Toronto Kundalini Yoga Teachers Association

THE ACADEMY OF LIFE

The Healing Potentialities of Kundalini Yoga

If only life had an owner’s manual!
Maybe it does.

The Academy of Life presents:

The Healing Potentialities of Kundalini Yoga

The Academy of Life:

The Academy of Life is a project starting January 9, 2010 and dedicated to showcasing some of the many healing applications of Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan. An outgrowth of the Toronto Kundalini Yoga Teachers Association, this initial session of nine weekly 90 minute sessions on different issues of health and wellness is being presented by several Kundalini Yoga specialists.

Goals:

The goals of the Academy are:

1) to increase general awareness of the wealth of Kundalini Yoga techniques to promote health and wellness;

2) to connect people with unresolved health and wellness issues to teachers specializing in techniques that might benefit them;

3) to connect teachers with people they can benefit with their expertise.

Kundalini Yoga:

In 1968, a yogi known as Yogi Bhajan came from the East and taught what in India had been a secret science. It was called “Kundalini Yoga.” He also shared his vision of the dawning of a new age of holism, empowerment and connectivity.

The beauty of Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan® is that it works. It works on the premise that we were born to be healthy and happy and radiant, no less. It is also highly specific in its applications.

Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan® uses a combination of body postures, breathing, inner locks, mantras, hand postures, and mental focus. Yogi Bhajan included in his teachings the science of diet, eating particular foods for particular health-giving effects. Kundalini isn’t hot yoga. It isn’t cold yoga. But the aim of every yoga is eventually to raise your kundalini and make you ultimately aware.

Because of the conservatism of today’s scientific establishment, not a lot of time or money goes to study the effects of Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan® or any other form of mind-body medicine. But even without the medical research, this is an amazing body of tools for all kinds of challenges in life. And the outcomes so far are encouraging.

Medical Advice:

Anyone with a serious medical condition should consult with a qualified medical doctor, or perhaps more than one of them. The Kundalini Yoga and other holistic technologies taught in the Academy of Life are best practiced under the guidance of a trusted medical professional.

Events:

Schedule:

January 9—March 6, 2010
Saturdays, 4:00–5:30 pm

Locations:

Koffler House, 2nd floor, 569 Spadina Ave., University of Toronto (see the map)
Lillian Smith Library, Meeting Room B/C, 239 College St. [March 6 only] (see the map)

Tuition:

$16/session, $40/3 sessions, $108/9 sessions
Students & seniors: $12/session, $30/3 sessions, $81/9 sessions
U of T students with photo ID: free

The Program:

January 9—The Radiant Woman

Taught by Tej Kaur
Koffler House, 2nd floor, 569 Spadina Ave., University of Toronto (see the map)

Tej Kaur is a certified yoga teacher and has been practicing Kundalini Yoga for many years. Traveling and living in different places throughout the world has helped her to realize that women need to deepen their confidence. She has spent years helping native women in the Peruvian Amazon to value their own nature-based knowledge and beauty. Tej has also been involved in many women circles and is mother to two little girls. “Women are naturally gifted. They will rejoice in the rediscovery of their grace and power and the whole world will see a wondrous transformation.”

January 16—Yogic Stress Redress

Taught by Guru Fatha Singh Khalsa
Koffler House, 2nd floor, 569 Spadina Ave., University of Toronto (see the map)

Guru Fatha Singh is the director of the Academy of Life. He started practising Kundalini Yoga under the instruction of Yogi Bhajan back in 1972. Guru Fatha Singh’s daily practice of this yoga has kept his spirits up, his focus in check, and overall kept him bright and healthy through the years. He is known as a peace activist, author, poet, and biographer of Yogi Bhajan. Guru Fatha Singh is also a thoughtful, funny, and inspiring teacher dedicated to the progress of his students. In 2001, he founded the Toronto Kundalini Yoga Teachers Association. In September 2010, Guru Fatha Singh will launch a 10-month certification course in Kundalini Yoga for aspiring teachers and anyone wanting to explore this yoga in depth.

January 23—Keep Your Brain Vital and Alive with Kundalini Yoga

Taught by Inna Bondarchuk
Koffler House, 2nd floor, 569 Spadina Ave., University of Toronto (see the map)

“I am an engineer during my daytime hours, so the sharp functioning of the brain on the daily and hourly basis is essential for my everyday life. Since I’ve started doing Kundalini, my performance at work increased greatly, and I feel that this little “computer” in my head works better and gets taxed less, since it’s receiving its maintenance during my regular yoga activities. There are lots of yoga sets aimed specifically for the brain, and there are some simple 1- to 3-minute exercises that can be done anywhere and that can help sharpen the brain’s performance and relax unnecessary tension at the same time, therefore relieving stress accumulated in our bodies.”

