Jewish Yoga Network seminar on 20th May 2012

YOGA MOSAIC PROUDLY ANNOUNCES ITS ‘REBIRTH’ AS THE JEWISH YOGA NETWORK

Click here to download the booking form and full programme

A day of spirituality and yoga for teachers, students and friends A great opportunity for like-minded people to be together
Sunday 20th May 2012 10.00 am to 4.30 pm FINCHLEY PROGRESSIVE SYNAGOGUE Hutton Grove, Finchley, N12 8DR

MITZVAH YOGA with Eliza Goldberg. How can we incorporate doing a mitzvah into our Yoga practice? Where can we draw parallels between this Jewish concept of “doing a mitzvah” and Yoga? Looking at what essentially is a mitzvah whilst flowing through our asana’s, never ceasing to leave behind the offering soul of selfless service – the yoga session will be an eclectic mix of hatha yoga styles, where music plays an integral role.
MINDFULNESS, YOGA AND THERAPY with Olga Levitt. In this session we will practice mindful meditation, explore some of our understandings of mindfulness and end with a body scan practice.

Click here to download the booking form and full programme

LUNCH/FORUM Please bring own vegetarian packed lunch. Drinks provided.

KAVANNAH YOGA: ‘ADAM’S BREATH’ Led by Rabbi Mark Goldsmith and Maxine Levy. This Kavannah (clearing the vision) workshop will focus on the importance and power of the Breath – and its place at the heart of spiritual, mental and physical roots in both traditions. Experience a fusion of yoga and meditational Jewish practice as Mark takes us on a journey from Genesis to Midrash, Talmud to the Psalms, and Maxine interweaves this with mindfulness and pranayama (breathing) yoga techniques to create a space for reflection, questioning and complete wellbeing.

YOGA SESSION with Pamela Shapiro. This session will build up to an active practice where we will feel the sensation of the poses both internally and externally.

THE AUDACITY OF SELF LOVE with Danny Newman. In this workshop we will explore how we can enhance and nurture the way we care for ourselves. We will examine the paradoxical insight that the more we are able to love and accept ourselves as we are, the more love we can generate for others, and the greater our ability and capacity to give to others.

Cost £30. Yoga Mosaic subscribed members £25. Please book by 1st May.

“The Jewish Yoga Network is gaining great momentum across the world – we’re getting a regular flow of enquiries from practitioners throughout the USA, Israel and elsewhere. Earlier this year we had the inaugural seminar in Los Angeles which sold out, and we’re hoping to have more in the future. Everything began with the original Yoga Mosaic group in London and I wish you every success with the latest seminar!” Marcus J Freed – Director, Jewish Yoga Network

Click here to download the booking form and full programme

PRESENTER INFORMATION
Eliza Goldberg was born in Amsterdam, Holland. She has been teaching since 2000 and in the UK since 2006. (YA and BWY accredited training). She teaches a dynamic style of Yoga, incorporating Jewish thoughts and concepts into her Yoga practice and firmly believes that Yoga should be a fun and revitalizing experience.

Olga Levitt is a Systemic Psychotherapist and a BWY Teacher who uses mindfulness in both her yoga and therapy practice to help people cope with the stresses of everyday life as well as with depression, anxiety and compulsive behaviours.

Maxine Levy and Mark Goldsmith have established ‘Kavannah Yoga’ – to explore fresh ways of cultivating a personal spiritual practice. Mark Goldsmith has been a rabbi at Alyth Gardens Synagogue for the last six years. He describes himself as a ‘spiritual searcher’. Maxine Levy runs private and group general, pregnancy postnatal active ageing classes in North London. A BWY Yoga, pranayama teacher in the Kaivalydham tradition, and ‘birthlight’ pregnancy yoga, teacher, Maxine also supports those with mental illness at JAMI House. She has been practising for 20 years and teaching for nine.

Pamela Shapiro has been practicing yoga for 20 years and teaching for four. Before that she was a physiotherapist working mainly with people who had neurological problems She feels that the time spent observing different bodies and how they move has been very helpful in her yoga teaching. As well as group and private lessons Pamela teaches at Chai. the Jewish cancer centre, where the healing qualities of yoga help people cope with their treatment and come to terms with their diagnosis.

