solstice celebration

July 1st, 2008 by ian Posted in ascent

This past weekend Rad’a, ascent magazine’s yoga space, welcomed a celebration of the summer solstice for Montrealers who are reveling in the sunny season after a long cold winter. Ascent tech wizard and yoga teacher, Gef Tremblay organized the event with his lovely lady friend and fellow yoga teacher, Melina. They took a group of fifteen participants through a challenging schedule that began with almost two hours of hatha yoga to mark the shifting seasons and the union of masculine and feminine energies. Melina began the practice with an hour of masculine postures to establish strength and stability, followed by feminine postures to open the heart.

Gef then led the group through the Divine Light Invocation, slowly, over the course of an hour, delving deeply into the Swami Radha’s most essential practice, which he skillfully translated into French as an offering to the Quebecois yoga community.

Je suis créé par la lumière

Je suis soutenu par la lumière

Je suis protégé par la lumière

Je suis entouré par la lumière

Je grandis toujours dans la lumière

All levels of experience were welcomed and the participants ranged from established teachers to those who have never done an asana or a moment of meditation. Everyone came together at the conclusion of the day with a joyous dance, accompanied by live music, to face the changing seasons with celebration.

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It is fascinating to read various responses to the article on ahimsa. Thank you all for weighing in and sharing your perpsectives. I especially appreciate the chance to read from Palaniswami’s personal translations of the ancient debate on meat-eating. “The jaws of Hell close on those who do” [eat meat] — Wow. Now THAT’S violence!

I’ve never been one to seek out controversy. In fact, I’m of the type that usually avoids it at all costs. And yet, if I was to be honest and authentic in my reflections on ahimsa, then I would need to walk all around the issue, even though I anticipated that the view from another place on the 360 degree path would greatly upset some readers. Of course I knew that not everyone lives a rural lifestye as I do. And yet, as Geoffrey observes, it is really more about how than what and my experience of aboriginal cultures seemed like an effective way to illustrate that idea.

The sustainability issue attempts to move beyond dualistic thinking. Surely, the dualism we create daily in “us and them” responses that emphasize only one way as the right way underpins much of the harm and violence suffered by people around the world, by other creatures and as is now clear, by the Earth. Consciousness rises slowly. In the meantime, let’s keep talking about these important subjects, moving ourselves and others gradually toward that third place of greater complexity and acceptance.

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the complexities of ahimsa

June 12th, 2008 by roseanne Posted in ascent, community

In our Sustainability issue, Eileen Delehanty Pearkes opens up ahimsa, the yogic principle of non-violence (read “predator & prey” here). This guideline is the foundation for many North American yoga practitioners’ decision to eat a vegetarian diet. However, Eileen learns that ahimsa is complicated and not a matter of eating meat/not eating meat. She asks, “Is ahimsa an unbending dietary rule of conduct, or is it the essential underpinning of political and religious pacifism that inspired Gandhi’s great work? Can a meat-eating human being practise non-violence? How might the practice of ahimsa support life in a sustainable world?”

What do you think? What kind of reaction did ascent readers have to this article? We invite you to share your responses here.

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billy mavreas’ montreal book launch

May 26th, 2008 by roseanne Posted in ascent, community, timeless

Friends of ascent magazine and timeless books celebrated the release of Inside Outside Overlap, the long-awaited graphic novel by Billy Mavreas. Featuring Boy Priest and Lifeform, the characters in Billy’s “tales from the vase” strip in ascent, the book has been getting attention in the Montreal alternative press. Billy will be taking the book across the country, with upcoming launches in Toronto and Vancouver.

Billy answers questions from the crowd on the Casa del Popolo stage.

For further pics from the Montreal launch read more…

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spring day of yoga

April 30th, 2008 by roseanne Posted in community

Readers in the Montreal area have an opportunity to practice karma and hatha yoga this Saturday, May 3rd!

Donate what you can to attend any (or all!) of five classes at McGill Athletics with some of Montreal’s most inspiring yoga teachers. Classes begin at 10 a.m. and end at 5 p.m. and are suitable for all ages and ability levels. Come for a class or stay the whole day!

All proceeds from this event will support friend of ascent, Lindsay Schonfelder, in fundraising for a trip to Tajikistan to build houses with Habitat for Humanity this summer, so come ready to take feeling great to a whole new level!

In between classes, work out the week’s tension by sampling reiki, acupressure for neck and shoulder release, and Thai yoga massage. Connect with friends in the Montreal yoga community and learn about opportunities for volunteering with Habitat for Humanity in Montreal and abroad.

Check out http://springyoga.blogspot.com/ for event details as well as information on Tajikistan and Habitat for Humanity.

