Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Teacher
Resource Book
3HO IKYTA
6 Narayan Ct
Espanola, NM 87532
Phone: 505-629-1708
Fax: 424-731-8348
E-mail: ikyta@3ho.org
2011 3HO IKYTA
Contents
Greetings from 3HO IKYTA........................................................................2
Greetings from the Director of Training,
Gurucharan Singh Khalsa, Ph.D. .............................................................3
Time Honored Tips for Teachers
Gurmukh Kaur and Gurushabd Singh Khalsa,.......................................5
Golden Bridge, Los Angeles, CA and New York, NY, USA
Mehtab Singh, Yoga Yoga, Austin, Texas, USA......................................6
Shakta Kaur and Hari Dev Singh, ..........................................................6
Kundalini Yoga in the Loop (KYL), Chicago, IL, USA
Sat Tara Singh, Mexico............................................................................7
Eight Awesome Curricula
1) Breathe Your Way to Inner Calm: An Introductory Series
in Kundalini Yoga and Meditation..................................................8
2) Balancing the Chakras.................................................................... 15
3) The Ten Bodies.................................................................................. 16
4) Weighty Matters............................................................................. 18
5) Boost Your Immune System........................................................... 22
6) Yoga for Seasonal Change.............................................................. 27
7) The Power of the Mother:
A Series of Pre-Natal Yoga Classes............................................. 28
8) Mastering the Tattvas: Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Ether.......... 30
Five Fantastic Workshops
1) Cultivate Peace Within (with sample flier)................................... 32
2) Connecting Women for Peace (with hand-out)............................. 33
3) Yoga for the Artist (with hand-out)............................................... 36
4) The Lunar Woman (with hand-out)................................................. 38
5) Japji Sahib: The Song of the Soul (includes hand-out).................. 39
ArticlesYoure in the Yoga Business Now!
Your Marketing Train................................................................................ 41
How to Easily Create Your Own Fliers................................................... 43
Charging for Yoga Classes5 Steps to Success.................................... 44
Establish Yourself on the Internet.......................................................... 49
Instructors CD Package......................................................................... 52
A list of musical selections that every new instructor of Kundalini Yoga as
taught by Yogi Bhajan should have in their collection.
Resources
Ancient Healing Ways .............................................................................. 55
Invincible Music......................................................................................... 56
Spirit Voyage............................................................................................. 56
PDF Files for Five Fantastic Workshops................................................. 56
FaceBook:
Gurucharan Khalsa
3HO IKYTA asked some of our most beloved teachers what they would suggest new Level 1 graduates do to expand both their teaching practice and their
local Kundalini Yoga community. Here is what some of them had to say:
Smile!
Ask always, How may I serve you?
Understand the deepest meaning of
Giving.
Develop the art of non-judgment, no competition, and no comparison.
Belong to the larger community, working with all that want Peace, Happiness
& Love on this planet.
Be Grateful, Graceful and not pushy.
Call upon the Siri Singh Sahib, Yogi Bhajan, and all the Gurus for your guidance and sustenance.
Understand deeply your profound link in this Golden Chain.
Listen & Hug a lot.
Dont pretend to know everythingsend people to others, more qualified in
their fields, when that particular help is needed.
Bow many times a day, in gratitude, for the Gift youve been given as a
Kundalini Yoga Teacher this lifetime.
Become Visible!
On a regular basis, be sure to go where people can see
you. Go to popular stores, coffee shops, restaurants, Local
Fairsany and all places where people can see you and
speak to you. Your presence will remind them to come to
class either as someone new or as someone that has gotten
out of the habit of coming to class. Be sure to carry calling
cards and your teaching schedule to handout. Dress beautifullyjust as you
would be teaching class so you can best represent your consciousness.
Mehtab Singh
Kundalini Yoga and Meditation; and encourage them to come back. After the
Long Time Sunshine Song and three long Sat Nams always say thank you,
announce one or two upcoming events and invite students to come back
again soon!
Hari Dev Singh says:
AADont think you have to know every answer to every question. Teach only what you know. You can always defer an
answer by saying, Ill get back to you on that. Then do
some homework. Very often your warm, loving heart will
provide a safe place for students to find their own answers.
AAAs you prepare for class and select your kriya and meditation, allow your intuition to guide the process. The Universe knows who is attending class and will help you pick the right kriya (if
you are open to receive). Remember what Yogi Bhajan said: Students are
present because they were pre-sent to you.
AAWhen teaching Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan stay totally within
that sphere of knowledge. Do not add or mingle other systems or practices. The energetic is very different.
AANew students are full of questions. At some point youll probably be asked if
yoga is a religion. Here are some of the phrases I use to answer that question.
Lets begin with the premise that yoga pre-dates all religion. Religion is
the external form of worship; yoga is the inner journey. It is important to
point out there is no conflict between yoga and religion. Be sure to find your
own graceful answer but be sure to prepare this little speech ahead of time.
AARead a few pages of The Masters Touch or something from the Aquarian Teacher Level 1 or Level 2 manuals just before each class. The condensed wisdom in
these books always helps me deliver the teachings with the greatest impact.
Sample Curricula
BREATHE YOUR WAY TO INNER CALM: AN INTRODUCTORY
SERIES IN KUNDALINI YOGA AND MEDITATION
Curriculum created by Tejwant Kaur (Teri) Hall of Prince Edward Island
(PEI), Canada.
10 mins.: Simple Natural Breathing (3-Part Yogic Breath p. 90, The Aquarian Teacher [AT])
35 mins.: Kriya: Basic Spinal Energy Series ( p. 339 1st ed./p. 19 5th ed.)
15 mins.: Deep relaxation (includes getting them into and out of relaxation)
10 mins.: Meditation for a Calm Heart (p. 395 1st ed./p. 69 5th ed.)
5 mins.: Long Time Sun and prayer/quote
Total: 80 minutes (with 10 minutes wiggle room.)
3 key concepts: 1) age is measured by the flexibility of the spine, to stay
young, stay flexible; 2) The word kundalini means awareness and manifesting the hidden potential of that awareness; 3) many people report greater
mental clarity after regular practice of this kriya. The word kriya means complete action; plus, 4) Sat means truth and Nam means Name.
3 key skills/practices: 1) simple natural breathing, the navel point moves out
on the inhale and in and up on the exhale, 2) Spine Flex, (inhale forward, exhale back), and 3) Sat Kriya: men cross the right thumb over left and women
cross the left thumb over the right; 4) While inhaling, think Sat and while
exhaling, think Nam.
Class Two: Tapping Into Your Sun Energy
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3 key concepts: 1) Long deep breathing relaxes and calms and gives capacity
to manage negativity and emotions, supporting clarity, cool-headedness, and
patience; 2) 11 minutes a day of eight-stroke breathing can give you enough
energy to balance your (daily) consumption of (prana) life and take you out
of stress. Is it possible? Do you have 11 minutes?!; 3) To avoid persistence
colds and illness, it is essential to keep digestion and elimination functioning
well. This kriya helps in these areas.
3 key skills/practices: 1) Venus Lock: For women, place the palms facing each
other, interlace the fingers with the right little finger on the bottom. Put the
right thumb tip just above the base of the thumb on the webbing between the
thumb and index finger of the left hand. The tip of the left thumb presses the
fleshly mound at the base of the right thumb. Reverse the entire sequence of
alternating the fingers for men. 2) Pumping the stomach by forcefully drawing
the navel in toward the spine and then relaxing it again; and 3) Finger lock:
(index finger and middle finger presses the fleshy part of the big toe, and the
thumb presses the nail of the big toe).