Danny Newman is the director of HaMakom: a centre for Wellbeing and Spirituality. He read Jewish Studies at Oxford University and worked as Chairman of the Union of Jewish Students. He pursued further Jewish Studies at Yeshivat HaKibbutz HaDati and studied counselling and psychotherapy at Regent’s College. His influences include Martin Buber, Ken Wilber, Kristin Neff, Eckhart Tolle and Susanna McMahon. He currently practises law in the City of London.

Image from: http://www.arsgrafik.com/yoga-silhouette-vector-poses/

Rabbi Heather writes: “I created the Countdown to Freedom!: From Slavery Towards Freedom in 49 Days to be a source of inspiration and provide tools for the contemplative journey to living fully and joyously. I hand picked the contributors and know that you will appreciate their wisdom. The spiritual practices are intended to be a resource for your strength and courage and I’ve also included action steps so you can easily make your own voice heard.

I challenged myself to raising $20,000 the instant I heard about the Global Seva Challenge India. I believe that no body is free until every body is free. Human trafficking, or modern day slavery, affects every one of us, even if we don’t see it.” Heather can be contacted at
heather@globalsevachallenge2012.com.

Click here to sign up…

YOGA MOSAIC PROUDLY ANNOUNCES ITS ‘REBIRTH’ AS THE JEWISH YOGA NETWORK

Click here to download the booking form and full programme

A day of spirituality and yoga for teachers, students and friends A great opportunity for like-minded people to be together
Sunday 20th May 2012 10.00 am to 4.30 pm FINCHLEY PROGRESSIVE SYNAGOGUE Hutton Grove, Finchley, N12 8DR

MITZVAH YOGA with Eliza Goldberg. How can we incorporate doing a mitzvah into our Yoga practice? Where can we draw parallels between this Jewish concept of “doing a mitzvah” and Yoga? Looking at what essentially is a mitzvah whilst flowing through our asana’s, never ceasing to leave behind the offering soul of selfless service – the yoga session will be an eclectic mix of hatha yoga styles, where music plays an integral role.
MINDFULNESS, YOGA AND THERAPY with Olga Levitt. In this session we will practice mindful meditation, explore some of our understandings of mindfulness and end with a body scan practice.

Click here to download the booking form and full programme

LUNCH/FORUM Please bring own vegetarian packed lunch. Drinks provided.

KAVANNAH YOGA: ‘ADAM’S BREATH’ Led by Rabbi Mark Goldsmith and Maxine Levy. This Kavannah (clearing the vision) workshop will focus on the importance and power of the Breath – and its place at the heart of spiritual, mental and physical roots in both traditions. Experience a fusion of yoga and meditational Jewish practice as Mark takes us on a journey from Genesis to Midrash, Talmud to the Psalms, and Maxine interweaves this with mindfulness and pranayama (breathing) yoga techniques to create a space for reflection, questioning and complete wellbeing.

YOGA SESSION with Pamela Shapiro. This session will build up to an active practice where we will feel the sensation of the poses both internally and externally.

THE AUDACITY OF SELF LOVE with Danny Newman. In this workshop we will explore how we can enhance and nurture the way we care for ourselves. We will examine the paradoxical insight that the more we are able to love and accept ourselves as we are, the more love we can generate for others, and the greater our ability and capacity to give to others.

Cost £30. Yoga Mosaic subscribed members £25. Please book by 1st May.

“The Jewish Yoga Network is gaining great momentum across the world – we’re getting a regular flow of enquiries from practitioners throughout the USA, Israel and elsewhere. Earlier this year we had the inaugural seminar in Los Angeles which sold out, and we’re hoping to have more in the future. Everything began with the original Yoga Mosaic group in London and I wish you every success with the latest seminar!” Marcus J Freed – Director, Jewish Yoga Network

Click here to download the booking form and full programme

PRESENTER INFORMATION
Eliza Goldberg was born in Amsterdam, Holland. She has been teaching since 2000 and in the UK since 2006. (YA and BWY accredited training). She teaches a dynamic style of Yoga, incorporating Jewish thoughts and concepts into her Yoga practice and firmly believes that Yoga should be a fun and revitalizing experience.