January 30—Yoga for Better Eyesight Without Glasses

Taught by Elizabeth Abraham and Skydancer
Koffler House, 2nd floor, 569 Spadina Ave., University of Toronto (see the map)

Elizabeth Abraham initially became interested in vision education in 1989, when she decided to learn to improve her own eyesight and reduce her dependence on the contact lenses and glasses she had been wearing for over 30 years. She is continually expanding her understanding of how to move toward greater clarity, and her extensive interest in vision care has taken her to work with many renowned teachers in the United States, England and India. Elizabeth’s background as a Trager practitioner and as a Focusing trainer, her studies in Educational Kinesiology, as well as her experience as a mother and grandmother, all prove to be of great benefit in her ability to understand and facilitate change in her students and in herself. Elizabeth teaches private lessons and workshops in Holistic Vision Improvement. She also teaches workshops and speaks at conferences and other events around the country.

Skydancer began working with natural vision education in 1998 when she started to lose her near vision. She graduated the Natural Vision Educators training in 2002. She completed the four year Feldenkrais Method® training in 2004 and has completed a number of advanced trainings including Anat Baniel Method for Children Mastery Program and the two year Child’Space Developmental Monitoring Training. She is also a Reiki practitioner and Craniosacral Therapist. She is currently a teacher-in-training with the Sounder Sleep System. Skydancer brings to her work a lifelong commitment to change and healing. Her approach is intuitive and spiritually based drawing on 3 decades of Buddhist meditation practice.

February 6—Yoga for Pregnant Moms

Taught by Tej Kaur
Koffler House, 2nd floor, 569 Spadina Ave., University of Toronto (see the map)

Being pregnant is such a transformational time for the woman, physicaly, psycologicaly, emotionanly and spiritualy. She’s creating life. Kundalini yoga will give her the tools to be fully aware of her sacred role and to prepare for one of the most beautiful adventures in life—giving birth. Tej has done so twice; both times naturally, way up in the Peruvian Andes.

February 13—Boost Your Immune System

Taught by Deborah Finestone
Koffler House, 2nd floor, 569 Spadina Ave., University of Toronto (see the map)

Deborah Stewart Finestone, R.S.W., M.Ed., RYT, has 19 years experience as a body/mind psychotherapist. Deborah’s recovery from metastasized cancer in 2003 was enabled by a daily practice of Kundalini Yoga. She became certified as a Kundalini Yoga Teacher in 2006. She is also certified to teach Healthy Breast Yoga. She has taught yoga for the Immune System to a variety of students, including cancer patients/survivors. She has taught yoga for the Immune System for the last 3 years, to a variety of students, including cancer patients/survivors.

February 20—Food as Medicine

Taught by Sarah Calvert
Koffler House, 2nd floor, 569 Spadina Ave., University of Toronto (see the map)

Sarah Calvert has been practicing Kundalini Yoga for six years, and became certified in New Mexico three years ago. Since then, she has been teaching classes and workshops in B.C. and Ontario, as well as performing chants (she is a musician as well). Sarah now calls Toronto “home.” Her company “luminous.” is comprised of a fully equipped travelling studio. Her passion for food and healing came several years ago when she was primary care-giver to her mother who had lung cancer; this knowledge helped her mother immensely during her treatment and illness. This passion for nutrition, yoga and healing is a major force in Sarah’s life and she is always seeking ways to share this information with others.

www.quesarah.ca

February 27—Using Yoga to Reprogram Your Addictive Behaviours

Taught by Melanie Woolsey
Koffler House, 2nd floor, 569 Spadina Ave, University of Toronto (see the map)

“I discovered the healing power of Kundalini yoga while struggling with my own addictions many years ago. It was during my own recovery that I knew I needed to dedicate my life to helping others benefit from the wisdom of these ancient teachings. I believe that yoga can bring about revolutionary change in the whole person—change that permeates deeply into personal and professional lives and stimulates positive growth.”

https://sites.google.com/a/6stjoseph.ca/newsletter/volunteer/melanie-yoga-teacher

March 6—Yoga and Diet for Detoxification

Taught by Bachan
Lillian Smith Library, Meeting Room B/C, 239 College St. (see the map)

Bachan teaches Kundalini yoga at Bliss Yoga Studio in the west end as well as privately to clients. She is a trained teacher/facilitator in the Healthy Breast program as taught by Sat Dharam Kaur, ND and has many years experience in the holistic health field as well as a facilitator in the area of disability management. Cleansing the body is an important component to maintaining a vital and energetic body and mind. Bachan engages her students with her knowledge of diet and yoga, a sense of humour and fun, so that cleansing can become an enjoyable and uplifting experience for all! No yoga experience is necessary to participate in this workshop.