EP 33 - The Yin and Yang of Yoga: The Heart of Yoga in China

11/02/21 • 60 min

Ronan Tang and Xi Zhu are a bridge for humanity between East and West, master translators and facilitators of the Heart of Yoga in China. Together they facilitate the unity of ancient wisdom traditions. What is the relationship between Daoism and Veda, between Yoga and Chinese Traditional Wisdom practices? What is the relationship of ha-tha yoga to the yin and yang of the Dao? How does Tai Chi relate to Yoga? Ronan and Xi are the living examples of the answers to these questions in China, dear friends bringing together the wisdom traditions of their culture with those of their neighbour/sister country India. Together they speak with Mark and Rosalind about their process of "whole body translation", the story of working together for the last 15 years, why Chinese students adapt to "Yoga of participation" so easily, and their experience of how these teachings can bypass all techniques and bring harmony to relationship. They also discuss how Chinese characters such as 放松 (fàngsōng, relax) and 樂 (lè, yuè – joy, music) reveal insights especially relevant for Yoga practitioners. If you are a Mandarin speaker/reader and would like more information on the community in China, online gatherings etc, get in touch with [email protected]. In this episode you will hear...

02:30 Let go of the idea of relaxation. The Dao is precious.

06.00 What is the meaning of Yin and Yang.

11.00 Cutting through the panic for knowledge. Passing on the teachings in China.

19:00 Doubt, the power of the cosmos and realizations.

26:00 Working with B. K. S. Iyengar. Tools of needles, herbs and Yoga.

34:00 Yin, Yang and wisdom are deeply engrained in the DNA of the Chinese.

40:00 Ronan and Xi speak of Yoga and relationship(s). The Flower doesn't advertise it's own perfume.

48:00 Cultivating the best medicine from within, the intelligence of the body, and the students.

Follow this podcast for new episodes here: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS/XML

If you feel moved to submit a question for a future episode, you can do so here:

https://www.heartofyoga.com/podcast

You can find more from the Heart of Yoga on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.

02:30 Let go of the idea of relaxation. The Dao is precious.

06.00 What is the meaning of Yin and Yang.

11.00 Cutting through the panic for knowledge. Passing on the teachings in China.

19:00 Doubt, the power of the cosmos and realizations.

26:00 Working with B. K. S. Iyengar. Tools of needles, herbs and Yoga.

34:00 Yin, Yang and wisdom are deeply engrained in the DNA of the Chinese.

40:00 Ronan and Xi speak of Yoga and relationship(s). The Flower doesn't advertise it's own perfume.

48:00 Cultivating the best medicine from within, the intelligence of the body, and the students.

Follow this podcast for new episodes here: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS/XML

If you feel moved to submit a question for a future episode, you can do so here:

https://www.heartofyoga.com/podcast

You can find more from the Heart of Yoga on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.

Previous Episode

EP 32 - Staying Local, Going Global with Jessica Patterson

Jessica Patterson is the founder and director of Root Centre for Yoga and Sacred Studies, which she offers to the world from her home in Colorado Springs, USA. Jessica is someone who has managed to successfully keep the heart in Yoga. She escaped the "Yoga Industrial Complex," and continues to teach purely as the force of nurturing in local community — and beyond. Jessica speaks with Mark about keeping the Centre going through the pandemic, whilst always acknowledging that "Yoga is Not Commercial Activity". This episode will be heart-food for all practitioners and teachers "swimming against the stream" of commercialism and hegemonic co-optation of the sacred traditions, and navigating the demands of students with warped expectations of what yoga is. She also explains her ground-breaking "Untrainings," and how Yoga functions for students as an unlearning process, rather than the hoarding of more knowledge. Online educational programs and more information at https://www.rootdownandgrow.com/root-teachers/jessica-patterson/ In this episode you will hear...

01:00 The introduction.

05:00 Ancient arrowheads, wandering the ancient worlds. Trespassers and relationship.

12:00 A white trespasser v's indigenous wisdom. Traceable lines of trauma. The opposite of memory.

25:00 Pain is a function of mother nature. Don't meditate or meditate your way out of it. Un-training.

40:00 We should be falling on or knees on the mere sight of each other. Our bodies are not franchises. Yoga is not about the teacher. It's about the student.

50:00 The transition from instructor to teacher with a capitol T. Being here and being hair. When you're full you're a terrible consumer. Confronting patents.

Follow this podcast for new episodes here: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS/XML

If you feel moved to submit a question for a future episode, you can do so here:

https://www.heartofyoga.com/podcast

You can find more from the Heart of Yoga on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.

Next Episode

EP 34 - Weaving Community Health: Ilil Lunkry and Tali Tali Collective

Ilil is the Heart behind Tali Tali collective, a social enterprise to nurture indigenous weaving traditions (tali tali means weaving) and create income for rural women, including here on Taveuni island, Fiji.

Rosalind speaks with her about Tali Tali, the extraordinary hand made Yoga mats they are helping bring to the world, and the "Woven Village" program just completed, which included teaching yoga in the rural indigenous villages of Taveuni Island. Ilil talks about the joys and challenges of adapting Yoga to the needs of the women, being sensitive to Christian culture and traditional village culture.

We also talk about the new (ancient) way of being of service, beyond the "do-gooders high" or imposing anything on communities, and how instead it can be about learning together, sharing tools.

This will be a fascinating listen for anyone working with communities new to Yoga or suspicious to Yoga, as well as anyone suspicious of the plastic commodity known as the "yoga mat" and wondering what to do about that. And just inspiring in general as a story of having a positive dream, and making it happen despite all obstacles (like no planes going to Fiji).

Please go to www.talitali.org to see/order the beautiful mats, read more about the project, and donate if you have the means! You can also follow on Instagram @talitali_tribe.

In this episode you will hear...

02:00 Ilil Lunkry's background, weaving, living and being. The birth of Tali Collective. Creating an empowerment program.

11:00 Working around the suspicion of Yoga as witchcraft, Christian sides of the community, putting the program together starting with Yoga.

29:00 Tantra, to weave and to bring things together, sacred gestures. What is weaving? How to weave Yoga mats from plants.

40:00 The community response to the program. Bringing the sexes together. Empowered women speaking their minds, and bring the program to the rest of the world.

Follow this podcast for new episodes here: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS/XML

If you feel moved to submit a question for a future episode, you can do so here:

https://www.heartofyoga.com/podcast

You can find more from the Heart of Yoga on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.