Olga Levitt is a Systemic Psychotherapist and a BWY Teacher who uses mindfulness in both her yoga and therapy practice to help people cope with the stresses of everyday life as well as with depression, anxiety and compulsive behaviours.

Maxine Levy and Mark Goldsmith have established ‘Kavannah Yoga’ – to explore fresh ways of cultivating a personal spiritual practice. Mark Goldsmith has been a rabbi at Alyth Gardens Synagogue for the last six years. He describes himself as a ‘spiritual searcher’. Maxine Levy runs private and group general, pregnancy postnatal active ageing classes in North London. A BWY Yoga, pranayama teacher in the Kaivalydham tradition, and ‘birthlight’ pregnancy yoga, teacher, Maxine also supports those with mental illness at JAMI House. She has been practising for 20 years and teaching for nine.

Pamela Shapiro has been practicing yoga for 20 years and teaching for four. Before that she was a physiotherapist working mainly with people who had neurological problems She feels that the time spent observing different bodies and how they move has been very helpful in her yoga teaching. As well as group and private lessons Pamela teaches at Chai. the Jewish cancer centre, where the healing qualities of yoga help people cope with their treatment and come to terms with their diagnosis.

Danny Newman is the director of HaMakom: a centre for Wellbeing and Spirituality. He read Jewish Studies at Oxford University and worked as Chairman of the Union of Jewish Students. He pursued further Jewish Studies at Yeshivat HaKibbutz HaDati and studied counselling and psychotherapy at Regent’s College. His influences include Martin Buber, Ken Wilber, Kristin Neff, Eckhart Tolle and Susanna McMahon. He currently practises law in the City of London.

BACKGROUND – HOW IT ALL BEGAN
The Jewish Yoga Network began life in the England as Yoga Mosaic. It has sent representatives to the Yoga for Peace conference held in Jerusalem, participated in the Mind, Body Spirit Fair run by the New North London Synagogue (Masorti), and provided teachers for J.A.M.I. Yakar, the Redbridge Community Centre, Jewish Care, Jewish Womens Aid, the Culanu Centre in Cambridge the Limmud Conferences and the Jewish Community Centre. To find out more, email Estelle Eugene estellemosaic@ntlworld.com.

The network was founded by Estelle Eugene, originated in London, and has expanded Internationally. It is intended as a resource for both teachers and students, to provide a wealth of information via our website for everybody enthusiastic for this wonderful exploration of these amazing and profound worlds of Judaism and Yoga. You are invited to explore and contribute to all our endeavours.

The organisation has held many seminars since its inception – some of these are listed below.

* “The Bhagavad Gita and its Application to Contemporary Life” Rabbi Jeremy Rosen, in conversation with Vidura of the Hari Krishna Movement.
* “A Bridge between Judaism and the East” by Eddy Levin, lecturer with the London Jewish Cultural Centre. A journey to taste the richness of both sides.
* “Ahimasa – non-violence” from both Judaic and Yogic sources with Rabbi Jeremy Rosen and Ken Simmons (Satya Prem), Chairman of the British Wheel of Yoga
* “The Inner Secrets of the Kabbalist” by Rabbi Eliyahu Yardeni
* “Healing in the Jewish Tradition” with Jonathan Shaw, lecturer at the British College of Naturopathy and Osteopathy and a Baal Teshuva
* “Hitpa’alut to be moved” a meditation based on a Chassidic text with Rabbi Yehoshua Engelman
* “The Jewish System of Energies” with Dr Michael Kagan (Jerusalem).
* Kabbalah & Jewish Meditation with Janet Berenson-Perkins coordinator of Faith & Spirituality programmes for the Reform Synagogues of Great Britain.
* Yoga Session with David Sye who runs the Yogabeats Club.
* “Judaism and the East” a lecture by Rabbi Akiva Tatz Senior lecturer on Jewish thought and medical ethics at the Jewish Learning Exchange in London.
* “Sivananda Yoga” with Swami Saradanada author of best selling book “Yoga Mind & Body”
* “Bibliyoga – Defining the Kosher Sutras” with Marcus Freed

