Dear Yogis!
I’m reviewing a book I mentioned in Yoga In The News last week… The Yoga Manifesto by Nadia Gilani. The name suggests a political party’s policy and strategy but it begins as s a yoga teacher’s autobiography. If you find yourself needing to read about an approach to yoga that comes from eating disorders, lack of self-confidence and addictive behaviours, this is your book. There are so many reasons to start a yoga practice; this is one of them.
While I’m making my way through the book I came across this section on African yoga. (The Voice wrote about Africa Yoga once and I included it in my blog, a while ago). Nadia Gilani writes of Smai Tawi, a spiritual system from sages of Ancient Egypt which includes body postures, breathing, meditation and philosophy and the goal of enlightenment. The name Smai Tawi comes from the term to describe the unification of Egypt c. 3100 BC. Egyptian yoga, or Kemetic Yoga, was developed by studying hieroglyphics.
One of Nadia’s teachers says, Amani Eke; “When you study Egyptian yoga you have similar principles to follow, the same as Indian yoga philosophy. We also follow similar practices to the Yamas and Niyamas too. Things like breathwork, words of power or chants, meditation, self-observation, psycho-physical/spiritual exercises, virtuous living, dietary purification, studying and practicing wisdom teachings.”
Eke says: “We’re practicing for the same goal so there’s no real difference’.
Workshops
If you get the chance, take classes with Danny Paradise. He teaches Egyptian Root Yoga positions in his workshops. A class with him is such a lovely thing! Dates in Oxford with Ian MacDonald and in London with Stillpoint are here. (I’ve signed up for the Stillpoint one.)
Also, look at this: International Day of Yoga-2022 by Indian High Commission, London. Friday 17th June from 1800-2100 hrs at Holland Park.
NEW CLASS
Starting Next Friday Morning! In-person-only, one hour Ashtanga class. (I have occasional Mysore here from 6.00 so an 8.30 Ashtanga start will give the early morning people time for a coffee!). Once the 8.30 class establishes I’ll see what the demand is for a Yin class. I want to bring back the magic of those Friday yoga mornings.
On the booking page you’ll find all the options, including the new class. You can book all the classes here.
Yoga in the news
The New York Times has: How to Clean a Yoga Mat. ‘Your de-griming strategy depends on where and how often you unroll your mat and the material it’s made from. White vinegar: Use this to clean, deodorize, and modestly disinfect. Tea tree oil: This is an optional addition to the vinegar-based solution.’
The Stylist has: Is yoga too white and rich? How it became inaccessible to most. A review of Nadia Gilani's book. “The commercialisation of yoga is another major barrier. “Not only are yoga classes expensive, with studios often located in affluent areas, training to become a yoga teacher is pricey – I paid £3,000 for my training,” she explains.”
KCRW has: How a racial justice protest became yoga in the park. ‘“It felt like chaos in that month. Things were popping off every single day, and you just didn't have any kind of moment to take a pause. But [during the stretches] I looked around and people were silent, had a moment of just silence, of just breathing, of just existing. And I think that we all felt what that felt like, of having a pause amongst all of this chaos.”’
Come to class! Have a lovely week.
