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NEWS photo Cindy Goodman

AMES Nicholson Strikes a pose. More peopie are discovering yoga as a kinder, gentler workout. Nicholson
leaches. ashtanga, a physical form of yoga that uses fluid movement to connect a series of strengthening

tures,

of form’ manifestation, ‘thi
place-of slower-moving  spirir,
are. microcosm set within the
macrocosm of space; and
since, there is no separation
on any, level whatsoever, we
are the very. essence of the
dust of stars which is
starlight: -

We-are the light, the pro-
jector and the screen upon
Which we project. The film is
the mythological i imagery of
our dreams. Our “considera-

"are. the way we put the
ars together in our minds.
“Only lincar, tinie-trapped

thoughts prevent us from
seeing the staggering beauty
of our entirety. Knowing this,

; see the truth of my friend,
Dr. C: Spezzano’s, tollowi

MGA Re Gee

written by y
-a movie in which you are the

der myst

tw ee oe ee aS

message. From a 1992
newsletter (worth careful

“-reflection):

“The story of your life is
Think of it as

writer, director, producer,

‘star, etc, What type of movie

has your life been? Horror,
drama, tragedy, comedy, mur-
, adventure and
war stories are a few af the
many movies thar we write.
The key question to ask your-
self about the movie of your
life is the key question of all

- psychology — ‘what purpose

does this serve?’

“One of the general pur-
poses that fic all stories is this:
‘I, who am innocent, have
been made the way Tam by
what others have done to me.
Iam living proof of their
treachery.’

“Unless our story

.

our story as an attack that
feigns innocence. All sufter-
ing, at the deepest level, is
attack under the guise of
innocence.

“For years I have looked
for the one sustaining princi-
ple in psychology that creates

. traps. I found that our family

traps set up the patterns of
relationship and victim traps.
And lately I have discovered
the aspect of ‘our story’ that
patterns family dynamics. Our
story is there to celebrate our
specialness cither through
suffering or grandivity. But it
belies and betrays our great-
Ness, Our purpose and our
Joy.

“Your story is completely
pervasive and addictive. It
builds your separate special-
ness, your personality and
your ego. It crystallizes you,
and this leads you toward
your death. Your story is
killing you. All of this, just to
support some concepts about
yourself. It hardly seems
worth it when you realize
that the cost of such a ven-
ture is disappointment and
death. And everything you
try to prove about yourself
comes from something you
don’t actually believe.

“For instance, if | were to

try to prove my intelligence
to you, you would quickly
suspect the opposite, or, at
the very least, my insecurity.
Your story is out to prove
something about you and
others. Why bother using
your precious learning time?
Why use your time for heal-
ing, lové and joy to support a
story that doesn’t even sup-
Port you -— the real you?

“Your preoccupation with
self is like | holding
a mirror — it gets in the way.
Making your whole life all
about vou is not only imma-
ture, but is the death knell
to your relationship.

“Our preoccupation with
ourselves creates ‘on-
sciousness, Which is what
builds personality, bur is the
opposite of spontaneity and

joy. Everything we do or that

happens to us that does not
bring joy and happiness is
just there to support our self
concept

“It is important co real
the crauble your stary brings
to your relationships. $
you are the hero of your
story, you make all others
into supporting actors and
actresses. Given that this is

state, we are

to comparison, competition

TUTTLE Soe a PERE LE ED Des PTET EE DEDE HEED COTE PEER ECE TORTS

Sunday, June 7, 1998 — North Shore News ~ 27

y

Layne Christensen
News Reporter

ALANIS Morissette and
Jennifer Aniston are
doing it. So are Sting
and David Duchovny.

s yoga and voga is hor.
Madonna has also joined the
celebrity ranks of the newly

t appearance on
aterial-turned-

the virtues

tne it had “released”

yoga hoon, the # "000+ ¥ anol
practice is going mainstream.

Sail, there are skeptics.

“T think it tightens some
people,” said recent voga con-
vert James Knowles. “Most
people have this notion that
yoga is about somebow, in a
diaper with his tongue sticking
out... that whole guru aspect.”

For Knawles and his wife
Julie Prescon, who work long
hours running Word ‘Trib
successtul marketing and
management company, voga is
the best form of stress release.

“I used to go te the gym,
buc it strikes me that the gym is
more of the same — all that
pounding and noise,” says

and power struggle.

“Even our success goes to
the hero of our story and not
to our success and joy.

“Our success storics subtly
rob us of the natural joy and
receiving we would have
from giving. It just adds to
our story which we tell to
everyone given half a chance.
But hidden under every self
concept, no matter how
bright and shiny it looks, is a
hell, a place we are impris-
oned in pain. And still our
self concepts don’t compare
to the selves they hide. ;

“Our first goal is therefore
one of healing, to make our
nightmares into happy
dreams, for that is what is
necessary for us to wake up
to the real world beyond sto-
ries. That which crystallizes
us, makes us old and kills us.
Whatever changes our self
concepts youthens and saves
us. All pain and deadness can
only be part of your story.

“It seems a worthy fune-
tion to explore our stories for
the havoc they wreak on our
lives and the lives of those we
love, It is time we turned off
the automatic copy writer
within us and censciously
choose a vibrant and happy
story. It is time we learn to

~

Know les. This works it (stress)
y that is more calm-

James Nicholson has prac:
tised yoga for 20 vears and
teaches a form of youa called
ashranga or power \
says voga is the perfect workout
for the new millennium,

“In che '70s, it was jogging.
In the ’80s, it was acrobics, In
the °90s, cross-training and
uiaz thlons. Whe s always been

Yoga is a kinder,. gentler
workout, a workout for the
mind as weil as the body... |

And let there be no mistake,
adds Nicholson, vog2 is awork-
out. Ar 41, he's in. the: best
shape of his He owes his
lithe, muscular frame to Yora.

Knowles, a hard-core moun-
tain biker, finds voga the perfect
counterpoint to trail riding
because it stretches as well, as
strengthens his muscles. .

Bur it’s thé mind-body con-
nection thar has him hooked, sO!
much so that he’s brought
Knowles in for yoza workouts
Monday and Wednesda
evenings at his company’s fo!
space in Lower Lonsdaie’
Empire Theatre building. ‘The:
sessions are open to the public.
Call World Tribe at,990-5185

become harmless instead of
living a life of veiled attack.
For it is only harmlessness
that allows us to see our fel-
low humans as innocent. It is
this harmlessness that leads us
to'see all things bright and
new, within a world that
blesges rather than threatens
to snuff out our short fi

“The choice is ours
whether to live consciou.
or to live at the effect of old
programmes that no longer
serve us. Lf something is not
tor healing or happiness, ir
does nor serve us. The true
you is somcone who doesn’t
need to defend or hold on,
but someone whose greatness
empowers others’ greatness.
Your happiness is the bese gift
you can give to your partner,
your children, your parent
your friends, the world, an
God. It’s your choice! bo
you want it all, or do. you
want your story?”

Robers Aiken is an inte
nationally known professional
astrolagian and therapentic
connselor/teacher/writer with
40 years’ experience. He offers

nal counselling as well as
tharough, in-depth, substan-
tive, tape-recorded astrologicaT®
readings Phone Carale : 926-

a ee Nae
Se wee at
Seve Ue ea OS Hae