‘You are a flower blooming in your own garden, and you are allowed to be that flower’
Hello My Yoga Lifestyle community, I hope this finds you all navigating the early days of 2017 with wellness. A new year inspires us to reflect on the one that has been and look forward with renewed enthusiasm to the potential that lies in the year ahead. It’s with this new year inspiration in mind that I want to share with you a special experience that myself and Francesca (creator of My Yoga Lifestyle) had at the end of 2016. We both attended and were deeply inspired by a two day workshop with Mark Whitwell in Avalon (Sydney). Mark is an amazing yogi, teacher, author and human being. He is one of a dwindling group of yogis who has had the privilege of studying under some of yoga’s great masters and gurus.
The following is a taste of Mark’s philosophy and daily inspiration in his yoga life from time spent with his teachers. My wish is that it inspires you too.
For the past twenty-five years, Mark Whitwell has travelled the globe teaching yoga to thousands of people. Mark is based in Berkeley, California when not travelling the world spreading his message and teachings.
Mark was very fortunate to spend more than 20 years in a teacher / student relationship with
T. Krishnamacharya and his son TKV Desikachar.
To put this into context, Tirumalai Krishnamacharya (November 18, 1888 – February 28, 1989) was an Indian yoga teacher, ayurvedic healer and scholar. Often referred to as “The Father of Modern Yoga, Krishnamacharya is widely regarded as one of the most influential yoga teachers of the 20th century and is credited with the revival of hatha yoga. (Wikipedia) He taught many great yogis, including BKS Iyengar.
TKV Desikachar, son and student of T. Krishnamacharya, had the privilege of living and studying with T. Krishnamacharya from 1960 until Krishnamacharya’s death in 1989. For over 50 years, TKV Desikachar devoted himself to teaching yoga and making it relevant to people from all walks of life and with all kinds of abilities. (Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram). Desikachar passed away in 2016.
After spending many years learning from these yoga masters, Mark was asked to collaborate with them on a project to write the well known yoga text ‘Heart Of Yoga’. If you haven’t read this book then I highly recommend you do. Mark is explicit in stating, ‘it wasn’t my learnings that make up the body of this work, it has been brought through from the great tradition’.
In Mark there is great reverence for the tradition and respect to yoga’s lineage which is very refreshing in a time where all manner of yoga-hybrids are arising.
Mark went on to develop Heart of Yoga (see heartofyoga.com) and write a number of books based on his teachings and learnings.
‘Yoga is for everyone, it needs to be tailored to each individual. Yoga is intimacy with life in a way that is right for everyone’. This sums up Mark’s philosophy on yoga in it simplest terms.
Mark also spent time with the great J. Krishnamurti, who helped him to modify his teachings so as to create a practice available to everyone.
If you haven’t heard of this great man, Krishnamurti (11 May 1895 -17 February 1986) is regarded globally as one of the greatest thinkers and religious teachers of all time. He did not expound any philosophy or religion, but rather talked of the things that concern all of us in our everyday lives. He explained with great precision the subtle workings of the human mind, and pointed to the need for bringing to our daily life a deeply meditative and spiritual quality (J. Krishnamurti Online).
One can only imagine how precious was the time spent with this individual.
Mark went on to develop a daily non-obsessive practice with the intention of making it available to all. To keep up with our ever changing technology, he now has two APPS, one called I Promise, which is a simple daily practice to be done for 40 days to experience the profound benefits of yoga in your life. I have personally taken on this 40 day challenge and felt the immediate benefits. I can vouch for its simplicity and ease, and its a wonderful way to start the day.
There is also a second APP called The Yoga Promise which contains more detail about the practice. Mark’s motivation in developing these tools was to communicate an understanding of how powerful a regular, simple practice can be.
He has also published some wonderful books including an e-book and paperback called The Promise and another called Yoga of Heart.
‘Yoga teaches us the union between ourselves and the universe and I wish to spread this message to everyone. We need to break through the limits inherited from society and our background. Yoga helps us to do this’..says Mark
His take on life in its purest essence is this… ‘You are the power of the cosmos arising as pure intelligence and beauty…this is a fact, not an affirmation or spiritual teaching or a poem, but a fact! We need to reflect on that daily. Yoga is simply to participate in that fact.’
And finally Mark sums it up best …’Yoga is your direct participation in the nurturing power of this cosmos. No matter your age or health or cultural background, you too can experience this power and feel its impact in every facet of your life.’
Its been a privilege to write about this yogi and his experiences and ideas. I hope you have enjoyed it also. Mark helps to break down the multitude of pre-conceived ideas that float around today about yoga. Yoga is definitely not only for the flexible hippies of times gone by. It is a powerful therapeutic tool for everyone, helping us in what can be difficult times on this earth, by reconnecting to what is truly important and appreciating the precious gift of life.
Thank you Mark for all that you bring in your efforts to insitgate a change in humanity in the longterm; this is indeed yoga for everyone.
** Francesca managed to get an interview with Mark at the end of the workshop and you can listen to the short 5 min recording below.
LISTEN HERE – INTERVIEW WITH MARK WHITWELL
** You can find out more about Mark Whitwell, his books and teachings and
The Heart Of Yoga Peace Projects at https://www.heartofyoga.org
The Promise – https://www.heartofyoga.org/thepromise
Heart of Yoga Training – https://www.heartofyoga.org/ojai
The Yoga Promise – download the App from iTunes
Cover image courtesy of Mark Whitwell – www.heartofyoga.org website
Tracy’s Bio:
Tracy has had a close relationship with yoga for over 35 years. Teaching is quite simply the light of her life as she has witnessed first hand the healing and transformative power of this ancient and beautiful practice. After enduring years of health struggles with a chronic condition, the practice of yoga in all its facets quite simply turned her life around. ‘My decision to train as a yoga teacher and commit to this path has been nothing short of a miraculous transformation for my health and life. I feel I am living proof of yoga’s power to heal and it gives me the greatest joy to be able to share yoga in its many forms with others What I love about teaching is that it is a constantly evolving and creative process; I am constantly learning new things for my own practice which I can then share with my students.’
Today she teaches all styles from vinyasa to restorative yoga and has for many years guided groups in meditation and mindfulness practices, derived from years studying Buddhist philosophy. Tracy also runs Dreamtime Yoga and Didgeridoo events which combines the beauty of yoga with indigenous vibrations, a powerful mix. One of her favourite things is to take her practice outdoors and be in nature. She is a kind and caring teacher who delights in making yoga accessible to all and sharing yoga’s innate ability to connect us to what is important and sacred.
On the weekends you will find her somewhere by the sea or in the bush. Swimming in all weather, the ocean inspires and rejuvenates her. Her love is a good book, friends, live music, growing vegetables, walking in nature and of course yoga! She is a passionate activist for all things related to caring for our home, planet earth. Having spent 15 years as a Marine Ecologist before immersing herself in the wonders of Yoga fulltime, her philosophy is that caring for our planet is not a job; its part of our rent in return for living in this beautiful place.
Currently Tracy teaches at:
Avalon Yoga Co-op
Yoga and Health Collective
Tracy is also available for one on one sessions and private group classes. You can contact her on tchambers@dodo.com.au
