Category Archives: Vedanta

HEALING THE HEART, HEALING THE MIND

Posted on by
Reply
Healing the Heart
is
Healing the Mind

NOW GOING ONLINE!

The heart is alive. In fact, it brings life to us with each pulsation, sending rivers of prāna flowing through our plasma, blood, muscle, fat, skeleton, marrow and finally, our vital reproductive juices. There it transforms into our very essence itself or leaves us to form a new life with another beautiful heartbeat singing its song!

This heart that is the fiery sun of our own universe, is ever producing our minds through its sensory rays and clear light! Mind as it spreads its venous tentacles to every sense organ so that we can fully experience the world around us. Mind that extends instinctively down into our bellies, so we vicariously feel each perceptive truth as a somatic experience. And mind, like a tree, sends its rising branches upwards to form our brain. Where we think, imagine, reason and occasionally perceive the highest truths.

And yet, we imprison this heart behind gates of arrogance, lust, hatred, greed, jealousy and pride. And we subject it cruelly to fears, unjustly to angers and unmercifully to grieving.

Our hearts are the key to our lives. Heal our heart and we heal our mind. In healing the mind we finally discard the undigested toxins of fear, anger and grief. And spontaneously and oh so creatively, the heart sings its joy and its simple innocent declaration- know me and know peace.

Upcoming Healing the Heart Online Workshop:

June 27. Now open for Registration. Space Limited.  Click here to Register.

July 11: Scheduled. Email adretreats@gmail.com for advance Registration!

 

 

WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION:
In the Vedic tradition, the heart is the seat of emotions, of prāna and of our intrinsic immunity. It is also the origin of the mind and it is from the heart that the mind as emotions moves towards the brain for intellectual understanding and the gut for instinctive behavior. If we free our emotional seat from the siege of its enemies: fear, anger and grief then the rightful emotions of playfulness, innocence and joy rule supreme once again. It is a journey of remembrance. One we should all take together. Yoga and Āyurveda show us the way to do so.
WORKSHOP CURRICULA:
The Heart as Seat of Mind
The Qualities of the Heart: Creativity, Innocence and Joy
The Enemies of the Heart: Fear, Anger and Grief
The Allies of the Heart: Resolve, Patience and Faith
PLUS
Practicum: Emotional Intelligence Yoga Practice: Healing The Heart/Healing The Mind (separate practice video)
Understanding Heart Disease Through Āyurveda: Treating Through Yoga (Bonus separate video)

 A heart to heart prayer:

May we together be each others protection.
May we together nourish each other.
May we together become each others strength.
May we together become wise.
May we always be friends.
May we support each other in finding peace.

May your breath always be at peace!

The State of Things and a California Summer

Posted on by
4

Dear friend,

This has been a very powerful year already. The transformations have extended around the globe, here at home and in my own life, with great vibrancy. There have been some grassroots growths in consciousness that are astoundingly poignant, especially in the way we relate to food. Love what Michael Pollan, Marion Nestle, Dan Barber have going on!

Many questions have arisen in the yoga world too and I was very honored to be in the new yoga documentary: Yoga Maya  addressing some of these teutonic shifts arising in the synthesis of the western world and yoga, sort of an evolutionary process, I believe.

While not all in our world has shifted for the better, much of this grassroots upheaval in consciousness cannot help but have a long term effect on our planet’s consciousness and its necessary healing. When I say grassroots, I believe I refer to us as we speak our soft voices, calling forth witness for a return to nature. Only she can help us heal the damage we have done to our world and to each other as we drifted from her simple dharma`s.
I am joyful in adding my voice to this movement and very humbled to teach on some of the cutting edges of it: the yoga and Ayurveda field.

It is my privilege to chair the sub-committee of NAMA’s Standards Committee in creating standards for future Ayurvedic Yoga Therapists. This is very dear to my heart and it is the heart of what I teach…

And thus: After a very long time I get to spend almost the entire summer home in Los Angeles fulfilling…

…my dream of teaching an Immersion for Yoga Teachers on integrating Yoga, Ayurveda and Tantra practices for Therapeutic Purposes, now in full swing.

Aptly named “Weaving The Yogic Basket”, a lovely group of dedicated students meet every other weekend for 3 months in San Juan Capistrano. Two weekends are already done!

This Course will  repeat next year, most likely in the Encinitas area, so if you are interested in knowing more…

Although I do not have anything scheduled in my hometown of Los Angeles, the peripherals are mostly well within reach.

Coming up next:

A Weekend of Yoga and Ayurveda in Temecula
July 19th & 20th, 2014

August:

In August, Las Vegas calls. My dear friends Val and Brian are opening up a new yoga studio: TRU YOGA, and I will be traveling there to help open it up! Stay posted for details but it will be a lovely weekend of yoga and Ayurvedic teachings as a grand opening extravaganza!
Put Vegas in your books for the weekend of August 16/17!
Details to follow shortly.