Class Five: We Are More Than Our Physical BodyRemembering
The Link Between You And The Creator.
10 mins.: Meditation for Perspective & Emotional Balance (p. 404/p. 78).
5 mins.: Long Time Sun and prayer/quote
Total: 85 minutes
3 key concepts: 1) This kriya exercises the spine and aids in the circulation of
prana to balance the chakras; 2) The meditation is excellent to do before bed
to let go of the worries of the day; and 3) Sat Kriya circulates the Kundalini
energy through the cycle of the chakras aids in digestion and strengthens the
nervous system.
3 key skills/practices: 1) Neck rolls: relaxing the jaw will relax the neck; 2)
Modified Maha Mudra: The spine stays straight. There should be a straight
line from the top of the head to the base of the spine; and 3) Life Nerve Stretch
and Front Nerve Stretch (lead with the navel point; never with the head).
Class Seven: Let The Light Of Your Soul Shine In Your Life
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(Inhale deeply and hold the breath.) May I walk in the company of my own
holiness and fall in love with my own soul and be bewitched with the breath
of life so I can enjoy my fulfillment forever. Sat Naam. (Let the breath go.)
BALANCING THE CHAKRAS
This eight-week curriculum was created by Ram Nam Kaur (Kathleen)
Muniz, of Orland Park, Illinois.
You live by breath. You can get everything from your breath of life. Now
please speak to your breath. Talk to it. Pray with it. This is life relationship:
you and your breath.
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THE 10 BODIES
Originally taught in 2003 as a 90-minute class series by Shakta Kaur
Kezios of Chicago, Illinois.
Shakta used three primary sources when originally creating this curriculum:
Tantric Numerology by Guruchander Singh Khalsa, D.C.; The Ten Light
Bodies of Consciousness (currently out-of-print) by KRI CEO Nirvair Singh
Khalsa; and The Mind by Yogi Bhajan, Ph.D. and KRI Director of Training,
Gurucharan Singh Khalsa, Ph.D.
Since then, Siri Atma Singh Khalsa, M.D., published Waves of Healing in 2009,
which contains previously unpublished kriyas for the ten bodies along with other
information that might be useful as you design your own ten bodies curriculum.
Class One: Kriya: Awakening to Your 10 Bodies (AT, pp. 337-338); Gong for
Deep Relaxation; Laya Yoga Meditation at the end of Kriya.
Class Two: Kriya for the Second Body (Negative Mind) (The Ten Light Bodies
of Consciousness (TLBC), Nirvair Singh Khalsa, pp. 3437, kriyas available at
www.shaktkakaur.com); Gong for Deep Relaxation; Meditation for the Positive Mind (third body) (The Mind, Yogi Bhajan, Ph.D., p. 154).
Class Three: Kriya for the Fourth Body (Neutral Mind) (TLBC, NSK, pp.
6569); Gong for Deep Relaxation; Pet Ardas Meditation (Mul Mantra)
(KRI International Teacher Training Certification Level One, 3-Ring Binder
Manual, 1998), p. 277).
Class Four: 1) Kriya for Physical and Mental Vitality (Kundalini Yoga Manual edited by Rama Kirn Singh (currently out-of-print), pp. 1516 (kriya
available at www.shaktakaur.com) and/or in Kundalini Yoga by Shakta
Kaur Khalsa, pp. 9495); Gong for Deep Relaxation; Meditation for the
Physical Body (The Kundalini Yoga Experience, Guru Dharam Khalsa and
Darryl OKeefe), p. 110.
Class Five: Sixth & Seventh Bodies. Kriya for Balancing the Three Psyches
(Reaching Me in Me, pp. 910) and Kriya For Strengthening the Aura
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Weighty Matters
Curriculum created by Kirinpal Kaur (Ruth Richman) of Prince Edward
Island (PEI), Canada.
5 min. Warm-Up Kriya: Sat Kriya (Aquarian Teacher, Level 1 Instructional Yoga Manual, p. 348.)
28 min. Main Kriya: Conscious Rebirthing (full times), (Self Experience,
p.4). 8.5 minute Meditation included in the kriya.
15 min. Deep Relaxation: 5 minutes leading students into and out of deep
relaxation, 5 minutes of the Gong, 5 minutes of playing I am the
Light of the Soul (Gurudass Kaur on European Yoga Festival CD).
5 min. Closing: May the Long Time Sun; three long Sat Nams; Yogi Bhajan
quote: You can never get rid of your fear, you can never get rid of
your pain, doesnt matter what effort you make, until you have the
guts to forgive yourself. Just forgive yourself. And/or closing prayer.
Total: 60 minutes
Three key skills: 1. Baby Pose; 2. Sat Kriya; 3. Belly pumping
Three key concepts: 1. Mantra; 2. Sadhanaimportance of daily practice;
3. Kriyas are an effective series of postures designed for a purpose dont have
to be perfectjust lean in the right direction and you will gain benefits!
Class 2: Climbing Out from Under the Blockages
5 min. Tune In: Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo and Golden Chain
32 min. Kriya: To Relieve Inner Anger (Kundalini Yoga, Shakta Kaur
Khalsa, pp 106109). Full times. Ends with a 5 minute relaxation.
7 min. Relaxation: continues.
11 min. Meditation: Meditation to Release the Past Especially Childhood
Anger (Meditation as Medicine, Dr. Dharma Singh Khalsa, MD,
pp. 182); 7 minutes of meditation not including getting them into
and out of the mediation. .
5 min. Closing: May the Long Time Sun; three long Sat Nams; closing prayer.
Total: 60 minutes
Three key skills: 1. Self massage; 2. Celibate Pose Bends; 3. Breath of Fire
(contained in Kriya).
Three key concepts: 1. We are designed to feel good!; 2. Inner anger blocks
your relationship with others and yourself; 3. We carry anger from childhoodthis is as good a time as any to let it go!
Class 3: Angry? Whos Angry?
5 min. Tune In: Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo and Golden Chain
5 min. Warm Up: Medical Meditation for the Thyroid Gland (Meditation as Medicine, Dr. Dharma Singh Khalsa, MD, p.238); full
times.
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5 min. Tune In: Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo and Golden Chain
4 min. Warm up: 3 rounds of Surya Namaskar
26 min. Kriya: Kriya for State of Mind and Paranoia (half times), Kundalini
Yoga for Youth and Joy, pp 3940)
5 min. Relaxation
15 min. Meditation: Parasympathetic Rejuvenation Gong Meditation,
Aquarian Teacher (AT), p. 446)
5 min. Closing: May the Long Time Sun; 3 long Sat Nam; closing prayer
Total: 60 minutes
Three key skills: 1. Bridge Pose; 2. Reverse Lion Pose; 3. Yogi Sit-ups.
Three key concepts: 1. Pituitary, thyroid and parathyroid glands, weight loss;
2. Jaap Sahib; 3. Kundalini Yogas effect on the parasympathetic nervous system.
13 min. Meditation: Meditation for Stress Relief and Resolving Issues from
the Past (Meditation as Medicine, Dr. Dharma Singh Khalsa, p
223).11 minutes of the meditation plus instructions and benefits.
? min.
Dance, (time permitting).
