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"Yoga isn't flakey at all....its just the people who "teach" it!"

This website has been "made for" people who practice yoga, a voluminous site to make your way through. There will be No BWY, fluff and bunnies, flaky talk of chakras (except by those who have direct experience of them) feeling the love, tofu and rice, these things will not be mentioned here, as it has nothing or very little to do with yoga! As yoga practitioners we take responsibility for ourselves, we practice yoga (not matching our nails with our mats and treat it as the place to be seen!) which is a challenge sometimes (the yoga) so............... we cannot be responsible for Mrs Moos brownie recipe making you more portly, Ana Forrest or David Swenson's Youtube.com demo's making you feel vastly inadequate (especially BWY people!). The fainting goats advert on this very first page that angers you for the poor little goats! The music Cd called The prayer cycle that makes you have a mournful ecstatic experience sending you over the front of a car! The jackass yoga class with gas making you think farting in yoga is funny (as it is but some are just too precious!) the article on Cathartic release making you a absolute psycho, the coffee from The Algerian Coffee shop in London making you a manic bunny, the review of the DVD of holy smoke to make you feel like you are in a cult!

Welcome to a well grounded non flaky yoga "sight" for people to read, experience, think about, dismiss, practice, change their lives, not to be touched by or JUST MAKE YOUR OWN DAMN MINDS! Through the fluff, the misinformation, lies and stupidity spread by the BWY, the occidental yoga crowd who would not last a second in India (well!) Through to the EXPERIENCE, and into life the experiential.

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About James

When it comes down to it, it's all about the practice, and I have been known to make less money because of the students self-reliance rather than commit someone to classes for life. That pays in itself! That's how it should be. I have been called a purist because I wouldn't water down Astanga yoga just because I was teaching in a gym, or make it more sell-able to the masses, or because I am happy countering other's bad teaching. I teach the full primary and have 4 add ins, which reflects the fact I was taught by Gingi in 1998 (see links) who originally had a lot of Derek Ireland's additions in what he taught so I keep in what I practice.

 I have completed Master Vishwanath Teacher Training in India as the whole Mysore deal and that whole mentality wasn't perfect for me. I did David Swenson's Teacher Training in 2003 Primary and Secondary in 2006, Brian Cooper's Teacher Training in 2006 and I have recommended for all my trainee teachers to also take his course, as he takes the crap out of yoga!!! ( And there too much crap in it in the west!) I have also completed the teachers' intensive with Ana Forrest, an amazing women (see links section)! I returned to India for the tsunami. I am also starting to write articles and books on Yoga myself, as I come from more the experiential than the analysing or anal-lysing of yoga. I proudly never to want to be accredited by the BWY!!

Astangayogasurrey is a mish mash of loads of information, articles, mat reviews, moo's brownie recipe and loads more, most of them written by students themselves. I would rather someone have access to information than not, and in this day of Misinformation (especially in the west) when it comes to yoga, people need it more so.

 I taught at Cannons with the first 2 hour full primary series Astanga yoga in the area and had the first self practice class in a gym in the whole of the country! My ongoing teacher training made it so tough, especially as I didn't have the help of a teacher myself, I decided (as we all should do), to make it easier for others. I currently have helped up to 10 teachers in their training and beyond who now teach throughout the world, some are now teachers of teachers themselves not as a reflection of me but rather of the place they found within themselves.

 I have been teaching since 2001 after practicing since 1999, but only really fully since India studying with Mysore Vishwanath (see links) After 3 months Pranayama, mantra Ayurveda, and devotional singing I returned 1 stone lighter, and I consider that to be psychological weight that was lost! 

Go forth and practice to PJ Harvey ha ha ha!

www.curzoncinemas.com/

Go to the Curzon Cinema in Richmond Soho or Chelsea, showing some blockbuster films but covering alot to nearly all of the Europian films.

It also worth it to support cinema outside of Odeon due to the manopoly it seem to be getting! If itdid half the films the Curzon did which it does, it would be a problem.

BACKBENDING WORKSHOP WITH BRIAN COOPER

A One Day Intensive – No Messing Around!!!

This workshop will look at the best way to improve your backbending and how and why it works.

Workshop costs £50

1 -6pm Saturday 22nd November at Esporta Health Club, Upper Richmond Road, Kingston-Upon-Thames, Surrey. (Above the big Sainsbury’s behind Kingston station)

Call James Bradford on 07967971996 for available places, more information and to pay.

Using a metal water bottle not on ly makes it more easier to keep the 2 litres a day quota, but also saves on plastic, or having to recycle the plastic bottles you use...........

 adding a carabina to the mix makes the bottle able to be clicked onto your bag so you don't leave it behind!

The Recorded class CDs is here!

The cds includes a whole recorded class, ujjayi breath sound cd, and a yoga nidra cd.

All orders to James 07967971996 £15 all or £5 each proceeds going to The UNHCR,

 Go to Pukka herbs and do the ayurvedic dosa test! Kapha pitta vata?

www.pukkaherbs.com/file/18493d0dce9126383774a3dc1327277e/discover-your-ayurvedic-type.html

Shekinashram - Ashram & Holistic Retreat Centre

Based in Glastonbury, a truly magical place, Shekinashram is an ashram with a difference.  It offers its many guests a place of retreat away from the world, where spiritual practice is celebrated, lived and breathed.  We offer a comfortable and homely Bed & Breakfast, and are perfectly set up for those who wish to take time out of the usual routine to rest and rejuvenate. Those who visit often say how deeply touched they are by their experience. You can create your own retreat, attend our morning programme, yoga classes, have a massage, delicious vegetarian meal, or sauna as you wish.  It is a place which is totally conducive to allowing yourself to just Be for a while.

www.shekinashram.org

Brian Cooper

The ancient art and science of yoga is as powerful now as it was thousands of years ago. Unlocking its secrets requires patience, perseverance and intense study. After three decades, Brian continues on his path of exploration and discovery.

He teaches directly from his personal experience and studies. He lives at his retreat centre which was established as a haven of peace and tranquility, where the timeless teachings of pure Hatha Yoga can be transmitted unfettered by the usual constraints of everyday living. He also runs teacher training courses approved by Yoga Alliance UK, which is dedicated to setting and maintaining high standards of teaching yoga in Britain and Europe. For more information on Brian's Yoga Alliance teacher training courses click here.

Brian has dedicated much time to teaching the benefits of Thai Massage for teachers and students of yoga. These interests have resulted in his new book ‘The Art of Adjusting’ written specifically for yoga teachers.