End August I will be part of Labor Day – 2nd Annual Vedic Knowledge Integration Forum at the Sivananda Yoga Farm in Grass Valley. This is definitely one of my most treasured stops on the teaching journey and I very much look forward to sharing with such powerful luminaries as Acharya David Frawley and Yogini Shambhavi

Sept/Oct is India!


Including a weekend Immersion in New Delhi for Om Yoga Studios. It is a lovely studio owned by my dear friend Mini Shastri. She has some very bright students and I look forward to sharing with them again. If you are in India or close by, please come join us.

France!

End of October finds me in new territory but from what I hear, the south of France is going to be another dream come true…

There will be an Ayurveda Immersion for yogi`s at Yoga Evolution in Aix de Provence.

Ah Greece…

…my third visit to Mani to lead a week long Retreat and Immersion. If Greece has been calling you and you would like to spend a week with me immersing in her beauty while studying yoga and Ayurveda, come now?

 

 

Winter plans are still a-brewing but they include Salt Lake City and in the local stomping grounds, LMU for the YTRx Program.  A privilege to continue to be teaching the Ayurveda segment here.

Praying you have a lovely rest of the year wherever your journey takes you.

May we be students together
May we be nourished together
May we grow strong in each other company
May we light the flame of knowledge together
May we always be friends, Arun

April~May 2013 Events:

Posted on by
Reply

Presently on a month long personal journey of healing and rejuvenation in a very remote part of India. In a little Ayurvedic Shala in the midst of a remote but very sacred village called Hariharapura. In the lush green state of Karnataka where the Western Ghats are resplendent as rain forests.  Read More…

Once back in April, the offerings are as follows:

SATURDAY, APRIL 13TH

Vinyasa Cikitsa Krama:

A Therapeutic Flow with Arun Deva

Vinyasa Yoga is to flow in a logical and sequential manner. Krama is the methodology. The goal is to find comfort in the various postures that our bodies (and minds) can take. In Cikitsa however, we find the benefits of the challenging postures through therapeutic sequencing and modifications to movement. Following any asana practice with Pranayamaincreases the benefits a thousandfold. Meditation then becomes a smooth lake into which to sink. Come experience a complete yoga experience for all levels. This class is suitable for both beginners as well as seasoned yoga practitioners.

DATE: Saturday, April 13th

TIME: 1 – 4PM

COST: $30 EARLY REGISTRATion / $40 at the door

LOCATION: Dancing Shiva
7466 Beverly Blvd. Los Angeles, Ca 90036

CONTACT & REGISTRATION: studio@dancingshiva.com
or call: 323-934-VEDA(8332)

SUNDAY, APRIL 14TH

 The Sacred Art of Eating Ayurvedically presents: An Italian Interpretation.

With Arun Deva, Jutta Hecht 

Chef JQ & Anjali Deva

Crostini, 3 versions of Pizza, Sage Ravioli, Garden Insalata w/Farmer’s Cheese, La Dolce Vita, Aperitifs, and Fig Tiramisu:  all interpreted Ayurvedically.
We will begin with a lecture on Ayurvedic Principles of Food & Eating and relevance to our current dietary paradigms.
Then we will look at Italian Food through the eyes of Ayurveda.
And then we get in the kitchen and cook up an Italian feast!
Served as a sit down dinner.
Bon Appetit!
Space limited. By Invitation Only. 
In a Private Estate in Vista, CA
12Noon-6PM
Cost: $150 per person.

APRIL 18-21

I will be presenting at the NAMA Conference:

Yogarasayana – Ashtasiddhi Mala:
The Ayurvedic Application of Yogic Principles & Practices for Increasing Rasa.

Rasayana is four-fold:  1) Longevity, 2) Maintenance of health, 3) Improvement of the mental faculties, and 4) Resistance against disease. The ashtanga of yoga can be thought of as an ashtasiddhi mala or necklace of eight magical powers thatbegins with the promise of the above. Recognized by Ayurveda as far back as the Charaka Samhita, wherein we are advised to have confidence in the efficacy of yoga practices, these eight principles when put into practice are very powerful medicine.  In this practice, we will first bypass the mind directly into the experience and then use the mind to understand and digest it.

MAY 3-5

Emotional Intelligence through Yoga & Ayurveda

Facing the 6 Emotional Enemies with the 6 Healing Tastes of Ayurveda

Course Description:

This course primarily uses the tools of Yoga, Ayurveda and Tantra to explore, in a practical manner, our Emotional Intelligence. The keys to our deepest nature, where our vasanas/karmic residual triggers for behavioral patterns reside are found and adjusted best only at this deep level of our being.

