I could never do justice to, simply because I don’t practice it–Bhakti Yoga, or the Yoga of Ritual Devotion.

Please join us.  We’d love to hear from you.

For this week, I’d like to continue our discussion of the rhapsodic poetry of Chapters 10 & 11.  Here are some of my other favorite excerpts to get your mind going.  (Mitchell considers these chapters to be the climax of the entire Gita)…

(Go to Elephant)

I hope to get lots of participation in this conversation. Please join us if you possibly can. These chapters are a climax of sorts.

“Chapters 10 & 11 of the Bhagavad Gita are one of the high points of world literature and spirituality. The energy, the power, the vision, the message, all are unsurpassed. In these chapters we have the clearest statement yet of the central message of the Gita, and of Yoga itself.”

(Go to Elephant)

Gita Talk #11: Different Yoga Strokes for Different Yoga Folks

Please join in absorbing conversation about the Gita!

“The ancient Yoga guys had it figured out thousands of years ago that different people would need different types of Yoga to match their personality types. I was surprised by how closely the types of Yoga in the Gita correspond to modern personality theory. It’s almost an exact match…”

Please join in !

If you are anywhere near Chicago, here’s an excellent opportunity for us to do Yoga together.  My wife Jane and I will be at Linda Karl’s Yin/Yang Yoga workshop at the Chicago Yoga Center on Saturday, June 26th.

Please join us!  Here’s the scoop, from the Chicago Yoga Center website:

Linda Karl-Dynek

Yin/Yang Yoga:

Stretching Into Stillness
Saturday, June 26, 2010

We will explore both practices of passive (yin) and active (yang) yoga.  This combination of yoga practices consciously paired with mindful awareness will allow you to explore your boundaries, experience the present moment, and gently expand yourself beyond what was previously known. The opening Yin sequence of long held floor poses will encourage calm abiding (samatha) and loving-kindness (metta) and along with pranayama investigation, will open your body and enliven your mind for meditation.  A slow flow vinyasa class will follow allowing you to develop a moving meditation.   A dharma talk will be given during the yin practice on applying Buddha’s Four Foundations of Mindfulness to your yoga practice.  Class will close with metta meditation.

Linda Karl first OM was in 1973 and she has been a spiritual seeker ever since. Over the last 15 years Linda has immersed herself in the study and practice of the complete path of classical yoga and meditation, cultivating a breath-based, heart centered yoga practice.  She has over 1000 hours of training both in the United States and in India at the prestigious Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram.

Linda completed Yin Yoga teacher trainings with Sarah Powers and Paul Grilley and introduced yin yoga to Tanzania, Africa in February, 2010.  She also completed the first Mindfulness Yoga and Meditation Training at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, studying with the world’s leading teachers of classical yoga and Buddhism.

Linda weaves Buddhist principles together with yoga’s ancient teachings to create classes that are a tapestry of breath-body-mind-spirit.  Experience yoga taught with intuition, passion, and spirit!

All students are welcome!

Saturday, June 26, 2010    2:00 – 5:00 PM, Cost  $40

All classes will be held at the The Chicago Yoga Center

To reserve space, fill out and print the WORKSHOP FORM specifying
Linda Karl-Dynek
Yin/Yang Yoga: Stretching Into Stillness
along with a check payable to the
Chicago Yoga Center
3047 N LINCOLN AVE UNIT 320
CHICAGO, IL 60657

So, here are all the Gita Talks since my last post (in reverse order):

Gita Talk #9: First Date with the Gita? If Not, Remember Yours?

Gita Talk #8: Very Special Guest Graham Schweig

Top Ten Reasons to read the Bhagavad Gita

Gita Talk #7: What’s Your Favorite Passage?

Please join us at Gita Talk whenever you can.  Hope to see you there.