5 min. Closing: May the Long Time Sun; 3 long Sat Nams and closing
quote and/or prayer
Total: 60 minutes
Three key skills: 1. Slowing the breath4 breaths a minute; 2. Venus Lock;
3. Gazing at the tip of the nose eye focus.
Three key concepts: 1. Mention the power of gazing at the tip of the nose.;
2. Lighter (in mind) is better!; 3. The power of slowing the breath
Class 6: Prosperity And Fulfillment
5 min. Tune In: Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo and Golden Chain
30 min. Kriya: Beginners Cleansing Set(Sadhana Guidelines, p 106 full times)
5 min. Relaxation (included at the end of the kriya)
10 min. More relaxation (total of 5 minutes led into deep relaxation, 5
minutes of the gong, 2 minutes of silence and 3 minutes to lead
them out of deep relaxation.)
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E-mail: satyaprem@pasosyoga.com/ortizmyr@gmail.com
Telephone: 787.509.4674|Web page: www.pasosyoga.com
Mailing Address: Cond. Torres del Escorial 4008, Ave. Sur.
Apt. 4301, Carolina, PR 00987
Overall Theme
Three key skills and three key concepts taught to students in each days class
are also listed here.
Class 1: Balance Your Three Psyches
Kriya: Exercises for the Heart Center (Reaching Me in Me, pp. 1718)
Meditation: I am, I am (AT, P.433) (using track #4 of Sat Kartar Kaurs Flow CD).
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3 Key Concepts: 1) When working the heart you also work the thymus gland
which is responsible for a strong, functioning immune system. 2) Glands
(i.e., the Endocrine System) are the guardians of your health. 3) Pranayam
increases blood circulation all over your body.
3 Key Skills: 1) Crow Pose 2) Cobra Pose 3) Body Drops (legs stretched out in
front, hands at sides on the floor. Raise and drop the body. 3) Bow Pose.
Components of Class #3
5 min. Tune In: Includes the Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo, connecting
with the space, theme of the class with some pointers
16.5 min. Kriya: Whole times, without transitions
3.5 min. Transitions
6 min. Relaxation: Meditation included in kriya
15 min. Relaxation
11 min. Meditation: I Am, I Am meditation
2 min. Explanation of the Mudra and chant
5 min. Long Time Sunshine Song and Sat Nam; Asking to bring someone
to their mind, chant, and reading a Yogi Bhajan quote
Total: 59 minutes
Class 4: Keep Disease Away
Pranayam: Immune System Booster: The Inner Sun (Aquarian Teacher, p. 391)
Kriya: Strengthening the Aura (Aquarian Teacher, p. 349)
Meditation: The Divine Shield Meditation (Aquarian Teacher, p.418)
3 Key Concepts: 1) The Aura is the electromagnetic field that surrounds the
body. It is your protection, your shield from negative people, situations and
illness. 2) The aura is also your projection. Your projection is an attitude
of mind to approach action in a certain way. 3) All illness comes into the
aura first, if you can heal yourself auricly, illness cannot penetrate your body
(Aquarian Teacher, p.202).
3 Key Skills: 1) Surya Mudra (touch the pad of the ring finger with the pad
of the thumb). 2) Triangle pose (lift the hips so the body forms a triangle). 3)
The 2nd exercise mudra (extend left arm forward parallel to the ground, palm
facing to the right. Bring right arm beneath the left wrist. Right palm faces the
back of the left hand. Lock the right hand fingers over the left hand fingers).
Components of Class #4
5 min. Tune In: Includes the Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo, connecting
with the space, theme of the class with some pointers
3 min. Pranayam: Immune System Booster
24
can enter your field and provoke reaction. 3) There are many challenges and
lessons in life in the midst of which you can stay strong based on the conviction of your consciousness.
3 key Skills: 1) 1st exercise mudra (keep the fingers tightly together at chin
level as you chant 2) Forward Bend (extend legs, bend forward and grab the
toes, ankles or thighs keeping the back straight; it is more about bringing the
heart to the thighs than about bringing the nose to the knees). 3) Gunpati
Kriya uses a mudra that moves. Chant the mantra on a single breath as you
press the pads of the fingertips sequentially with the thumb on each syllable).
Components of Class #6
5 min. Tune In: Includes the Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo, connecting
with the space, theme of the class with some pointers
14 min. Kriya: Strength to Sacrifice, Whole times, no transitions
1.5 min Transitions
15 min. Relaxation: Includes guided Relaxation
13 min. Meditation: Gunpati Kriya meditation
2 min. Explanation of the Meditation, Mantra and Mudra
5 min. Long Time Sunshine Song and Sat Nam; Asking to bring someone
to their mind, chant, and reading a Yogi Bhajan quote
Total: 55.5 minutes
This curriculum was designed to ease the transition from fall into winter
in the northern hemisphere. It was originally compiled and used by
Shakta Kaur Kezios in 2005 as a series of eight 90-minute classes.
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Class Notes
The pregnancy yoga sets from www.socalbirth.org were shared by Gurmukh
Kaur Khalsa (Golden Bridge).
The kriyas used in weeks 3 and 6 were modified by Yogi Bhajan for pregnancy. The meditations used are all standard Kundalini yoga meditations.
In addition to Conscious Pregnancy, edited by Tarn Taran Kaur Khalsa and
Bountiful, Beautiful, Blissful by Gurmukh, the I Am A Woman manual,
edited by Sat Purkh Kaur Khalsa, is a good resource.
For more general information about yoga asanas for each trimester refer to
Tools for Teaching Prenatal Yoga by Brenda K. Plakans available at www.
yogajournal.com. These are 3 separate papers, one for each trimester.
Gurmukh also has a pre-natal and post-natal DVD available which is useful for those just beginning to teach pre-natal yoga or for students who want
guidance during their home practice.
The Guidelines for Teaching Pregnancy Yoga Based on the teachings of Yogi
Bhajan by Tarn Taran Kaur Khalsa provides good basic information about
teacher responsibilities, what to emphasize, what restrictions to honor, how to
make the classes appropriately challenging, and basic positions for pregnancy
yoga. These Guidelines are attached in the Resource section of this document.
Mantra
The Adi Shakti Mantra is used in every class in some way to call upon the
creative feminine energy. There are many versions using different rhythms
to suit a particular class. Remind students of the benefits of chanting the Adi
Shakti both before and after their 120th day of pregnancy.
Guru Guru Wahe Guru Guru Ram Das Guru: there are many versions suitable
for a pregnancy yoga class. Encourage the students to ask for the miracle they
want in their lives as they listen to and/or chant the mantra during class.
The Divine Birth CD by Snatam Kaur includes many beautiful mantras and
shabds to elevate the consciousness of the mother and unborn child. The Adi
Shakti on this CD is perfect for an 11-minute meditation.
Mothers Blessing, also by Snatam, along with her mother, Prabhu Nam Kaur,
has several tracks useful for a pre-natal series.
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This curriculum was created for a series of five morning classes taught
in Rishikesh, India, at the Purnanava Ayurveda and Yoga Conference,
February 1822, 2011, by Shakta Kaur Kezios of Chicago, Illinois. Each
class was two hours in length.
The mantra of the tattvas is Sa Ta Na Ma. Many of the kriyas and meditations chosen for this series used the mantra Sa Ta Na Ma. Ungali Pranayam,
which uses the mantra Sa Ta Na Ma, was used in all five classes so that students could gain experience and claim mastery of this one practice.
The five tattvas also have five projections. Earths projection is greed; waters
projection is lust; fires projection is anger; airs projection is attachment; and
ethers projection is pride. We cannot remove these projections, but, we can
learn to channel them positively.
Class One (Earth): Ungali Pranayam (Kundalini Meditation Manual for
Intermediate Students, p. 56). Kriya: Balance of Prana and Apana (Physical
Wisdom, pp. 2829). Meditation: Kirtan Kriya (Aquarian Teacher Level 1
Manual, p. 425 (1st ed.)/p. 99 (2nd ed.).
