Disharmony Between Yoga Teachers and Students: Why Students Must Eventually Leave the Teacher

What do you do when it’s time to leave your teacher?
At some point, every student must leave their teacher. It’s a built-in principle of yoga. Parents raise children to be able to survive on their own at some point; its the same concept between teachers and students of yoga. Lately, there have been several exoduses of notable teachers from notable lineages. From the outside, and maybe with some of the rawness, it seems like a tragic occurrence, but really, it’s a natural evolution of this process. It took me many years to understand this.

Sometimes we get caught up in the system of yoga and the glory of the teachings that we forget what we’re actually here to do: liberate ourselves. This cannot be done if we see someone else as above us or more accomplished than us — as someone who holds the power that we would do anything to possess. This creates a hierarchy and the potential for heartache as expectations are sorely let down and what we once saw as perfect suddenly changes into something, well, other.

Yes, I’m speaking in metaphor and broad strokes for a reason. It’s not helpful to name names or speak in specifics when really the point I’m trying to get across is so important and valuable that we can use the current hubbub to understand the wisdom of yoga through this very, very important lens:
The guru should be no more than a friend and no less than a friend. This simple statement was first told to me by a lovely man named Mark Whitwell. It came to me at a time in my own life when I was trying to understand this very concept. These simple words created such an illumination that I have been compelled to share them with students ever since. It’s a critical lesson. If learned early on, it can potentially save us from heartache and facilitate our own spiritual journey.
It’s simple. If we see preferential treatment from a teacher to a student: warning. If we see a teacher treating a student in a harmful way: warning. If a teacher treats us just the way a friend would treat us, then we’re treading in safe waters. Another way to eloquently put this would be “We travel as equals or not at all.” This simple line from a Joseph Arthur song clears the idea of hierarchical structures — which is extremely appropriate in yoga. As soon as there is a hierarchy in the system — as soon as someone seems better than us, or less than us — we’ve immediately strayed from the fundamental concept of yoga, which is to be without separation, delineation or hierarchy.
With this in mind, we can be free to follow the teachings, not the teacher. A specific teacher may convey the teachings in a particular way that we resonate with and love… and so we should sit with that teacher for as long as they nourish us and guide us toward spiritual maturity. But, no matter how good that teacher is, at some point, we will have to believe ourselves fully nourished and walk away from the well-spring. Because what good are the teachings if we can’t stand on our own two feet?

For those who have recently (or ever) decided to walk away, after having learnt and absorbed the wellspring of teachings offered to them by any teacher, I say, “congratulations.” Now, the real teachings can begin. This is what someone said to me as I walked away:
It was a confusing time. I understand that it can feel unsteady. But, remember the words of Krishnamacharya: “If you have learnt something really well, then the way you express it, will not be the same way you learned it.” At some point, after years of listening, and years of diligent practice, and years of rerouting the teachings through our own internal lens, one becomes more adept at refocusing and transmitting the teachings. It’s a subtle process that happens as a result of the unshakable confidence that begins to develop not in what we’ve been taught, but in what we now know. This is how the teachings continue. And they will. And all teachings, when given from a place of compassion, are valuable. So, let us go as equals or not at all.
By Alanna Kaivalya

Kale the New Super Beef!

Like the saying goes, the only constant is change. We may resist it all we want, but Time and its inevitable evolution of everything in its path is unaffected by our attempts to stop it. The resulting trajectory of humanity’s nascent ascent appears to be positioning itself to sweep us into progressive new times, especially where our food choices are concerned, as nearly 7 billion people are now standing on the little scraps of land that we share with some 55 billion rather large animals raised for food each year. (As another famous saying goes: This town ain’t big enough for the both of us.) So, beef (and all factory-farmed meat) may be going from rib-eye to relic as we transition to a greener world… literally—as in leafy, green vegetables.

Read More: 7 reasons Kale is the New Beef…….

Article by: Organic Authority

A note from the Farm! Here is our first picture of our new home on the range in Stayton, Oregon a town of 8,000. The first project was the new shed to get the tools out of the rain. That’s Chuy up on the roof. The weather is cooled right now, it will take some getting used to, today Tuesday we are at 36 degrees, and it chills to the bone.

But once you start working the cooled does not seem that bad. The land is breath taking in all directions. I have never slept so good and woke to such peace.

 

Our friend Tom having fun racking the leaves into his name,  and our newest addition to the family Carolina, the german shepard.

