An unforgettable day for us!

International Free Yoga Day on Saturday, March 14, was an unforgettable day for us. The day was a huge success on the Gold Coast. 2009 is the third year that the Australian School of Meditation and Yoga has participated in Free Yoga Day. It has grown from just our regular classes being offered for free to a full day of free yoga and meditation classes from 7am to 5pm.

We knew that the day was off to a great start when we had over 30 people arrive for our 7am Energy Yoga class. The weather was beautiful and sunny and people kept on rolling up with many new faces trying yoga for the first time and many regulars passionate about exploring their practice further. Highlights on the day include; 110 students participating in a mid morning ‘pick me up’ Energy Yoga class; over 150 yoga enthusiasts partnering up to learn how to give an Indian Head Massage; a tasty and sumptuous lunch and refreshments served throughout the day; inspirational and beautiful yoga chanting meditation that left everyone feeling like that had stepped under a clean mountain waterfall and the amazing teamwork of all the ASMY teachers and volunteers who made such a successful day possible. More than 200 people joined us on Saturday at the Albert Waterways Community Centre to celebrate all things yoga.

Free Yoga Day is an international event aimed at promoting the physical, mental and spiritual benefits of the time tested yoga tradition. Some feedback from students on the day included; “I wish that I could do this everyday”, “I feel great, so relaxed and peaceful”, “I am so glad that I made the time to come” and “There is no better way to spend a day”. If you missed out on Saturday be sure to mark March 14 in your diary for next year. We hope to make next year even bigger and better.

A big thank you to all the people who came, without your support the day wouldn’t have been such fun and a big thank you to all the helpers on the day, without you it would not have been possible! A special mention must be made to the amazing kitchen crew who served out over 180 plates of Indian Dahl, rice, salad and pappadams for lunch and over 400 baked items such as Pina Colada Muffins, Pumpkin Scones and Vanilla Cookies throughout the day.

We hope that you continue to enjoy and pursue your passion for yoga.

Namaste

Amara

Another successful Clean Up Australia Day!

In the mid morning sun we gathered to contribute our part in keeping our beautiful country clean and green. On behalf of Clean Up Australia and the Australian School of Meditation and Yoga I would like to thank all the volunteers who gave up their Sunday morning to lend a helping hand.

I remember back to when I did my first Clean Up Australia Day, when I was 7, around the Tallebudgera Creek. This year I was fortunate enough to be supervising the Nobby Beach Clean Up Site. Having only registered the site 2 weeks ago I honestly thought that I would be one of only a few people at our site. I was over the moon when people kept on rolling up to help out. With 23 online registrations and 23 registrations on the day, I was very excited to see everyone’s community spirit.

We cleaned along the Nobby/Miami Beach foreshore and coast, Lions Head Park and the bushland edging on Miami State High School. In total we collected 3 ½ wheelie bins full of rubbish. Our most interesting and unique finds that I thought would be worth sharing with you were; a Buddha with only half a head, a one wheeled pink girls bicycle (later on we found the other wheel) and a wheelless skateboard. The amount of empty bottles, cans and cigarette butts that we found was a shock to everyone. Members of the public joined in helping us to pick up rubbish as they saw us passing by with our Clean Up Australia Day bags.

After all the hard work and heat we headed back to the studio and had some much needed refreshments. Everyone received a certificate of appreciation from Clean Up Australia for their participation. All in all in was a very successful morning and yes, this little part of Australia is a little cleaner because of it! Why not try to make everyday a Clean Up Australia Day? It doesn’t take much effort to pick up some litter when you see it, or at the least put your own rubbish in the bin.

Here's to keeping Australia clean and green!

Amara

National Free Yoga Day March 14 2009

The Australian School of Meditation & Yoga (ASMY) will again be participating in the National Free Yoga Day by having a whole day of free classes and workshops. The day was so successful in March 2008 that in 2009 we are holding the day at Albert Waterways Community Centre, a large community hall behind Pacific Fair. In the spirit of generosity and love, ASMY, along with many other participating yoga schools would like to promote the wonderful gift of yoga.

National Free Yoga Day gives the community an opportunity to enjoy some gentle stretching, breathing and relaxing, whilst accessing the many benefits of Yoga for the mind, body and soul. This is a chance for many in the community to try Yoga for the first time, for others to return to Yoga and for regular practitioners to try a different style of Yoga.

Find out what Australian School of Meditation and Yoga is doing for Free Yoga Day 2009.

We are looking forward to a great day and hope that you can make it!

Namaste,

Amara

Clean Up Australia Day 2009

Namaste,

Clean Up Australia Day is coming up on March 1 and the Australian School of Meditation and Yoga have registered the Nobby Beach area as a Clean Up Site. Every year hundreds of thousands of Australians get stuck in and clean up their local environment by collecting and removing rubbish on Clean Up Australia Day. It is fun, easy and everyone can get involved.

This is how you can help:

1) Register to volunteer for Clean Up Australia Day

If you would like to volunteer at our Clean Up site, you can register as a volunteer here.

