A letter from Russell & Sally

Dear Students,

It is with much pleasure and enthusiasm that I write this letter to you. We have extended our contract here at SPACE. We now are committed to teaching and leading the Mysore program until August of 2009! This will give us time to continue the training of Dolly, Jay, and Ethan. And in the meantime Glaxyl, and Takei will cement their status as journeyman Mysore style teachers here in Taiwan and the South East Asia region. This is a very rare skill set and will be of great benefit to them and the region in the future. Already I have had to fight off poachers in North America (not to mention competing schools in Taipei) who covet their experience. They want to steal them away from me! We are very pleased that at the end of this year Taipei will have at least 5 very well trained Mysore style Ashtanga teachers in the correct method.

Concurrent to this internal training, Sally and I will be offering an Asthanga intensive during the month of March. During this training we will intensely train participants in the fine art of adjusting students, protecting our bodies while teaching, and the use of one's hands to listen to the nervous system. We will discuss in depth the Niyamas in the context of the Mysore room. How to cultivate Santosha—or contentment, with Saucha or purification. This is done when one practices to our personal limit every day with consistency for a long period of time. As Patanjali says in his Yoga Sutra. 1.14 Sa tu dirghakala nairantarya satkara asevitah drdhabhumih. You will learn how to develop a Tapas or austerity to develop a spiritual discipline. And then Swadhaya or spiritual study or self study is nurtured towards Ishavara Pranidhana. The offering of one's life to God. We do this every day in Mysore when we offer our practice up to Patanjali in our prayer to his image. Hopefully in this class we direct how one accomplishes true Sadhana. The accomplishment of spiritual practice.

In the meantime Sally and I will make our pilgrimage to Mysore to take darshan with our teacher. This will start Sept 1st and we will come back before Chinese New Year. We deeply appreciate your enthusiasm and dedication to this authentic teaching; hopefully you continue to practice this traditional science. As without personal discipline and practice our teachings will have no effect. Lian shi! Lian shi! Lian shi! I trust Glaxyl implicitly and am completely confident they will continue your growth. (If you practice!) Thank you so much for your support.

Russ and Sally