]]> http://jewishyoganetwork.org/2012/04/latest-news-from-england/feed/ 0 http://jewishyoganetwork.org/2012/03/shemantra-new-music-for-the-yogis/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=shemantra-new-music-for-the-yogis http://jewishyoganetwork.org/2012/03/shemantra-new-music-for-the-yogis/#comments Sun, 04 Mar 2012 19:42:46 +0000 Marcus http://jewishyoganetwork.org/?p=829 Here at the Jewish Yoga Network we love it when there’s some new music in the mix, and Richard Gans has just released Shemantra.

Layering traditional Hebrew liturgy and texts with accessible melodies and rich digital instrumentation, Richard Gans has been called a renaissance man of Jewish prayer. With a resonant voice and refreshingly simplistic compositions, Gans has taken call-and-response to a new level of musicality and spiritual renewal. His debut album “Shemantra” promises to touch the hearts and souls of a new generation of seekers and yogis.

Check out more at www.richardgans.com

Good luck, Richard!

]]> http://jewishyoganetwork.org/2012/03/shemantra-new-music-for-the-yogis/feed/ 1 http://jewishyoganetwork.org/2011/12/jyn-past-present-future/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=jyn-past-present-future http://jewishyoganetwork.org/2011/12/jyn-past-present-future/#comments Fri, 02 Dec 2011 07:26:20 +0000 Yogini http://jewishyoganetwork.org/?p=700 A note from Estelle Eugene, founder of Yoga Mosaic (the precursor to the Jewish Yoga Network)

I began the Yoga Mosaic website as a very low key affair way back in the nineties intending just to reach my fellow Jewish yogis in the UK. When I first started to practice yoga it never occurred to me to link yoga with Judaism but when I trained to be a teacher necessitating study of Vedantic philosophies I found I understood them better via my Jewish studies.

When the editor of a once popular publication called “New Moon” –  that has been through various transformations since to finally emerge as the current” Jewish News “ (www.totallyjewish.com) asked me to write  an article on yoga and Judaism because I was teaching it at the Yakar Study Centre where I worked – I was totally astonished

and, feeling inadequate for the task, asked a few of my Jewish yoga colleagues to assist me with the project. Half a dozen of us met – enjoyed our discussion – and decided to run a seminar . The first one we ever ran took place in March 1993 and featured the much respected Bill Heilbronn, whose work you will find on this site under Articles and Books. The theme was ” Yoga and the Jewish Tradition” – which was the title of a series that Bill had run for the Uk magazine “Yoga and Health”.

Each of us invited a couple of colleagues and thus Yoga Mosaic was born. Since then, it has run regular seminars – the titles of some of them appear on the “England” section of the site and in recent years, has teamed up with the Jewish Community Centre in London to reach an even wider audience. The website was created shortly after the founding and the original guest page used to receive a lot of entries from people in the US and Canada who were very welcome – but I did not have the know-how to incorporate their news onto my site. And then in 2005 – along came Reisha Golden who – loving the setup of Yoga Mosaic – began a dialogue with me resulting in her establishing the US/Canada contributions on to the site.

She did a fantastic job – but for personal reasons needed, after a few years to pursue her individual career – and then along comes Marcus – bursting with energy, enthusiasm and ideas – many of which can be accessed on Marcus’s personal website (www.bibliyoga.com) – intending to move to the US from the UK and enthused with the idea of expanding Yoga Mosaic into an international network with the more appropriate renaming – The Jewish Yoga Network.

I am absolutely thrilled for Marcus to develop and evolve this – and to retain all the wonderful works that so many of you have contributed over the years. I am deeply grateful personally to Marcus because where I wavered with the website after Reisha retired – he simply refused to allow me to give up – with the result that all previous friends and supporters and new seekers now have a wonderful resource to exchange and communicate with one another and with the added benefit of Jewish Yoga Network Yoga Days – which were easy to organise in the UK where so many of the members were London based but more problematical in the US because of the distances involved between States. Marcus – London born – has done – is doing as fantastic job for Jewish yogis everywhere – I thank him and salute him – and add an additional thank you to the wonderful guy for whom I worked with great joy – for many years – Rabbi Mickey Rosen z”l founder of Yakar (www.yakar.org) who always encouraged all my efforts and championed the establishment of Yoga Mosaic.