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Background
Gladstone Chiropractic held both a spring and summer series of Kundalini
Yoga classes. Their Kundalini Yoga teacher wanted to spur even greater interest in their fall series of Kundalini Yoga classes. She asked for a workshop
to be created, to appeal both to her experienced Kundalini Yoga students
and for any of the many Hatha Yoga practitioners in the neighborhood who
might decide to join them for the first-time.
6 pmIntro and Tune-In
Your actions, words and thoughts are the key to a peaceful future both
for yourself and for the world. Your soul projects into the world via your
magnetic field. When that magnetic field is strong, it automatically filters
out negative influences and resonates with the energy of the Infinite
magnetic field.
Tonight we manifest the peace that is always at your core with Kundalini
Yoga postures, deep yogic breathing, sacred syllables called mantra and the
profound rest that only the gong can bring.
6:15 pmKriya: Working the Total Self (Kundalini Yoga Manual, edited by
Rama Kirn Singh, pp. 3741).
7:15 pmDeep relaxation with the gong.
7:35 pmHealing with the Siri Gaitri Mantra (Aquarian Teacher Level 1
Manual, p. 422 (1st ed.)/p. 96 (2nd ed.).
[Suggestion: Put the students in a circle for this meditation. Suggest that they
may lie down in the center of the circle for however long they might want to
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experience the mantra. They do not need to chant while lying down in the
center of the circle.]
7:55 pmLong Time Sunshine Song. Conversation with students during Yogi
Tea and cookies!
Connecting Women For Peace
A 4-hour workshop designed as a fund-raiser for a non-profit organization.
fee is going to Peace X Peace in order that they can continue their important
work.
4:30 pm[If time and energy allows a second kriya.] Kriya: Strengthening the
Aura (Aquarian Teacher Level 1 Manual, p. 349 (1st ed.)/p. 23 (2nd ed.).
[If no time for a second kriya, then allow the women to remain in their circle
and choose one of the following three meditations:]
Meditation #1: Healing Ring of Tantra (Aquarian Teacher Level 1 Manual, p.
421 (1st ed.)/p. 95 (2nd ed.) [Only to be done on the days of the Full Moon,
the New Moon, and the 11th day of the New Moon, with a minimum of 11
people].
Meditation #2: Mahan Jap (Linked Jap) (Aquarian Teacher Level 1 Manual,
p. 430 (1st ed.)/p. 104 (2nd ed.); also found in Kundalini Meditation Manual for Intermediate Students, p. 48 and Transformations Vol. 2, p. 110.)
Meditation #3: Group Solidarity Meditation (Vitality & Stress Level 2
Manual, pp. 218 and 220; also, Transformations Vol. 2, p. 109)
4:55 pmLong Time Sunshine Song and prayer
[Suggestion: Once you schedule a local fundraising workshop be sure to notify the local media. The publisher of YOGAChicago magazine learned about
the Connecting Women for Peace workshop, attended and was moved enough
to write the article that you see here:]
Connecting Women for PeaceA Yoga Day USA Event
By Sharon Steffensen
On January 28, many yoga studios celebrated Yoga Day USA by offering
workshops with benefits going to charitable organizations. Yoga Day USA is
an annual nationwide celebration to raise awareness about yoga and was created in 1999 by Yoga Alliance, a non-profit organization that sets educational
standards for yoga schools and teachers.
This year Kundalini in the Loop (KYL) offered a workshop, Connecting
Women for Peace, as a fundraiser for Peace x Peace (Peace by Peace), a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., dedicated to improving the
status of women around the world and to building sustainable peace. Through
the Internet, it facilitates direct online communication between women-led
groups (called Circles) across the U.S. and Sister Circles around the world.
Special guest Linda Higdon, partnership development director of Peace x
Peace, defined the organization as a grass-roots, global womens movement,
bypassing government and media, to connect sister groups with one another.
Examples of groups might be nurses against violence, yoga studios work34
ing with grandmothers who are raising orphans, women from Kenya selling
beads in the U.S., groups teaching women how to get jobs [or provide] home
schooling, explained Linda. As of last October, there were 351 Sister Circles
in 47 countries, including Cote dIvoire, Kenya, India, Bosnia, Argentina,
Brazil, Afghanistan and Iraq. The Circles are supported by 275 professional
translators who help facilitate the connections.
KYL director Shakta Kaur opened the workshop by leading us in a mantra
to center ourselves. We then practiced specific kundalini yoga exercises while
chanting mantras to clear each of our charkas. After a deep relaxation, during which Shakta played the gong, and practicing another technique to calm
the heart, we watched an award-winning documentary about Peace x Peace
entitled, Peace x Peace, Women on the Frontlines.
The film featured women from Bosnia, Chile, Argentina, Burundi,
NewYork City and other places, who described not only their personal tragedies of war and loss, but also how they are now improving their lives. Some are
developing businesses through loans that have been made available to them.
(7,000 loans have been made to the women since Peace x Peace began in January, 2002.) We saw women who were able to buy chickens, a cow or material
to make gloves and, with the profits, grow their businesses and employ others.
Other women are connecting with others to further their education and educate their children. One message from the film is that when women become
independent, they have responsibility and the power that comes with it.
Here are some facts we learned from the film:
During World War I, 16% of the casualties were civilians. Now, 8090% of
the war casualties are civilians, and most of them are women and children.
200,000,000 girls worldwide have no education, and two-thirds of the
people in the world who are illiterate are women.
There are 50,000,000 refugees; 80% are women and children.
Women constitute 14% of the lawmakers in the world, but in the U.S.,
France and Japan, less than 12% are women.
Some of the comments of women in the film were: Women need to be at
the negotiation table; the attitude of [many men] is that peace is possible
when everybody is dead.
Be peaceful in your own life. Open the door for somebody. Let someone
get in front of you. Forgive others for the sake of peace. The telling of the
stories connects each of us and allows for healing to take place.
Peace is the capacity to break the cycle of violencenot seeking revenge.
Your own security is tied in with the security of your neighbors. Much of the
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war on terror is treating the symptoms; we are not looking at the cause of the
disease.
From our strength we are building another world. Organize yourselves.
Anything in the world is possible because women are leading the fight for
change. We can get to know each other and erase all boundaries. Nothing can
work in our world unless we make peace, and the only way we can make peace
is in our hearts. Recognize all of us. Lets be part of each others livesthen we
can help each other. Life is a gift. Take care of it.
A woman from New York City made the point that War will continue to
destroy the environment in which we live. Referring to 9/11, she suggested we
pay homage to the victims by spreading love and peace and not by demanding
revenge.
After the film, we sat in a circle to share our thoughts and feelings. We also
remembered the women here in the U.S. who are abused and battered. We
ended the workshop chanting a mantra, Wha-Hay Guru, as we held hands.
Shakta Kaur translated the mantra to mean Wow, God, or the indescribable joy of going from the darkness to the light.
For more information about Peace x Peace, visit Peacexpeace.org. For information about Kundalini in the Loop, visit shaktakaur.com.
Yoga For The ArtistAnd Anyone Else Wanting To Awaken
The Artist Within!
A 3-hour workshop based upon the teachings of Yogi Bhajan
[Note: This workshop was designed and conducted in September 2008 for a group of artistsin-residence at the Fine Arts Building (FAB) in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was co-taught by
Meherbani Kaur (Chelsea) Schwartz and Shakta Kaur Kezios.]
home and incorporate into your daily life. There is no need to take notes unless you really want to. Wed prefer that you have an xperience today and
read the words about what you experienced later!