This is the first 5 acres. We plans to  raise chickens in this part of the farm. That house in the background is the neighbor Ralph’s house, and a man of few words. Behind his plot of land is the Santiam River and is a tributary of the Willamette River. I here that the salmon run through it every year.

This natural beauty is a flock of geese in flight over our little house heading for Canada. What a sight, we have seen about a dozen or more of these flocks pass over head in the past week. Happy Holidays everyone, more to come as the days go on. Namaste, Lori

Half day of volunteer help is traded for food and accommodation, with no money exchanged.  This is not paid work on farms, it is an exchange of education and culture.  The WWOOF-USA® Host Farm Directory lists more than thirteen hundred organic farms (not necessarily USDA certified organic) and gardens across the country.  The Host Farm Profile contains information about the location, general responsibilities,  and lifestyle of the host.  Any farm, community, or garden project in the US that is willing to host and accommodate volunteers can participate in our program.  We encourage all types of volunteers and hosts who can cooperate to strengthen sustainable agriculture worldwide to be a part of WWOOF-USA®.  The program is open to anyone 18 years of age or older, regardless of experience.

WWOOF farms offer a variety of educational opportunities, including growing vegetables, keeping bees, building straw bale houses, working with animals, making wine, and much more. With over a thousand farms in all 50 states, the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, there is something for everyone.  You can preview the Directory of Farms before becoming a member on this website.

A WWOOF member contacts the Host Farms to discuss hopes and expectations to form an agreeable arrangement.  WWOOFing is a way to learn practical farming skills, be part of the organic agriculture movement, and experience the heart of American agrarian culture.

Once you become a WWOOFer by joining the organization, you will receive online access to the Directory of Host Farms.  You can choose to also receive a printed and bound Directory of Host Farms mailed to you.  There are many advanced options available to you once you are registered:  FORUMS online for communicating with our WWOOF community, advanced search options such as ability to find hosts willing to accept WWOOFers traveling with children, and viewing and making comments and ratings about your experiences.  Next, contact the farms you are interested in visiting to check availability and arrange a stay.  WWOOFers generally volunteer for half a day in exchange for meals, accommodation, and education.  Our Hosts do not offer any monetary payment for WWOOFers.  The length of a farm stay is determined by you and the host, and can vary from a few days to a season.  The key to a mutually beneficial experience is lots of clear and open discussion about hopes and expectations before arriving at the farm- we recommend using the telephone to have a conversation.

WWOOF offers a rare opportunity for people to share their knowledge and efforts with others from a variety of backgrounds. It relies on trust, respect, and hard work. Read below to determine if WWOOF is right for you.
Hosts welcome willing WWOOFers onto their property to help get work done with the intention of sharing knowledge and meeting new people while growing food for local communities.

Being a WWOOF host may be right if you:

• will provide a safe, comfortable, and welcoming environment for a volunteer
• are participating in organic or sustainable activities
• have projects and tasks that you could use help with
• are interested in sharing your knowledge and daily life with volunteers
• recognize that WWOOFers are not laborers, and can not receive any monetary compensation for work

One-half day’s work on a farm by a WWOOFer is exchanged for food and accommodation from the Host. Your trade agreement can be defined any number of ways: Work hours, days, length of stay, meal arrangements and accommodations vary greatly, and it is each host’s and volunteer’s joint responsibility to form a clear agreement.

Being a WWOOFer may be appropriate if you:

• are a respectful and courteous guest in the homes and on the lands of others
• are interested in learning about sustainable and organic farming methods
• are willing to work hard on projects and tasks presented to you

If you are thinking about a special gift this holidays you might want to look at the The Omega 8006 Nutrition Center Commercial Masticating Juicer It is equipped with a powerful commercial motor, this masticating juice extractor thoroughly chews up plant fibers to fully extract vitamins, enzymes, and minerals from fruits and vegetables. The unit’s dual-stage juicing system ensures maximum efficiency, while its low rotation speed of 80 RPMs means no foaming, no clogging, and no heat build-up. Other highlights include a high juice yield with very dry pulp, an automatic pulp-ejection function for continuous juicing, heavy-duty construction, four stabilizing feet, and quiet operation. Easy to assemble, operate, and clean, the UL- and cUL-approved masticating juice extractor measures 14-1/2 by 6-1/2 by 15-1/2 inches and carries a 15-year warranty (unlike the Breville juicer with only a 1year warranty.)