Estelle Eugene, Weybridge, England, December 2010

]]> http://jewishyoganetwork.org/2011/12/jyn-past-present-future/feed/ 2 http://jewishyoganetwork.org/2011/11/new-volunteers-needed/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-volunteers-needed http://jewishyoganetwork.org/2011/11/new-volunteers-needed/#comments Wed, 23 Nov 2011 22:59:17 +0000 Lisa http://jewishyoganetwork.org/?p=597 Hi! We’re looking for new volunteers to help grow the Jewish Yoga Network. What will you get in return? Love, satisfaction, something to impress your friends with and nullify your yogic enemies (not that you have any, but you get the point). If you’re interested in getting involved, please email Marcus. Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving (for the Americans…happy thursday for everyone else).
]]> http://jewishyoganetwork.org/2011/11/new-volunteers-needed/feed/ 0 http://jewishyoganetwork.org/2011/11/exciting-new-book-launched-yoga-shalom/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=exciting-new-book-launched-yoga-shalom http://jewishyoganetwork.org/2011/11/exciting-new-book-launched-yoga-shalom/#comments Sun, 13 Nov 2011 03:22:02 +0000 Marcus http://jewishyoganetwork.org/?p=492

Yoga Shalom is a unique worship experience that brings together body, mind, and spirit for an extraordinary prayer service. Combining the two powerful spiritual disciplines of Jewish worship and yoga practice, Yoga Shalom leads to deeper understandings of both, or as author Lisa Levine writes of her initial forays into yoga as a cantorial student, “I learned to be more present in my prayers and meditations so I could better pray with and on behalf of my congregation.”

Yoga Shalom can be adapted and the postures customized for your congregation, studio, or private practice, and can be done in the community of a class or in the privacy of your own home. As an alternative to the traditional prayer service, Yoga Shalom can engage and unite your professional staff, lay leadership, and community. Whether you have no yoga experience or have been practicing for years, and regardless of your age or abilities, Yoga Shalom will help you relax your body, calm your mind, and nurture your spirit.

Features:
• Detailed, easy-to-follow instructions
• Dozens of photographs
• Advanced, gentle, and chair modifications for each posture sequence
• 17-track CD to accompany your practice, featuring the music of well-known Jewish artists Craig Taubman, Jeff Klepper, Lisa Levine, and many more
• Full-length DVD of the complete practice

Here’s how to pre-order:

https://www.urjbooksandmusic.com/product.php?productid=12551&cat=0&page=1

]]> http://jewishyoganetwork.org/2011/11/exciting-new-book-launched-yoga-shalom/feed/ 0 http://jewishyoganetwork.org/2011/11/israel-jewish-yoga-tour-with-robin-wald/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=israel-jewish-yoga-tour-with-robin-wald http://jewishyoganetwork.org/2011/11/israel-jewish-yoga-tour-with-robin-wald/#comments Mon, 07 Nov 2011 18:14:50 +0000 Marcus http://jewishyoganetwork.org/v2/?p=444

May 31 – June 7, 2012

Create meaningful connection to Jewish spirituality through Jewish
yoga, meditation and travel in Israel. Daily yoga practice and Jewish
learning complement the exploration of sites rich in history, culture,
religion and natural beauty.