Or you can meet us on the day and fill out a volunteer registration form.

2) Volunteers can make a donation to Clean Up Australia Environment Fund

On the right click on the ‘Donate Now’ link and follow the prompts.

Or you can make a donation at one of our yoga or meditation programs.

Donations will assist Clean Up Australia to continue to work and foster relationships between the community, business and government to address critical issues of waste, water and climate change.

3) Support us by making a donation to our fundraising target of $800

Those you can not be involved on the day can visit our fundraising page and make a donation to help us reach our fundraising target. If you are volunteering and would like to get more involved with fundraising you can register your own fundraising page. Just click the 'Sign Up & Join this team' button.

When: 1 March 2009 8-10am
Where: Nobby Beach area. Meeting at the ASMY for an 8am start.
What to bring: Gloves, sturdy shoes, sunglasses, sun protection and water.
Questions: amara@asm.org.au or (07) 5554 5440

Great saints, sages and yogi’s understand that cleanliness and hygiene are important elements to a healthy, balanced life. A peaceful and tranquil environment is much more conducive to a meditative state and self realisation.

We hope to see you at the centre on March 1.

All the best,

Amara

Back By Popular Demand

Namaste,

For those living on the Northern end of the Gold Coast you will be pleased to hear the good news. Our Thursday morning free Easy Yoga Stretch and Relax with Meditation class will be resuming this Thursday (Feb 5). Initially this was a 6 week program (Oct 9 to Nov 20) at the Southport Library. Due to popular demand, this class will now continue indefinitely at the same time, at a new venue (Southport Scout Den).

Thursday 9.15am Southport Scout Den (Corner of High and Smith Sts)

In conjunction with the GCCC Active and Healthy Campaign, this class will continue to be offered free of charge. This class features half an hour of gentle stretching and half an hour of relaxation and meditation and makes it very easy to relieve tension in the body and the mind. You will leave feeling alive and with a sense of peace and inner calm. A great class for anyone wanting to try yoga for the first time. We have hired a much larger hall, so why not do your friends and family a favour and invite them along.
Please bring a towel or mat to this session.

Don't forget that we also hold meditation and yoga classes at the Southport Community Centre on a Monday and Wednesday night and Yoga in the Park Thursday mornings at Labrador. Read more.....

Any questions 5554 5440 or asm@onthenet.com.au

We look forward to seeing you at a class soon.

Amara

Come and celebrate Christmas with us

We would love to have you come and celebrate Christmas with us. We believe that Christmas is best when shared with friends and family.

The festivities will include:

Meeting old friends and new

Beautiful chanting

Songs of Praise

Video presentation of the teachings of Jesus

Sumptuous vegetarian feast

A joyous mantra rock dance

When: Sunday 21st December

Where: Albert Waterways Community Centre

Cnr Hooker and Sunshine Blvd, Mermaid Waters (Behind Pacfic Fair)

To help us with meal preparations, please RSVP by Sunday 14th of December

Phone: 5554 5440
E-mail: asm@onthenet.com.au

This year we have hired a much larger hall to comfortably accommodate everyone who would like to come so please invite all your family and friends.

Hope to see you there.

Namaste,

Amara and all the teachers and crew at the Australian School of Meditation and Yoga.

Discover Meditation Courses

The year has flown by and there are only three more Discover Meditation courses left to run in 2008. Time seems to be flying by far too quickly, so make sure you mark the dates in your diary early as Christmas is just around the corner and social calendars will be booking up. At this time of year, people really need meditation and relaxation in their lives as it is a very stressful time of the year and extremely busy for most of us.

Meditation calms the mind, nourishes us spiritually and gives us inner resources to deal with the busy-ness of life. Unfortunately if we don’t make the time to meditate a priority in our lives, time will pass us by, and before we know it, another year is over and we still haven’t put any time aside to meditate and relax. People who make the effort to maintain a regular meditation practice right through the Christmas period always comment on how much more relaxed they felt and how much better they were able to cope with the stresses of life.

Mark these dates in your diary and make meditation a priority in your life:

Mermaid Beach
10.30am Wednesday 3rd and 10th December
7.30pm Thursday 4th and 11th December

Nerang
11.45am Friday 12th and 19th December

“Meditation brings wisdom; lack of meditation leaves ignorance.
Know well what leads you forward and what holds you back,
and choose the path that leads to wisdom.”
Buddha

That time of year again

Well here we are again, almost at the end of another year! As you know the teachers and volunteers at the Australian School of Meditation and Yoga work very hard all year without a break, so Christmas is a time when we close the centre for three weeks to give us that much deserved break. It gives us all time to organise our programs for next year, relax, revitalize and rejuvenate.

The last program for the year will be our Christmas gathering held on the 21st December and our first program back in 2009 will be our Sunday Spiritual Gathering on the 11th January.

The programs at Southport finish Thursday 11 December. The 2009 program starts Monday 12 January.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all the teachers and volunteers at the Australian School of Meditation.

Amara

Instructor

Australian School of Meditation and Yoga