Schedule for the day:
Straggle in any time after 9:30 a.m. First class starts at 10 sharp, and it’s with Jacky so you won’t want to miss it!

10-11 a.m. Anusara-inspired practice with Jacky Celemencki
11:30-12:30 Hatha with the esteemed Malcolm MacLean
1-2 p.m. Meditative yoga with Marc-Joseph Chalfoun
2:30-3:30 Sivananda practice with Anne-Marie Bouin
4-5 p.m. Ashtanga-based class with Nicolas Adeline
Hope to see you there!

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in the classroom with geetaji

April 29th, 2008 by juniper Posted in ascent, community, yasodhara ashram

These are a few images from the final days of the ascent intensive with Geeta Iyengar, offered at Yasodhara Ashram. Participants in the intensive are always welcome to share their reflections on this unique learning event - feel free to post a comment.

geeta class 4

learning with geetaji

April 25th, 2008 by juniper Posted in ascent, community, yasodhara ashram

The ascent intensive continues, 5 days of teachings with Geeta Iyengar, who arrived directly from India and proceeded to teach with her usual fire and stamina, half a world away from her home.

The class is mixed, with many less experienced students as well as senior Iyengar teachers - “the vanguard” as one said, mostly women now entering their elder years who have helped to share this Yoga in the U.S. and Canada. For this mixed group of ages abilities and limitations, Geetaji has focused on the basics. The first day we went deeply into standing, the second day we focused on sitting. Pranayama class is quiet and full of space as we rest mostly on our backs, exploring the subtle ways the breath can open the chest area and heart centre.

Exploring these foundations of Hatha Yoga is complex and rich. The intensity does not wane because of the seeming simplicity of the asanas or breathing practices. I am learning about what holds my body up, what allows space, and, very slowly, I am learning how to release tension while maintaining a lengthened and more alert spine. Practice is what gets these learnings into our bones, into our cells, the conversion of experiences into what Geetaji calls “body knowledge.”

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opening the intensive

April 24th, 2008 by juniper Posted in ascent, community, yasodhara ashram

Geeta Iyengar opened the ascent intensive with joy, humour and enthusiasm for Yoga. About 90 students and 40 karma yogis at Yasodhara Ashram shared in a warm welcome in the cool, misty mountains of British Columbia. In the beautiful, spacious temple dedicated to the light in all spiritual traditions, Geetaji reflected on unity: “Religion is not created by God. It is created by humans. Lord is one.” She encouraged us to not be divisive when we think of different paths of Yoga: Iyengar Yoga is one approach and her ways of teaching are her ways of teaching, but she sees herself and all other Yoga practitioners as part of one great family.

“There are only two paths,” she said, “The path of denying reality, and the path of going toward reality.”

During the first day of the 5-day intensive, we explored the reality of our bodies through asana and breath through pranayama. In asana class, I am impressed by the complexity of the body that makes Hatha Yoga a constant discovery – Geeta lightly and with humour works with individual students as examples to show the whole group. We saw how a subtle turn of the calf muscle aligns the legs, pelvis and spine, or how softening the front of the thigh allows the back of the thigh to lengthen further and reduce strain. Despite the challenge for me of having limited knowledge of Iyengar Yoga and also being 7 months pregnant, I am grateful to be part of this group of curious and willing yogis and yoginis. We fit like puzzle pieces in the classroom and in the temple, finding harmony – there is always a little more space somewhere when it is needed!

ascent invites the men and women participating in this course with Geetaji to share what they experience. This way we can let others know across the world what is happening in this unique and intimate time of learning: What of Geeta’s teachings remains with you? What gems have you picked up so far? What are your impressions of the atmosphere in this course?

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tulip namaste

April 20th, 2008 by eileen Posted in ascent

An unusual cold front swept through our mountain valley yesterday, bringing with it fresh SNOW. In April. The early tulips blooming beside my studio responded accordingly.

The traditional greeting of Hindu culture, “namaste,” is a certain sort of hello-how-are-you with hands clasped at the heart that seems appropriate in this climate-changing world. Translated loosely as “what is divine in me greets what is divine in you,” the greeting is at once a symbol of honour and of devotion, an acknowledgement to a power beyond the human experience of the world. Though each of us contains a seed of that divinity, we do not control all of what happens to us, either within, or without.

The tulips seem to understand inherently what I continue to struggle to accept. Some things are simply what they are: crazy, unpredictable, destructive or remarkable. The climatic chaos that brought snow into our garden so far out of season gave these silky, pale red blooms an opportunity to practice devotion.

Frustration or devotion. Take your pick.

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