Yogi Bhajan, who brought Kundalini Yoga to the west in 1968, said once
that all art is worship of God. I know you must feel that way when the spark
of creativity is flowing. But, what happens when you feel stuck? You might
have writers block or you simply cant think of a creative way out of a sticky
situation. Well, with some of the tools well share with you today, you will
have several new levers to use whenever you need a boost of energy, a pat on
the back or the silent whisper of inspiration to come your way, all of which
allow the creative juices to flow.
Well also talk a bit about the negative tapes running around in our head
from time-to-time and how to turn that negative talk into positive affirmations. Positive thoughts are the basis of our contentment and prosperity. And,
we all want to see more prosperous, creative people in our lives and in our
world. We want to be those prosperous, creative people!
2:15 pmKriya: Set for Creativity (The Kundalini Yoga Experience, Guru
Dharam Singh Khalsa and Darryl OKeefe, pp. 8890) and deep relaxation
with the gong. Meditation for a Calm Heart (Meditation as Medicine, Dr.
Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D., p. 218 also Aquarian Teacher Level 1 Manual,
p. 395 (1st ed.) and p. 65 (2nd ed.)
3:45 pmBreak
4 pmShare with one another. Discussion about affirmations and negative
thoughts
4:45 pmThree Minutes to Energy, Creativity and Prosperity (Kundalini Yoga,
Shakta Kaur Khalsa, pp. 130131)
4:55 pmLong Time Sunshine Song
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Kaur taught this one-hour version of the Lunar Woman at the Punarnava
Ayurveda and Yoga Conference held in Rishikesh, India, in 2008.]
Japji Sahib: The Song Of The Soul
A 2-hour workshop to delve into the sacred sounds of Japji.
[Note: This workshop was developed in 2006 as an introductory 2-hour course. It was later
expanded to a 3-hour workshop in 2007. The hand-out provided on page 56 was used for
both the 2- and 3-hour version. Copies of Japji were also provided to the students.]
stimulates the 84 meridian points on the roof of the mouth which in turn
stimulates the hypothalamus which in turn stimulates the pineal gland. The
pineal gland radiates and stimulates the pituitary gland.
Japji is part of the technology of shabd (to erase the ego). Even in our darkest
hour, reciting Japji connects us to the greatest part of life, to the consciousness
of the saint, Guru Nanak himself. The consciousness of perfection is produced.
We become part of creation, full and abundant. We feel complete. We recognize that God speaks to us in every moment and we begin to acknowledge everything in our life as an act of Gods kindness. That is the gift of Guru Nanaks
Japji to the world.
We begin by listening to the sound current of Japji and following along in
our booklets.
6:20 pm: Play Bani Pro 1 (approx. 20 minutes)
6:45 pm: Kundalini Yoga to Balance the Head and Heart (Kundalini Yoga,
Shakta Kaur Khalsa, pp. 92-93)
7 pm: Deep relaxation with the gong
7:15 pm: Meditation to Get Rid of Fear & Split Personalities (The Masters
Touch, pp. 176177) for 37 minutes
7:30 pm: Discuss effects of the pauris of Japji (see hand-out). Suggest chanting one pauri 11 times each day as a 40-day sadhana. Use the 25th pauri,
Bahuta Karam, as an example. (Play Livtar Singhs Bahuta Karam CD, available from Invicible Music).
7:55 pm: Closing remarks and Long Time Sunshine Song. Serve Yogi Tea and
converse with students.
[Suggestion: Order free copies of Japji Sahib for everyone in this workshop
by contacting walnut101@yahoo.com or www.sikhlink.com. Let them
know how many copies youll need. Again, these copies are mailed to you
complimentary.]
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You are ready to begin teaching Kundalini Yoga and Meditation and youd like plenty of new students to join your
classes. But, what do you need to do to attract and build
your yoga business? How much time will it take? And,
where do you start?
With an entire world to influence you might be surprised that your initial
marketing activities will remarkably resemble a train just starting to move out
of the station! As you know, most trains beginning their journeys move quite
s_l_o_w_l_y! Your marketing train will probably chug-a-lug along with
a few fits and stops until enough momentum builds up so that it can glide
alongseemingly--smoothly and effortlessly.
A train typically has three types of cars--an engine, passenger cars and a
caboose. Similarly, you have a marketing train of techniques from which to
choose to announce your yoga business to the world. All of these techniques
fit into one of three categories of activityactive, passive or database.
First, lets talk about the active things that you do to get your marketing
message out into the world. These active marketing techniques are just like a
trains engine. They are what drive your yoga business. Handing out your
business card to everyone you meet is active. Including an offer to try the first
class for half-price on the back of your business card makes it even more active.
Second, are the passenger cars. These are the more passive kinds of marketing tools; like telling someone, I have a website. A website is almost impossible not to have in todays world of the internet, however, a website functions
simply as a billboard unless it puts people in your classes. Offering to e-mail a
special meditation to everyone who registers at your website will turn that once
passive website into an active tool that could begin to drive your business.
Finally, there are the things you do to keep in touch with people. We call
these activities database marketing. The database, much like the caboose of a
train, is bringing up the rear by gathering information that will benefit you
in the long-run. Collecting your students e-mail addresses and storing them
electronically is a database activity. But, picking up the telephone and calling
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10 people in your database each week to invite them to your next class can
turn your database into an active marketing tool.
Ideas For Your Train
The list below contains a sampling of marketing options available to you.
Some of these options might flow quite easily, feel natural and will, obviously,
work best for you right now. Other options you may need time to investigate,
trying one or two of them on for size to see how you do before adding them
to your permanent list of ideas for your personal marketing train.
As an exercise, indicate on a piece of paper which of these ideas you would
consider Active (A), Passive (P) or Database (D) marketing techniques. Then
indicate in order of priority several ideas in each category (Active, Passive or
Database) that flow easily, feel natural and might work best for you right now.
FF Public speaking
FF Workshops, Seminars
FF Retreats
FF Free Classes
FF Demo at health fair
FF Tele-classes
FF Networking
FF Tell everyone you meet
FF Invite your friends
FF Contact studios, gyms
FF E-mail people you know
FF Send out an announcement
FF Be interviewed on radio
FF Booth at conference/show
FF Write article in local giveaways
FF Article written about you
FF Write a book
FF Audio/ Video class or sample
FF Form Strategic alliances
FF Use your Centers of Influence
groups
FF Get students to bring a friend
FF Pass out flyers
FF Cable network show/interview
FF Volunteer your skills
FF Electronic newsletter
FF E-mail signature
FF Be listed in magazine/web directories
FF Brochure
FF Advertise
FF Direct mail offers
FF Sponsor an event
FF Clever business card
FF Giveaways, promotional items
FF Coupons, gift certificates
FF Website, links with others
FF Go where your target market goes
marketing than teaching, you will know that you are in the correct place.
Sitting passively in front of a computer screen spending most of your time
designing your marketing brochures, fliers and business cards is not what were
talking about. If you intend on becoming a full-time yogi, half of your time
will be spent teaching. The other half of your time will, of necessity, be spent
on actively setting up your marketing infrastructure so that you can teach.
Eventually, you will need to set up a system that not only invites students
into your classes but one that will encourage them to return again and again.
You may have to think about recruiting someone to oversee some of those more
passive aspects of your marketing that can no longer be handled solely by you.
That is one of the first signs of recognizing that your marketing train* is on its
way. While gliding along the tracks smoothly may not go without a hitch at
this point, you now have momentum. And, that momentum is going to bring
you closer than ever towards the creation of the yoga business of your dreams!