• 3 nights in the Galilee – Tzfat, Rosh Pina, Lake Kineret, hiking,
swimming, art, Kabbalat Shabbat
• 4 nights in Jerusalem – Old City, Western Wall and Tunnels,
Yad Vashem, Dead Sea, Masada, Nahal David waterfall
• Tel Aviv and Jaffa
• Shabbat and free time for exploring and visiting friends
• Daily Jewish yoga, learning and meditation

For more detailed information about the tour itinerary and pricing,
please visit www.israeltravelboutique.com , www.robinwald.com or
contact Robin at robin@robinwald.com or 914-552-1538

]]> http://jewishyoganetwork.org/2011/11/israel-jewish-yoga-tour-with-robin-wald/feed/ 0 http://jewishyoganetwork.org/2011/10/teaching-resources-for-noah/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=teaching-resources-for-noah http://jewishyoganetwork.org/2011/10/teaching-resources-for-noah/#comments Thu, 27 Oct 2011 17:28:59 +0000 Marcus http://jewishyoganetwork.org/v2/?p=432 One aim of the Jewish Yoga Network is to help support in your teaching of yoga, Jewish wisdom and meditation. Here is a sample resource that you can use for teaching the story of Noah through yoga. Let us know how you get on!

‘Go with the flow’ – the Yoga of Parshat Noach

Kosher Sutra: ‘God’s breath calmed the waters’ (Gen 8:1)
Posture: Boat Pose/Navasana
Soul Solution: Calm the inner chaos
Body Benefit: Strengthen abs, deepen breath.

I recently saw a poster promoting a meditation class in Malibu that had the picture of someone surfing on a longboard and said something like “if your mind is wild like the ocean, it’s time to go surfing. Meditation class starts now”.

As we begin another cycle reading the Book of Genesis, we are reminded of the monkey mind, the Tohu V’Vohu – ‘chaos and confusion’ – from which the world was created. Many of experience this inner turbulence on an all-too-regular basis.

I am comforted by the calming verse that follows soon after, where the breath/spirit of God ‘surfs’ or ‘rests’ (merachefet) on the surface of the water (Gen 1:2).

In case we missed the message in the first reading of Genesis, a similar action takes place in the story of Noah, where the earth is flooded and the Divine breath/spirit floats once again on top of the once-wild waters.

The Taoists have a form of meditation that involves imagining our mind as water and using it to gently melt inner blockages, whether they are undefined emotional issues, pent-up anger or anything standing in our way. The ‘Water Method of Taoist meditation’ involves imagining the water slowly sinking from the top of our brain down through the body until it reaches a blockage, and then slowly melting that block as if it were a chunk of ice. In our yoga postures we can apply a flowing movement similar to the quality of water; this is an essential element of vinyasa (sun salutes).

We can take our Bibliyoga practice to ever-more subtle levels, bringing a deeper awareness to our daily lives. When do we find we are suddenly overwhelmed with inner chaos, when we are revisited by old worries or ancient neuroses that have plagued us year after year? Now is the time to catch our mind before it heads into the chaos, to take on this quality of water, to calm the wildness with our breath, and to unblock our energy so that we can go and flow once again.

(c) Marcus J Freed, 2011.
***

Sign up for the Kosher Sutra at www.bibliyoga.com

]]> http://jewishyoganetwork.org/2011/10/teaching-resources-for-noah/feed/ 0 http://jewishyoganetwork.org/2011/09/384/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=384 http://jewishyoganetwork.org/2011/09/384/#comments Mon, 12 Sep 2011 21:02:40 +0000 Marcus http://jewishyoganetwork.org/v2/?p=384

Marcus J Freed speaking to a stadium of 2000 people at the Yoga World's Day in Lisbon, 2011.

In June 2011, the Jewish Yoga Network was represented at the Yoga World’s Day in Lisbon, Portugal. The conference brought together a group of representatives from international yoga organizations, including gurus and swamis from India, the Middle East, and across Europe.

The conference was hosted by Yoga Samkhaya and the Portugese Yoga Federation, which is run under the leadership of their master, Guru Amrta Suryananda.

Marcus addressed the conference with a talk entitled; The Yogic Art of War: Ahimsa vs Rodef Shalom:
Ahimsa, non-violence, is a cornerstone of yoga. Ancient Biblical wisdom teaches ‘Rodef Shalom’, being a ‘pursuer of peace’ and elsewhere it says ‘there is a time for peace and a time war’. Where do we go from here?
. He also addressed the 2000+ crowd at the Yoga World’s Day stadium with a blessing for global simcha and sukha; both words mean ‘joy’ – the first in Hebrew, the second in Sanskrit.

]]> http://jewishyoganetwork.org/2011/09/384/feed/ 0