Each of these whole foods is given a score based on the equation H=N/C, which is that the health of a food is equal to the nutrients it delivers per calorie. Each ANDI score is based on a possible score of 1,000-0, with 1,000 being the most nutrient dense and 0 being the least nutrient dense. Kale, Mustard greens, Collard Greens, and Watercress all receive a score of 1,000 using the H=N/C equation, while foods like meat, seafood, and dairy products receive scores below 50 and are not considered by Dr. Fuhrman to be healthy. Fuhrman argues in his book that a nutrient dense diet can prevent or even reverse diseases and also might reverse obesity.

Information from Wikipedia

Works tirelessly to educate the public about the health affect of fluoride in our drinking water. Here are only some of the effects of fluoride on the body. Watch ” The Fluoride Deception” to understand the truth about fluoride and water fluoridation.

Watch: The Fluoride Deception Part 1, part 2, part 3

FLUORIDE & BONE DISEASE

Excessive exposure to fluoride is well known to cause a bone disease called skeletal fluorosis.

Skeletal fluorosis, especially in its early stages, is a difficult disease to diagnose, and can be readily confused with various forms of arthritis including osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

In its advanced stages, fluorosis can resemble a multitude of bone/joint diseases.

In individuals with kidney disease, fluoride exposure can contribute to, and/or exacerbate, renal osteodystrophy.

 

FLUORIDE & BONE FRACTURE(Click for more detail)

The majority of animal studies investigating fluoride’s effect on bone strength, have found fluoride to either have no effect or a negative effect on strength. According to the US National Research Council, “The weight of evidence indicates that, although fluoride might increase bone volume, there is less strength per unit volume.”

Studies on human populations consuming fluoride in drinking water have found an association between dental fluorosis and increased bone fracture in children; and between long-term consumption of fluoridated water and increased hip fracture in the elderly.

Carefully conducted human clinical trials – including two “double-blind trials” – have found that fluoride (at doses of 18-34 mg/day for just 1-4 years) increases the rate of bone fracture, particularly hip fracture, among osteoporosis patients.

FLUORIDE & CANCER

According to the National Toxicology Program, “the preponderance of evidence” from laboratory ‘in vitro’ studies indicates that fluoride is a mutagenic compound. Many substances which cause mutagenic damage also cause cancer.

While the concentrations of fluoride causing mutagenic damage in laboratory studies are higher than the concentrations found in human blood, there are certain “microenvironments” in the body (e.g. the bones and the bladder) where the concentrations of fluoride can accumulate to levels comparable to, or in excess of, those causing mutagenic effects in the laboratory.

Fluoride has been found to cause bone cancer (osteosarcoma) in government animal studies and rates of osteosarcoma among young males living in fluoridated areas have been found to be higher than young males living in unfluoridated areas. Osteosarcoma, while rare, is a very serious cancer. Children who develop osteosarcoma face a high probability of death (usually within 3 years) or amputation.

Fluoride exposure has also been linked to bladder cancer – particularly among workers exposed to excess fluoride in the workplace. According to the US National Research Council, “further research on a possible effect of fluoride on bladder cancer risk should be conducted.”

The Forbidden Cures

In the last 100 years doctors, scientists and researchers have come up with the most diverse, apparently effective solutions against cancer, but none of these was ever taken into serious consideration by official medicine. Most of them were in fact rejected out-front, even though healings were claimed in the thousands – their proposers often being labeled as charlatans. At the same time more than 20,000 people die of cancer every day, without official medicine being able to offer a true sense of hope to those affected by it. Why? –São Paulo International Film Festival

David Bonello, International Wellness Directory

“I’ve researched and written about these “forbidden” cures for years. What a delight to actually see an interview with Rene Caisse. We even see a party thrown for Rene a year before she died filled with people whom she had helped with their cancers. Harry Hoxsey shows up, and you get to see scenes from a rare movie that Hoxsey himself made in 1957 called You Don’t Have to Die.

It is so rare, you can’t even find a mention of it at the Internet Movie Database. I loved the research they did on this film. It must have taken years to compile all the archived photos, audio, and films.

Finally, you’ll see some of the latest advances in alternative therapies, including a physician who is curing cancer with baking soda even after he’s lost his license to practice medicine. For you history buffs, this is a must have. For you people looking for options outside of conventional medicine, this could save your life. It is very well done and well worth a watch. ”

Watch the movie, The Forbidden Cures