*Shakta Kaur gratefully acknowledge that the concept of a marketing train was taught to her
by business building coach, Michael Charest, President of Business Growth Solutions, in a
prosperity tele-conference series that he co-taught with GuruMeher Singh Khalsa of Los Angeles,
California, USA (gurumeher@earthlink.net). Contact Michael Charest for more information
by contacting him at dreamcoach@aol.com or by visiting his website at www.bgsllc.com.
I dont know how to do that, is what new yoga teachers often say when
they look at artfully designed promotional material. But, learning how to
create an attractive flier to announce your yoga classes or workshops is easier
than you might think. And, it is becoming necessary to learn how to do so in
some of todays crowded yoga markets.
Using the Gong & Mantra sample flier provided at the addresses on page
56 as an example is a good place to start. This flier can be created two-up on a
standard 8.5 X 11 sheet of paper.
To begin with, you need some Graphic Software to create interesting
effects in text and photos. The industry standard is Photoshop by Adobe. You
can purchase the light version called Photoshop Elements for about $90. It
is a good investment with lots of tools for creative effects. In fact, we used
Photoshop Elements to create the Gong & Mantra flier.
You will also need word processor software to create your fliers. A very
good free package is called Open Office. It competes directly with the
very expensive Microsoft Office Suite. You can download the free software
at OpenOffice.org (includes word processor, spreadsheet, database, and
presentation modules).
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Using both of these inexpensive tools can help put your yoga business
on the map. You will craft an appealing yet professional image that invites
people into your classes. Then all youll have to do is provide them with the
experience so they will come back againand againand again!
Charging For Yoga ClassesFive Steps To Success
by Shakta Kaur Kezios, Kundalini Yoga in the Loop (KYL), Chicago, IL, USA, shakta@shaktakaur.com.
Unless youre beginning your teaching career in an established yoga studio or health club where the fees are pre-set a
new Kundalini Yoga teacher can be unsure about how much
money to charge for a yoga class. Add to this the notion
among some yogis that money is somehow not spiritual
and you have all the ingredients for a difficult beginning.
Here are five simple steps to take that will ensure success and help you determine what you should charge all at the same time:
1. Research Local Classes.
2. Determine Your Market.
3. Set Your Prices.
4. Persist.
5. Gurudakshina.
Research
No matter what is happening nationally, your local market provides the best
source of information to help you price your new yoga classes properly. Begin
on-line by locating yoga studios, health clubs, community centers, churches
and any other place in your community where yoga classes are taught. Visit
their websites or call to find out what they are charging for their classes. Ask
the same questions when you do your research and write down your answers.
Questions you might ask include What is a) the length of yoga classes offered; b) the price for an individual class; c) the price for a package of classes;
d) the price for an unlimited number of yoga classes per month; e) are yoga
mats, cushions, blankets and other props provided for students or must they
bring their own; f ) do you rent space to outside teachers, and, if so, what do
you charge; g) are you looking for any substitute teachers; and h) thank you!
Your MarketThe Students
Determine if your market (i.e., who youre going to teach) is the same as
the places you are researching. In other words, if the community center you
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called offers one gentle yoga class mid-mornings determine if that is also
your market. Or, would you prefer to teach a noon class to business people
on their lunch breaks? As you do your research you should target similar
types of classes to the ones you desire to teach. That way, you will be comparing apples to apples and not apples to oranges.
Your market (i.e., who youre going to teach) focus might change as you
do your research. For example, you might decide you want to teach stayat-home moms in your area. But then you find out that everyone is teaching stay-at-home moms! Your area is already flush with those kinds of yoga
classes. You may decide at this point to change your target and focus on the
after-work crowd. On the other hand, you could also decide at this point to
offer something unique, that no one else is offering to stay-at-home moms
like Kundalini Yoga and Meditation. You would still use the other stayat-home moms yoga class prices to inform your pricing decision, but, your
research has educated you. Youve gained some very valuable information
about your target market.
Price Setting
When setting class prices dont set them too low. Some use the strategy to
have the lowest priced yoga classes in the local area. This is not necessarily
a bad strategy, but, it is not necessarily a good one, either! You have to ask
yourself if customers will perceive they are receiving as much value if they
were paying more money for their yoga classes. Some people are snobby
like that, you know! If your plan is to teach in an affluent section of your
community this is very important to consider in your pricing strategy.
Another reason not to set your prices too low is that it is never easy to raise
prices after you find out that you are positioned well below market price. Low
prices can be a good thing, too. But, you must let everyone knowmany,
many timesthat you offer the least expensive yoga experience in town.
Students shop around and there are only so many yoga dollars in everyones
pocket. So, if you decide to set your prices lower than other yoga classes
nearby then that fact needs to be trumpeted on your business card, on your
Facebook page, under the signature line in your e-mail messages, etc.
According to www.costhelper.com the average cost of single drop-in sessions
for a 60-minute class at yoga studios and fitness centers across the United States
is $12. Some instructors in metropolitan and coastal areas charge as much as
$16 (60-minute class). CostHelper.com notes that health clubs often offer unlimited yoga classes to clients as part of their overall membership package.
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Package Deals
Prices decrease when students purchase multiple sessions. Studios in California, Texas, Nebraska and North Dakota offer packages of five sessions for
$50 to $75 and 10 sessions range from $90 to $135. At Kundalini Yoga in the
Loop (KYL) in Chicago, Illinois, USA, a six-class package is offered. When
you buy five classes upfront you receive the sixth class free.
Some studios offer monthly bundles for a flat fee. At San Franciscos Yoga
Tree, you can take up to 30 yoga classes per month for $190. Chicagos KYL
offers an unlimited monthly pass for $140. That means that someone could
take 40 classes a month at KYL for $140. (No one has ever taken even 20
classes in one month at KYL, by the way!)
As a show of support, friends and family members might be enticed to purchase an unlimited annual pass from you as you start out in your yoga teaching career! This type of fee ranges from $800 to $1500 per year, depending
upon the number of yoga classes you offer.
Remember to build automatic expiration dates into any bundled yoga class
passes that you sell. Find out how long a yoga class pass is good for at each of the
yoga centers you call in your area. Then, set your own expiration date. 90 days is
fairly typical. If someone does not use all five class sessions within 90 days, for example, the pass automatically expires. You could also decide to be more generous
and offer a 120-day or four-month expiration from date of purchase. Whatever
policy you decide to use, stick to it and do not waver. Students will recognize
your seriousness about running a yoga business and will respect you for that.
Of course from time-to-time, an emergency surgery or unexpected business
trip out of the country may keep a student away from your studio for longer
than the expiration date on your class pass. But, you then have the ability to
decide on an individual basis if you will extend the expiration date in such an
unusual circumstance. Be ready for the few students who will continually try
to test your policies, too!
Private Sessions
Eventually you will be asked to teach a private Kundalini Yoga and Meditation session. Someone might feel uncomfortable coming to a class full of
strangers. This is especially true if they are new to the yoga scene in general.
Be clear that private sessions are much more expensive than coming in for
a regular class. When pricing private sessions be sure to begin by asking the
client what amount of money they want to spend. Simply ask, Do you have
a budget in mind? Then be sure what you ask for is either equal to or higher
46
than what the client offers. If you must travel to their location, charge for
your travel time from the time you leave home until you get to the clients
location and do the same on the way back.
It is not unusual for a private yoga session to cost at least $108 an hour
(even $150 or $300 per hour in some cities) plus $54 per hour of transport
time to and from the session (or, simply charge two hourly fees to cover your
transportation time and expenses). If the private client is willing to pay for
a series of, say, 10 sessions upfront then you may choose to discount your
hourly teaching rate.