  • An understanding of the Vedic sciences of Yoga, Ayurveda & Tantra from the perspective of the three stages of immersion into a journey of self-discovery.
  • An understanding of the Ayurvedic concept of Taste (Rasa) and its energies and effects upon our Emotional Body
  • An understanding of the the Yogic and Ayurvedic concepts of the six enemies of mankind (shata ripu-s) and how they affect and are affected by Rasa.
  • An understanding of the Yogic, Ayurvedic and Tantric views of the workings of the Mind and practical tools on how to raise our Emotional Intelligence to the vibrations of Joy, Innocence and Creativity.

Tuition: $150
Accommodation options for the 2 night stay, per person:
Tent – $100
Dorm (4 person) – $130
Cabin (2 person) – $170
Cabin (1 person) – $280
Deluxe Cabin (2 person) – $480
Deluxe Cabin (1 person) – $390

For More Information Please Visit:
Sivananda Yoga Farm or Find Us on Facebook

The month of May continues in Los Angeles, where Jury Duty calls… 🙂
Coming up later this year:
Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, IAYT Conference in Boston, Vaidya Yoga Teacher Training (yes it is actually happening end July), Greece Retreat followed by two India Retreats: North and South! I pray to share some of this with you, my friend.
Om Shanti,
Arun

Upcoming Events: February-April 2013

Posted on by
9

Spring is a time of rejuvenation. To honor this, I am giving myself the luxury of a one-month sabbatical. This sabbatical will be book-ended between the following offerings:

Dharma of Food

Dharma of Food: A seva workshop at Sivananda Vedanta Center, Los Angeles.

In the last 200 years or so we have weakened our ties to the earth. It is the earth that manifests our food. It is indeed time we return our thanks to the elements that it is made of: space, air, fire, water and earth itself. We do this by remembering that food begins with taste, carries energy and eventually turns into the five elements within. In this lecture we will discuss the Ayurvedic and Yogic concepts of ahara: that which nourishes us and pathya: a suitable diet based on individual need. In the end, food must nourish us emotionally, mentally and physically. We must change our language from “nutritional value” to “taste and nourishment value” to once again discover the joy of eating dharmically.

February 9th, 2013
2:00pm-5:00pm
View Map/Get Directions

 February 15-17, 2013
Dallas, Tx:
Krama Yoga Center
View Map/Get Directions

Program Information:

Friday 7:30pm – 9:30pm
Free: Introduction to Ayurveda
RSVP Required

Ayurveda is an ancient holistic medical science from India, considered by many scholars to be the oldest and most complete healing science in the world. A sister science to yoga, it is the healing side of the yogic tree. Its many benefits can be profound and lasting as a result of its brilliant understanding of human nature, its emphasis on individualized treatment, its focus on removing the root cause of illness, and on its unique theories of the doshas (individual constitutions) and gunas (mental attributes).
In this free introductory workshop you will learn the basic principles of Ayurveda with an emphasis on self-healing.

Highly recommended as a primer for the weekend Ayurveda Workshops.
2 hrs: Free but you must RSVP. This will likely sell out.

Saturday 1pm – 4pm
Daily Rituals & Healing Home Remedies

In this hands on workshop we will examine the basic self-care principles of Ayurveda and the immense power of self healing. From practical daily rituals to simple but very effective home remedies. Learn how much importance and value Ayurveda gives to preventative medicine. We will sip medicinal teas, taste the magical Chyavanprash, inhale and anoint mystical oils, learn self massage and other secrets to help keep us healthy, balanced and at peace. Handouts will include a list of common kitchen herbs and how to turn your kitchen into a simple home pharmacopeia!

3 hrs: $40/$50 at the door
RSVP under WORKSHOPS

Sunday 1pm – 4pm
The Sacred Art Of Eating: Secrets of Ayurvedic Nutrition

In Ayurveda, the principles of nutrition are based not only on what we eat but also on when, where and how. In this workshop we will learn about the tastes, the energies and the effects of food and their relationship to our own digestive fire. We will learn how food affects our physical as well as mental and emotional states. We will examine the values of raw as well as cooked foods. Consider what is a yogic diet and when it is appropriate. Ayurveda has made a science out of the art of eating, one that is based on the following formula: When diet is correct, medicine is of no need. When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use. We will also learn simple recipes that address our constitutions and health needs. Detailed handouts and recipes included.

3 hrs: $40/$50 at the door
RSVP under WORKSHOPS

 Sign up for entire weekend in advance for $70!

*Please note that it is highly recommended that you take the Free Intro Workshop on Friday or have a working knowledge of Ayurveda to get maximum benefit from these two workshops.

 Yogarasayana is on Sabbatical: February 20th-April 2nd, 2013

Coming up in April:

NAMA Conference 2013: April 18 to 21, 2013

Yogarasayana – Ashtasiddhi Mala:
The Ayurvedic Application of Yogic Principles & Practices for Increasing Rasa. (This is an Active Yoga Practice Session)