Trade
Barter deals can be a good idea especially when youre starting out as a
Kundalini Yoga instructor. The idea is to trade yoga classes hour-for-hour for
a service that you use, like massages or fresh cooked meals. Dont use barter
or trade for something that you really need like the services of a student as
an assistant. Many times, the student doesnt show up and youre left doing
the work yourself! The difficulty about barter is that people can sometimes
be lazy in delivering on their part of the deal. If you want to trade assistant
duties for yoga classes be sure you have several back-up assistants. That way,
if your first choice is unable to show up when needed youll have the availability of an alternate helper.
Record Everything
Your record keeping is extremely important in all of the above situations. If
you are just starting out, a hand-written journal of who bought what class
pass, how they paid for it, the expiration date and a place to indicate how
many classes they have taken will be important records to keep. You do not
want to have to handle disputes about money. And, your record keeping will
inevitably become important as students often forget how many sessions they
have used.
Do not let a student get behind in paying for their yoga classes, either.
Remember, in Kundalini Yoga if they come empty-handed, they leave emptyhanded (Aquarian Teacher Level 1 Textbook, p. 271).
Right from the start you should consider accepting credit cards either via
PayPal or GoogleCheckOut. Once you have more than three yoga classes in
any one week it is time to consider using on on-line yoga class scheduling
service.*
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Persist
Expect to build your class count slowly but surely. This is not a get-rich-quick
scheme. What that means is that you are going to have to persist through the
one- and two-student classes that you inevitably will teach. Be grateful for
each and every student that comes to a class. After the Long Time Sunshine
Song and three Long Sat Nams, always say thank you. Announce a special
workshop that youll teach or another upcoming event. Always invite them
to return for another powerful Kundalini Yoga and Meditation experience.
After several months of diligence, the word-of-mouth from current student
and your increased use of marketing techniques (like those described in Your
Marketing Train) will have your classes growing exponentially.
Gurudakshina
Give back. Every Kundalini Yoga teacher learns about gurudakshina while in Level 1 Teacher Training (Aquarian Teacher Level 1 Textbook, p. 293). Gurudakshina
is tithing 11% of your yoga class earnings to the source of the Teachings. Giving
gurudakshina is an expression of gratitude for the technology that you are now
able to teach. If youve never contributed to gurudakshina and your yoga classes
are not growing to the size you think they should, that may be the reason!**
Heres a fun game to start with yourself. Send in more than 11% to see what
will happen. I did this when I started out as a Kundalini Yoga instructor. If I
wanted six new students to show up for class I would pay enough gurudakshina for six new studentsin advance. Guess what happened? Those six or
eight or 10 new studentswhatever I sent in advanceactually showed up
each week! I really enjoyed the give-and-take in this game that I began to play
with the Universe. It was, however, the mega-multiplying effect of gurudakshina that had kicked in, my attitude about tithing had changed and the universe
responded in kind.
There are only five steps needed to figure out how much you should charge
for a yoga class. Do your research, determine your market, set your prices, persist and give back. The results will be a steady client base, a growing income
and the satisfaction of seeing the growth of the Kundalini Yoga community
around you.
*For additional details on using credit card and on-line scheduling services,
see Establish Yourself on the Internet.
**E-mail upmak@3HO.org to find out the most convenient way for you to
make your gurudakshina payments.
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Students must know where to find you! And the only placethat is stationary these days is in the virtual world of the internet. An internet address (also
called a domain name) provides a single, unchanging, location for your
business. You should obtain your own, private top-level domain name (such
as www.YogaByMe.com) rather than being added as a sub-domain on an
existing website (such as, yogabyme.yogajournal.com)a sub-domain is
not yours and, therefore, not permanent. Continuity of your location, your
name, and your brand are vital to the growth of your business. Your physical
address will change and your phone number will likely change; but a private
domain name will assure a single point of reference for your business.
Also, a private domain name allows a more professional looking email address. Which address looks better to you: my_big_long_name@gmail.com or
Me@YogaByMe.com? Also, a quick note on displaying your domain name
make it easy to read, use Capital Letters to help the eye define each word. This
is goodYogaByMe.com versus not so goodyogabyme.com (one real-life
example is Shakta@ShaktaKaur.com).
The good news is that you can have a presence on the internet for about $10
per month, and even create your own web site with user-friendly tools. There is
a learning curve, but it is not too steep. You really can do this yourself.
Here are the steps to help you become a member of the virtual world:
Register a Domain Name
It can be daunting to obtain the perfect domain name for your business. The
possibilities are almost endless, but keep in mind that simpler is better. You
actually have two items that will comprise you domain namethe unique
name of your business plus the extension letters at the endoften .com, .edu,
or .org (these were the original extensions for company, education, and
non-profit). The preferred extension is .combut it is not easy to get a
good .com name these days. There are plenty of other extensions which work
just as well, so do not worry.
When considering your domain name, try to put your brandwithin the
name, and the word yogatoo. Search engines look first at the domain name
to find informationso a good domain name will contain your brandand
type of business. One caution, a hard-to-spell word may confuse peopleso
omit difficult words in favor of easier words when possible. Alternatively, you
49
may purchase several domain names, with spelling variations, all of which
will send internet viewers to the same website. For example, ShaktaKaur.
com variations would includeShaktaKar.com and ShaktaCar.com (or even
ShocktaKar.com, etc.).
A domain name may have numbers, letters, or hyphens -. Nothing else!
The total length of the domain name is between 2 and 67 characters. The
following link allows you to search for many different domain names very
quickly: https://secure.dotster.com/DDS/
The registration for each domain name is between $10 and $20 per year.
Purchase a Web Host (Internet Service Provider, or ISP)
You need a physical computer system out thereto be the host for your website. The ISP does all the work to manage the computers and connections to
the internet, along with your email. For a simple website, like a yoga instructors website, you only need the bare-bones hosting plan, which costs less than
$10 per month. Do not worry about high bandwidthand big GBs and 5,000
email boxes, etc. Get the most basic plan (usually on a Linux server rather than
Microsoft servers). Everyone can get to your website no matter which server is
hosting it.
Here is a good, reliable, cheap place to host your website:
http://www.dotster.com/hosting/linux.php The basic plan is $64 per year
and you get one domain name for freealong with a Site Builderprogram to
let you create your own website without knowing any programming.
Accept Credit Cards
This is not as hard as you think. The easiest way is via PayPal or GoogleCheckout payment portals. These are both easy to use and widely trusted. Your computer screen becomes the credit card reader, and you may add PayNow buttons
on your website (not too hard). Investigate both options to see which you prefer.
You will pay a fee of about 3% on each sale.
https://merchant.paypal.com/cgi-bin/marketingweb?cmd=_rendercontent&content_ID=merchant/home&nav=2
http://checkout.google.com/sell?promo=sbs&utm_medium=et&utm_
source=us-en-et-bizsol_canal-v1-ta&utm_campaign=en
Get Social
Begin the journey into social networking to establish and enhance your
branding. Get your nose into Facebook and similar networks to be present in
the virtual meeting rooms. This process can take a while to learn and master.
Get a 14-year-old to help you.
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If you are very tech savvy you could consider exploring the many open
sourceprograms that let you create customer database, class scheduling, and
email marketing. The cost can be very low with this approach, but your time
and learning curve will be very high. This is a good time to decide if you are a
yoga teacher or a website technician.
Get Listed on Search Sites
So many sites, so little time! Many options exist online for you to list your
businesstoo many reallyand they all claim to be the best, most visited,
certified, etc., etc., etc. In truth, you do not have the time to find them,
register, fill-in the data, and monitor returns (if any) for all contenders. Even
though most such sites are free, some actually want to charge you a fee. There
is not a great return on your time-investment here; however, this type of project is perfect for a teenager! If you create the wording and details, you could
pay a teenager to spend the numerous hours needed to create and update listings for your business.
Certainly, you need to have your business listed on the 3HO IKYTA
site, the Yoga Journal website and pay to be a professional member of 3HO
IKYTA. This will require some expense and work from you, but it is totally
worth the time and the fees charged. 3HO IKYTA is the place people go to
find a certified Kundalini Yoga teacher. You want to be listed there so everyone
can find you.
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*Of course, when you get really stuck in this process, you can hire a consultant to pull you
out of the muck. My hope is to work directly with you and hold your handthrough it all
teaching you along the way. My goal is for you to become self-sufficient. Call me anytime for
a complimentary 15-minute telephone consult. After that we can decide how much help you
need. My 3HO IKTYA rate is just $26 per hour (regularly $54 per hour).
Kundalini Yoga practitioners are blessed to experience the power of naad, the
science of sound, as a regular part of every Kundalini Yoga and Meditation
class. The thousands of 3HO musical selections available offer a wide variety
of choice to Instructors of Kundalini Yoga as they begin to build their music
library.
One question frequently heard, especially from new Instructors, is, Im just
starting to teach. What music should I buy? Here is a recommended list of over
30 CDs from some of the most talented 3HO singers and songwriters around.
Adi Shakti by Gurudass (Gurudasskaur@khalsa.com). Includes Adi Shakti
and Gobinday Mukunday (31-minutes each track).
Ajai Alai by Guru Shabad Singh Khalsa and Nirinjan Kaur Khalsa (62 minutes). Available at SpiritVoyage.com.
Amrit Vela (The Mother of 3HO, Shakti Parwha Kaur Khalsa, says that the
Long Ek Ong Kar on this Aquarian Sadhana Mantra CD is rhythmically perfect! Available at SpiritVoyage.com).
Angels Waltz by Sada Sat Kaur Khalsa. (KRIs Director of Training, Gurucharan Singh Khalsa, Ph.D., says that Track #5, Ra Ma Da Sa Sa Say So Hung,
uses the perfect rhythm for teaching beginners Breath of Fire. Available at
SpiritVoyage.com.
Bani Pro 1 by Rajnarind Kaur (Banipro@gmail.com or SpiritVoyage.com).
Contains Japji Sahib, Jaap Sahib, Tva Prasaad Svaeeyay, Rehiras Sahib and
Sohila.
Circle of Light by Gurudass (GurudassKaur@khalsa.com or SpiritVoyage.com)
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Crimson 1 & 2 by Singh Kaur and Kim Robertson. Guru Ram Das (38 minutes) and Mul Mantra (31 minutes) at InvincibleMusic.com or a-healing.
com. Ideal for deep relaxation.
Crimson 3 by Singh Kaur and Kim Robertson (According to KRIs Director
of Training, Gurucharan Singh Khalsa, Ph.D., this version of Sat Nam Wahe
Guru uses the perfect rhythm for teaching Breath of Fire to beginners.) Available at InvincibleMusic.com or a-healing.com.
Crimson 4 & 5 by Singh Kaur and Kim Robertson. Contains Mender of
Hearts (33 minutes) and Har Har Mukunday (35 minutes). Available at InvincibleMusic.com or a-healing.com.
Crimson 6 & 7 by Singh Kaur, Kim Robertson & Mosaic. Contains Ardas (32
minutes) and Blessings (31 minutes). Ideal for deep relaxation. Available at
InvincibleMusic.com or a-healing.com.
Dhan Dhan Ram Das Guru (The Blessing) by Sangeet Kaur Khalsa Available
at a-healing.com or SpiritVoyage.com.
Game of Chants by Guru Singh joined by Seal and friends. Available at
SpiritVoyage.com.
Grateful Ganesh by GuruGanesha Singh. Aquarian Sadhana mantras Available
at SpiritVoyage.com.
Journey Home by Gurunam Singh. Available at SpiritVoyage.com.
Kundalini Mantra Instruction by Gurudass Kaur (SpiritVoyage.com). Contains 67 of the most commonly used Kundalini mantras pronounced by a female voice. This includes all the mantras from the Level 1 Aquarian Teacher
Manual and from all KRI-approved Kundalini Yoga manuals.
Livelight by Aykanna (available at Aykanna.com where you can download a
digital booklet of all the mantras on this CD or SpiritVoyage.com).
Mantras of the Master by Santokh Singh Khalsa (KundaliniToolbox.com or
a-healing.com). Contains 64 Kundalini mantras pronounced by a male voice
in one-minute loops.
Miracles & Healing by Hari Bhajan Kaur and Livtar Singh Khalsa (HaribhajanMusic@gmail.com). Four classic tracks including Ra Ma Da Sa Sa Say So
Hung; Guru Ram Das chant; Ardas Bahee; and the Long Time Sunshine Song.
Morning Call Long Ek Ong Kar by Livtar Singh Khalsa (62 minutes).
Contact livtar3@charter.net.
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Resources
You may purchase Kundalini Yoga music, books and manuals from any of
these sources.
Ancient Healing Ways
www.a-healing.com|877-753-5351
The following CDs are available only through Ancient Healing Ways:
I Am Thine by Livtar Singh
Bangara Rhythms
Punjabi Drum Music
Sat Nam Wahe Guru #1, #2, #3, #4
Dhuni
Har Singh Nar Singh by Nirinjan Kaur
The Twelve Months by Don Cooper
Maha Mrityunjai Mantra (Prayer For Death)
The Noble Woman
Promises (Sat-Peter Singh Khalsa)
Wahe Guru Wahe Jio & Jai te Gung (Bhai Avtar Singh)
Ab Jan Oopar/Band Jammaeei (Master Darshan Singh)
Benti Chaupaee (Baba Nihal Singh)
Aad Guray Nameh by Singh Kaur*
Aap Sahaee Hoa by Singh Kaur*
Wahe Guru Jio by Singh Kaur*
Rakhe Rakhanahar by Singh Kaur
Slow Japji (learning CD) by Ram Das Kaur Khalsa
Prayer for the Golden Temple by Pritpal Singh
Jaap Sahib (learning CD) by Ram Das Kaur Khalsa
Nitnem Banis by Hari Dharam Kaur
Nitnem Banis by Baba Nihal Singh
Sukhmani Sahib by Baba Nihal Singh
Jaap Sahib by Ragi Sat Nam Singh
People of Love (Khalsa Womens Training Camp)
The following books are available only at Ancient Healing Ways:
Living Reality by Bibiji Inderjit Kaur Khalsa, Ph.D.
Siri Guru Granth Sahib Darshan by Bibji Inderjit Kaur Khalsa, Ph.D.
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Invincible Music
www.InvincibleMusic.com
877-763-0080 or 602-277-2999
Spirit Voyage Music
www.SpiritVoyage.com
888-735-4800
Build Your Yoga Classes With These Books
http://www.3ho.org/ikyta/images/japji-song-of-the-soul-handout.pdf
http://www.3ho.org/ikyta/images/lunar-woman-handout-aya-2009.pdf
http://www.3ho.org/ikyta/images/yoga-for-the-artist-hand-out.pdf
http://www.3ho.org/ikyta/images/connecting-women-for-peace-hand-out.pdf
http://www.3ho.org/ikyta/images/cultivate-peace-within-workshop.pdf
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